When Aizen arrived at Hiruzen Sarutobi's Hokage office, he found a familiar blonde figure already present.
"Minato, I didn't expect Lord Hokage to summon you as well," Aizen remarked, surprised.
"Yeah, I didn't expect you to be here either, Aizen. It seems our task won't be simple," Minato replied with a gentle smile.
Over the past year, in the absence of war, Minato and Aizen often chatted after completing their missions and spending time with their respective partners. Their bond as friends had grown even stronger.
"By the way, have you made any progress on the jutsu idea I gave you?" Aizen inquired curiously.
"It's still in development, Aizen. Your suggestions and theories were invaluable! I have a prototype now, and it shouldn't take much longer to complete it," Minato said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Well, good luck to you then," Aizen chuckled.
"Of course! When I finish developing it, I'll teach it to you first!" Minato declared with a determined nod.
Aizen smiled, feigning anticipation, but he didn't truly care. He wasn't particularly interested in the Rasengan.
His motive for sharing the inspiration for the jutsu was merely to pass the time while conversing with Minato. After all, to maintain his carefully crafted persona, he needed to offer something of substance to strengthen the bond with his "brother."
Besides, Minato would eventually develop the Rasengan on his own anyway. Sharing this knowledge was a gesture Aizen made without any hesitation.
As Aizen and Minato chatted, Hiruzen Sarutobi entered the office.
"Lord Hokage!"
Aizen and Minato turned and respectfully greeted their teacher and leader.
"There's no need for formalities between us. Please, sit down," Hiruzen smiled warmly, gesturing for his two most promising disciples to take a seat.
Aizen and Minato complied.
Hiruzen settled into his Hokage chair and chuckled, "I'm sure you're both curious as to why I've called you here."
Aizen and Minato exchanged glances, and Minato spoke up, "Could it be a particularly difficult mission?"
Hiruzen remained noncommittal, offering only a mysterious smile. "Yes, but also no."
Minato was confused, and even Aizen was slightly perplexed.
"I want you both to join the Anbu Black Ops," Hiruzen finally revealed.
"Join the Anbu?!"
Aizen and Minato were both taken aback by the proposition.
Anbu was Konoha's most elite and powerful ninja unit. Even Aizen felt a sense of surprise at the prospect of joining such a prestigious organization.
Especially considering the current circumstances, with Mitarashi Zashi holding immense sway within Anbu.
Wait a minute.
Aizen thought he understood something.
It was unlikely that the ambitious Hokage lineage would simply give up their influence within Anbu. Hiruzen Sarutobi likely intended to use Aizen and Minato as pawns, gradually infiltrating and gaining control over Anbu.
To achieve this, they needed someone with exceptional strength and potential who could rise through the ranks and match the prestige of Zashi and others.
Inserting a powerhouse like Orochimaru directly would be too obvious, easily sparking accusations of power struggles and ulterior motives.
But if the individual's strength and potential were inferior to Zashi's, their presence in Anbu would be meaningless.
Therefore, Aizen and Minato were the perfect candidates for this task.
"Lord Hokage, if we join Anbu, will we have to relinquish our current positions?" Minato asked, still slightly dazed.
Aizen's eye twitched as he observed Minato's reaction.
"That won't be necessary, Minato. Your team will remain intact, as long as you conceal your Anbu identities. The same applies to you, Aizen," Hiruzen replied with a knowing smile.
His intention was to send Aizen and Minato to Anbu to seize power, not to have them genuinely contribute to the organization.
As the esteemed Hokage, he wouldn't allow Zashi to completely control Anbu.
During the Second Shinobi World War, the Sannin's contributions and achievements had indirectly bolstered Hiruzen's reputation, solidifying his control over the village.
Within Anbu, Hiruzen had already placed several team leaders and sub-leaders of his own. While their influence was still no match for Zashi's, it provided a foundation for Aizen and Minato to gain a foothold.
Of course, it was expected that Zashi would target and ostracize them upon their arrival. This would be their true test and challenge within Anbu.
Therefore, there was no need for them to abandon their original positions and fully commit to Anbu.
Minato, despite his experiences in the war and his newfound maturity, was still oblivious to these intricate machinations.
"Anbu is no ordinary place. It's filled with powerful ninja, and the missions are far more dangerous. You both should have reached true Jonin level by now, correct?" Hiruzen inquired, looking at them thoughtfully.
Aizen and Minato nodded in affirmation.
"Good, very good," Hiruzen smiled, unsurprised by their progress.
He paused for a moment, then continued, "Although you've both proven yourselves, especially now as true Jonin capable of rivaling average elite Jonin, the missions in Anbu are far more perilous than anything you've encountered before.
Therefore, after careful consideration, I've decided to grant you some ninjutsu scrolls from the Scroll of Seals. I hope they will further enhance your strength."
With Anbu's power dynamics at stake, Hiruzen didn't hesitate to bolster Aizen and Minato's abilities.
He retrieved two prepared scrolls from his robes and handed them to Aizen and Minato respectively.