26 An Unexpected Parting Gift

A sickening squelch echoed as the blade pierced flesh. Cloud Shinobi's eyes widened in disbelief!

He stared down at the sword protruding from his chest, a crimson stain blossoming at the corner of his mouth. With agonizing effort, he twisted his head, his gaze falling on the familiar, diminutive figure behind him.

"This..." he rasped, voice thick with disbelief, "How... is this possible?"

Aizen, a cruel smirk twisting his lips, yanked Kyoka Suigetsu free, the movement punctuated by a wet hiss and a bloom of crimson. Cloud Shinobi, wracked with pain, could only groan as his powerful frame crumpled to the earth, an iron tower succumbing to an unseen force.

A hoarse cough escaped Cloud Shinobi's throat, flecked with blood. The gaping wound in his chest sprayed a crimson torrent, rapidly staining the soil. Yet, true to his status as a Jonin – a testament to the formidable Cloud Shinobi Lightning Release techniques – death wasn't an immediate guest. With a Herculean effort, he channeled his chakra, the electric energy stimulating his failing heart in a desperate bid to cling to life's fleeting embers.

But this desperate struggle was merely a futile attempt to buy a few precious moments. Rolling his eyes, an act now excruciatingly painful, felt like an insurmountable feat. Unlike wounds elsewhere, a heart injury promised swift oblivion. However, survival wasn't his sole motivator. Fear gnawed at him – not the fear of death, but the fear of dying in utter bewilderment.

Therefore, even as the veil of death threatened to engulf him, his gaze remained fixed on Aizen, a storm of questions churning within his clouded mind. "The answer lies in how you became a captive of my Kyōka Suigetsu," Aizen replied, wiping the crimson stain from his Zanpakuto, a chilling smile playing on his lips.

From the very moment he sensed Cloud Shinobi's presence, Aizen had drawn Shinsō no Suzaku, subtly activating its hypnotic abilities during their initial confrontation. This act unknowingly rendered Cloud Shinobi a prisoner within Kyōka Suigetsu's illusory world.It's worth noting that while Zanpakuto can achieve Bankai through a release command, Aizen, possessing the memories of a Shinigami villain, could bypass the need for spoken commands.

With Cloud Shinobi under Kyōka Suigetsu's thrall, manipulating him became a simple task. "Kyōka Suigetsu? Captive?" Cloud Shinobi rasped, his voice laden with confusion. The doubt in Cloud Shinobi's eyes was heavier.

"Hehe, you don't need to know what Kyōka Suigetsu is, you just need to know that from the beginning, my Water Severing Wave was a mere illusion, a carefully crafted lure." Aizen smiled lightly. Indeed, the key to Aizen's overall plan is the bait in the first place. The moment Aizen unleashed the Water Severing Wave, he simultaneously initiated Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnotic power.

Cloud Shinobi remained trapped within the illusion of Aizen's continued presence while the real Aizen slipped away. The vision Cloud Shinobi witnessed was nothing but an ordinary stone amidst the dirt – a deceptively simple plan. Yet, Kyōka Suigetsu's influence proved pivotal. The initial Water Severing Wave served as the crucial foundation, creating the perfect window for Kyōka Suigetsu's manipulation.

After all, who would suspect a sneak attack disguised by another sneak attack?

"So that's how it is..." Cloud Shinobi, a sharp mind himself, grasped the crux of the situation. A flicker of relief passed through his eyes. Simple as it might appear, the plan's success hinged on meticulous execution. Every element, from the timing of the Water Severing Wave to Aizen's swift escape, demanded a high level of planning. Cloud Shinobi, defeated but not dishonored, acknowledged Aizen's superior strategy.

"However," Aizen's voice took on a peculiar edge, "your eagerness to kill me in that specific scenario ultimately led to your demise."

"What do you mean?" Cloud Shinobi asked in a daze, bewilderment etched on his rigid face.

"Typically, ninjas operate in teams of three or four," Aizen explained, adjusting his glasses with a faint smile. "Your solo presence, especially for someone of your stature, struck me as odd."

Cloud Shinobi's face contorted in sudden realization."The only logical explanation," Aizen continued, his gaze pinning Cloud Shinobi, "is that you deliberately dispersed your forces to distract Konoha's elite while pulling off another objective."

A pale dread washed over Cloud Shinobi as Aizen stopped short of mentioning the capture of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki."And what better way to create chaos than with a high-profile kill?" Aizen chuckled. "Hence your immediate hostility towards a ten-year-old me. You wouldn't let a cocky Konohagakure brat simply walk away, would you? You were determined to nip him in the bud."

Aizen's words, each a clap of thunder, reverberated through Cloud Shinobi's fading consciousness. "So, you anticipated my murderous intent, explaining why you didn't leave initially, instead choosing to burrow underground. What appeared to be an opening for me was, in fact, orchestrated from the very beginning."

Disbelief contorted Cloud Shinobi's features as he stared at the seemingly innocent ten-year-old. A bone-deep chill gripped his heart. This terrifyingly perceptive child was unlike anything he'd ever encountered. "Uncertain, to be honest," Aizen admitted with a chuckle. "After all, fear of death could have held you back. But I wagered a Cloud Shinobi elite wouldn't be crippled by such cowardice, wouldn't you agree?"

Despair and a chilling realization settled upon Cloud Shinobi as he gazed at the boy before him. This young prodigy, if allowed to flourish, would spell disaster for the Cloud Village. Mustering the last bit of his strength, Cloud Shinobi croaked out, "Your name?"

"Aizen," the boy replied simply.

"Thank you… for clearing this last doubt," Cloud Shinobi managed with a final exhalation. "There's… a valuable item sealed within a scroll on my waist. I wouldn't want it to be destroyed. Consider it a token of gratitude. I'm certain it will please you…"

His words trailed off, his head tilting limply. The spark of life flickered and extinguished within Cloud Shinobi.A sly grin played on Aizen's lips. "An unexpected parting gift," he mused, curiosity piqued. Without hesitation, he reached for Cloud Shinobi's body, his hand quickly finding a black scroll…