26-30

Chapter 26: Kakashi’s Shock

“I know,” Aizen sat by the bedside, gently caressing Kurenai’s face. He realized that if he didn’t clear things up today, there might not be another chance. He then said seriously, “Kurenai, will you wait for me to grow up?”

“What do you mean by that?” Kurenai’s face flushed, and while she felt joy, there was also a faint sense of unease rising within her.

“It’s exactly what it sounds like—a confession,” Aizen said with a smile.

“A confession?” Kurenai was dumbfounded. Joy, confusion, excitement, anxiety, and a mix of other emotions flashed through her eyes, until finally, her mind went blank.

“Yes, a confession,” Aizen nodded.

“Are you serious about this? I’m seven or eight years older than you. And besides, I have a bad temper, lots of bad habits, and I enjoy drinking at night…” She blurted out all her flaws in one go.

“They say, ‘Three years older, a treasure in gold,’” Aizen chuckled. “As for everything else, I don’t consider them flaws. Nobody’s perfect, after all—I have my own flaws too.”

Kurenai was taken aback. “What flaws do you have?”

Young, handsome, extraordinarily gifted, incredibly powerful—except when facing Hiruzen Sarutobi, he was calm in almost every situation.

He was composed but not stiff, always managing to tease her relentlessly, almost like a seasoned expert in love.

If she had to point out a flaw, maybe there was just one: he was a bit of a flirt.

It seemed this brat, while interested in her, was also entangled with that girl from the Uchiha clan.

“Looks like you’ve already figured it out,” Aizen’s smile faded. Before Kurenai could react, he pulled her into his arms and whispered softly, “For a long time after today, we might be apart. I might distance myself from you, or even seem like a stranger to you.”

“But please believe me, no matter what happens, I will always be the person you know.”

In ten years, the Fourth Great Ninja War would break out. By then, everything would be settled.

The next day…

Aizen arrived at the meeting spot he had agreed upon with Kakashi—a secluded mountain peak outside the village of Konoha. It was already close to noon, and the sun was blazing.

Kakashi, who seemed to have been waiting there for a while, was nearly sunburned and looked exhausted.

“You’re so slow, kid,” was the first thing Kakashi said when he saw Aizen.

“Sorry about that, Kakashi-senpai. I kinda lost my way on the road of life today,” Aizen replied, using the same excuse Kakashi had once used with Naruto’s Team 7. He tossed a bottle of cold water toward Kakashi.

Kakashi caught the bottle and gave Aizen a look that clearly said, “Like I’d believe that,” before turning around, taking off his mask, and downing the water.

“How about this, to make it up to you, I’ll treat you to lunch later. You can pick the place,” Aizen suggested.

“Then I won’t be polite,” Kakashi said, still facing away from Aizen. “The Hokage asked me to teach you a few jutsu that suit you. Have you ever had your chakra nature tested?”

“Lightning and Earth,” Aizen replied, hiding the fact that he also possessed Fire, Water, Yin, and Yang chakra. Yin and Yang chakra were beyond the understanding of most ordinary shinobi, so there was no point in bringing them up.

He had already mastered fire-based techniques like the Great Fireball, Phoenix Flower, and Dragon Fire, so Kakashi wouldn’t have much to teach him in that area. As for Earth-style jutsu, he had used the Head-Hunter Jutsu before, so it wouldn’t make sense to hide that.

As for Water-style jutsu, Kakashi didn’t know many powerful ones anyway—he could copy them later using Shisui’s Sharingan.

But the main reason he wanted to learn Lightning-style jutsu was to study Kakashi’s Chidori.

There was no way he could reveal all four of his chakra natures at once, especially with them already mastered to such an advanced level. Otherwise, old man Hiruzen Sarutobi would lose sleep over it.

“So, two chakra natures, huh? Not only are you skilled in genjutsu, but you also have the rare Lightning nature, second only to Wind in rarity. You really are a genius,” Kakashi said, putting his mask back on and turning to face Aizen. “So, have you decided what kind of jutsu you want to learn?”

