A mouthful of sake sprayed out as Deidara hurriedly signaled for Hiashi Hyuga to stop. Good grief—Hinata was one thing, but Hanabi? She was just a kid!
Seeing Deidara's rejection, Hiashi's expression remained unchanged, though he couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
He had meticulously gathered intelligence on the Akatsuki and knew that Deidara ranked among its top three in strength. Moreover, his influence over their leader, Nagato, was significant. His age was also appropriate, making him an ideal candidate for an arranged marriage.
Among the Akatsuki members, perhaps only Itachi was another viable option. After all, he couldn't possibly marry his daughter off to an old man like Kakuzu. Even Kakashi was a bit too old.
Hidan? No, that guy was downright insane. Sasori and the others? Equally abnormal.
Although Hiashi was determined to use his daughters for a political marriage to restore the Hyuga Clan's prominence, they were still his flesh and blood. He couldn't just throw them into a pit of fire.
Perhaps Itachi would be a better choice?
But no, a man who could slaughter his entire clan without hesitation was hardly a reassuring candidate. Even if the reasons behind his actions were now understood, the fact remained—fear and understanding were not the same thing.
Moreover, there was no precedent for a Hyuga and Uchiha union, which made the idea feel unnatural.
"Ahem!" Deidara cleared his throat and said, "Clan Head Hiashi, I understand what you're getting at."
"But in Amegakure, there's no need for these arrangements. The Akatsuki is dedicated to building a peaceful and united village. As long as the Hyuga Clan follows the rules and contributes to the village, life will naturally improve."
"Understood!" Hiashi nodded respectfully, his expression turning more serious.
Old habits died hard. Having spent years navigating Konoha's murky political waters, a swift change in Hiashi's mindset was impossible.
Even now, though Deidara was speaking sincerely, Hiashi likely perceived his words as a veiled warning to stop scheming.
Forget it.
Realizing further explanation was futile, Deidara lost interest. He stood up, ready to head home. He had eaten, drunk, and now it was time to return to his art.
Hiashi called out anxiously, misunderstanding the situation entirely.
Deidara rubbed his temples. "Clan Head Hiashi, don't get the wrong idea."
"I do appreciate your hospitality tonight. If you ever need assistance, feel free to come to me."
Noting Deidara's seemingly genuine promise, Hiashi finally relaxed, his expression easing.
"I am truly grateful."
After being seen off with great enthusiasm, Deidara returned home. It was already quite late.
As he flicked on the high-tech lamp, a shadowy figure appeared on the couch—Kurotsuchi.
She sat there with her back to him, exuding an icy aura.
"Deidara, you reek of alcohol. You weren't out drinking with Kisame and the others, were you?" she asked, her tone sharp and chilling.
Crap! This wasn't looking good.
Wait a minute, why was he even nervous? He hadn't done anything wrong tonight! In fact, he had turned down two future beauties—shouldn't he be praised for that?
With this realization, his confidence surged.
"I wasn't at a bar. Hiashi invited me over, and we drank a little there," he replied.
"Really?" Kurotsuchi turned her head, suspicion flashing in her eyes.
Deidara rolled his eyes. "Of course! You girls love to overthink things."
"If you don't believe me, go ask around."
Her stern demeanor wavered. With a slightly embarrassed expression, she mumbled,
"I was just worried about you drinking too much."
"It's bad for your health."
"Naggy," Deidara muttered, sensing a shift in her mood. He suddenly felt like he had discovered some hidden truth.
Sure enough, after being scolded, Kurotsuchi completely backed down.
She stepped closer, grabbed his sleeve, and took a discreet sniff.
No scent of perfume. He wasn't lying.
"Deidara, Grandfather's birthday is in a few days. Let's go back to Iwagakure."
Deidara nodded. If he skipped the birthday celebration, he'd never hear the end of it.
...
The next morning,
They set out early, strolling through the market to pick up a few gifts.
Not that the Tsuchikage lacked anything—it was just a gesture of goodwill.
Riding atop a clay bird, they soared toward Iwagakure.
By midday, the village was in sight. The gate guards, recognizing Deidara's distinctive bird, didn't even react, letting him fly straight in.
"Grandpa!" Kurotsuchi dashed into Onoki's arms with a cheerful cry.
Well, that wasn't entirely accurate—more like she hugged him, given his small stature.
"Ah!" Onoki grunted, his face lighting up with joy. His smile nearly split his face in two.
A simple birthday banquet followed.
As expected, Onoki played the typical old man—grumbling about how pointless such celebrations were while secretly relishing every moment. He would've been even happier if they had made it more extravagant.
However, Deidara hadn't come just to celebrate—he had another matter to discuss.
Onoki was known as the most cunning and shameless Kage. Despite his previous agreement, he was now feigning ignorance.
Classic stalling tactics. After all, he knew that with Kurotsuchi and Deidara in the mix, the Akatsuki wouldn't use force against Iwagakure.
"Old man, when are you planning to integrate Iwagakure into Amegakure?" Deidara asked bluntly.
Seeing that there was no avoiding the topic, Onoki sighed in annoyance. "Fine, we'll join, but we need compensation. Our people need proper placements and jobs. Also, Iwagakure must have a certain level of representation in Amegakure's leadership."
Then, with a dramatic sigh, he lamented, "Unbelievable! Even at my age, I'm being forced into submission by my own apprentice. Truly heartbreaking."
Deidara wasn't having it. "Drag it out all you want, but the unification of the ninja world is inevitable."
"The longer Iwagakure waits, the lower its standing will be. Your choice."
Onoki, knowing Deidara was right, sighed again. Seeing no way to exploit the situation to his advantage, he reluctantly conceded.
"Fine. I'll send representatives with you to Amegakure for initial negotiations."
Deidara nodded. That was more like it.
Just as he was about to continue, a voice rang in his mind.
"Deidara, return to Amegakure immediately! We're under attack—we won't hold out much longer!"
What?!
Deidara shot up from his seat.
Who could possibly be strong enough to overwhelm the Akatsuki?
"Kurotsuchi, something's wrong in Amegakure. Stay in Iwagakure for now."
"Old man, get your delegation ready. Only a few holdouts remain outside Amegakure."
"Huh? What did I just agree to?" Onoki muttered, feigning ignorance.
Deidara: "…"
(As you can see, new enemies are about to be introduced. However, they will be based on existing elements from the Naruto world, like Moryo and the Jashin cult—no random made-up nonsense from the author.)
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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