In Konoha, within the Hyuga Clan's territory.
The usually peaceful grounds had suddenly come alive.
"Haha, please, don't be modest!"
"Come back anytime!"
"Don't worry, we're not offended at all!"
Having seen off another group of guests, the hosts at the door wiped the sweat from their brows and exchanged smiles.
"It's been a long time since our Hyuga Clan last had such a lively event!"
"Hmph! They're just here to snoop around about that old ancestor, right?"
"Now that you mention it, in my entire life I've never even heard about any powerful elder in our family before!"
"Neither have I. Maybe it's some secret weapon hidden by the clan leader?"
Inside the estate, Hizashi stared wide-eyed at his older brother.
"You really don't know either?"
Hiashi shrugged helplessly with a bitter smile. "I myself am completely in the dark!"
Hizashi asked hesitantly, "Could the clan elders possibly know something?"
Hiashi shook his head. "If even I, the clan leader, don't know, they'll know even less!"
Hizashi's eye quirked. "Then how can you so comfortably accept all those gifts from them?"
Hiashi sighed. "What else could I do? The Byakugan drew so much attention at the recent Kage Summit. If I hadn't given some vague hints, we might not even be able to keep those greedy eyes away with the Caged Bird seal alone!"
Hizashi gave a thoughtful nod. "Are we really hiding behind a big banner pretending to be a tiger? I hope that senior won't mind this!"
Hiashi gave a dry chuckle. "Who knows? Maybe he really is our Hyuga Clan's senior. When the Hyuga Clan allied with Konoha back then, there were indeed some clan members who chose to leave the family because they refused to let go of their hatred!"
While the two Hyuga brothers were thus entangled with this mythical ancestor who may or may not exist, in an underground lab somewhere else.
"Byakugan, Sharingan..." Orochimaru gently shook the reagent in his hand, but his thoughts drifted to that child named Itachi he'd happened to see not long ago.
Such talent had even stunned him.
Thinking about it, Orochimaru secretly sighed, "If Seiki-kun hadn't already set such a precedent, I might have taken an interest in his eyes... Heh, actually, I'm still quite interested in the Sharingan, but not in taking them—rather, I'm interested in researching them. Science and knowledge are the most powerful forces in this world!"
Even Seiki himself had said that his strength was built upon the accumulation of knowledge!
"Not long ago, I ventured deep into the Uchiha Clan's burial site and found several relatively intact remains. Using the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu, I resurrected them and obtained much information about the Sharingan."
Orochimaru mused, "Among this information was that the Sharingan can evolve into the Mangekyo Sharingan, and in these eyes resides a jutsu called Susanoo. This jutsu seemed to be exactly the same as the one used by that masked man at the Kage Summit!"
"Could it be that the Byakugan and the Sharingan are somehow connected? Perhaps they share the same ancestor..."
Clap-clap-clap.
Suddenly, light clapping echoed through the quiet lab, even making Orochimaru, with all his composure, struggle to remain calm.
"Who's there!" Orochimaru abruptly turned his head, only to see a mysterious figure wearing a Shinigami mask leaning against the door.
"I actually didn't sense his approach!" Orochimaru's expression turned grim. If the opponent had launched a surprise attack just now, he would have been severely injured at best, or killed at worst.
"Wait, the Shinigami Mask..." Orochimaru suddenly recalled a piece of intelligence he had seen before and asked, "Are you that Masked Man who rescued Red-Sand Sasori from the Grail Ruin three years ago? I heard that Red-Sand Sasori has already joined the Akatsuki organization, so you must be a member of that organization too, right?"
Aizen didn't deny it, instead clapping his hands with a smile, "No wonder you're regarded as the most promising among the Sannin, Orochimaru! You recognized my identity so quickly!"
Orochimaru didn't let his guard down just because of the compliment. "How did you get in here? The barrier didn't even react!"
Aizen shrugged. "Just find someone who knows the Technique Form to open the barrier, use Genjutsu to control him when he leaves the village, and have him bring me inside—isn't that enough?"
Orochimaru's snake-like pupils narrowed. The person who knows how to open the barrier must be at least an elite Jonin of the village, yet they were controlled so silently!
However, recalling the records mentioned in the intelligence, he no longer felt strange about it. After all, this opponent was a powerful expert capable of trapping hundreds of people in Genjutsu in an instant!
"However, aren't you underestimating Konoha too much? As long as I shout, you, an Akatsuki member, will become a prisoner!" Orochimaru threatened with ill intent.
"Konoha is indeed powerful, but aren't you underestimating me too?" Aizen smiled. "From the moment we met, your fate has already been decided!"
Orochimaru's pupils constricted. "What do you mean?"
Aizen snapped his fingers. "Aren't you trying to capture me? Well, you can start now!"
Orochimaru broke the silence by suddenly sending two large white-scaled snakes darting from his sleeves, striking at the opponent.
Then, without even looking back, he broke through the wall and fled outside.
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Although he was unsure of the opponent's strength, there was no doubt about the opponent's danger, and this was happening deep within Konoha. It was utterly unnecessary for him to take risks and engage in combat!
If you can team up, never fight one-on-one—this was a principle every ninja should master!
As for a sense of shame, that kind of emotion was meaningless and never held him back.
While fleeing, Orochimaru listened carefully. "There's not a single sound. It seems like I was instantly eliminated without causing him any effect at all!"
"But why isn't this guy chasing me? Is it out of confidence in his strength, or is it the Genjutsu mentioned in the intelligence?"
Thinking about the opponent's oddities, Orochimaru couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Fortunately, he could already see the exit.
"Finally..." Orochimaru rushed through the gate. His vision blurred, and when he opened his eyes again, he was back where he started.
Facing the Masked Man in front of him, Orochimaru asked solemnly, "Is this Genjutsu? When exactly did you do it?"
He had already been extremely careful and vigilant, yet the opponent hadn't made a single hand seal from beginning to end—not even the slightest ripple of chakra could be detected!
Aizen smiled. "Didn't I tell you? From the moment we met, your fate has already been decided!"
"When we met?" Orochimaru frowned slightly. The opponent hadn't even moved a muscle back then!
"Never mind. First, break the genjutsu!" As one of the Sannin, Orochimaru knew exactly how to break it. After disrupting the flow of chakra in his body, the world around him rippled like water.
Just as Orochimaru started to relax, he heard the other laugh, "Have you really broken the genjutsu?"
Orochimaru's face darkened, and he quickly checked his body. "My chakra's still out of control. I'm in no condition to fight, but don't even think you've got me under control!"
"You sure?"
Right after he spoke, the space around them shattered again.
Orochimaru looked around and suddenly found himself standing beneath an endless starry sky!
"This is impossible! I've already broken the genjutsu!" Orochimaru growled in disbelief.
"Your ears betray you. Your eyes betray you. Did you really think your chakra wouldn't betray you too?" Aizen's voice echoed through the boundless stars.
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