Morning.
Aizen got up on time, dressed neatly, and opened the door.
He walked down the long hallway into a grand hall. He didn't check the chat group or make breakfast. He just calmly made a cup of black tea and sipped it slowly.
It wasn't some kind of noble act—it was simply part of Aizen's daily routine.
People's minds are usually at their sharpest in the morning, making it the best time to think or read.
But Aizen wasn't here to read today. He was waiting for someone.
Tap tap tap.
Steady footsteps echoed as a graceful figure slowly came into view.
"So you came, Miss Kushina." Aizen smiled gently. "It's been a while. Looks like you've finally calmed down."
Long red hair, a white tight-fitting dress. A crown-like white bone structure on her head—Uzumaki Kushina looked just like a princess from a fairy tale.
"Yeah, thanks to you." Kushina looked at Aizen, her tone mixed. "Do you… need me to do something?"
She was grateful to this young man—and also had a good impression of him.
It wasn't just because he saved Naruto from Konohagakure. What really got to her was what he said about the sun—it left a deep mark on her heart.
Even if his reasons weren't pure, even if all he wanted was the Nine-Tails, to Kushina, Aizen still kept his promise to her and her son.
So both emotionally and logically, she felt she should repay him. But she wasn't sure how.
"Just to return a favor, Miss Kushina?" Aizen rested his hands on the armrests and smiled. "Don't you have something else you want to tell me?"
"You…"
Kushina's face shifted, her eyes growing more complicated. "You really see through everything, huh? If I'd been half as smart as you, maybe Minato and I wouldn't have died so early. And that old man Sarutobi wouldn't have let those people bully my son…"
Even though she was a mother, she was acting like a child—venting all her anger to someone she trusted.
Aizen didn't say anything. He just smiled and listened quietly.
"I'm sorry for ranting so much." After who knows how long, Kushina finally let it all out and took a deep breath. "I… I want to leave this place with Naruto."
That last sentence was the real reason she came here—the result of her long thinking the night before.
Kushina didn't know every detail about what Aizen had done, but she knew enough. This man was standing against the entire ninja world. And he had the power and the right to do it.
Kushina had no intention of helping Konohagakure or the ninja world fight against Aizen. Her reason for wanting to leave Aizen was actually pretty simple—she realized her values were starting to change.
She found herself siding with Aizen more than with the rest of the ninja world. And that, to her, was a dangerous sign. It meant her emotional connection to her late husband was starting to fade.
If things kept going like this, she was afraid she'd become the kind of shameless woman she used to hate.
So even though she was grateful to Aizen, leaving him was the best choice—for both Naruto and herself.
"Oh, so that's what Miss Kushina wanted to talk about." Aizen's expression didn't change, and his smile stayed as calm as ever. "That's fine. If that's what you want, I have no reason to stop you."
So… he was going to let her go?
Kushina seemed to breathe a little easier, but for some reason, she also felt a bit empty inside.
"But there's something I think Miss Kushina should know," Aizen suddenly said, changing the topic. "The ninja alliance has already been formed. From the information I've gathered, besides targeting me, their other goal is to take Naruto back."
Take Naruto back?
Kushina's eyes narrowed, and her spiritual pressure suddenly surged. "What gives them the right?" A powerful gust of wind whipped her wine-red hair into the air, and her skirt fluttered violently.
"They believe I plan to use Naruto as the vessel for the Ten Tails," Aizen said calmly.
He wasn't making that up. In fact, the entire ninja alliance, led by the Sage of Six Paths, believed Aizen's real plan for holding Naruto was to make him the Ten Tails' host—since Naruto was the reincarnation of Asura.
There was no way they'd believe Aizen just wanted to make a mother and son reunion come true.
"Those bastards, they really love making decisions for other people!"
Kushina clenched her teeth in anger. She trusted Aizen completely and knew he had never planned to make Naruto the Ten Tails' vessel.
"And they've already chosen the vanguard team to lead the attack," Aizen said with a small smile, speaking slowly and clearly. "The one leading them is someone named Namikaze Minato."
W-What?!
Kushina's eyes went wide, and she froze on the spot. It took a long while before she slowly turned around and left, deep in thought.
The hall went silent again.
"What do you think she'll choose?" a voice suddenly asked. Konan stepped out from behind a pillar on the right side of the hall.
She had seen the whole thing and couldn't help but feel curious. On one side was her benefactor and her child, and on the other, her husband. What would Kushina choose?
What made it even more interesting was that Aizen had let her choose early, giving her time to prepare herself mentally.
"Yeah, what will she choose?" Aizen didn't seem the least bit surprised that Konan had been hiding there. "I'm curious too," he said, then casually opened the group chat window.
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: Ruiko, maybe wait a bit longer. Anzen should be waking up around now.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: I don't mind waiting, but Misaka can't hold out any longer. Forget it, I'll just start the stream now.
[Notice: Skirt-Flipping Maniac has started a livestream.]
---
Read 30 advanced chapters on my patreon
patreon.com/GustinaKamiya
---