71-75

Chapter 71: The Lady Got Hurt

What is happiness?

Happiness is when you're hungry, and I happen to have a piece of bread, then I’m happier than you.

If you're in a hurry to find a bathroom, sweating, and realize that I took the last stall, then I'm happier than you.

If you've been single your whole life, never seen a woman, and even think a female pig looks beautiful, while in my room there's a stunning woman showering, then I'm happier than you.

It's 8:03 PM.

Just as Aizen returned home, he heard the sound of water flowing from the bathroom, suggesting someone was showering.

Aizen used his Haki to sense and found out that it was Lady Mikoto in the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Izumi was in Konan room, the two of them lying together, chatting about girl stuff.

Clearly, during Aizen’s absence, the relationship between Izumi and Konan had developed quickly, and they had become close friends.

At this moment, Aizen, who once tasted a meal at Shortage Street, had two choices come to mind.

Should he watch, or should he not watch?

Don't get the wrong idea, this wasn't a system-triggered mission, but Aizen's most honest thoughts.

If he watches, he's a beast.

But if he doesn't watch, he's worse than a beast.

Aizen is a pure-hearted kid.

So, he decided to leave it up to fate—a coin flip.

If heads, he'll take a peek;

If tails, he'll sneak two peeks;

If it lands on its edge—damn, if he manages to flip it like that, he might as well watch as long as he wants!

With that in mind, Aizen ran outside, took out a coin from the Naruto world from his system storage, and threw it using a shuriken technique, embedding it into the gap between the floor tiles.

Now, the question is: how should he watch?

Should he use Kyoka Suigetsu or some illusion technique?

No, no, relying on hypnosis or illusions to woo someone is too outdated.

Might as well just storm in with a sword.

But if he doesn't do that, how else can he manage?

The bathroom was sealed up tight, with no gaps at all. If he recklessly opened the bathroom door, Lady Mikoto might notice.

And although his Haki allowed him to hear every sound inside, he couldn't see the details.

Sigh... this is the downside of not having X-ray vision. If he had known, he would’ve figured out a way to steal Byakugan from the Hyuga clan.

As Aizen was mulling over his dilemma, perhaps due to the noise he made earlier when he entered, Lady Mikoto somehow sensed someone in the living room and tentatively asked, "Is someone out there? Izumi, is that you?"

Aizen froze. Did she already notice?

He hadn’t even had a chance to start spying!

If he had known, he wouldn't have bothered with the coin flip.

Next time before entering, he’ll just use Haki to check things out in advance, then sneak in without making a sound.

But now, it was too late. Helpless, Aizen could only respond with slight regret, "Lady, it's me."

"Oh, Aizen," Mikoto replied, clearly not expecting him to return at this time, and especially not while she was showering. Startled, she let out a shriek.

A loud thud followed as she fell to the ground, accompanied by a sharp cry, "Ah!"

Aizen sensed through Haki that Mikoto had fallen and was in pain. She tried several times to get up but failed due to the pain.

It seemed like she wouldn’t be able to stand on her own. Aizen knew Izumi was in Konan room, about 30 meters away, with a sensory barrier set up around it.

If he went there in the middle of the night to knock on the door, he would likely be greeted by paper shuriken embedded with explosive tags.

Although he could avoid those easily, disturbing them in the middle of the night just didn’t feel right.

Help? Or not help? That was the question.

A senior once told him, "To die under a peony flower, even as a ghost, it's worth it."

Another said, "Don’t neglect small evils."

Yet another senior remarked, "No matter how beautiful a woman is, if she lies on the ground too long, she'll catch a cold."

And another senior said, "Damn, Lady Mikoto fell because of me. If I don’t help her, I’m worse than a beast."

Aizen hesitated for a moment, then bravely knocked on the bathroom door, “Lady, are you alright? Did you fall?”

“Aizen… don't… don’t come in, I’m not… dressed yet. Could you get Izumi for me? She’s in Konan room,” Mikoto replied from inside, her cheeks flushed as she struggled to stand but failed again.

“Konan room is forbidden for men. She’s the leader’s sister. If I go near her room, I doubt the leader will let me off.” Aizen used a tactic to create suspense.

“Then what should I do?” Mikoto sounded troubled. She certainly couldn’t let Aizen come in.

