336-340

Chapter 336: Not Even Half a Bridge for You

As soon as those words left his mouth, Danzo felt a sharp pain in his chest, almost coughing up blood.

This guy said he wanted a fair duel between me and Sasuke, didn’t he?

And now he’s outright spilling my secrets—who does that?

“With your usual twisted sense of humor, you’ve left Danzo no escape route, Aizen,” Obito said with a twitching mouth beneath his mask, standing beside Aizen.

“Well, what can I say? The second brat keeps calling me dad, and this guy’s so ferocious—sparring with the Eight-Tails in swordsmanship, competing with the Raikage in lightning techniques, and getting beaten every time. He deserves to win for once, doesn’t he?”

Aizen walked to the edge of a stone pillar, sat cross-legged, and continued shouting, “Oh, there’s more! Underneath that bandage on his right eye, that old dog is hiding a Sharingan. Don’t miss that, either. You two, just sit tight and enjoy the show.”

The latter part was directed at Jugo and Suigetsu.

As for Obito, he had never fully trusted Aizen. Their relationship was one of mutual exploitation, so he remained on guard and refused to sit.

The battle didn’t last long.

Thanks to Aizen’s intervention during the Uchiha clan massacre, many of their corpses were destroyed. As a result, Danzo only managed to collect six Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Including his personal stash, he had a total of eight.

In the original timeline, Danzo transplanted eleven Sharingan because that was his limit. Now, he only had eight to use.

After eight minutes of invincibility, Danzo inevitably lost.

Sasuke, on the other hand, employed a self-destructive tactic of trading heavy injuries for victory. As a result, he sustained serious wounds. His overuse of his Mangekyo Sharingan nearly left him blind.

Meanwhile, Danzo, having exhausted his chakra, suffered backlash from Hashirama’s cells. His right arm turned into a tree and fell off.

Mortally wounded, he staggered toward the other side of the bridge, leaving bloody footprints in his wake.

“It’s over,” Obito muttered impatiently, leaping from the stone pillar.

“Hey, Aizen, should we go check it out too?” Suigetsu asked hesitantly.

Aizen glanced at them. “Danzo carved a Reverse Four Symbols Seal into his body beforehand. If he ever encountered an unbeatable enemy, he planned to die taking them with him. If you want to go, be my guest.”

“Hiss!”

Suigetsu sucked in a cold breath. “On second thought, we’ll just stay here.”

“Danzo, you’re finished.” Obito blocked Danzo’s path.

“D-Damn it... I can’t die here... I haven’t become Hokage yet...”

Danzo coughed up blood mixed with bits of his organs. With enemies in front and pursuers behind, his fate was sealed.

Memories flooded his mind: his hesitation to volunteer as bait, which cost him the Hokage position; his love-hate relationship with his old rival, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

His vision blurred, but suddenly, his dim eyes shone brightly—a fleeting burst of energy.

Danzo stood up straight, turned, and shouted angrily, “Aizen Fujiwara! Come down here! I have something to ask you!”

Obito and Sasuke were silent. Did this old man lose his mind?

Fearing Aizen might ignore him, Danzo added, “Aizen Fujiwara! I’m about to die. Do you lack the courage to face me?”

To everyone’s surprise, Aizen suddenly appeared between Danzo and the others.

“Aizen Fujiwara, Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Sasuke... For the sake of—”

Before Danzo could finish, Aizen’s impatient voice cut him off. “Yeah, yeah. Something about protecting the ninja world or Konoha. And now you’re trying to activate the Reverse Four Symbols Seal to take us with you, right?”

“How childish. That seal takes forever to activate. Anyone with half a brain could dodge it. In the end, you’d only manage to seal half the bridge.”

“You—” Danzo stammered, stunned by Aizen’s bluntness.

Before he could react, a pure white blade pierced his chest from behind. At the same time, Aizen’s cold voice declared, “But I won’t even let you seal half a bridge.”

“You wanted to die as a hero, protecting Konoha and the ninja world. Too bad—I won’t let you.”

Aizen had already appeared behind Danzo. His speed was so overwhelming that neither Obito nor Sasuke could react before his blade struck.

“I’ve already disabled the Reverse Four Symbols Seal with that strike. He’ll lose consciousness in less than half a minute. He’s all yours.”

