An hour later.
On a desolate stretch of Gobi thirty li outside Iwagakure.
Deidara crawled out of a crevice in the rocks, brushed the dust off himself, and took a deep breath of freedom.
"Hahaha! I'm finally out!"
He raised both hands excitedly and shouted at the sky.
Then he realized the place was deserted, making it perfect for testing his new technique!
He pulled a large lump of clay from inside his clothes and rapidly kneaded it with both hands, pouring chakra into it continuously.
The clay quickly changed shape, becoming an enormous centipede-like creature over ten meters long. Its body consisted of dozens of segments, each covered in markings resembling explosive tags.
"C3 No. 18!"
Deidara excitedly jumped onto the centipede's back:
"Go! Let me see what you can do!"
He formed hand seals, bringing the clay centipede to life, and it quickly crawled toward an isolated rocky mountain ahead.
But just then-
A figure silently appeared a hundred meters in front of Deidara.
The newcomer wore a loose black robe and an archaic-looking Genbu mask, with only a pair of calm eyes showing.
It was Lin Ze.
Deidara froze, then frowned:
"Who are you? You dare get in my way?"
Lin Ze did not answer, merely watching him quietly.
His stare irritated Deidara:
"Playing mysterious... Since you won't talk, don't blame me for getting rough!"
He formed hand seals, and the clay centipede suddenly changed direction, charging toward Lin Ze!
"Detonate!"
The markings on the centipede's body lit up, and it exploded with a deafening roar!
Boom!!!
The violent explosion echoed across the Gobi. Standing in the distance, Deidara laughed smugly:
"Hahaha! Now you know how powerful I am! Hmm!"
But a second later, his smile froze.
When the smoke and dust cleared, Lin Ze still stood