Naruto the Sharingan Wielder
Chapter 14: Mizuki's Plot
In the last chapter, Naruto and his friends are working hard to pass through their basic training before the graduation exams. Once they pass the graduation exams, they will officially become genin shinobi. However, word is that Mizuki has something planned for Naruto since he wants the powers inside of the kid's body. But Iruka knows that his old friend is not who he thinks he is and so there fore, he must put an end to whatever Mizuki is doing before its too late. Will he and Naruto succeed or will the child face the harsh truth about himself? Read and find out
Several months later…
With everyone continuing their training to prepare for the graduation exams, it seems that many of them have mastered almost everything that Iruka had taught them since their first time in the academy. Almost all of them are making good progress so far because they passed through every single task assigned to them. As dawn approaches, Iruka gathers everyone around and makes one final announcement before concluding the training.
"All right my fellow students, based on your performance out there so far today and for the last several months, I have to say I am very pleased with the results you've done so far. With everything that we have covered so far, you guys are on your way to become excellent shinobi. Now, I have another announcement to make. The graduation exams are coming up and I want you all to be in tip top shape to prepare for them before you leave the academy to become true ninjas. The exams will cover almost everything that you've all learned so far and it can help you to prepare to face real foes in other villages. What I mean by foes is that, you will all be assigned a jonin shinobi and you will be given various high ranking missions outside of Konoha. Some of the missions will be easy, some are not going to be easy, but that will all depend on your strength and capabilities as genin. Don't worry, your instructors will help you out the best they can since they will be testing you as well after graduation. So I want you all to rest up, prepare for the graduation exams, and face new challenges. That is all for today." Announced Iruka. Afterwards, everyone jumped up and down with excitement about graduation and headed home to tell their parents about it.
Once everyone left the training field, Naruto was still there finalizing his training capabilities before heading over to where Iruka was. "Sensei, after all the hard work we've done so far, I think the graduation exams should pose no problems for me. After all, if I want a challenge, I will gladly do them with my friends by my side to assist me."
"You sure are a persistent little knucklehead. But the truth is, Naruto. You are not ready for the bigger challenges yet. The Hokage told me to start things off easy with you before we move on to the more difficult challenges. Besides, I know that these last few months of training hasn't been easy for you, but you've learned a lot so far, and I am very proud of you and your friends for that. Now you should get some rest, tomorrow you've got a big day ahead. Promise me that you will not fail, we are all counting on you to do your best, okay?" finished Iruka as he placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Hai, Sensei! After all this hard work, I don't think there will be any problem in passing the graduation exams. Besides, I need to succeed because I cannot stay weak like this forever. Of course, your old friend Mizuki is still out there planning something big against us and I am going to be losing sleep tonight. But right now, I don't even want to think of the worst possibilities. I just want to focus on graduating from the academy and get team assignments as soon as possible. Finally, I want to thank you for teaching us to be strong and vigilant. I've got to run, see you tomorrow morning at the academy, Iruka!" called Naruto as he left the training field.
"You're welcome, Naruto! Don't be late for the graduation exams because they are going to help you a lot when you receive bigger challenges later on." Called Iruka after Naruto. But the child already disappeared into the distance as he heads home. "That child really amuses me after everything he has been through all these years. But still, that child is special to me and I will do whatever it takes to make him strong." He thought to himself as he gathers up his equipment before heading home.
Back in the Hokage's office, all the jonins were inside analyzing the progress reports from the students. Many of them were actually surprised that the students had pushed themselves over the limit to get this far, especially Asuma, Kurenai, and Kakashi. They were amazed at how well Naruto had done after his ordeal, but they don't want him to push his luck since the jonins have bigger things in store for their students and they know all about what Mizuki is planning.
"So, based on the students' performances, I can see that you guys are aware of how strong they are up until now. From what I can see, I think that Naruto's performance probably was the best, but I still think he should take it easy since we don't want him to exert too much force. Once all of the students graduate from the academy, Kakashi can take Naruto under his wing and make sure he gets stronger so that he can surpass his friends. Basically, I think this will be a test to see how well he does later on." Said the Hokage.
"The old man makes a good point. However, I think naruto could have room for a bit more in close combat. But still, what did you have in mind, Kakashi-san?" asked Kurenai as she continued to analyze Naruto's performance.