“Don’t worry, I’ll come in and help you. I promise I’ll close my eyes and won’t peek.” As he spoke, Aizen indeed closed his eyes, leaving only a tiny slit, and grabbed the bathroom door, trying to twist it open.

It didn’t budge. The door was locked from the inside.

Damn, Aizen slapped his forehead.

But no problem—lockpicking was a required skill during his time in the Konoha Anbu.

He casually took out a senbon needle from his system storage, inserted it into the lock, twisted, and with a "click," the door opened.

"Ah!"

In the next moment, Aizen’s eyes shot wide open, forgetting to keep them shut, and he saw Mikoto sitting on the bathroom floor, wincing in pain. He blurted out, "Why are you dressed—wait, are you okay? Where did you get hurt?"

Aizen clearly heard her fall a moment ago, and the sound of running water still filled the bathroom, but she now wore a sheer black nightgown.

Did she bathe with clothes on?

That’s not a good habit.

“I dropped the soap, slipped on it, and hurt my knee,” Mikoto said, blushing, her face flushed and even her neck turning a shade of pink.

"Are you alright, Lady? Let me take a look." Since Mikoto was now dressed, Aizen didn’t need to keep his eyes closed anymore. He crouched down, lifted her leg, and noticed the skin on her knee was scraped, with a deep purple bruise. Concerned, he asked, “Does it hurt?”

“A little, but it’s not too bad,” Mikoto replied, though having once been a ninja, she had suffered far worse injuries. It was just unfortunate that the location of this injury made it hard for her to stand.

“Can you move it?” Aizen continued to ask.

---

*Chapter 72: Sasuke Has a Father Again*

"It might be a bit difficult. I just got up to put on my pajamas, but it hurts so much," Mikoto said, wincing as she tried to move her leg.

"Don't move. I'll carry you to your room, then apply some medicine and bandage it. You should be fine soon," Aizen reassured her.

Mikoto hesitated slightly but nodded.

Aizen gently lifted her and carried her to her room.

Although they had known each other for many years and were familiar, this was their first time having such close contact.

It was autumn, and the weather hadn't fully cooled yet. Mikoto was only wearing a thin nightgown.

Aizen supported her from beneath, feeling the warmth of her body rise rapidly. He silently recited in his mind, "Stay calm... this isn't what it looks like."

Mikoto, lying in Aizen's arms, could hear his quickened heartbeat and breathing, sensing something unusual. Her eyes trembled, and she didn't dare to look up at him. Her beautiful face flushed with embarrassment, nearly turning red to her ears.

This was Aizen's first time entering Mikoto's room. It felt warm and cozy, except for the memorial tablet of Fugaku, which felt somewhat out of place. His ashes were placed next to it.

The room was tidy and had a faint pleasant fragrance.

Aizen gently placed Mikoto on the bed, pulled over a stool, and sat facing her. He carefully massaged her injury to disperse the bruising. From within the wide sleeves of his cloak, he retrieved a first aid kit from his system's inventory. He cleaned the wound with a disinfectant and cotton balls.

"When did you come back, Aizen?" Mikoto asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

"I returned this afternoon. There was a traitor in the organization, so it delayed me a bit, but nothing major," Aizen responded.

The room fell silent again.

Aizen, unfamiliar with first aid, clumsily applied the disinfectant, sometimes pressing too hard, causing the liquid to seep into the wound.

As the disinfectant touched the wound, a sharp pain mixed with itching surged through Mikoto, making her eyebrows furrow. She occasionally let out soft groans of pain.

"All done," Aizen finally said, after a long while. He let out a sigh of relief and raised his head. The sudden proximity brought their faces almost together.

They both froze.

Mikoto's skin was pale and flawless. Despite being over thirty, time had not left a trace on her face; instead, it made her even more beautiful, like winter snow. Her dark eyes glimmered with a soft light, her long lashes fluttering gently with every blink. Below her eyes was a delicate nose, and her lips, slightly parted, exhaled warm breath.

Her slender shoulders trembled slightly, and her long, silky hair swayed.

Aizen was momentarily lost in the sight.

At that moment, the familiar sound of the system echoed in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, you've triggered a system option.]

[1. Give your first kiss of the day. Reward: A-Rank ninjutsu Rasengan.]

