Naruto: Shinobi Payday-Chapter 74: Onoki’s True Motive

Deidara stood frozen, his expression blank as he stared at the air in front of Zeldris—space itself cracked like shattered glass, fragments rippling outward as if reality was collapsing.

His mind stalled.What... is this?!

An overwhelming sense of pressure bore down on him, too heavy to make sense of.

He couldn’t move.

He couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t think.

Even Uchiha Itachi, calm and composed as always, couldn’t help but narrow his eyes. A cold chill ran down his spine as he watched the phenomenon unfold.

His mouth parted slightly, and for once, his usual stoicism faltered.

What kind of power... is this? freeweɓnovel~cѳm

It wasn’t genjutsu.

It wasn’t ninjutsu.

It was something else entirely—something raw, destructive, and absolute.

The man standing before them, with silver-white hair flowing like silk and eyes colder than ice, was terrifying.

And the realization struck Itachi hard.

So this is the ability that caused that tremor back in Konoha...

He had felt it then—a distant force that made even the most hardened shinobi uneasy. But now, standing face to face with its source, he truly understood the scale of what they were dealing with.

A few steps away, Sasori watched the unfolding scene with an unreadable expression, lips curling faintly.

He knew.

He knew Deidara had no chance.

"Your turn is over," Sasori muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.

The next instant, the pressure intensified.

A deafening crack tore through the silence as the world trembled. The ground beneath them quaked, and sand spiraled violently into the sky. A storm of dust swallowed the horizon.

Zeldris stood unmoved, his gaze empty and cold.

Meanwhile, in Iwagakure...

The tremor reached all the way to the Hidden Stone Village.

Tsuchikage Ōnoki felt the earth shake beneath his feet, and his brow furrowed.

"That’s not Deidara’s handiwork," he muttered.

He knew his student’s explosions well—this wasn’t one of them.

A nearby Chūnin stepped into the room, face serious.

"Lord Tsuchikage. Was that Deidara again? Another one of his stunts?"

Ōnoki gave a vague nod, voice calm but uncertain.

"Most likely..."

But he didn’t believe that. Not even for a second.

The vibrations had lasted over ten seconds, longer and heavier than any of Deidara’s previous detonations.

The Chūnin continued, "If he’s that close, should I take a team and investigate?"

Ōnoki paused, then shook his head.

"No. It’s already over."

But what he didn’t say—what he couldn’t say—was that something far beyond Deidara had just happened.

Back on the battlefield...

Deidara staggered to his feet, coughing and bleeding from the corner of his mouth.

He stared ahead at the lone figure walking toward him, each step echoing like a drumbeat in his chest.

The closer Zeldris came, the heavier the air grew.

Deidara’s knees nearly buckled. His pride, his confidence—all of it was cracking like the space Zeldris had just shattered.

Who is this guy...?

Why have I never heard of him before?

Where did the old man dig him up?!

His mind raced, but he found no answers. Only fear—and something else.

Something stronger.

Awe.

Zeldris stopped just a few feet away, wearing that same calm, confident smile. His voice was low, even casual.

"Apologies. I didn’t mean to catch you in the blast. I lost control of the direction a little."

Then he tilted his head slightly, smirking.

"But tell me—how was it?That... is my art."

Deidara blinked.

Art?

This? That power? Art?!

His heart pounded. His pain faded. His obsession reignited. The destruction—the sheer beauty of it—set his blood alight.

This was something he hadn’t known he was searching for.

He looked up, eyes wide, lips trembling with excitement.

"W-What kind of power... is that?!"

Zeldris gave no immediate answer. He simply watched, amused. The boy’s defiance had melted into fascination. That was the effect he wanted.

Strength alone wouldn’t win over someone like Deidara.

But interest—that could control him.

And it worked.

Finally, Zeldris raised an eyebrow and offered a half-smile.

"Why?"

He leaned forward slightly."Do you want to learn it?"

"Teach me?!"

Deidara’s eyes widened.

He hadn’t heard those words in a long time. Not since he had mastered the limits of his bloodline inheritance.Not even his former teacher, Onoki, had ever managed to teach him anything like that explosion.

And now this man—Zeldris—was claiming he could?

After witnessing the many bizarre and overwhelming techniques Zeldris displayed, Deidara found himself beginning to believe it.

Maybe... this guy really can...?!

A wave of excitement surged through him. He looked at Zeldris, eyes gleaming.

"Then it’s a deal! If I join you, you’ll teach me that ultimate art!"

Zeldris chuckled lightly, nodding.

"Of course. But for now, you’ll need to come back with us to Iwagakure."

He paused, his voice calm but resolute.

"After all, our mission this time... is to bring you back."

As Zeldris finished speaking, Sasori and Uchiha Itachi approached.

Itachi’s expression had returned to its usual stoic calm, but his heart was anything but still.

That technique from earlier...

He couldn’t shake it. That wasn’t ninjutsu—it was something entirely different.And the power it unleashed... Itachi was certain it could wipe out an entire village in an instant.

If Zeldris were to join forces with someone like Orochimaru to attack Konoha...

It would be a catastrophe.

As he was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed Zeldris staring straight at him.

A faint, knowing smile tugged at Zeldris’s lips.

Itachi’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

...What’s he planning?

But in the next moment, Zeldris turned away, his expression casual.He hadn’t just aimed to impress Deidara—he had deliberately made sure Itachi saw that power too.