"I think I might test him to see if he can defeat me in a one-on-one close combat after he graduates from the academy. Right now, I don't think you should underestimate Naruto's abilities since he still has the sharingan power within him. After his ordeal with Itachi, Mizuki wouldn't be able to stand a chance against him. But as of now, let's see how well Naruto does in the graduation exams before we will make an example of him." Added Kakashi while reading his book. The silver-haired jonin seems to have full confidence in the blonde's abilities as a ninja, but the student that he wants to test the most is Uchiha Sasuke since he wants the kid to fight hard to defeat Itachi.
"Kakashi-san, if you are willing to train Naruto, than go for it. But for a lazy ass jonin like Shikamaru, I think I might be able to persuade him to work on his techniques a bit more since he always spends his time watching the clouds and sleeping. Although I am impressed that he is a great strategist and an expert shogi player, I want to test him to see if he can extend his shadow to a far greater length while using close combat. It's a challenge to see if he has what it takes to be a genin. What do you think, Hokage-sama?" asked Asuma.
"I think that would be an excellent plan, son. Shikamaru might not approve of this, but I think he might have the potential to succeed in the future. For now, I think you three have the strength and the expertise to make Naruto and his friends stronger. Besides, you all know what you need to do to fulfill your objectives. Once the genins have been assigned to you, you can then prepare them for some real intense training. That is all, jonins. Dismissed!" ordered the Hokage. With that, Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai assembled out of the office and prepared their plans to make their students stronger.
Back in the office, the Hokage was about to read the papers when he heard sounds of yelling and screaming. This could only mean that Might Guy was making all that noise, but the old man didn't take too much notice until….
"Might guy of Konoha! Futon! Konoha Sempuu!" shouted Guy as he gave a swift kick directly at the door before entering the Hokage's office. Once he arrived, the Hokage sweat-dropped and buried his head in disappointment as the door was ripped off from its hinges.
"You know, you could have knocked on the door instead of breaking it down, you idiot! But anyway, let's put the pleasantries aside. What can I help you with, Guy?" asked the Hokage.
"Well, I've heard that Naruto and his friends are preparing to graduate from the academy. But I should warn you, my students are also pretty strong as well. If they are underestimated, chances are they will defeat any low level genins here and I can promise you that right now. But on the other hand, I've heard all about what Itachi had done here. Even if that mass murderer is still at large, we need to focus on getting ourselves stronger before we deal with the Akatsuki. They are a well prepared organization and will steal anything in their way." Said Guy.
"I can see that you have heard about that criminal organization, but there is much more that we don't know about them at this point, much that we are not told. As for Mizuki, I do think that he might turn against this village, but we have yet to know about his true motives and what his plans are. Right now, we are trying to focus on getting Naruto stronger since he had dealt with Itachi before. Although I cannot say for certain that he will surpass anyone else, but it's a possibility." Continued the Hokage
"I see. Okay then, if you see Naruto, tell him that I wish him luck on his future training. Plus, Hyuga Neji also wishes Naruto luck as he will be battling the child later on in the chunin exams. Plus I've also heard that Uchiha Sasuke is planning to execute his older brother for what he did to his own family, but I still feel that the kid should focus on other things instead of his revenge. It won't do this village any good if he plans to execute his brother. I've already known about Naruto's ordeal with itachi, but we are all relieved to see him making a full recovery. Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing you in the chunin exams. Hokage-sama. Rock Lee is destined to fight Sasuke when the time comes because he wants to prove to the world that he can get stronger than Naruto." Finished Guy as he dashed out of the window to prepare his students for the graduation exams.
The Hokage was having a look of shock and disgust after witnessing his door and window broken, but he wasn't worried since these can be replaced easily. "What is it with konoha shinobi always tearing up my office? I should probably have some Anbu guard my office in case anyone else tries to barge in here without knocking on the door. I just hoep that Naruto will be okay since he has been through far too much already." He thought to himself while observing the crystal ball and sees Mizuki following Naruto back to his apartment. This time, the old man senses danger for the child and immediately called for reinforcements.
