An Lushan's eyes darted warily, his body tense. He didn't know who this blond stranger was, but instinct told him not to underestimate him. The boy's calm smile was more terrifying than arrogance.
Naruto tilted his head, lips curling.
"Interesting," he said softly, almost playfully. "I'll use you for an experiment."
"Experiment?" An Lushan's breath hitched, his face tightening. He didn't understand what the boy meant, but every nerve screamed danger.
Naruto wasn't planning to explain. He simply closed his eyes and reached inward, into the well of power he had only just absorbed—the Dragon Vein. Natural energy, ancient and bottomless, now mixed with his chakra. His hands flexed at his sides as he called it forth.
Blue markings spread across his face in jagged, glowing lines. His pupils sharpened, his senses flared outward, and his body overflowed with vigor. This wasn't the familiar balance of Mount Myōboku's Toad Sage Mode. It was something else—wild, yet perfectly attuned to him.
Dragon Vein Sage Mode.
Naruto opened his eyes, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause. The ground pulsed with life under his feet. The air hummed with raw energy. He could feel every grain of sand, every shift in the wind, every flicker of An Lushan's frightened heartbeat.
"If I hadn't learned Sage Mode before, I wouldn't be able to control this," he murmured, testing his own body's resonance. "But now… It's mine."
The sensation was intoxicating. Unlike the toads' method, this Sage Mode wasn't bound to a single tradition. It was broad, unshackled, open to everything. A universal Sage Mode. And the supply of energy seemed endless—feeding him, sustaining him, expanding him.
For the first time, Naruto thought he might have surpassed even the First Hokage's legendary Sage Mode.
An Lushan's face twisted as he sensed it too—the weight of a force he'd coveted for years, now wielded by someone else as if it were second nature.
"Impossible…!" he shouted hoarsely. "I've studied the Dragon Vein for so long, and yet it rejects me! How can you—how can you control it so easily?!"
Naruto smirked. "Maybe you're just not worthy."
He blurred forward. Chakra burst beneath his feet, and in an instant, he was upon An Lushan.
The man barely raised his arms when Naruto's fist crashed into his face.
BOOM!
The impact sent An Lushan flying like a broken doll, his body plowing through sand and rock, carving a trench hundreds of meters long. He rolled, coughing blood, his face grotesquely swollen, barely able to breathe.
He's a monster… An Lushan thought dimly. I'll die here…
Desperation seized him. With shaking hands, he yanked a smoke bomb from his pack and slammed it to the ground. Thick smoke billowed upward.
"Damn it, damn it! I can't die here!" he rasped, forcing his battered body to run.
But the smoke meant nothing. Naruto's enhanced perception tracked him effortlessly, his movements outlined in sharp clarity.
With a flash, Naruto appeared in front of him.
An Lushan froze mid-step, eyes bulging in terror. His knees gave out, and he collapsed, scrambling backward like a rat cornered by a cat.
"H-how did you…!?" he stammered.
Naruto casually tapped his chest. "Flying Thunder God Technique."
"The… Fourth Hokage's jutsu?" An Lushan whispered, dread sinking into his gut. Of course—Namikaze Minato, the one who sealed the Dragon Vein long ago. This boy… was he his successor?
Before he could think further, Naruto's hand snapped to his throat, squeezing. An Lushan choked, clawing helplessly at Naruto's grip.
"Enough of this." Naruto's eyes were cold. "You've wasted enough air."
He twisted, ready to snap the man's neck—
"Wait!"
A voice rang out across the sands. Feminine, urgent. "Please, wait!"
Naruto frowned but didn't loosen his grip. A figure ran toward them, long hair whipping in the wind. She skidded to a halt, eyes wide with horror as she saw An Lushan in Naruto's grasp.
"Stop! Why kill him?" she cried, her voice breaking.
Naruto narrowed his eyes. The girl's face was strikingly familiar.
"…Sara," he said softly. "Queen of Loulan."
She flinched. "How do you know my name?"
Naruto ignored the question, lowering An Lushan's limp form just enough to study her. Of course—at this point in history, Sara still believed in Baizu. She hadn't yet learned the truth of his betrayal.
Her gaze locked on Naruto. "Why? Why kill him?"
Naruto tilted his head, then gave a humorless smile. "Because he's not what you think. His real name is An Lushan. He's been draining your country dry while pretending to serve it."
Sara shook her head violently. "No, Baizu would never—"
Naruto cut her off by slamming his palm against An Lushan's temple. His chakra surged, invading the man's mind. With brutal efficiency, Naruto ripped forth the memories buried within—the secret experiments, the hidden base, the manipulation, the betrayal.
Sara staggered as the images spilled into her mind. Her lips trembled. "No… it can't be…"
But she saw it all: her "advisor" siphoning Loulan's resources, plotting to claim the Dragon Vein for himself. Every smile, every reassuring word—lies.
