Naruto: Different Path

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Everyone had a great time at the gathering, but due to their missions, they left one by one. Only Hinata lingered behind. 

Holding something, she softly said to Naruto, "Naruto, you've become the village's hero. I made this for you as a gift." 

She handed him a small box tied with a pink ribbon shaped like a bow, intricately and beautifully crafted. 

Her face was flushed red as Naruto accepted the box and tucked it into his pocket without opening it.

Noticing that only Hinata remained, Naruto said, "It's just the two of us left. Let me walk you home." 

Hinata was thrilled at the thought but softly replied, "Naruto, we're heading in different directions. If you walk me home, you'll have to return alone…" 

Naruto smiled warmly. "No worries. I have some business to take care of in your direction anyway, so it's on the way." With that, he led the way toward Hinata's house.

Hinata silently followed behind him, her face bright red. Naruto talked a lot along the way, asking about her recent activities. 

Hinata answered his questions earnestly. Since the recent war, lower-ranked ninja-like ones have not been sent to the frontlines, as Konoha wouldn't use them as cannon fodder. 

However, everyone in the village knew about the two heroes of the war. While most people were unaware of the mysterious "Black Flash" identity from the Anbu, Hinata knew who it was.

"Naruto," she began hesitantly, "you've become so strong already. Even though I've been training hard, my progress feels slow. Am I…" She trailed off, lowering her head.

Naruto gave her an encouraging smile and said, "Hinata, everyone has their strengths. 

You just need to focus on discovering your potential. Believe in yourself, okay?" He reached out and gently patted her head.

Reassured by Naruto's words, Hinata nodded firmly, a look of determination in her eyes. 

Time seemed to fly as they walked together, and before they knew it, they arrived at her house. 

They slowed their pace intentionally, but her father, Hiashi, had already come out to greet them.

"Oh, it's Naruto," Hiashi said, his hands folded behind his back. 

"If you don't mind, why don't you come in for some tea? I also wanted to discuss some ninja techniques with you."

Naruto thought. He must've been watching us with his Byakugan this whole time. 

He probably saw everything… No matter how strong you are, that's one skill you can't hide from.

Feeling awkward, Naruto smiled and replied, "Well, I've been meaning to ask Hiashi-sama for advice on some techniques, so sure."

The three of them went inside. Though things were initially awkward, the conversation soon became lively. However, the discussion about techniques was quickly forgotten.

Naruto glanced at Hinata and then turned back to Hiashi. "Hiashi-sama, I'd like to take Hinata on some missions with the Anbu soon." 

"Now that the war is over, there shouldn't be any large-scale battles for a while, but I suspect there may be smaller skirmishes between the villages."

Hiashi replied, "Naruto, with your strength, I feel reassured letting Hinata accompany you. On the contrary, I should be thanking you for helping her gain more experience."

Naruto noticed that even Hisashi's attitude toward him had softened, no doubt influenced by Naruto's rising reputation in the village.

After bidding Hiashi goodbye, Naruto returned home. He took out the scroll he had retrieved from the Uzumaki clan's ruins. 

Having faced the Jinchuriki from the Hidden Cloud recently, he was more aware than ever of the immense power of tailed beasts. 

Naruto knew he needed to quickly master this sealing technique.

That night, he studied the scroll carefully. However, being in Konoha, he avoided practising it for fear of causing a disturbance.

Just as Naruto prepared to leave for the Chunrai Manor the next morning, he heard a knock on his door. Sakura's voice called out, "Naruto, are you home?"

Naruto opened the door to find Sakura holding a homemade breakfast. Smiling, she said, "Naruto, you've been living alone for so long." 

"You probably just eat whatever's convenient, don't you? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I made this for you. I hope you like it!"

Sakura's uncharacteristic gentleness left Naruto a bit taken aback. 

Since she had gone out of her way to bring breakfast, he couldn't very well say he had plans to leave. He invited her in, and they sat down to eat.

The breakfast was delicious and beautifully arranged, showcasing a meticulous effort. 

Though Sakura was usually outgoing, she had put a lot of care into this meal. Naruto, however, focused on efficiency, quickly finishing everything she had brought.

Seeing how fast he ate, Sakura was thrilled. "It looks like you enjoyed it! I can make breakfast for you more often if you'd like," she offered eagerly.

Naruto nodded mechanically, feeling a bit overwhelmed. After finishing breakfast, Sakura insisted on spending more time together, so Naruto accompanied her around the village for a while.

However, their outing was cut short when Tsunade summoned Sakura for an urgent matter. She reluctantly said goodbye to Naruto.

When Sakura left, Naruto teleported to Chunrai Manor using the Flying Raijin technique. 

The manor had grown increasingly lively, with more people arriving each day. Despite the bustling activity, Naruto made it a point to visit whenever he had free time.

Naruto called for Ryusen, the manor's manager, and said, "Ryusen, please prepare a quiet space for me. I need to train for an important technique."

Ryusen, always respectful toward Naruto, quickly arranged for a spacious and secluded chamber. 

After leading Naruto to the room, he excused himself, leaving Naruto to focus on his training.

Naruto created shadow clones to assist him but quickly realized that the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques were intricate. 

