Changing Fate As Naruto

Naruto, fully focused and bracing for Orochimaru's sudden assault, never expected that this formidable Kage-level enemy wouldn't go for him—the one standing at the front—but would instead lower himself to attack the small Uchiha behind him, who had been cowering the whole time without a hint of fighting spirit!

He had completely forgotten the fatal flaw of his trump card, the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Even though it could let him move at lightning speed once activated… it still required a pre-placed teleportation mark on the target! And right now, let alone using one of his custom Three-Pronged Kunai pre-marked with the seal—Naruto hadn't even brought any due to his training! Even if he had, it was already too late!

'Sas...Sasuke...!'

This critical misjudgment came at a bloody cost in the blink of an eye.

By the time Naruto turned around on reflex to try and intercept, his body felt frozen in time, unable to move an inch.

He could only watch helplessly as Orochimaru's fanged maw crept closer and closer to Sasuke, who stood trembling, paralyzed with fear.

Shhlick...

With a soft but chilling sound of fangs piercing flesh, Orochimaru—bolstered by years of personal experimentation on the human body—precisely sank his teeth into the delicate artery of Sasuke's throat.

In Naruto's wide-eyed horror, he saw Sasuke, who couldn't resist in the slightest, instantly struck down with a single fatal bite.

A fatal wound at the throat unleashed a stream of blood. Sasuke's frail body could only gasp out broken, wheezing breaths—"Hhk... Hhkk..."—never even managing a scream.

Unable to dodge an all-out blow from a Kage-level shinobi, he was pitifully flung like discarded trash.

His small body crashed heavily into the ground, stirring a cloud of mist—then went still. No movement. No breath. No life.

"SASUKE...! OROCHIMARU! YOU BASTARD—!"

The thud of Sasuke's body hitting the ground with a dull finality shattered Naruto's rage into blank shock.

His limbs stiffened. His fury burned cold. His face twisted from pale to livid.

He completely forgot the power gap between him and Orochimaru.

With a wild howl, he sprang forward—only to be intercepted mid-air by a savage whip-kick to the stomach.

Orochimaru's leg struck like a hammer, flinging Naruto across the ground in a violent tumble until he crashed into a nearby wall and crumpled in a daze.

"Even now, you still think that half-assed strength is enough to fight me?"

"Don't make me laugh. My patience has limits. If you keep holding back, I'll gladly send you off to join that useless burden!"

Having crushed Naruto, Orochimaru retracted his killing intent and returned to his leisurely tone.

As if savoring the taste of Sasuke's blood, he slowly licked the corner of his mouth with a forked tongue.

His eyes narrowed with amusement as he examined Naruto's small, unmoving form—though the pressure rising from him was now drastically different.

After a beat, Orochimaru added mockingly:

"Oh my, finally thinking of using your full strength to entertain me? Now that's more like it..."

"He really was such a pitiful child, wasn't he?"

'...Shut... up...'

"Even in death, he probably never realized it was your promise that got him killed. You said you'd protect him... yet you never once used your real power."

"I said shut up..."

"In other words, Naruto... it was you who killed the comrade you cherished most. Wasn't it?"

Naruto's voice was now hoarse and dripping with murderous intent—but Orochimaru didn't care.

Dragging out each word, savoring the effect, he tilted his head with an eerie grin, basking in Naruto's barely restrained fury.

To Orochimaru, Naruto had never been a threat worthy of concern.

Even with his chakra surging after Sasuke's death, it didn't change the fact: Naruto was still far below Kage-level.

If anything, Orochimaru suspected he was using a temporary boost from some enhancement technique.

'So this is the limit of his chakra...?'

'Did I miscalculate? Is this really all the secret he holds...?'

Naruto's pressure finally began to plateau.

It was strong—just skimming the threshold of a Jōnin—but not enough to impress Orochimaru.

If this was all the mystery Naruto had, then it was disappointingly underwhelming.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead, muttering with regret:

"Tch… I actually returned to the village for important matters... and I ended up wasting all this time on a brat. If I had known this was all he had, I wouldn't have bothered trying to ki—"

"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!!!"

Orochimaru froze.

That shout didn't come from the trembling Naruto before him.

Eyes wide, Orochimaru instinctively turned toward the voice—only to realize with a start that Naruto's body had vanished.

All that remained was a puddle of blood.

"Wha—ghk!"

Even a Kage-level shinobi isn't immune to a moment of carelessness.

Before Orochimaru could fully react, a crushing blow smashed into the back of his neck.

It carried an overwhelming torrent of rage, hatred, and killing intent.

He staggered, stumbling forward several steps as the force sent him spinning midair—until he crashed into the wall Naruto had previously slumped against.

The wall shattered, revealing only splinters and smoke… and Orochimaru was gone.

"Tch. Missed. Substitution Jutsu, huh..."

Naruto reappeared where Orochimaru had once stood, his form gradually materializing from the mist.

As if his ambush was nothing more than routine, he calmly flicked his right arm, the one that had delivered the strike.

"Ahh, whatever. It's better that you didn't die..."

"If you were killed that easily... I wouldn't be nearly satisfied."

His voice dripped with venom.

The once-bright blue eyes had become blood-red, filled with malice—feral and unrelenting.

Bending down, Naruto pressed his fingers to the drops of Sasuke's blood on the ground.

He was silent for a moment—then clenched his fist and slowly stood.

The aura radiating from him now overpowered Orochimaru's.

The predator and prey had switched roles.

"No more stalling. Didn't you want to see how much power I've been hiding?"

"Then I'll show you."

His blood-red eyes scanned the circle of approaching Orochimarus slowly encroaching from all directions.

With a sneer tugging at the corner of his lips, he raised his bloodstained thumb—then, deliberately, flipped it downward.

"I'll make sure you learn..."

"That laying a hand on Sasuke..."

"Was the most idiotic decision of your entire life."

The hunt had begun.