Konohagakure, 8:00 PM.
Due to the trauma of the Nine-Tails' attack years ago, and the annihilation of the Uchiha clan, the village had since adopted nightly curfews unless there was a special circumstance.
Tonight was no exception.
By nightfall, most villagers had already returned to their homes. The streets were eerily quiet, the village wrapped in silence and swallowed by the creeping dark. Only the occasional patrolling shinobi squads moved through the cold air, accompanied by nothing but the whistling wind.
Yuuta adjusted his black cloak.
Behind him followed his ever-present puppet companion.
The two had quietly left the village and were now deep within the Konoha Forest.
Whether it was due to the Fire Country's unique climate, or perhaps the legacy of the First Hokage, the forest here was vast and lush. Ancient trees, so wide it would take several grown men to encircle them, were everywhere.
Yuuta scanned the surroundings. Massive trunks and shadowed underbrush stretched in every direction.
Finding anyone here would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Still, Yuuta wasn't worried. Since the mysterious message had specified the meeting time, the sender must've had a way to find him.
Sure enough, rustling leaves sounded in the distance moments later.
Yuuta looked toward the noise, and saw Mizuki speeding through the trees, one hand holding Naruto by the collar.
Naruto didn't look good.
He was tied up like a dumpling, only his face exposed. Bruises covered him. His swollen eyes were nearly shut.
But what concerned Yuuta more was Naruto's mental state, utterly vacant.
He wasn't struggling. He wasn't even talking. Just dangling limply in Mizuki's grip.
That… was not like Naruto.
In normal circumstances, even beaten to a pulp, Naruto would've still been running his mouth, annoying enemies into the grave with his infamous Talk no Jutsu.
But now? It was like the light had been sucked from him.
Yuuta's thoughts were interrupted as Mizuki landed nearby.
The man shot a wary glance at Yuuta's chubby puppet, and immediately kept his distance.
Then, with a faint smile tugging at his lips, he greeted him:
"As expected… you came."
Yuuta narrowed his eyes.
"Say it. Why did you call me here?"
Mizuki casually flung Naruto onto the ground like trash, then gave Yuuta a smile full of fake friendliness.
"If I'm not mistaken… you're a spy from Sunagakure, aren't you?"
Yuuta froze.
His mouth twitched slightly.
What the hell kind of leap in logic is that?! What part of me says 'Sand Village ninja' to you?!
But Mizuki clearly believed he'd uncovered a grand secret. He smirked.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to cause trouble. I came to propose a deal."
Yuuta resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Instead, he put on a composed front and pretended to be considering Mizuki's words.
That's when the system popped up:
[Congratulations, Host! You've triggered a Hidden Mission: Save Naruto.]
[Mission Description: Naruto is suffering physically and mentally. As his sworn big bro, it's time for you to step up!]
[Reward: Ice Cream Recipe ×1]
Great. That settles it. This clown and I are enemies now.
But Mizuki, of course, had no idea.
In his eyes, Yuuta had taken the bait.
He believed he was in control. After all, he thought he had leverage, Yuuta's "true identity" as a Sand Village spy.
Feeling more confident, Mizuki continued:
"As we both know, your country possesses the weakest of the nine tailed beasts, Shukaku. That's why the Sand has long lived in Konoha's shadow."
"But… do you really accept that?"
"Right now, Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki is lying right here. If your village takes him, you'll rise to power overnight!"
Yuuta gave him a deadpan look.
Dude. Seriously? This isn't some shōnen villain auction.
What does the Sand's national power have to do with me?! I just wanna make some slurpy ramen.
But Mizuki mistook his silence for steely resolve.
As expected of a spy from a great village. Calm, cold, unreadable.
Convinced that things were going well, Mizuki pushed on:
"My offer is simple. "
"I give you the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and in return… your village gives me one S-rank jutsu, three A-rank jutsu, and ten B-rank jutsu."
He looked at Yuuta like a hungry dog begging its master for scraps.
Yuuta shot him a glance, and everything clicked.
So that's why he's doing this.
He wasn't just a traitor. He was ambitious.
In Konoha, learning B-rank jutsu and above required significant merit and rank. Only elite Chūnin and above were even eligible.
A-rank techniques? Reserved for veteran Jōnin who had contributed significantly to the village.
As for S-rank jutsu?
Those were treasures, so rare that even Kage-level shinobi had few to their names. They were village secrets, foundational to military power.
To get those, a shinobi had to risk their life over and over in dangerous missions.
That's why, in the original timeline, Konoha's rookies only learned high-tier jutsu thanks to their backgrounds, be it powerful clans or exceptional mentors.
Take Izumo and Kotetsu, for example. Those two had been Chūnin for ages, and no one even remembered when they were promoted.
The truth was, beneath Konoha's shining surface lay a deeply stratified system.
For ordinary shinobi, Elite Chūnin was usually the peak of their career.
Mizuki's demand proved it, he wanted to jump the line.
If he got his hands on those jutsu, spent a few years mastering them, he could become a full Jōnin.
And once he reached that level, even if Konoha found out what he'd done, they'd have to seriously consider whether it was worth the effort to chase him down.
Look at Zabuza from the Hidden Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
That guy committed high treason, but still roamed free.
Sure, part of that was due to the Mist's internal problems, but the bigger reason?
In a world where Kage-levels rarely acted, a Jōnin-level combatant was already equivalent to a strategic weapon, a walking nuclear deterrent.
So yes, if Mizuki succeeded, he just might become a case study in how a grassroots shinobi turned the system on its head.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters
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