Boruto: Naruto the Movie - Volume 1 - Chapter 3

Chapter three: the Chuunin Exams 

A boulder was destroyed by a huge Rasengan. 
“Did you manage to create such a huge Rasengan in just one day?” 
Sasuke’s words held a little disappointment in them, but Boruto didn’t notice, too drunk on the power of the Gauntlet that Katasuke had given him. 
The shells which were loaded inside the Gauntlet could fire the jutsu hidden inside them very simply. And the Rasengan was no exception. 
Of course, the Rasengan here wasn’t made using Boruto’s power. It was the power of the person who had made several Rasengan to help out with experiments, who didn’t know what they would be used for.. .it was Konohamaru’s Rasengan. 
In short, Boruto was doing the same thing as handing in a test paper with someone else’s work on it. 
However, right now, for Boruto, his dream of being acknowledged by Sasuke was more important than the methods. Even this is a ninja’s effort! The ends justify the means! 
Both his parents were too busy with work and the adults around him pampered him too much, so he had no one to help him realise the simple truth that they weren’t justified. 
That was why Sasuke didn’t say anything to him. 
“I’m different from my dad!” Boruto said, “Our abilities are different!” 
“You certainly are different from your father...” Sasuke said, “Although I hadn’t wanted to think you were.” 
Boruto would have done better to think a little more about the meaning behind Sasuke’s words. 
“So! How was about it?! How about making me your disciple?!” 
“...Alright.” Sasuke took in a breath, and nodded seriously. “I’ll make you my disciple.” 
It turned out there was something that he had to teach Boruto no matter what. 

Boruto’s daily life experienced a large upheaval in the following days. 
Sasuke had a word with Konohamaru and arranged it so that, up until the end of the Chuunin Exams, he and Boruto would train together, man to man. 
It wouldn’t do if a misundestanding took place: Boruto was an obedient pupil when it came to this training. 
He showed Sasuke an earnestness he’d never show Konohamaru or Naruto. 
This was partly because he held some feelings of guilt over boasting about the sneakily made Rasengan but, essentially, it was because of Boruto’s sincerity. 
In a wasteland, a giant octopus was grappling with two beings. 
The two beings were ogres. 
They were the same ogres who Sasuke had grappled with at Kaguya’s castle. 
Why were they here in this world...? 
There was only one answer: 
They were here to carry out what Kaguya had left unfinished. 
The octopus- a Bijuu called the Eight Tails, hurled a lump of chakra, a Bijuu Bomb towards them. 
However, the younger ogre caught that attack in his right hand. 
“It seems the Chakra Fruit has certainly been scattered around like this,” He said. 
In his left hand, there was a pill which he ate with a crunch. His chakra swelled, and he wholly absorbed the Bijuu Bomb he’d caught. 
“The Divine Tree has been cut down, and Kaguya is nowhere to be seen. It looks like the things of this planet have somehow gained some unnecessary intelligence.” He said. 
“It looks like there’s nothing to do but retrieve it back, bit by bit.” The giant ogre next to him said, and the younger one gave a thin smile. 
Out of the younger ogre’s left hand came out a Bijuu Bomb that was far, far larger than the one he’d received. He threw it. 
The earth shook. 
The huge eight Tails had his legs blown off. This power was beyond human comprehension. Techniques that could fight and bring down a Bijuu from this close were in the possession of shinobi. Even the Gokage didn’t have this kind of power. 
“And with this...!” 

The collapsed Eight Tail’s shape trembled, and then disappeared. He had been absorbed into the ogre. 

“To think that the a high density chakra possesses a person in 
the form of a beast like this.” He commented. 
“In a place not very far from here, there’s a response of a far larger chakra. It’s very likely the largest chakra which we’ve been seeking.” 
“Well then, let’s retrieve that one next.” 
With the eyes of hunters, the ogres looked over the horizon. 
They were looking in the direction of Konohagakure. 
Shuriken were cutting through the air and flying. 
Several shuriken that Boruto had thrown curved their trajectory in mid-air and hit their marks. 
“How was that?!” Boruto asked. 
“You managed to curve their course a little.” Sasuke noted and, without a single smile, set up a new target at an impossible angle of 90 degrees. No matter how you thought about it, you couldn’t possible hit a target like that. 

