"Aizen, this matter is one of Konoha's most tightly guarded secrets! No more than ten people in the upper echelon are aware of it. How did you come to know about it?"
Orochimaru's disbelief was evident in his voice, his eyes widening with surprise after a few moments of silence.
"You don't need to concern yourself with how I found out. What matters is that I know you're among those ten," Aizen replied with a light, confident smile.
The muscles in Orochimaru's face twitched, his expression stiffening. Since ascending to the level of a semi kage, few had ever dared to speak to him in such a high-handed manner. Aizen's tone, filled with an almost regal authority, irritated him—though he couldn't let it show.
But when Orochimaru recalled the overwhelming power Aizen wielded, he took a deep breath and chose to suppress his ego.
"Very well… I do have some information," Orochimaru said, forcing a polite smile.
"Good. Now, tell me everything—start from the beginning," Aizen commanded, his voice calm but firm.
Orochimaru hesitated for a moment, but he eventually began to explain what Zashi had been up to lately.
It turned out that ever since Zashi had been shackled by Aizen's schemes and subsequently ostracized by the rest of Konoha, he had been working tirelessly to regain his footing and find a way out of his predicament.
While it seemed almost impossible to reverse his situation, fate had given Zashi an unexpected opportunity.
The key lay in a long-dormant spy who had infiltrated the Land of Lightning years ago.
This was no ordinary spy.
This individual was a "deep operative" personally planted in the ranks of the Land of Lightning by Senju Tobirama during the Second Hokage's reign. After Tobirama's death, this spy's existence had remained hidden, with only a few select individuals, including Zashi, aware of his mission.
The spy had been in deep cover for decades, biding his time and steadily rising through the ranks of Kumogakure, the Hidden Cloud Village.
And now, after years of careful manipulation, the spy was poised to ascend to the highest levels of Kumogakure's leadership, gaining access to their most classified information.
If the core secrets of Kumogakure were revealed, Zashi would be hailed as a hero within Konoha, making an invaluable contribution to the village.
It was crucial information, as Kumogakure was the second most powerful ninja village, constantly seeking to challenge Konoha's dominance. The release of their vital intelligence could tilt the scales in Konoha's favor for the next two decades, ensuring its supremacy over the Hidden Cloud.
If Zashi succeeded in this operation, it would completely restore his standing within Konoha, erasing any stain on his reputation. All the actions taken against him would become meaningless, and he would rise to an unassailable position of influence.
"Can you identify this spy?" Aizen asked, cutting straight to the most important question.
Orochimaru shook his head, his expression firm. "No. His identity remains a mystery, even to me."
Glancing cautiously at Aizen, and added, "The Second Hokage entrusted Zashi with handling the specifics of the spy's affairs back then. After the untimely death of the Second Hokage, only Zashi knew the detailed information about the spy."
Aizen pondered for a moment before speaking, "So, even you only know the outline of the matter, and about Mitarashi Zashi and the spy's activities, you have very limited knowledge, correct?"
Orochimaru nodded repeatedly, confirming Aizen's guess. "Indeed, this was uncovered by one of the old man's informants who happened upon it."
Aizen smiled faintly, his voice soft but sharp. "So, this is what you've all been secretly discussing recently, isn't it?"
Orochimaru's pupils contracted. He glanced at Aizen out of the corner of his eye, fear growing in his heart. This was supposed to be a high-level secret between the Hokage's inner circle and representatives of the major ninja clans. For the past few days, this issue had been discussed in urgent secrecy.
How could Aizen possibly know?
Among those privy to the conversation were not just Kage-level powerhouses but also members of the Hyuga clan with their Byakugan. How could Aizen have slipped by unnoticed?
Recalling how Aizen had infiltrated Orochimaru's lab undetected, a chill ran down his spine, heightening his wariness of Aizen's strength.
But soon, Orochimaru composed himself and responded with a smile, "That's correct."
Aizen furrowed his brow slightly. "And what was the outcome of these discussions? I imagine the Hokage's faction, along with the major ninja clans, who are already at odds with the new faction, wouldn't want to see Zashi regain power."
"What choice do we have?" Orochimaru sighed. "We can only begrudgingly accept it. If we try to interfere behind the scenes, Zashi isn't someone to be taken lightly. If he manages to gather enough evidence, the Hokage's seat could be jeopardized."
Aizen lowered his head, deep in thought. "Ah, I see."
"Why are you so interested in this, Aizen?" Orochimaru asked, his curiosity piqued by Aizen's sudden investment in the matter.
Aizen's eyes narrowed, his smile fading. "Because I don't want Zashi to enjoy his little victory."
"Hmm? What grudge do you have with him, Aizen?" Orochimaru asked, raising an eyebrow before a thought seemed to strike him. "Wait, could it be… do you still remember the campaign against the Land of Sky?"
Orochimaru continued, his voice laced with amusement. "At that time, Senju Ryuken manipulated the situation to throw you into that doomed expedition, didn't he? Mitarashi Zashi played a pivotal role in that scheme."
Orochimaru scoffed. "That guy, Zashi, always was a snake. He not only stirred trouble in the Land of Rain but also made an enemy out of you, Aizen. Now, inside Konoha, the tensions between the Hokage's faction and the major ninja clans have become completely irreconcilable. It's only a matter of time before Zashi's own arrogance leads to his downfall."
Orochimaru chuckled darkly before turning serious. "But with your strength, Aizen, killing Mitarashi Zashi would be no issue. Why bother with all this manipulation?"
In the back of his mind, Orochimaru began to formulate a theory. Could it be that Aizen wanted Zashi to reach the pinnacle of his success, only to swoop in and crush him in his moment of triumph? Aizen's twisted sense of enjoyment would certainly align with such a plan.
However, this time, Orochimaru's speculation was completely off the mark.
While Aizen's character was undeniably manipulative and cunning, when it came to important matters, Aizen never wasted time or effort. If a situation called for swift action, Aizen would deal with it efficiently, with no hesitation or frivolity.
Aizen smirked, seeing through Orochimaru's train of thought. "It's not for the reason you think."
Orochimaru, caught off guard, blinked. "Then, what's the real reason?"
Aizen adjusted his glasses, and a chilling light flickered in his eyes.
In a voice that dripped with cold intent, he revealed his true purpose, leaving Orochimaru stunned.
"My real goal... is to ignite the Third Great Ninja War."
...
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