Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

"Yes! I did it!"

Naruto shouted excitedly as he released the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Immediately afterwards, Naruto pretended that because it was his first time using the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, his body was unable to adapt to this ninjutsu that consumed a large amount of chakra in an instant, and he collapsed to the ground due to exhaustion.

Just then, several kunai seized the opportunity and shot out from the depths of the dark forest, aiming at various vital points on Naruto's body!

The "weak" Naruto looked at the kunai attacking him with "horror" and mustered all his strength to dodge.

Naruto's movements were much slower than usual due to the depletion of his chakra, and the kunai still pierced his body.

The only saving grace was that Naruto's actions allowed him to avoid the vital areas that the kunai was originally intended to hit at the last moment.

"it hurts!"

Tears welled in Naruto's eyes from the pain, and he looked helplessly in the direction from which the kunai had come.

Mizuki, carrying a large shuriken on his back, appeared in front of Naruto.

Mizuki was no longer the gentle teacher he always was. He stared at Naruto with a gloomy expression and said mockingly, "I never expected you to be able to master the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, Naruto."

"Mr. Mizuki...why...?"

Naruto looked on with an expression of unexpected shock.

Although Naruto appeared panicked and bewildered on the surface, he was actually incredibly calm inside.

Next, let's use Mizuki to put on a show for the Third Hokage, who is currently watching the drama with his telescope technique, so that it's a good show about a Jinchuriki wanting to become Hokage.

Chapter 4 Kakashi Hatake

Late at night, in the Hokage's office.

It should have been a time for rest, but the aging Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was still sitting at his desk.

The third generation, with a pipe in his mouth, gazed at the crystal ball placed on the desk.

The originally transparent crystal ball now presents a clear image under the telescope.

The third generation suddenly shifted his gaze from the crystal ball he had been staring at and looked up at the office door.

The next moment, the tightly closed door was pushed open, and a guest arrived.

The visitor's forehead and right side of his face were wrapped in bandages, and there was a forked scar on his chin.

He had black hair with neatly trimmed sideburns.

However, his face was slightly gloomy, and his deep wrinkles indicated that he, like the third generation, was no longer young.

He was wearing a white kimono, with his entire right hand covered by a black haori over the kimono.

"Oh, it's Danzo. What's up so late?"

Having confirmed the visitor's identity, the third generation asked in a familiar tone.

"I heard that the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki stole the Book of Seals."

Danzo did not answer the Third Hokage's question, but instead asked a question in return, his tone very confident.

His gaze shifted from the Third Hokage's face to the crystal ball in front of him.

The crystal ball displayed Naruto's image, and the huge scroll on Naruto's back was undoubtedly the Book of Seals.

"The Book of Seals contains the formula to unseal the Nine-Tails. If the Jinchuriki breaks the seal on the Nine-Tails, the village will once again face chaos from the Nine-Tails!"

Danzo looked at the Third Hokage with his narrow eyes, his gaze cunning and profound: "Hiruzen, I warned you long ago that the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki harbors an indelible hatred for the village. The best way to deal with him is to imprison him and use him as a strategic weapon to deter other major powers."

"But you used the legacy of the Fourth Hokage as an excuse to let the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki run rampant in the village. And the consequences of your inaction are right before our eyes. His hatred for the village drove him to steal the Scroll of Seals and use its power to take revenge on Konoha."

Danzo Shimura, also a high-ranking official in Konoha, made no attempt to hide his criticism of the Third Hokage in his words.

The Third Hokage removed the pipe from his lips and exhaled a puff of white smoke: "Danzo, if you just came to criticize me, you could have done so during the day. There was no need to come all this way at night."

"I'm here to help you rectify your wrong decision. There's still a chance to capture the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki and I'll be in charge of guarding him..."

Danzo spoke up, revealing his true purpose.

Before Danzo could finish his suggestion, the Third Hokage interrupted him, saying, "I've already told you, don't lay a hand on Naruto."

The Third Hokage and Danzo met each other's gazes.

The Third Hokage's gaze seemed to be both a simple reminder and a warning to Danzo not to overstep his bounds: "Naruto has changed a lot in the past two years, you should know that, haven't you been keeping an eye on him all along?"

Danzo's expression hardened, but he did not utter a word in defense when confronted with the Third Hokage's questioning.

"Since you secretly attacked Naruto behind my back, Naruto has gradually integrated into the village over the past two years, tried to interact with others, and begun to understand what the Will of Fire is."

