The three raced back, with Deidara hot on their heels, scattering swarms of Clay Spiders and unleashing a raging trail of explosions!
Running at full speed, Hitomi looked behind him. "That man, and that strange bird he's riding-I remember them. Dad mentioned him when I was little. His name is Deidara, a neurotic explosion maniac who likes making explosives out of clay. Clay means Earth Release, and Earth Release means Lightning Release can counter it...!"
He skidded to a stop and turned, lightning covering his palm as he flung it upward!
-Chidori Senbon!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The lightning split into countless fine needles, piercing the Clay Spiders hurtling toward him!
Watching the disabled bombs fall to the ground, Hitomi smiled. "Just as I thought..."
Deidara looked surprised. "Oh? A Sharingan, and that Lightning Release... Is this brat Sasuke's illegitimate son...? Hmph."
He smiled faintly and scattered another swarm of Clay Spiders, but this time, he added an extra hand seal!
Hitomi narrowed his eyes. "The same trick?"
Dubious, he used Chidori Senbon again!
But this time, the needles failed to pierce the Clay Spiders!
"!" Sensing danger, Hitomi leaped backward with all his strength!
Deidara formed a two-finger hand seal. "Detonate!!!"
Boom, boom, boom...!
Flames rose from the explosions. Though Hitomi escaped the blast radius, something hard and sharp shot toward him and buried itself in his shoulder!
Hitomi winced. "That hurts..."
Deidara murmured, "Hmph. Did you really think I'd leave my own weakness unaddressed? Covering Clay Bombs with Pottery Shard Armor improves their resistance to piercing and provides insulation. When they explode, the internal pressure shatters the armor, and the fragments become devastating weapons themselves. Mm, mm, a true masterpiece of art!"
Hitomi stared at the pottery shard embedded in his shoulder, still shaken. "If that had hit my