136-140

*Chapter 136: The Interrogation of Asuma*

A massive explosion of flames engulfed Aizen.

Aizen smiled calmly, forming a seal with his left hand. A vast amount of chakra gathered in his throat, then he suddenly unleashed it.

*Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!*

A colossal water dragon, much larger than the fire-style technique, shot forward. As soon as it collided with the explosion of flames, it scattered them instantly.

The water dragon didn’t lose momentum, breaking through the sky, circling several times, and letting out a mighty roar. Then, it dived straight toward Sarutobi Asuma.

*In front of the Central Tower in the Forest of Death.*

Anko Mitarashi and Iruka Umino, following orders from the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, were leading the remaining eleven Genin who passed the preliminary round—minus Sasuke—from another direction out of the Forest of Death.

Suddenly, a dragon’s roar echoed in the distance. A massive water dragon flew into the sky, then crashed down with a thunderous wave.

"What was that?"

Everyone, including Anko and Iruka, turned to look where the water dragon had landed.

"That’s..." Kabuto recalled the water dragon, a cold sweat forming on his forehead as he forced a smile. Internally, he thought, "That’s the Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu... no mistake. Only someone as powerful as Fujiwara Aizen could have done that. No, only Lord Aizen could."

"What a terrifying guy... The Konoha ninjas are in trouble now. Of all people to provoke, they had to mess with Lord Aizen, a person even Orochimaru wouldn’t dare challenge."

Looking toward the water dragon’s direction, Iruka and Anko exchanged nervous glances, cold sweat on both of their foreheads.

Naruto walked up to Iruka. "Iruka-sensei, what was that just now?"

Iruka wiped his forehead nervously and answered dismissively, "That must be the Jonin sparring. Don’t worry about it. Everyone, hurry up and leave the Forest of Death."

"Jonin sparring? Wow, that’s awesome!" Naruto's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Is Kakashi-sensei there, too?"

Iruka hesitated, swallowing hard as he remembered the Third Hokage’s instructions. "He should be."

"Then I want Kakashi-sensei to train me!" Naruto leaped onto a tree and rushed toward where the water dragon had landed.

"Hey, Naruto... stop right there!"

"Anko, you take the others and go. I’ll go after Naruto."

By the time Iruka had responded, Naruto was already far ahead. He shouted to Anko and hurried to chase after him.

But before Iruka could finish speaking, Gaara had already gone after Naruto.

"Hey, Gaara, where are you going?" Kankuro shouted.

"It’s none of your business," Gaara replied, disappearing from sight without looking back.

"This guy always acts on his own," Kankuro muttered, exchanging a glance with Temari before they followed after him.

Naturally, once one person goes, more follow.

After Naruto and Gaara, Kankuro and Temari also followed, worried something might happen to Gaara.

"I’ll go check it out too," Choji said, then went after them, with Shino silently following behind.

"Guess I’ll join the fun too," Tōsu said, already resigned to being used as a sacrificial pawn for Edo Tensei.

Lastly, even Shikamaru, Ino, and Sakura joined the group.

Soon, only Kabuto and Anko were left in front of the Central Tower.

"These guys... they’re a real bunch of troublemakers," Anko sighed, rubbing her forehead. She turned to Kabuto and asked, "Aren’t you going?"

"I’ll pass. After the second exam, I’ve already reached my limit," Kabuto replied modestly. He had no intention of getting involved in the battle between the Akatsuki and the Konoha ninjas—it wasn’t worth the risk.

Anko frowned. "Alright, take a break here. I’ll send the Anbu to escort you out later."

"No need for that. I’ll rest for a bit and leave on my own," Kabuto replied humbly.

"Tch." Anko clicked her tongue but didn’t say more. She used the Body Flicker Technique and headed in Naruto’s direction.

As he watched Anko leave, Kabuto murmured to himself, "Things are getting interesting now. Don’t you agree, Lord Orochimaru?"

As Kabuto finished speaking, the ground beside him began to shift. Orochimaru slowly emerged, his face twisted into a sinister smile. "Indeed..."

*"Summoning Jutsu: Cat of Shadows!"*

Just as the water dragon was about to crash into Asuma, the voice of Morino Ibiki, who had yet to take action, suddenly rang out.