Back in the streets of Konoha, Naruto could sense that someone had been following him after his training concluded. But he wasn't about to run so he crossed his arms and said indignantly, " You can come out now, Mizuki."
"You are a perceptive little brat aren't you? Do you know why I had followed you all the way back to your apartment?" asked Mizuki.
"I think you are planning to use me to steal something of utter importance, but I am not going to do it for you." Finished Naruto while crossing his arms.
Mizuki looked at him for a moment until his gentle side returned and continued, "I am not here to ask you to steal anything. Do you really think I am that stupid to let you commit a crime here in your own home? All I am doing is just to give you a heads up regarding the graduation exams. Are you sure you are prepared for this? The exams are going to be challenging and I doubt that you will pass them."
"Relax, Mizuki-san, I will have no problems with the graduation exams. And since all my training had paid off, I am assuming you will be at the academy to congratulate me? If so, then I am relieved to have worked hard to get this far. Furthermore, you should be happy that Sasuke and I have gotten to where we need to be. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get some rest, tomorrow I've got a big day ahead of me." Said Naruto as he headed inside.
"Wait a moment, even if you don't pass or graduate, you can still retake the test and start basic training again wouldn't you? If not, than I can maybe show you how to get stronger later on. Besides, I think Iruka has gone way too soft on you. He expects you to do well, but I think he has underestimated your skills as a ninja. So if he really wants you to succeed, I think its best if you listen to me and eventually I can guide you to success. This offer is something that you cannot refuse. Think about it." Said Mizuki before disappearing into a puff of smoke.
Naruto looked back and thought about the offer Mizuki told him, but decided against it since this might be a trick to play on his weakness. So he finished up his business before heading to bed to prepare for his exams, but unfortunately, he was planning to play a trick on Mizuki in order to reduce his anger and his revenge starting tomorrow morning. Things were starting to go his way as the graduation exams commences.
By the next morning, every student prepared themselves for the graduation exam, including Sasuke. As they headed towards the academy, they all waited for the big moment to arrive. But as Iruka entered the classroom, he discovers that one of his students was missing. "Where is Uzumaki Naruto? He was supposed to be here to prepare for the exams hours ago. Oh god, I hope he hasn't gone missing. I should probably go out and find him. Stay put class, the exams will commence once I find the kid and bring him here." Said Iruka as he dashed out of the classroom and into the streets. He could already hear noises outside and Naruto laughing like crazy with two unknown jonins chasing after him.
"Get your ass back here Naruto! When I get my hands on you, you will suffer severe punishment!" called the jonin.
"You've crossed the line this time, you little brat! If you set off those explosives, chances are you are only going to hurt yourself!" called the other shinobi as they chased after the child, but Naruto wasn't going to listen to them as he jumped from roof to roof while setting off the explosives and causing cracks to appear on the rooftops. He then moved towards the Uchiha compound while maintaining his cover. He discovers Itachi's room and decided to plant a couple of explosive tags there while shouting, "Uchiha Itachi! You traitorous monkey-loving serial killer! How would you like it if I blow your room sky high? Yeah that will show the world how powerful you really are. Come and get me if you dare! Soon, no one in Konoha will disrespect me anymore!" He then escaped from the Uchiha compound just in time to hear the loud boom. Within minutes, Itachi's room was reduced to a pile of smoldering debris, but the kid wasn't feeling any remorse after what he did. Soon he could hear footsteps of the jonins coming after him as he dashed away from the compound and headed towards safety.
"Naruto, you little loudmouthed brat, where the hell are you? You're supposed to be preparing for the graduation exams, not causing a ruckus in the village!" called Iruka as he continued the search for the kid.
Elsewhere, at the Inuzuka residence, Tsume was preparing her normal routine of feeding the dogs in the yard when she hears commotion on the streets and went to investigate, but as she looked above, she could hear loud banging sounds which forced the dogs to start barking. "Naruto-san, what have you gotten yourself into this time? I hope you are not planning anything dangerous." She thought to herself as she sent Kuromaru to bring the child over to safety.
As Naruto jumped off Kiba's rooftop, he could see dogs surrounding him, including Kuromaru coming towards him. "Oh, hey guys, thank goodness you're here. If I had gone any further, I would be dead for sure. Please let me hide until those guys are gone." Begged the child.
