Seeing Sasori frantically fleeing from the Giant, Rasa couldn't help but smile with delight. The greatest blight on Sunagakure was finally about to be removed!
Yet after his moment of pleasure, he couldn't help but put himself in Sasori's shoes, wondering, "Would I be able to defeat that Giant created by Seiki?"
After deep thought, Rasa reached a rather depressing conclusion—that even he, as Kazekage, might truly be no match for a Giant randomly created by Seiki Shimaseki.
Hikka was equally shocked and couldn't help thinking, "When I return, should I suggest the Tsuchikage have all the trees in the village cut down? Otherwise, with just one move from Seiki, an entire army of treants could rise..."
But as he continued thinking, Hikka even "smiled" to himself, "What an idiot I am... If Seiki really wanted to destroy Iwagakure, would he really go through all this trouble? Indeed, as Han said, this world truly needs peace!"
Seeing Seiki quietly standing aside watching the spectacle unfold, Sasori, who had been forced into a desperate retreat, grew furious. "That bastard could've beaten me quickly, yet he chooses to stand there and mock me... How annoying! Underestimating others has its limits!"
With that, Sasori halted his escape.
"Since so many people have gathered to witness my downfall, let me give you all a final show to remember!"
As he spoke, Sasori's true body and over a hundred intact puppets radiated a terrifying aura, their bodies swelling rapidly as if they would explode at any moment.
However, Seiki Shimaseki acted faster.
[Sage Art: Ice Release: Blizzard Realm!]
The ice spread with incredible speed, turning the entire cave into a frozen wonderland almost instantly.
"Uh-oh, that guy was about to use Self-Destruction..." Rasa's eyes widened, but before he could finish his sentence, he noticed Sasori and all the puppets had already been encased in ice!
"His Ice Release has definitely become even stronger!" Han muttered to himself, shivering, "If his Ice Release had been this powerful three years ago, we never would've escaped!"
While everyone else stood in shock staring at the frozen wasteland, Seiki Shimaseki suddenly manipulated the ice to form sharp spears, swiftly thrusting them toward a shadow lurking in a distant corner.
"What's going on? What just happened?"
"Why did Seiki suddenly attack? Hmm? Who's that?"
Everyone turned their surprised gazes toward the corner and saw a strange figure wearing a shinigami mask, as weightless as air, gracefully balancing atop the intersecting ice spikes.
"What a dangerous situation. I nearly got killed!" Aizen feigned astonishment.
"If I truly wanted you dead," Seiki Shimaseki replied, maintaining his solemn expression despite the "solo performance," "those ice spears would've aimed straight for your vitals."
"Were you aiming to capture me alive?" Aizen mused with feigned surprise. "So you've been aware of my presence all along. You waited to strike until you pinpointed my position!"
Then he smiled again, "Still, I'm curious—how did you know I was your enemy? Maybe I'm just an innocent bystander?"
"My talent is nothing special. I just have a slightly better Sensor ability than ordinary people," Seiki said solemnly. "On you, I can sense that long-forgotten but unmistakable repulsive aura!"
Rasa had originally been focusing on the mysterious masked man, but upon hearing Seiki's explanation, his mouth nearly twisted into a grimace. "You consider yourself average? Then what does that make me, a retard?"
Han scratched his nose and gave a half-laugh, "Haha, Seiki, you're too modest!"
"So it was just collateral damage... What bad luck..." Aizen was sighing, when suddenly the ice sculpture imprisoning Sasori exploded.
"I actually wasn't killed or sealed away?" For someone to survive Seiki Shimaseki's attack completely unscathed was surprising enough, but now Sasori was even more startled to notice the unusual atmosphere.
He casually swept his gaze around, quickly settling on Aizen standing atop an Ice Spike.
"This guy..." Sasori's eyes flickered slightly. He distinctly remembered there being no one like him on the battlefield before he was frozen!
Moreover, looking at the Ice Spike beneath this man's feet, could it be that he was attacked by Seiki Shimaseki?
Surviving an attack from Seiki Shimaseki completely unscathed alone proved that this person was absolutely no ordinary opponent.
Noticing Sasori looking his way, Aizen smiled and waved casually, "Since you weren't killed, you should properly thank me!"
Sasori frowned, "What did you say?"
At this moment, Seiki spoke up, "Well then, if you want to talk, why not do it in prison... or hell!"
"Please wait a moment." Aizen's calm, unhurried voice came from beneath his mask. "Can I buy my life and Sasori's life?"
Sasori became even more puzzled. Did he even know this guy?
"Buy lives?" Seiki asked. "What do you want to use for payment?"
Aizen smiled slightly, "How about using the lives of these seven hundred and twenty-four people here, excluding you several powerful individuals!"
Han couldn't resist mocking, "Their lives? Since when do you get to call the shots on other people's lives? Don't tell me you've used Genjutsu on all of them?"
"Oh? You actually guessed it!"
As soon as Han heard his confirmation and was about to mock again, suddenly voices around him and from distant locations simultaneously repeated the masked man's words.
Hearing this synchronized voice, Han felt a chill run down his spine.
This guy actually silently controlled so many people without him noticing even the slightest clue! When exactly did this happen?
Rasa was greatly shaken. Just what kind of Genjutsu shinobi was this who had emerged from the shadows? Why had he never heard of such a figure before?
The shinobi world runs deeper than I imagined!
Sasori also couldn't help glancing sideways. This guy's Genjutsu skills were indeed terrifying!
At least, he had never heard of anyone capable of silently controlling so many people before!
Seiki's voice turned low and heavy, "Such methods are truly despicable!"
"I'm sorry!" Aizen sighed. "But since I'm facing the god of ninja, I have to leave myself a way out!"
"So, what do you think? Trading so many lives for our two lives is an absolutely worthwhile deal, isn't it?"
Seiki remained silent for a moment. "How can I be sure you'll Release the genjutsu after I let you go?"
"That's simple!" Aizen said, lightly snapping his fingers.
The cave, once quiet, suddenly came alive.
"Eh? What's going on with me?"
"Strange, why do I feel like I just woke up from a nap?"
"He actually Released the genjutsu directly!" Rasa and Han exchanged glances, each seeing shock in the other's eyes.
If the Masked Man could Release the genjutsu so easily, it meant he didn't care about them double-crossing him after leaving. In other words, he probably hadn't set up the genjutsu in advance like they'd imagined, but instead trapped everyone else in genjutsu in an instant.
If they wanted to double-cross him, he could trap them in genjutsu again at any moment!
Seeing the fear and worry in their eyes, Aizen smiled calmly. "You should know that genjutsu has a range limit, after all. Once I leave this place, I naturally won't be able to control them anymore... So, leaving together is a choice that benefits both parties!"
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