Chapter 5 - The Path Forward


Something was terribly wrong. He could feel it.

Iruka frowned down at the paper on his desk, Naruto's taijutsu exam scores glaring up at him. A big, fat zero. His fingers tapped a restless beat on the worn wood as doubt gnawed at him. Something wasn't right about this. He had seen Naruto's skills improving over the past months under Might Guy's rigorous training. So for him to utterly fail the exam, and against Mizuki no less...

Iruka's frown deepened as he recalled the "sparring match" between Naruto and Mizuki earlier that day. It had quickly spiraled into something vicious and one-sided, Mizuki striking to maim rather than evaluate. The cold fury in his pale eyes still made Iruka uneasy. He should have stepped in sooner to stop things, but the shocking display had frozen him momentarily.

With a shake of his head, Iruka pushed the troubling memories aside. Right now, his priority was Naruto. The boy had stumbled away from that brutal beating looking utterly crushed, no trace of his usual exuberant grin.

Iruka's gaze drifted over to the rumpled sleeping bag tucked in the corner of the classroom, Naruto's makeshift bed for all the nights Iruka had found him passed out over scattered textbooks and failed test papers. The sight always sparked that familiar ache in his chest. Naruto tried so hard, wanted it so badly. This latest failure would wound him deeply.

Sighing, Iruka carefully set aside the exam results. As much as he wanted to grant Naruto a passing grade, he couldn't overlook such a clear-cut failure, no matter how questionable the circumstances. The shinobi path allowed no leniency for subpar skills, even for eager souls with fierce determination.

Still, the crestfallen look that was surely marring Naruto's face right now haunted Iruka. He had to find the boy, make sure he was alright, and convince him not to lose hope. The Will of Fire burned too brightly in Naruto for this to douse his spirit completely.

Decision made, Iruka stood swiftly from his desk. But before he could take a single step, the classroom door banged open violently. One of the chunin guards assigned to the Scroll of Sealing vault burst inside, chest heaving like he had sprinted the whole way here.

"Iruka-sensei!" the man gasped out. "The Scroll of…Seals…Naruto...he stole it!"

Iruka staggered back a step, bracing himself on the corner of his desk as shock coursed through him. Naruto had stolen the Scroll of Sealing - one of the village's most forbidden relics?

The boy was many things - rambunctious, attention-seeking, stubborn as an ox - but he wasn't a thief. He must have heard wrong. There had to be some mistake.

But the wild panic in the guard's eyes left no room for doubt. Heart sinking, Iruka finally found his voice. "When did this happen?"

"Just under an hour ago," the shinobi reported. "We've dispatched search teams, but there's no sign of him so far."

Iruka's mind raced, thoughts swirling chaotically. Naruto had always pulled outrageous pranks and caused trouble, but outright theft of such a valuable artifact was on another level entirely. What could have possibly motivated him to do something so drastic?

As he grappled with this revelation, Iruka knew one thing for certain - he had to find Naruto fast, before the boy did anything truly irreversible. If he got caught with the scroll by the Anbu, the consequences did not bear thinking about.

Features hardening with resolve, Iruka turned swiftly back to the guard. "Alert Lord Hokage immediately. I'll track down Naruto before he gets too far."

As the guard raced off, Iruka leapt out the window into the night. His feet barely touched the rooftops as he bounded through the village, following his instincts more than logic. The forests on the outskirts were vast with countless hiding spots, but Iruka knew in his gut Naruto would opt for familiar ground.

The trail led exactly where he expected - the old training site where he had first started nurturing Naruto's shinobi skills years ago. Even then, the boy had been like a whirlwind, full of chaotic energy that needed careful guidance to hone. Back when things seemed simpler.

Iruka alighted silently on a high branch, peering down at the small moonlit clearing. And there sat Naruto with the mammoth scroll laid out before him, tongue poking between his lips as he puzzled over the intricate script.

Relief and dismay warred within Iruka's chest at the sight. While he was glad to find Naruto unharmed, seeing that the theft was no mistake pierced his heart. What darkness had driven his student to such extremes?

Steeling himself, Iruka called down sharply.

"Naruto!"


Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin at the harsh cry of his name. He fumbled the large scroll, just barely managing to keep it from unrolling completely as he whirled around.

"I-Iruka-sensei!" he stammered, blinking up at his teacher perched on a high branch. He quickly tried to gather up the mess of parchments spread around him on the grass, but it was clearly too late to feign innocence.

Iruka leapt down from the tree, landing lightly in front of Naruto with a deeply furrowed brow. "Explain yourself, Naruto! Why did you steal the Scroll of Sealing?"

"Wha- I didn't steal anything!" Naruto objected loudly, pointing an accusing finger Iruka's way. "This was all your idea, Sensei! You're the one who told me to sneak in and take this scroll if I wanted to graduate! And by the way, you lied! There are no taijutsu techniques. It's all just jutsu!"

Confusion flashed across Iruka's scarred features. "What are you talking about? I gave no such orders." His tone made it clear he wasn't buying Naruto's flimsy excuse.

Naruto's mind raced, panic rising in his throat. How could Iruka pretend not to know anything when he was the one who sent Naruto on this mission? Unless...

Realization struck Naruto like a kick to the gut. Back in the infirmary after the exam, Iruka had slipped out moments before that medic arrived. And looking closely now, there was something ever so slightly off about his face... This wasn't Iruka at all!

Naruto recoiled, dropping into a fighting stance. "Alright, who are you really? You probably just disguised yourself as Iruka-sensei to trick me, huh?"

The imposter's eyes narrowed, but his tone remained calm. "Naruto, it's me. Now explain why you took the scroll before the Anbu find you here."

Naruto shook his head stubbornly. "Nice try, faker! The real Iruka-sensei would never doubt me. I'm gonna clobber you for pretending to be him!"

With a loud yell, Naruto charged forward recklessly, aiming a punch at the fake Iruka's gut. But faster than he could blink, the imposter seized his outstretched wrist and flipped Naruto cleanly over his shoulder.

Naruto hit the ground flat on his back, the impact knocking the wind out of him. "Owww!" he groaned loudly. "No fair, how'd you do that so fast?"

The man looming over him shook his head in exasperation. "Because I'm not an imposter, I'm Iruka!" To demonstrate, he formed a quick hand seal. "Release!"

A small puff of smoke briefly obscured the man's features before dissipating, revealing...the exact same person as before. Naruto's eyes narrowed in suspicion. This guy was crafty.

