CHAPTER 18: THE FORBIDDEN SCROLL

Chapter 18: The Forbidden Scroll

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Naruto was in a normal attire as he walked through the empty streets of Konoha. He had to create a plan that would make it seem like he was forced into a situation where he had to fight Mizuki.

Naruto had been told that Mizuki would be taking a route that would lead himself out of Konoha. The real question that was needed to be asked was:

What is Mizuki's possible route?

I'm sure he wouldn't take a route that has very important people living throughout the route. Naruto thought, continuing to walk in the empty streets of the village named Konoha.

He had to create a plan that was efficient and held no flaws whatsoever. Naruto put two fingers right up to his chin, making it seem like he was trying to hold it. Thoughts and thoughts roamed through his head.

Then which route is most optimal for his escape? Naruto thought, wondering what could be the best escape for him. He narrowed his eyes at the ground below.

Did he even create an optimal plan for his escape? He had to — Konoha is much more difficult to escape from than just infiltrating in. Naruto thought, suddenly jumping on a building.

His hair flowed through the night sky as he jumped from tree to tree. His eyes traveled as he tried predicting of a route that Mizuki could potentially take. Naruto furrowed his eyebrows right together.

Maybe he could make a route to the quieter part of the village? Naruto thought, his eyes looking right behind him. He looked over there for a split second before turning his head back to the front.

Nah, that would take too long for Mizuki. It would also risk him of showing his cover, since there are parts throughout the village. Naruto thought, jumping right on top of another building.

Then that leaves for Mizuki to escape using the vast forests that is around Konoha. There is also a lot of forests inside of Konoha that he could use throughout the escape. Naruto thought, landing right on top of a building.

Then which forest is closest to the Hokage Residence. Naruto thought, quickly closing in on the Hokage Residence at a quick and silent speed. Once he was close enough, Naruto stood on top of a stone pillar, looking right at the Hokage Residence with his deep azure eyes.

Now, did Mizuki already get the Forbidden Scroll? Or is he trying to get it now? Naruto thought, observing the area of the Hokage Residence with his eyes. Naruto lightly raised an eyebrow.

There was someone there.

There was a slight shadow that was silently moving up the Hokage Residence. The said shadow seemed to have disappeared right after due to the shadow entering the Hokage Residence.

Naruto narrowed his eyes.

It seems like that was Mizuki. Naruto thought, looking to the side that Mizuki had came from. He noted that he had came out of a forest to the right of the Hokage Residence. Naruto nodded at that bit of information.

It's highly likely that Mizuki would try and actually go that route once more to try and secure the Forbidden Scroll. Naruto thought, silently jumping down to the ground.

He knows that path much better and clearer since he actually used it instead of a path that he did not actually use. Naruto thought, making his way towards the forest that Mizuki had appeared right out from.

