"Nawaki, Nawaki! I just returned after a few days away, and you're gone!" Fugaku Uchiha burst into tears, his display of grief so exaggerated that one might think his own mother had died. In truth, Fugaku Uchiha's sorrow was far less profound than it appeared. Although his expression did contain a hint of genuine sadness. After all, he and Senju Nawaki had shared a friendship of sorts.
However, due to Senju Nawaki's status, their relationship had always been hindered by an invisible barrier. Furthermore, they had rarely fought alongside each other. Thus, his bond with Senju Nawaki was naturally much weaker than Minato Namikaze's. As for his current act of mourning, it was merely a performance. As the heir to a prominent ninja clan, he was well-versed in such theatrics.
"Nawaki! Nawaki! We haven't seen each other in years. I didn't expect our reunion to be under such circumstances. You are gone, but I will avenge you! I swear I will find your killer and bring them to justice!" Aizen was even more ruthless! After forcing his eyes to redden and shedding a few insincere tears, he put on a facade of hatred and vowed to find Senju Nawaki's murderer. This peerless acting, filled with rage and vengeance, left Orochimaru and Jiraiya stunned. "I never knew Nawaki's friends cared so deeply for him," Orochimaru remarked with a hint of surprise.
"Indeed. If Nawaki were here, he would surely be relieved to know this," Jiraiya sighed. What they didn't realize, however, was that while Senju Nawaki's death wasn't directly caused by Aizen, it was the result of Aizen's deliberate inaction. Aizen had been aware of Shinno's entire plan from the outset. If he had wished to save Senju Nawaki, he could have easily done so. Yet, he had callously watched as Shinno murdered Senju Nawaki! He had even taken possession of Senju Nawaki's organs. If Senju Nawaki knew the true nature of his so-called good brother, Aizen, he would likely rise from the grave in anger.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the clearing. Orochimaru and Jiraiya stepped out of the house, witnessing Tsunade rushing towards them from the Rain Shinobi frontline. "Go and see him one last time," Orochimaru said hoarsely. Jiraiya opened his mouth to offer Tsunade some words of comfort.
But as the words reached his lips, he couldn't utter them, and ultimately could only let out a helpless sigh. Tsunade's face was ashen, her expression a mask of mechanical numbness. She took a few stumbling steps forward, desperate to see Senju Nawaki's body! Yet, as if gripped by fear, she hesitated for several minutes before finally entering. When Tsunade finally reached the clearing with stiff movements and saw Senju Nawaki's body within the tent, her pent-up emotions erupted like a volcano. "Nawaki! Nawaki! Nawaki..." Tsunade wailed in despair, lunging forward to embrace Senju Nawaki's corpse tightly, burying her head deep within it, her entire being on the verge of collapse.
"Alas!" Witnessing this, Jiraiya shook his head and sighed. Minato Namikaze and the others remained silent, observing the scene in quiet contemplation. In this moment, none of them attempted to console Tsunade. For the pain of losing a loved one, any words of comfort were hollow and futile. She had to navigate this path of grief alone. No one could help her. "Life, why is it always so fragile..." Gazing at the scene before him, Orochimaru seemed transported back to the day he learned of his parents' deaths in battle many years ago. Lost in a trance, the words escaped his lips without conscious thought.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, Minato, and the others, immersed in their sorrow, paid no heed to Orochimaru's utterance. Only Aizen, who had been acting all along, caught the words. His eyes gleamed, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth. He knew that the Orochimaru of the original series, consumed by a relentless pursuit of immortality, had finally emerged! It had been worth the extra effort to obtain that Regeneration Forbidden Technique. Only a fully blackened Orochimaru could serve as his pawn and carry out a crucial task for him in the future. Of course, to achieve this, he needed to completely dominate Orochimaru. But Aizen was in no rush. At Senju Nawaki's funeral, the death of Konoha's prodigious talent, the dark melody of calculation, manipulation, betrayal, and ambition began to play once more! It was as if this was the inescapable fate of the Naruto world.
A few days later, Senju Nawaki's body was retrieved, ready to be transported back to Konoha for burial.. And Konoha began to lick its wounds from the recent battle. Supplies were urgently dispatched to the front lines, and new recruits rushed to the battlefield, quickly replenishing the previous losses. In the meantime, Minato Namikaze and the others also found solace, picking up the pieces and burying the pain of Senju Nawaki's passing deep within their hearts.
War was a cruel thing, leaving no room for the dead. Today it was Senju Nawaki, tomorrow it could be any of them. Therefore, for their own sake and the sake of their loved ones, they had to quickly emerge from the shadows and prepare for future threats. During this time, Aizen made a pretense of comforting Tsunade on several occasions. However, his efforts had little effect, as Tsunade merely responded with a nod. Seeing this, Aizen didn't press the matter further. As long as he maintained his façade, Tsunade's emotional state wouldn't concern him.
In truth, the mentor-student relationship between Tsunade and Aizen had been strained for years. It wasn't that they had a bad relationship, but rather that their dynamic was peculiar. As a student, Aizen was not only gifted but also possessed a gentle demeanor and impeccable manners. Tsunade, a teacher who strictly adhered to the protocols of mentorship, was consistently pleased with him. However, amidst this seemingly perfect situation, something felt amiss. It was akin to a married couple who treated each other with excessive politeness.
Logically, a harmonious couple should be open and affectionate towards each other. Yet, when both parties maintained a formal distance, it felt unnatural. In reality, this was a subtle form of alienation! Tsunade, still young, hadn't yet grasped this concept. Although she occasionally sensed that something was off in her relationship with Aizen, an inexplicable distance always seemed to linger between them. Upon deeper reflection, however, she couldn't pinpoint any specific issues. The matter was simply brushed aside.
The Sannin were still too young to understand the complexities of relationships. Thus, after a few days of rest, the Leaf Village camp finally regained its vitality and began to discuss their next strategic moves.
During this period, Aizen finally received his promotion to Special Jonin. At this juncture, the dark prelude of the entire Naruto world had officially begun!