After giving Danzo a gentle nudge, the Third Hokage put the pipe back in his mouth.

The third generation's gaze refocused on the crystal ball in front of him, and the scene inside the crystal ball had changed again.

……

Somewhere in the forest of Konoha Village.

Naruto looked at Mizuki, who was standing in the tree, with a puzzled expression.

"Mr. Mizuki... what exactly is going on?"

Mizuki, perched in the tree, looked down at Naruto with utter disgust and sneered, "Naruto, you're really stupid. Don't you even understand the situation?"

"The situation... Mizuki-sensei! Didn't you tell me that the ninjutsu in the scroll could make me a powerful ninja?!"

"You clearly told me that I was a student you approved of!"

Naruto roared and questioned Mizuki, his voice filled with the pain of being deceived.

Faced with Naruto's questioning, Mizuki scoffed, "Fine, then I'll be kind enough to do you a favor and, as your 'teacher,' properly answer your questions, you idiot student."

Mizuki jumped down from the tree, maintaining a distance from Naruto that allowed him to attack from one side, and said:

"Naruto, I don't acknowledge you at all! Although I was slightly surprised that you successfully used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique just now, that was just luck. In my opinion, you're a complete waste of space who can't even learn the Three Body Technique!"

Mizuki's honest words pierced Naruto's heart like a knife, leaving him breathless.

"Then... then why did you choose me?"

Naruto persisted in asking the question.

Seeing Naruto's rapid breathing due to his words, Mizuki, unconcerned about Naruto's current feelings, continued speaking:

"Let me tell you the truth. You know about sealing the Nine-Tails twelve years ago, right?"

"Since then, the village has made an order—Naruto, this is an order that you must never know!"

Naruto listened to Mizuki's words in silence, his expression unchanged, but his mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts.

Everything was proceeding according to plan. He was playing dumb so that Mizuki would reveal the Nine-Tails.

Then, feign anger, unleash the Nine-Tails' chakra, and defeat Mizuki using the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, just like in the original work.

Mizuki was just an ordinary Chunin. If it weren't for the need to make the performance more convincing, the kunai he shot earlier would never have hit Naruto.

"...What kind of order was that? Why am I the only one who can't know it?"

"That order was... that you must never mention that you were the nine-tailed fox who destroyed the village twelve years ago."

Naruto stared at Mizuki in disbelief.

"Naruto, didn't you always say that your biggest idol was the Fourth Hokage who sealed away the Nine-Tails? You said you wanted to become someone like him!"

"But you are the one who killed the Fourth Hokage!"

"Everyone in the village hates you!"

"No one will approve of you!"

"This scroll is used to seal you away!"

Mizuki shouted and revealed everything: "Naruto, this is why I chose you. Even if I kill you, no one will care. I just need to pretend that you escaped with the Scroll of Seals!"

"Now you can go to hell in peace!"

Mizuki took the large shuriken off his back, spun it at high speed with chakra, and threw it at Naruto.

This time, the giant shuriken struck Naruto's vital point precisely, piercing his heart and causing blood to gush out uncontrollably.

But the next second, a cloud of smoke appeared on Naruto.

Shui Mu's excited expression froze instantly.

As the smoke cleared, the giant shuriken hadn't hit Naruto at all, but rather the log created by the substitution jutsu.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Mizuki, who was searching for Naruto's true form, heard Naruto's voice.

Countless Narutos suddenly appeared in front of Mizuki, surrounding him.

Each shadow clone was wrapped in red chakra, representing the Nine-Tails.

"Mr. Mizuki, it seems that my success in using the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique wasn't just due to good luck."

To Mizuki's astonishment, all of Naruto's shadow clones charged forward at once.

No ninjutsu or even taijutsu is needed.

If a thousand shadow clones with physical bodies were to deliver a single, ordinary punch to Mizuki, it would be something that a mere Chunin like Mizuki could not withstand.

Mizuki, whose face was swollen like a pig's head, was knocked to the ground by his own shadow clone.

Naruto released the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique and approached Mizuki.

"Yeah!"

Mizuki cried out in alarm and scrambled to crawl in the opposite direction.

But how could that make him faster than Naruto?

"I... am not a fox spirit!"

Naruto approached Mizuki, looked at him, and said, "I am Naruto Uzumaki from Konoha, and I will become Hokage!"

Naruto made the oath with utmost seriousness.

He wasn't speaking to Mizuki, of course, but rather to the Third Hokage, who was using his telescope technique to spy on everything.