[2. Punish yourself in front of Fugaku's shrine. Reward: 10 Senzu Beans from the Dragon Ball world.]

[3. Do nothing, and you're worse than a beast. Reward: 999,999 Viagra.]

[Options 1 and 2 can be combined. Please choose.]

"Senzu Beans?" Aizen's eyes lit up.

He wasn't particularly interested in the Rasengan. Knowing the original training method, he could learn it within a few days if he wanted to.

But Senzu Beans were different.

One bean was almost equivalent to a second life. No matter how severe the injury—whether it's a severed limb or a gaping chest wound—if you have even a breath left, eating one will heal you completely.

Aizen never expected such an item to appear here, with Mikoto.

In the past, he might have hesitated.

But ever since his experience with Tsunade...

He no longer felt the need to hold back.

His personal motto was simple: as long as she doesn't have a husband and you're interested, go for it.

After a brief hesitation, Aizen boldly leaned in and kissed her.

The scene fades here...

The next morning.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, you've obtained A-Rank ninjutsu Rasengan.]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, you've obtained 10 Senzu Beans from the Dragon Ball world.]

Hearing the system's notifications, Aizen licked his lips, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He had also fulfilled Fugaku’s last wish of reviving the Uchiha clan.

Although the child might not carry the Uchiha name.

By now, Mikoto was fully dressed.

Her once gentle and kind expression had hardened, a subtle coldness emanating from her. She looked like someone who would deny everything after taking what she wanted, and in a low voice, she said, "What happened last night... don't tell anyone, especially not Izumi."

"And next time?" Aizen licked his lips.

"You..." Mikoto's eyes widened, and she nearly bit through her lip.

Given her personality, she would never agree to be with anyone other than her deceased husband.

Let alone someone the same age as her eldest son, like Aizen.

But when the words reached her mouth, they got stuck in her throat.

Along with her breath, she swallowed them back down.

On one hand, she bore the weight of Fugaku's wish to revive the Uchiha clan, which eased her guilt.

On the other hand, both men and women are drawn to physical beauty. Faced with someone as attractive, skilled, and charming as Aizen, it was hard to resist.

The only regret was the age difference between them.

One day, she would grow old first.

Would he still love her then?

"Let's talk about it next time," Mikoto said flatly, turning her head to hide her guilt. She gently pressed her hand to her chest and glanced at Fugaku's shrine, filled with remorse.

She could feel her face burning, her heart racing.

She was developing feelings for this young man.

How could she betray Fugaku like this?

"Thank you, Lady Mikoto," Aizen said softly, moving closer to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently asked, "How's your injury? Feeling any better?"

"You!" Mikoto glared at him, a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment.

With the medicine applied, the injury should have healed enough for her to walk without issue by morning.

But walking wasn't the problem... the fact that it hadn't worsened was already a relief.

Chapter 73: Uchiha Izumi Outside the Door (Rewritten)

"Madam, I have something for you," Aizen said as he took out a Senzu Bean from the system's storage.

He planned to give one to both his wife and Izumi for emergencies.

"What is this? A bean?" Mikoto asked, puzzled.

"This isn't just any bean, it's a Senzu Bean. Just one can keep you full for ten days, and it has powerful restorative properties. As long as you're not dead, it can restore your strength and energy in the shortest amount of time, bringing your body back to its best condition," Aizen explained.

"Really?" Mikoto looked skeptical.

"Want to try?" Aizen teased, holding the Senzu Bean near her mouth.

Mikoto parted her lips, but before he could feed her the bean, she suddenly pushed his hand away and shook her head. "No, it's just a small injury. I'll recover in a few days. You're a rogue ninja now, always on the run. You need it more than I do."

"You're so considerate," Aizen smiled. "But don't worry, I have more than one of these. Keep it for emergencies. It could save your life when you need it most. I'll give one to Izumi later too."

Hearing this, Mikoto couldn’t refuse any longer and accepted the Senzu Bean. Refusing again would just seem overly polite.

"I'll have Konan help with your leg injury later. She knows some medical ninjutsu. That's my second gift to you."

As Mikoto put away the Senzu Bean, Aizen pulled out a piece of pure gold from the One Piece world.

