Deidara spat out a dozen white mini-spiders from the mouths in both his hands, leaping high as he flung them forward.
The spiders expanded rapidly before landing—each swelling to almost forty centimeters—skittering toward Hidan and Kakuzu under the charge of explosive chakra.
But Hidan didn't even pretend to dodge. Instead, he opened his mouth wider, sped up his hands, shoved the last of the sweet dumplings into his mouth, and even burped deliberately.
"Hiccup~"
"These sweet dumplings taste so damn good—they won't stab me, won't stab me~ (≧▽≦)♪"
Even as the clay spiders crawled up Kakuzu's Akatsuki cloak, the miser didn't react. He simply activated Earth Style: Hardening. His whole body turned pitch-black and steel-like.
Then Deidara gave the command.
"Ka…cu!!" (Explode!)
"BOOM!!"
The simultaneous detonation shook the entire forest. The shockwave blasted even the innocent Sasori and Biwa Jūzō—who had just bitten into a stolen piece of chilled watermelon.
The blast made Jūzō cough twice, which made the watermelon juice surge back up his throat. Red, sweet liquid sprayed from his mouth as he made a series of strangled noises.
"Hiccup—!!"
That one sound exposed Biwa Jūzō's silent-killing-watermelon-theft instantly.
Deidara slowly turned his head.
Biwa Jūzō stood frozen, both hands slapped over his mouth, still letting out intermittent "hiccups," with watermelon juice leaking between his fingers and down the corner of his lips.
Then Deidara looked down… at the empty green watermelon rind rolling at his feet.
The look in his eyes sharpened—like a starving desert lizard discovering someone stole the snacks he prepared for himself.
"Do you have anything left to say?" he asked with a trembling smile. A throbbing vein pounded on his forehead like a "#."
Jūzō hurried to explain—but another violent hiccup made him spew more juice and pulp.
"Hiccup—!"
"L-listen to my explanation—!"
"No—please listen to my explanation!"
"The watermelon threw itself into my mouth! I swear it! I, Biwa Jūzō, never lie!"
"Hiccup—!!"
"EAT CLAY, YOU BASTARD!!!"
...
...
...
Above, Uchiha Hikaru and Tendo Pain—who had just been preparing to start the real fight—were interrupted by the explosion and turned toward the chaotic scene below.
Saya and Konan exchanged weary looks midair (;￣Д￣) and dropped straight down.
Ten seconds later:
Kakuzu, Hidan, Deidara, and Biwa Jūzō were all wrapped in Konan's paper—arms and legs bound tightly—rolling on the ground like overgrown worms.
Deidara: "LET ME GO, KONAN!! They ate my food—I'll kill all of them!!"
Hidan: "It was a divine gift from nature! Why would it appear in front of my eyes otherwise!?"
Kakuzu: "Konan, I've worked in Akatsuki for years to save for retirement! What's wrong with me eating some meatballs!?"
Biwa Jūzō: "Miss Konan! I'm from the Hidden Mist! I couldn't afford watermelon growing up—I couldn't resist—hiccup!!"
Nearby, Sasori hid inside Hiruko, trembling with silent laughter.
If he still had a real body, he would have burst out laughing by now.
On top of the giant statues of Madara and Hashirama, Uchiha Hikaru and Tendo Pain finally saw the "audience" quiet down.
Time to begin.
Nagato, familiar with Konoha's customs thanks to Jiraiya's old training, positioned Tendo Pain's hands into the Seal of Confrontation, matching the Hashirama statue beneath him.
Hikaru mirrored it.
The battle began.
Hikaru and Tendo Pain leapt from the stone heads. They struck the lake with twin splashes and sprinted across the surface toward each other.
Tendo Pain heightened his speed and extended two black chakra rods from his palms.
Hikaru dove forward, summoning Sword, which formed into a black-and-gold Tang-style blade in his hand.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!!"
Fist met foot. Blade met rod. Sparks showered across the lake.
After a dozen exchanges—crack!—a chakra rod snapped clean in Tendo's grip.
His Akatsuki cloak tore open. He skidded backward.
Realizing Taijutsu alone wouldn't overwhelm Hikaru, Nagato shifted strategy—forming seals to summon the Animal Path's creatures.
Hikaru's Sharingan spun, catching the sequence instantly. He could easily read the intention behind the jutsu.
So… Nagato really compressed all Six Paths abilities into Tendo for this fight?
Yahiko's peak physical moment… huh.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
One after another, familiar enemies appeared.
The multi-headed Hellhound that once tortured Hikaru during those death-arena simulations.
The giant crab capable of slowing everything with its chakra mist.
The chameleon—master of invisibility.
The rampaging bull.
The massive bird, the Yatagarasu.
Thankfully, Konan's student—the "hydrangea girl"—was still alive at this stage and hadn't been turned into Nagato's panda summon yet.
In an arena match, Hikaru would have shouted, "Perfect psychics! √"
But this was a real shinobi battle.
Which meant anything was fair game.
"Hikaru, let me handle these cute little things."
Sword's voice resonated warmly from the blade, matching Hikaru's own impulse.
"It's been too long. If I don't stretch, I'll rust."
Hikaru loosened his grip.
"Go."
The tip of the Tang blade touched the lake—
And instantly dissolved into a swirl of black-and-gold mist.
Nagato tensed. Tendo Pain ordered the summoned beasts forward defensively.
From the mist emerged a tall, slender, armored figure—a Valkyrie-like warrior clad in silver-white scale armor with pale gold edging. Black hair fluttered behind her, fierce and regal.
Seven weapons floated behind her: blade, spear, lance, sword, halberd, axe, and staff.
She stepped forward—
—her single form splitting into seven phantoms.
Each phantom seized a weapon and charged the incoming summons.
The real battle had finally begun.
-------
Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
---------------------
Join my Patreon and get access to 50+ early chapters before anyone else! 🔥
https://www.patreon.com/UK21
Your Support is Truly Appreciated