The leaves fell rustling like rain.

The two were fighting, creating a huge commotion.

The crowd's attention was drawn.

"What's happening over there? That monster is fighting with the teacher?"

"He bullied an ordinary person some time ago, so he probably did something the teacher couldn't tolerate again."

"It's a pity that someone like this is allowed to become a ninja. I wonder what the Hokage thinks."

"That's Teacher Mizuki."

Many teachers were also drawn to the scene, but none showed any intention of helping.

How could a freshly graduated student from a ninja school possibly be a match for a seasoned chunin?

More importantly, in their eyes, this was just a dog-eat-dog situation.

Naruto didn't need to say much.

Mizuki...

In front of students and parents, he appeared to be the model teacher, speaking softly and being extremely gentle.

But who among the teachers didn't know that Mizuki's past was not honorable—he had been suspected of harming teammates during missions and had been under investigation for quite some time.

A poisonous snake disguised as harmless.

They hoped Mizuki would accidentally kill Naruto.

That way, two problems could be solved at once.

The battle continued.

Naruto and Mizuki chased each other in the trees.

"I admit your recent performance has been impressive," Mizuki grinned cruelly, "but children shouldn't defy adults."

"Remember today's lesson."

He swung his fist without hesitation.

Naruto dodged.

There was a significant gap in physical abilities between an adult and a twelve-year-old child, making it difficult for him to cope.

Even so, he didn't give up on close combat.

Ninjutsu and ninja tools were not his forte.

Only in close combat could he try to seize an opportunity.

Mizuki reached behind him, preparing to pull out a kunai, wanting this annoying brat who had disrupted his plans to see some blood.

Naruto's eyes lit up.

An opportunity!

He found it!

He stretched out his hand and began to chant a spell.

Mizuki frowned.

That strange technique without hand signs again?

Recalling its earlier performance, the shockwave made it difficult to alter the kunai's flight path.

It was the power of a child's play.

It could withstand!

There wouldn't be any harm.

This conclusion formed in his mind.

He didn't defend and continued his current action.

But Naruto... was not using the earlier "Destruction Path" aimed at attacking and damaging; he was using "Binding Path," a technique aimed at confinement and restriction.

"Binding Path No. 1, Seal!"

Chakra mixed with spiritual power surged silently and hit Mizuki.

His arms twisted uncontrollably, his wrists sticking together tightly, bound against his back.

Mizuki was shocked.

What kind of technique is this?

It can control my own body? My arms are bound together...

This is bad; I can't use ninjutsu.

He struggled desperately.

But the adhesive strength between his hands was immense, and the position made it hard for him to exert full force.

For a moment, he couldn't break free.

Naruto kicked him.

Mizuki stumbled and crashed down beneath the tree.

The onlookers were speechless.

What did they just see?

Teacher Mizuki was defeated?

Even if he wasn't a professional fighter, he was still an experienced chunin, defeated by a freshly graduated genin.

And it was by the "bottom of the class" recognized just a week ago.

Wasn't that a bit too unbelievable?

Sasuke Uchiha clenched his fists and widened his eyes.

He thought the gap between him and Naruto wasn't that large, but... has that guy become strong enough to defeat a chunin?

Mizuki was still struggling.

He realized brute force wouldn't help him break free.

This could be a type of illusion technique with psychological suggestion, and he needed to use chakra to break it.

But he hadn't had the chance to try.

Naruto landed lightly, standing in front of Mizuki, holding the kunai: "Teacher Mizuki, you shouldn't refuse a student's invitation—"

Before he could finish, he suddenly looked up.

A massive chakra appeared above his head, at the tree, in the spot where the two had just fought.

It was chakra much stronger than Mizuki and Iruka.

It was a jounin.

Whoosh—whoosh, slicing through the air—

Naruto jumped away and looked up.

A ninja wearing a "frog" mask appeared.

"Uzumaki Naruto, stop immediately," he spoke, his voice seeming to have a disguise.

He bore no ill will.

Even if Naruto didn't dodge, the kunai would only be stuck between the two of them.

Naruto frowned.

The strange jounin in a mask.

Is he a ninja from Konoha sent to monitor this "nine-tailed fox"?

Before the jounin could say anything else, he pointed at Mizuki and complained, "I want to see the Third Hokage."

"Mizuki said I'm a nine-tailed fox and used that as a reason to incite me to steal the sealing book."

Nine-tailed fox?

