Chapter 58: A Calculated Display
First Match: Yakushi Kabuto vs. Aizen Sōsuke!
The moment the names flashed upon the screen, all attention in the hall snapped to the two figures stepping onto the arena. For most, both names were shrouded in mystery. Aizen, in particular, was an enigma; even the Third Hokage's intelligence network had come up empty, as if the boy had simply materialized out of thin air.
Yakushi Kabuto and Aizen took their positions, standing opposite each other under the watchful eye of Moonlight Hayate.
Kabuto looked across at Aizen, a thoughtful, almost amused smile playing on his lips. His original plan had been to remain in the shadows, having already completed his primary mission for Orochimaru: gathering intelligence on Uchiha Sasuke via his ninja info cards.
But Aizen's presence had introduced a new variable. Orochimaru, ever the perfectionist, refused to believe his initial assessment of the boy was wrong and had ordered Kabuto to continue his infiltration, probing for Aizen's true depths.
Now, fortune had smiled upon him. He hadn't expected to be paired against his secondary target in the very first match. Kabuto had no intention of revealing his full power—that would be overkill for any genin. His goal was more subtle: to use a measured portion of his strength to force Aizen to reveal his own.
Aizen returned the smile, a picture of serene calm. To him, the identity of his opponent was irrelevant. If he wished it, he could pass this preliminary round with ease. Even a dragon slumbering deep within a well could effortlessly crush the pride of an ant. His true objective lay not here, but in the main event, when the daimyos and jōnin of every nation would be watching. That would be the perfect stage for Kyōka Suigetsu's breathtaking debut.
"All non-participants, please proceed to the spectator stands," Hayate instructed, his voice raspy.
The other genin complied, moving to the elevated seating that flanked the arena. All eyes were locked on the two figures below, the excitement in the air so thick it was almost palpable, many feeling more nervous than the combatants themselves.
On the Konoha side of the stands, Hinata watched Aizen with a shy, intense focus, her small hands clasped tightly together in a silent prayer for his victory.
Nearby, Kurenai's crimson gaze never wavered from Aizen. Her feelings for this prodigious student were a complex mix of pride, protectiveness, and something deeper she couldn't quite name.
The attention of the entire assembly was fixed upon them.
"Begin!" Moonlight Hayate declared, flickering to the edge of the arena and leaving the two opponents alone in the center.
"Let's see what you're made of," Kabuto said casually, his hands still in his pockets. With a flick of his wrist, six shuriken materialized in his grasp.
Swish!
His arms swung forward, sending the six sharpened stars flying in a precise spread, all aimed at vital points on Aizen's torso.
Aizen's expression remained placid. He took a single, light step and leaped into the air.
The shuriken shot through the space where he had been standing, clattering harmlessly against the far wall. But as Aizen reached the apex of his jump, a strange smile touched Kabuto's lips. He glanced down at his own feet, and in the next instant, his body vanished.
"Such speed!" several genin in the stands gasped, their eyes widening. Kabuto had moved in a blur that was barely perceptible.
Before Aizen's body could even begin its descent, Kabuto rematerialized directly behind him, his palm already glowing with a concentrated, blue chakra scalpel.
"You're too careless," Kabuto chided, his voice a silken threat. "For a shinobi, the greatest taboo is exposing your back to the enemy!"
He thrust his Chakra Scalpel forward, aiming to sever muscles and tendons in a non-lethal but debilitating strike.
"Aizen, look out!" Kiba yelled from the stands, his voice tight with alarm.
"It is you who has miscalculated," Aizen replied, his confidence unshaken even mid-air. "While your speed is impressive, speed is also my greatest asset!"
His hands, moving with a fluidity that defied his position, formed a single seal.
Crackle!
A bolt of white lightning erupted from his fingertip, lancing toward Kabuto at point-blank range.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Strike!"
Kabuto's eyes widened in genuine shock. There was no time to dodge; the distance was virtually zero. Before his chakra-infused palm could connect with Aizen's back, the powerful lightning jutzu slammed into his chest.
ZZZAP!
A jolt of electricity coursed through Kabuto's body. He was thrown backward as if hit by a battering ram, tumbling across the floor before skidding to a halt.
Simultaneously, Aizen landed gracefully on his feet, his posture perfect, his robes settling around him without a wrinkle.
From the beginning to the end of the exchange, his expression had not changed in the slightest. He was the picture of absolute composure.