This voice, filled with malice and mockery, sent shivers down Kato Dan's spine. As he hastily dodged to the side, a terrifying, unstoppable slash imbued with overwhelming killing intent tore a massive gash in his right chest.
Blood sprayed into the air, and a familiar face emerged beside him.
"Aizen!"
Kato Dan, shocked and clutching his wound, retreated rapidly. His mastery of the Reishi Manipulation Technique and his exceptional spiritual awareness had narrowly saved him from Aizen's lethal blow.
Although Aizen's chakra was depleted to a tenth of its capacity, his full-powered strike still possessed terrifying strength.
Kato Dan's unique abilities had spared him from certain death.
Aizen's eyes gleamed with icy coldness as he watched Kato Dan flee. Even if he hadn't killed him outright, he had inflicted a severe wound. How could Kato Dan possibly dodge the next attack?
"Wait, Aizen!"
Just as Aizen was about to strike again, Kato Dan's desperate cry made him pause.
Aizen regarded Kato Dan with amusement, like a cat toying with its prey. To him, killing Kato Dan was as effortless as crushing an ant; he wasn't even worthy of his attention.
However, Aizen was curious about Kato Dan's sudden plea. He wanted to see what excuse the man could offer.
Truth be told, Aizen rarely interacted with this "pretty boy" his teacher was involved with, but he was still somewhat intrigued.
Seeing that Aizen had indeed stopped, Kato Dan breathed a sigh of relief.
With a solemn expression, he declared, "Aizen, although I just discovered the secret of your strength, I bear you no ill will! Moreover, I'm your sensei's friend, and we're practically family. There's no need for us to fight to the death like this, don't you agree?"
Kato Dan spoke earnestly, looking at Aizen with a hopeful gaze. He didn't try to deny what he had seen but instead openly admitted it.
On one hand, Aizen had already attempted to kill him, so lying would be pointless. On the other hand, being upfront could earn Aizen's goodwill and trust.
Kato Dan then invoked his relationship with Tsunade, hoping to leverage the bond between Aizen and his sensei to dissuade Aizen from further aggression.
Aizen responded to Kato Dan's eloquent words with a smile, much to Kato Dan's relief. He believed he had escaped death.
Clap clap!
However, Aizen then propped Kyoka Suigetsu against the ground and began clapping slowly.
Kato Dan was bewildered by this gesture.
"As expected of the pretty boy who managed to capture my naive sensei's heart. You certainly have a way with words, haha! It's quite enlightening!" Aizen's eyes were filled with unconcealed contempt and disdain for people like Kato Dan.
While Aizen acknowledged that Kato Dan genuinely loved Tsunade, as evidenced by his use of Edo Tensei to revive during the Fourth Shinobi World War, he couldn't help but scoff at Kato Dan's audacity in pursuing the "Princess of Konoha" given his status and strength.
Kato Dan was merely an average Jonin with a mediocre standing in Konoha. His Reishi Manipulation Technique was acquired from a scroll after his relationship with Tsunade began.
In the ninja world, any secret technique involving the soul was extremely valuable. This technique allowed Kato Dan to conceal his body in shadows while his detached soul attacked enemies, ensuring his safety.
Furthermore, this ability was quite peculiar and difficult to counter. Even elite Jonin could easily fall prey to it if they weren't careful. Tsunade's affection for Kato Dan was truly baffling.
"Damn it, Aizen, you bastard!"
Kato Dan's eyes reddened as he heard Aizen repeatedly refer to him as a "pretty boy."
In fact, ever since Kato Dan's sudden rise in status, rumors had circulated among the Konoha Jonin. Many whispered that he was nothing but a pretty face.
Some were simply envious of his good fortune, while others genuinely believed he was not worthy of Tsunade. The disparity in their identities, strength, and status within Konoha was significant.
If it were Orochimaru or Jiraiya who had become Tsunade's boyfriend, it would have seemed more natural to them.
However, even those who looked down on Kato Dan refrained from voicing their opinions in his presence, out of respect for Tsunade.
Kato Dan was aware of these rumors, but Aizen's ruthless words had pierced through the facade, pouring salt on his wounded pride.
Kato Dan completely lost his composure.
"You're going to die!" he roared, activating his Reishi Manipulation Technique. His soul detached from his body, transforming into a blue light that charged towards Aizen.
"Hmph!"
Aizen sneered at Kato Dan's seemingly foolish actions. For those lacking the means to interact with souls, this technique could be troublesome.
But for Aizen, it was simply courting death.
Without even glancing at Kato Dan, Aizen swiftly drew Kyoka Suigetsu. Guided by his spiritual awareness, he waited for the precise moment when Kato Dan's soul reached him.
Aizen could clearly see the hideous killing intent contorting Kato Dan's soul.
With a swift horizontal slash of Kyoka Suigetsu, Aizen cleaved Kato Dan's soul in two.
The expression on Kato Dan's soul froze, then gradually shifted to despair, fear, and regret. His consciousness began to fade into darkness, and the remnants of his soul body shattered into shimmering particles, dissipating into the air.
Thus, Tsunade's lover met his tragic end at the hands of Aizen.
"Earth Release: Rock Bullet!"
After eradicating Kato Dan's soul, Aizen turned his attention to Kato Dan's physical body in the distance. He raised his right hand, index and middle fingers extended like a gun, aiming them towards the corpse.
Earth chakra surged from his fingers, rapidly forming a small earthen ball between them.
Bang!
The earthen ball shot forth like a bullet, striking Kato Dan's body squarely in the stomach. The impact sent the body flying, blood gushing from the wound, internal organs spilling out.
...
Just as Kato Dan perished and his body was ravaged by Aizen, Tsunade, locked in a bloody battle with Hanzō, felt a sudden pang in her heart.