In the darkness, countless beautiful rays of light flickered, occasionally flashing across the field of vision—mysterious, enchanting, and almost intoxicating.
Time became meaningless in that void. Who knew how long had passed? A faint, almost imperceptible sound stirred within the emptiness—unsettling, yet persistent. Then suddenly, a speck of starlight surged forward, expanding rapidly, devouring everything before he could react. A sinking sensation overwhelmed him. In panic, he quickly regained balance.
At that moment, a hand reached out to steady his body. A voice followed: "Mizuki-sensei, are you alright? You look exhausted. Do you want to rest for a bit?"
Slowly opening his sleepy eyes, he blinked at the speaker. "Mizuki-sensei? You're calling me that? Ugh... what an unpleasant name."
Resting his chin in his palm, he rubbed his temples and sighed, trying to chase away the remaining drowsiness. "I'm fine. Just some insomnia lately. Huh?" He turned toward the man beside him. "Iruka?"
Iruka smiled. "Looks like you're more tired than I thought. You even mistook me. You nodded off just now. If I hadn't caught you, your face would've smacked into the desk!"
After a pause, he added, "Why not take a short break? There aren't many students left today."
"No need. Let's finish up quickly. Hokage-sama is waiting for the results. The test's easy anyway—it'll be over soon."
Iruka nodded. "Alright. Let's move on." Sorting the papers in his hand, he called toward the door, "Next!"
Mizuki scowled internally. Does he have to shout so loudly? His ears rang. He really is suited to be a teacher... loud and overly sincere.
Gathering his scattered thoughts, Mizuki sifted through fragments of memory. So I just dozed off in the cab for a while and ended up as Mizuki? Just like that? Great—of all people, I end up as a small-time antagonist. In his past life, he'd been a mediocre white-collar worker. After quitting a job that wasn't working out, he couldn't find another. Disillusioned and aimless, he decided to travel to clear his mind... only to apparently cross into another world.
Was it a car accident? I don't remember. Just my luck—complain about the world, and the world throws you into a plot as a background villain.
If it weren't for his quick thinking and ability to imitate Mizuki's behavior, Iruka might've gotten suspicious. Still, there was no script to follow, no golden finger, no cheat skill—just memories of the Naruto story and the role of a doomed man.
Just then, a blond-haired boy walked in, whisker marks on his cheeks. Naruto Uzumaki—the protagonist. The child of prophecy. So it begins here... the start of everything. And I'm... Mizuki. He almost laughed bitterly. Even the ramen shop owners had more longevity in the story than him.
Naruto shuffled nervously to the center of the classroom. Iruka offered him a reassuring smile.
"Alright Naruto, you can begin when you're ready. You need to produce at least one proper clone to pass. It's just the basic Clone Jutsu—it shouldn't be hard if you've been practicing."
Naruto frowned, his voice uncertain. "Why does it have to be the Clone Technique? I'm the worst at it! I mean, I already invented the Sexy Jutsu—that's way stronger!"
He formed a hand seal. "Clone Jutsu!"
A puff of smoke burst out. When it cleared, a pale, limp copy of Naruto lay on the ground like a corpse.
Iruka's face twitched. "Failed," he declared with a sweat-drop, his voice full of exasperation.
Mizuki blinked as spittle flew. Right on cue... and probably hit me too. Is this where I step in? What's my line again? Whatever, I'll wing it.
He turned toward Iruka and said casually, "Come on, Iruka-sensei. Naruto did make a clone. It's not great, but at least he managed one. Can't we count it as a pass?"
Iruka shook his head. "That won't do, Mizuki-sensei. Everyone else produced three fully-formed clones. Naruto's clone can't even stand. Passing him would be unfair—to him and to the other students."
Mizuki glanced at Naruto's crestfallen expression and sighed. No way out through sympathy, huh? The story's too stubborn.
As Naruto walked out with his head down, Mizuki was already thinking ahead. He knew where this was going—his own betrayal, his attempt to use Naruto to steal the Scroll of Seals, and his downfall.
But what if he changed the script?
After all, Mizuki wasn't a clean slate. In canon, he once suffocated an injured comrade during a mission to avoid being slowed down, then reported that the teammate had died from poison. Konoha eventually uncovered the truth, and Mizuki was denied advancement. He grew to resent Iruka, who had been promoted over him despite being less talented.
Even so, he hadn't been outright branded a traitor—yet. Compared to monsters like the Wind and Thunder brothers, who killed their own team over food and only ended up in prison with decent treatment, Mizuki's record wasn't irredeemable.
If I play my cards right... lay low, avoid Orochimaru, and don't make stupid moves... maybe I can survive this timeline. The next few years will be chaotic—Orochimaru's invasion, Akatsuki's rise. Hiding in the shadows might be my best option.
But his current dilemma remained: the graduation exam.
The rest of the exam went by uneventfully, Mizuki pretending to observe while his mind raced with escape plans. As they finished, Iruka stretched and knocked lightly on the desk.
"Thanks for today, Mizuki. You really helped out. You sure you're alright? You seemed lost in thought. If anything's wrong, you can talk to me."
"I'm fine. Really. Just overthinking things," Mizuki replied, waving off Iruka's concern. He took the completed forms. "Alright then, I'll report the results. Hokage-sama might visit later—after all, some important kids are graduating this year."
Iruka nodded. "Yeah... the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, the Hyuga and Inuzuka heirs, even Uchiha Sasuke... it's a rare lineup."
Mizuki chuckled absently. "Tough work ahead, huh? I'll head out now."
He made his way to the Hokage's office, knocked once, and said formally, "Chūnin Mizuki, reporting with the exam results."
"Come in," came the aged but firm voice of the Third Hokage.
Mizuki entered, bowed, and presented the documents. A masked Anbu took the folder and handed it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The Hokage flipped through the results. "What was the exam this year?"
"Clone Technique, Hokage-sama."
"Hmm. A core component of the Three Basic Jutsu. How were the results?"
"All students passed—except Uzumaki Naruto."
At that, the Third Hokage paused. "Naruto..."
Mizuki carefully tested the waters. "He did manage a single clone, though it was weak. I suggested giving him a pass, but Iruka disagreed."
Hiruzen was quiet for a moment. Then he shook his head. "No. Let it stand. Naruto must pass on his own merit."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Mizuki replied, bowing again.
So much for shortcuts. Mizuki left the office, mind churning. The plot is rigid. I need to survive tonight. If I do, the future becomes more flexible. Orochimaru's invasion, the Chūnin Exams, Pain... there'll be so much chaos that a small fry like me can slip through the cracks.
He returned to the academy. The day was nearly over. Outside, families came to pick up their children. Naruto sat alone on the swing, goggles pulled low, hiding his tears.
There he is—the lonely boy hated by everyone, the same one who'll one day carry the whole shinobi world on his back.
"The Will of Fire," Mizuki muttered as he looked at the Third Hokage greeting the children and parents with gentle authority. It's noble, but in a world like this, kindness can be a weakness.
Still, Mizuki couldn't afford to wallow in resentment. I need to survive. I need to play my role—for now. After tonight, I'll reassess. If I can't control the story, maybe I can at least keep myself from being its victim.
He stood and walked toward Naruto.
The story is about to begin... Are you ready, child of destiny? I hope you like this "gift" I've prepared.