“How in the world could I 
curve their trajectory that much?!” Boruto demanded, “I can’t possibly-” 
“You can’t, huh?” Sasuke casually said, and nimbly threw a shuriken he’d taken out. 
Sasuke’s shuriken collided with the shuriken Boruto had just thrown on the previous target, bounced back, and hit the new target Sasuke had set up. 
“Ah....!” 
“Think for yourself a little bit. You’ll quickly find the answer.” 
“I know that...!!” 
Boruto was irritated. He could do anything he was taught. The one who didn’t bother explaining was the one in the wrong. 
Wasn’t there merit in sharing know-how? Even with games, you could access sites that had all the explanations for everything, couldn’t you? 
Boruto thought that suffering and trying to think about the strategy guide was something a fool would do. 
“...Let’s take a little break.” Sasuke said, most likely because he had read the look on Boruto’s face. 

We return again to the wasteland. 
One of the destroyed Eight Tail’s cut-off octopus legs had a single figure crawling out. It was no one but the Jinchuuriki Killer B himself. 
“Shit...” he said, “The next guy they’re gonna target...it’s Naruto!” 
The bonfire popped and cracked as it burned. 
As Boruto gulped down the energy drink Sasuke had held out to him, he could feel the moisture and sweetness spreading across his parched throat. 
Sasuke was a strict teacher, but he wasn’t one of “where there’s a will there’s a way” types. He knew that necessary breaks and nourishment would result in creating a strengthened mind and body. 
“We’re going to do separate training for tempering your mind.” Sasuke had said, “Right now we’re making a foundation. The rest will be later.” 
However, the things that Boruto wanted to know were a different matter. 
“Hey, tell me about my dad!” 
“About Naruto?” Sasuke looked a little awkward. “Ever since he was a kid, he ranted and raved saying ‘I’ll be the Hokage’and such. He really was an usuratonkachi...” 
“Usuratonkachi...?” Boruto didn’t really get what he was saying. 
“...basically, he was a stubborn person and...” 
“No, that’s not it! What I want to know are my dad’s weak spots and shortcomings, stuff like that...” 
“.weak spots...?” Sasuke looked a little stunned. It was as if his face was saying, Do you even need to ask about 
Naruto’s shortcomings? 
“Listen well...” Sasuke let out a small sigh. “That guy was full of weak spots...and the school dunce.” 
“Eh?” Boruto didn’t understand. 
His dad....the school dunce? Full of weak spots? That man everyone called a hero? That perfect shinobi? 
“And he.. .overcame all of that with his own power.. .and became the Hokage.” Sasuke said. “You shouldn’t try to learn about the current Naruto, but the Naruto who got to this point, don’t you think?” 
“What’s with that?!” Boruto exclaimed. 
“We’re returning to our training.” Sasuke said, and nimbly got to his feet. He wasn’t in the mood to talk about old times any longer. 

“Looks like you won that bet with Papa, huh Boruto.” Sarada commented. 
It was a usual morning, a usual road. 
“That time I’d gone after you to let you know you’d misunderstood, where had you gone?” She asked. 
“Ju-just somewhere...” 
“Hmmm...?” 
Sarada really looked delighted but the way she was staring at his eyes made Boruto feel perplexed. It was possibly that he couldn’t look her straight in the eye. 
“You know, you...even more than the Seventh.... 
“What?” 
“It’s nothing!” Sarada turned red, looking flustered. Boruto hadn’t understood what she meant anyway, and she didn’t want to continue. “So, what do you intend to do now that Papa’s made you his apprentice?” 
“I’m gonna learn all of dad’s weak points!” Boruto declared. 
He was serious. Being born a boy, thinking about wanting to defeat your father was a natural thing. However, he couldn’t win with a frontal attack. Thus, what he needed was a strategy guide. 
“I...don’t intend to complain about you but,” Sarada gave a huge sigh, and then proceeded to complain. “Before you challenge Hokage-sama, it won’t do if we don’t all become Chuunin first...you understand?” 
“Yeah, and that’s why I’ll learn a lot of stuff from Sasuke-occhan, and show it to my dad at the Chuunin Exams! The stuff that’s gonna defeat him some day, I’ll show him my power!” 
“Our power, okay. Seriously...what’re you thinking?” Sarada was fixated on that point. 
Boruto didn’t really get why she was so fussy. 
“What dya mean what.. .of course I’m thinking about us passing the Chuunin Exams.” Boruto said, and swiftly thrust out his filled-out Chuunin Exam application form. 
“I don’t mean to complain about you but,” Sarada brought out her own application form and showed it to him as well. “You have times when you’re not frustrating too, huh.” 
“Please don’t forget about me as well.” Mitsuki had suddenly appeared between the two with his application forms in hand. 
They all grinned. 
And the day of the Chuunin Exams finally approached. 

