72

The next morning, the ninja force tasked with the expedition to the Hidden Sky Village assembled. Aizen, now leading a squad of over thirty medical-nin, took his place within the ranks. This number might seem small for a force of three thousand, but considering the typical casualty rate of ninja missions, it was more than sufficient.

Most of the medics were familiar with Aizen. His reputation as Tsunade's disciple and a prodigy within the medical corps made his leadership transition seamless.

At the vanguard of the army, Senju Ryuken rallied the troops with a passionate cry and they set off, marching towards the Hidden Sky Village. Aizen's medical unit was strategically positioned at the heart of the formation.

As they journeyed, Aizen's thoughts turned to the events of the previous day. While dealing with Ryuken was manageable, the real challenge lay with Zashi.

Aizen theorized that Zashi had two reasons for supporting Ryuken. The first was his growing wariness of Aizen after his display of sword intent during the Aizen sword incident. This made him eager to remove him from Jiraiya's protection.

However, the second reason was the true motivator. Zashi's reputation had taken a hit after the recent defeat, and he felt threatened by the numerous forces working against him. But restoring his reputation would take time, so how could he regain his footing quickly?

There was a way!

Zashi's plan was to undermine the reputation of others. Had Jiraiya refused to let Aizen go, it would have painted the Hokage lineage as overly protective of their own, leaving others to face danger. This would have severely damaged their reputation, both in the camp and back in Konoha.

With the new faction and the Hokage lineage both weakened, Zashi would regain his own standing. This was his primary motive. It was also what Aizen had explained to Jiraiya.

Of course, if Zashi succeeded, Aizen would become a stain on the Hokage lineage. He could even be sacrificed by Hiruzen to appease the discontent. Therefore, to protect both the Hokage's reputation and his own interests, Aizen had to accept the mission.

Even if Aizen complied, Zashi had nothing to lose. He might even benefit. If Ryuken eliminated Aizen, it would remove a potential threat and weaken the Hokage lineage. Either way, Zashi would come out ahead.

Besides, the whole affair had little to do with him directly. He was merely adding fuel to the fire. If Aizen was killed by Ryuken, it wouldn't be Zashi's fault.

Realizing this, Aizen smirked inwardly, his gaze fixed on the front of the army where Ryuken marched.

"You all want me dead? Ryuken... Zashi... We'll see who comes out on top!" Aizen's eyes, hidden behind his glasses, gleamed with icy determination.

The Konoha expeditionary force encountered no incidents along the way. After a two-month journey, they finally entered the Land of the Sky.

Ryuken, at the vanguard, discussed plans with a nondescript male ninja in his thirties. This was Senju Kogane, Ryuken's longtime bodyguard and a jonin-level ninja. He had been present when Aizen first met Ryuken.

"Master, according to our intel, the Sky Ninja Village headquarters is located in a rocky mountain fortress called Angkor, a hundred kilometers ahead," Kogane informed Ryuken, pointing to a map.

"Good. Once we deal with the Sky Ninja, my reputation will soar, and the Senju clan's revival will be within reach!" Ryuken declared, a vision of glory filling his mind.

"...Young master, about that Aizen from the mixed-blood lineage, should I have my subordinates take care of him during the operation?" Kogane asked cautiously.

Ryuken's eyes flickered, his expression shifting. After a moment's thought, he shook his head.

"It would be too obvious. Everyone would know we were behind it. Aizen's connection to the Hokage lineage cannot be underestimated. Even to save face, Hiruzen would retaliate. We can't risk that," Ryuken reasoned.

"But... even if we eliminate him discreetly, the Hokage lineage will still suspect us," Kogane pointed out.

"A dead genius is worthless! As long as we don't make it too obvious and give the Hokage lineage a way out, Hiruzen won't escalate the situation," Ryuken retorted with a sneer. He believed he knew Hiruzen's mind better than Aizen did.

"Well said, young master!" Kogane praised, admiration evident on his face.

With this treacherous plot in motion, the war against the Hidden Sky Village began.

However, the war didn't unfold as smoothly as Ryuken had anticipated. As the Konoha forces approached Angkor Fortress, they were ambushed by a swarm of Sky ninja, catching them off guard. Thanks to their prior experience, they avoided heavy losses, but when Ryuken led the charge on the supposed headquarters, they found it abandoned, save for numerous traps that caused them great difficulty.