Chapter 24: Confident Konan
Doujin Artist: Six-Tails? Oh, that big snot monster?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Its name is Saiken, right? It has Water Release and can spit out corrosive liquid?
Amegakure Village's Angel: Yep, Ruiko-chan, you've got a good memory.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Hehe, I try.
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: Did Aizen send you to retrieve the Six-Tails?
Amegakure Village's Angel: Yeah, Aizen wants the tailed beasts too.
Doujin Artist: I don't get it—what does he want them for? Is he planning to turn them into Hollows? Can you even do that?
Amegakure Village's Angel: According to Aizen, tailed beasts can be hollowfied. But he doesn't seem to be planning on doing that. Since tailed beasts already contain a massive amount of twisted emotions, hollowfying them would make them completely uncontrollable. A mindless killing machine like that has no value.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Then… is he trying to become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki?!
Doujin Artist: That's not impossible.
Curly-haired Guy: Tch, as if he isn't already strong enough. If he actually becomes the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, what's the point of anyone else in this world even trying?
This is an Actor: Aizen wouldn't choose the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki path.
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: ?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Why not?
This is an Actor: Aizen only believes in himself. He wouldn't put his trust in anyone else—not even the Ten-Tails.
Doujin Artist: But didn't he fuse with the Hogyoku in the end? That thing was created by Urahara Kisuke, wasn't it?
This is an Actor: The Ten-Tails and the Hogyoku are different. The Hogyoku is an object with a will of its own, but the Ten-Tails is a living creature. Aizen would never fuse with another living being's power—he would see it as putting his fate in someone else's hands. And to him, that would be the ultimate disgrace.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Wow, Anzen-san's analysis is amazing.
Amegakure Village's Angel: Ah!
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Konan, what's wrong?
Curly-haired Guy: That reaction… Did that snot slug do something weird to you?
Doujin Artist: Your mind is so filthy, it's hopeless! It's a snot slug, not a tentacle monster!
Curly-haired Guy: Heh. I'll return those words to you exactly as they are.
Amegakure Village's Angel: I'm fine. It's just that what Anzen-san said just now is almost exactly the same as what Aizen told me before!
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: So that means Anzen really understands how Aizen thinks.
Doujin Artist: This is kinda freaking me out… He figured out Aizen's thoughts so clearly! I don't even know who's scarier, Anzen-san or Aizen!
This is an Actor: No need to be scared. I am Aizen.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: ??? Anzen-san is Aizen?! The big bad guy was right beside me this whole time?!
Curly-haired Guy: There it is again! One of those Anzen-style deadpan jokes… except this time, it's really not funny!
Doujin Artist: Yeah, yeah. Aizen-sama, please have mercy.
Amegakure Village's Angel: If Anzen-san really were Aizen, then I'd actually feel relieved.
This is an Actor: Relieved?
Aizen hadn't expected that response from Konan. Shouldn't it be fear, resentment, or anger instead?
Amegakure Village's Angel: Yes, relieved. Because I trust Anzen-san. Someone as kind and dependable as him would never hurt us.
At that moment, Konan had no idea that the person she called kind and dependable was floating in midair, calmly watching her. And she was completely unaware.
"What an idiot. But at least she's an idiot that's nice to watch."
Muttering softly, the brown-haired boy let a faint smile appear on his lips.
It wasn't Aizen's smile—this one belonged to Anzen alone.
Doujin Artist: Yeah, when people talk about Anzen-san, they think of kindness and reliability. But when they talk about Gin, it's…
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Bear-print underwear?
Curly-haired Guy: ???
Doujin Artist: Pfft! Hahaha! Ruiko-chan, you're a master at landing finishing blows!
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: Rei is absolutely right.
Amegakure Village's Angel: Target acquired. Moving in now.
With that message sent, Konan was already standing in front of a small wooden house deep in the forest, her gaze calmly fixed on the short-haired young man in front of her.
The young man wore a blue kimono and held a long flute in his hands. He watched Konan cautiously, his voice cold as he asked, "Who are you?"
"If possible, could you hand over the Six-Tails?" Konan ignored his hostility and spoke gently. "Don't worry, I won't take your life."
Instead of using the chakra-draining Phantom Dragon Nine Seal, Aizen had developed a safer and faster way to seal Tailed Beasts. But it required the Jinchuriki's cooperation—or at least for them to be unconscious.
"So that's it. You're after the Tailed Beast."
Utakata understood her intention, and chakra tails began to form around him. "I don't know how you found this place, but you're making a huge mistake."
Sensing the overwhelming danger from her, he activated his Tailed Beast transformation right away.
"If possible, I'd rather not use force." Konan sighed and lightly placed her right hand on the hilt of her sword. "But since negotiations have failed, I have no choice."
Shing.
The silver blade slowly slid out of its sheath.
Konan held her sword in her right hand, leveling it in front of her. Her lips, painted with violet lipstick, parted slightly as she spoke softly:
"Sit upon the frozen heavens… Hyorinmaru."
Boom.
The once clear sky was suddenly covered by rolling clouds, and thunder rumbled across the land.
She could change the weather…?
Still in the early stages of his transformation, Utakata stared up at the sky in disbelief. Just how powerful was this ability? Was this really something a ninja could do?
Konan didn't intend to answer his doubts. Instead, she simply raised her blade and swung it through the air toward him.
A terrifying cold burst outward in all directions, freezing the grass beneath her feet in an instant.
Th-This is...
Utakata's eyes widened, reflecting the image of a massive ice dragon with its jaws wide open.
Doujin Artist: I'm really worried... Is Konan okay?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac She should be... okay, right?
Amegakure Village's Angel: I'm back. Using Hyorinmaru's Shikai is still too much for me. My spiritual pressure almost couldn't keep up with the energy drain.
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: So... the attempt to capture the Tailed Beast failed?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac It's fine if it failed, as long as you're safe, Konan.
Amegakure Village's Angel: No, it was a success.
In front of Konan, Bubble was completely encased in an unbreakable layer of ice. A black cube hovered in the air, spinning wildly. On its surface, a large "六" (six) was etched.
The Tailed Beast chakra inside Bubble was continuously being extracted, flowing endlessly into the cube.
Curly-haired Guy: Wait, Shikai? You used Hyorinmaru's power? Aren't you worried that Aizen will notice?
Amegakure Village's Angel: Don't worry. I've already confirmed that this area isn't under Aizen's surveillance. Plus, I checked through spiritual sensing beforehand—there are no other living beings nearby.
This is an Actor: I see.
The message from Aizen was sent as he quietly observed Konan from above. His lips curled slightly into an almost imperceptible smile. A gentle breeze lifted his brown hair, causing the white fabric of his clothes to sway slightly.
At that moment, Konan didn't even notice that a shark-faced young man had appeared beside him.
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