After hearing Aizen's request, Orochimaru sneered.
"You… If the people of Sunagakure ever learned your true face, I wonder what expression they would make… hehehe…"
Aizen smiled calmly.
"Perhaps. But tell me, do you really think anyone would believe you?"
Orochimaru's expression darkened.
He understood well—if he tried to speak ill of Aizen in Sunagakure, it would be dismissed as nothing more than slander.
According to all reports, Aizen was seen as a spotless lotus blooming out of the mud, an untarnished white flower in the desolate sands of Sunagakure—more immaculate than even Konoha's venerable elders.
Even if Orochimaru proclaimed that Aizen was the greatest traitor in the ninja world, no one would believe it.
"Horrifying man…"
With those words, Orochimaru turned away, leading Kabuto and the five Oto-nin out.
It wasn't Aizen's strength alone that unsettled him.
What truly disturbed Orochimaru was Aizen's character, his unfathomable mind, and the way he manipulated people as though they were puppets on invisible strings.
Even Orochimaru—accustomed as he was to the shadows of Konoha's politics—felt that compared to Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, or Mitokado Homura, this man's methods were on an entirely different level.
When Aizen returned to Sunagakure, the guards quickly straightened and saluted.
"You've worked hard, Aizen-sama! How did it go?"
Aizen's voice carried a gentle smile.
"Don't worry—it's been resolved. I'll be reporting to Lord Kazekage now."
"As expected of Aizen-sama!"
"Yes! To complete an S-rank mission in just two days, alone!"
"As long as Sunagakure has you, there is nothing to fear!"
"You flatter me. I'll take my leave."
With a small wave, Aizen moved quickly toward the Kazekage's Tower.
Inside, after returning to his true self, Kenya checked the progress of his template.
[Current template character: Aizen Sōsuke. Unlock rate: 23.76%]
It wasn't surprising. These past battles had been short, and their outcomes would play out in the long run. Progress was bound to slow.
Still, to only gain this much after facing Orochimaru—a veteran Kage-level shinobi—was unsatisfying.
Since stepping into Kage-level himself, Kenya's growth rate had slowed compared to the early days.
But that was natural. Raising a score from 0 to 30 was easy. From 30 to 60 took more effort. From 60 to 90, even more so. And beyond 90 to 100—the difficulty spiked sharply.
Then again, when he thought of Aizen in Bleach—a man who had honed his power over hundreds of years—Kenya felt more at ease.
He reminded himself: No laziness. There's always a way forward.
"Hmm?"
Looking out the window, he noticed Gaara—just shy of his ninth birthday—walking alone through the streets of Sunagakure.
"Gaara…"
Kenya touched his chin thoughtfully, an idea taking shape in his mind.
January 19.
For most in Sunagakure, it was an ordinary day.
Few knew it was the birthday of Gaara, the jinchūriki of the One-Tail.
Even Gaara himself barely remembered such things.
Sometimes his sister Temari would try to give him a gift, but this year she had departed on a C-rank mission with her Jōnin leader and teammates.
Gaara wandered the streets as usual.
Temari had recently graduated as a Genin. When she took the Chūnin Exams, her team had not included her younger brothers. Instead, her squad leader had been Long Zhong—one of the three Sunagakure Jōnin who had once accompanied Aizen to Konoha.
As Gaara passed, villagers shrank into corners, casting him looks of disgust as if he were a diseased rat scurrying through the alleys.
Yet the moment Gaara's cold, piercing gaze swept across them, their courage crumbled and they turned away in fear.
"Yo, Gaara!"
The sudden voice made his brow twitch. Turning, he saw a figure in a pure white mask—one he recognized.
"Aizen-sama…"
"Ah, it's Master Aizen."
"With him here, we don't have to be afraid of that monster Gaara…"
The villagers whispered in relief, emboldened by Aizen's presence.
"What do you want?" Gaara asked flatly.
He still remembered this man—the one who had nearly slipped past his sand's automatic defense.
"Oh, I happened to be looking through the shinobi registry this year," Aizen said lightly. "And I found out that today is a special day."
With a small chuckle, he drew a scroll from his robes and held it out.
"As the heir to Lord Kazekage's Magnet Release, I couldn't think of a better birthday gift. This is one of the Magnet Release techniques developed by the Kazekage himself—Gold Dust Funeral. Take it."
Gaara's eyes widened.
The surrounding villagers froze, mouths agape.
"Did you… see that?"
"Was that… a birthday present? For Gaara?"
"From Aizen-sama himself?"
"As expected of Aizen-sama… kind to everyone… so noble…"
"But for Gaara… isn't that unnecessary?"