Chapter 2 - The Scroll of Sealing
Lord Third was a master of many skills, despite his age. His calligraphy brush glided gracefully across the parchment, leaving behind bold strokes of ink. The room was quiet, save for the scratch of the brush and the occasional rustle of paper.
Suddenly, a faint noise caught his attention. He lifted his head and listened intently, his senses on high alert. Then, he heard it again—the soft shuffle of footsteps outside his home.
Sakumo watched from a distance as the Hokage lowered his eyelids and focused on the intruder. He must not have felt any killing intent, which made sense because Naruto wasn't there to murder him.
"Naruto? Is that you?" the Hokage called out, his voice echoing through the air, for Sakumo to hear, which meant that Naruto must have heard it as well. The Hokage's brow furrowed, his focus intensifying as he sought confirmation of the intruder's identity, his expression eventually shifting to one of comprehension, followed by a weighty sigh.
Sakumo couldn't hear the exact words uttered by the aged leader, but he saw the Hokage rise from his seat, and stride purposefully toward the window Naruto had squeezed through.
"What are doing here?" the Hokage barked, his voice resounding with an unmistakable authority, audible even to Sakumo's ears.
In response, Naruto let out a startled cry, falling through the window and landing on his ass. The blonde stared at the Hokage for precisely three seconds, as if he was shocked the strongest shinobi in the village had sensed him approaching.
Without wasting another moment, Naruto swiftly performed a sequence of hand seals, and shouted, "Sexy Jutsu!"
Sakumo let out a disappointed sigh, fully aware of the inevitable outcome. The Third Hokage, hailed as one of the most powerful shinobi alive had unparalleled knowledge of jutsu. His repertoire surpassed that of any preceding Hokage, and he was even rumored to know every jutsu in the Hidden Leaf.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was a living legend, but even legends possessed vulnerabilities.
Through sheer happenstance, Naruto had unwittingly discovered one such vulnerability—and he shamelessly exploited the hell out of it.
Sakumo shook his head, watching the esteemed Hokage crumple to the ground, unconscious with a trickle of blood escaping from his nostrils. While he didn't think Naruto's plan would work in actual combat against the Hokage, the situation was still embarrassing for their village leader.
Naruto glanced at the incapacitated leader of the village before smirking and rushing further into the Hokage Mansion. Sakumo lost sight of him, but he didn't want to get closer and risk being spotted by Mizuki.
After a few minutes, Naruto crawled back out the window, a massive scroll tied to his back. The blonde took off toward the Hokage Monument, completely unaware that he was being watched.
Sakumo remained rooted in place, waiting to start following Naruto until the shadow that had been silently watching the entire operation vanished.
|—|
Hours passed, and in the dense forest behind the Hokage Monument, Sakumo crouched in a high tree high above Naruto. The blonde was seated on the ground lost in a daze. Exhaustion from a long night of relentless training had caught up with him.
Time to get to work, Sakumo dropped down from the tree. He landed silently behind Naruto and lashed out with a powerful right hook, striking the jinchūriki right in the temple.
Naruto crumpled to the ground.
"Gotta work fast," Sakumo muttered as he unrolled the Scroll of Sealing. He knew that Naruto possessed an accelerated healing factor, and wasn't expecting the blonde to stay down for long.
That asshole Mizuki wasn't lying, Even from a quick glance, Sakumo could see that. The Scroll of Sealing contained incredibly powerful jutsu, each more complicated than the last.
Naruto had wound up choosing the only jutsu that seemed sort of easy, at least compared to the other jutsu in the scroll. But even the easiest jutsu in the scroll made the regular Clone jutsu look like child's play.
Sakumo had watched Naruto go through the motions, again and again, trying hard to get them right. And it was only now, hours later that the blonde was actually making progress.
He pulled a scroll from the pouch on his waist and set it down next to the far larger Scroll of Sealing. He bit his thumb hard enough to draw blood and pressed his bloody finger against the smaller scroll.
