Don't Babble Here

Naruto had now learned the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Mizuki had also found him and tempted him to hand over the Forbidden Scroll.

Because Iruka had been delayed for a moment after running into Chiye Jun, Mizuki had already revealed Naruto's background in advance.

By the time he and Chiye Jun arrived, Mizuki was grinning viciously as he pulled out a shuriken.

"Die, Naruto!"

The shuriken shot toward Naruto!

Frightened out of his wits by the sudden turn of events, Naruto turned to flee.

"Naruto, get down!" Iruka shouted!

Just as he was about to shield Naruto from the hidden weapon, Chiye Jun got there first and leaped forward, wrapping Naruto in his arms!

Chiye Jun took the shuriken for Iruka!

Fortunately, this minor change did not affect the main plot.

Mizuki was also shocked by Chiye Jun's appearance!

Chiye Jun had done it purely on instinct.

Though he knew the plot well and knew Iruka would save Naruto,

at that moment, his mind had gone blank, and he had even forgotten the Earth-Style Wall he had just learned!

Looking at Naruto, whom he had spent so many days with, he lunged forward without the slightest hesitation...

A sharp pain shot through his back!

Lying on the ground, he suddenly realized, "So the White Bone Armor really only appears when facing a fatal injury..."

Afterward, this touching scene was also learned by the Third Hokage, becoming another point in Chiye Jun's favor.

It made the Third Hokage greatly admire his character.

Trust +100...

Naruto rolled over and saw Chiye Jun, who had taken the shuriken for him. He stared in shock!

Then he murmured:

"W-why..."

Enduring the agonizing pain in his back, Chiye Jun smiled. "Because... you're my boy!"

Uh...

Chiye Jun nearly threw up himself.

Naruto was so moved that he hugged him and burst into tears.

But soon afterward, he sank into despair.

Because he now knew that the Nine-Tails was sealed inside him.

That murderer!

He could not accept it right away.

The boy who was usually cheerful and optimistic, always smiling, was now filled with sorrow and despair.

"No wonder I have whiskers on my face."

"No wonder the adults always treat me coldly."

Naruto was completely despondent.

Iruka remained silent, not knowing how to comfort him.

As a transmigrator who knew the Naruto script inside out, Chiye Jun naturally understood the power of talk-no-jutsu.

Next, he executed it perfectly.

"Hey, Naruto! Why the long face? The Nine-Tails did all that. It has nothing to do with you!"

"But... that thing is sealed inside me," Naruto sobbed.

"So what? It's just a seal. You're still yourself!"

Chiye Jun rambled on and on.

But Naruto still hung his head, utterly dispirited.

Finally, Chiye Jun let out a lion-like roar:

"Naruto Uzumaki, don't forget—you're a man who's going to become Hokage someday!"

That roar finally snapped Naruto out of it.

"Naruto, don't worry about what the villagers think. Those people are worse than keyboard warriors—they don't just run their mouths, they point fingers too. So damn annoying! Just remember, you still have me, Sasuke, Teacher Iruka, and the Exploding Heaven Gang!"

Hearing that, Naruto nodded heavily. "Right, and Ichiraku Ramen!"

Chiye Jun laughed at that.

Seeing this, Iruka gave him an approving look.

And at the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage nodded in satisfaction as well.

"I knew I hadn't misjudged these two kids. Especially Chiye Jun—he keeps a clear head and doesn't fear danger when it matters..."

Naturally, Mizuki had heard of Chiye Jun's strength.

But he had only heard about it; he had never seen it for himself.

He had even maliciously assumed that Chiye Jun was the illegitimate son of the Third Hokage and that kabuki performer...

"No matter what, I have to get that scroll today!"

Chiye Jun sneered.

"With me here, your schemes will never succeed!"

Mizuki pulled out a kunai and pointed it fiercely at Chiye Jun.

"You little brat, you really love meddling! Today, I'll teach you a proper lesson too!"

"You? You'd be done in seconds!" Chiye Jun said disdainfully.

In his eyes, everyone who hung around Orochimaru was nothing but trash who lasted seconds.

Why?

Their faces were so pale. Kidney deficiency, obviously...

However, this time, Chiye Jun had underestimated his enemy.

"Whoosh!"

A kunai sliced across his forehead, leaving a bloody gash.

"Damn! I'm disfigured!"

Chiye Jun covered his forehead, anger flashing across his face.

Carelessness really could get you killed!

He had not expected Mizuki, who had been beaten down by Naruto in the anime, to be this strong...

"Chiye Jun!"

Iruka charged toward Mizuki while shouting back:

"You two, run!"

"Run? Not so easy!"

Mizuki roared and pulled out several shuriken, hurling them at Chiye Jun.

This time, Chiye Jun easily dodged them.

But just then!

The situation suddenly changed!

The grass beneath his feet split open, and another Mizuki emerged from the ground!

Clone Technique!

Meanwhile, the Mizuki beside Iruka immediately turned into smoke.

"Hehe, looks like this bastard really wants my life!"

Killing intent instantly rose within Chiye Jun!

The system told me to seriously injure Mizuki. That doesn't mean I can't kill him!

Today.

Mizuki was definitely going to die!

But now was not the time.

Because the system's plot mission had two parts.

One was to seriously injure Mizuki.

The other was to raise Naruto's morale.

If he dealt with Mizuki too easily, Naruto would have no chance to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique...

And right at that moment!

Naruto suddenly stepped in front of Chiye Jun, glaring fiercely at Mizuki with rage in his eyes.

"You're not allowed to hurt my friend! Or I'll kill you!"

Mizuki did not take him seriously. Holding his stomach, he burst into laughter.

"Haha, how arrogant! A dead-last brat like you dares speak to your teacher like that? Watch me take you down in one move!"

Iruka rushed over to intervene, but Chiye Jun stopped him.

"Teacher, give Naruto a chance to prove himself. Let him pull himself together and completely shake off the dead-last label."

Iruka hesitated for a moment, then nodded and took out a shuriken, remaining on guard.

Mizuki laughed loudly.

"He'll never shake off the dead-last label for the rest of his life!"

Chiye Jun sneered.

"Quit yapping here. If you've got the guts, go up against Naruto and see whether he stabs you!"

Mizuki did not understand a word.

He was instantly dumbfounded.

That was exactly the effect Chiye Jun wanted!

"Naruto, use that move you just learned!"

Naruto immediately understood.

"Scum! I'll make you pay for what you did today!"

"Then show me what you can do, fox demon!"

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Naruto crossed his hands into a seal. In an instant, smoke filled the air, and popping sounds rang out without end.

Mizuki was instantly surrounded by an army of Narutos.

The sudden sight left Iruka utterly shocked.

Mizuki's expression changed drastically.

"Th-this... how is this possible?"

Very soon!

The forest was filled with the sounds of fists pounding flesh, along with Mizuki's wails.

Chiye Jun took the opportunity to use the Substitution Technique and blend into Naruto's army.

After getting close to Mizuki, he pulled out a kunai and stabbed it into Mizuki's butt crack.

"Thousand Years of Death!"

Mizuki howled and immediately collapsed to the ground, where Naruto's army pinned him down and rubbed him into the dirt.

"Rubbing, rubbing, rubbing on this smooth ground..."

In the end, Mizuki lay on the ground, bruised and battered.

The system popped up:

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for raising Naruto's morale. Keep up the good work.]

Damn!

What's going on?

Doesn't the Thousand Years of Death count as seriously injuring him?