Naruto: Mizuki The Savior

Chapter 44: The Resolve of a Leader

Seeing that his attacks were getting nowhere and that Mizuki was simply stalling for time, Kabuto Yakushi found himself at a loss.

"You're just dodging, Senpai. That doesn't quite match your earlier arrogance," he taunted.

"Still using such childish provocations? Do you take me for a fool?" Mizuki scoffed. "We're both adults. Stop acting so naive. Have you been hanging around Genin for so long that it's rotting your brain?"

'So he won't take the bait, huh?' Kabuto sighed in disappointment. Unlike the naive Genin he usually manipulated, Mizuki wasn't so easily deceived.

Just as Kabuto was pondering his next move, several kunai suddenly flew toward him. The unexpected attack forced him to abandon his fight with Mizuki. Two masked Anbu operatives appeared, their faces hidden behind animal masks.

"That was fast. Looks like I've been under surveillance for a while," Kabuto remarked casually. Even though he was now facing three opponents, he showed no signs of fear.

Instead of retreating, Kabuto lunged forward. He dashed toward the Hokage Rock, and as one of the Anbu attempted to intercept him, he swiftly sliced the operative's wrist with his scalpel. Without looking back, Kabuto then leaped off the cliff, vanishing into the dense forest below.

"Should we pursue?" Mizuki asked. "Kabuto isn't weak—his Chakra Scalpel and Mystical Palm Technique are extremely refined. You shouldn't have underestimated him."

"No need. We've already begun investigating him," one of the Anbu replied while tending to his comrade's wound. "Specialized operatives will handle this matter from here."

'They don't seem familiar… Probably just faceless extras who'll never be relevant.' Mizuki examined the two Anbu briefly before dismissing them from his thoughts.

"What were you fighting about?"

"Kabuto came on behalf of Orochimaru, trying to recruit me," Mizuki replied nonchalantly. "You saw how that turned out. He also hinted that he might target Sasuke Uchiha."

"I see." The Anbu nodded, finding nothing particularly suspicious about Mizuki's statement. Orochimaru's interest in Sasuke was already well-documented, and it wasn't surprising that he would send spies to recruit people from Konoha. "We'll report this information. If we have further questions, we'll contact you again."

With that, the Anbu left, leaving Mizuki alone on the Hokage Rock.

"Time to head back. What a waste of a morning—I just wanted to relax, and I ended up in a fight."

As the midday sun climbed higher, Mizuki decided it was time for lunch.

In a secluded compound, Orochimaru listened to Kabuto's report with an amused expression.

"Mizuki actually said that?" Orochimaru mused, intrigued.

"Yes," Kabuto confirmed. "Even I was caught off guard."

"How unexpected. It seems a lot has happened without my knowledge."

Recently, things hadn't been going as planned. His encounter in the Forest of Death had nearly left him severely injured. His plan to have the Sound-nin test Sasuke's cursed seal had nearly failed. And now, Mizuki—someone he had previously dismissed as insignificant—had the audacity to negotiate terms with him.

"Has my name lost its weight in Konoha?" Orochimaru wondered.

"The village still fears you," Kabuto reassured him. "You can see that from their heightened security measures."

"Enough about that." Orochimaru's golden eyes glinted as he turned his attention to Kabuto. "I never instructed you to kill Sasuke, did I?"

A cold sweat formed on Kabuto's brow. He had no response.

"Never mind," Orochimaru chuckled, brushing it off. "You're free to act as you see fit. But remember—this was your only chance to defy my plan to claim Sasuke Uchiha. Next time, you won't get another opportunity."

With that ominous statement, Orochimaru disappeared in a blur, leaving Kabuto standing there, exhaling deeply.

"Serving such an unpredictable master is exhausting."

In the dimly lit chamber, the Third Hokage sat at his desk, flanked by the village's senior advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. Opposite them stood Danzo Shimura, listening as an Anbu operative delivered a report.

"What should we do?" Koharu was the first to speak. "Orochimaru's influence is spreading too far. He's acting with impunity."

"What about Mizuki?" Homura asked, taking a more measured approach.

The Third Hokage took a long drag from his pipe before responding. "Given Mizuki's history, it's no surprise that Orochimaru would attempt to recruit him. It's fortunate for us that he rejected the offer. Orochimaru is no ally to Konoha."

His gaze darkened. "But Mizuki is just one case. How many other shinobi might secretly be in contact with Orochimaru?"

Despite his status as an S-rank rogue ninja, Orochimaru still had many sympathizers within Konoha. He had once led legions into battle for the village, and there were still many ninja who had once served under him. While he was reviled for his human experiments, among the upper echelons of Konoha's military, there were still those who respected his genius.

The Third's question hung in the air, met with silence.

"Are we just going to sit back and do nothing?" Koharu pressed.

"There's no need for drastic action," the Third Hokage replied. "Kakashi Hatake is already overseeing Sasuke's protection. As long as Orochimaru himself doesn't act personally, I doubt there will be an issue."

He paused before adding grimly, "But if Orochimaru does intervene, then I will handle it myself."

A heavy silence filled the room.

For the Hokage to personally engage in battle would be an admission of Konoha's vulnerability. It would send a message to the entire world that the village lacked the strength to handle threats without its leader stepping in.

Danzo finally spoke. "What about the security of the Chunin Exams?"

"I've already arranged security for the event," the Third Hokage answered. "We have no way of knowing Orochimaru's true objective. If he simply wanted Sasuke's Sharingan, he wouldn't need to go through such elaborate measures. Without concrete intelligence, our best option is to focus on protecting key personnel while dispersing our forces to minimize risks."

"That will stretch our manpower too thin," Danzo pointed out.

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

Danzo remained silent. While he had once collaborated with Orochimaru in secret, that was in the past. Their relationship had always been one of mutual exploitation, not loyalty. Danzo cared about Konoha's strength above all else—he would not sit idly by and let Orochimaru endanger the village.

The Third Hokage exhaled slowly. "Ensure the Academy is well-protected. Issue orders to the instructors to increase evacuation drills. If the worst comes to pass, safeguarding the next generation will be our top priority."

For all his faults, the Hokage had made his decision.

If Konoha was to fall, he would make sure its legacy endured.

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