Usually, he used his scrolls for the Izuno clan's Cat Cloak jutsu, but tonight he needed it for something else.
In a puff of smoke, Sakumo summoned a camera from the scroll, and with nimble fingers, he began capturing snapshots of each jutsu. It was a risky move, possessing images of the Scroll of Sealing's techniques. However, thanks to his newfound memories, he could translate the instructions into a language that existed solely within his mind, a "Spanish" unknown to the shinobi world, and then burn the pictures.
Truthfully, the Scroll of Sealing was safest in his hands.
Once he had documented every jutsu within the Scroll of Sealing, Sakumo resealed his camera and rolled the scroll back up.
His timing was impeccable as Naruto began to stir from his unconscious state.
A thought popped into Sakumo's head. I should really explore the idea of becoming a jinchuuriki, he mused, watching as Naruto opened his eyes. Most people didn't wake up so soon after being knocked unconscious.
The moment Naruto saw him, the blonde sprang to his feet and started shouting.
"Hey! Did you just freakin' hit me from behind, you jerk?" his accusation thundered through the air, an echo of wounded pride.
Then he noticed who he was yelling at and frowned.
"Sakumo! What are you doing here?"
"I overheard some Chunin talking about how you stole the Scroll of Sealing," Sakumo said, lying his ass off.
"Why do you care?" Naruto demanded. "Mizuki set up this test for me! You've already passed the graduation exam!"
"I did, and that means I'm officially a genin of the Hidden Leaf." Sakumo nodded, reaching up to flick the metal plate sewn into his headband. "It's my job to protect the village. And to catch traitors."
Naruto's face scrunched up, his brows knitting together in a mix of frustration and curiosity. "Protect the village? Traitors?" he muttered. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Sakumo picked up the Scroll of Sealing, tying it to his back. "Mizuki lied to you, Naruto. This wasn't a test!"
"What?" Naruto's expression twisted in disbelief.
Before Sakumo could explain further, a familiar voice resonated through the forest.
"Narutoooo!"
Sakumo turned his attention toward the voice. Iruka landed in the small clearing where Naruto had been honing his skills.
"Iruka! I found you!" Naruto shouted.
"I found you, fool!" Iruka retorted. When he saw Sakumo his agitation grew. "Sakumo, what are you doing here?"
"Watch this, Iruka!" Naruto said, ready to unleash the Shadow Clone Jutsu he had recently mastered.
"What's going on out here, you two?" the chunin inquired, furrowing his brow. "Naruto, you look dead tired."
"Dead tired is an understatement," Naruto confessed. "I've been working on my ninjutsu skills."
"You—"
Sakumo decided to interject, knowing that he was actually sparing Iruka from a world of hurt. "Mizuki told Naruto that if he stole the Scroll of Sealing and learned a Jutsu from it, he'd pass the academy exam."
Iruka stared at him wide-eyed, struggling to comprehend. "Mizuki—what? I don't understand," he muttered.
"Naruto got played by Mizuki," Sakumo repeated, glancing around at the towering trees surrounding them. "Mizuki's probably making his way here right now."
A whistling sound filled the air and Sakumo lunged forward. Without warning, he forcefully pushed Iruka and Naruto aside. They stumbled backward just as a flurry of shuriken whirled above their heads.
Iruka glared up at a nearby tree. "Mizuki, so Sakumo wasn't lying. I can't believe you'd stoop this low."
Mizuki stood on a branch near the treetop, several massive windmill shuriken strapped to his back. "I knew you'd lead me straight to Naruto, Iruka," he said, descending from his lofty position. "Didn't expect you to be here, Sakumo."
Sakumo locked eyes with his teacher. The chunin's lips had curled into a malevolent grin. He had never seen such a sinister expression on Mizuki's face.
"Now hand over the scroll!" Mizuki demanded, his voice chilling.