That year’s Chuunin Exams held a special meaning. 
This was the first Chuunin Exams where the Five Villages were combining with goals for genuine harmony instead of antagonism, and holding the exams with the condition of sharing all knowhow. 
The opening ceremony had present the Gokage, several Samurai Generals and the Daimyou, as well as CEO’s of large corporations, all lined up side by side. 
Behind Shikamaru who was giving the opening speech, there sat the Sixth Hokage Hatake Kakashi, and legendary ninja such as Might Guy and Mitarashi Anko, revealing just how special this Chuunin Exam was. They were all Living Legends who the people claimed could take on whole nations as opponents. 
“Alright then, from here on, the Chuunin Selection Exams will begin!!” Shikamaru announced, “Everyone, all that skill you’ve been accumulating till now, show it off to your heart’s content! 
A great cheer rose up. 
There were two large pits. 
Two signs boards had been placed by them, one marked X and one marked O. 
It was obviously a True or False’ quiz. 
Standing in front of those pits was a shinobi with thin eyes like thread, Yamanaka Sai. He was Inojin’s father. He was a vague man, but deep down he’d survived some very harsh things. That was Boruto’s impression of him. 
He was an old comrade-in-arms of his father’s, so Boruto had played with him countless times when he was young too. He’d really loved his jutsu, the Choujuugiga that animated paintings. 
However, Boruto knew very well that Sai wasn’t the type of man to go easy on him because of his personal emotions. 
That man’s only weak when it comes to I no obasan. 
“In groups of three, please choose and jump into the pit you think is the answer to the True or False quiz. If incorrect, in other words, if people make a mistake, they will become pitch black and be disqualified.” 
“Whaddya mean by become pitch black?” Akimichi Chouchou, Boruto’s chubby....or rather, plump, classmate asked in a doubtful tone. 
“That’s something you’ll have to look forward to.” Sai said, with a smile that looked a little similar to a doll’s. 
As he did, the question appeared behind him: 
In the fifth volume of the Ninja Tactician’s Investigative Memoirs, the password which the clerk brings forth is: if you say months it’s days, if you say mountains it’s rivers, if you say flowers it’s honey. True or False? 
...There was absolutely no chance of guessing. 
“Sarada, do you know that book?” 

“Kind of...it’s just that I’ve only read up to the fourth volume of the Ninja Tacticians Investigative Memoirs...to think that there was a fifth one...” 
If Sarada with her vast knowledge didn’t know it, then it was reasonable to conclude that no one else here knew the answer either. Was this some rare book dug up by the Analytical Study Team? What a mean-spirited question. 
“Then we’ve no option but to speculate.” 
“Since you’re saying that, I guess you don’t know either, huh Mitsuki... 
Mitsuki laughed and dodged the question. “Although if it were my parent, they would definitely know the answer.” “Who is your parent?” 
.. .Boruto,” Sarada moved between the two with a serious look on her face. “If it was my Papa, which one do you think he’d choose?” 
“X maybe? It’s the disobedient one.” 
Sasuke was a man who’d first refute something. He’d refute it, gather requirement for him to not refute it, and then only go for the route that has actual possibility to it. He was a cautious man. Even Boruto, with his short apprenticeship, could understand that. 
“...but why’re you asking all of a sudden?” Boruto asked. 
“I’m choosing a different path from my Papa and becoming Hokage!” 
“Then, choosing O would be good, wouldn’t it?” 
“Exactly!!” Sarada said, “Both of you, follow me!” 
Boruto ran after Sarada. He thought this was fine. It would be best to believe in the girl who believed in him. 
...and all the more so since Boruto wasn’t sure whether he was someone who should be believed in or not. 
A deep darkness was spread inside the pit. 
It’s ink! 
It was a lake of ink. It’s liquid surface just looked like darkness to their field of vision. 
Which could only mean one thing. 
“This was the wrong one!” 
“Shit!” 
Shrieks were ringing out one after another as genin were swallowed up by the dark liquid surface, columns of water splashing upwards. 
That would be Boruto’s fate next. 
Shit! This is the end! 

