Kirito, who had disappeared from everyone's sight, slowly walked back into the village.
After returning to the house assigned to him by Konoha, Kirito removed his windbreaker and lay down on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He reflected on the events of the day.
Kirito, who knew everything about the world of *Naruto*, understood that what had happened was no mere coincidence. No, it was the result of the butterfly effect.
In the original story, when Mizuki deceived Naruto into stealing the Book of Seals, Kirito did not exist. His arrival in this world had disrupted the flow of events. Mizuki's jealousy, resentment, and anger toward Kirito had led to today's events. Mizuki had disguised himself as Kirito, tricked Naruto into stealing the Book of Seals, and ultimately dragged Kirito into the mess.
Kirito also knew the truth about Naruto. The boy, whom the villagers called a "fox demon," was actually the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Moreover, Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki of Konoha.
To protect his position as Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen had kept these truths hidden. This meant that Hiruzen had likely placed an Anbu ninja near Naruto to monitor his every move, keeping him under control.
Given these circumstances, Sarutobi Hiruzen must have been aware of the situation surrounding the Sealed Book by now. If Hiruzen revealed the truth about Mizuki impersonating Kirito and stealing the Book of Seals, the doubts raised by the ninjas earlier would become irrelevant. Kirito would be able to clear his name.
But Kirito knew it wouldn't be that simple. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the old schemer, would likely use this situation to his advantage. He would certainly try to blackmail Kirito in some way—subtle hints, manipulations, and veiled threats. Kirito, however, had no intention of falling for it. He wasn't interested in playing Hiruzen's games.
With that in mind, Kirito decided to rest. Tomorrow would bring its own storm, and he needed to be ready. As he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, a series of notifications popped up in his mind:
**[Ding! Detected that the host is sleeping peacefully despite the turmoil.]**
**[Ding! It fits the attitude of Xianyu in facing anything.]**
**[Ding! Reward: 2% increase in the Yellow Monkey template role-playing degree.]**
**[Ding! The host's role-playing degree with the Yellow Monkey template is now 33%! ]**
**[Ding! Reward completed! Sweet dreams, host.]**
Kirito smiled faintly and fell into a deep, restful sleep.
---
The quiet night passed quickly, and the morning sun streamed into Kirito's house. He slowly awoke from his slumber, fully aware that the previous day's events had already spread throughout the village.
Sarutobi Asuma's actions and attitude had only served to fuel the gossip. The village was now abuzz with rumors, and everyone believed that Kirito was a spy from another ninja village. His supposed purpose was to steal the Book of Seals, and the word was that he had manipulated Naruto into stealing it, even killing the Chunin, Mizuki, along the way.
Although Konoha officials had yet to issue an official statement, the villagers were already seething with hatred for Kirito. The idea that a foreign spy had infiltrated the village and manipulated one of their own was too much for them to bear. It seemed everyone in the village wanted him dead.
Naruto, however, was oblivious to the full extent of the rumors. He dressed quickly, but rather than seek out Kirito, he was eager to share some good news with his friends—Sasuke, Sakura, and the others. He rushed out the door, intent on telling them that Kirito had accepted them as his disciples.
But when Naruto arrived at Sakura's door, he found a group of people gossiping about Kirito. The villagers were discussing the spy's alleged crimes: stealing the Book of Seals and murdering Mizuki.
Naruto froze, his mind reeling. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just then, Sakura appeared and joined him.
"Naruto, have you heard about that special Jonin, Kirito?" she asked, her voice filled with disdain. "The aunts in the neighborhood were talking about him. They say he's a spy from an enemy village, not a good person at all!"
Naruto was stunned. His mind raced as the rumors seemed to confirm everything the villagers were saying. Was Kirito really a spy? This revelation hit Naruto like a bombshell.
"No! Impossible," he muttered. "Kirito is not a spy. He's my master. He must have been framed!"
Desperately, Naruto tried to defend Kirito. "He must have been framed! It's all a lie!"
But the people around him didn't want to hear it. Their expressions were filled with disgust, and their voices became louder with each passing moment.
"What nonsense is this kid talking about?!" one villager sneered. "He's defending the spy!"
"The fox demon, of course, is siding with the spy. I heard it was Naruto who helped him steal the Book of Seals!"
The words cut deep. Naruto was crushed by the weight of the villagers' disdain. As the truth began to settle in, he realized that his actions had led to this disaster. He had made a huge mistake.
With a heavy heart, Naruto hurried toward the Hokage's office. He had to speak to Sarutobi Hiruzen. Maybe, just maybe, he could clear Kirito's name.
Sakura, confused by Naruto's sudden departure, didn't understand what was happening. Why was Naruto running off in such a hurry?
Naruto's words echoed in her mind as she watched him run. "It's all my fault. I stole the Book of Seals and harmed Teacher Kirito!"
---
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Asuma was fuming with anger. "Damn spy! He deceived a fool like Naruto. He'll do anything to achieve his goals! What are we waiting for? Let's capture him and execute him!"
Yuhi Kurenai quickly intervened, standing her ground. "There's no need for execution. We don't know everything yet. Let's hear Kirito's side of the story first. If he was truly a spy, why didn't he run away yesterday? Why would he return to the village?"
Asuma, his frustration boiling over, retorted, "If he wasn't a spy, why did he steal the Book of Seals? Why did he kill Mizuki?"
Kurenai was at a loss for words. She couldn't deny the accusations, but she still believed in Kirito's innocence.
Iruka, standing silently to the side, seemed torn but said nothing.
Before the argument could escalate further, an old, commanding voice interrupted. "Enough. Kirito has been taken into custody by the Anbu on his way here."