After all, Zeldris wasn’t naive. He knew where Itachi’s loyalties might lie, and he needed him to understand the reality of what they were dealing with.

Two birds, one stone.

Deidara, impressed and willing. Itachi, unsettled and cautious.

Zeldris had achieved exactly what he set out to do.

As Zeldris pondered his next steps, Sasori stepped forward, eyeing Deidara coolly.

"Listen, brat. If you’ve given up, come back with us already."

Deidara’s expression wavered.

Sasori frowned. "What’s wrong now? Don’t tell me you’re backing out again?"

His voice grew colder. "If that’s the case, we’ll just have to take you by force."

He was already reaching to summon his puppets when Zeldris calmly raised a hand.

"Hold on," he said. "That’s not what he means. Let him speak."

Zeldris had already guessed the cause of Deidara’s hesitation.

It could only be that old man... Onoki.

Sure enough, Deidara sighed and looked away.

"If I go back, Old Man Onoki will definitely lock me up again. He won’t let me practice my art—won’t even let me leave the village."

He clenched his fists.

"Let alone allow me to join you guys. It’s just not gonna happen."

Zeldris nodded slightly. Just as he expected.

Convincing Onoki wouldn’t be easy. But walking away and abandoning a 200 million ryo commission? Not an option.

He fell silent for a moment, then gave Deidara a small, reassuring smile.

"Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it when the time comes."

Deidara blinked. "Huh? Then why not just leave now? Why take me back at all?"

Sasori sighed.

"Because we made a deal with the Tsuchikage. Our organization takes on assignments—for money."

Deidara looked even more confused.

Zeldris laughed. "It’s not just about the money. It’s about credibility. You get it?"

Sasori and Itachi both glanced at him with expressions that practically said, Seriously?

Zeldris ignored them.

Deidara still seemed uncertain, so Zeldris stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I said I’d handle it—and I will. Trust me. I’ll make sure you don’t end up chained in some cell."

Deidara met his eyes. There was a strange confidence in Zeldris’s voice, one that was hard to deny.

Finally, Deidara sighed.

"Alright. But I’m warning you—don’t try to fight the old man head-on. He’s stronger than you think."

Despite his resentment, Deidara still respected Onoki’s strength.

Zeldris just smiled. "We’ll see."

—

Later, they arrived at the Iwagakure council hall.

This time, Deidara followed behind them.

Onoki was already waiting.

When he saw the familiar face, his gaze softened—just a little.

"It’s been a while, Deidara," he said quietly. Then, with a slight frown, "Looks like your so-called ’art’ finally failed you, huh?"

He turned to Zeldris.

"I didn’t expect you to bring him back this quickly. I’m impressed."

A sharp glint flickered in Ohnoki’s eyes as he locked his gaze on Zeldris.

Just then, Deidara’s voice rang out, loud and irritated.

"What did you just say, old man Tsuchikage?! You’re calling my art ridiculous?!"

He stomped forward, clearly furious.

"Tch! How could someone as old as you possibly understand my art?!"

His tone was sharp, his temper boiling over after hearing Ohnoki insult what he cherished most.

But Ohnoki didn’t even glance his way. He couldn’t bring himself to be harsh with the young man he had once pinned his hopes on.

First... I’ll handle Zeldris. Then I’ll deal with Deidara properly.

With a tired sigh, the Tsuchikage turned back to Zeldris.

This kid’s strength... it’s not as simple as it looks. There’s something off. And yet...

What if I told him my plan? If he refuses—and that gets out—I’ll be condemned by the entire shinobi world.

But they’re mercenaries, right? He won’t turn me down... probably.

As Ohnoki pondered, Zeldris’s calm voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I’ve brought the man you wanted, Lord Tsuchikage. Isn’t it about time you settled the payment?"

A faint smile tugged at Zeldris’s lips.

Ohnoki blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness. Then he chuckled and nodded.

"Of course."

He turned to a nearby guard and whispered a few quick instructions. The guard bowed and rushed out.

Moments later, the conference room doors creaked open, and several figures entered, each carrying a large box. They placed them before Zeldris and stepped back in silence.

Ohnoki gestured toward the boxes, his tone flat.

"Each contains 40 million ryo. Feel free to count it, if you’d like."

Just then, a familiar sound rang in Zeldris’s mind.

Ding!

"Congratulations, host! You’ve received 200 million ryo in commission."

"System has automatically converted it to wealth value."

"Current wealth value: 3000."

Zeldris’s eyes gleamed slightly.

Twenty draws, just like that...

Suppressing his satisfaction, he offered Ohnoki a calm smile.

"No need. A man like you, Tsuchikage, doesn’t need to be doubted."

He placed a hand on one of the boxes and added:

"With the mission complete, we’ll just—"

He moved toward the payment, but all the while, his eyes were quietly watching Ohnoki.

He’s too calm. That’s not right...

Just then, Ohnoki spoke again.

"Wait."

His voice was sharp, deliberate.

Sasori and Itachi both paused, their brows furrowed.

Zeldris smirked inwardly.

So, the old man can’t hold it in anymore.

Outwardly, he blinked and tilted his head slightly, feigning confusion.

"What is it, Lord Tsuchikage? Is there a problem?"

Ohnoki slowly lifted his head, and an odd smile spread across his face.

"Relax. There’s just something else that needs to be handled."

He turned away, his expression unreadable.

"You three... assist me."

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