Boruto: Naruto the Movie - Volume 1 - Chapter 4

Chapter four: From within Darkness 

The third exam had all the fuss of a festival. 
Besides the obvious attendants of the genin-participants families, the spectator seats were crammed to the brim with influential people from the villages, the Daimyou, ninja guards, samurai, and the heads of large corporations. 
Stands popped up here and there, as well as pedlars selling beer, as well as various stands selling the speciality foods of each village. It had already become a huge deal. 
Of course, it went without being said that within those spectators, Boruto’s father, mother, and little sister were seated in a special seating as well. 
The third exam was a traditional tournament with one-on-one matches. 
There were 12 cadets left. 
From Konohagakure village: Boruto, Sarada, Mitsuki, Shikadai, Inojin, and Chouchou. 
From Sunagakure: Araya, Yodo, and Shinki. 
From Kumogakure: Yurui, Toroi, and Tarui. 
Boruto’s opponent in the first round was Kumogakure’s Yurui. He was a guy who was hard to read, but he had a terrible suppressive power within hisjutsu that turned his bubblegum into bombs. 
However, Boruto overcame him. His plan to mix the shuriken technique he’d learned from Sasuke along with the skill he’d learnt from Konohamaru bore fruit. 
But his opponent for the second round, Shikadai, was definitely a guy above that level. 
“Yo.” 
“Ou.” 

Boruto’s tone was light as they greeted each other, but Shikadai’s ability was the real deal. Even Yodo, the kunoichi who’d been rumoured to be ‘Sunagakure’s Hope’ had been easily defeated when faced with Shikadai’s analytical skills. 
I’m can’t lose... 
His father, and mother, and little sister were all watching. 
It didn’t matter that victories didn’t count, or that his judgement was being quizzed. 
‘Don’t lose to Shikadai.’ his dad had said. 
Men didn’t break their promises. That was the difference between himself and his shitty dad. 
Both Shikadai and Boruto were fully aware of the scope of the others abilities. 
They moved carefully, keeping a distance between them. Running randomly from place to place wouldn’t help your score. There was more to this than your fighting style being assessed. You couldn’t make any unseemly movements. 
Shikadai’s shadow stretched out. 
Boruto knew what this was. The Nara Clan’s hiden ‘Kageshibari’. 
He’d seen it in action countless times, and even had a cartridge with the jutsu in it. 
Boruto avoided the shadow, and simultaneously made a hand seal to create Kagebunshin. 
He made four of them. 
“I?” 
Boruto saw that for just one instant, Shikadai’s face stiffened. 
They were friends who always played games together. He could read his expressions at least that much. 
This was Boruto’s maximum number of Kagebunshin which he’d used in the second round, but Shikadai hadn’t watched that fight. On all the missions up until now, Shikadai had only seen Boruto use two Kage Bunshins. 
I’m sure he can stretch out his shadow and catch two of me, but the remaining three will knock him out and it’ll be my victory! 
“Just as I’d expect from you, Boruto.” Shikadai commented, and grinned widely His shadow expanded. 
“This is....?!” 
Shikadai’s ‘shadow’ expanded into a circular shape, dyeing the arena’s field black. It caught every single one of the five Boruto’s, and immobilised them. 

“What do you think, Naruto?” 
Shikamaru was smiling proudly. 
“Us two generations, parent and child, devoted our efforts to studying this.” He said, “Scattering a ‘shadow’ that’s no more than an optical phenomenon - it took a lot of trouble to pull off. Well, it’s something can only exist thanks to Temari working with us though.” 
“It’s quite a big thing.” Naruto said. His eyes were gazing intently at his son. 
Boruto...it’s from here on out that a ninja’s essence is tested... 
Boruto couldn’t flex his fingers. 
At this rate, he wasn’t even going to be able to take any action. 
Shikadai was using all his concentration to hold the five Boruto’s, but Boruto was the one who’d be worn down in the end. The chakra he was using to keep up his Kage Bunshin alone would cause him to get fatigued far more quickly than Shikadai. 
And the minute the equilibrium of their stalemate crumbled, Shikadai would definitely press his advantage. 
At this rate...I’ll lose...! 
His father’s face crossed Boruto’s mind. And after that, Sarada’s. 
Was he going to lose here? 
People who resignedly accept their defeat and give up didn’t have the qualifications to be chuunin. 
He’d heard those words from someone. 
Time to decide. I’ll take out my best play. 
Because that wouldn’t qualify him. 
He wasn’t going to give up. He was going to take out his best play. 
And like this.... 
He would become a man equal to Sarada’s rank. 
His father would approve of him. 
The young boy was mislead by his ardour. 
He desperately lifted one arm and made the kage bunshin seal. 
It was a fake move. 
He didn’t have enough chakra to make more bunshins than this. 

