Naruto sat in the Academy classroom, twirling a pencil and grinning as Sasuke aced another test, earning Sakura's admiration and Kiba's grumbling. "Show-off," Naruto muttered loudly, winking at Kiba to keep the act alive. Inside, he was calculating. Graduation was days away, and the sealed scroll was still out of reach. His shadow clones were solid now—twenty at a time, quick and coordinated—but the Nine-Tails' chakra remained elusive, slipping through his grasp like smoke. He needed a breakthrough, and he needed it now.Mizuki's voice cut through his thoughts. "Naruto, stay after class," the teacher said, his tone casual but his eyes sharp. Naruto's heart skipped, but he nodded, flashing a goofy grin. "Sure thing, Mizuki-sensei! What'd I do this time?"When the room cleared, Mizuki leaned against the desk, his smile too friendly. "You've been asking about the Fourth Hokage," he said, his voice low. "Curious kid, aren't you?"Naruto shrugged, scratching his head. "Just wanna be a hero like him, y'know?" His grin was wide, but his mind was racing. Mizuki was baiting him, testing him. Did he suspect Naruto's digging?Mizuki's eyes gleamed. "Heroes take risks, Naruto. The Fourth did. He sealed the Nine-Tails, but the village hides how. There's a scroll in the Hokage Tower—the Scroll of Sealing. It's got secrets, powerful ones. You want to be a hero? Prove you're worth it. Get that scroll."Naruto's blood ran cold, but he kept his face bright. "A scroll? Sounds cool! But, uh, isn't that, like, super guarded?" His heart pounded. Mizuki was handing him the key—or a trap. Either way, it was his chance."It's a test," Mizuki said, his smile widening. "Steal it tonight, bring it to the old shrine in the forest. I'll make sure you pass the genin exam. You'll be a ninja, Naruto. A hero."Naruto nodded, laughing like it was a game, but his distrust flared. Mizuki wasn't helping him out of kindness—there was something in it for him. Still, the Scroll of Sealing was exactly what Naruto needed. He'd play along, but on his terms.That night, Naruto slipped into the shadows near the Hokage Tower, his heart racing but his grin in place, just in case. He summoned ten shadow clones, sending them to create distractions—knocking over crates, rustling bushes—while he scaled the tower's outer wall, his fingers gripping the rough stone. The ANBU were alert, but his clones kept them busy, and he slipped through a window, landing in a dark hallway. His hands shook as he navigated the maze of corridors, guided by instinct and desperation. The scroll was here, somewhere, and with it, the truth.He found the archive room, its door glowing faintly with a chakra seal. His own chakra was too weak to break it, but he felt that burning heat inside him, stronger now. He reached for it, letting the Nine-Tails' chakra surge just enough to disrupt the seal. The door clicked open, and there it was—the Scroll of Sealing, massive and ancient, lying on a pedestal. Naruto grabbed it, his heart pounding with triumph and fear, and fled, his clones covering his escape.
