Mizuki looked at Naruto, who was lying on the desk with her eyes half-closed, a malicious smile curling at the corner of his lips. Unfortunately for him, Naruto was extremely sensitive to malice. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw that malicious smile on Mizuki's face.
Mizuki was the one who had lured Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Seals in the original story. In truth, with the original Naruto's abilities, she could never have stolen the Scroll of Seals unless someone had deliberately allowed her to take it.
She recalled how the original Naruto had repeatedly declared that she would become Hokage, then thought of her own behavior.
If that old fool who always used a crystal ball to peep on bathhouses let her get hold of the Scroll of Seals, then he really would be senile. As something with deterrent value comparable to a nuclear weapon, it was already good enough that they were willing to train her as an ordinary ninja, wasn't it...
It seemed the original Naruto Uzumaki's Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu was not meant for her. It didn't matter. She only needed to work hard and grow strong enough to leave Konohagakure safely. The rest could be left to the Nine-Tails.
Still, during her time at the Ninja Academy, it looked like she would be unable to learn any ninjutsu besides the Three Jutsu. Would she have to rely solely on taijutsu...
If things went like the original story, she should be assigned to Kakashi's Team 7. Then she could learn ninjutsu from Kakashi and escape Konohagakure amid the chaos when Orochimaru used the Sand ninja to attack the village.
Still, things might not go as smoothly as she imagined. She could only take things one step at a time.
Mizuki found Naruto while Iruka was away.
"Sensei, do you need something?"
Naruto knew Mizuki was no good, but she could not show it. She looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Why aren't you playing with the others?" Mizuki asked knowingly, concern written across his face. It made Naruto sick to her stomach, and she had the urge to spit in his face.
Having Uchiha Sasuke as her deskmate was annoying enough. Now Mizuki was bothering her after class too. She had had enough.
"I'm fine playing by myself." A forced smile appeared on Naruto's fragile face, and her azure eyes reddened slightly. She looked like a pitiful little girl who could break anyone's heart.
Mizuki thought Naruto was genuinely upset. Suppressing the malice rising in his heart, he feigned sympathy and hugged her. Naruto's body stiffened for an instant. Mizuki took it as proof that Naruto had never been treated gently before, and a smug smile appeared on his face.
That bastard actually dared to hug me!
The instant Mizuki hugged her, Naruto nearly kicked him between the legs. It was only because she held back that her body stiffened for a moment, and Mizuki misunderstood it.
Unaware that Naruto had long since seen through his true nature, Mizuki was still thinking about how to raise her favorability toward him and turn her into an obedient student who would do anything he said.
Is this guy trying to use me? Maybe I can... Naruto slowly closed her azure eyes and rested against Mizuki's shoulder, deliberately showing him her vulnerable side. Mizuki mistakenly believed he had opened Naruto's heart to him and stroked her hair, unaware that Naruto was calculating how to squeeze every last bit of value out of him.
After Mizuki left, Naruto endured the disgust in her heart. When she returned home after school, she washed her hair over and over again, yet still felt nauseated. She even had the urge to cut it all off.
In her inner world, Naruto angrily tugged on the Nine-Tails' fur, her eyes blazing red as she complained, "That bastard Mizuki actually dared to hug me and touch my hair! I can't stand it! Just thinking about it makes me sick! I've got goosebumps all over!"
Naruto rolled up her pajama sleeves to show the Nine-Tails the goosebumps on her arm. The Nine-Tails tried hard to widen its eyes, yet it still could not see those tiny bumps. Did she think its eyes were the Hyuga clan's Byakugan?
Seeing the Nine-Tails widen its eyes and strain to look, Naruto could not help clutching her stomach and bursting into laughter.
The Nine-Tails realized Naruto had tricked it. It rolled its eyes irritably and kicked Naruto out with one foot.
"Hmph!"
Did she really think this old lady had no temper?
But not long after kicking Naruto out, Naruto ran back in, excitedly shouting at the Nine-Tails, "Nine-Tails! Nine-Tails! I learned the Transformation Jutsu!"
"Watch me transform into something!"
As she spoke, Naruto formed hand seals. With a bang, the smoke cleared, and Naruto had transformed into a golden-furred Nine-Tails fox countless times smaller than the real one, only as large as a child. She swished her nine tails and proudly raised her head.
