My Name Is Naruto Namikaze

CHAPTER WORDS:- 971

Chapter 18: "Stealing" the Scroll of Seals

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However, it seemed Naruto's worries were unnecessary.

Just as he was contemplating contingency plans or alternate solutions, Mizuki appeared within his line of sight.

And the moment Naruto laid eyes on Mizuki, all his concerns vanished. As long as Mizuki was here at this time and place, Naruto could confirm with absolute certainty that the original plotline had not changed.

This realization allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief and even feel a hint of joy. Of course, Naruto maintained the appearance of a disappointed and crestfallen expression—after all, he was supposed to be upset about failing the exam. He couldn't let Mizuki suspect otherwise.

With a false, warm smile, Mizuki waved at Naruto and slowly approached him.

'This time, I'll make good use of this opportunity!' As their gazes met and their silent performance began, both of them, ironically, had the same thought in their minds:

'thank you for bringing me the first major experience package of my ninja career. I'll gladly accept your generous gift!'

Looking at the faux-sincere Mizuki pretending to show concern, Naruto's face wore an innocent and happy expression, but inwardly, he was coldly calculating.

The crescent moon hung high in the sky, its light partially obscured by drifting clouds. The entire Hidden Leaf Village seemed to be enveloped in darkness, creating a perfect backdrop for "thieves" to operate.

At this late hour, most of the village had fallen into a deep slumber, except for the necessary guards and the livelier areas of nightlife. The rest of Konoha was quiet, peaceful, and still.

But amid the stillness, a lone figure moved silently through the shadows, heading toward a specific location at the heart of the village. This figure was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, who had been "deceived" and "manipulated" by Mizuki into undertaking a "special graduation task."

This so-called "special task" was actually an attempt to steal one of Konoha's greatest secrets—the Scroll of Seals.

The scroll's location, contrary to Mizuki's words, was not the so-called test site but the Third Hokage's residence itself.

While the task at hand technically involved touching one of Konoha's most heavily guarded secrets—something that would result in being labeled a traitor 99% of the time—Naruto wasn't the least bit nervous.

He was certain he'd successfully steal the Scroll of Seals without issue.

And he knew the reason for this: the Third Hokage's tacit approval.

 in the original story, Naruto never understood why such a highly classified object could be stolen so easily—even taken away without a hitch. It was either a glaring plot hole or something else entirely.

In this timeline, Naruto had pieced together a theory. It was clear that the Third Hokage allowed Naruto to take the Scroll of Seals. The reasons seemed simple enough—partly as a way to compensate Naruto and partly as a test. Of course, these were just Naruto's deductions, but he was over 80–90% confident in them.

Otherwise, let's be real—whether in the original story or this timeline, there was no way a rookie like Naruto could break into the village's security and successfully steal the Scroll of Seals. He wouldn't even make it halfway there before being subdued by the surrounding ANBU forces.

Not to mention, there was undoubtedly a barrier protecting the scroll's resting place. Naruto, even with his training, wouldn't be able to break the barrier—heck, he might not even recognize it.

Standing outside the Third Hokage's residence, hidden among the trees, Naruto observed the expansive building.

"So, this is where the Third Hokage lives, huh? Pretty spacious for an old man..." Crouched on a branch, Naruto stayed hidden behind the tree's leaves and trunk, carefully surveying the area.

According to that "kind and understanding" Mizuki-sensei, this was the location of the secret mission. All Naruto needed to do was retrieve the scroll from this site, and he'd complete the "special graduation task," earning his status as a full-fledged ninja.

Thinking about Mizuki's sickeningly fake smile from earlier that afternoon made Naruto's lips curl into a faint smirk of disdain.

He may be a self-serving fool, but he was still useful. For that, Naruto would be sure to give his "beloved" Mizuki-sensei a proper send-off later.

"Hmm, let's get to it. After all, no one's going to stop me."

After a brief moment of observation, Naruto nodded to himself. With a slight push of his right foot, he leapt over the residence's wall and landed softly inside the compound. Every step was deliberate, his movements silent.

Despite knowing this "theft" was essentially staged, Naruto still played his part carefully. He wouldn't just stroll through the front door—that wouldn't align with the role he needed to portray. A thief, after all, had to maintain some level of professionalism.

What Naruto needed to think about now wasn't how to deal with Mizuki afterward—that was child's play. The main concern was how to use the Scroll of Seals to learn other jutsu in addition to the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, all without the Third Hokage catching on. If the Third Hokage did notice...

Well, who knew what that wily old politician might do.

For tonight's plan, this was the only real challenge.

As for dealing with Mizuki? That wasn't even worth worrying about. In the original story, the Naruto of that time had no trouble taking him down.

There's no way the Naruto of this timeline—stronger, smarter, and more prepared—would have any trouble with someone like Mizuki. 

BUT, it is always safe to be cautious, from What Naruto remembers, Mizuki had some kind of wierd transformation, but Since it has been 10+ years, he has forgotten most of the story of Naruto, expect for the key Parts which he has Written down in a secret code only he knows-

English.

(End of Chapter)

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