Chapter 68: 68
Late at night, Aizen sat in his tent, silently refining chakra... Special Jonin!
Although still bearing the "special" designation, it was the rank of Jonin nonetheless. In the entire ninja world, reaching this level signified becoming a true powerhouse. Chunin, even elite Chunin, were considered mid-level in Konoha's hierarchy. Only those of Jonin rank and above could be considered part of Konoha's core strength.
Boom!
With a resounding boom within Aizen's body, the chakra within him underwent a qualitative transformation! Simultaneously, the amount of chakra within Aizen surged, rapidly increasing more than tenfold! The aura surrounding Aizen intensified, radiating an oppressive pressure. Before long, Aizen opened his eyes, their gleam flickering with newfound power and confidence.
"Hmm... as expected of a Special Jonin, my chakra reserves have increased twelvefold, and even the quality of my chakra has dramatically improved. I could easily defeat my past self now!" Aizen rose to his feet, stretching and letting out a satisfied sigh. After assessing his newfound strength, he nodded in approval. Having officially entered the ranks of the ninja world's elite, Aizen had indeed undergone a metamorphosis. With every advancement in his energy, his abilities such as Reiatsu, Zanjutsu, and Hohō were further enhanced, exponentially increasing his overall power.
"Now, I just need a few more days to solidify my current strength. And when the right opportunity arises, Ryuken, I will kill you!" Aizen's eyes narrowed, his heart filled with murderous intent. As his power grew, the first thought that crossed his mind was Ryuken, who had repeatedly challenged him. Eliminating him was essential for Aizen's plans. But this required not only sufficient strength, but also the right opportunity. Aizen could afford to wait.
In the following days, Aizen familiarized himself with his enhanced state, and nothing significant occurred. Notably, not only had Aizen's spiritual energy reached the level of a Special Jonin, but he had also mastered the Earth Release: Hardening Technique and the first three gates of the Eight Inner Gates, further increasing his overall capabilities. This newfound power only bolstered Aizen's confidence in his plans to kill Ryuken.
Of course, much of this training was conducted in secrecy. Before each session, Aizen would discreetly use Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis on those around him to safeguard his secrets. Especially after his promotion to Special Jonin, Aizen's spiritual network had undergone a qualitative shift in both range and potency, eliminating any concerns about being observed from the shadows.
After a few days of consolidating his strength, Aizen accompanied Jiraiya to another high-level meeting at the Konoha camp. Within the central tent, everyone sat in solemn silence. Even guards like Aizen and Minato Namikaze were provided chairs behind Jiraiya to "listen in."
At the head of the table sat the three Anbu chiefs – Mitarashi Zashi, Hatake Sakumo, and Gekkou Yoru. Seated to their left and right were Orochimaru and Jiraiya, respectively. The remaining seats were occupied by representatives of the Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga, and other clans, primarily Elite Jonin. As for Tsunade, She had yet to recover from the blow of Senju Nawaki's death and showed no inclination to attend the meeting.
Mitarashi Zashi understood this and didn't press the issue. "Let the meeting commence. First, I must address the losses we suffered in the recent battle," Mitarashi Zashi announced in a somber tone.
The assembled ninja reacted with grim expressions, their faces mirroring the gravity of the situation.
Yoru, seated beside Zashi, produced a report, his face grim as he read: "In this battle, we lost over 6,000 shinobi, including 128 Jonin and above, 1,313 Chunin and above, and 298 medical and intelligence ninja..."
A wave of murmurs erupted throughout the tent as the shinobi exchanged disbelieving glances.
While they were aware that Konoha had suffered significant casualties in the conflict.
"But I never imagined that the First Division would suffer such heavy losses. These casualties are simply too severe! Secondly, over 90% of our First Division's supplies were destroyed, and..." Yoru continued, but his voice faltered, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes. This piqued the curiosity of the shinobi present. While the significant loss of materials was undoubtedly a setback, it wasn't a major issue for Konoha, a wealthy village.
On the third day after the attack on the Konoha camp, supplies from the village had already arrived. Such losses might be a cause for concern for other villages, but for Konoha, the primary focus was the loss of shinobi lives. Why, then, did Yoru exhibit such an expression? It didn't seem right! However, the faces of Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and others who were privy to the truth darkened, their eyes filled with sorrow. "And... Senju Nawaki also perished in this operation," Yoru announced gravely.
"What? How is that possible?"
"Deputy Captain, you must be joking!"
"Nawaki is the top genius in our village, how could he suddenly die?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the countless shinobi present were utterly shocked. A wave of commotion swept through the conference tent. "Silence! What kind of behavior is this? Are you still shinobi?" Zashi's brow furrowed as he reprimanded them in a raised voice. Despite his loss of prestige in this defeat, Zashi's authority remained intact. His stern rebuke silenced the agitated shinobi, but their eyes still burned with intense emotion as they turned their attention to Zashi, awaiting his next words.
Witnessing this scene, Zashi let out an inward sigh. Senju Nawaki's identity was simply too special. As the grandson of the First Hokage, he held an unparalleled position within Konoha. To the Konoha shinobi, the First Hokage was both their conqueror and their benefactor. While the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha had joined forces to suppress the various clans and compel them to join Konoha to end the Warring States era, they harbored resentment towards each other. But the First Hokage's ultimate goal was peace! When the shinobi, who had endured the hardships of the Warring States period, suddenly found themselves in an era of peace, they were all grateful to the First Hokage! One of the most striking examples was the Uchiha clan.
When Madara Uchiha sought to lead the Uchiha clan away from Konoha, no one was willing to follow him! Keep in mind that this was the Uchiha clan, who had a thousand-year feud with the Senju clan. Even after experiencing the joys of peace, they abandoned their patriarch, the one who had once brought them immeasurable glory - Madara Uchiha! This demonstrated the profound impact the First Hokage's policies and benevolence had on the Konoha clans.
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