Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 346 Sasuke's Anbu Squad

The night breeze carried a slight chill.

Uchiha Sasuke walked slowly along the banks of the Naka River alone.

The river water shimmered with tiny silvery lights under the moonlight, and the rushing sound was especially clear in the quiet night.

He had walked this road countless times.

Each time, it feels like reliving a time that can never be returned to.

At the end of this river embankment lies the former territory of the Uchiha clan.

To be precise, it was the former territory of the clan.

Sasuke stopped in his tracks.

The scene before me was completely different from the home I remembered.

Most of the Uchiha-style buildings were demolished and rebuilt, replaced by the residences and shops of several other ninja clans.

The businesses of the Sarutobi, Shimura, Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi... these families occupied this land that once belonged to the Uchiha.

Only the area around Nankagawa Shrine retains its original appearance.

Or rather, it retains the original appearance of the ruins.

A simple wooden fence enclosed the area, with a warning sign hanging on it.

“Danger area, entry prohibited”.

Sasuke thought this was just a superficial act to deceive others.

What he didn't know was that, for the Konoha leadership, the real "danger" had long since vanished with that night's massacre.

All that remains are ruins and the lingering memories of bloodshed.

Sasuke nimbly vaulted over the fence and landed on the open ground in front of the shrine.

Moonlight shone through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating this desolate land.

The main building of the shrine has collapsed, leaving only a few charred wooden pillars standing stubbornly, like the skeletons of a dead giant.

The shrine that once enshrined the ancestors of the Uchiha clan is now just a pile of rubble, and tenacious weeds have grown in the cracks between the stone bricks of the altar.

Sasuke walked to the center of the shrine and sat down on a relatively intact stone step.

He looked up at the sparse stars in the night sky.

The wind whistled through the ruins, like the mournful sighs of countless souls.

I closed my eyes, and those long-blurred faces resurfaced in my mind once again.

The serious and profound face of his father, Fugaku Uchiha; the gentle smile of his mother, Mikoto Uchiha; the stern or kind gazes of the clan elders; the figures of children his age chasing and playing on the training field…

And that man.

Uchiha Itachi.

Sasuke clenched his fists involuntarily, his nails digging deep into his palms, causing a slight stinging pain.

But this pain is utterly insignificant compared to the burning hatred in my heart.

The blood-red moonlight that night, the silhouettes of my father and mother falling under Itachi Uchiha's blade...

And then there was that man, his own brother, staring at him with those Mangekyou Sharingan eyes, his gaze cold, empty, as if he were looking at an object.

"I will definitely kill you..."

Sasuke's clenched teeth made a very low sound, almost carried away by the night wind.

But the determination in his eyes was as firm as a rock.

"To avenge my father, my mother, and all my people..."

He remained in that position for a long time amidst the ruins.

Until the moon was high in the sky, until the night dew soaked my clothes, until the emotions in my heart were suppressed back into the depths of ice.

Sasuke stood up, took one last look at the ruins that held all his childhood memories, and turned to leave.

His lonely silhouette stretched long in the moonlight.

The Konoha Anbu training base has three underground floors.

This is one of the training grounds specifically for ANBU ninjas, and it is more secluded and has more complete facilities than the training grounds on the ground.

When Sasuke entered the training ground, there were already three people waiting inside.

Yamato stood in the center of the field, his expression as blank as ever.

He wasn't wearing the animal mask from the Dark faction today, revealing his somewhat ordinary but well-defined face.

Sasuke was not familiar with the other two.

A boy who looked to be about the same age as him had black hair and a slightly pale complexion. Although he had a smile on his face, it was like a mask, revealing no real emotion.

The other was a female ninja with long purple hair, tall and beautiful, but her eyes revealed a sharpness and vigilance unique to those who had been tempered on the battlefield.

She was wearing the standard uniform of the Anbu, with a slender ninja sword tucked behind her waist.

Sasuke wanted to observe from the sidelines first, but Yamato had already seen him and waved to him.

"Sasuke, come here."

Sasuke walked over, stopped in front of Yamato, and nodded slightly: "Captain Yamato."

Yamato pointed to the two men and introduced them in his usual calm tone: "You've come at the right time. These two are your new teammates."

He first pointed to the purple-haired female ninja: "Uzuki Yugao, a special jonin. Strictly speaking, she is your senior, with more seniority in the ANBU than you are. Because the other ANBU squads are already at full strength, she has been temporarily transferred here to lead you."

