It's better to be a rebel ninja than to be a Hokage

Late at night, in the Hokage's office.

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

The third generation held a pipe in his mouth and stared at the crystal ball on the desk.

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

The third generation suddenly shifted his gaze away from the crystal ball and looked up at the door of the office.

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

The visitor's forehead and right half of his face were wrapped in bandages, and there was a cross-shaped scar on his chin.

He has black hair and a neat flat top.

But his face was slightly gloomy and his wrinkles were deep, indicating that he was no longer young, just like the three generations before him.

He was wearing a white kimono, and his entire right hand was wrapped in a black haori over the kimono.

"It's Danzo. It's so late. What's the matter?"

After confirming the identity of the visitor, the third generation asked in a familiar tone.

"I heard that the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki stole the Book of Sealing."

Danzo did not answer the Sandaime's question, but asked a question in return, but his tone was very firm.

His eyes dropped from the Sandai's face and looked at the crystal ball in front of the Sandai.

The figure of Uzumaki Naruto is shown in the crystal ball, and the huge scroll on his back is undoubtedly the Book of Seals.

"The seal book contains a method to unlock the seal of the Nine-Tails. If the Jinchūriki unlocks the seal of the Nine-Tails, the village will usher in the Nine-Tails Rebellion again!"

Danzo looked at the Sandai with his narrow eyes, his gaze was cunning and deep: "Hiruzen, I have warned you long ago that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has 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 Fourth Hokage's legacy as an excuse to let the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki do whatever he wants in the village. And the result of your indulgence is right before our eyes. His hatred for the village drove him to seize the Book of Sealing, and with the power of the Book of Sealing, he took revenge on Konoha."

Danzo Shimura, who was also one of Konoha's high-ranking officials, did not hide his accusations against the Third Hokage in his words.

The Sandai took the pipe from the corner of his mouth and blew out a stream of white smoke from his mouth: "Danzo, if you just come here to accuse me, you can talk about it during the day. There is no need to come here so late at night."

"I came here to help you make up for your wrong decision. Now there is still a chance. Capture the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki and let me guard him..."

Danzo opened his mouth and revealed his true purpose.

Before Danzo could finish his proposal, the Third Hokage interrupted him and said, "I told you not to attack Naruto."

The Sandaime and Danzo met eyes.

The look in the Sandaime's eyes seemed like a simple reminder, but also like a warning to Danzo not to overstep his bounds: "Naruto has changed a lot in the past two years. You should know this. Haven't you been monitoring him?"

Danzo's expression froze, but he did not open his mouth to defend himself in the face of the Sandaime's questioning.

"Ever since you attacked Naruto without telling me, Naruto has gradually started to integrate into the village in the past two years. He has tried to interact with people and started to understand what the Will of Fire is."

After giving Danzo a proper knock, the Sandaim put the pipe back into his mouth.

The third generation's attention was refocused on the crystal ball in front of him, and the picture in the crystal ball had undergone new changes at this moment.

……

Somewhere in the forest of Konoha Ninja Village.

Naruto looked at Mizuki standing in the tree with a confused look.

"Mizuki-sensei...what is going on?"

Mizuki on the tree looked down at Naruto with an extremely disgusted look and said sarcastically: "Naruto, you are really stupid. Don't you understand the situation yet?"

"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 am a student you recognize!"

Naruto roared and questioned Mizuki, his tone full of pain of being deceived.

Facing Naruto's question, Mizuki sneered: "Well, then I will be kind enough to answer the questions of your stupid student as a 'teacher'."

Mizuki jumped down from the tree, keeping a distance from Naruto that allowed him to attack unilaterally, and spoke:

"Naruto, I don't approve of you at all! Although I was a little surprised that you successfully performed the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique just now, that was just your good luck. In my opinion, you are a loser among losers who can't even learn the Three Body Technique!"

Mizuki's sincere words pierced Naruto's heart like a knife, making Naruto breathless.

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

Naruto asked persistently.

Looking at Naruto, whose breathing was short because of his words, Mizuki didn't care about Naruto's current mood and continued:

"Let me tell you the truth. Twelve years ago... you also know about the sealing of the Nine-Tails, right?"

