However, before implementing this plan, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki knew that he needed to expand his power, which would inevitably require a large amount of financial support.
After careful consideration, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki resolutely decided to target the wealthiest Iwagakure. Although intelligence indicated that the head of Rock District was Uchiha, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was unconcerned.
Without needing to say more, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was confident that he could easily defeat his opponent. Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly, revealing a confident smile.
Immediately afterwards, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki quickly summoned his subordinates and ordered them to close the gates of the Fire Temple, informing everyone that the temple would remain closed to visitors during this period.
In reality, this was just a ruse. Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's true purpose was to use this time to recuperate and fully recover from his injuries before launching his attack on Iwagakure.
Within the Land of Rain
Two figures, one in red and one in yellow, were chatting, one in front of the other. To be precise, the one in red was silent, while the one in yellow kept talking non-stop.
"Hey! Your name is Scorpion, right? I see you have an artistic talent. How about we become friends? We can exchange ideas from time to time."
How old are you? I just turned eighteen!
"Why are you ignoring me? Fine, fine, I'll talk to you if I'm in a good mood!"
"Speaking of art, I think Art is an Explosion!" Deidara said, and the figure in front of him stopped, his eyes blazing as he stared at Deidara.
"You all step back!" He waved his hand, signaling the surrounding Sunagakure Ninja to leave. The Sunagakure Ninja exchanged glances and then departed.
Then Sasori looked at Deidara and sneered, "What? An 18-year-old kid? Does he need guards?"
Deidara was taken aback, then burst into laughter. He was incredibly excited; this guy was indeed his kindred spirit! He wanted to discuss art with him right away!
Deidara ignored Sasori's attitude. He waved his hand, and the Iwagakure ninja left as well. Their thoughts were simple: even the Third Tsuchikage couldn't capture Deidara immediately.
With that red-haired Sunagakure Ninja?
Deidara said, "Hey, I've done as you said. Now, can we discuss what art is?"
Deidara's eyes lit up, and in the next second, a figure flashed, and Iron Sand began to gather from the ground into the air, gradually turning into Iron Sand cones.
Scorpion glared at him and said, "You've been muttering to yourself the whole way! It's so annoying! Take your worthless, rubbish art and go to hell!"
Deidara was stunned, then his anger flared. "What did you say? You said my art is rubbish? Fine, fine, I treated you like a brother, and you're looking down on me?!"
After saying that, Deidara pulled a handful of clay from his pocket, quickly kneaded it, and then flicked it. The clay fell to the ground and turned into white spiders, which rushed towards the Third Kazekage puppet controlled by Sasori.
The Iron Sand fell and scattered, destroying a large number of white Clay Spider, but it was still impossible to wipe them all out. Deidara watched as the spiders were about to touch the scorpion.
Deidara Hand Seals and shouted, "Katsu!" The Explosive Clay white spider leaped up and charged towards Sasori.
Sasori's face remained calm. With a flick of his right hand, the Third Kazekage Puppet immediately carried Sasori away from the blast radius.
Iron Sand plates sprouted beneath their feet, dragging the two of them into the air.
The Explosive Clay white spider originally intended to sacrifice itself to exchange for the scorpion, but it didn't expect the enemy to be able to fly!
As soon as Deidara gave the order, the Explosive Clay white spider immediately detonated!
Boom boom boom!
Smoke and Kakkō soared into the sky. Sasori stood on high ground, watching Deidara's ninjutsu, a chill ran down his spine. "This guy..." Sasori was somewhat shocked at this moment; this guy's Explosion Release was completely different from anything he had ever seen before.
Deidara's Explosion Release relies on Explosive Clay, which transmits Explosion Release chakra into the clay, thus giving the clay an extremely unstable chakra form.
Deidara was a genius; he mastered the control of this unstable chakra, making this wide-area group damage-type Explosion Release his own weapon.
"Tsk tsk, brother, that puppet is your art, it doesn't look very good," Deidara laughed.
Sasori snorted coldly, then took out ten scrolls from his pouch and threw them into the sky. The next second, a hundred puppets appeared on the battlefield. Deidara, who had been mocking Sasori, immediately became serious, his scalp tingling!
This guy threw out a hundred puppets? Are you kidding me? Deidara was a bit dumbfounded. He had heard that the most skilled puppeteer could only control ten, and that was Sasori's grandmother.
Could it be that Sasori just threw these puppets out as a show? That shouldn't be the case! Deidara was completely baffled. The next moment, Sasori of the Red Sands's eyes turned icy cold as a hundred Chakra Threads rained down on the puppets.
The hundreds of puppets simultaneously raised their heads, their eyes gleaming, all sorts of weapons and poison needles ready, aimed at Deidara.
Deidara was internally screaming "Holy crap!"
Immediately afterwards, he took out a piece of clay and casually shaped it, then channeled a large amount of chakra into it, transforming it into a giant Clay Bird. The moment the Clay Bird appeared, Deidara jumped onto it. The giant Clay Bird flapped its wings and soared into the air, reaching the same height as Sasori.
