[ Skill: Shadow Weapon Jutsu (Kage Buki no Jutsu) ]
[ Level: 1 (Active) ]
[ Chakra Points (CP) Required: 100 per copy ]
[ Description: An A rank that creates physical copies of the user's weapons. Can be used to create an area of effect with replicated weapons. ]
[ Passive Enhancements: ]
- [ Area of Effect Accuracy: Increases accuracy of weapons in AoE by 5%. ]
[ Active Boost: ]
- [ Weapon Durability: Increases the durability of weapon copies by 10% ]
Naruto leaned back against a tree, his mind whirling with possibilities. The Forbidden Scroll of Sealing, filled with nothing but empty scrolls, hinted at many things.
One possibility was that the scroll was a fake, but Naruto dismissed that thought quickly. He had sent a shadow clone back to Konoha to use the Mind's Eye technique to observe the chaos as the Shinobi scrambled to find him. The presence of Genin, Chunin, Jonin, and even ANBU chakra signatures in the turmoil confirmed the scroll's authenticity.
This left Naruto considering other options. Perhaps the Hokage had swapped out the real scroll with this decoy in case of theft, or maybe someone outside the Hokage's knowledge had managed to replace the real scrolls with these blanks. However, Naruto leaned toward the former explanation. It made sense that the Hokage would have a failsafe for such a critical and dangerous item.
A golden palace becomes hollow when its own guardians dig beneath its walls.
He shook his head to clear the somber thoughts as he sensed Iruka rapidly approaching his location.
"Okay, showtime."
----------------------------------------
"Naruto!" Iruka's voice hit Naruto, tinged with a sharp edge of anger he hadn't heard from him before. Naruto looked up to see Iruka storming towards him, his hands firmly gripping Naruto's shoulders as his eyes bored into his with an intensity that made Naruto wince.
"Do you know what you've done?"
"I just did the secret exam set by Mizuki Sensei," Naruto lied, trying to sound confident, but his voice betrayed a slight quiver.
"What?"
Out of nowhere, a barrage of shurikens whistled through the air towards them. Reacting on pure instinct, Naruto flicked his wrist, sending a kunai spinning into the path of the incoming projectiles. With precise timing, the kunai tagged each shuriken, redirecting them away from both him and Iruka.
The shurikens clattered harmlessly to the ground around them, and Naruto could feel Iruka's gaze on him, heavy with surprise and a flicker of admiration.
When did he learn to do that?
"Well, well, I didn't expect that. I'm impressed you found this place, Iruka," Mizuki's voice came from the shadows, dripping with feigned surprise and underlying menace.
"I see how it is."
"Naruto, give me that scroll," Mizuki demanded sharply, his eyes greedily fixed on the forbidden scroll clutched in Naruto's hands.
"Naruto, never give him that scroll. It's a dangerous object that contains forbidden ninjutsu. Mizuki used you to get it for himself," Iruka's voice cracked with urgency.
"Naruto, Iruka is only afraid of you having that scroll."
"Huh? Is the scenario finally happening, but I haven't even finished the mission?"
"Don't let him fool you, Naruto," Mizuki pressed on, his voice persuasive and dangerous. "I will tell you the truth."
"Don't you dare, it's forbidden!"
Thirteen years ago, a rule was set, a rule that everyone but Naruto knew. As Mizuki spoke, Naruto's heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice.
"Everyone but me? What are you talking about?"
"Stop it, Mizuki!"
"This rule is to keep you from knowing the truth about what you are. Do you want to know?" Mizuki taunted.
"What? What am I?"
"You are the Kyuubi no Kitsune that nearly destroyed the village thirteen years ago. You killed the beloved Yondaime Hokage," Mizuki's words were like venom. "You even killed Iruka's parents."
The world seemed to stop spinning.
The revelation hit Naruto like a physical blow, knocking the wind out of him. His legs felt weak, and he staggered slightly, his hands trembling as the full weight of Mizuki's words settled upon his shoulders. It all clicked in an instant—the sabotaged exams, the relentless glares from villagers, and the whispers behind his back. Even the seemingly benign monthly stipend from the Hokage.
Naruto's entire life in Konoha, wrapped in a shroud of disdain he never fully understood until now. Demon Child... that nickname wasn't just a cruel joke; it was his reality. He wasn't hated for being an Uzumaki; he was despised for being the Kyuubi.
"How dare you?" Iruka's voice cut through the heavy silence, hissing with a venom Naruto had never heard before.
Mizuki's face twisted into a sneer as he drew a giant shuriken. "And now, I'll kill you and become a hero to the village."
"Naruto, don't listen to that traitor," Iruka urged, stepping slightly in front of Naruto.
Mizuki laughed coldly. "Why protect him, Iruka? He's the one who killed your family."
