Chapter 84: Mizuki's Mission
On a dark and windy night, a shadowy figure crept stealthily around the outskirts of Konoha, eyes darting through the gloom as if searching for something.
"It should be around here somewhere... Once I find Shisui the Teleporter's corpse, I'll have completed Lord Orochimaru's mission," the figure muttered to himself.
That figure was none other than Mizuki—one of Orochimaru's hidden agents left behind in the village.
In the original timeline, Orochimaru had long since abandoned Mizuki in favor of Kabuto, whose talents far outshined Mizuki's. Kabuto became his primary spy within Konoha.
But now, with Kabuto having been lured away by Yusuke, Mizuki had been granted a second chance—albeit as a fallback option.
Yet for Mizuki, this was nothing short of a golden opportunity.
Far from feeling fear or hesitation at being chosen by one of the legendary Sannin, Mizuki had felt elated. Finally, someone had recognized his worth!
He was ambitious—always had been—but harsh reality had beaten that ambition into dormancy. With no remarkable talent, no noble lineage like Iruka, Mizuki had blended into obscurity after graduating from the Ninja Academy, just another faceless genin among many.
He knew that if things continued like this, the best he could hope for was to muddle his way to chunin—and that thought filled him with resentment.
Then, just as he drifted in hopeless mediocrity, a hand reached down from the heavens—or so it felt. Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin, personally offered him guidance. Not only that, he enhanced Mizuki's physical capabilities and taught him powerful forbidden jutsu.
With that aid, Mizuki had rapidly risen above his peers and soon earned his promotion to chunin.
For the first time, he saw hope in his future.
Serving Orochimaru filled him with a twisted joy—a validation of his worth. Finally, he felt like more than just a background character. He was somebody.
"I knew it… I'm not ordinary! Iruka's nothing but a product of nepotism. And Anko? Just a discarded failure from Lord Orochimaru's past."
"No—I am the truly exceptional one. I, Mizuki!"
Grinning with arrogance, Mizuki continued his search through the night.
He had already gathered genetic samples from both Danzo and Fugaku's corpses. All that remained was acquiring a sample from Shisui, and Orochimaru's task would be complete.
It was clear what Orochimaru was planning—stockpiling materials for his infamous Edo Tensei technique.
The forbidden jutsu developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, Edo Tensei allowed the user to resurrect the dead by using their remains as a medium and sacrificing a living person as a vessel. Once summoned, the revived shinobi would be bound to the summoner's will.
After locating a secluded spot, Mizuki quickly formed hand seals and activated a secret technique provided by Orochimaru.
"Secret Art: Corpse-Seeking Technique!"
This jutsu allowed the user to detect corpses that had possessed powerful chakra in life—a method Orochimaru often used to track down elite remains.
"There it is... Found you."
Mizuki's eyes gleamed as the jutsu led him to a hidden valley—where the remains of Shisui Uchiha lay buried.
After collecting the tissue sample from Shisui's corpse, Mizuki wasted no time and rushed to his designated contact point with Orochimaru.
Deep within a dense forest stood a weathered stone monument, carved with the faint figure of a Buddha. It looked ancient—forgotten by time.
Mizuki approached the stone and activated a hidden mechanism beneath it. With a soft grinding sound, a small compartment opened on its surface, revealing a tightly sealed scroll.
He retrieved the scroll and, in its place, carefully inserted the storage scroll containing the samples he'd collected. With practiced ease, he reset the mechanism, restoring the monument to its original state.
This monument served as a covert exchange point between Mizuki and Orochimaru. The scroll he'd just taken contained his next mission.
"Him? I'm supposed to make contact with that person?"
As he read the scroll's contents, Mizuki's brows furrowed. The new mission was extremely risky—even more so than the last.
And yet, instead of fear, he felt a rush of purpose. His heart swelled with the thrill of proving his worth.
"I'm operating at the level of shinobi who stand at the peak of the ninja world. Someday, I—Mizuki—will be counted among them!"
—
Meanwhile, in the Konoha Police Department's chief office, Yusuke sat calmly, having just completed another round of spiritual training in his mental realm.
The construction of the Konoha Research Institute was still underway, and once completed, Yusuke planned to shift his primary focus there—dedicating himself to refining jutsu and pursuing deeper research.
As for the Police Department, he intended to hand over the day-to-day operations to Itachi and Kanoichiro, who were already managing most affairs in his stead.
Just then, a polite knock came from the door. Uchiha Haruyuki, Yusuke's assistant, entered and bowed respectfully.
"Clan Leader, Chunin Mizuki has requested an audience. He says it's a matter of importance. Shall I let him in?"
"Mizuki?" Yusuke mused aloud.
He knew full well that Mizuki was Orochimaru's man, but he hadn't expected him to approach directly.
If he was here now, it could only mean one thing—Orochimaru had sent him. Most likely to initiate some kind of negotiation or offer.
After a moment's thought, Yusuke nodded. "Bring him in."
—
As Mizuki stepped into the office, he found himself unusually tense.
Yusuke exuded an intangible pressure, one that seemed to press down on Mizuki's very soul. His eyes, calm and unreadable, made Mizuki feel exposed—as if there were no secrets he could hide.
Back during the Chunin Exams, when Yusuke and Hayama served as squad leaders escorting teams to Sunagakure, Mizuki had been one of the participants. Though not under Yusuke's direct supervision, he had still interacted with him occasionally.
Every time Yusuke had looked his way, Mizuki felt as if he'd been completely seen through.
Now, that same man sat at the heart of power in Konoha—second only to the Hokage himself.
Mizuki bowed respectfully. "Advisor, I am Chunin Mizuki. I have urgent matters to report."
His voice wavered ever so slightly. Despite his efforts to appear calm, his nerves betrayed him. Not even standing before the Third Hokage had made him feel this uneasy.
Trying to suppress his anxiety, Mizuki silently encouraged himself:
He's just another man. There's no way he knows who I really am. Just wait—soon, I'll turn the tables and give him a shock he won't forget!
But then, Yusuke spoke.
"So… Orochimaru sent you. What does he want?"
Mizuki's heart dropped. Shock registered on his face.
Orochimaru had made it explicitly clear—his identity as a spy had never been shared. Yet Yusuke had seen through him instantly.
That brief flicker of confidence vanished, replaced by a creeping dread.
Did I slip up somewhere? Are there others who know? Mizuki's thoughts raced.
"You can relax," Yusuke said evenly, his eyes cool. "No one else knows your identity. Only me."
Mizuki froze.
Is he reading my mind?! How did he—!?
His thoughts collapsed into stunned silence. He couldn't speak, couldn't move.
Yusuke's brow creased slightly. "I don't have all day. If you've got something to say, say it. I don't have mind-reading powers, you know."
Mizuki snapped back to attention, beads of sweat forming at his temples.