Under Mikoto’s surprised gaze, he cut off a small piece, used fire-nature chakra to ignite a flame in his palm, and melted it into a brand-new gold ring.

"Isn't this a bit too fast?" Mikoto's face turned bright red as she saw the ring in his hand, thinking he was about to propose. Even her neck blushed.

"Let's call it being prepared in advance."

Aizen smiled lightly, not explaining further. He cooled the ring using water-nature chakra and slipped it onto her left ring finger.

Then he kissed her hand softly. "From today onward, you are my wife-to-be."

For a moment, Mikoto was dazed, but when she saw the intense look in Aizen 's eyes, she panicked and stammered, "What are you going to do?"

"I want to..." Aizen smirked mischievously. Just as he was about to fulfill Fugaku's dying wish, there was a knock on the door from outside.

"Aunt Mikoto, breakfast is ready! I just heard from Sister Konan that Aizen is back. Have you seen him?" Izumi’s voice called out.

Mikoto’s heart leapt into her throat, feeling as if they had almost been caught in the act. She nearly screamed.

Aizen , unfazed, quickly covered her mouth and gestured for silence. Once Mikoto nodded, he let go and whispered softly, "Tell her I came back last night but left again this morning. I'll be back soon."

"Oh, Aizen left this morning. He’ll be back later," Mikoto repeated his words hurriedly.

"Really? That guy didn't even say hello," Izumi grumbled from outside. "Well, we won’t wait for him then. Aunt Mikoto, come out and eat. I've made breakfast."

"Izumi, go ahead and eat without me. I didn’t sleep well last night and need a little more rest. No need to wait for me," Aizen said in a voice that sounded exactly like Mikoto's.

"Aizen , you..." Mikoto looked at him, astonished.

Aizen chuckled. "Just a small genjutsu. No one can hear anything from inside now. Let's continue."

Half an hour later, Mikoto limped out of the room.

"Aunt Mikoto, are you alright? What happened to your knee?" Izumi rushed over to support her.

"It’s nothing... I just slipped while bathing last night. I’ve already applied some medicine. I’ll be fine after a few days of rest," Mikoto said, feeling a bit guilty.

She couldn’t possibly tell Izumi what really happened last night or earlier.

"Geez, Aizen is so careless! He saw you fall and didn’t even tell me," Izumi pouted.

"It’s not really his fault. He has a lot on his plate," Mikoto tried to defend him.

At that moment, the door creaked open, and Aizen walked in with Konan, who was holding a medical kit.

"I heard from Aizen that you got hurt. I came to check on you," Konan said as she began treating Mikoto’s injury.

Meanwhile, Aizen pulled Izumi aside and asked curiously, "Is Konan always this cold to you guys?"

Izumi tilted her head. "Not really. Sister Konan is usually very nice. We often cook together."

"Then why does she always look like someone owes her money?" Aizen asked, puzzled.

Little did he know that Nagato had specifically warned Konan that Aizen was just like Jiraiya, which had plummeted her initial good impression of him.

Izumi thought for a moment and said, "Maybe you're not familiar with her yet. After all, you’re always gone for so long when you leave."

While they were talking, Mikoto’s injury was nearly healed.

"It’s done. Rest for a day, and you should be fine by tomorrow," Konan said expressionlessly to Mikoto.

"Thank you, Konan," Mikoto said gratefully.

"Take care," Konan responded kindly. She had a soft spot for Mikoto, finding her to be a gentle and kind woman. After offering a few more words of care, Konan turned and left the room without sparing Aizen a glance.

"She really is a strange woman," Aizen muttered as he watched her leave.

For the next few weeks, Aizen didn’t go on any missions.

After giving Izumi her Senzu Bean, he settled into a relaxed routine.

He spent his mornings training, his afternoons with Izumi, and his evenings with Mikoto.

During his free time, he experimented with developing the Rasengan techniques by combining chakra nature transformation. Life was good.

Two months later, Pain issued a summons.

The meeting location was at a temple near the Earth Country border.

It was the same place where Uchiha Itachi, Sasori, and Kisame recruited Deidara in the original story.

"Aizen , you’re late," Pain said as soon as he saw him.

"Sorry, Leader. I got lost on the road of life," Aizen said, patting his head as his gaze shifted to the two new Akatsuki members standing nearby.

