When Mizuki opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in a stark white hospital room at Konoha General.
"So I survived... Looks like it's finally over."
Groaning faintly, Mizuki raised his right arm. It was pale—too pale. There wasn't even a trace of blood under the skin.
"Even lifting my hand is exhausting. Looks like I'll be stuck here for a while..." He paused, blinking. "Wait… is that Tsubaki?"
Lying beside the bed, head resting on the sheets, was his fiancée, Chie Tsubaki.
Mizuki reached out weakly, fingers brushing through her hair.
"Still alive, huh? That's something."
Before this mission, Mizuki hadn't expected any serious danger. It was supposed to be simple. But reality proved different—far worse. He had been prepared, barely. If not, he wouldn't have come back at all.
Konoha's power… its reputation… neither deters our enemies like it used to. Even without Akatsuki's threat looming yet, peace was always an illusion.
Since the death of White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, Konoha had never truly recovered. Orochimaru had defected. Jiraiya and Tsunade had long since left the village. And after the Kyūbi attack cost the Fourth Hokage his life, the village was left with only Hiruzen Sarutobi, the aging Third, to hold things together.
The Land of Fire is rich in land and resources, but our forces are stretched thin. No wonder the other hidden villages are testing our strength…
And now, with whispers of the Hidden Mist resurfacing, rogue ninja like the Hōzuki brothers wandering free, and someone like Zabuza Momochi working from the shadows—it had only been a matter of time. Mizuki had just been unfortunate enough to get caught in the crossfire.
No wonder the Sand trusted Orochimaru and conspired with the Sound to launch an invasion during the Chūnin Exams. In the shinobi world, alliances were little more than formalities—convenient lies shared before the next betrayal.
A soft stir brought Mizuki's attention back. His fingers brushing her hair had awakened Tsubaki.
"You're awake?" she gasped, eyes filling with tears.
Mizuki gave a tired smile. "Thanks for staying with me. I'm okay."
"I thought you were gone," she whispered, collapsing onto his chest in tears. "When they brought you back, I thought you were already—"
"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered hoarsely. "But if you keep lying on me, I really will pass out."
"Ah! Sorry!" She sat up quickly, wiping her tears. "I just… I was so relieved."
"Help me sit up?" Mizuki asked. "My whole body feels like it's made of lead."
Tsubaki supported him carefully. "You've been unconscious for a week. Moonlight Gai and Yamashiro Aoba carried you back. Ibiki returned just yesterday."
"They're okay?"
"Yes, they visited yesterday. They're fine."
Mizuki exhaled. The potion worked better than I expected…
"Got any fruit? I'm starving."
"Of course you are," Tsubaki chuckled, picking up an apple and a knife. "You've been out cold for days. Don't move—I'll feed you."
"Make sure it's not too sweet."
Hokage Tower – Sarutobi Hiruzen's Office
The Third Hokage sat behind his desk, glancing through several mission reports as Morino Ibiki stood silently before him.
"I read your report. You've done well, Ibiki," Hiruzen said. "Do we know when Hatake Kakashi will return?"
"Approximately two to four weeks," Ibiki replied. "Moonlight Gai and Yamashiro Aoba returned early with the severely injured Mizuki. Izumo and Kotetsu are still on-site with Kakashi's team until recovery and debrief are complete."
"Good." Hiruzen gave a small nod. "Has it been confirmed? Uchiha Sasuke has awakened the Sharingan?"
"Yes. It manifested during the mission."
"At twelve years old… Rare, even among the Uchiha." The old Hokage tapped his pipe against the desk, thoughtful. "Your report also mentioned a flare-up of the Kyūbi's chakra?"
"We didn't witness it directly. But according to Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto's emotional instability triggered a partial leak of the Nine-Tails' chakra. He managed to regain control, and no casualties occurred."
"I see…" Hiruzen exhaled, relieved. "At least the mission's primary objectives were achieved."
"There's another matter," Ibiki said, his tone tightening. "It concerns Mizuki, Yamashiro Aoba, and Moonlight Gai."
Hiruzen set his pipe down. "Go on."
"According to Gai and Aoba, during their mission, they were ambushed by an elite assassination squad from Kirigakure. They fought hard—killed three, wounded one. But they were nearly overwhelmed… until Mizuki used a secret compound—one he'd prepared himself."
Hiruzen's brow furrowed. "I've heard rumors. Some kind of experimental drug?"
Ibiki nodded. "Yes. According to the others, Mizuki administered it to all three of them. It drastically accelerated healing and boosted their physical capabilities temporarily. Mizuki used the highest dose and took on two enemies alone to protect the others. That same dose left him in critical condition."
He slid over a photograph from the report—three figures, bloodied and exhausted, Mizuki nearly unrecognizable from strain.
"Medical analysis confirmed it: Gai's lingering injuries—especially his cardiopulmonary issues—have shown remarkable recovery. Aoba had severe trauma but is stabilizing. Mizuki, though… there's massive internal damage. Torn muscle, collapsed systems. He should be dead. But he's alive. Barely."
Hiruzen remained silent, gaze focused on the file.
Ibiki continued. "The sample Aoba had was tested. The results were… disturbing. Yes, the compound can save lives—but the side effects are excruciating. Without extreme chakra control or support, most subjects would beg for death."
"So it's a last resort," Hiruzen said solemnly. "Not a miracle drug."
"Exactly. And Mizuki knew the risks. He used it anyway, only when it mattered most. I believe this was the first human trial. No wonder the results vary."
"Should we recall the remaining samples?" Hiruzen asked.
Ibiki shook his head. "He created it. He knows better than anyone how dangerous it is."
"Then let it be. No more surveillance on Mizuki. Cancel all internal investigations."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
"One last question, Ibiki. You've observed Mizuki since his return. Do you trust him?"
Ibiki stood straighter. "I do. He fought, bled, and nearly died for Konoha. His actions match his words. If we can't trust men like that, who can we?"
"…Understood."
Just then, an ANBU agent flickered into the room.
"Lord Hokage. Mizuki has regained consciousness."
"Good." Hiruzen nodded. "As I said—end all monitoring. Let him recover in peace."
Konoha Hospital – Evening
As dusk settled over the village, Mizuki dozed again, belly full from fresh fruit, his breath slow and even. The hospital began to quiet, visitors leaving one by one.
A knock came at the door.
"The door's open," Tsubaki called gently.
The door creaked open, revealing Iruka Umino.
"You've done so much these past few days, Iruka," she said gratefully.
"It's nothing," he replied with a modest smile. "Mizuki looked out for me back in the Academy days. This is the least I can do."
"He woke up briefly," Tsubaki said with a soft laugh. "Kept asking for meat stew. Said he wanted to turn the ward into a kitchen. Complained about the hospital food."
Iruka smiled, genuinely relieved. "Sounds like him. I'm glad to hear it. He's going to be okay. Just… make sure you rest too, Miss Tsubaki."
"I will. Thank you, Iruka."
"I'll come by again soon."
"Please do. I'll tell him you were here."