A Twist in the Cycle

by Sunga Azul

Madara committed a grave sin. By surviving when he should have died, he disrupted the cycle of reincarnations that had been ongoing for centuries, and now Ashura has reincarnated in an Uzumaki, which could only lead to more chaos. Fūinjutsu Naruto!

Chapter I - I think I'm dumb

Fourteen years ago, a demon terrorized the village of Konoha. This monstrous creature was a gigantic nine-tailed fox, with a body covered in fiery orange fur. Its eyes, with scarlet pupils, radiated a hatred and an unfathomable malevolence. However, the most terrifying feature was its nine tails, whose movements held enough power to destroy mountains and cause tsunamis. During this unprecedented crisis, countless shinobi were summoned to confront the beast, many of them sacrificing their own lives in the name of duty. However, it was one man in particular who managed to defeat it: the Yondaime Hokage. His legendary deed became etched in history, transforming him into an eternal hero for future generations.

It was early morning in the village of Konoha, and although the day had already begun, the sun was still hidden, obscured by the small mountain to the east, which cast its vast shadow over the village. This serene setting was a favorite of a certain elder, who enjoyed moments like these to practice his calligraphy. Seated calmly in his room, he kept his gaze fixed on the paper, fully concentrated on his hobby. The long robes he wore helped shield him from the chill of the morning air. To anyone who saw him, he appeared as a man of great importance; whether due to his elegant attire or his time-marked features, his authority was unmistakable. Yet, beneath all this grandeur, he was, above all, an elder. His wrinkled skin, slight baldness, and hair—along with his graying goatee—revealed his advanced age.

Unfortunately, the elder's practice was about to be interrupted. He could hear, from a distance, the hurried footsteps of his subordinate echoing down the corridors. Moments later, the door was flung open, revealing a man who entered in a rush. He wore the typical uniform of a veteran Leaf shinobi: a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, matching pants, and a green flak jacket. Unusually, the jacket had several pockets for storing scrolls. On his forehead, the shinobi wore the Konoha Hitai-ate, with the village's symbol gleaming faintly in the morning light.

Before the elder could even ask the reason for the interruption, his subordinate was already bowed before him, addressing him in a respectful voice, though clearly trying to hide his irritation.

"Hokage-sama!"

The Hokage slowly turned to face him, and upon seeing the expression on the shinobi's face, a flash of understanding glinted in his eyes.

"What is it? Is Naruto causing trouble again?" the old man asked, his face taking on an exasperated expression.

The shinobi looked even more irritated upon hearing the name of the supposed troublemaker and wasted no time reporting the outrageous act Naruto had committed.

"Yes! Naruto vandalized the Hokage Monument! We're searching for him, but no one has managed to find him so far!" exclaimed the subordinate.

Upon hearing this, the Hokage brought his old pipe to his lips and took a deep drag, trying to calm his mind. Various thoughts on how to deal with the offender raced through his head. This wasn't the first time it had happened, and he was feeling increasingly weary of handling Naruto's antics.

Deciding what to do, the old man sighed, releasing a cloud of smoke. He picked up the hat resting beside him and stood up, placing it on his head.

"Alright, first let's see the extent of the damage," he said, now on his feet and walking toward the ledge of the tower where he lived and worked. From there, he would have a prime view of Naruto's handiwork.

Upon reaching the rooftop, the Hokage was taken aback. Each of the four faces that made up the monument was vandalized. What irritated him the most was seeing his own face—sculpted long ago to depict his youthful appearance—now marked with a large, cartoonish nosebleed. His cheeks were painted pink as if he were embarrassed, but the most humiliating part was the word "pervert" scrawled across his forehead.

It had been years since the old man had felt so vexed by such nonsense. To many, it would be quite a sight to see the Hokage—known for his wisdom and generosity—displaying a twitch in his left eyebrow. Taking a few deep breaths to keep his anger in check, the Hokage turned his gaze to the nearby subordinate and began to speak:

"Who's searching for that idiot right now?"

"Two teams of chūnin, Hokage-sama! They've been after him for at least fifteen minutes," the shinobi replied, visibly nervous.

"Order them to return. When Naruto wants to hide, finding him is no easy task," the old Hokage said, removing his pipe from his lips after a brief drag. As the nicotine settled into his lungs, he reflected on who might have an easier time locating the delinquent. Before his subordinate left to carry out his orders, the Hokage added, "Call Iruka, too. He's already used to that troublemaker's antics; finding him won't be a problem for him."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" With his orders, the shinobi dashed off to fulfill them.

As he watched his subordinate leave, the Hokage once again adopted an exasperated expression. Naruto was infamous for his "pranks," which the boy claimed were art but were nothing more than cheap vandalism. Normally, if anyone else did what the boy did, they would have received severe punishment, but the Hokage felt responsible for the young rebel's behavior, resulting in nothing more than a mere reprimand. 'Ah, Naruto, what am I going to do with you?'

---

Nearby, at the top of the mountain housing the Hokage Monument, a boy rolled on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. His appearance was unusual among the residents of Konoha; to begin with, his impressive height of 1.65m (5'5") was rare for someone his age. Another striking feature was his spiky red hair, with tips reaching his chin, making him stand out in a crowd. His skin had a slightly tanned tone, which was more commonly found among the village population. However, it was his eyes that held the greatest uniqueness: a purple color reminiscent of amethysts, leaving a strong impression on those who beheld them.

After a lot of fun, the redhead tried to calm his breathing. His stomach hurt from laughing so much, but soon he couldn't resist and burst out laughing again. Remembering the old Hokage's face and the shinobi searching for him after contemplating his masterpiece was priceless. All the effort spent the night before on his art had been worth it. It was a significant challenge for the delinquent to paint the monument without being seen, especially given the outfit he wore. The outfit itself wasn't anything special; it consisted of a pair of shinobi sandals, pants, a chainmail shirt similar to those commonly worn by training shinobi, and a jacket tied around his waist. The problem lay in the color of the pants and jacket, which were bright orange—a choice that no one would expect from someone trying to be discreet. But the redhead would never admit it; his love for the color was so great that he would never acknowledge its flaws.

"Gyahahaha! I can't hahaha take it anymore! Hahaha, I need to stop! Hahaha, my stomach already hurts!" said the teenager, once again trying to control his laughter as he got up from the ground.

"I see you're having fun, Naruto..." commented a new voice, surprising the redhead, who hadn't noticed the newcomer. He was wearing the typical shinobi outfit of Konoha and had an appearance common among the villagers: coal-black eyes, tanned skin, and brown hair tied back in a short ponytail. His appearance would be even more ordinary if it weren't for the scar that ran horizontally across the bridge of his nose.

Despite being surprised, the redhead took a few seconds to calm his laughter. As soon as he got up, he lightly brushed off his clothes to remove the dust while taking a deep breath one last time before responding to the newcomer.

"I think I've never laughed so much in my life, Iruka-sensei!" the teenager exclaimed, now calmer. To a stranger, his expression might seem one of pure joy, especially with the smile plastered on his face. However, Iruka knew the teen well. Naruto's body was tense, with his knees slightly bent, indicating that he was already preparing to escape, thinking of a way out—something the chūnin was determined to prevent. What really bothered the teacher, though, was the familiar tone Naruto used when calling him "sensei" almost as if he were mocking him.

"I'm glad you had fun, Naruto, but class is about to start, and I doubt you were planning to skip it, right?" Iruka asked sarcastically, something rather unusual for the shinobi known for his seriousness. Just as Iruka analyzed Naruto, the redhead was also paying attention to his sensei. It was as clear as day that Iruka was quite irritated, with a vein pulsing at his temple. Naruto was not the least bit interested in hearing the elder's lecture, let alone having to clean up his "art"—something Iruka would surely make him do.

"Skip class? Of course not, Iruka-sensei! A model student like me could never do such a thing!" said the redhead, adopting the most innocent expression he could muster, worthy of a kabuki actor performing in the great capitals of this world.

Iruka couldn't help but be surprised by the redhead's acting skills. Even though he had witnessed it countless times, Naruto's performance remained impressive. Of course, no matter how convincing the young man's act was, it didn't matter if someone already knew he was lying.

"So you wouldn't mind accompanying me to the academy, would you?" the older shinobi began. "We can even discuss the punishment for your little prank today on the way." Iruka finished, letting all the irritation he had held back until then show through.

"Sure, just let me—" Before the redhead could finish his sentence, he threw his smoke bomb, an emergency strategy he always kept on hand. Without hesitation, Naruto bolted toward his escape. He had been through this many times and knew that a single smoke bomb wouldn't be enough to throw off an experienced shinobi like Iruka.

Speaking of Iruka, he was more annoyed than surprised. Knowing the delinquent well, the shinobi had witnessed this tactic before. Capturing him wouldn't be a problem; the smoke was just an irritating nuisance, forcing him to rely on his hearing to locate the young man. Without allowing Naruto to get too far, Iruka dashed after the redhead, shouting in a firm tone.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, NARUTO! YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT YOU CAN'T ESCAPE FROM ME!"

The redhead ignored his sensei's shout and increased his running speed even more. 'You're not going to catch me this time, Iruka!' he thought, his eyes shining with determination and a mischievous smile on his face. Adrenaline surged through his veins, and each step took him further away from capture.

---

The air was beginning to grow colder in Konoha, signaling that the seasons would soon change. Due to its location, the village didn't usually experience harsh winters, and snow was a rare and surprising event for the residents. However, this did not prevent the cold wind from blowing fiercely that day. Each gust made the trees sway, releasing countless orange leaves, already at the end of autumn—a charming spectacle that could be admired from the windows of the academy. However, this scene was ignored by all the students in their final year at the shinobi academy; their attention was fixed on the redheaded delinquent, whose arms and legs were tightly bound as he lay in front of the entire class.

Naruto was still panting after his escape attempt. His outfit, already stained with splashes of paint, now showed scratches, dirt, and dry leaves. In contrast, Iruka stood in front of him, looking impeccable; his uniform was perfectly tailored, and his hair was neatly styled, as if the frantic chase had not affected his demeanor at all.

Catching his breath, the young aspiring shinobi wondered where things had started to go wrong. The plan seemed simple: to "decorate" the Hokage Monument with his art, admire the results, and then spend the rest of the day sleeping in his hideout. However, the image of the old Hokage's angry face invaded his thoughts. 'Everything was going so well... If I hadn't wasted so much time laughing, I would have succeeded.' lamented Naruto.

