Taking the Blame.

Just as the ninjas waited outside the Hokage's office, each with a different expression, uncertainty hung in the air. No one knew what Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen would say to Kirito.

*Bang!*

Naruto suddenly burst into the building, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Kirito is not a spy!"

"I stole the Book of Seals!"

"Punish me if you want, but let my teacher, Kirito, go!"

The room fell silent as everyone stared in disbelief at Naruto's outburst. He was desperately trying to take the blame for the situation, his voice filled with emotion.

In the Hokage office, Kirito and Sarutobi Hiruzen both heard the commotion from outside. They were momentarily taken aback by the sudden interruption.

Naruto rushed in, convinced that the villagers thought Kirito was a spy due to his own actions with the Sealed Book. He believed that Kirito had merely used the theft as a test to evaluate him, not knowing the significance of the Sealed Book. Therefore, in Naruto's mind, the blame was solely his. He cried, begging for Kirito's release, while declaring that his teacher was innocent.

"I wanted to steal the Book of Seals and give it to Kirito," Naruto explained, sobbing. "I wanted Kirito to accept me as his disciple. Please, let him go!"

Naruto clung to Iruka's arm as if he had found a lifeline. Iruka, seeing his beloved student in such a state, felt a pang of sadness but also knew he had little power in this situation.

"This isn't something you or I can control, Naruto," Iruka said gently, though his own heart was heavy. "This is too important. Hokage-sama will do what's necessary."

Iruka's thoughts drifted back to the recent events surrounding Kirito and Shuimu. He suspected that Kirito wasn't the spy, and that it was actually Shuimu who had been behind the attempt to steal the Sealed Book. But the situation had escalated so much that even mentioning Shuimu's role wouldn't be enough to clear Kirito's name. Iruka could only hope that this wouldn't drag Naruto down with it.

Naruto, however, continued to beg for Kirito's freedom, tears streaming down his face.

"I stole the Sealed Book! Kirito is innocent!"

The sound of Naruto's voice echoed down the corridor, reaching the ears of the ninjas waiting outside. Yuhi Kurenai and others watched in silence as Naruto tried desperately to defend his teacher. Kurenai's expression shifted, her heart heavy with guilt as she reflected on her previous judgment of Naruto. She had once looked down on him as the 'fox demon,' but now, seeing his devotion to Kirito, she felt ashamed of her earlier prejudice.

But in the eyes of many of the other ninjas, Naruto's actions only solidified their suspicion. They regarded his defense of Kirito with increasing disdain.

"This fox demon has been brainwashed by that spy!" one ninja shouted.

"That little demon is just trying to protect the enemy!"

The insults and accusations flew, fueled by years of animosity towards Naruto. Asuma Sarutobi stepped forward, throwing his cigarette to the ground in frustration.

"This fox demon and that spy Kirito are both a threat to the village!" Asuma declared, his voice laced with anger. "I never liked you, Naruto. Now you're conspiring with that traitor to steal the Sealed Book!"

The other ninjas, emboldened by Asuma's words, began to shout louder.

"Yes! Get rid of him! The fox demon is a threat!"

"He's a danger to everyone here!"

Naruto stood there, trembling, as the harsh words washed over him. He felt the weight of isolation press down on him once more.

"I… I didn't mean it like this," Naruto stammered, trying to explain, but his voice faltered.

The crowd outside grew louder, their anger rising as they blamed him for everything. The villagers, too, joined in.

"Hokage-sama, expel this fox demon from the village!" they shouted. "We don't want him here!"

Naruto tried to speak, but the crowd's hatred suffocated him.

Iruka, seeing how the villagers were reacting, quickly intervened, stepping forward to calm the situation.

"Enough!" Iruka commanded. "This isn't something we can settle here. The truth is, Shuimu was the one who really wanted to steal the Sealed Book, and Kirito was impersonated by him."

Iruka paused, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. The room fell silent.

At this revelation, Yuhi Kurenai's eyes widened in realization. She had known something was off but hadn't pieced it together until now.

Naruto, however, stubbornly shook his head. "No, Iruka-sensei, I did it all! I stole the Sealed Book!"

But before anyone could respond, a voice rang out, loud and clear.

"No, Naruto. I asked you to steal the Sealed Book."

The statement sent shockwaves through the room, and all eyes turned to the speaker.