Unexpected Visitors

Naruto saw what was happening, jumped out between them, and kicked Mizuki away.

"Naruto." Iruka stared at him in surprise.

"Hinata, heal Iruka-sensei. I'll deal with him," Naruto said.

"Mm." She began healing Iruka.

"You damned monster. Have you ever wondered why everyone hates you?" Mizuki asked. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"No, don't tell him!" Iruka shouted.

"Fourteen years ago, the Fourth Hokage did not kill the Nine-Tails. He sealed it inside you instead. You are the reincarnation of the Nine-Tails!" Mizuki said, hoping this would make Naruto break down and let him escape.

"I've known about the Nine-Tails since I was five. I've been talking to it ever since. Haven't you ever wondered why there's a nine on my clothes? It's because I'm proud to be a jinchuriki. My life may not be easy, but I'm glad the Fourth chose me," Naruto said.

Mizuki and Iruka were both stunned.

"That's enough. Since you violated the Third's laws, I have the right to kill you," Naruto explained.

"Try it, demon fox," Mizuki said, pulling out his last Fuma Shuriken and throwing it at him. Naruto dodged it and quickly formed several hand seals.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu."

Mizuki's eyes widened when he saw the fireball coming. He jumped to the left, only to find Naruto waiting for him there. Naruto delivered a vicious kick, sending Mizuki flying into a tree.

Mizuki barely managed to get back up. Several of his ribs were broken. Suddenly, he felt something grab his ankle. Looking down, he saw a hand reaching out from the ground, gripping him tightly.

"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu." Naruto grabbed Mizuki and buried him in the ground, leaving only his head exposed. Mizuki tried to break free, but it was useless.

Naruto picked up the Scroll of Seals, glanced at one of the techniques written on it, and opened the scroll.

"Clone Great Explosion—B-rank."

Naruto closed the scroll and walked over to Iruka, who had already been healed by Hinata.

"How are you feeling, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"I'm fine, thanks to you," Iruka replied. Soon afterward, the ANBU arrived and took Iruka, Naruto, and Hinata back to the Hokage, while Mizuki was handed over to Ibiki.

The ANBU brought the three of them to the Hokage's office. Naruto handed the Scroll of Seals to the Hokage.

Naruto, Hinata, and Iruka calmly made their way to Ichiraku Ramen together.

To thank the two of them, Iruka treated them.

"Hey, boss!" Naruto called out.

"Oh, Naruto, it's good to see you and Hinata," Ayame said. The two of them nodded.

"Well, since Iruka-sensei is treating, I'll have ten bowls of pork ramen!"

Iruka's eyes widened.

Later that night.

Late at night, everyone in the village was lost in peaceful dreams, including Naruto and Hinata. As usual, they slept tightly embraced.

Two figures suddenly appeared on the roof, dressed in Konoha's elaborate jonin uniforms. They wore forehead protectors marked with crescent moons, crescent moon chest vests, black ANBU pants, and white wraps around their ankles.

"You remember the plan, right?" one jonin asked. The other nodded.

"Let's finish this quickly so we can collect the bounty." After saying that, the other rushed toward their destination. They silently entered a house.

They approached the bed, and one of them said, "Demon, your end has come." Then he swiftly stabbed two kunai toward their chests.

The jonin smiled in triumph until smoke filled the room, revealing two logs with kunai embedded in them. They turned around and saw a flashing Sharingan and an activated Byakugan.

"Oh, the demon has a Sharingan. He must have stolen it when he killed the Uchiha Clan. Let's kill them quickly," one of the jonin said, charging toward them.

Naruto asked, "Why are you attacking us? Attacking fellow Konoha shinobi is a crime."

He had already guessed the answer.

"You are not one of us. Die, demon," the jonin replied, swinging his kunai in a horizontal slash.

Naruto dodged the attack and hooked his foot around the man's leg, making him stumble forward. Seizing the opportunity, Naruto drove his knee into the man's stomach. The jonin quickly reacted and jumped away.

The jonin rapidly formed hand seals and shouted, "Earth Release: Earth Armor!" His body was covered in a hardened shell of earth.

Because of the enemy's armor, Naruto's strikes were ineffective and could not reach any vital points.

Naruto switched to his own ninjutsu-taijutsu style—Lightning Fist. Lightning chakra wrapped around his hands and feet.

He rushed forward and swept low with his leg. The jonin jumped to avoid it. Naruto quickly recovered and drove a powerful punch into the jonin's chest, shattering his armor and sending him crashing into the wall.

Naruto infused lightning chakra into his fingers and pressed them firmly against the jonin's head near his ear. He released chakra into the vagus nerve, causing the jonin's heart to stop.

Naruto turned to help Hinata. In the blink of an eye, he saw that Hinata had the upper hand, but then she suddenly made a mistake. The jonin seized the chance and swung his sword in a sweeping slash.

"Hinata!" Naruto shouted. He released his gravity seal, rushed over at full speed, and used the Substitution Jutsu to switch places with her.

Now Naruto saw the blade drawing closer. His Sharingan slowed the scene before his eyes. He tried to block the sword with a kunai, but it was too late. Just then, Naruto unconsciously directed a massive amount of chakra into his eyes until they began spinning and their colors reversed. Suddenly, everything became clearer, and time seemed to slow even further.

Naruto watched the blade draw nearer. Just as it was about to touch his skin, the strangest thing happened. The blade continued along its path as though it had cleanly cut through him, yet Naruto felt no pain at all.

The enemy was at a loss. His sword seemed to pass directly through Naruto, as if Naruto did not exist at all.

Then he saw Naruto's eyes. Rather than blood-red eyes and black Rinnegan, Naruto's eyes had become pure black, with a glowing red cracked circle in the center and three red tomoe above it. The jonin had no idea what it was, but it was already too late.

Naruto grabbed the jonin's hand, and his sword fell to the floor.

Naruto stared at him with his spinning Sharingan and said, "Genjutsu—Forced Sleep."

The jonin collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Naruto turned to Hinata. "Hinata, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Thanks to you, I'm not hurt."

Then she hugged him and began to cry.

I was too optimistic. I never expected them to be low enough to attack us at night.

"Naruto-kun, your eyes..." she said.