Chapter Text
"Ōnoki-sama, what's behind that door?" Deidara asked, his curiosity piqued as they passed by.
The Third Tsuchikage raised an eyebrow at the question from his new, young student. The door didn't stand out among the others, yet behind it lay one of his best ANBU agents and various traps and seals designed to get rid of intruders. He marveled at how Deidara had singled out this seemingly ordinary door. Clearly, the boy had sharp instincts and potential.
"It's a secret, Deidara," Ōnoki replied, his tone kind but firm. He didn't want to lie to his student, yet he felt no need to tell him what lay beyond. The contents behind that door were for his knowledge alone.
Deidara frowned, a boldness in his glare that one wouldn't typically direct toward a Kage, but he remained silent. Several days later, Ōnoki would regret the spark of curiosity he had inadvertently ignited in his young apprentice. Despite repeated assurances that the matter was not open for discussion, Deidara kept pestering him until Ōnoki coulnd't stand it anymore and gave up. It was hard to admit to himself that a six-year-old had bested him.
"Some valuable relics that have been part of Iwagakure for centuries," Ōnoki finally said, hoping to quell Deidara's relentless questioning.
"Relics? What are those?"
Ōnoki mused inwardly, that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to tell Deidara. It would motivate him to get stronger and take training more seriously. "Objects as powerful as they are dangerous. Forbidden scrolls that contain techniques with fearsome power," he explained.
Deidara remained silent for a moment, his imagination running wild.
"Can I see them?" he asked eagerly, large eyes shining with enthusiasm.
“No,” Ōnoki replied, blunt, floating away with both hands clasped behind his back. "It is a forbidden place."
Deidara hurried to catch up with him. "But you are the Tsuchikage, you can allow it, hm!" he insisted.
A vein bulged on Ōnoki's forehead. "Well, I don't allow it! It's no place for a child anyway."
In the following days, Deidara maintained a stubborn silence. During his lessons, he stood with his arms crossed, staring at the ground. Though he followed orders diligently and studied hard for the Chuunin exam, whenever Ōnoki addressed him, he only received silence. Ōnoki had always considered himself stubborn, but this child, despite his size, proved even more obstinate.
The battle of wills endured for a week and a half, until Ōnoki finally ordered Deidara to follow him. Deidara's face lit up with a wide smile for the first time in days.
"With that, we could defeat Konoha easily. Why aren't we using them?" Deidara said as they made their way to the crypt.
"That's a complicated question," Ōnoki murmured, undoing another trap. The blue light, forming strange symbols, extinguished as he performed the appropriate seals. "This great power also comes with great sacrifice. You must think very carefully before making any decisions, as there is no turning back."
"But you used one! What was your sacrifice?" Deidara pressed.
Maybe he wasn't setting a good example for his young student, but that was a completely different matter. Ōnoki had to do it; he was the Tsuchikage and owed himself to the village. Converting the kekkei genkai he naturally possessed into kekkei tōta gave him unimaginable destructive power. Many enemies automatically fled whenever he was known to be on the battlefield because everything that his dust release touched was hopelessly obliterated—people, plants, animals, or objects—all reduced to mere atoms forever separated from each other.
"My life expectancy will be extended by a few years. My body will age even more, surpassing the limit of what is natural, and I will have to suffer the consequences of its deterioration until my time comes,” explained Ōnoki.
The few people Ōnoki had confided in about this secret always said that living longer was a good thing. They did not know what it was like to live suffering in an expired body. Deidara nodded silently, though Ōnoki only needed to see his expression to know that he was shocked, even horrified.
"People usually think that living longer is better. Don't you think that too?" Ōnoki asked, intrigued to know his student's thoughts.
"What's so good about living being so old and battered?" Deidara retorted, wrinkling his nose. "You yourself have said that you are going to suffer."
"That's why I told you that every great power in this room comes with a sacrifice."
The conversation seemed to have shifted Deidara's perspective on the power the scrolls contained. Perhaps that was an advantage too; he would get the idea out of his head. At times, Ōnoki regretted having made the pact. Other times, he didn't, but he was sure that if there was some way to revert to his previous state, he wouldn't do it.
To make up for it, he allowed him to explore the crypt as he pleased. Ōnoki let him touch whatever he wanted and examine each legendary artifact and weapon. He even had him read to her the effects of the five forbidden scrolls, explaining any unfamiliar terms along the way. One scroll in particular captured Deidara's attention the most. Given his family's artisan background, Ōnoki wasn't surprised. It contained information about bombs capable of moving on their own, controlled by their creator. It was a deadly technique, demanding and unforgiving, often claiming the lives of its wielders prematurely as it turned their very bodies into single-use weapons.
"Someday I'll have this one," Deidara declared, with unsettling certainty.
"Not if I can help it," Ōnoki replied.
Deidara didn't like that answer.