With that, Aizen tossed Danzo toward Sasuke. Without hesitation, Sasuke sliced Danzo in half with a single stroke. The top half of Danzo’s body twitched a few times before going still, his eyes wide open in death.

“Decisive. I like that about you,” Aizen said, flicking the blood off his blade and sheathing it. “Now, we need to prepare for the upcoming war. What’s your plan?”

Jugo and Suigetsu jumped down from the pillar, landing on either side of Sasuke.

“I’m going to Konoha,” Sasuke declared coldly.

“With just you guys?” Aizen sneered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sasuke frowned.

Stepping forward, Obito said, “Aizen’s right. Sasuke, you’ve pushed your eyes too far. You’ll soon go blind. Without those eyes, you’re powerless.”

“Tch,” Sasuke grumbled, turning away in frustration. Though he had just defeated Danzo and regained some confidence, he couldn’t deny his current weakness.

“All right, Sasuke, I know you want revenge. But first, there’s something else you need to take care of.” Aizen’s gaze shifted toward the forest at seven o’clock.

The others followed his gaze, seemingly understanding. Without hesitation, Sasuke leapt toward the forest.

Jugo and Suigetsu tried to follow but were stopped by Aizen. “Wait. I have more important tasks for you.”

“Tasks?” They looked confused. Aizen didn’t waste words, storing them in his system inventory.

“Now it’s just us,” Aizen said, turning to Obito. “By the way, where’s your most loyal subordinate, Kisame?”

“I sent him on an infiltration mission to gather intel on the Allied Shinobi Forces,” Obito replied. “When will you provide reinforcements? I need to plan accordingly.”

“Don’t worry. In three days, I’ll give you a big surprise,” Aizen said nonchalantly.

“I’ll wait at the base. Don’t disappoint me.” With that, Obito used Kamui to disappear.

A smile crept across Aizen’s face as he turned toward the opposite direction of Sasuke’s departure. “You can come out now.”

Tsunade and Chika emerged from the forest, landing in front of him.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 337: Sakura’s Death

*Boom!*

The moment he appeared, Tsunade threw a punch at Aizen.

The bridge collapsed, and smoke billowed everywhere.

A gentle breeze swept through, revealing the figures of Aizen and Tsunade.

Tsunade maintained her punching stance, while Aizen slightly leaned back, her fist pressed against his face.

Aizen didn't dodge in the slightest, taking the full force of her monstrous punch head-on.

"Why not use the Armament Haki I taught you? That would’ve at least caused me some damage," Aizen said with a smile.

"And you didn’t dodge or even use your Armament Haki or protective aura to defend yourself," Tsunade replied, trying to pull her fist back, only for Aizen to grab it and pull her into his arms.

Tsunade resisted symbolically for a moment before breaking down into tears, clinging to Aizen. "You bastard! What the hell are you thinking? Why did you get involved with that masked man and do something like this?"

Standing nearby, their daughter Chika watched her parents embrace. Her cute little face showed a hint of jealousy as she puffed out her cheeks. "See? Kids are always accidents. It’s the parents who are the real lovers."

Noticing Chika's dissatisfaction, Aizen released Tsunade and scooped up his daughter. Only then did Chika's face light up with a sweet smile as she tightly hugged her father’s neck, her delicate cheek rubbing against his.

Aizen gently patted his daughter's back and smiled at Tsunade. "There are two reasons: one for you, and the other... for fun, to satisfy my twisted sense of humor."

"Fun? Fun? At a time like this? Don’t you realize the masked man is using you? Once that so-called Eye of the Moon Plan is complete and he gains the power of the Ten-Tails, you’ll be the first person he targets!" Tsunade scolded him angrily.

"Of course I know," Aizen said calmly. "But so what?"

Placing Chika down, he turned his back to his wife and daughter, clasping his hands behind him. "If it were Hagoromo at his peak—with two Rinnegan and the full power of the Ten-Tails—then maybe I’d feel some concern. But that guy? He’ll never become a true Sage of Six Paths or the perfect Jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails."

"What... what does that mean?" Tsunade asked, her voice filled with shock.

