Iwagakure, outside the Tsuchikage's office.
Kitsuchi walked out of the Tsuchikage's office, his face heavy with an unshakeable grimness.
His rugged features were naturally serious, but now his brow was furrowed even deeper. Each step he took was unusually heavy, as if invisible rocks were pressing down on his shoulders.
"Don't worry too much, Senpai." Akatsuchi's rumbling voice came from beside him.
Akatsuchi was short and stocky, like a piece of granite honed by a thousand tempers. His round face always wore a simple, reliable expression.
He patted Kitsuchi's solid arm, trying to make his own voice sound more confident: "Sensei is [Onoki of the Two Scales]! He's faced more crises than the roads we've walked. He'll definitely find a way this time too. Hmm!"
Kitsuchi stopped walking and looked at this junior disciple, who was hailed throughout Iwagakure as the [Unmatched Strength, Shield of the Tsuchikage].
Akatsuchi might not be as flexible in strategy as he was, but his tenacity, loyalty, and that rock-solid calmness always brought a sense of reassurance.
But the furrow between Kitsuchi's brows did not loosen. He sighed, "That's easy to say, but this time... the pressure the Land of Stars is applying is too great. Those 'advisors' stationed in our village aren't just decorations. The old man's decision this time carries no small risk."
He paused, his tone carrying even more helplessness and headache. "Anyway, let's set that aside for now. I'll go let that kid Deidara out of the detention room. Calculating the days, his term ends today. I hope this month has made that brat... just a tiny bit more... well-behaved."
Mentioning Deidara, Akatsuchi's honest face also showed a hint of a wry smile, his bushy short eyebrows drooping. "Deidara, huh... I hope so. But, Senpai, I think hoping he'll behave is less realistic than hoping Explosion Release won't explode. Hmm."
The two looked at each other, seeing the same helplessness in each other's eyes, then walked side by side towards the confinement area within the village designated for holding Ninja who violated regulations.
Kitsuchi is the son of Onoki, and also the mainstay of Iwagakure, responsible for a large amount of the village's practical affairs. Akatsuchi is Onoki's direct disciple and personal bodyguard, gentle in character yet outstanding in strength.
This pair of senior and junior disciples, one managing internal affairs, the other protecting the exterior, were the cornerstones supporting Iwagakure's stability. But faced with that little junior disciple, who was like a time bomb, both felt incredibly powerless.
Originally, Deidara should have been defeated by Itachi two years ago and then taken to join the Akatsuki.
However, the butterfly wings of fate flapped gently, changing many people's trajectories. This explosion-loving genius youth was still being 'protected' within Iwagakure.
Deidara's talent was undisputed, especially in the research and application of Explosion Release. He could be called the most outstanding genius Iwagakure had seen in decades.
Onoki had more than once sighed in private that Deidara should have become an important trump card for Iwagakure's future.
However, Deidara's extremely flamboyant personality, his fanatical worship of so-called 'fleeting moments of explosive art', and his way of doing things that treated village rules as nothing made him the most troublesome problem for Iwagakure's leadership.
Onoki cherished talent, and under the increasingly vast shadow of the Land of Stars, he saw the potential strategic value of Deidara's 'destructive power'.
Therefore, he chose the strictest form of 'protection'.
On one hand, he hoped to temper Deidara's lawless nature. On the other hand, and most importantly, he wanted to hide this dazzling, yet also dangerous, 'bomb' from the gaze of the Land of Stars' military advisory group stationed in Iwagakure.
Before the two even approached the drab, reinforced rock building that housed the confinement center, a muffled sound, not particularly violent, but clear enough, came from inside: "Bang!"
Kitsuchi's and Akatsuchi's steps simultaneously halted, their hearts sinking.
Then came a second sound, and a third!
The sounds weren't loud, but they carried a peculiar rhythm, as if... some kind of celebration?
"That damn brat..." Kitsuchi's temples began to throb.
Before they could quicken their pace, the heavy stone door of the confinement center suddenly burst open from the inside, a gap forced by a surge of air, and thick, grayish-white smoke billowed out.