He moved the cartridges hidden under his wrist. 
As long as it was small muscle movements, Boruto could pull them off. Shikadai’s technique wasn’t at the point where it could totally control all five bodies. 
Out of the cartridges Boruto deployed, several of him appeared. 
Ten Boruto’s. 
Twenty. 
Thirty. 
They increased more and more. 
Forty. 
Fifty....! 
That number was far above the range of people Shikadai could immobilise. The copies of Boruto covered the arena far more than Shikadai’s produced shadow had. 
Nobody could hide their shock over that overwhelming power. 
“This is the same as the Seventh...” 
“Mm. Multiple Kage Bunshins. When did Boruto get that much chakra....?!” Even his teammates Mitsuki and Sarada were the same. 
Boruto ...is this the result of your training with Papa...?! 
Sarada was amazed. 
She felt like she had finally realised the greatness of her father’s power. 
Naruto watched it all with a fixed stare. 
Something had occurred to him. 
He more or less understood why Boruto might have done it. 
When he looked at the happy faces of his wife and Himawari, his heart felt heavy. But this was a duty he had to bear. 

Shikadai felt cold sweat dripping down his forehead. 
If it had been one or two more bunshin, he would’ve been able to handle it. 
He’d heard about Boruto being taught the Rasengan. He’d built up 12 countermeasures against it just in case. 
But this was totally unforeseen. 
There were approaches gamers had to carelessly starting a quest they couldn’t win. You either clung onto idealism and say you’d try and see, or say it’s a waste of time since there’s no way to win and retire. 
Shikadai was the latter. 
“...I give up.” 
He couldn’t say it wasn’t frustrating, but this was what being a gamer was about. 
The arena was wrapped up in jubilation and excitement. 
Boruto could use Multiple Kage Bunshin at this age, Boruto who could use jutsu to this extent without a Bijuu. 
That power was seen as incredibly fitting for the son of the legend Uzumaki Naruto, and the carrier of the traditional Hyuuga Clan’s blood. 
But, just one person was different. 
Naruto was the only one who wasn’t smiling. 
“....Hinata.” Naruto gently took hold of his wife’s hand, and whispered in her ear. 
“Eh?” 
“Do me a favour and look at Boruto with your Byakugan. Around his hand.” 
Katasuke was grinning in satisfaction as he gave his subordinates several orders. Everything was thanks to the power of the technology he’d developed. 
From now on, the higher ups would never call his engineering ‘simply cutting corners by copy and pasting’ again. The sounds of the cheers he could hear from far off felt like fanfare that was praising him. 

Boruto raised his hand as high up as it could go to answer the cheers. 
The final verdict hadn’t been given yet, but in everyone’s eyes his victory was already guaranteed. 
He could use several nature transformation jutsu, and freely manipulate multiple kage bunshin. That was a power that surpassed Naruto and Sasuke’s powers when they were young. 
It felt good to have all the adult’s eyes on him, full of wonder at how he was no longer at genin level. 
Amidst all the daimyou and businessmen there were also people who already were pulling out mission requests, or asking for Boruto’s data file. 
How was that, you shitty dad? 
He’d gained this result without having to dirty his clothes or get covered in pointless sweat. 
He felt bad towards Sasuke and Konohamaru, but at the end of the day, it turned out technology was the greatest thing. 
“Ah....!” 
The crowd let out an even larger buzz of noise. 
It was because the Seventh Hokage, Naruto, had just descended into the arena. 
Naruto...? 
Gaara, the Kazekage, tilted his head in puzzlement. 
It was because his friend, Uzumaki Naruto, was the type of man who kept his private and work life separate, and wouldn’t go down to publicly congratulate his son. 
What’s going on...? 
“Ah...!” 
His dad was here. 
Just that was enough to make Boruto’s heart burst with joy. 
He had no feelings of rebellion, no abusive language. 
He was a young boy honest with his emotions. 
“Touchan, did you see?!” 
Naruto was staring at him. 
If Boruto had been a little calmer, he would have realised that right now, Naruto wasn’t happy. 
However, right now Boruto was drunk on the cheers of the spectators. 

