Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

The sky hung low, thick with dark clouds, and the sharp scent of blood was carried in every direction by the fierce wind.

Following the trail of that metallic tang, Naruto Uzumaki soon found the main force. The forest ahead had become a brutal battlefield, the most intense scene of fighting he'd witnessed yet.

The ground was littered with corpses—some dismembered, their limbs strewn across the blood-soaked terrain. Yet just half a day ago, these were living, breathing people.

Now, their souls had returned to the heavens.

Venturing deeper, Naruto saw waves of Kumogakure shinobi disguised in Iwagakure uniforms surging into Konoha's defensive positions. Chaos reigned as desperate close-quarters combat broke out.

Unlike ordinary soldiers, the destructive power of ninja could reshape the very land. Among the more than thirty combatants locked in battle ahead, Konoha was clearly on the losing end.

They were heavily outnumbered—barely one-sixth of the fighters were from Konoha—and among them was Inuzuka Hana, who had been separated from Naruto earlier.

Hana was crouched behind a tree, one arm injured and glowing faintly as she applied medical ninjutsu to herself. Two of her three ninken lay dead on the battlefield. Naruto remembered that one of them had been named Haimaru.

The only survivor, Akayuki—the red-furred pup who had taken a liking to Naruto—was still by Hana's side.

As if sensing Naruto's presence, Akayuki turned and looked back.

Hana followed the dog's movement and caught sight of Naruto standing just beyond the bushes, not yet fully entered into the fray.

Her lips moved slightly—just enough to mouth the words: "Run away."

Surrounded by enemies, she knew that if Naruto rushed in now, it would be suicide.

But Naruto didn't listen.

He stepped into the battlefield without hesitation, dead leaves crunching beneath his feet. He made no attempt to conceal his approach.

Hana's eyes widened with panic. She looked at Naruto, her gaze intense with worry, before she finally shouted:

"Naruto! Don't come here—go find Lady Hazuki!"

Her voice cut through the roar of battle, drawing attention. Kumogakure ninjas, who had assumed the woman they'd been attacking was dead, now realized she was not only alive but being joined by another enemy—one who looked far too young for the battlefield.

They turned toward Naruto, amused and sneering.

"Hahaha, has Konoha really fallen so far since the last Shinobi World War?"

"Sending kids into battle now, are they?"

"We won't go easy just because he's a brat."

"Quit wasting time—kill the kid and move to the next target!"

Naruto ignored their jeers. Nor did he react to Hana's cries. He kept walking.

Hana gritted her teeth. She was exposed now and could no longer afford to hide. She quickly formed hand seals, using her Beast Human Clone technique to transform Akayuki into a mirror image of herself. Then she charged into the fray to protect Naruto.

"Leave now, Naruto! I'll hold them off!"

Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—critical to Konoha's future. Lady Hazuki had told Hana herself: nothing could be allowed to happen to him. Everyone else could die if it meant Naruto lived.

But Hana wasn't a frontline fighter. She specialized in tracking and healing—her abilities didn't even measure up to a special jōnin. Surrounded and outmatched, she was quickly overwhelmed.

"Kill the woman first, then the kid—move out!"

"Wind Style: Gale Palm!"

A cutting wind burst from the attacker's palm, howling toward Hana's head with deadly speed.

If it landed, she would die instantly.

In that split second, Hana was filled with regret. If only she'd stayed hidden, she wouldn't be about to die. It was Naruto's sudden appearance that had forced her hand.

If he hadn't been the Jinchuriki—if he hadn't been so important—she wouldn't have risked exposure.

The attack was almost upon her. She had no time to dodge—and part of her didn't want to. A kunoichi caught alive by the enemy could face fates worse than death.

But just as the wind was about to strike, a small hand shot out in front of her.

"Sister Hana," Naruto said calmly, "Don't you know I'm the only one who made jonin rank during this Chunin Exam? You're the one who should be running."

"Oh no—it's him."

"It's that kid!"

At that moment, raindrops began to fall from the sky.

Hana's nose—sharper than most—picked up a powerful scent of blood in the rain, stronger even than what lingered on the battlefield.

It was coming from Naruto, who now stood in front of her.

His expression was cold. Raising one hand, a howling gust formed in his palm, rapidly coalescing into a massive Rasengan.

The surge of chakra surprised even the battle-hardened Cloud ninjas—but they didn't falter. They tightened their formation, preparing to attack both Naruto and Hana.

