CHAPTER 96

Sensing the approaching chakra signatures from afar, Mizuki grew tense, racking his brain for countermeasures. Judging from the timing, they were nearing the end of the Konoha Crush operation. Aside from Orochimaru himself, there weren't many who would still be moving so purposefully at this point in the chaos.

He pressed a hand over his slightly heated right arm—where his own Cursed Seal lay dormant—then turned to glance at Sasuke Uchiha, who was clutching his neck in agony.

"My Cursed Seal remains relatively stable… but Sasuke's is overreacting. This level of resonance acts like a beacon. Orochimaru will sense it immediately. There's no hiding now."

Mizuki didn't fully understand what had prompted Orochimaru to rush here in such a weakened state—likely his fight against the Third Hokage had left him severely drained—but the answer was obvious: only Sasuke Uchiha interested him now.

"So… he's more injured than we thought. He's getting desperate to find a new vessel."

Looking at Sasuke, dazed and defenseless, Mizuki understood one thing clearly: if Orochimaru got his hands on Sasuke now, it was over. There would be no resistance three years later. No vengeance. Just a corpse waiting to be worn.

"Mizuki-sensei…" Sakura's voice wavered as she looked between Sasuke and Mizuki, desperation written on her face.

Mizuki shook his head. "Sakura, you and Naruto stay hidden. Keep an eye on Temari and Gaara—don't engage. Don't move unless it's absolutely necessary."

There was no time. The enemy's arrival was too sudden, and under these circumstances, it was nearly impossible to remain hidden. Still, Mizuki had to act.

"What are you going to do about Sasuke-kun?" she asked, uncertain.

"I'll handle it," Mizuki replied, lifting Sasuke onto his back. "If things go south, get Naruto out—even if you have to leave the Sand siblings behind."

With that, he leapt through the forest canopy, carrying Sasuke and exiting the barrier.

"We're at a disadvantage, but I can't let too many people get involved. At least with Sasuke in hand… I can choose the battlefield."

He needed to stall, not fight. Delay until reinforcements arrived. Choosing the ground could make the difference between life and death.

"Funny… Every time I meet a monster like Orochimaru, my instinct is to buy time and hope someone stronger shows up. Why are my enemies always so absurdly powerful? Am I just the designated babysitter for prodigies?"

From Naruto, to Suigetsu (Ghost Light Suigetsu), Sakura, Ino, Sasuke, the Sound Trio, and even Temari—Mizuki had done more than his share of frontline chaos. He hadn't had a serious fight since fleeing from Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. He didn't expect their reunion to come so soon… or under worse circumstances.

"Mizuki-sensei, where are we going?" Sasuke croaked from his back. "Aren't you worried about Sakura and the others?"

"Huh?" Mizuki frowned. "You think I'm running away and leaving them?"

"…Aren't we?" Sasuke asked, confused.

"They'll be safer if you're not there. You're the target."

"Ah…"

They arrived at a shallow river. Mizuki set Sasuke down near the center.

"This is it. Stay alert—I won't be able to protect you during the next part."

"Is the enemy that strong?" Sasuke asked, trying to steady himself.

"Don't do anything rash. You're not in condition to fight. You couldn't take on even one of them right now."

Without another word, Mizuki led Sasuke deeper into the river. Mist rose faintly from the surface.

"Stay behind me. Don't move. Don't activate your Sharingan or use any jutsu," Mizuki instructed.

"…Got it. Huh? There's something underwater…"

Mizuki only smiled faintly. He bit his thumbs and began weaving hand signs.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" (Summoning Technique)

Ripples of chakra-imbued ink pulsed out from the water's surface. A swarm of translucent forms began to emerge—jellyfish-like beings, ethereal and ghostly, lit from within by chakra.

"Jellyfish?" Sasuke murmured. "No… these are summoned creatures?"

Thick mist began to pour out from the river, rolling across the water and obscuring sight. It wasn't natural fog—Mizuki was combining environmental jutsu, summoning, and a wide-area illusion barrier.

"This barrier… It's on a different level than the one in the Forest of Death…"

Mizuki poured a vial of deep green fluid into the water—cyanobacteria spores, a custom bio-agent that blanketed the riverbed in an opaque green tide. Nothing below could be seen now.

"Keep your eyes open. And don't let your guard down," Mizuki said before vanishing into the mist.

Moments later, Orochimaru and his team arrived at the riverbank.

"…It seems the enemy was expecting us, Lord Orochimaru," said Kabuto, narrowing his eyes. "A barrier set up on open water like this suggests pre-laid traps. That green algae... even the current can't disperse it. Likely a method of concealment."

"I know, Kabuto," Orochimaru snapped, visibly irritated.

This wasn't lethal—but it was time-consuming. And time was the one thing Orochimaru couldn't afford to waste.

"Kidōmaru, you try first," Orochimaru ordered.

"Yes, sir."

Though uninjured, Kidōmaru's chakra was depleted from the earlier battle. He dove into the mist reluctantly.

From within the barrier, Mizuki watched the shapes moving. He relaxed slightly.

"Orochimaru's condition is even worse than I expected. He's practically crawling. The Sound Four are running on fumes. Kabuto's competent, but this terrain doesn't suit him. If I can just hold out a bit longer…"

He had sensed several Leaf teams pursuing from behind. Orochimaru would realize it too. The clock was ticking.

Mizuki knew: if their positions were reversed, and he were chasing Orochimaru while injured, he wouldn't dare step into such terrain.

"If I were at full strength, I'd still run. Let the Sage of Six Paths worry about Sasuke. But as the saying goes—when the dragon falls into shallow water, shrimp mock it. When the tiger's trapped on the plains, even dogs dare bite."

Screams echoed from the mist. Moments later, Kidōmaru and the others stumbled out, limping and covered in kunai wounds. Their legs were discolored, swollen with venom.

"Jellyfish stings?" Kabuto muttered, examining the injuries.

"They were everywhere," Kidōmaru gasped. "You can't see anything through the green fog. Attacks came from nowhere."

"It's a trap tailored for this terrain," Kabuto added. "Only high-level destructive jutsu can break it…"

"Which we don't have time for!" Orochimaru growled. He'd already expended most of his chakra in the battle against Hiruzen—and Kimimaro had collapsed. He couldn't afford another drawn-out engagement.

Jirōbō's Earth Style was useless without footing. Tayuya's genjutsu would backfire in a layered illusion zone like this. Kidōmaru's sniping was pointless with zero visibility. Sakon and Ukon were spent. And Kabuto, while resourceful, wasn't built for this kind of prolonged misdirection.

Irritated, Orochimaru extended his tongue. The Kusanagi Sword emerged and shot into the mist, spinning and slashing to disperse it—but it barely dented the illusionary field.

"Tch… No choice."

"…We're leaving."

Without further argument, Orochimaru turned and vanished into the trees. His subordinates followed.

When silence returned, Mizuki rose from the water, still cloaked in mist, with Sasuke at his side.

"…That was close," Mizuki muttered, exhaling. "We almost didn't make it out, Sasuke-kun. Looks like luck's still on our side."

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