Chapter 184: The Value of a Secret Technique
Bounty hunters—once they latch onto you, they're hard to shake off. But that's the inevitable path for any ninja whose reputation begins to spread. As long as Mizuki stayed inside the village, he was fine. But once he stepped outside, he would have to be extra cautious.
Most bounty hunters weren't much of a threat to someone of Mizuki's strength. But there were always outliers—formidable figures like Kakuzu, for example. Even among bounty hunters, S-rank missing-nin existed—monsters who hunted high-value targets for sport and money.
As for who had offered the bounty on his head, Mizuki had no idea. The most likely culprit was the Akatsuki. But considering Kakuzu was their treasurer and only received money—not spent it—it was questionable whether he would authorize such a cost. Another possibility was Sunagakure. After all, Mizuki had killed Sasori, the grandson of Chiyo, and had even attempted to target Shukaku. It wouldn't be surprising if he wasn't their favorite person right now. Still, hiring bounty hunters to eliminate a Konoha jonin just for revenge? That seemed unlikely, given how tight Sunagakure's budget was.
The final possibility was Orochimaru and Kabuto. That seemed the most plausible.
Even so, Mizuki wasn't particularly worried. He'd faced too many crises to be intimidated by a mere bounty. If he actually got taken down by some random hunter, he'd have no one to blame but himself for being weak.
Kakashi only mentioned the bounty casually—elite jonin-level ninjas having prices on their heads was practically a badge of honor.
The rest of the evening passed in idle chatter. For older veterans like the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, there wasn't much in common with the younger generation. They had different concerns—family, responsibilities, and war memories. So, Mizuki, as the informal host, decided to liven things up.
"Before we wrap up," Mizuki said, drawing everyone's attention, "I'd like to make an announcement. Next week, my fiancée Chihiro Tsubaki and I will be officially getting married. I hope everyone here can join us to celebrate."
"That's great news! Congratulations, Mizuki," Kakashi said, patting him on the shoulder. "Looks like you'll be joining the ranks of married shinobi."
"Congratulations!" said Yamashiro Aoba. "Didn't expect it to happen so soon after you mentioned it last time."
The elder Ino-Shika-Cho trio offered calm, dignified blessings. Asuma looked on with envy, while Kurenai gave a reserved but warm smile. The loudest reaction, naturally, came from Anko Mitarashi—who always had an over-the-top enthusiasm for social events.
But adult gatherings were always subject to disruption. Nara Shikaku was soon called away by his son Shikamaru. Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza also made excuses and left. The group dwindled to about five or six before the party began winding down.
…
Afterward, Mizuki found himself watching Aoba awkwardly trying to settle the bill. The look the shop owner gave him clearly unsettled Aoba. Seeing this, Mizuki stepped in to cover the remainder of the tab.
"Thanks, Mizuki," Aoba sighed in relief. "I thought I was gonna get kicked out of here in shame. That owner… not even a ninja, and he still had such an intimidating aura."
"That's just your guilty conscience talking."
"Maybe so. Anyway, thanks again. I'll pay you back after payday."
"No need," Mizuki replied. "I can't let you shoulder the whole burden. Let's just call it even."
The bill had been steep. This was a high-end barbecue joint, and Choza's appetite alone could break the bank. Aoba had learned his lesson.
"In that case, I'll treat you next time. Too bad someone didn't make it tonight…"
"You mean Hayate?" Mizuki asked quietly.
Aoba nodded.
Even Kurenai had managed to recover enough to attend, yet Hayate was still bedridden in the hospital. Though no longer comatose, his condition remained fragile, with no sign of full recovery in sight.
The topic cast a brief shadow over the evening.
After settling the bill, the group parted ways. Only Kakashi and Mizuki headed in the same direction and continued walking together.
"Mizuki," Kakashi said casually as they walked through the quiet night, "your last mission—you used Sage Mode, right?"
Surprised, Mizuki replied, "You figured that out?"
"My teacher—the Fourth Hokage—also used Sage Mode. Though not very proficiently. His Flying Thunder God technique was always his signature."
"So, what is it you want to know?"
"It's not that," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "When Minato tried to learn Sage Mode, he said two things were essential: the ability to sense natural energy and an enormous chakra reserve. Minato had decent chakra, but nothing spectacular. That limitation made Sage Mode extremely difficult for him."
Kakashi wasn't wrong. Sage Mode had slow activation time, which made it almost useless in the heat of battle. On the battlefield, no one had time to sit and gather chakra while enemies struck without pause. That's why Sage Mode was rarely part of the Fourth Hokage's legend.
"I want to ask you," Kakashi continued, "how did you pull it off?"
"You're asking how I managed to gain such a massive chakra reserve, right?" Mizuki smiled.
"Exactly."
"Clarity Breathing Technique."
"So it really was that," Kakashi said, nodding slowly.
He had first seen the technique during the Chunin Exams. At the time, it only seemed useful for cloaking chakra and hiding one's presence—good for reconnaissance.
Even Sakura had learned it. During the tournament phase, her use of chakra control, her protective chakra shield, and her refined combat style had been what impressed the crowd. No one had appreciated how critical the Clarity Breathing Technique was to her success—except Kakashi. He knew firsthand how limited Sakura's chakra reserves were. Without that technique, she would never have lasted long enough to beat Dosu.
But Kakashi had held his tongue. After all, it was Mizuki's personal jutsu—his intellectual property. Asking too many questions would've seemed rude. If not for Mizuki's explosive growth and recent Sage Mode display, Kakashi might've forgotten all about it.
"Mizuki, to be honest… you were too generous in teaching Sakura that technique."
"Why? Was it wrong?"
"No. Sakura benefitted immensely from it. Without that method, she'd have faced so many setbacks in her training. This technique practically eliminated her biggest obstacle."
"Then it was worth it, wasn't it?"
"It was. But you gave her an invaluable gift—something most people wouldn't share so easily," Kakashi said seriously. "That technique of yours—it's not just rare. It's a game-changer. In the traditional shinobi world, something like that would only be passed down to a true heir. No one else would even get a glimpse of it."
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