The defeat of Kurosuke Raiga—the Black Hoe Thunder Fang—had shaken the enemy's morale to its core.
And when Aizen joined Terumi Mei's rebel camp, the chaos turned into a one-sided slaughter. In mere minutes, hundreds of Yagura's forces were sent to the afterlife under the sway of Kyōka Suigetsu's perfect illusion.
"Ha… haha… hahaha! We won! We actually won!"
"I'm still alive… I'm alive!"
"Over here! Medical-nin, treat the wounded!"
The surviving rebels raised their arms in exhilaration. Nothing felt sweeter than escaping death itself.
Terumi Mei, though bloodstained and weary, held her composure. After swift treatment by the medics, her chakra was still depleted, but her body had already recovered more than half its strength.
With graceful steps—hips swaying like a model on stage, perhaps deliberately—she walked toward Aizen, placing a hand under her chin.
"I truly appreciate your help, Lord Aizen."
At the same time, her mind churned with suspicion. Why had Sunagakure's second-in-command suddenly appeared here?
Aizen answered with his usual calm, his words carrying the warmth of innate sincerity:
"Oh, it was nothing. I simply heard of the unrest within the Land of Water. Lord Kazekage dispatched me here, and I happened to come across this battle. I also heard of Yagura's tyranny… so I chose to lend my aid."
The gentle tone made it difficult for anyone to doubt him.
Terumi Mei's eyes glimmered. She forced herself to suppress her rising emotions, her voice steady as she asked:
"Then… might I request that Sunagakure consider helping us further? Should we succeed, I would gladly form an alliance between the Mist and the Sand."
Even if this battle had been won, she knew her remaining forces could not stand against Yagura for long. If Aizen departed, their hope would vanish with him.
Better, then, to secure Sunagakure's cooperation.
Unknowingly, her address shifted—from "Mr. Aizen" to the more respectful "Lord Aizen." A subtle flattery, but deliberate nonetheless.
"Heh. You're too polite, Miss Terumi Mei. We're of similar age—feel free to call me by name."
Aizen's kind chuckle only deepened her impression of him. Power wrapped in humility—this was the same aura that had once made Senju Hashirama far more beloved than Uchiha Madara.
Inside, however, Aizen was quietly pleased. He knew Obito would eventually abandon control of Yagura to focus on the Tailed Beast hunt. When that time came, Yagura's death was inevitable, and Terumi Mei would inherit victory without further bloodshed.
But she knew nothing of that future. For now, she would grasp any chance to strengthen her cause.
"If Aizen-sama agrees," she thought, "then even temporary cooperation with the Sand could change everything."
Aloud, she asked.
Aizen tilted his head, feigning hesitation. "Ming… are you certain you can make such a promise on behalf of Kirigakure's future?"
The sudden use of her name made the 24-year-old Mizukage-to-be falter, a faint flush rising to her cheeks.
Before she could answer, Ao stepped forward from behind.
"Our revolutionary forces have already agreed: when victory is ours, Lady Terumi Mei will ascend as the Fifth Mizukage. Lord Aizen need not doubt her authority."
Like Mei, Ao saw the chance to secure Sunagakure's alliance and seized it.
"Then I'm reassured," Aizen replied smoothly. "But such decisions lie between nations. I alone cannot guarantee them. If possible, would you accompany me to Sunagakure, so you may negotiate directly with Lord Kazekage?"
Ao frowned. "Even for a Kage-level shinobi, the journey there and back would take a full week at best."
Mei hardly hesitated. "Ao, I'll leave matters in your hands. Lead everyone back to our stronghold and avoid further clashes with Yagura's forces until I return."
Ao gave a firm nod in acknowledgment.
Turning back, Mei met Aizen's gaze. "Then let us depart at once, Lord Aizen."
Aizen smiled warmly. "As I said, Mei—just Aizen will do. But before we go, with Yagura's power, finding your stronghold will not be difficult. I have a method that can help. Would you take me there first?"
…
Hours later, on the border of the Land of Water.
A remote village, long abandoned, now served as the rebel base. Hundreds of wounded shinobi were gathered—most bandaged and bloodied, many lying weakly on the ground awaiting treatment.
Aizen, Terumi Mei, and Ao stood at the village's entrance. The despair in the air was palpable.
Aizen raised his right hand.
Bakudō #26: Curved Light!
A vibrant, prism-like barrier expanded, engulfing the village in a shimmering triangular dome.
And then—before their eyes—the village vanished.
"This… what is this?" Ao gasped, eyes widening.
His Byakugan flared, veins bulging as he searched. He could still see the chakra of the people within… yet to the outside world, the village no longer existed.
Aizen stood calmly. He had no reason to fear Ao's vision anymore. In their earlier battle with Raiga, he had already initiated Kyōka Suigetsu's ritual, binding every witness beneath its perfect illusion.