"That brat's here again. Everyone, hurry and get ready!" a villager on Konoha's main street suddenly shouted. The whole street erupted into a flurry of activity as people hurried to pack up their stalls.
But before they could finish, a streak of yellow flashed past. Every stall and shop was splattered red with tomato juice.
The villagers stared at their goods, now stained red, their faces turning ashen. They all looked toward the end of the street, where the last person they wanted to see was standing: Naruto.
Naruto held a tomato in one hand and an empty basket in the other. He looked smug as he taunted, "You thought you could stop me? You're so naive."
The villagers angrily grabbed their clubs and charged at Naruto, but before they could get close, another flash of yellow streaked past—and Naruto was gone.
Watching him disappear, the villagers looked despairingly toward Kage Rock. Sure enough, every Hokage's face except the Fourth's had been covered in a chaotic mess of paint.
One villager cried out in despair, "When will this ever end? It's been seven years! Why won't that brat ever settle down?"
Another villager lamented, "We can't go on living like this. Sigh." All the villagers were overcome with despair.
For seven years straight, Naruto had pranked them every single day. They were all at their wits' end.
Naruto looked at his handiwork and put on a mournful expression. "Life is as lonely as snow. When will someone finally be able to stop me? Sigh, it's all because I'm too strong."
"Naruto! I knew it was you again! Get down here!" Just as Naruto was congratulating himself, a voice reached his ears. He looked down from Kage Rock and saw Iruka glaring up at him.
Seeing Iruka, Naruto immediately tried to butter him up. "Iruka-sensei, what a coincidence! Are you here to enjoy the view too?"
Iruka grew even angrier at Naruto's attempt to change the subject and shouted, "Get down here right now!"
Seeing Iruka was angry, Naruto obediently went to him. Without a word, Iruka gave him a sharp knock on the head, making Naruto yelp in pain.
While Naruto was still clutching his head, Iruka pulled out a rope and tied him up like a bundle. Then he dragged him toward the school like a dog on a leash.
As Iruka dragged him along, Naruto protested, "Iruka-sensei, this is assault! You're not allowed to do this! I can report you!"
Iruka's face darkened as he stepped over to Naruto and gave him another sharp knock on the head. Naruto learned his lesson and shut up, letting Iruka drag him back to school.
"Graduation's almost here, and you're still pulling pranks. You still can't use the Clone Technique, and you won't even practice properly. I don't know what to do with you," Iruka muttered.
Hearing Iruka's grumbling, Naruto felt a warmth in his heart. He knew Iruka was genuinely worried about him. The truth was, Naruto had been pretending he couldn't use the Clone Technique so he could catch Mizuki.
Mizuki was a Chunin, after all, and could still pose a threat to the village. But Naruto had no proof that Mizuki was a spy, so he could only follow the memories of his previous life and draw him out.
After school, Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Shikamaru went up to the classroom rooftop.
Sasuke asked, "Naruto, are you really sure you want to do this?"
Shikamaru and Hinata also leaned in, wanting to hear Naruto's answer. Naruto looked at the three of them and said, "Yes. I've been pretending I couldn't use the Clone Technique for seven years so I could lure out Mizuki, the spy."
Shikamaru asked, "But how do you know tomorrow's graduation exam will be on the Clone Technique? And how can you be sure Mizuki-sensei is a spy? How do you know he'll take the bait?"
"A few years ago, I found a laboratory in the Back Mountain behind Konoha. I saw Mizuki-sensei conducting experiments there—dangerous experiments on human subjects."
"What happened after that? Didn't you tell Lord Hokage?"
Naruto shook his head. "No. I was afraid Mizuki would run away. If I told Grandpa the Third, I'd definitely alert him."
Shikamaru thought it over, then said, "That's possible."
Naruto continued, "I also heard him say he planned to steal the Scroll of Sealing. It's a scroll that records forbidden jutsu. I heard him say that students who failed the exam could be used to steal it, since that would give him a much better chance of succeeding. The Third Grandpa wouldn't suspect children."
Sasuke cut in, "So that's why you've been pretending you couldn't use the Clone Technique all these years."
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. The school's graduation exam has always tested the Clone Technique, the Transformation Technique, and the Substitution Technique. So I deliberately pretended I couldn't use the Clone Technique. Mizuki was bound to come to me, and then I could catch him."
Hinata asked worriedly, "Then, Naruto-kun, do you need our help?"
