[Notice: Curly-haired Guy has been unmuted.]
Doujin Artist: Huh? He's unmuted already?
Curly-haired Guy: Hmph! Obviously, I used my sheer personal charm to convince Lord Aizen!
Shark-Faced Guy: Can you speak like a normal person?
Kisame, watching from the side, couldn't see a single trait in Gintoki that matched the words "personal charm."
This is an Actor: He privately messaged me and swore to be my loyal lapdog from now on.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: L-Lapdog?!
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: That definitely sounds like something Gin would say.
Doujin Artist: Gin-san, do you really have no shame? Not even a little?
Curly-haired Guy: And what would I even do with it? Use it as a side dish? Make a shame-flavored rice bowl?
Amegakure Village's Angel: I get it now! Anzen-san is using Naruto the same way Orihime was used in Bleach! By making him a target, he's drawing in all the ninja who'd try to save him, splitting up the power of the entire ninja world!
This is an Actor: Exactly. You've grown, Konan-senpai.
Aizen's young face lit up with the proud smile of a father watching his hopeless daughter finally score a passing grade on a test.
Meanwhile, Konan, feeling proud of herself after being praised, smirked. "Ahem, call me 'big sis.'"
If there was ever a definition for getting carried away, this was it.
But Aizen was magnanimous. He wouldn't embarrass her over such a minor thing. Instead, he responded with encouragement:
"When you get a perfect score, then maybe."
Amegakure Village's Angel: …A perfect score in what?
If this were an elementary school test, your current score would be 60.
"Pfft!"
"Wait, if even Konan only got 60, does that mean we all failed?"
"No, we probably got negative scores."
"You got a negative score! Don't lump us in with you. I'd say we got at least 20 or 30 points! Uh… we did, right?"
"Arisu-chan, who are you even asking?"
"I understand the idea of splitting up the ninja world's power, but how are you planning to get the ninjas rescuing Naruto into the Pure Land? They don't know how to use Garganta, do they?"
"Oh yeah, are you planning to teach them how to use it?"
"Of course not, but that doesn't mean someone won't figure it out on their own."
"Figure it out on their own?"
"Someone in the ninja world actually managed to steal your techniques?"
"Never underestimate any world, and never underestimate anyone—especially the strongest warriors. They didn't reach their level by chance. Sometimes, being pushed to the limit awakens talents they never knew they had."
After sending the message, Aizen turned his gaze back to the monitor in front of him. The screen displayed a luxurious mansion in Amegakure.
Standing in the center of the hall was Pain, clad in a black cloak with red clouds. At his feet lay Hanzo the Salamander, once called a 'demigod,' now nothing more than a lifeless heap.
The air twisted slightly. A masked man in a black cloak appeared behind Pain like a ghost.
"You're here?" Pain turned around, his expression cold. "I thought you wouldn't dare show up in front of me again."
"Aizen Sosuke was an unexpected variable." The masked man's red eyes locked onto Pain. "I didn't know he had other motives."
That was complete nonsense. Obito had known from the start how dangerous Aizen was.
But the idea of 'reviving the dead' was too tempting. That was why he had brought Aizen into the Akatsuki.
What Obito hadn't expected was that Aizen would play such a massive, ruthless game—manipulating the Five Great Ninja Villages and the Akatsuki like puppets while successfully capturing seven Tailed Beasts.
And yet, Uchiha Madara had the nerve to claim he could control Aizen? Yeah, right!
"Is that so? Then tell me what you know about Aizen's whereabouts." Pain spoke after a brief silence. "White Zetsu can't find him."
Obito's lips twitched under his mask. Why do you think that if White Zetsu can't find him, you can? What, do you think you're Uchiha Madara? No—scratch that. Even if Madara were alive, he probably couldn't track Aizen down!
That guy and his followers had practically vanished from the ninja world.
Calming himself, Obito said slowly, "All I know is that Black Zetsu is with him."
"Black Zetsu betrayed us too?" Pain muttered, deep in thought.
"Maybe." Obito wasn't sure either. Black Zetsu was supposed to be the will of Uchiha Madara, so why had he sided with Aizen? It made no sense!
Did Madara's own will decide that Aizen was better suited to fulfill his dreams than Madara himself?
"Are you really Uchiha Madara?" Pain's doubt grew. Could the legendary ninja really be this incompetent? His subordinates kept betraying him, and his reputation was crumbling.
"Are you questioning me?" Obito scoffed, trying to keep his cool. "I haven't even asked you about Konan. Weren't you supposed to be inseparable partners?"
Pain fell silent, as if Obito's words had struck a nerve. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "I will bring her back."
"Even if it means working with the Great Ninja Villages?" Obito sneered. "How ironic."
"Shut up!" Pain snapped, raising his right hand.
Boom!
An invisible force blasted toward Obito, shattering the wooden floor into countless splinters.
"Shinra Tensei, huh?" Obito reappeared at Pain's side, unfazed. "You know that won't work on me."
"A god does not tolerate provocation," Pain said coldly.
Yeah, right. You're no god.
Obito scoffed internally but kept his face neutral. "Drop the pointless fight. I came to help. I've already convinced the Mizukage to attend the meeting to take down Aizen. I also found someone who knows a lot about him."
"Who?" Pain's Rinnegan eyes locked onto him.
Obito didn't hesitate. "Yakushi Kabuto. He'll be our key to defeating Aizen."
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