The hand signs were complex, and the chakra control required was intense. Additionally, the technique consumed a large amount of chakra, limiting the number of clones he could use.

Still, Naruto's progress was impressive. For anyone else, mastering this would take far longer.

Naruto would guide the children at the manor during breaks in their training. They adored him, and his presence always brought excitement. 

Among the children, Akane, Tenba, Daiki, and Lucy were especially close to him, often begging him to tell them stories.

Looking at the children, Naruto felt a deep connection, especially toward Akane, who gave him a feeling of familial warmth.

Naruto cleared his throat with a soft cough, immediately drawing the children's attention. 

All of them fell silent, their expectant gazes fixed on him. 

With a slight smile, he began, "I've shared many stories with you before—tales of the legendary heroes who emerged from the chaos of the past, the five Kage who founded the great ninja villages, and those who shaped their eras." 

"But those stories are about figures from the distant past, far removed from your world. Today, I want to tell you about a young hero. He was about your age, maybe even younger!"

Naruto paused, letting the suspense build before continuing, "In the Land of Fire, within the Village Hidden in the Leaves, there was a young boy named Naruto Uzumaki."

He animatedly told the story, his words vivid and engaging. The children listened intently, completely absorbed. 

Akane and Ryusen already knew the truth about Naruto's identity, and this story only deepened their admiration for him.

One of the younger children turned to Naruto and asked, "Uncle Kenji, is this genius boy stronger than you?"

Naruto stifled a laugh. It seemed Kenji was a hero in their eyes. 

Without missing a beat, Naruto shifted the topic to the importance of learning ninjutsu. 

His primary goal in telling the story was to inspire the children.

Naruto dedicated himself to training in advanced sealing techniques while carefully guiding the children's development during his spare time. 

For the more talented kids, he crafted individualized training plans. 

Fortunately, these children experienced hardships early in life, which made them diligent and mature beyond their years. 

They trained tirelessly, requiring little supervision.

....

Before long, news arrived from Tsunade's office, summoning Naruto for a meeting. 

When he arrived, he saw a towering stack of paperwork on her desk, awaiting approval. 

Without looking up, Tsunade said, "Sorry to cut your rest short, but the current situation leaves us no choice. We're severely understaffed."

Tsunade gestured to Shizune, who stood nearby, and added, "Shizune will brief you on the details while I finish this work." She then returned to her pile of documents.

Shizune offered Naruto a sheepish smile. "Naruto, I'm sure you've noticed how busy Konoha has become recently."

Naruto nodded. "The large-scale war just ended. Three of the major nations suffered significant losses." 

"Are you saying they're already mobilizing for another attack so soon?"

Shizune shook her head. "No, as you said, they're still recovering. For now, they don't have the resources for a full-scale assault." 

"But that hasn't stopped them from sending smaller forces, including ANBU and spies, to disrupt our borders. Just yesterday, a spy infiltrated the village." 

"Fortunately, we caught them in time, preventing major damage. This incident proves our enemies are using every tactic they can to undermine Konoha."

Naruto furrowed his brows. "If that's the case, we need to strengthen security across the village and monitor all entries and exits." 

"While the other nations are weakened, Konoha's strength is intact, so we shouldn't face significant issues—at least not yet."

Shizune sighed. "If only it were that simple. The war has also destabilized the smaller nations." 

"During peacetime, these countries thrive. But in times of war, they're either turned into battlegrounds or risk complete annihilation." 

"To protect their interests, these smaller nations are beginning to take action." 

"Individually, they aren't much of a threat, but their numbers and scattered locations make them challenging to handle."

Naruto listened carefully, realizing the complexity of the situation. 

While Konoha's strength remained intact, its responsibilities had grown exponentially.

"So, what's my mission this time?" Naruto asked.

Shizune laid a map on the desk, showing the Land of Fire's borders and neighbouring territories. She pointed to a newly constructed outpost. 

"All of our top shinobi, including Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Yamato, are deployed. Even ANBU under Danzo's command has been reassigned." 

"This outpost isn't on the frontlines but serves as a strategic support hub. Your mission is to guard it as a member of ANBU." 

"Its central location allows for rapid response to nearby outposts in need of reinforcements."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "This outpost isn't even on the border. It's just a support base. Why send me there?"

Anticipating the question, Shizune interrupted. "That's precisely why Tsunade-sama chose you." 

"The outpost's position allows it to assist multiple locations. In case of emergencies, you must respond swiftly and support the frontline outposts."

Naruto wiped his brow with a resigned sigh. 

"So basically, I'm a roving troubleshooter. I should've known Granny Tsunade wouldn't make this easy for me."

Shizune smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry for the burden, Naruto, but you're the best person for the job." 

"Tsunade-sama also said you could choose your team members for this mission."

Naruto blinked. "Oh, so this was a setup from the start," he muttered, glancing at Tsunade, who pretended not to hear him as she continued working.

With a wry smile, Naruto said loudly, "Thanks for the special care, Granny Tsunade." 

He emphasized the words "special care," but Tsunade ignored him completely, her focus unwavering.

The mission loomed ahead, but Naruto's determination burned bright. Another challenge awaited, and he was ready to face it.

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