On the morning of the second day of the Chūnin Exams, Mizuki rose early and stepped out—not out of diligence, but out of duty.
Technically, I'm just on standby.
Best-case scenario, I do nothing all day. Worst-case, I'm a brick someone throws when things go wrong. Need to move corpses? Carry medical supplies? Sure, use me.
He had mentally prepared himself for such a thankless job.
But carrying a stretcher?
Seriously? Is that something a chūnin should be doing? Just grab a few interns or conscript some civilians from the street. Why waste someone of my rank on grunt labor?
Frustrated, Mizuki turned to the man ahead of him.
"Isn't Mitarashi Anko supposed to be the proctor for the second exam? Why am I the one being sent out?"
"Anko got injured," Hatake Kakashi said, unfazed by Mizuki's tone. "And she's a bit… tolerant of chaos. The Hokage needed someone to fill in temporarily."
"Injured?" Mizuki narrowed his eyes. "You mean that incident yesterday in the Forest of Death? The one with enough chakra shockwaves to rattle the village walls? This year's candidates are terrifying. Makes us veterans look like fresh genin."
Kakashi raised a brow. "You really think candidates caused that?"
Mizuki shrugged. "Just saying. That whole situation was a mess."
"Well, Anko's injuries were real," Kakashi said flatly. "And whatever happened in there, it's serious enough that I'm being pulled to coordinate with the ANBU."
"Shouldn't you be more concerned about your own team, then? There are some dangerous types in there."
"They're ninja. This is part of the job. Besides," he added, "I'm sure Team 7 will pull through."
"I think they'll pass too. But coming out unscathed… that's another matter entirely."
"Anyway," Kakashi moved on briskly, "most jōnin are out on missions, and we're stretched thin. The Forest of Death is crawling with threats. The medical teams can't move safely on their own, so we need strong chūnin like you to escort them—and carry out injured candidates, alive or dead."
"How many are missing?"
"Only about half are accounted for. The rest are still out there… or worse."
"Why is progress so fast this year?"
"Stronger candidates are always less patient."
He's not wrong.
This year's genin are ridiculously strong. Uchiha Sasuke, Gaara of the Sand, that Hyūga prodigy… it's like the Rookie Nine were born to make us look bad.
"So," Mizuki muttered, "carrying a stretcher means rescuing survivors… or collecting corpses."
"Both," Kakashi confirmed. "But your main job is to protect the medical-nin. If it's convenient, help with transport. I've got another task—so I'm off."
"What? You're dumping all this on me?" Mizuki scoffed. "I'm technically still recovering, you know!"
But Kakashi had already turned to leave—when his eyes caught someone slumped on a nearby bench.
Mizuki saw her too. A girl with vivid red hair, dozing off in the waiting area.
Kakashi tilted his head. "You know her?"
"No," Mizuki replied quickly. "Just noticed her during the first phase. You can't miss that hair."
Kakashi nodded. "Uzumaki red. Stands out."
He glanced at Mizuki slyly. "Or… are you into red-haired girls now?"
"What? No!" Mizuki paled. "I'm not catching a death sentence over that. I'm older than you, by the way. Show some respect for your seniors. I have a fiancée, thank you very much."
"I'm a jōnin," Kakashi said flatly.
"I still have a fiancée."
"I'm more famous, better looking, and richer."
"…I still have a fiancée."
Kakashi surrendered with a shrug. "Fine, fine. That Grass kunoichi was rescued last night—barely. Her teammates were wrecked. One of them never even saw who hit them. Two critical, one unconscious. Only that little redhead got out without a scratch. Luckiest girl I've ever seen."
That kid again, Mizuki thought. She really does have absurd survival instincts…
"Do we really need to treat a foreign genin this seriously?" Mizuki asked. "Isn't pulling her out before the test ends interference?"
Kakashi's tone turned serious. "Normally, no. If they die, they die—it's part of the exam. But this incident can't be hidden. Too many chakra fluctuations, too much damage. If other nations sense our defenses are weak, they might move. We have to keep things quiet and under control. Rescue who we can. If it's just a candidate conflict, record the evidence. If not…"
Mizuki nodded. He understood.
"I'm leaving. If there's trouble, head to the central tower. We've stationed backup there." And with that, Kakashi disappeared.
Mizuki glanced again at the sleeping girl.
Uzumaki Karin, he recalled vaguely. Sensor type. Might have been in a medic-nin program. Not your average genin.
As he approached, her eyes snapped open.
"You've got sharp senses," Mizuki said. "Using Kagura's Mind Eye already?"
She blinked. "We meet again. Examiner Mizuki…?"
"No need for titles. I'm not on invigilation anymore. Just rest."
"But… my teammates are badly injured. I made it out fine. If I go back to Kusagakure like this…" She trailed off. Complaining to a foreign ninja wouldn't change her fate.
"Remember what I told you. And what I gave you." Mizuki's voice was quiet. "Protect yourself first."
Karin's eyes went red and glossy, but she nodded. For a girl who had spent her childhood being bitten and drained by others, being treated with basic kindness was already overwhelming.
"I've got a mission," Mizuki said. "I'll check in at the hospital later. Don't overthink things. Just follow your heart."
As Mizuki carried out his duties in the Forest of Death—bodyguard, stretcher bearer, field medic—the trajectory of the Chūnin Exams quietly shifted once more. With Kabuto Yakushi moving into play, the game was already evolving into something far more dangerous than anyone anticipated.