Defeating Deidara

On the border of Iwagakure, amidst a desolate stone desert.

Uchiha Xingye walked alone through the desert, his Byakugan scanning everything in a 360-degree radius.

According to the intelligence provided by the system, Deidara and Sasori would pass through here on their way to the Land of Earth for a mission.

"Deidara," Uchiha Xingye muttered to himself, "an Earth Style artist with explosive power, specializing in clay explosions."

"Sasori, skilled in Puppet Technique, possessing the puppet of the Third Kazekage."

"The combination of these two is indeed difficult to deal with."

A cold sneer flashed in Uchiha Xingye's eyes.

"But today, they are facing me."

Just then, a roaring sound came from the sky in the distance.

Uchiha Xingye looked up and saw a giant clay bird flying through the air.

Sitting on the back of the clay bird were two people: on the left was a young man with long golden hair, with mouths on his right hand and chest; on the right was a red-haired man entirely encased in a puppet.

It was none other than Deidara and Sasori of the Akatsuki.

"Sasori," Deidara said excitedly, "I sense a very strong chakra ahead."

"This must be a wonderful art performance."

Sasori said coldly, "Deidara, don't forget our mission."

"We are just passing through; there is no need to look for trouble."

Deidara dismissed this, "Art is explosion; art without explosion is not art."

"Let me see what kind of art the chakra of that person ahead can create."

Deidara jumped off the clay bird, formed hand seals, and spat clay from his mouth, which quickly transformed into a giant clay bird.

"Go, art!"

The giant clay bird rushed toward Uchiha Xingye and exploded in mid-air.

The massive explosion echoed across the desert, sending clouds of dust billowing.

But when the dust cleared, Uchiha Xingye was still standing in the same spot, completely unharmed.

Susanoo Second Form!

Orange chakra armor enveloped Uchiha Xingye, blocking the explosion entirely.

Deidara's pupils constricted, "Susanoo? Another Uchiha?"

Uchiha Xingye looked at Deidara and said calmly, "Deidara of the Akatsuki, your art is indeed shocking."

"However, the art of explosion is meaningless in the face of absolute power."

Deidara was furious, "What do you know about art!"

"Art is the beauty of an instantaneous explosion!"

"I will let you witness true art!"

Deidara formed hand seals, and a large amount of clay poured from his mouth, quickly forming countless clay spiders.

"Go, my army of art!"

Hundreds of clay spiders rushed toward Uchiha Xingye, each one exploding upon approaching him.

Boom!

The continuous explosions made the entire desert tremble, and smoke filled the air.

But Uchiha Xingye still stood in place, his Susanoo blocking the explosions completely.

Uchiha Xingye sneered, his Mangekyo Sharingan slowly rotating.

"Deidara, is your art only about explosions?"

"Let me show you what true art is."

Susanoo Second Form!

The chakra transformed into a massive samurai armor, wielding a chakra blade, and slashed toward Deidara.

Deidara retreated rapidly while creating more clay spiders to block the Susanoo.

"Sasori," Deidara shouted, "aren't you going to make a move?"

Sasori sighed, and his puppet began to move.

"Deidara, you are always so impulsive."

Sasori's puppet emitted countless chakra threads, connecting the clay spiders to form a massive puppet formation.

"Uchiha Xingye," Sasori said coldly, "your Susanoo is indeed very strong."

"But my Puppet Technique is not that simple either."

Sasori formed hand seals, and ten puppets rushed toward Uchiha Xingye simultaneously.

Each of these puppets possessed different abilities: some excelled in poison, some in offense, and others in defense.

Xingye watched the puppets charging toward him, the pattern of his Mangekyo Sharingan shifting.

"Puppet Technique?" Xingye sneered. "Then let me see just how impressive your puppets really are."

Xingye did not attack the puppets directly; instead, he used his Byakugan to lock onto the chakra threads.

Within the vision of the Byakugan, the chakra threads of every puppet were clearly visible.

"Found you." A cold glint flashed in Xingye's eyes.

Lightning Release: Chidori!

Xingye's figure vanished in an instant, reappearing in the center of the puppet formation.

The Chidori precisely severed the chakra threads of ten puppets.

All the puppets instantly lost control and collapsed limply to the ground.

Sasori's pupils constricted. "How can you see the chakra threads?"

Xingye replied, "Byakugan."

"No matter how skilled your Puppet Technique is, it still requires chakra threads to control them."

"Once those threads are severed, your puppets are nothing more than a pile of scrap metal."

Sasori's expression shifted; it was the first time he had encountered an opponent capable of seeing through his chakra threads.

"Deidara," Sasori shouted, "attack with everything you've got!"

Deidara nodded, forming hand seals as a massive amount of clay surged from his mouth.

"C3!"

A giant clay bomb appeared in Deidara's hands.

"This is art! The art of C3!"

Deidara threw the clay bomb toward Xingye and retreated rapidly.

Xingye looked at the massive clay bomb, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"C3? It is indeed quite powerful."

"However, I have ten thousand ways to render it useless."

Xingye did not use Susanoo to block it, but instead released the power of his nascent Rinnegan.

Shinra Tensei!

An invisible repulsive force erupted from Xingye, pushing the clay bomb back into the sky.

The clay bomb detonated in the air, and a massive mushroom cloud rose up.

Deidara was shocked. "What kind of technique is that?"

Xingye said, "Shinra Tensei, using repulsive force to repel all attacks."

"Your bombs are completely useless against me."

Deidara's expression changed; it was the first time he had encountered an opponent who could completely counter his abilities.

"Damn you, Uchiha!" Deidara cursed. "My art is invincible!"

"Art is explosion! An art without explosion is not art at all!"

Deidara suddenly formed hand seals, and his body began to glow.

"I will let you witness the greatest art!"

