Chapter 53: Aizen's Illusion
"My plan...?"
"Yes," Aizen replied calmly, his voice carrying both admiration and regret. "It seems your plan has been exposed—but we still have time to salvage it."
"...?"
"It's unfortunate," Aizen continued with a sigh, "that Elder Danzo didn't fully understand your wisdom. His journey to the Land of Rain was… unnecessary."
"Yeah..."
The Third Hokage nodded vaguely, his expression distant.
He had a plan? What plan?
When Danzo had accused him of overreaching, he'd barely managed to defend himself. And now, Aizen was saying it was Danzo's fault all along?
Why did the entire world seem to change the moment he woke up? Why had the Rock and Sand Villages suddenly formed a joint development front? Why were the Cloud and Mist Villages announcing a defensive alliance? And why was everyone lamenting that "their plans had failed"? What plans?!
As confusion clouded Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind, Aizen Sosuke spoke with perfect composure, his expression one of solemn admiration.
"Trading space for time—using deliberately reckless moves to paralyze the enemy's judgment. It's a masterpiece of strategic misdirection. I suspect, Hokage-sama, that you've been laying the groundwork for this ever since Sakumo-senpai's death."
"The White Fang's death was seen as an unfortunate tragedy," Aizen continued, his tone steady, persuasive. "But in truth, it coincided with the Sand Village's great upheaval. That was the beginning of your grand strategy. After the incident with the nameless ninja in the Land of Rain, you recalled all external forces. On the surface, it seemed like you were yielding ground to the Sand and Rock Villages—but in reality, you were preparing to mobilize the Blut Vene and the family clans."
"Once the power of the Blut Arterie and Blut Vene became visible, the clans would abandon their old conservatism and integrate this technology into their ranks. The so-called 'library incident' was no accident—it was part of your plan. The stolen data was mostly theoretical, not practical. The enemy would waste precious time trying to understand what could not be immediately applied."
"At the same time," Aizen went on, his tone gaining rhythm and conviction, "the enemy would occupy our abandoned defenses—burning resources rebuilding their own. They would find themselves trapped in their own logistics while we perfect our technology. Three months from now, with full deployment of Blut Vene, Konoha could crush the Sand and Rock Armies in a single strike. Once that foundation was laid, the rest would follow naturally. A few calculated victories—and Konoha could unify the world."
Aizen's expression darkened slightly. "But then… Elder Danzo's reckless interference disrupted your design. His attempt to make amends only increased suspicion among the other villages. Now, with three major alliances formed, our advantage has faded. What a tragic waste, Hokage-sama."
"…So that's what I was planning," Hiruzen murmured weakly, a small twitch forming at the corner of his mouth.
He sat silently for a moment, eyes hollow, then gave a quiet, almost hopeless chuckle.
Was that really how it all looked? Was he truly the mastermind everyone believed him to be?
Listening to Aizen's grand interpretation, the Hokage felt as though he were hearing a legend written about someone else. Apparently, he was now the invisible hand guiding the destiny of nations.
Finally, he sighed, rubbing his temples wearily.
"Sosuke… if I told you that none of this was ever my intention, would you believe me?"
"I believe it," Aizen said immediately.
"Ah?"
"Because," Aizen continued softly, "you are not that kind of man, Hokage-sama. You would never sacrifice the lives of your people so coldly. You would never turn their deaths into stepping stones for your own ambition. That kind of cruelty does not exist in your heart."
"Sosuke..."
Hiruzen looked at him with genuine emotion for the first time in days. Perhaps, he thought, this young man truly did embody the Will of Fire. Despite his strange methods and secretive research, his loyalty seemed unshakable.
The Third Hokage opened his mouth to speak—to deny, to explain, to maybe even ask Aizen to negotiate peace with the other nations—but before he could utter a word, Aizen interrupted him once more, his tone shifting from warmth to authority.
"However," Aizen said, eyes gleaming faintly behind his glasses, "this is not the time for hesitation. On the contrary, it is the perfect opportunity for you to reveal your true strength."
Sarutobi blinked. "...My strength?"
"Konoha," Aizen said firmly, "has always been divided. Our greatest weakness has never been the enemy—it is ourselves. The world mocks our infighting, our bureaucracy, our fragile balance of power. But do you know why that persists, Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen leaned forward, almost despite himself. "Why?"
"Because," Aizen said with a faint smile, "we no longer have a worthy enemy to unite against."
