At this time, in a corner behind the classroom door, a gloomy Mizuki observed everything happening inside the room. Watching the quarrel between Naruto and Sasuke, a bold plan began to take shape in his mind.
Accompanied by Yuhi Kurenai, Kirito walked towards his residence, passing by a certain street. A man with long black hair, a goatee, and a cigarette in his mouth appeared in their sight. This man was Asuma Sarutobi, who had just returned from a mission.
Asuma noticed Yuhi Kurenai's completely different outfit and the youthful glow on her face, which made his heart stir with admiration. He also noticed that Kurenai was holding Kirito's arm in a bird-like manner. His expression darkened as he frowned and stepped forward to stop them.
Before Asuma could speak, Kurenai spoke first.
"Asuma, go and hand in the mission first. We'll meet again another day. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."
With that, the two walked straight past Asuma, heading for the famous Ichiraku Ramen Restaurant in Konoha Village. As they passed by, Asuma stood still, staring after them, his heart sinking.
Later that night, Mizuki sat alone in a dark corner, his face twisted with a gloomy expression. But as his plan solidified in his mind, a smile slowly crept across his face.
After seeing the way Kirito had made a big impression during the day's events at the Ninja Academy, Mizuki's jealousy boiled over.
"Why? That guy's so young and already so strong!" Mizuki muttered bitterly. "I won't accept it. I won't accept it."
He watched as Naruto and others showed interest in becoming Kirito's disciples, and an idea began to form. "Since the students want to be his disciples... Heh, I'll take his place, and let that fox demon steal the Seal Book for me!"
In the darkness of the street, Mizuki grinned darkly, pleased with his plan. It would not only tarnish Kirito's name, but also give him access to the forbidden Seal Book.
With a swift series of hand signs, Mizuki transformed into Kirito's appearance and made his way toward Naruto's house.
Meanwhile, Naruto sat on the eaves of his house, staring up at the stars with a sense of loneliness in his eyes.
"Naruto!"
A cold voice interrupted his thoughts, and Mizuki, disguised as Kirito, sat down next to him.
"Why, still upset about the graduation exam today?" Mizuki spoke, imitating Kirito's usual tone.
Naruto's face brightened when he saw "Kirito" next to him. "Mr. Kirito! Why are you here?"
Mizuki, grinning internally, replied, "I've decided to take you on as my disciple, recognized by the village."
Naruto's eyes sparkled with hope. "Really? You'll be my teacher?"
Mizuki, still in Kirito's guise, nodded. "But there's one test you must pass."
Naruto's excitement grew. "What test?"
"You'll need to steal the Seal Book from the village."
Mizuki gave him a sly smile, "Meet me in the woods outside Konoha, and I'll be waiting for you."
Without hesitation, Naruto rushed off to steal the Book of Seals, thrilled that Kirito had chosen him. But not far from Naruto's house, an ANBU ninja wearing a cat-faced mask had been watching. The ninja quickly vanished into the shadows.
At the Hokage's office, the ANBU ninja relayed the information to Sarutobi Hiruzen, who frowned thoughtfully. The situation had taken an unexpected turn.
Sarutobi Hiruzen gazed out the window, his mind racing. A special ninja like Kirito, not even a jonin yet, had no business approaching Naruto for no reason. Why would he?
But then, it struck him: Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
The Hokage's suspicions grew. This was far too odd. He retrieved a mysterious crystal ball from his desk, its surface glowing softly. With a careful motion, he stroked it, and the image within flickered to life.
The crystal ball revealed a scene of Naruto holding the Book of Seals. Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. This wasn't good.
He turned to the captain of the ANBU team. "Summon the Chunin and Jonin. We need to handle this immediately."
Soon, the room filled with various ninja, including Might Guy, Yuhi Kurenai, and others.
Might Guy was the first to speak. "Hokage-sama, what's going on? Why this sudden meeting?"
Kurenai, her expression worried, looked to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "What's happening?"
Hiruzen's voice was steady, but grim. "It seems Kirito has bewitched Naruto into stealing the Seal Book."
A hush fell over the room.
Yuhi Kurenai, still reluctant to believe the accusation, spoke out. "Impossible. This couldn't have been Kirito."
"He's not someone who would steal the Seal Book," Kurenai added, her voice filled with disbelief.
Might Guy nodded in agreement. "With Kirito's strength, why would he need to send Naruto to steal it? It doesn't make sense."
But Mizuki, standing in the back of the room, was secretly pleased with the success of his plan. He couldn't help but speak up.
"Do you even need to ask? Kirito must be a spy from another village. He's trying to steal the Seal Book with the help of the demon fox. He didn't do it himself to hide his true identity."
Minato spoke, his face filled with contempt. "Of course, Kirito is working with the Nine-Tails. He's using Naruto to accomplish his goals."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Mizuki. He didn't respond directly but seemed to grow more thoughtful.
Kurenai was about to speak in Kirito's defense when Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly raised his hand and activated the crystal ball. The scene within the ball unfolded for everyone to see: Kirito's meeting with Naruto, followed by Naruto's theft of the Seal Book.
The room fell silent. Kurenai felt her heart shatter as she watched the evidence unfold before her eyes. Her disbelief quickly turned to heartbreak.
Asuma Sarutobi, seeing Kurenai's reaction, was filled with anger but also some satisfaction. He couldn't resist speaking up.
"This Kirito is a traitor! How dare he deceive your feelings. I'll deal with him myself!"
After slamming the door open, Asuma stormed out, his voice full of rage.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, his face calm despite the situation. "We need to find Naruto. The Seal Book must not leave the village."
The ninjas quickly dispersed to locate Naruto. Kurenai stood there, her mind racing as she replayed every moment she had spent with Kirito that day.
Despite the evidence in the crystal ball, something inside her still resisted believing the worst about him.
"No... I need to see him. I need to hear the truth from him."
Determined, Kurenai dashed toward Kirito's residence, but when she arrived, she found the place empty. Her heart sank. With no other lead, she ran toward Ichiraku Ramen, hoping to find him there.
The ramen shop had already closed for the night, and there was no sign of Kirito inside.
Standing outside the darkened shop, Kurenai felt as if the world had come crashing down. The truth was undeniable now—Kirito had betrayed her.
A tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away. She couldn't afford to break down. As a skilled ninja, she needed to stay strong.
She clenched her fists and set off again, determined to find him and hear the truth, no matter what.