Despite thinking that, in the end, the blame for getting caught was his own, the young redhead couldn't help but blame Iruka for his unhappiness. Among all those who pursued him after his pranks, the teacher was the only one he could never shake off. The fact that he could never surpass him irritated him so much that he shot an angry glare at Iruka.

"Humph!" huffed Naruto, indignant. 'And to think that I'll graduate without ever having escaped from him!' Just that thought was enough to wipe out all the joy that his stunt at the Hokage Monument had brought him.

Iruka, on the other hand, was far from satisfied with his student's behavior. The delinquent barely attended classes, and when he did, he always caused some kind of incident, not to mention the frequent vandalism he committed.

"Tomorrow is the graduation exam! You've already failed the last two times. This isn't the time to cause trouble, you idiot!" Iruka reprimanded his troublesome student with evident irritation, the vein pulsing in his temple.

"Yeah, yeah," replied the troublemaker with disdain, trying hard not to let a mischievous smile appear on his lips. The delinquent knew that this response would only irritate his teacher even more, but he felt satisfied with this small act of revenge for being caught.

To his great satisfaction, Iruka's mood seemed to be at its lowest, as evidenced by the twitch in his eyebrow. However, this scene lasted only a moment; soon, the shinobi forced a smile and turned to his class.

"Alright then... It's time for a surprise test on Henge no Jutsu! Form a line!" exclaimed the teacher, his voice carrying a tone of authority.

"What?" several students shouted in unison, outraged by the sudden summons.

"Transform perfectly into me! And if anyone wants to blame someone for this, blame Naruto!" Iruka replied, ignoring the complaints. This statement immediately generated furious glares from the troublemaker's classmates, who were ready to launch their own accusations.

'So this is how you want to play, huh?' For Naruto, it was no surprise that Iruka tried to use his classmates to punish him. The strategy might even work if the redhead cared about getting along with the younger students. After several frustrating attempts in previous years, the delinquent had developed an aversion to forming bonds—or at least that's what he told himself.

Without further ado, Iruka cut the ropes binding Naruto, interrupting his thoughts. The teenager didn't even bother to look at his teacher and quickly ran to the end of the line that was forming. While the redhead sulked, thinking about how to get back at Iruka, the latter diligently assessed each of his students. All the irritation he had shown earlier seemed like a daydream, a reflection of his professionalism. This commitment was ultimately what led him to become a teacher at the shinobi academy—a position of considerable respect, after all, the higher-ups of the village wouldn't want an incompetent teaching the next generation.

While watching his classmates being evaluated in the test, Naruto couldn't help but mentally complain: 'Ugh! What a drag...' This was the third time the troublemaker was going through his final year at the academy, and since there wasn't much left for him to learn, he focused on honing his skills. His mastery of the basic jutsus was comparable to that of an experienced genin, except for one detail—the same one that had led to his previous failures.

As his turn approached, a classmate didn't hesitate to express his irritation: "This is all your fault, dead last," the boy murmured, visibly frustrated.

"As if I cared, dog breath!" Naruto retorted disdainfully.

"What? Do you want me to rub your face in the dirt, you idiot?" shouted the boy, falling for the redhead's provocation.

"That's enough, both of you! Naruto, it's your turn, so get over here!" Iruka interrupted, his firm voice preventing the argument between the students from escalating.

'You turn everyone against me and then get mad about the results?!' the redhead shouted in his mind, growing frustrated. But suddenly, a brilliant idea sparked in his mind. A mischievous smile formed on his face. 'Ah, I know! I haven't tried this yet, but if it works... you're going to get a surprise, Iruka! Gyahahahaha!'

"Henge no Jutsu!" the redhead shouted, and a curtain of smoke quickly enveloped his body. As the smoke began to dissipate, a shocking sight emerged before the class. The figure was tall for a woman, standing about 1.80 m (5'11"). The first detail to catch everyone's attention was her long red hair, which nearly touched her heels, styled in pigtails.

Her features seemed sculpted by hand, making it hard not to be dazzled by such beauty. Her expression only enhanced her unreal appearance, emanating an aura of sensuality that became even more captivating due to the exotic color of her purple eyes.

What truly shocked the class, however, was the fact that her body was almost completely exposed, as it had been on the day she was born. The smoke covering her intimate parts was just enough to preserve her modesty, but it only intensified her sexual appeal, leaving everyone stunned and speechless.

The result was instantaneous. That sight was too much for most of the boys in prepubescence. The more discreet ones reacted mildly, with things like nosebleeds, while the more impressionable... well, let's just say they would need to change their underwear.

The girls, on the other hand, had very different reactions. Embarrassment and anger prevailed, but some couldn't help but feel envy toward the redhead. They wondered how easy it would be to win over a certain boy if they had her beauty.

However, the most drastic reaction came from Iruka. One of the greatest embarrassments of his life was his complete lack of experience with the opposite sex. His serious nature made it difficult not only to start relationships but also to vent his stress in a healthy way. With this baggage— or rather, the lack of it— it was no surprise that Iruka could hardly control himself. Soon, the thread of his rationality was about to snap.

"Could you give me a private lesson, I-r-u-k-a-kun?" The redhead's words were too much for the poor teacher. An immense amount of blood began to gush from his nose, and his legs, now weak, finally gave way, causing him to fall backward.

Seeing the result of his jutsu, Naruto could no longer contain himself and canceled the transformation, falling to the ground and rolling with laughter.

"Gyahahahahahahaha! I can't believe it! Hahahaha! He really fell for my Oiroke no Jutsu! Hahahahaha!" exclaimed the troublemaker, between laughs.

Hearing this, all of Iruka's lust and embarrassment were quickly replaced by an almost palpable rage. His eyebrows twitched incessantly, and the veins throbbed in his temple.

"YOU IDIOT! DON'T INVENT STUPID SKILLS!" the teacher shouted at the top of his lungs, making a colossal effort not to punch the redhead right then and there.

This explosion of anger only served to intensify the delinquent's laughter even more.

---

Autumn afternoons in Konoha had a special touch. Although the season was almost over, it was still possible to enjoy the stunning view of the orange leaves remaining on the trees, blending with the reddish sky of the sunset. The best place to admire this landscape was from the top of the Hokage Monument. However, today it would be difficult to enjoy it because of a certain duo of teacher and student. Iruka was sitting on the sculpted head of the Yondaime Hokage, watching a sulky Naruto who was rubbing the face of the deceased hero with a cloth, trying to clean up the mess he had made during the night.

This sulk was not entirely unjustified; the redhead had spent the night painting the Hokage Monument and, right after that, fled from his teacher for a good while. Once captured and dragged into the classroom, the teen had hoped, at the very least, to sleep in his seat without being disturbed. However, Iruka was not willing to cooperate, constantly drawing Naruto's attention and ensuring that he was paying attention in class. This only heightened the delinquent's irritation, who responded by trying to annoy Iruka in the worst way possible, from inconvenient comments to new escape attempts. It was impossible for anyone in the shinobi academy to study amid the chaos generated by the confrontation between the two. To make matters worse, the worst part was that the tenn had been dragged by Iruka without his desk or bentō, forcing him to spend the entire day without eating.

In summary, Naruto was tired, sleepy, and hungry, and Iruka's attitude did nothing to lift the spirits of the young redhead.

"You're not going home until you make all of this spotless, Naruto," warned Iruka, with his typical serious expression on his face.

"Humph! It's not like anyone is waiting for me at home anyway." At first, the redhead's response might have sounded irritated or even indifferent, but for anyone paying attention, a brief flicker of sadness could be seen in his expression — something that Iruka also noticed.

Normally, comments reminding the delinquent of his status as an orphan did not affect him, but since that day was particularly bad, it was hard for him not to interpret his teacher's words in the worst way, especially coming from Iruka.

It was evident that the teacher did not intend to hurt, and a brief expression of regret crossed his usually serious face. 'Damn... I, more than anyone, should know not to say that to an orphan,' reflected Iruka, filled with self-reproach, as he observed the young man with his head down, visibly hurt by his comment.

Although his remark was not a direct offense, Iruka knew it could be interpreted that way. It was almost his obligation to rephrase his statement, especially considering that the redhead had developed a dislike for him in recent times.

"Naruto..." Iruka began, searching for the right words so as not to worsen his relationship with the delinquent.

"What is it now?" the young man replied, lifting his head and looking at his teacher with clear suspicion.

"Err... Um... If you clean everything properly, how about I treat you to ramen at Ichiraku tonight?" Iruka asked, scratching his now rosy cheeks, visibly embarrassed by his previous behavior.

"Well..." Naruto hesitated a bit in his response. The relationship between student and teacher was not as close as it used to be, and lately, the redhead had been accumulating questions about the education he was receiving. However, the teen was confident in reading people's looks, and now Iruka seemed to be, at least, trying to improve things between them. "If you're paying, how can I refuse?" he added, wearing his fox-like grin. 'Maybe Iruka-sensei isn't as bad as I thought... not to mention I'm dying of hunger!'

---

It was a busy early evening in the commercial center of Konoha. It wasn't uncommon to see this flow of people at this hour, as several shinobi were finishing their shifts. Being a shinobi was a risky way of life, and with death always lurking, it was natural for many to seek comfort in alcohol or a good meal after a stressful day at work.

Amidst all this movement was a humble ramen restaurant called Ichiraku. Its size was small, with only five seats, and perhaps it was precisely for this reason that those who decided to give the restaurant a chance were surprised by the cozy and warm atmosphere of the place. Of course, a good restaurant is not made solely of a pleasant environment; the quality of the meals they prepare is essential. In this regard, Ichiraku stood out. The responsible duo consisted of a man who appeared to be middle-aged and a young girl in her teens. While the older man was the chef and owner, in charge of most of the dish preparation, the young girl assisted with the smaller tasks in the kitchen and primarily served the customers — and that was exactly what she was doing at that moment.

"Here's a Shoyu Ramen for Iruka-san and a Miso Ramen for you, Naruto. I asked Dad to add a little extra pork just for you, hihihi," said the young girl, winking at the delinquent.

"Thank you so much! You're amazing, Ayame-nee!" exclaimed the redhead, who wasted no time and started devouring his meal.

Iruka couldn't help but be impressed by the speed with which his student demolished the dish. This wasn't the first time both had come to Ichiraku; after years of teaching, Iruka had come to understand the delinquent better, and taking him out for dinner occasionally had become a habit. However, over the past year, the teacher-student duo had drifted apart without Iruka noticing. Now, he reflected on this as he realized he couldn't remember the redhead's voracious appetite. 'We used to come here all the time... When did things change, huh, Naruto?'