Aizen pretended to think for a moment before saying, “I’m good with genjutsu, and while that gives me a huge advantage in battle, it becomes ineffective against someone like you, Kakashi-senpai, who has a Sharingan and can break illusions easily. In that case, I’d be put in a very passive position.”

“So, I hope you can teach me both a defensive and an offensive jutsu.”

“For defense, I’d like to learn the B-Rank Earth-Style Earth Wall. And for offense, I think your Chidori would be perfect.”

“You sure have big ambitions. I guess Kurenai’s told you a lot about me,” Kakashi sighed, his lips twitching. “Earth Wall is fine, but Chidori is a problem.”

“It’s not that I doubt your talent, but Chidori has a fatal flaw—it requires high-speed movement during attacks. Without the Sharingan, you can’t react quickly enough and could easily be countered by your opponent. I can’t teach it to you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, senpai. My dynamic vision is naturally sharper than most, so that’s not a problem for me. Besides, I won’t use it for direct attacks, but to complement my genjutsu, making up for the lack of offensive power,” Aizen explained calmly.

“I see…” Kakashi finally understood. “In that case, let’s begin. But just so you know, the Hokage only gave us one day—well, half a day now.”

He raised his hand to shield his eyes and glanced up at the scorching sun. “That means I only have half a day to teach you. How much you can learn is up to you.”

“No problem, let’s get started,” Aizen said.

With his chakra nature transformations for both Earth and Lightning already maxed out, mastering these two jutsu wouldn’t be difficult for him.

Half an hour later, Kakashi stared at the massive Earth Wall behind Aizen, complete with a dog head emblem engraved into it—his signature. Then he looked at the high-intensity lightning currents in Aizen’s hand, sharp as a blade, and began to question his life choices.

“To learn a B-Rank Earth-style jutsu and an A-Rank Lightning-style jutsu in under half an hour…” Kakashi’s lips twitched. “I mean… are you a monster? If it weren’t for your normal eyes, I’d have thought you transplanted a Sharingan.”

“Haha, you’re funny, senpai. I wouldn’t dare do something like that. And I’m definitely not the type to dig out my own eyes for a Sharingan. Of course, I don’t mean you—yours was a gift from your best friend,” Aizen said with an awkward laugh.

---

PS: Second update, please vote and support!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 27: Goodbye, Naruto*

"Your way of comforting people is really not very pleasant." Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Since you've already mastered it, let's head down the mountain. If you have any questions in the future, just come to me. This cursed weather—if we stay here any longer, we'll be dried out like jerky."

"Perfect timing. It's not lunch yet, so why don't we go grab something to eat? I'll treat you as thanks for your guidance. What would you like? How about Ichiraku Ramen?" Aizen suggested.

"Looks like you've already made the decision for me," Kakashi replied weakly.

Perhaps it was because Aizen had spent so much time around the Uchiha clan, sharing a bond with an Uchiha friend like Kakashi did. Kakashi didn’t have much animosity toward Aizen. He just thought of him as a junior with a bit of a sly personality.

Before long, the two arrived at Ichiraku Ramen.

There, they encountered an unexpected person: Uzumaki Naruto.

"Aizen-niisan!" Naruto, who hadn’t seen Aizen since last winter, was excited to see him again after a year.

Maybe Aizen didn’t even realize it himself, but those two times he treated Naruto to ramen, even though it was while hijacking Hinata's place, had given Naruto a sense of warmth and family.

In doing so, Aizen had replaced Iruka as the first person to reach Naruto's heart.

"Hey, it's you! A year has passed, and you're still this short? Have you been eating instant ramen instead of proper meals again?" Aizen ruffled Naruto's spiky blond hair like he was petting a dog.

Upon seeing his teacher’s orphan, Kakashi's expression shifted. Behind his mask, his face looked uneasy.

