Naruto: Different Path

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Naruto quickly packed his essentials and set off with Hinata for their mission. 

Both donned the signature uniforms of the ANBU and departed swiftly toward the designated temporary outpost. 

Fortunately, Naruto had already informed Hiashi, so bringing Hinata along didn't delay them. 

Though the outpost was within the Land of Fire, the journey still took considerable time, with occasional stops for rest.

During one such stop, Hinata offered Naruto some rations she had prepared beforehand. 

"Naruto, I made these for you before we left. You must be hungry after travelling so long," she said, her cheeks turning red.

Naruto accepted the rations, noting their odd appearance but finding the taste decent after taking a bite. 

Handing her a portion, he said, "Thanks, Hinata. Let's eat together." She nodded shyly, eating delicately. 

Watching her, Naruto couldn't help but notice the gentle aura she exuded. The journey was uneventful, allowing Naruto and Hinata to arrive at the outpost at a relaxed pace. 

Located deep within the Land of Fire, the outpost was well-hidden and lightly guarded by a four-person team of Chūnin. 

Despite their limited strength, they had been briefed that the legendary ANBU commander, "Black Flash" would be arriving to take charge. 

When Naruto appeared, the team immediately greeted him with reverence. The squad leader, a Chūnin named Hyūga Mitsuka, stepped forward. 

"Commander Ryujin, I'm the current leader of this outpost. My name is Hyūga Mitsuka. From now on, I'll be following your orders."

Naruto quickly noticed that Mitsuka was from the Hyūga branch family. If Hinata hadn't been disguised as an ANBU, Mitsuka might have recognized her. 

With her mask on, however, all eyes were on Naruto in admiration.

Tsunade had mentioned earlier that many members of the Hyūga branch family were deployed across Konoha's outposts to prevent enemy infiltration. 

This outpost, though a support hub, was strategically concealed and well-stocked with food and emergency supplies.

It not only served the stationed personnel but also supported nearby outposts in need.

The living conditions were surprisingly decent for a non-frontline location, with individual rooms and adequate amenities. 

Naruto chose a room, and Hinata settled into the one next to his. For the first few days, there were no emergencies. 

Naruto assigned the Chūnin team to monitor communication equipment while he trained Hinata just outside the outpost. 

Inspired by Naruto, Hinata worked tirelessly to improve her abilities. Naruto even sparred with her, using taijutsu in the nearby woods. 

Though he refrained from using Sage Mode, his taijutsu was formidable, and their matches were intense.

As a Hyūga main family member, Hinata's skill with taijutsu required Naruto to remain cautious. Occasionally, he used shadow clones to further hone his skills. 

Hinata's progress was remarkable, her training yielding visible results. During breaks, Naruto hunted for wild game while Hinata cooked. 

Coupled with the supplies from the outpost, their meals became a rare treat for two shinobi on a mission. 

Spending time together like this was easy and natural, and before they knew it, several days had passed without incident.

However, peace never lasts long in their line of work. One day, Hyūga Mitsuka rushed over in alarm. 

"Commander! There's an emergency. A nearby outpost in the Land of Fields is under attack. Asuma's team is struggling to hold their ground. 

They urgently need reinforcements!" Hearing "Land of Fields," Naruto immediately thought of Orochimaru. 

Few besides the forces of the great nations could challenge Asuma's team, and Orochimaru's potential involvement couldn't be ignored.

Naruto didn't hesitate. Grabbing Hinata, he activated the Flying Raijin technique, leaving behind two shadow clones to gather Sage Mode chakra. 

They teleported directly to the besieged outpost, using a pre-marked kunai sent earlier.

Activating Sage Mode, Naruto sensed a large number of enemies surrounding the outpost. 

Inside, Konoha's forces consisted of four Jōnin, including Asuma, and sixteen Chūnin—a respectable force. 

Yet, the enemy outnumbered them, with over fifty attackers, many possessing strong chakra signatures.

Hinata activated her Byakugan and scanned the area, her voice tinged with surprise. 

"Their physical traits are bizarre. If I had to describe them, I'd say they look like monsters."

Naruto and Hinata quickly moved outside to assess the situation. The attackers were indeed strange, displaying Curse Mark transformations. 

Asuma and his fellow Jōnin were coordinating the Chūnin to resist, but the battle looked dire.

Asuma faced a towering, skeletal enemy with horns and a heavily cursed body. 

Wielding an enormous spiked club, the creature's swings left massive craters in the ground. 

Despite its frail appearance, its strength was terrifying. Asuma countered with his signature trench knives, infused with Wind Release chakra to enhance their sharpness. 

Though faster and more agile, Asuma's strikes barely fazed the creature, whose wounds regenerated almost instantly in a liquid-like manner.

The other Jōnin were also locked in intense battles with similarly transformed foes, unable to break free to assist. 

The Chūnin, meanwhile, struggled to hold their ground against the overwhelming numbers. 

Though the monsters attacking them were less powerful, their sheer numbers created a perilous situation.

Naruto's Sage Mode and Hinata's Byakugan confirmed there were no high-ranking enemies like Orochimaru's trusted lieutenants. 

This seemed more like a probing attack than a full-scale assault. Even so, the situation was critical, and Naruto prepared to turn the tide.

Given the urgency of the situation, Naruto wasted no time and signalled Hinata to join the battle. 

Unsheathing the Sword of the Thunder God, he channelled an immense amount of chakra into it, activating the Lightning Armor around his body. 

