Chapter 178: The Pinnacle of Medical Ninjutsu
The shinobi world was ever-changing. Though not vast in size, information traveled quickly, and with the profession of ninja, countless methods of communication existed. If Mizuki could exchange information with Konoha across long distances, it was only natural that other villages could do the same.
So it was no surprise that Sunagakure's reinforcements arrived first. But the person leading them, Chiyo, was a different story altogether. Her status was one thing—but the generational gap made conversation painful.
"Mizuki, are we in trouble?" Aoba Yamashiro asked quietly. He too sensed the difficulty of the situation. After all, Mizuki was the one who had personally killed Sasori of the Red Sand. While it was a battlefield and mercy was not an option, how Chiyo—a grieving grandmother—would react was unpredictable.
"It's fine. Nothing will happen."
Mizuki shrugged. What's done was done; lingering on irreversible things was pointless.
Chiyo, visibly aged, immediately showed deep concern upon seeing the state of Sunagakure's squad. Though she had already heard of the heavy losses, seeing the haggard survivors still made her heart ache.
"I was too late..."
She said quietly.
Team leader Maki stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "We are truly sorry. It was our incompetence that caused such heavy losses…"
"Incompetent? Perhaps. Maki, do you resent me—a selfish old woman—for insisting you take on this mission?" Chiyo asked.
"I wouldn't dare." Maki lowered his head, making it difficult to see his expression.
Even Gaara maintained a calm demeanor, while Kankuro and Temari remained silent. The other Suna-nin stood uneasily, not daring to speak.
"Enough. You've all worked hard. It was my foolish wish. But... try to understand the heart of a grandmother who hasn't seen her grandson in years…"
No one dared to respond.
"Some things can wait until we return. Maki, tell me—where is Sasori?"
Clearly, she had come just to see the grandson she had long regretted losing.
Maki said nothing. Instead, he presented a ring—scarred but intact.
"This is?" Chiyo took the ring and inspected it. "I asked where Sasori is. Why give me this?"
"That's all that's left…" Maki said regretfully.
Chiyo froze. Then she understood.
"That's all that's left? You really dare say that?"
She clutched the ring—marked "Virgo," the symbol of Sasori's identity in Akatsuki—with her spotted, trembling hands.
"We're sorry. There was nothing we could do," Maki apologized.
"Nothing you could do? That's all?!" Chiyo roared, hurling the ring to the ground. "What do I need this damn thing for!?"
Chiyo was once feared across the shinobi world for her mastery of medical ninjutsu, puppetry, and poisons. Were it not for Tsunade's legendary achievements in the last war, Chiyo's name would be far more prominent.
Though she was aged, the weight of her reputation and years of battlefield experience made her fury terrifying. No one dared calm her.
Aoba whispered, "Should we leave?"
"No need. We have nothing to feel guilty for," Mizuki replied. "Besides, it's not just me. If they could've, they would've killed Shukaku too."
"That's… not likely."
"Exactly. So we don't need to worry. Ninja die in war. It's not unusual—just that this time, the dead are a bit special."
There was another point Mizuki left unsaid—everyone important who died in this conflict was from Sunagakure or formerly affiliated with them. All other villages' key personnel remained unscathed.
By midday, the heat became unbearable. Ninja were trained to endure, but if there was a more comfortable option, who would suffer willingly? No one felt like marching on. Especially not the Suna-nin, still brooding over their losses.
Chiyo eventually calmed herself. Glaring at Maki, she said, "I had hoped you would rise to the occasion after the Fourth Kazekage's death. But you've disappointed me…"
After a pause, she added, "Let's put that aside. Tell me everything that happened. I want to know what turned my grandson into dust before I could even say goodbye…"
"I understand," Maki said, handing over the prepared report.
…
The heat made people sweat—but sometimes it made them sweat cold. Like Mizuki now, facing the wrath of a sharp-eyed, angry elder.
"Is there something I can help with, elder?" Mizuki asked with a strained smile. "We're always happy to support our allies in Sunagakure…"
"You're Mizuki, right? I've heard your name a lot lately. Was it you who killed Sasori?"
"Yes," Mizuki admitted. "But only during a battle with the Jinchuriki. It was our duty to fight alongside our allies."
Chiyo chuckled bitterly.
"Ha ha…" Mizuki gave an awkward laugh. "It was good to defeat such a formidable enemy…"
Chiyo straightened up and said, "You're quite eloquent—more than any Konoha shinobi I've met. But I wonder if you're as strong as Sakumo Hatake."
Mizuki winced at the name. Sakumo—the White Fang—had once killed Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law. Now her grandson was also dead—this time at the hands of another Konoha ninja.