"Do you really want me to spell out the plan for you? If I tell you, you and Chika won’t be able to leave. I’ll wait until the war is over to release you," Aizen said, turning with a sly grin.

"You bastard..." Tsunade clenched her fist tightly, the veins on her forehead bulging as she fought to hold back her anger.

Aizen continued, "How about this? If your Allied Shinobi Forces win this war, I’ll step back. But if you lose, I’ll proceed with my plan. During this time, I won’t intervene or interfere with your war."

Tsunade was stunned. "Are you serious?"

Her main goal was to ensure Aizen didn’t join the fight.

"When have I ever lied to you?" Aizen replied with a smirk. "Of course, there’s a condition. If any of you are in mortal danger during this war, I’ll save you—but I’ll also confine you, forbidding you from fighting again."

*You’ve lied to me plenty of times!* Tsunade rolled her eyes but raised her delicate hand. "Fine, it’s a deal."

"Shaking hands is so boring," Aizen said, stepping forward. In front of a pouting Chika, he pulled Tsunade into a passionate, nearly ten-minute French kiss.

Taking advantage of a brief pause for air, Tsunade playfully scolded, "If you dare lie to me, I’ll never forgive you."

This caused Chika to throw a tantrum. As soon as her parents parted, she jumped into Aizen’s arms and showered his face with kisses, marking her territory.

Once she’d had her fill, Chika smugly followed Tsunade away.

Meanwhile, not far away, Sasuke, having just returned, witnessed the tender scene between Aizen, Tsunade, and Chika.

Aizen had already noticed Sasuke’s approach and subtly activated his Mirror Flower Water Moon technique, hypnotizing the White Zetsu clone within Sasuke planted by Obito.

Watching as Tsunade and Chika disappeared from view, Aizen’s smile faded. He turned coldly and said, "Come out."

"Well, well, what do we have here? Konoha’s S-rank missing-nin, involved in this kind of relationship with the Hokage, and with a daughter to boot. No wonder you, who never take on students, were willing to teach that little girl your techniques," Sasuke said mockingly, stepping out from behind a stone pillar.

"What’ll surprise you even more is what comes next." Instead of getting angry, Aizen glanced at the bloodstains on Sasuke’s hands and remarked, "So the wide-forehead woman’s chakra has disappeared? I’m surprised you actually killed her."

"That’s right. I’ve severed my ties to Konoha," Sasuke replied coldly, his eyes narrowing.

---

*Flashback*

A few minutes earlier, Sakura, without Sai’s assistance, had guilt-tripped Kiba and Lee into helping her track down Sasuke.

After locating him, she used a smoke bomb to knock them unconscious and approached Sasuke, determined to confront him alone.

"Sasuke, I finally found you," she said tearfully upon seeing him.

"And?" Sasuke replied, his tone devoid of emotion.

"Come back with me. The Five Great Nations have issued an execution order against you. It’s dangerous. I’ll beg Lady Tsunade to pardon you," Sakura pleaded, clutching her chest.

"Alright. Come here and heal my injuries first. Then I’ll return to Konoha with you," Sasuke said, his gaze icy.

Sakura hesitated but approached, gripping the poisoned kunai hidden in her sleeve. She came prepared to prove herself and end things with Sasuke once and for all.

Without Sai’s warning to Kakashi, Sakura’s actions went unnoticed. However, alone, she was no match for Sasuke. In the end, she was struck down, a Chidori piercing her chest. She died at the hands of the man she loved but could never have.

Chika, knowing her father’s disdain for Sakura, chose to ignore the situation.

Sakura’s blood stained the earth as her body was left in the wilderness.

---

*Back to Sasuke and Aizen*

"Suit yourself. When the Eye of the Moon Plan is complete, it’ll all just be an illusion anyway," Aizen said, turning away.

Sasuke frowned. "What exactly is the Eye of the Moon Plan?"

"There are four versions: Madara’s, the masked man’s, Black Zetsu’s, and mine," Aizen replied with a smirk. "Which one do you want to hear?"

"Speak already," Sasuke demanded impatiently.

"Call me ‘Dad,’ and I’ll tell you one version," Aizen teased.

"Ridiculous," Sasuke scoffed, suppressing his curiosity. He turned and headed toward the Akatsuki base to transplant Itachi’s eyes, recover, and awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 338: Kabuto Recruitment*

In the dense jungle, Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, Karin, Guy's team, and Team 8 moved swiftly.