Sealing book?

The eyelids hidden under the mask of the Anbu twitched involuntarily.

He looked at Mizuki with a dangerous gaze.

This person caused such trouble? I shouldn't have stopped him.

He jumped down from the tree, grabbed Mizuki, and tied him up with a rope: "Got it, then let's go see the Hokage."

They had only just left.

Iruka pushed through the crowd and rushed out, followed by a short-haired girl with pure white eyes and a faint presence.

"Where's Naruto?" He turned to look around, his tone anxious.

He had been dealing with graduation matters at school just moments ago.

Hinata Hyuga had rushed in to say that Naruto and Teacher Mizuki had gotten into a fight.

But where are they?

Neither Naruto nor Mizuki could be seen.

Hinata was the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan, usually obedient and cute, not the type to lie.

"He was taken away by the Anbu," a nearby teacher explained to him; Iruka was quite well-liked.

Iruka was taken aback, his expression shocked: "The Anbu?"

The teacher nodded: "Mizuki was injured by Uzumaki Naruto just now, and the Anbu appeared. They said something and took both Naruto and Mizuki away; it looks like they're going to see the Hokage."

Iruka tilted his head back: "The Hokage?"

Has this matter escalated to such a level?

His eyes dimmed.

He thought of some rumors about the Anbu.

Remembering those terrifying torture methods—"finger breaking," "burning," "board dragging"...

He gritted his teeth.

He also set off toward the Hokage building.

After all, Naruto is just a child. His recent performance has been outstanding; whether in academics or life, everything has been improving; he shouldn't...

Hokage Building.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was heavy as he looked at Mizuki, tightly bound by the Anbu, continually puffing on his pipe.

He knew he couldn't hide this from Naruto forever.

But...

At this moment, when Naruto was changing, to let him know this news was like igniting the fuse of an explosive tag.

Fortunately, Naruto brought this person here.

In comparison, this person's goal of acquiring the sealing book seemed trivial.

"Clear," Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at Naruto, met his gaze, and waved his hand.

The Anbu in the frog mask stood at attention.

"Take him away for interrogation and get to the bottom of this."

The frog-masked Anbu grabbed Mizuki and disappeared in an instant.

"Naruto, you did well," Sarutobi Hiruzen forced a smile to praise.

Naruto remained expressionless: "He said I'm a nine-tailed fox, which is why the village hates me. Is that true?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen softened his voice as much as possible: "I said before, they may have some biases..."

"So it's true, I am a nine-tailed fox?" Naruto interrupted him bluntly.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was taken aback.

He didn't want to lie, or rather, he didn't dare to lie.

The consequences of being caught lying were far scarier than the consequences of hiding the truth.

If a lie were to be uncovered, years later, when Naruto found out the truth, what would a "lost control" jinchuriki do?

He couldn't imagine.

Moreover, this was the child of Minato Namikaze.

"No, you are not the Nine-Tails," Sarutobi Hiruzen gently shook his head, picking out what he could honestly say, "You just have a bit of a connection to the Nine-Tails."

"It is sealed within you."

"Ordinary people don't know much about these things and have biases, so they mistakenly believe you are the Nine-Tails."

"In reality, you are a hero bearing a heavy mission."

Naruto asked, "Is the Nine-Tails the name of that fox demon?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to nod.

"But why did the Fourth Hokage seal the Nine-Tails in my body?" Naruto's next question followed, "The Nine-Tails rampage happened twelve years ago, and I was just a baby then."

"Why not kill the Nine-Tails?"

"Or seal it in someone else's body?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a headache coming.

He began to miss the old "brainless" Naruto.

Though he caused more trouble, at least he wouldn't ask such difficult questions.

"This has to do with your physique," Sarutobi Hiruzen thought for a moment, choosing a good angle, "Your surname is Uzumaki, and you possess the powerful physique of the Uzumaki clan; others cannot become the vessel for the Nine-Tails, only you can bear this special, arduous, and glorious responsibility."

"My parents are from the Uzumaki clan?" Naruto continued to ask, "Are both of them?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded: "Your mother is from the Uzumaki clan, she..."

"Then shouldn't I have the same surname as Dad?" Naruto interrupted again, "Why do I have my mother's surname?"

"What about my Dad?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath and reached out to pat Naruto's head.

How should he answer?

Should he tell Naruto the truth that his surname should actually be Namikaze?

That wasn't an appropriate answer.