Mizuki spoke in a low, measured voice, carefully choosing each word.
He told Naruto where the Scroll of Seals was stored, how the barrier worked, and—most importantly—how learning a powerful technique from it would guarantee graduation from the academy.
Every sentence was wrapped in encouragement.
Every implication was bait.
Naruto listened intently, eyes wide, fists clenched in excitement. Just as Lock had instructed him, he hesitated at the right moments, asked the right questions, and finally revealed his "desperation."
"If… if I fail the exam again tomorrow," Naruto said, voice trembling just enough to sound genuine, "then I'll steal it."
The moment those words left his mouth, something shifted.
Mizuki's smile deepened.
His posture relaxed, and his tone softened, turning almost gentle.
"So you're serious," he said. "Naruto… sensei understands how you feel. You've been treated unfairly."
Inside, his thoughts were anything but gentle.
Good, Mizuki thought coldly. Do it for me.
Once Naruto stole the Scroll of Seals, Mizuki planned to kill him immediately and take it for himself. A dead jinchūriki would throw the village into chaos—especially if the Nine-Tails were involved again. In the confusion, no one would have the time or clarity to track him down.
He could escape.
Scroll in hand.
And if the worst happened… if the seal weakened…
The village that had cast him aside could burn.
Mizuki's eyes gleamed as he patted Naruto on the shoulder, offering false reassurance.
"Just remember," he said warmly, "this stays between us."
Naruto nodded hard.
"Thank you, Mizuki-sensei!"
They parted ways soon after.
Naruto left with hurried steps, acting nervous, excited, and reckless all at once.
Mizuki watched him go, lips curled into a thin smile.
Everything was proceeding perfectly.
High above Konoha, inside the Hokage's office, the atmosphere was calm—but tense.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, pipe in hand, thin smoke curling upward as his gaze remained fixed on the crystal ball before him.
Within it, an image shimmered.
Naruto.
Mizuki.
Their conversation replayed in silent clarity.
The Third Hokage's eyes darkened.
"So Naruto has already noticed," he murmured. "Mizuki truly is careless."
He had been aware of Mizuki's behavior for some time—his probing questions, his unusual interest in the Scroll of Seals. But Hiruzen had never considered him a serious threat.
Mizuki was only a chunin.
Insignificant in the grand scheme of the village.
Even if he acted recklessly, the damage would be limited.
More importantly, this situation presented an opportunity.
A test.
Naruto Uzumaki was not just an orphan or a student—he was the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. A weapon the village could not afford to let stagnate forever.
Perhaps it's time, Hiruzen thought, to let him take his first real step.
As both Hokage and guardian, he had watched Naruto struggle for years. Offering guidance too directly would only dull the boy's growth. Sometimes, controlled danger was the only way to sharpen steel.
And afterward…
Hiruzen's gaze softened slightly.
If Naruto succeeded, if he survived, then overlooking the rules—just this once—would make the boy feel the weight of his protection all the more.
Behind him, the shadows shifted.
Two figures emerged silently—ANBU operatives, faces hidden beneath masks.
"Hokage-sama," one whispered. "Should we eliminate him?"
Hiruzen shook his head.
"No," he said calmly. "Keep him under observation. Do not interfere unless necessary."
He paused, then added, "And prepare a blank scroll. I want it filled with a single technique."
The ANBU understood immediately.
A replacement.
A safeguard.
With a short acknowledgment, they vanished once more into the darkness.
Naruto ran.
He leapt across rooftops, sandals striking tile with loud, uneven thuds. His laughter echoed through the streets—not joyful, but forced, exaggerated.
Below, lights flickered on in houses as irritated voices rose.
"That brat again!"
"Shut up already!"
"Why doesn't someone chase him off?"
When people looked up and saw Naruto, the insults sharpened.
Curses followed him from street to street, clinging like filth.
Naruto didn't slow down until he reached his apartment.
The moment the door shut behind him, the smile fell away.
He collapsed onto his bed, staring at the cracked ceiling.
"…Lock," he said quietly. "When are we going tonight?"
He wasn't lying to Mizuki.