Reflecting on how to fix things, the shinobi paused in his meal, searching his mind for the best way to start the conversation. 'Maybe I should start by questioning the recent pranks. Naruto has always been a troublemaker, but painting the Hokage Monument is too much, even for him.'

"Naruto..." Iruka began, turning to his student.

"Huh?" Naruto replied, disinterested, still chewing.

"Why did you do that to the Hokage Monument? Don't you know who those people are?" Iruka asked, trying to show understanding. He knew that if he showed anger, it could cause the redhead to turn against him—a lesson he had learned over his time teaching the delinquent.

"Duh! Of course I know!" the redhead replied, almost offended by the question.

Iruka, for his part, raised an eyebrow, questioning whether his student really knew what he was talking about. It wouldn't be the first time the teen boasted only to give a completely wrong answer in the end.

"The people who received the title of Hokage are the best shinobi of their time and, therefore, led the village. Satisfied, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto said, with a petulant tone, rubbing it in his teacher's face that he really knew what he was talking about.

Iruka's gaze hardened as indignation grew within him. He knew that Naruto understood the importance of the figures he had vandalized, and yet, choosing to do so was unacceptable. Disrespecting the heroes who dedicated their lives to the village was something Iruka could not easily forgive.

"And among them is the Yondaime Hokage, the hero who defeated the demon fox, the Kyuubi," the redhead continued. The admiration he felt for the hero was evident to anyone who saw him speak, which made his act even more incomprehensible. To Iruka, it made no sense to vandalize the faces of those you admire so much.

"So, why?! Why vandalize their faces?" Iruka could barely contain his irritation as he questioned his student.

"Simple: it was a declaration of war!" the teen stated seriously. "One day, I will become Hokage. Not only that; I will be the greatest Hokage, surpassing all who came before me, including the Yondaime!" His energetic tone carried an unwavering determination. The redhead not only believed in his words; he was absolutely certain he would achieve what he said.

"I understand... but vandalizing the Hokage Monument won't help you get there. First, you need to become a shinobi, and so far, you've failed twice." Iruka said, resuming his meal with a barely concealed smile. There was a hint of teasing in his voice now that he felt more at ease after their conversation.

'Maybe I'm seeing too much of myself in him... just because we are similar doesn't mean our actions carry the same motivations,' Iruka thought.

"Thanks for the reminder..." Naruto replied, full of sarcasm. Although his expression remained confident, there was something in his eyes that betrayed how much those failures bothered him.

"By the way, are you prepared for the test tomorrow?" Iruka asked between bites, his voice now more serious, shifting to that of a teacher who didn't just want to play but also cared about his student's performance.

"Huh... why do I have to do the Bushin no Jutsu to become a shinobi?" Naruto asked, frowning, clearly indignant about the upcoming test. "I remember that Rock Lee graduated last year without having to go through this!"

"Naruto, we've talked about this. Lee is a special case, and that doesn't apply to you," Iruka replied, a bit uncomfortable with the question. It wasn't the first time his student had raised this issue. 'Maybe this is one of the reasons we've drifted apart...' reflected the shinobi.

"Tch, and why is that? I heard that a Jonin supported him. So is that it? You just need someone with influence to become a shinobi?" the redhead shot back sarcastically, making his disdain for a system that had already failed him twice clear.

Iruka, for his part, seemed even more uncomfortable. If he were honest with himself, he would agree with his student. Iruka knew well Naruto's abilities and recognized that, in terms of practical skills, the teen was on par with his classmates. In fact, if it weren't for the Bushin no Jutsu, Naruto would be one of the best in the class in that regard.

"Listen, as I said, Lee had several special circumstances, and the support he received was just one of them. For starters, Lee's theoretical scores were much higher than yours," Iruka replied, hitting Naruto's weak point. As talented as he was in practical skills, his academic grades were a disaster. He consistently had the worst grades in the class in previous years and in the current one.

"Humph!" Naruto grumbled, clearly dissatisfied with his sensei's response.

"Anyway, you'd better prepare for tomorrow. I've already failed you twice; I don't want to have to do it again," Iruka said as he finished eating. The teacher got up, paid for both meals, and left.

Naruto sat there, reflecting on the conversation. Unlike in previous years, this time he felt more confident. He believed he had a real chance of graduating. As he stood up and walked back to his modest apartment, only one thing echoed in his mind: 'I can't fail again. This time, I have to graduate!'

---

The next morning, the atmosphere at the Konoha shinobi academy was cheerful. Most of the students were confident that, after six long years of preparation, they would finally graduate. The failure rate on the final test was extremely low, but about sixty percent of the students had dropped out along the way. This fact was widely known and fueled confidence in the classroom — with the exception of Naruto. He was one of the first to arrive and was lying on his desk, with noticeable dark circles under his eyes, clear signs of the lack of sleep from the previous night.

The night was long for the redhead. It was the first time he was truly nervous about the graduation test. He still remembered the first time he took the test — "as if I could forget." The first attempt is always the most painful, and for Naruto, it was no different. He was overflowing with confidence; failing was something unimaginable. He had passed the theoretical test, which he dismissed, and believed he could execute 90% of the required practical skills, except for the Bushin no Jutsu. Imagine his surprise to find out that not only was this technique included in the test, but that if a student was unable to perform it, they would be immediately failed. After all, the idea was that if someone couldn't master something so basic, they couldn't graduate.

If the first failure was a shock, the second was maddening. Naruto spent the entire year trying to master the Bushin no Jutsu, pouring countless hours into effort, blood, and sweat. He even studied scrolls about chakra theory, which he despised, but even after nearly a year, he couldn't perform the jutsu. It was simply impossible, and the worst part was that he didn't know why. As time passed and the date of the test approached, he grew more desperate. In a futile attempt, he sought help from Iruka, only to be categorically rejected. "I can't show favoritism, Naruto." the redhead recalled the excuse his instructor had given. 'What a load of bullshit!' he thought.

Realizing he had no chance of passing, Naruto didn't even show up for the test, preferring to spend the day training until exhaustion, venting all the anger that was lodged in his throat. That anger only grew when he discovered that one of the few classmates he got along with, a young man with thick eyebrows named Rock Lee, had graduated. This alone wouldn't have been a problem — Naruto was not a jealous person by nature. What irritated him was the fact that Lee couldn't perform the Bushin no Jutsu or any other ninjutsu.

Upon learning this, Naruto immediately went to question Iruka: how could someone who couldn't use any ninjutsu graduate while he, who had only failed at the Bushin no Jutsu, had been rejected? Iruka's response was anything but satisfactory. His teacher simply dodged the question, which only heightened the young delinquent's displeasure.

Normally, a blow like that would make anyone give up, but Naruto was different. This only fueled the flame of his determination even more. Throughout his life, the redhead faced countless difficulties, and moments of true happiness were rare and far between. However, there was one thing he knew: what made him happiest was proving those who doubted him wrong, showing that he could be great. Seeing the faces twisted in a mix of anger, disbelief, and even a hint of fear was a cathartic experience for the troublemaker, and for that to happen, it all depended on his effort.

Being rejected a second time wasn't enough to make him give up, but it still struck a blow. It was a strong enough impact for him to abandon the practice of the stupid Bushin no Jutsu and spend the entire year dedicating himself to his mischief, which ranged from simple vandalism to putting laxatives in the Inuzuka's ninken. The redhead spent six months in this limbo, barely attending classes and turning the lives of those who irritated him into complete chaos. However, this phase came to an end after a conversation with the new assistant teacher of that year, a man named Mizuki.

Naruto thought Mizuki would scold him for some prank, but surprisingly, that wasn't what happened. On the contrary, Mizuki praised him. According to the assistant teacher, his pranks were genius. Skeptical, Naruto questioned why he thought that, and the answer only shocked him further: "A prank is not much different from a sabotage mission, Naruto-kun. What you do may seem insignificant, but for someone more observant, it's impossible not to notice your talent."

From that point on, the two began to grow closer, and Naruto soon confided in Mizuki about his problem with the Bushin no Jutsu, something the teacher was more than willing to help with.

During the extra training sessions, Mizuki discovered the issue: something hard to believe at first glance. What was preventing Naruto from mastering the Bushin no Jutsu was the large amount of chakra he possessed. The jutsu was designed as an introductory technique, requiring little chakra, so that even a student from a civilian family could execute it. However, Naruto's chakra reserves were comparable to those of a Kage, and he didn't have the refined control necessary to avoid overwhelming the jutsu.

With that dismissed, the extra classes were interrupted. Mizuki said he would research alternative solutions, while Naruto continued with the basic exercises. Even if they seemed useless, it was better than doing nothing. However, as time passed and no results emerged, Naruto began to consider riskier options.

It so happened that, a long time ago, the redhead had acquired a scroll. He wasn't quite sure where he had gotten it, nor why he had decided to read it—God knows how much he hated anything academic. But for some reason, he opened it, and that was probably the longest time he had ever spent reading something, dedicating one hundred percent of his attention. The scroll, titled An Introduction to Fūinjutsu, written by someone named Uzumaki Ashina, dealt with this esoteric and obscure art that could alter reality through writing.

Naruto absorbed the contents of the scroll like a sponge. In less than three months, he had already mastered everything the scroll had to offer, something that would shock anyone, including himself, since fūinjutsuwas notoriously known for its high level of difficulty. But that wasn't enough. Soon, he began experimenting with seals, modifying them and creating variations of the ones he knew. This would have continued for a long time if he hadn't used the seals in one of his pranks, which led the Hokage to discover his new hobby.

The old Hokage usually didn't care much about his antics, but this time he was extremely angry. According to him, fūinjutsu was a very dangerous art for a novice to practice on his own without supervision. Naruto tried to argue, but the Hokage had already made his decision: the redhead was forbidden from practicing fūinjutsuuntil he became a genin. If he disobeyed, he would be removed from the system completely.

However, now the redhead was at a crossroads. He knew he could create a seal that would limit the amount of chakra in his system through the tenketsu, but that would mean disobeying the old Hokage. Naruto understood that, no matter how kind he was, the Hokage was still the leader of the village and would uphold his word if he discovered that the redhead had disobeyed him. However, being Naruto, he could do nothing but risk everything.

When he shared his idea with Mizuki, the reaction was mixed. The first response was concern about the possibility of the redhead being discovered. However, Naruto argued that this was his only option.