Under Akatsuchi's suddenly widened eyes and Kitsuchi's almost murderous gaze, a large bird crudely molded from white clay, with a wingspan exceeding three meters, carrying a figure with long, golden hair, rose unsteadily but not slowly from the smoke!
"Ha ha ha! Art is Explosion! Yeah!"
The familiar, annoying, mad laughter came from mid-air.
Deidara stood on the back of the clay giant bird. His dazzling golden long hair was tied into a short ponytail at the back of his head, his bangs flying in the air current. His left eye wore a miniature telescope, and his face bore an almost manic excited smile.
Looking down at the guards and his two senior disciples who had come running at the sound, he showed not a trace of fear. Instead, he proudly opened his arms, as if enjoying the free air of his successful 'prison break'.
"Dei! Da! Ra!" Akatsuchi looked up and roared, "Get! Down! Here! Now!"
The surrounding rocky ground seemed to shake.
Deidara picked his ear, looking completely unconcerned.
In all of Iwagakure, apart from that old man who could fly, use Dust Release, and had a temper harder than stone, who did Deidara-sama fear?
He manipulated the clay bird to lower its altitude slightly, so he could more clearly see his two senior disciples' livid faces, his smile growing brighter: "Yo! If it isn't Kitsuchi-senpai and Akatsuchi-senpai! Come to let me out of confinement? How touching! But no need to trouble yourselves. I've already gotten 'out' in my own way! Hmm!"
He deliberately imitated Akatsuchi's verbal tic, drawing even heavier breaths from Akatsuchi below.
Kitsuchi forcefully suppressed the urge to slap this brat down with an Earth Release, took a deep breath, and said in as calm a tone as he could manage, "Deidara, stop fooling around! Tsuchikage-sama wants to see you. Now!"
"The old man wants me?" Deidara raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his face, but it was quickly replaced by strong interest.
Standing on the bird's back, he put his hands on his hips. "Finally remembered to promote me, huh? Hmph, should have done it ages ago! With my strength, I'm more than qualified to be a Jonin! Hmm!"
Despite his words, he still controlled the clay bird to start descending.
After all, Onoki's fists and Dust Release did make him a bit intimidated.
The clay bird disappeared with a 'poof' into a cloud of white smoke, and Deidara landed lightly on the ground, dusting himself off.
He rolled his shoulders, his hands resting near the special clay pouches on his waist, and swaggered up to Akatsuchi and Kitsuchi: "Let's go, let's go, don't keep the old man waiting. What does he want with me anyway? Is there some exciting mission? Hmm?"
Looking at his slacker demeanor, Kitsuchi felt his anger rise, but remembering what his father had told him, he suppressed his temper and said, "It's business. About the upcoming Joint Chunin Exams to be held in Konoha."
"Chunin Exams?" Deidara's eyes showed confusion, but then he shrugged. "Tch, what's so interesting about a Chunin Exams? A bunch of kids playing house. Hmm."
Even as he said it, his steps didn't stop, following his two seniors towards the Tsuchikage Building.
Akatsuchi rumbled beside him, "This time is different. Sensei wants you to participate. Hmm."
"Oh?" Only then did Deidara truly perk up.
Having been locked up for so long, he was itching for action. Any chance to leave the village, especially to showcase his 'art', he would not refuse.
"How is it different? Let's hear it."
Kitsuchi glared at him. "The old man will tell you when we get to the office. Watch your mouth, and watch your clay!"
Deidara shrugged nonchalantly, whistling, and looked around at the long-unseen village scenery.
Iwagakure was still dominated by grayish-brown tones. The buildings were rugged and sturdy. Most of the Ninja on the streets had calm expressions, carrying the characteristic tenacity of the Land of Earth.
But Deidara felt that, compared to two years ago, there seemed to be a little more tension in the village. Especially when passing the newly constructed building complex at the village entrance, whose style was distinctly different from Iwagakure's. He keenly sensed that both Kitsuchi and Akatsuchi unconsciously quickened their pace, their expressions becoming more serious.
That was the compound of the Land of Stars' military advisory group in Iwagakure.
'The Land of Stars...' Deidara silently recited the name, a glint of eager anticipation deep in his golden eyes.
He had heard of this country, heard of that man called [Shura], and their strange, powerful puppets and scientific ninja tools.
