CHAPTER 17

On a Silent Night Near the Land of Waves…

The night was quiet, broken only by the croaking of frogs and the faint hum of unseen insects—an eerie stillness that made the forest feel even more secluded.

Unable to sleep, Mizuki stepped out of his tent, restless with unease about the looming, unknown threat.

The forest ahead loomed like a giant, brooding beast cloaked in shadows, its dark canopy yawning like the jaws of a predator lying in wait.

"I hope I'm just being paranoid… or that the enemy isn't as strong as I fear," Mizuki muttered to himself. "At least I'm not alone."

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

"Who's there?"

"It's me—don't panic," came a voice from the shadows. Yamashiro Aoba stepped into the moonlight.

"You can't sleep either?" Mizuki asked, keeping his tone neutral.

"I figured I'd take a walk… check things out."

Mizuki raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Really? This isn't surveillance?"

Aoba coughed awkwardly. "Don't worry about it. I've heard… things about you. But honestly, every shinobi walks a fine line sometimes. We all make choices under pressure—who's to say we'd do better in the same spot?"

"Heh, no need to explain. I get it," Mizuki replied coolly. "No one wants to be the one left behind."

"You're sharp. But as shinobi, we've got to be prepared for that kind of reality." Aoba didn't push further.

"Then why are you still up? A veteran ninja like you shouldn't be suffering insomnia. Rest is part of mission readiness."

"I'm just… uneasy," Mizuki admitted, happy to steer away from personal topics. "Kakashi and Ibiki are too optimistic. Honestly, I think our direct combat strength is lacking."

Aoba nodded slightly. "True. Zabuza Momochi isn't just any rogue. As an S-rank missing-nin from Kirigakure, he should've been hunted down already. The fact that he's operating so openly in the Land of Waves, and no hunter-nin squads have shown up? It's strange. Kirigakure may be weakened post-Yagura, but it's still no pushover."

"Exactly. That's why I'm setting traps and early warning systems. Waiting passively is dangerous."

"Problem is, most of our skilled sensory and tracking types are tied up with Chūnin Exam security. A Hyūga or an Aburame would've helped a lot."

"We'll just have to work with what we have."

"You handle this area. I'll sweep ahead. Rest if you can—we might be here for a while."

With that, Aoba disappeared back into the darkness.

Over the Next Few Days…

Though no threats emerged, the team's tension eased only slightly. Kakashi's condition improved steadily, much to Mizuki's relief.

"As long as Kakashi's up to fighting strength, we'll be fine. Even against strong enemies, we won't be helpless."

In a dense patch of forest, Mizuki, Aoba, and Moonlight Gai (Gekkō Hayate's nickname) kept to the shadows, observing Naruto and Sasuke's training.

"You've been around the Nine-Tails kid—what's your take?" Aoba asked quietly.

"Hard to describe. He's… enthusiastic."

"About ninjutsu?"

"Everything," Mizuki replied. "He's a handful, but surprisingly likable."

"Doesn't seem that strong yet."

"True, but he's got terrifying chakra reserves, great stamina, and unnatural resilience—likely due to the Nine-Tails' influence. His potential may one day rival Uchiha Sasuke's."

"Huh?" Moonlight Gai raised a brow. "That strong? Even with the Sharingan's potential?"

"Sasuke has a solid foundation, no doubt. But Sharingan isn't invincible. Naruto's a late bloomer—but with time and the right guidance, he'll grow fast."

"Maybe…" Aoba and Gai seemed unconvinced.

"Sasuke's headed back. Do we follow?"

"No. We'll stay on Naruto. Kakashi's got Sasuke covered."

They watched until Naruto collapsed from exhaustion.

"You were right. This kid's gonna be something," Aoba admitted. "Give him the right teacher, and he won't disappoint."

"I'll take the next watch," Mizuki offered.

Hours Later…

Aoba woke Mizuki for his shift.

"Just in time," Mizuki said, eyes sharp. "Let's see if Haku shows up as expected. Hopefully the butterfly effect hasn't altered too much…"

In the distance, a long-haired youth appeared.

"There he is."

Mizuki quickly roused the others and gestured for silence.

As predicted, Haku approached Naruto with killing intent, but hesitated. Just as he reached for Naruto, Moonlight Gai nearly charged in—but Mizuki held him back.

The moment passed. The two teenagers ended up discussing dreams and ideals, parting with quiet understanding.

"How did you know he wouldn't attack?" Gai whispered.

"No killing intent," Mizuki replied flatly.

"You know who that was?"

"Of course not," Mizuki lied. "Probably another enemy operative."

"Let's report it. Ibiki and Kakashi need to know."

They returned to the rendezvous point, where Kakashi and Ibiki were already present.

"Report," Ibiki ordered. "That boy vanished after we attempted to track him. It's likely a skilled infiltrator. Worse, intel suggests more hidden shinobi may be in the area—numbers and motives unknown."

Kakashi frowned. "Not ideal. Reinforcements are out of the question, so we handle it ourselves."

Ibiki nodded. "Kakashi, you and your team will face Zabuza and his accomplices. The rest of us will intercept any interference. If we can spare help, we'll support you."

"Got it," Kakashi said. "My students are more capable than they look."

Ibiki turned to Mizuki, Aoba, and Gai. "You three patrol a five-kilometer radius around the bridge. Izumo and Kotetsu will remain hidden."

"Understood," Mizuki replied, less than thrilled. Bait duty again—hopefully the enemies weren't too strong.

Later That Week…

Despite the tension, Mizuki found comfort in the tools he'd smuggled from his lab—modified aquatic organisms that served as basic traps.

"Never thought I'd be doing fieldwork like this. None of us are water-style users."

"Only the Second Hokage specialized in that. The Third was a generalist. But yeah, Water Release isn't our strength," Aoba agreed. "Fire, Genjutsu, Kenjutsu… we're more versatile in other areas."

"Having a Hyūga would make surveillance easier," Gai sighed. "I just want to get back and marry Yugao already."

Mizuki couldn't help but cringe internally. Don't jinx yourself. That's classic death-flag material.

"Don't slack—Chūnin Exams are coming."

Suddenly, Mizuki tensed.

"Someone's coming. Be ready."

A specially modified jellyfish—one of Mizuki's experimental chakra sensors—burst into flames in the distance.

"A chakra disturbance. Someone triggered a trap."

Moments later, a dense mist rolled in.

"Damn… they're making their move. It's begun."