Chapter 80: Fend for Yourself
Chapter 80: Fend for Yourself
After leaving the arena, Mizuki hurried towards the frontline. Of all the things weighing on his mind, his fiancée Tsubaki Chihiro's safety worried him the most.
Though Tsubaki's strength was decent for a kunoichi, she lacked strong survival skills. If something were to happen to her, Mizuki would never forgive himself.
Navigating through the streets of Konoha, Mizuki noticed that the central areas remained relatively peaceful, untouched by the chaos. However, the streets were almost empty as most civilians had wisely evacuated to safer places.
Most of the village's combat forces had been dispatched to the frontlines, so Mizuki encountered minimal resistance along the way. Eventually, he arrived at the small building where Tsubaki worked.
From a distance, Mizuki spotted several bodies sprawled at the entrance, and his heart sank. As he approached, he saw they were not Konoha shinobi.
"The nature of these wounds... it's Tsubaki's technique!"
The injuries bore signs of piercing damage caused by Fusion Release—a rare and deadly combination technique unique to Tsubaki. These enemies had been taken out swiftly, without any chance to retaliate.
Feeling a bit more relieved, Mizuki cautiously stepped inside. Along the way, he saw a few more dead Sand Village shinobi. The defensive barriers were still partially active, which meant they had successfully repelled the initial assault.
Normally, the Barrier Division and Medical Division were not equipped to handle frontline combat. These groups consisted mostly of shinobi with specialized skills or even non-combat researchers. Their lack of direct combat experience often made them vulnerable.
When Mizuki reached the innermost section, he saw a flash of lightning arc through the air, striking down an enemy. Tsubaki pulled her hand back from a fallen shinobi, her face covered in sweat and fatigue.
"Tsubaki! Over here!" Mizuki called out.
Hearing his voice, Tsubaki turned and smiled, her expression softening. "Mizuki, you're here!"
"I was worried about you," Mizuki said, rushing to her side. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," she replied, wiping her brow.
"Good," Mizuki nodded. "But some of your colleagues look injured."
Tsubaki's face showed concern. "Yes, a few got hurt during the attack."
"Leave it to me." Mizuki activated his Mystical Palm Technique, moving among the wounded to treat them. Most had minor injuries, but a few needed more extensive care.
---
Meanwhile, back at the Chunin Exam Arena, the battle between Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi had already dragged on for quite some time. The initial exchange of basic ninjutsu was over, merely serving as a warm-up for both sides.
"Enough of this trivial game," Hiruzen said, panting slightly. "Show yourself, Orochimaru."
Emerging from the wreckage of his own jutsu, Orochimaru smiled sinisterly. "I suppose it's time to get serious."
With a wicked grin, Orochimaru bit his thumb, forming seals at an astonishing speed.
"Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation!"
Three large coffins broke through the ground, adorned with the numbers "1", "2", and "4". Hiruzen's eyes widened as he realized the danger.
"No!" Hiruzen yelled, flinging several shuriken to interrupt the summoning, but one coffin remained unaffected. In the end, only two coffins successfully opened.
"Only two... well, that's enough," Orochimaru sneered. "Pity about the third one."
As the First Hokage and Second Hokage emerged from the coffins, Hiruzen's face twisted in pain and guilt.
"You've truly fallen beyond redemption, Orochimaru. To desecrate the dead like this... How could you?!" Hiruzen's voice trembled with regret.
Orochimaru only laughed. "Regret? It's just proof that you've grown soft, old man. The Second Hokage himself created this technique. I merely perfected it! Amazing, isn't it? Such a forbidden technique was developed by your own predecessor!"
"You're beyond saving," Hiruzen muttered bitterly. "I once hoped you would come back to the village. I regret not stopping you when I had the chance. Today, I'll right that mistake!"
"Oh? Do you truly think you can still teach me a lesson in your decrepit state?" Orochimaru mocked, his face changing to that of a youthful, ageless visage.
"What...?" Hiruzen was visibly shaken. "You... have you achieved immortality?"
"Indeed," Orochimaru sneered. "The secret to eternal youth. Jealous, sensei?"
"There's no longer any point in talking to you," Hiruzen said, steeling his resolve.
Outside the Four Violet Flames Formation, Mizuki's clone watched the unfolding battle. The Wood Release techniques of the First Hokage displayed their overwhelming power, while the Water Release and Genjutsu from the Second Hokage further showcased their dominance. Finally, the room darkened as the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique cloaked everything in shadows.
"Nothing we can do from here," the Anbu whispered bitterly. "We can only watch..."
Mizuki's clone shook his head. "At this point, interference would only get us killed. We have to put our faith in the Third Hokage."
One of the Anbu grumbled, "Why was the defense here so thin to begin with? Was it just bad luck, or something worse?"
Mizuki couldn't help but think, "Danzo's influence, no doubt. That old schemer... always ready to take advantage of any crisis."
"There's no use dwelling on it now," Mizuki said aloud. "Our priority is to minimize casualties and maintain order."
---
As Mizuki made his way back toward the village center, he couldn't shake off a lingering sense of dread. The battle within the barrier was far beyond what any of them could handle. Even seasoned shinobi like Kakashi and Guy would be hard-pressed to intervene without risking their lives.
"Only the Third Hokage can settle this," Mizuki muttered. "If we can't help him directly, we have to ensure the village doesn't fall apart in the meantime."
Suddenly, a series of loud explosions echoed through the streets, and the ground trembled. Mizuki's eyes narrowed, knowing that the summoned beasts and enemy forces were wreaking havoc elsewhere.
"Looks like the evacuation's still ongoing," Mizuki noted. "Better make sure the civilians are safe."
He glanced at the distant battlefield one last time before rushing to assist the villagers. Mizuki knew that whatever happened inside the barrier, the fate of Konoha rested on everyone's ability to hold the line and protect the village.
---
As Mizuki hurried through the streets, he couldn't help but glance up at the burning Hokage Monument, his heart heavy with the knowledge that Sarutobi Hiruzen was fighting for his life.
"Hold on, sensei," Mizuki whispered. "We're counting on you..."
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