The battle resumed in full force.

Konoha's defenders had already been wiped out. Only Naruto and Inuzuka Hana remained. The rest had died within moments of the Hidden Cloud's assault.

"Kill them!"

The enemy launched a barrage of long-range ninjutsu.

Naruto's expression remained stoic. In Hana's eyes, though, there was something else—excitement.

He looked... thrilled.

And she was right—Naruto was enjoying this. The thrill of combat, the surge of power, and the promise of a reward stirred him.

In front of him, only visible to his eyes, glowing options floated:

[Option 1: Be Diplomatic]

Locate "C", the Kumogakure commander, and persuade him to retreat.

Reward: Lightning-Style Chakra.

[Option 2: Be Rational]

Cooperate with Konoha to repel Kumogakure forces.

Reward: Human Puppet – Sacrifice items to summon a loyal servant.

[Option 3: Be Ruthless]

Join forces with Kumogakure to annihilate Konoha and Suna survivors.

Reward: Corpse Puppets of Sarutobi Hazuki and Temari.

[Option 4: Be Invincible]

Exterminate all future Kumogakure threats, leave no one alive.

Reward: Fire Release Compendium – a complete encyclopedia of Fire-Style jutsu.

"I've made my choice."

Naruto aimed to kill every last enemy—and complete Option 2 in the process.

After all, what better way to "repel" the enemy than to wipe them out?

Smiling, Naruto focused the Rasengan in his hand until it expanded far beyond normal size.

"Super Odama Rasengan!"

He had spent months perfecting this technique—finally mastering the chakra control needed to independently create such an advanced form.

The violent cyclone released by the technique tore through the battlefield, obliterating every long-range jutsu sent his way.

Then, extending a chakra arm, he grabbed both Hana and Akayuki and hurled them away from the battle.

He needed them clear so he could fight without holding back.

He dashed forward, slamming the massive Rasengan into four enemy ninja.

They barely had time to register the attack before they were sucked into the swirling chakra and shredded—gone without even a scream.

Gasps rose around him. The remaining Kumogakure ninjas scrambled, redirecting their attacks toward Naruto.

"Careful! He's Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"

"Don't panic! If we kill him, it'll be the biggest victory of the war!"

"There's only one of him, and thirty of us! We can wear him down!"

That last statement was met with determined nods. No matter how powerful a Jinchuriki was, numbers could still win the day—if they worked together.

"Fire Style: Flame Dragon Bullet!"

"Lightning Style: Thunderbolt!"

"Wind Style: Gale Palm!"

A storm of elemental jutsu rained toward Naruto.

He scoffed. The Rasengan dissipated from his hand. He formed a single seal and vanished, reappearing beside the ninja who had first attacked him.

That ninja felt a chill on his neck—and then the world turned upside down.

As his severed head hit the ground, he saw Naruto's face.

"You don't understand what a Jinchuriki is," Naruto said coldly. "Pigs and sheep might overwhelm a hunter. But they'll never defeat a Gatling gun with infinite bullets."

Naruto had already sized them up. None were above Chunin rank.

If even one Jonin had been among them, Hana would've died long ago. She wouldn't have lasted this long hiding.

Yet these Chunin thought they could defeat a Jinchuriki through sheer numbers?

Kumogakure had grown complacent. They had forgotten fear.

"Die!"

A blade pierced Naruto from behind, straight through the heart.

But Naruto turned to smoke.

"A Shadow Clone?!"

The attacker stumbled back in a panic, expecting death at any moment. But Naruto didn't reappear.

He let out a relieved sigh.

"Tch. So what if he's a Jinchuriki? Still just a kid with no instincts. If it were me, I would've struck back and—"

He froze as a thunderous sound echoed from the woods.

Heavy footsteps. Dozens, no—hundreds.

The Kumogakure shinobi turned, expecting Konoha reinforcements.

Instead, they saw hundreds of Naruto Uzumakis emerge from the forest, each wrapped in a blazing red Tailed Beast cloak.

"You said earlier it was thirty of you against one of me," Naruto's voice echoed.

"Well, now it's three hundred of me. What will you do?"

The real Naruto stood atop a tree, calm as water.

Creating that many shadow clones at once drained nearly half his chakra—but he didn't care.

It was the only way to make sure no enemy escaped.

After all, he had the Nine-Tails as his chakra bank.

Every Cloud Ninja here had to die—for the Fire Release Compendium.

The massacre had begun.