Enlightenment

Iruka was beyond rescue.

Mizuki closed in on Naruto with a cruel, bloodthirsty grin, his eyes brimming with a chilling intent to kill.

The sight sent a shiver deep into the heart of Naruto, who lay sprawled on the ground.

Ignoring the agonizing pain radiating from his abdomen, Naruto rolled away with lightning speed to put some distance between them. Reaching back, he whipped out several Shuriken and flung them toward Mizuki without even looking.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The air whistled.

The Shuriken slicing through the air served only as a momentary distraction, easily swatted aside by Mizuki.

The next second, Mizuki's figure was right beside Naruto.

The intense, crimson murderous light in his eyes was crystal clear before Naruto's gaze.

With no time to think, Naruto could only rely on pure instinct. Just as Mizuki's sharp blade bore down on him, Naruto made a swift, evasive turn.

He dodged the thrust at an extreme angle, but Mizuki, seemingly anticipating the move, twisted in mid-air to adjust his posture.

As he turned, he flicked his left hand.

Another Kunai fell into his grip, its sharp edge slicing horizontally toward Naruto's neck without a hint of hesitation.

A sharp, cold glint flashed in the light.

Before the Kunai even arrived, its icy sheen and biting edge already pricked at Naruto's throat.

Naruto's pupils contracted sharply.

All he could see was the flash of cold steel.

With a violent jerk of his head, Naruto narrowly avoided the incoming strike once more.

He then twisted his arm, thrusting his own Kunai toward Mizuki's arm with all his might.

Mizuki grinned savagely.

With a quick sway of his body and a sudden lift, he lashed out with his right foot, slamming it hard against Naruto's wrist.

Overcome by pain, Naruto lost his grip, and his Kunai clattered to the ground.

Immediately after, another sharp glint followed.

In his haste, unable to mount an effective defense, Naruto could only barely shield his vital points.

"Squelch."

The sound of metal piercing flesh rang out.

Mizuki's Kunai tore a horrific wound across the lower right side of Naruto's chest.

Naruto let out a cry of pain.

"Ugh!!!"

As blood sprayed, Naruto could barely endure the bone-deep agony. Biting his lower lip until it bled, he pushed off the ground and scrambled to put distance between himself and Mizuki. While the last strike hadn't been fatal, the wound looked terrifying.

Beads of sweat rolled down Naruto's forehead, and his trembling arms made it clear that he was reaching his limit. It wasn't just a suppression of raw strength; it was a total suppression of combat experience.

It far exceeded anything Naruto had anticipated.

Most importantly, Mizuki's relentless pressure meant that what felt like a long battle had actually unfolded in just a second or two. There was no pause, no breathing room, and certainly no opportunity for Naruto to weave hand signs. Even for the Shadow Clone technique, which required the fewest signs, Naruto was certain that the moment he tried to form them, Mizuki would seize the opening to rush him. He couldn't perform the rapid-fire signs of the powerhouses from the original story; while it looked simple when the original Naruto used Shadow Clones—just a quick shout—it actually required precise control over the release of chakra within the body.

The battle of a ninja.

The outcome could be decided in a single second!

The most critical point was that the Mizuki before him was definitely stronger than the upper limit of strength shown in the original story, which was the greatest deviation from the original plot.

If Mizuki had been even a fraction slower, Naruto could have performed the hand seals with ease.

At the very least, he could have overwhelmed this guy with sheer numbers.

The reason Naruto hadn't chosen to use the Shadow Clone technique when his position wasn't exposed earlier was due to his own lack of experience and a bit of carelessness. He had only thought about closing the distance to land a one-hit kill with a surprise attack, never expecting Iruka to be in such sudden mortal danger. Furthermore, Mizuki's reaction had exceeded Naruto's expectations; the sneak attack hadn't succeeded—or rather, it hadn't fully succeeded, only leaving Mizuki looking slightly disheveled. Once Mizuki injected the serum and instantly empowered himself, Naruto lost any chance to perform hand seals.

In other words, this predicament was entirely of Naruto's own making.

Damn it! If I had known, I would have used the Shadow Clone technique from the start! Naruto thought with frustration as he gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his right hand.

It was too late to use it now.

Naruto knew very well that even though Mizuki looked like he was waiting leisurely and unhurriedly, it was only to toy with him further. At this distance, if Naruto showed even the slightest sign of forming hand seals or any other unusual movement, Mizuki could pounce on him within a fraction of a second, just as he had before.

It seems there is only one choice left...

Naruto took a deep breath. In less than a second, numerous thoughts raced through his mind. Looking at Iruka, who was collapsed on the ground to the side, a look of determination flashed in Naruto's pupils as he made up his mind.

There was only one chance, and he had to seize it firmly.

When there was no way to perform hand seals, or when doing so meant risking his life, the only choice left for Naruto was close-quarters combat.

Despite his lack of combat experience and tactical awareness, close-quarters combat was Naruto's best option.

By relying on his superior sensory abilities, he could slightly compensate for the gap in speed and strength.

As for the rest!

It would depend on whether he was ruthless enough!

And whether he could seize that one glimmer of opportunity!

As for the option of running away?

That was never a possibility in Naruto's mind.

The decision was made in a mere second or two.

Watching Mizuki approach with a cruel smile, a cold expression appeared on Naruto's face. He flipped his right hand, and a sharp Kunai appeared in his palm once again.

Summoning all his strength, his muscles tensed in that instant, and Naruto stared fixedly at Mizuki not far away.

Seeing Naruto acting as if he were facing a formidable enemy, Mizuki gave a wicked smile and licked his lips.

He looked exactly like a carbon copy of Orochimaru.

"Die, brat!"

As Mizuki leaned his body forward and the words left his lips, his figure flashed suddenly, once again pressing toward Naruto.

The air exploded, and the momentum swept forward.