Uzuki Yugao nodded to Sasuke as a greeting.

Her movements were efficient and crisp, without any unnecessary actions.

Sasuke looked at her and felt that she looked familiar. He seemed to have seen her in several joint missions with the Anbu, but they had never worked together directly.

Yamato then pointed to the black-haired boy: "Sai is about your age, but he became a ninja earlier than you. He was promoted to Chunin two years ago."

Upon hearing this, Sasuke's gaze lingered on Sai for a few more seconds.

He became a Chunin in just two years?
This means that this guy named Sai already possessed Chunin-level strength at least around the age of ten.

Sasuke frowned slightly.

It wasn't out of jealousy. Although he was only twelve years old, after being trained by Kakashi and Yamato, he believed that his strength had reached the level of a Chunin, and he had even recently awakened the Sharingan with two tomoe.

What made him uncomfortable was the aura emanating from Sai.

Indifferent, hollow, like a... tool.

Beneath that obviously fake smile, there seemed to be no genuine emotional fluctuation.

"Sasuke," Sai spoke first, his voice steady, "Nice to meet you, please take care of me."

He stretched out his hand, his movements so precise they made one feel uncomfortable.

Sasuke hesitated for a second, but still shook hands with her.

Sai's hands were cool, and his handshake was just the right amount of pressure, but it was precisely this "just the right amount" that made people feel unnatural.

It's as if he's practiced this action thousands of times, making it an instinct rather than a heartfelt communication.

“I am Uchiha Sasuke,” Sasuke replied briefly, then quickly withdrew his hand.

Yamato watched the interaction between the three without changing his expression, and continued, "From today onwards, the three of you will form a new ANBU squad, with Yugao as the captain, reporting directly to me."

Sasuke suddenly remembered something and asked, "Where's Captain Kakashi?"

In his mind, Kakashi Hatake had always been the captain of the Anbu, as well as his direct superior and mentor.

Yamato explained, "Kakashi-senpai has been transferred to be an instructor of Jonin, and will be in charge of leading the new Genin team. From today onwards, I will be the captain of the Anbu. Your squad will also be under my direct command."

Instructing Jonin?

Sasuke was somewhat surprised.

Given Kakashi's strict evaluation standards and lazy personality, how could he possibly be willing to lead a genin team?

But since it was the Hokage's decision, he didn't ask any further questions and simply nodded: "Understood."

Above the training field, in the shadows of the second-floor corridor.

Two figures stood side by side, observing the four people in the training field below.

Danzo Shimura leaned on his cane, his right eye and right arm wrapped in thick bandages, his exposed left eye sharp as an eagle's, staring intently at Sasuke Uchiha below.

His eyes were filled with scrutiny, calculation, and a hint of barely concealed greed.

The last bloodline of the Uchiha clan...

"Hiruzen." Danzo's voice was hoarse and deep, like two rough stones rubbing together: "Do you really think that putting Uchiha Sasuke in this 'protection team' was a wise decision?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was standing next to him, did not answer immediately.

The Third Hokage was dressed in casual clothes, with a pipe dangling from his mouth, and white smoke slowly drifting away.

His gaze also fell on Sasuke, but his eyes were more complex, filled with worry, expectation, and deep guilt.

"This is the best arrangement for now," Hiruzen Sarutobi said slowly, his voice tinged with weariness. "Kakashi has been transferred to be a Jonin instructor, and Yamato needs time to adapt to his role as the Anbu Captain-Commander. As for Naruto..."

He paused, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and said, "Although we have Kakashi as our instructor, the current situation in the ninja world is far too unstable. The safety of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki must be guaranteed at the highest level."

Danzo's lips curled up slightly. Although he questioned the outcome, it was exactly what he wanted.

Under the pretext of "strengthening the protection of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki," he proposed to Hiruzen Sarutobi that a special ANBU squad be formed to secretly monitor and protect Naruto Uzumaki.

He crammed Sai, an elite member of the Root, into this squad.

On one hand, it "protects" the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

On the other hand, he was monitoring Uchiha Sasuke.

This only Uchiha bloodline in Konoha Village must not be allowed to escape control!

As for Maoyue Xiyan...

That's Hiruzen Sarutobi's insurance.

This veteran ANBU Special Jonin's loyalty to Konoha is beyond question.

