Six Years Later
Konoha Year 60.
It was a bright spring morning.
The sun shone warmly overhead, and the air carried the fragrance of blooming flowers.
Morning dew clung to the dense forest.
A cool breeze slipped between the trees, carrying with it the songs of early birds and the faint perfume of wildflowers before finally reaching a quiet river.
Two twelve-year-old boys stood upon the surface of the water, facing one another in absolute concentration.
Uchiha Sasuke.
He wore a black, high-collared shirt, with the Uchiha clan’s fan crest displayed proudly upon his back.
Uzumaki Naruto.
He was dressed in orange and yellow, with the spiral emblem of the Uzumaki clan emblazoned behind him.
Suddenly—
Splash!
A small fish leaped from the river, scattering droplets across the surface.
At almost the exact same moment—
Fwish!
Fwish!
Fwish!
Three shuriken flew toward Naruto in a triangular formation.
Naruto hooked a kunai from his pouch with one finger and spun it twice.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
With a casual sweep of his hand, he knocked all three shuriken aside.
An instant later—
Bam!
Naruto’s right arm collided with Sasuke’s as the Uchiha rushed into close range.
Their eyes met from only inches away.
Neither moved.
Then—
“Hmph.”
They smiled at the same time.
Sasuke’s eyes instantly turned crimson.
Three black tomoe revolved within each pupil.
…
The Ninja Academy
Today was the day of the graduation exam.
Inside the classroom, Iruka stood at the front with the class roster in hand.
“Now then… the subject of this year’s graduation exam will be the Clone Jutsu.”
A wave of nervous whispers spread through the room.
“When I call your name, proceed to the classroom next door in order.”
Iruka looked down at the roster.
“First—Kanemura Shōzō.
Come to the next room.”
“Here!”
An ordinary-looking student raised his hand and followed Iruka out.
Naruto and Sasuke sat beside one another near the back of the classroom.
Sasuke had his eyes closed, resting as though nothing around him was worth his attention.
Naruto, meanwhile, leaned back with both hands behind his head, looking thoroughly bored.
Every so often, however, his gaze drifted toward Hinata, who sat a little ahead and to his left.
One student after another was called into the examination room.
Those who returned wore completely different expressions.
Some were overflowing with excitement.
Others hung their heads in despair.
“Next—Uchiha Sasuke.”
Naruto turned toward him with a grin.
“Feeling confident?”
Sasuke rose from his seat.
“Hmph.
Idiot.”
He had already used his three-tomoe Sharingan to copy Naruto’s Shadow Clone Jutsu.
There was no possible way an Academy-level Clone Jutsu exam could stop him.
Sure enough, Sasuke soon emerged from the neighboring classroom with his usual calm expression.
A Konoha forehead protector was already tied around his head.
For him, an exam of this level had been effortless.
“Hurry up.”
Sasuke briefly returned to the classroom and spoke to Naruto.
“I’ll be waiting in the forest behind the mountain.”
The graduation exam was the only scheduled activity for the day.
Now that Sasuke had finished, he had no reason to remain at the Academy.
After reminding Naruto, he left for their usual training grounds.
“Next—Uzumaki Naruto.”
“Yeah, yeah…”
Naruto rose from his seat, scratched the back of his head, and entered the classroom next door.
There was only a single table inside.
Iruka and Mizuki sat behind it, while several neat rows of Konoha forehead protectors had been arranged across the tabletop.
“Begin whenever you’re ready,” Iruka said with a nod.
Naruto nodded in return.
He took a deep breath and formed a hand seal.
An enormous amount of chakra immediately surged through his body, spilling wildly throughout the entire classroom.
Then—
Poof!
A pale, half-dead-looking clone appeared on the floor beside him.
It lay limply on its stomach, its tongue hanging from its mouth as though it had already abandoned all hope of living.
“…”
The three people inside the room fell into a brief silence.
“Fail!”
Naruto looked as though he had been struck by lightning.
“Iruka-sensei.”
Mizuki spoke from beside him, apparently pleading on Naruto’s behalf.
“Although Naruto’s usual grades aren’t very good, we’ve all seen how hard he works.”
He looked toward the pathetic clone lying on the floor.
“And technically, he did succeed in creating a clone.
Why not let him pass?”
Naruto raised his head, his eyes shining with sudden hope.
However, Iruka firmly shook his head.
“No, Mizuki-sensei.
No matter what you say, I can’t allow it.”
“The other students created three clones.
Naruto only produced one.”
Iruka pointed toward the miserable figure sprawled across the floor.
“And that clone is completely useless!
I cannot allow him to graduate like this!”
Naruto lowered his head.
Without saying another word, he turned toward the window—
And leaped outside.
…
The exam eventually came to an end.
A large crowd of parents had gathered outside the Ninja Academy to collect their children.
Those who saw Konoha forehead protectors tied around their children’s heads burst into joyful smiles.
Those whose children had failed could not hide their disappointment.
“Well done!
That’s my son!”
“Hehe!
Dad, I’m already a full-fledged ninja now!”
“Congratulations on graduating!
I’ll prepare a feast for you tonight.”
“Really?!”
Across from the Academy entrance, Naruto sat alone upon a swing.
His head was lowered.
He silently listened to the cheerful voices coming from nearby.
The shade of the tree fell across his small figure.
The forehead protectors did not belong to him.
Neither did the happiness.
Several parents noticed the lonely boy sitting across from them.
“By the way… that child…”
“I heard he was the only one who failed.”