“Next up, the winner’s gonna be decided!” Boruto said, grinning wide. This time, it was Boruto who held out his fist. 
It looked like Naruto was going to reach towards that fist...but he grabbed Boruto’s wrist. 
“?!” 
The gauntlet and cartridge holder had come out into view. 
“I’ve said it before. That the usage of the gauntlet isn’t approved.” Naruto said, with the stern face of the man who stood above ninja. “Using a ninja tool that doesn’t use your own chakra goes against the meaning of the Chuunin Exams, to raise new ninja.” 
Still holding onto his wrist, Naruto turned to the jounin referee, Rock Lee, and said, “...Boruto is disqualified...Amend the winner to Shikadai.” 
Shikadai was making a troubled face, but Lee loudly made the declaration anyway. Lee was the fairest man in the village. Nobody would try to overturn a judgement he’d made. 
“Uzumaki Boruto has transgressed by using a prohibited ninja tool and is disqualified from the Chuunin Exams! The winner has been corrected to Konohagakure’s Nara Shikadai!” 
There was a commotion amidst the spectators, then comprehension, and then, finally, booing. 
Sarada was shocked. 
She was feeling something different from anger and sadness. 
If she had been forced to verbally express it, then it was the sense of loss. 
She’d always believed Boruto was running while keeping his eyes on the same things she did. She was now feeling the emotion that came with realising that in reality, he hadn’t. 
She’d believed it. She’d believed that she and Boruto had both been sprouting white wings, flying high without limits. 
That was why, be it multiple kage bunshin, or water release or lightning release, she’d never held the slightest bit of doubt that this was Boruto’s true ability. 
And yet. 
Boruto... 
While booing came from all around him, Boruto did nothing but hang his head. 
Naruto took off Boruto’s hitae-ate. 
He thought it looked like he might say something in protest, but Boruto didn’t say a thing. 

He didn’t say a thing because of the very, very sad look on his father’s face. As if Naruto was the one who’d done a wrong. 
Just what he had trampled over, what he’d insulted. Boruto finally started understanding what he’d done. 
That was how sad Naruto’s eyes were. 
“Let’s go...we’re in the middle of the exams now...there’ll be a lecture later!” 
But. 
Even if Boruto had understood, there was more. 
Being told ‘there’ll be a lecture later’ made one thought burst out from Boruto. 
“A lecture...later? From you, dad?! Will you really have the time to do that?! If you’d properly lectured me before then...now, things wouldn’t have turned out like this!!” 
Boruto fully knew that his father not lecturing him before didn’t justify his wrongdoing. 
He knew, but he couldn’t stop himself from shouting. 
He wanted to be scolded. 
He wanted his one and only dad to face his son. 
It was just the fact that it ended up happening like this that made him sad. 
“Boruto...” Naruto looked like he was about to say something, and at that moment, Katasuke and the others stampeded into the arena. 
“Squad leader Katasuke?!” Lee exclaimed. 
“You bastard...!” Naruto said. 
“We’re all also disappointed that Boruto-kun couldn’t become the champion...Seventh.” Katasuke said. 
Katasuke had a look in his eyes that Boruto didn’t know. 
It was the look of sly adult who would make victims of children. A person who had forgotten he had been a child once, and who would trample on others without shame. The face of a disgusting adult. 
“We’d really been planning to unveil the Scientific Ninja Tool after he won, after all.” he said. 
“You....!?” Boruto had finally realised that he’d been duped. 
“Everyone gathered here today! This is the Scientific Ninja Tool used by Boruto! He may have been disqualified, but the thing that got him all the way here is without doubt this Scientific Ninja Tool!” 
The crowd had gotten very noisy. Katasuke was brandishing the gauntlet and cartridges with a very triumphant look on his face. 
“Katasuke!” 
Naruto looked as if he might restrain him, but Katasuke wouldn’t stop.
 
“And so, honoured Five Kage and Daimyou, and people from other villages, we have taken this chance to make an appeal for this scientific ninja tool here!! 