"Hehe," Naruto laughed, clearly enjoying his time with Aizen.

With an admiring tone, he excitedly said, "Aizen-niisan, I’ve heard about it! You graduated from the Academy less than a year ago, and now you're already a Jōnin! I’m going to become a great ninja like you, and then I'll become Hokage!"

"Is that so? Well, keep at it. I believe you can do it," Aizen replied casually as he sat down. "Boss, three bowls of tonkotsu ramen, and for the toppings, just add whatever you think tastes best. It's on me today."

"Got it, Aizen! Coming right up," Teuchi replied cheerfully as he began preparing the ramen.

Naruto froze, speechless, after hearing Aizen’s words of encouragement. Unbeknownst to Aizen, he had just become the first person to ever truly believe in Naruto.

Kakashi watched Naruto's reaction carefully, staying silent the whole time.

After lunch, Naruto quickly ate and left early to return to school.

Only then did Kakashi speak, somewhat hesitantly: "Aizen, are you close with that kid?"

Aizen feigned surprise for a moment and then responded, "Not really. Including today, I've only met him three times. I just saw him all alone, so I treated him to some ramen."

"I see," Kakashi echoed and continued, "Then you must know who he is, right? If I recall correctly, your parents were killed in the Nine-Tails attack. Why don't you hate that kid?"

"Why should I hate him? The Nine-Tails is the Nine-Tails, and Naruto is Naruto. At the time, that little guy was just a newborn baby. What could he possibly have done?"

Aizen responded with a rhetorical question, then began to make veiled criticisms.

"Whoever spread those rumors about Naruto being the Nine-Tails should be damned. It turned a perfectly good child, already an orphan, into someone hated and ostracized by the village."

"He's been drinking expired milk, eating instant noodles, and whenever he tries to buy something, no one will sell to him. He's been starving every day."

"The fact that he's survived this long is nothing short of a miracle."

Then, with a smirk, Aizen added, "If I ever find out who started those rumors, I’ll be sure to report it directly to Lord Hokage."

"Rumors, huh?" Kakashi thought back to his own father, Konoha’s White Fang, who had been ruined by similar rumors. Thinking about Naruto's current situation filled him with guilt.

Even though the Third Hokage had forbidden anyone from getting close to the jinchūriki, Kakashi, as the student of Naruto’s father, Minato, had never once shown concern for his teacher’s orphan.

What had he been doing all these years?

---

As the sun set in the evening, the village was bathed in the glow of the sunset, casting a beautiful and bustling atmosphere across Konoha.

At that moment, on the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood with his hands behind his back. Kneeling on one knee behind him, now dressed in his ANBU gear, was Kakashi.

"So, Kakashi, what do you think of that Aizen boy?" Sarutobi asked, eyes half-closed, not turning to look at Kakashi.

Of course, Sarutobi hadn’t sent Kakashi to teach Aizen just out of the goodness of his heart. He wanted to probe Aizen. Although Kurenai Yuhi had already reported 'everything' about Aizen, and Sarutobi trusted her, the fact that Kurenai was Aizen’s mentor created some bias.

Given Sarutobi’s past with Orochimaru, he couldn’t help but suspect Kurenai might have hidden some minor details. And often, it's those small details that reveal someone's true character.

That’s why Sarutobi had sent Kakashi to test Aizen before assigning him as a spy within the Uchiha clan.

Kakashi kept his head bowed, thinking for a moment before voicing his thoughts respectfully: "Aside from his bloodline limit, without a doubt, he’s a genius on par with Uchiha Itachi. He mastered the B-rank Earth Release: Earth Style Wall and the A-rank Chidori in less than half an hour."

"In terms of character, he’s not some villain. On the contrary, he seems to have a strong sense of justice and is able to think rationally about issues."

"Perhaps due to being an orphan, he seems to harbor sympathy for the weak."

"I see," Sarutobi exhaled deeply. Overall, Kakashi’s assessment aligned with what he already knew. But Aizen's ability to think rationally about problems was a bit troublesome.

