Konohagakure Grand Arena.
Uchiha Shisui scanned the massive crowd filling the stands, taking a deep breath.
Today was his Jonin promotion exam, but to Shisui, this battle was also his fated showdown. His opponent was a genius who matched him in both talent and dedication—Aizen Sosuke.
They were known as the "Twin Stars of Konohagakure," both rivals and closest friends.
The blade slid out of its sheath. Shisui's right hand trembled slightly on the hilt—not from nervousness, but from excitement. His eyes locked onto the brown-haired boy across from him, whose face carried a gentle smile.
"I know, Aizen. You must be feeling the same way I do right now."
He understood Aizen, just as Aizen understood him. Shisui felt their bond had reached a level where they could read each other's thoughts with just a glance.
This was the absolute trust they had forged through years of fighting side by side on the Kirigakure battlefield.
In the spectator stands—
Sarutobi Hiruzen watched the two battle-ready youths, the corners of his mouth curving slightly. "Who do you think will win?"
"Hmph! Aizen is someone I personally trained!" Shimura Danzo, sitting beside him, responded coldly.
Even though his old friend's tone was as stiff as ever, Sarutobi could hear the pride and satisfaction in his words. He couldn't help but tease, "But as far as I recall, Sosuke never called you 'teacher,' did he?"
Danzo's face twitched before he shot back, "He belongs to my Root division. He doesn't need those weak and foolish bonds you love so much. A ninja's life is not a child's game!"
Sarutobi paused, suddenly feeling that his old friend was going further and further down a dangerous path. He wanted to say something. "Danzo, you—"
But before he could finish, Danzo interrupted him. "It's starting, Hiruzen. Keep your eyes open and see for yourself just how perfect my creation is!"
Aizen slowly drew his blade from his waist. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."
A crisp sound, like breaking glass, echoed through the arena. From Aizen's position, thin wisps of mist began spreading outward, quickly filling the battlefield.
So, he's starting with that technique.
Shisui kept his expression calm. In his crimson eyes, three black tomoe spun rapidly.
As Aizen's closest friend, Shisui knew all too well—this was Aizen's original S-rank Genjutsu.
This Genjutsu used light reflected from the blade to create mist and flowing water, confusing the enemy's vision and trapping them in an illusion. It could also conceal Aizen himself, allowing him to silently close the distance.
Shisui suddenly turned, gripping his short sword tightly, and swung it in a horizontal slash.
The two blades collided, sparks flying.
Missing his strike, Aizen swiftly pulled back. But Shisui didn't hesitate—he closed in immediately.
Their incredible speed made them look like shadows flickering across the arena, crossing paths and clashing again and again.
The audience was completely drawn in by the intense battle, unable to take their eyes off the fight.
No one, not even Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo up on the platform, noticed the young man standing at the entrance of the spectator stands. He wore a white kimono, his hands tucked into his sleeves, watching the match with a calm expression.
His brown hair was slightly messy, and he wore black-rimmed glasses. A long sword with a green hilt hung from his waist. His face showed no joy, no sorrow—just complete neutrality.
If anyone in the crowd happened to glance in his direction, they would be shocked to realize—his appearance was exactly the same as Aizen Sosuke, the one fighting in the arena.
Even if someone did look his way, all they would see was an empty passage. They wouldn't see him standing there.
That was the true power of Kyoka Suigetsu—complete hypnosis.
This wasn't just a Genjutsu. It was the ability of Aizen's Zanpakuto. The moment he released his blade earlier, everyone in the arena had already fallen under Kyoka Suigetsu's control.
Even the Sharingan, which could normally see through illusions, was helpless against its overwhelming power.
Anzen had confirmed this fact long ago.
The brown-haired young man's real name was Anzen. He wasn't Aizen.
Back on Earth, Anzen had been a well-known psychological analyst in China, specializing in studying the mental states of certain unique individuals.
His journey to this world wasn't anything dramatic. He wasn't hit by a car, struck by lightning, or sucked into a sewer. He simply fell asleep one day and woke up in the Naruto world.
Not only was his body now that of a young child, but he had also received a special ability called the "God-Level Character System."
The system was simple to use. In short—it worked like a lottery.
It contained characters from countless worlds, allowing the user to randomly draw one.
Anzen's first draw was a character role-playing card for Aizen. As long as he played the role of Aizen well and increased his proficiency, he could gradually unlock all of Aizen's abilities.
Role-playing sounded simple, but actually doing it was another matter.
He had to perfectly imitate Aizen's personality, preferences, mannerisms, speech patterns—every little detail.
Luckily, the system was quite user-friendly. It automatically adjusted his appearance, ensuring that he looked exactly like Aizen.
Not only that, but the system had also transferred all of Aizen's memories and talents to him. Without that, he probably wouldn't have come this far over the years.
Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Anzen glanced at the progress bar on his system interface.
Current Role-Playing Progress: 34%
The air suddenly rippled, distorting like a vortex.
A man in a black cloak and a strange mask appeared behind him.