Half a month passed in a blink of an eye.
Today was the day of the school's graduation exam, and just as Yuta remembered, the subject was indeed the Shadow Clone Technique.
Seeing Naruto's dejected expression, Yuta could only pat his shoulder and comfort him, "Just do your best."
Despite this, Yuta wasn't worried about whether Naruto would graduate from the Ninja Academy. Looking at Mizuki, who was standing next to Iruka, Yuta inexplicably smiled, "My brother's first powerful cheat has arrived."
In the original timeline, Mizuki used Naruto to steal the Scroll of Seals, and was later defeated by Naruto, who had learned the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu. The Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu then became the Ninjutsu that would define Naruto's Ninja path.
However, Yuta speculated that Naruto's successful theft of the Scroll of Seals was inseparable from Hiruzen Sarutobi's tacit approval. It would require a certain level of skill to open the Scroll of Seals and understand its contents. How could Uzumaki Naruto, with his abilities at the time, possibly comprehend the Ninjutsu recorded within?
Students emerging from the graduation exam room wore expressions of both joy and sorrow. Seeing the disappointment on Naruto's face, Yuta knew the result without needing to ask.
"Is that brat really your brother? Minato's son? He looks so different, how could he fail to perform a simple Shadow Clone Technique?" Kurama said with amusement.
"Who knows?" Yuta shrugged. In fact, it wasn't just the Shadow Clone Technique; Naruto was basically not very proficient in most Ninjutsu that required precise Chakra control. Yuta had two theories about this: either because his Chakra volume was too vast, making it difficult for Naruto to control it skillfully, or because of interference from the Yang Kurama Chakra.
"Creak, creak, creak."
Naruto sat alone on the swing, lost in thought. Yuta didn't plan to go comfort Naruto, because a blue-haired Ninja had already quietly walked over.
Watching the two leave, Yuta stretched and returned home to prepare dinner.
"Actually, Iruka-sensei isn't deliberately making things difficult for you; he just wants you to become stronger," Mizuki said, sitting on a high platform.
"But I really want to graduate," Naruto said with a crestfallen expression.
"That's right. As an older brother, you want to protect your younger brother, but your younger brother is more outstanding than you. That must be giving you a headache, right?" Mizuki reached out and placed his hand on Naruto's head.
"Mmm..."
"Since that's the case, I'll tell you a big secret, but you can't tell anyone else." A strange glint flashed in Mizuki's eyes. If he could obtain that, he could easily secure an important position under Orochimaru, and with Orochimaru's research on Ninja, it wasn't impossible to achieve a significant increase in strength.
"Really?" Naruto looked at Mizuki with surprise.
"Of course. There's a scroll in the Third Hokage's office. Many Ninjutsu are recorded on it. If you learn them and show them to Iruka-sensei, you'll definitely graduate smoothly. Of course, I'll help you distract the guards." Mizuki tried his best to control his tone, so Naruto wouldn't notice anything amiss.
"Really? Mizuki-sensei, you're such a good person!" Naruto excitedly jumped up from the ground.
After parting ways with Mizuki, Naruto went straight home. Looking at his only family member, Naruto tried hard to control his expression, doing his best not to let Yuta notice anything. He wanted to give Yuta a surprise.
"Such terrible acting." Yuta watched Naruto's clumsy acting and couldn't help but inwardly complain. However, Yuta still pretended not to know anything and comforted Naruto.
As night fell, the sleeping Naruto suddenly opened his eyes. After confirming that Yuta next to him was sound asleep, he tiptoed out of the room.
"Click."
Hearing the door close, Yuta, who should have been sound asleep, opened his eyes. Watching Naruto run towards the Hokage's office outside the window, Yuta changed his clothes and followed him.
With Mizuki's help and Hiruzen Sarutobi's leniency, Naruto successfully stole the Scroll of Seals.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had witnessed the entire process through a crystal ball, leisurely summoned Anbu to explain the situation and gather the village's Ninja. By this time, Naruto had already opened the Scroll of Seals and begun to learn the Ninjutsu within.
The events that followed did not deviate much from Yuta's memory. Mizuki suddenly appeared, injured Iruka, and told Naruto the full truth.
"That's right! Both you and your younger brother are Nine-Tailed foxes! Iruka has always hated you both for killing his parents!" Mizuki looked at the scroll on Naruto's back, his eyes filled with greed. "So hand it over to me quickly, if you don't want to die."
"That's truly annoying." Yuta's eyes, seeing this scene, were incredibly cold.
"Then just kill him. Anyway, Naruto has already learned the so-called Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu," Kurama said boredly. A small Ninja of this level could simply be squashed.
"It's not over yet, and besides, I haven't killed anyone. Don't make killing sound so easy." Yuta rolled his eyes. Although he had considered the issue of killing that he would face after coming to this dog-eat-dog world, Yuta was not yet ready for it.
"What's so hard about that? It's like swatting a mosquito," Kurama said, puzzled. From the moment he gained consciousness, he had never agonized over such a problem.
"That's you, a brainless fox without any emotions. Don't think everyone is like you," Yuta said mercilessly in the sealing space.
"You're the brainless one!" Kurama extended a claw and rubbed Yuta's head, "Are you getting too familiar with me?"
"What did you say?" Yuta placed his hand on the seal on his stomach and asked with ill intent, "I didn't hear you clearly, say it again."
"Didn't say anything. Why are you so easily provoked?" Kurama chuckled awkwardly and stopped talking. Staying in the cage was miserable enough; it didn't want any additional 'interesting facilities' added to it.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang..."
Hearing the sound, Yuta's consciousness returned to the real world. Looking at the thousands of Shadow Clones in the field, Yuta chuckled softly, "It's over."
Mizuki was merely a Chunin, and a very weak one at that. Facing such a large number of enemies, he quickly met his end. After watching the two leave, Yuta jumped down from the tree.
"Stop pretending, you're not dead yet." Yuta lifted his leg and kicked Mizuki's head twice.
"You... you are..." Mizuki struggled to open his eyes.
"Whoosh, whoosh."
A golden chain bound Mizuki's neck and lifted him up. Mizuki painfully clutched his neck, struggling desperately. "Mmm, mmm, mmm..."
"Actually, I should thank you. After all, without you, my brother wouldn't have learned the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu. Moreover, the fact that we both have the Nine-Tailed inside us would have been known by my brother sooner or later." Yuta said with a smile, "Don't struggle. With your pathetic strength, you can't break free from the Adamantine Sealing Chains."
"Don't worry, I won't kill you. For instigating my brother to steal the Scroll of Seals and revealing the truth, the Third Hokage won't let you off." Scarlet Chakra spread along the chains onto Mizuki's body. Yuta's open eyes gleamed with a cold light, "But before that, I have a small gift for you. I hope you like it."
"Ah!"
Mizuki's shrill scream echoed far, far into the forest...