Chapter Text
Boruto had only been gone for half the day.
Less than 10 hours. At most, a moment's notice.
And no amount of training, or mission, could have prepared him—them—for the chaotic sequence of events that occurred almost too perfectly.
All under a moment's breadth.
In a matter of seconds, he and the rest of his team had arrived too late at what were clear signs of a battleground. A disaster zone of immense scale, almost as he and the other children, imagined the tales of the battle of the fourth war.
At the very edge of the village's ‘North Gate’, where an innumerable amount of trees, several hundred-pounds of them, and solid chunks of the rock, were ripped up from their bearings deep below the ground. Scattered as hurdles across their land, and stacked up towards the village’s exterior walls. Leaving in their wake a colossal crater at the village entrance and creating an immodest, and daunting canyon carved at its epicenter.
Boruto knew, whatever it was that had caused this destruction, would not be sated by the loss of their village alone. The entire nation, no, perhaps every land may be called to battle.
The few conscious Chūnin reported that both the Hokage and Hikage had the upper hand against the strange invader. An invader that descended into the outskirts of the village in plain daylight.
Yet, any support, and effort from their remaining platoon, to try to get any closer than the discarded tree lines, were now trapped underneath the extensive layers of rubble.
No medical-nin could reach them this far out.
While their limited number of active and recent graduate Jōnin are away in other nations, and nowhere near available to defend the village. All that remained were the able-bodied civilians and the children. And what could mere children, not yet in the academy, nor trained in substantial combat, or laymen, be capable of doing in this fight? Not that any were left in the village.
Everyone had taken the guidance to flee to the hundreds of hidden tunnels anywhere that they could still access. The evacuation order and survival procedures were enacted immediately, even before the battle had begun. That only left the remaining chūnin, battered and broken, as their final line of defense.
“B-Boruto, come quick!”
Sarada whispered anxiously, from atop one of the few dozen trees still standing outside the gate.
Everyone’s nerves had been frazzled. A single day had passed since they had returned from their first B-Rank, in honor of their successful chūnin examinations. They were all supposed to be with their families, resting, and safe from harm. The joyous occasion now usurped by the loss. Among the injured are some of their own former classmates, and their parents.
Mitsuki, Kawaki, and himself leapt onto one of the branches. Their senses heightened with caution, and crouched down around Sarada. Boruto’s eyes widened exponentially when, from the clarity above the tree, reality of the damage dawned on him. They were all deathly silent.
What he saw stirred a dark, foreboding energy, festering deep within him. An energy that only after several years of training, and careful observation was contained.
Meters away, sprawled atop of a giant boulder, is the unconscious and haggard form of his father.
He'd recognize that orange jacket-suit anywhere, tattered and marred with grime and soot. Ten, heavy black rods nailing his body flat against the rock’s surface.
Boruto desperately wanted to get closer and check on the motionless man, but he resisted the urge to blindly rush in. A firm hand rested on his back to make sure of this, Kawaki, he knew, deeply concerned by the scene, trembled behind him.
Everything began on the day of the Kara organization's disappearance, exactly one year ago.
Everyone had suspected that the Kara were secretly gathering their forces for an ambush. Why else would the Kara refrain from their task of retrieving Kawaki and himself from the village? Only time could tell if the intel gathered from the abandoned Kara base would prove fruitful. If only Amado had defected sooner—! And Eida, how foolish they were in trusting her. The information gathered would have been put to use, and his father wouldn't be in the state he was now.
Their visibility became more limited as a flood of ash and smoke violently plumed upwards.
At the center of the crater, perched atop of an enormous chakra source is his former teacher Sasuke-san. This chakra, unique to Sasuke, took the form of a massive transparent creature. A creature he had only heard about from Sarada. The proxy vibrated with thick dark purple chakra, and swung an immense katana in its right hand, deflecting an entire cliffside with a shield in the other. A torrent of iron blocks cascaded down from the sky erratically, appearing to encircle the creature in any random spaces that surrounded it. These cubes were most violent, crashing and expanding in size at the top of the creature’s head, to the shoulder where Sasuke stood upon. Despite this, the creature moves fluidly, repelling the blocks back towards the invader hidden high above the clouds. This provides seconds for Sasuke to use his left eye and switch locations with the highest block. Ramming himself and the invader several thousand feet to the ground.
“You can do it ‘tou-chan!”
Sarada cried, her eyes red, sharingan activated. Mitsuki, similarly to Kawaki, kept his arm over her shoulder. A wise decision, should she insist on entering this impossible battle.
“We have to take a risk—we need to check on my dad.”
Boruto says, eyes flickering to the mountains of rubble, piles of earth cloaking the crater. Likely the safest route to avoid a direct confrontation.
