Changing Fate As Naruto

"Damn it, how dare you try a sneak attack on me! Was the lesson I gave those scumbags at the Root headquarters not harsh enough?!"

After saving the little Uchiha from the ambush, Naruto's heart was filled with fury. At first, he thought it was just the remnants of Root coming for revenge, and his mind was already plotting how to torment them to death as payback. But when he accidentally caught a clear glimpse of the incoming weapon and saw that it was, in fact, a venomous snake radiating a sinister killing intent, his anger instantly faded. In its place surged a chilling, bone-piercing coldness that ran down his spine. As if to vent this overwhelming sense of dread, a curse slipped from his mouth.

"This is... a snake...? Damn it! Orochimaru?!"

As a ninja, aside from skillfully using ninjutsu to attack and defend, employing tools, animals, and any means to enhance one's power was a common technique. Many specialized branches of ninjutsu had been developed from this practice. But among those who used poisonous snakes to attack, were immensely powerful, and bore deep hatred toward the Hidden Leaf Village, there was one figure Naruto could instantly recall—a pale, androgynous face as sinister and bewitching as a woman's. The attacker's identity had already been revealed by Naruto's instinctive outburst—none other than Orochimaru, once one of the legendary Sannin alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade, who had betrayed the village and vanished, now standing before him as a true Kage-level powerhouse!

"...Oh my, not only did you dodge my attack, but you also recognized me... What a surprising little brat you are."

Almost at the same moment as Naruto's startled exclamation, a cold, serpentine voice echoed from the darkness, confirming Naruto's suspicions. Then came unhurried footsteps, casual and deliberate, drawing closer with each step.

Finally, under the dim streetlights, a man with a complexion so pale it seemed drained of blood appeared. He wore a black cloak adorned with red clouds, his lips curling into a mocking smile as he clapped slowly. Pausing for a moment, he wiped fresh bloodstains from his clothes, his golden snake-like pupils narrowing as he carefully examined the children before him—children he deemed utterly harmless. His gaze lingered on Naruto, the one who had foiled his perfect sneak attack, as he continued to speak with amusement.

"I didn't expect that those so-called elite guards, weak as they were, would be outdone by a snot-nosed brat like you... Hah. Should I commend the new generation's talent, or lament how the village's high-ranking forces have rotted to the point where even those assigned to protect its borders are nothing but second-rate fodder?"

"That look in your eyes... So it really is you, Orochimaru..."

Though Naruto desperately wanted to deny reality, even trying to convince himself that this person looked different from the Orochimaru he remembered from the original story, his excuses fell apart when he saw the unmistakable signs: the purple eyeliner etched at the corners of the eyes, the vertical golden snake pupils, and the oppressive, suffocating aura that made him feel as if he were being constricted and bitten by a giant python. Every feature screamed that the man standing before him was none other than Orochimaru—the real one, the traitor who had vanished for years!

'But... how is this possible? He should only show up during the Chūnin Exams, after killing and impersonating the Fourth Kazekage, leading the Sand Village's invasion of Konoha... Even if my killing Danzo has caused deviations in history, the timeline shouldn't have shifted this much! I'm only four years old right now! And judging by his Akatsuki cloak, he's still a member of that organization! If I mess this up and he brings in those freaks, each as strong as a Tailed Beast, how am I supposed to survive?! Isn't this just asking for me to get killed?!'

It wasn't that Naruto saw no chance of escape against Orochimaru. If Orochimaru were acting alone with only his Sound Village and the deceived Sand Village like during the Chūnin Exams, Naruto wouldn't be too afraid. After all, while Orochimaru was a Kage-level powerhouse, his aura was still far less terrifying than the grumpy tenant—Kurama—sealed within him, who used to lash out with malice before they became partners. What's more, Orochimaru seemed to underestimate both Naruto and Sasuke because of their young age. If Naruto could find an opening to activate the Flying Thunder God Technique, he could escape with the little Uchiha instantly! Orochimaru, who knew nothing about space-time ninjutsu, would never be able to catch them.

However, Orochimaru's Akatsuki cloak shattered that assumption. Naruto now had to worry not only about Orochimaru but also the colossal power the Akatsuki represented. He couldn't afford to reveal his trump cards, including the Flying Thunder God Technique. That alone killed the idea of a clean retreat before it even started. What's worse, Naruto now had to think carefully about whether he should risk exposing his identity as a Jinchūriki and draw on Kurama's power to fight back. The situation had tied his hands.

This was nothing like that minor skirmish a year and a half ago when he destroyed Root! Back then, Naruto had the full support of the Third Hokage's forces and could use all his trump cards without hesitation. Danzo, once reduced to ashes, couldn't leak any of Naruto's secrets, and the Third Hokage would never betray him.

But this was different. The danger level was far beyond anything Naruto had ever faced.

'Should I risk exposing my potential to the Akatsuki—or worse, to Uchiha Obito, one of the final bosses of this world—and be hunted down before I can even grow up... by using the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape with Sasuke?'

'Or should I keep all my trump cards sealed away, refuse to use Kurama's power or space-time jutsu, and fight him head-on, like a fool throwing an egg against a rock?'

'I thought I'd at least have until after the Chūnin Exams... I didn't expect the consequences of altering history to hit me this soon. Hah, no matter what choice I make, the outcome will be the same.'

After a long, tense silence, Naruto took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. His fists clenched tightly as a bitter smile formed on his lips. He murmured each word, one by one, in a low voice.

"This time... I think I've really screwed up..."