Research into Chakra

Watching Minato Namikaze take form beside him and sit down, Jiraiya felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles.

To his left was his disciple, Minato Namikaze, dazzling like a Golden Sun. To his right was Kakashi Hatake, the disciple his disciple was slated to take on.

Although Minato Namikaze had worn a strange expression when he picked Kakashi, saying something odd like, "A dangerous kid like this should be watched by me," Jiraiya felt that the two of them actually got along quite well.

And the only one who did not have a deep relationship with Sosuke Aizen, nor much interaction with him, was himself. The Toad Sage, the Legendary Hero, Jiraiya.

Though most of those were self-proclaimed, Jiraiya felt that he was still a somewhat renowned figure in the ninja world.

Seeing the younger generation on either side of him looking as though they were ready to attend a lecture, Jiraiya felt a wave of sorrow at the thought that he could not understand anything Aizen was saying.

But as a Senior, Jiraiya still felt he ought to set an example. Even if he could not say much in terms of theory, his practical skills were still formidable. Otherwise, he would never have become one of the Sannin.

However, Aizen's next words made Jiraiya's scalp tingle.

"Chakra is the product refined from an even mixture of spiritual energy and physical energy. Unlike stamina, although stamina is also a mixture of spiritual energy and physical energy, it has not been refined by us and therefore cannot be considered Chakra. (Book of Confrontation)"

Casting the cool floating characters into the air before them, Aizen looked at his three students and spoke gently.

"There are rumors that Goddess Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths brought Chakra into this world. But there is another theory: Chakra had existed since ancient times, merely hidden within the body where it could not be discovered. (Boruto) Based on Chakra's properties, I believe the latter has a certain degree of plausibility, though it is less likely than the former."

"Why do I say that? Because the essence of Chakra is a one-to-one mixture of spiritual energy and physical energy. That is rather remarkable, isn't it? Only after a certain amount of training can one sense the spiritual and physical energy within one's body. Generally speaking, ordinary people only choose the aspect they are better at and strengthen it, whereas the one-to-one mixing ratio and comprehensive growth have been passed down from the era of Goddess Kaguya."

"So I believe that if Chakra was not created by Goddess Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths, then they developed it through some means. But if it had been developed, extensive records of that development should have been left behind. Yet Goddess Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths seem to have appeared out of thin air. Neither historical records nor written documents contain any account of their development or research. Therefore, out of caution, I can regard Chakra as something foreign."

"And as a medium for transmission and activation, this form of energy known as Chakra surpasses spiritual energy and physical energy alone. This can be seen from how ninja overwhelmed Onmyoji and samurai."

"Now we come to the key point: the variability and abnormality of Chakra."

Pulling the floating words back toward himself, Sosuke Aizen looked at the three students before him—whether they counted as good students or not was another matter—and gently posed a question.

"Based on the Chakra text I have currently displayed in the air, how many forms of Chakra transformation and jutsu did I use to write these words?"

"The answer is zero. I used nothing at all. By simply making use of Chakra's own properties and incorporating some of the characteristics of Chakra-based Sealing Jutsu and Lightning Release, I was able to create something like this."

"The plasticity of Chakra as an energy is nearly limitless. Yet it possesses a powerful tendency to return to its origin. Chakra of the same type as the main body can overwhelm divergent Chakra branches, assimilate them, and then strike back at the weaker party. This is a property of Chakra. (Book of Facing)"

"So I boldly speculate that if there is a primordial signal, a Chakra entity with the highest authority, then we may be unable to harm it at all. Energy centered on Chakra cannot contend against a higher form of Chakra. Therefore, no matter what, our ninjutsu cannot deal with a higher-level signal source. This is Chakra's nature."

"Based on this theory, our understanding of ninjutsu development becomes much simpler. We do not need flashy things. We only need to raise our authority and quality, and its own energy will naturally strike back at itself."

"After referencing and hypothesizing based on the five primary Chakra branches and Yin-Yang Release, I have estimated the possibility of a primordial signal. So our next subject will be—"

"Um, Sosuke."

Watching Sosuke Aizen speak with such fluency, Jiraiya raised his hand somewhat uneasily.