"You don't need to beg to hide from them, kid. Come with me. My owner is waiting for you." Said Kuromaru. The child was a bit reluctant about following the dog, but decided to sit on his back while keeping his head down. Once they arrived at the residence, naruto was playing with the dogs in the yard while the two men knocks on the door.
"Can I help you gentlemen with something?" asked Tsume as she opened the door.
"Of course, have you seen the demon child? I know he has been running around and…" before the Jonin could say anything else, he could feel the woman's hand grabbing fiercely at the guy's neck.
"Try saying that again; I'll tear your flesh and bones and feed them to my dogs." Boomed Tsume. Elsewhere, Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at the situation.
"I…. am…. Sorry!" called the jonin despite not being able to speak. The women released her hand from the man as he continued. "I was saying; have you seen Uzumaki Naruto running around here by any chance?"
"Nope, I was just preparing to feed my pets some food, but I didn't see that kid since he finished his academy training. So he probably should be somewhere around the training field finalizing his moves or something. Why don't you guys check over there?" finished Tsume before sending the guards out.
With that, the guards stormed off and continued their search for the child without letting them know where the kid was hidden. Tsume chuckled to herself before turning to where Kuromaru was and called out, "All right, kid! You can come out now, they are gone."
Breathing with a sigh of relief, Naruto came out of hiding and said, "Thank you for keeping my cover safe, Tsume oka-san. If it wasn't for you, I would be finished by now."
"Hey, no problem. But why were you setting off explosives in the streets? The villagers will be very upset if you continue to do this. Besides, this isn't the best way for you to seek revenge upon your true foe, you know?" continued Tsume with a worried look.
"Yes, I know that. But still, I want that serial killer to suffer the same fate like I did. And furthermore, I want people to stop disrespecting me and look up to me as a hero, not a killer. I've been down that road many times and I believe that almost everyone here has been underestimating my skills as a ninja, but I cannot let them get the best of me. Anyway, I am glad that I played a trick on those dumb shinobis. They really don't know how to find me in low places." Said Naruto.
"Oh, really? Did you really expect to slip past their grasp? Let me tell you something, you should not underestiamte a chunin or a jonin because they got powerful atacks that can easily defeat any foe when detected. Unfortunately, you won't find them to be an easy prey. I want you to be careful because you may never know what will happen, kid. Anyway I can see Iruka coming towards you now so you better head back to the academy." replied Tsume before sending Naruto to the front steps.
Within a few minutes, iruka appeared behind Naruto and said, "So this is where I find you! Did you relaly think you would escape my grasp? I think not! Anyway, what are you doing out here, kid? You are supposed to be in class preparing for the exams, not setting off bombs to scare people." He then turned to Tsume and said, "Lady Tsume, thank you for finding the kid. I better get him back to class before he throws this entire place into chaos."
"Of course, Iruka-san, glad I can help. After all, Naruto has the capability of becoming a strong shinobi so don't let anyone underestimate him. I want to wish him luck on the exams." Replied Tsume.
"I will do my best, oka-san. See you later!" called Naruto as he leaves the residence and headed over to the classroom. Once there, Iruka then sat him down next to the front of the class and said, "What were you thinking when you caused such a ruckus in Konoha? Do you really expect everyone to think you are a hero now? Don't be so naïve, okay? You've already caused enough trouble for us after what Itachi did to you. Anyway, I should expect you to do well on the exams, okay? Now then, everyone step forward and review the transformation technique." One by one, the students lined up for the first part of the exam.
"Why is it that you always stir up trouble around here? Don't you ever give anyone a break?" grumbled Shikamaru.
"If my mom hadn't saved your hide, you would have been finished for sure. But I just can't believe that you would have the nerve to set off explosives. Shame on you!" mumbled Kiba.
"Yeah, I know, but still it was a wake up call for everyone here. I had no choice because this was my only chance to show itachi that I am not a coward anymore. I want him to face me like a man." Finished Naruto as he stepped forward facing Iruka. He then made a perfect transformation of him without a moment's hesitation. After everyone completed the first part of the exam, it was time for everyone to make replicas of themselves for the second part of the exam. So they all assembled into another room to prepare for the exam.