The moment he thought that: 
Sarada took out a kunai attached to wire from her pouch and threw it, embedding it to the wall across. 
Mitsuki made a hand seal and stretched his arms as well. 
At the same time, Sarada’s kunai flew, pierced through Boruto’s clothes and sewed him to the wall. 
“Look down, Boruto.” His childhood friend’s voice was calm to the end. 
“Ah...!” 
If you looked closely, you could see that the O pit and X pit were linked together at the bottom. You could hear the genin who’d jumped into that side screaming too. 
Which could only mean one thing. 
“That’s how it is. Anyone who falls down the pit is disqualified either way.” Mitsuki said with a smug look on his face, his elongated hands clinging to the rim of the pit. 
“That quiz was nonsense from the beginning...there hadn’t been a clerk for the fifth volume after all!” Sarada grinned in delight. 
“...People who make mistakes will become pitch black and fail, huh.” Shikadai said, a disgusted look on his face. He was using the power of his shadow to holding himself, Inojin, and Chouchou to the wall. 
“He certainly did say that...so that means as long as you don’t get black, you’re fine, I guess.” 
“It’s a quiz that doesn’t read the atmosphere, just like my dad...haaa.” Inojin let out an exaggerated sigh. There wss no mistake he’d said the comment so it would be heard, and that made him most definitely Sai’s son. 
“Exactly!” Sai was looking down at them from the edge with a doll’s smile on his face, “People who see the ink think they’ve failed and resign themselves to defeat are the ones who get blackened. Kids with no balls like that don’t have the qualifications to be chuunin.” 
In other words, this was Sai’s way of praising them. 
And, that praise...was one Boruto was unworthy of. 
“In this first exam, the real choice is between two options you have in the instant you’re pushed into a corner: to give up, or not give up.” 
Boruto finally realised how far away he was from Sarada and Mitsuki and the others, who listened to Sai’s words with pride. 
Ugh... 
The feeling of failure was sinking into Boruto’s stomach. 

The mountain of documents continued to grow larger, rather than decreasing. 
From behind that mountain, an old friend’s face popped out. It was Shikamaru, who had hosted the First Exam. “So,“ Shikamari said, “It looks like Boruto and his team passed the first exam, huh.” 
“Yeah...Shikadai and his team, too.” Naruto replied. 
“A comment or two...” Shikamaru said. “You should tell him something.” 
Naruto tilted his head in confusion. 
It wasn’t good to mix personal issues into work. However, sometimes it was necessary to do exactly that. 
Boruto had thrown himself onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. 
In that moment, if he hadn’t been saved by Sarada, he would’ve been disqualified. Not because of things like ninjutsu skill or bloodline. Not even because of talent. 
Because of his spirit. 
He had given up. Sarada hadn’t. Because shinobi were those who endured without giving up. 
When had his spirit become less adequate for being a shinobi than that of the girl who’s always next to him? In the next round.. .I’m definitely... 
The new model PC next to him gave the ringtone for a new e-mail. 
Boruto jumped up and checked his inbox. 
It was from his dad. 
Congratulations on breaking through the first round! Try your best in the second one too! 
It was a terribly simple message. 
But Boruto read that one line over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. 
“What, not even a Kage Bunshin...just a mail...” But Boruto was swelling up with laughter. “This shitty dad...” He was so happy he almost couldn’t stand it. 
He thought this was good enough. 
The second exam had the platoons fight each other on the streets, fake battles. They competed for flags among the uninhabited buildings that had been created on the manoeuvring grounds. Killing was prohibited, and the team that took the flag from the enemy’s side won. 

