"What?!"
Hyuga Gin was momentarily stunned by Aizen's words. At first, he couldn't believe what he had just heard.
But then, his thoughts quickly settled, and he gave Aizen a long, contemplative look, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.
Whether Aizen truly possessed a method to break the Curse Mark: Caged Bird or not, helping him as part of the Hokage lineage didn't align with Konoha's interests.
Unless, of course, it served Aizen's personal agenda.
It seemed the rumors of Aizen being a gentle supporter of the Will of Fire were far from the truth.
"Heh, I admire your perceptiveness, but the most important thing now is for you to give me your answer," Aizen said, adjusting his glasses with a calm smile.
Since he had already decided to bring Hyuga Gin into his fold, there was no need for Aizen to hide his intentions.
"If you can truly help me, then I swear, I will serve you loyally for the rest of my life, in pursuit of your goals!"
Hyuga Gin raised his hand, solemnly swearing an oath.
No matter what kind of person Aizen truly was, as long as he could free Gin from the Hyuga clan's control, it didn't matter.
Having grown up in hardship, Hyuga Gin had developed a keen understanding of the world, far beyond his years.
He knew all too well that Aizen wouldn't offer his help without expecting something in return.
There was no such thing as a free lunch.
The only value Gin had to offer was likely his talent and potential as a shinobi.
Therefore, he responded simply and decisively.
"Very good!"
Hyuga Gin's answer brought a look of satisfaction to Aizen's face.
In the future, Aizen would have many plans to carry out, and he couldn't handle everything on his own.
Securing capable subordinates was essential.
Although Hiruko had considerable scientific research abilities, his combat skills were average at best.
It would take time for him to develop his Chimera Technique and absorb some kekkei genkai to become a formidable fighter.
But that would require a lot of time.
Moreover, Aizen couldn't rely on just one person.
Now that his strength had reached a level where he could protect himself, it was time for Aizen to start building his own team.
A genius like Hyuga Gin—who possessed remarkable talent, a stable personality, a deep-seated blood feud, and no loyalty to Konoha—was exactly the type of subordinate worth cultivating.
"Cracking the Curse Mark: Caged Bird will take some time, but in the meantime, I can provide you with advanced Swordsmanship training methods, so you don't waste your efforts on less effective techniques."
Aizen smiled faintly, pulling out a scroll from his robes and tossing it to Hyuga Gin.
Gin caught it, and instead of disappointment, a sense of relief washed over him.
Today was only his first meeting with Aizen.
Had Aizen claimed to have an immediate solution to the Curse Mark: Caged Bird, Gin would have been more suspicious.
"Continue your training and don't reveal our connection to anyone," Aizen instructed, before turning to leave.
Hyuga Gin nodded in understanding.
Aizen felt confident in this young shinobi and wasn't concerned about him revealing their secret.
After all, Aizen was the last hope Gin had to change his life.
Although Hyuga Gin managed to maintain his composure during his first encounter with Aizen, the excitement and fervor lurking beneath his calm exterior did not escape Aizen's keen observation.
This was the exhilaration of someone who had found a glimmer of hope after being trapped in despair.
Hyuga Gin, once a branch house member determined to defy the Hyuga clan with a resolve to die, was now faced with a new path. Aizen was confident that this young shinobi would make the right choice, aligning his fate with Aizen's.
Still, no matter how confident Aizen was in his ability to read people, his time with Hyuga Gin had been brief. He would need to continue his observations before fully trusting the boy.
For now, Aizen was content to offer Hyuga Gin just enough—like the Swordsmanship training method he had provided. This method would only allow Gin to reach the initial stages of mastering a sword stance.
Even if Gin possessed extraordinary potential, Aizen wasn't concerned.
Reflecting on Swordsmanship, Aizen let out a quiet sigh.
Swordsmanship had always been one of the abilities Aizen valued most.
However, even mastery over Sword Intent was just one of many abilities.
The reason Aizen could fight opponents several levels above his own wasn't due to Swordsmanship alone.
The true key was his overwhelming Reiatsu.
In the original Naruto series, Uzumaki Naruto could stand toe-to-toe with Pain after mastering Sage Mode.
Similarly, Aizen's ability to battle opponents across multiple levels stemmed from his use of a Reiatsu infused with natural energy!
To be honest, in the world of Bleach, the strongest power wielded by villains like Aizen wasn't their skill with a sword, but their boundless Reiatsu.
That's why Aizen was classified as one of the top five Special War Threat, specifically for his Reiatsu!
Swordsmanship, while revered as the first among the four Shinigami arts—Zanjutsu (swordsmanship), Hakuda (hand-to-hand combat), Hohō (agility), and Kidō (demon arts)—had a hidden realm beyond Sword Intent, one that even a genius like Aizen had never fully explored.
It was a realm that represented the pinnacle of Shinigami power, transcending mere ability.
It was the true power of the divine!
Even now, as Aizen recalled descriptions of this ultimate state, he couldn't help but feel awe, despite his usual composure.
He could hardly believe that the end of the path of Swordsmanship in the Shinigami world concealed such an incredible secret.
However, at this stage, Aizen had not yet even reached the realm of Sword Intent, and he considered such notions to be distant dreams.
Shaking off his reverie, Aizen returned to his grounded training...
But his peaceful practice was soon interrupted by the arrival of a messenger from Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Captain Aizen, Lord Hokage requests your presence. Please accompany me to the Hokage building immediately."
An Anbu member appeared suddenly, addressing Aizen with respect.
"Understood."
Aizen responded and immediately made his way to the Hokage building.
At this point, Aizen was not only the sub-commander of Anbu but also a key figure in the Hokage's strategy.
Upon arriving, Aizen was surprised to find several prominent figures already gathered: Namikaze Minato, Aburame Shibi, Akimichi Chōza, Hyuga Hiashi, and Hyuga Hizashi.
This must be a major mission, Aizen thought to himself.
Over the past year, the teams led by Aizen and Namikaze Minato had become renowned within Anbu for their 100% mission success rate.
This reputation not only elevated their status but also bolstered the Hokage faction's influence within Anbu.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's strategy to infiltrate and control Anbu through Aizen and Minato had proven highly effective.
Meanwhile, after the scandal involving Mitarashi Zashi a year ago, he found himself marginalized by nearly all of Konoha.
Even if Zashi wanted to oppose Sarutobi Hiruzen's maneuvers within Anbu, he lacked the power to do so.
As Aizen entered and exchanged greetings with Minato and the others, Hiruzen, seated at the head of the room, got straight to the point.
"I've gathered you all here because we have a particularly challenging mission ahead."
"You are to travel to the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, to a place known as Rōran, and protect their Queen, Sāra."