The Confident White Fang

Hatake Sakumo's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of surprise flashing through them. It was now clear: the mental wave that swept across Konoha over a month ago had indeed been Aizen's doing.

After his return from the Rōran mission, Aizen had unleashed the power of Kyōka Suigetsu in Bankai, placing the entire village under its illusionary grip. But during the process, something unusual had occurred. When the Hypnosis field reached the Hatake clan's residence, it paused momentarily, faltering—only to dissipate entirely soon after.

It was then Aizen knew: someone within the Hatake clan had resisted the power of Kyōka Suigetsu. 

Kyōka Suigetsu was powerful but not without its weaknesses. Despite its ability to manipulate the five senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell—it could not account for a sixth sense. The Achilles' heel lay in this limitation: anyone capable of perceiving beyond those five senses would render the illusion useless.

In the shinobi world, such heightened awareness was not unheard of. For example, Uzumaki Naruto, once he attained Nine-Tails Mode, could perceive malice and intent—abilities that would easily bypass the manipulations of Kyōka Suigetsu. Similarly, masters of kenjutsu who had achieved sword intent could break through such illusions by relying on intuition and heightened sensory awareness.

Even Sakumo's mastery of sword intent had shielded him from the illusion. His instincts, honed through years of practice, allowed him to recognize subtle manipulations others might miss. 

Still, the sheer audacity of Aizen's plan was unsettling. He hadn't relied solely on Kyōka Suigetsu—knowing its limits, Aizen compensated by sharpening his other skills, making him a threat beyond illusions. 

Sakumo reflected on how close he had been to dismissing the anomaly. At the time, the mental wave didn't seem to have caused any disruption in the village. Preoccupied with his mission to the Land of Lightning, he set the matter aside—until he walked into Aizen's trap, realizing only then that someone within Konoha had betrayed them.

As Sakumo's mind pieced the events together, Zashi and Yoru exchanged grim looks.

"Yeah, it must be Konoha's White Fang! Managing to help Zashi and the others escape in a situation like this. That's beyond my expectations. I originally thought you'd be the only one who could make it out. It seems the Third Raikage isn't as competent as I thought," Aizen shook his head with a sigh of disappointment. 

"Aizen! Enough with the games. I'm giving you one chance—release Zashi and the others, and I'll let you walk away. If you refuse, I swear, I'll kill you!" Hatake Sakumo's usually calm demeanor cracked, fury flashing in his eyes as he shouted at Aizen. 

Aizen, unfazed, gave a slight chuckle, tilting his head as if contemplating. "In such a rush, are you? Honestly, I wanted to chat with you a bit longer. Violence isn't really my style, you know. I much prefer gentleness and kindness." His expression twisted into one of exaggerated sincerity, though the sarcasm was clear. 

Everyone present felt an involuntary twitch in the corners of their mouths. 

'Aizen... Kind and gentle?'

The sheer absurdity of the claim left a bitter taste. They all knew the truth—Aizen's deceptions and ruthless actions were anything but kind or gentle. 

"Aizen!" Sakumo growled, his patience wearing thin. "I'm done with your nonsense. You have ten seconds to release them. After that, I will attack. Think carefully."

With those words, Sakumo's aura surged, focused entirely on Aizen. 

Unlike the overwhelming presence of someone like the Third Raikage or Zashi, Sakumo's energy was sharp, concentrated, and deadly—like the edge of a finely honed blade. 

"Tch... You really don't let anyone speak their piece, do you?" Aizen muttered, almost as if disappointed. Then, with a sly smile creeping across his face, he added, "Hatake Sakumo, you seem so confident in your strength. How about we make a little wager?" 

Sakumo's aura shifted slightly, his eyes narrowing. "A wager? What kind of wager?" His voice was cold, wary of whatever game Aizen intended to play. 

Sakumo's gaze remained sharp, his concern for Zashi and Yoru lingering in his heart. Despite his readiness to fight, if there was a way to avoid a destructive confrontation, he would take it. 

Aizen's smile widened slightly, sensing Sakumo's resolve. "Let's settle this with a one-on-one duel. If you win, I'll hand over your comrades unharmed. If you lose..." Aizen left the sentence hanging, the sinister implication unmistakable.

"If I lose, there's nothing left to say!" Sakumo snapped, his voice like a blade cutting through the tension. "Let's end this, Aizen!" 

This kind of gamble was exactly what Sakumo desired. To him, the idea of losing didn't even exist. 

Sure, Aizen was shrouded in mystery, and his strength wasn't to be underestimated. But at the end of the day, Aizen was still a mere fifteen-year-old boy. 

With Kyōka Suigetsu's illusionary power neutralized, how dangerous could he really be? Sakumo was convinced that Orochimaru's submission was due to the hypnotic abilities of Kyōka Suigetsu—without it, Aizen had no real leverage. 

Aizen, however, had predicted Sakumo's thoughts perfectly. It was the reason he had asked whether Sakumo's confidence came from his ability to shatter the illusion. 

"Then... let's begin," Aizen said with a calm, almost playful smile. 

The moment the words left his lips, Sakumo vanished. His body dissolved into hundreds of flickering white streaks, each racing toward Aizen with lightning speed. 

Without hesitation, Sakumo unleashed one of his deadliest techniques—one powerful enough to force three Kage-level opponents, including the Third Raikage, to retreat simultaneously. In a previous battle, this same technique had claimed the life of a Kage-level ninja in an instant, despite the efforts of four major villages to contain him. 

Sakumo's intent was clear: this fight would end with a single, decisive strike.

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