Sarutobi needed a pawn who would blindly follow him, not someone like Fujiwara Aizen, who could think for himself. If not handled carefully, Aizen might end up like Danzo had feared—betraying him for the sake of that Uchiha girl.

That was something Sarutobi could not afford.

"Looks like I’ll have to carefully guide him some more. His Will of Fire still isn’t pure enough," Sarutobi thought to himself.

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi’s voice broke through Sarutobi's thoughts.

---

PS: First chapter of the day. Please vote for recommendations and monthly votes! (Chapter End)

*Chapter 28: A Summons from the Third Hokage*

"Is there something else?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, a bit surprised.

"I saw the child of my teacher today," Kakashi said with a heavy expression.

After parting ways with Aizen, Kakashi didn’t immediately return to report. Instead, he secretly observed Naruto.

The result deeply saddened him.

Naruto lacked guidance and was isolated by everyone in the village.

To gain attention and recognition, he often resorted to pranks.

But rather than gaining approval, it only made him more disliked.

His financial situation was also dire—so bad that he was barely able to afford food. He mostly survived on instant ramen with no nutritional value.

Even the milk he drank was sold to him past its expiration date, simply because the villagers didn’t like him.

And Naruto himself had no idea.

As for his studies, they were a complete mess. Without parents to encourage him, he even got the basics of chakra control wrong. His mastery of the basic techniques was terrible; aside from the Transformation Jutsu, he couldn’t perform the Clone or Substitution Jutsu at all.

It was hard to imagine how Naruto had survived up to this point.

"Minato's child..." Hiruzen Sarutobi mused.

He was well aware of Naruto's situation.

Though Danzo had maliciously spread rumors, the reality was more due to Hiruzen’s passive allowance.

On one hand, after the Nine-Tails attack, the villagers needed someone to focus their hatred on.

On the other hand, as the Third Hokage, while Hiruzen could have ensured Naruto lived the life of a hero’s child, he allowed Naruto to end up like this.

Because only when the entire village hated, isolated, and despised Naruto would he be truly alone and desperately crave recognition and love.

Then, at the right moment, Hiruzen could step in and offer Naruto the emotional support he needed.

By doing so, he would become the only person in Naruto’s life who brought warmth.

That way, Naruto would become close to him, admire him, and perhaps even see him as the only hope in his life.

And in doing so, the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails would remain firmly under the control of the Hokage.

"That child is living in terrible conditions, eating only ramen and expired milk. Lord Hokage, I’d like to provide Naruto with the basic necessities of life," Kakashi continued.

"I see. This is my failure as Hokage. I’ll make sure Naruto never has to live like this again," Hiruzen responded, yet he still didn’t give Kakashi permission to approach Naruto. Instead, as always, he took responsibility himself and made a promise.

Even if Naruto’s life were to improve, it would have to be Hiruzen himself who made that change. It couldn’t be left to anyone else, no matter how inconvenient it might be.

Kakashi, hearing this, was deeply moved.

Without even realizing it, Hiruzen had skillfully defused a potential crisis of distrust, making Kakashi trust him even more as the "strongest Hokage in history."

But if Aizen were present to hear this, he would surely scoff.

Thinking to himself:

"Where were you all this time?"

"Did you really have to wait until someone brought it up before pretending to care about improving Naruto's life?"

And you even act like you’re the victim here.

With just one percent of the wealth left behind by Minato and Kushina, Naruto’s childhood could have been far less tragic.

While Kakashi and the Third Hokage were talking...

Outside the village...

Aizen had already returned to the mountaintop where he and Kakashi practiced ninjutsu.

Lightning surged from his right hand.

At times, his entire body was surrounded by lightning.

At times, lightning from his right hand shot out like countless needles, piercing through rock.

At times, it formed a chain, cutting through everything in its path.

At times, it transformed into a dog that pounced on rocks, smashing them.

