Aizen's Guess

A young ninja, seemingly between seventeen and eighteen, clad in a dark blue training uniform, caught Aizen's attention. The individual's spiky orange hair and stern expression were accompanied by occasional flashes of coldness in his eyes. Aizen furrowed his brow in confusion. He had no recollection of ever meeting or offending this person.

Unable to suppress his curiosity, Aizen leaned in and murmured to Nawaki, "Nawaki, do you recognize this individual?"

Nawaki discreetly followed Aizen's gaze, and his demeanor instantly stiffened.

"Is something wrong?" Aizen inquired, sensing Nawaki's unease.

"That's my cousin, Senju Ryuken," Nawaki replied with a tinge of sadness.

"Senju Ryuken?" Aizen's eyes widened in surprise. This was him! The grandson of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama – Senju Ryuken of Konohagakure.

Aizen was baffled. There was no apparent reason for Ryuken's hostility towards him. Deep in thought, he tried to piece together the puzzle.

Nawaki, observing Aizen's contemplation, hesitated to ask about his interest in his cousin. While whispering briefly during the meeting was acceptable, engaging in a full conversation would be inappropriate. He decided to postpone his inquiry until after the meeting, his curiosity simmering.

"Perhaps it has something to do with that," Nawaki offered cryptically.

A sudden flash of realization struck Aizen. He connected the dots: his inexplicable recruitment into the Hokage lineage two years ago, the original owner's exceptional mother, his apprenticeship under Tsunade, and the original owner's impressive physique and chakra potential. With 90% certainty, Aizen concluded that the original owner's mother belonged to the Senju clan.

However, upon reaching this conclusion two years prior, Aizen didn't delve deeper. Given the circumstances surrounding the original owner's mother (who clearly distanced herself from the Senju clan), even if Aizen possessed Senju blood, it likely wouldn't impact him significantly. He saw no point in stirring up potential trouble by investigating old family matters.

Furthermore, Aizen doubts Sarutobi Hiruzen's decision to recruit him was solely based on his potential Senju lineage. He suspects a deeper connection existed between Tsunade and the original owner's mother (or perhaps her family) with Hiruzen. Aizen leans more towards this explanation, considering his own talent and potential as the key factors in Tsunade accepting him as an apprentice.

While most of these details are reasonably clear, the specifics of the original owner's mother's origins and her reasons for leaving the Senju clan remain shrouded in mystery. Previously, Aizen held no interest in uncovering these details. However, Senju Ryuken's malicious gaze today has piqued his curiosity.

Following the meeting, Aizen resolves to discreetly inquire with Nawaki, hoping to glean some information and potentially uncover the truth behind his past.

Meanwhile, the meeting concludes with Mitarashi Zashi delivering a final, triumphant summary. He highlights the successful containment of Amegakure's elite forces, their confinement within their own village, and the swift expulsion of any potential invaders. A wave of pride washes over the assembled high-ranking officials.

"Rain Shinobi and the Iron Country are nothing to worry about. Only Sand Shinobi Village is our main enemy. As long as they are completely defeated, basically, we can directly declare the victory of our Konoha!" Mitarashi Zashi said loudly. 

Aizen concurred with this assessment. The Second Ninja War, while labeled a "Great Ninja War," was essentially a conflict primarily involving the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, the Land of Rain, and the Land of Iron, with most of the fighting concentrated within the Land of Rain.

In essence, this war was a continuation of the first. The First Ninja War, sparked by the death of Senju Hashirama, engulfed the entire ninja world in chaos, pitting the Land of Fire against the Land of Water, Earth, and Lightning. The consequences were devastating, claiming the lives of all four Kage at the time (Second Hokage, Second Raikage, Second Mizukage, and Second Tsuchikage) and inflicting immense damage upon all villages.

The sheer devastation from the First War left the other major villages unwilling to participate in the Second. They were still reeling from the casualties and resource depletion. Seizing this opportunity, Sand Shinobi Village, the sole major power that sat out the first war, initiated the Second Ninja War.

The internet explanation from Aizen's past life, claiming that Amegakure declared war on the Land of Fire and Wind due to developmental needs, is demonstrably false. It's illogical for a smaller nation to provoke two larger ones simultaneously. A more plausible scenario is a covert alliance between Amegakure and Sand Shinobi Village, aiming to exploit a potentially weakened Konohagakure.

Based on his current master's intel, Aizen understood that Sand Shinobi and Amegakure had been collaborating since the Second Ninja War's outset. However, Amegakure's smaller size meant their fate was ultimately tied to Sand Shinobi's. With Sand Shinobi on the defensive and confined to Chiyo Fortress, their defeat seemed imminent.

Mitarashi Zashi's declaration of an impending victory fueled cheers from the surrounding Konohagakure shinobi. While Aizen didn't disagree with the overall assessment, the information discrepancy between his past life and the current situation troubled him. He questioned the accuracy of the details he previously learned.

Was this truly Konohagure's 36th year, marking the conclusion of the Second Ninja War? A fleeting glance towards Senju Nawaki sparked a realization within Aizen. No! While the timeline might be off, the deaths of Senju Nawaki and Kato Dan during the Second Ninja War were irrefutable facts. There had to be a missing piece.

"Second ninja war! Second ninja war..." Aizen mentally repeated these words, combing through the original story's plot points and analyzing them against the current situation.

Focusing on the Second Ninja War, a specific detail suddenly resurfaced in Aizen's mind. It wasn' t a major plot point, but it held significant weight in understanding the present circumstances.