The Third Hokage's Vigilance

Sasuke, who had been waiting for Naruto to come find him, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Naruto failed the exam?

This means he hasn't made any significant progress?

No, that's impossible!

The genuine battle yesterday, and the different aura Naruto possessed, were not fake.

What exactly is going on?

He said he would tell me the truth after the exam, but now that he's failed, should I still go look for him?

After all, he just failed the exam. Would it be a bit awkward to go see him now?

Sasuke wasn't sure whether he should show himself to Naruto at that moment.

Hinata stared in the direction Naruto had gone, her white eyes filled with worry.

Sakura was stunned for a moment, then a smug grin couldn't help but spread across her lips. She then said to Ino beside her, "See? I told you Naruto is just a dead last in the end. Him beating Sasuke-kun yesterday must have been pure luck. How could someone like him possibly pass the graduation exam?"

The subtle discomfort she felt from Naruto no longer revolving around her seemed to have found an outlet.

Ino ignored Sakura's gloating and simply looked at Naruto's retreating back with confusion.

Naruto, paying no mind to the reactions behind him, walked straight to a secluded corner rarely frequented by anyone, and sat down leaning against a large tree.

Naruto knew very well that it wouldn't be long before that hypocritical teacher Mizuki would come looking for him.

Not long after, just as Naruto had predicted, Mizuki's figure appeared around the corner.

He wore a practiced, sympathetic, and kind expression as he walked towards Naruto.

"Naruto," Mizuki's voice was full of concern, "Don't be too sad. Iruka-sensei had no choice; he has his reasons."

Naruto lowered his head and replied in a voice that sounded somewhat muffled and dejected, "Mhm... I know. I'm just... it's just that this is the fourth time I've failed the exam, and it hurts a little."

"Seeing how much you want to graduate," Mizuki leaned closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, "I'll make an exception and tell you a special way to graduate."

Naruto looked up at Mizuki at the opportune moment, his eyes deliberately showing the eagerness of someone captivated by his words. "What way?"

"As long as you can get the Scroll of Seals tonight and bring it to the designated location to give to me,"

Mizuki's tone was coaxing and generous, "I'll make an exception and let you graduate, becoming a genin!"

Naruto watched Mizuki's performance, his heart calm and undisturbed. He had already sentenced Mizuki to death in his mind.

Naruto was well aware that as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, he was constantly being monitored by the Anbu.

Not to mention that the Third Hokage's crystal ball could use the Foreseeing Technique to see his every action.

Regardless of whether the Third Hokage was watching at this moment, the mere fact that the Anbu would report Mizuki's current actions would be enough to damn him.

Thinking these thoughts, Naruto's face showed excitement as if he had grasped a lifeline, and he agreed without hesitation, "Okay! I'll go get that Scroll of Seals right now! Quickly tell me where it is!"

Mizuki looked extremely pleased with Naruto's foolish, easily-fooled demeanor.

Finally, Mizuki carefully explained how to find the Scroll of Seals and how to avoid the few guard routes he knew.

He repeatedly emphasized that they must meet in the back mountains of Konoha and that the entire process must absolutely not be told to anyone for the exam to be considered passed.

Naruto nodded heavily, memorizing the "exam content."

The two parted ways with vastly different intentions.

Naruto naturally had no intention of actually going after the Scroll of Seals.

In countless past reincarnations, he had already mastered all the techniques he needed to see and learn from it, including his father's famous Ninjutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Stealing the Scroll of Seals now would be as easy as breathing for Naruto, but utterly unnecessary.

He only needed to use a simple Transformation Jutsu to create a scroll that was convincing enough to pass.

Now, Naruto only needed to wait quietly for the appointed time to arrive.

Before that, perhaps he could go find Sasuke.

After all, he had told Sasuke last night that he would explain the reason for his increased strength after the graduation exam.

Naruto certainly wouldn't tell Sasuke directly that he had experienced reincarnation, as it would be meaningless. However, with his extensive experience, he could tell Sasuke how to become stronger, and that wouldn't be a bad thing.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was frowning, holding his pipe in one hand and dealing with a mountain of documents with the other.

A figure silently appeared in the center of the office, kneeling on one knee, wearing an animal mask.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up and saw that it was an Anbu member responsible for monitoring Naruto's movements.

"What is it? Has Naruto done anything unusual?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his documents, habitually glanced at the crystal ball on his desk, placed his hand on it, and with a slight mental command and a flow of Chakra, began to use the Foreseeing Technique.

Naruto's figure then appeared within the crystal ball.

He was walking on the streets of Konoha, looking calm, not causing any mischief, nor showing any particular dejection.

Hiruzen Sarutobi thought to himself, "He seems relatively normal. Although he failed the graduation exam this morning, his emotions seem stable. It's not a big deal to study for another year."

As he thought this, the Anbu opposite him spoke, "Lord Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki was just in a secluded area behind the Ninja Academy and made contact with Mizuki-sensei. Mizuki has enticed Naruto to steal the Scroll of Seals tonight, promising him graduation afterward."

"What?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand, which held his pipe, trembled slightly. This news was completely unexpected.

He shifted his gaze from the crystal ball back to the Anbu, his brow furrowing even tighter. "Mizuki..."

The name instantly brought back a buried memory for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Years ago, during a mission to retrieve a secret scroll.

Mizuki's squad obtained the scroll and returned to Konoha, only to learn that his teammate had unfortunately died during the mission.

However, in the subsequent casualty report submitted, Mizuki insisted that his teammate's death was due to an accident that caused a leg injury.

Another ninja from the same squad stated that he did indeed hear the sound of the deceased falling, and Mizuki confirmed the person's death after checking, claiming to know nothing more.

But a subsequent in-depth investigation by the Anbu revealed suspicions. The deceased did have an old leg injury, but it was by no means fatal. The true cause of death was suffocation.

There was clearly more to the story!

Although there was a lack of direct evidence pointing to Mizuki, the matter had alerted the higher-ups within Konoha.

Ultimately, out of caution and the inability to fully trust him, the higher-ups decided to strip Mizuki of his qualification to be a teacher at the Ninja Academy.

It was only later that Mizuki, with his relatively outstanding overall performance and teaching abilities among his peers, as well as his generally kind demeanor, seemed to have washed away the shadows of the past and eventually became a teacher.

That old incident had gradually been forgotten by most people.

He hadn't expected that, even now, Mizuki would set his ambitions on Naruto, coaxing him into stealing the Scroll of Seals.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze darkened. Mizuki's ambition had finally been completely exposed.