Naruto: Burning Will

Mizuki's words clearly embarrassed the two advisors—and Shimura Danzō most of all.

When it comes to chakra control, there's currently no one in the village who can match Mizuki's level, even if his overall strength is inferior to others. This isn't to say that Mizuki is some extraordinary genius—it's simply the product of painstaking effort and deliberate training.

Chakra control, like most aspects of ninjutsu, requires a mix of talent and hard work. But why are there so few shinobi with precise chakra control? Because for most, it simply isn't necessary.

It's like someone wanting to see distant mountains—you only need a basic telescope. Who would go through the trouble of building a high-end astronomical scope just to see craters on the moon?

The shinobi world works the same way. Outside of research-focused ninja like Orochimaru—or specialized types like Tsunade or Yakushi Kabuto—few invest the time or chakra to achieve that level of fine control. Even if someone can perform delicate feats like Mizuki, what practical purpose does it serve? Is he planning to be a circus performer? Most would argue it's more worthwhile to focus on learning higher-tier ninjutsu. At least then, the results are immediate and measurable in combat.

What's more, improving chakra control becomes exponentially harder the deeper one goes. Without a mentor to guide the process, the path can easily become a dead end. Even the best chakra control can amount to nothing if it's not applied meaningfully.

A good example is Haruno Sakura in Part I of the manga. Despite her excellent chakra control during the Academy days, she was completely outclassed by Naruto Uzumaki—whose control was wildly unstable—until she trained under Tsunade. Raw strength and chakra volume can easily overwhelm technique, especially early on.

Another reason precise chakra control is rare is because those truly gifted in it often find more rewarding paths. Why stay in chakra micromanagement when you can become a medical-nin or a genjutsu specialist with half the effort? Redirecting one's talents toward areas of maximum impact is simply pragmatic.

The only types who truly rely on high-level chakra control as a primary advantage are either rare geniuses—or ninja like Mizuki, who lack overwhelming strength or bloodline techniques. For someone like him, with no clear specialty, mastering the fundamentals like chakra control is essential to remain competitive. It's a way to turn the curve and potentially surpass stronger opponents in less direct ways.

The conversation that followed was awkward. Danzō looked away from Mizuki and remained silent, clearly deep in thought. Koharu Utatane didn't pursue the matter further either. For once, the two advisors and Danzō weren't fully aligned in their stance.

If the moderates could steer the discussion, all the better. At the very least, it was important to keep Danzō from exploiting the situation. The village's position here was delicate. Suspicions had arisen about Mizuki possibly stealing secret techniques—something that, in any shinobi village, is a serious taboo.

Unless it's a case like the Uchiha Clan—whose strength made them impossible to confront directly until they rebelled—such behavior is never openly tolerated. To publicize this issue could stir resentment, especially among clans with exclusive bloodline limits or secret jutsu.

Many of those present had spent decades developing unique techniques, and if stealing such secrets became common, they'd be the ones to suffer most. It would set a dangerous precedent.

In the shinobi world, beyond the standard Academy curriculum, most jutsu are passed down through master-apprentice bonds or within clans. These techniques are lifelines—symbols of trust and leverage. The unspoken rule is simple: You don't have to teach me—but you're never allowed to steal it.

Sensing the tension, Mitokado Homura stepped in. "Is there no way to mitigate this situation? If it's as impractical as you claim…"

"Mass production is out of the question with current technology," Mizuki replied, shaking his head. "The cost is too high. It was actually discovered by accident—just a side effect of a ninjutsu experiment."

Of course, Mizuki wasn't about to subject himself to a lie detector right now. He offered a half-truth—just enough truth to pass, mixed with a lie that wouldn't be easily disproved. That's the nature of ninjutsu research: unpredictable, experimental, and sometimes wildly fruitful by accident.

"This matter ends here," Homura decided at last. Neither Koharu nor Danzō raised objections.

Until the true nature and effect of the so-called "omnipotent potion" could be confirmed, it wasn't worth creating political unrest. Especially during a time of leadership vacuum, pushing too hard would only alienate potential allies.

"There's some additional intel we need you to verify," Homura added. "You were one of the few who witnessed the battle between Lord Hiruzen and Orochimaru. The village needs more clarity on that confrontation."

"What about the pseudo-jinchūriki clone? From what I saw, it was just a bizarre variant of a shadow clone technique. Until it shows real strategic value, I doubt it warrants that much attention." Mizuki paused. "Maybe they were distracted by the potion and ended up ignoring something irrelevant. Either way, fine by me. Saves me trouble."

Mizuki then took the opportunity to relay more details from that battle—combining firsthand observation with fragmented memories from before. Some of what he shared shocked even the veteran councilors.

"You actually heard Orochimaru say it wasn't his first time changing bodies?" Koharu asked, eyes narrowing.

"Yes. I can confirm it."

At that, Koharu glanced toward Danzō. He responded with a small shake of the head, visibly disturbed.

It was already known from past intelligence that Orochimaru had discovered ways to slow or reverse aging. But if this wasn't a one-time forbidden technique, and Orochimaru could survive even the Reaper Death Seal Hiruzen used to try to bind him—it meant the Third Hokage's final sacrifice might not have stopped him for long.

Even if Orochimaru didn't regain full power, he'd recover enough. That reality was difficult for anyone to accept.

After a thoughtful silence, Homura asked, "Do you know anything about the strange conditions of Orochimaru's subordinates?"

"I don't have precise details," Mizuki admitted. "But judging by what I saw, their symptoms seem similar to those of Mitarashi Anko and Uchiha Sasuke. I believe it's the same source—those cursed seals Orochimaru uses—but applied in different ways."

The village's analysts had reached similar conclusions. But the truth was, no one in Konoha fully understood the mechanics of those cursed marks—not yet.

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