Who knew whether Shimura Danzō had truly been a spy all along? While he lived, he constantly weakened Konoha from within—or else paved the road for new enemies to rise against it.
If the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, could have seen what Danzō did, he probably would have invented a secret jutsu to drag people out of the Pure Land just to beat them senseless. Alive or dead, Danzō deserved it.
The thought alone was enough to make one's blood boil.
Now, with the truth of Akatsuki's grudge against Konoha laid bare, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was so furious he wished he could drag Danzō's corpse out and pummel it for three days straight—only then might his rage be soothed.
After his interrogation ended, Aoyama regained his freedom. But it was a conditional freedom—he could move about within Konoha's borders, but if he even approached the village gates or triggered the barrier system, ANBU would swarm him instantly.
Still, Aoyama behaved himself. If he wanted his Konoha status restored, he couldn't afford to slip up. He lived quietly, almost like a well-behaved academy student. Even the ANBU tailing him couldn't help but feel a reluctant admiration.
That evening, after shopping for groceries, Aoyama returned to the house he'd been assigned. He set the vegetables down, but before relaxing, he drew a kunai and growled toward the shadows:
"Come out. I don't want my new place ruined if I'm forced to fight."
A familiar figure stepped out, holding a box of grilled meat. His posture was lazy, almost half-asleep.
"You're slow. I've been waiting here forever," drawled Kakashi Hatake.
Aoyama lowered his kunai, though his face twisted with annoyance. "What's a single old bachelor doing in my house? I don't recall giving you a key. This is breaking. I could report you to the Hokage."
Kakashi shrugged. "Don't be like that. You left your window unlocked. As your friend, I have a duty to make sure no one sneaks in to rob you."
"The only one sneaking in is you! Don't twist it into some noble excuse."
"Ah, really? Well, never mind. Want some? It's from the Akimichi Clan—special recipe barbecue. Once you try it, you'll never forget the flavor."
"…Bringing gifts, huh? Fine, I'll forgive you. You can explain your 'request' while I eat. I'll decide if your pitiful plea is worth granting."
Kakashi gave a small shrug. "Better not. If you refuse, I'll just have Lord Third lock you back up. After all, you're still wearing shackles of guilt."
"Nonsense! I'm free—look, I can wander anywhere inside the village."
Grinning, Aoyama snatched a juicy slice of barbecue from Kakashi's chopsticks and devoured it with a pleased expression.
Kakashi sighed. "Then forget it. I won't trouble you with my humble request."
"Come on, it's just meat. Fine. Spit it out. Hokage gave you a mission, didn't he?"
"…More or less. It's about Akatsuki. If what you said is true—that their ultimate goal is to capture the Tailed Beasts—then Konoha can't just sit back. We need more intel."
"Oh? Planning to sneak into Amegakure? I'd strongly advise against it. Don't forget, even Danzō is dead now. For all he was a vile sewer rat, his survival skills were among the top three in Konoha. If he couldn't make it out alive, stepping into the Rain Village means certain death."
Kakashi considered his words carefully. Yes, storming Amegakure blind was suicide. But with the intelligence they had now, and with proper preparation, perhaps it wasn't hopeless. And even if the mission ended in death… for a shinobi, sacrificing oneself for intel was an acceptable price.
By the time the barbecue was finished, Kakashi pulled out a list. Aoyama glanced over it, face twisting oddly.
"Seriously, Kakashi? How obsessed are you with the Ino-Shika-Chō Trio? Last time your team was literally that lineup. And now again?"
Indeed, at the top of the roster were the names of Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka heirs.
Kakashi gave a helpless shrug. "Orders from the Hokage. He chose the lineup. I'm just here to notify everyone. Oh, and Aoyama—you'll be part of this special ops squad. Your role is simple: attack. As long as you can pin down one enemy, that's enough."
To gather information on Akatsuki, Hiruzen had organized a Special Operations Squad. Kakashi would serve as captain, and Aoyama was among its members. But this wasn't a small four-man team—it was a mid-sized strike force, numbering over ten shinobi. With such a lineup, they could march into Amegakure itself… unless they ran into Pain directly.
Every member was at least a tokubetsu jōnin. Some were seasoned jōnin.
Among them: the famous Ino-Shika-Chō trio, Uchiha Tekkō, Hyūga Nejing (a branch clan member), and an older Aburame veteran whose presence was so faint he was easy to overlook.
Aoyama had no right to refuse. His reintegration into Konoha was conditional; betrayal left a permanent mark. For now, he could only obey.
Three days later, the squad assembled. Familiar faces stood waiting. Some still glared at Aoyama, unwilling to forgive his treachery, though a few offered polite greetings.
"Hey! Aoyama! Over here!" Might Guy waved enthusiastically, his brilliant smile practically blinding.
Aoyama groaned and covered his face. He couldn't bear to look directly at those teeth—too much light, too much energy.
Finally, the captain arrived. Kakashi strolled in last, lazy as ever, slouching with one hand in his pocket and his lone eye half-lidded.
Yo, he said casually. "Looks like everyone's here.