"Wow~" The sound of the noren curtain being pulled open echoed behind him, followed by a warm hand resting on his shoulder.
"Hm?"
"Who is it?" His eyes instinctively followed the hand to see its owner.
"Hey, little brother, what's with that look? Are you drunk already? You don't even recognize me?" Deidara grinned unevenly.
Uchiha Hikaru blinked, focusing through the haze. The Deidara standing in front of him and the one he had imagined on the walk here overlapped for a moment—hallucination and reality colliding.
The whispered illusions he had heard earlier resurfaced like devils tugging at his thoughts.
But his remaining sobriety forced him to shake his head sharply, trying to shake off the blur clouding his mind. His vision steadied again.
"What happened? Didn't you return to Iwagakure? Why are you back so suddenly? Are you reluctant to part with Grandpa Sasori after spending so much time with him?"
The bald izakaya owner next door overheard and remembered Deidara ranting earlier about how Iwagakure supposedly didn't want him anymore. Believing Hikaru to be too drunk to follow the conversation, he decided to help clarify.
After all, the young man looked wasted—better to let a friendly neighbor speak up for him!
"Um, Assistant-sama, this kid just said he's from Iwagakure—"
"That's right!!" Deidara suddenly slammed the table, cutting the owner off before he could continue, voice rising loud and passionate.
Uchiha Hikaru smiled lightly, glancing at the startled bald boss, then back at Deidara.
"What's right?"
Deidara froze for two very long seconds—his muddled brain began spinning desperately. Then a spark ignited in his thoughts.
"I-I mean, I can go back to Iwagakure! There's no problem with that!" he blurted. "But I'm worried that Grandpa Sasori might feel lonely if I leave! Who will he discuss the art of true creation with if I'm gone?"
"For the sake of Grandpa Sasori's emotional and physical well-being, I've decided to stay here in Konoha!"
Hikaru fought not to laugh aloud. He didn't expose Deidara's flustered nonsense and simply nodded.
"In that case, stay in Konoha."
"But now that Hidan and Sasori have officially joined the research institute, what are you planning to do?"
While Hikaru spoke, the owner handed Deidara a steaming bowl of hangover soup. Deidara gulped it down, and clarity washed back through his eyes.
And then Hikaru's question hit him again like a kunai to the forehead.
Right… Grandpa Sasori joined the institute days ago.
But what about him?
What was his purpose now?
Silence swallowed the space as Deidara stared blankly at the table.
"As long as I can continue practicing my art… I'll do anything."
His tone carried frustration and helplessness. He truly couldn't think of any path for his explosive clay besides destruction and battle.
Hikaru felt Deidara's emotions clearly through the faint echo of natural chakra and sighed inwardly—confusion, fear, and desperation tangled like threads.
And yet… this was perfect. Another excellent candidate to recruit (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و ✧
"Ahem~ , I have a job tailor-made just for you."
"It will consume a lot of chakra daily, but in exchange, you'll be free to use your explosive art extensively."
"What do you think?"
Deidara froze, pupils widening. Those words struck him like thunder, and his heart pounded so quickly he thought it might burst. His whole body trembled with excitement, eyes bright like scattered starlight.
"Brother Hikaru… i-is that true!?"
Hikaru nodded without a hint of hesitation.
"Of course. I've already discussed it with Sasori. How could I lie to you?"
"Otherwise wouldn't it be terrible if I treated you differently?"
Hidan (from somewhere far away, probably stabbing himself again):
So THAT'S why you said I was your 'experimental partner'… tch.
Deidara slammed his palms on the table, leaning forward.
"Brother Hikaru! Tell me—what kind of job lets me unleash my explosive art freely?!"
The bald boss stepped toward the door, waving casually.
"Assistant, I'm heading to the bathroom. You two keep talking. Just leave the money on the table when you finish~"
And he dashed away lightning-fast, disappearing to give the two privacy.
Hikaru smirked and continued.
"Konoha and Kirigakure are building a cross-sea bridge. Construction and transportation problems are mostly solved…"
"But we don't have enough Earth-Style specialists, so stone collection has become a huge issue."
"Your explosive clay is the perfect solution."
Deidara frowned in confusion.
"My explosive clay can blow stone into pieces, sure… but those are just fragments. How can broken debris be used to build a bridge?"
"Wouldn't the bridge collapse like soggy tofu?"
Hikaru stared at him, stunned. He didn't expect Deidara to know what "shoddy construction" meant.
"Breaking it into small pieces helps with transportation."
"In the beginning, we had many Earth-Style ninjas collect giant stones and roll them to the shore using logs… but that was painfully slow."
"So workers proposed a new plan—transport broken stones first, then have Earth-Style ninja fuse them back together with earth-attribute chakra."
"But those ninjutsu lack the destructive force needed to break stone efficiently. Your clay has more than enough explosive power. It might be a challenge, but—"
"Yes! I accept!!"
"Konoha is my home! Building it is everyone's duty! If Konoha needs me, I'll give everything! This is my responsibility and obligation as a Konoha shinobi!! (ง •̀ω•́)ง"
Hikaru blinked, speechless.
Deidara's sudden fanatic loyalty was… impressive.
"So—about your vacation time? Appropriate compensation?"
Deidara threw his head back with pride ╭(╯^╰)╮
"Vacation?"
"Vacation!? I don't need a vacation!"
"Only useless ninjas need breaks! If I rest, who will build Konoha? Who will carry the stones? Who will support the bridge!?"
"Just pay whatever you think is appropriate. Everything is up to Konoha!"
"Now tell me where the mission site is! I have to report immediately! My artistic masterpieces can't wait to explode!"
Hikaru watched him, now even more curious.
Something must have happened when Deidara returned to Iwagakure.
That level of desperate belonging?
He would ask old man Ōnoki about it someday… privately.
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Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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