“How do you feel?” Kaoru asked as he saw Sugeru finally waking up. Sugeru was lying on the bed, his injuries already treated by the medic-nin. Now, it was just a matter of time until he fully recovered. It took a moment for Sugeru’s eyes to focus, but he finally managed a faint smile when he saw Kaoru clearly.

“This is nothing,” Sugeru said weakly. “I’ve felt far worse after sparring with you back when you had no control over your strength.”

Kaoru’s lips curved into a small smile, but there was a sharp edge in his voice as he replied, “Akito told me what happened. You’re a moron, you know that, right?”

Sugeru chuckled lightly, but Kaoru continued, his tone more serious. “You were the strongest member of your team, Sugeru. You were supposed to protect them, not turn yourself into a burden.”

Sugeru’s smile didn’t fade. “You know I’d do the same thing again in that situation, don’t you?” he said, chuckling as if he had no regrets.

“And that’s why you’re a moron,” Kaoru retorted, though his tone softened as he let out a small laugh. “Alright, I’ll go get some rest now that you are awake. Someone else will come to keep you company. Honestly, I preferred you when you were asleep.” Kaoru smirked and stood up to leave.

“How much time do I have to recover? And how’s Yuji?” Sugeru called out just before Kaoru reached the door.

Kaoru turned his head. “There are three more days left in the second exam, and Yuji’s doing fine—certainly better than you. At the very least, he could kick your ass right now,” Kaoru said with a grin before waving him off and stepping out.

As Kaoru walked into the hall, a familiar voice greeted him. “I thought you’d never come out.”

Kaoru turned to see Toji Senju leaning casually against the wall. “Hello, Toji. I didn’t realize your team had also finished the exam,” Kaoru said with a smile.

“We got here a few hours ago,” Toji said, his grin widening. “Salko kept forcing us to play it safe, so it took us ages to finish this shitty exam. But hey, no more team play now—it’s all solo from here on out.” Toji’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Salko? Which one is he?” Kaoru asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Yamanaka,” Toji said with a laugh. “The guy who talked big when you first met us. The one who thought he was hot stuff.”

Kaoru chuckled. “Oh, him. So why did he slow you down?”

Toji leaned closer, still laughing. “Actually, it’s kind of your fault. After that encounter with you, Salko couldn’t stop going on about how you were way stronger than any genin has a right to be. He’s been paranoid ever since.”

Kaoru smirked. “I tend to leave that kind of impression,” he said with a grin, and the two of them burst into laughter.

“Listen, I’m starving. Wanna grab something to eat?” Kaoru asked, glancing at Toji.

Toji nodded. “Same here. I’ve been waiting for hours.”

As they made their way toward the kitchen area, they passed through the hall bustling with teams, some recovering from the trials of the Forest of Death while others chatted nervously about what was ahead. Kaoru’s eyes swept across the crowd, pausing briefly when he noticed Itachi’s team hadn’t joined them yet.

[That’s odd,] Kaoru thought. [With Itachi’s strength, I figured they’d have been one of the first teams back. Could something have happened?] He frowned slightly but quickly shook off the thought. [Nah, everything’s probably fine. It’s Itachi, after all.]

When they reached the kitchen, Kaoru’s eyes lit up at the sight of the open bar. There were countless dishes laid out, ranging from steaming bowls of ramen to plates of fresh sushi and grilled meats.

“Toji, what do you recommend? Anything special from Konoha I should try?” Kaoru asked, his mouth practically watering.

Toji chuckled and shrugged. “I’m no foodie, honestly. I’ve been living off ration bars just for convenience. You should probably just pick whatever looks good to you.”

Kaoru shook his head in disbelief but smiled as he made his choice. In the end, he followed Toji’s lead and grabbed some sushi before looking around for a free table. That’s when he spotted Mizuki sitting alone, eating quietly.

“Toji, I’m gonna join my friend over there. Wanna come?” Kaoru asked, nodding toward Mizuki.

Toji hesitated for a moment, feeling like Kaoru was just being polite. He smiled and waved off the invitation. “Nah, I’ll go eat with my teammates. But come find me in the hall when you’re done—I’d love to spar with you later,” he said, already walking away.

