Naruto: The First Step

Chapter 20

Naruto and Iruka made their way to the academy to confront Mizuki. Naruto took off his hitai-ate and gave it to Iruka.

"Why are you giving this to me?", Iruka asked, dumbfounded.

"For safekeeping. I wouldn't want my hitai-ate scratched on my first day of my Genin life.", Naruto explained while pulling out his green goggles from his jacket.

He wore it on his forehead and nodded to Iruka. He then entered the academy halls with the big red scroll strapped behind him, walking until he reached the room where he had his Genin exam.

As for Iruka, he was outside, waiting for back up which he asked for when had a conversation with the Sandaime a few moments ago.

Inside, Naruto found Mizuki in the darkness, leaning on a wall in front of him. Naruto couldn't see clearly but he figured that Mizuki had a large shuriken strapped on his back with his arms crossed.

"Naruto, have you brought with you the scroll that I ask for?", Mizuki asked in a dark voice.

Naruto took off the scroll from his back and held it with both hands firmly.

"What do you intend to do with it, sensei?", Naruto asked.

"What do you mean? It's mine. Why do you want to know?", Mizuki said, suspicion clear in his voice.

"You lied.", Naruto growled.

Mizuki was taken back.

"You... read the scroll?!", Mizuki exclaimed.

"Yes! And I'm glad I did because it's not even yours!", Naruto growled again.

Mizuki closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening his eyes again.

"Look, kid, just give me the scroll. I don't want to fight you.", Mizuki impatiently said.

"Not until you tell me what you are going to do with it.", Naruto insisted.

Mizuki was somehow ticked off by this.

"Why do you want to know so bad?", Mizuki asked through gritted teeth.

"And why do you want it so bad?", Naruto countered, getting pissed.

Mizuki stood speechless. He walked towards Naruto. He stood a few feet from Naruto.

"Give me the scroll.", Mizuki growled.

"Never.", Naruto insisted.

"Fine!! You asked for it!!", Mizuki shouted, pulling out a kunai from his holster.

Mizuki was about to hit Naruto when the boy ran out with the scroll. Mizuki followed right after. Naruto ran to the back door of the academy and went out to a forest. He kept running until Mizuki was far away from him. He looked around and jumped on a tree branch.

Mizuki ran towards the direction where Naruto went.
After looking around under the tree where Naruto hid, he set off again. Naruto put the scroll on the branch. He wiped the sweat trickling from his left temple.

He duplicated the scroll and placed the duplicate on his back. Then he hid the real one in a big hole on the trunk of the tree. He then set off to go down again. He jumped and landed on the ground with a resounding thud.

He looked around to see if Mizuki was nearby. As he was about to run towards the academy, someone called him from behind.

"Naruto!", a voice called.

Naruto spun around to see Iruka and breathed a sigh of relief but something was wrong. He noticed Iruka to have a big shuriken the same one Mizuki had strapped on his back.

"Sensei, how'd you find me?", Naruto challenged.

"I heard Mizuki scream and I saw you run here. Give me the scroll, Naruto. I'll take care of it from here, now go!", Iruka said.

"Sensei, what about the plan?", Naruto asked.

"Don't mind the plan. Just give me the scroll.", Iruka insisted.

Naruto's eyes furrowed.

"You're not Iruka-sensei.", Naruto said, clapping his hands in a seal.