"It's Deidara's C4 Special Type: Garuda!" Hidan shouted, but his expression quickly turned tense. "Wait a second! At this rate, we'll be blown to dust too, won't we?"
"Not even Jashin can protect me in a situation like this!" Hidan struggled desperately, but how could he possibly escape Hashirama's Wood Release? His resistance was futile.
"Don't worry, use Lightning Release!" Deidara's voice echoed in everyone's minds. He had deliberately used lower-grade clay to release the C4 Special Type: Garuda, specifically to avoid harming his own allies.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"
Nagato and Kakuzu each unleashed a Lightning Release technique, neutralizing the microscopic bombs in the surrounding air and rendering them duds.
Although this didn't break the Wood Release bindings, the now rootless wooden tendrils were significantly weakened. After some effort, the Akatsuki members managed to regain their freedom.
"It's Deidara. He's the anomaly of fate prophesied by the Great Toad Sage," Jiraiya said to the other six.
"Is it him? So young, yet possessing such terrifying power. No wonder even the Three Great Sages are so wary of him," Hashirama remarked, examining Deidara with interest.
Then, turning to the group, he added, "In that case, leave this anomaly of fate to me."
Jiraiya took two steps forward, objecting, "First Hokage-sama, I apologize for interrupting your enjoyment."
"But the Great Toad Sage specifically instructed me to personally handle this and ensure he doesn't escape."
Hashirama sighed in mild disappointment. "If that's the case, then there's no helping it. If the two of us act together, there's no way he can escape."
"I can sense immense power within you. Your strength is already on par with mine. If we both attack, not even Madara could get away."
"Alright then, leave the rest to us," Tobirama interjected confidently. "I've already gauged their combat abilities just now."
"I can take care of them easily."
Tobirama's face was full of confidence, but Hashirama looked unconvinced. "Tobirama, you should be more careful."
"Don't forget how you died—you couldn't even handle those two, Kinkaku and Ginkaku."
Tobirama's fingers clenched involuntarily. "That was just because I was ambushed!"
"If it weren't for the Six Paths' Treasured Tools, how could I have been killed by such trash?"
"Yes, yes," Hashirama nodded dismissively, his casual attitude further irritating Tobirama.
"Are you even listening to me!?" Tobirama snapped.
At this point, Minato Namikaze, who had been relatively quiet, stepped forward. "First Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sensei, when fighting him, be cautious. His ability lies in creating various explosive creatures out of clay."
"Don't give him enough time to prepare, and don't let him create distance."
"You know him?" Jiraiya asked, puzzled.
Minato nodded. "Not long ago, he and Orochimaru reanimated me using Edo Tensei. Their target seemed to be the Nine-Tails."
"But I didn't let them succeed."
Jiraiya nodded and charged toward Deidara. "Don't worry, Minato."
"I've fought him before, so I'm familiar with his abilities."
Seeing this, Hashirama quickly followed.
"Deidara, the enemies are incredibly strong. Take my Rinnegan. It'll improve your chances," Nagato said, reaching toward his eyes as if to remove them.
Deidara hurriedly stopped him. "Leader, have some faith in me!"
"Deidara, this isn't about faith. The opponents are just too powerful," Nagato shook his head. "You shouldn't have listened to Konan. If you can't win, you should retreat."
"Then why don't you all run?"
"I won't abandon my beliefs and flee," Nagato replied.
Konan added, "Neither will I."
Sasori chimed in, "I won't run away like a coward."
Kakuzu grumbled, "If I run, all the money I've earned will go to waste!"
Hidan declared, "I don't understand this belief stuff, but I just don't feel like running."
Kisame laughed, "Don't look at me. As a ninja from the Bloody Mist, I'm not afraid of death."
Itachi stated calmly, "I won't betray the village again."
Deidara smiled. "I won't run either, because I believe I can do this."
Meanwhile, Guy and Kakashi stood on the sidelines, caught in a dilemma. They could only watch, unable to intervene in the current situation.
With Jiraiya and Hashirama closing in, there was no time for further discussion.
Deidara didn't hesitate any longer. He controlled his clay bird to fly farther away. This battle was going to be unprecedentedly intense, and he didn't want to accidentally harm his teammates or the Hidden Rain Village.
At the same time, he bit off a large chunk of clay and began chewing. Thankfully, he had unlocked the C4 level; otherwise, defeat would have been certain today.
But the thought of debuting his newly unlocked art against such formidable opponents was somewhat thrilling!
On the other side, as Deidara and his three companions retreated, the remaining members of both sides faced off.
Nagato, Konan, Sasori, Kakuzu, Hidan, Kisame, and Itachi stood against Tobirama, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze, Tsunade, and Kabuto Yakushi.
To be honest, the Akatsuki's forces were at a disadvantage. The reason was that Tobirama, Minato, and Tsunade were all super Kage-level powerhouses.
Among the Akatsuki, only Nagato and Itachi could match that level.
Moreover, their opponents included two users of the Flying Thunder God Technique, and they were reanimated bodies immune to damage. Under normal circumstances, victory seemed impossible.
However, there was still a potential breakthrough point—the presence of Kabuto Yakushi.
"The one performing Edo Tensei is likely that bespectacled kid," Sasori said through his ring.
This immediately caught Deidara's attention, and he confirmed, "Yes, that's him!"
"That guy is Orochimaru's loyal subordinate. I've seen him in the Hidden Leaf before."
"He's probably the one using Edo Tensei."
Itachi shook his head. "Even if we know who the caster is, it's useless. Edo Tensei can only be undone voluntarily by the caster. Killing him won't stop the technique."
"In this situation, even Izanami wouldn't work. It requires a stable environment, and with so many others around, it's impossible to establish a stable loop."
"Then we're doomed, aren't we?" Hidan exclaimed in shock.
"No," Itachi countered once more. "My Totsuka Blade can seal souls."
"Everyone, assist me."
"And for this battle, prepare yourself for death."
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