“Sure thing,” Kaoru called after him, watching Toji head off before turning his attention to Mizuki. Carrying his plate, he approached her table with a smile.

“Sugeru just woke up,” Kaoru said as he set his tray down at the table across from Mizuki.

“How is he?” Mizuki asked without looking up from her food.

“Pale, covered in bruises, but somehow still has the energy to crack jokes,” Kaoru chuckled, shaking his head.

Mizuki allowed herself a faint smile. “Then he’s fine.”

Kaoru hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Hey, Mizuki... I’m sorry about earlier. I was a bit harsh—”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Mizuki interrupted, finally looking up at him. “You said what you thought was right, and I respect that. If you want to be a good clan head, you need to be able to be rough sometimes.” She gave him a small, genuine smile, though it was clear from her expression that she appreciated the apology. “Besides, I’m sure you’re apologizing for your tone, not your words. You still think I let my anger consume me, don’t you?”

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Kaoru sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I do. You’ve always been rougher than Akane and me, but this time... it was different. You looked like you were enjoying it—killing them, I mean.” He leaned forward, watching her carefully for a reaction.

Mizuki didn’t flinch. Her face remained calm, almost unreadable. “I was enjoying it,” she admitted, her voice steady but laced with pain. “Kaoru, I know your life hasn’t been easy either, but I watched my family die in front of me. My brother sacrificed himself to protect me, and my sister... she was abused until she couldn’t endure it anymore.” Mizuki’s fists clenched, and tears welled in her eyes as she spoke. “If I’d been stronger back then or if anyone in my village had been, none of it would’ve happened.” She paused, and her face got much darker. “I won’t forgive people who use their strength to hurt others. Those genin deserved what they got. They were hunting down our friends like animals. You might not agree with me, but as the next clan head, you’ll need to learn to be decisive and ruthless when necessary. It’s what Takime needs.”

Kaoru stayed quiet, he was analyzing what Mizuki just told him. He’d known about Mizuki’s past but never heard her speak about it herself. It was a lot to process.

“Mizuki, I’m not saying we shouldn’t have killed them. I’m just worried you might lose yourself to that rage. You might not share our last name, but the moment Maki brought you into our clan, you became part of the Takime. We’ll always stand by you. Besides,” he added with a teasing grin, “you’re one of my very few friends, and you know what an honor that is.”

Mizuki’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Thank you,” she said softly, her eyes glimmering with gratitude.

“By the way,” Kaoru continued, tilting his head, “why do you keep saying I’ll be the next clan head? That’s obviously going to be Maki.”

This time, it was Mizuki’s turn to look confused. “Sometimes, it puzzles me how little you know about what’s happening around you,” she said, frowning. “Maki rejected her right to be the successor when she developed Predator’s Pact. If there are multiple candidates, the one with Suijingan becomes the next head, which means... you. Congrats, Lord Kaoru—you’ve just gained a whole lot of responsibility.” She chuckled, watching Kaoru’s face darken in horror.

“But... if I’m the clan head, I won’t be able to travel whenever I want!” Kaoru groaned helplessly.

Mizuki’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Should I start calling you Lord Kaoru now? Technically, you’re my leader.”

“Don’t you dare,” Kaoru grumbled, running a hand through his hair. “Grandma’s going to make me sit through all those boring meetings, isn’t she? Maki is going to enjoy this so much.” Kaoru’s bright future just crumbled at that moment. He realized that instead of being free and able to do whatever he wished, he was just forced into a position he did not want at all. However, suddenly a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes, maybe Mizuki was pranking him, “How do you know this? How do you know that clan will prioritize me just because I have a Suijingan?”

“No, Kaoru the question should be how do you not know any of this? The clan has a book outlining all the rules. Everyone knows Maki isn’t the successor anymore—everyone except you, apparently,” Mizuki said with a perfectly straight face.

[So Maki creates a new technique, and I’m the one who has to pay the price?!] Kaoru thought, utterly defeated. He recalled how often Maki complained about not having time to train because of all the responsibilities Suiren dumped on her. Being the clan head sounded like a nightmare.