It was a terrible plan. 
If Katasuke forcefully made an appeal for the device’s results and gained everyone’s approval, then even Naruto would have no choice but to nod in agreement. Katasuke’s calculations were plain in sight now. His figure was that of a sly engineer who had the ability to put research into practice, and furthermore to read the atmosphere and communicate advantageously. 
It was at this moment that the two ogres appeared in the arena. 
It was plain to everyone’s eyes that these two were unknown enemies. 
“Hmm...” The younger ogre had fixed his eyes onto Naruto. 
Boruto couldn’t move. 
It was because he was feeling something he hadn’t experienced yet: the true presence of death. 
“It’s this one...” The young ogre’s were darker than thre river styx, “This one holds the strongest and biggest chakra in this seed-plot. If we recover it, we should be able to plant the Divine Tree again...” 
“Hey, hey! What’re you people doing?!” Right now, this is my....” 
Katasuke had approached without understanding the situation, and before he could even show off the gauntlet, he was blown back by a single blow from the ogre. 
“My Byakugan sees a fox...” the young ogre said, “Fox, come here.” 
“So your target is me, huh...” 
A slight bit of sweat had appeared on Naruto’s face. 
It was obvious to the other Gokage as well, that this was no trivial matter. 
“Let’s go,” Darui said, and Gaara and others began moving as well. Helping the spectators run away was first priority. 
The arena was already falling into panic. The Daimyou and villagers were ordinary people. Before they gained secondary injuries from falling all over each other, they had to be held back. 
The giant of the two ogres raised his arms. 

Run, Boruto! Lee, get to everyone!” Naruto ordered, standing in front of the ogre. 
Multiple Kage Bunshin. 
One thousand copies of Naruto appeared. Wow.... 
The giant’s fist hit the ground. 
And the arena began to crumble. 
Various things happened. 
Many ninjas used their individual jutsu to protect their loved ones. 
Amidst them, Sarada was running to save the village children who hadn’t run away in time. 
She had hugged a crying child, and was just helping them to their feet when... 
Above Sarada, a giant piece of wrecked concrete was flying towards her. 
She couldn’t avoid it. 
Even if she could avoid it, she wouldn’t be able to support the child. 
In front of Sarada’s frightened eyes, that large piece of rubble was shattered by the fist of her mother, Sakura. However, even if the broken rubble was now scattered into sail pieces, it could still cause plenty of daage. 
“Sarada!” Mitsuki had appeared beside her. 
“!” 
Without hesitating in the slightest, Sarada immediately gave the child to Mitsuki. There wasn’t enough time for the both her and child to make it out. 
In which case, there was nothing to hesitate over. 
Since her mother had shattered the debris to pieces, it wouldn’t kill her. She’d be fine if it was just a bone or two....! Just as she thought that, Sarada suddenly found herself softly flying up through the air. 
“Are you okay?” Her rescuer asked. 
“Yeah...” 
Sharingan eyes just like hers were looking gently at Sarada. Her father, Sasuke, had savred her with his strong skill. 

The figure of Uchiha Sasuke, the extraordinary shinobi, was clearly visible. 
“Sakura, please look after these two.” Sasuke said as he landed, turning to glare at the ogres. “...That’s the enemy. Those things I found out about with Kaguya’s scroll, they’re our enemy!” 
Sasuke took his Susanoo sword in hand, and charged towards the giant ogre. It was the same male he’d failed to kill at the castle. 
“UOOOOOOOOH!” He swung his huge sword down. He held conviction that the weight and the speed would ensure a kill no matter the timing. 
However, his opponent wasn’t an ordinary person either. 
“I won’t let you break my horn again!” 
Swish! 
With frightening speed, the giant took out his ace’s blade and repelled Sasuke’s blow. 
“Guh!” Sasuke’s body flowed back, his stance getting bent out of shape. 
“I’ll finish you!” The orge said, and moved. 
No- he looked like he was about to move. 
The giant ogre had been in the middle of an attack when his movements had frozen completely. 
“I’ve stopped his movements!” A voice called out, “Act now, Sasuke!” 
It was none other than Nara Shikamaru’s kagemane. His shadow was far more exquisite than his son’s, and had immobilised the giant ogre’s movements. 
However. 
“Ah, so that stopped him.” 
The shadow... disappeared. 
It got sucked up into the pattern that had appeared on the younger ogre’s hand. 
Is that the same jutsu as the rinnegan?! 
They looked similar, however their powers different. Rather, this power felt more similar to that of Katasuke’s gauntlet. 
“I’m in your debt! The giant ogre bellowed to the other, and started to run forwards. 
The giant ogre carried out several attacks while wielding his giant axe made of chakra whose form he could change at will. He had such speed that Sasuke could just manage keeping up his defence with his Sharingan and taijutsu. 
“Vengeance for my horn!” The giant ogre’s huge axe became noticably bigger. 