Could his clay Explosion Release destroy those iron junkheaps?
He really wanted to try.
Soon, the three arrived at the top floor of the Tsuchikage Building.
Just as Kitsuchi raised his hand to knock, Deidara impatiently clicked his tongue, reached out, and pushed the door open directly, walking right in, shouting as he went: "Old man! I'm here! You locked me up for so long this time. If you don't have some decent compensation, I'll start setting off 'little birds' outside your office door every day!"
Behind him, Akatsuchi and Kitsuchi simultaneously covered their faces, their thick eyebrows twitching in unison.
In all of Iwagakure, aside from this kid who didn't know his place, there probably wasn't a second person who would dare speak to the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki of the Two Scales, like that.
Inside the office, Onoki was not, as usual, sitting in the Tsuchikage's chair. Instead, his small stature floated in mid-air, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out the window in thought.
Hearing Deidara's voice, he slowly turned around. His wrinkled, majestic face showed little expression. He just glanced at Deidara and snorted coldly, "No respect! Looks like one month in confinement was too light!"
Deidara picked his ear nonchalantly, but soon, his attention was drawn to the other two people in the office.
Not just him, but Kitsuchi and Akatsuchi, who had followed him in, also fixed their eyes on those two, their faces showing obvious confusion and scrutiny.
They were a man and a woman, both very young, seeming to be about the same age as Deidara, perhaps even a bit younger.
But their disposition was completely different from the Ninja commonly seen in Iwagakure.
The man was considered short in stature for Iwagakure, but his frame was stocky, giving an impression of wiry toughness.
He had medium-short brown hair, with long bangs almost covering his right eye, leaving only his equally brown left eye visible. His gaze was calm, even somewhat empty.
He wore a somewhat worn, dark red uniform, similar in style to the Tsuchikage Guard's uniform, but with different details. The cuffs and collar were embroidered with Iwagakure's symbols, but the color was darker, as if stained by something.
He stood there quietly, like a piece of rock without any life aura, his breathing barely audible.
The girl was even more eye-catching.
She wore an intricately designed, pale purple Gothic dress, the skirt adorned with delicate lace, a black ribbon tied at the collar, and matching style leather shoes on her feet.
She had soft, pale blonde hair, neatly trimmed, and large, bright purple pupils that lacked a lively quality, like two exquisite amethysts.
Her features were extremely delicate and pretty, her skin so fair it was almost transparent. Her hands, from wrist to elbow, and the lower half of her face, were wrapped tightly in white bandages.
She stood quietly, her hands folded in front of her, her posture like that of a doll displayed in a shop window… beautiful, but lacking vitality.
Kitsuchi and Akatsuchi had never seen these two people in the village before.
They lacked the common Iwagakure's Ninja's traits of being travel-worn or the calm and solid feeling of Earth Release users. Instead, they exuded an indescribable incongruity and mystery.
Onoki floated in front of Deidara, blocking his view of the two, and spoke in a deep voice: "Since you're all here, it's a good time to get acquainted."
He pointed to the brown-haired boy. "His name is 'Ku'."
Then he pointed to the girl in the Gothic dress. "Her name is 'Kirara'. They are... my closed-door disciples, whom I've taken on in recent years."
"Closed-door disciples?" Deidara finally pulled his gaze away from the doll-like girl named Kirara, looking at Onoki, his face full of suspicion and curiosity.
"Old man, when did you take on more disciples? Two at once? And..." He glanced at the two again.
"They seem... pretty weird."
Ku and Kirara showed no reaction to Deidara's assessment.
Ku just lowered his head slightly, his voice flat and without inflection: "Deidara-senpai, hello."
Kirara, with a slight bend of her knees, performed a somewhat stiff and old-fashioned curtsy. Her purple eyes looked at Deidara, yet seemed to lack focus. Her voice was soft but lacked inflection: "Hello, Deidara-senpai."
Their responses deepened Deidara's confusion.
They didn't seem like his juniors at all!
They were more like... puppets programmed with responses.
But this thought only flashed through his mind. Deidara was more concerned about other matters.
