A year's plan starts with spring, and a day's plan starts with the morning. Waking up early brought Mizuki no good fortune—just a moderate trouble instead. Being a babysitter was not something a man in his twenties should be doing. Tall and a bit thin from recovering from his injuries, he still looked energetic.
Having decided to relax completely for now, Mizuki took advantage of the early hour and pleasant weather and came alone to the Hokage Rock to catch some fresh air. Since arriving in this world, it was the first time he had truly taken in Konoha from this vantage point.
From this angle, Konoha was surprisingly large for a village—more like an oversized town. It would be hard to find another village bigger or more prosperous than Konoha. The entire village expanded outward like a fan starting from the Hokage Rock, with neatly arranged buildings that were well-organized and distinctive. There was none of the pollution he'd known in his past life, and the amount of green space was astonishingly high. Living in such a garden-like, livable place must surely make people feel quite happy.
In terms of atmosphere, the village currently appeared to be transitioning from a steampunk style toward an electrified era. Therefore, one could see items with mismatched styles, yet together they created no sense of clash—in fact, they carried a strange cultural charm.
As Mizuki leisurely enjoyed this peaceful and prosperous village scene—something he might not see again in about a month—a suspicious figure approached, one who always exuded distrust.
"Is that Kabuto Yakushi? What is he doing here? Is he looking for me?"
Though it was an unexpected encounter on a narrow path, Mizuki wasn't afraid.
"Although I'd probably lose in a one-on-one fight, running into Kabuto unprepared wouldn't be smart either. Still, if things get rough, escaping won't be impossible."
Right now, Kabuto Yakushi was already quite strong, but nowhere near the level where he could take on the entire world alone. Besides, while Mizuki still feared provoking Orochimaru, he held no fear toward Kabuto. Actually, getting into a small scuffle and taking some light wounds might even help show his loyalty to the village.
Even so, as Kabuto Yakushi approached, Mizuki remained alert. He couldn't afford any carelessness—he had barely cleared his name. Now, he was preparing to become a mentor in both justice and first love. Getting killed here would be a total waste.
Kabuto Yakushi stopped about ten paces away from Mizuki, adjusted his glasses, and smiled, saying, "Senior Mizuki, you've been hard to find lately. I heard you were seriously injured. Seeing that you're alright makes me feel relieved."
"Give me a break, Kabuto," Mizuki replied bluntly. "Hasn't anyone ever told you your smile looks fake?"
Kabuto didn't flinch at Mizuki's words. The Mizuki he remembered was all talk and no real skill or ambition.
"I really can't understand why Lord Orochimaru saw any potential in such a useless man."
Still, Kabuto gave his trademark sly smile and said, "You shouldn't say that, Senior. Regardless, I've been searching for my senior pretty hard."
"Fine," Mizuki replied. "What do you want?"
"It's not that big of a deal. Lord Orochimaru assigned a mission to eliminate Sasuke Uchiha, and I was hoping you could help me out. Just create a distraction at Konoha Hospital to draw the Anbu away."
"Why should I help you?" Mizuki said flatly. "It's got nothing to do with me, and I don't stand to gain anything from it."
"Don't say that, senpai," Kabuto urged. "If we complete the mission and earn Lord Orochimaru's favor, there could be rewards. Haven't you already been granted power by him?"
"For being a scapegoat or distraction, count me out. As for those so-called gifts of power, I don't have the fortune to survive them." Mizuki raised his voice, anger rising. "I know exactly where I stand in Orochimaru's eyes—no need for your flattery! If you really want something from me, bring something real. No more empty promises like yours, no more 'gifts' of power that only lead to death. That goes for you and Orochimaru himself. Feel free to pass that along."
Kabuto Yakushi had finally realized something was terribly off.
"Could you truly betray Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto said, dropping the 'senpai' entirely.
"Don't act like we're on the same side," Mizuki scoffed. "As one of Orochimaru's favorites, you surely understand how little attention he pays me. I've only mentioned the possibility of seeking another allegiance—I haven't acted on it yet. But considering how little Orochimaru values me, I was never truly his subordinate in the first place, so betrayal doesn't even apply here. And I owe you no obedience either. If you're trying to recruit me, then make a serious offer. In this world, nothing is beyond negotiation—so long as you're willing to pay the price."
With things said plainly, the situation became clear.
"Well now, senpai, you've certainly impressed me today~" Kabuto abandoned any pretense of coaxing Mizuki along. "Never thought recovering from serious injuries would sharpen your wits so much."
"Lying around doing nothing gave me time to think. Pondering over old questions eventually cleared up a few things," Mizuki casually replied.
"If that's your stance, then there's no choice left. To prevent leaks, I'll have to eliminate you. What a shame." Kabuto pulled out a scalpel, ready to strike.
"Then go ahead and try. Honestly, this place is way too exposed. I'm curious how you plan to silence me without making a scene."
Though he sounded confident, Mizuki found himself at a serious disadvantage in this sudden confrontation. The terrain atop Hokage Rock wasn't ideal for using his specialties. Had it been dense jungle terrain instead, he could've fully utilized his skills in genjutsu, sealing techniques, barriers, and summoning tactics against Kabuto Yakushi—and maybe even tested his own limits. Now, all he could do was hope his opponent hesitated long enough to fail to finish the job and retreat right away.
Neither Mizuki nor Kabuto were the type to cause large-scale disturbances during battle.
Kabuto Yakushi, wielding the deadly Chakra Scalpel, pressed forward aggressively. In contrast, Mizuki, spinning the massive Fuma Shuriken, fought while slowly retreating. He avoided direct confrontation with Kabuto entirely, blocking attacks from a distance and carefully avoiding melee range. It was clearly a delaying strategy. After all, Kabuto's Chakra Scalpel and Mystical Palm Technique were capable of devastating bodily damage—if he slipped up even once, it could mean catastrophe.
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