Chapter 91 – Competition
From a distance, it looked like a group of real spiders had enveloped the rock.
The next moment, as Deidara let out a shout, the small spiders covering the rock emitted a dazzling white light, followed by continuous booming explosions.
A cloud of dust billowed, and looking again, a not-too-large, not-too-small crater had appeared where the rock once was, and as for the rock, it had vanished.
"How about it? Have you seen my art?" Deidara laughed confidently, hands on his hips. "Don't you feel that your art can't compare to my explosive art?"
Itachi raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "I admit your art is good, but I still believe my Sharingan is the strongest art in the world."
"What?"
Deidara was greatly surprised. He hadn't expected this guy to be so stubborn—clearly having witnessed his most beautiful explosive art, yet still refusing to admit that explosion art was supreme!
Deidara's face darkened. "What an ignorant fool! My explosive art is the strongest in the world!"
He argued.
Itachi took the opportunity to suggest calmly, "How about we have a competition? Whoever wins, their art will be the strongest and best art in the world."
Deidara, unwilling to admit that his art was inferior, fell for the trap.
"Alright, let's compete then!"
Deidara had never encountered a ninja from the Uchiha clan before. Having not experienced the harsh lessons of the Sharingan, he still believed his explosive art was invincible.
Even knowing that the opponent had a Sharingan, Deidara wasn't afraid in the slightest.
Uchiha Itachi smiled faintly at Deidara's immediate agreement, then strolled forward.
Deidara had already entered "competition mode," calmly pulling clay from his pocket, ready to stuff it into the mouths on his palms at any moment to create more bombs.
"Has it started already?" Deidara asked, watching Itachi walk towards him.
Itachi shook his head and said, "Wait a moment. Before we start the competition, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you."
Deidara couldn't wait to fight and defeat this arrogant guy, making him admit that explosion art was supreme. He urged impatiently, "Ask quickly then!"
Itachi asked knowingly, "Who are you? Why do you live alone on such a remote mountain?"
Deidara pouted. "That has nothing to do with you, does it?"
In reality, he just didn't want to tell the other party about the embarrassing incident of being expelled by the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.
That would be too much of a blow to his image.
After all, just moments ago, he was still boasting that his explosive art was the most beautiful and best. How could he possibly mention such an embarrassing incident as being kicked out of the village by the Tsuchikage!
"So, you're not from Iwagakure?"
Deidara had no sense of belonging to the Hidden Stone Village; otherwise, he wouldn't have caused so many incidents there as a child.
The last incident, which caused casualties, forced Ōnoki to expel his own beloved disciple due to pressure.
Deidara replied indifferently, "Well, sort of, but not really. It's all the same. None of this has anything to do with our competition, does it? Let's start already!"
Itachi's eyes flickered. "This kind of competition isn't very interesting. How about we add a wager?"
"A wager? What kind of wager?"
Deidara hadn't really spoken to anyone in years, except for Kurotsuchi, the little girl who occasionally sneaked over to play with him. He was still a bit slow on the uptake.
Itachi explained, "It means that the loser must not only admit the winner's art is the strongest, but also work for the winner."
Deidara wasn't a fool; he asked cautiously, "Work? For how long?"
Although he didn't believe his art would lose, he still wanted to clarify. Besides, he happened to be short on hands for his giant bird research. Having someone to dig clay, prepare meals, and run errands would be convenient.
Thinking of this, Deidara was somewhat moved.
Itachi pretended to ponder. "How about this: we don't set a time limit. You only leave when your art surpasses the winner's art. How does that sound?"
"Good! Very good! That's it! … Hmm."
Deidara couldn't help but applaud this idea. Every sentence revolved around art, which suited his taste perfectly.
He looked at Itachi's eyes with admiration.
Itachi chuckled. "Good. Since that's the case, let's start right away. After my companion counts down three seconds, our competition will officially begin. How about it?"
Deidara grinned. "No problem!"
Itachi shot Kisame Hoshigaki a look.
Kisame nodded. He highly respected Itachi's strength—after all, they had fought before in the Hidden Mist Village. Although it had only been a small test, it was enough to glimpse Itachi's depth.
Dealing with this arrogant young man should be no trouble at all.
"3! 2! … 1! Start!" Kisame shouted.
As the countdown finished, Uchiha Itachi remained standing calmly, not moving at all.
Deidara also stood still, but the clay he had prepared earlier was already in the mouths on his palms, which began chewing violently.
"This guy, he really looks down on me, doesn't he?"
Deidara noticed his opponent's calm demeanor and was annoyed, but his actions didn't waver. He quickly molded four spiders, threw them out, formed a hand seal, and clapped.
The four spiders multiplied into countless small spiders, scuttling across the ground in a dense swarm towards Uchiha Itachi.
As if replaying the fate of the rock just moments earlier.
Deidara pulled out another piece of clay and stuffed it into his palm-mouth for backup.
The spiders crept closer. Yet, the man in the high-collared cloak still didn't move—completely unfazed.
Deidara smirked cruelly. Good, you arrogant fool. You'll be blown to bits. If you die, I'll make your companions work for me instead.
In a flash, the small spiders swarmed forward.
Now's the time!
Deidara formed a seal with one hand and shouted, "Drink!"
At his command, the swarm of clay spiders covering Itachi suddenly glowed brightly—then detonated in a series of violent explosions.
The ground shook as smoke and rubble filled the air.
Deidara grinned, waiting to see the bloody scene of his foe being torn apart.
But when the dust settled, there was no corpse.
Instead, only a shattered boulder lay in pieces on the ground.
Deidara's pupils contracted sharply. "When—?!"
---k