Not entirely.
But the timing was.
Saying "tomorrow" had been deliberate—meant to keep Iruka out of the picture and give them control over the situation.
More importantly, Lock was almost certain the Third Hokage had been watching.
Acting tonight would reveal whether the Scroll of Seals was real—or bait.
"We're not rushing," Lock replied calmly. "We go out again first. Make a few more rounds."
Naruto sat up sharply.
"Huh!? We just did that!"
"I know," Lock said. "And it worked."
Naruto frowned, arms crossing.
"I don't want to hear them curse me again. It feels awful."
Lock didn't respond immediately.
Then, evenly, he said, "You only feel affected because you're not used to it. The more it happens, the less power it has over you."
There was truth there—twisted, incomplete truth.
What Lock didn't say was how useful those emotions were.
On the way back alone, the resentment, humiliation, and brief flashes of anger had accumulated cleanly, steadily.
Efficiently.
If they kept going, the total would rise quickly.
"Besides," Lock added, "this won't last long."
Naruto hesitated, then sighed.
"…Fine. But I'm eating first."
He stood, grabbed the instant ramen cup from the table, and reached for the kettle.
Then paused.
Milk.
Lock saw it through Naruto's eyes.
Expired.
Everything on that table was past its date.
Again.
The memories surfaced instantly—cramps, nausea, pain curled tight in the stomach.
"Stop," Lock said sharply. "Don't eat that."
Naruto blinked. "Huh?"
"It's expired," Lock continued. "This is my body too."
Naruto scratched his cheek.
"I still have half a month to get through, and there's not much money left. And sometimes it's fine—I don't always get sick…"
"Go to Ichiraku," Lock cut in. "Now."
Naruto hesitated.
"But—"
"I'll handle the money," Lock said firmly. "You're not eating this."
There was no room for argument.
Naruto stared at the ramen cup, then smiled faintly.
"…Okay."
He put it down and ran out the door.
As he moved through the streets, something warm settled in his chest.
Besides the Hokage…
Besides Iruka…
There was someone else now.
Someone is watching out for him.
Ichiraku Ramen was as warm and familiar as ever.
Teuchi greeted Naruto with the same easy smile, served him without question, and made sure the bowl was full.
Naruto ate quickly, happily, steam fogging his goggles.
For the first time that evening, the weight on his chest eased.
Afterward, he didn't go home.
Instead, he followed Lock's instructions precisely.
He returned to the shops that had sold him expired food in the past.
He dragged a small stool to the entrance of one and sat down.
Then he waited.
When customers approached, Naruto spoke up cheerfully.
"This shop owner's really kind! He always gives me food for free, even when it's hard for him!"
His voice was loud.
Clear.
Convincing.
People slowed. Listened. Looked inside.
Naruto continued, smiling brightly, explaining how generous the owner was, how he never asked for anything in return.
The crowd's expressions changed.
Doubt.
Suspicion.
Disgust.
One by one, they turned away.
The shop owner burst out moments later, red-faced and furious.
"Get lost, you little demon!" he shouted, grabbing a broom.
Naruto dodged easily.
"Boss! I understand!" he yelled back dramatically. "We're just putting on a show, right!?"
He screamed exaggeratedly as the broom swung wide, never actually landing.
Laughter rippled through the onlookers.
Anger burned behind it.
By the time Naruto left, the owner was shaking with rage, and the crowd had dispersed with judgment heavy in their eyes.
Naruto's chest felt light.
Not happy.
Not sad.
But satisfied.
Inside, Lock took careful note.
Revenge.
Not just pain.
Not just despair.
Even the pleasure of turning the tables generated results.
That was important.
When Naruto felt genuinely happy—when he felt safe or loved—nothing accumulated.
But anger, humiliation, retaliation…
Those fed the depths.
By the time Naruto stopped, the change was undeniable.
They were close now.
Very close.
Lock's attention sharpened.
"Enough," he said quietly. "It's time."
Naruto straightened, breath steady, eyes serious.
"…Okay."
The night had deepened.
And their real move was about to begin.
---
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San