"C0!"

Xingye's pupils constricted.

C0, Deidara's ultimate technique, turning himself into a massive bomb.

Once this technique was activated, everything within hundreds of meters would be razed to the ground.

"Deidara, what are you doing?" Sasori exclaimed in shock.

"Stay out of this, Sasori!" Deidara laughed maniacally. "This is art! The greatest art!"

"Art is a moment of brilliance!"

Deidara's body began to swell, on the verge of exploding.

Xingye did not panic, the pattern of his Mangekyo Sharingan shifting once more.

"Deidara, do you think sacrificing yourself will be enough to kill me?"

"Then let me see just how strong your art really is."

Complete Body Susanoo!

A colossal god of war made of chakra rose from the ground, completely enveloping Xingye within.

Rumble!

A massive explosion erupted, leveling the entire desert.

As the dust and smoke cleared, the Susanoo remained standing, and Xingye was completely unscathed.

As for Deidara, he had already vanished within the blast.

Sasori watched this scene, silent for a moment.

"Deidara," Sasori muttered to himself, "in the end, you chose this conclusion."

Xingye retracted the Susanoo and looked toward Sasori.

"Sasori, do you wish to continue?" Xingye asked.

Sasori was silent for a moment, then put away his puppets.

"No more," Sasori said indifferently. "Deidara is dead, and alone, I cannot defeat you."

Xingye said, "Then do you surrender?"

"I can spare your life, provided you join me."

Sasori sneered, "Surrender? I am Sasori, and I never surrender."

Xingye said, "The Akatsuki organization's plan is the Eye of the Moon Plan, intended to plunge the entire ninja world into an illusion."

"Are you truly willing to become a pawn for Black Zetsu?"

Sasori fell silent. "The Eye of the Moon Plan... I have heard of it, but I do not know the specifics."

Xingye said, "The Eye of the Moon Plan is to trap the entire ninja world in the Infinite Tsukuyomi illusion."

"Everyone will become puppets, living forever in a false dream."

"And the mastermind behind the Akatsuki organization is not the Madara Uchiha you believe it to be."

"The true culprit is an entity known as Black Zetsu."

"He uses Obito and the Akatsuki organization, all for the sole purpose of resurrecting Kaguya Otsutsuki."

Sasori was shocked. "Black Zetsu? Kaguya Otsutsuki? I have never heard these names before."

Xingye said, "You will."

"The Akatsuki organization has been used by Black Zetsu."

"Furthermore, Sasori, is the art you pursue truly the immortality of puppets?"

"Or is it that what you truly desire is eternal art?"

Sasori's pupils constricted; it seemed Xingye had struck a chord.

Xingye continued, "I know that you pursue eternal art."

"You turn human bodies into puppets to make art last forever."

"However, true art is not a body that does not decay."

"It is the spirit that can be passed down."

"Puppet Technique Mastery is indeed strong, but if you only pursue an unrotting body, you will never reach the true realm of art."

Sasori was silent. Xingye's words touched upon the deepest conflict in his heart.

"Then tell me," Sasori said slowly, "what is true art?"

Xingye said, "True art is creation."

"It is not an unrotting body, but a creation that can influence others and change the world."

"Your puppet skills are strong, but if you only use them for battle, they are merely tools."

"But if you use your skills to create beautiful works that everyone appreciates and remembers, that is true art."

Sasori was silent for a long time, then finally nodded.

"Perhaps you are right," Sasori said calmly. "I have always pursued an unrotting body, yet I forgot the essence of art."

Xingye said, "Sasori, join me."

"I will give you an opportunity to display true art."

"Together, we will destroy the Akatsuki organization and stop the Eye of the Moon Plan."

"Then, we shall build a new world, a world where art can bloom freely."

Sasori was silent for a moment, then finally nodded.

"Very well," Sasori said. "I join."

The system notification sounded.

[System Prompt: Successfully recruited Sasori]

[Obtained Traits: Recruitment (Blue), Puppet Technique Mastery (Red), Poison Technique Mastery (Purple), Artistic Perception (Blue)]

[Plundered from Sasori: Puppet Chakra (Blue), Chakra Control (Green), Perception (Green)]

Xingye felt a surge of joy; Puppet Technique Mastery was a red-tier trait, worth a fortune.

Sasori looked at Xingye and asked, "What do you want me to do next?"

Xingye replied, "First, return to the Akatsuki and continue playing your role."

"Do not let the others discover that you have betrayed them."

"Second, secretly gather intelligence on the Akatsuki, including their plans, base locations, and member movements."

"Third, at the critical moment, I will have you cooperate with us to dismantle the Akatsuki from within."

Sasori nodded. "Understood."

Xingye continued, "Also, regarding Deidara's death."

"I will report to the Akatsuki that 'Deidara died in battle against me'."

"This will make the Akatsuki wary of me and prepare them for the battles to come."

Sasori nodded. "Fine."

Xingye said, "Sasori, the coming period will be dangerous."

"The Akatsuki is not so easy to deal with; you need to be careful."

Sasori replied, "Rest assured, I, Sasori, am not so easily killed."

Xingye nodded. "Good, then you may return."

"I will contact you to relay information."

Sasori turned and left, his figure gradually disappearing into the desert.

Xingye stood alone in place, watching the direction in which Sasori had departed.

"Two down," Xingye muttered to himself, "Kisame and Sasori have both joined my camp."

"Next, it is time to recruit more Akatsuki members."

The system's notification chime rang out once again.

[System Notification: Eight Akatsuki members remain]

[Suggestion: Continue recruiting, or engage in direct combat to eliminate them]

A cold glint flashed in Xingye's eyes.

"Akatsuki, your doomsday is fast approaching."

Xingye turned around, preparing to return to Konoha.

The next battle was already brewing.