Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 556 Deidara and Kurotsuchi's Defection

Located in the northeastern suburbs of Star City, dozens of kilometers away from the city proper, this area is already quite far out. Rolling mountains have replaced the city's steel and concrete structures, and dense forests cover the hillsides.

At the top of a mountain, the entire summit was leveled, and a radar station was built using reinforced concrete as a foundation.

This is a monitoring radar station of the Star Ninja Army Air Force in Star City, used to protect the air defense security of the capital region.

When Deidara's clay bird, carrying Kurotsuchi, entered the airspace of the Star Kingdom from the northeast, it was detected by a radar station, which notified the ground forces to dispatch an air force tactical squadron to intercept it.

Two silver-gray fighter jets, resembling peregrine falcons, took off urgently from the military airfield at the foot of the mountain, drawing two graceful arcs in the air.

"Wow, what's that? A scientific ninja tool from the Land of Stars? It can even fly!" Deidara had excellent vision and spotted the two Peregrine fighters flying in from afar.

He stood up from the head of the clay bird, shielding his forehead with one hand and squinting at the approaching silver objects.

This was the first time Deidara had ever seen such a flying scientific ninja tool.

"It looks like some kind of plane." Kurotsuchi, sitting behind Deidara, also saw the two Peregrine fighters coming from the left and right in front of them and immediately became nervous.

"Oh no! I remember our teacher saying back in the Senior Ninja Academy that these fighter jets were designed to protect the airspace of the Land of Stars!" Kurotsuchi quickly tugged at Deidara's sleeve and said, "Deidara, descend quickly, or we'll be mistaken for intruders!"

However, Deidara's arrogance and curiosity took hold at this moment.

"Ha! Then I'll have a good spar with them, hmm~" With that, Deidara manipulated the giant white clay bird and began to extend its height.

With a flap of its wings, the giant bird soared into the higher clouds.

"Hahahaha! Come and chase me!" A strong gust of wind blew Deidara's long golden hair back, and he grinned widely.

"Ah!" Kurotsuchi was startled and instinctively hugged Deidara tightly.

"Deidara, you bastard! Stop it now!"

However, what she got in return was Deidara's loud laughter.

At the same time, the two enemy fighters on the opposite side also noticed the anomaly of the target.

"The target is accelerating and attempting to disengage," the pilot of aircraft number one calmly reported.

"Follow him," the pilot of aircraft number two responded briefly.

Both fighter jets simultaneously increased their thrust, and the chakra flames at their tails suddenly expanded, propelling the jets to catch up at a speed far exceeding that of the clay giant bird.

Just like its name suggests, the Peregrine Falcon soars freely and flies swiftly through the air, engaging in a thrilling chase with Deidara's white clay giant bird as they weave through the clouds at an altitude of thousands of meters.

On one side are inanimate man-made objects manipulated by genius ninjas from Iwagakure, and on the other side are flying scientific ninja tools, the culmination of the Land of Stars' achievements.

However, time marches on. No matter how fast Deidara's clay bird was, it was still within the speed of sound. The more he manipulated the clay bird to increase its speed, the more he consumed Deidara's chakra.

From the very beginning of its development, the Star Country's fighter jets have used chakra as fuel for their engines, following the jet engine route. The first generation of Yuju fighter jets already approached the speed of sound at their fastest speed.

So when Deidara once again piloted the giant bird through the clouds, he found that the two strange scientific ninja tools had already come to his side, sandwiching him between them.

"That's so cool!" Deidara was completely stunned as he watched the chakra jets shooting out from the tail of the fighter jet, forming dazzling Mach rings.

Those halos shimmered with iridescent colors under the sunlight, breathtakingly beautiful.

His artistic talent was fully unleashed at that moment.

This is the ultimate beauty he pursues!

Kurotsuchi noticed that in the fighter jet to their right, a ninja in a flight suit was opening the canopy and shouting at them, "You have entered the airspace of the Land of Stars! Please descend immediately for inspection!"

"First warning! Immediately lower your altitude for inspection! Otherwise, we will take coercive measures!"

These selected pilots were also ninjas; if the plane ran out of ammunition, they could open the hatch and throw out a few kunai with explosive tags.

