Chapter 75: The Eve of the Storm
A month seems like a long time, but it passes in the blink of an eye.
Twenty days vanished in an instant. Only three days remained until the start of the Chunin Exams finals.
During these final three days, Aizen rarely ventured out, devoting himself entirely to cultivation. His state of being grew increasingly ethereal, and the spiritual power within him continued its meteoric rise.
By the twenty-eighth day, he could wield Kurohitsugi (Black Coffin) without impediment. Not only that, but his chakra reserves, bolstered by the mutated seed of his spiritual power, had also made astonishing progress, reaching the level of a Jōnin.
In other words, even relying solely on ninjutsu, Aizen could now defeat his sensei, Kurenai. And he had accomplished this in a mere two months.
This terrifying rate of cultivation was unprecedented in history, a talent seen once in a million years. Only a peerless genius like Aizen, possessing both heaven-defying aptitude and centuries of accumulated experience, could advance so rapidly.
In his spare time, Aizen still maintained contact with his former teammates in Team 8. In his daily life, he remained unassuming, practicing his ninjutsu with low-key humility.
Over time, more and more people in Konoha began to accept him. They actively showed him kindness and sought his company.
Even the Third Hokage had relaxed his vigilance. After observing Aizen for over a month without uncovering any flaws, most of his inner suspicions had been dispelled.
Everything was developing exactly as Aizen had envisioned, calmly and methodically.
There was, however, one exception: Shimura Danzō.
He had summoned Aizen a second time, reiterating the plan to lure Gaara out of the village. Yet, Aizen had shown no intention of carrying it out.
Danzō repeatedly bit back his frustration, but there was little he could do. Aizen remained in his heavily monitored house, never taking a step out of line. If Danzō chose to move against him openly, it would inevitably alert the Third Hokage—a scenario Danzō desperately wanted to avoid.
As one of the ten finalists, Aizen was now in the public eye, his reputation growing. Any "unfortunate accident" befalling him would surely arouse suspicion from all quarters.
Danzō did not want his Root organization exposed. They operated in Konoha's darkest shadows; exposure would only bring condemnation and damage the village's reputation.
Aizen dared to defy Danzō because of his overwhelming confidence in his own power. A dragon need only open its eyes to effortlessly trample the pride of ants.
Furthermore, Aizen had long since marked Gaara as a crucial pawn. He sought to protect the boy, not eliminate him. To do Danzō's bidding would be an act of self-sabotage.
With Jiraiya's presence in the village, Aizen valued Gaara's role even more. Once the One-Tail, Shukaku, broke free, it would occupy the legendary Sannin's attention and remove a major obstacle from Aizen's path.
Danzō seethed with impatience but was forced to bide his time. He repeatedly considered sending assassins after Aizen but held back each time. He swore to himself that he would settle this score after the Chunin Exams were over.
On the other side, the three official members of Team 8 had systematically improved their strength under the training plan Kurenai had devised for them.
Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyūga Hinata each had their own specialties, so their rate of improvement varied.
Among them, Shino received the most attention. As one of the ten finalists, great expectations were placed upon him. The Aburame clan had given him their full support, hoping he would truly soar during the finals.
When the day's training concluded, the three of them instinctively looked toward the northern sector of Konoha, where Aizen lived.
Even Kurenai found Aizen's image appearing in her mind. All four of them were looking forward to the next day.
A month ago, they had made a promise: they would meet on the final day to make their last preparations together.
As night fell, Konoha grew quiet once more. Undercurrents from all sides continued to surge, each faction making its final arrangements.
When the dawn light rose the next morning, on the familiar training ground at the outskirts of the village, five figures gathered.
Team 8 was reunited.