With her around, Sai can be kept in check, and the team can be ensured not to be completely controlled by Danzo.

The two elderly people's eyes met briefly in the air, and they both knew what the other was planning.

However, for the sake of Konoha's "stability," this tacit compromise is necessary.

“Yugao has plenty of experience,” Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, as if convincing himself, “With her leading the team, Sasuke and Sai will also get excellent training. And…”

His gaze fell on Sasuke's dark eyes: "That child needs more bonds. Keeping him in contact with Naruto might help him overcome the shadows of the past."

Danzo did not refute, but merely gave a cold laugh, remaining noncommittal.

Bond?

In his view, that was nothing more than a sign of weakness.

A true ninja should sever all emotions and live solely for the mission.

Just like Sai.

The perfect tool.

…………

Ichiraku Ramen House.

Warm yellow lights shone from the store, casting a cozy glow on the night street.

There were hardly any customers left in the shop, except for two figures sitting in the corner.

"Ha! I'm full, I'm full!"

Naruto put down the large bowl in his hand and patted his round belly contentedly.

There were three empty bowls on the table in front of him, each one completely emptied, not even a drop of soup was left.

The man across from me, Mianma, had only eaten one bowl and was slowly sipping his tea.

"Brother Menma, you're not eating enough!" Naruto complained, looking at the relatively "meager" empty bowl in front of Menma. "How are you going to grow like this!"

Mianma put down his teacup and smiled helplessly: "My appetite isn't as exaggerated as yours. Besides..."

He glanced at Naruto's noticeably bulging belly: "If you keep eating like this, you'll end up like Choji."

"No way!" Naruto immediately retorted, but then chuckled, "I just digest it quickly! It'll be digested by tomorrow!"

He stood up, stretched his stiff shoulders, and suddenly remembered something, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Menma:

"Brother Mianma, do you think... we might be assigned to the same class tomorrow?"

Mianma raised an eyebrow slightly: "What, you want to be in the same class as me?"

"Of course!" Naruto nodded vigorously, his face full of anticipation. "We've always trained together! It would be so great if we could be in the same class and have the same instructor! And..."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "It would be even better if Hinata-nee could be in our group too..."

Menma looked at Naruto's appearance and a thought flickered in his mind.

According to the original work, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura will be assigned to Team 7, led by Kakashi.

But now, the plot has taken a huge turn.

Sasuke joined the Anbu.

Hyuga Neji was taken to the Land of Stars by Hyuga Hizashi.

And his own existence as a time traveler has further disrupted the original timeline.

What will the new "Twelve Konoha Youngsters" be like?
"Who knows?" Menma just smiled in the end, without giving a definite answer: "The class assignments are decided by the Hokage and the Jonin. We'll just wait and see."

“Yeah, right…” Naruto scratched the back of his head, but quickly perked up again: “Anyway! Starting tomorrow, we’ll be real ninjas! We can take on missions, we can earn money, we can…”

He counted on his fingers, his smile growing brighter and brighter.

Menma couldn't help but laugh when she saw his energetic appearance.

At least at this moment, Naruto in this world is much happier than in the original story.

The two chatted for a while longer until the hand-beating uncle started tidying up the shop, preparing to close.

"I'll head back now, Menma-nii!" Naruto jumped off the stool and waved to Menma: "See you at school tomorrow!"

"Okay, see you tomorrow." Menma nodded.

Naruto hummed an off-key tune and skipped away from the ramen shop.

Menma watched his figure disappear around the street corner, and the smile on her face gradually faded.

He raised his head and looked at the bright moon in the night sky, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

Konoha 63rd year.

The "Konoha Crush Plan" from the original story is not far off...

Orochimaru, don't disappoint me.

Menma walked out of the ramen shop and disappeared into the night.

On the other side, Naruto, like a little monkey, was always full of energy and quickly ran back to the apartment building.

This is an old apartment building located in the working-class area of ​​Konoha. Although it is not luxurious, it is clean and tidy, and the rent is cheap.

Naruto took his keys out of his pocket and hummed a little tune as he walked up the stairs.

Insert the key into the lock and turn it.

Click.

The door opened. Naruto was about to push the door open when he suddenly realized something and turned around abruptly.

There was a figure on the railing behind me, and I didn't know when.

The man was crouching on the railing, his posture as light as a cat's. Moonlight shone from behind him, obscuring his face in shadow, but Naruto recognized him at a glance with his short, bluish-green hair and teacher's uniform.

