Chapter 27: Truth Hurts
"Ah! Iruka-Sensei!" Naruto was surprised that he was now seeing his teacher in front of himself.
Iruka, on the other hand, had a very annoyed look on his face. He was even trembling not to hit Naruto right where he stood. "Don't you Ah me, Idiot!! I finally found you!!"
His face became a lot softer after noticing the wounds and ragged clothing.
"Now, hand over the scroll that you took." Iruka sighed. Mizuki seemed to have told the truth when he said that Naruto stole the scroll and was now being hunted by our own shinobi.
Iruka, of course, had to search for him since he didn't believe this idiot to do such a dumb thing while aiming to become the Hokage someday. But looking at it now he was more than just disappointed. He would also be punished for his actions for sure.
"Damn...Looks like I got found out...So did I fail the test?", asked Naruto and was already trying to give him the scroll. "Also, why is the very first thing written in this thing some Jutsu I am totally bad at..."
Iruka made a surprised face. And it was not about him reading the scroll. "What test are you talking about? You already passed it."
"Huh? I am talking about the one to steal this scroll. Mizuki-sensei told me that we would still go through another test shortly and because he wanted me and my brother to succeed he gave us a headstart. Man those ninja hunting us sure are something. My brother even got caught already at the library."
"Test to steal it? You stole it on Mizuki´s orders?" Iruka frowned deeply and just when he asked that question a bunch of kunai flew into the direction them both.
Iruka shoved Naruto to the side to protect him and then defended his vitals from being struck by the rain of metal that hit and flew by him now into the cabin that was behind him.
"Good job finding this moron. I even told him to go to a specific place but he never appeared there.", mocked a Mizuki that appeared on a tree. He was already equipped for war with two huge shurikens wrapped on his back.
"So that is what is going on....Mizuki...!" Iruka tried to keep his body stable and pulled some kunai out of his body. Lucky for him the protective west of shinobi was a very useful tool to have and lowered the fatality of that attack. But he was still beaten up now and would probably bleed out if no help comes.
"What is going on!?" Naruto was screaming and agitated about what is happening at the moment. Why would Mizuki attack them? This couldn't be part of the test any longer.
"Naruto! Whatever happens. Don't give him that scroll! He used you to get it. In that scroll is valuable information about forbidden ninjutsu of the leaf. He can't have them!", ordered Iruka and threw the pulled kunai at Mizuki.
But that Kunai was intercepted by another shuriken from the side. "What!?" Iruka was surprised and looked to the person that protected Mizuki.
"Hahaha, do you really think I am alone in this?" Just like Mizuki said there were about 10 other shinobi gathered around close by.
"Now, Naruto. Hand me that scroll. It´s not like you will need it anyway. How about I tell you a little story in exchange." Mizuki smiled creepily and stretched a hand out to him.
Iruka got agitated about his words "NO! DONT!!"
"You know about the event 12 years ago at the time where the demon fox was being sealed, right? Since that day...A special rule was created for this village."
"....a rule?" Naruto frowned and asked back. Mizuki really got his attention now.
"But...You and your brother were the only ones that were never told about this rule. "
"Huh?" Naruto was confused. "What is that rule?" Mizuki started to laugh at that question and that made Naruto even more concerned. "What...Kind of rule?"
"It is simple, really. The rule just tells us that no one is to talk about you and your brother being the sacrifices that were used to seal the fox! You and your brother are the nine-tailed demon foxes!"
"What!?" Naruto was shocked "What do you mean by that!"
"Stop it!", cried Iruka out. This was already going to far.
"You are one of the twins that got the nine-tails inside your body! It means you are the one that is responsible to the many lives lost 12 years ago! You are the one that killed Iruka´s parents and destroyed the village!!"
Naruto stood there now and looked to the ground. Everything made sense to him now. Why everyone was so mean to him. Why they called him a monster. Why both his brother and Naruto had to endure all these years.
Tears ran down his cheeks because he felt so much pain in his heart at this moment. But there was also something else. There was also pure anger at Iruka for telling him.
"Hahaha! You have been lied to all this time. It is hilarious that you haven't even found out about it. And Iruka is the same. He also hates you for killing his parents!" When Mizuki said this he already infused his chakra into one of his huge Shuriken and let it rotate on his hand.
"No one will ever love you!" Mizuki threw the windmill. "Now! Go die and let us all forget this ever happened! Your brother is already waiting for you on the other side!"
"Damn it!!!" Naruto got angry with his words and the current situation overwhelming him.
Red chakra started to collect itself around himself. It was clearly different than his normal yellowish chakra. He tried to stop the shuriken and go against Mizuki´s attack but at the next moment the one who protected him and brought him back to his senses was actually Iruka.
He jumped in front of Naruto and caught the Shuriken with his back. "What!?" Mizuki gritted his teeth for being denied his revenge with that idiotic sacrifice.
Naruto looked at the body that was above him and he saw just a perfect calm smile on Iruka´s face.
"*cough*...Don't listen to him." Even tears swelled up and ran down his face. "Naruto, you and your brother have been through a lot of pain. If I had just done a better job you would not have to live such a life. I am sorry..." then his words became softer "Run...Run as fast as you can..."
Weirdly enough Naruto his mind blanked and he obeyed the last words and just started to run away as fast as he could.
The Shinobi close by acted and followed him while Mizuki jumped down from his tree and came closer to Iruka.
Iruka himself was grabbing the big shuriken and pulled it out of his back. His blood flowed down the back and some even came out from the corner of his mouth.
He certainly is lucky that it didn't hit his spine but he still had internal injuries besides the clear wound at the back. Therefore he tried to circulate some chakra to slow down his bleeding.
"You really protected that miserable child...You of all people should have seen that small glimpse of it. Just now his chakra acted up and you could see the eyes of a real demon. You really believe it will just be contained forever?"
"Naruto...Isn't like that. At least not like you bastard... How many years...How long have you planned this? I can't remember you any longer...Where did the old Mizuki go?" Iruka stared at him and could hardly move because of his wounds.
Mizuki only stared at him. Then a frown appeared on his face. "You really like them, huh? Are they now part of your family that you lost? Come to your goddamn senses...Well, it doesn't matter. I will take revenge and kill him. And after I got the scroll I will make sure to take care of you as well. I won't let anyone hinder my plans."
With those words, Mizuki started to chase Naruto down.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone