Amidst the fierce clash, Mizuki suddenly leapt out of the fight. Iruka, temporarily suppressed and at a disadvantage, didn't dare to pursue but stood alert at a distance.
Mizuki looked at Iruka and sneered, "Iruka, what's got you all worked up? Scared I'm gonna snatch the Scroll of Seals? Or maybe it's about Naruto Uzumaki?"
"What exactly is your objective?" Iruka remained cautious.
Mizuki ignored Iruka and instead spoke to Naruto, "Naruto, don't you trust me? I never lied to you, come on—you've already mastered some incredible ninjutsu, right?"
"I know Teacher Mizuki didn't lie," Naruto replied uneasily. "But why are you fighting Teacher Iruka? Aren't you both ninja from Konoha?"
"Hehe, Naruto, want to know the truth?"
Naruto eagerly nodded.
"Naruto, do you know why Iruka always refused to let you become a ninja? Because Iruka has been resenting you all along. Do you really think he's someone worth trusting?"
"Resentment? Why?" Naruto could hardly accept this shocking revelation. Even Iruka, who had always taken care of him, disliked him?
"I told you before that Iruka is an orphan, right? Well, do you know what happened to his parents?" Mizuki mercilessly continued. "*Because you were the one who killed them.*"
The words hit Naruto like a thunderclap. "I... I killed Iruka's parents? That's impossible!"
"Stop it, Mizuki!" Iruka shouted loudly, trying to stop Mizuki.
Mizuki disregarded Iruka and secretly circulated chakra. With a faint vibration, Naruto felt a slight itch on his head. But he paid no attention, thinking it was just a small insect bite common at night, and casually scratched his head.
Mizuki inwardly rejoiced—the plan worked. Originally using poison was just in case something went wrong, but unexpectedly it came in handy. Though calling it poison was a bit of a stretch—it was more like a powerful stimulant with dangerous side effects. It sped up the body's processes and intensified emotions, making anyone under its influence more likely to act recklessly—just for a little while.
Seeing everything going smoothly, Mizuki continued talking to Naruto, "More than ten years ago, the Nine-Tails attacked Konoha, causing massive damage to the village—you already know that, don't you?"
"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "And I also know the Fourth Hokage saved everyone and protected the village."
"That's right, and Iruka's parents were killed by the Nine-Tails during that time. And the demon fox sealed by the Fourth Hokage? That monster… is you, Naruto Uzumaki!"
"You bastard, Mizuki! Don't say another word!" Iruka roared, clutching his head in pain.
Inside the Konoha Hokage Office, the Third Hokage observed through [Telescope Technique], letting out a deep sigh. "So Mizuki finally revealed the secret. Things just got complicated."
Meanwhile, Naruto, unable to accept this devastating truth, murmured, "How could this happen? Am I a murderer? Am I the monster Nine-Tails? So that's why everyone in the village hates me and curses me... always alone."
Mizuki glanced over—seeing Iruka still hadn't recovered yet.
A perfect opportunity. This move could decide everything.
Mizuki quickly formed Hand Seals and took advantage of Iruka's distraction to activate a genjutsu.
[Naraka Sight Technique]
The target was the stunned Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto Uzumaki, caught in the genjutsu, immediately appeared dazed. Soon, his expression revealed both pain and fear as though he had witnessed something unimaginable.
Mizuki watched developments unfold.
"The combined effect of the genjutsu and drugs should yield the desired outcome. It's not that I didn't want to use more reliable, stronger poison, but given Naruto Uzumaki's constitution and recovery ability, it's impossible to predict his resistance. I could only use stimulants to avoid triggering strong reactions. Fortunately, Naruto's chakra control is poor, and judging from now, his resistance to genjutsu is practically zero."
Noticing something wrong, Iruka looked at the suffering Naruto and sternly asked, "Mizuki, what exactly have you done?"
"I'm just letting him see the truth. Truth be told, I'm quite curious about what choice he'll make next."
At this moment, Naruto's body uncontrollably trembled in pain. Suddenly, he raised his head with wide-open eyes, abnormal red light emanating from both eyes, clearly displaying anger and madness within.
Iruka stretched out his hands to comfort Naruto, but Naruto raised his hand and pushed him aside. Then he rushed forward suddenly, ramming his head into Iruka's chest, sending Iruka flying backward over ten meters.
Staring in disbelief, Iruka said, "What are you doing? Naruto? It's not like that. Don't believe Mizuki!"
Unfortunately, Naruto couldn't hear anything anymore. Having lost his reason, the enraged Naruto rapidly formed Hand Seals. A massive amount of chakra erupted outward as more than twenty Shadow Clones appeared.
Witnessing this, Mizuki hurriedly distanced himself to avoid being accidentally harmed.
"Only more than twenty clones—nowhere near the avalanche of clones he unleashed when he defeated me in the original story. Could it be because his opponent is Iruka this time? Not facing the self-recognized great villain like the original Mizuki, so subconsciously he doesn't want to hurt others. What a genuinely kind kid. As Asura's reincarnated vessel, his unwavering belief in love and justice runs deep in his soul."