"Mitsuki-sensei?" Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Shui Mu jumped down from the railing and landed silently.

He wore a gentle smile, the kind of smile Naruto often saw at school, the smile of a "good teacher".

"I'm here to see you, Naruto." Mizuki walked up to Naruto, his voice low, as if he were telling him a secret: "I have something important to tell you."

"Something important?" Naruto was even more confused.

Mizuki nodded, his expression turning serious: "Each year's outstanding graduates will participate in an additional assessment. Those who pass this assessment will receive special rewards, and may even be directly recommended to powerful Jonin instructors."

"Outstanding graduates... additional assessments..."

Naruto's eyes lit up instantly.

To him, those two words were like a cat seeing a fish or a dog seeing a bone.

He has always longed for recognition and to prove himself.

"Me... am I also an outstanding graduate?" Naruto asked, somewhat incredulously.

“Of course.” Shui Mu’s smile softened even more. “Your graduation assessment results were very good, and your application of the Three Bodies Technique is already quite advanced. Therefore, you are qualified to participate in this assessment.”

Naruto's breathing became rapid.

Suddenly remembering something, he asked urgently, "Then... what about Brother Mianma? Did he participate too?"

Mizuki's smile remained unchanged: "The content and time of each person's assessment are different. Menma's assessment will be notified by Iruka-sensei."

The lie was clever, and with Mizuki's identity as "teacher," Naruto was indeed fooled.

He assumed that Mianma had also received a similar assessment notice, but because the assessment content was different, it was handled by a different teacher.

"Then I want to participate too!" Naruto shouted without hesitation, his eyes filled with fighting spirit.

Shui Mu's smile deepened.

He pulled a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Naruto: "This is your assessment task. Read it carefully, memorize its contents, and then destroy it."

Naruto took the scroll and eagerly opened it.

The scroll was small, with a simple map of Konoha drawn on it, marking several key locations.

The most conspicuous thing is the location of the Hokage Building.

The text next to it reads: "Mission Objective: Third floor of the Hokage Building, Confidential Archives. Mission Item: Book of Sealing. Mission Requirements: Before midnight, bring the Book of Sealing to the designated location east of the Seventh Training Ground on the east side of the village."

Below was a small note: "During the assessment, ANBU ninjas will act as 'hunters.' If you are caught, you will fail the assessment. Please use all the ninjutsu and tactics you have learned to complete the mission."

After reading the scroll, Naruto was so excited that his hands were trembling slightly.

Infiltrate the Hokage Building!

Steal the sealed book!

Evading the pursuit of the secret agents!

This sounds like a legendary mission from a ninja story!
"Mitsuki-sensei!" Naruto raised his head, his eyes burning with fierce determination: "I will definitely complete the mission!"

Mizuki patted him on the shoulder, his voice full of encouragement: "I believe in you, Naruto. Remember, the assessment begins the moment you leave home. The Anbu's 'hunters' can appear anywhere. Be careful."

"Yes!" Naruto nodded vigorously.

Shuimu gave a few more instructions, then his figure flashed and disappeared into the night.

Naruto stood there, gripping the scroll tightly in his hand, his heart pounding.

He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down.

Then, he quickly returned to his room, repeatedly memorized the contents of the scroll, and after confirming that every detail was engraved in his mind, he went to the kitchen and used the flames of the stove to burn the scroll to ashes.

After doing all this, Naruto checked the kunai, shuriken, and smoke bombs in his ninja tool bag.

He looked at himself in the mirror, his still somewhat immature face now filled with determination and excitement.

"Just you wait, Brother Mianma... Once I pass this test, I'll definitely surprise you!"

……

At midnight, Konoha Village was shrouded in a slumbering silence.

As the administrative center of the village, the Hokage Building is guarded by ANBU ninjas in shifts even at night.

But tonight seems a little different.

"Hey...that's..."

On the third-floor corridor of the building, an ANBU ninja wearing a dog mask suddenly stopped and looked ahead with a puzzled expression.

At the end of the corridor, a blond, spiky-haired boy swaggered along, holding a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. He looked around as he walked, muttering to himself:
"Huh? Where is the classified archives again...? It's marked this way on the map..."

The ANBU ninja was stunned.

Uzumaki Naruto?

Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?
Why would he be here in the middle of the night?

