Chapter 142: To Revitalize the Senju Clan is My Undeniable Duty!
"It's Naruto. He ran in that direction."
Realizing Naruto had gotten into trouble, Tenten immediately pointed the way, and Iruka chased after him.
Tenten recalled what had just happened. "The thing on Naruto's back looked like a ninjutsu scroll. Did he steal something important?"
Just as her words fell, Ino, Sakura, and Hinata also leaped onto the branches. In an instant, the once-spacious treetop became crowded. They looked at each other strangely, as if they didn't understand why everyone was here.
At this moment, Akiyama Makoto spoke. "Let's put our own business aside for a moment. I'm going to check on Naruto."
"Wait, Makoto-kun," Sakura said, grabbing his shoulder. "You're not that close with him. We don't have to get involved."
But he gave her a meaningful look.
Seeing that the others had the same attitude, he smiled faintly. "It seems you all don't really understand me."
This one sentence struck the girls, whose hearts had been in a flutter because of his little notes, like a heavy hammer. Seeing their confusion, he finally explained.
"Don't you think that Naruto and I are very similar?"
Sakura tilted her head. How were they similar at all? He was clearly countless times better than Naruto in every way.
But Ino understood. A strained smile appeared on her face. "You mean... you're both orphans, and you haven't graduated from the Academy, right?"
He nodded. "I've come this far with your help, but Naruto doesn't have any friends."
"He may indeed have a lot of shortcomings, but maybe if I help him out, things will be different."
"Don't worry. You know my strength. Just wait here for me to come back."
With that, he vanished with a Body Flicker. The speed startled the girls. Even Tenten was seeing for the first time that he had even mastered the Body Flicker Technique, which had high requirements for both a ninja's physical fitness and their chakra control.
"What should we do? I think I said the wrong thing again!" Tears were about to stream down Sakura's face. He had already been angry with her before over the issue of his family background. Now that she had made the same mistake a second time, would he start to hate her?
"We have to go after him. Although he's strong, the current situation doesn't feel right."
Hinata had already activated her Byakugan and could see his retreating figure. But she also saw many other ninja on the move. The scene made her realize Naruto had gotten into huge trouble. She briefly told the other girls what she saw, and all three of their faces changed.
"Right. Let's go after him."
"I'll take the lead, then Ino and Sakura. Hinata, you observe and bring up the rear." Tenten took a deep breath and gave a thumbs-up. "Just think of it as me, your senpai of one year, taking you on a mission internship."
With that, the group began to move quickly, their movements all within his perception.
He, meanwhile, looked at Naruto and Iruka ahead. It was time to act.
He wasn't doing this for the Scroll of Seals. In the simulation route where he had become the Hokage's advisor, he could even take the scroll home and use it as a pillow. What he wanted was the chaos of this situation itself.
Although Naruto had learned tree climbing and water walking from him, his speed was still no match for the Chūnin Iruka, who quickly caught up. Seeing that he couldn't escape, Naruto began to blurt out his story—that this was all Mizuki's plan. Mizuki had told him that he could graduate if he learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu from the scroll.
Just as Naruto was about to demonstrate the jutsu, Mizuki's shuriken came whistling through the air.
To protect Naruto, Iruka was hit by several kunai, and blood stained his green flak jacket.
At this time, Mizuki, thinking he had the upper hand, revealed that Naruto was the Nine-Tails Demon Fox, and even said that it was Naruto who had killed Iruka's parents.
The provoked Naruto's mind became unstable. Mizuki took the opportunity to throw a giant shuriken at him.
This was the blow that Iruka was originally supposed to block with his body, but now, it was blocked by a kunai from Makoto. As for Iruka, he still ended up shielding Naruto with his body.
"Huh? It's you—why are you here?!" Mizuki recognized him, surprised by his strength.
He, however, said calmly, "My appearance here is just a coincidence. But the Konoha ninja who came with me are here for you, Konoha rogue ninja, Mizuki."
The composure on Mizuki's face vanished. He knew what kind of huge trouble he had caused. In his original plan, he could have killed both Iruka and Naruto and then made off with the scroll quietly. But now, with the addition of him, everything was different.
However, he still wanted to try.
Mizuki let out a soft sigh. "If I remember correctly, you're an orphan too, right? Weren't your parents also killed by the Nine-Tails?"
"I want the scroll, that's true. But I also want to kill this Nine-Tails to avenge the people of Konoha who died that day. Our goals are the same."
"Isn't that right, Iruka?"
Before Iruka could explain, Naruto, provoked, had already run off. The three people in front of him were all his enemies, who had had their families killed by "him." How could he not run?
Mizuki scoffed. He looked at Makoto, then at Iruka, and decided to kill Naruto first. Dealing with these two would inevitably waste some time, which he didn't have right now.
"Stop!"
Iruka wanted to chase after him, but he coughed up blood and fell to the ground.
Makoto quickly checked his condition, but Iruka grabbed his arm. "Please, can you chase after him with me and hold Mizuki down? I know you don't like Naruto, but he's really not the Nine-Tails Demon Fox! He's Uzumaki Naruto, a ninja of Konoha!"
"Help me, I'm begging you!"
Looking at the tearful Iruka, Makoto smiled faintly. "Iruka, if I had had the chance to attend the Academy back then, would you have cared for a dead-last like me the way you care for Naruto?"
Iruka was taken aback. He remembered seeing his file. In principle, he didn't want to give up on any student, but he couldn't even refine chakra. Even he was helpless.
But faced with his question, he had to answer.
"Makoto-kun, if you give me another chance, I promise I will!"
He nodded. "I wouldn't believe it if someone else said it. But you... I believe you."
He knew that the Hokage was watching all of this through his crystal ball. Half of what he said was for his ears. Of course, Hiruzen was probably only concerned with Naruto's mental state. If Naruto really went on a rampage because of this, then this whole risky venture would be a complete loss.
"Let's go, Iruka. It's a pity I can't call you 'teacher,' but today, we can fight side-by-side as comrades."
"Cough, alright!"
Iruka forced himself to stand up. Without being hit in the back by the giant shuriken, his condition was much better than in the original story.
The two of them followed the trail and soon saw Mizuki's back again.
Mizuki scoffed. A rain of shuriken came flying at the two of them. They dodged and hid behind a tree.
At this time, Naruto was not far from them. He could clearly sense all of this. This also meant that he was now back within Hiruzen's range of observation.
How should he act?
"I don't get it. You two are so magnanimous, just giving up on the hatred for your parents' killer?"
"Such unfilial sons."
"Iruka is Naruto's teacher, so his duty is his duty. I get that."
"But I heard you, Akiyama Makoto, were almost beaten to death by someone else, and you've been starving since you were a child. All of this was brought to you by the Nine-Tails Demon Fox. Aren't you angry?"
"Even a 'good person' has a limit."
Mizuki's mocking voice came through. Iruka also looked at him uneasily. He had forgiven Naruto, but he didn't understand why Makoto would. Naruto also thought of his previous attitude towards him and thought anxiously, Is he really here to help me?
"Makoto-kun, don't listen to him! Naruto is not the Nine-Tails Demon Fox!"
But at this moment, he stepped out and said something that no one expected.
"So what if he is the Nine-Tails Demon Fox?"
Mizuki tilted his head and looked at him as if he were a fool.
But he just said calmly, "For a history-illiterate person like you, it's too much trouble to explain. So let me put it simply."
"My idol is the First Hokage. If I can't even tolerate a tiny Nine-Tails Demon Fox, how can I possibly practice his Will of Fire?"
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