What could result from a careless slip of the tongue? That depends entirely on the person. Luckily, Mizuki was grateful he had run fast enough just in time—being struck by Shizune's poisoned kunai would have been unbearable, not to mention Tsunade's iron fist. Without entering Sage Mode, there was no way he could match her in brute strength. Physical pain was one thing, but the real issue was that he needed to make a good impression in public the next day. His handsome face had to be preserved. If he showed up at the wedding with bandages on his arms, legs, and face, it would become a lifelong stain—mockery lasting for years to come.
Strolling down the street, Mizuki passed mostly ordinary people hurrying about their daily business. At this hour, those who had things to do had already begun working, while those still leisurely wandering around were likely like Mizuki—currently free because he didn't care much about small stuff. Truthfully speaking, his seeming idleness wasn't due to having no responsibilities, but rather because he simply ignored minor details. The important matters had already been settled, and the smaller details could be dealt with as needed.
Actually, according to typical customs in the ninja world, marriages between ninjas weren't usually rushed affairs like Mizuki's and Tsubaki's. Even though wartime practices had greatly simplified ceremonies, Mizuki still found these traditions excessively cumbersome. Among newlywed couples, it was occasionally the case that neither had living parents. Especially when both partners were ninjas themselves, their parents often were too. Since being a ninja was a dangerous profession rarely survived into old age, cases where both parents died in battle were not uncommon. Take examples like Red Sand of the Desert, Gaara, or even Sasuke Uchiha—who barely qualified. Under such circumstances, the most elaborate part of the ceremony—the involvement of elders—was completely omitted.
Reducing a pile of formalities didn't mean everything became problem-free. There was an established custom regarding marriage: When lacking blessings or approval from parents or elders, there was an alternative tradition—a ceremony held before deities and receiving divine blessings. It sounded vaguely similar to a religious wedding ceremony from Mizuki's previous life, except there were no priests, bishops, or rites like baptism involved.
Among these sacred rituals, aside from excessive formalities, what surprised Mizuki the most was discovering that among the few gods worshipped in the ninja world, the most widespread was actually the "Goddess of the Rabbit Hour." Unbelievable as it seemed, she turned out to be none other than Kaguya Otsutsuki—the one destined to destroy the world three years in the future.
Initially uninterested, he hadn't paid attention to such things. But once Mizuki began dealing with wedding preparations, he noticed something shocking: the worship of the "Goddess of the Rabbit Hour" had never truly vanished. Kaguya Otsutsuki, the progenitor of Chakra and known under the two identities of the "Goddess of the Rabbit Hour" and a demoness, had continued to inspire devotion for centuries without ever ceasing to be revered. She had even quietly passed on her cult in ways mostly unknown to people. Throughout this millennium, neither the Sage of Six Paths, Hamura Otsutsuki, Indra, Ashura, nor the Uchiha Clan or Senju Clan had made any attempt to eliminate the faith surrounding Kaguya Otsutsuki. This was utterly unbelievable.
If later generations forgot the terror of the Ten-Tails because the inherited knowledge was lost, then even the two sons of the Sage of Six Paths—who personally sealed their own mother—did not take action. Instead, they allowed it to grow unchecked until it deeply rooted itself in the ninja world, eventually growing into a towering tree. This was truly unimaginable.
Besides the most widely known "Goddess of the Rabbit Hour," there were also various smaller deities mixed in. After being shaken by the revelation of the "Goddess of the Rabbit Hour," Mizuki thoroughly researched these strange deities. Aside from some pretentious frauds and baseless imposters, Mizuki actually found several familiar names—such as the "Sage of Six Paths," "Shinigami," and "Jashin." Particularly the latter two, although only passed down within certain secret sects, and even Mizuki could find barely more than scattered hints, with almost nothing of real value. Still, realizing that such things had been right under his nose all along came as a deep shock—matters that would unsettle anyone if discovered.
Still, even knowing this, it was something to be dealt with later. Right now, he should focus on the present. For example, although Mizuki appeared to be aimlessly wandering around, he was actually making preparations—to cheer everyone up tomorrow.
There were many decisions Tsubaki had already made. Originally, there were some things Mizuki wanted to handle himself, but Tsubaki was especially insistent on certain matters—such as clothing. Mizuki couldn't quite tell what exactly was so special about traditional ceremonial attire; visually, it looked nice enough, adorned with elegant floral patterns across a white robe. When she wore it, her entire aura seemed subtly different, carrying an indescribable charm.
As for Mizuki's outfit, he originally intended to go for a more solemn dark-colored ceremonial robe—black, brown, etc. But eventually, he settled on a deep purple design. As soon as he put it on, he felt an immediate sense of familiarity—as if it had been made for some sinister villain role. Upon closer inspection, if he dyed his hair purple, styled it into a messy tangle, and wrapped bandages over one eye, he practically exuded the aura of a master manipulator behind the scenes. In the end, at Tsubaki's persistent insistence, he decided to stick with it. At times like these, Mizuki wondered whether he should find a master to train in kenjutsu—his new look gave off a distinct air of a shrewd swordsman. Especially with his hair gradually growing longer, his appearance no longer matched that of his former self, who used to be dismissed as just another side character. Looks really do shape your aura after all—seemed pretty reliable indeed.
...
Only after working steadily until noon did Mizuki finally feel satisfied. Since today was a day he'd agreed in advance not to meet Tsubaki, he could only grab a bite somewhere outside. However, shortly after he sat down, Asuma Sarutobi, the bearded fellow, walked right in.
"Hey, Mizuki, what a coincidence."
"You couldn't find any other place to eat either?"
Mizuki absolutely refused to believe in coincidences like this. Ever since Kurenai Yuhi got injured, this bearded guy wouldn't care about dining companions unless he was out on missions or teaching students. Let alone dine alone—and especially at such a secluded place where Mizuki chose to eat.
"Kinda, I guess." Asuma sat down opposite Mizuki, casually lit a cigarette, and took a heavy puff.
Got restless, didn't you?
"If you're always by Kurenai Yuhi's side while she's injured, there's no way they'll let you smoke."
"Huh?" Asuma blinked in confusion, then smirked. "Why do I feel like I can never hide anything from you?"
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