Naruto: Mizuki The Savior

Chapter 41: Hidden Threat

With his exceptional talent for deception, Kabuto Yakushi found it effortless to blend in among the Genin. As a supposed veteran with extensive Chunin Exam experience, he subtly guided several Genin, influencing their actions with ease. As a spy, his close proximity to Sasuke allowed him to observe firsthand how the cursed seal affected him in combat. Ensuring Sasuke's progression in the exam while also offering him practical battle experience served both Orochimaru's interests and his own.

With a seven-man squad, devoid of interference from Orochimaru or Gaara, they had become a formidable force. Apart from a minor challenge from a Genjutsu specialist, their encounters had been far smoother than in the original timeline. This was especially true for Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha—both had undergone battles similar to those Mizuki had orchestrated before, allowing them to develop counter-strategies much earlier. As a result, the second phase of the Forest of Death exam concluded far ahead of schedule.

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Meanwhile, back at the battlefield where Sasuke had fought the Sound-nin, Mizuki quietly scavenged through the wreckage. He discreetly collected several seemingly insignificant scraps—damaged sealing scrolls and fragments of abandoned talismans. A satisfied smirk crossed his face as he wrapped up his task.

"Hopefully, this haul will help me uncover some answers. If I can find a way to counteract the cursed seal, all the better."

In the past few days, Mizuki had realized that the cursed seal was far more complex than he had initially assumed. The thought of having such a foreign force inside one's body, completely beyond personal control, filled him with unease.

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"That concludes the mission. I'm heading back. You guys take care of the wounded," Mizuki announced before leaving.

"I need to analyze these items immediately. If I wait too long and the chakra within them dissipates, it'll be a problem."

Back in the Forest of Death, as the last batch of qualified candidates arrived at the central tower, the second exam officially concluded ahead of schedule.

Amidst the hidden manipulations at play, the Third Hokage addressed the successful candidates, explaining the purpose and importance of the Chunin Exams. He then announced the commencement of the third round's preliminary matches, with Gekkō Hayate serving as the proctor. As in the original timeline, Kabuto withdrew from the exam upon noticing that Orochimaru, disguised as a Jonin, was present.

From this point on, few deviations occurred. While Naruto Uzumaki's progression could still be attributed to a significant degree of luck, the remainder of the tournament was reserved for the truly powerful. With no limitations and direct one-on-one combat, those lacking in raw strength stood little chance.

One notable change, however, was the match between Sakura and Ino Yamanaka. In the original timeline, their fight had ended in a draw due to Ino deliberately holding back, resulting in both losing their eligibility.

This time, things were different. Ino had sustained injuries during the Forest of Death, severely weakening her condition. Meanwhile, Sakura, having avoided a grueling battle against the Sound-nin, remained in peak form. In a battle of endurance, Ino's weakened body gave out first, securing Sakura's victory.

The final roster for the third stage of the Chunin Exams had thus shifted slightly from the original. With an even number of contestants, no one was forced to fight an additional match. Dosu, originally intended to be removed from the competition, was instead paired against Sakura in the preliminaries. The winner of their match would then face the victor between Naruto and Neji Hyuga in the next round.

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As night fell, Mizuki, exhausted from the day's work, returned home. His body still hadn't fully recovered from previous injuries, and fatigue weighed heavily on him.

After submitting his mission report, he carefully stored the chakra residue he had collected from Sasuke's cursed seal before tidying up his living space. He hastily ate a simple meal before collapsing onto his bed. With his fiancée, Tsubaki, also preoccupied with her own responsibilities, his routine had been reduced to mere essentials in her absence.

Lying down, Mizuki absently flipped through some scrolls on summoning techniques. However, the sheer complexity of the subject quickly gave him a headache. Feeling drained, he set the scroll aside and allowed his thoughts to wander.

"Summoning Jutsu… There's something off about it."

In the world of shinobi, summoning was a form of contractual Ninjutsu. Some of the most well-known examples included the three legendary summons: the toads of Mount Myōboku, the snakes of Ryūchi Cave, and the slugs of Shikkotsu Forest. There were also lesser-known summons, such as the Sarutobi clan's Enma and Kakashi Hatake's ninken.

In some cases, shinobi cultivated their own personal summons, rather than forming contracts with pre-existing summoning clans. These creatures lacked the historical strongholds of the legendary summons but were still valuable partners.

On the lowest end of the spectrum were disposable summons—temporary creatures like the jellyfish Mizuki frequently used. These had little intrinsic worth and were easily replaced.

For the most part, summoning creatures were regarded as powerful battle companions, nothing more.

Mizuki didn't entirely reject this perspective. For example, Jiraiya's talents, while remarkable, were not extraordinary compared to prodigies like Orochimaru or Minato Namikaze. Yet, during his formative years, the toads had sought him out, aiding him through critical developmental stages. They had even taught him Sage Mode—an ability that even Orochimaru had failed to master. The justification for this was vague, attributed to the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage.

"Even with my knowledge as a transmigrator, I can't fully grasp the deeper implications. If even I can't figure it out, then hardly anyone in this world can."

However, even with these uncertainties, Mizuki had begun noticing certain inconsistencies.

Beyond the diverse shapes and abilities of summons, there was one crucial aspect that everyone seemed to overlook: the fundamental process of contracting and summoning.

The specifics of forming a contract remained unknown to Mizuki, as he had never been granted a pact with one of the legendary summoning clans. However, from his knowledge and observations, it appeared to involve an exchange governed by a powerful, binding force.

More perplexing, though, was the summoning process itself.

Summoned creatures traversed space to appear before their contractor, ready for battle. If they could fight, they would; if they were outmatched, they could simply retreat. Rarely did summons suffer fatal injuries.

The seamless transition between summoning and reverse summoning, even within a world where space-time stability was questionable, struck Mizuki as suspiciously convenient.

"Something doesn't add up."

And then, there was the matter of "blood as a medium."

Nearly every summoning contract required the user to draw blood before activation. One common phrase appeared in summoning manuals:

"With blood as the catalyst."

In his previous life, before the rise of scientific understanding, many religions and philosophers believed that blood was the vessel of the soul. While modern science had dispelled much of this mysticism, Mizuki couldn't be so sure in this world.

"Is there something more to it? Something that no one has considered?"

He felt an unsettling suspicion creeping in the back of his mind. If blood truly held significance beyond a mere symbolic contract, then summoning techniques might be tapping into something far more profound than what anyone realized.

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