445.The Arrival

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Ōnoki, who had been frail and near collapse, suddenly seemed revitalized, like a withered tree granted new life. 

He straightened his body with effort, his eyes wide and filled with anticipation, fixed intently on the unexpected scene unfolding before him. 

In the distance, the Konoha contingent stood rigidly, facing off against Aizen with utmost vigilance. 

Suddenly, Aizen, who had been smiling faintly with a calm demeanor, froze, and his expression gradually turned serious. 

This abrupt change left the Konoha ninjas confused, uncertain about what had caused such a shift. 

Before they could react, a commotion erupted behind them. The ninjas on the rocky mountain began murmuring in disbelief. 

"What's that?!" 

"Lightning?!" 

Hearing the murmurs, Jiraiya and the others turned to look. 

What they saw froze them in place. 

"Whoosh—" 

A deafening rush of wind filled the air, accompanied by an oppressive force that everyone could feel. 

Under the night sky, a dark figure glimmering with a cold metallic sheen hurtled toward their position with blinding speed. 

In the blink of an eye, the figure had closed the distance and landed heavily in front of them. 

"Boom!" 

The ground shook violently as dust billowed outward, scattering rocks and debris. A massive crater formed where the figure had landed, evidence of the immense force. 

Jiraiya and the others had already leapt back instinctively, their eyes sharp and filled with tension as they observed the scene before them. 

The impact resounded across the entire mountain, plunging the area into silence. 

All eyes were on the crater, fear rippling through the crowd. 

One Aizen was already more than they could handle. If another powerhouse had arrived, it would spell doom for everyone present. 

Near the Konoha contingent, the Uchiha clan members surrounded Fugaku, shielding him nervously. Fugaku himself watched the scene with a solemn expression. 

Everything that had happened tonight was deeply etched into his mind. 

Aizen's overwhelming dominance, the brilliance of Minato, Ōnoki, Yagura, and Rasa—all of it was a testament to the extraordinary heights true geniuses could reach. 

Compared to them, Fugaku, as the head of the Uchiha clan, felt utterly insignificant. 

As the dust began to clear, revealing the figure within the crater, Aizen's faint smile returned. 

Lowering his gaze slightly, his deep eyes seemed to pierce through everything as he chuckled softly. 

"Shino… Your arrival is a surprise." 

With Aizen's words, a powerful shockwave suddenly erupted, dispersing the remaining dust and revealing the figure fully. 

In front of Aizen stood a tall, imposing man, his posture straight and unwavering. 

He wore a black cloak that accentuated his sharp features. His handsome face was partially obscured by long, dark hair that fell past his waist. 

Surrounding his body was a crackling aura of black lightning, radiating an oppressive energy that seemed barely restrained. 

"Sizzle… Crackle…" 

The lightning around him pulsed erratically, occasionally striking the ground and reducing rocks to dust. Its destructive potential was clear. 

The man raised his head to meet Aizen's gaze, his crimson Sharingan eyes, adorned with three tomoe, brimming with killing intent. 

In a hoarse, heavy voice, he declared. 

"Aizen, I've come to take your life." 

Aizen's smile didn't waver. Glancing at the man, he responded lightly. 

"Again, with the empty words, Shino." 

"I'm curious how you managed to survive. If you've come back to life, you should quietly await the new world I intend to create." 

A faint chill flickered in Aizen's eyes as he continued. 

"Instead of jumping out now to seek your own death." 

The surrounding ninjas watched in stunned silence. 

"Th-those eyes… He's an Uchiha!" 

"Another Konoha ninja?!" 

"My god… Is this the strength of Konoha? These monsters just keep appearing!" 

The Konoha group was equally shocked. 

"Uchiha Shino…" 

Tsunade stared at the man's crimson Sharingan, her face grave as she murmured his name. 

Jiraiya's expression mirrored her concern. Watching as secrets long hidden began to surface, he sighed inwardly. 

'Sakumo, Saki, Nawaki… And now Shino.' 

'Aizen… From the beginning, you've been deceiving us.' 

Behind them, the Uchiha clan members were filled with a mix of excitement and disbelief. 

"It's Lord Shino! He's alive?!" 

"Lord Fugaku, it's him—Lord Shino has returned!" 

One Uchiha exclaimed excitedly, while Fugaku stared blankly at the tall figure confronting Aizen. 

His mind was a blank slate, but his lips moved unconsciously. 

"It's… my brother. He's alive." 

Fugaku's voice was soft, almost disbelieving, but his expression suddenly darkened. Anger and sorrow swirled in his eyes as he growled. 

"You're not my brother. You're a disgrace to the Uchiha clan. Why?!" 

Fugaku stepped forward heavily, his black-and-white eyes fixed on Shino's back. Years of suppressed emotion exploded in his voice as he shouted. 

"Why didn't you return when you were alive?!" 

"Do you know how Father, I, and Sister have lived all these years?!" 

Fugaku's outburst left the others silent. 

Even those who didn't know the full story could sense the pain behind his words. 

The Uchiha clan had long suffered under unclear village policies. After the supposed death of Shino, a prodigy of the clan, the clan's influence had steadily declined. 

Today, their power was limited to the Konoha Police Force—a role assigned by the Third Hokage to curb their ambitions. 

It was a reflection of political reality. the Uchiha clan holding the Hokage seat was a notion incompatible with the visions of the First and Second Hokage. 

As Fugaku's angry voice echoed, Aizen glanced at him before turning back to Shino. 

"You have an adorable younger brother," Aizen said with a magnetic chuckle. "He's as endearing as Sakuya." 

Shino's expression remained unreadable, but his eyes flickered briefly with a trace of heaviness. 

Turning his head slightly, he cast a cold glance at Fugaku and said curtly. 

"A childish fool."