Naruto looked at the three of them and said, "No. I told you because I didn't want you to worry about me. I can handle it on my own. Besides, having more people around might make Mizuki suspicious, which would do more harm than good."
Hinata continued to look at Naruto with concern. Naruto could only take her hand and say earnestly, "Don't worry. I'll be fine. You know how strong I am, even if nobody else does. Mizuki's a pushover—I can take him out in a second."
Sasuke spoke up too. "True. All right, you've said what you needed to say. I'm leaving."
Without waiting for Naruto to answer, he sauntered off. Shikamaru followed, leaving Hinata and Naruto alone to enjoy some time together. Naruto silently gave Sasuke and Shikamaru a thumbs-up, then watched the sun set over Konoha with Hinata.
The next day, just as Naruto had expected, Mizuki came to him. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. He had genuinely been afraid Mizuki might approach someone else to steal the scroll instead.
Following the original storyline, Naruto used the "Sexy Technique"—which he had developed to prank the Third—to get his hands on the Scroll of Sealing, then went to the forest.
He read the "Multi Shadow Clone Technique" and the "Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu." He was studying the Multi Shadow Clone Technique because it was the ultimate cheat for someone with a Sage Body. He wanted to learn the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu so he could summon his mother's soul and use it later against Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi.
After Naruto learned both jutsu, he saw Iruka. Playing dumb, Naruto asked, "Iruka-sensei, can I graduate now?"
Iruka asked anxiously, "Naruto, how could you steal the Scroll of Sealing?"
Naruto asked in confusion, "Mizuki-sensei told me that if I got the Scroll of Sealing, I could graduate."
Hearing that, Iruka was shocked. "Mizuki told you to steal the Scroll of Sealing?"
Naruto pretended to be confused. "Yes. Mizuki-sensei said that if I learned the powerful Ninjutsu in the scroll, I could graduate."
Just then, more than a dozen kunai shot out from the trees. Iruka quickly shoved Naruto aside, but the kunai struck him.
Seeing Iruka injured, Naruto was furious. He had always thought of Iruka as an older brother, so he hadn't been on guard against him.
Naruto had sensed the hostility when Mizuki attacked, but because he hadn't been on guard against Iruka, Iruka had managed to push him aside. By the time Naruto reacted, Iruka had already been wounded.
Iruka looked up at Mizuki in the tree and said, "I see. You tricked Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Sealing so you could get your hands on it. Naruto, don't give him the scroll!"
Mizuki sneered. "Naruto, Iruka actually hates you. Since he won't say it, I'll tell you myself."
Naruto looked calmly at Mizuki. "Oh? What do you want to tell me?"
In Naruto's eyes, Mizuki was already a dead man, so he remained perfectly calm.
Iruka knew what Mizuki was about to tell Naruto, so he shouted, "Shut up, Mizuki! I said shut up!"
Ignoring Iruka, Mizuki continued sneering. "Twelve years ago, the Nine-Tails Fox that rampaged through Konoha was you. You killed Iruka's family, so nobody will ever care whether you exist."
Mizuki thought Naruto would go berserk when he heard the news, but Naruto simply looked at him calmly and said, "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"
Naruto's composure left both Mizuki and Iruka stunned. Naruto raised his hands and formed Hand Seals. "If you're done talking, then take the anger I feel over what you did to Iruka-sensei. Multi Shadow Clone Technique!"
As Mizuki watched in disbelief, Naruto created more than two thousand solid clones. The real Naruto said calmly, "Beat him to death."
The two thousand Shadow Clones swarmed Mizuki, burying him beneath a sea of bodies. By the time the clones vanished, Mizuki was already dead beyond any doubt.
Naruto went over to Iruka and supported him. "Iruka-sensei, are you all right?"
Iruka looked at Naruto with a complicated expression. "Naruto, don't take what Mizuki just said to heart. You're not the Nine-Tails Fox. You're Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha, and you're my student. Understand?"
Naruto smiled. "Heh, Iruka-sensei, I don't mind. And Mizuki wasn't wrong—I am the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki. But I'm also Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha, so you don't need to worry about me. I'm fine."
Iruka looked at Naruto with relief. "Naruto, close your eyes."
Naruto didn't know what Iruka was about to do, but he closed his eyes anyway. He felt Iruka tie something around his forehead.
He immediately guessed what it was, and quickly opened his eyes. He touched the Konoha Headband on his forehead and looked at Iruka in delight. Iruka smiled at Naruto and said, "Congratulations, Naruto. You've graduated."
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