Scarlet Snake Fairy: "..."
Ying Lili's metaphor was so pointed that Li Mochou found herself at a loss for words. She twitched her lips in a flicker of frustration.
"Master, what is wrong?" Hong Lingbo, standing beside her, noticed the shift in her master's demeanor and asked in confusion.
"It is nothing," Li Mochou replied, taking a breath to steady her expression. "Master is simply a little tired."
Tired?
Hong Lingbo was stunned, her expression going dull. Her master had clearly been resting in her room for the better part of the day; why would she be tired now?
Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.
Even Hong Lingbo, who wasn't particularly observant, noticed the change. Li Mochou had always been known for her short temper and caustic tongue, rarely offering anyone a kind look. Yet lately, she was able to communicate with her disciple calmly.
Logically, this should have been a blessing, but Hong Lingbo found it unsettling. Furthermore, her master—once obsessed with returning to the Ancient Tomb to retrieve the Jade Girl Heart Sutra—now appeared unhurried, stopping frequently along their journey. Even more outrageous was the fact that she would often stare blankly into the distance with an inexplicable expression on her face.
Just as she was doing now.
"Could it be that Master is possessed by evil spirits?" Hong Lingbo wondered aloud, the thought slipping out involuntarily.
Oops!
The moment the words left her mouth, Hong Lingbo realized her mistake.
"Lingbo," Li Mochou's cold voice rang out. "It seems it has been a long time since your master last tested your martial arts."
Gulp.
Hong Lingbo swallowed hard, her face a mask of horror and regret. Seeing her apprentice's pitiful state, Li Mochou's anger instantly dissipated. However, she maintained her icy facade and said, "Do not pretend to be pathetic. Get out of here."
"Yes, Master!" Hong Lingbo fled the room as if she had been granted a divine pardon.
That girl...
Watching her disciple's retreating back, Li Mochou shook her head slightly, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes. She understood why Lingbo was confused. Her temperament had indeed shifted; she was no longer the cold, ruthless killer she once was. This was thanks to the guidance of Konan and Eriri, whose companionship had gradually thawed her frozen heart.
Because of this, she, like Konan, had come to view the group members as her own family—even if those family members occasionally said outrageous things that made even a woman of the ancient world blush.
Curly-Haired Boy: "No! Dad, I don't admit it! When did my Konan-chan get married? Dad never agreed to this!"
Book Artist: "Idiot, can't you tell I was speaking metaphorically? And what is with this 'Dad' business? Don't think you can take advantage of Konan-san just because she isn't looking!"
Curly-Haired Boy: "Humph, I'm not taking advantage of her. Gin-san is the father of all of you!"
Scarlet Snake Fairy: "? Get lost!"
Book Artist: "Haha, I would disown you even if you were my son."
This is an Actor: "It seems Gintoki's ability to self-regulate is quite strong. Have you truly let it go?"
As usual, Aizen ignored the nonsense and cut straight to the point.
Curly-Haired Boy: "Ha! That's impossible. It's just another layer of baggage I carry every day."
This is an Actor: "I see."
Aizen understood Sakata Gintoki's meaning. The "baggage" was, in reality, karma and bonds. With the death of the original Yoshida Shouyou, those bonds should have vanished. But now, with the appearance of the "Hollows" in Gintoki's world, that baggage had taken on a new, darker meaning.
Gintoki was clearly preparing to settle those scores. What will he do? Will he follow the original path, or find a new way to storm the Tendoshu base? Aizen mused. An unconventional master-disciple duel would be fascinating to behold.
Aizen's thoughts began to drift.
Bang!
The sound of a hand slamming against a table snapped him back to reality. Danzo, sitting not far away, was trembling with rage. "I refuse!"
"Danzo," Sarutobi Hiruzen said calmly, having anticipated this reaction. "This is the consensus of the other two advisors and myself."
Danzo's eyes swept sharply toward Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu. The two elders merely nodded slightly, remaining silent.
"Aizen is my subordinate!" Danzo barked, his tone deep and somber.
"Root also belongs to Konoha," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied, taking a slow puff of his pipe. "And I am the Hokage of Konoha."
Danzo remained silent for a long time before standing up coldly. "You will regret this, Hiruzen."
With that, he slammed the door and departed, the heavy thud of his cane echoing in the hallway.
"I am so sorry, Hokage-sama," Aizen said sincerely, his face clouded with guilt. "It is my fault that you and Danzo-sama..."
"No," Sarutobi Hiruzen waved a hand, interrupting him. "I meant what I said. A person like you is truly not suited for the darkness of Root."
Hiruzen was being honest. He knew Aizen well—or thought he did. To him, the young man was the template of a perfect shinobi: talented, humble, gentle, and fiercely loyal to the village. He had long desired to bring Aizen out of the shadows and under his direct command, but both Danzo and Aizen had previously refused. It was likely that Danzo's recent extreme measures had finally pushed Aizen to seek a different path.
Even so, Hiruzen saw the lingering respect and reluctance in Aizen's eyes as he looked toward the door Danzo had just exited. Rather than annoying the Hokage, this display of emotion satisfied him. It proved that the boy valued bonds and feelings—the very essence of the Will of Fire.
"But have you truly decided?" Hiruzen's expression turned solemn as he looked directly at Aizen. "Are you really going to work at the Ninja Academy?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Aizen nodded, his voice firm. "I have thought it through clearly."
As expected... you still can't let go of the desire to guide others?
Hiruzen was silent for a moment, then sighed. "I understand. I will have the employment documents delivered to you later."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Only after Aizen's back had completely disappeared from view did Hiruzen slowly pull a few pages of reports from his desk drawer. He flipped through them, his brow furrowing deeply. The title page was shocking: [Experiments on the Fission of the First Hokage's Cells] and [Concepts Regarding the Fusion of the Sharingan and the First Hokage's Cells].
"How much of this report do you believe is accurate?" Hiruzen asked the two advisors.
"Eighty percent."
"Ninety percent."
They had just finished reading the document. It was meticulously detailed—so much so that their experience told them it was unlikely to be a fabrication.
"Alas, Danzo," Hiruzen sighed, picking up a lighter and setting the corner of the document ablaze. "I only hope he will not make any more mistakes."