"Precisely because we are the number one ninja village," Aizen said, his tone low but resonant, "we have turned our focus inward rather than toward our enemies. True enemies can be destroyed easily. But now, Hokage-sama, the time has come—the opportunity to unite Konoha has finally arrived."
Aizen's voice deepened, growing from calm conviction into rising passion, each word carrying a weight that made even the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, instinctively feel its logic.
"We now stand against two powerful enemies who have joined forces to target us. This is the moment to silence all divisions within Konoha and forge a single will."
"Ninjas should no longer be separated by clan or bloodline," Aizen continued, his eyes glinting beneath the reflection of his glasses. "They should be organized by ability. Those gifted in research should unite under shared laboratories; those born for battle should not waste away in complacency. Every shinobi must be placed where their strength matters most."
"Now is the time to prepare for war. This is no longer the chaotic clash of the previous Great Ninja War. The world has shifted—three major forces now stand locked in balance, each watching the other. Whoever strikes first will be struck down by the remaining two. But if we cannot become that third corner—if we fail to unite—then we will be erased!"
Aizen took a step forward and bowed. "Please give the order, Hokage-sama."
"…,"
It was difficult to refute him.
Hiruzen looked at the mountain of reports and conflicting intelligence flooding his desk. Every word Aizen spoke seemed to echo with grim reality.
The alliances of the Cloud, Mist, Rock, and Sand Villages had turned the world into a storm waiting to explode. No matter how eloquent his pleas for peace or how firm his will, diplomacy was useless now.
There was only one path left.
He straightened his back, exhaled slowly, and his eyes sharpened. Then so be it.
I am the Third Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen!
"Pass down my order!" he commanded. "Summon all the heads of Konoha's major clans to the Hokage's office for an emergency council!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Aizen bowed deeply, concealing his faint smile.
You see, he thought as he turned away, manipulating the world isn't all that difficult.
As he stepped out of the office, the afternoon sun sliced through the clouds, casting golden light across his figure. His glasses glinted faintly as he adjusted them, a trace of amusement hidden behind his calm demeanor.
It was like tailoring a fine suit—you didn't need to spin the thread or weave the cloth yourself. All you had to do was stitch it perfectly to fit what already existed, and it would naturally become a masterpiece.
When the four great nations were lost in confusion, he offered them vague intelligence. When their information became chaotic, he gave them clarity. When Konoha faced internal turmoil, he fed them distrust.
Piece by piece, he shaped the narrative—until the world itself had forged an image of Konoha's "terrifying genius," the brilliant and ruthless Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Information was like chakra—it flowed toward order. When every piece of data pointed in the same direction, people stopped questioning. Leaders never believed the simple or innocent explanation; they always chose the story that sounded most dangerous, most calculated, most real.
Thus, they all saw the Third Hokage as a cunning hero, a man orchestrating global war from the shadows.
And that was exactly the world Aizen desired.
A world where every clan, every researcher, every soldier was mobilized and burning with purpose.
All coincidences and "misunderstandings" stemmed from information—and information was under Aizen's control. With such power, why wouldn't he use it?
It was ironic—deceiving fools was difficult. Simple-minded people clung to their beliefs and never questioned. But deceiving the intelligent, the perceptive—that was effortless.
A few ambiguous reports, a few plausible strategies, a whisper of hidden mobilization—and suddenly, the four great nations had convinced themselves that Konoha sought to dominate the world through technology.
The illusion had begun the moment the Blut Vene was deployed. It evolved with each rumor, each mission, each glimpse of white-cloaked Konoha operatives that cut through the shadows. Every nation pieced together fragments of truth, each convinced it saw the whole picture.
Of course, Aizen had shown them everything himself.
It was an open conspiracy—and the beauty of it was that no one could afford not to believe.
Even if the reports were false, confirming them would take time and resources. And the irony? Everything Aizen revealed was technically true.
The Blut Vene existed. The Blut Arterie had been displayed. The clans of Konoha were divided. Troops had been recalled. The Hokage had spoken with Aizen.
Every fact was real. But together, they formed a single magnificent lie: That Konoha sought to conquer the world through its own innovation.
That was the essence of illusion.
It wasn't about hiding the truth—it was about making people believe they couldn't see it.
He chuckled softly to himself. "Illusion, in the end, is the simplest game."
He paused at the end of the corridor as a familiar figure appeared.
"Good morning, Kagami-kun. You've worked hard," Aizen greeted with his usual polished smile.
Uchiha Kagami, standing in the doorway, blinked in disbelief.
"...Is Aizen insane?" he muttered under his breath, staring at the overly cheerful man before him.
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