The sun was already high in the sky as Mizuki walked toward the Hokage Office. Passing the Ninja Academy, he saw students filing through the gates while Iruka organized the graduating class. It seemed he had almost recovered from his injuries.
I wonder if Sasuke and Naruto will still share that fateful kiss. It would be such a shame if the butterfly effect kept it from happening. Mizuki couldn't help thinking.
Should I walk a little slower? The Hokage might be assigning students to teams right now. It wouldn't be good to arrive too early. But then again, it might be worth watching.
By the time Mizuki reached the Hokage Office, everything was already over. The other Jōnin squad leaders had long since left, and Mizuki ran into the last one on his way out: Hatake Kakashi.
"Hey, Mizuki. New hairstyle? You actually look like a good person now," Kakashi greeted him without a shred of courtesy.
"What do you mean, 'look like a good person'? I am one. Anyway, it's a nice hairstyle, isn't it? It's distinctive. No one will mistake me for someone else again."
"True. Though no amount of grooming will help you now. You're already engaged."
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Aren't you supposed to go meet your adorable students?"
"Yeah, it's fine to leave them waiting a little longer. I'll grab something to eat, then go home and sleep. Thanks to a certain bastard, I haven't had a proper night's sleep in days."
"Your students must have it rough."
Mizuki said goodbye to Kakashi and entered the Hokage Office. Only a few Chunin and Special Jōnin remained. "Mitaraishi Anko? Ibiki Morino? Is this about the Chunin Ninja Exams? They're still months away. Are they really preparing this early? Ninja are way too efficient."
Mizuki entered and quietly moved to one side, waiting unobtrusively.
Seeing Mizuki arrive, the Third Hokage gave a slight cough to signal the meeting's start. "Everyone's here. Let's begin assigning the missions."
"This year's Chunin Ninja Exams will be held in Konoha three months from now. Several friendly villages, including our ally Sunagakure, will take part. The Kazekage of Sunagakure and the daimyō of various nations will also attend as spectators. This is an important event, so we have to prepare well in advance. I'll distribute the detailed arrangements for you to review. We can discuss any concerns afterward."
"Am I really being assigned to this? I thought I was being punished." Mizuki accepted the plan and casually flipped through it.
It's much the same as the original story, except I'm participating in the first exam as a proctor, along with a few cleanup and patrol duties. Mitaraishi Anko is leading the team? Do they suspect I'm testing them? Probably not. So it's just a coincidence?
Mizuki barely listened to the rest of the meeting, focusing instead on the risks involved in the mission and the opportunities to secretly rig things to his advantage. Once the arrangements were finalized, the Third Hokage said, "If there are no objections, start preparing. Mizuki and Anko, stay behind. Everyone else, you're dismissed."
The office emptied quickly, leaving only the Third Hokage, Mizuki, and Mitaraishi Anko.
The Third Hokage continued, "Anko, you'll be the chief examiner for the second exam. Make sure you plan it carefully and keep the casualty rate under control, or we could upset our allies and cause a dispute. Get a complete plan ready as soon as possible. The exam site, the Forest of Death, needs to be inspected thoroughly to prevent outsiders from sabotaging the exam and damaging Konoha's reputation. It also needs to be cleared out. The Forest of Death has been neglected for a long time, and there are many creatures inside that are far beyond Genin level. They'll all need to be dealt with. Mizuki will handle the mission, and Anko will inspect and confirm the results. Starting tomorrow, the barrier around the Forest of Death will be open for ten days. You must finish within that time."
"Yes," Mizuki and Anko replied.
"Mizuki," the Third Hokage continued, "I expect you to carry out this mission properly. Don't let anything happen that I wouldn't want to see again. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand, Lord Third."
"As for your punishment, Konoha has decided to withhold your pay for the next three months. You're not to leave the village without a mission permit personally signed by me. You're also forbidden from approaching Naruto Uzumaki for one month. These restrictions will be lifted after the Chunin Ninja Exams."
"Yes."
"Mizuki, I hope you understand that given what you've done, you shouldn't be treated so leniently. But the village needs all the help it can get, so I've decided to give you a chance to redeem yourself."
"All right, you may leave." The Third Hokage dismissed Mizuki before he could speak. "Complete the mission properly. If anything comes up, have Anko inform me."
"Yes, Lord Third." Mizuki had no choice but to turn and leave.
Only two people remained in the office. The Third Hokage took a few puffs from his pipe, blew out several smoke rings, then gave Anko her orders. "Keep an eye on Mizuki. If you find anything, arrest him on the spot. If he resists..." The Third Hokage's voice turned grave. "Kill him." The Third Hokage, who had held his position for decades, revealed his ruthless side.
"What?" Mitaraishi Anko exclaimed in surprise. "I've heard about Mizuki's crimes over the past few days, but surely they don't warrant a death sentence."
"I know," the Third Hokage said sternly. "As things stand, it does seem too harsh. But I have a bad feeling." He had found no evidence of anything, yet something still felt wrong.
"I hope I'm just being overly cautious. This is only a precaution. Anko, keep a close watch on the Forest of Death. Don't let anyone tamper with it. All right, you may leave too."
"Yes." Mitaraishi Anko turned and left.
The Third Hokage was alone in the office. He puffed away on his pipe, lost in thought.
After leaving the Hokage Office, Mizuki sprinted home. He didn't even stop to eat, ignoring the astonished looks he drew along the way.
