"Hey! Hey!"
"What are those two idiots even talking about? We're the ones with the numbers advantage here!" shouted a ronin wielding a katana. He laughed loudly as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke, and his companions quickly joined in with mocking laughter.
"You're proving the old saying right: 'When the tiger's away, the monkey becomes king.' Do you really think ninja battles are decided by numbers?" Deidara sneered.
"Let me entertain you with a few of my adorable little creations."
Several white Clay Grasshoppers leapt from Deidara's hand, bouncing toward the surrounding ronin.
"Are you some kind of street performer? Like one of those guys who makes candy figurines for kids? Hahaha!" the same ronin jeered again, laughing even harder. But at least he wasn't entirely brainless.
"Is this some unknown ninja trick? Watch me slice it apart!" he shouted as he swung his blade at one of the clay grasshoppers. However, his strike was far too slow. The grasshopper easily dodged and landed on his shoulder.
Boom!
The self-proclaimed "king of monkeys" was no more. Silence returned to the world, if only temporarily.
The surviving ronin and ninja instinctively stepped back in fear. Only their leader managed to muster some courage—or perhaps he was just slightly stronger, giving him a bit more confidence.
"Don't be afraid! We have ninja on our side too! All of us together—"
"Urgh—!" Before he could finish his sentence, Hiruko's tail pierced through his chest, killing him instantly.
"Pathetic," Sasori muttered, his tone filled with disdain.
"You can't kill us! We're under Lord Zoey's protection! He won't let you get away with this!" one of the remaining ninja screamed in terror.
"Seriously? You're the ones who attacked us first," Deidara replied, exasperated.
Boom!
The remaining enemies were so weak that Deidara didn't even earn any Shock Value from defeating them.
For a moment, the scene fell into an eerie silence. The reversal of fortune had been so sudden that the members of the merchant caravan were left utterly stunned. They had been prepared to fight to the death, only to find that their lives were no longer in danger.
"Thank you both so much! We're deeply grateful!" said Maruta, the spiky-haired young man from the caravan. He walked over and bowed deeply.
"Don't mention it. It was nothing," Deidara replied, waving his hand dismissively. He was already eager to move on. The peaceful atmosphere he had been enjoying had been thoroughly ruined. Now, all he wanted was to soak in a hot spring, have a good meal, and get some proper rest.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
Maruta, instead of stepping aside, suddenly dropped to his knees and performed a heavy kowtow. His voice choked with emotion as he shouted, "Please, my lords! Save this city!"
"What's wrong with the city?" Deidara asked, stopping in his tracks. Since the matter seemed to involve the city ahead, he decided to listen.
Maruta launched into a lengthy explanation. In summary, the former lord of Matsuzaka City had died unexpectedly, and the city's rule had fallen into the hands of Zoey, the leader of a criminal organization. Zoey was ruthless and exploited the citizens mercilessly. The caravan was secretly working with the former lord's daughter, Lady Junko, to overthrow Zoey and restore her as the rightful ruler, freeing the people from their suffering.
It was, in essence, a classic tale of oppression and rebellion.
"I'm afraid I can't agree to that," Deidara said, stroking his chin. "Because we also want control of this city."
"What?!" Maruta's face filled with shock. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
"Maruta, there's no need to beg them!" A tall, skinny young man stepped forward, his tone rude and confrontational.
"Even if they defeated Yama, they'll flee in terror when they face Zoey—just like all the other hired ninja before them!"
"And claiming they want to take control of the city? How arrogant!"
"Zoey is invincible! The only way to defeat him is through our own plans!" the tall youth declared loudly, his voice filled with the bitterness of past failures.
Deidara glanced at the annoying young man, clearly irritated. Sasori, controlling Hiruko, ignored him entirely and continued walking up the mountain path. Deidara pressed his fingers to his temples in frustration before following Sasori.
"Wait!"
"If you help me take revenge, I'll hand over control of this city to you," a voice called out. A seemingly ordinary young woman from the caravan stepped forward. She dispelled her transformation jutsu, revealing her true identity as Lady Junko.
She wore a white kimono, her long hair flowing gracefully down her back. Her delicate features and elegant demeanor clearly marked her as someone raised in a noble household. There was no doubt that she was the daughter of the former lord.
"Lady Junko!" Maruta exclaimed, utterly shocked and unable to comprehend her decision.
The caravan members had been willing to risk their lives for Junko because they believed in her kind nature and trusted that she would bring happiness to the people once she became the city's ruler. But if she handed Matsuzaka City over to these two strangers, their sacrifices would be meaningless.
"Maruta, I'm sorry," Junko said softly as she knelt down to help him up. Her face was filled with an apologetic expression.
"Though it may not be my place to say this, I don't think we can defeat Zoey. Your plan has no chance of success, and I can't let you throw your lives away in vain."
"But they can't possibly defeat Zoey either! Even the jonin we hired from the Land of Wind failed! Unless one of the Kage from the Five Great Nations steps in, no one can defeat Zoey!" the tall youth interjected, spreading his negativity once again.
Perhaps due to the Land of Rivers' isolation and rugged terrain, the people here seemed to have a limited understanding of the outside world. Their ignorance was almost painful to witness.
"Enough! You! Come with me!" Deidara said, biting into a piece of clay and forming a Clay Bird. He pointed at Junko.
"The rest of you, follow along if you can, alright?" Completely fed up, Deidara decided to see for himself just how formidable this Zoey character was.
As for bringing Junko along, Deidara figured it wouldn't hurt to have a figurehead for appearances. After all, the Akatsuki was an organization that pursued peace, not chaos. Junko should appreciate that.
Junko clenched her hands tightly and bit her lip, clearly torn. Although the tall youth's words were discouraging, they weren't entirely baseless. Who knew if these two strangers could actually defeat Zoey?
If they failed, it would be over for her—she'd be walking straight into the lion's den.
"Lady Junko, I'll go with you!" Maruta ran over and declared.
"Maruta, thank you, but you've already done enough for me. There's no need for you to risk your life this time," Junko said gently, her tone unusually soft. Clearly, there was something between the two of them.
"No! Lady Junko, I said I'd give everything for you—even my life!" Maruta's declaration was an unmistakable confession.
But Deidara had no interest in witnessing their melodrama. The Clay Bird flapped its wings, sending Maruta flying backward.
"Have you all forgotten? The decision of who goes and who doesn't is up to me," Deidara said coldly.
Maruta: "..."
Junko: "..."
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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