"Killer Bee!"
It's actually the Jinchuriki, Killer Bee!
The ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village were all shocked.
Not long ago, Killer Bee had once again escaped from the Hidden Leaf Village and gone out to have fun.
As a result...
He returned severely injured.
The Raikage was furious. While the medical ninjas treated him, the Raikage personally gave him a beating!
He beat Killer Bee so bad that Bee cried.
Bee kept yelling, "Big bro's iron fist…"
And the Raikage's way of beating people is pretty skillful.
Even though Killer Bee was injured, the Raikage's punches didn't interfere with the healing process.
After that!
Killer Bee was placed under house arrest by the Fourth Raikage.
Only a few people knew where he was, not even his students.
So how did he show up now?
Killer Bee ignored the Hidden Cloud ninjas.
Normally, he would have talked some smack.
Rapping and dancing, he wouldn't miss a beat.
But now, he just stared solemnly at Deidara.
"Are you from the Akatsuki?"
That simple question seemed to infuriate Deidara.
He almost jumped in anger, his eyes fixed on Killer Bee, gritting his teeth: "You don't recognize me? Haha, I guess you wouldn't. Back then, I didn't look like this. But I sure know you. I know you very, very well."
Killer Bee was a little confused.
He had heard of Deidara before.
He was someone highly regarded by the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, and was even considered for the position of Tsuchikage.
But Deidara defected.
Giving up the position of a village's Kage to become a rogue ninja?
Only someone completely crazy would do that.
As for how he recognized Deidara...
That unique outfit – only the Akatsuki wore something like that in the ninja world.
And...
That clay explosion technique also had a distinctive mark.
"Are you trying to capture me?" Killer Bee coldly asked Deidara. "Aren't you worried about breaking the relationship between Iwagakure and Kumogakure?"
"The relationship between Iwagakure and Kumogakure was already broken long ago. If you all had the chance, you'd probably tear each other apart!" Deidara sneered, saying, "And what does Iwagakure have to do with me? I defected a long time ago. Even if you destroyed Iwagakure, it wouldn't matter to me."
Deidara wasn't lying.
The Four-Tails and Five-Tails were both tailed beasts from Iwagakure.
Deidara had no hesitation in sealing them.
Do what you gotta do!
"Heh!"
The chakra of the Eight-Tails began to flow through Killer Bee's body.
He said coldly, "Looks like you're not planning to let me go."
"What do you think?" Deidara grinned wickedly.
The mouth on his hand mirrored his expression, twisted and menacing.
"Then you can go die!" Killer Bee roared, suddenly entering a half-tailed beast transformation, and fired a Tailed Beast Bomb straight at Deidara.
"Boom!"
"Boom!!!"
Seeing the Tailed Beast Bomb coming, anger flashed in Deidara's eyes.
Again!
It was just like last time!
The look and pressure of that Tailed Beast Bomb were exactly the same!
Deidara shouted, "Ha!"
"Boom!"
Another loud explosion followed.
The Tailed Beast Bomb hit Deidara, resulting in a massive explosion.
"Wow!"
The Hidden Cloud ninjas gasped in shock, then immediately started cheering.
"Lord Killer Bee!"
"Killer Bee!"
"Hooray!"
As expected of the Jinchuriki, the perfect Jinchuriki! The enemy that had given so many of them trouble was dealt with in a single Tailed Beast Bomb.
Only Killer Bee seemed uneasy, staring at the cloud of smoke, his eyes unblinking, a hint of seriousness hidden deep in his gaze.
Soon, the smoke cleared.
Deidara stood there, unharmed.
"What?!"
One of the Hidden Cloud ninjas blurted out.
That was a Tailed Beast Bomb!
A Tailed Beast Bomb that could easily destroy an entire street.
And he took that directly, without a scratch?
That's insane!
Is Deidara even human?
"Eight-Tails, you're mine now!" Deidara sneered.
Capturing the Eight-Tails right here, in front of everyone in the Hidden Cloud Village, was the perfect move for someone like him.
He flew toward Killer Bee on his giant white bird.
Killer Bee gave a cold laugh.
"Bee, I've had enough of these Akatsuki guys!" the Eight-Tails growled from inside Killer Bee. "Let's finish him off in one go."
"Got it!"
