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The golden-haired boy, Deidara, had finally noticed Muo when he saw him rescue the little girl. His face twisted in anger as he shouted down at Muo, "Who the hell are you?! Why did you ruin my art?!"
"Who are you? Why are you attacking this place? You didn't even spare the civilians!" Muo shot back coldly, his gaze fixed on the airborne figure.
"Me? I'm Deidara, an artist! And as for my reason… there is no reason. I simply wanted to show the world my art," Deidara declared proudly, lifting his chin with an air of superiority.
"Art?" Muo's brow furrowed slightly. Is this guy insane? Attacking civilians like this without any justification will get him hunted by the major nations sooner or later. But that forehead protector… it's from Iwagakure. Is he really a shinobi from the Hidden Rock Village? Muo thought to himself.
"Hey! Who the hell are you, anyway?! You don't look like a shinobi from any of the hidden villages. Are you some rogue ninja? Hiding behind that mask, how pathetic!" Deidara sneered, eyeing Muo disdainfully.
"If you keep attacking civilian towns like this, you'll be marked for capture by the great nations—even if you are from Iwagakure," Muo said calmly.
"Hmph! Let them try to catch me! They'll see what true art really is! Besides, I've already had enough of that old man's sour face back in Iwagakure. That village was nothing but a cage, stifling my passion and creativity! Hmm!" Deidara replied dismissively, waving off the threat with a shrug.
This guy…! Muo sighed inwardly. He had never encountered someone so bizarre—a shinobi randomly attacking ordinary people outside of wartime. Such actions would disrupt the delicate balance between shinobi and civilians, something no nation would tolerate. The thought of being relentlessly pursued by all five great nations sent a chill down Muo's spine. Without the backing of a powerful organization, survival would be nearly impossible. Unless, of course, one deliberately chose to oppose the entire shinobi world—but Muo couldn't recall hearing about anyone bold (or foolish) enough to attempt that.
"Still, I bet you're impressed by my art, aren't you? Behind that mask of yours, your face must be absolutely stunned!" Deidara exclaimed excitedly, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.
"Your techniques are indeed formidable," Muo began slowly, choosing his words carefully. "But what do you gain by attacking these civilians? Killing ordinary people is something any shinobi can do easily—it proves nothing. All you're doing is satisfying your own ego. You call yourself an artist, right? Then shouldn't your work have some level of sophistication? A renowned artist wouldn't waste their time on mediocre creations. Attacking these civilians doesn't elevate your art—it diminishes it."
Muo knew dealing with someone like Deidara required tact. Direct confrontation or threats wouldn't work; instead, he needed to appeal to the boy's inflated sense of self-worth and artistic pride.
Though Muo didn't consider himself a saint, he couldn't stand idly by while innocent lives were destroyed. While he might not have control over events elsewhere, he couldn't ignore the suffering unfolding before his eyes.
Deidara fell silent, mulling over Muo's words. "Sophistication… refinement…" he muttered under his breath, his eyes gleaming brighter with each passing second.
Suddenly, he clenched his fist and slammed it into his palm, as if struck by inspiration. His expression lit up with excitement. "You're absolutely right! My art is high-class, refined—it's not meant for just anyone to appreciate! If everyone could understand my art, then it wouldn't be special anymore, hmm!"
"Heh." Muo chuckled softly to himself. What an interesting character—his mind is surprisingly simple.
However, Deidara's next words immediately caused Muo's expression to darken. "You know, you're not half bad. Your critique of my art has been enlightening, and judging by your appearance, you seem to be a wandering shinobi—barely worthy, but acceptable. So, as a reward, I'll let you witness my art firsthand, free of charge!"
"What?!" Muo's face turned grim. Without hesitation, he activated the Body Flicker Technique and dashed toward the outskirts of the town. Fortunately, only part of the settlement had been destroyed so far. If Deidara continued using his explosive techniques, the entire town would be reduced to rubble.
"How dare you run?! You should feel honored that I'm allowing you to witness my masterpiece! Don't run away!!" Deidara roared indignantly, stomping his foot in frustration. With a flap of its massive wings, the white bird beneath him surged forward, closing the distance between them.
Muo moved at incredible speed, his form blurring into a streak of black as he darted through the dense forest. However, Deidara wasn't far behind. Thanks to his flying advantage, the white bird gradually began to catch up.
"Tch!" Muo growled inwardly, pushing himself to go faster. "Damn it!" Deidara cursed, urging the bird onward, though this increased his chakra consumption significantly.
After weaving through layers of trees, Muo emerged onto an open field and came to a stop. Standing calmly amidst the grass, he waited patiently for Deidara to arrive.
Finally, the white bird carrying Deidara reached the clearing. Its enormous wings flapped gently as it hovered above the ground. Deidara laughed triumphantly. "Nowhere left to run! Time for you to experience my art firsthand, hmm!"
"Oh? If you want to test your art against my techniques, just say so. No need to beat around the bush," Muo said coolly.
"You're absolutely right. Your words opened my eyes and elevated my art to new heights. I should seek out opponents worthy of appreciating my greatness. And since you don't seem weak, I'll grant you the honor of being the first to witness my masterpiece!" Deidara declared with unbridled enthusiasm.