"That doesn't prove anything!" Naruto accused, pointing from his position sprawled on the ground. "You're probably just doing a full transformation instead of the basic one we learn at the academy."

Iruka - or the stranger pretending to be Iruka - dragged a hand down his face, muffling a weary sigh. But before he could respond, a new voice cut in from the shadows.

"Perceptive as always, Naruto."

The mocking tone sent a chill down Naruto's spine. He flipped over to see a silver-haired figure emerge from the trees, regarding him with cold amusement.

"Mizuki-sensei!" Naruto gasped. Dread pooled in his gut as memories of Mizuki's unrestrained violence during the taijutsu exam came flooding back. He scrambled to his feet, muscles tensing warily. What was going on here?

Cold understanding crystallized in Naruto's mind right as a scream suddenly exploded from Iruka.

"Get down!" his teacher yelled, tackling Naruto to the ground just as a hail of shuriken whistled through the space they had just occupied. Heart hammering, Naruto stared up at the figure emerging from the shadows of the trees, silver hair glinting almost white in the glow.

"Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto gasped out, muscles tensing as he took in the cold amusement twisting his teacher's features. What was going on here? Dread pooled in his gut, memories of the unrestrained violence Mizuki had unleashed on him during the taijutsu exam still fresh and terrifying.

"You should have known better than to interfere, Iruka," Mizuki sneered. "Now I'll just have to eliminate you both."

A spike of fear lanced through Naruto's gut. He had never seen the usually reserved instructor look at anyone with such open bloodlust. This wasn't the Mizuki he thought he knew at all.

Naruto swallowed thickly. "W-what's going on, Mizuki-sensei?" he managed to force out past the tightness in his throat.

Mizuki's chilling gaze slid over to him. "Don't play dumb. I know you and Iruka were conspiring to sneak the scroll out of the village together, demon fox."

Naruto recoiled like he had been struck. Demon fox? Why was Mizuki calling him that? He looked to Iruka desperately for answers, but his teacher's face had gone pale, eyes wide with dismay.

Naruto's eyes darted between Iruka and Mizuki, his senses in overdrive. The moonlight glinting off Mizuki's shuriken. The tart scent of pine needles crushed underfoot. Iruka's hand clamped firmly on his shoulder, holding him back.

"Let me explain, Naruto," Iruka urged, voice low.

But Mizuki's chilling laugh cut him off. "Don't bother covering it up. I'll tell him the truth." His pale eyes glinted with malice as they bored into Naruto's. "The fox spirit that nearly destroyed the village twelve years ago lives on inside you. Didn't you ever wonder why everyone despises you?"

Naruto staggered back a step, Iruka's steadying grip the only thing keeping him upright. Monster? Fox spirit? Him? His mind reeled, scrambling to make sense of Mizuki's bombshell accusation.

It couldn't be real. Just another of Mizuki's cruel mind games.

Could it?

Flashes of his childhood flickered through Naruto's mind. The cold stares and whispered insults. Shopkeepers shooing him away, parents pulling children closer. The simmering darkness always lurking beneath the surface of their false smiles.

It all made sense.

Naruto clutched his stomach, feeling suddenly ill. The truth that had been kept from him his whole life now lay exposed under the cold moonlight.

Iruka squeezed his shoulder. "Don't listen, Naruto! Mizuki is just trying to—"

"To expose his true self," Mizuki cut in smoothly. His icy gaze remained fixed on Naruto. "Deep down, you've always known you don't belong. And now you understand why." His lip curled in a sneer. "No wonder you're a failure as a shinobi. The fox's presence stains your very soul!"

Each word lanced through Naruto's chest, sharp and unrelenting. His knees nearly buckled, Iruka's grip the only thing still holding him up. All his life, he had endured the villagers' unexplained hatred and scorn. For the crime of being born a monster, though he hadn't known it.

Hot tears burned behind Naruto's eyes. He dug his nails into his palms until pain blossomed, desperate for any distraction from the maelstrom inside him.

"Lies!" Iruka yelled, snapping Naruto's focus back. His teacher pushed Naruto behind him, shielding him with his body. "I won't let you fill his head with more poison, Mizuki," Iruka growled.

For a fleeting moment, Naruto's heart lifted hopefully. Iruka was defending him, which had to mean...

But Mizuki's next chilling words doused that fragile hope. "Please, you hate the boy as much as any of us," he sneered. "Or have you forgotten? It was the Nine-Tails who murdered your parents."

Iruka flinched as though struck. Naruto peered around his teacher's quivering back, dread gnawing his insides.

It couldn't be true. Not Iruka too. The man who had acknowledged and encouraged him when no one else did. The closest thing to family he had ever known.

"Don't try to deny it, Iruka," Mizuki taunted. "You know as well as I do that as long as the beast lives, our loved ones will never rest in peace."

Naruto's chest constricted, agony crushing his ribs until he could barely draw breath. Iruka's silence was answer enough. The pain of that ultimate betrayal carved deeper than any blade possibly could.

Stumbling back, Naruto turned and ran blindly into the dark forest. He had to escape the horrible truths ringing in his ears. Monstrous whispers chased him between the trees—liar, beast, murderer.

But no matter how hard he ran, Naruto could never outrun the fox lurking inside him. Its presence stained his very soul.

He was the demon fox. And demons belonged nowhere.

Naruto ran.

Branches tore at his jumpsuit and arms. Feet slipped on carpet of leaves and dirt. Chest burning. Throat dry.

But he didn't stop.

Couldn't stop.

Naruto's sandals pounded against the forest floor, leaves and twigs crunching loudly underfoot. His lungs burned like fire with each ragged breath, but he pushed his aching body faster.

Behind him, an orange glow lit up the night as roaring flames suddenly engulfed the trees, cutting off his escape route. The blast of heat at his back drove Naruto onward in a panic.

"You can't run from me, fox boy!" Mizuki's taunting voice carried through the trees. More explosions rocked the forest, flames licking ever closer. Smoke choked the air, stinging Naruto's eyes until tears streamed down his dust-streaked cheeks.

With a desperate cry, Naruto flung himself forward as a massive burning oak toppled directly into his path. He hit the ground in a painful roll, flames singeing his jumpsuit. But he barely registered the pain, consumed only by the need to get away.

To get away from the horrible truths that could pierce deeper than any blade.

A monster. A demon.

