"Next: Naruto Uzumaki."
Today was the graduation exam, the day that would determine if he finally became a Genin. Up until now, every student had been told they passed, but...
The Clone Jutsu... out of everything, it had to be my worst technique.
But I'm going to be the Hokage! I can't let myself trip up here!
"Clone Jutsu!"
Naruto focused his chakra and activated the technique. His intent was solid, but the resulting object was a far cry from a clone. With a pathetic pfft, a sickly, distorted version of Naruto collapsed into a heap on the floor.
Iruka stared at him with an unreadable expression. "Naruto Uzumaki... you fail."
Later, despite Mizuki's half-hearted attempt to stand up for him, Naruto left the Academy building as the only student who had failed the exam. He sat alone on a swing, the weight of his failure heavy in his chest, while the usual cold stares of the villagers pierced through him.
"I heard that boy was the only one who failed."
"Serves him right. It would be a disaster if someone like that became a ninja. After all, he's—"
"Hush! You know that's forbidden."
They whispered, but even as a child, Naruto could feel the waves of pure malice they directed at him. He was about to hop off the swing and leave when a voice called out from behind.
"Hey! Naruto."
He turned to see his favorite teacher standing there.
"Iruka..."
"Well, listen... how about we go grab some ramen?" Iruka glanced at the surrounding adults with a troubled look before offering Naruto a small smile.
Ichiraku Ramen
"Here you go! Miso Chashu, coming up!"
"Whoa! I've been waiting for this! Dig in!"
Naruto was at his usual spot at Ichiraku, with Iruka picking up the tab. While other shops glared at him—or outright banned him from entering—Ichiraku was the only place that treated Naruto like a human being.
"So... about the exam. I'm sorry, Naruto."
"Don't sweat it, Iruka! I'm the man who's gonna be Hokage one day! Today was just an off day. I'll pass the next one for sure and become the best ninja ever!"
"I suppose you're right... You work harder than anyone. You'll pass next time." Iruka reached out and ruffled Naruto's hair. He knew how hard the village made things for the boy, and he'd brought him here specifically to cheer him up. Seeing Naruto inhale his ramen with such gusto, Iruka whispered a silent prayer that he would be okay.
Neither of them noticed Mizuki watching from the shadows.
***
"Man, I'm stuffed!"
"Hey! Naruto!"
On his way home from dinner, Naruto was called out again.
"Oh, Mizuki!"
"'Again'? Were you just with someone else?"
"Yeah! Iruka just treated me to ramen."
"Is that so? That's great, Naruto." Mizuki wore a mask of kindness as he spoke. "Naruto, why do you think Iruka looks out for you so much?"
"Huh? Why? Um... because..."
"It's because you're a student and we're your teachers. To us, our students are more important than anything! And, well, I don't have ramen for you, but I do have some very good news."
"Good news? For me?" Naruto tilted his head, confused.
"Don't you want to pass the exam?"
"What? I mean... yeah, of course!"
"Actually, there's a secret way to pass!"
Mizuki told him that if he could "borrow" a forbidden scroll known as the Scroll of Seals, he would be granted the rank of Genin.
In reality, no such re-examination existed. Stealing the Scroll of Seals was a capital crime. However, the Third Hokage was notoriously soft on Naruto. Naruto's usual pranks—like defacing the Great Stone Faces, the very symbol of the Leaf—would normally result in imprisonment, even in a peaceful land like the Land of Fire. Mizuki banked on the fact that Naruto's unique position would allow him to steal the scroll where others would fail.
***
That night, completely unaware of Mizuki's true intentions, Naruto slipped into the Hokage's office.
"Naruto? What are you doing here at this hour?"
"Take this! Sexy Jutsu!"
Naruto used a variation of the Transformation Jutsu to catch the Third Hokage off guard. While the old man was incapacitated, Naruto began his search.
"Let's see... Forbidden Scroll... Aha! Found it!"
Despite having just "defeated" the Hokage—an unprecedented feat for an Academy student—Naruto casually grabbed the scroll. But as he turned to leave, something caught his eye.
Hanging in the corner was a white cloak, an item that shouldn't have been there. Naruto felt a magnetic pull toward it, stronger than his interest in the scroll.
The Fourth Hokage.
The hero who defeated the Nine-Tailed Fox. The man Naruto looked up to most.
Drawn to it, Naruto slid his arms into the sleeves and draped the cloak over his shoulders. It was far too big for him, yet for some reason, it felt perfectly right.
Clatter!
Something fell to the floor. Naruto scrambled to pick it up.
"A kunai?"
The shape was strange, with three prongs—it looked difficult to use. And yet, when Naruto gripped it, it felt like an extension of his own hand.
He wanted to examine it further, but...
