So noisy, are you tearing down the house?

Mizuki looked at Naruto and laughed mockingly, "Hahaha, Demon Fox, you still don't know, the reason why you—"

"Shut up, Mizuki, don't say another word."

Seeing that Mizuki was about to reveal that Naruto was the Demon Fox, Iruka hurriedly intervened.

This matter was strictly forbidden from being discussed in Konoha.

Therefore, up until now, Naruto only knew that the villagers loathed him, but he did not know the reason why.

Mizuki, of course, would not listen to Iruka, and said with a smile, "Naruto, the truth is that you are the Demon Fox, the Nine-Tails Demon Fox that nearly destroyed Konoha. This is the reason why the people in the village hate and loathe you so much."

"It was you who killed their loved ones. Because of you, their friends and family died several years ago."

Mizuki was deliberately provoking Naruto; he wanted Naruto to lose his sanity.

But Mizuki did not actually know that Naruto was not the Nine-Tails Demon Fox, but the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Aside from the few ninjas who had followed the Third Hokage to rescue the Fourth Hokage and his wife, only the high-ranking officials of Konoha, such as Danzo, knew this secret.

Mizuki certainly did not know; like many adults in the village, he assumed that Naruto was the incarnation of the Nine-Tails Demon Fox.

That was why they hated Naruto so much, believing he was the one who had killed their loved ones back then.

Although the Nine-Tails Incident did not last long, it caused massive casualties to Konoha.

Many villagers and ninjas were killed or wounded.

It was precisely because of this that, afterward, Konoha could not stand firm when faced with the pressure from Kumogakure.

Too many ninjas had died, and even if they wanted to go to war, they could not muster enough forces.

Naruto was stunned.

He did not know any of this, and today was the first time he had heard Mizuki say such things.

He muttered dejectedly, "So that is the reason why everyone loathes me."

Naruto felt terrible.

The people he had always wanted to gain recognition from were actually people he had wronged.

Iruka saw that Naruto's eyes were already beginning to turn red.

He shouted anxiously, "Naruto, don't believe him! It's not like that, he is lying to you!"

At this moment, Mizuki laughed wildly and shouted, "Hahaha, Naruto, you don't know this, do you? It was you who killed Iruka's parents! The reason he won't let you pass the exam is because of this!"

Naruto's gaze was vacant, his entire body trembling.

Seeing that Naruto was on the verge of losing control, Iruka endured the intense pain and pulled the ninja tools out of his body.

Blood flowed instantly.

But he endured the agony and came to Naruto's side, "Naruto, don't believe him. It's not like that. You are not the Nine-Tails Demon Fox; the Nine-Tails Demon Fox is simply sealed within your body."

"The one who killed those people was the Nine-Tails Demon Fox, not you. You must not blame yourself."

Even though Iruka had hated Naruto when his own parents were killed by the Nine-Tails, he had gradually changed his perspective on Naruto under the guidance of the Third Hokage.

At the academy, even when Naruto was mischievous and constantly scored zero on his exams, Iruka had never given up on him.

Iruka was also one of the few people who knew that Naruto was a Jinchuriki, rather than the Nine-Tails itself.

Naruto, who had already begun to manifest the blood-red chakra of the Nine-Tails, paused when he heard Iruka's words.

He looked at Iruka, "Iruka-sensei, is what you said true?"

The idea that he was the Nine-Tails was something Naruto could not bear.

The villagers he had always wanted to be recognized by were people whose loved ones he had killed.

For a twelve-year-old Naruto, it was too heavy; he could not carry that burden.

But Iruka's words made it easier for Naruto to accept.

Because the one who killed them was not him, but the Nine-Tails Demon Fox.

He was merely the vessel in which the Nine-Tails Demon Fox was sealed.

Iruka said quickly, "Of course. You didn't kill those people; the Nine-Tails Demon Fox did."

Naruto wiped his tears, turned to look at Mizuki, and shouted, "Mizuki-sensei, why did you lie to me?"

Mizuki frowned as he looked at Iruka and Naruto.

Naruto had actually not lost control.

His plan had failed.

"Demon Fox, go to hell!"

Since he could not make Naruto lose his mind and go berserk, he would have to use force.

He took the two giant shuriken from his back.

"One cripple and one dead-last—today, both of you are going to die here."

Iruka gritted his teeth as intense pain radiated through his body.

Yet, he still drew his kunai, intent on buying Naruto some time. "Naruto, run! I'll hold him off for you."

But how could Naruto possibly run now? He looked at Mizuki with a serious expression. "Iruka, I'm going to help you defeat him."

Iruka's mouth twitched.

Such courage was commendable, but what could Naruto possibly accomplish by staying behind at a time like this?

Mizuki was a Chunin, after all, not someone who could be compared to a kid who couldn't even perform the Clone Technique.

"Get out of here! He's a Chunin; he's not someone you can handle."

Naruto shook his head, stubbornly insisting, "Iruka, I can't just leave you here and run away on my own."

Iruka felt both touched and helpless.

"I am a Chunin, only I can deal with him. If you stay here, you'll only hold me back."