Chapter 9: Danger Arrives Unexpectedly

By the time Mizuki walked toward the Hokage's office, the sun was already high in the sky. As he passed the Ninja Academy, he noticed students gradually entering the school, and Iruka was busy maintaining order among the graduates.

"Wonder if Naruto and Sasuke's legendary first kiss will still happen? If it doesn't because of the butterfly effect, that would be a real shame," Mizuki thought with amusement.

"Should I slow down? The Hokage might still be assigning students to their Jonin instructors, and I'd rather not interrupt. But then again, it wouldn't hurt to take a look."

By the time Mizuki arrived at the office, the meeting had already ended, and most of the Jonin had left. He spotted Kakashi Hatake as he was about to leave.

"Yo, Mizuki, new hairstyle? You actually look like a decent person now," Kakashi greeted him with his usual lack of decorum.

"What do you mean 'look like'? I've always been a good guy. My new style has a high recognition factor—no one will ever mistake me for someone else again!"

"True, but no matter how much you clean up, it's too late—you already have a fiancée."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mizuki retorted. "Aren't you supposed to be meeting your adorable little students?"

"Ah, let them wait. I'm going to grab some food, take a nap, and deal with them later. Thanks to a certain idiot, I haven't slept well in days."

"Your students sure are lucky."

Mizuki left Kakashi behind and stepped into the Hokage's office, where several Chunin and Special Jonin were still gathered.

"Anko Mitarashi? Morino Ibiki? Are they discussing the Chunin Exams? There's still a few months to go, but they're already preparing? Ninja efficiency is ridiculous."

Mizuki quietly moved to the side and blended in, making himself as inconspicuous as possible.

The Third Hokage cleared his throat and announced, "Everyone is here. Now, let's begin the mission briefing."

"The Chunin Exams will be held in Konoha three months from now. Several allied villages, including Sunagakure, will participate, and the Kazekage and the feudal lords of various nations will attend as well. This is a matter of great importance, so we must begin preparations immediately. Here are the detailed assignments. Review them, and if you have concerns, we will discuss them afterward."

Mizuki casually flipped through the mission documents.

"Pretty much the same as in the original story… except now I'm included in monitoring the first exam and assisting with some cleaning and patrol duties. And I'm under Anko Mitarashi's command? Are they testing me? No, probably just a coincidence."

He barely paid attention to the discussion, instead analyzing potential risks and opportunities in his assigned tasks.

Once the distribution of duties was finalized, the Third Hokage instructed, "If there are no objections, begin preparations immediately. Mizuki and Anko, stay behind. The rest of you are dismissed."

The room quickly emptied, leaving only Hiruzen, Anko, and Mizuki.

The Hokage turned to Anko. "For the second exam, as the chief proctor, you must carefully structure the trial. The death rate must be controlled—too many casualties could lead to diplomatic conflicts with our allies. I want a complete plan on my desk as soon as possible."

"Understood," Anko nodded.

"The Forest of Death will serve as the examination site. It must be thoroughly inspected to prevent external interference that could damage Konoha's reputation. Additionally, the area must be cleared of excessively dangerous creatures that could overwhelm a Genin's capabilities. Mizuki, you will handle this task. Anko, you will verify the work."

"The barriers around the Forest of Death will be lifted for ten days to facilitate these preparations. You must complete your tasks within this timeframe."

"Yes, sir," Mizuki and Anko responded in unison.

Hiruzen turned his sharp gaze to Mizuki. "This time, I expect you to carry out your duties seriously. I don't want any more incidents from you—am I clear?"

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

"As for your punishment, Konoha has decided to suspend your salary for the next three months. You are not allowed to leave the village without my direct authorization, and for the next month, you are forbidden from approaching Uzumaki Naruto. These restrictions will be lifted after the Chunin Exams."

"Understood."

"Mizuki, you should know that you deserve far worse for what you've done," the Third Hokage said sternly. "However, Konoha is in need of manpower, so I am giving you a chance to atone for your mistakes."

"That is all. Dismissed."

Before Mizuki could respond, Hiruzen dismissed him outright. "Carry out your duties well. If you need to report anything, relay it to Anko."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Mizuki bowed and left.

Once the door closed, only Hiruzen and Anko remained.

The Third Hokage took a deep puff of his pipe before speaking again. "Anko, watch Mizuki carefully. If you find anything suspicious, take him down immediately."

Anko frowned. "Lord Hokage, isn't that too extreme? I've heard about his crimes, but none of them warrant lethal force."

"I know," Hiruzen admitted. "But I have a bad feeling about this."

There was no evidence against Mizuki—yet—but something felt off.

"Perhaps I'm overthinking it. This is just a precaution," the Third Hokage said. "Anko, you must secure the Forest of Death. Do not allow anyone to tamper with it."

"Understood."

"Dismissed."

---

Mizuki sprinted home the moment he left the office. He skipped lunch, ignoring the odd looks he received along the way.

Slamming the door shut, he quickly secured the windows and drew the curtains, plunging the room into darkness.

He ripped off his shirt and pressed a hand against the Cursed Seal on his right arm, sitting heavily onto his bed.

"Didn't think danger would come this fast… I was just worrying about this thing, and now this happens."

The seal was warm, faintly glowing red.

"I knew this thing was unreliable. As an unfinished prototype, it was bound to be unstable, but I didn't think it would react so easily."

Mizuki had felt it as soon as he entered the Hokage's office—his entire arm felt like it was burning. The closer he got to Anko, the worse it became.

"It's because of her… Her Cursed Seal must be resonating with mine."

In the original manga, Mizuki's "Tiger Seal" was anime-exclusive and never appeared in the main story. He had never encountered another Cursed Seal bearer before, so this reaction had never happened.

"So it's not just the Cursed Seal itself—it must be connected to natural energy or Senjutsu chakra."

The Cursed Seals were created from Jūgo's bloodline, which originated from Ryūchi Cave.

Orochimaru had failed to master Sage Mode, but he had made progress by studying Jūgo's genetics. The enzymes extracted from Jūgo's body—the source of the Cursed Seals—were a weaker imitation of Sage Mode.

If Mizuki's seal was activating on its own, it meant it was reacting to Senjutsu chakra.

"This is dangerous… but it's also an opportunity."

Unlike Anko's Heaven Seal, Mizuki's prototype was likely not connected to Orochimaru himself—which meant he had a chance to study it without interference.

"I need a way to suppress this thing—but I can't rely on Kakashi for a sealing technique. If he tells the Hokage, I'm finished."

Mizuki clenched his fists.

"Guess that means my best option is… Chie Tsubaki."

His fiancée was part of Konoha's sealing corps.

"She might know something useful. If I can't solve this problem soon, I'll be dead before I can make use of this power."

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