Ten people and a dog darted through the forest, arriving at the place where Sakura had been killed by Sasuke.

"This is..."

They were first shocked, then horrified, and finally consumed by anger and grief.

"Are we too late?"

Dark clouds gathered, and a steady rain washed away the metallic tang of blood in the air. Kakashi stepped forward, gently closing Sakura's eyes.

Turning to Naruto with worry etched on his face, he asked, "Naruto, are you—"

"I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I need some time alone," Naruto interrupted.

Surprisingly, he did not explode in anger or unleash the Nine-Tails' power. Instead, he picked up Sakura's lifeless body and started walking back toward the Leaf Village, his silhouette radiating despair.

Memories of Gaara's words replayed in his mind:

Madara aimed to unite the world by creating peace through illusion and waged war to achieve it.

Aizen collaborated with Madara to prevent his wife and daughter from meeting the same tragic fate as his parents.

And Sasuke, consumed by hatred for the Leaf Village after losing his clan, sought revenge.

Naruto knew the cause of Sakura’s death wasn’t hard to determine.

Her chest had been pierced by lightning-style chakra, and Kiba had already detected Sasuke's scent nearby. The conclusion was undeniable—Sasuke had killed her.

Kakashi sighed deeply and instructed, "Yamato, Karin, Neji, Tenten, Lee—please look after Naruto."

The five nodded and followed Naruto without a word. Kakashi didn’t try to comfort him; he knew it was futile. The damage was done.

Turning to Kiba, Kakashi asked, "Can you still track Sasuke's scent?"

"Sasuke's been gone for some time, and the rain has almost washed it away," Kiba replied. "But..."

Kiba pulled out a small fragment of an Akatsuki robe left behind by Aizen. Looking toward the bridge, he added, "I picked up the scent of someone far more dangerous."

Shino chimed in, "My insects detected a strong smell of blood, but they didn’t sense immediate danger. It seems Fujihara Aizen has noticed us and is waiting intentionally."

Hinata, with her Byakugan activated, was already observing the direction of Aizen's location. Kakashi noticed her hopeful expression and sighed.

"If he's waiting for us, running isn’t an option. Let’s go," Kakashi decided, though unease lingered in his heart.

---

After some time, Kakashi and his group arrived at the scene of Danzō's demise.

Aizen stood atop a stone pillar, rain streaming down his face. Below, Danzō’s corpse lay mutilated across the ruined bridge.

"Danzō... I never thought the fugitive leader of the Root would meet his end here," Kakashi remarked, scanning the area. His gaze settled on Aizen. "Was it you who killed him?"

Aizen replied indifferently, "You already know the answer. Why ask?"

He continued, "When Danzō defected, I captured him as a matter of convenience and held him for years. Otherwise, how could your Leaf Village have enjoyed such peace?

"Now that Danzō is dead, you should thank me. With Root’s members absorbed into your forces, the Leaf's overall strength will increase."

Kakashi frowned. "Where are Lady Tsunade and Chika?"

Aizen’s figure suddenly blurred, appearing before Hinata.

Alarmed, Kakashi shouted, "Kiba! Shino! Stop him! His target is Hinata!"

Before they could act, massive trees erupted from the ground, binding them.

When Kakashi and the others regained consciousness, Aizen was gone, leaving only Hinata.

"What happened, Hinata?" Kakashi asked.

Hinata's face flushed crimson as she recalled Aizen’s unexpected kiss. She stammered, "Aizen said Lady Tsunade and Chika have already returned to the village."

Seeing her embarrassed expression, Kakashi pieced together what had transpired.

In Akatsuki, Sasori had his puppets, Deidara had explosions, Kakuzu had money, and Aizen, it seemed, had a weakness for women.

Sighing, Kakashi decided to pretend he had seen nothing.

---

In a dark, damp cave—a hidden base once belonging to Orochimaru—Kabuto sat cross-legged in a red robe.

In front of him was a captured Leaf Chūnin.

"Summoning Jutsu: Edo Tensei!" Kabuto’s hands weaved seals, and glowing runes appeared around the Chūnin. Dust and ash began to gather, covering the captive’s body.

