In the moonlit forest, Naruto was engrossed, meticulously absorbing the contents of the Scroll of Seals. Suddenly, a shadow fell over him, eclipsing the moonlight and blocking his sight.
"Naruto, what are you doing out here!" Iruka's voice boomed, breathless from his urgent arrival.
"Ah? Iruka-sensei, why are you here? I'm learning ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals! Ah, Iruka-sensei, if I really practice it, can I finally graduate from the Ninja Academy?" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes wide with unbridled excitement.
"The Scroll of Seals? Graduation?" Iruka faltered for a moment, then his expression hardened. "You mean, Mizuki told you all this?"
"Yeah, Mizuki-sensei told me! He told me all about the graduation method and where to find the scroll!" Naruto declared with an innocent, carefree shrug. Heh heh heh, just like Ren-nii said, as long as I point to Mizuki-sensei, everything will be fine, right?
Even Iruka, usually so perceptive, was momentarily deceived by Naruto's perpetually guileless demeanor, utterly failing to grasp the hidden cunning developing within the boy. If Ren had been there at that moment, he undoubtedly would have given Naruto's acting a resounding thumbs-up!
Iruka's face, however, paled dramatically after Naruto's innocent confession. Suddenly, the sharp whistle of shuriken cutting through the air filled the silence from behind him.
"No, it's Mizuki! Ah… Naruto, run!" Iruka cried out, his voice laced with urgency. Without hesitation, he bravely lunged, positioning himself squarely in front of Naruto, enduring the volley of shuriken himself.
"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto's voice was a furious roar.
"Iruka, just for that nine-tailed monster, do you truly think it's worth it? He killed your parents! In truth, you hate him as much as I do, don't you?" Mizuki's voice, laced with cruel mockery, echoed from the shadows.
"No, he is not a monster… That kid, in my heart, he is my most diligent and best student!" Iruka growled, pulling the embedded shuriken from his body, his teeth gritted in pain and defiance.
Everything unfolded just as it had in the original timeline. Though Iruka's parents had perished during the Nine-Tails Disaster, he had never harbored hatred for Naruto, unlike so many others in the village. Instead, he had always regarded Naruto as his exceptional student, firmly believing he would one day achieve a stature akin to that of a Hokage.
Naruto, despite having heard the full account of these events from Ren's own lips, still felt a powerful surge of emotion hearing Iruka-sensei reveal such profound conviction directly to him. Unexpectedly, besides Ren-nii, Iruka-sensei has been caring about me all this time too.
Fueled by a burning fighting spirit, Naruto not only rescued Iruka-sensei but also unleashed his Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, brutally overwhelming Mizuki and beating him within an inch of his life.
Perched on the Hokage Rock statues not far away, Ren stood tall. Behind him, dozens of Anbu ninjas, clad neatly in their black uniforms and wearing various animal masks, stood in disciplined formation. This was the Second Konoha Assassination Unit, currently under Ren's command. The former Captain of the Second Konoha Assassination Squad, Amzo, had recently been promoted to the current Anbu Commander.
The reason for this shake-up, of course, was Kakashi, the previous Anbu Commander. He had personally submitted an application to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, requesting to lead the newly graduated genin as their instructor. Though Naruto hadn't technically passed the graduation exam, he was certainly destined to graduate under Sarutobi Hiruzen's direct arrangement. As the son of Minato-sensei, Kakashi felt a profound duty to become his instructor. Moreover, the assigned group included the sole remaining survivor of the Uchiha clan within the village—Uchiha Sasuke. Driven by his debt to Obito and the shared origin of the Sharingan, Kakashi was, in the entire village, the only one truly fit to serve as Uchiha Sasuke's guiding Jonin. Sarutobi Hiruzen, naturally, had readily agreed to his request.
Now, Ren, as the newly appointed leader of Konoha's Second Assassination Unit, led his ninjas to perform tonight's crucial mission.
"Captain, everything is proceeding according to plan! The Nine-Tails boy's mood is very stable; it seems there should be no risk of him losing control."
"Captain Hayabusa, can we return now? I still have an assassination mission to complete. I don't have time to stay here watching this warm and touching drama."
"That's right," another Anbu ninja chimed in. "There are a lot of assassinations happening outside, and seeing this scene for a while really gives me goosebumps."
Ren narrowed his eyes, glancing back at his impatient subordinates. Then, slowly, he spoke, a hint of amusement in his voice. "What's the hurry? Did you truly believe I brought you here just to monitor Naruto, merely to prevent the Nine-Tails from running wild, as Hokage-sama ordered?"
"No, isn't it?" an Anbu ninja stammered, confusion lacing his words. "The task Hokage-sama gave us was indeed this."
Ren raised an eyebrow, a chuckle escaping his lips. "If the Nine-Tails truly went wild, who among you would deal with it? The Civet Cat? Or the Flying Fish? With your current strength, you'd barely be enough to get stuck between the Nine-Tails' teeth."
"This…"
Beneath their masks, all the Anbu ninjas collectively sucked in a sharp breath. They recalled the Nine-Tails Disaster from years ago, remembering how many of their seniors, far stronger than themselves, had been annihilated in a single encounter with the Nine-Tails. Their current strength… it truly wasn't enough to make a difference!
Realizing this, a flush of embarrassment spread beneath their masks.
"Then... Captain," Yugao Uzuki, the captain of an Anbu squad codenamed "Purple," summoned her courage and asked Ren, "Why are we out here in the middle of the night, enduring this cold wind?"
Ren simply raised his chin, gesturing downward. "Look below. They're already here."
Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, then quickly peered into the forest beneath them. At that moment, the perception team, responsible for sensory duties within the Anbu, suddenly called out loudly:
"Report, Captain! Two hundred meters to the southeast! An unknown team of four individuals detected, rapidly approaching target mission Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Report, Captain! Two hundred and fifty meters to the northeast! An unknown team of four individuals detected, rapidly approaching target mission Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Report, Captain! Three hundred meters to the southwest! An unknown team of four individuals detected, rapidly approaching target mission Uzumaki Naruto!"
Enemy attack?
The moment the sensory ninja reported the news, the Anbu ninjas grew tense.
"Captain Hayabusa, allow me to lead a team to the southeast to intercept the enemy!"
"Captain Hayabusa, I request permission to lead a team to the northeast to intercept the enemy!"
"Then I'll request permission to lead a team to the southwest and intercept the enemy!"
The Anbu team captains eagerly volunteered, seeking Ren's authorization to engage the incoming threats.
At this moment, Ren calmly raised his right hand, signaling his subordinates to silence and obedience. A faint smile touched his lips as he said, "Don't worry, let's first see what these people intend to do."
Hearing this, the Anbu ninjas all exchanged doubtful glances. The enemy was already closing in on their target, Naruto Uzumaki, forming a siege. Why wasn't their captain in a hurry? According to their usual protocols, shouldn't they immediately launch an attack, crushing these enemy plans in their infancy, then quickly dragging the defeated foes to the interrogation department for questioning? Sitting still and waiting had never been Anbu's modus operandi.
Ren had no intention of explaining himself to them. He wasn't in a hurry because he already knew who the "enemy" was. If he didn't let the other party reveal their hand a little... how could he then seize the perfect leverage against them?
Isn't there a saying? The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it!