"Iruka, what is your opinion?"
Iruka said, "I… I have no opinion… I'm just a little worried about how Naruto will react when he finds out he killed someone. More importantly…"
"How will others view Naruto…?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled slightly. "You really do always put Naruto's feelings first, don't you?"
"It seems I made the absolutely correct choice when I asked you to look after Naruto."
"Iruka, Naruto, this child, values you most now, even willing to risk his life for you. This is a unique bond between the two of you."
"However, this also comes from your kindness towards him in daily life."
Iruka was in tears. "I… I feel so guilty, and so scared…"
"I understand…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, glancing at the unconscious Naruto, his own heart equally complex.
Fortunately… after Naruto passed out, the system's punishment automatically stopped.
At least… Kurama breathed a sigh of relief.
However, he also witnessed the madness Naruto unleashed for Iruka, that so-called bond, which made him subtly moved and deeply shocked… Of course, he would never admit it himself… Chapter 57: Shocking the World, How Many Truly Care? Asking for monthly votes!!!
Having lived for a thousand years, Kurama was naturally well-traveled and knowledgeable.
He had witnessed human joys and sorrows, partings and deaths, countless times.
Yet, after all… Uzumaki Naruto was still just a child.
How could such a strong bond, such intense emotion, erupt from a mere child?
Furthermore… Kurama, like Uzumaki Naruto, was enduring the baptism of the system's Lightning Release.
He felt that pain more acutely than anyone else.
But even under such intense pain, Uzumaki Naruto still stubbornly endured the lightning strikes to save Iruka, and to kill Mizuki, who had harmed Iruka!
What kind of terrifying obsession was this?!
Kurama asked himself, he simply couldn't do that.
The shock this event brought him even surpassed the deaths of Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina.
From then on, Kurama, for the first time, truly began to care about Uzumaki Naruto's every move.
Although he still pretended to be indifferent, he couldn't help but start paying attention to Naruto… Darkness, blood, cruelty, tyranny.
Pain, despair… Naruto seemed to be trapped in an endless hellish space.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Then he suddenly woke up, sitting bolt upright in bed.
"Iruka-sensei!"
He cried out, his scream breaking the silence.
Suddenly, a pair of arms steadied him.
"Naruto…"
"I'm here, I'm fine now…"
Naruto heard that incredibly familiar voice, looked up, and saw Iruka-sensei's gentle face.
"I… Iruka-sensei…"
Naruto couldn't help but be both surprised and delighted, two streams of tears welling up.
"It's great that you're okay!"
Iruka's eyes also moistened as he hugged Naruto and patted his shoulder.
"Naruto, your being okay is the most important thing!"
Naruto wiped his tears, a little confused.
"What exactly happened?"
"I… I can't seem to remember…"
Iruka-sensei's heart stirred.
He hesitated whether to tell Naruto.
After all, Naruto in that state was like a madman; telling him might scare him… However, Iruka-sensei still spoke.
Because it was something he owed Naruto, and he didn't want to hide the fact that Naruto had saved him.
Naruto was stunned after hearing it.
"I… I saved Iruka-sensei, and… "
"And killed that Mizuki?"
"I killed someone?!"
Iruka-sensei quickly reassured him, "You did it to save me, and to protect yourself."
Though he said that, and knew Mizuki harbored evil intentions and even wanted to kill Iruka-sensei, so he deserved his death, the feeling of killing someone was still unpleasant.
Iruka-sensei sighed, "Mizuki was also my friend. I never imagined he had been hiding such evil and ambition, but no matter what, if he hadn't been killed, I would have been the one to die, and so would you…"
"Naruto, thank you."
"You saved my life."
A warm current surged through Naruto's heart.
He was startled at first, then scratched his head, unsure whether to cry or laugh.
"Iruka-sensei, you don't have to be like this. If it were me, you would definitely come to save me too…"
"Right?"
Iruka-sensei smiled slightly and nodded heavily.
"I would, Naruto."
"Then it's all good!"
Naruto suddenly leaped down, jumping directly from the bed, and stretched with a big yawn.
"Ah ha…"
"How long have I slept?"
Iruka said, "A whole day."
"Huh?!"
Naruto clasped his hands behind his head, his eyes wide.
"Then I must have missed a lot of training, and many classes!"
Iruka-sensei was momentarily stunned.
Goodness… Who would have ever thought such words would come from Naruto's mouth?!
But he still smiled gently.
"Don't worry, Naruto, with your effort, you'll catch up quickly…"
Naruto was also stunned, then burst into laughter.
"You're right, hahahahaha!"
…The news of Mizuki's death still spread like wildfire.
Soon, it circulated throughout the entire Konoha Village.
Although not everyone knew the details, the general course of events was recounted quite vividly.
It was simply that he wanted to betray the Village and kill Iruka-sensei, but ultimately died at Naruto's hands.
For a time, all the villagers and Ninja were utterly shocked.
Not shocked by Mizuki's betrayal.
But shocked by Naruto.
He, dared to kill Mizuki?
He, was able to kill Mizuki?!
No matter what, Mizuki was also a Ninja Academy teacher, and a Chunin.
And Naruto was still a long way from graduating from the Ninja Academy… Not to mention, Naruto was still the Diao Che Wei in everyone's eyes!
This incident quickly became the biggest bombshell in the entire Village, causing an uproar.
So much so that when Naruto arrived at the Ninja Academy the day after he woke up, everyone's gazes became very strange, silently observing him, whispering amongst themselves.
However, Naruto was long used to such things.
He harbored complex emotions about killing.
But more than that, there was the sense of relief that Iruka-sensei was okay.
This was more important than anything else.
He walked towards the classroom with his hands behind his head, nonchalantly.
Behind him, Uchiha Sasuke watched Naruto's retreating figure, his fists clenching tightly once more.
"Naruto…"
"That Diao Che Wei, actually killed Mizuki, a real Chunin?!"
"How is that possible…"
"Could it be that he already possesses such terrifying strength?!"
"Damn it—"
Sasuke suddenly punched the large tree beside him, and with a loud thud, wood chips flew. The little girls secretly following him nearby were startled.
"I will never lose to you, Diao Che Wei!"
Sasuke's clenched fists trembled slightly as he strode into the classroom.
"However…"
"Fortunately, he didn't die at Mizuki's hands…"
"Hmm? Why am I thinking these things?"
"Hmph, I just don't want to see him die before I completely defeat him!"