---

*Chapter 74: A New Mission*

One of them had deep blue hair, with a face, complexion, and sharp teeth resembling a shark. His golden pupils stood out, and the sword wrapped in bandages on his back was particularly eye-catching.

Perhaps due to his appearance, he looked much older than his actual age.

The other one looked much younger, even appearing younger than Uchiha Itachi and Aizen themselves.

He seemed to be around twelve or thirteen years old.

He had long, dark blond hair, with his left eye covered by his bangs, which hung down past his face. He had a topknot tied on his head, and at first glance, he looked like an edgy teen, even more so than Obito.

As expected, these two were Kisame, the last member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and Deidara, who loved to shout “Art is an Explosion.”

While Aizen was sizing up the two, they were also sizing him up.

Behind Kisame, Samehada emitted a sense of chaos, unease, and excitement, causing a drop of cold sweat to form on Kisame’s forehead. He thought to himself, "This guy is terrifying. Just standing here is making Samehada react like this. It’s the first time I've ever seen this."

On the other hand, Deidara, inexperienced with the world, scratched his chin while staring at Aizen. After a long while, he still couldn’t figure out anything.

Before Pain could speak, Deidara spoke first:

“Hey, hey, is this the legendary Godlike Illusionist Aizen, the one who wiped out entire clan? Doesn’t look like much. Hm.”

“No special abilities, no bloodline limit like the Sharingan. Just some regular illusions. Is he really that powerful? Hm.”

As soon as these words left his mouth, the room fell silent. Konan, Pain, Kakuzu, Sasori, Zetsu, and even the newly arrived Kisame all looked at Deidara like he was an idiot.

However, Deidara remained oblivious, still looking at Aizen with disdain.

“Why don’t you try and find out?”

Aizen was already looking for an excuse to cast Kyōka Suigetsu on him and Kisame.

Hearing this, he flicked his right sleeve, and his Zanpakuto Kyōka Suigetsu appeared in his hand. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he silently whispered: “Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu.”

“That’s enough, Aizen. Deidara didn’t mean any harm. No need to take it seriously.”

However, before he could make a move, Pain’s voice stopped him.

Deidara’s abilities were crucial for capturing the tailed beasts in the future.

And unlike Kakuzu, he didn’t have five lives to spare.

If he really let him fight Aizen, Deidara probably wouldn’t even know how he died.

“Hehe, Leader, I was just joking with him. I wouldn’t dream of hurting our young, greenhorn little brother.” The release of Kyōka Suigetsu had already been completed, so Aizen lost interest in messing with Deidara any further and sheathed his blade.

“Who are you calling a little brother?” The words "little brother" sounded particularly harsh to Deidara’s ears, and his tone wasn’t very pleasant.

Sasori, standing by, couldn’t hold back anymore and quickly reprimanded him, “That’s enough.”

He didn’t want his teammate to die so soon.

“Hmph.” Deidara respected Sasori, so upon hearing this, he turned away with a proud expression.

The farce ended.

Pain began introducing the two to Aizen one by one: “This is Itachi’s new partner, Kisame, the second wielder of the Great Blade Samehada, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.”

“Pleased to meet you,” said Kisame, stepping forward politely to greet Aizen.

Aizen nodded slightly, and Pain continued, “As for the one who just spoke, he’s Deidara, a disciple of the Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Onoki.”

“There’s no need to say anything more. Let’s get to business. Aizen, you’ll accompany Sasori and Deidara to the Land of Wind to hunt down Orochimaru.”

At this, Pain’s Rinnegan glowed briefly, and his expression turned cold: “The Akatsuki does not tolerate betrayal. This time, make sure he’s dead.”

“It seems Tobi has already told Pain about me intentionally letting Orochimaru go. Is this a warning?” Aizen thought with a cold smile. He nodded, “No problem, leave it to me. I’ve been meaning to test out my new jutsu.”

“But speaking of which, has my teammate been assigned yet?”

Pain nodded, “That’s the second thing I wanted to discuss with you.”

“The negotiations between Kirigakure and Sunagakure have concluded. In a few days, Rasa will send Pakura under the guise of a secret mission to the Land of Water.”

“Once you’ve killed Orochimaru, take Deidara’s clay bird to the Land of Water. Sasori and Deidara will accompany you. There’s more than enough time.”