However, despite the Star Ninja's warning, Deidara ahead was eagerly preparing to do something.

"Deidara! Get down here right now!" Kurotsuchi, unable to bear it any longer, raised her long leg and kicked Deidara hard in the face.

The kick was so powerful that Deidara was thrown forward, seeing stars and nearly falling off the clay bird.

He was severely injured, almost knocked unconscious by Kurotsuchi's kick, and his chakra, which was controlling the clay giant bird, instantly went out of control.

A giant white clay bird plummeted headfirst.

"Ah!!!" Kurotsuchi screamed in the air.

Soon, only two Peregrine Falcon fighters and two ninja pilots remained above the clouds, staring at each other in bewilderment.

"—What just happened?"

"It seems like... there's some internal strife?"

Half an hour later.

After Deidara and Kurotsuchi were found by the search team, they were brought here and put under guard.

Deidara's right cheek was swollen from being kicked, and he was looking at Kuroto with resentment.

Meanwhile, Heitu was desperately trying to explain to the squad leader of the air defense force stationed at their radar station.

"Hmm, so you ran away from Iwagakure to report to the Land of Stars?" The squad leader had Byakugan eyes and the Hyuga clan crest on his uniform.

Unlike the main Hyuga family of Konoha, the Hyuga branch family of the Land of Stars designed a new clan emblem: a bird breaking free of its cage.

"I know it's hard to believe, but I really do—" Kurotsuchi's pretty face was also full of worry.

She was born in Iwagakure, a village that fought a war against the Land of Stars, and as the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage, she should have fought to protect Iwagakure, but instead she ended up in the Land of Stars.

Anyone would have doubts, right?

But then she became more determined in her beliefs.

"What I firmly believe in is the Will of the Stars! Not just the Will of a village or a country!" Kurotsuchi looked at the Star Ninjas opposite her with a determined gaze.

She longed to join them and participate in the great cause of liberating the entire ninja world.

The Star Ninja opposite her did not suspect her as Kurotsuchi had feared. After hearing Kurotsuchi's explanation, they just smiled at each other.

"Alright, we've reported your situation, and someone will be here to pick you up soon." The Hyuga squad leader remained vigilant, giving the young girl, who had studied in the Land of Stars, a look with his Byakugan.

He began to explain, "I believe that as long as someone is a ninja with ideals, no—even an ordinary person."

"As long as he has witnessed the tragedy and suffering of this era, has his own ideals, and wants to change this ninja world, then he will inevitably become our comrade."

"Companions? —" Kurotsuchi was deeply moved.

She had expected to be suspected as the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, and she was prepared to be interrogated, but she did not expect the other party to call her a comrade.

"Yes, like-minded partners." A voice suddenly came from behind Kurotsuchi.

Kurotsuchi and the other Star Ninjas were suddenly taken aback. Then they looked up and saw a boy in a black tracksuit appear on the platform without anyone noticing.

"Enemy?!" Several Star Ninjas instinctively drew their weapons, including kunai and pistols, and immediately went into battle mode.

The Hyuga ninja quickly raised his hand to stop his subordinate, bowed slightly to the boy, and respectfully said, "Lord Menma!"

"Mianma!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed joyfully.

The other Star Ninjas quickly lowered their weapons and saluted respectfully: "Lord Menma!"

Menma walked over, put one hand on his hip, and said to the Star Ninja at the radar station, "Thank you for your hard work. Leave them to me."

"The program should be on its way and will be delivered to your devices soon."

Sure enough, as soon as Menma finished speaking, the terminal on Captain Hyuga's wrist beeped, an order from his superiors.

"Yes, sir!" After confirming that the handover order was correct, Captain Hyuga waved to his subordinates and led them away.

Menma turned to look at Deidara, who was still sitting on the ground.

Deidara looked up at Menma and smiled, "Yo, Menma, long time no see, hmm~"

Deidara greatly admired Masami, considering him an artist like himself.

"Welcome to the Land of Stars." Menma looked at the bruise on Deidara's face, a slight smile playing on his lips, and then extended his hand.

Deidara grasped his hand, used it for leverage to stand up, dusted himself off, and grinned, "Those iron birds from your Star Country are really something, huh~."