Graduation

"That brat is here again! Everyone, get ready!" a villager on the main street of Konoha suddenly shouted, and instantly, the people on the street scrambled to pack up their stalls.

But before they could finish, a streak of yellow light flashed past. All the stalls and shops were stained red with tomato juice.

The villagers looked at the goods in their hands, now drenched in red, and their faces turned the color of liver. All the villagers looked toward the end of the street in unison, where Naruto, the brat they least wanted to see, was standing.

Naruto held a tomato in one hand and an empty basket in the other, his expression arrogant as he said, "Did you think you could stop me? You're all too naive."

The villagers angrily grabbed sticks and clubs to strike at Naruto, but before they could get close, they saw that yellow flash again, and Naruto vanished.

Watching him disappear, the villagers looked toward the Hokage Rock in despair. Sure enough, the faces of the past Hokage, with the exception of the Fourth, had all been scribbled over with paint.

One villager said in despair, "When will this ever end? It's been seven years; why won't this brat just settle down?"

Another villager added hopelessly, "We can't go on living like this, sigh." Suddenly, all the villagers were plunged into despair.

For seven consecutive years, they had been pranked by Naruto every single day, and they were at their wits' end.

Naruto looked at his masterpiece and feigned a melancholic air, saying, "Life is truly as lonely as snow. When will someone finally be able to stop me? Sigh, it's all because I'm too powerful."

"Naruto, it really is you again! Get down here!" Just as Naruto was posturing and feeling pleased with himself, a voice reached his ears. Naruto looked toward the base of the Hokage Rock and saw Iruka looking at him angrily.

Seeing it was Iruka, Naruto immediately tried to curry favor: "Iruka-sensei, what a coincidence! Are you here to enjoy the scenery too?"

Seeing Naruto trying to change the subject, Iruka roared even more angrily, "Are you going to get down here or not?"

Seeing that Iruka was truly angry, Naruto obediently went to his side. Without a word, Iruka gave Naruto a sharp rap on the head, making him cry out in pain.

While Naruto was still clutching his head, Iruka pulled out a rope and, without further ado, trussed Naruto up like a rice dumpling, dragging him toward the academy like a stray dog.

Being dragged along, Naruto protested, "Iruka-sensei, this is a personal attack! This isn't right; I can report you for this!"

Iruka darkened his face, walked over to Naruto, and gave him another rap on the head. Naruto immediately learned his lesson, shut his mouth, and let Iruka drag him back to the academy.

Iruka muttered to himself, "He's almost graduating and still pulling these pranks. He still can't use the Clone Technique, and he won't practice properly. I really don't know what to say about him."

Hearing Iruka's nagging, a warmth spread through Naruto's heart. He knew that Iruka truly worried about him. In truth, Naruto had been pretending he couldn't master the Clone Technique only to catch Mizuki.

After all, Mizuki was a Chunin and could potentially cause harm to the village. But since Naruto had no evidence that Mizuki was a spy, he could only follow the memories of his past life to draw him out.

After school, Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Shikamaru went to the academy rooftop together.

Sasuke asked, "Naruto, have you really decided to do this?"

Shikamaru and Hinata also leaned in, wanting to know Naruto's answer. Naruto looked at the three of them and said, "Yes. For these seven years, I've been pretending I couldn't perform the Clone Technique just to fish out the traitor, Mizuki."

Shikamaru then asked, "But how did you know the graduation exam tomorrow would be the Clone Technique? And how are you so sure Mizuki-sensei is the traitor? How did you know he would take the bait?"

Naruto replied, "A few years ago, I discovered a laboratory in the mountains behind Konoha. In that lab, I saw Mizuki-sensei conducting experiments—a very dangerous type of human experimentation."

Shikamaru asked, "And then? Didn't you tell the Hokage about this?"

Naruto shook his head and said, "No. I was afraid Mizuki would run. If I told Old Man Third, it would definitely alert the enemy."

Shikamaru thought for a moment and said, "That is indeed a possibility."

Naruto continued, "Besides, at the time, I heard him say he wanted to steal the Scroll of Sealing, which contains forbidden techniques. I also heard him say he could use students who failed the exam to steal it, as the success rate would be much higher since Old Man Third wouldn't be on guard against children."

Sasuke interjected, "So that's why you've been pretending you couldn't master the Clone Technique for seven years."

Naruto nodded. "Yes. Because every year for graduation, the school tests the Clone Technique, the Transformation Technique, and the Substitution Technique. I deliberately pretended I couldn't do the Clone Technique so that Mizuki would definitely come to me, and I could catch him in the act."

Hinata said 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 alone. Besides, having too many people would only make Mizuki suspicious, which would be counterproductive."

