As soon as Mizuki finished speaking, he noticed a middle-aged man—stroking Moonlight Gale's forehead with one hand—rise to his feet. He had a sharp scar across his face and his blond hair was tied back into a neat ponytail. It was Yamanaka Ino's father, Yamanaka Inoichi, a former member of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and an expert in Mind Body techniques.
"How is his condition?" asked the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Not good," Inoichi shook his head. "The brain has suffered severe trauma. It's entered a self-protective coma. If we forcibly probe his mind for intel using a Mind Reading technique, we risk causing permanent damage—or outright killing him. If we go that route... there's no saving him."
The meaning was clear: if they wanted the information, they'd have to sacrifice Moonlight Gai's last chance at survival.
The Third Hokage inhaled deeply, brows furrowed.
"The last time I faced such a situation... it was when Hyuga Hizashi chose to sacrifice himself to protect the village."
He glanced around the room. All eyes were on him, waiting for his judgment.
"We'll do everything we can to save him," the Hokage said in a firm voice. "Mizuki."
"Yes, sir!" Mizuki stepped forward immediately.
"You're the most familiar with the composition and effects of your experimental medications. Assist the emergency medical team. If you need anything, instruct the hospital directly."
"Understood."
Ultimately, the Hokage had chosen to preserve Moonlight Gai's life. Sacrificing a loyal comrade for uncertain intelligence went against his principles.
Then he turned to the ANBU beside him. "Urgently summon all jōnin and special jōnin to my office. We're holding an emergency strategy session."
Even without the intel, the village's current situation was grim. Konoha was the most resource-rich of the five great nations—but if its deterrent power faltered, opportunistic enemies might strike. Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hokage for decades, knew it was time to act decisively.
With that, the Third Hokage left.
Mizuki remained behind—now officially tasked as the temporary lead medical ninja for Moonlight Gai's case.
Moonlight's condition was extremely delicate. His body was close to collapse, yet overusing medical ninjutsu might exhaust his dwindling reserves and kill him faster.
"Reduce the frequency of healing jutsu," Mizuki advised the attending medic. "Only use it in emergencies. Focus on maintaining his vital signs. Administer nutrient solutions constantly."
"But without healing jutsu, he might not make it!"
"He won't make it if we keep forcing his body to regenerate," Mizuki said flatly. "Especially when it comes to his limbs or non-vital areas—ignore them. Prioritize his heart and lungs. If something goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility."
After some hesitation, the medical team complied.
Though Mizuki wasn't a certified medical ninja, his grasp of physiology and pharmacology was above average. He wasn't there to cast jutsu—he was there to keep people from making fatal mistakes. From here on, it was about methodical care and patience.
"If only Lady Tsunade were here..." one of the medics muttered.
"Don't stop CPR. Keep his body temperature stable," Mizuki instructed. "Yes, Tsunade-sama would help, but she's not here. Konoha's Medical Corps has to stand on its own."
The departure of the Sannin had left Konoha weakened. Medical standards had plummeted. Even common healing techniques like the Mystical Palm Technique had become rare and precious—few in the entire hospital could perform it.
It was nearly midnight by the time Mizuki finally left the hospital.
Walking down the dark street, he glanced around warily.
"Surveillance has increased again."
From a distance, he saw the lights in the Hokage's office were still on. After a moment's thought, he made his way there.
Outside the door, he knocked.
"Who is it?"
"It's Mizuki. Reporting in."
"Come in."
As Mizuki entered, he was surprised to see Shimura Danzō seated with the Third Hokage.
"It's late. What is it?" Hiruzen asked.
"It's about Moonlight Gai," Mizuki said. "He's been stabilized for now. He's out of immediate danger, but... his vitality is fading. This isn't something medical ninjutsu can fix anymore."
Danzo frowned. "I told you we should've extracted the intel earlier. Then we could've planned accordingly. If you won't do it—then let me handle it."
The Hokage didn't respond to Danzo directly. Instead, he looked at Mizuki.
"Go. And say nothing of today's events."
"I understand," Mizuki replied calmly. He wasn't foolish enough to spread such explosive news.
Dragging his tired body back home, he was surprised to find his fiancée Tsubaki still waiting for him.
"You're still up?" he asked, feeling a twinge of guilt.
"I'm just glad you're safe."
"It's not like I was on the front lines," he said, smiling. "I was just helping in the hospital."
She didn't smile back. "Mizuki... is there going to be a war?"
Recently, many Konoha shinobi had been deployed without explanation. Everyone was overworked. Wounded ninja kept coming back. Tsubaki could read the signs.
Mizuki didn't answer directly. He pulled her into a hug.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you."
He wasn't lying—but he wasn't reassuring her just to be kind either. She likely understood what his words implied: something was coming. And they didn't have much time to prepare.
---
The next morning, Mizuki dragged himself out of bed, still exhausted.
Can't slack off. Sakura's still waiting on me. Just because I'm tired doesn't mean I get to crush someone's dreams.
But when he opened the door, someone was already waiting for him.
"You?" he blinked. "Is something wrong?"
Standing there was Yūgao Uzuki.
"I came to thank you," she said, bowing. "You took care of Gale during the last mission... and now, thanks to you, he's still alive."
"You don't have to thank me. The mission in the Land of Waves... it was just a mission. Luck plays a role too." Mizuki paused. "We're not out of danger yet. If he doesn't regain consciousness soon, Danzo might act on his own. And that'll really be the end of him."
"If Moonlight Gai doesn't die on the battlefield, but is killed by our own people for the sake of intel..." Yūgao's voice trembled slightly. "That's even more tragic. Just another soul etched on the Memorial Stone."