Now to make this seem like a coincidental encounter. Naruto thought, entering the forest without much or any hesitation glooming throughout his entire head.

~~~

Mizuki had finally done it! He had finally achieved the Forbidden Scroll that he needed. A large devilish smile was plastered right on his face due to his success with stealing the the Forbidden Scroll.

I got it. I got ITTT! Mizuki yelled in his mind, finally knowing that he had finished his mission to get the Forbidden Scroll that was residing in the Hokage Residence.

Now, I only need to give this to Orochimaru-sama. Mizuki thought, already tasting the victory that was rushing throughout his entire body. He was content at his achievement that he had managed to pull during midnight.

Konoha has lost its touched! Orochimaru-sama was right, this place was a waste of trash! Mizuki thought as he rushed into the same forest that he had used to get to the Hokage Residence.

All I need to do is get myself out of Konoha. HAHAHAHAHA. Mizuki was laughing inside his mind, excited for the reward that this Orochimaru person was going to give him for his successful mission achievement.

But as he was running, he saw something in the distance of him. Mizuki slightly slowed down and squinted his eyes to get a better look at the thing from afar. He widened his eyes.

Naruto?! Mizuki thought, gulping down a lump that was forming down his throat. God, he felt something imaginary rise from his body. He was getting nervous at his presence.

"Naruto?" Mizuki called out as he got near Naruto. His head that was formerly looking down on the ground snapped right up towards Mizuki. "Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, getting closer to each other every second that they took a step.

"W-what are you doing here, Naruto?" Asked Mizuki, nervous that he might get caught. Naruto shrugged right at him, looking around the area that the two were in.

"I guess I was taken by the road of life. I just somehow got here." Mizuki nervously laughed at that. God, what was he? Getting scared of an academy student. Naruto looked at him.

"What about you? What was your reason being here?" There was a tone that Mizuki couldn't identify correctly. The tone was almost. . . condescending. Mizuki inhaled and exhaled slightly.

"You know, I guess. . . t-the road of life took me here a-also." Naruto nodded, seemingly seeing that as valid excuse. Naruto started to slowly walk right past him.

"Well, good luck on what life is unfolding for you. But do take care of that scroll, it seems like it holds a lot of secrets. . . don't you think?" Mizuki slightly widened his eyes at that.

Did he know? No, he couldn't know. He was only an academy student for god sake. "Yeah, w-will do," said Mizuki, slowly walking right past Naruto as well. But as soon as they crossed each other, Naruto stopped walking from behind.

"Oh, and it seems that you are quite nervous. Is there a reason for that?" Naruto asked, getting Mizuki to stop right at his tracks abruptly. Mizuki was absolutely shitting his pants at this situation.

"I-i'm not nervous, Naruto. I-I think you got it all wrong." Shit, he was nervous. This mission was killing him on the inside-out. Mizuki could practically imagine Naruto raising an eyebrow right behind him.

Oh, did Naruto mention that he was raising an eyebrow right now?

"That seems odd. From the moment we met, I noticed many things that might have indicated that you are currently nervous." Naruto was now fully turned a few feet away from behind. Mizuki looked behind him and saw Naruto's stoic face.

"And those w-were?" Mizuki asked, feeling like a whole lot of bricks were being piled right on top of his body. Naruto stood there, silent for a few moments before giving an answer to Mizuki's question.

"There were a few things — the sweat pouring down from your head was one of the indication. And the other was the amount of stammering/stuttering that you are currently doing. The only other person that I have seen stammer/stutter is Hinata. And well, she stammers with everyone." Mizuki gulped lowly. He had even more bricks pile right on top of his body.

He's way too observant?! Mizuki thought, thinking of a way to get himself out of this situation. "A-ah, well, I-I always stammer." Shit, that was a really bad excuse to use. Naruto raised his other eyebrow and putting down the other one.

"That's odd, every time that I have ever spoken to you, you have spoken without a single stammer/stutter. And it's arguable that you actually speak very fluently." Mizuki was trapped into a corner, having no way to get out of it.

"M-maybe it was just a c-coincidence?" Mizuki nervously laughed at his own question. Naruto shook his head. "I do not think so," said Naruto, eyes piercing through Mizuki's brain. His nervous laugh slightly died down.

Shit! I-I'm trapped! What do I do?! Mizuki yelled on his mind, gritting his teeth through the process. "It seems like you are gritting your teeth. Your jaws suddenly tensed up." Mizuki clenched his jaws even tighter.

That's it! Mizuki yelled, throwing a punch right towards Naruto's face. Without much difficulty, Naruto dodged the fist with ease. His eyes darted towards Mizuki, stoically.

"It seems like you have finally cracked under the pressure that I was giving you." Naruto tilted his body to the right to dodge a punch.

"Shut up!" Yelled Mizuki, continuing his barrages of punches towards Naruto. He lightly sighed, blocking one punch and kicking another. Naruto was barely breaking a sweat against Mizuki.

"Don't you think our meeting here was just a coincidence?" Naruto asked, ducking towards the ground to dodge a quick to the abdomen. Mizuki was getting tired at the continuous amounts of punches and kicks that he was throwing.

"The hell do you mean?!" Mizuki huffed, quickly getting tired due to the amount of stamina that he was currently wasting. But if you were to look at Naruto, you would see that he was barely wasting any.

