Chapter no.57 Battle In The Forest

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[ Skill: Shadow Weapon Jutsu (Kage Buki no Jutsu) ]

[ Level: 1 (Active) ]

[ Chakra Points (CP) Required: 100 per copy ]

[ Description: An A rank that creates physical copies of the user's weapons. Can be used to create an area of effect with replicated weapons. ]

[ Passive Enhancements: ]

- [ Area of Effect Accuracy: Increases accuracy of weapons in AoE by 5%. ]

[ Active Boost: ]

- [ Weapon Durability: Increases the durability of weapon copies by 10% ]

Naruto leaned back against a tree, his mind whirling with possibilities.

The Forbidden Scroll of Sealing, filled with nothing but empty scrolls, hinted at many things.

One possibility was that the scroll was a fake, but Naruto dismissed that thought quickly.

He had sent a shadow clone back to Konoha to use the Mind's Eye technique to observe the chaos as the Shinobi scrambled to find him.

The presence of Genin, Chunin, Jonin, and even ANBU chakra signatures in the turmoil confirmed the scroll's authenticity.

This left Naruto considering other options. Perhaps the Hokage had swapped out the real scroll with this decoy in case of theft, or maybe someone outside the Hokage's knowledge had managed to replace the real scrolls with these blanks.

However, Naruto leaned toward the former explanation.

It made sense that the Hokage would have a failsafe for such a critical and dangerous item.

"A golden palace becomes hollow when its own guardians dig beneath its walls," Naruto muttered to himself, the thought leaving a chill down his spine.

He shook his head to clear the somber thoughts as he sensed Iruka rapidly approaching his location.

"Okay, showtime."

_______________________________________

"Naruto!" Iruka's voice hit me like a splash of cold water, tinged with a sharp edge of anger I hadn't heard from him before.

I looked up to see him storming towards me, his hands firmly gripping my shoulders as his eyes bored into mine with an intensity that made me wince.

"Do you know what you've done?" he demanded, his voice thick with worry and accusation.

"I just did the secret exam set by Mizuki Sensei," I lied, trying to sound confident, but my voice betrayed a slight quiver.

"What?" Iruka's confusion was palpable.

Out of nowhere, a barrage of shurikens whistled through the air towards us. Reacting on pure instinct, I flicked my wrist, sending a kunai spinning into the path of the incoming projectiles. With precise timing, the kunai tagged each shuriken, redirecting them away from both me and Iruka.

The shurikens clattered harmlessly to the ground around us, and I could feel Iruka's gaze on me, heavy with surprise and a flicker of admiration.

When did he learn to do that? Iruka thought.

"Well, well, I didn't expect that. I'm impressed you found this place, Iruka," Mizuki's voice came from the shadows, dripping with feigned surprise and underlying menace.

"I see how it is," Iruka said, the strain in his voice making my stomach twist uncomfortably.

"Naruto, give me that scroll," Mizuki demanded sharply, his eyes greedily fixed on the forbidden scroll clutched in my hands.

"Naruto, never give him that scroll. It's a dangerous object that contains forbidden ninjutsu. Mizuki used you to get it for himself," Iruka's voice cracked with urgency.

"Naruto, Iruka is only afraid of you having that scroll," Mizuki interjected smoothly, his tone oozing deceit.

My head spun with confusion.

"Huh?"

Is the scenario finally happening, but I haven't even finished the mission?

"Don't let him fool you, Naruto," Mizuki pressed on, his voice persuasive and dangerous.

"I will tell you the truth."

"Don't you dare, it's forbidden," Iruka's shout broke through the tense air, his worry palpable.

Thirteen years ago, a rule was set, a rule that everyone but me knew.

As Mizuki spoke, my heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice.

"Everyone but me? What are you talking about?"

"Stop it, Mizuki!" Iruka's shout was desperate, filled with a raw fear that I had never seen in him before.

"This rule is to keep you from knowing the truth about what you are. Do you want to know?" Mizuki taunted, his voice cruel and mocking.

"What? What am I?"

"You are the Kyuubi no Kitsune that nearly destroyed the village thirteen years ago. You killed the beloved Yondaime Hokage," Mizuki's words were like venom.

"You even killed Iruka's parents."

The world seemed to stop spinning.

The revelation hit me like a physical blow, knocking the wind out of me. My legs felt weak, and I staggered slightly, my hands trembling as the full weight of his words settled upon my shoulders.

It all clicked in an instant—the sabotaged exams, the relentless glares from villagers, and the whispers behind my back.

Even the seemingly benign monthly stipend from the Hokage.

My entire life in Konoha, wrapped in a shroud of disdain I never fully understood until now. Demon Child... that nickname wasn't just a cruel joke; it was my reality. I wasn't hated for being an Uzumaki; I was despised for being the Kyuubi.

"How dare you?" Iruka's voice cut through the heavy silence, hissing with a venom I'd never heard before.

