Ninja instructors darted through the forest, searching everywhere for Uzumaki Naruto. The sound of rustling footsteps and billowing clothes shattered the previous tranquility, instantly turning the atmosphere tense and urgent.
Having searched for a long time, Iruka-sensei pressed his hands against his knees and panted heavily:
"Naruto, where on earth did you run off to?"
Iruka-sensei's chest heaved violently, and beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks. His voice was laden with anxiety and worry, and his eyes frantically scanned the surroundings, wishing he could spot Naruto right away.
Teacher Mizuki, who had been searching everywhere for Naruto, finally revealed his true, hideous colors, showing his fox's tail as he spoke with malicious intent:
"Once word spreads through the village that Naruto stole the Scroll of Seals, and we get rid of Naruto in one fell swoop, the Scroll of Seals will be mine for the taking."
Greed and malice flashed in Mizuki's eyes, and the corners of his mouth curled into a cunning, evil smile, as if everything were entirely under his control.
After a while, Iruka-sensei's anxious gaze finally caught sight of Naruto. He rushed over in three strides, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Naruto!"
Iruka-sensei's voice was filled with a sense of relief and joy.
Then, shifting his tone entirely, Iruka-sensei bellowed fiercely:
"Naruto!"
Iruka-sensei's voice echoed through the empty woods, carrying a heavy mix of urgency and anger. The roar seemed capable of piercing the clouds and shaking the leaves off the tree branches.
Naruto chuckled and said:
"Did Iruka-sensei find me? Haven't I barely even learned all the Ninjutsu in this Scroll of Seals yet?"
Naruto scratched his head, his smile carrying a hint of mischief and unwillingness to give up, while his eyes showed not a shred of fear, as though this were merely an entertaining game.
Iruka-sensei furrowed his brow and asked doubtfully:
"You're practicing Ninjutsu in a place like this? And practicing Ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals, at that?"
Iruka-sensei stared intently at Naruto, filled with disbelief and worry, his voice carrying a reproachful tone.
With anticipation shining in his wide eyes, Naruto questioned Iruka-sensei:
"Iruka-sensei, as long as I learn the Ninjutsu on here, I'll pass the graduation exam, right?"
Naruto's tone was urgent yet tinged with a hint of innocence. He leaned forward slightly, as if waiting for a definitive answer.
Hearing this, Iruka-sensei was struck with utter dismay and exclaimed:
"Who told you that, Naruto?"
Iruka-sensei's voice spiked sharply, his face plastered with shock and disbelief. He locked his eyes onto Naruto, as if trying to find the answer in his expression.
Naruto smiled and replied:
"Teacher Mizuki told me, of course! Teacher Mizuki said that as long as I learn the Ninjutsu on this Scroll of Seals, Iruka-sensei will definitely let me pass the graduation exam."
Naruto's smile carried a touch of naive trust, and his clear, innocent eyes showed he had no idea he was caught in a conspiracy.
Deeply shocked, Iruka-sensei muttered to himself in disbelief:
"It was Mizuki all along?!"
Iruka-sensei's brows knitted tightly together, his gaze revealing a hint of vigilance and confusion as various thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind.
Just as Iruka-sensei processed the realization, without any warning, Mizuki materialized from behind like a phantom and abruptly hurled several kunai, which cut through the air with a sharp whistling sound as they targeted Iruka-sensei and Uzumaki Naruto.
The kunai gleamed with a chilling, cold light under the sunlight, making one's hair stand on end.
Sensing the approaching danger almost instinctively, Iruka-sensei shoved Naruto several meters away.
Caught off guard, Naruto hit the ground, rolling over a few times in a clumsy heap, but luckily managed to dodge Mizuki's kunai attack. However, Iruka-sensei himself was too slow to evade, taking several kunai strikes to his body.
The sharp kunai ruthlessly pierced Iruka-sensei's flesh, and blood instantly stained his clothes. A look of agony crossed Iruka-sensei's face, yet his gaze remained fixed firmly on Naruto to make sure he was safe.
Standing high up in a tree, Mizuki looked down at Naruto and said:
"Naruto, hand over the Scroll of Seals."
Mizuki's voice was cold and ruthless, his eyes filled with greed and impatience, as if the Scroll of Seals in Naruto's hands were already within his grasp.
Still not understanding what was happening, Naruto looked completely bewildered and asked in confusion:
"What... what on earth is going on here?"
Naruto's eyes went wide with confusion and bewilderment, his voice trembling slightly from the tension as he looked helplessly back and forth between the injured Iruka-sensei and the menacing Mizuki up in the tree.
Pulling the kunai from his body as blood gushed steadily from his wounds, Iruka-sensei endured the excruciating pain and called out to Naruto through the bleeding:
"Naruto, no matter what happens, you must not hand the Scroll of Seals over to that guy Mizuki! The Scroll of Seals is a dangerous item that seals away forbidden Ninjutsu. Mizuki only used you to get his hands on it, Naruto."
Iruka-sensei's voice was weak yet firm, every word seeming to demand the last ounce of his strength, his eyes filled with deep concern for Naruto and fury toward Mizuki.
Upon hearing this, Naruto was struck with shock. His jaw dropped wide open, and his eyes filled with utter disbelief and astonishment. His previously naive expression instantly turned grave, and his body trembled uncontrollably, as though the entire world had suddenly become unfamiliar and terrifying.
Seizing the opportunity, Mizuki continued his smooth-tongued deception:
"Naruto, Iruka is only saying that because he's afraid of you mastering the power of the Scroll of Seals. Don't listen to him. Hand the Scroll of Seals over to me, and I guarantee you'll pass the graduation exam smoothly and become a real ninja."
Mizuki's voice carried a seductive temptation, his eyes gleaming with cunning as he tried to entice Naruto further.
Naruto asked, his face a mask of confusion:
"What? What is any of this even about?"
Naruto's brows furrowed tightly as his gaze darted back and forth between Iruka-sensei and Mizuki, his mind in complete turmoil, unable to figure out whose words to believe.
Iruka-sensei hurriedly shouted:
"What are you talking about, Mizuki?!"
Iruka-sensei's voice turned somewhat hoarse from anger. Blood continued to seep from his wounds, staining the ground beneath his feet, but Iruka-sensei paid it no mind, glaring furiously at Mizuki as if his very look could pierce right through Mizuki's lies.
Then, turning his head with great difficulty toward Naruto, Iruka-sensei urged:
"Don't let yourself be fooled by Mizuki, Naruto."
Iruka-sensei's complexion grew paler by the second, and his voice grew increasingly weak, yet the resolve in his eyes never wavered, brimming with expectation and trust in Naruto.