An awe-inspiring, sharp and powerful aura filled the clearing.
At that moment, in Naruto's pupils, everything seemed to slow down — every motion, every breath, became painfully clear.
Facing Mizuki's direct charge, Naruto didn't retreat this time.
Instead, he stepped forward to meet him head-on.
Zzz—zzzt!
The massive shadow loomed closer, Mizuki's bloodlust pressing down like a storm.
A flash of blue light rippled faintly along his arm — traces of unstable chakra bursting around his body, distorting the air.
Naruto's pupils tightened. His chest burned, and yet his breathing steadied.
Clang!
Two kunai collided with a screech. Sparks exploded between them, and for an instant, Naruto's arm went numb. The jolt wasn't strong, but enough to stiffen his movement.
"Not good!" Naruto hissed through gritted teeth.
"It's over!!" Mizuki roared, bloodlust glinting in his red-stained eyes.
The sound of cracking thunder filled the night as he forced his body to move even faster.
With a violent twist of his arm, he dislodged Naruto's kunai and thrust his own blade straight toward the boy's heart.
"Die!!"
This strike — Mizuki poured every last drop of his chakra and hatred into it.
Can I dodge it? Should I?
No — I can't.
This is my only chance to win!
In that split second, Naruto's blue eyes flickered gold. The faint trace of the Nine-Tails' chakra stirred, like a feral light awakening.
The fierce determination blazing in Naruto's gaze made Mizuki hesitate — just for an instant — as if he had seen a monster behind those eyes.
That single heartbeat of fear sealed his fate.
Naruto twisted, leaning into the incoming attack instead of avoiding it.
Pshhh!
Steel sank into flesh. The kunai pierced shallowly into Naruto's chest, drawing blood.
But that brief pause gave Naruto the window he needed. Despite the stabbing pain that shot through his body and clouded his mind, Naruto grabbed Mizuki's arm tightly with his left hand and pulled him close.
Using his own body as bait — Naruto struck back.
Puff!
"You're the one who's finished!!" Naruto snarled, his voice trembling yet filled with conviction.
With an unflinching glare, Naruto drove his kunai into Mizuki's chest — straight toward the heart.
"AAAAGHHH!!"
Mizuki's scream tore through the forest.
Before he could counterattack, Naruto ripped his kunai free, blood splattering across both of them. His body screamed in agony, but his grip only tightened.
"Ahhhhhh!!"
The sheer pain was unbearable. Mizuki convulsed, his body jerking violently.
Then, with one last kick and a sharp twist of his wrist, Naruto tore his weapon free and sent Mizuki crashing backward.
BOOM!
The older ninja slammed into the dirt, his chest pouring blood.
For a second, there was only silence.
Then Mizuki's trembling voice rasped, "You… how… is this… possible…?"
His strength drained away like water from a broken jar. His vision blurred as he stared at Naruto — the boy he once mocked as a dropout.
"Dying… at the hands of a kid who never even graduated…? My dream… my power…"
Those were Mizuki's final thoughts as darkness swallowed him. His body fell still — the last breath fading away into the night.
"Cough… cough…"
Naruto staggered. Mizuki's blade hadn't pierced his heart, but the wound was deep, and the pain from earlier injuries was unbearable. Blood soaked through his jacket.
He collapsed to one knee, his kunai slipping from his hand.
If he were alone, he would have died there — drained by blood loss.
But Iruka was still nearby.
The battle had ended in mere seconds. Before Iruka could even stand, Naruto had already finished it.
"Naruto!"
Iruka's own injuries were bad, but compared to Naruto's, he was still mobile. He forced himself to crawl toward his student, ignoring the pain in his ribs and legs.
When he reached Naruto, he immediately began wrapping the wounds with what little cloth he could tear from his own vest.
"Naruto, hang on!" Iruka pleaded, his hands trembling as he pressed the fabric to stop the bleeding.
Naruto gave a faint, painful laugh, his lips curling into a weak smile.
"Heh… looks like… I finally did it, Iruka-sensei…" he murmured faintly. The small smile on his face made Iruka's heart twist painfully.
"Don't talk!" Iruka snapped, his voice cracking. "I'm taking you to the hospital right now!"
In that moment, Iruka's chest filled with guilt and helplessness.
Once again — just like twelve years ago — he felt powerless. Back then, he had watched his parents die protecting the village. And now, he had nearly lost his student — the boy he saw as family — because he was too weak to protect him.
He clenched his fists, tears welling up.
"I'm… fine, Iruka-sensei…" Naruto muttered hoarsely.
Even through the pain, Iruka noticed something strange — Naruto's bleeding had slowed. His skin was regaining a trace of color, and the wounds, though still deep, were closing faster than any normal person's.
It wasn't healing instantly — but his body was recovering visibly, the faint chakra of the Nine-Tails at work beneath the surface.
With Iruka's quick bandages and Naruto's unnatural resilience, the worst of the bleeding stopped.
The battle was over.
The forest was quiet again.
And for the first time, Iruka truly understood — the boy before him wasn't just the troublemaker everyone in the village dismissed.
He was a ninja.
And from that moment, Iruka knew — Naruto Uzumaki had finally earned his headband.