Naruto watched Hinata's figure as she walked away, a smile lingering on his face.
Mizuki said with false kindness,
"Little Naruto, you're lucky to have such a lovely fiancée. You must cherish her."
"Of course," Naruto replied pointedly. "I also heard that Mizuki-sensei's girlfriend is very beautiful. You shouldn't let her down either."
For some reason, Mizuki's expression stiffened at those words. His heart wavered for a moment. But when he thought of certain things, his resolve hardened again.
He waited until Hinata had left the academy, then said naturally,
"Naruto, this make-up exam is special. It's not inside the academy. Come with me."
"Okay, Mizuki-sensei." Naruto pretended to be clueless and followed without resistance.
Mizuki led Naruto away from the Ninja Academy to a secluded training ground.
Once they were alone, Mizuki began his scheme. He lowered his voice, speaking in a persuasive tone:
"Naruto, I know your situation. Passing this exam is very simple. Because you were absent during the test, you couldn't graduate in time. But don't worry—I've secured a chance for you to take the make-up exam. As soon as you enter the Hokage Building, then…"
He grew more and more excited as he spoke, but then noticed Naruto's strange expression.
Naruto couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Hahaha~ Mizuki-sensei, do you really think I'd believe that?"
Mizuki's eyes narrowed.
"What's wrong, Naruto? Don't you want to take the make-up exam, pass the graduation test, and join the same team as your fiancée?"
Naruto sighed and said directly,
"Mizuki-sensei, stop pretending. Let me ask you just one thing—do you really think Orochimaru will give you power? Power that matches your ambition?"
Mizuki's eyes widened.
How… how does this kid know?
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
"Naruto… how did you find out?"
He was sure he had hidden everything perfectly, without exposing a trace. Yet somehow, Naruto knew his darkest secret.
Naruto's tone turned firm.
"I'll make it clear—Orochimaru won't be your stepping stone. You'll never be able to use someone like him, Mizuki-sensei."
"What do you know?!" Mizuki snapped, his calm façade collapsing. His face twisted as he shouted,
"Everyone agreed I killed my teammates! But wasn't it for the mission? Isn't a ninja supposed to prioritize the mission above all else?!"
His voice grew more frenzied.
"I did nothing wrong! I did it for Konoha! But no one acknowledges me!"
Because of that incident, Mizuki had lost his position as a proper instructor, reduced to a mere academy assistant. That position should have been his—Iruka had taken it instead.
Jealousy had long twisted his heart.
Naruto shook his head slightly.
"Do you know Hatake Sakumo?"
Mizuki frowned. "What??"
Naruto explained,
"He was Kakashi's father, a hero of the Great Ninja War. But during one mission, he abandoned the mission to save his teammates. And what happened? Everyone blamed him—even the teammates he rescued cursed him. In the end, the White Fang of Konoha took his own life."
"You…" Mizuki was shaken, unsure what Naruto meant.
"Do you approve of what I did then?"
His excitement rose—Naruto had brought up another man who had made the opposite choice and still been condemned.
Naruto said firmly,
"Mizuki-sensei, what I want you to understand is this: no matter what choice you make, you'll never satisfy everyone. Whether you choose the mission or your comrades, someone will curse you afterward. What matters is that while some reject you, there will always be others who accept you. Do you understand?"
Mizuki was silent, his anger softening slightly.
For years he had endured sneers and contempt. Only Iruka had ever truly believed his story—that Mizuki had not betrayed his teammates for selfish reasons.
But Mizuki's bitterness remained.
"Naruto, this village isn't as beautiful as you think. It's rotten and dark. You've been ostracized yourself—you should know that better than anyone!"
Naruto raised his hand, cutting him off.
"Enough. I don't want to hear you try to incite rebellion in me. I'll tell you clearly: siding with Orochimaru is the wrong path."
"I'll give you two choices now."
"First: stay in Konoha. Like I said, some people already acknowledge you. It wouldn't be hard for you to remain here. Stay in Konoha and continue being Iruka-sensei's friend. Whether it's sympathy or hypocrisy, it doesn't matter. Just keep acting and never expose your true self."
"Second: follow Orochimaru. If you choose that, I won't expose you, nor will I stop you."
In truth, if Mizuki chose the second path, Naruto could kill him right here. But if Mizuki chose the first, it would mean he had at least realized reality.
Mizuki's expression twisted. Then he laughed loudly.
"Uzumaki Naruto… do you think you can defeat me anytime you want? You're just an ungraduated Genin. I'm an experienced Chūnin! So what if you're a so-called monster? Without the Nine Tails, you're no different from the other academy brats!"
Naruto remained calm.
"Mizuki-sensei, take a look around you."
Mizuki frowned and instinctively glanced around.
The woods were quiet, insects chirping in the dusk. But then he froze.
Tree trunks, rocks, even the ground—everything around him was covered in explosive tags.
He was surrounded.
"When… when did this happen?" Mizuki panicked, eyes darting back to Naruto.
But with a puff of smoke, Naruto's figure vanished.
From the shadows, his voice echoed coldly:
"Mizuki-sensei, you can't even see through a ninja student's Clone Technique. Do you really think someone like Orochimaru would take you seriously?"
"Still, I don't want to hurt you. As long as you choose one of the paths I've given you… I'll let you go."
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