Mizuki's face twisted into a sneer as he drew a giant shuriken, his intentions clear. "And now, I'll kill you and become a hero to the village."

"Naruto, don't listen to that traitor," Iruka urged, stepping slightly in front of me, his body tense and ready.

Mizuki laughed coldly.

"Why protect him, Iruka? He's the one who killed your family."

Iruka's fists clenched, his anger palpable. "I'm not letting an idiot like you get that scroll," he spat back, standing firm despite the danger.

Mizuki's eyes narrowed. "You're the idiot. Naruto is a monster like me," he shot back, venom dripping from every word.

"Anyone with that scroll can do anything they want. The Kyuubi would abuse its power," Mizuki goaded, trying to provoke further.

"Ah, you're right..." Iruka conceded, his voice heavy, causing my heart to sink.

But then Iruka's tone shifted, firm and resolute.

"But Naruto is different. He's one of my best students. He works hard. He's not the Kyuubi. He's Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure."

Mizuki's face contorted with rage.

"Then die!" he screamed, hurling the shuriken with lethal force.

As Iruka unleashed his Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu against Mizuki's incoming Fuma Shuriken, I could tell it was a decoy.

My suspicion was confirmed when another shuriken, the real threat, came hurtling from the side. Iruka's body tensed, his eyes widening with a fear that momentarily paralyzed him.

It was clear in his stance—he was prepared to sacrifice himself for me.

I couldn't let that happen.

Giving Iruka a reassuring smile, I signaled my readiness to take over.

He understood immediately, nodding slightly, his trust evident even in the midst of chaos.

My hands buzzed with chakra as I reached out, snatching the blade of the flying shuriken from the air.

Its momentum was strong, but I used it to my advantage, allowing it to spin me around.

My feet found their pivot, rooted firmly to the ground as Iruka's fireball exploded mid-air, providing a smokescreen.

With the world momentarily hidden behind the fiery curtain, I whipped around on my heel. The motion was fluid, almost instinctual.

Every muscle, every fiber in my body coiled like a spring, ready to release the energy.

My fingers tightened around the shuriken's handle, the metal cool and unyielding beneath my grip.

As the explosion's echo thudded in my ears, I launched the shuriken back at Mizuki.

"Fuin!" I shouted.

In the brief moment I had touched the blade, I had managed to transfer an explosive seal onto the weapon.

Boom! A massive explosion echoed through the treetops, and through the settling smoke, Mizuki's body thudded to the ground.

Although it seemed like he might be dead, I knew better.

The seal I used was only medium-grade—a Chunin could survive it.

Sure enough, Mizuki was horribly burned, his clothes nearly destroyed, hanging in tatters from his charred skin.

Then something unexpected happened. A weird purplish chakra began to exude from his body.

I noticed a fuinjutsu seal on Mizuki's forearm—a green skull with an open jaw—that seemed to pulse with dark energy.

As the chakra enveloped him, his body began to heal, muscles bulking up, tiger-like stripes appearing on his skin, and his nails morphing into sharp claws.

Mizuki roared, more beast than man now.

[ Name: Touji Mizuki ]

[ Status: Infected by Prototype Cursed Seal, Insanity ]

[ Title: Traitor of Konoha ]

[ Level: 13 ]

[ Class: Civilian Shinobi ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ HP: 5350 / 5350 ]

[ AC: 20 ]

[ CP: 1.5k / 2k ]

[ Lineage Traits: None ]

[ Class Features:

- Mask of a Shinobi ]

[ Feats: Deceiver ]

[ Stats: ]

- [ STR: 30 ]

- [ DEX: 35 ]

- [ CON: 15 ]

- [ INT: 3 ]

- [ WIS: 2 ]

- [ CHA: 9 ]

- [ VIT: 36 ]

- [ LUK: 3 ]

[ Allies: ? ]

[ Equipment: None ]

[ Description: A talentless orphan born during the 2nd Shinobi War never amounted to anything, never praised until he met [REDACTED] and gained everything he ever wanted. To repay [REDACTED], he was given an order to steal the Forbidden Scroll of Seals, and this gave him an opportunity to repay his master and also get his revenge on the Kyuubi for killing his wife and their unborn child. ]

Feeling the raw, murderous intent from Mizuki wiped any pity from my heart. I attempted to trap him with Genjutsu Ensnarement, but the wild, chaotic chakra surging through Mizuki's veins shattered my attempt before it could take hold.

"Okay, let's beat him the old-fashioned way," I declared, glancing at Iruka for agreement.

"I'll be the DPS and you'll be Utility Support," I explained quickly.

"What?"

"I'll attack, you help," I simplified, hoping he'd catch on quickly.

Without waiting for a full agreement, I launched into the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu. Clouds of smoke burst around us, and I felt a chunk of my chakra drain away as over forty clones materialized, circling us.

I could almost see Iruka's hesitance dissolve as he realized the seriousness of our strategy.

"What do I need to do?" he asked, ready to play his part.

