章 98: Chapter 93: Art in death.
Facing the mysterious male figure, Pain nodded his head.
"Asahi Toru, huh. I must say it's been a good choice. He's powerful and naive. He was also betrayed by Konoha, that makes him a great pawn we can use in our plan."
The mysterious voice echoed in the place, making Konan feel uncomfortable listening to it. It was a strange foreboding emerging from deep inside her brain, she felt distrustful. This led her to listen to the man's words carefully, analyzing his every move.
Pain realized this, but did nothing about it.
"Zetsu was watching him for four months. He informed me every detail regarding his way of acting, thus I came to the conclusion that we could use him as Orochimaru's replacement. There is no point of comparison, they both have the same twisted mind. They have performed atrocious experiments on humans and are wanted criminals by Konohagakure. Besides, he is still a child who doesn't understand about this world full of pain..."
"...I see. In any case, you'll have to find him a partner. I said earlier that in Akatsuki there must be two-person teams. Take care of finding him a partner that is perfect for him, for Asahi Toru will be a very useful piece in capturing the Bijū."
"Yes, I'm thinking about that. In the meantime, I sent him along with Sasori and Deidara to the Country of the Keys, they have a mercenary job to do. When he returns, I'll assign him a partner and a Bijū he can capture."
"Good, then I'll entrust him to you. It won't be long before we achieve what we want."
After this brief talk, the mysterious male figure vanished, as if he had been sucked into a vortex of darkness. This caused Konan and Pain to stare into the void after this person disappeared.
"When all this is over... the world will know true pain."
Entering the large building again, Pain's cloak danced to the rhythm of the wind as he walked away. In that same spot, Konan looked at him with an expressionless face before looking up at the rainy sky. She slowly closed her eyes and remembered some things from the past.
-Country of the Keys-
It had already been a whole day since they left Ame no Kuni [Country of Rain] to head to Kagi no Kuni [Country of the Keys]. Thanks to the explosive clay figures that Deidara could create, this team of three ninjas was heading to that country flying on a giant clay bird, which seemed to move as if it had a will of its own.
"The first time I saw you, I thought you were a girl, Deidara-san."
"What did you say...?"
Looking at Toru contemptuously, Deidara pouted as he slowly approached him. From one moment to the next, he appeared behind him and held him by the waist. "Say that again, see if you have enough balls!" Lifting Toru into the air, Deidara performed a perfect suplex that left Toru's head buried in the clay that made up the bird's back.
After this, with a small vein swelling in his forehead, he breathed heavily, for he had had to endure the strange things Toru spoke of. He felt uncomfortable every time he listened to this boy talk, so much so that he had grown tired of it, resulting in what just happened.
At the beginning of this trip, at the time of summoning the big clay bird, Toru spent more than two hours asking Deidara about his ninjutsu. He had no choice but to explain everything to him, as he didn't want to keep listening to this boy's flat voice. And even though the two were the youngest in Akatsuki, they didn't get along well, at least Deidara did, as Toru had no problem.
On the other hand, Sasori was feeling overwhelmed by this, as watching two kids play was... stressful for him. Plus he was impatient to get to his destination, so this only made him feel more tired than usual.
"Sasori-sensei, we should do something about him. If I spend any more time around that guy he'll end up becoming my next work of art, mh"
"Well, he's just like you..."
"Oh? The same as me? No, I don't think so. I'm an artist, whereas he's just... pitiful, hm."
Watching Toru putting on his hat after managing to pull his head out of the hole in the clay, Sasori and Deidara didn't know what to think about him. On one hand Pain himself was the one who recruited him, but on the other, they knew he was someone unpredictable and strange.
"It won't be long now, what will we do when we get to the Gear Village? I understand we'll be participating in a war, but I haven't been told the details."
"You just told all the details we have! We're going to participate in a war and that's all..." Deidara said.
"However, this will possibly take a few days to finish. We will arrive at the Gear Village, meet up with the soldiers the village has gathered and go to the front lines. Our job will be to make the enemy surrender to Akatsuki."
Looking at Toru, Sasori spoke with a strange tone of voice, which sounded like a person forcing his voice to sound deeper. His cloak and hat billowed in the rhythm of the wind, as they were at a great height, moving at high speeds on a giant clay bird.
"I see. It's like Pain-san said... the enemies will beg for our help for a low price. A progressive world domination, though I feel it's a strange plan, but somehow it's working."
"Tch, that's not artistic at all, hm."
Shaking his head, Deidara still thought that world domination thing was boring and unartistic. The normal thing to do would be to blow some things up, but he couldn't do that too often like in the past, since he's part of Akatsuki now, so he shouldn't draw attention to himself more than necessary.
