Changing Fate As Naruto

Faced with this sudden dilemma, Naruto, who was always used to relying on the spoiler-like intel advantage granted by his transmigrator memories to plan everything flawlessly, found himself more restricted and frustrated than ever before…

To Naruto, the name Akatsuki alone was enough to make his head spin—it represented an overwhelming force. But if anyone other than Uchiha Obito had shown up, the situation might've been salvageable. He might've even held his own without fear. That disparity came down to one thing: an imbalance in information.

The Flying Thunder God Technique, while originally created long ago by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and later perfected by Naruto's own father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, had once become a legendary move known throughout the world—earning Minato the name "Yellow Flash of the Hidden Leaf." But based on Naruto's memories of the original Naruto manga, after Minato and Kushina Uzumaki sacrificed themselves to reseal the Nine-Tails, this one-of-a-kind space-time ninjutsu quietly vanished from the world alongside him. It faded into history without a sound.

Even when it reappeared during the Fourth Great Ninja War, it was an incomplete version performed by three of Minato's former subordinates, and even then, only barely functional and hard to apply in real combat.

From that sharp decline, it was clear—whether because the Hidden Leaf Village had protected the technique's secrets too well, or because the Fourth Hokage never passed down the improved version—knowledge of the Flying Thunder God Technique had become exceedingly rare. By the time the new generation had taken over, the jutsu that both the Second and Fourth Hokage had dedicated their lives to perfecting had already become a lost art—reduced to vivid tales told only by the elderly. In short, unless someone had personally experienced the terror of Minato's Flying Thunder God back in the day, they'd likely know very little about it.

And most members of the Akatsuki clearly didn't meet that condition! If it had been any other member invading Konoha—even someone as dangerous as Nagato with his Six Paths of Pain—Naruto could have gambled everything on their ignorance of the Flying Thunder God Technique's space-warping nature, using it as a hidden ace to either fight back or at least teleport Sasuke to safety.

But of all people, fate decided to send the one man who knew the Hidden Leaf inside and out: Orochimaru.

Before defecting, Orochimaru wasn't just one of the Legendary Sannin alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade—he was once the favored successor of the Third Hokage, having displayed extraordinary talent from a young age. With that special status and his obsession with immortality and ninjutsu, he eventually managed to learn the Forbidden Technique—Edo Tensei—originally developed by the Second Hokage. So it wasn't a stretch to assume that Orochimaru, even if he hadn't personally learned the Flying Thunder God Technique, would've at least seen it in action before defecting. And once Minato's prowess with it became widely known, it was highly likely that Orochimaru—armed with his extensive knowledge—had come up with potential counters.

That was exactly why Naruto knew: when facing Orochimaru, he had to be extra cautious. Not unless absolutely necessary could he reveal any trump card. The last thing he wanted was to pique the curiosity of a body-snatching weirdo. Worse yet, prematurely stepping into the spotlight would only attract the attention of people Naruto wasn't ready to deal with.

"Na… Naruto, do… do you kn-know… him…? He f-feels so… so sca—mmph…"

Just as Naruto furrowed his brows, desperately thinking of a way out of this crisis, a trembling, tear-choked voice snapped him back to reality. He looked down and found Sasuke curled into a shivering ball under the crushing pressure of Orochimaru's unreleased, Kage-level killing intent—his teeth clenched tight.

And only then did Naruto finally realize…

In the heat of the moment earlier, he'd knocked Sasuke down to avoid an attack… and had remained on top of him ever since, holding the boy's wrists in a tight grip, completely pinning him to the ground in what could only be described as a… hmm… intimate position.

Wait a second—Sasuke's supposed to be scared, right?! So why does his little face look like it's blushing?! Not pale with fear—but red?! If any seasoned fujoshi or fudanshi were to witness this right now, no amount of explanation could ever clear up the misunderstanding between these two straight-as-an-arrow boys!

'Looks like running isn't an option. Heck, you probably don't even have the strength to stand right now, huh, Sasuke…? Ugh, fine, just this once—I'll do something reckless.'

With the corner of his mouth twitching, Naruto forcibly shoved aside the weird thoughts and the rising urge to yell what the hell is happening?! He ignored the contemplative stare Orochimaru was giving them, and braced both hands on the ground to push himself up.

In one smooth motion, he yanked Sasuke upright and pulled him behind his back. Then, with a deep breath, Naruto spread his arms protectively, shielding the smaller boy behind him. His thoughts were a mess, but his body moved instinctively. One foot stepped forward as he bent into a cautious crouch, whispering a gentle promise to the little Uchiha behind him.

"Don't be scared. As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you… I swear."

"Oh? So you've made up your mind, little brat? You're not planning to take advantage of my good mood and flee while you still can?"

From the moment he arrived, Orochimaru had stood completely relaxed, arms crossed, showing no signs of attacking—but also no intention of letting them go. His thin red tongue lazily flicked at the corner of his lips, but his senses remained locked on Naruto and Sasuke like a venomous snake toying with wounded prey. He seemed ready to watch them crumble under the suffocating aura of a Kage-level monster…

And yet Naruto's unexpected choice caught him off guard.

It piqued his interest.

The strange child who kept breaking all his expectations—small, unremarkable in appearance, yet unshaken—was now fully under his microscope. A curious glint shone in Orochimaru's eyes. The corners of his lips curved upward slightly as he lowered his head, meeting Naruto's unwavering, clear blue gaze directly.

"You know my name, so you should be well aware of my power. And yet, even after confirming that your opponent is me, you haven't shown a shred of fear. Not only that, you haven't even tried to run. Whether that's bravery or foolishness, I suppose it's worth a sliver of praise… You've earned the right to tell me your name, boy. I'll try to make your death… slightly more dignified."

"To be praised by Lord Orochimaru, once one of the Legendary Sannin… it's an honor."

Naruto knew full well—Orochimaru wasn't like Danzo. He didn't have any long-term plans to exploit Naruto. If a fight broke out, he wouldn't hold back. So Naruto dropped the usual obedient, harmless demeanor and answered calmly, eyebrows raised. He even deliberately emphasized the word "once" with a slight pause.

Then, without hesitation, he rummaged through his ninja pouch, grabbed a handful of ration pills, and tucked them under his tongue. He'd need that energy in the coming fight. With a firm, if muffled voice, he declared:

"Uzumaki Naruto of the Hidden Leaf Village. Please… show me what you've got!"