In a unanimous agreement the group follows Boruto behind the opposite side of the debris. Mitsuki reaches the peak first with the extension of his arms; sharp yellow eyes examining any movement between their team and the crater. Quickly signaling for the rest to approach. While the quakes and shaking of the ground continued their onslaught in seismic rhythms.
The group waits, watching Sasuke and the invader intently. When, the giant creature is suddenly shoved back and loses its balance. Its missteps—a sign of loss of concentration from its wielder—increased the strength of the tremors until it collapsed completely. A dark shroud of dust and earth sent in every direction with the force of a storm. The dust storm is useless against the iron blocks, continuing their assault. Despite Sasuke’s fading form disappearing and reappearing as stars did in a cloudy night. He intuitively guards one after the other, each cube replacing each other, narrowly avoiding the dozens of black rods emerging from the sky like black rain.
It's the opening that they needed, prompting their team to scale down the rubble. Hiding behind one of the discarded blocks, Boruto glanced over at the boulder supporting his father, and froze.
His eyes enlarged and blurred, from seeing the figure directly, his breath hitching laboriously.
Without a word to his teammates he dashed out and leapt onto the round surface of the rock.
“Boruto, wait, what are you—”
Sarada starts, eventually peering outward to the boulder and gasping.
“Sarada-chan..?”
Mitsuki asks, a questioning look on his face.
Then, normally calm eyes hardened as tears surged from Sarada’s eyes.
Kawaki had already left them, treading restlessly over the limited area. His right hand grasping his skull, roughly dragging over the undercut of his hair.
A pained expression crossed over all of them.
Boruto kneeled across the body of the Seventh Hokage, hands delicately cradling his head in his lap. Boruto’s lips bloodied dark red with sharp, anxious and incessant biting.
“U-Uchiha, your eyes–they can see through chakra right? Look inside him–check for the fox—hurry!”
Kawaki shouts, cheeks coated in sweat and tears.
Mitsuki and Sarada are at the boulder in seconds. Sarada nearly faints at the sight.
Their once proud and kind leader, the joy of their village, lay splayed across the boulder with frozen, unmoving, dulled and lifeless eyes.
Major joints, revealed at their joining points, dislocated and popped out of place. Bone and torn ligament strung around thick rods. Most likely gravening the wounds as a fly would on a paper laced in honey. Their leader fought and fought against them, pulling the rods deeper into him. In a cruel manner, this is not the irreparable factor. A fairly large seal, one she had never seen over their leader’s abdomen had activated. The seal had come undone, and so would the chakra holding it in place, but the markings remained. From up on the treetop, this body pinned down almost curiously, was eerily identical to a lab rat during dissection.
Whatever power these black chakra rods had, what they were composed of, are dangerous or her father would not be avoiding them.
She took a single step back, faltering in hidden fear.
“Sarada...what do you see.”
Boruto asked, voice breaking.
She settles her gaze over the basic chakra channels throughout the Seventh Hokage’s body, but only more tears welled from her eyes.
“Nothing...there's nothing there—”
Boruto growled, blood chilling eyes glaring at her.
“What do you mean, nothing!? Look again!!”
She shook her head, hands covering her ears. Attempting to stifle the very world. Perhaps if she tunes the noise out, she would wake from this nightmare.
“I did! There's nothing there!”
“That can't be right…”
Kawaki mutters, staring at the rods embedded in the hokage’s body and boulder.
“What about those rods? The chakra blockers, what if we take them off?”
“YOU DON’T GET IT! EVEN IF WE REMOVE THEM HE’S—!”
Sarada choked, turning away, unable to face them. Her eyes, kami, her eyes burned.
“I dare you to finish that, Sarada. I know my dad. He'd never be beaten like this. He'd never leave the village alone…us. Check again.”
Boruto finished, arms hugging the immobilized man’s head.
“Boruto-kun...you know as well as I do that chakra rods are only capable of blocking the gateways of the body's chakra. They do not have the ability to erase the natural movement of it. If Sarada-chan is unable to see it, and there is no movement, then…”
Mitsuki pauses, taken aback when a strong, potent energy is directed at him.
An energy, he senses, that was only embodied through the emotion of hatred and rage. He had encountered such anger only once before, near the presence of Sasuke-san. Though, surprisingly this hatred originated from Boruto.
“HE ISN’T — ! HE JUST NEEDS SOME CHAKRA!”
Boruto bellows, hands unintentionally clawing at the bruised and blood drenched head of his father. He just needed to find the most efficient place to transfer some of his chakra to him.
Everyone flinches when Sasuke suddenly drops onto the boulder. A clone, by the appearance of the original Sasuke still fighting against the invader.
“PAPA!”
