Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 168: Caught in the Trap

A blinding white light instantly enveloped the forest canopy.

Accompanying it was a force of destruction that swept everything away.

The lush green foliage above turned to ash in an instant, and the thick tree trunks continually disintegrated downward.

Caught in the explosion's range and unable to escape, the five members of Nokizaru were quick to react. They clapped their hands together and shouted:

"Barrier Technique: Five Elements in Harmony!"

Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, and Lightning forces burst from their bodies, forming a tightly sealed protective barrier around them.

Just as they completed this, the blinding white light fully descended.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground shook, stones flew everywhere.

The explosion, powerful enough to destroy a village, left the forest below in ruins.

The lingering force continued to strip away layers of earth for some time.

"It's an indescribable beauty! Although it may sound like boasting, it's the truth. My artistic creations are simply perfect! Hmm!"

Standing on his clay bird, Deidara spread his arms wide, fully appreciating the unparalleled beauty of his C3 No. 18 explosion.

A minute passed, the explosion subsided, leaving only thick smoke.

Deidara was not regretful that his artwork was fleeting; instead, the moment's beauty was even more imprinted in his mind. Satisfied, he looked down at the completely transformed landscape below, now a huge crater.

Due to the lingering smoke, everything in the crater was quite blurry.

However...

"Under the power of C3 No. 18, those five guys should be reduced to ashes. Hmm."

Deidara was confident in his art.

He directed his clay bird to lower its altitude, ready to see firsthand the fate of those who failed to appreciate his art.

The flapping wings of the clay bird quickly dispersed the smoke.

Soon, everything below was in full view of Deidara.

He let out a surprised sound.

"They're not dead? Hmm?"

Deidara was astonished to see the five members of Nokizaru still alive in the crater.

Although they looked battered and their aura was weak, none of them were dead.

"Seriously! Dying in the previous magnificent explosion would've been so poetic! Instead, they choose to survive only to face a more disgraceful death."

Deidara couldn't see how Nokizaru survived, but their weakened state was evident.

To him, their survival only delayed the inevitable.

If that's the case, they might as well have died in the grand explosion.

At least, they would have become part of his great art.

With a displeased expression, Deidara reached into his clay pouch again, preparing for the final blow.

At that moment, the leader of Nokizaru suddenly raised his head, clapped his hands, and shouted:

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wave!"

Instantly, a river-like stream of stones surged from under Nokizaru's feet, forming a long ladder that swiftly propelled them towards Deidara in the air.

Even at this point, Deidara had no interest in close combat with Nokizaru. His clay bird flapped its wings and soared higher again.

However, the sudden action and the slight descent Deidara had made earlier had closed some of the distance between them.

Furthermore, the secret technique's range was just right!

The five members of Nokizaru, having endured for so long, did not need a reminder. As they had done countless times in the past while hunting other ninjas, many renowned and obscure ninjas had fallen before them.

They clapped their hands together, and the long-prepared secret technique was unleashed:

"Secret Technique: Explosive Bugs!"

Much like the previous explosion, a strong light erupted from Nokizaru, blinding Deidara for a moment.

Fortunately, the light flashed and was gone.

Deidara blinked, and his vision returned to normal.

"So, what just happened? Hmm?"

Deidara looked at Nokizaru group, puzzled.

Unlike before, when they were eager for close combat and seemed ready to trade their lives for his, now they were making a sharp turn, fleeing desperately without a trace of their previous tenacity.

What did this mean? Why attack now and suddenly stop? This made no sense.

And what about earlier? He thought they would unleash some powerful technique, but it was just a flash of light? And then nothing?

What was going on?

Deidara didn't understand.

Nokizaru, however, understood perfectly.

When the strong light had blinded Deidara, the secret technique "Explosive Bugs" had already placed eggs inside him.

As soon as Deidara used chakra, the explosive bugs would absorb it, grow, and eventually explode.

This blond kid loved explosions, so he would get to enjoy one personally.

However, there's a catch. The explosive bugs take some time to grow before they explode, and if the host notices and stops using chakra, the process slows down.

After the explosion of C3 No. 18, Nokizaru was barely protected by their barrier. Their chakra was nearly depleted, and after using the explosive bugs technique, their strength was almost gone. To avoid being dragged to the underworld with Deidara, they naturally needed to flee first.

Hagoromo Ming glanced back at Deidara, still unaware of the truth.

In his eyes, Deidara was already a dead man.

Unless, like the Fourth Raikage, he had the incredible luck to run into a medical expert like Tsunade.

But Tsunade was now the Hokage and in Konoha.

Therefore, the outcome was already determined.

Watching Nokizaru group flee desperately, Deidara was puzzled but not inclined to show mercy.

He was about to make another batch of clay bombs for the chase when he paused, sensing something amiss.

"There's something alive inside my body?"

The process of creating clay bombs involved using chakra. As soon as Deidara used chakra, he noticed something wrong with his body.

Unlike most who fall victim to the explosive bugs and remain unaware, continuing to use chakra until it's too late, Deidara's keen senses made him stop immediately, frowning as he investigated further.