At times, it even took the form of Aizen himself, its shapes and forms ever-changing.

Finally, the lightning became a sharp spear, piercing and slicing through everything in its way.

These were the evolved versions of Kakashi’s Chidori, developed by Aizen, who had mastered perfect lightning-style chakra transformation: Chidori Stream, Chidori Senbon, Lightning Chain, Lightning Beast Running Jutsu, and Chidori Sharp Spear— a series of lightning-style jutsu.

In no time, the once rocky mountaintop became a barren wasteland.

"With perfect mastery of lightning-style chakra transformation, evolving Chidori using the techniques from Kakashi and Sasuke in the original story was surprisingly easy. I guess I can now move on to trying out Kekkei Genkai or even Kekkei Tōta," Aizen thought to himself, satisfied as he gazed at the wreckage.

In his mind, he muttered, "System, open my personal stats."

Ding! Loli-Loving System Activated.

*Host:* Fujiwara Aizen

*Gender:* Male

*Age:* 12

*Kekkei Genkai:* Sharingan

*Chakra Nature:* Fire, Lightning, Earth, Water, Yin, Yang

*Chakra Levels:* 5 units (up to 60 in Sage Mode)

*Secret Technique:* Tiangang Jue (5th level, includes body shield and flash step)

*Ninjutsu:* Fireball Jutsu, Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu, Dragon Flame Jutsu, Shadow Clone Jutsu, Basic Three Jutsu, Body Flicker Jutsu, Summoning Jutsu, Chidori series, Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu, Earth Style: Earth Wall

*Summon:* Crow

*Special Ability:* Kyōka Suigetsu (Anyone who has seen its release can be affected directly at the soul level, controlling all five senses. It can even manipulate chakra perception in the Naruto world.)

*Genjutsu:* Kotoamatsukami, Sharingan Genjutsu, Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death, Genjutsu: Triple Blossom

*Taijutsu:* Basic Konoha Taijutsu, Tiangang Jue techniques, Uchiha-style shuriken and kunai techniques

*Chakra Nature Transformation:* Fire, Lightning, Earth, Water

*Inventory:* Kyōka Suigetsu (Zanpakutō), 225 kunai, 311 shuriken, various clothes, 5 storage scrolls, 39 wooden substitution logs, Mother River Water

"After advancing to the fifth level of my technique, my base chakra has increased to 5 units, and the boost in Sage Mode has gone from tenfold to twelvefold. Looks like I’ll never run out of chakra again," Aizen mused to himself.

Suddenly, he sensed someone approaching at high speed. It was Kakashi.

Quickly, Aizen strapped his Zanpakutō to his waist and activated Kyōka Suigetsu, altering the appearance of the mountaintop to hide the devastation.

When Kakashi arrived, all he saw were a few ordinary craters left by Chidori, along with the marks from their previous training.

"I knew you’d be here," Kakashi said, glancing around in admiration. "It seems your chakra levels far surpass mine. I can only use Chidori four times in a day before hitting my limit. But you’ve already used it four or five times today and still look like you’re going strong. Quite impressive."

"Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. If not for the strain from your Sharingan, I’m sure you’d have gone far beyond this," Aizen smiled, changing the subject. "So, what brings you here?"

Kakashi nodded seriously, his expression becoming stern. "The Hokage has summoned you."

---

*PS:* Second update. Please vote!

Chapter 29: The Beginning of the Conspiracy, the Start of Extinction

Before long, Kakashi Hatake led Aizen to the Hokage's office.

"Lord Hokage." Aizen released his genjutsu, making it appear as if he knelt on one knee in respect.

Kakashi, after a brief greeting, left the room.

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as usual, was smoking his pipe. Upon seeing Aizen and Kakashi arrive, he put out the pipe and showed a warm, kind smile. "Aizen, you're here. Please, stand up. No need for formalities."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," Aizen responded respectfully, controlling the illusion to stand up.

