Naruto: Mizuki The Savior

Chapter 226: Unspoken Understanding

"Let go of me, Kakashi-sensei! I'm gonna teach that arrogant guy a lesson!"

Naruto shouted as he began forming hand seals for Shadow Clone Jutsu.

"My Rasengan will definitely beat him!"

Among the earlier scuffle, if anyone had accomplished something, it was Inuzuka Kiba. Naruto, on the other hand, had done basically nothing. His lack of agility and effective attack methods had made him a poor match for Chōjūrō, leaving him frustrated at having so much power but no way to use it.

But before Naruto could unleash anything, a heavy fist crashed down on his head.

"You idiot! Did I teach you the Rasengan so you could use it to show off?! Have you forgotten everything I told you?"

Unable to watch any longer, Jiraiya had stepped in and forcibly silenced Naruto with a smack.

"Pervy Sage? You're here?" Naruto exclaimed in surprise and delight, rubbing his head. "You just vanished without saying a word! I waited so long for you to come back!"

The fight had been forcibly stopped. Now that the adults had arrived, it wasn't appropriate for the younger ones to continue.

On Kirigakure's side, it was Ao who stepped forward—an experienced jonin who handled formal affairs. Especially with a figure like Jiraiya present, anything less would have been disrespectful.

"Our young man acted impulsively. Please forgive him for offending our honored guests," Ao said, pressing down on Chōjūrō's bowed head, concealing the frustrated expression on his face.

"No worries," Jiraiya responded with magnanimity. "Kids at this age tend to be hot-blooded. Still, lashing out over a few words is a bit much. I hope this won't affect our villages' diplomatic exchange."

"Certainly not," Ao quickly replied. "Our village greatly values friendly ties with Konoha."

Even if Jiraiya didn't express displeasure, his presence alone was a source of pressure. Speaking to one of the Sannin was no small matter.

"Mm." Jiraiya gave a noncommittal grunt, ending the matter.

With the pleasantries done, it was Kakashi's turn to handle the formalities.

"The upcoming meeting won't be disrupted, will it?"

"Of course not. This little matter won't impact the bigger picture. Our Mizukage has long looked forward to meeting the young talents of Konoha."

"Good."

It was, after all, just a fight between genin. Nothing too serious.

Once Ao led the apologetic Chōjūrō away, Mizuki chuckled. "You lost. Doesn't feel great, huh?"

He patted Kiba on the shoulder. "Got beaten by someone who doesn't even look like much. Tough pill to swallow?"

"We didn't lose," Kiba muttered, annoyed. "I didn't even use my ultimate move."

"Yeah, me too!" Naruto chimed in loudly. "If I went all out, he'd be picking his teeth off the ground!"

Ignoring the two loudmouths, Kakashi turned to Mizuki. "You seem quite interested in that Chōjūrō kid."

Mizuki nodded. "Yeah, he's good. His swordsmanship is solid, and more importantly, he's found his own path."

"You noticed it too?" Kakashi said. "His chakra control at that age, and his composure in combat… He has real potential."

"Is he really that strong?" Naruto scoffed. "I didn't feel any of that you're talking about."

Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's hair fondly. "That dense chakra hiding inside his blade—that's an advanced technique. If he really let it out, you wouldn't stand a chance."

"You two weren't fighting seriously. You think Chōjūrō was?" Mizuki added. "If the fight continued, there would've been bloodshed. Best to end it there."

Kiba took the advice to heart, a little embarrassed but ultimately accepting. Naruto, however…

"Really? I didn't sense any of that. Are you guys sure he's that strong?"

"Idiot," came Uchiha Sasuke's cold voice.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata murmured with concern, unable to watch Naruto embarrass himself further.

With the Sharingan and Byakugan observing everything, both Sakura and Shino had clearly seen Chōjūrō's potential. Only Naruto, muddled by the influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra, had no clear grasp of the situation.

Sigh. Jiraiya sighed. "Naruto, you've still got a long way to go in your training."

The Nine-Tails' chakra wasn't just a blessing—it was a hindrance. It was time to address this issue. The gaps in Naruto's ninja fundamentals would have to be corrected, one way or another.

…

Evening came earlier in Kirigakure than in Konoha. As autumn settled in, the mist thickened during twilight, reducing visibility. The street lamps scattered through the fog, creating a mysterious and oddly beautiful atmosphere. Guided by a local escort, the Konoha delegation arrived at an old, stately building.

At the entrance stood Ao and the ANBU commander known as "Sword."

"It's been a long time since we've had such distinguished guests. Please forgive us if anything falls short of expectations," Ao said respectfully.

"No problem," Jiraiya replied. "We're ninja. Formalities aren't what we care about."

"Very well." With that, the Mist ninja led the group inside.

They passed through a long corridor into a quiet and elegant reception room.

Mizuki glanced around. The space was large enough to accommodate everyone without feeling cramped. What caught his attention, though, was the floor: traditional tatami mats. Arranged on top were kneeling cushions and low tables, all in classical style.

"So they're going for a traditional setting, huh?"

These days, most diplomatic meetings used modern setups—either long rectangular tables or round discussion tables. This kneeling-style setup was rare, usually reserved for private occasions.

"You already figured this would happen, didn't you?" Kakashi smiled, taking a seat next to Jiraiya. Mizuki followed, ushering the somewhat overwhelmed genin into place.

All of them quietly settled in, waiting for the arrival of the Fifth Mizukage—Terumī Mei.

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