The tears Naruto hadn't realized were falling traced hot tracks down his wind-stung cheeks. He swiped at them roughly with his sleeve, almost losing his balance with the motion.

No, crying was useless. He had to keep running, get as far away from this place as possible. Away from the cold hatred and disgust surely twisting Iruka's face the way it did all the villagers when they looked at Naruto.

Iruka. Naruto's lungs and throat burned as much from the choking sobs trying to claw free as the exertion of his headlong sprint. After everything Iruka had done for him - the extra lessons, the ramen treats, the patient encouragement when no one else cared - how could it have been a lie?

You know as well as I do that as long as the beast lives, our loved ones will never rest in peace.

Mizuki's cruel words echoed through Naruto's mind. Iruka's parents had died the day the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked the village. Died because of the demon now sealed within Naruto.

Of course Iruka would hate him. Naruto was nothing more than a walking reminder of lives lost and pain endured. The fox's continued existence had stolen Iruka's family. Naruto was its vessel, the living legacy of its violence.

He understood now why pity and disgust always lurked behind Iruka's smiles. Naruto had been a fool to believe it was kindness. No one could care for a monster.

Choking back a sob, Naruto tried to will his aching legs to pump even faster. But exhaustion was setting in, his initial terror-fueled adrenaline fading. He stumbled over a half-buried rock, barely catching himself on the rough trunk of a nearby tree.

Legs quivering, Naruto slumped down among its gnarled roots. The damp bark bit into his back through his thin t-shirt, but the physical discomfort barely registered through the storm churning inside him.

He drew his knees tight against his chest, desperate to make himself small. His breaths came in ragged gulps that hitched around sobs he could no longer restrain.

Maybe if he curled up tight enough, he would simply disappear. Become nothing more than a bad memory, unable to hurt anyone else.

He was quickly drawn out of his thoughts by the sounds of cracking sticks.

Naruto lay flat on his stomach, barely daring to breathe as footsteps drew closer through the underbrush. He clenched his eyes shut, willing his teacher to pass by without spotting him. The scraping tread halted just feet away, so close Naruto could hear the soft inhale of their voice.

"Naruto!" Iruka's familiar voice was gentle but urgent in the surrounding stillness. "Please, I know you're nearby. We need to talk."

Naruto tensed, fingers digging into the loamy earth. Talk? After everything Iruka now knew about the monster sealed inside him, what could there be to discuss? The pain of that ultimate betrayal still carved deep, raw and bleeding.

Cautiously cracking open one eye, Naruto peered between the ferns to see Iruka standing rigidly, gaze darting around the shadowy trees. Moonlight glinted off the hitai-ate tied across his forehead, glaring in reminder of the truth - Iruka was a loyal shinobi first and foremost.

Naruto swallowed past the tightness in his throat, a single word looping endlessly through his mind.

Murderer.

How long had Iruka secretly seen him that way? Suppressed disgust at his true nature while playing the role of kindly teacher?

Those patient lessons to improve his weak ninjutsu. Treating him to ramen and listening to his grand Hokage dreams. Letting him doze off in the corner of the classroom after long nights of fruitless training. Had it all been an act, covering up resentment toward the beast who took his family?

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut again, fresh tears leaking from the corners to wet the dusty earth beneath his cheek.

A snapping twig rang out like a gunshot, Naruto's heart leaping into his throat. His breath froze in his lungs as Iruka's sandals swiveled on dead leaves. One step, two steps, ever closer. He scrunched impossibly lower, praying the ferns' fronds would shield him, buy a few precious seconds more.

But a gentle hand came to rest between his shoulder blades, and Naruto knew he had run out of time. Eyes still squeezed closed, he waited stiffly for the strike, the sealing jutsu, the blow that would end his cursed existence at last.

"There you are." Iruka's soft murmur was right by his ear now. The tension wracking Naruto's body must have been obvious, for Iruka quickly added, "It's alright, Naruto, just listen."

Naruto lifted his head warily, still braced for an attack that never came. Instead, Iruka grasped his shoulder and helped him slowly sit up among the bushes. Swiping a hand roughly across his wet cheeks, Naruto kept his eyes averted, unable to meet his teacher's gaze. The silence swelled between them like an oppressive fog until Iruka spoke again at last.

"Nothing Mizuki said back there changes how I see you."

Naruto's throat tightened painfully. He recalled with vivid clarity the way Iruka had reeled as if physically struck by Mizuki's reminder of all the Nine-Tailed Fox had destroyed. The fox who now dwelt within Naruto, whether he wished it or not.

Monster. Demon. Murderer.

Naruto flinched away instinctively as Iruka reached for him again. But his teacher persisted, gripping both his shoulders firmly until their eyes finally met. The fierce sincerity burning in Iruka's steadfast gaze pierced Naruto to his core.

"You are not the fox," Iruka said vehemently. "Its darkness does not have to be your destiny."

Before Naruto could even digest what his teacher had said, Iruka grabbed him and slammed him to the ground. He hit the dirt hard, scraping his elbows, but barely felt the sting. All he could see was the spray of shuriken whistling through the air right where he had been standing a split-second before.

Metal sparked off metal with an awful screech as Iruka deflected the deadly rain with his own kunai. Naruto's heart hammered against his ribs, drowning out the ringing clash of blades. This couldn't be real. Mizuki-sensei wanted to...kill him?

Iruka launched himself at Mizuki with a feral yell. Their blades danced and wove too fast for Naruto to follow, reduced to blurs of glinting silver under the moonlight. He could only stare, frozen and helpless, as his two teachers—mentors who had guided his clumsy childish hands to properly grip weapons—now sought to maim. To end the life of their student.

Naruto watched in horror as the two teachers he once respected clashed with lethal force. The ringing screech of metal striking metal carved through the smoke-filled air. Flash after blinding flash, the deadly dance continued, a whirlwind of violence Naruto could scarcely track.

This couldn't be real. The two men who had nurtured his clumsy childish hands to properly grip weapons were now locked in a dance of death.

By now, the trees were ablaze with fire—from Mizuki's fire jutsu earlier.

Naruto staggered back, coughing as acrid smoke flooded his lungs. All around them, flames engulfed the surrounding forest, devouring everything in their path. The blistering heat seared his skin even from a distance. Sweat and grime plastered his hair to his forehead, stung his eyes. Still, he could not look away.

