Chapter 1: Mizuki, Ready to Court Death
In the midst of darkness, countless beautiful lights flickered occasionally, sweeping across the void with mesmerizing fluorescence, exuding an indescribable sense of mystery that could easily captivate one's soul.
The perception of time became unreliable in this endless abyss. He had no idea how long had passed when faint noises gradually emerged from the void, irritating yet inescapable. Suddenly, a point of starlight rushed toward him, rapidly expanding until it devoured everything in an instant. Then, a sudden sinking sensation overwhelmed him. In a panic, he struggled to stabilize himself.
At that moment, a hand reached out from the side, supporting his tilting body. A voice followed, "Mizuki-sensei, are you okay? You look really exhausted. Do you want to take a break?"
Slowly opening his drowsy eyes, he muttered in confusion, "Mizuki-sensei? Is that supposed to be me? What an unpleasant name."
Rubbing his eyes with his left hand, which had been supporting his chin, he pressed his temples to shake off the lingering drowsiness. With a calm tone, he replied, "I'm fine. Just a little insomnia lately. Hm?" He examined the person next to him. "You must be Iruka, right?"
Iruka smiled, replying, "Mizuki-sensei, you really are exhausted if you can't even recognize me. You were just nodding off—if I hadn't caught you, you would have hit your head on the desk. Haha." He paused before suggesting, "How about taking a short break? There aren't many students left anyway, so it won't take long."
"No need. Let's finish the test quickly. Lord Hokage is waiting for the report," Mizuki responded.
Iruka thought for a moment and agreed, "Alright, let's continue with the exam." He straightened the forms in his hands and called out loudly toward the door, "Next!"
Mizuki frowned slightly, internally displeased. Why does he have to be so loud? That voice is annoying. He's definitely suited to be a teacher.
As Mizuki gathered his thoughts, he began to sort through his muddled memories. Just a short while ago, he had been taking a nap in a taxi, only to wake up and find himself as Mizuki in the Naruto world. So much for having a protagonist's fate… In his previous life, he had been nothing more than an average office worker. After quitting his job due to dissatisfaction, he struggled to find new work, overestimating his own abilities. He had finally decided to go out for a walk to clear his mind, only to end up transmigrating. Did I die in a car accident? I can't remember anything… It was ironic—he had quit his job recklessly, and the world had repaid him by recklessly throwing him into the body of a minor villain. If not for his calm disposition and quick thinking to fool Iruka, he might have already exposed himself.
Just as he was processing this absurd situation, a blond boy with whisker-like marks on his cheeks walked into the examination room—Naruto Uzumaki, the child of destiny.
Mizuki immediately confirmed the timeline. This is the beginning of the story, the moment when even background characters like the Ichiraku Ramen shop owner and Ayame have more presence than me. The tragic road to Mizuki's inevitable demise starts here.
Naruto stepped forward nervously, glancing at Iruka with anticipation. Iruka, noticing Naruto was ready, said, "Naruto, when you're prepared, you can begin. The requirement to pass the test is to produce at least one perfect clone." Seeing Naruto's unease, he reassured him, "Clone Jutsu is one of the most basic techniques. As long as you've been paying attention in class and practicing, you should be able to do it."
Naruto grumbled, "Why does it have to be Clone Jutsu? It's my worst technique! My Sexy Jutsu is way more powerful!" Despite his complaints, he still followed the procedure, forming the necessary hand seals and channeling his chakra before calling out, "Clone Jutsu!"
With a puff of smoke, a lifeless, sickly-looking clone collapsed onto the ground.
Iruka's eyelids twitched in frustration before he roared, "Fail!" His voice was so loud that Mizuki could feel the spit flying toward him.
Wiping his face slightly, Mizuki thought to himself, Is this my cue to step in? What were my lines again? Eh, whatever. I just need to get through this first. But then, a thought occurred to him—perhaps this was an opportunity. He needed to establish his presence, or else he would remain entirely passive in this world.
Turning to Iruka, Mizuki said, "Iruka-sensei, technically speaking, Naruto did manage to create a clone. Wouldn't that be enough to pass?"
Naruto's eyes lit up with hope, but Iruka shook his head. "That won't do, Mizuki-sensei. Every student must produce at least three clones, and Naruto's is barely functional. A ninja must be capable of more than that."
With Iruka's firm rejection, Mizuki could only offer Naruto a helpless look.
As Naruto dejectedly left the room, Mizuki pondered his next move. He had clear memories of what was supposed to happen—his character was meant to instigate Naruto into stealing the Forbidden Scroll, leading to his own downfall. But simply avoiding that wouldn't be enough to secure his safety.
The original Mizuki was far from an innocent victim. He had committed actions that directly contradicted the values of the Hidden Leaf and had even been caught red-handed. During a past mission, when a teammate sustained a leg injury that hindered movement, Mizuki had abandoned and suffocated the teammate to death to complete the mission. He had then reported it as a poisoning incident. Unfortunately, the Leaf Village had caught wind of the truth, which led to his rejection from higher teaching positions at the Academy. To make matters worse, his less competent rival, Iruka, had been selected instead, further fueling Mizuki's resentment.
If it were just that, Mizuki might have gotten away with a slap on the wrist. But he had also been entangled with Orochimaru and Kabuto, and even Danzo might have had his eyes on him. He was already caught in a web of conspiracies—escaping wouldn't be easy.
Even so, the worst-case scenario would probably be a few years in prison. Compared to criminals like the Thunder Brothers, who had outright slaughtered their entire team over a food dispute yet were still kept alive in Konoha's prison with decent treatment, Mizuki's crimes weren't beyond redemption. If he could survive a few years in captivity, he might even live a peaceful life after Naruto defeated Kaguya and brought stability to the world.
Yet, that was only a pipe dream.
Mizuki sighed. The problem is tonight. The original Mizuki had planned to use the Forbidden Scroll as a bargaining chip to defect to Orochimaru, inadvertently giving Naruto the perfect opportunity to learn the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu. It was no coincidence—it was a well-laid trap that Mizuki had blindly walked into.
If the Forbidden Scroll really were so easy to steal, even a mere academy student could do it, then it was clear that someone had allowed it to happen.
Returning to the Academy, Mizuki sat in thought until the end of the school day. Soon, the Third Hokage arrived to see the graduating students and their families.
From a distance, Mizuki watched Naruto sitting alone on a swing, enduring the villagers' whispers and ridicule. He pulled down his goggles, trying to hide his tears.
"Where the leaves dance, the fire burns. The shadow of the fire will illuminate the village, and the leaves will sprout again." Mizuki glanced at the Third Hokage, who was speaking kindly to parents and students, exuding an aura of authority and warmth.
"What a nice sentiment… Maybe my fate really does depend on Lord Hokage's mercy. Konoha preaches love and justice, yet it's those ideals that led me to this hopeless situation."
"Still… relying on someone else's kindness for survival is unbearably pathetic."
Taking a deep breath, Mizuki made up his mind. He approached Naruto with a smile.
"The story is about to begin. I'm ready. Are you, Child of Destiny?"