Hiruzen then engaged Aizen in small talk, asking after his well-being, while discussing trivial matters. He rambled on for quite some time.

Although Aizen was inwardly impatient, he maintained his persona of admiration for the Third Hokage, playing along with the old man’s act.

Finally, after nearly half an hour of casual conversation and probing, Hiruzen got to the point.

"Aizen, do you still remember the Nine-Tails' attack six years ago?"

"Of course, I remember. My parents... died in that disaster. I was powerless, forced to watch them die," Aizen said, using his genjutsu to show deep pain and sadness. By the end, his eyes reddened, and tears streamed down his face.

Hiruzen observed Aizen's reaction, feeling secretly pleased while letting out a long sigh. "Actually, it wasn’t a natural disaster. It was a man-made calamity."

"A man-made calamity?" Aizen feigned shock and confusion.

"Yes, the Nine-Tails' rampage was deliberately caused. In the entire ninja world, the only ones capable of controlling the Nine-Tails, aside from the First Hokage's Wood Release, are the Uchiha clan's Sharingan." As he spoke, Hiruzen recited the explanation he had prepared.

"Lord Hokage, are you suggesting that the Uchiha clan might have been responsible for the disaster?" Aizen, showing a look of horror, continued to play along.

"Although there is no conclusive evidence, we cannot rule out the possibility," Hiruzen sighed deeply, his voice filled with sorrow. "Since the death of the First Hokage, the only ones with the ability to control the Nine-Tails have been those with the Mangekyō Sharingan from the Uchiha clan."

"Aizen, you're a smart young man. I'm sure you understand what I'm getting at."

"I am willing to give my heart for Lord Hokage and for the village," Aizen said solemnly, raising his right hand and placing it over his heart, giving Hiruzen the response he was expecting.

"You're willing to give your heart, huh?" Hiruzen repeated, nodding with satisfaction. "Aizen, from today onward, I will assign you to the Anbu. Your mission is to monitor the Uchiha clan. At the same time, I will deliberately leak this information. When the Uchiha hear about it, they will undoubtedly try to recruit you."

"I need you to act as a double agent, reporting the Uchiha’s every move to me. At the appropriate time, with my approval, you can offer them some insignificant information to gain their trust. This is a top-secret mission. I trust you will not reveal it to anyone."

Hearing this, Aizen didn’t immediately agree. Instead, he showed a look of hesitation and concern.

Hiruzen’s brow twitched slightly, but his face remained gentle as he asked, "What's wrong, Aizen? Do you have any concerns?"

Aizen nodded. "Lord Hokage, if the Uchiha clan is truly behind the Nine-Tails' attack, I hope you will punish only those responsible and spare the innocent civilians and ordinary ninjas."

"Is this about that girl, Uchiha Izumi?" Hiruzen's expression softened when he heard this, feeling not displeased, but rather pleased.

Earlier, he had been worried that he wouldn’t have anything to control Aizen. After all, Itachi Uchiha had his younger brother, Sasuke, as leverage, ensuring his loyalty. But Aizen was different—he had no family, which meant no ties to bind him.

Now, with a love interest, Aizen would be much easier to control.

"You like that girl, don’t you?" Hiruzen continued.

"Yes, Lord Hokage. She was also a victim of the Nine-Tails' attack. Like me, she lost her parents," Aizen admitted.

Hiruzen replied solemnly, "I can assure you that, whether or not the Uchiha clan is involved in the Nine-Tails' attack, Uchiha Izumi will be kept safe."

In his mind, however, he added: Of course, if the Uchiha commit any further acts that harm the village, I can’t make any promises.

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," Aizen thought to himself, disgusted. You old fool, as if I’d trust you. In the original story, you didn’t protect Sasuke, and if it weren’t for Itachi threatening Danzo, Sasuke would’ve been dead long ago.

Hiruzen nodded and clapped his hands. Shortly after, an Anbu member entered the room, kneeling on one knee and respectfully saying, "Lord Hokage."