But just as the process reached its midpoint, the dust scattered, and the summoning failed.

Kabuto frowned. "Another failure. What’s going on? It’s not just Sasori, Kakuzu, and Nagato. Even the Fourth Kazekage failed. That’s a lot of powerful pieces lost."

He paused, a thought crossing his mind. "Could it be...?"

Just then, a voice interrupted him. "You’ve only figured out half of it."

Kabuto turned to see Aizen standing behind him.

"Aizen-sama?"

"How's Edo Tensei coming along?" Aizen asked, casually sitting beside him.

"I’ve gathered a lot of strong candidates, but I couldn’t summon the Fourth Kazekage or most of Akatsuki’s former members except Itachi." Kabuto's tone remained calm, knowing Aizen was aware of his movements.

Aizen explained, "The Fourth Kazekage’s soul was destroyed by my technique. As for the Akatsuki, I revived them. They’re alive, so your Edo Tensei won’t work."

He added, "The Fourth Great Ninja War is about to begin. I’ve declared war on the Five Great Nations alongside the fake Madara. Would you care to join?"

"The Fourth Great Ninja War?" Kabuto’s lips curled into a sinister smile. He licked his lips with his unusually long tongue.

"It would be an honor."

(Chapter End)  

*Chapter 339: News of the Last Heroine*

Konohagakure.  

Hokage’s Office.  

Present in the room were Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Chika.

“That’s how it is.”

As soon as they returned to the village, Tsunade brought Chika to the Hokage’s Office, where Jiraiya was acting as the interim Hokage.

She recounted the events surrounding the recent Shadow Summit.

The room fell into a heavy silence.

After a long pause, Jiraiya sighed and said,

“I never imagined Aizen would join forces with Madara, stir up Sasuke to disrupt the Five Kage Summit, and trigger the Fourth Shinobi World War.”

“The thing we feared the most... has come to pass.”

“And to think Danzo would die at Sasuke’s hands in such a manner,” Tsunade added, her face clouded with guilt. “Aizen had warned me long ago that Akatsuki would become the enemy that unites the five great nations. I should have seen it coming. But I realized it too late, only after it had already happened.”

If she had been more vigilant and persistent back then, refusing to let Aizen act independently, would the outcome have been different?

Jiraiya tried to comfort her. “You’re not to blame. No one could have predicted Aizen would resort to such extremes—or that Madara was still alive. At least you’ve managed to keep Aizen out of the direct conflict with the Alliance and Madara. That’s a small consolation in this tragedy.”

Chika, standing nearby, listened to their conversation with growing impatience. She fidgeted restlessly, clearly uninterested.

At that moment, a burst of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the office.

The door flew open, and Shizune entered, panting heavily. “L-Lady Tsunade, something terrible has happened!”

“Calm down, Shizune,” Tsunade said sharply, a sinking feeling of dread already forming in her chest. “Catch your breath and then explain.”

Taking a deep breath, Shizune finally blurted out, “Sakura... Sakura has been killed.”

---

By the time Tsunade and the others reached the hospital, Sakura’s body had already been prepared, draped in a mourning shroud.

Sakura’s mother was sobbing uncontrollably, pounding on Naruto’s chest as she cried,

“Why... why didn’t you protect her? You’re supposed to be Konoha’s hero!”

Sakura’s father tried to console her, saying things like, “Ninjas face death all the time,” but his own reddened eyes betrayed his grief.

Naruto stood there silently, his eyes unfocused and his spirit shattered, making no attempt to defend himself.

His best friend had killed the girl he had cared about for so long. Perhaps no one was more broken than him.

“This is my fault,” Yamato said, his voice filled with anguish. “As the team leader, I should have noticed Sakura slipping away. If only I had sent her back to the village when I saw her following us...”

Tsunade watched the scene unfold, recalling the murderous intent Sasuke had shown when he left the village. She quickly pieced together what had happened and headed for the morgue.

When she returned, Sakura’s parents had been escorted away by Shizune. Only Yamato, Jiraiya, Chika, and Naruto remained.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Jiraiya asked solemnly, “Was it Sasuke?”

“Yes,” Tsunade confirmed, her voice heavy. “She was killed by a single blow—a Chidori.”