If Sasuke dodged the blow, he’d probably be safe. 
However, if he dodged it then it would fall on the ground, and the already crumbling arena would collapse completely. 
Sasuke chose to guard rather than dodge. His body flew back through the air at impact, and harshly slammed against a wall. 
Sarada saw that sight, and started to run. 
She left Mitsuki with her mother and just ran. 
There was no logic in it. 
She didn’t have any winning chances. 
But it wouldn’t do if she didn’t fight. 
Because she was a ninja, and Uchiha Sasuke’s daughter. 
The ogre who seemed to have given Sasuke an incapacitating blow then noticed Sarada running towards his flank. He swung his axe sideways. 
“Sarada!” 
A figure jumped in and saved her from the blow. 
It was Naruto. 
The chakra enfolding his body was partially combined with the Bijuu. He looked like a fox that had taken the form of a human. 
“So there you are! Fox!” 
However, carrying Sarada inhibited Naruto’s movements, and the ogres didn’t overlook that fact. The younger one started to approach Naruto. 
It was that moment Boruto shook off his fear and moved. 
He didn’t think about how he wasn’t a shinobi right now. 
His body just moved on its own. 
He fired every single one of the ninjutsus stored inside the Gauntlet’s cartridges at the ogre. 
“UOOOOOOO!!” 

However, the results were the same as Shikamaru’s Kagemane. One after another, all the jutsu that Boruto threw were swallowed up by the young ogre’s right hand. 
Fire release, water release, lighting release, boulders made from earth release, Wind Release’s Kamaitachi...all those hidden jutsu disappeared like morning dew in the face of the sun. 
The ogre looked irritatedly at Boruto. 
He thought he was going to be killed. 
It was the first time in his life that he was faced with the presence of death and no way out. 
“Wait.” His dad forced his way between them. 
It looked like Boruto had been able to buy time. Right now, he could only be satisfied with having done that. 
“Who are you guys?!” 
“I am Ootsutsuki Momoshiki.” The younger ogre gave his name. 
“I’m Ootsutsuki Kinshiki.” The giant ogre gave his name as well. He had a thundering voice. 
“What are you after?!” 
“We only want to start over what Ootsutsuki Kaguya, who used to be in this seedplot, failed to carry out.” 
“That being retrieving the scattered chakra by gathering it into one fruit." 
The ogres had given their objective. 
In other words, they believed that even if Naruto and the others knew what they were after, they couldn’t be able to do anythign about it. It was a sign of their contempt. 
"And what do you guys want to do after you obtain that fruit?” 
“We will cultivate cinnabar panacea*.” 
Those were words you didn’t hear often. 
“Cinnabar?” Naruto said. “So this is about a drug!” 
“Exactly. Perpetual youth and longevity, supernatural phenomena, all can be gained by simply eating that cinnabar panacea.” The ogre named Momoshiki turned his hand to show the curiously coloured pill in his hand. “You can easily achieve results without any hard work, after all.” 
Those words of his stabbed at Boruto’s insides. 
It was because he thought: he and I are the same. 
“It’s something you inferior beings couldn’t understand.” The ogre said. 
With a cold look on their eyes, as indifferent as if they were merely looking at pebbles on the side of the road, the two ogres rose up into the sky. 
“Kaguya’s scroll said that some day those guys who come to take the chakra fruit. It was Sasuke who spoke. 

“It looks like the reason Kaguya was gathering White Zetsu soldiers was so she could fight against them...” 
In other words, they were enemies who even Kaguya wouldn’t have been able to oppose without an army. 
This was the worst possible development. 
For Momoshiki up in the sky, the ninja down below had nothing to do with him. For him, this whole business was just a miscellaneous task. 
“...Since it wouldn’t do if we didn’t nicely put this seed-plot into order...Might as well get to it now...” 
Momoshiki took out the cinnabar panacea pill from before, and threw it into his mouth. 
“Fox...you won’t die.” 
Momoshiki held out his right hand with the pattern on it. The design began to glow. 
And a storm of fire rained down. 
Sarada was terrified. 
It was natural. 
It was the first time she was facing enemies of this level as an opponent. Even if she’d seen her father’s fighting level from close up, she’d never seen anything like this. 
This was different from the world that Boruto and Sarada and the others had been living in until now. No, the same could be said for a large number of ninja, not just them. 
This was a fight that belonged to the field of legend that their fathers had struggled through. 
But, even so. 
Boruto had to protect Sarada. That was what he was thinking. Not whether he could show her his face or not. Not the level of the opponents. He just thought that he had to protect her no matter what. 
He readied the Gauntlet. 
It clinked. 
There was a dry sound. 
He’d ran out of ammo. 
His borrowed powers had finally reached their end. 
“Why at a time like this!” 
But Boruto didn’t give up. If he gave up, then forget being a shinobi, he would’t even be a man. 
He created several Kage Bunshin. 
Five Boruto’s covered Sarada so they could be her shield. 