And judging from the way they look... it seems like they're looking for something?
A strong sense of unease welled up in the heart of the ANBU ninja. He immediately made a hand gesture to notify his companions who were hiding in the shadows.

Soon, two more ANBU ninjas appeared silently beside him.

"What's going on?" one of them asked in a low voice.

"Naruto Uzumaki, I wonder what he's looking for," the dog-masked ANBU replied, his voice tinged with confusion. "Should we stop him?"

The three exchanged glances, and each saw hesitation in the other's eyes.

Naruto's identity is too special. He is the son of the Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Without the Hokage's orders, none of them dare to intercept him rashly.

In the few seconds that the three hesitated, Naruto had already reached the middle of the corridor.

He stopped in front of a heavy wooden door with a sign that read: “Confidential Archives Room. No entry without permission.”

"Found it!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

The ANBU ninjas' expressions changed drastically.

"No! We have to stop him!"

Dog Mask was about to rush out when he was held back by his companion.

"Wait!" another ANBU member said in a deep voice, "Didn't you notice? His chakra fluctuations... are very stable, there's nothing unusual, and no sign of the Nine-Tails going berserk. This doesn't seem like he's doing anything bad, it seems more like..."

“It looks like they’re on a mission,” the third ANBU member chimed in, his brow furrowed beneath his mask.

On a mission?

Who would assign a newly graduated genin the mission of infiltrating the Hokage Building and stealing classified documents?

Just then, Naruto pushed open the door and walked into the confidential archives room.

"Damn it!"

Dog Mask, unable to restrain himself any longer, flashed and appeared at the door of the archives room.

But when he pushed open the door, it was empty.

Only one cabinet against the wall was open, and it was completely empty.

The Book of Seals... is gone.

"Report to the Hokage immediately!" The voice of the dog-masked Anbu trembled with shock: "Naruto Uzumaki stole the Scroll of Seals!"

Outside the Hokage Building, in the shadows.

Shui Mu hid among the branches of a large tree, observing the activity inside the building from a distance.

He saw the commotion among the Anbu ninjas, saw some hurriedly leaving to report to the Third Hokage, and saw more Anbu members being alerted and beginning to search the village.

Everything is going according to his plan.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Shui Mu's mouth.

Naruto, that kid, is really easy to fool.

What "extra assessment for outstanding graduates," what "the undercover agents playing the role of pursuers"...

It was all a lie he made up.

His real purpose was to use Naruto's special status as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to stir up the defenses within Konoha, thus buying himself time and opportunity to defect.

After all, he was just a Chunin teacher and had no legitimate reason to leave the village. He would probably be discovered and brought back as soon as he stepped out of the village's protective barrier.

But what if it happened while the village was in chaos because the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had stolen the Scroll of Seals and was suspected of defecting...?

Shui Mu looked down at the bulging scroll bag in his arms.

It contained crucial intelligence he had stolen from other confidential rooms in the Hokage Building, including detailed information about Konoha's defenses, ninja organization, and even the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

These things would be enough for him to earn a generous reward and a high status in any ninja village or organization.

"That guy, Green Aoi, can even become a Jonin in Amegakure..."

A glint of greed and ambition flashed in Shui Mu's eyes.

"I, Shuimu, can definitely do it too!"

He recalled the scene a few months ago when the deserter, Green Aoi, somehow contacted him through a secret channel left by Lord Orochimaru.

The other party offered tempting terms: providing information about Konoha, especially about those who become Jinchuriki, in exchange for money, ninjutsu, or even a position in Amegakure.

Shuimu hesitated at the time.

Defection means betraying the village and becoming a rogue ninja hunted by everyone.

However, the fact that this guy had access to his one-way communication with Lord Orochimaru meant that Lord Orochimaru had already traded him, this pawn, to Amegakure. If he didn't do as he was told...

Especially after seeing Midori Aoi transform from an ordinary Chunin into a Jonin of Amegakure with the "Thunder God Sword" and special ninja tools, Mizuki's heart was completely tipped in jeopardy.

Why?
Why should those mediocre talents receive the best resources and guidance simply because they are born into a ninja clan?
Why should someone as talented and capable as me only be an ordinary Chunin teacher, facing those good-for-nothing brats every day?

He was not reconciled.

He wants to prove himself.

And tonight is the opportunity.

Mizuki took one last look at the chaotic Hokage Building before turning and leaving.

