CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 76: THE EIGH-TAILS JINCHŪRIKI

Everyone except Zeldris was visibly shocked.

Deidara’s expression changed the moment the Third Tsuchikage’s chakra suddenly surged. Although he was well aware of Onoki’s temper, he hadn’t expected such a fiery response.

A bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead. He glanced at Onoki, a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"Tch... I knew the old man wouldn’t agree so easily."

"This just got complicated."

Uchiha Itachi and Sasori instantly stood up, prepared for battle. Their expressions turned grave—this wasn’t someone to take lightly. Facing the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure meant trouble, and they weren’t about to drop their guard.

Only Zeldris remained seated, unfazed, a faint smile playing on his lips. His calm stood in stark contrast to the tension in the room.

Sure, Onoki was powerful—he’d inherited the Dust Release Kekkei Tōta, after all—but that mattered only to others.

To Zeldris? Not at all.

With a dark expression, Onoki finally broke the silence.

"Boy, do you think just because I’ve grown old, I’m easy to push around?!"

"You really think you can walk in here and take Deidara right in front of me?!"

Zeldris looked up at him, smiling faintly. "Oh? So Lord Tsuchikage does plan to make a move."

Onoki narrowed his eyes. "So that’s the real reason you came here—to take Deidara?"

His gaze drifted toward Deidara, recalling how odd the boy had been acting earlier. It all made sense now.

Deidara had already made up his mind. He wanted to leave with Zeldris.

Ordinarily, he’d never have dared. That was troubling.

What did Zeldris do to make him so resolute? Just what kind of person was this man?

Despite his suspicions, Onoki wasn’t about to hand Deidara over easily.

The boy was a rare genius—the pride of Iwagakure. Letting him walk away would be absurd.

And persuasion wouldn’t work. He knew Deidara well enough to see that.

Force might be an option... but—

Before Onoki could decide, Zeldris spoke again, his tone still light:

"Originally, I came here for the 200 million," he said casually. "But after meeting him, I thought... why not recruit him?"

He shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "A spur-of-the-moment decision."

Onoki’s eyes narrowed.

Zeldris continued, "Still, I’ve given my word to Deidara—to teach him the ultimate art. I might love money, but I do have principles."

The meaning behind his words was crystal clear.

Onoki frowned, conflicted.

This was Iwagakure, and if a battle broke out here, the collateral damage could be disastrous. Not to mention the people Zeldris had with him—Itachi and Sasori weren’t pushovers, and that third guy, Baiyu, was an unknown factor.

Even if Deidara stayed out of it, Zeldris alone could cause havoc.

Onoki hadn’t witnessed his strength firsthand, but from the reports... this man had attacked Sunagakure alone and captured a Jinchuriki.

That level of power was terrifying.

The risk was too great. As much as he hated it, Onoki had to admit—fighting now would jeopardize the village.

With a heavy sigh, he sat back down, the gloom in his expression deepening.

Scorpion and Itachi exchanged glances. Seeing Onoki back off, they both exhaled quietly in relief.

They weren’t afraid of him—but a direct confrontation would’ve been costly.

Still, with Zeldris here, they could manage... probably.

Deidara, meanwhile, looked stunned.

Huh?

What just happened?

Did... did Lord Tsuchikage just compromise?

He had fully expected Onoki to fight back. Instead, he backed down?

Then came Zeldris’s voice—calm, but tinged with approval.

"As expected of the Tsuchikage. Putting the village first, even in a moment like this."

Zeldris offered a polite smile as he looked at Onoki.

Now that Onoki had taken a step back, he wouldn’t push further. After all, Onoki was still his biggest financial backer. Burning that bridge would be foolish.

With that in mind, Zeldris leaned forward slightly.

"Well then, Lord Tsuchikage," he said smoothly. "Let’s return to business. Same deal as before—I’ll only charge 800 million."

"That’s my final offer."

Itachi and Sasori blinked.

Seriously?!

He just got Onoki to back off, and now he brings this up again?

This guy’s got guts.

He either didn’t understand the situation—or didn’t care.

Predictably, Onoki’s face darkened again.

