Black Ops: Anbu Naruto

This was meant to be the most peaceful frontline of the three nations. Armed conflicts were an everyday occurrence, and the sentries were as sharp as eagles.

But now things had changed. Kusagakure and Takigakure had formed an alliance against the Land of Fire. They no longer patrolled each other's borders, turning their attention to their common enemies instead.

Taking advantage of this, Naruto slipped through the forest under the cover of darkness, heading south into the territory of the Land of Grass.

"This was way too easy," Naruto thought while running, using leafless petrified trees for cover. "But this defense system is meant to stop ninja squads, not lone wolves like me."

In times of war, sneaking behind enemy lines alone was practically suicide.

The Transformation Jutsu would be useless for infiltration or sabotage missions in villages and towns since any experienced Sensor-type ninja could easily detect it.

However, Naruto's mission wasn't a real infiltration. He simply needed to blow up Heaven Lake Bridge and return—no espionage involved. This was a quick sabotage operation that he needed to complete before being discovered.

He hadn't been spotted yet, but his presence was already stirring suspicion.

He could sense the once tranquil forest growing restless from both his movements and others'.

"Guess it's time to wrap this up fast." Naruto stopped, pulled out his sword, and prepared to face the enemies whose arrival surprised him—they appeared faster than he had expected.

"Gotta move fast. Doesn't matter if they saw me—none of them are leaving here alive to talk about it." Naruto activated his Sharingan just in time to see dozens of shuriken flying toward him.

Activating his Sharingan's power, he slowed down time around him and deflected every single shuriken with his sword. Then he launched himself at the attackers.

Naruto quickly eliminated one of the attacking ninja—a tall man wearing a blade-shaped helmet, a strange light purple jacket, and a purple forehead protector tied around his neck bearing a star emblem.

"Hoshigakure... What's going on here? Could there be someone who decided not to stay neutral after all?" Naruto thought while turning to face the remaining nine ninjas.

"Konoha ninja! Take him down!"

At another ninja's cry, all of them formed the Bird hand seal and prepared to attack.

[Kujaku]!

Naruto refused to passively wait for their assault. Before three of the nine Kiri ninjas could even start forming hand seals, he had already created eight Shadow Clones and aimed to eliminate them before they completed their jutsu.

Out of the remaining eight opponents, only five managed to complete their jutsu in time to defend themselves from Naruto's clones.

Five Hoshigakure ninjas survived, radiating purple chakra shaped like flowing peacock feathers trailing from their backs.

"There's no way he can take us all down… We're all Jonin."

Three of Naruto's Shadow Clones returned to his side, positioning themselves toward his opponents.

"So what? Even among Jonin, strength varies!"

While deliberately drawing the enemy's attacks toward his clones, Naruto jumped out of the battlefield to observe the surroundings as best as he could.

With his Sharingan, he clearly saw the unnatural chakra surrounding them.

"That's definitely not natural energy."

[Kujaku Sage Art: Beast!]

Purple chakra surged from their bodies, manifesting as quadrupedal beasts that scattered Naruto's Shadow Clones.

The clones tried to intercept the chakra beasts' attacks, but it had no effect.

"Surrender, Konoha ninja, or face death here!"

[Fire Sealing Method—Release!]

Black flames of Amaterasu erupted from the glowing seal on his left arm.

"Nine-Tails, let's get started." At Naruto's plea, the immense Nine-Tails chakra began absorbing Natural Energy, which Naruto inhaled, entering Sage Mode.

"Swift and silent."

"Just my style! Kujaku Sage Art: Combine!"

The Hoshigakure ninja's five chakra beasts fused into one massive house-sized semi-summoned creature.

Naruto merely narrowed his orange eyes slightly. He didn't flinch or hesitate—his confidence unwavering.

Then, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, took his stance, formed the Half-Tiger Seal with his right hand, and drew his flame-wrapped left arm back like pulling a bowstring, readying an attack.

[Sage Art: Dark Flame Dragon!]

With a punch, Naruto unleashed a massive dragon of Amaterasu flame, shaped through his absolute control over both his own chakra and any other chakra he touched.

This was Naruto's first major breakthrough using the flames he absorbed when Itachi Uchiha attacked him. It required Sage Mode and the malleability of Natural Energy to sculpt the flames precisely—ideal for ranged attacks.

Though smaller than the enemy's combined Chakra beast technique, Naruto's flame dragon was outrageously powerful. It pierced straight through the center of the summoned beast, incinerating all traces of purple chakra.

The fiery dragon kept surging forward, striking the terrified Hoshigakure ninja and turning them to ash within thirty seconds, while the surrounding petrified forest was engulfed by the black flames.

"This... is... incredible!" Naruto shouted, though his voice was completely drowned out by the roaring dark flames.

Then, he quickly formed seals and retracted the Amaterasu flames back into his left arm.

Once all flames were drawn back from the petrified trees, Naruto felt relieved these trees were so hard—that was the only reason he could successfully draw the Amaterasu back into his body. Otherwise, this place would have become scorched earth.

He considered the battle swift and silent—now he could leave, knowing not even the enemy's corpses remained on the forest floor.

Flawless indeed—not a soul would trace his path or uncover the battlefield before dawn.

"That was seriously impressive, Naruto-senpai."

Before Naruto could take another step to flee, he heard a familiar voice. His childhood friend Maki Tamaki—black hair, gray eyes—emerged before him in a whirlwind of leaves, smiling on her face.

"Maki?"

Maki traced the ash left behind by the Hoshigakure ninja across the ground, letting the ash slip through her gloved fingers before rising and clapping her hands.

"You can already control the fire sealed inside your arm now. So you've been training hard in Kumogakure, huh?"

Naruto scanned around cautiously, making sure the night's stillness wasn't disturbed, then fixed his gaze on Maki, as his Sage Mode faded away.

"I'm glad to see you here... but what are you doing?"

"I came to provide backup," said Maki while adjusting the tanto strapped to her back. "Sai and I had a bad feeling about the mission details, so I followed you. I've been tailing you ever since you left the northwest front command post."

Naruto nodded, then realization hit him.

"Wait—you were there the whole time? Why didn't you reveal yourself sooner?"

Maki wasn't going to tell him she'd also seen Tayuya kiss him—she had been furious about it. That's why she decided not to reveal herself and instead followed him until she calmed down.

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