He wanted to take advantage of the moment when the Anbu were all distracted by Naruto and leave Konoha from another direction!

……

The Sarutobi clan's territory, the clan chief's residence.

In the dead of night, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had already gone to sleep.

Sudden--

"Lord Hokage! An emergency has occurred!"

An ANBU ninja appeared in the courtyard, kneeling on one knee, his voice filled with unprecedented urgency and panic.

Hiruzen Sarutobi woke up almost instantly. His years of ninja instinct made him sit up immediately from the bed, and he shouted in a deep voice, "What happened?!"

"Reporting to the Hokage! Naruto Uzumaki... Naruto Uzumaki has infiltrated the Hokage Building and stolen the Scroll of Sealing Seals! He's currently fleeing towards the outskirts of the village! Suspected... suspected defection!"

"What?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi flung open the bedroom door, not even having time to put on his robe, still wearing only his pajamas, his face filled with shock and disbelief!
"This is impossible! Immediately deploy all on-duty Anbu! Bring Naruto back to me at all costs! Remember! Do not harm him in the slightest! Now!"

He simply couldn't believe that the pure, passionate child who dreamed of becoming Hokage would defect!
There must be some conspiracy or misunderstanding behind this!
We must stop the situation from escalating immediately!
"Yes!" The secret agent accepted the order and vanished in an instant.

Soon, the entire Konoha Anbu system was alerted!

Striking shadows shot out from various hidden strongholds, like a net being cast, chasing after Naruto in the direction he fled.

Iruka, who had just finished his graduation exams and was about to rest, was also alarmed by this sudden emergency summons. When he learned that Naruto had stolen the Scroll of Seals and "defected," he was terrified and rushed out of his house to join the search team.

…………

Meanwhile, Mizuki, following his own plan, arrived at the forest near the third training ground on the west side of the village.

Just keep going forward and you'll see the village wall. Once you cross that wall, the sky's the limit!
Suddenly, as he flew past a huge ancient tree, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of a familiar figure sitting on the grass between the roots of a large tree not far below, leaning against the trunk, holding a huge scroll in his hands, reading it carefully by the moonlight.

The scroll was over a meter tall, and its cover had four large characters written on it:

The sealed book!

Uzumaki Naruto.

Shui Mu's pupils suddenly contracted.

In his instructions to Naruto, he clearly marked the direction as the seventh training ground on the east side of the village.

What's this kid doing here?

Are you lost?
Shui Mu's heart suddenly raced.

He looked around; the forest was quiet, with no other sounds except for the chirping of insects and the sound of the wind.

There was no trace of any Anbu ninjas.

It seems that the Anbu members who were hunting Naruto went in the wrong direction.

A bold idea began to grow wildly in Shuimu's mind.

The Akatsuki organization gave him the order through Green Aoi: to gather information about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

He can get a good reward as long as he takes this information to the Land of Rain.

but if……

What if he brought not only intelligence, but also the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki himself?
Mizuki's breathing became rapid.

He seemed to see himself gaining immense power and a lofty status in Amegakure, being revered by countless people.

Those who once looked down on him, those who once oppressed him, will all grovel at his feet!

Greed completely overwhelmed reason.

Mizuki silently descended from the tree and slowly approached Naruto.

In his hand, he already held several specially made kunai coated with a potent paralyzing toxin he had acquired at great expense. A mere scratch could render a Jonin incapacitated for a few seconds, a duration that could determine the outcome of a ninja battle.

step.

Two steps.

three……

"Eh? Mizuki-sensei?"

Naruto suddenly looked up, staring at Mizuki who emerged from the shadows with a puzzled expression.

He closed the Book of Seals in his hand, a puzzled expression on his face: "Is the assessment... already over? But I think I'm lost, and I haven't delivered the Book of Seals to the designated location yet..."

Shui Mu's face once again displayed that gentle smile befitting a "good teacher."

But this time, beneath the smile lay a chilling killing intent.

“Naruto,” Mizuki’s voice remained gentle, even tinged with concern, “You did very well. However… the assessment content has been changed at the last minute.”

"Change?" Naruto tilted his head, completely unaware of the danger.

“Yes.” Mizuki slowly approached, the kunai in his hand reflecting a faint blue luster in the moonlight: “The new assessment content is…”

He paused, his smile turning sinister:
"Can you survive my clutches?"

(End of this chapter)