Iruka wove between the flaming trunks, deflecting the hailstorm of shuriken Mizuki rained down. With a grim set to his jaw, Iruka formed rapid seals. A churning vortex of water surged from the nearby stream, corralling the flames for a brief moment.

But Mizuki was relentless, hands blurring as he unleashed more devastating fireballs. An earsplitting crack resounded through the trees before one enormous oak toppled directly toward Iruka.

Naruto tried to scream, but only choked on acrid smoke flooding his lungs.

No!

At the last second, Iruka substituted himself with a log, reappearing just out of reach of the flaming trunk's impact. Mizuki bared his teeth in a savage grin. "Clever, but not enough!"

With a guttural yell, Iruka dashed forward. He slashed out viciously with his kunai, aiming for Mizuki's throat. But the silver-haired traitor dodged with viper-like speed, the blade whistling harmlessly past his ear. In the same fluid motion, Mizuki's knee rocketed up, catching Iruka brutally in the stomach.

Naruto's breath hitched, hands curling helplessly into fists at his sides as Iruka doubled over with a pained wheeze. He had never seen his gentle teacher look so feral, consumed by cold rage. Yet even now, Iruka continued to shield Naruto with his own body.

"Why...protect him?" Mizuki snarled through ragged breaths. His pale eyes reflected the surrounding inferno, twin points of icy fire. "The village fears the monster...as they should!"

As if in slow motion, Naruto watched as Mizuki stabbed Iruka in the stomach with his kunai.

Time grinded to a halt, and for a moment, all was silent except for the crackling of the roaring flames surrounding them.

Iruka let out a wet, choking cough, blood bubbling from his lips.

"Why?" Iruka rasped, grasping feebly at Mizuki's sleeve. "We were friends..."

Mizuki's face twisted into a cruel sneer. Without a word, he ripped the kunai from Iruka's body, eliciting a strangled cry. Then he plunged the blade into Iruka's gut again. And again.

Naruto stood frozen, unable to tear his eyes away as Iruka's legs buckled. His teacher collapsed to his knees, fresh blood blooming across his flak jacket with each repeated blow.

The coppery stench flooded Naruto's senses until he could taste it, slick and hot on the back of his tongue. His pulse roared in his ears, nearly drowning out the awful wet sound of the kunai piercing Iruka's flesh again and again.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this couldn't be real. Just a nightmare he would soon wake from. But the inferno raging around them, the blood now pooling beneath Iruka's crumpled body, Mizuki's cold laughter filtering through the haze—it was all too vivid.

Naruto's chest constricted painfully, ribs clenched in a viselike grip. This wasn't just a bad dream. Iruka was dying right in front of him at the hands of a comrade.

Because of him.

Naruto watched in stunned horror as Mizuki kicked Iruka's crumpled body again and again, each brutal blow eliciting choked cries of pain from his teacher.

"Some loyal shinobi you turned out to be, Iruka!" Mizuki sneered, pausing his assault to leer down at Iruka's broken form. "All those years lecturing us about the Will of Fire, yet here you are, defending the very demon who destroyed our village!"

With a scornful sniff, Mizuki tore the leaf emblem from Iruka's forehead, casting the bloodied hitai-ate aside. It landed with a hollow thump at Naruto's feet, flecks of red splattering his sandals.

Naruto stared at it, bile rising in his throat.

Mizuki aimed another punishing kick at Iruka's ribs, making him gasp wetly. "Pathetic. Did you think befriending the beast would bring back your slaughtered parents? Their deaths are on its head!"

Iruka could only whimper faintly in response, blood bubbling on his lips as he struggled desperately to draw breath. Naruto watched, paralyzed, as Mizuki crouched down and seized Iruka by the hair, wrenching his head up.

"Look at you now. Is protecting this monster really worth throwing your life away?" Mizuki pressed his kunai against Iruka's exposed throat. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't finish you right now."

Naruto's heart hammered wildly in his chest, body tensed like a coiled spring. He had to do something, anything! But doubt and fear rooted him in place, icy tendrils spreading through his veins.

This was his fault. Mizuki wanted him. If Naruto fled now, maybe his teacher would be spared...

But as he glanced down, an unexpected glint of metal caught Naruto's eye—the scratch engraved across Iruka's hitai-ate from when he had shielded Naruto earlier. The once smooth metal was marred by that single scratch.

Something snapped within Naruto. A tidal wave of fiery rage crashed through his veins, washing away the choking fear. His hands curled into fists, nails biting into his palms.

His muscles moved before he knew it. Naruto shot forward in a blur. His knuckles collided with Mizuki's jaw in a brutal uppercut, snapping the man's head back violently. The chunin staggered, his eyes widened in surprise. But Naruto didn't let up. He threw himself at Mizuki with reckless fury, blows raining down in a frenzy.

Naruto's fists flew wildly, each blow fueled by white-hot rage. He didn't care that his strikes lacked any sort of finesse or form—he just wanted to pummel Mizuki into oblivion for daring to hurt Iruka-sensei.

"I'll kill you!" Naruto shrieked, barely recognizing the savage voice tearing from his own raw throat. He clawed and pummeled wildly, no finesse or form, just sheer explosive rage. It was as if he had forgotten all the training from the past month.

Mizuki staggered back under the boy's frenzied assault, clearly caught off guard by this sudden fury. But he quickly recovered, pivoting out of the way of Naruto's next haymaker punch.

"Not bad, fox boy. Seems I struck a nerve," Mizuki taunted as he ducked another wild swing. His infuriatingly smug grin made Naruto see red. This monster didn't get to walk away smiling after what he'd done!

With a guttural yell, Naruto launched a spinning heel kick straight at Mizuki's head. But the man casually sidestepped, letting Naruto's momentum carry him stumbling past.

"Too slow," Mizuki sneered. Before Naruto could regain his footing, a brutal fist plowed into his unprotected side. He wheezed as the blow forced all the air violently from his lungs. But there was no time to recover before the next punishing strike slammed into his jaw.

The air whooshed violently from Naruto's lungs. Stars exploded across his vision. He staggered, but desperation kept him upright, kept him swinging even as dark spots danced across his eyes. Mizuki easily sidestepped, almost lazily, before driving a knee up brutally into Naruto's unprotected stomach.

He doubled over, knees hitting the smoking earth. Mizuki's scornful laughter seemed to echo between his ears as he desperately gulped for breath.