Ōnoki dragged him out of there, convinced now that it had been a mistake to bring Deidara to that place. Despite his ambition and potential, Deidara was still a clueless brat. He assigned him a couple of C-rank missions with his son Kitsuchi to keep him occupied. The next day, they would focus on taijutsu training, and Ōnoki wouldn't allow him to rest until he was begging for mercy.
The power accumulation policy of Ay, the Third Raikage, was among the many triggers for the third ninja war. Ay treasured relations with neighboring countries, while distant nations suffered constant abuses. He knew nothing of diplomacy, only bloodshed. Shielded behind an isthmus with a hostile microclimate and imposing cliffs surrounding almost the entire peninsula, the Hidden Cloud felt emboldened to kidnap ninjas with useful kekkei genkai or assassinate key figures from other villages to weaken them.
Sitting at his desk, Ōnoki held his forehead with both hands and huffed. Konoha kept him too busy. He lacked the resources to make he Hidden Cloud pay for killing Roshi after the failed kidnapping attempt.
He should have acted sooner. Just a few years ago, the Hidden Cloud nearly succeeded in kidnapping the bearer of the Nine-Tails, which was in Konoha's possession. Recently, they attempted to do the same with the bearer of the Seven-Tails, taking advantage of it being the only tailed beast owned by a minor nation. The fact that the Hidden Waterfall had declared itself neutral in the conflict mattered little. Raikage Ay was as ambitious as he was paranoid, always twisting facts to claim that everyone was planning to invade his territory. Every great nation had at least one jinchuuriki. Their possession maintained the balance of power in the world, which is why Iwa could not afford to lose either of them. The Hidden Cloud already possessed two, although the second strongest of the nine, the Eight-Tails, occasionally spiraled out of control, becoming a double-edged sword.
But Roshi was dead, a bitter truth to swallow. Caught off guard, the attacking ANBU from the Hidden Cloud soon discovered that the seal mechanism was not as straightforward as they had assumed. Then Roshi triggered the emergency self-destruct fuuinjutsu. The Four-Tails seized control of his body and unleashed havoc, slaughtering them along with several Iwa jonin who attempted to restrain him. Now under control, the Four-Tails was more furious than ever. Worse yet, Roshi's body would only last a couple of days before the seal deteriorated further, killing the tailed beast. If that happened, they'd have to wait a few years before being able to summon it back.
This dilemma threatened to make Ōnoki lose what little hair he had left on his head. With the Four-Tails unable to fight, and Konoha tightening its grip, the situation grew increasingly dire.
As he organized the day's missions, Ōnoki felt the weight of stress bearing down on him. Wartime had heightened every aspect of his duties. His eyes constantly darted to the window, hoping to catch sight of his son and granddaughter arriving.
Traditionally, a Jinchuuriki was chosen from among the Tsuchikage's relatives to ensure loyalty to the village. While Han had been Lord Second Mu's brother, Roshi had been Ōnoki's childhood best friend. They weren't blood relatives, but Roshi fought for the village with more fervor than the Five-Tails Jinchuuriki ever did. Ōnoki didn't have to adhere strictly to tradition if he didn't want to. Kurotsuchi, his granddaughter, would have been the ideal candidate if she weren't so young. Although she would form the strongest bond with the tailed beast, Ōnoki didn't want that path for her, especially since she could barely crawl. Should he let the protection of his family sway his decision? Perhaps not. A Tsuchikage prioritized the village's needs, but Ōnoki wished Kurotsuchi could at least choose for herself if she wanted such a fate.
The door to his office swung open. No one had bothered to knock, so Ōnoki correctly deduced that it was Deidara. The boy appeared pleased, still sporting the so-called cat tail used for training in speed and stealth.
“Uma-sensei said I can start with the twenty-meter tail now,” he announced proudly.
Impressive, especially considering that children his age—and even some older ones—were still using the ten-meter or fifteen-meter cat tail.
The tool comprised a pair of trousers with a long cat's tail attached to the back, complete with a bell on the tip. When running, the tail had to be held aloft horizontally, ensuring the bell didn't touch the ground, and therefore, not make a sound. Upon mastering this, a student earned another, longer tail. Ōnoki could already see that young Deidara wouldn't remain a genin for long; some of his abilities bordered on chuunin level.
As always after rigorous training, Deidara was fatigued and relatively docile. While he recounted his activities for that day, Ōnoki sipped his green tea. Then Kitsuchi entered the office with Kurotsuchi in his arms.
"Father, the test has been done. Kurotsuchi has inherited the kekkei genkai," Kitsuchi announced. "As expected, she will be a powerful kunoichi."
Deidara was keenly aware of the conversation's subject: the four-tails and the next Jinchuuriki. Since Roshi's kidnapping, Ōnoki-sensei had been obsessed with the matter. Kitsuchi set Kurotsuchi down, and she crawled toward the long cat tail trailing behind Deidara.
