In Konoha Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat leisurely smoking his pipe while listening to Kakashi Hatake's report. Koharu Utatane, a Konoha advisor, was also present, but Mitomon Yan had yet to arrive, and it was unusual that Shimura Danzo had joined the meeting. It seemed the matter involving the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the Book of Seals had even drawn attention from the higher-ups of Konoha, including the elusive Danzo.
Mizuki stood bowed before them, awaiting his judgment.
After hearing Kakashi's report, the Third Hokage tapped his pipe, exhaled a plume of smoke, and turned his gaze to Mizuki. "Mizuki, do you have any objections to Kakashi's statement?"
"No, Hokage-sama, everything he said is true," Mizuki responded, his voice steady.
The Hokage narrowed his eyes. "So, you admit to instigating Uzumaki Naruto to steal the sealed book?"
"Yes, I did it all."
"And what was your purpose?" The Third Hokage's voice hardened, and he leaned forward, his eyes sharp. "Was it to obtain the Sealed Book? Or were you colluding with others to betray the village?"
Mizuki hesitated but then said, "I have no interest in the Sealed Book, Hokage-sama. It's beyond my control. I did not collaborate with anyone else; I acted alone. I have no grievances with the village, nor any intention to rebel."
Koharu couldn't remain silent. "Nonsense! If you didn't want to betray the village, then why did you do such a thing? Don't try to hide the truth. Konoha has ways of making you speak."
Mizuki met her gaze, and unexpectedly, he spoke up. "My target was Iruka."
The room went still for a moment, as everyone processed his words. Mizuki continued, "From the very beginning, I knew I had no chance of clearing my name. The situation was too complicated to change, so I devised a plan: one crime does not deserve double punishment. I made a mistake, yes, but I aimed to divert attention. If I could link myself to Orochimaru and pretend to defect without the Hokage knowing, I'd have room to manipulate the situation."
Mizuki glanced at Kakashi, whose impassive expression gave him little satisfaction. "With you here, it might be more convincing," he thought, his mind racing.
The Third Hokage was not convinced. "You've been friends with Iruka for many years. Is it true that you resent him for taking the ninja school teacher position from you?"
"Yes, but only once." Mizuki stumbled over his words, and Danzo quickly interjected, his voice cold and calculating, "So now you claim there is no longer any resentment? That's quite the interesting statement."
Mizuki sighed inwardly, realizing that Danzo's sharp mind would pick apart his words. He pressed on, "I've come to realize that Iruka is better suited to be a teacher than I am. He has patience and responsibility, qualities I lack. But what I truly want to prove is this—"
"What exactly do you want to prove?" The Third Hokage asked.
"I want Iruka to understand that while he's an excellent ninja school teacher, he's not a good ninja teacher," Mizuki declared firmly. "Hokage-sama, I believe this."
At that, Koharu scoffed, "And you instigated Naruto to steal the Sealed Book for such a foolish reason?"
Mizuki remained silent. A tense moment passed, and then Danzo spoke again. "So, your plan was to have Naruto learn forbidden jutsu from the Book and defeat Iruka? Force him to admit his misjudgment, and show that someone who was thought to lack talent could surpass him?"
Mizuki nodded, "Yes."
The Third Hokage stared at him, a disappointed frown on his face. "So, you still hold a grudge against Iruka? I specifically told you to focus on the graduation exam, yet you chose to cause unnecessary trouble."
Mizuki bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama. I believe that for the children of the ninja academy, once they graduate, they should be prepared for the harsh realities of being a ninja. Protecting them with unnecessary kindness is a disservice. Only strength matters in the ninja world, and they need to pass missions and tests based on that strength."
The Hokage shook his head in disapproval. "Strength first? Mizuki, your philosophy is dangerous, and this reasoning is far-fetched."
Mizuki quickly corrected himself. "It's not strength first; it's mission success. Strength is important, but it's not everything."
"Your argument is just semantics," the Third Hokage replied, his tone weary. "But what's clear is that you're still envious of Iruka."
Mizuki didn't know how to respond. His emotions were beginning to get the better of him. Despite his best efforts, his true feelings were surfacing, and he knew he wasn't fooling anyone.
"I can't deny it completely, Hokage-sama," Mizuki finally admitted.
A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the occasional puff of the Hokage's pipe. Mizuki's mind raced. He needed a way out, a way to protect himself, to not fully reveal his connection to Orochimaru or the fact that he was from another world.
Finally, the Third Hokage broke the silence. "Mizuki, do you have anything to say about the secret mission to retrieve the documents?"
Mizuki's heart skipped a beat. This was it. He had prepared for this moment, though he wasn't ready. Suppressing his excitement, he feigned shock and hesitantly spoke. "I lied, Hokage-sama."
"You lied?" The Third Hokage asked, leaning forward.
Mizuki nodded slowly. "We were not strong enough to complete the mission. My teammate had serious leg injuries. I'm sorry, Hokage-sama."
The Hokage's face darkened. "So, you killed your teammate?"
Mizuki lowered his head and replied, "Yes."
Koharu gasped, horrified. "I can't believe a Konoha ninja would kill his own teammate!" She shook her head in disbelief.
Mizuki, however, couldn't help but think of Hatake Kakashi, who had also killed his teammate, Rin Nohara, during a mission—a fact that had caused Uchiha Obito to fall to the dark side. But Kakashi was a hero, and Mizuki was the villain. The double standard was glaring, but Mizuki had to deal with it.
Although Mizuki's actions were controversial, the Third Hokage knew the truth. The investigation had already provided most of the details, and Mizuki's admissions only confirmed what they had suspected.
"Let this be the end of it," the Third Hokage said, his voice tired. "Kakashi, escort Mizuki out."
Kakashi complied, taking Mizuki away.
Once they were out of the room, Koharu and Danzo continued to discuss the matter.
"Should we investigate further?" Koharu asked.
The Third Hokage exhaled a heavy sigh. "No need. The mission details are clear, and Mizuki's confession confirms everything. His motivation to steal the Sealed Book is still unclear, but his actions weren't indicative of betrayal. As for his issues with Iruka, it's a personal matter."
"But Mizuki must be punished. His actions have left a bad impact," Koharu insisted.
"I'll handle it," the Third Hokage replied.
Danzo interjected, "A ninja who errs is still a Konoha ninja. Mizuki completed his mission."
"But he lied to Konoha!" Koharu retorted.
Danzo fell silent and turned his gaze to the Hokage.
The Third Hokage sighed once more. "I'll take care of it."
After leaving the Hokage's office, Mizuki felt a strange sense of relief. Despite the discomfort of the situation, he had avoided the worst. His secret was still safe. The coming punishment would certainly sting, but he had managed to avoid the torturous methods of the interrogation department. He would be watched closely, but for now, he could breathe easy.
Mizuki quickened his pace as he headed home, exhausted yet relieved. "No more situations like this," he thought. "Next time, I'll be more prepared."