The Strongest Artist in Naruto

[Shock Value +300: Kakuzu]

"Not bad for a little brat," Kakuzu muttered, stepping out from the shadows, unscathed. As an experienced ninja, he wasn't foolish enough to charge in headfirst without assessing his opponent's abilities.

When the clay spider detonated, cloaking the area in a cloud of dust, Kakuzu had made a wise choice—one that mirrored Deidara's. He created a clone.

Although the brief exchange was thrilling, it wasn't enough to impress the other four present. To them, it was like watching children play ninja games—not worth a second thought.

"Now that the warm-up's over, let's get to business," came the voice of Pain's colorful phantom projection.

"Our target is a rogue team from Takigakure. Sasori, Deidara, I'm assigning this mission to you."

"Ugh, more of these petty tasks?" Sasori grumbled, clearly displeased.

"Leave it to us!" Deidara chimed in enthusiastically. "Perfect chance to show off my art, hmm!"

"True art is eternal!" Sasori retorted.

"Ah, Sasori-danna, but fleeting beauty is art!"

Their bickering carried into the distance, prompting a low chuckle from Kisame.

"Fresh blood full of energy, huh?"

"It's time we left as well, Itachi-san," Kisame said as he turned away.

Deidara and Sasori's mission was to eliminate a group of rogue ninja led by Kumogakure defector Gōda Taichi. He had gathered a gang of subordinates, creating a foothold in the Land of Waterfalls. With Takigakure being too weak to defend its territory, Taichi's group had taken over, unchecked.

Upon reaching the rogue ninja camp, neither Sasori nor Deidara bothered with reconnaissance. Deidara simply wasn't suited for it, while Sasori found the task tedious. At his level, only the Five Great Shinobi Nations posed any real challenge.

"Sasori-danna, leave this one to me," Deidara said confidently.

"I hate waiting, Deidara. You know that, don't you?" Sasori replied, uninterested in fighting such weaklings.

"Of course, Danna. Just sit back and watch!"

Deidara reached into his clay pouch, his right hand eagerly molding a swarm of clay locusts. Using the forest as cover, the locusts silently hopped forward.

"What's this?" one rogue ninja said, startled by a white locust landing on his shoulder.

"Idiot! Get rid of it!" his comrade barked. "You never mess with unknown things!"

"Wait, there's more! Hey, there's one on you too!"

Too late.

"Art is an explosion! Hah!"

BOOM!

The two rogues disintegrated in a fiery blast.

[Shock Value +100: Fukuyama Mitsuru]

[Shock Value +100: Kojiro Hikaru]

"Only a measly hundred each, huh?" Deidara grumbled. "So strength does influence shock value..."

"What's going on?!" The camp erupted in chaos, as the remaining rogues scrambled. Six shinobi, each with distinct traits, rushed out of the camp. Their leader, a dark-skinned man with a scratched Kumogakure forehead protector, barked orders. It was none other than Gōda Taichi.

"Taichi-sama, Fukuyama and Kojiro... they're dead," one of the rogues reported grimly, holding a fragment of a destroyed forehead protector.

"There! I see someone!" another rogue shouted, spotting Sasori standing calmly in the distance.

"Is it just one person?" Taichi frowned, his expression darkening as he contemplated their next move.

"Take him down!" two young rogues charged at Sasori recklessly, kunai in hand.

"Idiots! Don't rush in without clearing the traps!" Taichi roared, but it was too late.

As the pair stepped onto a tree branch, white clay spiders erupted from its underside, clinging to their legs.

"Hah!" A soft command, and the spiders detonated, reducing the rogues to ash.

[Shock Value +100: Mizuki Hayato]

[Shock Value +100: Sano Jiro]

[Shock Value +100: Gōda Taichi]

"Three hundred more... almost there," Deidara muttered, his eyes gleaming.

"Damn it," Taichi cursed. While the loss of subordinates meant little to him—they were disposable pawns—the situation had become critical. His forces were dwindling, and they still hadn't pinpointed the enemy's main presence.

"Where are you?!" Taichi snarled, his gaze darting around. He tightened the defensive formation with the three remaining rogues, scanning every direction.

"Watch out!" A warning came from behind him. Taichi turned to see several white clay birds—each the size of a human head—zooming toward them at high speed.

"Not again!" Taichi growled. The earlier clay spiders were already a problem, but these larger birds were undoubtedly more dangerous.

"Lightning Style: Shuriken!" Taichi infused his shuriken with lightning chakra, throwing them with precision. They struck the clay birds, pinning them to nearby trees before they could detonate.

"Tch, cursed Lightning Style!" Deidara spat in frustration. His clay bombs were at a disadvantage against lightning techniques.

"I've found you!" Taichi leapt to the treetops, spotting Deidara riding atop a massive clay bird high above.

"So the enemy can fly. Annoying," Taichi muttered. Still, surrender wasn't an option—captured ninja faced fates worse than death.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Spear!" Taichi formed several lightning spears and hurled them toward Deidara.

"Too slow! Focus on your men instead!" Deidara taunted.

From below came the sound of more explosions and agonized screams. Deidara's clay had decimated the remaining rogues.

[Shock Value +300]

"Finally leveled up!" Deidara grinned. "Now, time to finish you off, hmm!"

Taichi gritted his teeth. Alone and outmatched, he prepared for his final stand.