Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Hinata were in hot pursuit of Deidara.
Unfortunately, Deidara was too evasive. Even with their ability to fly, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata couldn't close the distance between them and Deidara. As for Kakashi, who had to run, there was no way he could keep pace.
Deidara felt relieved he had brought plenty of Explosive Clay with him; otherwise, things might have gotten dangerous.
[Chidori Light Sword!]
Sasuke transformed his Chidori into a long spear shape, aiming to strike Deidara's giant clay bird. However, the bird swiftly dodged the attack by swerving aside.
Suddenly, Kakashi recalled a particular Scroll—the one labeled "Kakashi."
The Puppet sealed within this Scroll was undoubtedly designed by Shindai specifically to counter him.
Kakashi recalled that Shindai once said his agility was exceptionally high. Therefore, any Puppet meant to counter Kakashi would need to be even faster.
However, Kakashi didn't summon the Puppet immediately, because if it was truly designed to counter him, summoning it might cause it to attack him head-on.
Kakashi called over Hinata and asked, "Hinata, can you reprogram Shindai's Puppet? Specifically, changing its designated target when the original attacking target has already been set?"
Hinata replied immediately, "Yes. Shindai-sensei's Puppets have four top-priority controllers: one is Shindai-sensei himself, another two are Pakura-sensei and Hikaku-sensei, and the last one is me!"
"Great, then that settles it!"
Kakashi opened the Scroll and directly summoned the Puppet.
A Puppet dressed in a deep blue robe appeared, holding a war fan and wearing a broken white mask. From behind the damaged mask, its face was visible—it was Obito.
This was the battle-worn, broken-masked Obito.
As soon as it materialized, the broken-masked Obito fixed his gaze directly on Kakashi. Instantly, Kakashi felt his hair stand on end, convinced the Puppet was about to attack him immediately.
Indeed, the masked Obito raised his war fan, clearly preparing to strike Kakashi.
Instantly, Hinata stepped in front of Kakashi and recited a set of authorization codes.
"Identification code 51005! Requesting program modification!"
Immediately, Broken Mask Obito halted all movement, responding instead with a mechanical voice—similar to Obito's but robotic.
"Identification confirmed. Applicant Hinata Hyuga. Scanning identity... Identity verified. Request accepted. Please specify the programming changes required."
Hinata pointed toward Deidara in the sky. "Change combat target!"
Broken Mask Obito turned his gaze skyward toward Deidara. "Combat target successfully changed."
Two thrusters deployed from behind the Puppet. At the same time, Kakashi and Hinata suddenly felt their bodies become unusually heavy.
It was the artificial gravity field generated by Broken Mask Obito.
Kakashi's expression turned grim as he realized how Broken Mask Obito was countering him.
By weakening his agility through the artificial gravity field, then attacking with his own higher mobility.
Thrusters on Broken Mask Obito's back blasted powerful jets of flame, rocketing him forward until he rapidly closed the distance to Deidara.
Frowning, Deidara glared at Broken Mask Obito's sudden appearance and quickly shaped several of his fastest dual-winged explosive birds to strike back.
However, once they got within a certain range of Broken Mask Obito, their speed dropped drastically, making it easy for him to dodge.
Once Broken Mask Obito closed in on Deidara, the artificial gravity field also reduced the speed of the giant clay bird carrying him.
Unfortunately, since Broken Mask Obito was built specifically to counter Kakashi—who specialized in Lightning Release Ninjutsu—he mainly carried Wind Release Ninjutsu cards instead of Lightning Release ones, so he couldn't neutralize Deidara's Explosive Clay.
But Hinata, Sasuke, and Kakashi could.
Right now, Deidara's biggest issue was his mobility. With his speed cut down, this was their opening.
[Chidori Senbon!]
Sasuke transformed Chidori into countless sharp senbon needles aimed at Deidara and his giant Explosive Clay bird.
[Lightning Release: Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm! Continuous Strike!]
Hinata repeatedly fired shockwaves imbued with Lightning Nature Chakra at the giant Explosive Clay bird.
Seeing the attacks closing in, Deidara muttered a curse—there was no way out!
The Chidori Senbon and [Lightning Release: Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm] hit the giant Explosive Clay bird, sending it into a spin as it began to fall.
Deidara abandoned the clay bird and fell freely through the air.
Naruto immediately created a Shadow Clone and carefully caught the falling giant clay bird as it landed on the ground.
Naruto frantically tore open the clay bird and found Gaara inside.
But Gaara was unquestionably dead, his corpse already cold.
Tears streamed down Naruto's face.
Enraged, Naruto glared at Deidara, who had just landed nearby. "I'm gonna make you pay!"
A Tailed Beast Coat surged around Naruto's body—only one tail formed for now.
Deidara frowned as Sasuke and Hinata joined the fight—he was cornered now.
With his mobility gone, he needed to retreat temporarily. But before that, Deidara wanted to make one big move.
He chewed a large lump of Explosive Clay using the mouths on his palms, then shaped it into figures resembling grasshoppers, tiny flying creatures, and spiders before hurling them outward in all directions.
[Chidori Current!]
[Lightning Release: Rotation!]
Sasuke and Hinata released wide-range Lightning techniques to neutralize the explosives, but there were simply too many to cover completely.
Deidara bellowed defiantly.
Explosions erupted around him, preventing Naruto and the others from getting closer.
Deidara molded another clay figure, this one infused with his highest level of chakra.
Deidara let out a manic laugh, "Die already! C3·Explosive Human Bomber No. 18!"
It instantly grew to an enormous size—C3·Explosive Human Bomber No. 18!
Sasuke and Hinata's pupils shrank—due to the explosion, they weren't fast enough to deploy their Lightning Release techniques against the giant figure.
"Art is an explosion! Haaah!"
Just as C3·Explosive Human Bomber No. 18 was about to explode, Kakashi suddenly emerged from the ground beneath Deidara's feet.
While Deidara was still descending, Kakashi had used Earth Release: Subterranean Assault to hide underground. Now he suddenly reappeared, throwing a kunai straight at Deidara.
Deidara immediately jumped backward, dodging Kakashi's attack.
Kakashi's hand crackled with purple lightning.
[Violet Lightning!]
Kakashi unleashed a wide arc of powerful violet electricity across the entire body of C3·Explosive Human Bomber No. 18.
Amidst the surging electricity, the nearly-exploding C3·Explosive Human Bomber No. 18 was instantly neutralized.
Deidara frowned and clicked his tongue—never had he expected Kakashi, of all people, to counter his move like that.
Well, better cut losses and retreat. He didn't have much explosive clay left anyway.
Just as Deidara prepared to escape, Naruto—who now had two tails—blocked his path, holding a Rasengan in his hand. But this Rasengan was unlike any other Rasengan before it.
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