Hearing this, Yamato opened his mouth to take responsibility again, but Tsunade stopped him. Changing the subject, she asked, “Where is Kakashi?”

“He stayed behind with Team 8,” Yamato replied hesitantly. “I believe they’re tracking Sasuke.”

“Send word to bring them back,” Tsunade instructed. “Also, preserve Sakura’s body and seal it for now. If we win this war, there might still be hope.”

She thought of Aizen.

Jiraiya had been brought back to life by him once before.

Perhaps Aizen could save Sakura as well.

But whether Aizen would be willing was another matter entirely.

Of course, this was all contingent on them winning the war.

If they lost, the entire Shinobi world would cease to exist, and saving Sakura would be the least of their concerns.

For now, her priority was helping Naruto regain his fighting spirit, as he was the key to the war.

As expected, her words about possibly saving Sakura brought a glimmer of hope to Naruto’s eyes. With Tsunade’s repeated assurances, he slowly regained his usual lively demeanor.

Watching Naruto walk away, Tsunade sighed with mixed feelings. Turning to the window, she said, “It’s time to start organizing the Shinobi Alliance.”

Yamato, Jiraiya, and Chika all nodded solemnly.

---

Just then, Shizune returned in a rush, breaking the silence. “Lady Tsunade! We’ve just received a report from Sunagakure. There’s been unrest at the ruins of the ancient Roran Kingdom. The Fourth Hokage’s seal seems to be weakening!”

---

Meanwhile, at the Mountain Graveyard in the Land of Iron.

“Have Sasuke’s eyes been transplanted? And has Kisame’s infiltration plan succeeded?”

Obito had just finished transplanting Sasuke’s eyes and was about to leave for Amegakure to retrieve the Rinnegan when he encountered Aizen at the entrance.

Standing beside Aizen was Kabuto, clad in a crimson serpentine robe.

“Aizen?” Obito glanced at Kabuto with suspicion. “Is this the surprise you mentioned?”

Aizen smiled. “Indeed. Don’t underestimate Kabuto. From the moment I met him, I knew he had incredible potential.”

“Orochimaru may have guided him, but he also held him back. Now that Orochimaru is gone, Kabuto’s true worth is beginning to shine. He’s as capable as any of us now.”

“Is that so?” Obito’s tone was laced with doubt. “If I recall, he was once a spy for Sasori and a traitor to Akatsuki.”

“Everyone has a past,” Aizen replied. “Didn’t we all start as shinobi of Konoha? Kabuto, why don’t you show our friend here what you’re capable of?”

*(End of Chapter)*

*Chapter 340: Meeting the Ninja Pig Hidan Again*

"Then, please wait and see." Kabuto smirked faintly, clapped his hands together, and the ground began to tremble.

Four coffins were summoned from the ground. The lids opened automatically, revealing the figures inside: Itachi, the Second Tsuchikage, the Second Mizukage, and the Third Raikage.

Since Aizen had rescued the other Akatsuki members except for Itachi, Kabuto had to summon these three former Kage to fill the lineup.

"This is..." Obito was shocked but tried to remain calm, thinking to himself, Edo Tensei!  

Aizen, standing to the side, spoke, "I won’t bother introducing Itachi; you know him well. The other three are, from left to right: the Second Tsuchikage, the Second Mizukage, and the Third Raikage."

"Each of them was a dominant force in their era, their power rivaling or even surpassing the current Five Kage. But that’s not all. Kabuto has also collected the corpses of many other powerful ninjas."

"They'll be valuable assets for our upcoming war."

"But I doubt these will impress you. Kabuto, why don’t you bring out your trump card?"

Kabuto froze for a moment. Trump card?  

Realizing what Aizen meant, he clapped his hands again. "You really see through everything, Lord Aizen. Edo Tensei!"

With his words, another coffin emerged from the ground.

The lid opened, revealing a middle-aged man with spiky black hair and crimson armor—Uchiha Madara himself.

Seeing this, Obito could no longer suppress his shock. His eyes filled with bloodshot veins as he stammered, "Th-this is..."

"So, do you still think he’s unworthy to stand on equal footing with us?" Aizen smiled faintly.

"Where did Kabuto even get him?" Obito glared at Aizen, lowering his voice. "Was it you?"