"I'm just an ordinary ninja, nowhere near the level of the White Fang."
"Konoha is truly a land of genius—such talents appear endlessly," Chiyo said.
"You flatter me. Sunagakure is also filled with incredible talents I greatly respect," Mizuki deflected.
He didn't believe a word of her compliments. Chiyo was a veteran scarred by loss, full of hatred for rival villages. She wasn't yet the woman who would set aside her grudges in the future.
"But Mizuki, you seem injured. Would you like me to help treat you?"
"No need. I've trained in medical ninjutsu myself—nothing serious."
Chiyo's skill in medical ninjutsu was unquestionable. She had even developed the forbidden jutsu Reanimation of One's Own Life, capable of reviving the dead without Edo Tensei, Rinnegan, or Senjutsu. If she had offered to teach it, Mizuki would've let her hit him just for the chance. But that was just wishful thinking.
"Oh? So you don't trust your allies?"
"Not at all. Of course I trust you," Mizuki lied smoothly.
In truth, he didn't. His condition was already unstable, and if someone as skilled as Chiyo tampered with him, he'd be in serious trouble.
Chiyo still wore a gentle expression, but Mizuki was growing increasingly wary. He signaled to Aoba and began silently gathering chakra for defense.
Just as things were about to escalate, a cheerful voice called out behind them:
"Yo! Looks like someone beat us here!"
On a nearby tree, three familiar Konoha ninja stood. At the front was the ever-energetic Anko Mitarashi, flanked by Genma Shiranui and Raidō Namiashi.
Finally…
Mizuki relaxed slightly. With backup here, a meaningless fight was unlikely to break out. Fighting a grieving old woman wasn't wise—especially not when he was injured and still caring for two genin.
He quickly dispelled the chakra he'd gathered. Even that brief concentration had strained his damaged meridians.
"Since our comrades from Konoha are here, and Mizuki doesn't need help, I won't interfere further," Chiyo said. "I hope you'll visit Sunagakure one day."
"Thank you for the invitation. I'd love to—someday," Mizuki replied politely.
But inside, he thought, Not unless I want to walk into a lion's den.
Watching Chiyo's retreating figure—stooped, aged, yet steady—Mizuki felt a pang of emotion.
Yes, he had destroyed Sasori's body on purpose. Not just to prevent Edo Tensei—he also feared Chiyo's forbidden jutsu. Reanimation of One's Own Life was simply too powerful. A revived Sasori, in perfect form, was something Mizuki could not allow.
…
With three strong reinforcements now present, and Mizuki out of commission, the situation had stabilized. Soon after, Iwa's reinforcements also arrived.
With their strength combined, the escort mission had lost its purpose. Each village had enough manpower to travel separately again.
Of course, a few unexpected things still happened. The fake Deidara—actually a Zetsu clone—was exposed not long after Iwa's backup arrived. Once they confirmed it couldn't be used for intelligence, they simply killed it.
Ashamed over letting Deidara escape, Iwa had no face left to blame Konoha. They claimed full responsibility and took the matter into their own hands.
And so, the three allied forces quietly disbanded.
On the journey back, Mizuki seemed preoccupied, engaging only minimally in conversation. Anko and Aoba, however, had plenty to chat about—especially Anko, who was curious about the mission, and Aoba, who enjoyed storytelling.
The two genin followed silently.
"Mizuki, looks like your mission's done?" Genma asked.
"Should be," Mizuki replied. Deidara's escape wasn't his fault. And at least Sasori was dead.
"That's great—another strong ally for the village."
"Yeah," Raidō added. "We've been really stretched thin lately. Another jonin is a lifesaver."
"I'm still injured. I need time off," Mizuki said.
"Injured?" Anko smirked. "With Lady Tsunade around, forget about faking injuries. No way you're getting vacation time."
"She's right," Genma chuckled. "The Fifth is way more efficient than the Third. We're short-staffed everywhere. If you want that jonin pay, you better get to work."
"Is the shortage that bad?"
"You have no idea. Guys like Kakashi and Guy are deployed all over to keep unrest down. We're stuck covering patrols and support. Even ANBU are being stretched thin."
"All from the chunin exams?" Mizuki sighed.
Yes, the losses from the exams—far greater than in the original timeline—were taking their toll. Konoha's aggressive posturing was just a smokescreen to buy time for recovery. That's why Mizuki's promotion was met with such enthusiasm.
"Oh right—one more thing." Anko pulled a letter from her pouch and handed it to Mizuki. "Lady Tsunade said to destroy this after reading."
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