Sitting on a rock, Teacher Mizuki looked at Naruto with an expression of seeming concern and said, "Iruka-sensei certainly didn't mean to make things difficult for you on purpose, Naruto."
Naruto hung his head and said with a dejected expression, "Then why is he always picking on me?"
Naruto's voice was filled with a sense of grievance and bewilderment, and the rims of his eyes were slightly red.
Teacher Mizuki's eyes flickered as he continued, "I think it's because Iruka-sensei wants you to truly grow stronger... After all, neither of you has parents."
Naruto then said eagerly, "But I really want to graduate!"
Naruto raised his head to look at the sky, biting his lip hard to keep his tears from falling.
Teacher Mizuki gave a low chuckle, his smile appearing somewhat eerie in the dim light. He turned to look at Naruto and said, "Well, there's nothing I can do with you, then!"
Naruto's face filled with confusion as he frowned and said, "What do you mean, Teacher Mizuki?"
A trace of cunning flashed in Teacher Mizuki's eyes as he lowered his voice and said, "I'll tell you a special, big secret!"
Naruto looked even more puzzled, his eyes wide as he said, "A secret?"
In the evening, Iruka-sensei lay quietly alone on his bed at home. A gentle breeze from outside the window swayed the curtains, and a faint stillness filled the room. Staring up at the ceiling, his thoughts inevitably drifted back to what the Third Hokage had said to him.
"Iruka, it's not that I don't understand how you feel, but Naruto is the same—he grew up without the love of parents. That's why I hope you can help Naruto out more."
The Third Hokage's gentle yet hopeful words echoed endlessly in Iruka-sensei's mind, and a thoughtful expression gradually appeared on his face.
Then, Iruka-sensei's thoughts grew deeper, and he recalled that heart-pounding scene from twelve years ago. The terrifying spectacle of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox attacking the Leaf Village flashed through his mind like a series of shattered, bloody images.
Recalling his own childhood, Iruka-sensei felt as though he had been plunged once again into that chaos and despair. He had witnessed with his own eyes the tragic deaths of his father and mother under the rampage of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Those shrill cries, the flames filling the sky, and the endless terror had been like sharp knives, stabbing at Iruka-sensei's heart over and over again.
"Iruka-sensei, wake up!"
This sudden cry exploded in Iruka-sensei's ears like a thunderclap, instantly jolting him awake from his painful memories. He gave a start, hastily got up, and hurried over to open the door.
Opening the door to see Teacher Mizuki's panicked expression, Iruka-sensei's heart tightened, and he immediately asked, "What is it, Teacher Mizuki?"
Breathing heavily, Teacher Mizuki rushed to say, "Iruka-sensei, hurry and gather at the Hokage's place! It seems Naruto has taken the Scroll of Seals."
Teacher Mizuki's voice was urgent, large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his eyes were filled with anxiety and unease.
Hearing this, the expression on Iruka-sensei's face instantly froze, his eyes widening in sheer astonishment. A turbulent storm surged within his heart as he thought to himself, "What? The Scroll of Seals?"
At that moment, Iruka-sensei felt as though he had been cast into an ice cellar, a chill shooting straight up from his spine.
In a quiet corner of the woods, burning with curiosity and anticipation, Naruto carefully opened the Scroll of Seals.
With an eager and focused gaze, Naruto muttered to himself, "Let me see, what is the very first Ninjutsu?"
Mottled light and shadow filtered through the gaps in the leaves, falling upon Uzumaki Naruto and lending him an air of mystery. At that moment, everything around him seemed to stand still, leaving only the sound of Naruto's slightly hurried breathing, born of tension and excitement, echoing in the air.
Naruto said excitedly, "The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique? Seriously, right off the bat it's my best Ninjutsu? Awesome, awesome!"
Naruto's eyes shone, his face brimming with irrepressible joy.
Then, unable to wait, Naruto continued flipping through the scroll and said happily, "Let me see what else is in here—the Flying Thunder God Technique, the Reanimation Technique, Wood Release..."
With every Ninjutsu name he read aloud, Naruto's voice rose a notch, his thrilled appearance suggesting he had already mastered all of these powerful Ninjutsu.
Naruto's heartbeat accelerated and his breathing grew shallow as he immersed himself completely in this mysterious and powerful world of Ninjutsu.
Naruto beamed and said, "There are so many Ninjutsu! It looks like I won't be able to learn them all at once. I guess I'll just have to copy them down first. Hehe, I really am a little genius, hahaha!"
Naruto's laughter echoed through the woods, carrying absolute confidence and pride.
His radiant smile was like sunlight piercing through branches—bright and warm. At that moment, Naruto felt as though he could already picture himself relying on these Ninjutsu to become a great ninja revered by everyone, his heart filled with boundless yearning for the future.
At the assembly point called by the Third Hokage, a ninja instructor looked grave and said urgently to the Third Hokage, "Lord Hokage, the Scroll of Seals is a dangerous book sealed away by the First Hokage, containing all sorts of hazardous Ninjutsu. If we don't recover it quickly, I'm afraid something dangerous will happen."
Fine beads of sweat broke out on this ninja instructor's forehead, his eyes were filled with anxiety and worry, and his voice trembled slightly from tension, as if the potential danger were already close at hand.
Another ninja instructor quickly chimed in, "Yes, Lord Hokage. If that Scroll of Seals falls into the hands of someone else with ill intent, the consequences will be even more severe."
This other ninja instructor also wore a very serious and tense expression, his brows tightly locked and his gaze revealing deep concern, as if he could already foresee the unimaginable and terrible outcome.
Hearing this, the Third Hokage nodded slightly in agreement, and with a solemn expression, said, "Mm, go bring Naruto back."
The Third Hokage's voice was calm and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority. His firm gaze seemed to pierce through all obstacles, leaving no one daring to slack off in the slightest.
The gathered ninja instructors immediately responded in unison, "Yes!"
The voices were uniform and loud, reverberating through the air with resolute determination and obedience. Every face was filled with seriousness and focus, their bodies instantly tensing as if about to rush into a life-or-death battle.
Then, the Third Hokage swung his right hand down with a forceful, clean motion. Everyone immediately dispersed, moving as swiftly as the wind.