Not to mention the secret confrontation between the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzo — two long-time comrades whose relationship had been strained for decades — the scene shifted elsewhere.
When Naruto followed Iruka back to the village and returned the Scroll of Seals, things did not unfold as Naruto had imagined. He thought he would be questioned, punished, or even detained, but surprisingly, the incident ended there. Even Iruka was momentarily stunned until the Chūnin in charge of recovering the scroll told them they could leave. Wasn't this Scroll of Seals stolen? And didn't it involve a betrayal by a village Chūnin? Most importantly, the key figure in this incident—Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki—was being let off this easily?
Iruka had expected that both he and Naruto would be summoned by the Third Hokage for a formal inquiry.
In the worst case, they could have been interrogated by the Torture and Interrogation Force of Konoha.
Yet now, it seemed as though the entire ordeal was treated as a kind of exercise or test.
Even as they left the Hokage's office, Iruka was still dazed.
Naruto, following beside him quietly, wore an expression that said "I'm fine" and "I know I was wrong." Deep down, however, Naruto understood the truth — this whole affair had been a fluke. If it hadn't been him, the Hokage likely wouldn't have handled it so leniently. The Third Hokage had merely seized the chance to give Naruto a small push forward. If it had been any other academy student, the attempt would have been stopped long before it began. Did Mizuki really think he could stir up chaos in Konoha — the largest and most secure of the Five Great Ninja Villages? Even during its weakest era, Konoha wouldn't be shaken by a low-level traitor like Mizuki.
So, Naruto wasn't particularly surprised by how things turned out.
After that, Iruka decided to take Naruto to the hospital anyway.
Although Naruto's injuries looked mostly healed, Iruka wanted to be cautious.
So, he took him in for a follow-up examination.
As expected, Naruto's body showed no lasting damage. He just needed a bit of rest before returning to full health.
By contrast, Iruka's own wounds were slightly more serious.
From this alone, it was clear how strong Naruto's vitality and self-healing ability truly were.
"Alright, Naruto. You may not have any major injuries, but make sure you rest well for the next two days, okay? The graduation ceremony is in three days, and that's when the team assignments will be announced. No training until then."
As they left the hospital, Iruka turned to Naruto with a stern yet caring expression. Even though Naruto looked fine, Iruka wanted him to take care of himself. Hard work was good—but knowing when to rest was just as important, especially after a dangerous battle.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei. I understand. Don't worry."
Seeing Naruto respond so earnestly, Iruka blinked in mild surprise, studying him with doubt.
Experience had taught Iruka that while Naruto could be sincere about many things, when it came to training, he often couldn't help but push himself beyond reason. His enthusiasm bordered on obsession.
Under Iruka's skeptical gaze, Naruto began to sweat.
He realized that his record of "resting properly" wasn't exactly impressive.
"Really, Iruka-sensei! I won't lie this time. I'll rest properly!"
After Naruto's repeated assurances, Iruka finally nodded.
"That's good."
After giving Naruto a few more reminders about the upcoming graduation ceremony and team placements, Iruka turned to leave for home.
Watching Iruka's back fade into the distance, Naruto exhaled deeply. As much as he respected Iruka, the man could be pretty nagging when it came to lectures.
Still, Naruto wasn't being insincere this time.
Even if Iruka hadn't said anything, he truly intended to rest for a couple of days.
Originally, he had planned to adjust his training before graduation, but now he realized some downtime was smarter. After all, as he'd often heard—"your body is your greatest weapon." Besides, he could still practice mental control while staying home.
Over the next two days, Naruto planned to focus on refining his hand seal speed and chakra control.
After all, for ninjutsu and genjutsu alike, it wasn't just about forming seals quickly—true power came from precise chakra manipulation.
Hand signs were merely a medium.
Chakra control was the true essence behind every jutsu.
Do you think the Sage of Six Paths needed hand seals to cast techniques?
Of course not.
His mastery of chakra was so absolute that he could wield it as naturally as moving his own limbs. And even setting aside such godlike beings, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, could unleash devastating power with minimal effort—proof of supreme chakra control.
Thus, hand seals were a tool, but chakra mastery was the core.
Even a "simple" Shadow Clone Technique required refined chakra coordination. Without it, hand seals alone were meaningless.
Naturally, Naruto wasn't anywhere near the level of performing jutsu without seals.
That's why he focused on improving his chakra flow, control, and especially the speed of his seals.
That was the most achievable, controllable path forward.
His benchmark? The lightning-fast hand seals of Uchiha Itachi, as mentioned in the Academy lectures.
"Alright! A good night's rest, and then training starts tomorrow!"
Naruto slapped his cheeks to pump himself up, then turned and headed home.
During the next two days, Naruto kept his promise to Iruka—resting at home instead of sneaking into the training grounds. He also spent the time refining the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique he'd learned from the Scroll of Seals, and even revisited a C-Rank Wind Release jutsu—Great Breakthrough—that Iruka had once shown him. His hand seal speed improved slightly, and through this real battle experience against Mizuki, Naruto understood more clearly than ever: to survive as a ninja, one must possess not just power, but discipline and awareness.
He silently vowed—never again would he allow carelessness or complacency in battle.