Chapter 4: Walking the Tightrope Performance
Amid the intense battle, Mizuki suddenly leaped back, disengaging from the fight. Iruka, who had been barely managing to hold his ground, did not dare to pursue. Instead, he maintained a defensive stance, wary of Mizuki's next move.
Mizuki smirked at Iruka and said, "What are you so tense about, Iruka? Are you afraid I'll steal the Forbidden Scroll? Or are you more worried about dealing with Naruto Uzumaki?"
Iruka did not lower his guard. "What is your true objective?"
Ignoring Iruka, Mizuki turned toward Naruto and said, "Naruto, do you not trust me? I never lied to you. Look, you've already mastered an incredibly powerful jutsu, haven't you?"
"I know you didn't lie, Mizuki-sensei," Naruto hesitated, his voice uneasy. "But why are you fighting Iruka-sensei? Aren't you both Konoha ninjas?"
"Heh, Naruto, do you want to know the truth?"
Naruto immediately nodded, eager for answers.
Mizuki's tone turned sharp. "Naruto, do you know why Iruka refuses to let you become a ninja? It's because he has always hated you. Do you really think he's someone you can trust?"
"Hated me? Why?" Naruto's voice trembled. The idea that the teacher who had always looked after him might secretly despise him was too much to bear.
"I told you before that Iruka is an orphan, right?" Mizuki continued mercilessly. "Do you know what happened to his parents?"
Naruto froze.
"They were killed by you."
Naruto was struck dumb. "I… killed Iruka-sensei's parents? That's impossible!"
"Enough, Mizuki! Stop talking!" Iruka shouted in desperation, but Mizuki ignored him.
While speaking, Mizuki secretly channeled his chakra. A barely noticeable vibration passed through the air, causing Naruto to feel an itch on his head. He absentmindedly scratched at it, thinking it was just a bug bite.
Mizuki inwardly smirked. It worked.
The original plan had included using poison as a failsafe, but it turned out to be quite useful. Strictly speaking, it wasn't even poison—just a stimulant with strong side effects, increasing metabolism and amplifying emotions. In a short period, it would push a person's feelings to their extremes, making them irrational and impulsive.
Seeing everything progressing as planned, Mizuki continued, "Naruto, you know about the Nine-Tails attack that happened over a decade ago, right? Countless lives were lost that night."
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I know. But the Fourth Hokage was a hero who saved everyone and protected the village."
"That's right," Mizuki said. "But during that attack, Iruka's parents were killed by the Nine-Tailed Fox. And that very fox—was sealed inside you."
Naruto's breath caught in his throat.
"You… are the Nine-Tails itself, Naruto."
Iruka roared, "Damn it, Mizuki! Stop saying this!" He clutched his head in anguish.
Meanwhile, deep in Konoha's Hokage Office, the Third Hokage sighed as he observed the scene through his Telescope Jutsu.
"…Mizuki said it after all. This is going to be troublesome."
Back in the forest, Naruto stood frozen, unable to process the overwhelming revelation.
"…How… how can that be?" he muttered. "I'm the one who killed Iruka-sensei's parents? I'm the monster Nine-Tails? That's why everyone in the village hates me? That's why they always whisper behind my back?"
Mizuki glanced at Iruka, who was still too stunned to react. Now's my chance—this next step will decide everything.
Swiftly forming hand seals, Mizuki activated a genjutsu:
"Naraku Sight Jutsu" (Hell's Vision).
The dazed Naruto's eyes turned blank as he was instantly pulled into the illusion. Within moments, his face twisted in agony and fear.
From the shadows, Mizuki observed carefully. A genjutsu combined with an emotional stimulant—it should push him over the edge. I didn't dare use something more potent because Naruto's Uzumaki heritage makes his resistance unpredictable. This was the safest method.
Iruka, realizing something was wrong, demanded, "Mizuki! What the hell did you do to him?!"
Mizuki smirked. "I simply let him see the truth. Now, I'm just curious about what he'll choose next."
Naruto's body trembled violently. Then, suddenly, he snapped his head up, his eyes glowing red, radiating uncontrollable rage and madness.
"Naruto—calm down!" Iruka reached out to him.
But Naruto shoved him aside, ramming his head into Iruka's chest, sending him flying back ten meters.
Iruka gasped in disbelief. "What are you doing, Naruto? Don't believe him! It's not true!"
But Naruto wasn't listening anymore.
Completely overtaken by his emotions, he rapidly formed hand seals, unleashing a surge of chakra. Twenty Shadow Clones appeared around him.
Mizuki instinctively stepped back to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
"…Only twenty clones? In the original story, he created hundreds. Is it because he sees Iruka as someone he doesn't want to hurt?"
Naruto—despite his rage—was still holding back. His compassion ran deep.
"Asura's reincarnation… His unwavering belief in love and justice is ingrained in his very soul."
---
For over ten minutes, Mizuki simply stood by, watching as Naruto relentlessly pummeled Iruka with his clones.
However, Mizuki's expression darkened.
"This isn't good. Without his usual combat instincts, Naruto is just blindly throwing punches. He's only exhausting Iruka's stamina. It's turning into a battle of endurance."
Mizuki glanced toward the Forbidden Scroll lying on the ground, then at the distant forest.
"Something's off. Someone arrived earlier but hasn't revealed themselves. Are they just observing? Or..."
Whoever they were, they weren't trying to hide—just waiting.
"Someone with that much confidence must be powerful enough to control the situation instantly. A real elite... this could be bad."
Mizuki clenched his jaw.
"I can't act recklessly now."
Thankfully, Iruka was nearing exhaustion. With multiple injuries and a lack of physical endurance, it was only a matter of time before Naruto overwhelmed him.
Twenty more minutes passed.
Iruka was finally knocked back, slamming into a tree, unable to stand.
The battle was over.
Mizuki decided it was time.
He cast another genjutsu on Naruto, causing him to collapse into unconsciousness.
Walking toward Iruka and Naruto, Mizuki sneered in a classic villainous manner.
"How does it feel, Iruka? Losing to a student you thought wasn't worthy of being a ninja?"
Iruka, barely able to lift his head, pleaded, "Mizuki, stop this. It's not too late to turn back."
Mizuki smirked. "Still naive, Iruka."
Ignoring him, Mizuki crouched beside Naruto, formed a hand seal, and whispered, "Release."
Naruto's eyes fluttered open.
"…Mizuki-sensei?"
Then he frowned. "…I feel like I just fought an intense battle in my dreams. Why am I so tired?"
Looking around, Naruto finally noticed Iruka's injuries.
"…Wait. Iruka-sensei, what happened? Did I do this?"
His face fell. "So… I really am a monster."
Mizuki flicked Naruto's forehead lightly.
"You did well, Naruto."
Then he turned to Iruka and said, "I'll leave the rest to you. I have somewhere else to be."
He picked up the Forbidden Scroll and began walking toward Konoha's gate.
"The most unpredictable part is over. Now, it's just a matter of letting Iruka and Naruto have their emotional reconciliation. As the villain, it's my cue to exit."
But then, Mizuki felt the weight of the scroll and hesitated.
"Could this actually be the real scroll? If so… should I open it?"
Shaking off the thought, he decided against it.
However, as he walked further, a shadow suddenly blocked his path.
"You must be Mizuki," the figure said. "You already know what this means. Don't even think about running."
Mizuki's eye twitched.
"…Kakashi Hatake."
His fate was sealed.