He turned to Onoki and pressed further: "Alright, alright, I've met them. Old man, get to the point! What's this about a Joint Chunin Exams? You're not really planning on sending me to that boring game of house, are you? Hmm?"
Onoki did not immediately answer Deidara. Instead, he floated back over his seat, his gaze slowly sweeping over the four before him.
His steady, reliable eldest son, Kitsuchi. His simple, tenacious direct disciple and bodyguard, Akatsuchi. His rebellious, trouble-making yet astonishingly talented disciple, Deidara. And...
His gaze lingered slightly on Ku and Kirara, an extremely complex emotion flickering deep in his eyes.
"Listen up, all of you." Onoki's voice was not loud, but it carried the unique authority of the Tsuchikage, echoing in the stone-built office.
"The Joint Chunin Exams that Konoha is holding this time is different from any before. Not only will many small Ninja Villages participate, but Kumogakure and the Land of Stars will also send teams. The Land of Stars has requested that we also dispatch a team to participate."
"The Land of Stars? An exam with Ninja from so many villages participating?" Deidara's eyes lit up, the corner of his mouth curling into an excited arc.
He was someone who loved to show off. If he could display his explosive art in front of so many Ninjas…
Just thinking about it was exciting!
Kitsuchi's and Akatsuchi's expressions grew even more grave.
The political significance and potential risks of this exam far exceeded those of ordinary Ninja promotion assessments.
Onoki continued: "So we, Iwagakure, not only must participate, but we must also field our strongest lineup and achieve the best results!"
"Akatsuchi."
"Here, Sensei!" Akatsuchi immediately straightened his back, his honest face full of seriousness.
"You will serve as the leading Jonin, responsible for all affairs and the safety of these three during the exam." Onoki pointed to Deidara, Ku, and Kirara.
Akatsuchi nodded emphatically: "Understood! I'll guarantee the mission! Hmm!"
Deidara shrugged, having no objections to Akatsuchi leading the team. This senior disciple, though a bit wordy, was unmatched in strength and responsibility.
He was more concerned about: "The three of us? Old man, are you saying you want me to team up with these two... uh, new junior disciples?"
"Correct." Onoki looked at Deidara, his gaze sharp. "Deidara, your mission in the exam is to demonstrate your strength as much as possible, defeat Genin from other villages, especially the Land of Stars' Genin!"
"I want you to find out, to see, just how capable their new generation of Ninja really are!"
"Heh heh, this I like!" Deidara licked his lips, his eyes igniting with fighting spirit. "I'll send those clueless brats into the sky with my explosive art! Hmm! I'll guarantee the mission!"
"Not only that…" Onoki's voice grew deeper. "Demonstrating strength and gathering intelligence is one thing. Second, I want you to carefully observe the performance of the younger generation from Konoha, Kumogakure, and all the participating villages."
"Their limits of strength, combat styles, potential assessments... bring back all this intelligence in as much detail as possible. This is not just an exam, understand?"
"Understood!" This time, even Deidara dropped his joking manner. Though still excited, a hint of seriousness appeared in his eyes.
He might be rebellious, but he wasn't stupid. He knew the old man was serious this time, betting heavily.
"Ku, Kirara." Onoki looked at the young boy and girl.
"Yes, Sensei/Tsuchikage-sama." The two responded simultaneously.
"Your mission is to cooperate with Deidara to ensure the mission is accomplished. At the same time, during the exam, unless necessary, do not reveal your full capabilities." Onoki's gaze lingered specifically on Ku and Kirara for a moment.
"Yes." Ku answered succinctly.
Kirara nodded slightly, her purple eyes lowered. "Kirara understands."
Onoki's gaze finally swept over the four, and he said slowly, "Go back and prepare. Akatsuchi, Kitsuchi will give you the specific itinerary and intelligence scrolls later. Remember, you represent not only yourselves, but the future of Iwagakure. Represent the Will of Stone!"
"Yes!" The four responded in unison, their expressions varied.
Deidara was eager with excitement, Akatsuchi with steady determination and a sense of responsibility, Ku with emotionless obedience. And on Kirara's delicate face, there was still no discernible emotion, but in those amethyst-like eyes, an extremely subtle ripple seemed to flicker and disappear.