A Token of Allegiance

When Mizuki opened his eyes again, he was lying in a white hospital room.

"I'm saved. Looks like I'm all right. It's over."

After steadying himself, Mizuki raised his right hand and looked at it. His arm was so pale it was nearly bloodless, and he was skin and bones. It was nothing like the strong arm he'd had before.

"Just moving my hand feels like a struggle. Looks like I'll be resting for quite a while. Hm? Is that Tsubaki?"

There was a person slumped beside the bed. It was his fiancée, Tsubaki Chie.

Mizuki reached out and stroked Tsubaki's hair. "It's good to be alive."

Before setting out on this mission, Mizuki had known it might be dangerous. But he hadn't expected to be injured this badly. Fortunately, he'd prepared thoroughly. Otherwise, he might not have made it back.

"Konoha's strength and reputation stopped being enough to deter the enemies stirring around us a long time ago. Even without the threat of the Akatsuki, peace wouldn't last."

Ever since Hatake Sakumo, who had earned great honors in the last Shinobi World War, died, and Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, defected, Jiraiya and Tsunade had also left the village. Then the Fourth Hokage had died when the Nine-Tails attacked the village more than a decade ago. Konoha had long been in a state where its younger generations couldn't keep up with the older ones, and only the Third Hokage remained to hold things together. The Land of Fire occupied the richest lands and resources, yet its military strength was seriously lacking. It was no wonder the other villages were secretly testing Konoha and trying to trip it up. On top of that, there were always people like Hozuki Suigetsu, fanatics who would stop at nothing, and rogue ninja like Zabuza Momochi for others to exploit. It was unfortunate that Mizuki's mission had put him right in the line of fire. And it was no wonder that, before long, the Sand Shinobi would trust Orochimaru's lies and join forces with Otogakure to attack Konoha during the Chunin Ninja Exams. In the face of self-interest, things like alliances were nothing but a joke.

"Mizuki, you're awake?" Tsubaki woke when Mizuki's hand brushed her hair.

"Tsubaki, thanks for all your effort," Mizuki said. "I'm all right now."

"I thought you'd never wake up again." Tsubaki threw herself onto Mizuki and burst into tears. "When they brought you back, I thought you were dead. I'm so glad you're all right."

"Cough, cough. I'm all right," Mizuki said weakly. "But if you don't get up soon, I won't be."

"Ah, sorry." Tsubaki climbed off him and wiped away her tears. "I got too worked up."

"Help me sit up, Tsubaki," Mizuki said. "My whole body feels awful, like I've been asleep for ages."

Tsubaki helped Mizuki sit up. "You've been asleep for a whole week. Gekko Hayate and Aoba Yamashiro brought you back first. Ibiki only returned yesterday."

"Are Gekko Hayate and Aoba Yamashiro all right?"

"I think so. They came to see you yesterday."

"That's good." Mizuki felt relieved. The green potion had worked far better than he'd imagined.

"Could you cut me some fruit? I'm so hungry."

"Of course you're hungry. You haven't eaten in days." Tsubaki picked up a fruit knife and peeled an apple. "Don't move. I'll feed you."

"Okay. Nothing sour."

In the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage faced Ibiki Morino.

"I've read your mission report. Thanks for your effort," the Third Hokage said, then asked, "How much longer until Kakashi returns?"

"About half a month, I'd estimate. No more than a month at most." Ibiki added, "Gekko Hayate and Aoba Yamashiro escorted the gravely injured Mizuki back first. Kotetsu Izumo and I stayed until Kakashi and the others had recovered enough to complete the handover. Then we returned. There shouldn't be any problems."

"Good." The Third Hokage approved of Ibiki's arrangements. "Have you confirmed that Sasuke Uchiha awakened his Sharingan?"

"Yes, there's no doubt."

"Hmm. Awakening it at twelve—he's a rare talent even among the Uchiha." The Third Hokage tapped the desk and thought for a moment before asking, "The report mentioned an upheaval in the Nine-Tails. What exactly happened?"

"We didn't see what happened. By the time we arrived, it was all over. According to Kakashi, the Nine-Tails Chakra only leaked out when Naruto Uzumaki became emotional. It shouldn't be dangerous."

Hearing this, the Third Hokage let out a long breath. "Then the mission accomplished its purpose."

"Next, I'm going to tell you some information unrelated to the mission. I need you to answer me carefully in your capacity as a member of the Interrogation Squad." The Third Hokage's expression turned serious. "This concerns Gekko Hayate, Aoba Yamashiro, and Mizuki."

"What happened? Were they badly injured?" Ibiki asked in surprise.

"Let me finish." The Third Hokage gathered his thoughts. "According to Gekko Hayate and Aoba Yamashiro, they were attacked by the Mist Assassination Squad. After a hard-fought battle, they killed three and drove one off. This matches your report very closely. But that's not the issue."

