The moment Naruto saw the Asura Path, he realized something crucial—the timeline had finally entered the main plot of the original story.
The Akatsuki had begun their moves.
If he wanted a peaceful life, he had to deal with them first.
And while he was at it…
He needed to find a way to kill that little brat Obito.
The current Naruto was no longer the kind-hearted fool from the original tale.
When Naruto sought revenge: Every action has consequences, and I will be your retribution.
When others sought revenge against Naruto: Why continue this cycle of hatred? Lay down your grudge, and seek peace… or I will lay it down for you.
Asura Path's artillery blast turned the battlefield into chaos.
Naruto's eyes darkened as he saw his cabin—his home—get caught in the destruction.
He had spent so much effort creating a peaceful life in the wilderness, but in a single moment, the Akatsuki had ruined it.
Kurotsuchi, still in Naruto's arms, felt conflicted.
Part of her wanted to resist, but another part of her—an instinct she didn't want to admit—felt safe in his grasp.
Damn it… why do I feel secure in this pervert's arms?
Yet when she saw Naruto's cold expression, her entire body stiffened.
She swallowed hard and chose to remain silent.
The eerie glow of the Rinnegan in Asura Path's mechanical skull locked onto Naruto's position.
Naruto spoke calmly.
"Wait for me."
The next second, Naruto and Kurotsuchi vanished.
Breaking the Barrier
Far away, Luna had been searching for a place to hide when Naruto suddenly appeared beside her and grabbed her wrist.
Before she could react, a massive three-headed hellhound lunged at them from behind.
Naruto's senses flared.
He instinctively attempted to teleport using the Flying Thunder God Technique, connecting with a distant mark he had set dozens of miles away.
But—
Nothing happened.
Naruto's expression darkened.
His keen eyes swept the battlefield and immediately spotted the problem.
A barrier.
A powerful one.
It was suppressing the Flying Thunder God's spatial link, preventing him from teleporting outside.
Before he could analyze it further, the Cerberus pounced.
Naruto had no time to react, still in the middle of adjusting his teleportation.
Just as the monstrous jaws were about to clamp down on them—
Boom!
Kurotsuchi, having broken free from Naruto's hold, struck first.
Her fist, wrapped in dense rock, delivered a powerful uppercut.
The sheer force of the impact sent the massive beast skidding backward, howling in pain.
Naruto glanced at her, slightly surprised.
"I didn't expect you to be this strong," he remarked.
"Hmph~" Kurotsuchi shook her aching arm but refused to acknowledge his praise. She was trying to act cool, but the slight twitch in her fingers betrayed the numbness in her hand.
The hellhound, enraged, charged again.
Naruto didn't move.
Instead, he formed a one-handed seal.
"Wood Style: Binding Roots."
Thick, gnarled tree trunks erupted from the ground, wrapping around the Cerberus and holding it in place.
Then, without a word, Naruto lifted Luna and Kurotsuchi into the air using his chakra.
Kurotsuchi's eyes widened in shock.
"You—! Where the hell did you learn Wood Style?!"
Naruto ignored her, focused on escaping the barrier.
With his free hand, he formed a Rasenshuriken.
The massive spiraling sphere of wind and chakra shot toward the barrier's edge.
Boom!
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
Crack!
The barrier shattered like broken glass.
Below them, the Six Paths of Pain had already gathered, launching a coordinated attack.
Naruto ignored them.
The barrier was gone.
He activated the Flying Thunder God and vanished, reappearing dozens of miles away in a quiet desert.
A Temporary Retreat
Naruto took a deep breath and glanced around.
The vast Gobi Desert stretched endlessly, a stark contrast to the battlefield they had just escaped.
Turning to Kurotsuchi, he spoke quickly.
"Take Luna and run. Don't look back."
Kurotsuchi crossed her arms and scowled.
"Excuse me? Since when do I take orders from you?"
Naruto sighed.
"Because I just saved your life?"
Kurotsuchi clenched her fists.
Her mind screamed at her to refuse, but deep down, she knew he was right.
And that only made her more annoyed.
She bit her lip, glaring at him like he was the biggest mistake of her life.
Naruto smirked and—out of habit—reached out to ruffle her hair.
Kurotsuchi instantly smacked his hand away, her face turning red.
"Don't push your luck! We have nothing to do with each other!"
Naruto, sensing the Six Paths of Pain closing in, dropped his playful attitude and became serious.
Kurotsuchi noticed the shift and quickly grabbed Luna's hand.
"Fine, fine! We're leaving!"
Then, under her breath, she grumbled, "You better not die, you idiot."
Naruto ignored her.
He had other things to worry about.
The Final Stand
As the Six Paths of Pain advanced, Naruto cracked his knuckles.
"Alright…" he muttered. "Time to show off a little."
He turned his focus inward.
"Kurama, I need chakra."
Silence.
Naruto blinked.
Then he remembered.
Oh.
Right.
He had sealed off Kurama's perception when he was being affectionate with Luna.
He quickly lifted the restriction, and immediately, Kurama's voice roared in his mind.
"WHY THE HELL DID YOU SHUT ME OUT, YOU BRAT?!"
Naruto chuckled awkwardly.
"Uh… no reason."
Kurama scoffed.
"You're even jealous of a fox now?! Listen, I don't even have a gender! I have no interest in humans—or anything else, for that matter!"
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"Wait… you have no gender? So you could technically be male or female?"
Kurama's entire body stiffened in the sealed space.
"…Uzumaki Naruto, what the hell are you planning?"
Naruto coughed.
"Ahem. Nothing, nothing. Just give me chakra."
With a deep sigh, Kurama complied.
A steady stream of golden energy surged through Naruto's body.
Kurama grumbled, "I swear, you attract trouble like a magnet. That guy out there isn't someone you should be messing with."
Naruto exhaled slowly, feeling the raw power coursing through him.
"Some things can't be avoided."
Then—
Boom!
Golden flames erupted around him.
His body pulsed with Tailed Beast Chakra.
But he wasn't done.
"Lightning Style: Armor."
A crackling aura of lightning enveloped him, enhancing his speed.
But he still wasn't done.
"Ultra-Light Rock Technique."
His entire body became weightless, maximizing his agility.
Naruto smirked.
"Alright… let's do this."
Pain's Six Paths moved in unison.
But Naruto was ready.
This was his battlefield now.
And he would show them exactly why Uzumaki Naruto was unstoppable.
To be continued…
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