Almost an hour later, Mizuki arrived into the classroom and said, "I am also here to evaluate on how well the students did on the replicas of themselves. Do you mind if I join in, Iruka?"
"Of course! After all, these kids do want to graduate, don't they? Besides, you've already seen how strong they are getting up until now. I am just so proud of the hard work they've all done up until now. But there is no telling what the future will hold for them after this." Continued Iruka. Mizuki just smiled at him before facing the students.
"All right class, now that you passed the transformation techniques, let us see how well you have done with the replicas of yourselves. Relax; this test will be just like what you did in your first day at the academy. By creating enough replicas, you can block your opponent from escaping and you can easily finish them off without too much trouble. Okay then, Nara Shikamaru, you are up first." Called Iruka.
"Troublesome as usual. This technique has been far too easy for me and now I am asked to do this on the day of graduation? I should have stayed in bed today." Thought Shikamaru as he faced the teachers and made a few hand signs before multiple clones of himself popped up.
"Very good Shikamaru. I think you should have no problem with your future after you graduate from here. Next up, Kiba Inuzuka.
Once Shikamaru stepped out from the classroom, Kiba went up and performed the replica of himself perfectly without any mess-ups. After the other students finished their cloning of themselves, Naruto stepped up and tried to think of perfection as he prepared for the second part of this exam. He made a few hand signs and within minutes, he made perfect replications of himself right in front of Iruka's eyes. But Mizuki wasn't so pleased since his head was filled with anger and rage. He then stormed out of the classroom and closed the door behind him. Iruka then pondered about what Mizuki was actually planning after he stormed out of the classroom, but decided to wait until after the exams conclude.
Next, it was time for the students to prepare for the infiltration portion of the exams since this will require many of them to sneak up behind their foes before attacking. The students already did a couple of practice runs during their time in the academy and it was time for them to use what they learned. During the break, Naruto went off to find Mizuki and surely enough, he found him sitting on top of a house looking upset. So, the kid decided to have a little talk with the instructor.
"Why are you all the way up here, Mizuki? I thought you would be evaluating us on our performances so far. You can't just leave in the middle of an exam." Said naruto。
"Kid, you are proving to be even more tenacious than I thought, but I suppose that's because Iruka always thinks too much of you. He thinks you are his special student and all that. In my mind, I think he has belittled you." Continued Mizuki with a frown on his face.
"What are you talking about, sensei? Iruka would never doubt my abilities as a ninja nor belittle me. He knows that I can do better if I just practice more. Besides, I think these exams are pretty much a walk in the park, so what are you worried about anyway?" chided Naruto.
"Nothing really, but I think Iruka has truly underestimated your skills and that has me concerned. Why don't you do me a little favor, I want you to infiltrate the Hokage Tower and take a scroll without being seen. Once you've done that, bring it to me in the forest and I will reward you for your efforts. This is something that you cannot refuse as a shinobi. Once the exams conclude, take the scroll. I will be waiting for you in the forest." Advised Mizuki.
"What could you possibly want with a scroll anyway? If the guards find out I took that scroll, I don't think Iruka would be too happy about this." Said Naruto nervously.
"You don't have to worry about him, Naruto-san. Just focus on getting that scroll." Finished Mizuki.
With that, Naruto returns to the academy to wrap up his exams. But little does he know that Mizuki has definitely set up a trap for the child which will spell danger for him. As everyone arrives at the training field, everyone took their positions and readied their weapons before scrambling into nearby bushes waiting to attack. The blonde was up on a nearby tree while waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Once Iruka gave the signal, Naruto mistakenly snuck up behind his teacher and attacked without warning. The other students looked on awkwardly at what was going on while Kiba fell to the ground laughing like crazy. Shikamaru could only groan in disappointment and decided to release Naruto's grasp.
As Iruka woke up, he approached at everyone with a look of frustration, "All right, which one of you snuck up on me and attacked me?"
"Haha, you fell for it, Iruka-sensei! I had to do that in order to show how dumb you were when you stepped into trap I set for you. You were too easy to fool, sensei!" laughed Naruto.
Iruka was groaning in disbelief before tick marks started to appear on his head. "You idiot! You were supposed to be sneaking upon your friends, not me! Are you trying to make a mockery out of this exam?"
