Mizuki revealed the location he'd discovered, planting the idea that mastering the jutsu inside would guarantee graduation. Following Menma's instructions, Naruto told Mizuki he planned to steal the Scroll of Seals after failing tomorrow's exam.
Mizuki's smile widened. His tone grew affectionate. He planned to kill Naruto the moment the scroll was in hand. With Naruto dead, the demon fox from twelve years ago might finally be released. While the village panicked, Mizuki would slip away with the Scroll of Seals, unscathed.
While the two plotted in the shadows, the Hokage's office was bathed in the warm glow of a single crystal ball.
Hiruzen Sarutobi smoked his pipe, staring coldly at the image reflected within. The Telescope Technique. By memorizing a specific chakra signature, he could observe from anywhere within the Hidden Leaf's perimeter.
"Naruto actually saw through his scheme," Hiruzen muttered, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Mizuki truly is useless."
He was already aware of Mizuki's recent behavior—his obsessive inquiries about the Scroll of Seals. Hiruzen hadn't taken it seriously. Just an ordinary chunin, not worth the effort. No amount of trouble from him would amount to anything.
But now, it served a purpose. It was the perfect chance to test Naruto. Perhaps he could even teach him a few of Kushina's jutsu. After all, the Nine-Tails jinchuriki was a powerful asset. He'd invested too much raising Naruto to let him remain a failure. And by not punishing him afterward, he could solidify his role as a benevolent grandfather figure.
A shadow shifted in the darkness behind the Hokage—a member of his direct ANBU.
Seeing Hiruzen staring intently at the crystal, the black-clad ninja materialized silently. "Lord Hokage. Should we… prune him?"
The Hidden Leaf was a great tree. Sometimes, branches needed pruning.
Hiruzen lowered his pipe and shook his head. "No need. Just keep an eye on him. And bring me a blank scroll."
He would forge a fake Scroll of Seals. He could simply place the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu on it. With Naruto's Uzumaki Clan chakra reserves, he'd master it easily, just like his mother.
The ANBU bowed. "Yes." In a flash, he vanished.
Naruto separated from Mizuki and quickly traversed the rooftops. Each landing was heavy, thudding against the tiles. He let out a cheerful, mocking giggle.
Below, a chorus of curses erupted from the villagers. When they saw the prankster was Naruto, the insults grew vicious.
The yelling only stopped once Naruto was home and out of sight.
[Corruption Points +1]
[Corruption Points +2]
[...]
[Current Corruption Points: 320]
The moment he walked through his apartment door, Naruto collapsed onto his bed. The cheerful mask evaporated instantly.
"Menma, when do we leave tonight?"
The idea of stealing the scroll tomorrow was a lie meant for Mizuki. It was the only way to keep Iruka out of it. Menma was certain the Third Hokage had overheard the conversation. Acting tonight was the only shot at finding the real Scroll of Seals. Menma coveted those jutsu—the Flying Thunder God Technique, the incomplete Impure World Reincarnation, and Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
"No rush," Menma's voice echoed in his mind, cold and calculating. "Let's take a few more walks outside. Cause some minor damage. Then we steal the scroll."
Naruto frowned, confused and resistant. "Huh? Didn't we already do that on the way home? I don't want to hear them screaming at me again. It's awful."
Being scolded once or twice a day was manageable. But if it happened too often, Naruto feared those negative emotions would stick—and he'd pass them right back to Menma.
"You have to face these things positively," Menma countered. "You're only affected because you haven't been scolded enough. If you were yelled at more often, you wouldn't even notice."
Having earned 200 Corruption Points earlier, Menma wasn't about to let the opportunity slip. Maybe a few more loops would net 2000. Then he could exchange them directly for One-Tail Chakra Mode.
As for the Nine-Tails inside Naruto, Menma had no intention of touching it. He wasn't the primary personality. If the fox attacked his soul, Minato and Kushina's lingering chakra wouldn't necessarily protect him.
"Alright, alright. You're right," Naruto sighed. He stood up and headed for the kitchenette. "I'll leave after I eat a bowl of instant noodles."
He grabbed a packet of noodles and started boiling water. Simultaneously, he pulled a half-empty carton of milk from the refrigerator.
Through Naruto's eyes, Menma saw it clearly. The milk had expired months ago.
Damn those ignorant villagers, Menma thought, rage simmering. Taking their anger out on a kid who doesn't know any better. And the Third Hokage… and Danzo… I'll settle this with you later.
Menma also vividly remembered the stomach cramps and diarrhea that always followed these meals.
"Don't eat expired food," Menma snapped, forcing Naruto's hand to pause. "This is my body too. We still have money. Let's go eat Ichiraku Ramen."
Naruto hesitated. "But we don't have much left. We need it to last half a month. Besides, it's not necessarily spoiled. I've eaten this stuff plenty of times without getting a stomachache—"
"Shut up," Menma cut him off. "I'm handling the money. Now, go. Right now."
Menma trusted Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen. The man had always been kind to Naruto and wouldn't serve them expired garbage. Menma wasn't going to risk another round of gut-wrenching pain.
"Mmm-hmm!" Naruto nodded happily and bolted out the door. Aside from the Third Hokage, he felt he finally had someone else to rely on.
[Trust Level: 31]
After happily devouring a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto followed Menma's instructions. He went straight to the stores that had sold him the bad food.
He didn't make a scene at first. He just pulled up a small chair and sat right at the entrance to each shop. He didn't stop people from entering, but he talked loudly to anyone passing by.
He told them how "kind" the store owners were—how they sold him things for free, how they helped him financially. He spoke with such conviction, it sounded undeniable.
In short, he made everyone glare daggers at the shop owners, vowing never to shop there again.
The owners, naturally, didn't tolerate Naruto's presence. They cursed him and brandished weapons.
Naruto, possessing genin-level strength, didn't fear a mere civilian shopkeeper. He dodged the clumsy attacks while shouting, "I get it, boss! I'm just putting on a show for them!" followed by exaggerated, nonsensical yelling.
Fueled by the mix of emotions—Naruto's joy at revenge and the shopkeepers' fury—Menma gained another 400 Corruption Points.
This made Menma realize something: it wasn't just Naruto's sadness or pain that earned points. The pleasure Naruto felt while retaliating contributed just as much.
Moments of pure happiness, however, generated nothing.
[Trust Level: 33]
[Current Corruption Points: 720]
Although it wasn't enough to redeem a skill yet, Menma didn't intend to waste more time. He spoke to Naruto, who was currently driving a shop owner to the brink of insanity.
"Naruto. It's time to act."
---
If you're still here after 5 chapters, you already know this is good. Powerstones take 2 seconds — let's push this up the rankings