"Mizuki-sensei, I know it's risky. If Hokage-jiji finds out, my career will be over before it even starts. But if I become a shinobi, I'll be risking my life all the time. So why not start now?!"

Many might think it was just another one of Naruto's countless bravado moments, but this was one of those rare times when he was speaking seriously. The tone of absolute conviction, typical of someone willing to risk everything, was evident in his words. And that was more than enough to convince Mizuki.

Seeing his pupil's determination, Mizuki agreed to help him create the seal in secret. Thus, with less than a month left until the final exam, the Fūinjutsu: Nagare Seigen was complete. However, a new problem arose: while the seal had limited the amount of chakra in Naruto's system, he still faced difficulties with control. It was something that could be resolved, but it would require time to master—time that the young redhead did not have.

In the end, Naruto could perform the Bushin no Jutsu in about fifty percent of his attempts, which was still not enough to make him confident. That's why he was a bundle of nerves now. The redhead had never feared failure; he always believed it was just a setback he could overcome. But today was different. For the first time, he had received help, not out of pity or obligation, but out of conviction. Mizuki believed in him and in his potential. Naruto was used to being discredited by everyone. This unexpected confidence was something new and heavy, a burden he didn't know how to carry.

As nervous as he was, that no longer mattered. Mizuki had just entered the classroom alongside Iruka, and for a brief moment, their eyes met. Without needing to say a word, his sensei's intention was clear: he believed in him. What had once been the source of his nervousness now brought him calm. 'Forget everything else. You've faced tougher situations, and now you have a chance to graduate. So stop with the drama and focus, Naruto!' the redhead shouted in his mind.

When the clock struck 8:30, Iruka, who was finishing organizing the paperwork in his hands, began the final class.

"Well, class, as we discussed last week, you have already completed the theoretical test. Today will be the practical test, which will include the execution of the three basic ninjutsu: Kawarimi no Jutsu, Henge no Jutsu, and Bushin no Jutsu. There will also be a marksmanship test with Bukijutsu and, finally, a taijutsu match. Remember: if you fail any of the ninjutsu, you will be immediately disqualified."

After this long speech, Iruka paused, giving the class time to absorb what he had said.

"Now Mizuki-sensei will call each of you, one by one. Those who are called should go alone to the next room," concluded the teacher, handing some documents to his assistant before heading to the testing room.

"So let's get started, class. Aburame Shino!" said Mizuki-sensei, starting the roll call.

---

"Very well, Naruto, your taijutsu is a pass." Iruka, who had been closely observing the spar between the young redhead and his assistant Mizuki, interrupted them, approving his student's performance.

"Take a few minutes to catch your breath and then go to room 9 for your final test," the teacher added as he finished taking notes on Naruto's performance.

Meanwhile, Naruto was lying on the floor since the spar had ended, not out of exhaustion— it would take much more than that to tire out the delinquent— but rather due to nerves. He had already completed all the tests, and now it was time for the Bushin no Jutsu. 'Tch, why couldn't the stupid Bushin be the first?' the redhead bitterly reflected.

"Nervous?" Mizuki asked, who was waiting for his pupil to supposedly catch his breath.

"More like excited!" exclaimed the young braggart.

"Great, I was worried that your nerves might affect your performance, but I guess you were just overthinking it." As he said this, the assistant teacher offered his hand to help Naruto get up, which the latter was more than happy to accept.

"You know me, Mizuki-sensei, it's impossible for me to be nervous." Despite his words, it was clear to anyone who observed closely that the teen was anxious. The sweat trickling down his forehead and the way his hand kept opening and closing were just a few of the many signs of this, something Mizuki didn't fail to notice.

"Alright, it's good that you're confident, but remember that even if something goes wrong, I'll be here to help you."

Upon hearing these words, Naruto felt a wave of emotion wash over him. A smile appeared on his face, but this time it wasn't the wide, defiant grin he usually wore to mask his insecurities or when he was about to cause trouble. It was a subtle, sincere smile that merely lifted the corners of his mouth, conveying genuine happiness.

"Thank you, Mizuki-sensei."

With this atmosphere of confidence, they both arrived at room 9. Before entering, Mizuki placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder one last time and, giving his usual whistle before speaking, said:

"Good luck, Naruto-kun. I know you can do it."

Naruto, not trusting that his voice wouldn't fail him, responded with just a nod. With that, he and Mizuki entered the room for the final and decisive test.

"The same as last year, Naruto; you just need to execute the three basic ninjutsu to graduate... oh, and no more of your stupid tricks, or I'll fail you on the spot!" said Iruka.

"Alright," replied Naruto, a bead of sweat trickling down his face.

Executing the Kawarimi no Jutsu and the Henge no Jutsu wasn't a problem for the redhead, but for some reason, his chakra control was lacking at that moment.

Despite this, the teen managed to perform the jutsu satisfactorily, transforming into Iruka and switching places with Mizuki at the same time.

"Good execution of the Kawarimi and Henge, Naruto. Now, you just need to perform the Bushin no Jutsu to graduate." Despite his firm tone, anyone who knew Iruka could see how tense he was. The thought of failing Naruto for the third time weighed heavily on his conscience.

'The time has come. I've activated the Fūinjutsu: Nagare Seigen. If I do it like in training, I'll succeed!' Naruto repeated these words mentally like a mantra, trying to control his anxiety.

"You can start, Naruto," Iruka said, silently praying that the redhead would succeed this time.

Naruto swallowed hard, quickly forming the necessary hand seals and shouting with determination:

"Bushin no Jutsu!"

A dense cloud of white smoke formed in the air. Iruka watched with growing anxiety, but soon a look of disappointment crossed his face as the smoke dissipated. Despite all the effort, Naruto's clone lay on the ground, resembling more a fragile shadow, almost lifeless—with the expression of someone in their last moments. That clone posed no threat, not even to a baby, much less to a shinobi. Unfortunately, Iruka knew he couldn't turn a blind eye to this.

Seeing the pitiful state of his clone, Naruto was stunned. His fists and teeth clenched, and his body began to tremble, overtaken by frustration. 'I failed again...'

"YOU FAILED!" Iruka shouted, shaking the redhead out of his state of shock."Iruka-sensei," Mizuki interjected, his expression compassionate. "This is Naruto's third attempt, and he managed to create a clone... We could let him pass..."

'Mizuki-sensei! After all your help, you still...' the delinquent thought, grateful for his teacher's unexpected support.

"We can't do what you're suggesting, Mizuki-sensei! Everyone else made at least three clones; Naruto only made one, and look at his state... We can't let him pass." Iruka replied, shaking his head in denial, to the despair of the teenager, who cast a hateful glance at the rejection.

'I knew it! He hates me!' Naruto shouted in his mind as he marched out of the testing room, trying to hide his hurt, considering it a betrayal from Iruka.

---

Applause celebrating the achievements could be heard from all sides; the newly graduated shinobi were rejoicing with their loved ones. It was a special day for these young individuals who, after so much training, were finally recognized as defenders of their village. Shouts like, "That's my boy!" "I'm so proud of you! Tonight, Mom will make your favorite dish!" and "Now we're all adults!" echoed from the crowd.

Watching the scene, Naruto was sitting on a swing. After all the initial frustration, only sadness remained on his face. 'Sigh... Come on, Naruto, you can't let this get you down; crying never solved anything.' But no matter how many times the teenager repeated this thought in his mind, it was hard not to feel bad seeing all those younger classmates graduate while he would be stuck in the academy for another year.

'I will get through this tomorrow, but today... today it just hurts like hell.'

"Hey, is that the boy?" one of the mothers at the graduation asked a woman who seemed to be her friend.

"Yes, that's him — the only one who failed," the friend replied, with evident disdain in her words.

"Hmph! What a relief," the mother said. It was hard for anyone not to notice the deep resentment these two felt toward the young redhead.

"Can you imagine if that boy became a shinobi?" the woman commented. "It's because he is..."

"Hey! We can't talk about that; it's forbidden!" the mother quickly interrupted her friend.

Naruto, hearing all of this, couldn't help but feel a wave of anger. "What did I do to deserve this?! It's always the same thing — those looks, that contempt... as if it were a sin for me to exist!"

Unfortunately, it wasn't just those two who saw Naruto this way. The teenager was already used to being treated like this, having suffered through it his entire life, but that didn't make the pain any less intense.

'I'd better get out of here. Staying will only make me feel worse,' thought the delinquent as he got up from the swing and quickly left the area, a rare scowl on his face.

Amidst the crowd of parents and graduates, a pair of figures watched the redhead walk away.

"Iruka, I need to talk to you," said the Third Hokage. The shadow of his hat helped conceal his expression, but the sparkle in his eyes revealed a hint of concern.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," replied Iruka, with a cautious expression, unsure of what to expect from the conversation with the old leader. Today had already been a complicated day for the young teacher, especially after what he was forced to do, and he hoped this conversation wouldn't leave him feeling even more disheartened.

Meanwhile, Naruto, now a bit farther away, wondered where he should go. "Going home now is never a good idea." The redhead always avoided returning to his small apartment because being alone there left him at the mercy of his own thoughts—thoughts that only worsened his state of mind.

'I think I'll train.' But before he could leave, Naruto heard footsteps approaching. Turning around, he came face to face with one of the last people he wanted to see at that moment.

"Naruto..." called Mizuki, his voice filled with sympathy.

"Mizuki-sensei..." Naruto replied, his face marked by a deep sense of shame.

"Come on, let's talk in a quieter place," Mizuki suggested, offering a small, understanding smile.

---

Shadows enveloped the landscape of Konoha as the sun began to set, tinting the sky with shades of orange. The streets, bathed in golden light and filled with shadows, were crowded with people. Graduation days were highly anticipated by local businesses, as activity significantly increased, with many families going out to celebrate their children's success and perhaps buy gifts as rewards.

Sitting on the edge of a balcony, Naruto and Mizuki watched the scene. Naruto, still wearing an expression of shame and sadness on his face, finally broke the silence between them.

"I'm sorry, Mizuki-sensei. After all the extra training you gave me, I still couldn't pass..." said Naruto, his voice laden with shame, very different from his usual confident tone.

Mizuki, with a worried expression that contorted his face, seemed to search for the right words to comfort his student.

"You don't need to apologize, Naruto-kun. I trained you because I saw potential in you, and just because you failed doesn't mean that potential no longer exists," replied Mizuki, trying to ease the pain the teenager felt.

