Before Iruka could react—
Naruto's body moved first. His figure swayed, and with a quick sidestep, he stepped forward to block Iruka's front.
"No! I won't run away, Iruka-sensei! Leave him to me! I'll defeat him myself!"
Escape?
No.
Even though Mizuki's appearance and aura were far more twisted than in the original events Naruto remembered—even though he could feel real death pressing down on him—he refused to abandon Iruka.
That strange green liquid… whatever it was, it had clearly boosted Mizuki's power beyond reason. This wasn't how things were supposed to go, not like in the timeline Naruto remembered. But none of that mattered now.
Naruto would never choose to run away and leave Iruka behind.
This village was filled with people who looked at him with hate, who whispered behind his back, who saw him as a curse.
For twelve long years, that was all he'd ever known.
Yet, even in that endless darkness, there were still faint rays of light that had kept him from breaking completely.
And Iruka was one of those lights.
Naruto had seen it, felt it—Iruka's sincerity, his quiet kindness, his stubborn care for a boy everyone else ignored. For six years, Iruka had been the one person who treated him like family. Like a younger brother.
And because of that, Naruto would never—could never—abandon him, even if it meant risking his own life right here and now.
Naruto didn't hesitate.
He clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on the kunai in his right hand. His wrist trembled, but the resolve in his eyes didn't waver.
After coming into this world—this cruel, violent world—he had already made up his mind.
To protect what mattered, he would need the courage to face death itself.
If you want to kill, you must also be prepared to be killed.
With all the courage he could summon, Naruto's eyes blazed with a fierce golden light.
"Na–Naruto, you…" Iruka stammered.
"Sensei," Naruto shouted over his shoulder, "after I defeat Mizuki, you're gonna have to keep your promise! You said you'd give me that headband yourself when I graduate!"
He turned and flashed a bright grin—so full of spirit, so alive that it caught Iruka completely off guard.
That smile carried pure determination.
The words he spoke overflowed with conviction.
Iruka's throat tightened; whatever he had meant to say caught there and refused to come out.
He could only stare at the small figure standing firmly in front of him—shoulders squared, back straight, protecting him with everything he had.
"...Naruto, you've grown up," Iruka thought silently, his heart heavy with pride and fear.
Mizuki, on the other hand, glared at the boy with eyes full of hatred. Naruto's defiance, his words, his very stance made Mizuki's expression twist into something monstrous.
"Defeat me? You?!" Mizuki spat, his voice sharp with mockery. "You stupid brat—you don't even know how high the sky is! Fine then, let's see if you can still talk big after I cut you down! You want to be a ninja? Try again in your next life!"
It was a small distraction that had allowed a rookie like Naruto—a kid who hadn't even graduated—to land that earlier surprise attack.
For someone as prideful as Mizuki, that humiliation was intolerable. He'd make Naruto pay a hundredfold.
"Go to hell, kid!"
Bloodlust flashed in his eyes. A crimson gleam filled his pupils as a surge of killing intent burst out from his body.
Then—
Step!
The ground shook.
He moved like thunder.
The wind itself seemed to twist around him.
Boom!
The sheer pressure of his movement sent debris scattering.
In a single instant, Mizuki's body became a blur, charging straight toward Naruto.
"Multi Shadow—!" Naruto's pupils constricted. He began to form hand seals, but it was too late.
In less than half a second, Mizuki was already on top of him.
Naruto had no choice. Iruka was behind him—he couldn't dodge backward.
He had to face Mizuki head-on.
Naruto lunged forward, his kunai raised.
Clang!
Steel clashed against steel in a shower of sparks.
The sound rang through the trees.
Naruto gritted his teeth. "He's so strong!"
He could feel it—the crushing force behind Mizuki's blows. His arm trembled under the pressure.
Before Naruto could recover, Mizuki's movements blurred again.
"Not good!"
Naruto's face twisted in alarm. Mizuki feinted to the side, his body twisting with terrifying speed.
Naruto tried to counter, swinging to deflect the strike.
"Hmph! Child's play!" Mizuki sneered.
Naruto attempted to use his momentum to shove Mizuki back and create distance, but he'd fallen right into Mizuki's trap.
The enhancement from that strange green liquid had multiplied Mizuki's strength. He was faster, stronger—his combat instincts sharper than ever.
"Too slow!"
Before Naruto could react, Mizuki's kunai slashed across in a vicious arc.
Clang!
The blades collided again. Sparks flew.
But Mizuki twisted his wrist with brutal strength, wrenching Naruto's kunai aside.
For half a second, Naruto's defense faltered.
And that was all it took.
Mizuki's kunai plunged forward.
In that fleeting instant, Naruto could feel Mizuki's foul breath—smell the blood on him.
His eyes widened. His body moved on instinct, jerking to the right.
Pshk!
He managed to dodge just enough—the blade pierced his left shoulder instead of his heart.
The sound of steel cutting flesh echoed, followed by the hot splash of blood.
Naruto hissed in pain, teeth clenched as he staggered back, trying to regain his stance.
But Mizuki didn't let up.
He crouched low, his leg sweeping out in a brutal kick.
Thud!
The blow slammed into Naruto's stomach.
"Gah—!"
Pain exploded through his body. His throat tightened, and blood sprayed from his mouth as his body flew backward.
Boom!
He crashed hard into the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Before it could even settle—
Boom!
Mizuki's red-tinged eyes glowed as he charged again, his movements wild and violent.
"Naruto!" Iruka shouted desperately.
He tried to move, tried to stand—but pain tore through his wounded body, his legs collapsing beneath him.
He could only watch helplessly as Mizuki advanced again—relentless, merciless.