Wanting to Understand Him

Konoha's uproar continued. The battered Uchiha of the Military Police Force dragged the troublemaking ninja into the cells.

The Uchiha were emotional extremists by nature. Faced with such provocations, they naturally could not hold back. Many instinctively struck too hard, and there were even bloodshed incidents.

This only further intensified the conflict between them. Fights and brawls frequently broke out, and because the Uchiha were the Konoha Military Police Force, the friction spread even further.

But such things had already become part of Konoha's daily scenery and could no longer stir the slightest ripple. Instead, a group of people dressed in haori and looking like ninja moved among them, earnestly trying to smooth things over and ease the conflict once again.

These people were Sosuke Aizen's followers—or rather, people who had come together of their own accord. They were people who had once received Aizen's help and warmth, who sincerely believed in the Will of Fire and sought to lead by example. They quietly studied, used Medical Ninjutsu to treat both sides, and spoke of the Will of Fire and Aizen's interpretations of it.

Under such circumstances, even some Uchiha showed signs of softening. It was precisely these healers, moving everywhere and treating friend and foe alike, who lent Konoha Village a touch of human warmth.

They did not judge those they treated by whether they were ninja, nor by wealth or status. When teaching others, they did not care about their backgrounds either. They had gathered together solely because of the Will of Fire.

This instead made those ninja who still possessed a conscience feel ashamed, prompting them to choose more peaceful methods.

Below the tavern, several clan ninja who had originally been fighting finished bandaging themselves under the care of the haori-clad ninja. They each stated their positions, apologized to one another, and quietly defused the bloodshed.

But upstairs in the tavern, Konoha's true upper echelon no longer had the leisure to care about such minor matters. Orochimaru stared wide-eyed at the somewhat awkward Tsunade before sizing her up and down in astonishment for a long while before finally forcing out a sentence.

"...Huh? Aizen?"

"If you already guessed it, why are you still so surprised?!"

"No, I'm surprised precisely because I hit the mark. Aizen's flaws are far too obvious, aren't they?"

Rubbing his brow with a headache, Orochimaru sat on the edge of the window and could not help complaining.

"The same haori, abilities that almost clearly come from the same source... and all of their actions look less like causing harm and more like showing off technology. That's why it feels like it can't be him... Is it really him?"

"Probably..."

"Why is the one who joined them the least certain?"

"Because, honestly, it feels like Aizen really hasn't lied or done anything. He really is just standing there, watching, and quietly getting things done."

Pinching her wine cup, Tsunade took a sip, her expression tangled.

Then she told Orochimaru about the strange things that had happened after she joined Aizen's group.

Although Aizen's tongue was vicious and his sarcasm was absolutely relentless, constantly questioning their abilities in subtle ways—and undoubtedly questioning their intelligence as well—he never neglected his work.

She often saw several Aizens working together, or conducting brainstorming sessions to analyze ninjutsu and develop experimental applications. He also frequently consulted Tsunade for confirmation on medical matters concerning the ninja body. Even Tsunade herself had discovered many misconceptions from her days as a Medical Ninja.

Rather than a conspirator, he seemed more like a research scholar who could not be bothered with all sorts of messy affairs and had simply come to Konoha because it was more convenient.

It was just that the things he researched made Tsunade tremble with fear. Among the things she had access to were theories and projects involving the dynamic changes of Chakra in the human body, Chakra's effects at the cellular level, and interchangeable models between the human body and Chakra.

That was also why Tsunade had initially joined. There were many things she did not have the authority to view, but what had been revealed so far had already made her question whether she, the founder of Medical Ninja practices, was a fraud. Although Aizen openly and secretly looked down on Chakra, his application of it was nothing short of miraculous.

Moreover, he did not care at all about spreading or developing these things. He had even stated outright that if Tsunade could produce something better, he would support her with all his strength.

On top of that, whenever Aizen achieved a medical breakthrough or a related technological breakthrough, he always wrote up a report first and placed it in Konoha's archives and libraries. That left Tsunade even more disoriented.

Was she rebelling? Or was she not? Tsunade was not some fanatical hardliner of the Hokage faction. Watching Aizen stride forward in great steps, constantly researching and refining his work, it was Tsunade herself who became lost.

It was as though all her previous inner struggles had been completely meaningless.

"Aizen said that he had already done everything he should for Konoha, and that the ones who should truly make a choice were Konoha's people, not him. I don't know how to refute that."

Tsunade took another drink, her expression growing ever more complicated and confused.