"Ugh... my head..."
"Crap! The old man's waking up! Gotta go!"
Naruto bolted from the Hokage's residence, carrying three stolen treasures.
***
An hour later, Naruto was deep in the woods at the meeting spot, practicing. Though covered in mud, he had managed to learn one technique from the scroll just as Mizuki arrived.
"Hey, Naruto. I see you managed to bring the Scroll of Seals..."
"I sure did, Mizuki! Now I can finally be a ninja, right?" Naruto's eyes sparkled with hope.
Mizuki let out a low, dark chuckle. "Heh... heh heh..."
"Mizuki?"
"Hahaha! You really think a brat like you could ever be a ninja? Naruto?"
"Wh-What are you talking about?!"
"This wasn't an exam! I just used you to steal the village's most sacred scroll!"
"That's a lie! You said—you said if I brought this, I'd pass!"
"I lied! They taught you to see through deception at the Academy, didn't they, you failure?! That's why you'll never be a ninja!"
The mask of the kind teacher was gone, replaced by a sneer of pure contempt. Naruto finally realized the gravity of the situation.
"Shut up! I'm not giving this to you! I'm taking it back to the Hokage!"
"Ha! You think you can run from me? And as for the Hokage..." Mizuki stopped, his eyes landing on the cloak Naruto was wearing. A wicked idea formed in his mind. "Naruto, since you went to the trouble of stealing that scroll, I'll tell you something special as a reward."
"Forget it! I'm not falling for your tricks twice!"
"Oh, don't be like that. I know you've wanted to know this your whole life... Don't you want to know why everyone in this village hates your guts?"
Naruto froze. That was the question that had haunted him for as long as he could remember. Because of the Third Hokage's protection, people rarely laid a hand on him, but the eyes of the villagers were filled with loathing. And he hated them back. He needed to know why.
"It's because of a decree the Third Hokage made. A truth that was hidden only from you!"
"A decree?"
"That decree forbids anyone from telling you the truth: that you are the Nine-Tailed Fox that destroyed this village twelve years ago!"
"...What? The Nine-Tails?"
"That's right! Twelve years ago, you killed Iruka's parents! And the hero you admire so much, the Fourth Hokage, was the one who sealed the monster inside you!"
"No... that's a lie... you're lying!"
"It's all true! Look at the way the village treats you! That's all the proof you need!"
As Naruto spiraled into shock, Mizuki lunged, throwing a kunai. It grazed Naruto's cheek, leaving a thin red line.
"Naruto, this is the end. Hand over the scroll and I might let you live. I'm in a good mood."
Naruto's mind was a whirlwind of conflict. But his pride wouldn't let him obey someone who had mocked him so thoroughly. More than that, he couldn't trust anyone anymore. There was no guarantee Mizuki would let him live.
He turned and bolted toward the woods, heading in the direction of the village gates.
"Idiot. If you'd just handed it over, you might have survived a few more minutes."
Mizuki caught up instantly, hurling shuriken at Naruto's back. Several found their mark, biting into Naruto's legs.
"Agh... damn it..."
"Even if you escape me, the village's forces are already mobilized to kill you. They won't stop until the monster is dead."
"Shut up!!"
"By the way, your precious Iruka isn't coming. He's a fool, but even he wouldn't be stupid enough to protect the thing that killed his parents."
Naruto realized he was truly alone. He had always known the people around him couldn't be relied upon. He had to do this himself. He ripped the shuriken from his leg and crossed his fingers in a specific sign.
"Oh? A final struggle? How cute! Show me what you've got, you monster fox!"
"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
The arrogance on Mizuki's face vanished, replaced by pure terror. Before him, fifty versions of Naruto appeared, filling the clearing. This wasn't the flimsy illusion from the Academy; these were solid clones, each radiating physical pressure.
51 against 1.
"Wh-What is this?!"
"'What'? It's the technique from the scroll you told me about! Now... I'm going to pay you back fifty times over for everything you said!"
One minute later, the fight was over. Naruto stood over the unconscious Mizuki.
"Okay... first things first, I guess I have to apologize to the old man."
As Naruto started to pack up, a dozen Leaf ninja materialized around him.
"Found him. Naruto Uzumaki."
"What? Mizuki has been taken down?"
"Don't tell me... has the seal broken?"
"This is bad. We need to report to the Hokage... No, we have to stop him before the seal completely fails..."
The lead ninja's words were the signal. The surrounding shinobi began to radiate pure killing intent.
"Wait! Hold on a second!" Naruto cried out.
"No more talk, monster fox! Today, we settle the score for the village!"
Naruto had exhausted nearly all his chakra on the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu. He watched, helpless, as a hail of shuriken and kunai flew toward him from all directions.