The Strongest Artist in Naruto

(Note: To streamline storytelling, minor deviations from the original plot have been made.)

Why now? Deidara felt an overwhelming sense of malice from the universe as he stood face-to-face with the legendary Uchiha Itachi. Bathed in sunlight, Itachi's aloof demeanor and crimson Sharingan eyes made him appear almost godlike. His pale, melancholic face and the black cloak adorned with red clouds unmistakably marked his identity: Uchiha Itachi, the genius who would leave an indelible scar on Deidara's psyche in the original timeline.

"You've lost," Itachi declared in his cold, emotionless voice, as if stating a trivial fact.

"Don't mock me!" Deidara snarled. Even though the original Deidara was only a 12-year-old boy, the sheer disdain in Itachi's tone ignited an uncontrollable fury within his soul. My art! My art is the strongest! How could it lose to anyone? Just as he was about to erupt in defiance, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

[Ding! The Ultimate Artist System has been activated.]

[Host, please choose one of the following paths:]

Direct Confrontation: Reject the Akatsuki. Return to Iwagakure, ascend to the position of Tsuchikage, collect the Tailed Beasts, revive the Ten-Tails, summon Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, and defeat her to achieve peace.

Endure and Strategize: Join the Akatsuki, assist in the collection of Tailed Beasts, revive the Ten-Tails, summon Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, and defeat her to achieve peace.

Deidara: ...

"System, do you seriously think I have a choice here?" he muttered internally.

Surrounding him weren't just Itachi, but also Sasori of the Red Sand, the legendary puppeteer who killed the Third Kazekage, and Kisame Hoshigaki, the tailless tailed beast who single-handedly fought the Eight-Tails' perfect Jinchūriki. Deidara couldn't even beat one of them, let alone all three.

[Ding! Host makes a compelling argument.]

[The system has auto-selected: Endure and Strategize.]

[System panel unlocked! Skill tree unlocked!]

[Ultimate Artist System – Status: Deidara]

[Shock Value: 0/1000]

[Skill Points: 1]

[Host, by showcasing your art and instilling awe in others, you can accumulate Shock Value. The stronger the individuals you impress, the more Shock Value you gain. Upon reaching the required Shock Value threshold, you'll earn Skill Points for upgrades.]

"Kid, hurry up and make your choice! I hate waiting," a raspy, menacing voice interrupted. The speaker lay sprawled awkwardly on the ground, revealing only a masked face that radiated malevolence—Sasori. Deidara, who now had full knowledge of the story's events, recognized Sasori's peculiar posture as a telltale sign of his true nature: this body was a puppet, one of his finest creations. Sasori's impatience for others was matched only by his hatred of waiting.

"What'll it be? Refusal?" Kisame chimed in, his shark-like grin accentuated by his hand resting on the hilt of Samehada. His tone was playful, but the threat was unmistakable—one wrong move, and the massive blade would cleave Deidara in two.

"Tch. It seems your Akatsuki has some clout," Deidara finally said. A faint smirk played on his lips as he crossed his arms. "Fine. I'll join. This way, more people can witness my art. Hm!"

"Kid, what you call art isn't art at all," Sasori snapped instantly. "True art is eternal."

"No! Art is the pinnacle of a fleeting moment! Art is that instant of explosion, that fleeting beauty! Art is a bang!" Deidara retorted, his eyes blazing with passion.

The Shinobi World: Big or Small?

In theory, the world of ninjas was vast. But with their speed and techniques, traversing between nations could be done in mere days. Originally exiled to the borders of the Land of Earth for his obsession with explosive art, Deidara realized Akatsuki's nearest base in the Land of Waterfalls was only half a day's journey away at full speed.

But speed was unlikely. Akatsuki members were infamous for their nonchalant pace, always strolling leisurely no matter their strength. Their travel speed probably didn't even match that of a merchant caravan.

"Your art sure is convenient, huh?" Kisame remarked casually as he walked alongside Itachi. His sharp eyes glanced up at Deidara, who was soaring on a clay bird.

"Of course! My art is perfect! Hm!" Deidara shot back before turning his focus inward, delving into the newly unlocked skill tree. Joining a perilous organization like Akatsuki—and with the looming chaos of the Shinobi World—meant he needed power.

The skill tree was divided into four branches: Explosives, Morphology, Materials, and Ninjutsu. Each branch contained numerous advanced skills.

[Explosives: Explosives Mastery – Level 1]

[Morphology: Form Optimization – Level 1]

[Materials: Advanced Clay – Level 1]

[Ninjutsu: Chakra Reinforcement – Level 1]

Explosives Mastery, Advanced Clay, and Chakra Reinforcement were self-explanatory. But Form Optimization left Deidara scratching his head. What exactly did it enhance?

No matter. As a self-proclaimed explosive artist, his priority was increasing the damage output of his blasts. Without hesitation, Deidara spent his first skill point on Explosives Mastery – Level 1.

Immediately, a previously locked skill beneath it became visible: Enhanced C2 Dragon.

C2 Dragon? Deidara knew of this technique—one of his future signature moves. It was a massive clay dragon capable of spawning smaller bombs for sustained bombardment. But if the system's description was accurate, the enhanced version would surpass the original in every way.

"By the way, if peace is the goal, why not just take out Uchiha Obito or Black Zetsu? Or hide one of the Tailed Beasts? Why revive Kaguya Ōtsutsuki only to defeat her?" Deidara asked the system, puzzled.

[Host, you forget that multiple other Ōtsutsuki are still lurking. Without leveling up through the Ten-Tails and Kaguya, how will you stand a chance when they arrive?]

[Also, disrupting Kaguya's revival would hinder the growth of Naruto and Sasuke, the Children of Prophecy. Without them, you'd lose your strongest allies, and the ninja world might truly face extinction.]

"So, the only option is to bulldoze through the Shinobi World, just like in the original plot?" Deidara muttered grimly.