Everyone furrowed their brows in confusion. What was going on? That man claiming to be Uchiha Madara had declared war in the video and truly fought in the Fourth Great Ninja War. Yet now the system claimed he was still in the Pure Land? Their thoughts buzzed in disbelief.
Video feed:
Deidara walked ahead with a grim expression, completely ignoring the masked figure dancing like a fool beside him.
"Hey, wait up, senpai! Let's stick together, track the Three-Tails, and bond a little while we're at it!" the Masked Man chimed, twirling as he struck a ridiculous pose.
"Disappear," Deidara growled, spinning around.
The Masked Man struck another girly pose. "Forgive me~ Should I show you what's under the mask?"
"I said disappear," Deidara snapped and turned away again.
"I'll just go scout alone then..." the Masked Man muttered sheepishly, jogging ahead while muttering nonsense.
Deidara stared daggers at him, clearly regretting ever accepting this lunatic as his partner.
"Senpai! Senpai! What are we doing again?" the Masked Man asked while skipping beside him.
"Capturing the Three-Tails," Deidara replied flatly, his patience running thin.
"Oh, right! Ichibi, Nibi... I'm... Deidara!" the Masked Man giggled, then added, "Just kidding~"
"Senpai! Look, look!" he pointed excitedly at a nearby boar statue. "That sculpture looks just like your work. Could it be... plagiarism?"
"You..." Deidara's face twitched.
Realizing danger when he saw it, the Masked Man bolted while still holding a clay ball, mouth wide in panic.
"Die!" Deidara roared as an explosion erupted behind the fleeing figure, sending the masked clown soaring through the air.
Ding! Question incoming!
Ding! In this video, who is the Masked Man?Correct answer rewards 800,000 gold coins!Wrong answer punishment: Unknown.This is a live-timed question. Only answers submitted in chat will count. Choose carefully!
Onscreen, Deidara never once mentioned the Masked Man's name. Multiple replays confirmed this detail.
Obito sat stiff. Was the system trying to expose him now? Eight hundred thousand coins? Not worth it.
Madara gritted his teeth. Was this idiot really about to blow his cover?
Nagato and Pain watched in silence. Was this man truly Madara?
No one dared respond. The livestream chat fell into eerie quiet.
Ōnoki: Surely someone knows him by name?
Fourth Raikage: If it were me, I'd take the coins. Eight hundred thousand? That's irresistible!
Masked Man (whispering): Let me answer... maybe I can trade it for another Sharingan?
Deidara: Shut up!
Luckily, no global punishment followed.
Ding! No one answered. Question voided. Continuing playback.
Video resumes:
Two Kirigakure ninja crouched by a mist-covered lake, unaware that Deidara was quietly closing in from behind.
"The Three-Tails sometimes releases hallucinogenic mist. Be careful," one warned.
"First I've heard of that," the other replied.
Suddenly, a cold voice echoed from behind.
"You two sure like to chat."
They turned sharply. The sight of the Akatsuki cloak made their blood run cold, but it was already too late. A clay spider exploded under their feet, tearing the branch apart and flinging them into the air.
From the shadows, the Masked Man clapped excitedly. "Yahaha! As expected of Senpai!"
Deidara clicked his tongue. "Your intel was garbage. You said Konoha and a third-party were supposed to ambush the Three-Tails here. Where are they?"
"Maybe they're running late...?" the Masked Man scratched his head, still acting like a clown.
Deidara took out a clay bird and formed a hand seal. The bird expanded rapidly.
"Wait, senpai! The hallucination warning...?" the junior partner called out.
Deidara jumped onto the clay bird without hesitation. "Don't underestimate my art."
With a loud beat of wings, the bird soared high above the misty lake. Deidara pulled out a pouch full of clay larvae and scattered them over the water.
"One... hmph."
The larvae wriggled beneath the surface and detonated seconds later. The shockwaves sent walls of water crashing upward as if awakening something beneath.
From within the churning waves emerged a colossal creature. A massive turtle-like shell crested the surface with a thundering roar.
"The Three-Tails..." the Masked Man muttered in awe from a treetop, shielding his one eye. "It's like a giant tortoise. Big and mean!"
End of Clip
Everyone watching was stunned silent.
Deidara's chaotic art, the Three-Tails' monstrous form, the destructive grandeur of it all... It was clear now.
In this world, even a lunatic sculptor could shake the shinobi world with sheer creativity.
-------------------------------------------
If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to drop a review and throw in a power stone to help fuel more exciting chapters ahead!