Puff.
Biwa Juzo sank to one knee, bracing his weight against the Executioner's Blade. A jagged, bloody wound carved a path from his right shoulder down to his abdomen.
"I had intended to sever the entire arm, but I did not expect you to evade it," Aizen remarked, flicking the blood from his blade with practiced calm. "Remarkable reflexes."
The words were phrased as praise, but to Biwa Juzo, they stung like a mockery. His face contorted with rage. "Damn... you stinking brat!"
Aizen ignored him, turning his gaze toward Pain. "Leader, am I qualified to join?"
Juzo's provocation had clearly been sanctioned by Pain to test the newcomer's mettle—a fact Aizen understood perfectly.
"Yes," Pain nodded coldly. "Moving on, I shall assign the next objectives..."
Aizen didn't truly listen to the rest. Having knowledge of the original story, he knew the Akatsuki's inner workings well; the "new missions" were simply the beginning of the hunt for the Tailed Beasts. This was the primary reason Aizen had chosen to join the organization. His own grand design required the Ten-Tails to eventually manifest in this world.
Of course, even without the Akatsuki, Aizen possessed the strength to seize the Tailed Beasts himself. Even with his role-playing progress at only 34%, he held enough power to conquer the entire ninja world.
But that was not Aizen's style.
Rather than relying solely on absolute force, Aizen preferred more elegant methods: guidance, manipulation, and the strategic use of tools. However, at this moment, his interest in the "tools" standing before him waned as something far more intriguing captured his attention.
[Congratulations on receiving an invitation. Would you like to join the Dimensional Exchange Group?]
Looking at the flickering light screen manifested before him, even a man of Aizen's temperament couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.
Scanning the group description, he realized the Dimensional Exchange Group was a chat interface that transcended space and time. Through system invitations, individuals from various dimensions could communicate and interact. Judging by the login interface, it bore a striking resemblance to the Penguin instant messenger from his past life.
In other words, this is my second 'golden finger'?
"Interesting," Aizen murmured. Following the mental prompts, he focused his intent on the command: [Join].
['This is an Actor' has joined the group.]
An Actor?
Regarding the nickname, Aizen instantly understood that whatever intelligence governed this group was aware he was role-playing a character. However, according to the notice at the top of the page, the position of "Group Owner" was currently vacant. This suggested the group's will was merely an unconscious set of rules.
It was clear this entity existed outside his control, but he didn't resent the mystery; he found it stimulating. However, if a Group Owner were to manifest, the dynamic would shift—it would imply he could be monitored or dominated. Neither An Ran himself nor the character he portrayed, Aizen Sosuke, could tolerate such a thing.
With that thought, he turned his focus to the chat interface.
Curly-Haired Boy: "Oh, hey! Is that a new person?"
Scarlet Snake Fairy: "Actor?"
Book Artist: "Welcome, newcomer. If it's convenient, would you mind introducing yourself?"
Curly-Haired Boy: "Mochou-chan, an 'actor' is actually a profession. They wear all sorts of strange clothes and play different roles in movies. Of course, my favorites are the ones who don't wear clothes. Oh! Could the newcomer be one of those people?"
Book Artist: "Shut up! Don't teach Sister Mochou such filth, you bastard!"
Curly-Haired Boy: "What are you talking about, you brat Eriri? I'm helping Mochou-chan grow!"
Actors without clothes?
If An Ran weren't currently anchored in the persona of Aizen, his expression likely would have soured. However, through the banter, he was able to confirm the identities of the members: the curly-haired Sakata Gintoki, the "Scarlet Snake Fairy" Li Mochou, and the illustrator Eriri Spencer Sawamura. In his previous life, these were all well-known figures.
Returning to his task, Aizen composed a mental message: My name is An Ran.
After sending it, he subconsciously checked his role-playing progress. It remained steady at 34%.
So, interacting with the group does not hinder my synchronization?
Curly-Haired Boy: "Wow, the new guy really has no social skills. Just a name? That's the whole intro? Could you be any less helpful?"
Book Artist: "You shut up. You spew filth every day; you have no right to lecture others on social etiquette."
This is an Actor: "My apologies, the previous introduction was indeed brief. My name is An Ran. I am male, twenty-seven years old, and I am a psychoanalyst."
Curly-Haired Boy: "Huh? Is this a job interview?"
Scarlet Snake Fairy: "Psychoanalyst?"
Curly-Haired Boy: "Don't ask me. Even Gin-san doesn't know what that means."
Book Artist: "Perhaps a psychologist? But your screen name doesn't match the job. Are you also an actor on the side?"
This is an Actor: "Well, you could say that."
Role-playing was, in essence, acting—just without the paycheck.
Angel of the Hidden Rain Village: "Oh? When did the newcomer arrive?"
Hidden Rain Village? Angel?
The moment he saw the nickname, Aizen shifted his gaze toward Konan, who was standing a short distance away. She had her head slightly lowered, staring intently at the lower right corner of her field of vision, appearing deep in thought.
Is it really her?
Aizen raised an eyebrow. Although the chat screen was invisible to everyone but the user, he noted that the interface appeared exactly where Konan was currently focused. Furthermore, he sensed that the influence of Kyoka Suigetsu on her five senses had momentarily flickered.
Interesting. Truly interesting.
Aizen's lips curled into a subtle smile as he sent a message: Hello. My name is An Ran. I am a newcomer who just joined you.
Konan, apparently oblivious to the double meaning behind the words or the proximity of the sender, replied politely: "Yes. Hello, I am Konan. Welcome to the family."