"He said he hoped this world would change for the better. He hoped everyone could take that step in their hearts. He also said that people needed courage, and that the whole environment required everyone's effort... I know he's right, but hearing it from his mouth just feels... strange?"

"...?"

Orochimaru looked blankly at Tsunade, whose face was full of conflict as though she did not know what to say. He opened his mouth, only to feel that he had no way to comment either.

What could he even say? The man was a master of ninjutsu development. Which of Blut Vene and Blut Arterie had not changed the landscape of the Ninja World War? Other ninjutsu either had high requirements or consumed enormous amounts of Chakra, but those two practically changed one's entire profession. What could anyone say about someone who had single-handedly created several fields of study?

And when all was said and done, Sosuke Aizen truly was strange. He was a proper ninjutsu master, a genuinely beloved good man in Konoha. If he simply displayed his abilities, took over as Hokage, and swept through the major ninja villages, it would not have been a dream. Yet he had done nothing. He just stayed there.

What exactly was he trying to do? Or was it as he claimed—did he merely hope to see more good things happen?

Then what counted as a good thing to him? Did Konoha's technology being stolen by other villages, like it was now, count as a good thing too?

But if so, from what perspective did Aizen think? Mars? Even someone as farsighted as Orochimaru found it strange upon hearing it.

Just then, a somewhat familiar voice drifted from the table behind them, one that made people feel weary just by hearing it.

"...Would you like us to give you a few hints and some help?"

"Sakumo! Why are you out here?!"

"Dan! And Hatake Sakumo, captain of the 11th Division!"

Seeing the two men behind them rise to their feet, both dressed in White Haori, Tsunade felt as though her vision had suddenly sharpened. She cried out instinctively.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru was utterly horrified. He had not realized at all that these two top-tier ninja had been sitting beside him.

It was as though the two people eating and drinking behind them had truly been nothing more than two ordinary people. There had been no sense of them whatsoever.

"Ah, so when it comes to me, I become the captain of the 11th Division. I understand why, I suppose."

Hatake Sakumo, his white hair a mess, had his hands tucked into his sleeves. Even in the haori of the 11th Division, he still wore the same dispirited expression.

If one did not pay attention, it would be easy to blend this man, who looked as though everything was a bother, into the tavern's background. And in a certain sense, he truly had blended in.

Together with the uneasy Dan Katō, he had mingled into the tavern and sat right beside Orochimaru and Tsunade, yet neither of them had noticed at all. If he had not spoken up on his own, Orochimaru and Tsunade probably would never have known that they had been overheard.

Though he knew full well that the legendary Konoha's White Fang was immensely capable, having this man of unclear allegiance listen from the sidelines for so long still made cold sweat trickle down his back.

"I told you. I'm not actually interested in any of this stuff of yours. I'm only here accompanying this guy."

Pointing at the somewhat guilty Dan Katō beside him, Hatake Sakumo sighed.

"Actually, there's someone who would've been more convincing—Kagami Uchiha. That guy had always disliked Aizen, and he was far more worked up than Dan Katō. But he's been out on a mission for nearly half a month now, and there hasn't been any word from him. Maybe he died somewhere."

"Died somewhere? That's not something we can simply overlook."

Looking at Hatake Sakumo's unconcerned expression, Orochimaru frowned slightly.

"According to what Jiraiya said, Senior Kagami Uchiha was an extremely powerful Ninja. He also possessed an unknown ability called 'Pseudo Bankai.' How could he possibly die somewhere without anyone noticing?"

"Hm? Of course that's possible. The world is so vast—strange things are bound to exist somewhere. Our village has Aizen. Who's to say other villages don't have someone similar?"

"...That really doesn't sound like good news. It's rather chilling, Senior Hatake Sakumo."

"That's why I think it would be better if you gained at least a basic understanding of Aizen."

Konoha's White Fang casually sat down beside Orochimaru, picked up a sake cup, and took a couple of drinks. Seeing Orochimaru frown beside him, he smiled faintly.

"Orochimaru-kun, for example—Aizen has conducted quite a bit of research into the subject of life that you've always longed to explore. Are you interested in coming with us to meet him? I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

"Just what I wanted."

After his thoughts turned over several times, Orochimaru ultimately chose to suppress the instinctive fear in his heart. He gave the two men in Haori snake-like smiles.

He truly was instinctively wary, unwilling to meet Aizen this early. But since it concerned the truth of immortality, Orochimaru felt that there were times when he could choose to risk his life.