"I am so sorry about that, but its just that, well, I haven't been improving on my infiltration attacks so I mistakenly thought you were the target. Anyway, are we going to continue this or move on to the final stage of the exam?" asked Naruto.
"We are going to finish this exam first before I can decide on if you all are able to graduate. Now, let's put the pleasantries aside and get back into action. All right everyone, take your positions and let's see how well you've done with your infiltration skills. Go!" ordered Iruka. Once everyone returned to their positions in the trees and bushes, they armed themselves and jumped before grabbing their enemies and knocking them into the ground. The attack continues until one of them is unable to continue to battle. Finally, Iruka stopped them and said, "You've all done well so far, keep up the good work. Now its time for the final phase of this exam. You are all confident enough to handle this one before graduation so get moving. I want to see you all do your best out there." He then turned to Naruto and said, "As for you, well, even though you didn't pass the infiltration exam, you better not screw up this final phase of the exam or else you are not going to graduate. I want to see you do a clean fight out there, kid. Now go get them!"
With that, everyone lined up for the final phase of the exam and many of them took their fighting stances. Once Iruka gave the signal, they all charged towards each other and attacked. They fought with all their might and used whatever weapons they had in order to graduate because their future was now decided for each and every single one of them. The exams were to test the skills of the students in order to see if they have what it takes to face new difficult missions in other regions outside of konoha. So by the time the exams concluded, everyone gathered back in the academy for some rest and relaxation except for Naruto, who had gone off somewhere.
Iruka then paused for a moment and went outside to search for the kid, but no matter where he looked, he couldn't find naruto anywhere. So he decided to head over to the Hokage tower to see if he was there. Once Iruka arrives at the tower, he knocked on the door and entered, "Hokage-sama, have you seen naruto-san anywhere? He was supposed to show up for the graduation ceremony earlier this evening but I couldn't find him anywhere. I just hope that he isn't in any danger."
"Iruka, Naruto was here just a few minutes ago and took some sort of a scroll with him to the forest. I don't know why he wanted that thing but he did remember telling me that Mizuki wanted it for something important. At that moment, I knew something was up so I sent some reinforcements after Naruto. He should be somewhere in the forest." Said the Hokage with a look of worry on his face.
"Oh god! Naruto, what have you gotten yourself into this time? You know taking the scroll is strictly forbidden. Mizuki must not find out about your secrets since they are all in there. Hang on, kid. I am coming! Mizuki, what are you really planning? Have you seriously betrayed us in order to endanger that kid's life? Well, I am coming to put an end to your plans once and for all." Thought iruka as he dashed off into the forest to find Naruto.
As the kid travelled deep into the forest and into an abandoned house, he finds Mizuki waiting for him. At this point, there was no turning back now since the child wants to know what that man wants to know with the scroll.
"Nice of you to show up, you little brat! And I see you've brought the scroll with you. You are proving to be even more of a threat to me since I met you back in the academy. Now be a good little boy and hand that thing over to me." Said Mizuki with an evil glint on his face.
"First of all, tell me why you want this scroll. Wait, don't tell me you want to find out all the secrets about my past, aren't you? Well you can forget about it! There is no way you are revealing to everyone about my past. I had a feeling you would be playing a trick on me and Iruka was right, I shouldn't have trusted you." Replied naruto。
"Oh! You are pretty smart for an adolescent brat. But you are too late to do anything about it now. Besides, I already know about what your father did to you before he passed on. He wanted to ensure that you were the only person who could protect Konoha with your life, but it seems you failed at keeping that promise. You thought that your dad wanted you to become a hero in his place? Ha! He is even more of a fool than I thought because for a guy like him, he only wants you to endanger other people's lives for your own benefit; even Iruka was using you for his own benefit as well. You are the most feared out of all the people here in Konoha and everyone despises you a lot. Now hand the scroll over to me like a good little boy." Continued Mizuki. He already had that evil look on his face as he prepared to attack naruto.
"Forget it, if you want the scroll, come and get me you senile old fool!" yelled Naruto as he dashed out of the forest.
"I will make you regret those words, you little demon brat!" yelled Mizuki as he tossed a couple of kunai knives at the child, but naruto used his hands and stopped them from piercing him. Mizuki then flung a couple of shurikens at the child which injured him on his knee and his chest. As the child collapses in pain, the instructor charged towards him and landed some fatal punches and beatings on him, nearly knocking him out cold.
