Mizuki hadn't expected Karin's issue to arise so soon, nor in such an open manner.
Tsubaki was easygoing, but that didn't mean she lacked her own opinions or couldn't feel upset with Mizuki.
Originally, Mizuki had planned to discuss things with Tsubaki after receiving notice from Karin. But now, without any warning, he'd suddenly brought home a strange young girl—an act that would undoubtedly cause trouble no matter how you looked at it.
Mizuki had been quite confident Karin would be welcomed warmly. Tsubaki wasn't unreasonable or stingy, and looking after a half-grown girl wasn't particularly difficult. The real problem was his concealment of the matter. Hiding something this important from his fiancée made the situation hard to explain. When two people on the verge of marriage kept secrets like this, clearly nobody could feel happy about it. Tsubaki had asked him about it more than once before, but Mizuki had carelessly ignored those less urgent matters, ultimately forgetting all about Karin until the girl unexpectedly appeared today.
Today, during what should have been a pleasant lunch together with Tsubaki, the addition of a third person made Mizuki feel completely uneasy.
"Tsubaki, is there anything you want to say?"
Looking at the three of them sitting there eating peacefully, Mizuki couldn't help but ask.
"Not really. You've already made your decision, so I'll just follow along."
Tsubaki replied calmly.
"Well... It's not like I can handle everything alone. Don't you still need to help me out?"
She really must be angry. Her unusually indifferent reaction to something so significant only made things more worrisome.
Though Tsubaki often appeared quiet and low-key, she was actually very strong-willed. Once she made up her mind, even Mizuki would struggle to change it. In this ninja world where might made right, many female kunoichi projected outward toughness to hide their natural gentleness. But Tsubaki was anything but ordinary. Sometimes, Mizuki thought this underestimated female ninja of the shinobi world might surpass most Konoha ninja if given a proper chance—her talent for chakra nature transformation alone was breathtaking.
Just as Mizuki was struggling to think of what to say, Karin—who had eaten quite a bit—lifted her head and asked worriedly, "Am I causing you trouble?"
"No, not at all. It's not you who caused the problem," Tsubaki gently reassured.
"Sorry, Tsubaki. I won't hide anything from you anymore," Mizuki could only force out a sheepish apology with a nervous grin. "So, can we consider this settled?"
"Hmm." Tsubaki replied indifferently before adding, "Mizuki, though I may not fully understand some things, I'm not entirely clueless either."
"You're... clueless?" Mizuki found the sudden shift in topic odd.
"You're currently in grave danger, Mizuki," Tsubaki replied. "You've told me practically everything you've done—you haven't lied to me—but that doesn't mean you haven't hidden the truth."
"Hidden the truth?"
The way the conversation was unfolding made Mizuki feel uneasy all of a sudden.
"What are you worrying about, Mizuki? You've never really talked about it," Tsubaki looked straight into Mizuki's eyes. "So many research achievements and half-finished prototypes—all these incredible ultimate weapons. Aren't they enough for you anymore?"
"Sigh… So you've finally asked. These past days must have been tough on you..."
Mizuki extended both hands and formed hand seals, channeling chakra. As the room's barrier activated, Karin—who had been anxiously watching their conversation—suddenly felt drowsy and quickly collapsed onto the dining table, passing out.
"The village should be calming down by now. Everyone can see that, even though things might still feel tense. At least in the short term, there won't be any serious problems. But your recent behavior shows no signs of slackening at all. What exactly are you preparing for? Why does something require someone of your caliber—a top-ranked Jonin—to take so seriously? Lady Tsunade has returned as well. Shouldn't we be safe from Elder Danzo Shimura for now?"
"I know, Tsubaki."
If that was all, why bother worrying? Mizuki could simply play along and keep a low profile. The real problem was how overwhelmingly powerful the enemy was. The power of [Rinne Six Paths] was practically world-shattering. Mizuki himself had once attempted a weakened version of [Planetary Devastation], and even frightened himself with its power.
Then there were the shadowy figures lurking in the background, one after another revealing themselves—each more dangerous than the last. Some hadn't even appeared yet. Mizuki was increasingly convinced each new opponent would be even harder to face. If he didn't act fast, they'd have to rely on Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki to turn the tide—and by then, most of the ninja world might already be wiped out.
"Then why are you making so many reckless things?"
Many of Mizuki's experiments teetered on the brink of ethical boundaries. While nothing had gone wrong yet, there was no guarantee it wouldn't happen later. Tsubaki had seen this for herself and decided to get involved—not just to assist, but also to stop Mizuki before he went too far down a road that might lead to another Orochimaru-like catastrophe.
