Iruka's eyes still carried doubt. He hadn't fully believed their words, yet something in them clearly shook him.
"Sensei," Moyu said evenly, "I understand you're worried they might be in danger. But look at them—do you see how firmly they're standing by what they said? From the beginning to the end, I never once intended to harm anyone."
He didn't want to escalate the situation. He wasn't the type to lose control or stir unnecessary chaos. All he wanted now was to settle the misunderstanding and end this quietly.
From the start, Iruka's gaze had been filled with determination, striking at Moyu without hesitation. But now, with everyone around him speaking in Moyu's defense, his tension began to ease. His eyes turned toward the side, sharp yet uncertain, as if confirming what his instincts couldn't decide.
Was this man truly someone who deserved trust?
In the end, Moyu sighed. Realizing that continued confrontation would only deepen confusion, he stepped back, turned slightly—and vanished.
"Where did he go?"
Everyone froze. The sudden disappearance left even Iruka speechless.
Unbeknownst to them, Moyu hadn't fled. He stood quietly in the shadows, observing every movement. He wasn't escaping responsibility or evading the problem; he was giving Iruka time. A chance to calm his thoughts, to let reason surface above emotion.
He knew pressing further now would only make things worse.
The silence that followed stretched long and heavy. Iruka's eyes swept across the area, searching. His jaw tightened as he turned toward Naruto. "How did you meet Moyu? Did he ever do anything to hurt you?"
The question carried weight. It wasn't mere curiosity—it was the last wall of doubt Iruka clung to.
Naruto blinked, then smiled faintly, his tone calm. "Teacher, you're worrying too much."
"Worrying too much?" Iruka frowned. "I'm your teacher. It's my duty to protect you. How can I not be cautious?"
He believed his actions were right. Any teacher would do the same—to protect their students at all costs.
Sasuke spoke up beside Naruto, his voice cold but clear. "Even if we haven't known Moyu for long, he's not a bad person. Everything he did was to teach us how to control our chakra properly."
Iruka's brow furrowed. "And based on that alone, you're willing to believe he's a good person?"
Naruto's expression remained steady. "Moyu doesn't feel dangerous to us at all."
Iruka's eyes darkened. "Have you ever heard the saying—'You can know a person's face, but not their heart'?"
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances. To them, Iruka's words sounded hollow. They had seen Moyu's sincerity. Even when attacked, he never once fought back or showed hostility. From start to finish, all he did was explain—patiently, quietly, without anger.
And yet, Iruka refused to yield. His expression remained stern, his heart unmoved.
No matter how clearly they spoke, he resisted every explanation, clinging to his suspicion as though it were truth itself.
In that tense silence, the air seemed to thicken—the unspoken clash between trust and doubt spreading like spiritual pressure pressing down upon them all.
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