The Sheep Talisman

The moment Naruto slipped into the Hokage Building, the Perception Barrier protecting it was triggered.

The alarm jolted Hiruzen Sarutobi awake. He immediately activated the Crystal Ball Technique and saw that it was Naruto who had broken into the Hokage Building.

His hand, already raised to summon the ANBU, dropped to his side.

Naruto had gone too far this time. If Hiruzen wanted to protect him, he had to keep as few people as possible from finding out.

When Naruto entered the secure room, Hiruzen's Crystal Ball Technique was cut off.

A more specialized barrier protected that room, designed specifically to prevent anyone from spying on what was inside.

Much of Konoha's important intelligence was stored there. If an enemy ninja used Ninjutsu to peer inside, the consequences could be disastrous.

Once inside, Naruto's eyes quickly settled on a huge scroll.

It rested on a specially made stand, its surface radiating an ancient, powerful aura. A clear character for "seal" was written on it.

Naruto did not grab it right away. Instead, he searched the room for something else.

He was looking for the "Death Paper" mentioned on the Canopy Screen. By now, just about everyone knew what it could do.

If I find that paper and write Shimura Danzō's name on it, I can avenge Mom and Dad in an instant.

But Hiruzen had anticipated exactly that. He kept the Death Paper on his person at all times, leaving Naruto's little plan dead in the water.

After searching in vain, Naruto turned his attention back to the Scroll of Seals.

He was about to follow Mizuki's instructions and leave with the scroll when something on a nearby shelf caught the corner of his eye.

It was an unremarkable hexagonal stone talisman, lying casually beside a pile of files.

A sheep was carved into it. Naruto picked it up and recognized it at once as the item Shimura Danzō had traded to Nine Nether on the Canopy Screen.

Naruto tried to recall what the Canopy Screen had said.

I think it said this thing can make people invisible.

But Teacher Mizuki only asked for the Scroll of Seals, not this. Still, what if it comes in handy later? I'm already stealing one thing. What's one more?

The struggle in Naruto's heart lasted only a moment.

His inexplicable fondness for the talisman, along with the tempting thought that he could simply pocket it, won out.

He darted a look left and right. Sure no one had noticed, he snatched up the Sheep Talisman and hurriedly stuffed it into the inside pocket of his orange jacket, close against his chest.

Only then did he pick up the huge, heavy Scroll of Seals and heave it onto his shoulder with all his strength.

He slipped carefully back out of the Archives Room and vanished into the night.

The reason the Sheep Talisman existed in the real world was, of course, Hyuga Xiu's doing.

It was the first time Hyuga Xiu had manifested a supernatural object from outside the Naruto world in reality.

He had given the Sheep Talisman to Naruto Uzumaki because he had discovered that not everyone generated the same number of Belief Points.

The amount depended on how close they were to Naruto Uzumaki, the story's protagonist. The closer they were to him, the more Belief Points they provided.

As for nameless background characters, it took sheer numbers for them to generate even a few Belief Points.

So Hyuga Xiu made a wish: when Naruto Uzumaki stole the Scroll of Seals, he would find the Sheep Talisman and take it with him.

Night lay thick over the training forest deep in the hills behind Konoha. Panting, Naruto set the enormous Scroll of Seals down in a clearing.

Eagerly, he undid its bindings and looked at the first Forbidden Technique recorded inside.

"The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto murmured. "It starts with the one I'm worst at?" His face fell, but he began to practice.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

White smoke billowed up. Shadow Clones of Naruto filled the clearing. With another wave of his hand, they all vanished.

"I... I did it?!" Naruto stared at the countless copies of himself around him. Joy and pride erupted through him like a volcano, washing away the last of his unease over the theft.

"I did it! I really did it!"

As he reveled in his triumph, a furious, startled shout rang out from the edge of the woods:

"Naruto!"

Teacher Iruka appeared, out of breath, his face full of shock and disbelief.

"Naruto! Th-that's the Scroll of Seals! Where did you get it?! Do you know how serious a crime this is?!" Iruka's voice shook with alarm.

Naruto seemed oblivious. He planted his hands on his hips and beamed proudly. "Teacher Iruka! Look! I learned a super-powerful Ninjutsu! That means I can graduate now, right?"

"Teacher Mizuki said if I learned a technique from this scroll, I could graduate!"

"Teacher Mizuki?" Iruka froze, a chill racing up his spine. "Mizuki told you to do this? He told you to steal the Scroll of Seals?!"

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded proudly, without a hint of suspicion. "Teacher Mizuki's the only one who understands me! He said this was the only way I could become a ninja—"

Naruto broke off.

In the next instant, countless Kunai flashed out of the dark woods like a swarm of venomous bees, aimed straight at the unsuspecting Naruto and Iruka!

"Watch out!" Iruka's pupils contracted. He lunged forward to shield Naruto with his body, hurling Kunai to knock the incoming weapons aside.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Most of the Kunai were knocked down, but a few slipped through. Iruka grunted as one slashed his shoulder, blood soaking into his ninja vest.

A figure emerged slowly from the shadows. The gentle mask he usually wore was gone, replaced by cold malice and a mocking sneer. It was Mizuki.

"Heh, heh... Hahahaha!" Mizuki laughed with cruel satisfaction. He looked at Naruto, bewildered behind Iruka, and his voice dripped with contempt.

"What a hopeless idiot! You actually believed that nonsense! Thanks for getting the Scroll of Seals for me, Naruto."

"But how could a Monster like you ever deserve to become a ninja? You were nothing but a tool for me to use from the very beginning."