"What method?"
Hearing that the teacher before him had a solution, Naruto immediately looked up, his eyes filled with longing.
A meaningful smile curled at the corner of Mizuki's mouth.
"That is, to make yourself stronger than anyone else."
"Get stronger!"
Naruto clenched his fists tightly, excitedly bragging to Mizuki, "I'm getting stronger! Kakashi-sensei promised to teach me lots of powerful Ninjutsu next!"
However, Mizuki shook his head.
The excitement on Naruto's face instantly froze, "W-What's wrong, Mizuki-sensei?"
"Naruto, you're too naïve." Mizuki's tone carried a trace of pity, "Kakashi is an Elite Jonin. He needs to guide geniuses like Sasuke. How could he possibly have real time to spend on you?"
These words stirred other thoughts in Naruto.
'Indeed, compared to me, Kakashi-sensei did seem to prefer Sasuke more.'
"Then what should I do?"
Seeing his dejected appearance, Mizuki knew the time was ripe.
He crouched down again, leaning close to Naruto's ear, and said in a highly seductive voice, low and conspiratorial:
"Actually, there is a method that can allow you to learn countless powerful Forbidden Techniques in a short time and become stronger than anyone else."
Naruto's breathing suddenly became rapid, and he stared at Mizuki intently.
"What method?!"
A cunning glint flashed in Mizuki's eyes.
"In the Hokage's Office, there is a hidden scroll called the 'Scroll of Seals'."
"It records countless powerful Forbidden Techniques left by the previous Hokage. As long as you can learn one or two of them, forget Sasuke, even Kakashi might not be your match."
Naruto's eyes widened into perfect circles. He could almost imagine his cool appearance after learning the Forbidden Techniques, making Sasuke look at him with new respect.
Mizuki watched at the changing expressions on Naruto's face with satisfaction and added more fuel to the fire.
"Tonight, I will find a way to distract the guards at the Hokage Tower. You just need to sneak in, get the scroll, then wait for me in the forest north of the village. I will personally teach you the technique on it there."
"Isn't that... stealing?" Naruto instinctively felt a twinge of unease.
"How can this be stealing?" Mizuki immediately refuted, righteous and solemn, "This is just a secret test from Hokage-sama for you! Think about it, if it weren't for Hokage-sama's tacit approval, how could you possibly get the scroll so easily?"
"A test?" Naruto was stunned.
"Exactly!" Mizuki nodded heavily, his face filled with an encouraging smile, "As long as you pass this test and learn the Forbidden Technique on it, Hokage-sama will definitely recognize your strength."
"By then, everyone will look at you with new respect! You will be the hero of the village!"
"Hero..."
This word instantly dispelled Naruto's unease. The last trace of hesitation in his heart vanished into thin air.
"I understand, Mizuki-sensei!" Naruto nodded vigorously, "I will definitely pass the test!"
Mizuki smiled with relief. He stood up and gave one final instruction.
"Remember, this matter must be kept secret. You can't tell anyone. This is a secret test meant only for you."
"Mm! I won't tell anyone!" Naruto promised, patting his chest.
Watching Naruto's excited retreating back, the gentle smile on Mizuki's face slowly faded.
"What an easy-to-fool idiot," he muttered to himself, then turned and melted into the crowd on the street corner.
…
Inside the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen sat silently in his chair, watching everything that had just happened outside the convenience store through his crystal ball.
He found it both amusing and exasperating.
As a top-secret item of the village, the Scroll of Seals had its own independent protection system. How could it possibly be easily stored in the Hokage's Office?
'Forget it. Consider it compensation for Minato.'
'As for what Naruto could learn, it would depend on his talent.'
"Nightingale."
An Anbu member wearing a mask appeared silently in the office.
"Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen slowly issued the order, "Tonight, withdraw all visible sentries outside the Hokage Tower."
"Yes!"
Although they didn't understand what the Hokage intended, they only needed to obey.
Hiruzen thought for a moment and added, "Also, assign two elite squads to keep an eye on Mizuki starting now. Don't let anything happen to Naruto."
"Understood!"
The Anbu acknowledged the order, their figures flickering as they disappeared into the shadows.
The office fell silent once more.
…
Evening, Training Ground 3.
Zztt…
Amidst the piercing screech of lightning, a mass of highly unstable blue-white electric light gathered in Sasuke's right palm.
He could feel that if he compressed the Chakra just a bit more, this rampant power would fully take form.
But each time, at the final moment of formation, it fell apart.
"Hah..."
Sasuke dispersed the Chakra in his palm, breathing heavily.
Hours of intense Shape Transformation training had pushed his Chakra consumption to its limit.
"Alright, Sasuke, that's enough for today." Kakashi closed his Icha Icha Paradise and leaped down from the tree, "Your progress is already very fast. Practicing further will only be counterproductive."
Sasuke didn't speak, only nodded in agreement.
He stood up, preparing to leave the training ground.
"Wait a moment." Kakashi stopped him.
Sasuke turned back with a questioning look in his eyes.
Kakashi pointed at the ravaged scorched earth, "This training ground has been destroyed like this by you. According to regulations, you need to pay compensation for the repair costs."
Sasuke's footsteps halted. His brow instantly furrowed.
'Money?'
He instinctively felt his pockets. Empty.
Seemingly seeing through Sasuke's predicament, Kakashi said with a smile, "However, you are my lovely student. As your teacher, it's only right for me to cover this small expense for you."
"No need."
Sasuke coldly spat out the two words. Without waiting for Kakashi to say more, his figure blurred, and he vanished on the spot.
"Really not an un-lovable student at all..."
…
Sasuke's figure appeared before the main gate of the Uchiha Clan's compound.
He searched several houses but found no cash or deposit slips.
But the Uchiha Clan, as Konoha's foremost clan, couldn't possibly have no clan assets or savings.
The only explanation was that all these things had been confiscated by the village after that night.
Thinking this, the coldness in Sasuke's eyes deepened.
'These people are truly insatiably greedy.'
He raised his head, looking towards the illuminated Hokage Tower in the distance, a decision already forming in his heart.
He needed to demand an explanation.
Without hesitation, Sasuke's figure vanished into the night once more.
When he arrived at the Hokage Tower, the lights in the entire building were out.
'Weren't the lights usually on here?'
Just as Sasuke was puzzling over this, a yellow figure suddenly appeared before him, clutching a massive scroll.
It was Naruto, who had just jumped out of the window of Hokage's Office.
---
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