Naruto struck his own stomach. 
He released the Bijuu, Kurama, who was sealed inside him. 
“Let’s do this, Kurama! Here’s hoping you haven’t gotten weak!” 
“Pah! Nonsense! I’m going with everything I’ve got!” 
Human and beast completely overlapped each other. 
It was strangely beautiful. 
They took the form of a legend. 
Boruto was seeing his father’s seriousness for the first time. 
A guarding shield that protected everyone who didn’t have weapons. 
That was what Naruto was. 
He defended them against the entire storm of fire that Momoshiki had sent down. 
It wasn’t just fire. 
Atsunami. 
Lightning. 
Cracks in the ground. 
A gale of fierce wind. 
Are those...the jutsu that were in the cartridge I used...?! Boruto thought, So tat guy’s amplifying the jutsu he sucked up and sending them back! 
Their enemies were attacking them dreadfully, but Naruto deflected it all along with his Kage Bunshins. 
His clothes ripped, his blood oozed, and his legs quaked with strain, but despite it all, Naruto didn’t shrink back at all. For the sake of the people behind him, his back would never waver. 
“Naruto!” Sasuke had run over to him, and expanded Susanoo. It combined with Kurama, coiling a chakra armour around Naruto. 
“Sorry...Sasuke.” Naruto said. 
“If the original you gets defeated, then it’s all over.” he replied. 
Sasuke didn’t think about protecting himself. That’s why he handed over the Susanoo to Naruto without any hesitation. He was simply doing what he had to do with a cool head. 
That was the nindou of the man called Uchiha Sasuke. 
Annoyance. 
That one word was what Momoshiki was feeling. 
He could see that the people of this star were practically using the chakra that Kaguya had left behind in their own way.lf it had been the people of any other star, then they would’ve been annihilated with his first blow. It didn’t amuse him for these ones to cause him so much trouble. 
If Momoshiki looked any more unsightly in front of Kinshiki who had the ‘role of parent’, then he wasn’t going to be happy. 
“Kinshiki, you help too.” Momoshiki said, “...things will be decided in the next battle. 
"Yes...” 
Kinshiki took out his huge chakra axe, and hurled it towards Naruto. It was a diversion, but it was more than enough to stop his movements. 
“We’ll be out of offensive jutsu after this.” Momoshiki said. 
A large clump of energy appeared from Momoshiki’s left hand. 
It was the Tailed Beast Bomb he’d inhaled from the Eight Tails. 
It had been amplified several times over, to the point that it now looked like a comet that foretold their ruin. 
That ominous light dominated everything. 
The last thing Boruto saw was the sight of his father’s back. 
Naruto had wanted to protect him from the torrent of energy approaching them. 
It was only the original Naruto who was covered in the pitch black armour of Susanoo. His father had united with his teacher, and protected him. 
There wasn’t any anger or sadness in Naruto’s back. 
It was simply just the figure of parent wanting to protect child. 
/... 
The energy’s wind destroyed everything. Still, Naruto acted as a shield. 
What did I know about my dad? 
What did I try to know about my dad? 
Boruto didn’t have an answer to those questions, and it was in that state that the storm of destructive wind swallowed up his consciousness. 
When Boruto opened his eyes in his hospital bed, the first thing he saw was Sarada crying. 
It looked like she was happy to see him safe, and although he’d been able to understand that fact and although it had been plenty obvious, when he looked back on it later, he concluded that her attitude had lasted for only two seconds. 
The insides of his head was pounding insistently. 
His consciousness felt far away. 
The beds around him were full of wounded people too. Every single one of them were precious people he didn’t want to see in their injured states. 
“Mommy!” 
Himawari was in tears, clinging onto their battered mother. 
Hinata’s eyes didn’t open no matter how much she called. 
It all felt like a nightmare, but the pain running through Boruto’s body told him this was no dream. 
“It’s okay...she’ll be saved.” Sakura smiled frailly at them, sitting by his mother’s bed. She had used up her chakra for medical treatment. 
“Why is mom like this...?!” 
“It’s because she tried to take back Naruto.” Sakura said, “She fought. But...” 
“Take him back...” Boruto echoed. 
He looked around his surroundings in a panic. 
He wasn’t here. 
His dad wasn’t here. Neither were the ogres. 
“The Seventh was taken by the ogres...” Sarada said, holding back tears. Mitsuki stood beside her, covered in bandages. 
“That can’t be...” Boruto said. 
“He protected everyone and used up all his chakra.... but we couldn’t protect the Seventh...” 
Boruto didn’t hear all of those words. 
His father had times he could lose terribly as well. 
Before he realized what he was doing, he was running. 
For some reason, his feet were taking him towards the Hokage Office. 