"From today, Aizen is a member of the Anbu. Take him to report in," Hiruzen ordered.

"Yes, Lord Hokage," the Anbu member responded respectfully, then led Aizen away.

As soon as Aizen left, the other three members of Konoha’s "Council of Elders"—Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Danzo Shimura—entered the office. Danzo, getting straight to the point, asked, "Hiruzen, did the boy agree?"

"Hmm. But he did make one request: to ensure Uchiha Izumi’s safety, no matter what happens," Hiruzen said, sitting back down at his desk and lighting his pipe.

"Tch, I knew that kid would be partial to the Uchiha. There's no way he’s fully loyal to the village," Danzo clicked his tongue.

Despite his words, there was no sign of anger. In fact, Danzo was rather pleased, because the moment Aizen requested to protect Uchiha Izumi, it became clear he had no future as Hokage.

In reality, Hiruzen had never intended for Aizen to become Hokage. That was just Danzo overthinking things.

"This is actually a good thing," Koharu Utatane offered a different opinion. "Having a weakness makes him easier to control. If he were truly flawless and willing to betray even those he cares for, then I’d be more worried about his loyalty to the village."

"Koharu is right," Homura Mitokado agreed, nodding.

For once, the Konoha elders found themselves aligned on the same page.

Meanwhile, the Anbu member had already taken Aizen to the Anbu registration area.

"This will be your personal locker from now on," the Anbu member pointed to a storage locker. Then, he turned his gaze toward a nearby window, "Your Anbu equipment is ready. Head over there to collect it."

---

End of Chapter

*Chapter 30: Uchiha Itachi’s Probe*

"Thank you, senior," Aizen nodded.

"Stop calling me 'senior,'" the Anbu ninja removed his mask, revealing his forehead protector in the style of a faceplate. His tone became much gentler, "Since we're now comrades, just call me Tenzo. It's the codename the Hokage gave me."

He glanced at the Kyōka Suigetsu sword hanging from Aizen's waist. "That's a nice sword, but it's a bit too flashy. In the Anbu, secrecy is our priority. I suggest you use the standard Anbu sword from now on."

"I understand, senior," Aizen nodded again, thinking, So this is the future Wood-Style ninja, Yamato?

"I've told you already, stop calling me 'senior,'" Tenzo sighed helplessly with a wry smile as he patted Aizen on the shoulder and turned to leave. "Alright, change into your uniform here. I'll introduce you to the other members in a bit."

Moments later, after changing into his new attire and choosing a smiling mask, Aizen stored his Kyōka Suigetsu sword in his system storage.

When he stepped out with his mask on, a group of Anbu ninjas, including Kakashi, Yamato, and Uchiha Itachi, were already gathered outside waiting for him.

Because Aizen had previously fought Kakashi, he didn’t face the same difficulties upon joining the Anbu that Uchiha Itachi experienced in the original storyline.

"Aizen, how are you? Getting used to it?" Kakashi approached him, removing his dog mask.

"Thanks to you, everything has gone smoothly," Aizen, now masked, acted with extreme humility in front of Kakashi.

"That's good," Kakashi tilted his head toward a nearby tree branch, where Uchiha Itachi, wearing a fox mask, was crouched. "Itachi, come over here."

"Yes, Captain Kakashi." In a flash, Itachi appeared before them and removed his mask.

"This is Uchiha Itachi. You were classmates once, so I don’t need to introduce him any further," Kakashi said. "Aizen, the classified mission assigned by Lord Hokage is known only to the two of you. I won’t interfere—discuss it between yourselves."

"Just report to the Anbu regularly from now on. I won’t give you any extra tasks."

"Understood, Captain Kakashi," Aizen responded respectfully.

"Follow me," Uchiha Itachi said expressionlessly, giving Aizen a glance before putting his mask back on and disappearing with a flicker.

Aizen followed closely using the Body Flicker Technique.