"Did you really think a weak failure like you could challenge me?" Mizuki sneered down at him. He fisted a hand in Naruto's sweat-soaked hair, wrenching his head up painfully.

Naruto's pulse thundered wildly, heart jackhammering against his ribs. Still, he clawed at Mizuki's wrists, kicked out frantically, refusing to submit. With a derisive snort, Mizuki flung him aside effortlessly.

Naruto hit the ground hard, skidding several feet before coming to rest against a burning oak trunk. The scalding wood seared his skin through his tattered jacket. He shrieked, flailing weakly to pull away from the smoldering tree.

Mizuki stalked toward him, eyes glinting with cold amusement. "You're even more pathetic than I realized. To think our village was nearly destroyed by a weakling like you."

Naruto's tongue felt thick, his voice scraping raw and hoarse up his throat. "I won't...let you...hurt Iruka-sensei...anymore!"

Mizuki's chilling laugh sent icy fingers of dread creeping down Naruto's spine. This was a side of his teacher he'd never seen, a monster lurking beneath the calm surface all along.

"Brave words for a cowering child," Mizuki sneered, flipping another shuriken casually between his fingers. "But you'll be dead long before I finish off your precious sensei."

He turned his head enough to meet Iruka's glassy, pain-filled eyes where his teacher still lay immobilized.

Seeing the slow spread of crimson soaking Iruka's flak jacket sparked something primal in Naruto's gut. This man had been like family—the first to acknowledge him, to patiently nurture his clumsy childish hands until he could properly grip weapons. And now Iruka was dying defending him from their twisted comrade.

"Did you really think a weakling like you stood a chance against me?" Mizuki scoffed. "You may hit hard, but you leave yourself wide open with those wild strikes. All power, no finesse—just like a brainless beast."

Naruto clawed at the ground, struggling to rise, to fight back, anything! But his head was still spinning from Mizuki's attacks. All he could do was turn his head enough to meet Iruka's glassy, pain-filled eyes where his teacher still lay immobilized.

Seeing the slow spread of crimson soaking Iruka's flak jacket sparked something primal in Naruto's gut. This man had been like family—the first to acknowledge him, to patiently nurture his clumsy childish hands until he could properly grip weapons. And now Iruka was dying defending him from their twisted comrade.

A guttural scream erupted from Naruto's throat. Hot anger boiled from within his chest.

Naruto clenched his fists, ignoring how badly his hands shook. He had to keep fighting, no matter what. For Iruka-sensei's sake. Drawing on the very last dregs of his strength, Naruto pushed himself up on trembling limbs to face Mizuki again.

He raised his eyes to meet Mizuki's, but the blazing flames behind his teacher obscured him, reducing him to a faceless silhouette wreathed in fire. In that moment, the battleground forest melted away, replaced by the blank wooden wall of the academy training yard. Mizuki's shadow stretched tall across its surface - the same shadow Naruto had spent endless nights sparring against.

What is this?

Naruto sank into a fighting stance on instinct, muscles coiling in anticipation. He knew this opponent, had studied every nuance of his movements during those repetitive training sessions. The shadow before him now mimicked Mizuki in perfect detail - the tight set of his shoulders, the shifting of weight between feet, the almost lazy way he twirled a shuriken between deft fingers.

Yes, Naruto realized, fighting your shadow was all about observation. The shadow concealed nothing from him.

With a guttural cry, Naruto shot forward, aiming a punishing roundhouse kick straight for his opponent's head. But the shadow Mizuki dodged smoothly, just as expected. Naruto didn't let the missed strike throw him off. He seamlessly flowed into the next attack, forcing the shadow back on the defensive with a series of blindingly fast and unexpectedly precise blows.

The training had worked. Naruto could predict the shadow's reactions and compensate, driving him back steadily. But the shadow quickly adapted to match Naruto's advanced skills. A feint here, a sudden reversal there - it was changing, keeping Naruto guessing, on his toes. Very quickly, Naruto realized this was the most dangerous opponent he had ever faced.

Their deadly dance intensified, blows and counters accelerating until even Naruto struggled to track the exchanges. Yet he refused to slow down, pushing himself beyond limits he never knew he had. A voice that sounded strangely like Guy-Sensei kept repeating in his head: "Spot the openings, visualize the next move, trust your instincts..."

Blood roared in Naruto's ears, his knuckles split from the punishing impacts. Still, the shadow matched him hit for hit. Naruto could feel his strikes losing power, reactions growing sluggish as exhaustion set in. But the thought of Iruka's crumpled, bleeding body just feet away reignited his fury.

With a roar, Naruto launched a fresh assault, blows packing the force of his entire body behind them. The shadow parried and redirected the strikes, seeming to feed off Naruto's rage.

Then it slipped through his faltering guard, landing a punishing blow to his ribs that made his vision go white. Naruto staggered, gasping raggedly. But before he could recover, the shadow's foot connected with his chest in a crushing kick, launching him backwards until he collided brutally with a burning tree trunk.

The unforgiving wood knocked the air violently from Naruto's lungs. He slumped at the tree's base, gasping futilely like a landed fish. A hot pain scalded his back, but the world was spinning too much for him to care. Through the ringing in his ears, he could just make out the shadow stalking toward him, another shuriken at the ready.

Then the shadow dissolved, and there was Mizuki, looming over him.

Mizuki grabbed Naruto roughly by the throat, slamming him back against the burning tree trunk. Naruto cried out hoarsely as the scalding wood seared his back through his tattered jacket. Mizuki's fingers squeezed mercilessly, cutting off his oxygen supply. Naruto's lungs spasmed, desperate for air. His fingers scraped weakly at Mizuki's hands, trying unsuccessfully to loosen their chokehold.

"Oh, this is familiar," Mizuki sneered, his lips stretching in a cruel grin. It took Naruto's fading mind a moment to grasp the awful reference - their disastrous taijutsu evaluation where Mizuki had strangled him into submission. Only this time, there would be no one to pull his enraged teacher off.

Dark spots bloomed across Naruto's vision as his struggles grew feebler. Somewhere in the back of his oxygen-deprived mind, he knew he had to do something fast, anything to break Mizuki's hold before the darkness claimed him completely.

Desperate, Naruto dug his fingers into Mizuki's vest. He clawed at the man's skin. He scratched as hard as he could. But little by little, the boy's vision faltered, and his hand slid down Mizuki's body…

… and found Mizuki's tool pouch hanging from his belt. He was alive again. Moving on frantic instinct, Naruto's fingers closed around the first object they found.