Hinata still looked at Naruto with concern. Naruto had no choice but to take Hinata's hand and say sincerely, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Others don't know my strength, but don't you? Someone like Mizuki? I could take him down in a minute."

At this, Sasuke said, "Indeed. Well, you've said what you needed to say. I'm leaving."

Without waiting for Naruto to reply, he walked away with a cool air. Shikamaru followed, leaving only Hinata and Naruto to enjoy the moment. Naruto silently gave Sasuke and Shikamaru a mental thumbs-up before watching the sunset over Konoha with Hinata.

The next day, just as Naruto had expected, Mizuki approached him. This made Naruto breathe a sigh of relief; he had truly been afraid that Mizuki might have chosen someone else to steal the scroll.

Following the plot, Naruto used the "Sexy Technique" (which he had developed just to prank the Third) to obtain the Scroll of Sealing, then headed into the woods.

He looked at the "Multi Shadow Clone Technique" and the "Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu." He chose these two because the "Multi Shadow Clone Technique" was the strongest cheat for someone with a Sage Body, while the "Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu" was intended to summon his mother's soul and prepare for dealing with Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi in the future.

After Naruto mastered these two techniques, he met Iruka. Naruto played dumb: "Iruka-sensei, can I graduate now?"

Iruka said nervously, "Naruto, how could you steal the Scroll of Sealing?"

Naruto asked in confusion, "Mizuki-sensei told me that as long as I got the Scroll of Sealing, I could graduate."

Upon hearing Naruto's words, Iruka was shocked and said, "Mizuki told you to steal the Scroll of Sealing?"

Naruto feigned confusion: "Yes, Mizuki-sensei said that if I learned the powerful ninjutsu inside, I would be able to graduate."

Just then, over a dozen kunai were fired from the trees. Iruka quickly pushed Naruto aside, but he was struck by the kunai himself.

Naruto looked at the injured Iruka, feeling immense rage. He had always treated Iruka like an older brother, which was why he hadn't been on guard against him.

He had sensed the malice when Mizuki attacked, but because he hadn't been guarding against Iruka, he had been pushed away. By the time Naruto reacted, Iruka was already wounded.

Iruka looked at Mizuki in the trees and said, "So that's it. You tricked Naruto into stealing it just to get your hands on the Scroll of Sealing. Naruto, you must never give the scroll to him!"

Mizuki laughed sinisterly: "Naruto, Iruka actually hates you. Since he doesn't dare to say it, let me tell you, Naruto."

Naruto looked at Mizuki calmly and said, "Oh? And what is it you want to tell me?"

In Naruto's eyes at this moment, Mizuki was already a dead man, which was why Naruto appeared so incredibly calm.

Iruka knew what Mizuki was about to tell Naruto, so he shouted to stop him: "Shut up, Mizuki! You shut your mouth!"

Mizuki ignored Iruka and continued with a sinister laugh: "Twelve years ago, the Nine-Tails demon fox that wreaked havoc on Konoha was you. It was you who killed Iruka's family, so no one will ever care about your existence."

Mizuki assumed that Naruto would surely go insane upon hearing this news, yet Naruto remained calm as he looked at Mizuki and said, "Is that all you wanted to say?"

Not only did Mizuki find Naruto's calmness inconceivable, but even Iruka wore a look of utter astonishment. Naruto raised his hands to form seals and said, "If you're finished, then receive the fury I feel for you hurting Iruka-sensei. Multi Shadow Clone Technique."

Before Mizuki's incredulous eyes, Naruto manifested over 2,000 physical clones, and the original Naruto said indifferently, "Beat him to death."

The 2,000-plus shadow clones swarmed forward instantly, and Mizuki was immediately submerged in a sea of people; by the time Naruto's shadow clones dissipated, Mizuki was dead beyond any doubt.

Naruto walked over to Iruka's side, helped him up, and asked, "Iruka-sensei, are you alright?"

Iruka looked at Naruto with a complex expression and said, "Naruto, you must never take what Mizuki just said to heart. You are not the Nine-Tails demon fox; you are Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha, and you are my student. Do you understand?"

Naruto chuckled: "Heh, Iruka-sensei, I won't let it bother me. Besides, Mizuki wasn't wrong—I am indeed the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, but I am also Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha. So, sensei, you don't need to worry about me; I'm fine."

Iruka looked at Naruto with relief and said, "Naruto, close your eyes."

Naruto didn't know what Iruka was planning, but he closed his eyes nonetheless, feeling as though Iruka was tying something around his forehead.

He guessed what it was immediately, so Naruto quickly opened his eyes, touched the Konoha Headband on his head, and looked at Iruka with pleasant surprise. He saw Iruka smiling at him as he said, "Congratulations, Naruto. You've graduated."