"You're back."
Didaze nodded slightly.
"I won't be going out for a while; I'll be staying in the village for some time to cultivate in seclusion."
Didaze said to Ōnoki.
"Go and cultivate."
Ōnoki nodded, having no objection.
"Hello..."
Just as Didaze finished speaking and was about to return to his training, Deidara suddenly called out to Didaze.
"The old man said you're my father, is that true?"
Deidara narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Huh? You're Deidara's dad? You're so young, you don't look it!"
Kurotsuchi, on the other hand, circled Didaze in shock, observing him closely.
She couldn't believe Didaze was Deidara father; he was just too young!
"No, your father in this world died a long time ago."
Didaze said calmly.
"Oh."
Deidara simply said "Oh," without pursuing the matter further.
For him, all he wanted was an answer; whether or not it really was his father was not something he cared much about.
Deidara is no longer the kind of person who needs family affection.
"Alright, go and carry out your mission. The mission is... to wipe out the mountain bandits."
Seeing the awkward atmosphere in the room, Ōnoki quickly took out the mission scroll and handed it to Deidara.
"Mountain bandits, huh? I'll reluctantly let them see my art, hmm!"
Deidara took the scroll with a look of disgust.
He felt that even the mountain bandits were not worthy of seeing his art, but if he didn't use his Explosion Release technique to wipe out the bandit stronghold, it would be too slow.
It would be better to just go over there and raze it to the ground with a C3 missile.
Didaze, on the other hand, had already withdrawn; he was going back to cultivate and refine the dragon Dragon Vein in seclusion.
After all, the Six-Tails has fallen into a deep sleep, and its power will decrease significantly during this time. It would be better to take advantage of this time to refine the Dragon Vein.
In that case, when Six-Tails wakes up, Didaze's strength will experience a qualitative leap!
Time passed...
One year later
Second half of Konoha 67
Knock knock knock!
Didaze, who was refining the Dragon Vein, heard several knocks on the door.
"Um?"
Didaze stood up and opened the door.
"Brother, the old man said he wants to start the Five Kage Summit and asked if you want to go."
Upon opening the door, Didaze saw Deidara.
Deidara still doesn't intend to call him "Dad," and will continue to call him "Big Brother."
After all, Didaze looked too young, Deidara simply couldn't bring himself to call someone so young "father."
The Five Kage Summit?
Didaze wasn't surprised by this, but he didn't expect Ōnoki to send him.
I don't even belong to this world.
During this time, Hidan continued to send him messages, such as that a man named Amegakure had infiltrated Jiraiya and eventually escaped with a broken arm.
Didaze wasn't too surprised to hear this news, after all, he had severely weakened Nagato last time, and Nagato might not even have fully recovered his Six Paths now.
Jiraiya was able to escape from Nagato, whose strength had been greatly reduced, thanks to Sage Mode.
Sasuke had already ended his brotherly battle and joined the Akatsuki, where he was assigned to capture the Eight-Tails.
Just a few days ago, Hidan sent him a message saying that the Eight-Tails only brought back one tentacle, and he even mocked Sasuke Uchiha in the communication, saying that he was a piece of trash and not as good as his older brother at all.
Nagato, on the other hand, has not yet gone to capture the Nine-Tails. Didaze's previous Teuchi disrupted Nagato's plans, and Nagato should have finished fighting in Konoha by now.
"Tell the old man I can go, but I'll stay in the shadows; after all, I'm not suited to appear in the open."
Didaze roughly understood Ōnoki's thoughts.
Ōnoki wanted to protect Deidara.
After all, the Kazekage and Deidara have a deep-seated grudge, while the Hokage Kazekage have a fairly good relationship. No one can say for sure whether the Hokage might suddenly attack Deidara.
If Didaze can go, it's like having a guarantee.
As for why Deidara had to go, it was mainly because Ōnoki didn't intend to keep it a secret.
He's already taken Deidara in, so why is he still hiding him?
He did it, so he didn't dare to do it and then deny it.
"Let's go then, let's go find the old man."
Deidara held his head in his hands, looking completely unconcerned.
"Aren't you nervous at all? Last time you practically killed the Kazekage."
Didaze, seeing Deidara's nonchalant expression, couldn't help but tease him.
"Tch, that guy's strength is nowhere near mine. He only became Kazekage because Sunagakure has no one else. Why should I be afraid of him?"
Deidara pouted and said.
"That's true..."
Didaze chuckled.
Having been part of the Akatsuki for so long, Deidara's dog-eat-dog mentality had become deeply ingrained.
It's virtually impossible to change the other person's mind.
However, Didaze didn't intend to change anything, since the Shinobi World was indeed a dog-eat-dog world, it was just that the Akatsuki was more direct about it.
Let's go!
Didaze followed Deidara to the Tsuchikage's office.
As soon as Didaze entered, he saw a tall man with bronze skin.
This is clearly Kitsuchi from twenty years ago.
"Oh? You actually agreed?"
When Ōnoki saw Didaze, a look of surprise appeared on his face, as if he hadn't expected Didaze to actually come.
"Old man, didn't you tell me to go? Why are you looking surprised now?"
Didaze is truly beyond words.
This old guy told me to go, but now that I'm here, he's acting like he wasn't the one who called me.
"I just didn't expect you to actually come. If you do, then the Kitsuchi can go back to its place."
Ōnoki waved his hand, trying to send the Kitsuchi back.
"No need, I'll become invisible. You just need to take Deidara and Kitsuchi with you, old man. They won't be able to find me now that I'm invisible."
Didaze is now incredibly confident.
He has basically refined all the power of the Dragon Vein, which is why the Six-Tails hasn't woken up yet.
If the Six-Tails were to awaken, Didaze's strength would likely be comparable to Madara Hashirama's.
Even if the Six-Tails hasn't awakened yet, relying on the power of the Dragon Vein, the Five Kage would have no chance of discovering them.
"In that case, let's stick with Kitsuchi and Deidara."
Ōnoki nodded.
This time, however, he didn't bring the Akatsuchi or the Kurotsuchi.
The reason he didn't bring those two is simple: he brought Deidara.
Deidara's attendance at the Five Kage Summit will inevitably lead to a conflict with the Kazekage, and Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi are too weak to be of much help.
Therefore, Ōnoki urgently summoned Kitsuchi.
Kitsuchi is much stronger than Kurotsuchi, and his powerful Earth Release Ninjutsu can be of great help.
Let's go!
Ōnoki had been prepared for a long time; he hadn't set off yet simply because he was waiting for Didaze.
"Come on up."
Kitsuchi squatted down and carried Ōnoki on his back, and then the group began their journey towards the Land of Iron.