Naruto:The avenger of the uzumaki clan

Chapter

28: Return

The firm look and soft tone in

Iruka's voice conveyed genuine concern and trustworthiness. Menma, with the

most orthodox Uzumaki bloodline, had immense perception abilities. The

Nine-Tails within him also gave him the unique ability to sense malice,

surpassing even his mother, Uzumaki Kushina. At this moment, Menma could easily

sense Iruka's sincere heart. Iruka wasn't deceiving him.

In that moment, Menma felt a mix of

emotions. He didn't know whether he was simply happy or felt some other

emotion, but he did feel relieved. This might seem a bit pretentious, but Menma

couldn't completely ignore the good intentions of others. In his previous life,

he was just an ordinary person.

Menma believed in repaying kindness

with kindness and hatred with retribution. This was his life creed. Even though

Iruka may not have been talking about 'virtue,' Menma couldn't ignore the

genuine care Iruka showed. Looking at Menma, who remained silent for a long

time, Iruka's inner uneasiness gradually expanded. Just when Iruka thought he

might have messed up, Menma spoke.

"Well, I believe you,

Iruka-sensei. If you are not trustworthy, then maybe there is really no one

trustworthy!" Menma said with a serious expression after taking a deep

breath.

When Menma's words reached Iruka and

even Sarutobi Hiruzen, both felt a sense of relief. The Third Hokage

appreciated Iruka's efforts even more. He felt it was the right decision to

place Menma in Iruka's care. Sarutobi Hiruzen believed that with Iruka and

himself as the fulcrum, Menma would gain recognition and closeness from more

people, eventually becoming the hero of Konohagakure.

Iruka showed a smile and nodded

slightly. After clearly seeing Menma relax, he walked lightly to Menma's side.

"Then tell me what happened, Menma."

"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Menma

nodded. After sorting out his thoughts, he recounted the incident from

beginning to end in plain language, including the fact that he opened and read

the Scroll of forbidden jutsu's. These were all under Sarutobi Hiruzen's

supervision, so it was completely fine.

While Iruka listened, his expression

constantly changed. He really didn't expect Mizuki to stir up such a mess. From

a normal perspective, without considering any unexpected factors, it was

impossible for most people to believe Menma's story. But at this moment, Iruka

was willing to believe Menma, both intellectually and emotionally. This was not

only due to the commitment he stated earlier but also his own subjective

judgment after spending so many years with Menma.

He didn't think Menma could be such

a bad boy. "Well, I believe what you said, Menma. But this time, things

are indeed a bit big. Take Mizuki with us, and let's go back to report to the

Third Hokage. Don't worry, I believe that the Third Hokage will also believe in

you," Iruka said after taking a deep breath. He slightly patted Menma's

shoulder to calm his emotions.

"Well, I also believe in the

Third Hokage," Menma raised his head and said seriously.

Following that, Iruka and Menma, one

carrying Mizuki and the other carrying the Scroll of forbidden jutsu's, left

the forest far from the core area of the village and flew back toward the

Hokage Building. Under the crystal, seeing this scene and hearing Menma's

words, Sarutobi Hiruzen had a faint and gentle smile on his old face.

Getting along over the years, this

was the relationship Sarutobi Hiruzen pursued. Now it seemed Menma had fully

met his expectations, passing this last little test perfectly. 'Minato, your

child has really grown up. Whether it's Naruto or Menma, they will definitely

become staunch defenders of the Will of Fire like you in the future,' Sarutobi

Hiruzen thought silently.

On the other side, Iruka and Menma,

who were speeding back, just approached the Hokage Building when two ANBU

members appeared. Iruka was suddenly shocked, but before he could speak, the

ANBU on the left spoke with a hoarse tone, "Leave the traitorous ninja

Mizuki to us. The Hokage is already waiting for you inside."

This clear and direct statement

reassured Iruka. Since Mizuki was defined as a traitor, everything that

followed became straightforward. Although Iruka was a bit concerned about why

the village reacted so quickly, he understood his duty. In many cases, pretending

to be confused was the right approach.

"Let's go, Menma," Iruka

said gently after handing Mizuki over to the ANBU. This method relieved Menma's

nervousness, though most of Menma's expressions were pretended. There was no

ripple in his heart at all. Sarutobi Hiruzen had monitored the entire process,

and the ANBU didn't take any action, fully explaining Sarutobi Hiruzen's

attitude.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Menma

responded. His acting skills were getting better.

The two went straight into the

Hokage Building, walking up the stairs to the most special office on the top

floor. They knocked gently. "Come in!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's slightly

low voice sounded from inside. Iruka carefully pushed the door open, entering

with Menma.

When Iruka was about to kneel with

Menma to salute, Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled and waved his hand to stop them.

"Okay, there's no need to be so reserved, Iruka, Menma. I already know

what happened. It's not your fault, Menma, and you have also made contributions,

so there's no need to worry," he said with a gentle smile.