"Teacher Mizuki, everyone else can make at least three clones."
"But Naruto can only make one."
"And someone as hopeless as him... I absolutely can't let him graduate."
As Iruka's words fell, Naruto's hopes were completely crushed.
He glared at Iruka, his face full of anger.
In the end, Mizuki could only shake his head helplessly.
"Go on out. There are still students waiting to take the exam."
Naruto didn't say anything. He just lowered his head and walked away.
He made his way to a familiar spot.
The swing that belonged only to him, and to no one else.
He watched as his classmates passed the graduation exam one after another.
"Hey, that kid..."
"That's him, all right."
"Looks like he's the only one who failed."
"Serves him right!"
"It'd be a disaster if someone like that became a ninja."
"After all, that kid..."
"Enough! Don't say another word!"
Naruto silently put on his goggles.
When he turned around, he found Teacher Mizuki standing beside him. He had no idea how long he'd been there.
On the roof of the Ninja Academy.
"Cangwu, I have something to discuss with you later."
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the two people below and spoke in a low voice.
Cangwu glanced at Naruto as he left with Mizuki.
He knew what the old man was going to tell him.
Even so, he replied patiently and respectfully, "Understood."
Time passed quickly.
A week ago, Hiruzen Sarutobi had summoned Cangwu and told him to become Team 7's Jonin Instructor.
For the past week, Cangwu had spent nearly all his time outside the village training, except when he was teaching.
Naturally, he was practicing sealing techniques.
Though... most of the time, he was performing sealing rituals with the aid of a scroll.
Or, rather, a scroll meant to suppress the Four Symbols Seal.
"Then I'm counting on you to look after Naruto."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Cangwu turned and left.
He waited quietly at home.
Night fell.
Knock, knock, knock—
After a series of hurried knocks, Cangwu opened the door to see who it was.
Mizuki stood outside, his face full of panic.
"Teacher Cangwu!"
"What's wrong?"
"Come quickly! We're gathering at the Hokage's office!" Mizuki said urgently.
"It seems Naruto... has taken the Scroll of Seals!"
Cangwu: "..."
Looking at Mizuki, who clearly thought he was a great actor, Cangwu played along.
"What?!"
"The Scroll of Seals?!"
"That's right! Hurry and join the others. I still have to alert everyone else!" With that, Mizuki left at once.
Cangwu headed to the gathering outside the Hokage Building.
"The Scroll of Seals is a dangerous object sealed away by the First Hokage!"
"If it isn't used properly... And if it leaves the village, the consequences would be unthinkable!"
"..."
When Cangwu arrived, he found the gathering consisted of the Ninja Academy teachers and a few Genin and Chunin he rarely saw.
One person in particular caught his attention.
Choji Akimichi.
That red hair was impossible to miss.
Just as he'd thought...
Cangwu shook his head inwardly.
Still, with so many people taking part in the act, it did seem convincing.
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe. When he noticed Cangwu's arrival, he spoke in a low voice.
"Good. Go bring Naruto back."
"Yes, sir!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, and everyone set off.
He glanced at Cangwu.
Cangwu gave a slight nod.
Then he slowed down and followed behind Mizuki.
But he soon realized that following Mizuki would probably take too long to find Naruto.
So he changed direction.
A short while later, Cangwu came up behind a disheveled figure.
"Naruto."
"Ah?!"
Naruto jumped in fright and hurriedly turned around.
When he saw that it was Cangwu, he relaxed.
"You found me, huh?" Naruto said with an awkward grin, rubbing the back of his head.
"Sorry, Teacher Cangwu... But I've already learned a really powerful technique!"
"If I show it to Teacher Mizuki, I'll be able to graduate!"
Looking at Naruto's innocent face, Cangwu patted his head.
His gaze fell on the sealed scroll on Naruto's back.
It was covered in seals.
Just opening it required considerable skill with sealing techniques.
And reading what was inside required a good grasp of Illusion Techniques, too.
As things stood, the only thing in the entire Scroll of Seals that Naruto could read was probably the first page: the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
Of course, it was possible that the scroll on Naruto's back contained only that one forbidden technique.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!
Just then, a swarm of shuriken suddenly appeared behind Naruto.
Thud—
"Ah!" Naruto groaned in pain.
He was about to ask Cangwu why he'd pushed him when he saw Cangwu's body riddled with shuriken.
Naruto's pupils shrank to pinpricks.
The six whisker marks on his cheeks bristled.
"I didn't think you'd find your way here."
Mizuki appeared on a tree behind them.
A Giant Shuriken was strapped to his back.
"Naruto, hand over the scroll."
Thump—
With a dull bang, Cangwu turned into a puff of white smoke.
All that remained was a wooden post riddled with shuriken.
Mizuki froze, disbelief written all over his face.
He looked down and saw that a Kunai had somehow appeared against his neck.
"Naruto, Mizuki used you to get the Scroll of Seals on your back."
"Hahaha!"
Mizuki suddenly burst out laughing.
"Naruto, Cangwu and Iruka are just like everyone else!"
"Have you forgotten how they look at you?!"
"Cangwu's afraid you'll get your hands on that thing!"
"Come on, hand me the Scroll of Seals~"
Seeing Naruto standing there, frozen, without handing over the Scroll of Seals, Mizuki's expression darkened.
A mere Genin thinks he can threaten me?!
While Cangwu was distracted, Mizuki grabbed the Kunai in Cangwu's hand and kicked him away.
Then he turned to Naruto and told him that he was the Fox Demon.
"So you're the one who killed Cangwu's and Iruka's parents, and destroyed the village as the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox!"
"The villagers have been lying to you all along."
"Doesn't that seem strange to you?!"
"..."
Cangwu watched quietly from a distance.
Mizuki's words had riled Naruto up.
Chakra erupted from within him.
Feeling the amount of Chakra inside Naruto, Cangwu couldn't help nodding.
He really did have a lot of Chakra.
Compared to Naruto, Cangwu's own reserves were pitifully small.
Even after learning the advanced Chakra Refinement Technique Hiruzen Sarutobi had given him, he was probably only a little stronger than that Kakashi guy.
Maybe... one Kakashi?
Of course, that was at his peak.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Seeing that he'd gotten under Naruto's skin, Mizuki immediately hurled the Giant Shuriken from his back.
Naruto was defenseless and about to be hit.
A cruel grin spread across Mizuki's face.
Thud—
But the next second, Mizuki's grin vanished.
Cangwu had appeared in front of Naruto without him noticing.
He took the Giant Shuriken's blow for him.
"Go on, Naruto. Leave this to your teacher."
Cangwu smiled warmly.
Naruto stared at him for several seconds. Then he gave Cangwu a long look and took off running.
After sensing that strange Chakra disappear, Cangwu took a deep breath.
The old man's Live Broadcast Artifact was a real nuisance at a time like this.
Mizuki snorted.
"A mere Genin dares stand in my way?!"
Before you continue