Killing was prohibited for more than humane reasons; it was to judge the practicable ability for missions. In real missions, there were many situations where it was more beneficial to restrain the enemy without killing them, so you could make them give up information or use them in a prisoner exchange. Shinobi weren’t serial killers after all. 
The curtains rose on the battle. 
Genin sprinted around the buildings. 
ii|)) 
One of the genins looked up at the sky. 
But by the time they did, they were too late. 

A sword got thrust by to the side of their windpipe. 
Inojin’s beautiful face peered down into the genin’s eyes. 
“Cr-crap...” The genin muttered. 
There were no movements from his comrades who were supposed to be backing him up. They had been restrained by Shikadai. 
Across them Chouchou, who had transformed into a larger form, secured the flag. 
The new InoShikaChou had beautiful coordination. 
“Got you!” 
Metal Lee was the young genius of the Lee Clan that had now become renowned for Taijutsu. His roundhouse kick blew away the abdomen of one of Sunagakure’s puppets. 
However the leader of this Sunagakure team, the young boy named Shinki, didn’t look the least bit panicked. 
“Don’t tell me-!” 

It was just as he’d feared. 
Behind him, Shinki’s iron sand had reached around and taken on the shape of an iron-sand arm...that had secured their flag. 
Comprehending their defeat, Metal Lee sunk to the ground with a slump. 
The battles continued like that, and one by one, the numbers of genins in the running decreased. 
And then it was Boruto’s turn. 
“I’ll protect the flag!!” Boruto volunteered himself for being on the defence, “You two can be at ease and go on the offence!” 
Sarada and Mitsuki ran ahead, leaving the back to him. 
“We’re counting on you Boruto!” Sarada yelled, “In order for us to show our power to the Seventh, we have to pass this round!!” 
“I don’t need you to tell me that!” He called back. 
That was right. 
This time, he had to show off his good side no matter what. 
Kage Bunshin no jutsu! 
Boruto formed full-body Kage Bunshin of himself. Of course, he couldn’t do over a thousand like his dad, or twenty like Sasuke, but he had the most outstanding number amongst his peers. 
“Five versus three, you guys know who has the advantage, right?!” He called out, brimming with confidence. 
However the three who approached -young ones from Sunagakure- grinned widely. The fact that all of them had come to attack meant that they had likely prepared a trick or trip around their own territory, and planned to swiftly attack Boruto’s side with the extra time gained. 
The Sunagakure genin created Kage Bunshin of their own and increased their numbers to six. 
“Come again?” 
The six figures overwhelmed Boruto with their numbers. 
Before he could even let out a yell of surprise, Boruto found himself pinned down. He could feel earth and stone being thrust down on his back. 
“These guys are...strong!” He said. 
“Of course we are.. .We’re the elite picked out from all of Sunagakure’s genin!” 

“We have all the data on you inside our heads! Uzumaki Boruto!” 
One of them thrust a finger into Boruto’s side. They aimed precisely for an area between his ribs. 
“Gah!”
Boruto felt agony run through his entire body like electricity at the pressure on the pain point of one of his nerves. It was a taijutsu move where they pressed down on a meridian channel and prevented their opponent from moving. 
Boruto couldn’t take the pain, and his Kage Bunshin disappeared. 
He heard Mitsuki’s voice. “Sarada, you go on! I’ll be back in a bit!” 
“Boruto!” Sarada’s voice, full of grief. 
The opponents were going to get their hands on their flag faster than Sarada. The opponent’s plan on rushing out all at once was going to work. 
Failing in a place like this...! 
Sarada’s smile when they got through the first one passed through his mind. So did his father’s e-mail. His mother and sister’s cheering. 
He didn’t want to lose. 
His dream, and Sarada’s dream too. 
That was why... 
Boruto ignited the scroll cartridge in the Gauntlet Katasuke had given him. 
And fired. 
“What the-?!” 
The genin that had been pinning Boruto down disappeared in the flash flood that overflowed from the shell he’d shot. 
It was Water Release. 
“He can use Water Release?!” 
“Impossible! The chakra flow in his meridian channel was supposed to have stopped!” 
“There’s more coming your way!” Boruto yelled. 
His remaining opponents, counting the Kage Bunshin, were five. An easy victory. 
Boruto fired Lightning Release which could make wide-range attacks, and blew away the three in one blow. 
“Now, Sarada, Mitsuki!” 