There wasn’t a single person in the Hokage Office. 
It was because the Hokage Office wasn’t functioning as central command now. In situations where the the Hokage was absent, a team with Shikamaru at its head handled things. 
They were in exactly that sort of situation now, so all the jounin were working with the assumption that the Hokage was lost to them. The Hokage’s office was completely unmanned. 
There were a lot of photos hanging on the wall. 
Photos of the previous Hokage’s. 
A photo of his grandfather minato. 
And, a photo of his dad. 
The quarrel on Himawari’s birthday passed through Boruto’s mind. 
Dad says that when he was a kid, Grandpa Hokage wasn’t even in this world any more! 
That means dad grew up not knowing a thing about this enjoyable father-son situation, didn’t he?! Dad’s the only one who doesn’t know what this is like! 
He was wrong. 
It wasn’t like that. 
If he was going to be like this...Then it would’ve been better if he was never there from the beginning.... 
That wasn’t true either. 
He just stands behind his desk all day looking arrogant, doesn’t he?! Anyone would be fine, wouldn’t they?!! 
Lies. 
Not just anybody could do it. 
Who else, without asking anything in return, could just throw away their life for a bunch of people who happened to be there? Old people and young people. Ninja and villagers. Daimyou and Samurai, too. Naruto probably even included the people who hated him among those he protected, too. 
Not just anybody could do that. 
Nobody but Uzumaki Naruto could be the Seventh Hokage. 
Boruto’s eyes fell on the ragged jacket of his father’s that he’d thrown out of the house, sitting on his dad’s desk. 
Boruto took the jacket into his hands, and looked down at it. 
He put it on, and stood in front of the mirror. 
“Uncool...” 
In the mirror, Boruto saw a shabby-looking young boy wearing filthy clothes. 
Everything that boy had was borrowed. 
He had nothing to call his own. 
He fully realised the fact that he was nothing more than “Uzumaki Naruto’s son”. 
“...is what I am.” Boruto finished. 
He thought the gauntlet was particularly uncool. Boruto 
The boy unfastened it and, after a short pause, threw it straight into the bin. Even if it had any cartridges left, he didn’t want to use it anymore. 
"You got that right.” A voice said. 
Boruto turned around, and saw Sasuke standing behind him. 
Sasuke didn’t look even a little injured or fatigued anymore. His usual cold and cool-headed teacher was standing there. 
“You earned everyone’s scorn in this exam...Got your hitai-ate taken away too, so you’re not even a shinobi right now. On top of that, your little sister cried, your mother got hurt... .and you lost your father.. 

“If you didn’t have your little sister who adored you, and your other who worried over you, then you’d be in the same state Naruto used to be.” 
How his dad used to be. 
The past Naruto, who Sasuke had told him to try and learn about. His dad back when he was a genin. 
His dad hadn’t even had a family. 
“So.. .what will you do?” 
Boruto stared fixedly at his image in the mirror. 
The Hokage’s son, or the genius, there was nothing like that. There was a just his life-sized, small self. 
He held back the tears. 
“...How did dad...do it? What did he do to crawl up from a situation as no-good as this?” 
He wanted to know. 
If he did, then he’d become like him too, wouldn’t he? If he did what dad did, then he could get rid of this wretchedness. 
“You don’t want to just know about his weak points now, huh.” Sasuke smiled a little. “Then, you can hear it from Naruto himself later. 
”!!“ 
"I can sense that guy’s chakra.” Sasuke said, “...In other words, that means he hasn’t died yet.” 
Sasuke’s words had a silent, but powerful warmth. 

