Mind's Eye of the Kagura

On the second morning of the Chunin Exams, Mizuki got up and headed out early. Not because he was diligent, but because a mission had come in.

His regular duty was to serve as a mobile reserve. Ideally, nothing would happen. But if something did, he'd be a brick in the revolution, sent wherever he was needed. To put it more plainly, he was a gofer—whenever someone thought they were short-handed, they could drag him in to help.

That was all well and good, and Mizuki had been prepared for it. But what was this business with carrying stretchers? Did this really require a Chunin? Couldn't they just recruit a few interns? Or grab some burly guys off the street?

"Wasn't Mitaraishi Anko the chief examiner for the second exam? Why are you the one arranging things?" Mizuki complained to the person in front of him.

"Special Jōnin Anko was injured in an accident, so I'm temporarily helping out with the second exam," Hatake Kakashi explained, paying no heed to anyone's feelings.

"An accident?" Mizuki asked, though he already knew the answer. "You mean that big scene in the Forest of Death yesterday? The candidates in this year's Chunin Exams are terrifyingly strong. That sight was enough to make even us veterans feel ashamed."

"Candidates?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. He didn't believe for a second that Mizuki thought a bunch of candidates who weren't even Chunin could have caused a scene that would have been difficult for Kakashi himself to create.

"Let's just say it was the candidates. But Anko really was injured, and it's hard to say whether that scene had much to do with what's happening now."

"None of this has anything to do with me." It really didn't—Orochimaru was responsible. "After something this serious, shouldn't you be paying more attention to your students? There seem to be quite a few dangerous people in there."

"Ninja always ran into this sort of thing, and I believed they would get through the exam safe and sound."

"I think they'll pass too, but whether they'll come through unscathed is another matter."

"Let's get to it," Kakashi said, beginning to explain the mission. "All the village's jōnin have gone out on missions, and I have to help Anbu search for dangerous people. Ordinary people can't even set foot in the Forest of Death. Only a powerful Chunin like you can go in and rescue people. More and more candidates are being disqualified, and the village needs extra hands to bring them out, dead or alive."

"How many haven't been found yet?"

"Counting those still taking the exam, only half remain."

"Why is the exam moving so quickly this year?"

"Powerful people are always impatient."

It was true. This year's Chunin Exam candidates were far too strong. Their overall level was exceptionally high.

"All right. So by carrying stretchers, you mean rescuing people and carrying out the dead?"

"Of course. But your main job is to protect the medical staff, who aren't very strong. Help with anything else if you can. I have other things to do, so I'm leaving."

"What do you mean? You're not dumping this whole mess on me, are you?" Mizuki grumbled, saddled with the troublesome task. "I'm seriously injured, you know~"

"Huh?" Mizuki, who had been complaining, suddenly spotted a familiar face.

Kakashi, who had been about to leave, also noticed Karin dozing on a bench in the hospital.

"What, do you know her?"

"No, of course not." Mizuki shook his head. "I saw her during the first exam. Don't you think her hair stands out?"

"It does." Kakashi nodded in agreement. Her bright red hair was exactly the same shade as Kushina Uzumaki's. It was hard not to notice. "Don't tell me you're interested in little girls like her?"

"Of course not!" Mizuki hurriedly denied it. Three years at minimum, death penalty at worst—he couldn't take the fall for that. "You may be stronger than me, but I'm older. You can't just slander your senior. I have a fiancée, unlike you, all alone."

"I'm a jōnin," Kakashi said casually.

"I have a fiancée."

"I'm more famous than you, better-looking, and richer."

"I have a fiancée."

"Fine, let's stop talking about your fiancée." Kakashi gave in. "That Grass Ninja was rescued last night. She was closer to the scene at the time, but she and her teammate were too weak to even catch sight of the people on the other side before they were knocked out. They were both critically injured and barely survived. They probably won't be able to become ninja, but this little girl, the weakest of them, came out completely unharmed. She opened the scroll all by herself and was brought out. She really was lucky."

After all, she was a girl with the attribute "good fortune." She always managed to escape danger, and even when she faced a deadly threat, someone always came to her rescue.

"Kakashi, do we really need to give ninja from another village our full medical attention? The exam hasn't ended yet. Won't sending people in interfere with it?"

"We don't have much choice. Ordinarily, whether the people inside lived or died wouldn't have anything to do with the village. But now there's been too much commotion inside to keep it under wraps. If other people use our failure to secure the area as a reason to hound us, that'll be a headache too. The Chunin Exams have to continue, but we should rescue them without interfering as much as possible. If they were only attacked or killed by other candidates, preserve the evidence," Kakashi explained.

Mizuki nodded to show that he understood.

"Then I'll be off. If anything comes up, head to the Central Tower. There are ninja on duty there." With that, Kakashi left.

Looking at the drowsy Karin, Mizuki thought for a moment and walked over. Before he could reach her, Karin woke up and immediately noticed him.

"Looks like you've gotten pretty good at using the Mind's Eye of the Kagura."

"We meet again." Mizuki greeted her. "I didn't expect you to make it out unharmed. You're pretty capable."

"Are you... Examiner Mizuki?" Karin hesitated, but still called him "Examiner." Although he'd shown her kindness, she still didn't know what he really thought of her.

"You don't have to call me Examiner. I'm not overseeing the exam anymore," Mizuki replied. "I'm glad you're all right. Get some rest."

"But, Mizuki-senpai..." Karin hesitated. "My teammates were both seriously injured, and I'm the only one who's fine. If I go back to Kusagakure..." She trailed off. There was no point complaining to a ninja from another village.

"Remember what I told you, and what I gave you," Mizuki said without elaborating. "Do your best to protect yourself."

"Yes, senpai," Karin said, her eyes red. Having been used as a walking medicine cabinet for years, with bite marks covering her body, even a little concern meant a great deal to Karin after a life of loneliness.

"I have a mission. I'll check on the injured at the hospital later, then I'll have to leave. Don't overthink things. Just do what feels right."

While Mizuki was acting as a bodyguard and part-time stretcher-bearer in the Forest of Death, the Chunin Exams, already thrown off course by the minor incident, began veering once more in the direction certain people wanted, thanks to Kabuto Yakushi's appearance.