"You…. You will not get away with this, you filthy vermin! I will never let you have the scroll no matter what it takes. Just wait, you will get the punishment you deserve for betraying this village," shouted Naruto before he loses consciousness.
"Too late, Naruto. You've already fulfilled your end of the bargain. Now, prepare to die!" shouted Mizuki as he prepares to end Naruto's life. Before the blade strikes, Iruka suddenly jumped in and knocked his old friend away from the kid.
"What? Iruka, how did you get here? What exactly are you planning?" called Mizuki while he prepares his lethal weapon.
"I had a feeling you would betray us, Mizuki. The Hokage told me everything that has happened thus far. I don't know what kind of a sick game you are planning but you will never get the scroll away from here, not in a million years."said Iruka before taking his fighting stance.
"This doesn't concern you, Iruka! That child is the demon and you are defending him? You must be out of your mind protecting that brat. I think I should end your life right here and now." continued Mizuki as his evil smile continued to grow.
"Get away from here Naruto! Run as far as you can, and no matter what happens, don't give the scroll to him. I know that deep down you are not evil okay? You are just an innocent bystander who has suffered too much here already!" yelled iruka.
"Shut up, you pathetic loser!" shouted Mizuki as he tossed his weapons at his old friend causing many of them to injure him. With Iruka pinned down, Mizuki gave chase after the child while disguising himself as the old friend he knew for such a long time. This time, Naruto knew exactly what Mizuki told him but didn't want to believe it. Once he was out of the abandoned area, he could see the white haired chunin following him.
"Naruto, Mizuki is playing a trick on you since he only cares about himself and no one else. He already has figured out about your past. Now if you want to avoid further embarrassment, hand the scroll over to me and we can forget about this whole thing that has happened. I care about you a lot and I don't want you to take the fall for what that traitor is doing. Just give me the scroll and I promise that nothing will happen to you." Said Iruka.
"Nice try, faker! But I am not falling for your little tricks！You can fool me all you want but I can see right through your little lies." Shouted Naruto as he charged towards the teacher and attacked with brute force before he hits the trees.
"What? How….. How did you figure out I am not Iruka? How were you able to escape my trap?" said a weakened Mizuki after disabling his disguise.
"You thought you could try to stop me with that puny little trick? I always knew that you lie through your teeth and now I know better than to trust a sewer scum like you. This scroll stays with me and you are not getting your hands on it." Continued naruto while he activates his sharingan eye.
"He's right, naruto knows all your moves before you even make them. I doubt that you have the power to stop him this time since I know the kid when he first arrived at the academy. He is destined to be a hero and nothing will change his mind about his true goal. You can try and destroy his dreams of becoming hokage, Mizuki, but you will never ruin his reputation as a ninja. You've underestimated his skills already and there is no escape for you." Finished Iruka before he continues to fight his friend.
"How dare you! You still think your bond with him is strong? You think your friendship and courage will save him? You are even more naïve than I first though iruka!" yelled Mizuki as he continued attacking and dealing blows to his friend. Naruto watched with frustration as he watches his teacher being pummeled to the ground. He then sat down behind a tree bark and thought to himself. "Maybe Mizuki was right. Iruka has underestimated my skills and belittled me. Maybe I am just not cut out to be a shinobi right now. After everything that has happened to me, I am better off dead than alive,"
Mizuki then charged towards naruto face to face and prepared to take the scroll, but Iruka suddenly said, "naruto, you have what it takes to be a ninja and I would never underestimate you. You are truly something else all together since the first day I met you in the academy, but I don't think everyone hates you and your skills will lead you to a brighter future. I've seen how well you did at the academy because you've proven yourself to be an excellent shinobi. Futhermore, that child isn't the demon, he is Uzumaki naruto, the hero of Konoha!"
Tears started to drop from Naruto's face as he heard those words from his teacher. But Mizuki was disgusted at what his old childhood friend was saying and so he pulled out a giant shuriken. "I've had enough of your nonsense, Iruka. You may think that child is special, but he won't be after I end his life. Say goodbye, Naruto! You are going to die anyway, what's the point of letting you live?"