Of course, in this interval, Sarada had already seen through the trick around the other team’s flag and grabbed a hold of it. 

“I’ve got it!” Sarada’s smile was shining. 
Yeah. 
Boruto hid away the gauntlet, believing fully in his thoughts. It’ll be fine like this. 
Katasuke was in a corner of the assembly grounds, recording with a camcorder, and nodding in satisfaction. That’s right, things will be fine like this, young master. 
Everything was going just as he’d wanted. 
Boruto would have to eventually reach the last exam where all the Daimyou and Gokage were gathered. Thanks to his “true ability”. 
At that time, Katasuke’s hard work would finally be rewarded with the right significance. 
Sarada didn’t celebrate by halves. She was hugging Boruto with their faces close together and smiling far wider than she’d usually let people see. 
“The third exam is next! Boruto! Now we’ll finally be able to show the Seventh our true abilities!” 
“Y-yeah!” The words ‘true abilities’ pricked at Boruto’s chest just a little bit. 
“...I was right...” Sarada said. 
nr>» 
“You know, your eyes are even bluer than the Seventh’s...” 
Boruto turned red. 
It was because he’d realised his childhood friend had been looking at him even more than he had. 
It wasn’t just the candidates who were unable to calm down from worrying about the results of the Second Exam. Inside the Hokage Office, Naruto was terribly panicked and restless, like a panda bear before winter hibernation. 
“They did pretty well.” Shikamaru said, entering the office without even knocking. 

 
Naruto sprung out of his chair at those words. “What? : 
“Boruto and his team...looks like they’ve passed the second exam too." 
“l-is that so!” Naruto tried his best to look composed, but his acting was so see-through it wouldn’t have even fooled a genin. 
Shikamaru didn’t have the willpower to slip in some snark, and simply shrugged his shoulders. “....See you later then...” 
“Did you come here just to say that?” Naruto asked. 
“Because it’s something important. By the way, just so you know...my son Shikadai and his team passed too. The third round is made of individual matches...we might see our sons face off.” Shikamaru kept talking as he walked out and moved to close the door. He must’ve slipped here in the middle of a very hectic schedule. 
“We won’t lose!” 
The door closed with a ‘click’. 
Naruto checked to make sure Shikamaru was gone, then swirled around in his chair and pumped both his fists in victory. 
When Boruto got home, Himawari hugged him tight. Both her and his mother were smiling with their whole faces. “Oniichan, congratulations!” 
“Are you okay?” Hinata asked, “No injuries?” 
“I’ve just passed the second round, you don’t have to look so happy, yknow!” Boruto gently prised Himawari off him, smiling at them. “I’m really tired, so I’m gonna go to my room...Do me a favour and don’t wake me up until morning, ‘kay!” 
His whole side was still paralysed from where the Sunagakre shinobi had gotten him. 
His true abilities had been completely defeated. 
When Sasuke entered the Analysis Room, one of Naruto’s Kage Bunshin was taking a report from the Analytical Study Team. 
Looking after Boruto was a side-occupation, and not more than that. He was only staying in the village until the scroll he’d obtained at Kaguya’s castle could be decoded. 
“Has the scroll been decoded?” Sasuke asked. 
“Yeah!” Naruto’s Kage Bunshin replied, “We just have to wait a bit more until it’s done.” 