How should he put it? The feeling was rather strange. He was clearly already an adult, yet under the odd looks Minato and Kakashi gave him, Jiraiya still felt inexplicably guilty.

But Aizen said nothing else. Nor did he cast the strange, reproachful looks that unfriendly students or teachers in Jiraiya's memories would have given. He merely adjusted his glasses gently and asked in a soft voice.

"What is it, Jiraiya Senior? Is there anything you would like to add to what I just explained?"

"What's the point of all this stuff you're talking about? Why can't I understand any of it?"

"What I have described is, in essence, a way of understanding ourselves and this world. If the human body is a weapon, then which is better: acting in ignorance, or acting with awareness?"

Aizen did not grow impatient because Jiraiya appeared slow and foolish. Instead, he explained in great detail.

"If we simply use Chakra, it is like treating a weapon as a piece of lumber and directly swinging it to smash something. But once we understand its essence, we can make more effective use of our own strength. That is the result of learning."

"Then could you explain Chakra transformations in greater detail?"

"Of course. That is precisely what I was about to elaborate on. Chakra transformations are not as simple or crude as you might imagine. In reality, they involve extremely precise changes in proportion and form..."

Hearing Jiraiya's question, Aizen nodded readily. He wrote a string of words in the air and explained the matter of Chakra transformations in detailed and vivid terms.

Whether it was Kakashi Hatake or Minato Namikaze beside him, both listened thoughtfully, even directly trying out tests themselves.

Only Jiraiya kept asking questions about minor details, and often tried to challenge him.

But faced with Sosuke Aizen's gentle expression, which never changed, even Jiraiya eventually found himself too embarrassed to keep it up. Somewhat awkwardly, he asked.

"Don't you think I'm being too much trouble?"

"How could I? For any teacher, teaching children who want to learn is the happiest thing."

Looking at Jiraiya, whose expression was somewhat awkward and who seemed to want to flee, Aizen smiled and adjusted his glasses, speaking softly.

"Whether they are last in the class or first, they are all the same kind of children. Their desire to learn is the same. Why would I pour cold water on what they yearn for?"

"...So even if they were last in the class, you would still teach them without distinction?"

"Not necessarily. If they are simply last in the class, I will not help them."

Facing Jiraiya's hopeful gaze, Sosuke Aizen answered decisively. But then, a gentle, comforting radiance like the moon appeared on his face once more.

"However, if a child asks me for help, I will teach them. No matter how many times it takes, I will. Because I will never reject a heart that longs to improve. That is the stairway to progress. Only the future knows what a child may grow into. And I look forward to such a future."

"I see..."

He understood.

He understood completely.

Listening to what seemed to be Sosuke Aizen's heartfelt words, Jiraiya nodded and sat down on the ground.

This adult ninja, one of the Sannin, heard none of what followed. He merely stared blankly at the azure sky, his mind completely empty.

So, it really was all just a coincidence?

The Haori incident, the sword incident, and all those other things.

They were all coincidences.

Sosuke Aizen truly was an innocent man.

If even someone that good was putting on an act, then what could anyone believe in?

The Third Hokage and the others must have thought the same way. Even though they clearly knew Sosuke Aizen seemed highly suspicious, they had still become immersed in this moonlight.

He educated students, handled administrative affairs, soothed the Ninja, minimized every consequence, and gladly helped others. He was kind and friendly, able to reach directly into the softest parts of people's hearts. Even if they were not friends, what could he possibly do?

Point directly at Aizen and say, "Your suspicions are far too great. Let's go see the Third Hokage"? Did the Third Hokage truly know nothing? Then what was the reason for the Third Hokage's behavior?

At first, Jiraiya had no idea why his friend and the other Ninja were acting so strangely. He had even dismissed it with scorn.

But after truly coming into close contact with him, Jiraiya suddenly realized that he did not want to do that either.

To tear away that dreamlike veil would be too cruel.

Jiraiya could not do something so cruel.

Then I'll gamble on your kindness, Sosuke Aizen.

I'll bet that you're truly a good person.

No, I'll bet that you won't harm Konoha. That alone is enough.

As long as that was true, it should be enough.

Looking at Sosuke Aizen's gentle smile, Jiraiya slowly closed his eyes.