"Run naruto! Take cover immediately!" yelled Iruka. Naruto darted towards safety before the spinning blade could hit him. As Naruto covered his eyes, he could see his teacher shielding him from the attack while he took the hit.
"Iruka, why did you protect me?" asked Naruto.
As Iruka was gravely injured, he then looked at the child and said, "naruto, I am so sorry for not taking good care of you. I was too careless. I had been thinking about myself and not you. When I was younger, I also had been stubborn as well and didn't care about school work, but now I know better. It must be hurting for you not to have a family, right? I can understand that. But you should not take the burden for everything that has happened to you." He then carefully removed the giant shuriken off his back and tossed it aside before facing Mizuki.
"Hmm! You think you can save him? What a load of bull! This has become quite an amusement, but now its time to end this. Take this, you demon brat!" yelled Mizuki as he tossed another one of the giant shurikens towards him, but naruto activates his sharingan eye and used his hand to redirect the blade deep into the woods while shearing off a tree branch.
"If you dare lay a hand on my sensei and my father-figure. I will personally end your life right here and now!" yelled naruto in a fit of rage.
"Let's see you try, you little brat! Show me what you got!" boomed Mizuki while taking his fighting stance. Naruto then snuck behind Mizuki and then knocked him off the trees and onto the ground, hard. Iruka watched with amazement and thought, "This child truly is something else all together mastering the infiltration technique this quickly. I just never knew he had it in him."
Soon, Shikaku, Tsume, and her dogs arrived on the scene and sees iruka sitting down while injured. They then tend to his injuries while watching Naruto battling Mizuki.
"Iruka-san, we heard about what happened and came as quickly as we could. So Mizuki really wants that scroll eh? I had a feeling that this would happen sooner or later." Said Tsume.
"Thank goodness you guys showed up, if you didn't I would have been finished for sure." Said Iruka weakly.
"It's troublesome, but The Hokage sent us out here to bring naruto back to the village in one piece. As for Mizuki, I think that guy deserves a good beating after what he did to you." put in Shikaku.
Naruto then activates his most powerful attack which sends Mizuki into another realm bounded and tied up. He then unleashes his clones and prepared to end Mizuki' life. "No, don't do this to me! What is this? Let me out of this nightmare!" he pleaded. But there was no way for him to escape from this world as the clones charged towards Mizuki, he could only let out a loud scream as he took the beatings and fatal blows.
Afterwards, Naruto then carried the battered Mizuki towards Shikaku and Tsume before tending to his teacher and asked, "Are you okay, Iruka? I hope your injuries are not too serious."
"Naruto, I am fine, thank you for saving my life. I saw what you did out there and I think its time I give you something that you deserved for a long time." Said Iruka.
Back in the village, all the other shinobi were getting worried about Naruto and Iruka. So they wanted a search party to find him, but the Hokage approached them and said, "There is no need for worry, my friends. Naruto will be back for sure, I promise."
"Sensei, can I open my eyes now?" asked Naruto.
"Okay, now you can open them. Congratulations kid, you have officially graduated from the academy. Now to celebrate, I think we should all go out to eat tonight, my treat!" said Iruka.
Naruto was surprised after seeing the leaf headband on his forehead. But moreover, he was finally happy to be graduating from the academy and embraced his teacher in a hug. Iruka winced in pain after the kid jumped onto him but decided to hug him back in the same manner. Tsume and Shikaku watched with smiles on their faces and embraced Naruto in a hug as well. The Hokage watched with a smile on his face after seeing the kid graduate. With the leaf headband, the kid was officially ready to prepare himself for some dangerous missions, new tasks and of course, new foes to deal with. This is just the beginning of a new life for the child after his long term training so the roads are going to be tough for him. His true test officially begins now.
And stop. Well, this chapter was a long one and it took me a while to tell about Mizuki's evil plans to steal the scroll. But now that he has been defeated, I do believe Naruto is out of danger and he is ready to be placed into teams now and get assigned a jonin instructor as well. Now that naruto has officially become a ninja, what new challenges and training regiments will he face with his friends? What sort of new danger awaits him? All the answers will be revealed in the next chapter. Please read and enjoy and I will see you all next time.