"Artistic? Wow, I hadn't noticed this, but you've been saying the word art more than 47 times the whole trip. Yes, your art is great aesthetically, but if you only create the clay figures to make them explode, it would be such a waste."
"You don't understand even though you heard me explain it to you four hours ago, mh. True art is an explosion! Your mind can't handle my artwork, my beautiful clay figures when exploded, create the best art your eyes have ever seen. But even though it's in front of your disgusting eyes, you are unable to see it, nh."
"Really? I'm sure I'm looking at it right now, but I think if you use your exploding clay in battle, it will certainly be a magnificent work of art. Although... it's no match for my art."
Deidara raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. He didn't understand how Toru started talking about art as if he was a true artist. In fact, this also attracted the attention of Sasori, who waited patiently for this boy to explain why his "art" is better than Deidara's.
"You say my art is inferior, hm? Some very strange lies come out of your mouth, Toru-idiot. You are not an artist unlike me and Sasori-sensei. Don't talk as if you understand my art."
"That's fine. I'm sure you'll be able to see my art on the battlefield."
"You..."
"You two, shut up already. I'm starting to lose my patience" Sasori said.
-The next day-
The army of ninja from the Gear Village began to move and, right in the front of it all, there were them, Akatsuki, at least there were three of them.
The day before, when they arrived at the Engrane Village, they immediately began to make preparations to start the war. They gathered as much information as possible about the enemy, since the village they were going to face was the Padlock Village.
Both the Gear Village and the Padlock Village have been at war for years. Because the Key Country is a country independent from the others, its internal conflicts are isolated, not even the Shinobi Alliance knows much about this country and the villages it has.
"There seems to be more than we think. Also, if I take a closer look, I can see that there are four times as many ninja as on our side. That means they have the numerical advantage. Sasori-san, Deidara-san, we'll have to overcome the enemy's numbers with power."
"Needless to state the obvious, my art will end this as quickly as possible, hum..."
Hearing this, Sasori thought that Toru and Deidara were getting along better than the day before, that in a way was good, as he wouldn't have to endure the stress of watching two kids fighting. This made him reflect a bit on the situation and how these were going to perform in battle. So, stepping forward, he took out a large scroll and placed it on the ground.
"Okay, let's start with this. Deidara, you will go by air, you will attack as you do best. I'll go by ground using my puppets to stop as many enemies as possible. Toru, you will go behind my back, just stand there and wait for my orders.
Hearing this, Toru frowned.
"Wait for orders? No, I don't follow orders from anyone. Since I left Konoha I've been able to live in freedom, that's why I don't follow orders anymore. Besides, killing is my specialty, if I hang back, you'll be wasting my skills. So I'll go to the front, and end this war in twenty minutes."
Toru didn't like the idea of waiting, so it was to be expected that he flatly refused. Although this left Sasori with some doubts in his mind, which he somehow couldn't resolve. At the same time, Deidara let out a small mocking laugh.
"Finish a war in twenty minutes? Other than your 'art' that's the second best joke you've ever said, mh."
"Deidara-san, weren't you ever taught not to underestimate others? Pain invited me to Akatsuki for two reasons, at least the ones I managed to find out. The first is my mind and my experiments... the second, is the reason why in Konoha they call me Shinigami, although I still think that nickname is too exaggerated. So, I will not follow your orders, however, I will fulfill the objective of this assignment."
A small laugh came out of Sasori's mouth, who placed his hand on the scroll, causing a small cloud of smoke, which disappeared, revealing a human-looking puppet, that was... a human puppet.
This made Toru frown trying to assimilate what he was seeing in front of him.
"If you want to fight so badly, then go to the front of the army and show us why they call you Shinigami, Asahi Toru."
Although he couldn't be seen, Sasori was smiling underneath the veil, no, underneath that pile of wood shaped like a person that covered him. This was something Toru could easily discover to the Advanced Shigan and the lines of death.
"Well then, we should get started."
Walking slowly, being the head of the army of Engrane Village ninja, Toru displayed the daggers in his hands. His eyes began to change, the pupil began to deform extending into the iris, taking on the strange shape of an X slowly rotating on its own axis. In addition, a mystical bluish glow illuminated the iris, showing in the center, a circle that glowed faintly blood red.
At the same time, Deidara reached into his clay bag, from which a mouth began to chew the material, giving it the shape of a small bird. He threw the clay bird into the sky and it grew, turning into the giant clay bird they traveled in earlier.
"Everyone will appreciate my art, even you, Toru-idiot, nh" Deidara said, however, under his hat, his left eye twinkled a little and a smile formed on his mouth. These words also elicited a smile from Toru, who looked at the enemy with the glint of death in his eyes.
