Naruto crouched in the forest near the old shrine, the Scroll of Sealing heavy in his hands. His clones were gone, dismissed to avoid detection, and the night was silent except for his ragged breathing. He'd done it—stolen the scroll, outsmarted the ANBU, used the Nine-Tails' chakra for the first time. But victory felt hollow. Mizuki's words echoed in his mind, laced with deceit. This wasn't about making Naruto a hero; it was a setup. But for what?He unrolled the scroll, his eyes scanning the forbidden jutsu listed in sharp, ancient script. There were techniques he'd never heard of—summoning seals, multi-shadow clone jutsu, even notes on chakra manipulation that hinted at Tailed Beast control. His heart raced. This was it—the power he needed, not just to fight but to understand the Nine-Tails inside him. But there was no time to read it all. Footsteps crunched in the distance, and Naruto's instincts screamed trap.He summoned a dozen clones, hiding the real scroll in a tree hollow and keeping a decoy in his hands. When Mizuki appeared, his smile was gone, replaced by a cold smirk. "Good job, Naruto," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "Hand it over."Naruto grinned, playing the fool. "Aw, Sensei, you really think I'm that dumb?" He tossed the decoy scroll, and as Mizuki lunged for it, Naruto's clones attacked, swarming him. But Mizuki was fast, cutting through them with a kunai, his eyes blazing."You're the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki!" Mizuki spat, his voice venomous. "The village hates you because you're a monster! The Fourth sealed that demon in you, and you'll never be anything but a curse!"The words hit like a blade, confirming Naruto's fears. He was the Jinchuriki, chosen by the Fourth, despised for it. But he didn't flinch, his grin widening to hide the pain. "Monster, huh? Guess I'll just have to be a strong monster!" He summoned more clones, overwhelming Mizuki with sheer numbers, their fists and feet a blur. The Nine-Tails' chakra flared, unbidden, giving his clones a ferocity that surprised even him.Before Mizuki could recover, Iruka appeared, his face pale but determined. "Naruto, stop!" he shouted, blocking a blow meant for Mizuki. "You don't understand!"Naruto's grin faltered, his distrust surging. "Don't understand? I understand plenty! You all lied to me!" But Iruka's eyes held something new—guilt, not deceit. He fought Mizuki, protecting Naruto, and in the chaos, Naruto grabbed the real scroll and ran, his heart torn between betrayal and a flicker of doubt.At the forest's edge, he collapsed, the scroll clutched to his chest. Iruka found him, battered but alive, and handed him a headband—proof he'd passed as a genin. "You're not a monster, Naruto," Iruka said, his voice soft. "You're one of us."Naruto took the headband, his grin back but his eyes guarded. Iruka's words were kind, but they didn't erase the lies. He was a genin now, but the scroll—and the power it promised—was his real victory. He'd learn its secrets, grow stronger, and force the village to tell him everything.
