Standing in a tree, Mizuki let out a cold laugh, his expression full of triumph and mockery, and said to Naruto:
"Let me tell you the truth, Naruto."
A cunning glint flashed in Mizuki's eyes as he seemed to relish the chaotic situation, preparing to drop his so-called "truth" to further rattle Naruto's mind.
Puzzled, Naruto asked:
"The truth?"
Naruto stared fixedly at Mizuki, his face a mask of curiosity and tension, his body instinctively tensing up as if waiting for an answer that would shatter his entire world.
Horrified, Iruka-sensei yelled up at Mizuki:
"Idol! Shut up! You can't say that!"
Iruka's voice cracked with agitation, his eyes filled with panic and fury as he longed to leap up and clamp his hand over Mizuki's mouth.
Yet Mizuki acted as though he couldn't hear a word, completely ignoring Iruka-sensei as he blithely continued:
"After the incident twelve years ago, the village passed a specific rule, didn't they?"
Mizuki's tone rose slightly, carrying a mysterious edge, and his eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of someone in total control, certain that Naruto would be hooked by what he was about to say.
Anxiously, Naruto demanded:
"A rule? What rule?"
Locking his gaze onto Mizuki, Naruto leaned forward, burning with eagerness and anxiety, as if desperate to have the answer right this second.
Mizuki replied:
"It's the rule that you, Uzumaki Naruto, and you alone, must never be allowed to know a certain secret."
A sinister smile crept across the corner of Mizuki's mouth, his eyes betraying the wicked delight of a plot succeeding as he watched Naruto remaining entirely in the dark.
Naruto pressed on:
"I'm the only one who isn't allowed to know? Why?"
Rage and a deep sense of grievance laced Naruto's voice. His eyes widened, veins bulging slightly on his forehead, and his whole body trembled with agitation.
Straining his vocal cords, Iruka-sensei shouted continuously:
"Mizuki! Didn't I tell you to stop talking?!"
Panic made Iruka's voice sharp, his face flushing deep red as he threw his weight forward, desperate to stop Mizuki from spilling any more secrets.
Still, Mizuki went right on talking:
"It's that no one is allowed to speak of the fact that Uzumaki Naruto is the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox."
Mizuki's words exploded in the air like a heavy bomb, malice radiating from his face as he finally exposed the secret meant to pierce straight through Naruto's heart.
Incredulous, Naruto stammered:
"I'm the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox?"
His voice trembling with shock and despair, Naruto's eyes glazed over and his knees buckled as if every ounce of strength had been drained from his body.
Mizuki went on:
"In other words, Naruto, you are the one who killed Iruka's father and mother. The one who destroyed the village twelve years ago was you, too. Uzumaki Naruto, you are the culprit who harmed others and left them without families."
Mizuki's words grew more and more venomous, each syllable like a blade driving straight into Naruto's chest. His face twisted into a ferocious sneer, hell-bent on completely destroying Naruto's psychological defenses.
Beside himself with rage, Iruka-sensei roared:
"Stop it, Mizuki!"
Iruka's voice was practically a bellow, veins bulging on his neck and fire seeming to shoot from his eyes as he wished he could tear Mizuki to pieces on the spot.
Mizuki continued relentlessly:
"Naruto, haven't you ever wondered why everyone in the village ostracizes you? Don't you want to know why they treat you that way? Huh? If you haven't done anything to them, why would everyone shun you, Uzumaki Naruto?!"
Mizuki's voice soared, dripping with incitement and provocation, his eyes flashing with madness as he sought to draw out every ounce of pain and fury buried in Naruto's heart.
Furious, Naruto yelled:
"Damn it, damn it... No wonder everyone always looked at me with such hatred whenever I crossed their path! It turns out it's because I'm the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox that destroyed the village twelve years ago!"
Naruto clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, grinding his teeth until they clicked. His bloodshot eyes and extreme agitation plunged him into a whirlwind of rage and agony.
Naruto snapped, red chakra erupting across his entire body like a raging wildfire. The immense pressure of his aura blasted back the surrounding trees and the grass on the lawn alike.
Stout tree trunks were knocked crooked by the sheer force, and tender green blades of grass flattened instantly under the sudden gale. A tense, suffocating atmosphere filled the air, heavy as an oncoming storm.
Both Mizuki and Iruka-sensei stared in utter disbelief at the scene unfolding before them.
Mizuki's eyes went wide, his jaw slackening as triumph vanished from his face, replaced entirely by deep fear and shock.
Iruka-sensei wore a look of pure astonishment; he had never imagined that Naruto could unleash such terrifying and overwhelming power, leaving him rooted to the spot, momentarily robbed of speech.
Facial features resembling the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox began to appear on Naruto's face, and his eyes transformed into those of the beast.
Sharp fangs protruded from the corners of his mouth, and eerie markings spread across his cheeks. His once-clear eyes were now completely consumed by a bloody crimson, radiating boundless fury and murderous intent, as if he were about to tear everything in sight to shreds the very next second.
Delighted, Mizuki cackled:
"Naruto is going berserk! Filled with hatred for the villagers, hating them for treating him differently—this is exactly what I wanted!"
A manic grin spread across Mizuki's face as he flailed his arms in excitement, greed and ambition blazing in his eyes as he imagined the sweet fruits of his conspiracy finally paying off.
Without a moment's hesitation, Iruka-sensei lunged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around the out-of-control Naruto, shouting at him to keep his wits about him and not let hatred consume his body.
Clasping Naruto firmly in his embrace, Iruka pleaded with a fierce, urgent voice:
"Naruto, calm down! Don't let rage blind you! You aren't what they say you are. You aren't the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox—you're my student, the Uzumaki Naruto I've always believed in!"
Veins stood out on Iruka's forehead, and sweat streamed down his cheeks, but his gaze never wavered from Naruto, filled entirely with care and concern.
Yet it was utterly useless against a Naruto who had already lost control. Naruto unleashed the mighty chakra of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox once more, blasting Iruka-sensei backward through the air.
Iruka's body traced an arc through the sky like a snapped kite, slamming heavily onto the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
Coughing in agony, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, Iruka-sensei kept his eyes locked on Naruto, devoid of any trace of fear or surrender.