Early morning.
Aizen got up precisely on time, dressed neatly, and opened his door.
After walking through the long corridors and entering the magnificent hall, he did not open the chat group or immediately prepare breakfast. He merely brewed a cup of black tea and savored it with measured care. This was not born of some aristocratic pretense; it was simply Aizen's daily habit.
A person's mind is usually in its prime state during the early morning hours, making meditation or reading far more efficient than at any other time. But today, Aizen was not here to study; he was waiting for someone.
Tap, tap, tap.
Rhythmic footsteps echoed softly through the space, and a slender figure gradually emerged from the shadows.
"You're here, Miss Kushina," Aizen said softly, his lips curving into a slight, welcoming smile. "It has been a while since we last spoke. It appears you have calmed down completely."
With her long, wine-red hair, a snow-white form-fitting dress, and a white, bone-like ornament resembling a laurel wreath resting upon her head, Uzumaki Kushina looked like a princess stepping straight out of a fairy tale.
"Yes, thanks to you." Kushina looked at Aizen, her tone carrying a layer of complex emotion. "Do you require me to do something?"
She was profoundly grateful to the young man standing before her, and she held a highly favorable impression of him. This was not only because he had liberated Naruto from Konoha, but also because his previous description of the sun had deeply resonated within her heart.
Even if his motives might not be entirely pure, and his ultimate objective was merely to secure the Nine-Tails, to Kushina, Aizen had still fully honored the promise he had made to her. It was only reasonable for her to repay this immense debt with her own actions, yet she remained uncertain of how exactly to do so.
"Is it truly just to repay a favor, Miss Kushina?" Aizen resting his hands upon the armrests of his throne, smiled gently. "You should have something else you wish to tell me."
"You..." Kushina's expression shifted, and her gaze grew even more conflicted. "I really can hide nothing from you. If only I had been even half as intelligent as you, then Minato and I wouldn't have met such an early demise, right? And that old man, Sarutobi Hiruzen, wouldn't have dared to let those villagers mistreat my son..."
Though she was clearly a mother, at this moment, she behaved much like a vulnerable child, venting her pent-up frustrations to someone she felt she could truly trust.
Aizen remained silent, merely listening to her grievances with a patient, serene smile on his face.
"I am truly sorry for rambling on like that," Kushina finally said after an indeterminate amount of time, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "I... I wish to take Naruto and leave this place."
What she truly intended to convey was contained within that final sentence, the conclusion of her long, agonizing deliberations the night before.
Kushina did not possess the full picture of Aizen's grand design, but she understood the broad strokes. This man was deliberately positioning himself as the enemy of the entire shinobi world, and he undeniably possessed both the credentials and the absolute power to back it up.
Kushina naturally had no desire to aid Konoha or the allied shinobi forces against Aizen. Her rationale for wanting to distance herself from him was much simpler: she realized that her core values were beginning to warp. She found herself aligning with Aizen far more than with anyone else in the shinobi world.
To her, this was a highly dangerous omen. It indicated that her sacred bond and sense of shared identity with her deceased husband were gradually eroding. If this trajectory continued, she feared she would degrade into the sort of unfaithful, shameless woman she utterly despised. Thus, despite her immense gratitude toward Aizen, the most sensible option for both Naruto and herself was to depart.
"Oh? So that is what Miss Kushina wished to discuss." Aizen's countenance remained entirely unruffled, his serene smile never wavering for an instant. "Very well. If this is truly your desire, I have no right to detain you."
In other words... he is willing to let us leave?
Kushina felt a wave of relief wash over her, yet for some inexplicable reason, a profound sense of emptiness settled deep within her chest.
"However, there is a certain matter I believe Miss Kushina ought to be aware of," Aizen added smoothly, shifting the direction of the conversation. "The Allied Shinobi Forces have officially mobilized. According to the intelligence I have gathered, their objective extends beyond merely neutralizing me; they intend to reclaim Naruto by force."
Reclaim Naruto?
Kushina's pupils contracted sharply, and her spiritual pressure erupted in an abrupt, violent surge. "Why would they do that?!"
A powerful gust of wind whipped her wine-red hair into a frenzy, causing the fabric of her white dress to rustle violently.
"They operate under the assumption that I intend to utilize Naruto as the vessel for the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki," Aizen replied casually.
This was no idle fabrication. In truth, the shinobi coalition, directed by the Sage of Six Paths, firmly believed that Aizen's true motive for harboring Naruto was to exploit his status as Ashura's reincarnation to serve as the ultimate vessel for the Ten-Tails. They would never entertain the notion that Aizen merely wished to act as a benevolent architect of dreams, reuniting a mother with her estranged son.
"Those absolute bastards... they are completely projecting their own twisted logic over there!" Kushina spat, her teeth gnashing in sheer fury. She trusted Aizen implicitly, and she knew for a certainty that the vessel Aizen had designated for the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki was not Naruto at all.
"Furthermore, the vanguard unit marching to assault this location has been identified," Aizen murmured, his lips curving into a subtle, enigmatic smile as he delivered the final stroke. "Their commanding officer is named Namikaze Minato."
What...?!
Kushina's eyes widened in profound shock, and her entire body froze rigid. After a long, agonizing silence, she turned slowly and walked away, her heart weighed down by an immense, crushing burden.
The grand hall descended into absolute stillness once more.
"What do you think her ultimate choice will be?" Konan's voice resonated softly through the quiet as her form materialized from behind a massive pillar on the right side of the hall.
Having quietly observed the entire interaction, she was deeply intrigued. On one side stood her benefactor and her beloved child, and on the opposite side stood her husband. Caught in such a cruel dilemma, what path would Kushina choose? Moreover, Aizen had brilliantly forced her hand well in advance, granting her ample time to brace herself mentally.
"Yes... what will she choose?" Aizen remarked. He had clearly been aware of Konan's presence the entire time, and his expression registered not the slightest hint of surprise. "I, too, look forward to seeing it."
With that, he pulled up the group chat interface with a casual flick of his fingers.
Scarlet Snake Fairy: "Saten-san, why not wait just a bit longer? Master Anran should be waking up right around now."
Skirt-Lifting Maniac: "I can afford to wait, but Misaka-san can't. Never mind, I'll initiate the live broadcast first."
[System Message: 'Skirt-Lifting Maniac' has opened a Live Broadcast.]