Inside the Sarutobi Mansion.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a drag from his cigarette, his expression dark and pensive.
"Looks like that fool Mizuki is tired of living if he dares to stir up trouble between Naruto and me."
"I initially thought about killing him to put an end to this, but perhaps a little time in Ibiki's hands will do."
Regret flickered across Hiruzen's face. Sending Mizuki to test Naruto had been a mistake—he should have used an Anbu disguised as an enemy instead. But it was too late for regret; he could only repair things afterward.
Fortunately, under his guidance, Naruto had become a child hated by everyone. And as Naruto's only 'light,' a bit of trickery might still work.
"Now, let's see if Naruto loses control—and if he does, whether he can master that power."
"Don't let me down, Naruto..."
Elsewhere.
Naruto—no, Fengxu—stood, his eyes cold and deadly.
The air around him seemed to chill, as if the temperature had dropped to freezing. Mizuki's words hadn't just unsettled Naruto; they'd affected Fengxu too, dredging up a painful flood of memories: terror, confusion, guilt, and sorrow. In only a few minutes, Fengxu's rage had spiked to over 3,200.
"I didn't expect you'd have the strength to fight back. Impressive," Mizuki muttered, unable to move his tightly held right arm but showing no fear. To him, Naruto was just a Genin child, displaying one last surge of energy before collapsing.
As for breaking the seal and turning into the demon fox? Impossible. If that were feasible, the seal would've failed long ago. No, only if the vessel shattered from the outside could the fox be set free.
"Ahhh, the smell of the real world," Fengxu said, breathing in the forest air. He glared at Mizuki with renewed intent, his grip on Mizuki's arm tightening.
"You seemed to enjoy yourself just now," he said.
Just then, a system notification appeared:
[Exchange Chūnin Taijutsu (Iruka) - 50]
[Exchange Chūnin Taijutsu (Water and Wood) - 60]
[Redeem Elite Jōnin Taijutsu (Sarutobi Hiruzen) - 800 (the Taijutsu includes physical enhancement, though limited by the Third Hokage's age)]
[Current Blackening Value: 3010]
Fengxu had considered accessing the One-Tail Chakra Mode, but now wasn't the time. He didn't want to face the risks outside Konoha or attract the attention of the Akatsuki and rival villages. Instead, he'd follow the original storyline, saving that power surge for the Land of Waves.
But for now, physical skill upgrades would do.
"How... how are you this strong?" Mizuki's confidence faltered, his face contorted with pain as he took in Naruto's cold, hostile gaze.
"A demon…" he gasped.
Before he could finish, there was a sickening crunch.
"Aahhh!" Mizuki's scream pierced the night as his arm was snapped clean by Fengxu's crushing grip, hanging limply at a grotesque angle. Instinctively, Mizuki's other hand shot toward Fengxu's neck, but another crack resounded.
This time, Mizuki's arm flew into the air, severed cleanly. Fengxu held a bloodstained kunai, smiling viciously.
[Blackening Value +2]
[Blackening Value +3...]
With each blow, Fengxu's satisfaction grew. Smiling coldly, he stalked forward, his gaze never leaving Mizuki's horrified face.
"Teacher Mizuki, you're really disappointing. You don't even pose a challenge."
With the strength of an elite Jōnin facing a mere Chūnin, Fengxu's power was overwhelming. Mizuki could feel it—the terrifying shift in Naruto, from an annoying kid to a merciless predator.
Terror replaced Mizuki's arrogance. Desperately, he whimpered, "You're not Naruto. You… you're a demon fox!"
Fengxu chuckled. "A fox demon? Please. If I were, you'd already be dead."
"Then… you want to play games?" Mizuki's face lit with hope. Maybe Fengxu was just a lonely kid. Maybe he could play into that.
"Let me go," Mizuki begged. "I'll play along with whatever you want!"
Fengxu's response was to tap a kunai against the tree beside him, smiling with the innocence of a child.
"Let's play hide and seek. If I count to 100 and you're still not caught, you win. The prize? Your life."
The childlike words held a chilling malice. Terror-stricken, Mizuki ignored the searing pain in his broken arm, scrambling away into the darkness.
"100... 99... 98..." Fengxu's voice rang out, urging Mizuki to run faster.
But a split second later, a breeze whipped past Mizuki.
Slash!
A searing pain tore across his back.
"Aahh!"
"75... 74... 73..."
The countdown continued, a slow, sinister rhythm that made Mizuki's heart race. Desperate, he pushed himself forward.
Slash!
Another swift cut, and Mizuki's leg gave out beneath him. He screamed, collapsing as his remaining leg failed.
"40... 39... 38..."
The haunting countdown was relentless. Sobbing, Mizuki dragged himself forward, ignoring the agony as he clawed at the ground.
Slash!
This time, both his legs were useless. Trembling, he crawled, bloodied and broken.
"20... 19... 18..."
With only a few numbers left, Mizuki could see his salvation ahead, hope sparking within him.
"3... 2..."
A faint smile broke on Mizuki's blood-streaked face, believing he'd escaped.
But instead of "1," a kunai pierced his chest from behind.
"Hehe, Teacher Mizuki," Fengxu whispered, smiling down at him, "you lose."