Curly-haired Guy: Wow, Uchiha Shisui really went full cheat mode there! He was getting wrecked before, but after transforming, he totally turned it around.
Doujin Artist: Well, it was a cheat Anzen-san gave him after all.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: I'm more curious about what Hozuki Mangetsu was trying to say at the end.
This is an Actor: He was trying to say… "Please, you have to kill Aizen."
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: ?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Huh? What, he suddenly grew a conscience and decided to stop Aizen because he's part of the ninja world?
This is an Actor: It's not that dramatic. That thought's been buried inside him ever since he became an Arrancar. And he's not alone—many other Arrancar feel the same way. But like him, they couldn't go against me.
Machete Girl: Makes sense then, no wonder you don't trust them.
This is an Actor: Power and fear don't build real loyalty. Just like Konan—before she knew who I really was, she spent a long time planning ways to kill me.
Amegakure Village's Angel: That's true, back when I didn't know your real identity.
Shark-Faced Guy: Looks like Shisui's already headed toward Kushina and Minato. Is that okay? I don't think Aizen-sama wants either of them to get hurt.
Kisame knew too. Even though his boss always seemed ruthless and cunning on the outside, deep down he was a kind person. If he really wanted Shisui dead, he wouldn't have held back back at the Hokage Rock.
This is an Actor: It's fine. I trust Kushina can handle it.
Buzz.
A dark red light appears on the screen. Shisui, masked and back in his transformed state, swings his sword and charges straight at Kushina.
Click.
She doesn't dodge. Calmly, Kushina raises her right hand—gloved in white—and easily catches the blade in her palm.
What… how is this possible?
Shisui froze. His hollowed-out golden eyes were filled with shock.
"So that's it… you've hollowfied," Kushina said, her eyes fixed on Shisui, a slight smile on her lips. "So you're Shisui, huh? That kid from back then... you've grown up a lot."
Whoosh.
Shisui suddenly jumped back to put distance between them. He turned his eyes toward Namikaze Minato, who was tied up tightly by golden chains. He looked like a wrapped-up dumpling, but at least he was still alive.
Shisui let out a small sigh of relief and looked back at Kushina. "Lady Kushina, why are you...?"
"You're wondering why I'm on Lord Aizen's side, right?" Kushina kept her calm smile as she slowly took off her scorched white glove. "I already answered that question for Minato."
Shisui's eyes narrowed. On the back of her hand, he saw a clear number: "3." That meant the wife of the Fourth Hokage of the Leaf was now the *Third Espada* under Aizen?
This was really bad.
This is an Actor: Konan-senpai, it's time.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Huh?
Doujin Artist: Time for what?
Amegakure Village's Angel: Got it.
The livestream screen switched.
Dressed in white, Konan rolled up her sleeves and used black ink to draw a pattern on her arm. "Binding Spell No. 77: Heavenly Void Net."
Buzz.
In an instant, invisible waves spread out in all directions, slowly covering the entire Pure Land base. Everyone—whether the Arrancar or people like Senju Tobirama and Shisui—suddenly heard a warm, gentle voice by their ears.
"Good afternoon, Shisui-kun, and all of you intruders."
"What… what is this voice?" Senju Tobirama frowned from the ground, confused and tense.
"Aizen!" Uchiha Shisui gritted his teeth, his expression complicated.
"This really is something, Aizen Sosuke," the Second Tsuchikage said with a sigh as he looked at the massive wall blocking their way. "Should've guessed an invader from another world would have tricks like this."
"You've held your own against the Espada longer than I expected. As a sign of respect, I thought I'd give you a heads-up."
"He's been watching our fights this whole time?" Tobirama caught the key point in Aizen's words.
In other words, ever since they entered the Pure Land, they'd been under his control. Their so-called surprise attack was a joke from the start.
"Next, we'll head to the Valley of Flame in the Land of Wind to collect the last two remaining tailed beasts."
"W-what?" Shisui's eyes widened in disbelief. "How does Aizen know where the Jinchuriki are hiding? They were only moved there two weeks ago!"
"So there really is another traitor in the Allied Shinobi Forces?" Tobirama's expression turned sour.
And that traitor must be someone with a high rank. Otherwise, they wouldn't have access to such top-secret information. Could it be Uchiha Madara?
"You all claim to be fighting for justice, but you don't even realize that Naruto staying here was his and his mother's decision. Also, you're wrong—he's not the one I chose to be the host for the Ten Tails."
"Naruto isn't the Ten Tails' Jinchuriki?" Minato, now fully awake, was stunned.
"Your wrong guess made your so-called ancestor of chakra panic. That's why he rushed into this invasion plan. And I simply used the chance to trap five of the most powerful ninja in this land of the dead."
"Damn it!" Tobirama's face darkened with rage and frustration.
He had been wrong all along. They weren't caught in Aizen's net when they arrived in the Pure Land—they were already trapped the moment Aizen took Naruto away!
This guy already had overwhelming power and still used these sneaky tricks to split them up and pick them off one by one? What kind of monster does that?