"Roar!"
The Eight-Tails let out a thunderous roar.
Its body rapidly expanded.
In the blink of an eye, it transformed.
Eight massive octopus-like tails appeared.
A sharp horn jutted from its head.
With two powerful arms, it slammed the ground.
The entire Hidden Cloud Village trembled.
Fully transformed!
Complete tailed beast mode!
Now standing at dozens of meters tall, the Eight-Tails was no longer looking up at Deidara but staring him right in the eyes.
Because Deidara was also flying high above, at a similar height.
"No way!" The Hidden Cloud ninjas were stunned.
Complete form!
Killer Bee had actually entered full transformation.
Just to deal with Deidara?
It wasn't that Deidara wasn't powerful, but the Eight-Tails hadn't fully transformed in years.
Seeing that massive, fearsome form again reminded them of the terror the Eight-Tails had once brought upon them.
In the distance.
Several figures were sprinting toward the scene.
When they saw Killer Bee's massive body, they froze.
"Bee!"
"He's fully transformed?"
"Something's wrong!"
"Hurry up!"
The leader barked, quickening his pace.
"Yes, sir!"
The two people beside him responded, speeding up. The last one sighed helplessly.
"I knew it, we shouldn't have let Lord Bee go ahead. There was bound to be trouble. Who could force him to fully transform? It couldn't be that monster Uchiha Itsuki, could it?"
...
"Deidara, die!" the Eight-Tails roared.
After locking eyes with Deidara, its tails swiftly wrapped around him, trapping him in the center.
"Let's see how you escape this!" the Eight-Tails sneered. "Up or down, doesn't matter. Either way, you'll be crushed to bits."
As it spoke, a Tailed Beast Bomb began forming in its mouth.
"Die!"
But Deidara wasn't panicked. In fact, he started laughing.
"Die?"
"You're right!"
"It's time to die!"
"Eight-Tails, I wonder if you'll survive this," Deidara said with a strange expression.
Seeing this, Killer Bee and the Eight-Tails became nervous.
They had suffered a lot at the hands of the Akatsuki.
Hidan, Kakuzu, Sasori... each of them had their own special skills. What about Deidara?
He had been groomed by Onoki as his successor. Surely, he had his own unique abilities, right?
But now, Deidara had been reduced to this state. What could he possibly do?
The Eight-Tails didn't understand.
Could Deidara have some kind of self-destructive or counterattacking technique?
"Here it comes!"
Just as the Eight-Tails was filled with uncertainty, Deidara's body suddenly began to expand. In the blink of an eye, he transformed.
"This… what is this…?"
The Eight-Tails was stunned, his mouth wide open.
This wasn't Deidara anymore. In front of him was a colossal version of his Number 18, the same one he had blasted out of the village with a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Deidara's technique! Explosive Clay!
"Bee, get out of the way!" the Eight-Tails roared.
Killer Bee snapped back to reality.
Because the giant Number 18 was expanding even further.
"Can you escape?" another Deidara appeared, coldly eyeing the enormous Eight-Tails. "Besides, if you run, the Hidden Cloud Village will be destroyed."
"Hmm?"
The Eight-Tails froze at those words.
His once fierce eyes now showed hesitation.
This was the core area of the Hidden Cloud Village, and beneath him were countless Hidden Cloud ninja.
If he retreated, that giant Number 18 would detonate right in the crowd.
How many would die?
Killer Bee didn't know, but he knew one thing: he couldn't run.
Thinking quickly, Killer Bee wrapped the Number 18 with his tails, trying to contain it.
"BOOM!"
A massive explosion followed.
The entire Hidden Cloud Village seemed to shake.
"Lord Killer Bee!" many Hidden Cloud ninja screamed, their faces filled with fear.
What did they just witness?
Killer Bee had wrapped himself into a ball of flesh, but why was there an explosion inside him?
What had Deidara done?
No one knew.
But Killer Bee's energy began to plummet.
His massive body was now tattered and broken.
"Impressive," Deidara said with a smirk. "You live up to your name, Killer Bee—the Jinchuriki of the Hidden Cloud. Willing to sacrifice yourself for the village... It's time to wrap this up. You're mine now, Eight-Tails."
With that, Deidara, riding his white giant bird, emerged from the shadows and rushed towards the Eight-Tails.
