Chapter 212: Principles
When Mizuki saw the four Mist ninja following Kakashi back, he knew the "first greeting event" was over.
He had little regard for such petty provocations. But from Kirigakure's perspective—desperate to restore its former prestige as one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages—demonstrating strength was vital. Without commanding power, they had no right to compete for the dwindling resources of the ninja world. No reputation meant no mission commissions, and even survival as a village would be in jeopardy.
Looking at Ao's somewhat eccentric appearance, Mizuki forced himself to stay cordial and greeted him. What surprised him was that Ao seemed to recognize him.
"Jōnin Mizuki, I've heard much about you." Ao stepped forward and shook Mizuki's hand.
Just as Mizuki was about to respond politely, he suddenly felt a supple surge of chakra flow from Ao's palm.
"Hm?" Mizuki paused, quickly realizing what was going on—this was another probe, yet again a subtle test. Still, this kind of thing couldn't possibly hurt him.
If it had been the real Gentle Fist, fine. But mimicking it with Water-style chakra—based on Yagura's Coral Palm and Byakugan insight, creating some kind of "Qinglong Palm" and "Qinglong Strike"? That's not how imitation works.
With Mizuki's extraordinary chakra control, even Hyūga Neji's Gentle Fist couldn't easily penetrate his chakra pathways unless Mizuki deliberately let him. A cheap knockoff like this wouldn't stand a chance.
After sensing no reaction on Mizuki's face, Ao realized his stealthy trick had failed to faze him.
Letting go, Ao spoke solemnly, "Truly worthy of your reputation—the one who stood toe to toe with a Tailed Beast."
"Jōnin Ao, your little stunt certainly left an impression. That trophy of yours seems to be serving you well."
"Oh? Sounds like you know quite a bit about me. Didn't think I was so well-known."
Well-known was putting it mildly. The Hyūga clan was infamous for its tight control over their bloodline, complete with the Caged Bird Seal to prevent theft. Yet Ao had managed to obtain a Byakugan? That wasn't something just anyone could do.
"I get the picture." Mizuki dropped the flattery—it didn't help the alliance. "Looks like we'll be traveling together for a while. Sorry to trouble you—we're heading off to prepare the rest quarters."
With that, Ao led his subordinates off to speak with the ship's captain.
Once the Mist ninja had left and it was just the Konoha team, Kakashi asked, "That Ao—is he the one who stole a Byakugan from the Hyūga main family in battle? I didn't realize it until he introduced himself."
"Main family? Byakugan?" Hinata asked, surprised upon hearing something that concerned her clan.
Mizuki glanced at the shocked Hinata and nodded. "Yes, that Ao. You saw how tricky he was."
"Very difficult to deal with, and he wasn't even going all out. I didn't see him use the Byakugan at all."
"You didn't use your Sharingan either," Mizuki countered. "That man isn't stronger than you. In a real fight, you'd win."
The difference in strength was clear. And in terms of potential, a Mangekyō Sharingan user like Kakashi was leagues above someone relying solely on a pilfered Byakugan.
…
Having extra shinobi on the ship—especially Mist ninja—put everyone on edge. They weren't hostile, but it didn't feel as relaxed as before.
Mist's brutal shinobi selection process meant that their surviving ninja were all killers—ruthless and cunning, but generally lacking in poise and broader vision. Ao was an exception: a strong jōnin with ample experience, but rigid and proud, lacking in tact or flexibility. His interactions with Kakashi and Mizuki made that clear—testing Kakashi immediately, and trying to humiliate Mizuki with a covert jab that nearly qualified as an ambush. Had Mizuki been short-tempered, Ao would've been splattered on the deck. A single stolen Byakugan and a knock-off Gentle Fist technique? Mizuki wasn't impressed.
Thankfully, despite being a team leader, Mizuki only had the "acting" title. Kakashi was the official lead. Mizuki's role was to keep the genin out of trouble.
By evening, the ship had traveled far from the coast. The earlier excitement of traveling overseas had worn off, and everyone had quieted down. Mizuki was relieved no one had gotten seasick so far.
After dinner, the group gathered at the bow, enjoying the sea breeze while the night gradually veiled the waters in mist.
"This your first time traveling this far?" Kakashi asked.
"Yeah," Mizuki replied. "Not many chances to travel far in all these years. First time going to the Land of Water. I'm no match for someone as well-traveled as you."
"I've been to many places, that's true. But I wouldn't say I'm all that knowledgeable." Kakashi smiled.
"So, you've been to the Land of Water a few times—what's your impression of it?"
"Hmm," Kakashi thought for a moment. "What stood out the most to me… is that a lot of their ninja don't follow the rules."
"Rules?" Aburame Shino, always sensitive to such topics, was the first to ask. The other genin perked up as well.
Kakashi, noting their curiosity, continued, "You're all familiar with the Shinobi Handbook, right? The set of unspoken rules ninja are supposed to follow. Things like avoiding harm to civilians during missions or refraining from unnecessary violence. These codes of conduct are crucial to a ninja's professional life."
"Huh? There's stuff like that?" Naruto, who never paid attention to this kind of thing, revealed his ignorance yet again.
"Mizuki, how did you let him graduate from the academy?" Kakashi turned with a look of exasperation.
"You'd have to ask the Third Hokage and Iruka-sensei about that," Mizuki said innocently. "Wasn't it you who caught him during the Scroll of Seals incident?"
"Huh… yeah, guess that's true." Kakashi gave a bitter laugh. Turning to Naruto, he said sternly, "The Shinobi Handbook is our code of conduct. Every major village has their own version—slightly different, but the core is the same. If you ignore it and keep making mistakes, your reputation will suffer. You might not even qualify to become Hokage."
Mizuki stood off to the side, suppressing a smile.
That's not education—that's a threat.
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