"Can you provide something like a smoke cloud to hide us?" I suggested.

Iruka nodded.

"Will you be able to see?" he questioned, concern lacing his voice.

"Yes," I assured him, remembering the brief flashes of insight from the clones I had sent earlier to test Mizuki's reactions.

"Earth Style: Dust Cloud," Iruka chanted, completing the hand signs. A thick cloud of dust enveloped the forest around us, masking our movements.

"Let's go, boys!" I yelled, enthusiasm spiked with adrenaline.

I spat out a mouthful of sand that had found its way in during the commotion.

"Yatta!" echoed my army of clones, who also spat out their own mouthfuls of sand.

Iruka watched, a look of mild regret passing over his face as he saw the chaos unfold. He probably regretted letting me fight, but there was no turning back now.

As Mizuki's more animalistic form rolled and slashed, his claws tore through another one of my shadow clones, dissipating it into smoke.

He was stronger and faster with this new power, but he also seemed less strategic, more driven by raw instinct.

As he swiped at another clone, I took advantage of his predictability.

My clone, using Flash Fist, zipped right into Mizuki's personal space. Mizuki snapped viciously at it, aiming to bite the clone's head off.

I reacted instantly, pivoting on my heel using the swirling kata—a clockwise movement—to evade and counter.

I leaped up and delivered a forceful kick to the back of Mizuki's head.

"Sheer Force," I murmured as my foot connected, and Mizuki's head smashed into the ground.

He grunted, staggering to his feet, only to be met by another clone that kicked his head like it was a soccer ball.

The Sheer Force Jutsu propelled him like a ragdoll, slamming him against a giant stone.

Before he could recover, another clone accelerated with Flash Fist and drove a knee into his stomach, using Sheer Force to shatter the stone behind him.

The clone vanished in a puff of smoke, and yet another clone swooped in, delivering an uppercut that launched Mizuki skyward.

A dozen clones simultaneously executed Fire Style: Fireball Jutsus, lighting up the night and the entire forest around us. Mizuki let out a roar, filled with raw chakra, but before he could react further, I propelled myself into the sky. My leg stretched out, armored with Earth Style: Diamond Skin. I focused every ounce of my chakra into the heel of my leg, maximizing the speed of expulsion for maximum impact.

As Mizuki twisted mid-air, reacting to my ascent, I timed my attack perfectly.

My heel kick, powered by every ounce of chakra I could muster, connected squarely with his cheek.

The impact felt like striking a sledgehammer against a wall—there was a solid, satisfying thud as my foot met his face.

The force of my kick sent him hurtling down into the inferno below, a cascade of fireballs that my clones had unleashed.

His body, covered in soot and embers, crashed into the forest floor, creating a shockwave that tore through the area.

Trees bent and snapped, debris flew in all directions, and a cloud of dust and leaves mushroomed into the air.

The ground itself seemed to shudder under the force of Mizuki's descent, leaving a crater rimmed with scorched earth and splintered wood.

Standing in the air above the devastation, I watched as the dust settled.

My chest heaved with rapid breaths, a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration pumping through my veins.

The physical demand of the maneuver was intense; I could feel every muscle in my body tensing, my heart pounding against my ribs.

Yet, there was a clarity in that moment—the satisfaction of executing a move exactly as I had planned.

Landing softly among the broken foliage, I steadied myself, my eyes never leaving the crumpled form of Mizuki in the center of the crater.

My body was on high alert, every sense sharpened, ready for any sign that the battle wasn't over.

But as the silence stretched, broken only by the crackling of residual fires and the distant calls of startled wildlife, I allowed myself a brief moment to relax.

"That was for everything you've done," I muttered under my breath, my gaze hard on the defeated form before me.

"Not bad, huh?" I said, turning to Iruka who stood with his jaw practically hitting the floor

[ Quest : Knowledge is Power ]

[ Status: Successfully Completed ]

[ Objectives Completed: ]

- [ Infiltrate the Hokage's Library ]

- [ Escape undeterred with the Forbidden Scroll of Seals ]

- [ Bring the Forbidden Scroll of Seals to the secret location ]

- [ Select and learn a skill from [Forbidden Scroll of Seals] ]

- [ Protect the [Forbidden Scroll of Seals] ]

- [ Protect Iruka, defeat Mizuki ]

[ Bonus Objectives Completed: ]

- [ Distract the Sandaime and escape his wrath ]

- [ Select and learn an additional skill from the [Forbidden Scroll of Seals] ]

[ Rewards Granted: ]

- [ 2000 Exp per Objective ]

- [ 1000 Exp for Bonus Objectives ]

- [ 10000 Ryo upon completion of all objectives ]

- [ Increase in reputation with Konoha ]

- [ A scenario that will enable Naruto Uzumaki to learn the truth about why he is hated. ]

- [ Bounty Awarded: 15000 Ryo for Touji Mizuki, +100 reputation with Konoha. ]