He needed a kunai, shuriken—anything.

Even in his half-conscious state, his heart fell when his fingers produced a paper tag. An explosive tag, he realized.

In his delirious state, Naruto barely felt the fire spreading up his jacket as Mizuki pinned him against the burning tree. The heat seared his skin, but it was nothing compared to the pressure in his chest as his lungs screamed for air. Desperately, Naruto slapped the explosive tag clutched in his blistered fingers onto Mizuki's chest.

For a moment, the Chunin's pale eyes widened in shock, but then he barked out a harsh laugh.

"Gotta admit. You had me scared for a second. But then again, you can't even get a spark out of those," Mizuki sneered. His crushing grip on Naruto's throat tightened impossibly further.

Naruto's burning lungs begged for even a wisp of oxygen as Mizuki's grip crushed his throat. Black spots swarmed his vision, conscious thought fading as surely as the flames surrounding them.

Just when Naruto felt himself slipping under, his blistered fingers clenched around the paper tag recalled Iruka's words from a lifetime ago: "Explosive tags can be activated in many ways other than your chakra. For example, if lit on fire..."

Fire.

Naruto's gaze landed on his jacket sleeve, the fabric alight with orange flames licking up his arm. With the last of his strength, he twisted his trapped body, pressing the igniting sleeve to Mizuki's vest.

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then the tag's corner began to blacken and curl, a tiny ember blooming across its surface.

Naruto watched with dimming vision as the ember crept slowly across the parchment. Too slowly. His blistered fingers scrabbled weakly at Mizuki's unyielding hands still crushing his throat. Just as darkness clouded the edges of his sight completely, the paper between them sparked, hissing as brilliant flames bloomed across its surface.

Mizuki's eyes blew wide, pale blue eclipsed by the growing inferno. Instinctively, he dropped his Naruto and leapt backwards, hands clawing to remove his vest.

"You little—!" was all he managed before the tag erupted in a deafening blast.

The force ripped Naruto through the burning tree, hurling him backwards through smoldering air. He crashed against the scalding earth and skidded a few more yards, before rolling to a stop. His vision swirled in glowing orange. A deafening ring pierced his ears, muffling all sound except the ragged gasps his raw throat struggled to swallow.

Naruto's wheezed as precious air flooded his starved lungs. The acrid smoke stung and burned, but he didn't care. After an eternity trapped in Mizuki's crushing hold, each breath was sweeter than Ichiraku's finest ramen broth.

He clawed weakly at the smoldering fabric of his jacket, desperate to extinguish the flames licking up his sleeves. His blistered fingers fumbled with the zipper until he finally managed to rip the burning garment off completely. He collapsed onto his back, bare skin hitting cooling earth. For several moments, he just focused on breathing, savoring the rise and fall of his chest no longer constrained.

But nearby, an awful wet cough jarred Naruto back to alertness. Mizuki. He snapped upright, ignoring the spike of pain along his surely bruised spine. Blinking through the haze, Naruto saw Mizuki lying unmoving several feet away, his flak jacket charred and tattered. The acrid stench of burned flesh seared Naruto's nostrils. He glanced down at the angry red and blistered skin of his own shaking palm that had activated the fiery explosion.

Naruto staggered to his feet, nearly buckling as his legs threatened to give out beneath him. But he locked his knees and pressed forward, step by agonizing step. His pulse roared in his ears, nearly drowning out the crackle of dying flames surrounding them.

"Don't come...any closer...demon fox," Mizuki rasped as Naruto approached. He tried to rise, but collapsed onto his forearms with a choked groan, muscles spasming from the blast's impact.

Naruto halted, hovering over his teacher's broken form. Just weeks ago, he had admired and respected this man, had craved his praise and instruction like a flower turning toward the sun. Now, he was a stranger. A monster lurking beneath a guise of wisdom, waiting for a chance to bare his fangs.

"Why?" The single word clawed its way up Naruto's raw throat, emerging choked and hoarse. He had to know what darkness drove Mizuki to such violence. What he had done to deserve such hatred from a comrade.

Deep down, he knew, but still couldn't believe it.

Mizuki let out a ragged laugh that quickly turned into a wet cough. Blood flecked his pale lips. "Still playing dumb, beast?" He spat a glob of red onto the smoldering earth. "You know why. You're a demon."

Naruto flinched as if struck. Hearing the accusation again was like a kunai twisting in his gut.

"I didn't ask for this!" he shouted hoarsely. "I never wanted... I just..." His breath hitched around the anger and anguish swelling in his chest.

Mizuki's cold laughter cut through the haze of smoke drifting around them. "You expect sympathy? For the fox that murdered innocent lives?" His pale eyes narrowed with contempt. "You don't deserve to live after what you've done."

Naruto staggered back a step, bile rising in his throat. Was that how they all saw him? As the Nine-Tailed Fox itself? Just a vessel for hatred and violence?

His pulse roared in his ears. The taste of smoke and blood coated his tongue, acrid and choking. All he wanted was for someone, anyone, to look at him with something other than fear or disgust. To prove he was more than the creature caged inside him.

But Mizuki's cruel words rang in his head, drowning out all else. Monster. Murderer. Demon. The hateful whispers that had stalked him since childhood now laid bare under the moonlight.

Naruto's knees buckled. He clutched at his head, fingers knotting in his sweat-soaked hair. Sobs tore from his raw throat, ragged and animalistic. Tears carved hot tracks down his dust-streaked cheeks.

He didn't understand. His entire life, Naruto had devoted to becoming Hokage, to prove to everyone he deserved their respect, regardless of what he did. The Nine-Tails' presence was just a circumstance of his birth, out of his control. Yet the villagers treated its sins as his own. They saw only the fox, never the boy. He was just its vessel, hated and feared for a crime he didn't commit.

Naruto hunched in on himself, desperate to disappear. If only he could tear the wretched fox from his soul. But even then, Naruto doubted they would accept him.

As if reading his mind, Mizuki growled.

"You can't change what you are. You're a monster, and we will hate you always for it."

The broken silence that followed the words shattered Naruto's will.

A hot anger swelled from within him, one he never knew he had. His vision began to narrow. His clenched fists began to shake. Naruto turned his feral eyes on Mizuki, who glared at him with a broken smirk.

They knew.

They had always known.

And they would always hate him for it.

But why was he the monster, when there was an even worse one lying right in front of him?