I see. 
There would be no point in rushing the specialists. Sasuke turned to leave, when Naruto called out and stopped him. 
“Sasuke. You’ve been training Boruto, right?” Naruto looked a little- no, very happy. It was painfully clear to Sasuke that he had really wanted to be able to train his son himself. 
“Did Boruto tell you?” 
“No, Konohamaru...” 
I see. 
Sasuke had bowed his head in apology to Konohamaru, who had after all been Boruto’s master first. Principle-wise he had been asking something outrageous, but Konohamaru simpled laughed and gave permission. He was a man who’d inherited his broad-minded way of thinking from his grandfather. 
“It might be just as you said...the nature of shinobi does’t change.” Naruto said. 
Sasuke thought for a little bit. 
“That’s what I believe.” He said. 
He didn’t tell Naruto about the gauntlet. 

Boruto stared intently at the gauntlet. 
The gauntlet’s power wasn’t his own. 
The referrees, Sarada and the others, not a single one of them were suspicious of him. Sasuke definitely wasn’t suspicious either. 
Boruto had confidence in his taijutsu and concealing abilities. 
That’s right. 
This was his true ability there. 
There was nothing was wrong with him using his true abilities to help him use the techniques someone else had piled up. 
But something about his argument felt unconvincing. 
He heard a knock at his door. 
Boruto hurriedly hid the gauntlet under his pillow. “Hey....! I said nobody wake me until morning!” 
The one who carefully opened the door and came in was his ded. 

“I’m coming in.” 
“D...ad?!” 
“Uhm...you’ve passed the Second Exam, huh...” His dad looked embarrassed. 
“Y...yeah...” 
“And...ummm...” 
“What is it?!” Boruto didn’t raise his voice because he wanted to. It was because a little bit of the gauntlet was poking out from under his pillow. “If you don’t have anything to say, do me a favour and get out!” 
“You...you did really well...” 
“?!” Boruto felt his breath catch in his throat. 
He hadn’t expected those words at all. 
“I’ll see you later, then...” Naruto said, and put his hand on the doorknob, looking embarrassed “...Did you go to all the trouble of coming here just to say that?” 
“It’s...something important, right?” Naruto said, “This...” 
This time, it was Boruto who had no idea what to say. Was the man in front of him a Kage Bunshin or the real person? No, probably a Kage Bunshin, but even if he was, he didn’t care. 
“Yes...it’s a really important thing...” Naruto murmured, almost as if he was saying the words to himself. “...Ah! And one more thing.” 
“Wh...what?” 
Naruto approached his son. 
“Don’t lose to Shikadai!” he said, grinning widely and holding out his fist. 
Boruto didn’t know what to say. 
Should he try and return the fist bump? Did he have the right to do that? 
He was happy, but, somewhere inside that happiness was a prickling thorn. 
“...As if I’d lose.” Boruto muttered. 
In the end, he didn’t return the fist bump. 
Naruto withdrew his fist, unclenching it and wiping the sweat on his hands onto his clothes. He looked a little disappointed. 
 
Then Naruto made a fist again, lightly tapped Boruto’s chest, and exited the room. 

“See you,” he said. The door shut. 
“If that’s all you wanted to say...then an e-mail would’ve been fine...” Boruto murmured. 
He could hear his father’s footsteps growing distant. 
The fact that dad hadn’t disappeared after exiting his room meant that he hadn’t been a Kage Bunshin Boruto felt his eyes grow hot. 
They weren’t tears of rage. 
“This shitty dad...” 
Boruto held onto his pillow and cried. 
He thought he’d die if anyone came into his room right now. 
He was so happy. 
Naruto returned to the Hokage Office and sat down in his chair with a thump, pretending not to notice the mountain of paperwork on his desk. 
It had been a much bigger burden on his body than usual to go visit his son with his original body while controlling his other Kage Bunshin. 
“Uwaa-” 
His chair’s balance tumbled, and the mountain of documents and cup ramens on his desk fell haphazardly all over the place. 
A tattered piece of clothing fell on his face. 
It was the jacket he used to wear back when he was the same age as Boruto. 
After realising that, Naruto thought about his son again, and felt blissfully happy.