"Your observation skills are sharp! As expected of one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!"
"Hmph!"
"I've been watching carefully from the sidelines earlier. As long as Lightning Release ninjutsu hits those ugly creatures you create, they can't explode."
"And judging from the hand seals you've been using, all of your techniques are Earth Release-based. So, your ability must be some kind of Earth Release variant. Earth Release is naturally countered by Lightning Release. That means as long as I use Lightning Release, your abilities are completely useless!" Raiga Kurosuki confidently analyzed the situation, a smug smile spreading across his face.
"Hey! You green-haired bastard! This is called art! Not some 'ugly creatures'!" Deidara retorted angrily.
"None of that matters. I'm not here to argue with you."
Raiga tightened his grip on his twin Thunder Swords, stomping hard on the ground as he launched himself toward Deidara at incredible speed. Even as he charged, he kept talking: "My Thunder Swords are among the greatest ninja tools ever created. With just a small amount of chakra, they can continuously release Lightning Release ninjutsu!"
"I've killed countless enemies with them, and you're just going to be another one! Prepare to die!"
"Damn it! I can't let this guy get close to me," Deidara muttered as he quickly molded a Clay Bird, leaping onto it and taking to the skies to employ his aerial combat tactics.
The reason he hadn't flown earlier against the Grass ninjas was that the moment he did, they would have realized they couldn't win and fled. Plus, he couldn't use large-scale clay bombs because Karin was among them.
But now, there were no such concerns. Against an opponent like Raiga, who was a complete counter to his abilities, Deidara had to be cautious. Otherwise, he might really lose.
"I told you, it's useless!"
"Lightning Release: Lightning Fang!" Raiga crossed his twin swords, briefly charging them with chakra before unleashing a massive wave of lightning. The attack spread out from him in all directions, destroying all the approaching clay creatures around him.
"So, you can fly?" Raiga stopped in his tracks, looking up at the ascending Deidara with a slight frown. He could sense that this was going to be troublesome.
"But don't think that means I can't deal with you! The power of my Thunder Swords is beyond your imagination!"
"Lightning Release: Lightning Strike!"
Boom!
A bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, narrowly missing Deidara and shattering a large rock on the ground below. But this wasn't just a single bolt—Raiga was drawing multiple lightning strikes from the clouds above, all targeting the airborne Deidara. If not for the Clay Bird's agility and maneuverability, Deidara might have been hit already.
"Tch! This is a real problem!" Deidara muttered, feeling the pressure mounting. In this situation, he couldn't even use his C2 Enhanced Great Dragon. If he summoned it, it would just become a giant target and get destroyed immediately by Raiga's lightning.
No, he needed to calm down and think. There had to be a solution! Forcing himself to stay composed, Deidara began strategizing.
"That brat Deidara seems to be at a complete disadvantage," Sasori observed from a distance, contemplating whether or not to intervene.
"If large-scale attacks won't work, then I'll overwhelm him with numbers!"
All three of Deidara's mouths began chewing clay simultaneously, rapidly producing numerous micro-bombs that he started dropping to the ground. These miniature bombs, even after expanding, were only about the size of half a pinky finger. Their individual explosive power was far weaker than even a single explosive tag.
But ninja, apart from a few exceptions, were usually glass cannons with high offensive power but low defense. Even a kunai could be lethal if it struck the heart. That's why even at the Kage level, ninjas still relied on shuriken and kunai in battles. So, as long as Deidara's bombs hit their targets, they would still be effective.
"I see. You're trying to bypass my Lightning Release with this method, huh?" Raiga muttered, analyzing the situation as he watched the snowflake-like clay creatures falling from the sky.
If he maintained a large-scale lightning strike to destroy them all, it wasn't impossible with the Thunder Swords. However, the chakra consumption would be significant. Even if he eliminated this brat, there was still another enemy on the sidelines. Exhausting himself wasn't a good strategy.
"In that case, let's try this."
Raiga raised his left hand and extended two fingers in front of him.
"Hidden Mist Technique!"
A thick mist began to spread, enveloping Raiga completely. This wasn't ordinary water vapor—it was chakra-infused mist that even the Sharingan couldn't penetrate. Standard sensory abilities were useless against it, let alone Deidara, who had no scouting or sensing skills.
"Damn it!" Deidara cursed. To be honest, he was on the verge of giving up. Since his debut, aside from being instantly defeated by Itachi Uchiha, this was the first time he had found himself in such a dire situation.
Not only was his ability completely countered, but now he couldn't even see his opponent. His small bombs couldn't locate the target, and his larger bombs would just become sitting ducks for Raiga's lightning. On top of that, he was being relentlessly chased by lightning strikes. He was practically at his wit's end.
"But my art doesn't allow me to surrender! Take this!"
"C2 Standard Type: Raiding Pterodactyl!"
"Launch a carpet bombing!"
Deidara's three mouths worked in unison, rapidly producing a massive number of Raiding Pterodactyls. The clay creatures dived from the sky, ready to explode as soon as they neared the ground.
"So many of them! It's quite the spectacle. But has he lost his mind? Let's end this!" Raiga smirked coldly within the mist. The biggest mistake a ninja could make was losing their composure.
"Lightning Release: Banquet of Lightning!"
Raiga plunged his twin swords into the ground, channeling chakra through them to summon a massive web of lightning from the sky. The lightning net descended, obliterating every single Raiding Pterodactyl in mid-air. Even Deidara's Clay Bird couldn't escape, struck down by the dense lightning strikes and sending Deidara plummeting to the ground.
"This is my chance! Looks like I've won!" Raiga exclaimed triumphantly.
Seeing Deidara crash to the ground, Raiga pulled his swords from the earth and silently approached his fallen opponent through the mist. Moving swiftly and without a sound, he pierced Deidara's chest with one of his blades.
"I've already said it—anyone who declares victory in Naruto is bound to lose," Deidara said with a fanatical grin, gripping Raiga's Thunder Sword. His crazed expression made Raiga's blood run cold, especially when he noticed the large mouth on Deidara's chest chewing something. A sense of dread washed over him.
"What are you planning?!" Raiga demanded, his voice trembling.
"You're the first to witness my ultimate art! Feel honored!"
Deidara's body suddenly began to swell, and with one final shout, he declared: "Art is... an explosion! Hm!"
"Raiga Kurosuki Shock Value +1000."
"Phew! That was close!"
On the other side of the battlefield, Deidara emerged from the ground, looking disheveled as a Clay Centipede dragged him out. Of course, he hadn't actually self-destructed—what Raiga had destroyed was merely a Clay Clone. There was no way Deidara would waste his ultimate self-destruction on someone as insignificant as Raiga.
"I thought you were dead," Sasori remarked.
"That was a close call. He hesitated at the last moment and didn't use Lightning Release to disrupt my ultimate art. If he had, I would've had to rely on you, Brother Sasori," Deidara admitted, still shaken.
When his Clay Bird had been struck down, he had used a Clay Clone to replace himself. If he had been even a moment slower, or if Raiga had been faster, his real body might have been the one to fall.