“Let’s go then.” As he spoke, Aizen turned and walked out of the temple first.

Sasori and Deidara followed closely behind.

“Itachi, Kisame, you two head to Kusagakure.” Watching the trio leave, Pain said to Uchiha Itachi and Kisame with his back to them.

The two nodded slightly. Kakuzu then asked, “What about my teammate?”

“You’ll have to wait a little longer,” Pain replied thoughtfully.

Three days later, in the Land of Wind, Eastern Sand Dunes.

The vast desert raged with wind and sandstorms.

Aizen, Sasori, and Deidara stood amidst the sand, dressed in black robes with red clouds, wind chimes attached to their hats.

Behind them, the yellow sand bore deep footprints and a furrow plowed by Hiruko’s puppet, though it wasn’t long before the wind and sand covered them up again.

Ahead of them was a low-lying area with a massive, disc-shaped sand dune rising from the ground. Faintly, a cave entrance could be seen.

“This place is disgusting. Nothing but sand, sand, and more sand. Hm,” Deidara complained.

“Quit whining. We’re here,” Sasori turned his head towards Aizen. “What do you think? Is that snake in there?”

“I can sense his chakra.” Aizen nodded and created an invisible shield of energy around his body, keeping the sand from touching him.

Deidara said confidently, “In that case, let me blow the whole place up with my art.”

“That’s not an option. The leader’s orders were to make sure he’s dead. If you blow it up, Orochimaru will just escape with reverse summoning. Plus, he already knows we’re here.” Aizen casually threw a few kunai, and immediately, countless sand snakes emerged.

They all slithered towards the sand dune.

Before long, the three reached the entrance of the sand dune.

Orochimaru was already waiting for them.

“Well, well! I never expected Pain to send Aizen to kill me. I thought it would be Itachi,” Orochimaru said, slightly surprised, though his face showed no sign of fear.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not the prodigal son. It’s Uncle Snake—or rather, Orochimaru now. I apologize, we have no personal grudge, but the leader has given the kill order, so I have no choice but to ask you to die,” Aizen said indifferently.

*Chapter 75: The Ultimate Ninjutsu: Talking Jutsu*

"Of course, if you think you can do it," Orochimaru licked his lips and turned his gaze to Deidara, who stood beside Sasori. "That boy used to be with the Iwagakure's Explosive Corps, right?"

"Don't treat me like a kid!" Deidara yelled, forming hand signs to summon a giant clay bird, ready to attack.

Sasori's voice echoed in his ears. "Keep an eye on him from above. Don’t let him escape."

"What, you want to kill him yourself?" Deidara asked, surprised.

"You don’t have a grudge against him, do you?" Sasori retorted and then looked at Aizen, seeking his opinion.

"I don’t care. If you need help, just let me know in advance," Aizen shrugged and flashed away, retreating several meters, watching Orochimaru with interest. Unsurprisingly, he thought, Orochimaru was about to use Edo Tensei.

Deidara, without further hesitation, jumped onto his clay bird and soared into the sky.

Sasori wasted no time either, pulling out the puppet of the Third Kazekage, a hint of pride in his voice. "You should know the power of the Third Kazekage by now."

"Yeah, but I have a habit of taking a little something when I see something nice." Orochimaru formed hand signs with his right hand, and a coffin marked with the character for "three" rose from the ground beside him.

The coffin opened automatically, and a figure emerged.

"That's..." Sasori's pupils shrank, for the figure was none other than the Third Kazekage, whom he had once killed.

Even Deidara, watching from the sky, was surprised. "What’s that?"

"This is the Third Kazekage that you killed. I revived him with a forbidden technique. Now... let's see which is stronger: my forbidden technique or your puppet jutsu."

As Orochimaru spoke, he pulled a kunai with a sealing talisman from his waist and inserted it into the Edo Tensei Third Kazekage’s body. Instantly, the Kazekage regained consciousness, his gaze filled with murderous intent as he looked at Sasori.

"Sasori, huh? You bastard... This time, things won’t go the way they did last time."

With those words, the Third Kazekage formed hand signs.

Iron Sand Drizzle!

Countless grains of iron sand transformed into black raindrops, rapidly covering Sasori and Deidara.