"I have no interest in digging up corpses, not even the so-called 'Shinobi Shura.'” Aizen leaned casually against a massive animal skeleton, arms crossed. "We can discuss the details of cooperation later. For now, have you prepared Itachi’s body and Sasuke’s old Sharingan, as I requested? Hand them over."

Obito frowned slightly but nodded. "Fine. But you and Kabuto must not interfere with my recovery of the Rinnegan afterward."

Even though Itachi had been resurrected and Sasuke’s eyes were now useless, Obito wasn’t about to let Aizen gain anything for free.

"Relax," Aizen said indifferently. "I have no interest in gouging out my own eyes to implant someone else's. I have other ways to obtain the Rinnegan."

In truth, Aizen had already recovered the Rinnegan.

He was merely curious to see if Obito could handle Konan, who knew all of his secrets.

After all, Aizen knew that Konan had prepared 6 billion explosive tags, capable of creating an explosion lasting nearly 20 minutes.

If Obito died halfway through, that was his problem.

At worst, Aizen would merge with the Rinnegan and take Obito’s place in the war, though it would make things far less entertaining.

Hearing this, Obito didn’t hesitate further. Using Kamui, he retrieved Itachi’s corpse and a jar containing Sasuke’s Sharingan, handing them over to Aizen.

Under Kabuto and Obito’s astonished gazes, Aizen placed his hand on the jar.

A bright white light emanated from his hand.

As he channeled chakra into the jar, the darkened, lifeless Sharingan within rapidly regained its luster.

They evolved from basic three-tomoe Sharingan to the six-pointed Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Bravo!" Kabuto clapped his hands, retracting the Edo Tensei coffins. "As expected of Lord Aizen, even the dimmed Mangekyo Sharingan can be restored under your power."

"It’s a minor trick, nothing worth mentioning," Aizen said casually, storing Itachi’s body and Sasuke’s Sharingan in his system inventory.

He had a dual purpose for retrieving these items.

First, he intended to return Itachi’s ashes to Mrs. Mikoto.

Second, he planned to use these tools to create an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan for anyone he chose.

"If you want to flatter me, save it for later," Aizen said, turning to Obito. "Kabuto, what exactly do you want in exchange for working with us?"

Kabuto smiled slyly. "Originally, I was after Sasuke’s young and vigorous Uchiha body. But now, it seems unnecessary. Lord Aizen has promised me far better terms."

"Far better terms?" Obito glanced at Aizen in surprise.

"Yes, far better terms," Aizen said with a faint smile. Suddenly, his expression turned serious. "Alright, you two handle the details of your agreement. I have something else to attend to."

With that, Aizen vanished using the Flying Thunder God Technique, reappearing in a vast, rocky desert.

He formed a hand seal, causing a boulder to rise, revealing a staircase leading underground.

Descending into the hidden base, the boulder resealed itself above him.

In a dimly lit room, the flickering candles illuminated two familiar figures.

"Hey, Kakuzu, when are you going to help me find a new body? I can’t stand being stuck in this pig form!" Hidan, now a pig-headed humanoid, grumbled in boredom.

"Shut up, Hidan," Kakuzu replied, his green eyes glaring. "Boss said to keep a low profile for now."

"Besides, don’t interrupt me while I’m counting. This is over 3 billion ryō."

"The boss promised that if I finish counting accurately before he returns, I’ll manage all the funds."

"If you want a body, ask Sasori to make one for you."

Hidan pouted. "Money, money, money. You’ve become obsessed. Haven’t you counted it like 30 times already? Don’t you get tired of it?"

"And that damn Fujiwara Aizen! How am I supposed to spread my faith like this? Sasori’s puppet bodies are emotionless and numb. What’s the point of using them?"

As Hidan continued ranting, Aizen entered the room with a stern expression.

"Sounds like someone’s been bad-mouthing me," he said coldly.

Hidan froze mid-sentence, his pig-faced expression looking utterly miserable.

Meanwhile, Kakuzu eagerly approached Aizen, holding out a ledger. "Boss, I’ve finished counting! You gave me 36.5783 billion ryō. After expenses, here’s the remaining total. Please verify."

Aizen smirked. Kakuzu never changes.