If the storyline really changes, Naruto will have to find another way to compensate. He might either try to convince Iruka again or go directly to the Third Hokage. In any case, Naruto must graduate successfully at this point in the original storyline. Firstly, it’s convenient for his actions, and secondly, staying in the Ninja Academy any longer is meaningless. In fact, as mentioned before, Naruto has been one of the top students for the past three years. The Academy no longer provides any significant assistance to him. What Naruto needs now is higher-level training, particularly real combat experiences, which the Academy cannot offer. Even the most mundane missions can accumulate valuable experience, not to mention those high-difficulty ones.
If it weren’t for not wanting to draw attention and knowing it was impossible, Naruto would have applied for early graduation two or three years ago. So, graduating this year is a must for Naruto. Delaying it is not an option.
Fortunately, Naruto’s worries were unnecessary. Just as Naruto was contemplating backup plans, Mizuki appeared in his line of sight. The moment he saw Mizuki, Naruto’s worries vanished. If Mizuki showed up at this exact moment, it meant the original storyline was intact. Naruto could relax and feel confident that things were going according to plan. Of course, he still needed to maintain the appearance of being disappointed and sad, since he had just failed the exam.
Wearing a fake smile, Mizuki waved at Naruto and slowly approached him.
“Let’s make good use of this opportunity!” Both of them, locked in a battle of wits and acting, had the same thought.
Mizuki-sensei, thank you for bringing me this great opportunity. I’ll gladly accept it! Naruto thought, while outwardly displaying a naive and happy expression as Mizuki pretended to care for him.
Nightfall.
A bright new moon hung in the sky, partially obscured by clouds, casting the entire Konoha Village into darkness—a perfect setting for “thieves.” By now, most of the village was asleep, except for essential guards and some entertainment venues.
In the quiet and serene Konoha, a shadow moved swiftly towards a central location, hidden by the clouds. This shadow was none other than Naruto, “tricked” and “encouraged” by Mizuki to complete a “special graduation task.”
Naruto, of course, knew the real deal. This so-called “special graduation task” was to steal one of Konoha’s top secrets, the Scroll of Seals. Mizuki’s given location was a lie; the real target was the Third Hokage’s residence.
Even though the task involved breaching Konoha’s highest security, Naruto felt no tension. He knew he would successfully steal the Scroll of Seals and leave openly under the watchful eyes of the ANBU, thanks to the Third Hokage’s tacit approval.
In his previous life, Naruto never understood how he could easily steal such an important scroll. After some thought, he realized the Third Hokage must have allowed it, likely as a form of compensation. Naruto was confident about this theory.
Without this tacit approval, even Naruto’s current skills wouldn’t be enough. The ANBU would capture him before he got close, not to mention the protective barriers around the scroll.
“Wow, so this is where the Third Hokage lives. Pretty spacious,” Naruto whispered, hiding in a tree near the Hokage’s residence, observing with interest.
According to “kind and gentle” Mizuki, this was the secret mission location. Naruto just needed to obtain the mission scroll to pass the special graduation test and become a genin.
Remembering Mizuki’s fake, kind smile from the afternoon, Naruto smirked. Mizuki might be a fool, but since he could be useful, Naruto decided to go along with the plan.
“Alright, let’s go in. No one’s stopping me anyway,” Naruto thought after a brief observation. He leaped over the wall, landing quietly in the yard. Even though he knew this was all a setup, he still took precautions to avoid detection, maintaining the charade of being a thief.
Naruto’s main concern was how to learn other jutsu from the Scroll of Seals, besides the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, before meeting Mizuki. It had to be done without the Third Hokage knowing. Who knows what that old politician would do if the Hokage found out?
Tonight’s plan hinged on this—learning new jutsu without the Hokage noticing. As for dealing with Mizuki? Even the original Naruto could easily handle him. There’s no reason why this Naruto couldn’t crush Mizuki effortlessly.
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