"Both Gekko Hayate and Aoba Yamashiro said that when the battle turned against them and they were on the brink of defeat, Mizuki used a powerful secret medicine to hold out until the very end and turn the tables. The medicine healed their near-fatal injuries in a short time and restored their ability to fight. Mizuki used an even larger dose than the two of them combined. That let him kill one enemy and severely injure another while fighting two opponents alone in a desperate situation, until Hayate and Aoba recovered and they could win together."

As he spoke, the Third Hokage opened a page in Ibiki's report. One of the photographs showed the three of them after they'd met up with Ibiki. Their battered appearance was still vivid in the Hokage's mind. Mizuki especially looked so grotesque that he was almost unrecognizable.

"Seeing this, I could tell how dangerous things had been. According to Gekko Hayate, Mizuki fell unconscious later when the side effects took hold. Before the medicine wore off, it was practically a miracle drug."

"When they returned, the village gave them all thorough examinations. The results were completely different."

"Gekko Hayate was in the best shape. He didn't have many injuries, and the fatal wound in his abdomen was no longer a problem. Most unbelievable of all, the health issues caused by his old injuries had improved considerably. His damaged heart and lung function had improved greatly. Aside from being somewhat exhausted, he had almost no aftereffects, and his body was even healthier than before. One dose of medicine solved a problem that Konoha's medical ninja had been unable to fix for years."

"Aoba Yamashiro's recovery was merely passable. He showed signs of severe poisoning, and although his leg had been badly injured, it was no longer a serious problem. He was weak from blood loss. A few areas of tissue had grown excessively, and extra bone spurs had formed around some joints. But surgery took care of it."

"Mizuki was the most troublesome case. He didn't have a single fatal injury. The penetrating wound in his chest was the worst, but it hadn't damaged any vital organs. He had also lost a great deal of blood, and nearly every muscle in his body had been repeatedly torn and healed. The village's medical ninja told me that an ordinary ninja would have died countless times over in those circumstances, yet Mizuki was still alive. Although he was unconscious from his severe injuries, that was only a consequence of his body being utterly depleted. It would greatly shorten his lifespan in the future, but for now, as long as Mizuki woke up and had a little time to recover, he'd be fine."

"How could such a miraculous medicine exist?" Ibiki asked in disbelief.

"It couldn't," the Third Hokage said firmly. "A powerful medicine must have side effects. We ran some tests using the sample Aoba Yamashiro had, and the results were horrific. The test subjects did have a high survival rate, but most of them..." The Third Hokage paused, then continued, "If they were people, I'm sure they'd wish they were dead."

"I see. No wonder. So those three were just lucky under special circumstances?" Ibiki asked.

"Probably. At present, it seems the medicine was an accidental result of Mizuki's experiments, and this mission was the first time it had been used on people. It seems like a forbidden drug that shouldn't be used lightly. It shouldn't be allowed to spread before its side effects are improved."

"Should we retrieve the remaining medicine from Gekko Hayate?"

"No. Leave things as they are," the Third Hokage said, rejecting the idea. "There's no need to tell Mizuki anything in particular, either. As the medicine's inventor, he surely understands how it works and won't use it carelessly."

"Understood. Then what was it you wanted to ask me about earlier?"

"Mizuki."

I knew it, Ibiki thought.

"Since you're the head of the Interrogation Squad, you must know Mizuki's situation well. Do you think he can be trusted now?"

"I believe Mizuki can be trusted, Lord Third Hokage," Ibiki said solemnly. "From what I've seen, his actions have lived up to his identity as a Konoha Ninja." A token of allegiance spoke louder than a thousand words. If a ninja who had risked life and limb for Konoha in a moment of crisis couldn't be trusted, who would be willing to serve the village wholeheartedly?

"I understand."

Just then, an Anbu appeared and delivered a report. "Lord Third Hokage, we've just received word that Mizuki has woken up."

"Good." The Third Hokage nodded and gave an order. "Starting today, cancel all investigations and surveillance of Mizuki. You may leave."

"Yes."

At Konoha Hospital, in Mizuki's room, the sky gradually darkened. After eating a little, Mizuki grew tired and soon fell asleep. As the hours passed, people who'd finished their busy day gradually went home. A knock sounded outside Mizuki's room.

"Come in. The door's unlocked," Tsubaki Chie replied.

Someone opened the door and came in. It was Iruka.

"What brings you here? I've put you to so much trouble these past few days, Iruka."

"You're too kind, Miss Tsubaki. Mizuki's done a lot for me in the past. I haven't been much help to him, so this is the least I can do," Iruka said. "How is he today? Is he feeling any better?"

"He woke up a little while ago, ate something, and fell asleep again. He keeps saying he wants hot pot with stewed meat and that we should turn the hospital room into a kitchen. He says the hospital food is too awful." Tsubaki smiled.

Iruka was happy to hear that. "That's wonderful. If he has enough energy to complain, he should be fine. Miss Tsubaki, you should get some rest too. You've been exhausted these past few days. I won't disturb you any longer. I'll be going."

"I'll tell Mizuki you came by. Goodbye~"