"This encounter that we're having is not merely just a coincidence. I had planned this out. You know, you were always a suspicious person the moment you became the assistant teacher for Iruka." Naruto dodged a punch then gave a sucker-punch towards Mizuki's face.

He was blown back, falling towards the ground that the two stood on.

"I was on top of a building and saw you sneak inside the Hokage Residence. I estimated that you were most probable of going to this forest due to you already having a pathway through it." Mizuki widened his eyes at Naruto. He was figured out!

"You damn child!" Mizuki stood back up, throwing the Forbidden Scroll to the side. He felt the extra weight that the scroll was giving him suddenly take off. Mizuki had an enraged grin on his face.

It seems his stammering/stuttering has stopped due to the increase in adrenaline and vicious enragement. Naruto thought, slowly putting his hands into his pockets. "You underestimate me, Naruto!" Yelled Mizuki, rushing in towards Naruto at a quick speed.

"I'm a chunin! You are an academy student! There's levels of difference in our status! And that also means our own abilities differ! I'm the stronger ninja here!" Mizuki yelled, quickly closing in on Naruto.

"I don't think you know what you are saying. The only difference between you and me are our ranking in the ninja system. Other than that, I am much stronger than you." Naruto slowly started to walked towards Mizuki.

"Overestimation is quite dangerous, don't you think?" Naruto asked, dodging a punch from the enraged Mizuki. He widened his eyes, not believing at such a sight. "You're overestimating yourself, Naruto!" Mizuki yelled, throwing a quick punch towards Naruto.

He easily dodged, pulling out a kunai from his holster.

"I don't think I'm overestimating myself. I'm only speaking objective facts. In this world, rank doesn't matter. If someone like me can defeat a low-class chunin like you, then it really doesn't." Naruto did one quick motion. In a split second, there was a tear that appeared on Mizuki's vest.

If you were to look even closer, you would see that the tear reached all the way towards Mizuki's skin. The kunai had managed to pierce Mizuki's flesh. Blood came gushing right out of the wound.

He widened his eyes, backing away from Naruto.

He's dangerous. Mizuki thought, feeling the stinging from the small gash on his chest. He gritted his teeth, looking towards Naruto with such fiery rage. "You'll pay for that!" Yelled Mizuki, screaming once more.

Naruto did nothing but smirked at him. A rare occurrence indeed.

"Yeah? Then come at me. If you hesitate for even a second to take my life," Naruto rushed right towards Mizuki with serious and unparalleled speeds for someone like him.

"I'll takes yours." Naruto appeared right above Mizuki, a clone right next to him. It wasn't just any clone that Naruto had summoned. Mizuki widened his eyes right towards Naruto.

"A. . . shadow clone?" The clone threw towards the stoic Naruto right towards Mizuki at great speeds. He didn't know how to counter, so he dodged. Just barely.

"The hell?!" Mizuki jumped back up to regain his pwn balance. He saw Naruto on the ground. He had created a miniature crater that would've most definitely crushed his bones.

"It sucks — you and your own capacity I mean." Naruto turned towards Mizuki. Without any hesitation, Naruto started to slowly walk towards Mizuki, his blond and black hair flowing throughout the night.

"I'll show you a simple taste of my power." Naruto looked right towards with his piercing eyes. He slowly covered his eyes with his hand. A 3-tomoe Sharingan appeared right behind his hand.

The power of Uchiha Naruto. He thought, coming right towards Mizuki with his hand covering his Sharingan eyes.

"That won't defeat me! That is only limiting yourself!" Yelled Mizuki, rushing right towards Naruto. He stayed silent for a few seconds before his mouth started to slowly move.

"Limiting myself? I don't think you know, but this is by far the least thing that is limiting myself." The two closed in on each other. They were just meters apart.

"Because this is the difference between you and me — I know your limits and capacity as a regular chunin. But me? I am an enigma and you have no idea what my actual limits are." Naruto jumped over Mizuki, throwing a kunai.

The said kunai pierced Mizuki's shoulder.

"The moment you thought of trying to steal the Forbidden Scroll, you lost terribly. I am the worst match for you and a lot of others." Naruto threw another kunai towards Mizuki's leg, stopping him from trying to dodge.

Naruto summoned a shadow clone right beside him while he was in the air. The shadow clone that he had summoned placed his hands right on the real Naruto's back.

He threw Naruto right towards Mizuki at great speeds. The air around them shifted and distorted, backing away from Naruto's intensity in power.

"Checkmate."

Naruto landing right on top of Mizuki's back. A small explosion appeared all around them all. The bit of the dirt that was on the ground became a substitute for clouds of smoke.

Naruto's shadow clone dispersed itself.

The clouds of dirt slowly started to subside and disappear, revealing a bloody Mizuki laying on the ground, groaning in pain as he slowly lost consciousness from the amount of pain and pressure he was currently getting.

Naruto was standing on top of Mizuki. His Sharingan was deactivated, letting him slowly take his hand right off of his face. A slight sigh escaped Naruto's face as he looked up at the night sky.

A barrage of chunin and jonin appeared all around him.

"I win."

~~~

AN(Shaxoss):

DONE! This shall be the end of the chapter. I have found a way to get my procrastination to substantially stop, so this chapter was a bit early than expected. Anyway, this was Naruto vs Mizuki. Next chapter we shall meet. . .

Konohamaru.