A Masterfully Convincing Performance

"Mm, of course it counts, of course it counts! Hahahahaha!"

Mizuki accepted the Scroll of Seals with a beaming smile. When he slightly opened it and saw the ninjutsu recorded within, he immediately burst into unrestrained laughter.

"Teacher Mizuki? What's wrong? And, um, where's Teacher Iruka? How is my mission evaluation supposed to be handled?"

Just as Menma showed a hint of confusion—

"Menma-kun, you did very well. Really, very well. Iruka? Heh, he isn't here. As for your mission evaluation? All you need to do is die, and everything will be perfect."

Mizuki's expression changed, instantly turning incomparably cold.

Whoosh!

With a flick of his right hand—

He drew a kunai and viciously stabbed it straight at Menma's face.

Menma seemed to have only just reacted.

His pupils suddenly constricted as he quickly stepped back.

With a tilt of his head—

Buzz.

The kunai missed.

As Mizuki revealed a trace of surprise—

Menma bent his knees and shot backward, rapidly widening the distance between them.

"Teacher Mizuki! What are you doing!?"

Menma looked at Mizuki in the distance with shock and confusion. If he was going to act, he had to see it through. Just now, Menma could have turned around and ambushed Mizuki, achieving a one-hit kill. But before Mizuki had fully exposed himself—

Menma had to put on the appearance of an ignorant child.

Every reaction had been instinctive, hadn't it?

That was what suited the image of a twelve-year-old boy.

After all, Mizuki was a Ninja Academy teacher!

"What am I doing!? Didn't I just tell you? You need to die here for this story to have a perfect ending, Uzumaki Menma-kun."

Mizuki said sinisterly.

"Die here? Why!? Teacher Mizuki, you!?"

Menma looked at Mizuki with anger and shock, as though he still could not understand.

"Why? Naturally, because you were fooled by me. Hahahahahaha! Did you really think this was some temporary additional test!? How stupid do you have to be to believe me? Let me tell you the truth, Menma. You were nothing more than a useful pawn I used to help me steal the village's greatest secret—the Scroll of Seals."

Mizuki looked at Menma with delighted mockery.

"What!?"

Menma stared at Mizuki in disbelief, his pupils filled with shock. At that moment, Menma had truly immersed himself in the role. It was as though he had returned to his past life, participating in drama club activities back in school.

This kind of fully committed performance—

Although it was still far inferior to that of a true acting master, it was realistic enough to deceive most people.

Mizuki was no meticulous, high-IQ villain.

At best, he was merely a villainous boss with some petty cleverness. Meanwhile, the Third Hokage was remotely monitoring them from the Hokage Building.

The Telescopic Jutsu cast through the crystal ball—

Would inevitably distort things to some degree, not to mention that this was a bird's-eye view from high above.

Naturally, no one could spot any flaws in Menma's performance.

Mizuki was even enjoying Menma's stunned expression.

He looked at Menma with the gleeful, utterly wicked expression of someone delighting in another's misery.

"Hehe, did you really think this was merely a Scroll containing slightly more advanced ninjutsu, meant as a prize? No, brat. This contains every A-rank and above advanced ninjutsu, Forbidden Jutsu, and secret technique in all of Konohagakure. It is the highest-level secret that only the Hokage of each generation is qualified to view! Stealing something like this—do you think it's just a test? No, this is an act of betraying the village. Oh, of course, you're the only Village Traitor here. I'll kill you, you traitorous little brat, and then the Scroll of Seals, containing countless ninjutsu and Forbidden Jutsu, will belong to me! Hahahahahaha!"

His unrestrained laughter—

Made it clear that he wanted to vent every bit of joy and pride within him.

Menma cooperatively allowed his expression to turn incomparably furious.

In truth, Menma was already struggling not to laugh out loud inside.

This guy is just too cooperative, isn't he? I don't even need to bait him with words—he's babbling everything out himself. It's like he's afraid no one will know about his accomplishments, with that smug little villain's face of his.

He truly played the part to perfection.

Most importantly, he knew this was the village's highest secret, so why did he think it could be stolen so easily?

Does he seriously not have a brain at all?

Menma could not help feeling sorry for him.

No wonder he was the first minor boss.

"So you're going to betray the village!? Teacher Mizuki! And you deceived me too!?"

Menma glared furiously at Mizuki in the distance. His hands clenched tightly into fists, veins bulging across his forehead. It had to be said that Menma was completely immersed in the act.

"Heh, betrayal? I'm merely pursuing the truth of being a ninja—that is, great power. A mere ninja village!? What does it amount to!? And deceiving you? Brat, what do you think you are!? For twelve years, not a single person in the village has been close to you. Everyone has rejected you. Haven't you ever been suspicious!?"

Mizuki wore a demonic expression as he sneered coldly at Menma.

"This bastard."

At the Hokage Building, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression changed when he heard Mizuki's words.

This development had completely exceeded Sarutobi Hiruzen's expectations.

Yet at this moment, the Third Hokage could not do anything.

He could only watch helplessly as Mizuki spoke his next sentence.

"Your true identity is not human at all! You are the Nine-Tails Fox that wreaked havoc throughout Konohagakure twelve years ago, causing countless Konoha Ninja and civilians to die, and even taking the Fourth Hokage down with it!!!!"

Mizuki stared at Menma with a wicked and ferocious expression, speaking in an eerie voice.

It was as though he intended to use such words to deal Menma a devastating mental blow.

But what Mizuki did not know was that Menma was not the one from the Original Work. It was impossible for words like these to shake him.

Still, to play along with Mizuki—

He widened his eyes, let his body tremble slightly, and made his lips quiver faintly. His acting was truly masterful.

Mizuki seemed to greatly enjoy seeing Menma so shaken.

"Even Iruka—his parents died twelve years ago too. Do you really think Iruka cares about you? No, he wants nothing more than to kill you! You are someone the entire village despises and hates, Uzumaki Menma!"

Mizuki said with a cold sneer.

What was the point of merely destroying his physical body!?

He wanted to utterly destroy the brat mentally first, then completely erase him physically.