"Naruto! Sakumo! No matter what goes down, Mizuki can't lay a finger on that scroll!" Iruka commanded. "That scroll contains dangerous Jutsu! Mizuki used you to steal it for himself!"
Didn't I already say that? Sakumo wondered, his muscles tightening, sensing a peculiar atmosphere. It was a palpable tension that promised violence. Is this killing intent?
Through his memories of the "Anime," Sakumo had witnessed how people reacted to such intense hostility, but he had never experienced it firsthand.
"You don't need the scroll! Hand it over!" Mizuki demanded.
"N-no," Naruto stuttered. He looked like he was about to cry.
Sakumo could empathize with the blonde. Naruto had just been betrayed and was about to have his entire worldview shattered. He could have intervened, preventing Mizuki's attempt to expose the truth about the Nine-Tails, but he chose not to.
Naruto deserved to know the truth.
"Why? Just because Iruka-sensei said so?" Mizuki sneered. "Do you want to discover what Iruka truly thinks of you, Naruto?"
Iruka's expression suddenly turned to horror. "No, Mizuki! Don't do this!" he shouted.
Ignoring Iruka's plea, Mizuki focused his attention on Naruto. "Do you know who was responsible for the death of Iruka's parents, Naruto?" he asked
"Uh, the Nine-Tailed Fox, right? The creature that attacked the village," Naruto responded.
Mizuki chuckled with amusement. "An astute answer, Naruto. Especially coming from someone like you."
"Stop!" Iruka yelled, lunging toward Mizuki.
In a swirl of leaves, Mizuki vanished and reappeared in the treetops. "A good answer, yet not entirely accurate," he continued.
"I said stop!" Iruka shouted again, but Mizuki carried on.
"Think carefully about my question, Naruto. And you too, Sakumo. I asked who killed Iruka's parents, not what."
"Who?" Naruto asked, puzzled. "You're making it sound almost human."
"Because it is, Naruto! The Nine-Tailed Fox has changed its form, but it is still alive."
Sakumo drew shuriken from the holster on his leg and hurled them at Mizuki. Though the attack proved futile as Mizuki effortlessly blocked the attack, he just wanted to show Iruka that he understood Mizuki was about to divulge sensitive information and that he would at least attempt to prevent him from doing so.
In a few months, the Chunin Exams would take place and when the Hokage decided who to promote, this night would be a point in his favor.
"The Fourth Hokage did not kill the Nine-Tailed Fox. Instead, he sealed it inside a human... and that human is you, Naruto!"
"W-what do you mean?" Naruto stuttered.
"You are the one who ended Iruka's parents' lives and ravaged the village!" Mizuki snarled. "That is why the villagers shun you! They despise you! They treat you like dirt!"
"N-no!" Naruto shouted, his body trembling.
"Don't listen to him, Naruto! He's not telling the—" Iruka interjected.
Mizuki sneered. "The truth, Iruka? The truth is, you hate the Nine-Tailed Fox more than anyone!"
And there it is! Sakumo grabbed Naruto by the shoulders. Mizuki had spilled the beans, and now it was time to kick his ass.
"Naruto! We need to stop Mizuki," he said, shaking the blonde.
Naruto stared at him. Tears were running down his face and he looked completely devastated.
Which was a fair reaction, Naruto's entire world had just been shattered, but if Sakumo let things play out like they did in the Anime, Iruka would end up with a massive shuriken lodged in his back.
"Hey!" Sakumo smacked Naruto on the head. "You wanted to be a ninja, right? Well, Mizuki betrayed the village, and we need to stop him. So, if you're angry, make as many Shadow Clones as you can and kick Mizuki's ass!"
Those words were perfect to snap Naruto out of his daze. He was still crying, but instead of being crushed, he looked ready to explode with anger, and now he had a reason to unleash it.
"You're right," Naruto nodded. "We need to stop Mizuki…to protect the village."
Mizuki scoffed. "You want to stop me? I'll kill you, Nine-Tailed Fox!" he shouted reaching for the massive shuriken on his back.