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

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

Everything went according to plan. He acted stupidly just to make Mizuki tell him about the Nine-Tails.

At that time, just pretend to be angry, let the Nine-Tails' chakra overflow around your body, and use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique again to defeat Mizuki as in the original work.

Mizuki is just an ordinary Chunin. If it weren't for the sake of acting realistically, the kunai that Mizuki shot earlier would never have hit Naruto.

"…What kind of order is that? Why am I the only one who doesn't know?"

"That order is...you must never mention that you are the nine-tailed demon fox that destroyed the village twelve years ago."

Naruto stared at Mizuki in disbelief.

"Naruto, didn't you always say that the person you admired most was the Fourth Hokage who sealed the Nine-Tails? You said you wanted to be like him!"

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

"Everyone in the village hates you!"

“No one will recognize you!”

"This scroll is used to seal you!"

Mizuki yelled and told everything, "Naruto, this is why I chose you. Even if I kill you, no one will care. Then I just need to disguise myself as you and escape with the Book of Sealing!"

"Now you can go to hell peacefully!"

Mizuki removed the large shuriken from his back, used his chakra to spin it at high speed and threw it at Naruto.

This time, the big shuriken hit Naruto's vitals accurately, piercing his heart and causing unstoppable blood gushing out.

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

Shuimu's excited expression froze for a moment.

When the smoke cleared, it was revealed that the big shuriken had hit not Naruto but the log of the substitution jutsu.

"The art of multiple shadow clones!"

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

Countless Narutos suddenly appeared in front of Mizuki and surrounded him.

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

"Mr. Mizuki, it seems that I was not lucky enough to successfully use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique."

Under Mizuki's shocked gaze, all of Naruto's shadow clones rushed forward together.

No ninjutsu or even taijutsu is needed.

A thousand shadow clones with physical bodies, each of them launching an ordinary punch at Mizuki, would be too much for a mere Chunin like Mizuki to withstand.

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

Naruto unleashed the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique and approached Mizuki.

"Yeah!"

Shuimu cried out in fear, and used his hands and feet to crawl in the opposite direction.

But how can this be faster than Naruto?

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

Naruto came up to Mizuki, looked at Mizuki and said, "I am Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha, and I am the one who will become the Hokage!"

Naruto took the oath with great seriousness.

Of course, he was not speaking to Mizuki, but rather to the Third Generation who was using the telescope to spy on everything.

"I will definitely make the people in the village recognize me!"

"I will definitely make Mr. Mizuki recognize me!"

As he said this, Naruto extended his hand to Mizuki, expressing his friendly attitude.

Mizuki stared at Naruto's outstretched hand in silence for a moment before raising his own hand.

"Naruto……"

Mizuki held Naruto's hand and called out Naruto's name as if he had come to his senses.

However, Shuimu's expression suddenly became hideous and terrifying.

Mizuki grabbed Naruto's hand tightly to prevent him from breaking free, and the kunai hidden in his other hand finally found an opportunity to stab out.

"You are indeed an idiot!"

Shuimu once again showed an excited look of confidence in victory.

However, at the moment when the kunai was about to pierce Naruto's heart...

A third hand that was neither Naruto's nor Mizuki's grabbed Mizuki's hand holding the kunai.

The person who broke in between Naruto and Mizuki had long silver hair and wore a black mask. The Konoha ninja forehead protector was worn diagonally on his left eye as an eyepatch.

In addition to the black tight combat uniform, he also wore a green ninja vest.

Naruto deliberately let himself be caught by Mizuki just now, just to confirm whether the Third Hokage had anyone following him or Mizuki.

If there was, Mizuki's sudden attack would naturally be dealt with by the ninja who followed him.

And the fact was just as Naruto guessed. The Third Generation saw all of Mizuki's conspiracy.

He used this trick to test Naruto's opinion of the village.

But what Naruto didn't expect was...

The ninja sent by the Third Generation to follow Naruto and Mizuki to prevent unexpected situations would actually be——

——Hatake Kakashi.