Before long, the two arrived at a high vantage point in the village.

From here, they could see the entire Ninja Academy below.

"I didn’t expect you to get involved," Uchiha Itachi said in a deep voice, watching his younger brother Sasuke attentively listening in class. "Is it because of Izumi?"

Leaning against a nearby pillar with his arms crossed, Aizen replied, "And you, as the heir of the Uchiha clan, the son of the clan leader, have become a spy planted by the Konoha higher-ups in your own clan. Quite ironic, isn’t it? Is it because of Sasuke?"

"I didn’t expect you to know even that." Itachi turned around, his dark eyes staring coldly at Aizen. "It seems you're not as simple as you appear, Aizen."

"Right back at you," Aizen said calmly, removing his mask.

"Before we discuss the mission, there’s something I want to confirm first." Itachi’s eyes closed briefly and reopened, now revealing the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Their gazes met, and Itachi activated his Sharingan's Genjutsu.

Aizen was momentarily dazed, his pupils growing vacant, but the next second, a smile crept onto his lips as his body disintegrated into cherry blossom petals, surrounding Itachi.

The three tomoe in Itachi's eyes spun rapidly as he countered with Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change, the technique he once used to repel Kurenai’s illusion.

However, though the genjutsu was dispelled, it wasn’t reflected back onto Aizen, who stood in place the entire time, watching Itachi with a faint smile.

"That was close. As expected of the Sharingan—you almost reflected my illusion. Good thing it's only the Three-Tomoe Sharingan for now. If you had unlocked the Mangekyō, I might’ve been in trouble."

Aizen pretended to be relieved, though his tone remained relaxed, as if the Mangekyō Sharingan was no big deal.

"So, did you confirm what you needed to?" Aizen added.

"More or less," Itachi said, his gaze growing more cautious as he recalled the mysterious man who had stolen Shisui’s right eye. His suspicion toward Aizen deepened.

Putting his mask back on, Itachi spoke seriously, "I will inform the Uchiha leadership about your promotion to jōnin and your joining the Anbu. Due to your relationship with Izumi, they will likely offer an olive branch by proposing to marry Izumi to you."

"As long as you continue escorting Izumi home as usual, someone will approach you."

"At that point, you’ll be able to infiltrate the Uchiha clan."

"That simple?" Aizen felt a sense of disbelief. The Uchiha are really that easy to fool?

"Yes, that simple," Itachi said before vanishing from sight.

"What a brilliant strategist," Aizen muttered after Itachi left. "He’s probably already suspecting me of stealing Shisui’s right eye. But how can someone so smart have such low emotional intelligence? To think he was manipulated into massacring his clan by Konoha’s elders… what a tragic fool."

Aizen disappeared from the scene.

Not long after, a massive green Venus flytrap emerged from the building's walls. It slowly opened, revealing the combined form of Black Zetsu and White Zetsu.

"Who was that? He’s unaffected by the Sharingan’s genjutsu. Impressive," White Zetsu remarked.

"Itachi didn’t use the Mangekyō Sharingan. In a real fight, it’s hard to say who would win. But the chakra that kid released when casting his illusion was remarkable. Looks like Konoha has another genius," Black Zetsu replied in his raspy, unpleasant voice.

"So, what should we do? Should we inform Tobi—or rather, Madara—now?" White Zetsu asked.

"No need. We’ll tell him later. A genjutsu user without the Sharingan isn’t a threat to our plans. Our priority remains finding the one who took Shisui’s right eye."

With that, Black Zetsu melded back into the wall with White Zetsu, disappearing as if they had never been there.

As they left, Aizen emerged from the rooftop and muttered, "Seems they accidentally saw my Kyōka Suigetsu at some point. Otherwise, even with Zetsu’s sneaky techniques, I wouldn’t have detected them."

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*PS:* First chapter update, thanks to [Sharktooth] for the 100 coins and to [Reader 1601] and [Reader 9763] for the 500 coins!