Mizuki.
Naruto knew that name better than anyone.
This was the man who had driven a wedge between him and Iruka-sensei. The same man who had seriously injured Iruka and tried to kill Naruto with his own hands.
Naruto had already thought Mizuki was scum.
But after seeing the ranking expose his past, he realized something even worse.
What Mizuki had done before that night had been even more despicable.
How could someone be that rotten?
On the high platform, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened.
Mizuki…
Wasn't that the fool who had manipulated Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Seals?
That matter had already been dealt with. Mizuki had been arrested and thrown into Konoha Prison, where he was still locked away.
Very few people knew the full story. Aside from those directly involved, the incident had been kept quiet.
But now this mysterious ranking had dragged everything back into the open.
The entire shinobi world had seen Mizuki's actions.
Worse, the entire shinobi world now knew that a man like that had come from Konoha.
How was Hiruzen supposed to keep his dignity as Hokage after this?
This was humiliation on a completely different level.
Damn that Mizuki… even from prison, he's still causing me trouble…
Hiruzen cursed silently.
Inside Konoha Prison, Mizuki himself was staring blankly at the scene unfolding before him.
He had already lived through all of this once.
He was already in prison.
So why did it have to be dragged out in front of the entire world all over again?
It was over.
Completely over.
Now everyone knew what he had done.
Even if he were somehow released one day, he would spend the rest of his life being cursed and spat on wherever he went.
Just thinking about it was enough to send him sinking into despair.
In the Pure Land, the reactions came quickly.
[Hashirama Senju: Which village does this shinobi belong to? Even I feel embarrassed for you!]
[Madara Uchiha: Hashirama! Just look at the forehead protector—that's a Konoha shinobi!]
[Madara Uchiha: So this is what your Konoha produces? Even I feel embarrassed for you!]
[Hashirama Senju: Uh… yeah, I'm embarrassed too. Tobirama, how exactly did you run the village?]
[Tobirama Senju: Big Brother, you can't blame me! I handed the village over to Hiruzen Sarutobi…]
[Izuna Uchiha: You can't blame you? Isn't Hiruzen your student? If he failed to govern properly, how can you, as his teacher, say it has nothing to do with you?]
[Hashirama Senju: Well said! A teacher who fails to guide his students bears responsibility too! Tobirama, just look at this mess. Weren't you just praising Hiruzen and saying nothing would go wrong under him?]
[Tobirama Senju: Big Brother, I'm innocent here! Think about it—once a forest grows large enough, all kinds of birds will gather there. In a village this big, how could there not be one or two scum like him? That can't all be blamed on Hiruzen!]
[Hashirama Senju: Hmm… that actually makes sense. Fine. I'll let it go this time.]
Only then did Tobirama quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Inside, however, he was already praying.
Hiruzen… for the love of everything sacred, please don't cause me any more trouble…
At that moment, everyone's vision blurred.
A second scene appeared.
[Naruto fails the graduation exam. Mizuki steps in and speaks up for him, urging Iruka to let him pass, but Iruka refuses.]
[Because of that, a rift forms between Naruto and Iruka, while Naruto starts to feel grateful toward Mizuki.]
[After gaining Naruto's trust, Mizuki tells him about a forbidden scroll—the Scroll of Seals—and says that if Naruto learns the techniques inside it, he will definitely graduate.]
[After hearing that, Naruto steals the Scroll of Seals.]
[Mizuki appears soon after, reveals that he had only been using Naruto from the beginning, and attacks him to seize the scroll.]
[Naruto refuses to hand it over. After fighting back for a while, he is gradually pushed into a corner.]
[Mizuki throws several kunai at Naruto. Death is only a moment away.]
[Iruka arrives and throws himself in front of Naruto, taking the attack with his own body.]
[He fights Mizuki afterward, but is badly wounded, and Naruto uses the opening to escape.]
[Mizuki disguises himself as Iruka and goes after Naruto. He throws a shuriken at him, only for the real Iruka—who had transformed into Naruto—to block it.]
[After shaking Iruka off, Mizuki finds the real Naruto again.]
[He pulls the giant shuriken from his back and hurls it viciously at Naruto.]
[A cruel smile spreads across Mizuki's face.]
"Die, demon fox! The Scroll of Seals is mine now!"
Just as the giant shuriken was about to cut Naruto down, the atmosphere in the Pure Land changed instantly.
Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki both froze.
From Naruto's appearance—and from the name Mizuki used for him—they understood the truth immediately.
That blond boy…
Naruto…
was their son.
The moment Kushina saw him in danger, her eyes turned red with fury. Her hands clenched so tightly they trembled.
[Kushina Uzumaki: How dare he lay a hand on my son?! I'll never forgive him!]
Beside her, Minato said nothing.
But his silence was even heavier than anger.
His fists were clenched so tightly that it was obvious how violently his emotions were churning inside him.
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