A giant fortune cat, bound by iron chains, appeared in an instant, wrapping itself around Asuma. The chains tightened, pulling both the cat and Asuma underground.

The water dragon slammed into the spot where Asuma had stood, and within moments, the forest was flooded. Giant trees shattered, and large sections of the Forest of Death were submerged in water.

"The terrain... it’s changed. What incredible power. Not just Genjutsu, Lightning Style, and Wind Style, but Water Style too..." Kakashi, hiding in the shadows, watched through his Sharingan. Since he had been behind Aizen, he wasn’t hit by the water dragon.

At this moment, words couldn’t describe the shock Kakashi felt.

In just a few exchanges, five elite Konoha ninjas, including himself, had been tasked with stopping Fujiwara Aizen. Two were already severely injured and out of the fight.

Asuma had almost died.

This level of power was beyond anything Kakashi had ever known.

On the other side, Morino Ibiki had already moved the unconscious Might Guy and Hayate Gekkō to a safe area.

"You reversed the summoning technique that traps enemies to pull Sarutobi Asuma underground and evade my water dragon... As expected of Konoha’s head of the Interrogation Unit, Morino Ibiki. But now, you’re the only one left. Do you really think you can still stop me?" Aizen said with a smile, looking at Ibiki.

"Let’s find out. Summoning Jutsu: Torture Chamber!"

Ibiki formed a seal, and several chains suddenly appeared, binding Aizen and dragging him into a dimension filled with torture devices.

"I’m the head of the Interrogation Unit. Did you think I wasn’t preparing anything while you fought with them?"

"From the start, I’ve been setting up this summoning technique. Here, I’m in control. No matter how powerful you are, there’s no way you can escape."

"So, tell me—what organization have you joined, and what’s your purpose for infiltrating Konoha?"

Ibiki stood proudly in front of Aizen.

"And what if I don’t want to talk?" Aizen responded calmly.

"Don’t worry, I’ll make you talk." Ibiki snapped his fingers, and suddenly, sharp metal wires shot out, binding Aizen tightly.

But Ibiki’s face paled, and cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"This torture chamber... the caster uses their own chakra to interrogate the enemy, but they also endure the same pain. Now, let’s see who has stronger chakra."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 137: Naruto Encounters Aizen*

In the interrogation room.

Asuma Sarutobi was bound by iron chains, his body wrapped tightly in sharp iron wires. The wires cut deeply into his flesh, causing him unbearable pain. His body had begun to twist and deform from the agony.

In front of him stood Morino Ibiki, the head of Konoha’s interrogation unit, who had cast the summoning jutsu causing Asuma's torment. Ibiki himself was suffering the same intense pain.

“Ibiki, what are you doing? It’s me, Asuma. Let me go!” Asuma struggled weakly, his face twisted in agony.

But Ibiki didn’t seem to hear him at all, showing no intention of responding. In Ibiki’s eyes, Asuma appeared as Fujiwara Aizen.

“Can you really remain indifferent to this level of pain? No wonder you're called Aizen, the Illusion God. Impressive,” Ibiki's voice trembled as he spoke, nearly fainting from the excruciating pain. If it weren’t for his years of experience enduring torture, he would have succumbed long ago.

Aizen smirked, “Of course. If you can, tighten it a bit more. Let's enjoy this together.”

“As you wish.” With that, Ibiki tightened the wires even further.

“Tighter, tighter,” Aizen joked, acting as if the pain didn’t bother him at all.

Meanwhile, the real Asuma screamed in agony, eventually passing out from the pain.

“The summoning time is almost up,” Ibiki muttered, his face pale. “How is this possible? This guy hasn't even flinched. Does he not feel pain?”

Ibiki, now at his limit, inspected ‘Aizen’s’ body. Other than broken bones and torn flesh, his vital functions were completely normal, leaving Ibiki puzzled.

Normally, anyone else would have fainted long ago, but ‘Aizen’ seemed entirely unaffected, like a puppet being controlled.

“A puppet?” Ibiki suddenly realized something was wrong. “No! This isn’t him!”

The summoning jutsu was released, and Ibiki and Asuma returned to reality from the other dimension.

“Finally figured it out?” Aizen's voice suddenly echoed in Ibiki's ears.

