Chapter | XV |

As I was mulling over my newfound strength, a shout rang through the woods. Recognizing the voice, I stood up. Stretching, I carried the scroll on my shoulder.

"Naruto! Naruto! Naruto!!"

As I stepped into the clearance, the pale moonlight fell on me. The voice kept coming closer and closer, until the silhouette of a figure landed on a branch.

"Finally!"

Iruka's figure became clear as he landed in front of me. His face drenched in sweat, he stretched his hand forward as he sighed.

"What the hell were you thinking!? Stealing the Scroll of Sealing?! I can tolerate and forgive you for the little pranks you pulled, but this... This is no child's game, Naruto!"

He yelled in rage, clearly dissatisfied. I pulled the scroll down, he looked relieved, however, instead of handing over the scroll, I leaned on it.

"What if I don't?"

I asked with a poker face. His relaxed features instantly switched.

"Naruto! This is not a game!"

I could see the veins popping out of his forehead. Not bothered by his infuriated state, I lingered for a moment.

"... I know"

From relaxed to rage then to confusion, his mood leaped from one to another. Holding a smirk, I sensed a familiar Chakra signature above us. Glancing at Mizuki, who was hidden in the darkness, I smiled.

Grabbing a bottle of flammable liquid, I poured it over the scroll. Iruka raised his brow, he clearly had no idea what I was drenching the scroll with.

I pulled out a lighter and positioned it beneath the Scroll of Sealing.

"No!!"

They both shouted, however, instead of charging at me, Iruka stood there, motionless and puzzled.

"Mizuki?"

His voice echoed through the vast and deep forest, no sooner, a figure landed between us. His expression stoic, his aura threatening. Mizuki did not seem friendly in the least, but as if these signs were not even there, Iruka walked toward him.

"Take a step more, and you can forget about the scroll"

I threatened, ready to burn it down. Mizuki growled, he gritted his teeth staring daggers at me.

"What do you want?"

A smile crept up my lips, it seems he isn't that dumb. I locked eyes with both Mizuki and Iruka, not wanting to show any sort of weakness.

"Me? I want... Money"

They both stared at me in disbelief. Mizuki snapped out of his trance and turned serious.

"How much?"

"A million Yen"

"Deal"

He instantly replied, however, before he walked toward me, Iruka intervened.

"No!! Don't, Naruto! I-I'll give you the money!"

Mizuki's brows twitched. "Stay out of this". He said, but Iruka looked more than determined to gain the scroll.

"I have 20 million Yen under my bed, you can have to after giving me the scroll"

I smiled.

"I'll give 30 million!"

Surprised, I stared at Iruka. He was not really rich, it could be empty words... But, whatever.

"Let's do this... Whoever bids the highest gets the scroll"

And like that, It became an auction. I stared at them as they barked at each other, raising the price by millions. Smirking as they broke into a fight, I put the scroll down and sneaked away.

Glancing at the two fighting each other like street cats, I dashed toward my apartment. My part was done, whoever gets the scroll has no value to me, they can do whatever they want.

Besides... I glanced at my shoulder. I got what I came for.

***

As Naruto fled from the scene, Mizuki and Iruka fought each other, the latter slowly began to switch to offense from defense.

"Why would you do this, Mizuki!"

Iruka shouted as he send his colleague flying with a brutal kick to the chin, Mizuku rolled on the ground and stood up. His expression grim, he stared at Iruka with ice-cold eyes.

"Because I want... Power!"

Mizuki shot forward and punched Iruka in the guts, the latter gasped and crashed against a tree, the air knocked out of his lungs.

"Because I deserve to be much more than being just a mundane teacher in Konoha!"

He send Iruka flying again with a hook kick, Iruka crashed against a sturdy boulder, coughing blood, he stared at Mizuki with wide, red eyes.

Not leaving room to breathe, Mizuki punched his face whilst coating his hand with Chakra. Iruka's head bounced on the boulder behind him, he fell unconscious as blood trickled down from the back of his head.

Giving Iruka one last glance, Mizuki grabbed the Scroll of Sealing and dashed away.

Seconds passed, then minutes, Iruka sat there with his head hanging.

Swish!

Eight shadowy figures landed before him, and not long after, an old man walked into the clearing from the woods. The pale moonlight reflected against his pitch-black eyes, his cane revealed under the moon.

The third Hokage!

One of the figures approached Iruka, lifting his hand, he checked his pulse. Glancing at the Hokage, the figure nodded.

"Go, one of you get him to the hospital, as for the rest... Chase the traitor, and bring him back, dead or alive it doesn't matter, if you fail..."

The figures shuddered at his parting words, one of them carried Iruka and the others went south to track down Mizuki.