This damn guy...

He knew Zeldris was offering a way to save face. Still, did he have to bring it up now?

Letting the moment hang, Onoki took a long breath.

Whatever. He was done with Deidara’s nonsense for now.

He’d just have to trust this man and hope Deidara wouldn’t come to regret it.

Thinking this through, Ōnoki finally spoke, his tone cold and firm:

"Fine. In that case, in return, you’ll do two things for me."

The moment his words fell, Zeldris chuckled lightly, then nodded with a relaxed smile.

"Deal. Looking forward to our cooperation."

"..."

Ōnoki was briefly speechless.

Happy?This brat actually looked happy?

Wasn’t he mad about being used or overcharged?

Before he could vent his irritation, Zeldris cut in smoothly, his calm voice brushing aside the tension.

"Well then, let’s get down to business. Lord Tsuchikage, may I ask—what’s the first thing you want us to do?"

His casual demeanor clashed sharply with the heavy atmosphere. The other three members of the room—Itachi, Sasori, and Deidara—snapped to attention, their eyes locking on the old man with growing curiosity.

Uchiha Itachi, in particular, felt his stomach tighten.He still hadn’t forgotten what Ōnoki had said earlier...

"A war."

Itachi detested war. It was the root of so much pain and loss in his life. So to hear that the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure might be preparing for one in secret—it chilled him.

Could the target be... Konoha?His heart pounded.

After all, the history between Iwagakure and Konoha was anything but peaceful. Their alliance was always strained—fragile, at best.

As these thoughts raced through Itachi’s mind, Ōnoki raised his eyes to meet Zeldris’s, his voice deep and composed:

"The target this time..."

His gaze sharpened.

"...is the Land of Lightning—Kumogakure."

"?!"

The room stiffened with shock. Even Zeldris’s eyes flickered with surprise.

Kumogakure?

Not Konoha?

Wasn’t that the village this old man hated the most?

Before anyone could respond, Deidara exploded.

"Tch! You senile fossil—are you nuts?!" he shouted, throwing his hands up. "Why the hell would you target the Hidden Cloud?!"

"And what, you want just three people to go up against Kumogakure? That’s suicide!"

"If Zeldris dies, who the hell’s gonna teach me the true meaning of art?!"

Clearly, Deidara had already written himself out of the mission.

In his mind, no one could take on an entire Great Village and come out alive—not even Zeldris.

Besides, he had zero interest in fighting Cloud shinobi. The way he saw it, Kumogakure was full of muscle-bound maniacs who excelled at Lightning Release—perfectly countering his explosive clay.

But just as he finished yelling, Ōnoki shot him a glare and snapped:

"Who said anything about attacking the village itself?"

"?!"

Everyone fell silent.

Even Deidara, now blinking in confusion, tilted his head.

Zeldris’s eyes narrowed slightly, a faint glint in them as he responded coolly.

"Then what exactly is it that you want us to do?"

Ōnoki didn’t reply immediately. He stood still for a moment, then slowly lifted his head and spoke:

"As far as I know, there’s a man in Kumogakure named Killer Bee."

"He’s powerful... and he’s also the jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails."

"A large portion of Cloud’s military strength rests on his shoulders. That man can perfectly wield the power of the tailed beast sealed inside him."

The room turned quiet.

Zeldris’s expression shifted faintly as realization dawned. He leaned back slightly, smirking.

Ōnoki’s gaze locked on him.

"You’ve probably guessed it by now."

Zeldris nodded slowly.

So that was it.

Ōnoki’s real target wasn’t Kumogakure itself—but the man who gave the village its edge in war:

Killer Bee—the perfect Eight-Tails jinchūriki.

Honestly, Zeldris had assumed Ōnoki would ask them to sabotage Cloud’s infrastructure or weaken their frontlines.

But this?

This was far more direct... and far more dangerous.

Still, when he thought about it, it did make sense.

Killer Bee wasn’t just another jinchūriki. He was the jinchūriki—the strongest among them. His control over Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, made him a one-man army. Compared to him, the One-Tail’s host was child’s play.

Taking him down would shift the balance of power.

