Aizen vs Kai

"Very well, let's hear it," Aizen said with interest.

"In the Uchiha clan, we believe in strength. I propose a duel between you and me. If you win, I'll hand over these men to you. But if you lose, we'll take them to the Konoha Military Police Force for severe interrogation. Even if you then order us to be eliminated, we Uchiha will fight to the bitter end!" Uchiha Kai declared, his eyes burning with determination as he looked at Aizen.

Through the opening in his mask, Aizen glanced at Kai, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Alright!"

Kai was secretly relieved to hear Aizen's agreement. While he doubted Aizen would actually order the execution of his clan members, he couldn't be certain. Aizen's earlier threat had shaken him slightly.

"Okay, then. It's not very convenient here. The Uchiha clan have an abandoned training ground nearby. How about we go there?" Kai suggested.

"Yes," Aizen nodded.

Kai ordered his men to take Shibi and the other injured Anbu, leading the way. Aizen and Minato followed closely with their subordinates.

"Aizen, were you really going to kill Uchiha Kai and his men earlier?" Minato asked, still shaken.

Aizen rubbed his temples, "Of course not! Even Lord Hokage wouldn't rashly give such an order, let alone me."

Minato's eyes widened. "Then were you deliberately provoking the Uchiha to force them to back down?"

"Of course not. Do you think Kai is a fool? He must have seen through that," Aizen said helplessly.

"Then why did he choose to compromise in the end?" Minato was even more confused.

"Because, whether my words were true or not, as an Anbu sub-commander, if I make a public declaration, it becomes an order that must be carried out. Kai had no choice but to either compromise or fight," Aizen explained leisurely.

"But, that's too risky! If Kai had chosen to fight to the death, wouldn't we have been forced to kill them?" Minato whispered.

"It couldn't be helped. We couldn't compromise today for the sake of the Hokage lineage. Even if we had to fight, it was better than letting them take Shibi away," Aizen shrugged.

"Did we have to resort to such extreme measures?" Minato asked, grinding his teeth.

"Minato, there aren't always perfect solutions in this world. Most of the time, we're forced to make difficult choices," Aizen said wryly.

Minato was stunned, his spirits dampened.

"Come on, cheer up. Don't you want to be Hokage? You can't even handle this minor incident, can you? Besides," Aizen chuckled comfortingly, then his tone turned serious, "Although the Uchiha surveillance mission is a powder keg, it has been peaceful for a long time. The sudden explosion this time."

Aizen's words caught Minato's attention. Recalling what Aizen had said earlier, he suddenly realized something.

"You mean, the new faction is behind this incident?" Minato asked in a low voice.

"Most likely," Aizen nodded.

Minato's mood sank further.

Aizen, however, paid it no mind.

Mentally prepared for the potential trouble that came with joining the Anbu, Aizen and Minato arrived at the abandoned training ground.

"Alright, let's begin," Uchiha Kai declared, jumping into the arena and turning to face Aizen.

Aizen smiled slightly and calmly walked into the arena.

As Aizen entered, Kai activated his two-tomoe Sharingan, closely observing Aizen's movements. He couldn't help but recall the information he had gathered about Aizen. His decision to challenge Aizen wasn't impulsive; it was a calculated move based on the intelligence he had on both Aizen and Minato.

Challenging Minato wasn't a viable option. Despite also possessing Jonin-level strength, Minato's high-speed taijutsu was formidable, leaving Kai with no chance of victory.

While Aizen's strength was also comparable to that of an elite Jonin, he wasn't as overwhelmingly powerful as Minato. Armed with knowledge of Aizen's abilities, Kai was confident he could win this duel. In essence, he was picking the easier target.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Kai took the initiative, spewing several fast-moving fireballs from his mouth. The fireballs contained spinning shuriken, a classic Uchiha clan combination of Fire Style and concealed weaponry.

Aizen effortlessly dodged the fireballs, while the shuriken collided mid-air and then shot towards him from various angles.

"Water Style: Water Wall!"

Aizen calmly countered with his signature ninjutsu. The surging water wall protected him, deflecting the flame-engulfed shuriken.

"As expected, he's a Water Style user. And he always starts with the Water Wall," Kai thought, a knowing smile on his face as he saw his attack easily countered.

"Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

Aizen clasped his hands together, chakra surging around him. Countless water currents erupted from the Water Wall, soaring to a height of over ten meters.

With a thunderous boom, the Water Wall transformed into a lake-like torrent, its waves crashing towards Kai from all directions.

Minato and the other Anbu members were elated by the impressive Water Style display, while the Uchiha clan members grew concerned.

"Kai, be careful!"

"Don't lose, Kai!"

"The honor of the Uchiha clan rests on your shoulders, Kai!"

Amidst the overwhelming Water Style and the worried cries of his clansmen, Kai simply smiled confidently.