However, some of Sasori's puppets could levitate! They aimed their projectiles at Deidara, and as Sasori's hand fell, the puppets began firing wildly!
Deidara felt a chill run down his spine as he maneuvered the giant Clay Bird, dodging and weaving. The giant Clay Bird was extremely unstable at this moment, and Deidara could barely control it using his chakra and experience. If Sasori's hidden weapon touched it, it could blow him up!
And so a bizarre scene unfolded in the sky: a person riding a white bird flew through the air in all sorts of strange postures, while Sasori's puppets constantly changed positions, replenished their ammunition, and continued to fire at Deidara.
The battle lasted for ten minutes. The puppets were almost out of ammunition, and Deidara's giant Clay Bird, exhausted from its long flight, turned into dust.
Deira quickly Hand Seals, and a giant hand appeared on the ground to catch him as he fell, slowly lowering him down.
Deidara landed on his feet, staggered slightly, and saw Deidara's fingers move, as dozens of puppets surrounded him.
Deidara, panting heavily, said, "Brother, I know you're powerful, but I also have a trump card I haven't used yet. If I use it, not only will your hundred puppets die, but you will too. Believe it or not?"
He began to make threats, while Sasori of the Red Sands, seemingly lost in thought in mid-air, nodded slightly upon hearing Deidara's words and used a hundred Chakra Threads to retract them back into the scroll.
Deidara breathed a sigh of relief. If he hadn't wanted to make friends and didn't want to fight this guy to the death, he would have already launched a giant bomb!
Sasori of the Red Sands glanced at Deidara, then turned and left. Deidara clicked his tongue as he watched Sasori of the Red Sands figure.
"We're the same kind, but his art is completely different from mine!" Deidara shook his head, got up, and swaggered towards Iwagakure.
After Sasori of the Red Sands had traveled dozens of miles away, he looked back and found Deidara gone. He staggered, then sat cross-legged to recover his chakra.
Controlling a hundred puppets in ten minutes? That's not as easy as it sounds!
Putting aside technique, just considering chakra consumption, it's a hundred times greater than that of an ordinary puppeteer. Sasori of the Red Sands doesn't have any special physique; the fact that he hasn't collapsed for so long is entirely due to his willpower.
Upon Sunagakure Ninja Village ninja immediately protected Sasori. Sasori was the future hope of the Sunagakure, and he absolutely could not be allowed to get into trouble here!
Uzumaki Nagato watched them from the sky without saying a word. He took out a recording stone and watched the battle between the two inside, a smile playing on his lips.
As the leader of the Akatsuki in the Land of Rain, how could he possibly not pay attention to the geniuses and fighting strength of each village?
Konoha
After Uchiha Kō finished the meeting and saw everyone off, he Flying Thunder God Technique to travel to the moon.
On the Moon
Otsutsuki Kaguya was lying on her bed in Otsutsuki Toneri's palace, after she regained Otsutsuki Toneri's eyes, coupled with her new identity.
Otsutsuki Toneri then vacated his palace and would occasionally travel to the Ninja World in disguise to buy fruits and other treats for his ancestors.
Otsutsuki Kaguya was very satisfied with this junior, and occasionally personally instructed Otsutsuki Toneri on combat techniques. As a result Otsutsuki Toneri's strength improved by leaps and bounds.
He looked towards the planet of the Ninja World, beginning to anticipate when he could see Uchiha Kō again, for he was now a completely different person!
Whether the heavens heard his call or not, Uchiha Kō appeared before him.
Otsutsuki Toneri's eyes lit up and he said, "Owl, give me..." Before he could finish speaking, Uchiha Kō waved his hand, and Otsutsuki Toneri was sent flying back a hundred meters.
Uchiha Kō frowned and said, "Go away, I have important business to attend to! I don't have time to waste on your nonsense!"
After saying that, he used the Soul Notification Technique to sense Otsutsuki Kaguya's location and rushed towards the palace.
Otsutsuki Toneri stood there, stunned. Looking at his trembling hands, he recalled the immense strength of Uchiha Kō just now, and he couldn't help but feel a little lost.
He had thought that as long as he worked hard, he could make up for the gap, but after so much time, why did he feel that the gap between him and Uchiha Kō had actually widened?
Otsutsuki Kaguya was lying on the bed, holding a book with the words "Icha Icha Paradise" written on it!
When she sees something beautiful, she always makes strange noises that make people wonder.
Suddenly, she sensed a powerful surge of chakra flashing by outside, so she immediately put down her book and looked intently toward the door.
He began to mobilize the vast amount of chakra within his body, activated his Byakugan, and his temples instantly became engorged with blood vessels.
However, when the gate opened, Otsutsuki Kaguya suddenly froze, because the figure was very familiar—it was Uchiha Kō.
Seeing Otsutsuki Kaguya Uchiha Kō couldn't help but laugh, "It's not good that you act like this the first time we meet, since we finally get to see each other."