After Sailing with the Pirate King, I Returned to Konoha - 222

Chapter 222: Inferno Monkey, GET! Deidara's Rebellion

Calamity Divinity.

A result of combining Hōdō's "pursue fortune, avoid calamity, observe disaster" ability with Sharingan blood, creating an incredible pupil technique of remarkable power.

It wasn't like "Amaterasu," "Kamui," or "Tsukuyomi," possessing physical or spiritual offensive properties that directly devastated opponents. Could even say this ability fundamentally couldn't directly attack enemies in any conventional sense.

Yet it possessed far more outrageous effects than traditional destructive techniques.

Controlling misfortune itself.

This was an absolutely terrifying ability beyond normal comprehension.

Perhaps merely a tiny accident—a sneeze, a momentary distraction—could make events develop toward completely different conclusions. It couldn't conjure natural disasters from nothing, but could influence the probability of misfortune occurring.

If the possibility of an accident was one percent, or even one thousandth of a percent, under Calamity Divinity's gaze, it becomes certainty. Guaranteed manifestation.

Under normal circumstances, perhaps you trip, lose focus momentarily, nothing serious. But in combat with experts, such minute flaws could determine victory or defeat decisively.

Just like currently, Rōshi's tailed beast ball shot off course because of several inconspicuous small accidents. For him individually, they weren't particularly significant. Yet they gave Sasuke the critical opportunity he needed.

Already closing the distance with inhuman speed, Sasuke's full-force strike connected with that enormous ape's head with devastating force.

This time, he employed the Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation technique—the classic defensive technique that had been turned into an offensive weapon.

Invisible penetrating force directly pierced the skull, shaking the opponent's brain violently.

For a moment, Rōshi felt sky and earth spinning around him, his consciousness faltering. He was about to fall helplessly.

But before falling, his fighting instinct made him back-grab Sasuke's body with desperation, then viciously squeeze with all remaining strength. Yet held in this giant ape's grip, Sasuke seemed to feel no pain whatsoever, forcibly pulling both arms free from the crushing pressure with supernatural strength.

"This distance is enough!"

Next moment, his claws glimmered with lightning in brilliant arcs.

"Chidori Sharp Spear!"

Compressed, condensed lightning transformed into a deadly spear, rushing toward Rōshi's head at blinding speed.

This technique penetrated extremely well, cutting through almost all defenses. Even fully-tailed-beast-transformed Rōshi, Sasuke possessed the confidence to strike him fatally in one decisive blow.

Seemingly sensing the crisis approaching, Rōshi, despite that head-spinning feeling still disorienting him, turned his head aside desperately. He opened his jaws, preparing to spray lava at close range.

Both seemed determined to take the other's life.

"That's enough. Stop."

Naruto stepped between them at the critical moment, his timing perfect as always. With one hand, he raised Sasuke's Chidori Sharp Spear skyward, where it dissipated harmlessly.

Rōshi never got the chance to spray his lava. Naruto pressed him down into the earth with brute strength, then struck. The ape fell unconscious immediately.

"Excellent work, Sasuke. Your growth truly is remarkable."

Because of using Mangekyō Sharingan for the first time in true combat, Sasuke's chakra expenditure left his mind somewhat dizzy and disoriented. Before he collapsed completely, he heard Naruto's affirmation and felt genuine pride.

Heh, naturally so.

With that thought, Sasuke also fell unconscious.

Both lost consciousness and reverted to human form.

Rōshi's side was fine—wrapped in the Tailed Beast Chakra cloak, his body sustained no real damage despite the ordeal.

Sasuke's side was considerably more miserable by comparison.

Upper clothing transformed entirely to flying ash from the intense battle. His exposed upper body was covered entirely with burns and bruises of varying severity.

Naruto directly threw unconscious Rōshi toward the waiting Killer Bee with an easy toss. Then both hands emitted green healing light, beginning to treat Sasuke's most critical wounds with practiced precision.

No choice existed. Sasuke had fallen unconscious, so those calamity flames dispersed accordingly. He couldn't self-heal without consciousness.

"Really reckless, Naruto."

Jiraiya, watching Sasuke nearly die under Rōshi's hands, gently shook his head at the narrow margin.

It was unclear whether he criticized Sasuke facing the enemy alone or Naruto letting them observe without immediate intervention.

To this, Naruto only gently shook his head, determination in his eyes.

"I can't always be there to protect him. He needs to face real danger, or he'll never grow strong. This is good training for what's coming."

"If the one Sasuke fought was that Uchiha Itachi, could you still expect that man to hold back?"

Hearing this, Jiraiya fell silent, understanding the terrible truth.

Correct indeed. That man shows no mercy even toward his own family. Impossible to expect him to spare his brother's life in a decisive battle. Itachi would kill without hesitation.

"Anyway, Four-Tails Jinchūriki is now recruited. Time to depart toward Takigakure Village next!"

Naruto, carrying Sasuke on his shoulder while treating wounds, spoke while walking forward with purpose.

"This Land of Earth journey has consumed several days already. Fortunately, Four-Tails Jinchūriki didn't consume excessive time. Hopefully, that Akatsuki organization hasn't reached Takigakure yet."

Across the Desert

"Hey, old man Sasori, you really think you're gonna listen to that masked guy's orders? Un."

Deidara leaned against the clay bird, his blonde hair whipping in the desert wind.

Sasori didn't pause his work, methodically repairing the joints of his transport puppet. Fine sand always got into the mechanisms—a constant annoyance.

"So you're defecting?"

Sasori's tone was flat but sharp. His hands never stopped moving.

The question hung between them like a threat. One wrong answer and Sasori would end this conversation permanently.

"Not defection, un," Deidara said, shaking his head. "Pain's dead. Some masked guy is in charge now. When Konan recruited you, what did she promise? That Akatsuki would protect us?"

Sasori's hands stilled for just a moment.

He remembered. Konan had promised sanctuary. A haven for rogue ninja. He'd believed her then—needed to believe her. After killing the Third Kazekage, he'd been hunted. Akatsuki offered shelter and resources to pursue his art.

It hadn't worked out that way.

"You don't want orders against Iwagakure," Sasori said, not asking.

"That's right," Deidara replied. "I left the village to prove myself, not to attack it. My only fight is with that old man Ōnoki. Nobody else. Un."

Sasori finally looked up from his puppet. "Not yet."

The recent encounter with Grandmother Chiyo had changed something in him. Those puppets she'd used, combined with her hints about a resurrection technique—it made him reconsider everything. Perhaps Chiyo hadn't been lying. Perhaps there were things in this world worth reconsidering.

It was why he hadn't killed her when he had the chance.

"For now," Sasori continued, turning back to his work, "we head to the Land of Earth."

The clay bird shifted direction without a word, carrying them toward new horizons.