Iruka's fists clenched, his anger palpable. "I'm not letting an idiot like you get that scroll."
Mizuki's eyes narrowed. "You're the idiot. Naruto is a monster like me," he shot back, venom dripping from every word. "Anyone with that scroll can do anything they want. The Kyuubi would abuse its power."
"Ah, you're right..." Iruka conceded, his voice heavy, causing Naruto's heart to sink. But then Iruka's tone shifted, firm and resolute. "But Naruto is different. He's one of my best students. He works hard. He's not the Kyuubi. He's Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure."
Mizuki's face contorted with rage. "Then die!" he screamed, hurling the shuriken with lethal force.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
As Iruka unleashed his Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu against Mizuki's incoming Fuma Shuriken, Naruto could tell it was a decoy. His suspicion was confirmed when another shuriken, the real threat, came hurtling from the side. Iruka's body tensed, his eyes widening with a fear that momentarily paralyzed him.
It was clear in his stance—he was prepared to sacrifice himself for Naruto. He couldn't let that happen.
Giving Iruka a reassuring smile, Naruto signaled his readiness to take over. Iruka understood immediately, nodding slightly.
Naruto's hands buzzed with chakra as he reached out, snatching the blade of the flying shuriken from the air. Its momentum was strong, but he used it to his advantage, allowing it to spin him around. His feet found their pivot, rooted firmly to the ground as Iruka's fireball exploded mid-air, providing a smokescreen.
With the world momentarily hidden behind the fiery curtain, Naruto whipped around on his heel. The motion was fluid, almost instinctual. Every muscle, every fiber in his body coiled like a spring, ready to release the energy. His fingers tightened around the shuriken, the metal cool and unyielding beneath his grip.
As the explosion's echo thudded in his ears, Naruto launched the shuriken back at Mizuki.
"Fuin!"
In the brief moment Naruto had touched the blade, he had managed to transfer an explosive seal onto the weapon.
Boom!
A massive explosion echoed through the treetops, and through the settling smoke, Mizuki's body thudded to the ground.
Although it seemed like he might be dead, Naruto knew better. The seal he used was only medium-grade—a Chunin could survive it.
Sure enough, Mizuki was horribly burned, his clothes nearly destroyed, hanging in tatters from his charred skin. Then something unexpected happened. A weird purplish chakra began to exude from his body.
Naruto noticed a fuinjutsu seal on Mizuki's forearm—a green skull with an open jaw—that seemed to pulse with dark energy.
As the chakra enveloped him, Mizuki's body began to heal, muscles bulking up, tiger-like stripes appearing on his skin, and his nails morphing into sharp claws.
Mizuki roared, more beast than man now.
[ Name: Touji Mizuki ]
[ Status: Infected by Prototype Cursed Seal ]
[ Title: Academy Assistant Teacher → Traitor of Konoha ]
[ Level: 13 ]
[ Class: Civilian Shinobi ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ HP: 2350 / 2350 5350 / 5350 ]
[ AC: 30 → 20 ]
[ CP: 2k / 2k → 1.5k / 2k ]
[ Lineage Traits: None ]
[ Class Features: ]
- [ Mask of a Shinobi ]
[ Feats: Deceiver ]
[ Stats: ]
- [ STR: 20 → 30 ]
- [ DEX: 25 → 35 ]
- [ CON: 15 ]
- [ INT: 13 → 3 ]
- [ WIS: 12 → 2 ]
- [ CHA: 9 ]
- [ VIT: 26 → 36 ]
- [ LUK: 3 ]
[ Allies: ? ]
[ Equipment: Redacted → None ]
[ Description: A talentless orphan born during the 2nd Shinobi War never amounted to anything, never praised until he met [REDACTED] and gained everything he ever wanted. To repay [REDACTED], he was given an order to steal the Forbidden Scroll of Seals, and this gave him an opportunity to repay his master and also get his revenge on the Kyuubi for killing his wife and their unborn child. ]
Feeling the raw, murderous intent from Mizuki wiped any pity from Naruto's heart. He attempted to trap him with Genjutsu Ensnarement, but the wild, chaotic chakra surging through Mizuki's veins shattered his attempt before it could take hold.
"Okay, let's beat him the old-fashioned way," Naruto declared, glancing at Iruka for agreement. "I'll be the DPS and you'll be Utility Support."
"What?"
"I'll attack, you help," Naruto simplified, hoping Iruka would catch on quickly.
Without waiting for a full agreement, Naruto launched into the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu. Clouds of smoke burst around them, and he felt a chunk of his chakra drain away as over forty clones materialized, circling them. He could almost see Iruka's hesitance dissolve as he realized the seriousness of their strategy.
"What do I need to do?"
"Can you provide something like a smoke cloud to hide us?"