Ibiki looked over and saw the large lucky cat he had summoned earlier to protect Asuma emerging from the ground. Two slashes of a blade later, the cat was cut into pieces, revealing Aizen standing behind it.

He then looked back at the ‘Aizen’ who had been dragged into the interrogation space. Somehow, it had transformed into the tortured and unrecognizable form of Asuma.

Kakashi, watching from the shadows, was beyond shocked. His forehead was drenched in cold sweat.

This was the first time Kakashi had seen an illusion that could make enemies turn on each other without even realizing it.

Kakashi thought to himself, “His genjutsu is so advanced that even my Sharingan can’t see through it. Fighting someone like him makes numbers irrelevant.”

“When did he switch places with Asuma? Even withstanding that level of pain—damn it!” Ibiki, now barely conscious, muttered through trembling lips before collapsing to the ground.

“Well done, Ibiki. You're ruthless to your enemies, but even more ruthless to yourself. To go so far just for an interrogation—you're the top in the ninja world for sure,” Aizen said, sheathing his sword. He gave a subtle smile as he approached Ibiki, who suddenly grabbed his ankle, shouting, “Kakashi, now!”

Before Ibiki even finished speaking, Kakashi had already prepared his Lightning Blade. In an instant, he dashed toward Aizen’s heart, aiming to strike.

Boom! A massive tree, nearly a meter in diameter, fell with a crash as dust and debris filled the air.

“Lightning Blade, huh, Kakashi? It seems you’ve been training well since our last encounter in the Land of Waves. But unfortunately, it’s useless against me,” Aizen’s voice echoed from within the smoke.

As the smoke cleared, Aizen stood there, slightly turning his body, gripping Kakashi’s right arm, which had just released the Lightning Blade. The attack had hit the tree instead of its intended target.

The lightning gradually faded from Kakashi's hand as he stared at Aizen in disbelief. “How is this possible?” he muttered.

Kakashi had launched a surprise attack from behind, using his Sharingan to lock onto his target and deliver a precise, fast Lightning Blade—yet Aizen had blocked it barehanded. How?

Ibiki, at his limit, used his last ounce of strength to weakly whisper, “Damn it,” before collapsing entirely, releasing his grip on Aizen’s ankle.

Aizen smirked. “Hard to believe, isn’t it?” He tightened his grip slightly, and with a crack, Kakashi’s wrist dislocated.

“Ah!” Kakashi cried out, clutching his right arm and dropping to one knee, sweat pouring down his face.

Just then, the sound of sharp blades cutting through the air filled the silence. Four shuriken flew toward Aizen from behind.

“Let go of Kakashi-sensei, you black-robed bastard!” Naruto's voice rang out.

Aizen didn’t bother dodging. A protective energy barrier formed around him, and with a clang, the shuriken bounced harmlessly away.

“Naruto…run...ahhh,” Kakashi tried to shout, but Aizen tightened his grip, turning his words into a scream.

“Hey, Naruto. Long time no see,” Aizen said without turning around.

“You...!” Naruto froze upon hearing the familiar, calm voice.

Memories of his past encounters with Aizen flooded Naruto’s mind—how Aizen had bought him ramen and acknowledged him during his loneliest, most painful moments.

Chapter 138: Facing the Third Hokage

At this moment, following behind Naruto, Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, and Neji Hyuga—along with several Chunin exam finalists, special Jonin like Anko Mitarashi and Iruka Umino—all arrived on the scene.

Before them lay Might Guy, Hayate Gekkō, Ibiki Morino, Asuma Sarutobi, all unconscious and collapsed on the ground. Kakashi, held by Aizen, was kneeling in agony, letting out painful screams.

Everyone looked on with disbelief.

No one could have imagined that these five elite Konoha shinobi, who had seemed so powerful just moments ago, would be defeated by a single person in such a devastating manner.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"Asuma-sensei!"

Ino and Sakura tried to rush forward, but Anko stepped in, stopping them. She shouted sternly, "Don’t go near him. You'll die."

She then turned her sharp gaze to Aizen, her expression serious as she demanded, "Who are you, and what do you want with Konoha?"

Aizen responded casually, “Just a nostalgic visit. I wanted to see what kind of mess the old man, Hiruzen Sarutobi, has turned the once-great village of Konoha into."