Then, he froze. All color drained from his face as his eyes darted in every direction.
Sakumo smirked as Naruto began multiplying fast—incredibly fast. First, ten Narutos, then twenty, and then...
"There must be a thousand of them!" Mizuki choked out.
Becoming a jinchūriki is definitely something worth considering, Sakumo thought, staring at the army of clones. From his memories of the "Anime," he knew that with Naruto's ability to create so many Shadow Clones, he could reach the level of a Hokage-class ninja within a few years.
"What's the matter, Mizuki?" the thousand Narutos asked. "You said you'd kill me, remember?"
The sight of so many Narutos all speaking simultaneously was cool and Sakumo was definitely going to look into getting a Bijuu for himself. He looked up at Mizuki who was struggling to breathe, let alone speak.
"All right, Mizuki," the Narutos spoke again. "If you won't come to us, then we'll come to you."
The army of Narutos marched toward Mizuki, who cowered like a helpless infant. Even the strongest ninjutsu he could muster was useless against a thousand people.
Mizuki was engulfed in a sea of orange jumpsuits and soon, the sounds of pummeling interchanged with pitiful pleas for mercy filled the forest. The chunin was pushed back, tossed around, and then finally knocked unconscious.
With Mizuki no longer a threat, the thousand Narutos vanished, leaving only the original Naruto who looked down at the battered Mizuki sprawled on the ground, his face a mess.
"Uh-oh! I might have gone a bit overboard," he sheepishly admitted.
"You did well, Naruto," Iruka said, using some ninja wire to bind Mizuki's hands and legs together. "Now, both of you need to come with me. We need to report this to the Hokage."
Naruto looked nervous. "H-how much trouble am I going to be in?" he asked.
"Don't worry, Naruto," Iruka reassured, shaking his head. "Mizuki is the one in real trouble. The Hokage won't be angry with you. Neither of you. Although you shouldn't have come out here alone, Sakumo."
"I'm a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. It's my duty to protect the village," Sakumo replied, still lying his ass off.
Iruka sighed heavily and rubbed the scar across his nose. "I can't believe he would stoop to such actions."
That marked the end of their conversation. Iruka hoisted Mizuki onto his shoulders and carried the traitor back to the village. They made a beeline for the Hokage Tower, where Iruka handed Mizuki over to the Military Police Force before being summoned to the Hokage's office.
A hand landed on Sakumo's shoulder, relieving him of the weight of the Scroll of Sealing. An Anbu member had taken it from him.
After providing a report to the Third Hokage, Sakumo was dismissed with a stern order not to divulge tonight's revelations to anyone.
Once he got back to his apartment, Sakumo collapsed onto his couch. "...status..." he muttered, calling on the "system window" to view his stats.
He blinked as he looked at the stats on display.
Name: Sakumo Izuno
Age: 18
Rank: Genin
Chakra Reserves: 300/5000
Ninjutsu: 457/5000
Taijutsu: 480/5000
Genjutsu: 225/5000
Strength: 500/5000
Speed: 450/5000
Stamina: 500/5000
Chakra Control: 310/5000
His rank had increased from Academy Student to Genin, which was cool, but that wasn't the only thing that had increased!
Sakumo glared at the floating screen, frustration rising in his chest. Every other stat had increased and not in a good way. If he was going by the "Databooks" from his memories. And 5000 was 5/5 for a Chunin, he had some of the lowest stats possible!
Sure, he was a Genin now, and he might not have been the strongest student in his class, which stung even more considering he had failed the graduation exam twice and was now two years older than his peers. But Sakumo couldn't understand how he could be the weakest of the weak.
Especially when he shared a graduating class with Sakura.
Sakumo yawned as he closed the window, tired of looking at his abysmal stats. He knew he needed to start training. There was only a week until he was assigned to a genin squad, but he could barely keep his eyes open and his limbs felt like limp ramen noodles.
Today has been utterly insane!