Her knees gave out, tears spilling freely. "All this time… I trusted him…"
Naruto's grip tightened, and with a twist, An Lushan's neck snapped. His body fell limp in the sand.
Sara gasped but didn't protest. The weight of truth crushed whatever outrage she'd felt moments earlier.
Naruto looked at her coolly. "You needed to see it for yourself. Now you know."
Sara buried her face in her hands, her voice muffled. "I… I don't know what to do…"
Naruto crouched down in front of her, his tone softening slightly. "For now? Survive. Loulan may be in decline, but there's still a future for it. When the time comes, I'll make sure you get help from Konoha. But until then… live. Protect what little you have left."
Her tearful eyes lifted to his. "Why… why help me?"
Naruto gave a small, crooked smile. "Because too many people in this world lose everything before they even get a chance to fight for it. You won't be one of them."
Sara swallowed hard, then nodded slowly. "I trust you."
Naruto straightened and dusted his hands off. "Good. That's all I needed to hear."
Before leaving, he tapped his fingers against her arm, embedding a Flying Thunder God seal. A precaution. If she ever faced danger again, he could be there in an instant.
With a flicker, he vanished.
He reappeared deep underground, in the hidden lair of Orochimaru. The scent of damp stone and chemicals clung to the air.
Orochimaru's golden eyes widened with intrigue. "Naruto-kun," he hissed, tongue flicking across his lips. "To what do I owe this sudden visit?"
Naruto set two small vials on the table. Inside each swirled preserved blood and tissue, faintly glowing with unnatural vitality.
"Study these," Naruto ordered. "Carefully. Don't waste a drop."
Orochimaru leaned forward, eyes gleaming as he recognized the significance. "Such chakra… such density… Naruto-kun, dare I ask whose cells these are?"
Naruto's expression was unreadable. "Indra. And Asura."
For a heartbeat, even Orochimaru was silent. Then a slow, delighted laugh escaped his throat. "The progenitors of the Uchiha and Senju clans… truly, you continue to surprise me. How fascinating."
He cradled the vials like sacred relics, excitement radiating from him. "With these… the possibilities are endless."
Naruto said nothing. He trusted Orochimaru enough—not by choice, but by the control he'd placed over him. Whatever secrets could be unraveled, Orochimaru would find them.
After inspecting the clone projects already underway, Naruto finally departed.
Back in Konoha, he materialized inside his modest home. The village was quiet. Only a day had passed, and his absence was unnoticed except by Konohamaru. To everyone else, Naruto had never left.
He let out a slow breath of relief.
For three days, peace held. Then came an invitation.
Naruto asked Hinata to meet him outside. When she received the message, she was so overwhelmed with excitement that she fainted on the spot, much to the panic of Hiashi Hyūga. But when she recovered, she prepared carefully, heart pounding.
They met in front of a small shop. Hinata's face was red as she bowed her head. "N-Naruto-kun… It's been a while. H-how are you?"
Naruto chuckled lightly. "Don't be so nervous, Hinata. We'll probably be seeing each other every day soon enough."
Her blush deepened.
"Anyway," Naruto continued, his eyes serious now. "I asked you out today for a reason. I want to test your strength. Let's head to Training Ground One."
Hinata blinked. "Oh… so that's why…" A mix of relief and nerves filled her chest.
Naruto led the way, hands in his pockets, while Hinata followed silently, stealing glances at him.
When they reached the training ground, they faced one another. The open space echoed with the faint sounds of other shinobi training in the distance.
Hinata steadied herself. "Naruto-kun… I'm ready. Please, don't hold back."
"Attack boldly," Naruto encouraged. "I'll be watching closely."
Hinata inhaled deeply, her pale eyes sharpening with resolve. She surged forward.
"Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists!"
Chakra flared around her hands, forming roaring lion heads.
Naruto, without hesitation, slipped into Sage Mode. Not to crush her, but to sharpen his perception, to guide her. He defended fluidly, never striking back, all while pointing out openings, flaws, and wasted movements.
"Good—your stance is solid. But don't hesitate when you close the gap. Trust your Byakugan."
Hinata gritted her teeth, sweat beading on her forehead, but her strikes grew firmer, more confident under his steady voice.
Naruto watched her carefully, not just her technique, but her spirit. Her talent was undeniable, but her heart still leaned too much toward protection, too little toward the will to fight.
That, he thought, could change.
Far away, storm clouds gathered. In the Akatsuki's shadowy hideout, Obito faced Sasuke once again.
"The Eight-Tails you captured was a fake," Obito said coldly. "Just a tentacle."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, fury flashing. "Impossible. No one escapes my Sharingan."
Obito's mask tilted. "Even I was deceived. Do you still think you're above being fooled?"
Sasuke's fists clenched. The humiliation burned deep, but his pride refused to break.
"Fine," he spat. "I'll find the real Eight-Tails. And this time, I won't fail."
Obito's single eye gleamed with amusement.
Sasuke had no idea how cruel the path ahead would be.
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