"After some observation, it’s clear I wasn’t disappointed. While other nations prepare for war, expanding their military, this old man has grown complacent after the fall of the Uchiha clan, thinking the village is safe."

Aizen turned and released Kakashi's arm, kicking him towards Anko. His short black hair, marked Konoha headband, and flawlessly handsome features were immediately visible.

Anko caught Kakashi in her arms, her pupils shrinking as she broke into a cold sweat. "There's no mistake. You're Fujiwara Aizen, the true culprit behind the extermination of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans. The most notorious criminal in Konoha’s history."

The mention of Aizen's name caused a stir among the gathered shinobi.

Sakura gasped, her voice trembling, "Fujiwara Aizen... He’s that Fujiwara Aizen?"

Nearby, Shino pulled out his rogue ninja handbook, glanced at it, and said in a low voice, “There’s no mistake. His description matches exactly.”

“Gaara, this is really bad. He’s extremely dangerous. We should get out of here and leave this to the Konoha ninjas,” Kankuro urged Gaara, his face equally grim.

However, Gaara didn’t respond. He only shot Kankuro a cold glare, formed a hand seal with his right hand, and in an instant, appeared 30 steps in front of Aizen. His voice was icy as he said, "You’re the one known as the bandage man, right?"

"Of course," Aizen replied, appearing beside Gaara in a flash, striking him with a hand chop that left Gaara collapsing to the ground.

“No way! He defeated Gaara in just one move!” Kankuro shouted in terror, his and Temari's legs trembling with fear, frozen in place.

"Aizen-niisan... why... why are you doing this?" Naruto's tear-filled voice broke the silence. He wanted to step forward and confront Aizen, but Kakashi grabbed his shoulder, speaking in a low tone, “Naruto, don’t. He’s no longer the Aizen you once knew.”

“The Aizen we no longer know?" Aizen smiled, spreading his hands. “Kakashi, you’re too naive. Not everyone is like you, able to ignore even the murder of their father just for the sake of a lost friend.”

"If Naruto learns his true heritage, if Sasuke learns the truth about the Uchiha massacre, and if Hiruzen Sarutobi's vile actions are exposed for all to see, maybe they’d surpass even me in their vengeance."

"Though, it seems Naruto won’t turn out that way. He has you, Iruka, Sasuke, and that girl Sakura to hold onto. So, Naruto will never walk the path of darkness.”

“That's something Sarutobi and Konoha should be thankful for."

At hearing Aizen call her "Sakura the Slut," a burst of courage surged through Sakura. She shouted in anger, “Jerk! My name is Sakura, not ‘Sakura the Slut!’”

Aizen casually waved a hand, slapping her through the air with a gust of wind. He sneered, “Does it even matter? Sakura the Slut, I’ve been watching you for a while."

“You ignore Naruto when he’s around, even looking down on him for not having parents or proper upbringing, yet you shower Sasuke with affection.”

"But when danger comes, you turn to Naruto. Just look at how you behaved when facing Orochimaru in the Forest of Death."

"Sasuke was trembling in fear, and Naruto nearly lost his life protecting both of you."

"And what did you do? You ignored Naruto entirely and only cried over Sasuke. Then you had the nerve to call out to Naruto for help again."

"Tell me, what makes me wrong for calling you a slut?"

“I…” Sakura’s face paled as she covered her swollen cheek, avoiding Aizen’s gaze.

"Forget it. Everyone has bad taste in people sometimes," Aizen said indifferently. "Enough with the idle chatter. I wanted to continue our earlier conversation, but it seems we’re out of time. The old man Sarutobi has arrived."

As Aizen finished speaking, dozens of black-clad figures emerged from the forest, surrounding him.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, dressed in combat gear and holding the Adamantine Staff transformed from the Monkey King Enma, stood atop the tree Kakashi had severed earlier, overlooking the group.

"Lord Hokage!" The Konoha shinobi, upon seeing Sarutobi, instantly found hope, their eyes lighting up.

After all, this was the Third Hokage, renowned as the strongest of the Kage.

“Everyone, take the wounded and leave. I’ll handle this with the help of the Anbu,” Sarutobi commanded with a wave of his hand.

