Chapter 22: Letting the Past Go
Chapter 22: Letting the Past Go
If Mizuki had to sum up his life these past few days, "completely dependent on others" would be the most accurate description of his bittersweet experience.
Everything was taken care of—food was brought to him, drinks poured, legs massaged when tired—a lifestyle that would make anyone jealous. But as comfortable as it seemed, there were still some things even a ninja couldn't escape. After all, eating and drinking had consequences, and no matter how considerate his fiancée Kochou Chihiro was, having her help him with everything left Mizuki feeling utterly humiliated.
"It's one thing to recall something, but truly experiencing it is another."
It reminded him of his ninja training. Even though he had the memories and techniques, real combat was an entirely different matter.
"Reading a thousand swimming manuals won't teach a person to swim," Mizuki mused. "You have to actually jump into the water and struggle."
In a fictional world, anything could be interesting and exaggerated, but in reality, everything had to follow its own logic. A desk worker wouldn't suddenly turn into a battle-hardened warrior overnight. It was the same for him—his body and his mind weren't fully in sync yet.
Battle instincts had to be honed through experience. The more he fought, the more he could integrate the combat knowledge from his memories into his own physical movements.
"This is going to take time… there's no shortcut to true mastery."
Mizuki turned to Kochou, casually tossing out a shocking remark as he peeled an orange.
"Kochou, do you think I should switch careers?"
"Huh?" She blinked in confusion.
"I mean, being a ninja is dangerous," Mizuki continued. "I almost died this time, and the medical bills alone are ridiculous. All these expensive supplements, fresh fruit, high-quality meats… my ninja salary isn't even enough to cover it."
"That's okay," Kochou said hesitantly. "I have money. You can use mine."
"You? How much do you even have? You've been taking so many days off to take care of me that your paycheck must be next to nothing by now."
"I've been saving for years," Kochou admitted. "For our future… for after we get married."
Mizuki was speechless for a moment. "She's really already in 'perfect wife' mode, just waiting to make it official."
"Still, it wouldn't feel right to spend your savings," Mizuki said, rubbing his chin. "I've been thinking—entertainment pays well. Maybe we should try becoming comedians? We could perform magic tricks using ninja techniques, scam—I mean, entertain—the audience and make a fortune!"
Kochou's face froze. "That's… um… a weird idea…"
"If not that, how about a flower shop?" Kochou suggested quickly. "I have a lot of experience with plants!"
"Selling stuff… not bad," Mizuki muttered, already planning his next scheme. "Hey, what if we got Iruka involved? We could set up a supply business for the ninja academy!"
"Parents would complain," he thought. "But if we say it's for training? We could sell special 'target flowers' instead of wooden targets! They'd have to buy from us! If Iruka resists, we'll offer him a cut—20% profit share should convince him! Genius!"
"But Mizuki, if we get caught—"
Before Kochou could finish, a sudden cough interrupted them.
They turned toward the door, and Mizuki's heart stopped.
"Hokage-sama?! What are you doing here?"
Kochou jumped up in shock, bowing hurriedly. "Lord Third!"
Hiruzen smiled kindly. "Relax. I heard Mizuki was recovering well, so I decided to drop by."
Mizuki felt cold sweat forming. "Did he hear about the 'scamming the village' plan?"
"Though," Hiruzen continued, "I couldn't help but overhear… quite an interesting conversation."
Kochou turned bright red, while Mizuki tried to keep a straight face.
"Deny everything!"
"You must have misheard, Lord Hokage!" Mizuki said as seriously as possible. "I was just enjoying my meal. I don't recall saying anything at all!"
Hiruzen chuckled, but didn't press the matter.
"Putting that aside, I heard about your mission from Ibiki and Aoba. The village's intelligence failure put you all in danger. You did well."
Mizuki shrugged. "Ninjas deal with the unexpected. Completing the mission is what matters."
The Third Hokage nodded. "The village will not overlook what you've done. You all suffered severe losses, especially you, Mizuki. Is there anything you need?"
"Direct compensation isn't going to happen," Mizuki thought. "But maybe I can get something useful…"
"Well," he said, "lately, my research into sealing techniques and summoning jutsu has hit a bottleneck. Does the village have any materials on those subjects?"
"Summoning techniques are closely guarded secrets by the clans, but the general principles are well known. The village can provide some reference materials."
"That would be a huge help!" Mizuki said eagerly.
"As for sealing techniques… that's more complicated," Hiruzen admitted. "Most advanced sealing arrays and barrier techniques require multiple users and strict conditions. Are you sure you need them?"
"Yes! Even basic foundation materials would be useful."
Hiruzen smiled. "Alright. I'll arrange for some documents to be sent to you. This is the extent of the village's support, but I hope it proves useful."
"You have my deepest gratitude!" Mizuki bowed.
"Good. Now, focus on your recovery. The village needs all the hands it can get."
As the Hokage left, Mizuki exhaled deeply.
"Kochou, lock the door next time!"
"Y-Yes…"
Despite the awkward interruption, Hiruzen's visit had confirmed something crucial—
The village had officially cleared him of suspicion.
His months of effort to clean his reputation had paid off. No more surveillance, no more investigations. Even if Orochimaru or Kabuto tried to frame him, Konoha wouldn't be so quick to believe it.
"Finally… I'm truly in the clear."
Mizuki sighed in relief.
"Kochou, my hair's gotten too long. Cut it for me?"
"Of course!"
"Give me a wild nobleman style—something impossible to mess up in the wind!"
"Uh… what?"
"Never mind, just shoulder-length with bangs."
As Kochou prepared to cut his hair, Mizuki added:
"Oh, and later, I want chocolate fondue—extra ice cream."
"I don't know how to make that."
"Fine, then a huge seafood udon bowl—no onions or cilantro."
Suddenly, with a "POOF", a massive figure appeared in the room.
Mizuki groaned. "Ugh, ninjas have no manners! Who just barges in like this?!"
The smoke cleared, revealing… Ibiki Morino.
Mizuki's complaints died instantly.
The scarred interrogation chief loomed over him.
"This isn't a social visit," Ibiki said in his usual gravelly voice. "Your assignment for the Chunin Exams has been changed."
He handed Mizuki a mission sheet.
"You're reassigned as a proctor's assistant for the first written exam. Your patrol duties are canceled. If you recover in time, you'll be on the Death Forest emergency response team. For the final exam, you'll be part of the security team, assisting Kakashi."
Mizuki skimmed the orders and grinned.
"So basically… I get to slack off during the first two rounds?"
Ibiki twitched but didn't argue.
"…Whatever. Just recover." He turned and walked away.
Mizuki watched him leave, then sighed.
"Kochou, you cut my hair unevenly."
"You were talking too much!"
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