If Kurotsuchi became the new Jinchuuriki, she would grow immensely strong, possessing powers unique in the world. Deidara felt a twinge of envy.
"I know the younger, the better... But she's still a toddler," Kitsuchi remarked. "Isn't there an alternative?"
"True. But we must honor our commitment to the village," the Tsuchikage replied. "The Kazekage used his own son, born prematurely at seven months, as a vessel for Shukaku. If he endured it, so will Kurotsuchi. She is my granddaughter."
Aware that Ōnoki disliked interruptions during adult conversations, Deidara shook the bell on the cat's tail, trying to capture Kurotsuchi's attention. She grinned and reached out her little arm, only for Deidara to pull his hand away at the last moment. Kurotsuchi let out a displeased grunt. Babies were amusingly slow. Deidara chuckled, watching her face turn red with frustration.
"Father," Kitsuchi murmured, observing the scene, "...How loyal do you think the boy can be to you?"
"He's ambitious, perhaps overly so," Ōnoki replied, his voice lowered. "But he's also exceptionally talented. I believe he could handle the Four-Tails better than anyone, and gaining an elemental affinity for fire would mitigate the negative effects of his earth release."
"Do you trust he'll remain loyal?" Kitsuchi inquired.
Ōnoki pondered the question carefully, rubbing his chin in thought. "I know how to do it. But it would involve certain things that I'm not willing to go through. We should correct certain aspects of his personality now that he is young. He is a very stubborn boy, the most stubborn I have ever seen in my life."
"Father, I don't think anyone can beat you in stubbornness," Kitsuchi remarked, with blunt seriousness.
"This kid does, believe me," Ōnoki replied.
"And his mother? Don't you think she might not want this fate for her son?"
"His family isn't from a shinobi tradition. They'll have to abide by the decision. And I'll ensure it's in the best interest of the Hidden Rock village."
Deidara sensed they were discussing him, though he couldn't catch every word. While he played with Kurotsuchi on the floor, he strained to overhear their conversation, but it proved useless. Eventually, he got too distracted and Kurotsuchi managed to catch hold of the cat's tail.
"Deidara," Ōnoki called out, seizing the moment. "You mentioned you wanted to become a powerful shinobi."
"I will be the most powerful," Deidara declared, rising to his feet. "I'll train every day until I am."
Ōnoki nodded, pleased with the answer. "What do you think about gaining access to a power that only a privileged few in the world possess?"
"The Four-Tails..." Deidara began.
But as far as he knew, that power was destined for the toddler before him. If Kurotsuchi had inherited the kekkei genkai, then she was more than suitable to become a Jinchuuriki. It seemed they didn't want her to take on that role, which reframed their request to him as a favor. Deidara could see through their attempt to sell it as a privilege; in truth, it was the opposite. He smirked.
"I'm not sure. What do I gain in return?" Deidara responded, a specific demand forming in his mind.
Ōnoki and Kitsuchi exchanged confused glances, expecting Deidara to agree immediately.
"What do you want?" Ōnoki asked.
"I'll do it in exchange for the forbidden scroll," Deidara stated firmly, as if it were non-negotiable.
The other day, Deidara overheard Ōnoki mentioning that if they didn't find a host soon, the Four-Tails would be lost. This way, he could obtain both the scroll and the power of the tailed beast. If they refused his request, he just wouldn't agree. He would have to wait until he could steal the scroll on his own, but he was still young and his skills weren't refined enough. That day was still far off.
"No!" Ōnoki erupted, slamming his hand on the table. "You have no idea what you're asking for! Why can't you stop with this nonsense!? Those scrolls are not to be taken lightly! They are dangerous!"
"Then I won't do it," Deidara replied with a shrug.
Ōnoki stared at his student. Just when he resolved to rein him in, Deidara had to set a condition like this. Whose idea was it to take on such a precocious and insolent child as a disciple?
"If you agree to become the host of the Four-Tails, I will grant you permission to use it upon your promotion to Chuunin," he offered.
"For real!?" Deidara exclaimed, genuinely surprised, as if he hadn't expected that.
Ōnoki's desperation was evident; he was allowing this child to win again. Him. The Tsuchikage.
"I'm not lying. But remember, I warned you countless times. You will face the consequences of your decisions," Ōnoki cautioned.
It wasn't a bitter defeat, not at all. At least he had spared his granddaughter from a life that would be too harsh. Neither Han nor Roshi had it easy. Deidara could handle it; of that, Ōnoki was certain. What concerned him more was the kinjutsu. Dealing with a seirei was tricky; the entities sealed in the scrolls always ensured the contract was in their favor. Ōnoki could attest to that. Deidara's recklessness would cost him dearly, but perhaps he needed to learn that lesson.