“Do you really think you can take anyone away without my permission?” Aizen smirked, as flames ignited in his hand. He slammed it into the ground, instantly forming a massive red barrier that enveloped a large part of the Forest of Death.

“This is the Uchiha clan’s Fire Formation. Damn it... Fujiwara Aizen, do you really intend to annihilate us today?” Sarutobi’s face darkened as he recognized the barrier.

Though it was earlier than he expected, Sarutobi knew the people present were the core and future of Konoha.

If sacrificing himself to protect them meant dying as a hero, ‘dying to protect Konoha’ would be an honorable death—just like the previous Hokage.

“You've committed far more atrocities than I ever have,” Aizen said with a soft chuckle. “Time is short, so I’ll be brief. After all, many of the victims’ families are here today.”

Chapter 139: Exposing the Old Monkey's Secrets

"Compared to your record of annihilation, you've done far more than me," Aizen chuckled softly. "Time is short, so I'll just bring up a few examples. Fortunately, there are still many victims' families present here."

"The first victim's family is Kakashi. Back then, due to the high esteem of Konoha's White Fang—Kakashi's father—who posed a threat to your position as Hokage, you allowed Danzo to use rumors to drive him to suicide. I've already told Kakashi this, but he seems unwilling to believe it. Or maybe, for the sake of Konoha, he doesn't want to take revenge on you. A true pillar of Konoha."

"The second victim's family is Neji Hyuga."

"Me?" Neji was taken aback, not quite understanding why this overwhelmingly powerful guy was calling him out.

Aizen nodded, "Yes, you. I assume you're still holding a grudge against the main family for your father Hizashi's death, right? Young man, you've been hating the wrong people all along. The one who killed your father wasn't Hiashi Hyuga but someone else."

"Shut up."

Each word from Aizen pierced Sarutobi Hiruzen's nerves like needles.

What Sarutobi cared about most was his reputation.

If Aizen continued exposing his dirty deeds, regardless of whether people believed it today or not, Sarutobi's image among the Konoha citizens would be tarnished forever.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!" Sarutobi shouted, throwing a shuriken, which then multiplied into countless shuriken, raining down on Aizen.

But Aizen seemed almost intangible, with the shuriken passing right through his body.

"Whoa, getting angry, are we? But there's no point in wasting your energy. Unless someone with a Mangekyō Sharingan comes, no one can touch me. Not even you, the shameless Third Hokage, who arrogantly proclaimed himself 'the strongest Hokage in history.'"

Aizen boasted, his words dripping with sarcasm.

In reality, even a Mangekyō Sharingan wouldn't be enough to see through his Mirror Flower Water Moon technique.

That's because Mirror Flower Water Moon doesn't work like regular genjutsu that manipulates chakra—it directly affects the soul.

Nearby, Kakashi Hatake explained, "Hokage-sama, this is Fujiwara Aizen's genjutsu. It creates illusions even the Sharingan can't distinguish. His real body must be hiding somewhere within the barrier."

"Find him!" Sarutobi commanded harshly.

Upon his order, the surrounding Anbu who had previously encircled Aizen scattered, searching the area thoroughly.

"Alright, my time is limited. Let's continue with what we were talking about," Aizen ignored Sarutobi and carried on, "Neji, let me tell you the truth."

"Sarutobi Hiruzen orchestrated the peace treaty between the Cloud Village and Konoha. On the day of the signing, the Cloud Village, lusting after the Byakugan bloodline, tried to abduct the Hyuga clan's heiress."

"But the person they sent was killed by the Hyuga clan leader on the spot. Cloud Village then falsely accused Konoha of killing their envoy and, under the threat of war, demanded the perpetrator be handed over."

"The truth is, the Cloud Village was just bluffing Konoha. Having just come out of the Third Great Ninja War, they were in worse shape than Konoha. All the villages were recovering. If war had broken out, Cloud Village would’ve been vulnerable to their long-standing enemies, Iwagakure."

"Though the Fourth Raikage is a brute, he wouldn't risk Cloud Village’s safety over such a gamble. It was simply a test for Konoha."

"And what did our 'strongest Hokage' do? He caved. Weak against external threats, but harsh on his own people, he foolishly agreed to hand someone over."

"Although the elders of the main family ultimately decided your father would die in place of Hiashi Hyuga, your father didn’t sacrifice himself for the main family. He did it to protect his brother Hiashi. He chose to die willingly."