"How is it? Doesn't it look just like you?"
The Nine-Tails looked helplessly at Naruto's face, which was begging for praise. Shouldn't she be showing that expression to her teacher? Why was she showing it to me? I'm just a tailed beast.
"Yeah! Amazing." (In a flat tone.)
The Nine-Tails flicked Naruto on the forehead. The smoke cleared, and Naruto returned to normal. She covered her forehead and lay on the ground, staring resentfully at the Nine-Tails.
"Couldn't you be gentler?"
"I was already very gentle!" The Nine-Tails looked at Naruto as if it had a stomachache.
"If there's nothing else, go back. I'm going to sleep." The Nine-Tails yawned, growing a little impatient.
She actually came here to show off a mere Transformation Jutsu. Did she think all those years it had lived were for nothing?
Naruto's Speculation (1/2)
As for the Transformation Jutsu, Naruto's immediate impression after learning it was that it was the most overpowered of the basic ninjutsu.
In theory, as long as one had enough imagination, one could transform into countless things. However, the Transformation Jutsu would be undone after being attacked. If it could be made to last indefinitely, wouldn't one be able to completely turn into someone else?
Naruto felt that even the Second Hokage, who had created the Transformation Jutsu, probably had not considered this idea.
Otherwise, with the Second Hokage's genius mind, capable of creating Impure World Reincarnation... improving this jutsu should not have been difficult. But if that happened, the Transformation Jutsu would no longer be a basic ninjutsu. It would become a forbidden technique!
Aside from the Byakugan and Sharingan, which could see through one's insides, using the Transformation Jutsu to infiltrate as a spy would be terrifying!
"Transformation!"
The smoke cleared, and Naruto's figure vanished. A tiny ant appeared on the floor, looking around in every direction.
A few seconds later, Naruto released the jutsu and sat on the floor, thinking about how to use the Transformation Jutsu in actual combat. Transforming into a shuriken like in the original story was something she could learn from, but it felt a little stupid. The Transformation Jutsu only changed one's appearance; it did not truly turn one into that object. Even if she transformed into a weapon, she was still a person underneath.
If she transformed into a shuriken and got hit, she would definitely be injured. And if she were cut in half by a weapon... Shadow Clones were one thing, but if it were the real body, wouldn't she be dead for sure?
As the most basic ninjutsu, the Three Jutsu were also the most useful. Whether it was the Substitution Technique or the Clone Technique, both could play crucial roles. Used well, they could even allow one to kill an enemy stronger than oneself.
The original Naruto could not possibly have encountered the Three Jutsu this early. With the help of the wonderful teacher Mizuki, Naruto had come into contact with them earlier than the others. However, Naruto's goal was not limited to the Three Jutsu. She also wanted to learn Wind Release, which suited her Chakra nature.
She also wanted to use the Rasengan, but without anyone teaching her, she did not dare practice it. Anbu were watching nearby. If she started practicing the Rasengan, she would probably be sitting in Root or the Hokage's office the next day. One careless word, and she would be dealt with.
Mizuki teaching her ninjutsu could be explained as their having a good relationship, so it would not arouse suspicion. But if she practiced on her own, it would become a major problem. Those paranoid lunatics might even think the Nine-Tails had taken over her body or something.
"...Sigh."
Naruto lay on her bed and sighed, thinking about how to fool Mizuki into getting her Wind Release ninjutsu tomorrow. Even the lowest-level Wind Release would do. The original Naruto could make so many variations out of one Rasengan. She refused to believe she could not create a few ninjutsu of her own.
At the school building, Naruto spoke.
"Last night, when I passed by the lake, I saw Sasuke spitting fireballs. He was so amazing! Mizuki-sensei, I want to learn ninjutsu too!"
"Mm." Mizuki nodded with a gentle smile on his face, though he inwardly thought it was troublesome. He took a sheet of Chakra test paper from his vest pocket and said expectantly, "Naruto, pour Chakra into this paper. That way, we can test your Chakra nature."
"Mm."
Although Naruto already knew her Chakra nature, she still deliberately put on an extremely expectant expression. Holding the Chakra test paper, she poured Chakra into it.
Riiip—!
The Chakra test paper split apart.
This little girl's Chakra nature was Wind Release. What a rare nature. That Nine-Tails brat really did have good luck!
Before you continue