"Why didn't you kill him just now?"
Izumi, having just cast a genjutsu and quietly slipped away, was slowly walking along a forest path.
As she walked, another figure gradually materialized beside her, walking alongside her. It was a young woman in blue armor, Natsuki's Heroic Spirit, Saber.
Ino, a member of the congregation, had summoned the heroic King Gilgamesh using her chuuni skills and a random magic circle Natsuki had taught her.
Because of this, Natsuki gained the ability to summon Heroic Spirits, eventually summoning Saber.
At this moment, Saber had been dispatched by Natsuki to Izumi's side. The goal was to spread the name of the Dimensional End's Congregation throughout the ninja world.
"That man has a strong will, and he's willing to go through fire and water for the one he loves. I don't think he deserves to die here. At least, not by my hand," Izumi answered seriously.
A trace of reminiscence flickered in her eyes. On the night of the Uchiha massacre, she was destined to killed by the one she loved, Itachi. If it weren't for saber beside her and Natsuki, she would have been long dead.
She even felt a bit envious of ordinary people like that Misaki.
At least their feelings were mutual. As for her... She had already sealed away her own emotions.
From then on, she had dedicated her life solely to the Dimensional End's Congregation.
And the next time she saw that person, it would be time for her to raise her blade.
"Two powerful life forms are approaching," Artoria suddenly warned.
Hearing this, Izumi snapped back to attention and focused her gaze forward.
Two figures in black and red cloud Akatsuki robes swaggered into view.
Wherever they passed, silence fell, two immense auras surging forth. The newcomers were Sasori of the Red Sand and Deidara of Iwagakure.
They had come to recruit Izumi into the Akatsuki, so they hadn't planned on a sneak attack.
Their confidence in their own strength also led them to choose a direct approach.
Originally, Itachi's group was supposed to handle Izumi's recruitment.
However, Itachi refused this mission, and Deidara volunteered for the mission.
Deidara having been taken down by Itachi's genjutsu in a single move before he joined Akatsuki, wanted to test if, with his increased strength and more dazzling art, he would still be completely countered by the Uchiha clan.
Now, having arrived before their target, Deidara, unable to suppress the release of his inner artist, took a step forward and shouted, "Hey, you..."
"Do you also want to join the Dimensional End's Congregation?" Izumi cut Deidara off before he could finish.
"Uh, this..." Deidara was completely thrown off.
Weren't they the one's here to rec ruit people? How come the other side took the initiative? This wasn't going according to plan. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.
"What Dimensional End's Congregation? Deidara, my man, do you know something?" Deidara turned to ask his partner.
How could he have never heard of such an organization?
"I haven't heard of it either." Sasori, hidden within Hiruko, shook his head.
Despite roaming the ninja world for so many years, he hadn't heard a single thing about this organization.
"Tch, don't try to scare me with some random name you just made up."
Since even Sasori didn't know about it, it was likely a newly formed small organization, or perhaps just a bluff.
Deidara immediately regained his composure and shouted towards the two women, "Hey, you two! Do you want to join the Akatsuki? We're the strongest organization in the ninja world, and we're about to do something that will shake the very foundations of the ninja world!"
"Akatsuki?" Izumi frowned.
She had been a bounty hunter for so long, yet she had never heard of the Akatsuki.
Imitating Deidara, she turned to her companion and asked, "What's the Akatsuki? Artoria, have you heard of it?"
Saber shook her head. "Never heard of it. Sounds like the two of them are playing house."
"Bastards! You dare mock me?!" Deidara jumped up in a rage.
"It's time to let you experience the art of my explosions! And for your information, the Akatsuki has many strong members! And I'm proud to admit that I'm the weakest one among them!"
With a wave of his right hand, several clay spiders whistled through the air.
Fire Style: Dragon Fire Jutsu!
A giant fireball instantly engulfed the clay spiders.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The continuous explosions plowed the grass between the two sides.
"Hahaha! The art of explosion, and Fire Style just like that mister's! This time, I won't lose!" Deidara laughed loudly.
"Take this! C1: Bird!"
Just as Deidara summoned a flock of clay birds, a blue figure shot out from the edge of the flames.
It was Saber.
"So fast!" Deidara's expression changed slightly.
However, seeing that the opponent had no weapon in her hand, he breathed a sigh of relief.
But Artoria's momentum didn't diminish.
Gripping her invisible sword with both hands, she spun in mid-air, a whistling wind accompanying her horizontal slash.
The intense killing intent and fierce wind pressure finally made Deidara's face change dramatically.
This woman actually had an invisible weapon in her hands!
Clang!
In a flash, Sasori intervened.
Hiruko's poisonous tail lashed out, blocking Saber's strike.
Seizing the opportunity, Deidara quickly retreated, putting distance between himself and Artoria.
That brief exchange had made it clear that she was a master swordswoman; he absolutely couldn't let her get close.
With a wave of his left hand, his prepared clay birds whistled towards her.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The birds were swiftly detonated mid-air by several swings from Saber's sword.
The entire area was once again filled with smoke and dust.
"Deidara, you've become truly lazy lately. To think you'd be underestimate your opponent without even having any prior intel." Sasori took the opportunity to voice his dissatisfaction.
"Sorry, master Sasori. I'll be serious this time," Deidara responded apologetically.
Indeed, after joining the Akatsuki, especially after partnering with Sasori, they had been unstoppable, never encountering a worthy opponent.
Moreover, with Sasori's cautious nature, he never had to worry about enemy traps, assassinations, or poisons.
While his artistic skills had improved, his battle alertness had decreased.
"This time, I'll let them experience the peak of art.
C2: Dragon!
A huge cloud of smoke billowed up.