"If you want to blame someone, the one truly responsible for your father’s death is none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen, the old coward who let it happen."

"Hokage-sama, is this true?" Neji looked at Sarutobi with a complex gaze.

"Neji, don’t listen to this traitor's lies. Your father sacrificed himself willingly for the peace of Konoha. He’s a hero of the village." Sarutobi, ever the master of manipulation, lied without flinching.

Aizen continued to mock him, "A hero of Konoha, huh? Funny how none of the 'heroes' you talk about ever seem to meet a good end. You’re always going on about, 'Where the leaves dance, the fire burns eternal, lighting the village and helping new generations to sprout.'"

"But what have you actually done? You’ve drained Konoha of its vitality to bolster your Sarutobi clan. Other clans suffered greatly in the three Great Ninja Wars, some even fading from history."

"But your Sarutobi clan? They’ve thrived, haven't they?"

"Guess how many ninja I wiped out when I took down the Sarutobi clan? Over two thousand."

"Two thousand ninja, more than the combined peak forces of the Uchiha and Senju clans, and none of them ever took part in any missions."

"So you’ve been burning Konoha to fuel your own clan."

"If you claimed this was Konoha's hidden strength, its last line of defense, maybe I could accept that."

"But they didn’t even show up during the Nine-Tails' attack, when Konoha was on the brink of destruction. In the end, it was the Fourth Hokage who sacrificed himself to save the village."

"You know what they were doing, don’t you? Just like Danzo’s dogs in Root—they were hiding away."

"Shut up, you bastard!" Sarutobi, furious, screamed with bloodshot eyes, nearly tearing his throat out with his rage.

His long Adamantine Staff extended, jabbing at Aizen's location, but of course, it missed.

"Haha, keep jabbing! I love seeing you like this—wanting to kill me but being completely helpless." Aizen laughed.

"Damn it!" Sarutobi trembled with anger, his face twitching uncontrollably.

Ignoring Sarutobi, Aizen turned to Naruto. "Naruto, you just asked me why I defected from Konoha, right? Well, let me give you one reason."

"I guess it was because, before leaving, I wanted to rid Konoha of the Sarutobi clan, parasites that were draining the village’s lifeblood. If I hadn’t, and Sarutobi kept up his nonsense for a few more years, Konoha might as well have been renamed 'Sarutobi Village.'"

Upon hearing this, Naruto lowered his head slightly, his eyes welling up with tears.

He wasn't crying for himself; he was crying for Aizen.

Soon, Naruto would begin his usual "Talk no Jutsu" on Aizen.

*Chapter 140: Naruto’s Persuasive Speech, Aizen Becomes a Father Again*

"Is that so..." Hearing Aizen’s words, Naruto seemed to understand something. He took a deep breath, lifted his youthful face, and faced Aizen directly.

Seeing this, Aizen knew Naruto was about to begin his famed persuasive speech. Hidden by his illusion technique, Kyouka Suigetsu, Aizen extended two fingers of his right hand, and shot a stream of chakra, which landed on Gaara.

Gaara suddenly coughed violently and slowly regained consciousness. The first thing he saw was Kankuro's face, covered with its distinctive markings.

"Gaara, are you alright?" Kankuro asked worriedly.

Temari, also concerned, asked, "Gaara, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

For the first time in his life since his uncle Yashamaru, Gaara felt someone’s concern for him.

For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond.

This was Gaara’s first time thanking someone, and Kankuro and Temari were just as unsure of how to react. Stunned, they replied, "It's nothing, really."

As the feeling of concern faded, Gaara's face once again returned to its usual coldness. He turned his head toward Aizen, and deep in his eyes, there was a trace of fear.

Just moments ago, the Shukaku inside him had warned him never to provoke this man named Fujiwara Aizen.

Otherwise, not only would Gaara die, but Shukaku would perish with him.

However, the fear in Gaara’s eyes was quickly replaced by shock.

Because Naruto had started his speech.

Naruto said to Aizen, "Brother Aizen, even though I didn’t fully understand what you just said, whether it was about Neji, Kakashi’s father, or the Third Hokage’s selfishness, none of those are reasons for you to betray the village."

