Naruto stared blankly at Mizuki, shocked by the revelation of his own identity.
Sasuke and Sakura were equally shaken, along with Tazuna's family. No one had expected this seemingly unreliable Genin to be the Fourth Hokage's son.
"Kakashi-sensei, is this — is this true?" Naruto looked at Kakashi.
Kakashi sighed and nodded.
"If I'm the Fourth Hokage's son, then why does everyone hate me? Why didn't I even have money for food when I was little? Why did I have to go fishing in the wild by myself just to eat? Why does everyone call me the demon fox's son? My father was the hero who saved the village from the demon fox! Why? Why is this?"
A rift began to form between Naruto and Konohagakure. His eyes grew dim.
Kakashi said, "Naruto, the Third hid your identity to protect you. You mustn't blame him. During the Third Shinobi War, the Fourth killed too many enemies. If your identity were revealed, you'd face countless assassination attempts."
Naruto's eyes brightened slightly, as if he'd glimpsed the light of dawn.
"Heh heh!" Mizuki sneered, "That kind of excuse only works on children, Kakashi. Do you believe it yourself? Your father, Sakumo Hatake — the White Fang of the Leaf — killed no fewer enemies than the Fourth. You're Sakumo's son. The people who want to kill you are countless. So why didn't the Third hide your identity?"
Kakashi explained, "It's different. I already had the ability to protect myself back then. There was no need to hide it."
Mizuki pressed on, "What about Konohamaru? He's the Third's grandson. Why doesn't the Third hide his identity?"
"Konohamaru has protection." Kakashi said.
Mizuki sneered, "Exactly. The Third's grandson gets protection, while the Fourth's son is left to fend for himself."
Kakashi opened his mouth but found himself speechless. Even he could hear how absurd his excuses sounded.
"The real reason the Third hid Naruto's identity was to make the villagers hate him — to despise him and inflict deep trauma on his young mind. Then he'd appear in Naruto's life from time to time, offering care and affection. He used this to make the poor kid develop unshakable loyalty, to obey him without question and become his perfect puppet."
Someone who spends day after day in pitch-black darkness — cold, desolate, filled with despair — will cling to any light that appears. Warm, bright, bringing hope. They'll develop infinite fondness for that light.
But they don't know that all the darkness was created by that very light.
Naruto clenched his fists. Cold, indifferent gazes flashed through his mind, one after another.
Suddenly, Hiruzen's kind, smiling face appeared, dispelling the surrounding coldness. But the next moment, that kind smile twisted into a sinister, cold sneer.
"No! This isn't real. Kakashi-sensei, tell me this isn't real!"
Kakashi wanted to refute it, but he had nothing to say.
Naruto's fists loosened. He had completely lost faith in Konohagakure — and in Hiruzen.
"Konohamaru is the Third's grandson. Everyone's adored him since childhood. No matter what mistakes he makes, his family forgives him because his grandfather is the Hokage. But I'm the Fourth's son, and I've been hated and despised since childhood. Whatever I do gets criticized. No one likes me. Even kids my age won't be friends with me. Why? Why is that?"
His heart filled with grievance and bitterness. He hated the villagers, hated Hiruzen, and hated his own parents too.
Mizuki sighed. He turned to Kakashi, "Forget about Naruto for a moment. Don't you have doubts about your father's death? The Third could have stopped the villagers from criticizing your father with a single word. Why didn't he?"
Kakashi frowned, "Stop talking!"
But Mizuki didn't stop, "High-level missions are confidential. How did ordinary villagers learn about your father's failed mission in such detail?"
"Shut up!" Kakashi roared.
Mizuki continued, "The selection of the Fourth Hokage was underway then. The Third feared your father would win. It wasn't just him — Orochimaru was driven out, and Jiraiya and Tsunade were pressured to leave. If any of them had become Hokage, the Third would've lost all power. So Minato Namikaze became the Fourth instead. The village's real power stayed with the Third. After all, Minato was youngest, with the weakest power base and least political skill."
"Mizuki!" Kakashi stared at him, face contorted, eyes bloodshot.
Mizuki smiled, "Looks like you'd already guessed but couldn't accept it. Heh heh!"
His words tore open Kakashi's last wound.
Mizuki didn't want to say these things. Kakashi was pitiful — his father dead, his teacher and teacher's wife dead, his teammates dead. Only he remained, living alone.