"I can't say much for now, but I can promise you this, Tsubaki—there is an enemy out there. Extremely powerful. And I'm not sure I can handle them..."
"Extremely powerful? How powerful exactly? Stronger than Orochimaru or Lord Jiraiya—the two Sannin? Not to mention Lady Tsunade?"
"[Sannin]?" Mizuki scoffed with a bitter smile. "Stronger than all three of them combined."
"What?! Is there really someone that strong in the ninja world?"
"If they can even still be considered human... they do exist."
Tsubaki sat in stunned silence for quite some time before finally absorbing what Mizuki had said.
"If what you're saying is true… that really is terrifying."
"You believe me now?"
"You wouldn't lie to me," Tsubaki answered. "At worst, you might withhold some truths, but lying to me is something you'd never do."
Though slightly comforted by her trust, Mizuki couldn't help feeling a tinge of guilt.
"Mizuki, have you ever considered seeking help? Lady Tsunade isn't that rigid. I think she'd actually listen to what you have to say."
"
"We have some unspoken understanding, but with intelligence this vague and unfocused..." Mizuki shook his head. "You believe what I say, but will others?"
Plus, the issue of intelligence sources posed a major problem on its own. If he couldn't explain things clearly, he risked getting himself into serious trouble. And now, due to Karin's reckless behavior—as a young girl—many things had already been revealed, including things that should never have been spoken aloud, forcing Mizuki to deal with the headache of explanations—for example, why he had entered the Forest of Death during the Chunin Exams when there had been no mission at the time.
Facing Mizuki's concerns, Tsubaki was at a loss for words as well. Not everyone would choose to trust Mizuki without question.
Thinking for a moment, Tsubaki asked again, "Is this little girl also one of the necessary measures you prepared?"
"Not really. She might have been somewhat useful before, but not anymore."
Several months ago, Karin might have been quite valuable to Mizuki, but now, she was no longer that essential.
"Alright then. Leave it to me."
Seeing Tsubaki finally agree, Mizuki felt relieved. Raising this little girl alone was simply more than he could manage.
...
Previously known only by reputation outside Konoha village but relatively unknown within, Mizuki had now finally become widely known inside the village as well. Unfortunately, this kind of fame was exactly what Mizuki wished to avoid. Previously an unremarkable figure in appearance, now Mizuki occasionally drew pointing fingers whenever walking down the street.
As a young man about to get married, at a time when the village was just settling into peace, he naturally attracted much attention. Yet no one expected that suddenly, a young girl would publicly come looking for him personally. With reasons preventing him from openly revealing the truth, unofficial rumors began to spread wildly out of control.
If tales of searching for family or settling grudges were somewhat normal, then the rumors circulating through housewives' gossip—"a newly promoted Jonin abducting innocent women"—had soon swept across Konoha. Those unfamiliar with Karin's exact age, without deeper knowledge, completely painted Mizuki as a heartless scoundrel who'd seduced and abandoned her. Even more absurd were dreadful rumors claiming she was an illegitimate daughter seeking her birth father. No one knew which trouble-loving fool started such claims while drunk. In the end, Mizuki had no choice but temporarily vanish from public sight to wait out the storm.
At the Ninja Academy, Iruka Umino, a model teacher renowned for dedication, was deeply troubled watching Mizuki lingering around without leaving.
"Mizuki, how long are you planning to stay? It's already been a whole day. Don't you have a wedding coming up? Isn't there anything else you need to prepare?"
"Tsubaki's handling everything, so it's fine. If I go out now, I'll just mess things up."
"But hiding here forever isn't a solution either."
"At least the adults here understand me. The rest are just naive kids—I do enjoy being here."
"Fine. You still technically count as a teacher, so maybe it's okay for you to hang around... But Mizuki, since you're here, could you teach the students a few lessons? It's not every day a Jonin visits the Ninja Academy."
"Don't say that — I'm on leave!"
"C'mon, you're not doing anything anyway. I've already told my students all about it. They're all super excited because a Jonin elite rarely comes in to teach."
"Iruka, you're getting into the habit too..."
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Tsunade held Karin's final test results in her hand.
"Is there more?"
"That's all," Shizune replied beside her. "These findings are more than enough proof. What Mizuki reported was indeed accurate."
"I see. Got it." Though she had already believed Mizuki deep down, having concrete evidence finally gave Tsunade full peace of mind.
"Do we have anything else important today?"
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