The forest lay silent under the dim moonlight, its stillness broken only by the soft rustling of leaves and the hurried echo of Iruka's footsteps. The shadows stretched long across the mossy ground, every sound magnified by the tension that lingered in the air.
A glint of steel caught the faint light—the giant shuriken strapped across Mizuki's back gleamed like the fang of a predator stalking its prey.
Naruto crouched low behind a thick tree trunk, clutching the Scroll of Seals tight against his chest. His breath came in short, shallow bursts. Sweat rolled down his temples. His mind was a storm—the words Mizuki had spat at him moments ago wouldn't stop echoing inside.
A monster… a fox spirit...
Those words tore at his heart, scraping against memories of loneliness and whispers that haunted him since childhood. He could still see Iruka's body moving in front of him—that instant when his teacher shielded him from the deadly shuriken. The sight of Iruka bleeding, yet still standing his ground, made Naruto's chest ache with something beyond fear.
Just ahead, Iruka leaned against the bark of an old tree, breathing heavily, his uniform stained with blood and dirt. Despite the exhaustion clouding his eyes, his voice held firm resolve.
"This scroll isn't going to someone like you, Mizuki," Iruka said, his tone low but unwavering.
Mizuki sneered, his eyes glinting cruelly. "You think that monster will do anything good with it? You saw what he is—the Nine-Tailed Fox in human skin! A freak who should've never been born!"
Iruka's lips curved into a faint, tired smile. "You really don't understand him at all, do you?" He let out a small chuckle, pained yet proud. "Naruto's no monster. He's my student—a loudmouth, a troublemaker, a pain in the neck… but he's also the hardest worker I've ever met. He's stubborn and kind, and he's someone who understands pain more deeply than anyone else I know."
He lifted his head, eyes sharpening like a blade. "He's Naruto Uzumaki—from the Hidden Leaf Village. My student. And he'll never betray this village."
Behind the tree, Naruto's eyes widened. The air caught in his lungs. 'Iruka-sensei…'
Those words sank deep, melting the storm inside his heart into something bright and warm—and yet trembling.
Mizuki's smirk twisted into rage. "Heh, then you'll die along with your precious little pet project!"
He drew the giant shuriken from his back in one swift motion, the weapon spinning once in the moonlight.
"Die, Iruka!"
Iruka closed his eyes, accepting what was to come.
Then—a flash of orange tore through the clearing.
The night exploded with motion as Naruto launched himself from the side, knee colliding squarely with Mizuki's ribs. The impact sent the traitorous shinobi crashing back through the dirt, his shuriken spinning wildly before lodging deep into a nearby trunk.
Iruka's eyes flew open in shock.
"You surprised me there, freak..." Mizuki hissed, clutching his chest. His words faltered when he saw Naruto—standing tall, the scroll slung across his back, eyes blazing with fury and determination.
"If you ever lay a hand on Iruka-sensei," Naruto said, his voice low but steady, "I'll kill you."
A heavy silence followed. The words didn't sound like a child's threat—they carried conviction, raw and unshaken.
Mizuki laughed mockingly. "Shut up! You think you can fight a chunin? A brat like you needs just one punch to—"
"Then try me, bastard." Naruto interrupted, his fists trembling but not from fear. "I'll pay you back a million times over!"
He pressed his hands together, recalling the sequence that he had been taught within that weird space by his Idol fourth hokage. He followed the sequence quietly. While biting his finger, releasing a little blood.
Boar → Dog → Bird → Monkey → Ram
"Summoning Jutsu!"
He slammed his palm against the earth. The air cracked with force.
A shockwave burst outward, blinding light erupting in the form of thick white smoke that swallowed the clearing.
Mizuki staggered backward, cursing, waving his arm to clear the haze. Iruka shielded his eyes, heart pounding. Even the animals in the forest fell silent.
And high above in the Hokage's tower, the Third Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi—leaned closer to his crystal ball, eyes narrowing.
"So, that's the scroll's reaction…?" he murmured, pipe slipping from his lips as he watched the swirling fog consume the scene.
Then, a sound—a soft, melodic "Mew~"—rippled through the night.
The smoke thinned, revealing a faint pink glow at its center. A small, cat-like creature floated gracefully above the ground, its body translucent with energy, its tail long and curling in lazy loops. Its large sapphire eyes shimmered like stars caught in water.
[Ding—Mew has been summoned.]
[Current Level: 5]
[Matching Host Level.]
Iruka's mouth fell open. "W–What… what is that?!"
Mizuki stumbled back. "That's no beast I've ever seen!" Both of them fell silent at the sight of it, while even the Hokage had a hard time understanding what that thing was.
Mew tilted its head, studying the two humans with innocent curiosity. Then it gave a cheerful chirp, and a pulse of psychic force rippled outward, pushing dust and leaves into a swirling gust that rustled every branch around them.
Naruto blinked, jaw slack. "Whoa… so it worked?"
The mark of the summoning seal glowed faintly beneath his palm. His lips curled into a triumphant grin. "Guess I didn't mess it up this time!"
Back in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen stared at the pink creature through the crystal ball, utterly dumbfounded.
"That's… not any summon known to this world," he muttered. The ANBU beside him shifted uneasily, awaiting orders.
The Hokage exhaled slowly, eyes softening.
Back in the forest, Mizuki shook off his fear, gripping his weapon tighter.
"I don't care what kind of freakish thing you called up! I'll kill you both!"
He charged forward again, chakra surging through his legs. Despite the creature's lack of energy or fear, he wanted to kill Naruto, who had summoned it, with lightning-fast speed. He knew that he needed to deal with Naruto and get rid of that thing. With his cautiousness.
But before he could take three steps—Mew's eyes flashed. A wave of invisible energy burst outward.
Mizuki froze mid-stride, his body flung backward as if struck by an unseen hammer. He hit the ground with a thud, rolling several feet before lying motionless, groaning in pain. Mew looked at its weak force but knew it was in this new body. It could only throw a weak attack like that.
Iruka could only stare in disbelief. He'd seen countless jutsu in his time—but never anything like this. Mew floated closer to Naruto, a proud gleam in her eyes.
"Mew~"
The little creature nuzzled Naruto's cheek affectionately, her soft fur brushing against his skin. Naruto chuckled, his exhaustion fading in the warmth of that moment.
"Great work, Mew," he said, patting her tiny paw.
"Mew~!" she replied, twirling once in the air before perching gently on his shoulder, tail wrapping lightly around his neck like a ribbon of light.
The moon hung high above them, silver light cascading down through the leaves. Iruka, still stunned, felt his heart swell. The child he once scolded for failure stood now before him—not as a prankster, not as a monster, but as a shinobi.
The night was quiet again… except for Naruto's laughter echoing softly under the stars.