"In truth...you must still love this village, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have spared Kakashi-sensei and the others. I don’t understand the wars you adults talk about, but I know if war breaks out, a lot of people will die."

"If Kakashi-sensei and the others die, and the village loses its powerful protectors, then the war the Third Hokage warned about might really come."

At this point, Naruto placed his right hand on his stomach. "As for me... since I was little, people in the village always looked at me with cold eyes. Everyone saw me as a monster."

"The loneliness of being all alone... it's a pain you can’t even imagine. Sometimes, it even made me question whether I should exist."

"Until one day, I met you, Brother Aizen. I don’t have parents, no siblings, no family, not even a friend. While others were eating with their families, I was wandering the cold streets alone."

"But Brother Aizen, you suddenly appeared and saved me from that hell."

"I heard from Teuchi that your parents were probably killed by the monster inside me."

"But you never looked at me differently. You even bought me ramen and acknowledged me."

"From that moment on, I didn’t feel sad anymore... because I wasn’t alone anymore!"

"Later, I met Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei, and also Sasuke."

"I don’t understand what it’s like to have real family. But when I’m with Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei, I think, ‘This must be what it feels like to have family.’"

"And when I’m with Sasuke, I think, ‘This must be what having a brother feels like.’"

"And Brother Aizen, though you're not much older than me, I think... this must be what having a father feels like... because, for me, these bonds are precious. So please stop, Brother Aizen!"

By the end of his speech, Naruto was already in tears.

The scene fell into an abrupt silence.

Everyone stood wide-eyed, stunned by Naruto’s words.

Aizen, however, blushed slightly and muttered, "A father, huh?"

At that moment, Aizen finally understood the power of Naruto’s persuasive speech.

If he were a native of this world, he might have been moved on the spot.

Unfortunately for Naruto, Aizen was a time-traveling outsider.

Hearing the word “father” only made Aizen think of Naruto’s mother, Kushina.

Meanwhile, Gaara’s mind was in turmoil after hearing Naruto’s speech.

He thought about his own past: his uncle Yashamaru, his brother Kankuro, his sister Temari, and the father who tried to kill him countless times.

His head began to throb with unbearable pain. Unable to hold it in, Gaara let out a scream. "Ah!"

"Gaara, what's wrong?" Kankuro shouted in panic.

"Gaara?" Temari also looked worried.

Aizen glanced at Gaara with interest, thinking to himself, It seems this love-deprived boy is almost convinced by Naruto.

After a while, Gaara regained his composure and looked once more at Kankuro and Temari, who were supporting him. His gaze had softened, and the coldness in his eyes had lessened. He placed a hand on his chest and whispered, "Is this what a bond feels like?"

Suddenly, the sound of Aizen clapping broke the silence, drawing everyone’s attention back to him.

"Naruto, that was quite the speech. Honestly, I was almost moved. I was going to tell you about your past, and the ugly truth about that old man Hiruzen Sarutobi, but now it seems unnecessary."

Aizen’s tone changed, and the smile on his face disappeared. He raised five fingers. "Five seconds."

"What?" Everyone was confused.

"In just five seconds, I could kill everyone here, including Hiruzen Sarutobi," Aizen said, drawing his sword, Kyouka Suigetsu.

His words brought a sudden silence to the scene. Kankuro, supporting Gaara alongside Temari, shouted, "Wait, we’re not from Konoha!"

Based on the power Aizen had shown and the terrifying barrier surrounding them, Kankuro had no doubt Aizen could do it.

"Five... four..." Aizen ignored Kankuro and began counting down.

At that moment, he sensed Kurenai approaching.

After all, he didn’t really plan on killing anyone today.

The hero who saves everyone should, of course, be his woman.

"Everyone, prepare your defenses. Fujiwara Aizen could appear near any of you at any moment." Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, calm as he usually was, broke into a cold sweat, cursing under his breath, "Damn it."

The killing intent was so thick it seemed to freeze the very air.

As Aizen was about to reach "one," Kurenai arrived just in time with a group of medical-ninjas. Standing outside the barrier, she shouted, "That’s enough, Aizen!"

"Looks like you all got lucky." Aizen winked at Kurenai and, with a light clicking sound, withdrew the barrier and vanished into the Forest of Death.