["Eh?"]
On the screen, Mizuki and Iruka stood in opposition, leaving Naruto dazed and paralyzed, caught between two conflicting stories.
"Hahahaha! Let me tell you the truth, Naruto!"
Mizuki's face twisted into a maniacal grin as he looked down at the trembling boy.
"You are the Nine-Tailed Fox! You are the monster that destroyed the Village and killed Iruka's parents! This is a secret that was forbidden from ever being told to you!"
"You've been lied to by the villagers your entire life, Naruto."
"Don't you find it strange? Why does everyone hate you? Why are you treated like garbage?"
"No one will ever acknowledge you. Even Iruka hates you!"
"Because you are the Demon Fox that murdered his family!"
Mizuki's words tore open the cruel reality. Naruto stood frozen, his mind flashing back through twelve years of existence in Konoha. The cold shoulders, the whispers, the eyes filled with disgust and hostility—it all suddenly made sense.
WHOOSH!
Mizuki saw Naruto's mental collapse and seized the moment. He reached for the massive Fuma Shuriken on his back and hurled it with lethal intent.
"Die, Naruto!"
"Get down! Naruto!"
Iruka's desperate shout pierced through Naruto's shock. His body reacted on instinct, tackling the ground.
THUD!
The sickening sound of a sharp blade biting into flesh rang out. But Naruto felt no pain.
Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Iruka hovering over him, shielding his body. The massive shuriken was buried deep in Iruka's back, blood already soaking through his flak jacket.
[ Bullseye!]
[ Though it's a bit dark, that's a perfect 10/10 aim.]
[ Little Naruto is so pitiful...]
[Yeah, he was hated by the villagers despite having done nothing wrong. He didn't ask to be the vessel.]
[Old Man Third, doesn't your conscience hurt? Watching this child suffer?]
[It's hard to say there wasn't some 'guidance' from the Third in this. Isolation makes the victim dependent on the savior.]
[ That's uncertain, but the Third is definitely the beneficiary.]
[Think about it. Everyone in Konoha is hostile towards Naruto. If the Third is the only one who shows him kindness, Naruto will develop a fanatical loyalty to him. Securing the absolute loyalty of a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is a massive political win.]
[Isn't this a bit too much of a conspiracy theory? Naruto was too young when the Third took over again.]
[ But look at the timeline. It only takes a few years for a weapon to grow up. With the support of a loyal Jinchuriki, the Third's power is absolute.]
[ That explains why the Sarutobi Clan is now so prosperous. The Senju and Uchiha, the two great clans that founded Konoha, are gone. Now the Sarutobi reign supreme.]
Above the screen, bullet comments drifted by mercilessly. They were filled with sympathy for Naruto, but they were also laced with biting accusations against the Third Hokage.
"Lord Third! It's not like that!"
"Exactly! Lord Third is a saint! He brought peace to Konoha; he wouldn't deliberately torture a child!"
"To say Lord Third purged the other clans... that's a lie!"
"These comments are just speaking nonsense!"
The villagers of Konoha exploded in outrage. They refused to believe that their kind Hokage could be capable of such schemes. The idea that he would isolate an orphan to turn him into a weapon completely contradicted the 'Will of Fire' he preached.
[A (Fourth Raikage): Heh heh. Hokage-sama, I think those comments make a valid point. What do you think?]
[Onoki (Third Tsuchikage): Indeed. Having the populace isolate the Jinchuriki, then stepping in as the 'good guy' to bring him light... that way, you smoothly win the weapon's heart. Quite a move, Hiruzen! You truly are the Professor.]
[Mei Terumi: So that is how a Kage maintains power? I've learned something new today, Hokage-sama.]
[A: The Hokage has been in power the longest. He is the master of these mind games.]
[Rasa (Fourth Kazekage): It makes one wonder. Is the shadow of the Third Hokage also behind the downfall of the Senju and the Uchiha? If so, the Hyuga Clan should be very careful.]
[Onoki: If the Hyuga ever feel unsafe, Iwagakure's gates are open. We value our bloodlines.]
[A: Hmph, Onoki, you're a ruthless old fossil yourself. The Hyuga would be better off in Kumogakure.]
[Hiashi Hyuga: The Hyuga Clan's loyalty to Konoha is unwavering. There is no need for outsiders to worry.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Utter nonsense! I have always acted with integrity. These are merely baseless conjectures designed to sow discord!]
While the villagers of Konoha were in denial, the Kages of the other nations wasted no time stirring the pot. Whether the conspiracy theories were true or not didn't matter; if they could drive a wedge between the clans of Konoha, it was a victory.
Hiruzen Sarutobi issued a denial immediately. Having sat in the Hokage's seat for decades, he understood the danger of rumors better than anyone.
"Kakashi-sensei..."
Naruto's eyes flickered with uncertainty. Something about the comments resonated with a deep, buried feeling in his heart, though he couldn't quite grasp it.
Beside him, Sasuke's gaze was fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi's name on the screen. His eyes were cold, calculating. The Uchiha Clan... downfall...
"Naruto. Those comments are from people who don't know the truth; they are just guessing," Kakashi said sharply, his visible eye serious.
He looked between Naruto and Sasuke. "As for the other Kage, they are saying that on purpose to attack Lord Third and destabilize Konoha. Do not fall for their trap."
"Oh."
Naruto nodded, half-understanding. He wanted to believe in the Grandpa Hokage who bought him instant noodles. He turned back to the screen.
["Wh... Why?"]
Naruto looked at Iruka, who was coughing up blood. He was trembling, unable to understand why Iruka would take a hit for the 'Demon Fox'.
"Because we are the same, Naruto."
Iruka gritted his teeth, tears streaming down his face mixed with sweat.
"After my parents died, no one praised me. No one acknowledged me. I was just an orphan. My grades were terrible, so I acted like an idiot in class just to get people to look at me."
"Because even if I was excellent, no one would care. So I played the fool. It was better to be scolded than to be invisible. I was in so much pain."
"It's the same for you, right, Naruto? You're very lonely, aren't you?"
"I'm sorry. If I had been more reliable... if I had done a better job... I wouldn't have let you suffer through that loneliness!"
Iruka's tears fell onto Naruto's face. They weren't just tears of pain from the wound; they were tears of resonance. He saw himself in the boy.
Naruto's eyes widened. For the first time in his life, someone understood.
Overwhelmed by emotion and confusion, Naruto suddenly scrambled to his feet and ran into the forest. He didn't know whether Iruka or Mizuki was right; he just needed to escape.
"Good grief... that fellow Mizuki actually said it."
The scene shifted.
Inside the Hokage Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, peering into a crystal ball using the Telescope Technique. The image of Naruto sprinting through the trees swirled within the glass.