Reaching down, Naruto seized one of the discarded kunai from the dirt. Naruto's fingers curled tightly around the blade's hilt, his ragged breaths echoing harshly in his ears over the crackle of the surrounding flames. The engraved metal felt ice cold against his blistered palm, sending a violent shudder through his exhausted body.

This man - this monster - had nearly killed Iruka-sensei right before his eyes. Had reveled in spilling the blood of a comrade, and for what? Misplaced hatred and lies poisoning his broken mind, poisoning their village.

Demon.

Beast.

Murderer.

What did it matter now? Naruto was the demon fox, the monster they all feared and despised. So why not embrace that darkness brewing inside? Why not become the monster they expected?

It wouldn't change anything anyways.

Naruto's fingers trembled around the kunai's handle, slick with sweat and blood. One quick slash of the razor-sharp blade, and the man who had betrayed and tormented him and Iruka-sensei would trouble him no more. Ending this now would be so easy.

So easy.

He raised the blade high, blood roaring in his earsl. Mizuki's pale eyes glinted up at him, alight with that same cold hatred that seemed to lurk behind every villager's false smile.

"Go on then. Prove to yourself what you are."

The rage roaring in Naruto's ears drowned all else out. His vision tunneled until all he saw was Mizuki's infuriating grin, mocking him, daring him. Naruto's chest heaved, heart hammering wildly against his ribs. The desire to end this flashed hotly across his blistered palm, urging him to drive the blade down with all his might. To silence this monster once and for all.

He could smell the acrid tang of smoke stinging his nostrils, feel blisters scraping raw against the kunai's grip. His hand shook with the effort to hold back, every muscle wound tight as a coiled spring.

If those bastards wanted to see a monster, he would give them one.

"Naruto, don't!"

Iruka's anguished cry cut through the smoky haze clouding Naruto's mind. He blinked hard, vision clearing enough to meet his teacher's pleading gaze from where Iruka still lay immobilized on the forest floor.

Those familiar brown eyes shone with pain, but also faith - faith in the boy wavering before him, the student whose hands he had gently corrected again and again until finally they could wield weapons properly. The child who he had patiently nurtured, who laughed loudly around mouthfuls of ramen and refused to stay down no matter how many times he stumbled.

Iruka had always been there.

"Iruka-sensei, I..." His voice came out choked and wavering.

Naruto stood frozen, the kunai tumbling from his limp fingers. The sound of it hitting the earth jarred him back to the present. The engraved metal glinted briefly in the firelight before disappearing into the ash-strewn earth at his feet.

He stared at his empty, trembling hands as though seeing them for the first time.

The clearing was silent except for the crackle of dying flames and Mizuki's pained wheezes. Naruto's own harsh breaths sawed in his ears. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the discarded blade lying innocuously amidst the ashes and debris.

A rasping cough snapped Naruto's attention to Iruka. His teacher had managed to prop himself up on one elbow, face twisted in pain but gaze fixed unwaveringly on the boy. Moving agonizingly slowly, Iruka began slowly dragging his battered body across the ground. Fresh blood continued to stain the dirt in his wake. Naruto's gut twisted at the sight, bile scorching the back of his raw throat.

Naruto stood paralyzed, hands shaking, looking at nothing.

Then gentle arms wrapped around his shoulders, and Naruto's eyes shot wide open. He remained rigid in Iruka's embrace, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"It's over," Iruka murmured, voice hoarse. "You saved me."

Naruto froze, shocked to his core. After everything Iruka had witnessed, he still believed in him? Still saw him as something other than a demon or a beast?

Tentatively, Naruto returned the embrace, burying his face in Iruka's shoulder as tears spilled down his soot-streaked cheeks. Sobs wracked his frame, releasing all the fear and anguish and rage churning inside him.

Iruka didn't let go, just held Naruto until the shuddering sobs subsided. When Naruto finally lifted his head, scrubbing roughly at his wet cheeks, Iruka met his gaze firmly.

"No, Sensei. You're the one who saved me."


Naruto stared up at the sterile white ceiling of the hospital room, listening to the steady beep of the heart monitor beside him. The papery hospital gown scratched uncomfortably against the bandages swathing his arms and torso. He could still feel the echoes of searing heat from the flames that had ravaged his body during the battle with Mizuki.

But the physical pain barely registered compared to the storm churning inside him. Ever since Mizuki had revealed the truth about the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within him, Naruto felt like he was seeing the world through new eyes. The wary looks and whispers that had followed him all his life now made chilling sense.

He was the human sacrifice, the vessel keeping the demon fox contained. An involuntary keeper of darkness feared and hated by all.

Naruto gritted his teeth, fingers curling into fists around the scratchy blanket. Even after risking his life against Mizuki, part of him wondered if the villagers would ever see past the fox to the boy underneath. If he was doomed to live as an outcast forever.

The door sliding open drew Naruto from his brooding thoughts. He glanced over to see the Third Hokage enter, pipe in hand and a kind crinkle to his eyes.

"Naruto, it's good to see you awake," Hiruzen said warmly. "How are you feeling?"

Naruto managed a weak grin. "Heh, I'm fine! Takes more than a little fire to keep me down, believe it!" His usual bravado sounded flat even to his own ears.

Hiruzen's expression remained gentle, but his eyes were knowing. He took a long draw from his pipe before speaking. "You've endured much for one so young. Both in body and spirit." His gaze grew distant.

'Minato wanted you to be seen as a hero. If only he could see the man you're becoming…' Hiruzen thought to himself, though the words couldn't come out.

Naruto looked down, picking at a loose thread on the blanket. "It doesn't feel like it's worth it," he admitted quietly. "Everyone hates me, and now I know why." His hands curled into fists once more.

Hiruzen sighed heavily. "Their fear breeds ignorance. In time, your actions will show them that you are not defined by what you contain, but who you choose to become." He smiled around his pipe. "But for now, take pride in having protected the village from a dangerous threat."

Naruto blinked in surprise. In his worry over the fox, he had nearly forgotten taking down Mizuki at all. A small glow of pride flickered in his chest. He really had saved Iruka-sensei and stopped the traitor from escaping with the scroll.

"Oh yeah, what's gonna happen to Mizuki?" Naruto asked, sitting up straighter. "Is he gonna go to ninja jail or what?"

Hiruzen chuckled. "Yes, he has been taken to the Konoha Strict Correctional Facility. You won't be bothered by him again." His expression hardened. "Betraying one's comrades is the greatest sin. He will atone now."

Naruto nodded, feeling a fraction of the weight in his chest lift. At least Mizuki was locked away where he couldn't hurt Iruka or anyone else again. And Naruto had helped make that happen.

After chatting a bit longer, Hiruzen bid Naruto goodbye, promising Ichiraku ramen when he was discharged from the hospital. As the door slid closed behind the Hokage, Naruto was left alone with his thoughts once more. And the steady beeping of the neighboring heart monitor.

Glancing over, Naruto could see Iruka asleep in the next bed, features relaxed and breathing deep. His teacher's arms and torso were swathed in bandages just like Naruto's. But he was alive. They both were, against all odds. And that was something to celebrate after the nightmare they had endured.

A mischievous grin crossed Naruto's face as an idea struck him. Careful not to rip out his IV line, he crept out of bed and tiptoed over to Iruka's side. After making sure his sensei was still asleep, Naruto stealthily uncapped a marker from the bedside table. Iruka's face was the perfect blank canvas!

Stifling a snicker, Naruto began doodling spirals and scribbles across Iruka's cheeks and forehead, giving him a nice handlebar mustache for good measure. This would teach Iruka to let his guard down around the village's number one prankster!

Naruto was adding the finishing touches to his graffiti masterpiece when Iruka began to stir. "Hmm... Naruto, is that you?" he mumbled sleepily, blinking open his eyes.

Caught red handed, Naruto quickly hid the marker behind his back. "Uh, just checking your injuries, Sensei!" he said with an exaggerated grin. Then he noticed the drawings now decorating Iruka's face and had to slap a hand over his mouth to contain his laughter. "Yup, you're looking much better now! I should let you rest!"

Before Iruka could respond, Naruto darted back over to his own bed and slipped beneath the covers, pretending to be asleep. He heard Iruka mutter in confusion before presumably nodding off again. Naruto buried his face in the pillow to muffle his snickering. Revenge was sweet! Maybe having the infamously mischievous Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside him was good for some laughs now and then.

As his mirth faded, Naruto lay quietly listening to the steady beep of the heart monitor. Its rhythmic pulse was somehow soothing. Proof that they had survived. He and Iruka were here together, alive and on the path forward. Naruto knew it would be a long journey to become the Hokage people could believe in, and he wouldn't walk it alone.

Iruka never gave up on him, even when Naruto doubted himself. He was family in all but blood. As sleepiness finally crept over Naruto, lulled by the soft beeping, he knew everything would be alright. Whatever hardships awaited, he had people by his side now. And that was enough.


The next morning, soft sunlight filtering through the blinds roused Naruto from sleep. He yawned hugely, wincing as the motion pulled at his tender burns and bruises. Being in the hospital was so boring! He was itching to get back to training. Though after the disastrous battle with Mizuki, Naruto knew he had a long way to go before he was strong enough to be Hokage.

While the thought of training did make him a little sad, considering he had once again failed the graduation exam. But Naruto would just try over and over until he finally passed. That's just who he was.

Glancing over at the other bed, Naruto had to stifle a laugh. Iruka was still fast asleep, Naruto's graffiti doodles decorating his peaceful face. As tempting as it was to add more artwork, Naruto decided to let his teacher rest.

Careful of his IV line, Naruto slid quietly out of bed. His bandaged feet rasped softly against the cold tile floor as he crept over to peer out the window at the awakening village below. Up this high, the citizens scurrying to and fro on their morning errands looked tiny, like ants busily working together to keep their hill functioning. Except this was a vast hidden village rather than an insect colony.

And Naruto was what they feared, an unwanted contaminant threatening the harmony of their home, simply by existing.

"So you're awake already too, huh?"

Iruka's voice made Naruto whirl around guiltily. He opened his mouth to explain about the face doodles, but the words died on his tongue when he saw Iruka smiling kindly at him. The drawings had been washed away, leaving no evidence of Naruto's late night prank.

"Oh, uh, yeah! Just watching all the villagers down there," Naruto said, laughing nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Pretty boring view though, ya know!"

Iruka just continued to smile gently. Then to Naruto's surprise, his teacher patted the spot on the bed next to him. "Come sit, Naruto. I have something for you."

Brow furrowing, Naruto did as asked, perching on the edge of the bed. What was this about? He watched curiously as Iruka reached into the bedside drawer and pulled something out, keeping it hidden in his palm.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Iruka began formally, though his eyes shone with warmth. "Though circumstances were extenuating, you displayed great courage and strength of spirit in protecting our village from harm."

Naruto squirmed, cheeks flushing at the praise. Before he could wave it off with his usual bravado, Iruka opened his hand to reveal...a Konoha forehead protector engraved with the leaf symbol. A real hitai-ate like all official shinobi wore. Naruto's eyes went wide, his breath catching.

"Wha- For me?" Naruto managed to choke out around the sudden tightness in his throat. Gingerly, he accepted the hitai-ate, running his fingers reverently over the etched metal plate. This changed everything. Iruka believed he was ready to become a genin, to take the first true step toward becoming Hokage.

The rest of the day, Naruto couldn't stop smiling.


Author's Note:

There we have it! We have finally made it through the academy/intro arc, now onto greater things as a genin!

Now, I know the Mizuki thing is kinda done quite a lot, but I really do think it's a good development point for Naruto as a character. Going on in the future, I won't usually use canon events all so often (so no wave arc, for example), as I know it can get stale! I dunno, though, let me know what you guys think!

But I absolutely had a 'blast' (get it?) figuring out how Naruto could beat a chunin. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

I'm appreciate everyone who's leaving a review! I'm reading and considering every single one. To answer some of the questions, his chakra issues do not affect the ability to open the gates, and he will be able to eventually use sage mode/summons later down the line if the seal weakens more. Also, Mizuki wasn't lying when Naruto failed, because Mizuki gave him a 0 on the taijutsu evaluation.

Let's talk about the upload schedule: I've been uploading about every day or every other day, since I have a lot of this fic already written, and I write pretty fast. Now that I've got the first arc out, we're gonna slow it down to 1 or 2 updates a week, just so I don't run out of chapters soon, haha! But don't worry, they'll keep pumping out quickly!

Anyways, make sure to stick around, because the next chapter, we're gonna figure out who Naruto's genin team is! As always, thanks for reading!

Make sure to follow, favorite, and review! ;)