Suddenly, Killer Bee's eyes shot open, coldly staring at Deidara.
"Gah!" Deidara grunted, his expression changing as he quickly retreated.
So tough!
Killer Bee began reabsorbing his chakra, preparing to end his full Tailed Beast transformation.
But his body was on the verge of collapse.
"Afraid that your huge form will cause more damage to the Hidden Cloud?" Deidara chuckled, "Fine, I'll let you finish your last act of protection for the village."
Deidara stopped moving and just watched.
The Eight-Tails was clearly in pain.
Even trying to end his Tailed Beast transformation—no, even staying conscious—was extremely difficult.
Finally!
Killer Bee returned to his normal form.
"It's time!" Deidara said coldly, diving straight down.
"Charge!"
"Protect Lord Killer Bee!"
"That damn traitor from the Hidden Stone—kill him!"
"Kill, kill, kill!"
The Hidden Cloud ninja rushed at Deidara, and those further away began attacking from a distance.
"Hmph!"
Deidara snorted, casually waving his hand.
Immediately, countless white clay snakes slithered out from all corners, attacking the Hidden Cloud ninja.
"Watch out!"
"Snakes!"
"Is this Deidara's jutsu?"
Amid the screams, explosions erupted everywhere.
The fastest Hidden Cloud ninja were injured, while the slower ones were outright eliminated.
"Pathetic!" Deidara sneered, "Did you think I spent these last few days preparing for nothing?"
To capture Killer Bee inside the Hidden Cloud Village, Deidara had gone through a lot of trouble. He had planned for everything.
With a swift motion, Deidara reached Killer Bee, his giant white bird's tail wrapping around the Eight-Tails.
"Excellent, time to retreat!" Deidara muttered, "The Fourth Raikage and his aides should be back soon."
SWOOSH!
The giant white bird soared into the sky, flying far away.
"Lord Bee!"
The Hidden Cloud ninja inside the village were still shouting and attacking.
But it was no use.
All their attacks were interrupted.
Explosive animals kept popping out from every corner, detonating near any ninja that got close.
Unless they were willing to sacrifice themselves, they had no choice but to dodge.
And so, amidst the chaos of explosions, Deidara calmly left with the Eight-Tails.
"See that?" Deidara chuckled, "I told you, art is an explosion, a moment of brilliance."
Deidara's figure vanished in the distance.
The capture of the Eight-Tails was complete!
Now, all the Tailed Beasts were in the hands of the Akatsuki.
...
Watching Deidara disappear, three figures in the shadows fell silent.
"Dammit!" Hidan cursed.
He had picked up that phrase from Uchiha Itsuki.
"You've got to be kidding me! That punk Deidara, that little brat, really captured the Eight-Tails inside the Hidden Cloud Village?"
Even Hidan, as wild as he was, couldn't believe it.
In his mind, there were only two people who could pull this off.
The one who could definitely do it: Uchiha Itsuki.
And the one who could try: Nagato.
After all, their opponent was the Hidden Cloud, currently one of the strongest villages.
The only other person who might have a chance was that mysterious figure...
But no matter how he calculated it, Deidara wasn't in the picture!
It was impossible!
Deidara wasn't even stronger than Hidan. If Hidan couldn't do it, there was no way Deidara could pull it off, no matter how hard he tried.
That was Hidan's belief.
Unfortunately, Deidara not only did it, but he did it flawlessly.
It was unbelievable!
"His jutsu is unique," Kakuzu said slowly. "Deidara must have prepared in advance, setting up a lot of explosive clay inside the Hidden Cloud Village to use at the right moment."
Sasori added, "That's true, but Deidara must have had an inside man in the Hidden Cloud, someone with a high status. Otherwise, there's no way he could've planted that much explosive clay without being noticed."
Kakuzu nodded. "Where was the Fourth Raikage?"
If the Raikage had been there, Deidara wouldn't have even had the chance to take the Eight-Tails, let alone escape.
That man was truly terrifying!
Even Kakuzu would have to be extremely cautious in a fight against him.
Sasori coldly replied, "Deidara must have tricked him out of the village."
"And he also took advantage of Killer Bee's nature."
"Killer Bee is a true Hidden Cloud ninja, a man willing to sacrifice for his village."