Without Might Guy, he probably would've turned to darkness long ago.
And yet he was gentle, attentive, considerate. Though covered in wounds, he still treated others with kindness.
Such a person shouldn't be hurt anymore.
But Mizuki spoke anyway. These words would hurt Kakashi deeply, but they had to be said. Constantly escaping only makes wounds deeper.
Only by facing oneself and recognizing reality can one break free from dark melancholy, emerge from past suffering, and live anew. Using trashy romance novels like Make-Out Paradise to distract oneself is irresponsible and passive.
Sakura and Sasuke stood nearby, stunned as they watched Naruto and Kakashi's expressions change from Mizuki's words. They gleaned much from the conversation.
Then Mizuki's gaze shifted to Sasuke.
"Sasuke, why do you want to become stronger?"
The sudden question made Sasuke freeze. His expression changed. He looked at Naruto, then at Kakashi.
Those two are done. Now it's my turn?
Hmph. I'm not like Kakashi and Naruto. My background is clear. My enemy is certain.
"I want to kill that man and get my revenge!"
Mizuki shook his head, "What if I told you your real enemy isn't Itachi Uchiha at all? Would you believe me?"
That casual statement made Sasuke explode instantly.
"You're full of crap!"
His defenses were shattered! He'd even cursed out loud!
His Sharingan activated. The two tomoe spun rapidly in his eyes. The cold chakra made the temperature in the room drop.
Mizuki looked at him calmly, his eyes full of pity. Poor kid — you've been played by your brother this whole time!
"No! Impossible! I saw it with my own eyes! It was him — it was definitely him!"
Mizuki shook his head, "That's right. Itachi Uchiha — your own older brother — killed your clansmen, killed your parents, yet left only you alive. But what you don't know is that he massacred the clan because he was threatened and manipulated by Danzō. The reason you're still alive is because your brother is the person who loves you most in the entire world."
Sasuke shook his head, shouting frantically, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Not just him — Kakashi also widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief.
Mizuki turned to Tazuna, "Mr. Tazuna, what comes next concerns Konohagakure's top secrets. It's not appropriate for you to know."
"I… I understand!"
Tazuna hurriedly called his daughter and grandson to leave, going far away! Knowing too much can get you killed!
"The Uchiha massacre is a long story. I'll keep it brief.
Twelve years ago, during the Nine-Tails' rampage, a three-tomoe Sharingan pattern appeared in the Nine-Tails' eyes. Konoha leadership suspected someone from the Uchiha clan was controlling it. Although they had no proof, when rebuilding the village, they deliberately moved the Uchiha compound from the center of Konohagakure to the outskirts — what is now the Uchiha district.
The leadership ostracized the Uchiha, and the villagers were unfriendly toward them. But the Uchiha are a proud clan. They refused to accept being marginalized and decided to launch a coup to overthrow the leadership headed by the Third Hokage.
Among the Uchiha were two geniuses: Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha. They couldn't bear to see the Uchiha and Konoha go to war — it would devastate the village. So they mediated between the leadership and the Uchiha, hoping to resolve the conflict.
Unfortunately, the Third had already decided to eliminate the Uchiha as a destabilizing factor. With his tacit approval, Danzō acted. He stole Shisui's right eye. Shisui, knowing he couldn't change the clan's fate, threw himself into the Naka River. He committed suicide in front of Itachi. Before dying, he gave his left eye to Itachi. Itachi watched his close friend die and awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Immediately after, Danzō pressured Itachi, forcing him to slaughter the Uchiha clan."
Mizuki paused and glanced at Sasuke.
The boy's face was twisted. The two tomoe in his eyes spun even faster.
"He could have refused! Why didn't he refuse?" Sasuke asked, his voice hoarse.
"Because Danzō threatened him with your life. If Itachi didn't act, the village would, and the entire Uchiha clan would die. But if Itachi agreed, his little brother could survive."
Boom!
A powerful mental wave radiated from Sasuke's body. The two tomoe spinning rapidly in his eyes suddenly shifted position, and a new tomoe appeared.
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T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
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Take a look at the new books I'm translating on my profile, Cyberpunk 2077: A God-Level Skill Every Day and Infinite Worlds: Building the Strongest Harem!
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)