Upon returning to the Konoha Anbu base, Nara Yūsuke reported the mission to Shinnosuke Sarutobi, and their team disbanded on the spot, each returning to rest.
Back home, Kōki reflected on the gains and losses of today's Anbu mission. After analyzing it, he realized that he hadn't really put in much effort, easily wiping out the Sunagakure squad. He couldn't help but admire how, at the Jonin level, excellent strategy could reduce the risks of battle and make missions much easier to complete.
He sighed; he certainly didn't have such brilliant schemes.
Then, thinking back to his first stint in the Anbu, which didn't seem to have yielded any particularly significant results, he comforted himself, "Take it slow. Anbu missions won't always be this easy."
It's just that Shinnosuke Sarutobi didn't know what Kōki was thinking; otherwise, he would have been speechless. The task he assigned to Kōki was one he had specifically selected.
The goal was to use a simple task to allow Kōki and the Butterfly Squad to get to know each other better. Once they were in sync, the subsequent tasks would only be more difficult than the current ones, and he wouldn't leave such a powerful force like Kōki and the Butterfly Squad unused.
Lying in bed, Kōki stared at the ceiling of his room, wondering about Aizen's situation and how things were progressing.
The scene shifts to Aizen, who is currently in the capital of the Land of Fire, strolling through what is known as the most bustling night market in the entire Shinobi World.
Long before he finished his mission at the gold exchange today, he came to the capital of the Land of Fire, ready to experience the local customs and culture of the Genin world.
At this moment, Aizen had already removed the mask he always wore, and was now wearing glasses he had bought on the street. His handsome face and gentle, refined demeanor drew everyone around him involuntarily.
Even if Aizen appeared directly in front of someone he knew in the Kurama Clan, they wouldn't recognize him now.
As he walked, he looked around. The place was bustling and peaceful, unaffected by the war between Konoha and Sunagakure. He couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder it's the most lively and prosperous place in the Land of Fire. I bet the people who live here are very happy."
"Of course, this is the most important place in the Land of Fire, the residence of the only jewel in the Land of Fire. It is precisely because of the daimyo's leadership that the Land of Fire has achieved its current prosperity." A young man appeared beside Aizen and echoed his praise.
Upon seeing the young man's appearance, a hint of surprise flashed in Aizen's eyes. After entering the most bustling street in the capital of the Land of Fire, he felt someone watching him, and after wandering around for more than half an hour, the person in the shadows had not disappeared.
He had just tentatively expressed his admiration for the capital of the Land of Fire when someone from the shadows suddenly appeared in front of him, which surprised him.
That's right, the young man standing next to him was the one Aizen believed was secretly observing him. His extraordinary talent allowed him to sense that the young man 'Chakra aura was exactly the same as the one secretly observing him.
He also noticed that although the young man was agreeing with him, he was simultaneously scrutinizing himself out of the corner of his eye.
"Hello, may I ask who you are?" Aizen had already confirmed the identity of the person in front of him, but he still pretended to be puzzled and asked.
"I am a ninja who protects the capital. My name is Kazuma." The young ninja smiled and replied to Aizen, thinking that someone who could praise the Capital of Fire couldn't be too bad.
Upon hearing the young ninja's name, Kazuma, Aizen seemed slightly moved, as if he had heard it somewhere before. He diligently searched his memories for the answer and finally discovered who Kazuma was.
This Kazuma was Twelve Guardian Ninja of Fire, along with Asuma Sarutobi, Chiriku, and others. He was once Asuma Sarutobi 'Asuma Sarutobi close friend, but they parted ways due to differences in ideals, and he eventually died at Asuma Sarutobi's hands.
Recalling the information about Kazuma, Aizen feigned ignorance, his expression questioning, yet he still asked in a gentle tone, "Is there a problem, Ninja-sama?"
"No, no, I just saw you praise the Land of Fire, so I wanted to meet you." Kazuma was a little flustered in the face of Aizen's gentle tone. At this time, Kazuma was not the mature and ruthless villain he would become more than ten years later. Instead, he looked like a young man, and his feelings were written all over his face.
"I see. I didn't expect you, Kazuma, to be so proud of your country. But it's understandable. If my country were this prosperous, I would be just as proud." Through Aizen's performance, the image of a commoner from a small country who respects a great power came to life.
Kazuma was completely captivated by Aizen's performance. He had initially harbored some doubts about Aizen, but now he completely dispelled those doubts and happily chatted with Aizen.
With Aizen's deliberate cooperation, Kazuma's expression grew increasingly joyful. He seemed to have forgotten that he was on a mission, and just kept introducing the local customs and culture of the capital to Aizen.
Suddenly, as they passed a tavern, Kazuma's happy expression froze, as if he had seen something he loathed.
Aizen was standing nearby, noticed the change in Kazuma's expression. Following his gaze, he saw several Konoha Ninja wearing Konoha Forehead Protector making a loud and unrestrained noise in the tavern. The patrons around the tavern all looked angry but dared not speak out.
"What's wrong, Kazuma?"
When Aizen recalled Kazuma's information, he noticed the description of Kazuma in the original work. Kazuma believed that there was only one "jewel" in the Land of Fire, and that was the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. He had no goodwill towards Konoha. He believed that Konoha should be under the rule of the Daimyo, rather than establishing its own leader.
Looking at Kazuma's disgusted expression, Aizen knew that even at such a young age, Kazuma was already showing signs of disliking Konoha. However, this seemed to be a good thing for Aizen; perhaps he could use him in the future.
"Nothing. I just saw some disgraceful things." After hearing Aizen's question, Kazuma withdrew his gaze from the Konoha Ninja and replied to Aizen. He didn't want his friends to feel disappointed in the Land of Fire because of some bastards.
"Since there's nothing else, let's continue exploring. I'd like Kazuma to show me around the Land of Fire." Aizen seemed oblivious to the change in Kaze's expression and continued smiling as he spoke to him.
However, his mood had already been ruined by the Konoha Ninja, and he remembered that he still had a mission, so he could only politely decline Aizen, "I'm sorry, I still have a mission, so I may not be able to continue showing you around. But I believe the Capital of Fire will definitely leave a deep impression on you, sir."
Before leaving with Kazuma, Aizen casually remarked, "Well, now that I've witnessed the prosperity of the Capital of Fire, my next stop is Konoha. I've heard that Konoha's prosperity is comparable to that of the Capital of Fire."
"However, I find it a bit strange that large countries have two leaders, while small countries like ours only have one, so we only need to listen to one person."
Aizen's words shattered Kazuma's pride like a sharp arrow. He had always been proud of the Land of Fire, but the fact that the Land of Fire had two leaders who could not unite internally made him feel extremely ashamed, and it made him hate Konoha even more.