Exchange

Sand-based ninjutsu was indeed powerful when used in such a purely physical manner, but against ninjas who had reached a certain level of strength, it was not always so effective.

Deidara's Impure World Reincarnation body naturally suffered no real damage from the hit, but Kabuto Yakushi's inability to control the giant bird made from Explosive Clay caused him to fall from the sky. That was an undeniable fact.

As long as Kabuto Yakushi himself was unharmed, Sunagakure's three siblings had no particularly good way of dealing with the reanimated Deidara.

For Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, none of whom possessed much sealing ability, getting entangled with Deidara's reanimated body and clay bombs was an extremely unwise choice. Even though Gaara had a considerable amount of chakra, he could not compare with an immortal body possessing limitless chakra.

"Even that didn't kill him? Has Kabuto Yakushi become that strong? He should at least be seriously injured!"

The swirling sand and wind gradually settled. At the bottom of the enormous sandpit, Kabuto Yakushi struggled out of the sand, pulled himself free, and rose to his feet. He casually dusted himself off. Though he looked somewhat bedraggled, he had indeed suffered no significant injuries.

"How could this be?"

Kabuto Yakushi's nearly unscathed state truly exceeded the expectations of the three Sand Shinobi.

They had known from the start that Kabuto Yakushi must have had considerable confidence in himself to come knocking alone, and that he must have had some estimate of his own strength.

Yet being struck head-on like that and suffering so little effect was truly difficult to comprehend.

"That really gave me a fright. I thought I was going to die just like that. Who would've thought I'd be fine? At a time like this, holding back isn't a good idea!"

Kabuto