“It would be terrible if someone like him became a ninja.”
“Really?
I heard his usual grades were already…”
“Hmph.
It serves him right.
After all, he’s—”
“Shh!
Stop talking!”
“What if he hears you?
Besides, Lord Hokage forbade anyone from discussing that matter…”
Beneath the shadow of the tree, Naruto reached up and adjusted the goggles resting upon his forehead.
Then—
Fwish!
He leaped from the swing and disappeared.
Among the crowd, Iruka silently watched him leave.
…
Iruka’s Home
Knock, knock, knock!
A frantic knocking suddenly sounded from the door.
Iruka opened it in surprise.
“Mizuki?
What happened?”
Mizuki stood outside, breathing rapidly.
“Please report to Lord Hokage immediately!”
His expression was grave.
“Naruto apparently… stole the Scroll of Seals!”
“What?!”
Iruka’s face changed instantly.
…
By the time he reached the Third Hokage, a large number of Konoha shinobi had already gathered.
“That scroll contains dangerous techniques sealed away by the First Hokage.”
Hiruzen’s expression was solemn.
“If those techniques are misused, the consequences could be disastrous.”
He swept his gaze across the assembled shinobi.
“Find Naruto immediately!”
The Third Hokage raised one hand.
“Scatter!”
Fwish!
The assembled shinobi disappeared in every direction.
Hiruzen remained where he was, smoke curling steadily from his pipe.
Kakashi stepped out from behind him and gazed toward the dark sky and the forest in the distance.
“Which jutsu do you believe Naruto will look up, Lord Third?”
Hiruzen smiled faintly and took several slow puffs from his pipe.
“Most likely… that technique.”
His eyes narrowed beneath the shadow of his ceremonial hat.
“However, learning it would be impossible without the notes left behind by that lord.” Find the original chapter at novelping.com.
“I see…”
Kakashi pulled his forehead protector downward, once again concealing his crimson left eye.
…
Under the cover of night, Mizuki leaped swiftly through the forest.
First, I made certain everyone in the village learned about the theft.
Next, I’ll eliminate Naruto.
Then I’ll disguise myself as him, take the Scroll of Seals, and deliver it to Lord Orochimaru…
A sinister smile appeared on Mizuki’s face as he reviewed his plan.
Before long, he reached the area surrounding the small forest cabin where he had told Naruto to wait.
“Hm?”
Mizuki stopped upon a tree branch.
“Iruka?”
He concealed himself among the leaves and looked toward the clearing below.
Naruto and Iruka were both standing in front of the cabin.
How did that fool manage to find this place?
Mizuki’s eyes narrowed.
Still, it’s only Iruka.
He won’t be able to stop me.
Mizuki drew eight kunai.
His eyes locked onto Naruto, who carried the enormous Scroll of Seals upon his back.
Then—
Fwish!
He threw all eight at once.
Iruka suddenly sensed the danger.
“Naruto!”
He shoved Naruto out of the way with all his strength.
Pshk!
Pshk!
Pshk!
Three kunai pierced Iruka’s body.
Blood immediately soaked through his clothes.
“So you managed to find this place after all, Iruka…”
Mizuki stood upon a branch overhead, staring down at them with a sinister expression.
“Naruto, hand over the scroll.”
Iruka glared at him and shouted—
“Naruto, don’t give him the scroll, no matter what happens!”
“That sealed scroll contains countless dangerous ninjutsu!”
Naruto remained standing with the scroll upon his back.
His head was lowered.
He said nothing.
Mizuki extended one hand toward him and smiled.
“Naruto, keeping that scroll won’t do you any good.”
His smile widened.
“Why don’t I tell you the truth?”
“You can’t!”
Iruka immediately understood what Mizuki intended to reveal.
However, Mizuki ignored him.
“Twelve years ago…”
He looked directly at Naruto.
“You know about the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox that was sealed away, don’t you?”
“After that incident, the village established a rule that no one was allowed to violate.”
Mizuki paused dramatically.
“It was a rule that only you, Naruto, were forbidden from knowing!”
Naruto remained silent, his head still lowered.
Mizuki had expected him to react—to ask what the rule was.
Yet Naruto offered him nothing.
Slightly irritated, Mizuki continued his speech on his own.
“The rule was that no one was ever allowed to say…”
His eyes gleamed cruelly.
“…that you are the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox!”
“Stop it!” Iruka shouted.
“You were the monster that killed Iruka’s parents!”
Mizuki’s voice echoed through the forest.
“You are the Nine-Tailed Fox that nearly destroyed our village!”
“The Hokage you admire so much sealed you away, and ever since then, everyone in the village has kept the truth from you!”
“You—!”
Mizuki laughed as he reached behind his back and pulled free the enormous shuriken strapped there.
However—
“Are you finished?”
Naruto finally raised his head.
His voice interrupted Mizuki’s laughter.
Mizuki froze.
Iruka stared at Naruto in surprise as well.
“The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox you’ve been talking about…”
Naruto smiled.
Faint golden flames began rising from his cheeks.
More appeared along the shoulders of his clothing.
The golden light rapidly spread across his entire body.
FWOOM—!
In the next instant, Naruto was completely enveloped by blazing golden chakra.
His entire figure shone like a miniature sun beneath the night sky.
Naruto looked up at Mizuki.
“Are you talking about him?”
His smile widened.
“Kurama!”
ROOOOOAAAAR—!
A gigantic golden fox head erupted from Naruto’s chakra cloak—
And lunged toward Mizuki in the tree.