"I know that, Mizuki-sensei. It's just that I wanted to make you proud, you know? No one has ever helped me as much. Hell, you even tried to convince Iruka-sensei to pass me!" Naruto confessed, his voice becoming a bit more bitter as he mentioned the name of the one who had failed him.

"You don't need to blame Iruka-sensei, Naruto-kun. It turns out that... Iruka-sensei probably identifies with you," Mizuki said, much to the ruivo's dismay, who couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Humph! He hates me! Don't you see how he's always on my case?" huffed Naruto. After today, the ruivo had given up on believing in Iruka. Ever since Rock Lee was approved, their relationship had been deteriorating, and today was the last straw for Naruto.

Mizuki observed his student's expression closely. Throughout the time he had trained the boy, he noticed how distrustful he was. It seemed that Naruto always assumed everyone hated him — something natural, considering how he had grown up.

"It's not that he hates you. Iruka-sensei is just a serious person. His parents were killed when he was very young, and he has had to rely on himself ever since," Mizuki explained. The two had known each other for a long time; Mizuki and Iruka studied together in the academy, and, although they had not been assigned to the same team, they had completed missions together a few times.

"I think what he really wants is for you to become strong, no matter what happens. Try to understand his side a bit; being an orphan, I'm sure you can relate."

Hearing this, Naruto couldn't help but reflect. He didn't know that Iruka was also an orphan, and this revelation resonated with him. Putting himself in Iruka's shoes, the redhead imagined that, if he were in his position, he would demand just as much as was being asked of him. But at the same time, he saw himself helping more, just as Mizuki-sensei had helped him. All this reflection eased some of his anger toward Iruka, but he still couldn't completely extinguish it.

"Alright, Mizuki-sensei. I won't stay sulking; I'll leave that to Sasuke-teme, haha!" Naruto replied, flashing his characteristic smile and trying to lift his own spirits.

"Hahaha, well, now that you seem more excited, I have a surprise for you." A smile formed on Mizuki's face as he spoke, and for a moment, a different light shone in his eyes.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, his curiosity piqued. Mizuki's response was unexpected, but it certainly lifted Naruto's spirits.

"Don't worry, Mizuki-sensei! I won't disappoint you this time!" the boy exclaimed, his expression filled with determination, with a gaze as firm as that of a veteran ready to give his life for his mission.

"I know you won't, Naruto-kun." Mizuki said, signaling for Naruto to go.

---

It was a full moon night in Konoha. The sky, with a few clouds, could hardly conceal the brightness of the moon at its peak. Nights like this made infiltration missions a bit more difficult, similar to what a young redhead was attempting at that moment, trying to infiltrate the Hokage tower.

From a distance, a figure observed his performance.

'Naruto's stealth skills never cease to amaze me,' Mizuki reflected, hidden in a nearby building next to the Hokage tower. 'If it weren't for that, executing the plan would be much more challenging.'

At that moment, Mizuki couldn't help but wonder when his life began to go wrong. His childhood as an orphan wasn't much different from others in the same situation; the only difference was himself. Mizuki vividly remembered the moment he realized he was different. He must have been about six years old and still living in the orphanage. For some trivial reason, a fight broke out between an older orphan and a younger one. The older one, naturally stronger, crushed the younger one. That was no surprise. The problem was the brutality of the older child: he didn't stop hitting, even when the younger one lost consciousness. It took two older caretakers to restrain him.

Mizuki remembered all the horror etched on the faces of the other orphans. Looks of fear towards the older boy and pity for the younger one. The thing is... Mizuki didn't feel any of that. To him, there was nothing wrong with what happened. 'The older one was stronger, so he could punch the younger one. Simple as that.' But, seeing the reaction of everyone around him, he realized that his way of thinking was the exception. And, almost instinctively, he knew he had to hide what he really thought.

From that moment on, Mizuki created a persona of a calm, kind, and polite young man. As he grew older, this mask became increasingly perfected, to the point where he had friends like Iruka and even girlfriends, like his current one, Tsubaki. Mizuki had become a shinobi with exemplary behavior and a promising future.

'That is, until that damn mission happened...'

Flashback

About a year and three months ago, Mizuki was assigned to a patrol mission at the border between Hi no Kuni and Kawa no Kuni, which was supposed to last five days—something routine, but this time it went very wrong. On the last day of the patrol, the team leader, a Tokubetsu Jōnin whose name Mizuki didn't bother to remember, noticed unusual movement near their location and decided to investigate. That was the worst mistake he could have made. As they approached the commotion, the team spotted three figures crossing the border. The figures were covered from head to toe in cloaks with hoods, making it impossible to identify them. Upon seeing these suspects, the leader ordered the team to pursue them, but it didn't last long. Soon, the strangers noticed the chase and stopped in a clearing.

The leader wasted no time and approached them carelessly.

"You do not have permission to cross the border of Hi no Kuni. Identify yourselves immediately!" shouted the team leader.

The response from the strangers was instantaneous. Before Mizuki could blink, one of the figures drew what appeared to be a sword made of bones and pierced the leader's heart, killing him before he even understood what had happened.

Seeing the hostility from the suspects, Mizuki's two companions launched their attack, but he knew better. The way that figure moved was not something mere chūnin like them could match. Facing him head-on would be akin to suicide. The most frightening part was that this power came from just one of the figures, and if Mizuki's instincts were correct, the other two were not inferior.

There was no other choice: Mizuki needed to escape. Hopefully, his two companions would provide enough distraction for him to get away. However, unfortunately for him, that was not what happened. Just as he was about to flee, one of the figures appeared behind him and tried to slash his throat with a kunai.

Whether by luck or fate, Mizuki managed to evade the kunai, but that only postponed the inevitable. He knew that a miracle wouldn't happen twice and that the next attack from the figure would kill him.

Amid all that tension, a voice interrupted what would have been his end.

"Wait a moment, Arashi-kun and Kimimaro-kun." The figure who spoke had the most overwhelming presence among the three, and now, through those words, it was possible to deduce that he was also the leader of the group.

Once the threat to his life was momentarily lifted, Mizuki began to look around for a new escape route. In doing so, he noticed that of the two companions who had attempted to attack the figure with the bone sword, one was already dead, while the other was being held by the hair, with the bone sword pointed at his throat.

Distracted by this assessment of his surroundings, Mizuki took too long to notice the supposed leader of the nuke-nins approaching him, not realizing until he was already right in front of him.

"Kukukuku, you were already ready to abandon your companions, weren't you?" the figure asked with a sinister laugh.

Mizuki didn't know how to respond to the figure. Many in the shinobi world take camaraderie very seriously, and depending on the answer he gave, it could condemn him to a fate worse than death.

"You don't need to be scared. I promise that, depending on your answer, I might even spare you." Mizuki looked closely at the figure speaking before him. Beneath the hood, he could see a pair of yellow eyes with slit pupils, like those of a snake.

Realizing that his opponent wanted an answer, Mizuki decided, for the first time in his life, to be who he really was and respond honestly. After all, he was already condemned, so at least he would leave this world as himself.

"Yes, if we all attacked together, we would all end up dead. So, at least let their deaths be useful for my survival," Mizuki replied emotionlessly. His companion, upon hearing this, was indignant.

"Mizuki, you bastard!"

This was quickly silenced by the figure holding him.

"Kukuku, very well... Mizuki-kun, that's your name, isn't it?" asked the leader figure, receiving an affirmative nod from Mizuki in response. "Mizuki-kun, I have a proposal for you. If you fulfill it, not only will I spare your life, but I will also allow you to serve me. Do you want to hear it?"

"I'm all ears."

"Just kill your companion from Konoha." The figure didn't need to say it twice; Mizuki quickly drew a kunai and plunged it into the throat of his former companion.

The leader figure, upon seeing this, couldn't help but let out a sinister laugh.

"Kukuku, without any hesitation. Excellent, Mizuki-kun," the figure said while clapping.

After completing what was asked, Mizuki quickly dropped to one knee, bowing to the leader figure and waiting for them to speak.

"I think it's time for a presentation on my part." As he said this, the figure lowered his hood, and his appearance shocked Mizuki to the core. 'Am I facing a damn Sannin?! What the hell is someone like him doing here?!'

"My name is Orochimaru, but from your shock, I think you've already heard of me, kukuku."

"How should I serve you, Orochimaru-sama?" Mizuki asked, trying his best to hide the terror in his voice. In response, Orochimaru's neck stretched enough for his fangs to sink into Mizuki's neck, and a wave of excruciating pain engulfed his body.

"From now on, you will be my spy in Konoha, and this little gift of mine will ensure that you don't 'spill the beans,'" said Orochimaru as his neck returned to its normal size.

At the spot where the Sannin had bitten, a kind of black mark resembling a small butterfly appeared. Not that Mizuki could see it at that moment; the poor guy had collapsed on the ground, rubbing the area of the mark and still writhing in pain.

"Now let's go, Kimimaro-kun, Arashi-kun. I expect great things from you, Mizuki-kun. Until we meet again." And with that, Orochimaru bid farewell.

Flashback end

After that, it was hell. Mizuki had to come up with a plausible story to justify the deaths of his companions and his own survival, something that was not easy at all. He spent hours altering the area where the encounter with the Snake Sannin occurred to align with the story he had created. All of this while still suffering from fever and pain due to the "little gift" he received from his new master.

Thanks to his impeccable reputation, it wasn't very difficult to convince his superiors of his story. The problem was that, no matter how much they believed him, there were still certain protocols to be followed. Therefore, Mizuki would be prevented from leaving the village for a while and would be under monitoring.

This turned out to be convenient for the chūnin, as his new master had requested that he watch over and gather information on Uchiha Sasuke. To achieve this, Mizuki decided to apply for the position of assistant teacher at the Shinobi Academy.

The approval didn't take long; the higher-ups wanted to have him where they could keep an eye on him until they were sure that his cover story was true. Since the position he was applying for wasn't very sensitive, it made everything more convenient.

Despite all of this, Mizuki knew that his position was precarious. The longer he worked for Orochimaru, the greater the chances of being discovered. He could even surrender in the hope of becoming a double agent, but the seal on his neck prevented that. Another problem was that his new master was not trustworthy at all. 'He will discard me as soon as I am no longer useful to him.' This was a recurring thought for Mizuki during that time.

Realizing that he could count on neither the village nor the Sannin, Mizuki had to find another way out—something he would never have imagined if it weren't for the precarious situation he was in.

The idea was simple: steal the Scroll of Seals and desert to the hidden villages of Iwa or Kumo. However, the security of the Hokage Residence was very tight; he would never be able to steal and escape alive. Mizuki was almost abandoning the plan until Naruto pulled off one of his famous pranks, vandalizing the entire Hokage Residence.

