Naruto: Deidara’s Struggle

Deidara summoned his C2 Enhanced Great Dragon, but he didn't rush into an attack. Instead, he flew toward the outskirts of Kirigakure.

"Yagura Karatachi, this place is far too cramped. Let's move somewhere where we can fight to our hearts' content!"

"You arrogant rogue ninja! The outskirts of Kirigakure lead straight to the ocean, which is my domain. And you dare fight me there?"

"You're doomed!"

As a perfect Jinchūriki, Yagura Karatachi maintained full control of his consciousness even in full Tailed Beast Transformation. The voice emanating from the Three-Tails' mouth was still unmistakably Yagura's.

Though he shouted confidently, Yagura wasn't foolish enough to refuse a more advantageous battlefield. From their earlier exchanges, it was clear that this opponent was exceptionally dangerous.

Moreover, Deidara wasn't alone—he had two equally formidable companions. Yagura couldn't afford to let his guard down.

Controlling the Three-Tails, Yagura followed Deidara out of the village. Meanwhile, back in Kirigakure, Mei Terumī stood at the entrance of a hidden stronghold with Chōjūrō, her eyes gleaming as she noticed Deidara summoning the massive dragon. She prepared to join the fray.

"Mei, have you thought this through?"

"Are you really going to do this?" asked Elder Gen, standing behind her. As a survivor from the Warring States period, his age was evident—not just from the deep wrinkles on his face, but also from his toothless mouth, thinning hair, hunched posture, and frail appearance, as though he might collapse at any moment.

However, no one present underestimated this old man. His wisdom was unparalleled. He had single-handedly established the reform faction and safeguarded its members during the Fourth Mizukage's reign of terror. In the future, he would also mentor Mei Terumī in governance. He was a sage-like figure, a true prophet.

Mei didn't turn around. Her voice was calm but carried a hint of anger and cold determination.

"Elder Gen, whether for the village or for myself, I must defeat Yagura Karatachi tonight and end this brutal era of the Bloody Mist!"

"This is also the best opportunity. You've seen it—the strength of those three is extraordinary. With their help, our chances of victory are much higher."

"Go, then," Elder Gen replied from behind, clearly agreeing with her decision.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

On the deserted streets, Mei Terumī and Chōjūrō sprinted forward. But before they could get far, a swirling spatial distortion appeared in their path. A masked figure—Obito Uchiha—emerged from the void, blocking their way.

"Lady Mei! Be careful!" Chōjūrō shouted, gripping his Hiramekarei tightly, his expression grave.

"It's him! The mysterious man who attacked Ao earlier!"

From a distant rooftop, Zetsu observed the scene in hiding.

"Oh my, what a tough choice!" White Zetsu said cheerfully, though his tone carried a hint of mock frustration. "Which battle should we watch? Obito's side or Deidara's side?"

Although the situation was unfavorable for their side, White Zetsu's carefree nature made it impossible for him to feel troubled.

"Let's go to Deidara's side," Black Zetsu decided firmly. "Obito's fight will just be him dodging attacks—it's not worth watching. Besides, keeping an eye on Deidara is more reassuring. If something unexpected happens, we'll be there to intervene."

On the other side, Deidara and Yagura had reached the ocean. The two exchanged no words and immediately resumed their battle.

"Water Release: Water Cannon!"

Massive, exaggerated water blasts shot from the Three-Tails' mouth, their power far surpassing the earlier attacks Yagura had used in his human form.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions echoed through the sky as Deidara's Great Dragon continuously launched clay bombs to intercept the water cannons, turning them into torrential rain that fell back into the ocean.

The scene was visually stunning, but for Yagura, who could perfectly wield the Three-Tails' power, this level of attack wasn't even a warm-up.

"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!"

The last time Deidara had encountered this jutsu was during his fight with Water Man, and even then, it had given his dragon a hard time. But now, it was being unleashed by the true Three-Tails.

In an instant, countless high-pressure water columns, formed from the ocean itself, spiraled upward like the tentacles of a sea monster, reaching for the dragon in the sky, as if to drag it down and devour it.

"Secret Technique! Dragon's Nest!"

The dragon's body shrank to half its original size, gaining greater agility and flexibility. The other half of its mass transformed into various smaller dragons, which launched a counterattack against the water columns.

"Your abilities are indeed interesting," Yagura's voice rang out mockingly amidst the thunderous explosions. "But how long can you hold out?"

"Water Release: Super Water Dragon Barrage!"

Dozens of water dragons emerged from beneath the ocean, surging toward the sky to attack Deidara. The clash between these water dragons and the clay dragons created a scene so epic it felt like something out of a myth, far beyond the capabilities of ordinary ninjas.

High above, Deidara was beginning to pant.

He had anticipated that Yagura would be strong, but he hadn't expected him to be this strong. A Kage-level ninja combined with the power of a perfect Jinchūriki was a terrifying combination.

For most Jinchūriki, they could only wield a portion of their Tailed Beast's power, which was already enough to make them strategic weapons for their respective villages.

For these Jinchūriki, their power ceiling was essentially the Tailed Beast's own limit. Except for the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails, most weren't particularly overwhelming.

This was why the Akatsuki members had been able to capture Jinchūriki relatively easily.

However, there were some exceptional Jinchūriki whose personal strength was already incredibly high. With the addition of a Tailed Beast's chakra, their power multiplied exponentially.

Yagura Karatachi was one such Jinchūriki. If it were just the Three-Tails, it might rely on Tailed Beast Balls, which, while threatening, were limited. But paired with Yagura's mastery of Water Release, the Fourth Mizukage—who hadn't been particularly remarkable in the original series—now stood as a formidable force, even among the strongest Kage-level ninjas.

In hindsight, it was no wonder Yagura had once forced Itachi into a desperate retreat, even at the cost of Jūzō Biwa's life. It was likely that Obito, using genjutsu to control Yagura, had staged the fight to make Itachi believe his Amaterasu had gravely injured Yagura.

After all, the Akatsuki members were essentially Obito's pawns. Otherwise, Itachi wouldn't have been able to leave so easily—he would have had to use Susano'o at the very least.

Of course, there might have been another reason: Obito likely wanted to avoid Itachi using Tsukuyomi in desperation, which could have revealed Yagura's genjutsu-controlled state.

Back on the battlefield, Deidara realized he couldn't afford to drag this out any longer. The ocean was entirely Yagura's domain, and his standard clay bombs were proving ineffective.

It was time to deploy the Dragon Mother in a self-destruction attack!

The two Dragon Mothers, which had been continuously producing small flying dragons, ceased their actions. Instead, they dove toward the Three-Tails below, launching a deadly charge.

"Art is an explosion! Ha!"

Boom!

The deafening explosion echoed across the battlefield, but the self-destruction of the Dragon Mothers failed to achieve its intended effect. A massive water prison enveloped the Three-Tails, significantly mitigating the damage. Although the explosion still caused some harm, it was negligible for a Tailed Beast.

This is bad!

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Naruto: Deidara's Struggle

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