NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Chapter:6
Inside the Sarutobi clan mansion, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat comfortably, gazing at the crystal ball with a mix of amusement and satisfaction.
"Ah, Naruto, what a clever little troublemaker," he muttered, puffing on his pipe. "That store owner had it coming after selling him expired food. He might not be able to do business anymore!"
The Hokage chuckled softly. Naruto's antics were entertaining, and his resourcefulness had not gone unnoticed.
"If only Asuma had half of Naruto's creativity," Hiruzen sighed, thinking of his son. Asuma's decision to leave Konoha and join the Twelve Guardian Ninja had always been a sore point.
However, Hiruzen's thoughts soon shifted to his grandson, Konohamaru. "I should have Konohamaru spend more time with Naruto. He might pick up some of these cunning little tricks."
Hiruzen's musings were interrupted as Naruto's image in the crystal ball began to move again.
"Hmm? The Sarutobi mansion?" he murmured, leaning forward.
The Sarutobi clan's mansion was well-situated near the commercial district of Konoha. Despite its modest exterior, the clan had quietly amassed significant power over the years, far surpassing the Hyuga clan in influence.
As he watched Naruto approach, Hiruzen's eyes narrowed with intrigue.
"So, he's not going after the scroll tonight?" Hiruzen smirked. "That boy saw right through Mizuki and is playing him for a fool."
With a flick of his hand, Hiruzen shifted his focus to Mizuki, who was lying in bed, grinning like a fool as he dreamed of stealing the Scroll of Seals.
"What a waste," Hiruzen muttered in disgust. "To think he's relying on a Genin who hasn't even graduated."
Turning to the shadows, Hiruzen issued a command. "Let Mizuki know that Naruto has begun his move. It's time to test Naruto—and the seal on the Nine-Tails."
A masked Anbu appeared briefly, nodding before vanishing into the darkness.
Hiruzen glanced at the half-finished decoy scroll on his desk. "It seems I'll need to finish this after all," he mused. "Fortunately, the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu is at the top. Naruto should gravitate toward it naturally."
He chuckled softly. "I'll keep the real Scroll of Seals secure. This boy can't be trusted to distinguish between what's dangerous and what isn't."
Inside the Sarutobi Mansion
"Why is it so late? Who's sneaking into the house?"
Naruto, disguised with his Sexy Jutsu, burst into the room.
"Seduction!" he cried.
"Ahhh!"
A guard's panicked scream echoed through the hall, followed by the sound of a heavy body hitting the floor.
Grinning mischievously, Naruto approached the bookshelf at the back of the room. There, a large nameplate caught his eye: The Sealed Book is Here!
"Found it!" Naruto exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the oversized scroll labeled as the Scroll of Seals, slinging it onto his back before darting out of the mansion.
---
Mizuki's Fury
Meanwhile, Mizuki, having been tipped off by Anbu in disguise, rushed toward the Sarutobi mansion.
From a distance, he spotted Naruto exiting with a scroll on his back. His face contorted with rage.
"You little fox demon!" Mizuki snarled under his breath. "How dare you try to play me?"
In his anger, Mizuki cursed himself for falling for Naruto's act. If not for the warning disguised as Iruka's inquiry, Mizuki would have been completely blindsided.
Eyes blazing with fury, Mizuki followed Naruto into the night.
---
Into the Forest of Death
"Ichiro, where are we going now?" Naruto asked breathlessly as he sprinted through the quiet streets. "Are we heading home?"
Carrying the large scroll on his back, Naruto's excitement was palpable. Compared to this, all his previous pranks seemed like child's play.
"Home?" Ichiro snorted. "How do you expect to practice Ninjutsu at home? Head to the Forest of Death in the northeast. It's isolated and perfect for training."
Naruto nodded eagerly and altered his course, adrenaline still surging through his veins.
---
Within the subconscious space, Ichiro examined the system's list of available techniques from the Scroll of Seals.
---
[Available Techniques]
Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu: 500 Blackening Points
Flying Thunder God Jutsu: 3,000 Blackening Points
Impure World Reincarnation (Incomplete): 1,500 Blackening Points
Rasengan: 2,000 Blackening Points
---
Ichiro's excitement was impossible to hide.
"These techniques are real!" he exclaimed. "Every one of them is a treasure. Even with just the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, Naruto could surpass most Genin. And the Flying Thunder God and Impure World Reincarnation? Those are game-changers!"
However, his enthusiasm was tempered by the blackening value displayed at the corner of the interface: 720 points.
"Not enough," Ichiro muttered bitterly. "I can't afford even the Rasengan, let alone the Flying Thunder God. It's like being in a treasure trove but having no way to spend the gold."
---
Learning the First Technique
Naruto entered the Forest of Death and quickly found a secluded spot.
He set the scroll down, unrolling it with care. The sheer size of the text was daunting, but one technique immediately caught his attention: Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu.
"Multiple Shadow Clones?" Naruto murmured, his excitement growing. "This looks awesome! I'll master this first and blow everyone away at the exam tomorrow—especially Sasuke!"
Motivated by the thought of impressing his classmates, Naruto focused entirely on learning the technique. His Uzumaki heritage and knack for Ninjutsu gave him an edge, and he quickly began making progress.
Ichiro watched from within Naruto's mind, still monitoring the system.
"If Mizuki shows up," Ichiro muttered, "that'll be my chance to rack up more blackening points. Even if it's not enough for the Flying Thunder God, I might unlock One-Tail Chakra Mode."
Ichiro's plan was clear: let Mizuki's hatred and malice fuel Naruto's growth.
Mizuki's Arrival
Naruto was halfway through mastering the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu when Ichiro's warning rang in his mind.
"Behind you—hidden weapons incoming! Move!"
End of the Chapter.