The Strongest Artist in Naruto

"System, why didn't I earn any shock points from Haku earlier?"

Could it be that he's not impressed by my art? Deidara wondered aloud, puzzled.

The system's voice echoed in his mind:

[Host, you've reached Level 10. You can no longer earn shock points from individuals below the level of Elite Jonin.]

What?! How could this be!

Deidara had been planning to cause a spectacle during his trip to Kirigakure, hoping to rake in shock points on a grand scale. But now, it seemed completely unfeasible. Worse yet, leveling up in the future would become exponentially harder.

When Deidara returned to the inn, he found Sasori tirelessly working on his puppets. Sometimes, Deidara couldn't help but feel a pang of envy—how convenient it must be to neither eat, sleep, nor tire.

"You brought something back again, didn't you?" Sasori remarked, a rare hint of sarcasm in his voice. In his eyes, this had practically become one of Deidara's defining traits—every outing resulted in something being brought back.

"You two take a break. I'll contact the leader," Deidara said, glancing at Zabuza, who was visibly tense.

After all, Sasori of the Red Sand had quite the reputation—his presence alone was enough to make anyone uneasy. Sasori, secretly pleased, finally felt recognized for his prestige. It was about time Deidara witnessed his status as the legendary Akasuna no Sasori.

...

Amegakure

Since consuming the life-extending medicine Obito had given him, Nagato felt his body improve noticeably. His energy had increased, and his spirits were higher. Even the endless rain, which once grated on his nerves, now seemed oddly charming.

Suddenly, a communication request from his ring disrupted his moment of peace. Nagato sighed. The Akatsuki's matters were piling up, and as their leader, his responsibilities were growing. The life of a god, it seemed, wasn't as tranquil as he'd imagined.

"What is it?" The voice of Pain's Deva Path resonated in Deidara's mind.

"Leader, I've recruited two new auxiliary members for the organization: one is Momochi Zabuza, known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist, and the other is an orphan of the Yuki clan who can use Ice Release."

"Send them to the base you and Sasori established in the Land of Rivers," Nagato instructed after a brief pause.

"Understood!"

After ending the communication, Deidara pulled out a map and pointed out the secret base's location to Zabuza and Haku. They needed to report there and meet Pain to officially join Akatsuki.

The next four days passed quietly as Deidara immersed himself in his clay art. Finally, Kisame and Itachi arrived, fashionably late as usual.

"You're so slow! I hate waiting the most!" Sasori snapped irritably.

"Come on, Sasori, you say that every time we meet," Kisame said with a shark-toothed grin, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm.

"Hmph!"

"Let's move." Without waiting for a reply, Sasori's puppet, Hiruko, sped across the water's surface.

Given their mission's covert nature, the group opted to travel across the sea by running rather than by boat. Kirigakure's isolationist policies under the Bloody Mist era made it impossible for outsiders to enter unnoticed. Boats were scarce, and any foreign arrival was heavily scrutinized—most were assumed to be spies.

"Hey, Kisame, you haven't been gone from Kirigakure for long. What's the current situation there?" Deidara asked, perched on a clay dolphin.

Kisame and Itachi rode atop Kisame's summoned shark. After a moment of hesitation, Sasori accepted Deidara's offer of a clay dolphin, unwilling to run while everyone else had mounts—it would've been humiliating.

"Kirigakure doesn't have many powerful ninjas left to recruit," Kisame began, describing the village's decline. "The three great clans with kekkei genkai—Kaguya, Yuki, and Hozuki—have been all but eradicated. The Kaguya and Yuki clans are extinct, while the Hozuki clan survives, barely clinging to relevance thanks to the influence of the Second Mizukage."

Noticing Kisame's glance at Itachi, Deidara realized the mention of "Second Mizukage" might've been sensitive. But Itachi's expression remained stoic and distant, his silence signaling no objection. Kisame continued, undeterred:

"Beyond those clans, there are the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. The original group is mostly gone. Raiga Kurosuki was the last survivor, and you killed him yourelf."

"Efficient work," Deidara commented lightly.

Kisame glanced at him, his expression unreadable.

"Quite capable, aren't you?"

"You flatter me," Deidara replied with a smug grin.

"As for the second generation of swordsmen," Kisame went on, "the strongest was Hozuki Mangetsu. He mastered all seven swords and showed incredible promise, but he died on the battlefield."

"Then he was stronger than you?" Deidara teased.

"Who knows?" Kisame chuckled.

"After Mangetsu, there was Ringo Ameyuri, but she succumbed to illness. A pity, really. Then there's me, and of course, Zabuza, who you've already recruited."

"Kirigakure really is running out of talent," Deidara mused.

Kisame nodded. "Before I left, I heard they found a successor for the Twin Swords, Hiramekarei—a boy named Chojuro. Not sure if he passed the selection, though."

The mention of Chojuro brought another name to Deidara's mind: Mei Terumi, the future Fifth Mizukage.

"What about Mei Terumi?" he asked curiously.

Kisame raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Didn't think you'd know of her. Mei's a rare talent, possessing two kekkei genkai. She's a formidable ninja and not someone to cross lightly. Let's hope she doesn't notice us while we're there. It'd be a hassle."

The rest of the journey passed in silence, though Deidara's mind lingered on a troubling question.

Why had Obito manipulated the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, into creating the Bloody Mist?

Yagura was a perfect jinchuriki. Controlling one with genjutsu should've been impossible, even for someone with a Mangekyo Sharingan. Could it have been Kotoamatsukami? But Obito didn't possess such a power.

Perhaps it was Black Zetsu's doing. After centuries of scheming, surely he'd gathered some extraordinary tools. Yet, the cost must've been immense. For Akatsuki to pay such a price, the reward must've been even greater.

But what could that reward be?

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

Read more than +100 chapters and support me on Patreon

Patreon(.)com/Jixo