“...Sasuke-occhan, why did you bother with someone like me?” 
“You’re really a strong shinobi.” Sasuke said. “I lost to your dad, but you can become a man who’ll surpass him.” “...How can you say something like that?!” 
These words were completely different from Katasuke’s flattery. These words were extremely heavy. That was how Boruto finally understood the true weight behind beating his dad. 
“You’re his son, and furthermore by best disciple, aren’t you? And most importantly, you...” 
For one second, Boruto thought he was going to cry. 
This man was still calling him his disciple. 
Him, who’d fought with borrowed power instead of the skills he’d been taught by his master. 
“You’re even more of an usuratonkachi than Naruto was.” 
“...by usuratonkachi...you mean...?” 
“Someone who hates to lose.” 
...That was right. 
He still hadn’t lost yet. 
Four ninja entered the Hokage Office. 
Boruto had met them countless times as well. Gaara, Choujuurou, Darui, Kurotsuchi...in other words, the Kage of Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth. 
“Let’s go, shall we.” 
There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation in the Kazekage Gaara’s words. On his back was a gourd. Stored inside it was sand that gave him an absolute defence which he used to protect weaker people to the very end. He was an indestructible hero. 
“Yeah.” 
The meaning behind those words was very clear. 
“After all, if one of the Five Kage is gone, then the term will go out of use.” Darui said with a smile. His appearance looked a little like a flashy middle aged man, but the truth was he was a man more nimble and daring than anyone else. 
“Plus I’ve just recently become one of the Gokage...l haven’t shown everyone my strength yet.” Choujuurou’s glasses shined. Amongst the Gokage, he was rumoured to be the best swordsman and assassin. 
“We’re all ready and willing, huh.” Kurotsuchi said, her voluptuous lips curving into a smile. She was the only kunoichi amongst the Gokage, and the most diligent Genjutsu user among them. 
“There’s a limit to the number of people I can take with me to the location of those ogres with my Rennegan. This here is a selection of the best personnel.” Sasuke gave a fearless smile. 
Not a single one of them had any doubts. They all believed they would rescue Naruto. 
It was natural that they would. 
They were the strongest of shinobi, the Gokage, after all. 
Gaara’s eyes stopped on Boruto. 
“It’s like looking at the old Naruto, huh...” he said. 
His eyes were soft and kind. 
Boruto felt a little- no, very embarrassed. 
“Looks like you’ll be lending your power.” 
“No...if I leave you like this, you’ll be a hindrance, not very reliable.” Sasuke smiled, and took out an old, scratched hitai-ate from his belt. He held it it out to Boruto. 
“I’ll lend this to you.” He said. 
“This is...” 
“I’m only lending it.” Sasuke said. “Temporarily, as a Konoha shinobi, I’m going to specially allow it.” 
He believed he’d understand the meaning behind those words. 
“Boruto.” 
“Occhan...” 
“Children...will make mistakes.” Sasuke said. “Me and Naruto, too, we made mistakes. In the past, I betrayed my friends, and Naruto stole the prohibited book of the Hokage.” 
“...We were scolded, forgiven, and lead back on the right path. The ones who did that for us were our friends, and the adults. There’s no such thing as a kid who doesn’t make mistakes. That’s why doing this is our duty.” 
“...Yes, sir!” 
Boruto took the hitai-ate. 
He finally understood the weight of it. 
Hinata faintly opened her eyes. 
In front of her stood a young Naruto. 
Naruto who had always been smiling, shining. No matter how painful things got, he never lost his spirit. That face. That face, that she had felt holding her up when she felt like she was going to be crushed by the Hyuuga house. “Mom.” 
The young Naruto called her that. 

Ahh, so that was it. 
This one had even brighter eyes than Naruto. Their son. “Just wait, mom, Himawari! I’ll save dad!!” 
On his forehead, a scarred hitai-ate shone brightly. 
“Boruto.” 
Sarada thought that the sight of him was dazzling. 
She thought that she wanted to go too, but she knew that right now she would be a burden, and that if a detached force came, she’d be needed amongst the ninja remaining in the village. 
“Sarada, take care of the village!” 
And that was why, at the moment Boruto said that... 
Sarada thought that she would believe in him one more time. 
Because Boruto’s eyes still held the bright look that had always been watching her until now. 
And, because her father was standing beside Boruto too. 
The ninjas took off. 

Extra Translator Notes: 
*lf anyone is an FMA fan like I am, you’re going to get a real kick out of this. According to Japanese myth, mixing cinnabar with certain elements would result in a red elixir that gave immortality- otherwise known as the Philosopher’s Stone.