Once home, he hurriedly shut the doors and windows and drew the curtains, plunging the room into darkness. Mizuki took off his shirt, pressed a hand over the Cursed Seal on his right arm, and dropped onto the bed.
"I didn't expect danger to come so soon. I'd only just started thinking this thing might be a big problem, and now this happens."
Mizuki touched the Cursed Seal, which was still slightly warm, and examined it closely. A faint red glow seemed to shimmer across it.
"I knew this thing couldn't be trusted. As a prototype, it was bound to be unstable, but I didn't expect it to react so easily."
Mizuki had noticed the Cursed Seal acting up as soon as he entered the Hokage Office. At its worst, his entire arm had grown so hot that he could barely hold back. And the closer he got to Mitaraishi Anko, the more violently it reacted.
"The reason the Cursed Seal is so active is probably connected to the one on Mitaraishi Anko."
The prototype Cursed Seal on Mizuki hadn't appeared in the original manga; it had been created for the anime. Throughout his appearances, Mizuki had never gotten close to anyone who had a Cursed Seal. It seemed the thing resonated with similar energy.
"No, it probably isn't the Cursed Seal itself. More precisely, it must be Natural Energy—or even Senjutsu Chakra."
Orochimaru had developed the Cursed Seal through Jugo's Kekkei Genkai, but Jugo's abilities originated from the mysterious Ryuchi Cave.
After Orochimaru failed to master Sage Mode, his research into Jugo's Kekkei Genkai had made a major breakthrough. The enzymes extracted from Jugo's body—in other words, his hormones—were the source of all Cursed Seals. What had originally been intended as a preliminary jutsu for Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation had astonishing potential. It couldn't be relied on as a conventional source of power, but it was undeniably extraordinary. Just look at the second-stage transformation of the Cursed Seal: immense strength, a transformed body, and additional organs. If you ignored its appearance and lack of practicality, wasn't it a lot like Sage Mode? In short, the Cursed Seal was a degraded version of Sage Mode. Otherwise, Kabuto Yakushi could never have learned Snake Sage Art so easily from Orochimaru's research.
Orochimaru had taken things a step further by adding his own core spirit to the Cursed Seal's mutated, degraded Senjutsu Chakra. That was the essence of Living Corpse Reincarnation, an immortality jutsu. It was also very similar to the reincarnations of Asura and Indra's chakra. But Orochimaru lacked their immense power and Yin-Yang Release, so he couldn't reincarnate in the same way. He could only evade the limits of his lifespan by stealing other people's bodies, a method with plenty of complications. If Orochimaru had more time, it was hard to imagine what astonishing things he might discover.
"This is dangerous, but it's also a good chance to glimpse Natural Energy and Senjutsu Chakra."
As a prototype, the Cursed Seal naturally had flaws that would be difficult to overcome, but it wouldn't preserve a copy of Orochimaru's original spirit. Orochimaru probably wouldn't want to take over a body like Mizuki's anyway. The prototype was likely just a whim, a way to explore new possibilities. That was hardly unusual for a researcher. The important thing was to find a way to control it himself. The Konoha High Command might be able to help, but Mizuki couldn't count on them. Kakashi's Evil Sealing Method was one possibility; he had used it on Sasuke during the Chunin Ninja Exams. But Mizuki wasn't close enough to Kakashi yet, and there was no guarantee Kakashi wouldn't tell the Third Hokage. The risk was too great. The Cursed Seal looked very different from the Heaven Curse Mark, but once activated, even a fool would know Mizuki had some connection to Orochimaru.
"What should I do? Ask Hatake Kakashi for help? No. That can only be a last resort, if I really can't control it. So I need to stay as far as possible from people who have Cursed Seals or are training in Sage Mode."
"Too bad I have to work with Mitaraishi Anko. For now, I can only endure it and try not to give myself away." Mizuki couldn't help smiling bitterly. "It really never stops."
Feeling his arm grow warm again, Mizuki hurriedly got dressed. Just then, someone barged in without the slightest courtesy. It was Mitaraishi Anko.
"So it can warn me in advance, too. That's an unexpected bonus."
"Why's it so dark in here? What are you being so secretive about? Hiding a woman?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I have a fiancée."
"A fiancée? I never would've thought a guy like you had one. This world really must be blind."
"Don't say that. The world will curse you." Mizuki gave in. "We only just saw each other. What do you want?"
"Go inspect the Forest of Death by yourself tomorrow. I have to discuss the details of the Chunin Ninja Exams with Ibiki and prepare a report for the Third Hokage to review, so I don't have time to go to the Forest of Death right now. I came to let you know."
"Understood."
"By the way, who's your fiancée? I'm dying to know what blind girl fell for you."
"Calling her blind is pretty rude. My fiancée's name is Tsubaki Chie."
"Oh, the quiet ponytail from the Sealing Squad who can't even hold her liquor? She does seem like the type to have poor judgment and get tricked easily."
"She may not be as noticeable as you, Lady Mitaraishi Anko, but in the one area that matters, she's miles ahead of our famously noticeable Lady Anko."
"Whatever. I'm leaving. I'm meeting a friend for drinks later. See you." With that, she vanished in a flash.
"Finally, she's gone." Mizuki covered his right arm and thought, Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. I never paid attention to it before, but Tsubaki is in the Sealing Squad. She might know a little Sealing Jutsu and be able to find some clues. I don't need her to fix it completely—just suppress it for now. Should I ask her when I have time? No, I need to act quickly. I'll go today. It'll be nice to see Tsubaki, too.
Before you continue