Zeldris smiled faintly.

"So that’s your plan? You want me to kill the Eight-Tails jinchūriki?"

If he succeeded, Kumogakure’s military power would be cut in half overnight.

And it would throw the Five Great Nations into chaos.

Still smiling, he said lightly:

"Fine. That’s no problem. Now, let’s hear the second task."

Ōnoki blinked.

"...You’re agreeing that easily?"

Without hesitation? Without weighing the risks?

That’s the Eight-Tails! Not some random chūnin!

Was this brat just arrogant beyond belief?

Or... was he really that confident in his own power?

Ōnoki didn’t know whether to be impressed or irritated.

I’ve seen plenty of overconfident shinobi in my lifetime...

But this kid might be the most fearless of them all.

The others were no less surprised.

Even Sasori raised an eyebrow slightly—his emotionless face showing a flicker of intrigue.

But he didn’t comment. After all, Zeldris had already taken down a jinchūriki once before—the one from Sunagakure.

True, the Eight-Tails was a different beast entirely, but Sasori knew Zeldris wouldn’t accept a mission unless he believed he could win.

Deidara’s expression shifted the moment he heard the words "Tailed Beast Jinchūriki." His eyes lit up, and an excited grin spread across his face.

"Huh?! A Jinchūriki?" he said with growing enthusiasm. "Now that’s more like it, old man!"

He clenched his fist, as if already imagining the explosion to come. "Heh... looks like it’s time for me to show off my art again—gorgeously, yeah!"

His earlier indifference vanished in an instant. The mention of a Tailed Beast had lit a spark in him. Just moments ago, he seemed barely interested—but now, Deidara was fired up.

Zeldris watched him out of the corner of his eye, the faintest smirk playing on his lips. Then, his gaze shifted toward the quiet figure beside him.

Uchiha Itachi.

He stood motionless, head slightly lowered, his face unreadable as ever. But Zeldris knew better than to take that calm at face value. That silence... Itachi was definitely thinking something through.

And he was right.

Beneath that cold exterior, Itachi’s thoughts were spinning—focused on the man behind the mask.

The mysterious one who’d shared a vision with him...

A plan to gather all nine tailed beasts.

To forge them into weapons of destruction—tools for a new world order.

And now, the Tsuchikage had his eyes on Kumogakure’s Tailed Beast too. The Eight-Tails.

This mission wasn’t just a battle. It was a clash of ideologies.

A power struggle that could shift the balance of everything.

If we take down the Eight-Tails here... we might just tip the scales.

Itachi’s eyes flickered with a brief, almost imperceptible glint of light.

As his mind churned, Ōnoki’s voice interrupted the silence once again, slow and deliberate.

"Once you complete this mission," he said, "I’ll reveal the second task."

His expression didn’t change. Cold. Calculated.

Zeldris narrowed his eyes slightly, taking in the old man’s tone. Then, he gave a small nod.

"...Let’s move."

With that, he turned on his heel and started toward the door without looking back.

The others didn’t hesitate. Scorpion and Itachi picked up their gear and followed him in silence.

Deidara, trailing behind, blinked in surprise. "Huh? We’re leaving now?"

He cast a quick glance at Ōnoki, who remained seated, unmoving.

Tch.

Grinding his teeth, Deidara muttered under his breath and rushed to catch up.

Soon, the four were outside.

The air was still. Tense. They waited without a word.

Deidara finally broke the silence.

"What’re we waiting for? Let’s go already! If that old fossil changes his mind, we’re screwed!"

But just as he spoke—

A sharp voice rang out from behind.

"Wait right there, Deidara! You’re not getting away so easily!"

Earth Style: Earth Dragon Spear!

The ground beneath their feet suddenly cracked with a violent rumble.

Zeldris’s eyes snapped downward.

What the—

Before he could react, jagged rock spears burst from the earth, shooting toward them like a barrage of knives.

Deidara stumbled back, eyes wide. "Tch—ambush? Now?!"

But Zeldris didn’t seem shocked by the attack itself. What caught him off guard... was the voice.

It sounded too familiar.

That voice... could it be—?

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