Naruto: Mizuki The Savior

Chapter 16: Rescue

As days passed, the lingering chill of early spring faded away. With the sun shining warmly, Konoha became increasingly lively. Peace had taken root in people's hearts, and no one noticed the dangers lurking in the shadows. The village had always managed to keep threats outside its walls. Aside from the Nine-Tails' attack over a decade ago, no one could recall the last time Konoha had been directly assaulted.

With the Chūnin Exams drawing closer, Mizuki accelerated his preparations. Crisis was a double-edged sword—danger and opportunity coexisted. A stagnant, unchanging life was something ambitious individuals despised.

Though Mizuki enjoyed peaceful days, in a world where conflict was inevitable, he knew the importance of surviving and finding ways to exploit the chaos.

Just as he thought he could wait until Orochimaru's attack on Konoha, an urgent summons arrived, forcing him to abandon his comfortable role as a background NPC.

By the time he arrived at the Hokage's office, the room was already filled with people—he was the last to arrive.

"Morino Ibiki, Yamashiro Aoba, Kamizuki Izumo, Hagane Kotetsu, Gekkō Hayate… and me? This feels like an S-rank mission. Are we being pushed into a corner?"

"Everyone is here," Hiruzen announced, glancing at Mizuki before continuing. "This mission is extremely difficult. I need all of you to see it through."

His tone grew solemn. "First, I must share some bad news. Hatake Kakashi's team in the Land of Waves encountered an unexpected crisis. Their mission, initially classified as C-rank, has escalated to S-rank due to the involvement of the S-rank rogue ninja, the Demon of the Mist, Zabuza Momochi.

"Kakashi engaged Zabuza in combat and emerged victorious but was too exhausted to pursue him. He is currently in a weakened state and has requested urgent reinforcements."

"How did things turn out this way?" Yamashiro Aoba asked in surprise. "Was the mission screening process not thorough enough?"

"The responsibility lies with me," Hiruzen admitted gravely. "When the mission request was submitted, Mizuki had already raised concerns. The village conducted an investigation, but unfortunately, we underestimated the severity of the situation."

"At worst, we thought the opposition might have hired some rogue ninja. With Kakashi on the mission, we believed there would be no problem. When his team was ambushed by two Chūnin-level ninjas shortly after leaving the village, we received reports but failed to act. We did not anticipate the involvement of Zabuza Momochi, a missing-nin with no moral constraints."

"Then we must act immediately," Ibiki said.

"Yes," the Hokage confirmed. "This rescue team will be led by Ibiki and consist of six members. Your primary objective is to ensure the safety of Kakashi's team. If any other forces attempt to interfere in the Land of Waves, stop them as best you can."

Mizuki frowned. "Why didn't Kakashi just abandon the mission? The client lied about the mission's rank. Konoha has no obligation to risk its ninja for this. Why is the village getting involved in this mess?"

Hiruzen took a deep breath. "You have a secondary, classified objective. While the Land of Waves is poor and far from Konoha, it holds strategic importance as a buffer zone between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. If we can gain their favor, it will strengthen our influence in the region."

"This means you must support Kakashi in completing the mission. However, do so discreetly—avoid making a spectacle of Konoha's involvement. We do not want unnecessary political backlash."

"Understood."

"Then you are dismissed. Move quickly."

---

Outside, Ibiki issued commands. "You have fifteen minutes to prepare. Assemble at the village gates."

The group immediately scattered.

Mizuki rushed home, gathering his ninja tools and specialized emergency medicines. Though they had side effects, small doses could serve as temporary stimulants. If things got desperate, he would have to gamble with them.

Before leaving, he visited Chie Tsubaki, asking her to take care of his plants and animals while he was away.

Arriving at the gates, he found he was the last one there—again.

"You're finally here," Ibiki said, expression unreadable. "Alright, we move out."

Ibiki, with his scarred face and intimidating presence, was a nightmare for people who weren't used to dealing with interrogators. Mizuki found the silence of the journey unbearable, given the group's composition:

Ibiki and Aoba were interrogation and torture specialists.

Izumo and Kotetsu were straightforward combatants.

Hayate was a skilled duelist.

Mizuki? He wasn't sure why he was even there.

The mission felt oddly structured.

Still, Mizuki knew Konoha had likely sent reinforcements in the original timeline. It made no sense for Kakashi, a veteran ninja, to stubbornly continue alone when the situation escalated. However, the reinforcements never appeared.

Why?

Had something prevented them from reaching him in time?

That thought unsettled him.

Breaking the silence, Mizuki spoke. "Hey, captain, doesn't this team feel a little… odd?"

"What do you mean?" Ibiki asked.

"Well, we've got interrogation specialists, frontline fighters, and a duelist… but why am I here?"

Before Ibiki could respond, Kotetsu scoffed, "Because Hokage-sama is too kind-hearted and finally decided to make you do actual work."

"Excuse me?" Mizuki raised an eyebrow. "I haven't made any mistakes in my job."

"You've been sleeping on duty."

"Sleeping isn't against the rules."

"You guys are ridiculous," Hayate interjected between coughs. "We just need to reach Kakashi before Zabuza attacks again. If we succeed, the hardest part of the mission is already over."

Mizuki glanced at him and sighed. "Dude, you really shouldn't be talking. You need more rest than I do."

Hayate smirked. "Heh… maybe."

Ibiki, unexpectedly, chuckled. "This mission isn't about direct combat. With Kakashi, we don't need to be the main force. We stay in the shadows and guard the genin and the client. Everything else depends on the situation."

Mizuki shuddered. "Captain, please don't laugh—it's more terrifying than when you're serious."

The group made camp after three days of nonstop travel.

That night, Mizuki and Hayate shared a tent, while Ibiki, Kotetsu, and Izumo handled surveillance.

"Kakashi and Ibiki are underestimating the situation," Mizuki muttered to himself.

He had memories of the future. If he recalled correctly, Kakashi's final battle was far from easy.

Sasuke and Naruto had nearly died. If Haku hadn't held back, they wouldn't have survived long enough for Naruto to awaken his Nine-Tails power.

That meant there was more going on.

Kakashi's reinforcements had never arrived in the original story.

Why?

Had something deliberately stalled them?

Mizuki clenched his fists.

If things played out the way they had before, they were about to walk into a bloodbath.

This wasn't just another training exercise.

This was going to be a real, lethal battle.