[Wait... there’s a way out of this,] Kaoru realized, his expression brightening as a new idea formed. [I’m in Konoha now. I have to get my hands on Shadow Clone Jutsu at any cost.]

Mizuki noticed the sudden shift in his mood and raised an eyebrow. “What are you scheming now?” she asked suspiciously.

Kaoru just grinned. “Nothing important. Let’s get back to others,” said Kaoru with a smile as he picked up an empty tray, however, that smile disappeared momentarily.

“As you command, lord Kaoru,” said Mizuki and made an exaggerated bow.

<<<>>>

Hiruzen sat at his desk, puffing on his pipe, the smoke curling lazily upward as he reviewed a stack of papers. The door creaked open, and Shikaku stepped in.

“Lord Hokage,” Shikaku began, rubbing the back of his neck. “There are too many teams who’ve passed the second exam. We need to thin the numbers for the final round, or it’s going to turn into a logistical nightmare.” His tone carried a hint of annoyance, the hallmark of a man who detested extra work.

Hiruzen chuckled softly, setting his pipe down. “I suppose we can arrange preliminary one-on-one matches to cut down the numbers. It won’t be a public spectacle, though—just a quiet elimination round.” He waved a hand dismissively, clearly unbothered by the matter. “As long as Konoha’s candidates perform well, that’s all that really matters.”

Shikaku nodded, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Good. The less work for me, the better.”

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair. “Shikaku, what’s your take on Takimura? They’re still relatively unknown, but they’ve drawn a fair bit of attention.”

Shikaku crossed his arms as he considered the question. “Honestly, I think we should do nothing for now. Maintain friendly relations and observe. They’re small and isolated. Even if they can defend their valley well, they’ll eventually have to leave it to trade or earn money. That’s when their vulnerabilities will show.” He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “Still... I’ve heard about the boy from Takimura, the one with the rare kekkei genkai. If it’s as strong as the information says, that could change things.”

Hiruzen picked up his pipe again, taking a slow draw. “So, you’re saying we should wait and see if they’re worth considering as allies—or as a potential threat?”

Shikaku shrugged. “Pretty much. If the boy’s kekkei genkai is as powerful as it sounds, he could be the key to Takimura’s survival. But if it’s just hype, they’ll crumble under the pressure sooner or later. Either way, we don’t need to make any sudden moves. Let the exams play out. They’ll tell us everything we need to know.”

Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke, nodding. “A pragmatic approach, as always,” he said with a smile, “And what about Kirigakure? Do you think we should pressure them to increase the chances of Takimura's survival?”

“That depends,” Shikaku said, scratching his chin. “If Takimura’s got more talent hidden away like that boy, they might be worth it. But if not... well, Kiri doesn’t pull its punches, if we antagonize them too much, they might do something outrageous. Either way, their actions in the exams will give us a better picture of their capabilities.” Said Shikaku hoping he could leave the room before Hiruzen dumped more work on him.

Hiruzen leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “Very well. Keep an eye on the Takimura candidates. I want a full report on their performance after the exams.”

Shikaku gave a lazy salute, [As I thought, this old man hates it when I have some free time.] he thought as he prepared to leave, “Got it. Let’s just hope they don’t cause too much trouble. I hate cleaning up messes.”

Hiruzen chuckled softly, watching Shikaku leave. [The exams might be more enlightening than I initially thought,] he mused, his mind already turning over possibilities as he puffed on his pipe once more.

**

A/N -

The next chapter will focus on one-on-one duels. That's gonna be the last stop before the final round of the Chunin Exams. I haven’t finalized the matchups yet, but rest assured, they’re going to be intense. Let’s see who rises to the occasion and who gets left behind!

Should we make bets? ^_^ and no, Itachi and Kaoru does not count xD

Character Notes:

Shikaku - Lazy - “Why make an effort when waiting usually works better?”

Kaoru - Cheeky - “Clan head? Sure, but only if I can use shadow clones to attend meetings.”

**