Interception

It was Aizen who caught the falling Uchiha Kai and gently laid him down on the ground, concern etched on his face.

"Kai!"

"Captain, you're amazing!"

Minato and the others, finally realizing what had happened, surrounded Aizen, cheering and congratulating him. Although their faces were hidden behind masks, their excitement was evident.

"Captain, you were incredible! How did you create that shadow clone without us noticing?"

"Yeah, when we saw you in danger, we were terrified!"

"Captain, you should have seen our faces when we realized the one struck by lightning was your shadow clone!"

Hiashi and the other team members bombarded Aizen with questions, their curiosity piqued.

It wasn't just them who were intrigued. The Uchiha clan members also looked on with interest.

The Shadow Clone Technique was a formidable jutsu. Even powerful Kage-level ninja could fall victim to it if they weren't careful. Moreover, even visual techniques like the Sharingan and Byakugan couldn't distinguish a shadow clone from the original.

In the original Naruto story, Naruto Uzumaki had demonstrated this in his battles against Neji Hyuga, Sasuke Uchiha, and others. They could only determine Naruto's true location after defeating all of his clones.

Even Kaguya Otsutsuki, the progenitor of chakra, had fallen prey to this technique.

However, while the Shadow Clone Technique's disguise was powerful, it wasn't without flaws. When creating a shadow clone, the user's chakra was inevitably divided, reducing their own chakra reserves.

If an opponent possessed the Sharingan, Byakugan, or other abilities that could perceive chakra fluctuations, they could easily detect the use of the Shadow Clone Technique and prepare accordingly. Since the Shadow Clone Technique was often used for surprise attacks and diversions, its effectiveness was greatly reduced if discovered.

Of course, Naruto Uzumaki was an exception. He openly announced his use of shadow clones and then overwhelmed his opponents with sheer numbers. His approach was unique in the entire ninja world, not the typical way ninja used shadow clones.

So how had Aizen managed to create a shadow clone undetected, under the watchful eyes of both the Sharingan and the Hyuga brothers? It seemed impossible.

"It's actually quite simple. Think about it carefully. During the entire battle, when did I have the best opportunity to use the Shadow Clone Technique?" Aizen prompted with a chuckle.

Everyone fell into deep thought.

"I've got it!"

Within seconds, Minato exclaimed, a look of realization on his face.

"Oh? You figured it out so quickly? As expected of you, Minato!" Aizen smiled.

Seeing that Minato seemed to have grasped the truth, Hiashi and the others leaned in closer, eager to hear the answer. The Uchiha clan members also looked on with interest.

Uchiha Kai, his wounds bandaged, was particularly attentive to the conversation.

"It was when Aizen used the Exploding Water Colliding Wave! At that moment, since Water Style jutsu consumes a lot of chakra, it was the perfect opportunity to secretly create a shadow clone without being detected!" Minato exclaimed confidently.

Everyone was stunned and looked at Aizen in surprise. Kai's reaction was the most intense.

"How is that possible?! While it was indeed the best time to create a shadow clone, after performing such a large-scale Water Style jutsu, you should have focused on attacking with the blast wave. Why would you expend precious chakra to create a seemingly useless shadow clone, unless," Kai's voice trailed off as his expression froze.

"That's right. That's exactly what I wanted you to think. I knew from the beginning that the blast wave was a diversion. My true strategy was to use the shadow clone to attack you from underground!" Aizen revealed with a smile.

The realization dawned on everyone present.

"I see! Captain Aizen had Uchiha Kai figured out from the start!"

"Amazing! Who would have thought that such a large-scale Water Style jutsu was just a distraction tactic!"

Hiashi and the other team members marveled at Aizen's ingenuity.

Even the Uchiha clan members looked at Aizen with complex emotions. Despite their arrogance and temperamental nature, they genuinely respected strength. Aizen's skill and strategy had earned their admiration. Furthermore, he had overlooked their earlier hostility and saved Kai's life.

"One last question, why did you save me?" Kai asked, his expression filled with mixed emotions.

Everyone looked at Aizen curiously. Both the Uchiha and the Hyuga clan members were puzzled by this action.

Only Minato smiled knowingly.

"Someone asked me the same question many years ago," Aizen reminisced, then chuckled, "My answer then was, 'Do I need a reason to help my fellow villagers?'"

Aizen's words deeply moved not only Hiashi and the others but also brought tears to the eyes of the radical Uchiha youths.

For years, the Second Hokage and his followers had treated the Uchiha clan with suspicion and hostility. To hear from another ninja that they were still considered fellow villagers deeply touched Kai.

"I apologize for our rash actions today," Kai said, struggling to stand despite his injuries, and formally apologized to Aizen and the others. He then hastily ordered the Uchiha youths to release Shibi and the other captured Anbu.

"It's alright. I understand you all have your own struggles," Aizen said softly.

Kai and the others were even more moved by his understanding. Minato was also pleased to see the conflict resolved peacefully.

The Uchiha sincerely believed that Aizen was a good person. Everything seemed to be heading towards harmony and reconciliation.

However, no one noticed the deep coldness hidden within Aizen's seemingly gentle eyes.