Iruka nodded.
"Will you be able to, see?"
"Yes," Naruto assured him, remembering the brief flashes of insight from the clones he had sent earlier to test Mizuki's reactions.
Earth Style: Dust Cloud.
A thick cloud of dust enveloped the forest around them, masking their movements.
"Let's go, boys!" Naruto yelled, enthusiasm spiked with adrenaline. He spat out a mouthful of sand that had found its way in during the commotion.
"Yatta!" echoed his army of clones, who also spat out their own mouthfuls of sand.
Iruka watched, a look of mild regret passing over his face at letting Naruto fight, but there was no turning back now.
As Mizuki's more animalistic form rolled and slashed, his claws tore through another one of Naruto's shadow clones, dissipating it into smoke. He was stronger and faster with this new power, but he also seemed less strategic, more driven by raw instinct.
As he swiped at another clone, Naruto took advantage of his predictability. A clone, using Flash Fist, zipped right into Mizuki's personal space. Mizuki snapped viciously at it, aiming to bite the clone's head off.
Naruto reacted instantly, pivoting on his heel using the swirling kata—a clockwise movement—to evade and counter. He leaped up and delivered a forceful kick to the back of Mizuki's head.
"Sheer Force," he murmured as his foot connected, and Mizuki's head smashed into the ground.
Mizuki grunted, staggering to his feet, only to be met by another clone that kicked his head like it was a soccer ball. The Sheer Force Jutsu propelled him like a ragdoll, slamming him against a giant stone.
Before he could recover, another clone accelerated with Flash Fist and drove a knee into his stomach, using Sheer Force to shatter the stone behind him.
The clone vanished in a puff of smoke, and yet another clone swooped in, delivering an uppercut that launched Mizuki skyward.
A dozen clones simultaneously executed Fire Style: Fireball Jutsus, lighting up the night and the entire forest around them. Mizuki let out a roar, filled with raw chakra, but before he could react further, Naruto propelled himself into the sky. His leg stretched out, armored with Earth Style: Diamond Skin. He focused every ounce of his chakra into the heel of his leg, maximizing the speed of expulsion for maximum impact.
As Mizuki twisted mid-air, reacting to Naruto's ascent, he timed his attack perfectly.
Naruto's heel kick, powered by every ounce of chakra he could muster, connected squarely with Mizuki's cheek. The impact felt like striking a sledgehammer against a wall—there was a solid, satisfying thud as his foot met Mizuki's face.
The force of Naruto's kick sent Mizuki hurtling down into the inferno below, a cascade of fireballs that the clones had unleashed.
Mizuki's body, covered in soot and embers, crashed into the forest floor, creating a shockwave that tore through the area.
Trees bent and snapped, debris flew in all directions, and a cloud of dust and leaves mushroomed into the air. The ground itself seemed to shudder under the force of Mizuki's descent, leaving a crater rimmed with scorched earth and splintered wood.
Naruto's chest heaved with rapid breath. The physical demand of the maneuver was intense; he could feel every muscle in his body tensing, his heart pounding against his ribs. Yet, there was a clarity in that moment—the satisfaction of executing a move exactly as he had planned.
Landing softly among the broken foliage, Naruto steadied himself, his eyes never leaving the crumpled form of Mizuki in the center of the crater. His body was on high alert, every sense sharpened, ready for any sign that the battle wasn't over. But as the silence stretched, broken only by the crackling of residual fires and the distant calls of startled wildlife, he allowed himself a brief moment to relax.
That was for everything you've done, Naruto's gazed hard on the defeated form before him.
"Not bad, huh?" he said, turning to Iruka, who stood with his jaw practically hitting the floor.
[ Quest : Knowledge is Power ]
[ Status: Successfully Completed ]
[ Objectives Completed: ]
- [ Infiltrate the Hokage's Library ]
- [ Escape undeterred with the Forbidden Scroll of Seals ]
- [ Bring the Forbidden Scroll of Seals to the secret location ]
- [ Select and learn a skill from [Forbidden Scroll of Seals] ]
- [ Protect the [Forbidden Scroll of Seals] ]
- [ Protect Iruka, defeat Mizuki ]
[ Bonus Objectives Completed: ]
- [ Distract the Sandaime and escape his wrath ]
- [ Select and learn an additional skill from the [Forbidden Scroll of Seals] ]
[ Rewards Granted: ]
- [ 2000 Exp per Objective ]
- [ 1000 Exp for Bonus Objectives ]
- [ 10000 Ryo upon completion of all objectives ]
- [ Increase in reputation with Konoha ]
- [ A scenario that will enable Naruto Uzumaki to learn the truth about why he is hated. ]
- [ Bounty Awarded: 15000 Ryo for Touji Mizuki, +100 reputation with Konoha. ]