Asuma noticed Naruto's arrival and let out a sigh of relief. The Thunder God's Sword radiated electric sparks, forming a massive blade of lightning chakra. 

Naruto surged forward like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the monstrous enemies effortlessly. 

Though these creatures had been enhanced, they stood no chance against a true master. 

Naruto's blade swept through them like a knife through butter, slashing through the horde as if he were chopping firewood. 

In mere moments, only ten monsters remained. Naruto paused his assault. 

The Chūnin, witnessing Naruto's swift annihilation of so many enemies, were left utterly dumbfounded. 

Such overwhelming power—far beyond what even Jōnin typically exhibited—was almost unimaginable. 

Despite the heavy losses inflicted by Naruto, the remaining creatures, driven by their primal instincts, continued charging toward the Chūnin. 

It was only then that the Chūnin realized the danger and scrambled to defend themselves.

Naruto said calmly, "I'll leave these to you. As shinobi, you need to hone your skills under pressure." 

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, forcing the Chūnin to confront the monsters.

Hinata, meanwhile, was locked in an intense battle with one of the creatures, clearly determined not to rely on Naruto for assistance. 

Naruto shifted his focus to the four Jōnin. Three of them were fighting enemies with incredibly durable bodies. 

Despite their skill, the Jōnin's attacks lacked the power needed to deliver fatal blows.

With lightning coursing through the Thunder God's Sword, Naruto pierced straight through one of the monsters. 

The creature's eyes widened in shock as its body was torn apart by the blade. Naruto then swiftly eliminated the other two monsters similarly.

The three Jōnin, whose abilities were inferior to Asuma's, couldn't hide their admiration for Naruto, known as the "Black Flash." 

Meanwhile, Asuma was still engaged in a gruelling fight with the tall, gaunt monster. 

After several ineffective attacks, Asuma retreated and activated his jutsu, Ash Burning. 

He exhaled a dense cloud of ash, engulfing the creature. At the right moment, he ignited the ash, creating a fiery explosion that spread across the battlefield.

While the flames were long-lasting and more difficult to resist than typical Fire Release techniques, the monster emerged mostly unscathed. Its body is partially liquefied to avoid damage before regenerating. 

Watching the creature step out of the flames, Asuma frowned, realizing that this opponent was too tough for him to handle alone.

Naruto approached him and said, "This monster can liquefy its body and has immense strength. However, if we overwhelm its regeneration with sheer power, it will collapse."

Asuma sighed, a bit embarrassed. "I don't have the kind of destructive power needed for that. I'll leave it to you."

The monster, observing Naruto's overwhelming strength, became visibly cautious. 

Unlike the other beasts, these more advanced creatures retained human-like intelligence. 

Witnessing Naruto quickly defeat its comrades and wield terrifyingly destructive techniques, it hesitated.

But Naruto didn't give it time to think. In a flash, the Thunder God's Sword pierced through its body, delivering a lightning-fast, decisive blow. 

Electric chakra coursed through the creature, paralyzing it completely. 

As Naruto increased the flow of chakra, the monster's body was engulfed in a blinding light before disintegrating into ashes.

With the most dangerous enemy vanquished in a single strike, Asuma lit a cigarette and exhaled deeply. 

"Good thing reinforcements arrived in time. Looks like we're saved. Let's take care of the remaining enemies together."

He began coordinating with the other Jōnin to assist in cleaning up the battlefield, but Naruto stopped him. 

"Asuma, I understand your desire to protect your subordinates, but these aren't fresh Genin." 

"They're Chūnin now. Let this serve as training for them. If things get out of hand, then you can step in."

Meanwhile, Hinata continued her battle against her opponent. The monster's body was partially reinforced, making her Gentle Fist strikes less effective. 

Moreover, its immense strength gave each of its blows the force of a collapsing mountain compared to Hinata's petite frame.

When the creature's massive fist came crashing down, Hinata swiftly spun her body, releasing chakra. 

"Eight Trigrams Palm: Rotation!" 

The rapid rotation of her chakra deflected the attack and sent the monster flying. Seizing the opportunity, Hinata charged forward, her hands moving in a blur.

"Eight Trigrams: Thirty-Two Palms!" Her relentless strikes landed like raindrops on the creature, temporarily sealing some of its chakra points. 

However, she realized this wasn't enough to neutralize it entirely. Recalling Hiashi's teachings about pushing beyond her limits, she focused on her resolve.

"Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!" With even faster and stronger strikes, Hinata poured all her chakra into the attack. 

As her determination surged, she broke through her previous limitations, sealing all of the monster's chakra points and rendering it immobile.

Exhausted but victorious, Hinata collapsed onto the ground. Naruto quickly approached, helping her up. 

He smiled warmly and said, "You've broken through your limits once again. All your hard work has paid off."

Though drained, Hinata was overjoyed by Naruto's praise.

Naruto then used the Flying Raijin technique to take her back to their outpost, leaving the remaining monsters for the Chūnin to handle. 

The Jōnin stood guard to prevent casualties while the Chūnin fought valiantly. From a nearby hill, a man wearing glasses observed the battle through binoculars. 

Hidden among the bushes, Kabuto Yakushi, Orochimaru's right-hand man, muttered to himself, "I didn't expect Konoha's Black Flash to be the one leading reinforcements." 

"His Lightning Release is far superior to Sasuke's, and he arrived in such a short time. It seems Lord Orochimaru's plans have hit a snag." 

He put away the binoculars and disappeared into the shadows.

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