...
Without realizing it, more than ten minutes had passed. Mizuki observed Naruto continuously attacking Iruka with Shadow Clones, gradually frowning.
"The irrational Naruto Uzumaki lacks even basic tactical abilities, mindlessly consuming Iruka's stamina. At least his chaotic attacks don't give Iruka any chance for counterattack. Looks like this might become a prolonged battle. Should I intervene?" Casually glancing at the Scroll of Seals lying on the ground, then looking toward the distant forest. Not long ago, someone triggered his perimeter alert, but hadn't shown themselves yet. Were they observing the situation or~
"It's well-concealed, yet not deliberately trying to stay hidden. Even a moderately skilled ninja can easily detect them. So bold and arrogant—do they think they can dominate this place instantly?"
Looks like a formidable expert has arrived. Mizuki couldn't help but feel his heart tighten.
"We can't act recklessly. I've already drained quite a bit of Iruka's stamina, and he's carrying multiple minor injuries too. Iruka isn't particularly known for his physical prowess either. Naruto should be able to finish this fight before the drug's effects wear off."
...
Another twenty minutes passed. After Iruka was knocked down against a tree and failed to rise again, he could only watch helplessly as Naruto stood over him, completely drained of strength.
Witnessing this scene, Mizuki knew it was about time. Naruto had expended plenty too. If the battle continued into the afternoon, awakening the Nine-Tails would become uncontrollable. In this situation, the powerful figures hiding in the shadows wouldn't stay passive anymore.
Mizuki made up his mind. Immediately, he cast a genjutsu on Naruto, who collapsed limply without resistance and lost consciousness.
"Iruka, how does it feel being defeated by a student you considered incapable of becoming a ninja?" Mizuki strutted forward toward Iruka and Naruto, fully playing the villain's role.
"What exactly do you want? Mizuki, there's still time to turn back now," Iruka desperately tried to reason with Mizuki.
"I told you long ago—you're too naive, Iruka." Mizuki didn't respond directly. He walked over to Naruto, crouched beside him, formed a hand seal, channeled his chakra, then commanded firmly, "Release!" before gently shaking Naruto's head. Soon afterward, Naruto groggily regained consciousness.
"Is that... Teacher Mizuki?" Naruto muttered, then sensed something was wrong. "I feel like I just fought an intense battle in my dream. My whole body feels exhausted. Huh? Teacher Iruka, why are you injured? What happened?" As Naruto spoke, the truth hit him all at once. "So everything was because of me... No doubt, I really am a monster." Immediately, Naruto looked deeply shaken and lost.
Mizuki gently flicked Naruto on the forehead and smiled, saying, "Good job, Naruto-kun." Without paying further attention to the bewildered Naruto, Mizuki turned around and said to Iruka, "The rest is all up to you. I'll take my leave first. Hopefully we meet again tomorrow." Glancing at the sky, he corrected himself, "Oops—I got that wrong. The sky's practically light already. So actually, 'see you today.' Teacher Iruka, and also Naruto." With those words, he picked up the Scroll of Seals lying on the ground and headed toward Konoha's main gate.
"The most unpredictable part is over. The outcome wasn't bad at all. Leaving the rest to these two sentimental types should be fine. A warmhearted teacher and an earnest protagonist—surely they'll play out a touching emotional scene next. As the villain, continuing to stick around here really isn't suitable anymore."
However, after feeling the scroll slung across his back, Mizuki couldn't suppress a surge of excitement: "The Third Hokage even dispatched elite ninjas as backup. Looks like the Scroll of Seals might not be entirely fake. Should I take a quick peek?" Resisting such temptation was easier said than done. But after a moment of hesitation, Mizuki thought to himself: "Better not. No need to invite unnecessary trouble. The risks are too high. It might jeopardize all previous efforts, which definitely isn't worth it."
Walking along the forest path, until the figures of Naruto and Iruka were no longer visible behind him, suddenly a shadowy figure blocked Mizuki's way.
"You must be Mizuki. I'm sure you understand the current situation without me explaining further. Don't even consider running—you won't get the chance."
Hearing this, Mizuki carefully examined the newcomer.
Not someone Mizuki originally knew. But that distinctive trait...
"It's Kakashi Hatake." Mizuki's lips couldn't help but twitch. "Why would they send someone this strong to deal with something so trivial? Doesn't the Third think this is overkill?"
Even so, Mizuki had no choice but to accept his powerless position—after all, their power levels were nowhere close. Resistance was impossible.
"I see. So you're the Anbu here to arrest me?"
"Don't ask unnecessary questions. Drop the Scroll of Seals and step back."
Mizuki had no choice but to comply, placing the scroll on the ground and stepping back a dozen paces. Kakashi stepped forward, checked the scroll, and then tucked the Scroll of Seals into his pocket. He then said to Mizuki, "Good. Since you know when to stand down, it shows you've decided to surrender. My mission is complete. What happens next is left to the Third. Let's go."
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