Chapter 10: Hiruzen's Tactics..
As Naruto left, the expression on Mizuki's face could no longer be contained. A malicious, treacherous smile twisted his lips as he gazed down at the Sealed Book in his hands. The book that held forbidden ninjutsu, sealed away because of the overwhelming power these techniques possessed.
Greed flickered in Mizuki's eyes, waves of desire washing over him. Now, all he had to do was disappear into the wilderness with the Sealed Book. If Kirito, the so-called spy, were caught again by the village, the outcome would be inevitable. Mizuki reveled in the thought of finally ridding himself of the frustration Kirito caused him.
But just as Mizuki turned to leave, a figure stepped out from behind a large tree. It was Kirito himself.
The sight of Kirito caused Mizuki's heart to lurch. His pupils contracted in fear, and a cold chill spread through his body. Kirito, wearing his signature windbreaker, stood before him with an aura of absolute calmness.
Kirito's gaze was deep and unwavering as he addressed Mizuki in a voice as cold as ice. "Why are you seeking death?" He shook his head slightly, his words carrying an inevitable weight as if the very moment was preordained.
Mizuki, realizing the situation was dire, gripped the Sealed Book tighter, searching for an escape. But before he could even make a move, Kirito raised a single finger toward Mizuki's chest.
A blinding golden light shot from his finger, piercing straight through Mizuki's heart. In an instant, Mizuki's body went limp, and his consciousness faded into nothingness. He died before he even had a chance to understand how it had happened.
The transformation jutsu that Mizuki had been using to impersonate Kirito flickered and vanished as he fell to the ground, still clutching the Sealed Book.
A short distance away, Sarutobi Asuma, Kurenai Yuhi, Might Guy, and Kakashi had arrived on the scene. They watched as Mizuki's body crumpled to the ground, the Sealed Book still tightly held in his hands. Kirito stood nearby, his expression unchanged.
Asuma was the first to react. His face flushed with anger as he stormed forward, eyes burning with fury. "Kirito, you've stolen the Sealed Book!" His voice cracked with indignation. "You've killed one of our own! Do you understand the gravity of your crimes?!"
Kirito regarded Asuma with a quiet, almost bored expression, not even bothering to offer an explanation. His hands casually spread, and he continued walking toward Konoha Village without a second thought.
Kurenai, who had been silently observing, stepped forward, her voice filled with desperation. "Kirito, please tell me this isn't true. Tell me you're not a spy. This can't be the truth, can it?"
Kakashi and Guy exchanged a brief look, their expressions unreadable as they weighed the situation. They too were preparing to follow the Hokage's orders and apprehend Kirito.
Without a word, Kirito turned and began walking toward the village. Asuma, unable to hold back his rage, moved to stop him, but Kirito was already gone in the blink of an eye. A golden streak of light flashed before everyone's eyes, and in that instant, Kirito had disappeared from their sight entirely.
Kakashi and Guy looked at each other in disbelief, still trying to process the events they had just witnessed. Kurenai, her face pale and full of sorrow, wiped away a tear that had formed in her eye. Her heart ached with confusion, torn between her faith in Kirito and the damning evidence before her.
Asuma ground his teeth in frustration, watching Kirito's retreating form. "Damn it, this guy has to be a spy from another village!" he spat, but his words fell flat, his fury mixing with a sense of helplessness.
None of the ninjas moved to pursue him. They had seen enough to know that Kirito wasn't fleeing; he was walking toward the village. But still, Asuma and the others had to return to report to Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat under the dim glow of his desk lamp, his calculating eyes fixated on the crystal ball before him. The events unfolding in Konoha Village played out before him in perfect clarity.
He watched Mizuki deceive Naruto into stealing the Sealed Book, then saw the moment Kirito appeared and dealt with Mizuki swiftly. Hiruzen's eyes narrowed as he saw Kirito's display of power—a golden beam of light that effortlessly ended Mizuki's life.
The Hokage paused, his mind racing. He recalled the details: Mizuki's slander of Kirito, the accusation of espionage, and the apparent frame-up. Hiruzen suspected that Mizuki's motivations were twofold: first, his desire for the power within the Sealed Book, and second, his jealousy of Kirito. But the real puzzle was Kirito's mysterious abilities.
No ninja Hiruzen knew of could perform such a technique, and even Kakashi's Sharingan hadn't been able to track Kirito's movements. This new level of power was alarming, even to the Hokage himself.
After a long pause, Sarutobi Hiruzen made his decision. He stood up and instructed an Anbu ninja, "Gather all available information on Kirito and bring it to me. Do whatever it takes to find him and bring him in by tomorrow morning."
The Anbu ninja bowed silently, leaving the office without a word.
Hiruzen knew that the situation had grown complicated. He needed more information about Kirito's origins and the strange flashing jutsu he had used. The village was in an uproar, and the accusations of espionage would make Kirito a target. But by the following morning, the Hokage himself would stand by Kirito, using the spy allegations to his advantage.
The dark calculations within Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind continued to grow, as he schemed for the future.