"Right, Deidara?"
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, turned toward the blond young man sitting off to one side, who still wore a nonchalant expression. "Deidara," he asked gravely.
"Hm? Hmph!"
Deidara merely snorted.
"Old man, I only told you what I know. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. I didn't see our leader die with my own eyes, but Lady Konan personally sent me a message asking whether I'd consider joining the Snow Ninja Village. I turned her down, though. Itachi, that bastard, is in the Snow Ninja Village now, after all. Besides, old man, don't get one thing wrong: I have no intention of returning to Iwagakure. I came here today just to prove my art again! Whether it's Itachi or that Sasuke Uchiha, leave them to me! You promised me that before, didn't you? Hm!?"
He eyed Ōnoki from the side, not caring in the least about the strange looks from Tsunade, Jiraiya, Baki, Mifune, and the others. Even as Ōnoki glared at him, bristling with anger, Deidara delivered his words with utter casualness.
Ōnoki felt an urge to strike down his rebellious disciple himself.
That little bastard! Couldn't he show an old man a little respect!?
Ōnoki glared at Deidara, once his favorite pupil and the one in whom he'd placed his greatest hopes, and couldn't help thinking bitterly.
"Deidara, do you mean that Konan has indeed confirmed she's joining the Snow Ninja Village, and that she was recruiting you on Naruto's behalf? Did anyone choose to join the Snow Ninja Village?"
Tsunade clenched her hands slightly. A fierce, murderous aura radiated from her as she stared sternly at Deidara and asked.
"Hmph, more or less. As for what the others chose to do, I wouldn't know. But Kakuzu seemed to accept that Snow