Mizuki didn't know how the boy managed to do it, but the important thing was that the redhead did, and if he could do it once, he could do it again. From then on, all Mizuki needed to do was get close to the delinquent and gain his trust to manipulate him into stealing the Scroll of Seals.

For almost six months, that's exactly what Mizuki did. In the first few days, it was nearly impossible to tolerate the brat. His disrespectful, lively, and, worse, needy attitude made Mizuki hate him more and more. As time went on, Mizuki's patience wore thin, to the point where he was almost willing to abandon everything just to kill the brat.

However, the plan still came first, and for that, Naruto had his role. The best way Mizuki found to manipulate him was through his failure on the genin test, which became a problem when the redhead learned to perform the Bushin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique) just one month before the final exam.

When Naruto mentioned that he could find a solution for his excess chakra using fūinjutsu, Mizuki didn't take him seriously. That art was notoriously difficult, and the redhead's grades did not indicate that he had enough intelligence to even begin in that field. However, to his surprise, the troublemaker was somehow extremely skilled in fūinjutsu. His signature seal, Fūinjutsu: Nagare Seigen, allowed the boy to use the Bushin no Jutsu to remedy his situation.

Mizuki found himself forced to cast a genjutsu that messed with the redhead's chakra control. Fortunately for him, Naruto was a complete idiot in everything except fūinjutsu; thus, the boy believed he was simply struggling to adjust to the new amount of chakra he could use thanks to Nagare Seigen.

Today, Mizuki prepared to reap the rewards of his plan. Successfully, he cast the genjutsu on the boy before the Bushin no Jutsu test, and, as expected, Naruto failed. Convincing him to follow his plan was also not a difficult task. All it took was to say that he had spoken with the Hokage, who agreed to give him a makeup test: to steal the Sealing Scroll and learn one of the jutsus written on it.

Naruto fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and at this moment, he was already leaving the Hokage Tower with the Sealing Scroll in his hands. Now, all I need to do is inform everyone. Once they know it was the brat who stole the scroll, I can kill him and use the fake body I prepared to simulate my own death. Perfect, everyone will think Naruto killed me and escaped with the scroll, Mizuki thought darkly, a crooked smile on his face as he watched the redhead head toward the forest west of the village.

---

Iruka lay in his bed, his mind wandering as he processed the conversation he had with the Sandaime. I know how you feel, Iruka, but what Naruto does is just a response to the treatment he receives. Because of the burden he carries, many don't see him in a good light, and his response to that is his pranks. For him, it's better to be seen as a troublemaker than as a demon, so don't expect too much from him, Iruka.

To say that the old Hokage's words shocked him would be an understatement. Iruka had always attributed Naruto's antics to a need for attention, just as he himself had done at a similar age to the redhead. He had never imagined that it was due to the demon the boy carried, perhaps because he had always tried to avoid that topic.

Iruka couldn't lie to himself. When he started teaching at the academy, he couldn't help but feel aversion toward Naruto. The boy, who embodied the cause of his parents' deaths, was a constant reminder of his tragedy. However, over time, that perception changed. More and more, he stopped seeing the fox and began to see himself in the redhead. This led him to get closer to the troublemaker, and with that came his demands, in an attempt to discipline him and teach important lessons—lessons he should have learned at Naruto's age. Maybe I just wanted to prevent him from making the same mistakes I did.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Iruka, it's an emergency!" A knock at the door, followed by a shout, interrupted his thoughts.

'That voice... Mizuki?' Quickly, the teacher got up and went to the door to see what all the commotion was about.

"What is it?!" Iruka asked, a worried look on his face as he opened the door and saw his colleague Mizuki.

"We need to gather at the Hokage Residence!" Mizuki seemed very agitated as he said this; beads of sweat were visible running down his face. "It seems that Naruto-kun took the Scroll of Seals as part of one of his pranks!"

Hearing this, Iruka's world crumbled. Damn it, Naruto! You've gone too far this time!

Wasting no time, the two headed to the Hokage Residence.

---

Naruto was panting. It had been a few hours since he'd arrived at that clearing, and since then, he'd trained until he was exhausted. When he opened the scroll and saw that the first jutsu was a type of Bunshinjutsu, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. His distaste for jutsus involving clones almost made him skip to the next one, but his stubbornness won out. And it was worth it; the jutsu he learned was amazing, and if he used it right, becoming Hokage wouldn't be a distant dream anymore.

Before he could even catch his breath, the young redhead heard footsteps approaching—footsteps he recognized instantly.

"Found you, Naruto! Hey!" said Iruka, now standing in front of him.

"Oh! Found a bloody nose!" Naruto couldn't resist making that joke, much to Iruka's annoyance.

"IDIOT! I'm the one who found you!" the teacher shouted. If Iruka weren't already used to the boy's antics, it would've been hard not to smack him.

Huffing at the redhead's behavior, Iruka began to take in Naruto's condition. The teen was covered in dirt, and his notorious orange jacket had visible tears. 'Was he training?'

"Hehehe... you found me! I only managed to learn one jutsu," said the redhead, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Hey, you're all banged up! Don't tell me you were training here?" Iruka asked.

"That's right! Now, if I can do a jutsu from the scroll, I can graduate, right?!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"What? Where did you get that idea, Naruto?" Iruka couldn't shake a bad feeling creeping in. Somehow, the pieces weren't adding up. 'This was supposed to be one of Naruto's pranks, but now he was talking about graduation...'

"Mizuki-sensei! He told me that if I learned a jutsu from the scroll and showed it to you, I could graduate!"

Hearing this, Iruka had a hunch about what was really going on. If he was right, they both needed to get out of there—immediately.

"Look, Iruka-sensei! This was the jutsu I lear—" Before the boy could finish his sentence, a volley of kunai was launched toward him and his teacher. To prevent Naruto from getting hurt, Iruka shoved him aside.

But that came at a high price: Iruka had less time to shield himself from the kunai aimed at him. All he could do was prevent fatal injuries, taking several hits in the process—two kunai in each leg, two in his right arm, and three in his torso, which, fortunately, were blocked by his vest.

Standing at the edge of the clearing, perched on a branch, was Mizuki with an expression rarely seen on his face. His eyes were as cold as winter winds, and a condescending smile curled on his lips.

"Good job finding this place, Iruka..." the newcomer said, thinking to himself 'Well, change of plans... With Iruka here, the higher-ups will never believe that Naruto killed us both... unless he uses the power of the beast. The question now is how to bring the beast out?'

"So it really was you..."

Naruto was the most shocked by the whole situation. Mizuki-sensei, someone he trusted, had just attacked him and Iruka-sensei. What the hell is going on here?!

"Naruto, give me the scroll," Mizuki said, deadly serious.

"Hey! What's the big idea, Mizuki-sensei?! What the hell are you doing?" exclaimed the redhead, dazed by what was happening and afraid of the answer he might get.

'A lie? That might work... Be glad, Naruto; you won't have to die for me, but in exchange, you'll have to become the demon!' thought Mizuki as he watched the whole scene.

This was what Naruto feared. The whole business of stealing the Scroll of Seals seemed suspicious to him, but it was Mizuki-sensei who had told him. His teacher had always been someone he could trust. Even though his instincts screamed that something was wrong, the idea that Mizuki was using him was too painful for the redhead to believe.

"Are you sure it's me who's lying, Iruka? Isn't it you and the rest of the village who have lied to Naruto his entire life?" A mocking smile spread across Mizuki's face as he said this.

Iruka quickly understood where Mizuki was going with this, and it only deepened his desperation. If it was what he feared, there was very little he could do to stop it.

"Shut up, Mizuki!" Iruka shouted, desperate.

"Naruto, you know that fourteen years ago, the Kyūbi attacked the village, right?" Naruto, not understanding where Mizuki was going with this, could only look at him intently.

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP, MIZUKI!" Iruka shouted desperately. His anxiety was so intense that blood spurted from his wounds.

"Since that incident, a law was created, a law that everyone knows—except you," Mizuki said, almost nonchalantly.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

"What law? What are you talking about?!" The redhead didn't know why, but he felt he needed to hear what Mizuki had to say.

"A law that forbids anyone from saying that the Fourth Hokage sealed the Kyūbi inside you! You are the demon fox!" Mizuki seemed to be enjoying himself as he spoke, even letting out a brief laugh.

'So that's it! All those looks, that contempt—it was because of this: I'm a demon to them!' These were the surprised thoughts that flooded Naruto's mind, and soon that shock transformed into anger and sadness. If he really was a demon, as Mizuki claimed, he would never be loved and was doomed to live alone forever. As the redhead began to internalize this, his expression changed; his teeth clenched in a grimace resembling a beast, his brows furrowed more than ever, and in his eyes, a glint of despair and hatred became predominant.

"DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" The more volatile his emotions became, the more chakra leaked from his body, making Iruka even more concerned.

'Good, but it's still not enough,' Mizuki thought in frustration. 'I heard that, when mortally wounded, a Jinchūriki releases their bijū. Let's test that, shall we, Naruto?' With this idea in mind, Mizuki drew the fuma shuriken strapped to his back.

"Everyone hates you! No one will ever accept you, Naruto!" And with that, Mizuki hurled the fuma shuriken at Naruto, who was too stunned to react.

Seeing this, Iruka had no other choice…

Naruto only snapped back to reality when he felt a drop of warm blood trickling down his cheek.

"Why…?" To the redhead, it was incomprehensible what was happening; Iruka was lying over him, serving as a shield against the fuma shuriken, which had embedded itself in his back.

"Naruto... all this pain... this loneliness... you must be suffering greatly too…" Tears streamed down Iruka's face, distorted by the grief and guilt he felt. "I'm sorry, Naruto... if I had tried harder… you wouldn't have to feel this way."

Hearing this was too much for the young boy's psyche, and, overwhelmed by everything happening, he fled as fast as he could.

Without holding back, Mizuki stomped down with all his strength on Iruka's shin, aiming specifically for the spot pierced by the kunai he'd thrown earlier. The result was brutal; Iruka's shin bent at a 45 angle. It wouldn't be surprising if the bones hadn't just broken but shattered completely. If the leg's position wasn't bizarre enough, the amount of blood that spurted out made the scene even more agonizing.

"You know, Iruka, I've always wanted to do this to you. Your uptight attitude has always annoyed me. I could kill you quickly, but... since the plan's already gone off the rails, I might as well have some fun." Mizuki's stomps didn't relent as he spoke; it seemed the white-haired chūnin wouldn't stop until Iruka's leg was completely destroyed.