"Kukuku... My daggers are brushes, the world my canvas. Deidara-san, you are about to witness true art."
Slowly he began to walk and in less than a second, he was running. Seeing this, all the ninja soldiers let out a battle cry and ran alongside Toru. Deidara was flying over the clay bird, while Sasori was walking leisurely.
"Death is a spectacle, and this spectacle will be art."
Saying this, Toru disappeared in the blink of an eye. All the ninjas in the Gear Village were confused for a second, however, they continued to run with murderous intentions. This is when they realized that the people they had hired were more than just ninjas, they were monsters. For, seeing Toru appear in front of the enemy, their expressions showed that even the friendly side felt fear for them.
At the same time, Toru was in front of the ninjas of the Padlock Village.
"The show has begun. Gyakusatsu Dansu: Deddorokku [Dancing Massacre: Deadlock]"
All the death lines began to move extremely fast. This lasted for a single second until they all stopped, coming together to form a single line of death. This line was red, connecting all the bodies of the enemy ninjas. Toru smiled at the sight and his hat was blown away by the wind.
Now, his show had finally begun. This was what he considered art... art in death.
He immediately disappeared in front of everyone and reappeared behind the first group of ninja. His daggers were stained with blood and he carelessly threw one of them into the sky and snapped his fingers. At the same moment the group of over 100 ninjas fell to the ground with their bodies cut to pieces.
"The world is my canvas and my creativity will paint it with death. Kukuku, hihihihi, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Laughing out loud, the X in his eyes began to spin rapidly and then.
"Hahaha... my canvas needs warm colors too. Shimikomaseru: Attakai ha [Imbuing: Warm blade]"
His leftover dagger began to glow brightly with the light of a sun. The wind swirled within it like blades destroying everything. This was complete destruction in the palm of his hand, this was the Chaos that will color his canvas.
And, although they were afraid, the enemy attacked Toru with different elemental jutsus. Great waves of water rose up, fireballs shot out one after another, the earth rose up as if it had life and lightning began to fall in the form of rain. It was as if Mother Nature herself was rushing at him with murderous intent. However, this only caused the smile on his face to widen.
Almost in a second later, the dagger he had thrown earlier fell and Toru caught it easily in his right hand. Then, thunder began to sound and a gigantic bolt of lightning fell on top of a large number of enemies.
"When two cumulonimbus clouds of negative and positive charges collide, what is commonly known as lightning is produced. That's why I previously imbued my dagger with Raiton and hurled it at a positively charged cloud. It's amazing what Shimikomaseru [Imbuir] can achieve. Just look at this... it's just simple bags of burnt, lifeless flesh. Ha~ this somehow gives me pleasure, but I don't think they have time to listen to my explanations."
While giving his explanation, Toru easily dodged the ninjas' attacks, but he soon realized that it was useless to explain to them, since they were trying to kill him. So, he raised his arm and cut off their heads like butter.
Blood splattered, covering the ground in crimson.
At the same time, up in the sky, stood Deidara, watching everything with wide eyes. He couldn't believe it, every time Toru moved, blood splattered upwards, like a crimson rain covering the ground in pain and despair. All this, he did with a smile on his face and the odd glint in his eyes.
I couldn't understand how this boy was so powerful. All the other ninjas were just a game to him, besides, everything he did, he did in a strangely elegant way. With a calm dance while swinging the daggers.
All there was was death, everywhere I went, there were always corpses strewn on the ground. This was... the art of war, the art of death. And Deidara couldn't help but think... it was a very amazing and disturbing art.
"Tch, you'll see everyone, nh. I brought the C2 with me today for this special occasion. I won't let my art go to waste. Those nasty eyes ain't gonna beat my art, hm."
A gigantic dragon appeared on the battlefield, which flew over the armies of ninja who were fighting intensely. It quickly began to throw small clay figures that exploded as it made singing with the ground. Because of this, the enemy began to lose too many soldiers.
At the same time, Sasori just watched this with narrowed eyes.
"It looks like I won't have to do anything, however, I'm not going to stand here waiting."
With this last, screams and blood flowed in the place, which, soon disappeared into oblivion.
-Days later-
The mission had ended in complete success, there were no mishaps and now Akatsuki had two more villages eating out of the palm of his hand.
"Well, the time has come."
Looking at the door of the place, Pain saw Toru, who had just arrived from his mission. This made a small sigh come out of his mouth, as it was time to assign him his partner and respective Bijū.
_________
Happy New Year to all! I know, it's too late to say it, but at least I said it, right?
Well, I'll leave this chapter here and I'll go to continue writing. I'll post the next one when I reach 250 power stones. Why do I set such a high goal? Well, because you guys are evil and always come fast every time I post a goal below 150.
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