Even Aizen, watching from a distance, became a target of the attack.

Facing the onslaught from the Third Kazekage, Sasori controlled his puppet of the Kazekage to form an iron wall for defense.

In the sky, Deidara’s bird wings were pierced, causing it to wobble.

Aizen, on the other hand, simply activated a protective chakra shield around his body. Despite the dense attacks from the iron sand, he remained unshaken.

At the same time, Sasori manipulated the puppet of the Third Kazekage, its left arm summoning thousands of arms to shatter the Edo Tensei version of the Kazekage. But unfortunately, it quickly began to regenerate, thanks to the Edo Tensei technique.

Seeing the battle between Sasori and Orochimaru reach a stalemate, Deidara, who had regained balance in the sky, could no longer hold back. He threw dozens of clay spiders, which exploded on the Edo Tensei Kazekage, shattering him.

But again, it had no effect. The Edo Tensei body began to regenerate.

"Sasori, what is this? Why won’t he die?" Deidara asked, flying his clay bird closer to Sasori as the Third Kazekage regenerated.

"It’s a forbidden technique created by the Second Hokage called Edo Tensei. It revives the dead and allows them to be controlled."

"Normally, it’s impossible to kill them. You can only seal them or use force to bind their movements."

"Or use a genjutsu to make the caster release the Edo Tensei. Other than that, it’s nearly unstoppable. Even killing the caster doesn’t work."

At some point, Aizen appeared beside the two, explaining the situation.

"Wait, wait, that’s insane!" Deidara exclaimed, disbelief on his face.

"Heh... I didn’t expect you to know about this, Aizen," Orochimaru remarked, slightly surprised.

Aizen smiled. "Of course. After all, I did spend a year in Konoha's ANBU, so I know quite a few secrets."

"But that’s just the usual case. From what I know, there are three—no, four ways to break this technique."

Aizen opened his right palm, where a small blue chakra ball began to form, rapidly expanding and rotating. Eventually, it transformed into a giant shuriken-shaped Rasengan, crackling with a high-pitched screech in the air.

"Sasori, Deidara, step back. I want to test a new ninjutsu. It’s going to be pretty powerful, so I don’t want you two caught in it."

"As for you, Orochimaru, get ready to experience the technique I created by observing the Tailed Beast Bomb from the Three-Tails. It took me nearly a month to perfect it, and I’ve never used it in front of anyone."

"Understood." Despite his frustration, Sasori knew that in his current state, he couldn’t defeat the Edo Tensei Third Kazekage.

Even Deidara, after seeing the Rasenshuriken in Aizen’s hand, lost his usual cockiness.

Sensing the immense chakra within the Rasenshuriken, Sasori and Deidara exchanged glances and retreated over a hundred meters.

Orochimaru’s expression also grew serious.

He wasn’t a sensory-type ninja, but his sharp eyes told him that this technique wasn’t to be underestimated. Having seen the power of the Rasengan, he knew that this new shuriken form would be even more destructive.

"Heh... I didn’t expect this, Aizen. You managed to learn a technique similar to the Fourth Hokage’s just by observing the Tailed Beast Bomb."

"Not only that, but you improved upon it by turning the Rasengan into a shuriken. Impressive. I’m almost tempted by your body."

"Unfortunately, no matter how powerful this technique is, it seems it still won’t stop my Edo Tensei."

Orochimaru feigned calmness, but he was already on high alert. His Substitution Jutsu was ready to be activated at any moment.

While Rasengan and Chidori were usually close-range techniques, Orochimaru had seen Aizen’s speed with the Body Flicker Technique.

He knew his own reaction time and agility were nowhere near fast enough to escape if Aizen came at him with the Rasenshuriken.

He had to be cautious. One wrong move, and he’d be caught in that terrifying technique.

"You fool. Who said I’m using it to stop your Edo Tensei? I just want to test its power on you."

"But before that, let me show you how I’ll break your Edo Tensei first. The first method—Talking Jutsu."

As Aizen completed the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, a sly smile appeared on his lips. He spoke with meaning to the recently regenerated Edo Tensei Third Kazekage: "You’re the Third Kazekage, considered the strongest in Sunagakure’s history, and a peer of Hiruzen Sarutobi, right?"