Strangely, though, Iruka didn't cry out in pain, and that was what alerted Mizuki, allowing him to narrowly escape being slashed by one of his own kunai embedded in his former colleague's body. But, leaping back and continuing his counterattack, Iruka quickly pulled the fuma shuriken from his back and hurled it toward Mizuki, who had no choice but to throw himself chest-first to the ground to avoid being hit. Already preparing to retaliate, Mizuki quickly got to his feet, reaching for his holster to grab another pair of kunai. However, before he could throw them, a thick smoke enveloped the clearing. Seeing this, Mizuki raised his guard, sharpening his senses in anticipation of an imminent attack.

However, that attack never came, and when the smoke cleared, only Mizuki's figure could be seen in the clearing. "To think you could escape even with your leg in that condition... you really are tough, Iruka." Mizuki couldn't help but be impressed by the dark-haired chūnin's resilience. "I can go after him later; with his leg like that, he won't get far. I need to find Naruto quickly. Fortunately, the brat headed in the opposite direction of the village."

Without wasting any more time, Mizuki took off in pursuit of his former student.

---

Naruto was having the worst moments of his short life. No matter how much he always told himself he wanted to prove he wasn't a failure, that he wanted to see the look on the faces of those who despised him when he proved them wrong, that wasn't all there was to it. Deep down, he wanted to be accepted. He hoped that by showing how strong he could be, the villagers would start to see him for who he truly was.

But now that seemed impossible. 'All this because of that damned fox sealed inside me.' Naruto wasn't illiterate when it came to seals; quite the opposite, one of his greatest prides was how well he absorbed the content of that field of study. Thus, he knew that, contrary to what Mizuki had said, he wasn't the Kyuubi, and that only fueled his anger. He could accept the village's hatred if he had done something wrong; hell, he could even understand if he were the son of traitors. But no, he was just an unlucky kid who was sacrificed to contain the beast. Being hated for something he wasn't guilty of... The redhead couldn't handle that, and that's why he ran away.

Now, far from the clearing, the redhead couldn't help but wonder what he should do. He could die if he returned to the village; now that he had been manipulated by Mizuki into stealing the Scroll of Seals, he was no different from a criminal, and those who hated him because of the fox might take the opportunity to kill him.

Mizuki-sensei... The delinquent was trying to avoid thinking about his now former teacher. The pain of betrayal was something new to the boy, and he clearly didn't know how to deal with it. Naruto didn't know what it was like to have a brother, but he liked to imagine that, if he did, that person would be someone like Mizuki had been for him. This showed just how close the two had become in recent months, something that made the wound even deeper. Mizuki didn't just frame him—he tried to kill me! If it weren't for Iruka-sensei, he would have already died twice.

This was another thing that Naruto was avoiding thinking about: Iruka-sensei had saved his life, and yet he had abandoned him to his own fate. His teacher could be dead now, and the figure who had been like a brother to him was responsible. Just that thought was enough to churn his stomach.

'Should I go back?' the redhead wondered, uncertain about what to do. 'He must be dead already!' whispered the voice of his own conscience in his mind. 'But what if he isn't?''He hates me!''But then why did he save my life?!' These thoughts spun in the young man's mind, sinking him into a state of perpetual confusion, until memories of the various interactions he and Iruka had shared flooded his mind: the chases, the scoldings, the jokes, the times they went out to eat at Ichiraku... The idea that he might never experience those moments again because of his flight was enough to calm the redhead. 'I have to go back! I have to convince Mizuki-sensei to stop this madness!' he thought, already turning in the direction he had come from. 'You idiot, you'll die if you go back; Mizuki will kill you!' Once again, his conscience tried to stop him, but this time it was impossible to hold him back. 'A shinobi is always ready to risk his life, so why shouldn't I do that to save someone who matters to me?!' Naruto thought one last time before taking off toward the clearing he had left.

---

In the dense forest of Konoha, a figure in orange clothing could be seen jumping between the branches, and if a third party sharpened their senses, they might detect the approach of another individual chasing the first. I found him! thought the pursuer, whom any academy student would recognize as Iruka.

"Naruto! Hurry! Give me the scroll; I'll protect it while you escape; Mizuki is right behind us!" Iruka shouted, but Naruto did not stop his flight. On the contrary, this Naruto leaped forward, spinning 360 degrees, using a branch as support for one foot while throwing himself toward his pursuer. Utilizing all of his body weight, the redhead stabbed the chūnin with a kunai he had just drawn.

Iruka had no chance; the blow sent him flying, causing him to roll for several meters. The damage wasn't worse only because the kunai struck the armored vest Iruka was wearing, making the wound very shallow.

After the blow, Naruto tried to land more gently; however, for some reason, one of his legs buckled upon landing, causing the redhead to roll along the ground as well.

In an attempt to gain an advantage in the fight, he quickly got up but had underestimated the damage he had sustained. Unable to put weight on his right leg, the boy ended up stumbling and ultimately sat down with his back against a large tree trunk.

"What?" murmured Iruka, still lying on the ground. "Why... Naruto?" Many of Iruka's students would find it strange the icy glint in his eyes at that moment, something that would be explained a moment later when a cloud of smoke enveloped what should have been Iruka.

"How did you know I wasn't Iruka?" asked the voice from behind the smoke, which, once dispersed, revealed Mizuki's figure with a murderous look on his face.

"Hehehehe," the figure of Naruto replied with a short laugh, only to be engulfed by another cloud of smoke.

"Because I am Iruka!" completed the former Naruto, now sporting the appearance of the person he claimed to be.

"Hehehe, I see..." Mizuki said, unable to resist letting out a small laugh upon seeing this, but the murderous glint in his eyes hadn't diminished one bit.

'He wrapped a splint and used his chakra to force his leg to move. You must be agonizing in pain right now, Iruka,' analyzed the traitor as he observed the state of the leg he himself had broken.

As both shinobi stared at each other, a certain redhead was watching them unnoticed.

"You know, Iruka, if you hadn't bothered to protect the brat, you might have had a chance to stop me," Mizuki said, a rare questioning expression on his face.

"I just don't understand why. You, more than anyone, have reasons to hate the brat."

"Yes..." Iruka began solemnly.

Upon hearing this, the redhead couldn't help but ridicule himself: 'I knew it... even though he saved my life, deep down he saw me as the fox...' But before the young man could complete his line of thought, Iruka continued to speak.

"I have every reason to hate what Naruto carries... But he and the demon fox are different." Iruka's expression, which had previously been hardened by seriousness, was now softened by brotherly affection.

"He is the one who never gives up..."

"He is Konoha's number 1 prankster..."

"He is my favorite student..."

"He is not the Kyuubi..."

"He is Naruto!"

And the teen who had long promised himself to never cry again could not bear the emotion, and tears streamed down his face.

Mizuki, on the other hand, seemed almost disgusted by what he had heard.

"I understand. Since that's the case, Iruka, be happy to know that I'm not only going to kill your favorite student, I'm going to force the beast out to serve as a distraction for my escape!" Mizuki taunted with a twisted smile on his face as he drew another fuuma shuriken from his back. "Too bad you won't be alive to see it, hahaha!"

'So that's it...' Iruka thought as he prepared for the inevitable.

But before Mizuki could throw the fuuma shuriken, a blur of orange attacked the traitor with a flying kick. This was enough to change the trajectory of the throw, and the fuuma shuriken sailed far away from Iruka.

Mizuki was caught off guard, and the kick that struck his chin was strong enough to launch him away. Upon seeing who had attacked him, Mizuki didn't know whether to feel happy or irritated. "Phew, so you decided to show up, Naruto," he said, letting out a small whistle as he got back up and wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand.

"That's enough, Mizuki-sensei!" declared the redhead.

"You idiot! Why did you come?! Run away!" Iruka shouted desperately.

"Hahaha, I'm glad you decided to join us, Naruto. You saved me the trouble of hunting you down!" Although those words came from Mizuki's mouth, his thoughts were quite different. 'Shit, shit, SHIT! He must have heard everything; provoking him to draw out the beast will be impossible now! Screw it all, I'm just going to kill these two and get out of here!'

"If you don't stop this, I'll have to kick your ass until you give up!" The redhead made this threat while performing a hand seal unknown to most shinobi, something that didn't go unnoticed by Iruka.

"Go ahead, you demon fox!" Mizuki shouted as he performed his own set of hand seals.

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" As soon as Naruto shouted the name of his technique, the forest was filled with hundreds of redheads just like him.

The enormous number of clones the boy created left both shinobi stunned.

'Naruto... these aren't illusions; they're real clones! To learn a high-level ninjutsu like this in just one night...' Iruka couldn't help but think this, given the magnitude of his student's achievement.

"W-what's happening?" Mizuki, on the other hand, was desperate. He could handle a few clones, but hundreds? He had no chance and knew it.

"What's wrong? Weren't you going to finish me off?" asked one of the clones.

"If you don't want to come to us, then we'll come to you!" another clone chimed in.

And with that cue, the beating began. Mizuki managed to destroy a few clones, but the sheer number was too much for him to handle. It didn't take long for him to be thrown to the ground, completely battered, with blood dripping from his now toothless mouth and broken nose.

"Hehehe, I guess I got a little carried away," Naruto said, looking at the result of what he had done. Once the fight was over, the redhead retracted the jutsu, dispelling the clones, and turned to see how his teacher was doing.

As he walked, a sudden pain struck Naruto's chest, and like a mirage, Mizuki's image began to materialize in front of the teen, wielding a kunai that was now embedded in the redhead's heart.

"H-how?"

"Not bad, Naruto, but I'm out of your league, hahaha," Mizuki replied with a twisted smile on his face. 'To think this useless brat forced me to use Suimen no Kakure...'

"NARUTO!" Iruka shouted in concern upon seeing what had happened. 'Damn! Mizuki must have used a genjutsu; he's always been good at that. How could I have forgotten?'

Mizuki pulled the kunai from the teen's chest without the slightest care. The white-haired chūnin had already wasted too much time, and his plans A and B had failed; his only chance of escape now was to kill Iruka, leave as quickly as possible, and hope that the village took a while to figure out he was responsible for all of this.

Naruto's situation was dire. Once the kunai was pulled from his chest, the teen couldn't stand, and his body fell to the side, powerless, allowing his eyes to see Mizuki slowly approaching his teacher.

