Location: Ryūchi Cave – Inner Sanctum

Aizen had with him roughly 2,000 shadow clones, each learning the way of the snake sage, and thus for 10 whole days, they meditated and practiced the way of the sage.

To the point that now, Aizen Sōsuke could remain in Sage Mode almost indefinitely. His passive absorption of sage energy was just so much, he needed merely a few seconds to activate it, and it would last a long-ass time.

Hm, indeed, he was quite gifted like this.

As for the trial?

Fuck that shit.

He got it by force, having learned to master it quite well, and currently, he was seen sitting on top of a red snake.

Its name was Garaga.

"You are my property now," Aizen would say, as he slammed the snake's face into the ground.

"As if I would ever submit to a human!"

Aizen smiled a bit. This snake had some backbone. Funny enough, that wouldn't help it.

"Almighty Push."

Manda sighed a bit, watching as Garaga was slammed into the wall once more. Yep, this was like the 100th time... this week, mind you, it was a Tuesday.

Garaga was too prideful to bow to a human, and the human's pride would not allow anyone to refuse him—a fucking match made in hell.

Oh well, not like you were gonna catch Manda trying some shit on this human. Those eyes of his were dangerous. He tried to approach the human once for a sneak attack, and the bastard ripped out his soul for a solid minute before giving it back.

His ass was not built for that life.

Plus, the human was basically a perfect sage in every sense of the word. For fuck's sake, this bastard had remained in Sage Mode for 24 fucking hours straight, practically becoming one with nature. At this point, he might as well have Wood Style.

"Wood Style: Wood Prison."

I beg your finest pardon...

Manda's eyes widened as wood emerged from the ground and wrapped itself around Garaga.

The summon was basically being choked—bloody and all.

Aizen looked bored.

"Hm... you are too weak," he muttered to himself, then, as if losing interest, walked away.

He had better shit to be doing right now, like fully optimizing Sage Mode. He had found out that, yes, Wood Style...

Seijuro already had the water and earth elements. All he was missing, really, was the Yang Chakra, and Slug Sage Mode gave a shit-ton of Yang Chakra. Now that he had the Rinnegan, he could see it more properly.

It was now mainly a matter of time before he figured out the correct dose for Wood Style—and no, it wasn't 50% water and 49% earth and 1% Yang Chakra.

It was a more complex three-way.

The Yang Chakra was actually a bit more abundant in Wood Style. The water and earth were like the minor affinities making up the wood. Without Yang Chakra, water and earth just made mud. And mud was anything but the wood everyone so craved—it was primarily Yang, as far as Seijuro was aware.

He touched his lips a bit.

Hm. This would make it easier to take shit from the Cloud.

A smile made itself known to his lips.

This was about to become so easy.

As for his chakra pool—yes, it was in fact enough to sustain his Rinnegan. Worst-case scenario, he could always close his Rinnegan. His soul was also strong and stable enough to maintain a Rinnegan, so for the most part, he would be fine. Nothing would really be able to make him budge on that bridge.

"You're wasting your time," Garaga hissed, breathing heavy through broken fangs. "I'll never submit. You'll die before I call you master."

Aizen's expression didn't change. Calm. Measured. Inhuman.

"I don't need your submission."

He stood slowly, the folds of his long black cloak shifting with eerie silence.

"I need your cooperation. You want power, don't you?"

Garaga growled low. "I have power."

"No. You have potential," Aizen said, stepping closer. His voice carried the weight of inevitability. "But right now, you're just a warhound with delusions of royalty. No control. No refinement. You burn hot, but you die fast."

The snake's one open eye flared with defiance, but it didn't speak.

"You don't have to trust me. You don't even have to like me," Aizen continued, now crouched beside Garaga, one finger tapping against the blood-slick stone. "You're free to backstab me, Garaga. Test your luck. But until then... we use each other."

He placed a hand on the serpent's mangled brow.

"I give you evolution. Strength beyond what your bloodline could ever offer. And in return, you carry me into war."

Garaga's eye narrowed. "And if I don't?"

Without breaking eye contact, Aizen raised his free hand.

"Almighty Push."

CRACK.

Garaga was slammed once again into the opposite wall with enough force to leave a reptilian imprint.

Across the chamber, Manda watched from the shadows, coiled in weary silence. The larger snake gave a tired exhale through its nose.

"...Idiot. Just agree already."

Aizen turned his back to the unconscious serpent.

"This is the last time I make the offer."

Later that Night – Ryūchi Cave

The White Snake Sage, coiled atop a throne of scrolls and skeletal remains, spoke with mild amusement.

"You've cowed one of the most temperamental summons in this sanctuary. Not many can claim that."

Aizen remained standing, arms folded behind him. His gaze never wavered.

"It's easy to dominate a beast. Harder to keep it useful."

The White Snake Sage chuckled, eyes glowing in the firelight.

"Your power is growing. You know, don't you? What you're walking toward."

Aizen gave a thin smile. "I have plans. And pieces left to collect."

The sage tilted its head. "Speaking of pieces... Have you heard of the Treasure Tools of the Sage of Six Paths?"

That piqued Aizen's interest.

"The Kōkinjō and the Benihisago," the Sage continued. "Among others. Ancient relics once wielded by the Sage himself. Sealed speech. Spiritual entrapment. Word-activated soul extraction. Dangerous tools."

A pause.

"Two of them are currently in the possession of Kumogakure."

Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Kumo."

As for why the beast was telling him that... well, she was bored, and she wanted to see a good show. She wanted the body of every Kumo nin who died—or at least 20% of them—for her light snack.

Worthy trade-off, if she could say so herself.

A/N Time to cause some chaoes