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The Senbon Needle Barrage wasn't too difficult to deal with just summon a creature from the Animal Path to block the attack.
The real issue lay with those Flying Thunder God kunai. Anyone with decent intel knew that letting those things get close was a death sentence.
Nagato considered himself a god, but that was more about his ideological superiority over mortals. He had absolutely no intention of competing with the Fourth Hokage in terms of reaction speed.
With a powerful burst of repulsive force, the kunai and senbon needles were all blasted away. The shadow clones holding the kunai dispersed into smoke, leaving behind a single real one, which Minato caught with ease.
The three who had been suspended in midair were caught off guard and struck again by the repelling force. Naruto and Kushina's chakra hands failed to adjust in time, their grip too strong as they crushed the ground below them, losing their footing and being sent flying backwards.
Naruto twisted midair, flipped over, and quickly regained his balance. Fū was still securely held in Kushina's grasp.
As for Kushina… she was caught princess-style by Minato, cradled steadily in his arms. The two exchanged a glance nothing needed to be said.
After landing, Kushina set Fū down and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" Fū wasn't frightened at all. In fact, she found the whole experience thrilling.
Naruto, looking up at the sky in exasperation, thought to himself: We all have Flying Thunder God marks on us, yet Dad only rushed to save Mom. And once Mom was safe, she didn't even glance at me.
'Yep, my parents are the real love story here. I'm just an accident.'
Seeing that his three teammates were unharmed, Jiraiya took a few steps forward. "let's use that move!"
"We're using that right away? Got it." Fukasaku, the Toad Sage, called out, "Ma, get ready!"
"Understood!" Shima and Fukasaku began weaving hand seals with their toad palms.
"Sage Art: Goemon!"
Jiraiya exhaled a massive wave of oil, while Fukasaku added wind, and Shima breathed out fire. The combination of fire, wind, and oil surged forward like a tsunami, engulfing Pain's position with an overwhelming inferno.
The previously soaked terrain, still damp from Naruto's Water Release, was completely scorched dry. Every blade of grass was incinerated, and even the rocks couldn't withstand the intense heat, cracking and melting.
Sasuke, always confident in his Fire Release, was shaken. "This power… It's way stronger than my Great Fire Annihilation!"
But then, one of Pain's bodies, a slightly plump figure, stepped forward. The Preta Path raised both hands.
"Sealing Technique: Absorption Barrier!"
A transparent, invisible barrier formed in front of his hands. No matter how hot the flames or how viscous the oil was, everything that touched the barrier was instantly absorbed into nothingness.
Jiraiya retreated and muttered, "I knew this guy could absorb ninjutsu, but I didn't expect him to be able to absorb Senjutsu as well."
"Oi, how are we supposed to fight like this? Hmph." Deidara, who had been hovering on his clay bird, didn't fly too high. He had seen Tendo Pain scatter all those senbon needles with Shinra Tensei, and he wasn't eager to be caught in his leader's attacks.
For once, Kisame didn't mock Deidara. Instead, he nodded in agreement. "He's got a point. We've never fought alongside the boss before, and I don't exactly get along with him."
"Then let's split up. But we're outnumbered, so if we get surrounded, don't get yourselves killed."
"That depends on whether the boss can hold off a few of them for us." Kisame hoisted Samehada onto his shoulder and left. He knew Konoha wouldn't just let him roam freely they'd send someone after him.
Deidara, piloting his clay bird, scoffed, "Even if I die, I'll die in an artistic explosion, yeah."
Tobi looked around. "Eh? You guys are leaving? What about me? Should I just hide behind the boss?"
Several Rinnegan eyes locked onto him. Their gaze seemed to say, Everyone else left already, what are you still doing here acting dumb?
Tobi suddenly remembered that he was supposed to be Obito in disguise. His tone immediately became more serious. "Alright, I'll go over there."
"Asuma, take Gen, Daiki, and Jiro and follow the masked guy." Minato tossed him a kunai. "If anything happens, signal us immediately."
"Yes!"
Minato didn't send Kimimaro, since this fake-Obito's abilities were still unknown. A team specializing in taijutsu might end up at a disadvantage.
Though… Minato wondered if he had momentarily forgotten something Daiki, Gen and Jiro were all Uchiha.
Before Minato could give further instructions, Deidara arrogantly hovered above the Konoha shinobi, dropping a small clay bird straight at Naruto.
Naruto, watching the incoming explosive, exaggeratedly shouted, "So scary~ Sasuke, save me!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes, flicking his wrist as a Chidori Senbon shot out, piercing the clay bird and knocking it off course. Deidara's expected BOOM got stuck in his throat.
"Damn it! This annoying Lightning Release again." Deidara glared at Naruto. "Hey, you blond brat! Last time, you chased me all over the place got the guts to do it again?!"
"Hah." Naruto snorted. Such a weak taunt. With full confidence, he shouted, "Nope!"
"…What?" Deidara nearly tumbled off his bird. Was this brat shameless?! Furious, he snapped, "Don't act all high and mighty! I'm feeling generous today, giving you a chance to witness true art!"
Naruto yanked Sasuke forward and yelled, "See that? My buddy Sasuke here says your so-called explosion ninjutsu is useless against him. What 'art'?! You're not even worthy to carry Sasori of the Red Sand's tools! True art is eternal beauty!"
Sasuke blinked. Did I say that?
Naruto patted his shoulder. Don't sweat the details. Didn't we agree you'd handle this guy? I've pulled enough aggro for you. Now it's your turn.
Sasuke nodded, sheathing his Lightning Blades, and turned to leave. After a few steps, he reconsidered Naruto's methods. Mimicking his teammate's usual mocking expression, Sasuke turned back, raised his middle finger at Deidara, and kept running.
That should do it.
As expected, Deidara's rage hit the roof. "You bastard! Just because you know a little Lightning Release doesn't make you special! I'll show you real art!"
Furious, Deidara chased after him. But before leaving, he grew even angrier the more he thought about it. With a flick of his wrist, he dropped a C3—18.
A bomb strong enough to wipe out an entire village plummeted downward.
Naruto threw a shadow clone upward.
The clone, looking ecstatic, bear-hugged the clay bomb. The moment it detonated, the clone disappeared with it.
Then, from deep within Kamui's dimension, the clone's voice echoed:
"ART IS AN EXPLOSION!"
Yep, he had teleported the bomb to the toxic waste dump. Again.
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Crunch! Somewhere in a distant forest, Obito stepped on a branch, lost his balance, and faceplanted. "Uzumaki Naruto! Deidara!"
You blond bastards none of you are any good!
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