Naruto: Aizen's Shadow in Konoha

Aizen turned to Kitagawa Shuji, watching as the young man held the pill he had just been handed. "What is this, Aizen?" Kitagawa asked curiously, his gaze flickering between the pill and Aizen's calm demeanor.

"This," Aizen began with a faint smile, "is a new drug developed in secret by our medical department. It enhances physical abilities and latent potential. Even ordinary individuals who take it could gain the qualifications to become a special Jōnin."

Kitagawa's eyes widened in amazement. "Really? That's incredible!"

But then, hesitation flickered across his face as he looked at Aizen with some embarrassment. "But this… it feels too precious. I'm just an ordinary Chūnin. Giving this to me would be such a waste. I really appreciate the gesture, but—"

Before Kitagawa could finish, Aizen's brow twitched in irritation. He waved off the words with a stiff expression. "There's no need for such formality. I have plenty of these pills. Just take it. It's not as rare as you think."

Hearing this, Kitagawa brightened immediately. "Oh, well, if you're sure… then I'll accept it!" Without hesitation, he swallowed the pill in one gulp, leaving Aizen staring in mute disbelief.

For a moment, silence hung between them as Aizen processed what had just happened.

"Aizen, is something wrong?" Kitagawa asked, noticing his friend's strange expression.

Aizen sighed, shaking his head. "It's nothing. I'm just… amazed you've managed to survive this long."

Kitagawa nodded, misinterpreting Aizen's words entirely. "I know, right? Losing my parents at a young age, growing up alone… it hasn't been easy for me. But you're no different, Aizen. You've faced so much too."

Aizen resisted the urge to facepalm. 'Talking to this guy is going to lower my IQ,' he thought wryly.

"Listen," Aizen said, deciding to change the subject. "The effects of that pill will manifest over the next three days. You might feel some heat or discomfort—it's normal, so don't panic."

Kitagawa nodded enthusiastically, eager to learn more. "Got it! I'll keep that in mind."

Aizen reached into his robes again, producing a scroll. He handed it to Kitagawa, who opened it with curiosity. "What's this?" Kitagawa asked.

"It's a secret technique I developed, tailored to work with the enhanced physique you'll gain from that pill," Aizen explained. "I call it the Six Styles."

Kitagawa's eyes widened in awe. "You created a secret technique? That's amazing, Aizen!"

Ignoring the praise, Aizen continued. "These Six Styles include Iron Body, Finger Strike, Shave, Moonwalk, Tempest Kick, and Spiritual Sense. The first five are specialized physical techniques, while the last one is a perception ability. Each one is designed to maximize your enhanced physical potential."

Aizen detailed each style:

Iron Body: A defensive technique that hardens muscles to the density of iron while maintaining full mobility. It can resist physical attacks like kunai or shuriken.

Finger Strike: A concentrated offensive move that channels all the body's strength into a single point on the finger. It delivers a piercing attack comparable to a bullet.

Shave: A high-speed movement technique that generates explosive acceleration by rapidly stepping dozens of times in an instant. To an observer, the user seems to vanish.

Moonwalk: A variant of Shave that allows for mid-air movement by stepping on the air itself. While effective for limited aerial mobility, prolonged use is not sustainable.

Tempest Kick: A ranged offensive technique that uses high-speed kicks to generate vacuum slashes capable of cutting through solid objects or opponents.

Spiritual Sense: A perception skill that enhances situational awareness, allowing the user to detect movements and presences within a radius of up to 1,000 meters.

Even though Aizen had yet to perfect the Paper Arts technique from the Marine Six Styles, he developed an advanced alternative: Spiritual Sense, a perception-enhancing skill adapted from Konoha's medical ninjutsu.

Aizen's reimagined Six Styles for the ninja world had immense potential for evolution. The techniques could be infused with elemental chakra natures—Finger Pistol could incorporate lightning for devastating piercing attacks, Iron Body could harness earth for enhanced durability, and Tempest Kick could channel wind for razor-sharp slashes.

This versatility made the Six Styles a dynamic set of techniques, capable of significant adaptation and growth depending on the user's ingenuity. Aizen had developed these techniques a year earlier, during his kendo training, as a complement to his existing repertoire.

Kitagawa Shuji listened intently, his eyes wide with astonishment. Even as a civilian-born ninja, he understood the value of such a technique. "Aizen… this is far too valuable. I can't possibly accept something like this!" Shuji stammered, his hands trembling as he held out the scroll to return it.

Aizen took a deliberate step back, avoiding Shuji's outstretched hand. A faint, knowing smile played on his lips. "Shuji, don't be so quick to refuse. I'm not giving you this for free."

Shuji's confusion deepened. "What do you mean? Then why—?"

Aizen's smile grew more mysterious. "You mentioned that you have many friends like yourself, right?"

"Yeah… is there something wrong with that?" Shuji asked, his brows furrowing.

"Not at all," Aizen replied, his tone calm yet persuasive. "You know, as the head of Konoha's medical corps, I oversee a large team of medical ninjas. While they are incredibly skilled in healing, they aren't particularly adept in combat. Typically, they rely on combat-focused ninjas from other divisions for protection during missions, such as transporting supplies or gathering rare herbs."

Shuji nodded, following along. "Yeah, that makes sense. But isn't that how things usually work?"

Aizen's eyes gleamed with calculated intent. "It is. But here's the issue: coordinating between departments is cumbersome. Each mission requires approval, which wastes valuable time. What if the medical corps had its own combat unit, trained specifically to defend and support its operations?"

Shuji's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "Oh! You mean forming a dedicated unit of combat ninjas to work directly with the medical corps? That would solve the problem!"

Following Aizen's narration, Kitagawa Shuji suddenly realized. 

...

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