Hokage : My Nine tails are getting more and more

Naruto smiled as he watched Hinata's retreating figure, her presence always bringing him a sense of calm.

Mizuki, putting on a fake, amiable expression, said, "Naruto, you're quite lucky to have such a lovely fiancée. You should cherish her."

Naruto, catching the insincerity in Mizuki's voice, replied with a knowing smile, "Of course. I've heard your girlfriend is quite beautiful too, Mizuki-sensei. You wouldn't want to disappoint her."

The comment struck a nerve. Mizuki's smile faltered, his face stiffening at Naruto's words. Something about the boy's tone unsettled him, and for a moment, doubt crept into his mind. But, hardening his resolve, Mizuki pushed aside his unease. He had made his choices, and there was no turning back now.

As they continued talking, Mizuki subtly guided Naruto away from the school, leading him toward a more isolated training ground. His voice was smooth, attempting to coax Naruto into his plan without arousing suspicion.

"Listen, Naruto," Mizuki began, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "I know your situation, and I want to help you. It's not too late to pass the graduation exam."

Naruto, feigning interest, followed along, pretending to be clueless. "Really, Mizuki-sensei? I didn't think there'd be another chance."

Mizuki smiled, a hint of triumph flashing in his eyes. "Yes, but this is a special exam, different from the usual one. All you have to do is go to the Hokage's office and—"

As Mizuki continued spinning his tale, Naruto could barely keep a straight face. He could see through Mizuki's deceit so clearly that it almost amused him.

Naruto shook his head and, unable to hold it back any longer, laughed. "Hahaha! Mizuki-sensei, do you really think I'm that naive?"

Mizuki's voice faltered, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "What do you mean, Naruto? Don't you want to pass the exam and be on the same team as your fiancée?"

Naruto sighed and crossed his arms. "Let's cut the act, Mizuki-sensei. I know exactly what you're trying to do. And let me ask you—do you honestly believe Orochimaru will give you the power you're after? Do you really think you can trust someone like him to fulfill your ambitions?"

Mizuki's eyes widened in shock, a cold sweat forming on his brow. He stared at Naruto, trying to comprehend how the boy knew his secret. His mind raced, but no answer presented itself. "How... how do you know about Orochimaru?"

The confidence Mizuki had shown earlier crumbled as his most guarded secret had been laid bare by the very student he had underestimated. Naruto stood before him, no longer the clueless boy Mizuki had thought him to be, but someone far more insightful and dangerous.

Naruto's voice was calm but carried a weight that made Mizuki uneasy. "You're not the only one with knowledge, Mizuki-sensei. But let me give you some advice—Orochimaru isn't someone you can manipulate or rely on. He'll use you and discard you the moment you're no longer useful."

Mizuki, his voice shaking, snarled, "What do you know? Do you have any idea what I've been through? People blamed me for my actions during a mission, accused me of killing my own teammates. But I did what was necessary. A ninja's duty is to complete the mission, no matter the cost!"

Naruto shook his head slightly, sympathizing with Mizuki's twisted justification. "I know more than you think. Ever heard of Hatake Sakumo?"

Mizuki frowned in confusion. "Hatake Sakumo? What does he have to do with anything?"

"Hatake Sakumo was a hero during the Great Ninja War, Kakashi's father," Naruto explained. "He once abandoned a mission to save his comrades, and do you know what happened? The people he saved, the entire village, turned on him. They scorned him until he eventually took his own life."

Mizuki's eyes widened, absorbing the story. It hit close to home, resonating with his own experience of being ostracized and condemned. "So... you're saying I was right?"

Naruto continued, his voice steady. "What I'm saying is, no matter what you do—whether you prioritize the mission or your teammates—someone will always criticize you. You'll never be able to satisfy everyone. But that doesn't mean your actions were justified."

Mizuki clenched his fists. For so long, he had carried the bitterness of being misunderstood, and now, Naruto was offering him a different perspective. Yet, the weight of his resentment still lingered.

"But this village is corrupt," Mizuki argued, his tone growing more desperate. "You, of all people, should understand! You've been ostracized your whole life, treated like an outcast. How can you still defend this place?"

Naruto raised a hand to stop him. "Mizuki-sensei, I'm not here to argue about the village's flaws. I'm here to tell you that siding with Orochimaru won't solve your problems. It'll only make things worse."

Naruto took a step closer, his voice firm but not unkind. "I'm giving you two choices. First, stay in Konoha. There are people here who still trust you, like Iruka-sensei. Stay by his side, continue being his friend, and live your life without exposing yourself any further."

Mizuki looked uncertain, but Naruto continued, "Or you can choose the second path—leave and join Orochimaru. But know this, if you go down that road, there's no coming back. I won't stand in your way, but I also won't save you."

Mizuki's eyes flickered with confusion, torn between the two options. The more rational part of him knew Naruto was right—that following Orochimaru would lead to nothing but ruin. But the bitterness and ambition that had driven him for so long clouded his judgment.

Suddenly, Mizuki scoffed, trying to regain his composure. "You're just a kid who hasn't even graduated yet. Do you really think you can stop me? I'm a Chūnin, with years of experience. What could you possibly do against me?"

Naruto didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled calmly. "Mizuki-sensei, why don't you take a look around?"

Confused, Mizuki glanced around the secluded training ground. His eyes widened in horror as he realized that every tree, rock, and patch of ground around him was covered in explosive tags.

"What... When did this happen?" Mizuki stammered, panic creeping into his voice.

Naruto's form flickered and then vanished with a poof, revealing that it had been a mere clone all along. From the shadows, Naruto's voice echoed, calm and unyielding. "Mizuki-sensei, if you can't even see through a basic Clone Technique, do you really think someone like Orochimaru will take you seriously?"

Mizuki's heart raced as he realized the trap he had walked into. He was completely surrounded, at Naruto's mercy.

"But I'm not here to kill you," Naruto's voice softened. "As long as you choose one of the paths I've laid out for you, I'll let you walk away from this."

The silence that followed was deafening as Mizuki struggled to make his choice, his mind torn between ambition and survival.

The decision was his.

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