'I guess I really am dumb... thinking that just because I learned a new jutsu, I could defeat a much more experienced shinobi... what an idiot,' Naruto thought, laughing at his own foolishness. 'I just wanted Iruka-sensei not to pay for my mistakes.' Soon, the redhead's vision began to darken, sinking his consciousness into the cold embrace of death.

"Hey, kid, don't you want to survive?"

"Don't you want to save that teacher of yours?"

"Don't you want to tear the throat out of the one who betrayed you?"

'What?'

"I know you want to, kid. Just accept my power, and you'll be able to destroy your enemies."

Naruto didn't know where that voice was coming from or what it wanted, but one thing he knew: at that moment, he would do anything to correct his mistakes, anything!

"So? What's it going to be?"

'I accept, give me that power!'

"Very well, kid. Go and make a massacre, kukukuku!"

After that, the voice disappeared, and an immense heat began to engulf the boy's body.

"Well, Iruka, the kid delayed things a bit, but it's time to kill you!" Mizuki, now in front of Iruka, prepared to tear the throat of his former colleague. Meanwhile, Iruka was planning to attack Mizuki and take him along to the other world.

But before either of them could do anything, an explosion of chakra caught their attention. Naruto was now standing, and a red aura of chakra enveloped his body as if it were flames. As if that weren't enough, his appearance had also changed: the nails on his hands had grown like claws, his canines had turned into true fangs, and his face now bore three thick marks on each cheek, resembling the whiskers of a fox. However, the most significant change was in his eyes; what had once been a pair of pure amethysts was now red as blood, and his pupils were slits, like those of a beast. All these changes gave the redhead a wild appearance, almost like a beast or a demon.

"Hehehe... You know, Mizuki-sensei, I'm glad that was an illusion; just beating you up was far too little for what you really deserve," Naruto said in a surprisingly calm, even playful tone, but the smile on his face contradicted that. It was a wild smile one would expect to see on a predator, and as if that weren't enough, the immense killing intent that the redhead unconsciously exuded revealed his true intentions.

'So the beast has emerged... it seems that plan B is still intact. After this explosion of chakra, it won't be long before reinforcements arrive. I need to get out of here quickly and hope that the beast distracts the village,' Mizuki thought, little affected by Naruto's threat.

Before Mizuki could do anything, Naruto charged at him with a speed far greater than he possessed. The white-haired chūnin, despite being surprised, tried to strike the teen's throat with his kunai before he reached him, but the redhead stopped his movement at the last moment, as if he had predicted the traitor's intention.

Mizuki's attack cut only through the air, and Naruto did not waste this opportunity. The redhead made a slight jump and, with a complete motion of his leg, kicked his former teacher's chin, sending him flying away from where they stood.

Mizuki rolled along the ground but quickly got back up. 'Damn! This must have broken my jaw! I need to buy time to launch the Suimen no Kakure.' Without wasting any time, the shinobi drew several shurikens and threw them at the redhead, who was already advancing towards him.

The boy easily dodged all the shurikens. However, they served their purpose and delayed the redhead's advance just enough for Mizuki to execute the necessary hand seals for his Suimen no Kakure. With a whistle, the chūnin unleashed his best genjutsu.

Now with his presence hidden, Mizuki turned to begin his escape. 'Now, while you struggle against my illusion, I'll escape with the Scroll of Seals. I just hope I don't run into anyone on the way. I won't be able to launch the Suimen no Kakure again—'

However, before the traitor could escape, excruciating pain interrupted his thoughts. Looking down, he saw that a hand had pierced through his torso; that hand was quickly withdrawn from his body, further worsening the severity of his injuries.

Mizuki, now on his knees, could only groan due to his broken jaw. He then turned to see who his executioner was and, as expected, it was Naruto, who wore a sadistic smile on his face, relishing in the suffering of his prey.

"Hahahaha! This is for trying to kill Iruka-sensei!" Naruto, with a demonic expression, quickly advanced on the traitor and, brutally, began to tear at his flesh and skin with his claws. "And this is for deceiving me, you bastard!"

"Hahahaha!" A maniacal laugh echoed through the forest. Pieces of intestines and flesh already covered the body of the redhead and the area around him, yet the attack showed no signs of stopping; on the contrary, Naruto seemed even more eager to brutalize the corpse of his former teacher.

One of the hands preparing to attack again was suddenly halted, forcing the teen to turn and see who dared to interrupt his fun.

"Naruto, that's enough..."

"Iruka-sensei..."

Iruka had witnessed everything. Seeing his student, whom he thought was dead, was a relief, but the boy's subsequent actions only served to worry the teacher even more, forcing him to drag his injured body towards the redhead to stop him.

Naruto, upon seeing his teacher, immediately stopped. All the euphoria and hatred clouding his thoughts vanished at the sight of the concern, and especially the fear, in Iruka's eyes.

Soon, shame and fear filled the boy's expression, and in a desperate attempt, he began to apologize: "Iruka-sensei, I'm s-sorry, I... I don't know what came over me."

Iruka, seeing his student's state, quickly pulled him into a hug, trying to comfort him.

"It's okay, Naruto... it's okay..." he said in the calmest tone he could manage.

The teen, now sinking in guilt, began to feel a pain in his chest again. Looking down, he saw that the wound Mizuki had caused was still there, and a lot of blood had already been spilled.

This, combined with the emotional state and the exhaustion from using whatever that chakra had been, was enough to cause the redhead to lose consciousness.

"Naruto?! Hang in there, Naruto! I won't let you die!" Iruka shouted desperately while trying to keep the teen conscious.

Silently, four figures wearing animal masks landed where the teacher-student duo was located.

Noticing the four figures, Iruka spoke as quickly as he could: "Anbu? Quickly! You need to take Naruto to the hospital!"

"Calm yourself, chūnin Umino. We'll take both of you to the hospital, so don't worry," said the one wearing a cat mask with long purple hair, who appeared to be the squad leader.

"Kuma, Tora! Take chūnin Umino and Naruto to the hospital. Ushi, retrieve the Scroll of Seals; you and I will report the situation to Hokage-sama." The leader issued her orders as she approached what remained of Mizuki's corpse, sealing it into a scroll.

'Hokage-sama won't be pleased at all with what happened here...' the leader thought one last time before they all departed.

To be continued

---

Technique Glossary

Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique):

A D-rank technique known as one of the three basic ninja techniques required to become a shinobi in Konoha. Its effect is to create an external layer of intangible chakra that emulates the appearance of anything the user imagines, provided it is only slightly larger than the caster. Since this is a basic technique, it is easily detected by experienced shinobi due to the continuous chakra flow the user needs to maintain to keep the jutsu active. However, it serves as an excellent tool to deceive civilians.

Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique):

A D-rank technique known as one of the three basic ninja techniques required to become a shinobi in Konoha. This technique creates intangible clones of the user. Due to its low chakra requirement, it is always among the first jutsu taught to shinobi. However, it can be challenging to learn for those with a large chakra reserve, as the jutsu does not adapt well when overloaded.

Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Replacement Technique):

A D-rank technique known as one of the three basic ninja techniques required to become a shinobi in Konoha. Its effect is to switch the user with another object or person at high speed. The chakra cost and control depend on factors such as the distance of the target object, its size and weight, and, most importantly, whether the target is a living being. However, its main weakness is that the user moves in a straight line at high speed, creating a tunnel vision effect, which any experienced shinobi can detect upon activation, making it easy to exploit this vulnerability against the user.

Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique):

A variation of the Henge no Jutsu created by Naruto, with the same rank, strengths, and weaknesses as the original. The difference is that the Oiroke is specialized in emulating beautiful women, and the external chakra layer that creates the appearance is solid due to the excessive amount of chakra Naruto uses.

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique):

A B-rank jutsu created by the Nidaime Hokage, this technique produces one or more clones of the user. Its unique qualities include that the clone is solid and retains the same abilities as the original, in addition to transferring its memories back to the user upon dispersal. The main weaknesses are its high chakra cost; each clone divides the user's chakra equally, making it unfeasible for those without jōnin-level chakra reserves. Another drawback is the clone's fragility, as it can be easily dispersed with a moderate-strength hit. Lastly, excessive memory transfers from clones to the user can result in serious brain damage.

Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique):

A variation of the Kage Bunshin with the same strengths and weaknesses, but with a much larger number of clones, easily reaching hundreds. Due to the extremely high chakra cost, the Shodaime Hokage classified this technique as an A-rank kinjutsu.

Fūinjutsu: Nagare Seigen (Sealing Technique: Flow Restriction): A C-rank seal created by Naruto, designed to limit the amount of chakra flowing through the tenketsu (chakra points), even allowing for the complete sealing of chakra. However, it is not a particularly powerful seal; if a large amount of chakra is forced through, the seal will break.

Suimen no Kakure (Concealment in the Water's Reflection):

A B-rank genjutsu used by Mizuki, its effect is to create an illusion of the user that can deceive three of the five senses: sight, touch, and hearing. Additionally, it conceals the user's presence by manipulating those same senses. Its primary weaknesses include a relatively high chakra cost for a B-rank genjutsu and a limited range, as the user cannot stray far from the area where the genjutsu was cast.

---

Author's Notes:

Well, to start, I think it's important to say that this is my first attempt at writing, so any feedback is welcome. Second, English isn't my first language. I've wanted to write a Naruto fanfic for a long time, but I didn't feel confident about things like grammar and spelling to actually try it. Now, with ChatGPT's help, I feel comfortable giving it a shot.

Now about the story itself: yes, I know, it's pretty close to canon, but this is still an AU, so don't worry—there will be lots of changes; they just won't appear all at once. As for our protagonist, well, don't expect a mature or godlike Naruto right off the bat. Things will be gradual; I want him to develop chapter by chapter without losing his essence. I don't want readers to feel like they're reading a completely unrecognizable Naruto.

As for the jutsus, I'll be keeping them in Japanese because I like how they sound that way. I'll include a glossary at the end of each chapter with the English names and explanations for each jutsu's effects. I recommend reading it since certain details about how a jutsu works may be different from canon, and I want things to make sense in this story even if it means canon won't always line up. Some adjustments are necessary, and there will be original jutsus as well. You've probably noticed two of them in this chapter, so expect more. I'll likely take inspiration from techniques in other anime but adapt them as best as I can for this fanfic, so you might see a Katon: Hiken here, but don't expect anyone to eat an Akuma no Mi.

I think that's all for now! The next chapter will cover the repercussions of this one up to the Bell Test. Ja ne!