Sarada screams, embracing the equally haggard clone, the physical representation of the man’s condition. Face and clothing littered in cuts and splotches of blood and bruises.
Indifferent, but crestfallen dojūtsu eyes flickered to the empty blue eyes of Naruto. To the faint droplets of teardrops blanketing his frozen— still —eyelids as he last saw them.
“It's too late for him. I suggest you all leave now. The village...has been deemed uninhabitable. It's impossible to return to it now. The order is to seek shelter in the Sand Village. Naruto is gone. The Fox is gone too. Leave.”
He says, voice cold, shoving Sarada back.
Sarada’s eyes are wide, hurt, and afraid, but she still goes to him; refusing to release the clone's arm as if it were her actual father.
“P-Papa come with u—”
The air chilled. Dark chakra manifests in the form of winding snakes over the clone’s arm. She jumps back, almost keening over.
“You'll only get in the way. I won't say it twice. Leave."
And the clone explodes. A puff of white smoke left in its place.
She clenched her fists bitterly, unable to run over to his side when he needed her most, to fight alongside her father. Fear anchored her in place. Her mother was always right. She recalled, in that moment, her mother's words. Words often both critical and almost fond when describing her father. Of chasing and chasing, but giving up, unable to face the all-consuming darkness he hid. Only when her mother overcame her doubt and gained strength could she finally stand at his side. A stubborn, foolish, and at times reckless man, when he fought determinedly for those he cared for. Yet, a merciless and cruel man.
Sarada attempts to wipe the endless tears from her eyes and glasses, and gestures for the group.
“What are you all waiting for—we need to get out of here!”
Mitsuki nodded mutedly, and turned to Kawaki and Boruto, neither of whom ever left the Hokage’s side.
“If we leave now we can reach the last transport of villagers—”
“—We're not leaving him.” Kawaki finished.
Knowing how Boruto felt.
Kawaki could never admit that the man who saved him, gave him meaning in this torturous life, lay right in front of him, lifeless. The same man who has just fought for his own life, while he...is still virtually powerless. Unable to do anything to repay him for his sacrifice. The loss of mobility, the emptiness, from the chakra disappearing in his prosthetic arm is surreal. He couldn't feel anything in it anymore, only...the void inside of it, and in himself...a sickening and worthless feeling.
Crouching down beside Boruto, he allows himself to touch the older man, delicately, and gently closing the stiffened eyes.
Sarada, exhausted from the overwhelming stress, exhaled deeply, mutually unwilling to leave the Nanadaime. Still, torturously tempted to defend her stance on the matter; she lacked the patience and timing to do so. So, with all of her strength Sarada slammed her fist into the boulder, cracking the entire foundation and transmitting waves of sound that shattered the rods with it.
Boruto immediately lifted his father's body securely into his arms, following the trio to the other end of the mountain of rubble.
That got their attention.
“We only have one chance to leave the village. We need to get to one of the tunnels that are still intact. As far as we're concerned, the tunnels at the entrances of the village have been destroyed. We'll need to take the longer tunnels that travel around it.”
“Not before we go to the Great Rock Monuments.”
Boruto says, eyes trained onto its partially decimated facade.
“No Boruto. You heard my father. Everyone is to take shelter. We can make it to the Sand if we stay on course. We can't waste more time on this.”
Sarada said, voice struggling to stay strong. She wouldn't dare disobey her father's orders, not again. Nor could she stomach looking at the Hokage.
“There's only one thing we can do now, Sarada. I need you all to trust me.”
Mitsuki and Kawaki nod, but before she can weigh in, Boruto and Kawaki had already taken off toward the village gates. Begrudgingly she follows, but against her better judgement, turns back to watch what tidbits she could of the fight.
Her father's words echoed in her mind. To leave. Desperate for them to flee. There must have been a reason that he wanted them to leave; clearly they had little advantage, but the odds were infinite when compared to their skill. They had no desire to win, they just needed to escape alive, to stand evenly, or stall, which in the heat of the battle surely should have been valuable. Or, did her father think them unworthy, not yet ready to enter a battle of this magnitude? If so, then when? When will he acknowledge them, her, as his successor, as a complete ninja, and not a mere student?
Sarada’s red eyes grew dramatically, absorbed by the minimizing sight, slowly getting farther away with every pace. Her eyes examined her father's chakra, confident, but then, the air in her lungs, the hope on her face drained. She concentrates, slowing her step, and pushes the pain in her head and neck away, long enough to strain and lock onto her fathers chakra valves. Teeth down grinding hard, she is unable to rip away from him. Her fingers clenched tightly into her palms until they bled. Her father…her father will lose. He knew he would lose, and yet he kept going, a futile effort, and from a genin-level mistake. How could her father have miscalculated the amount of chakra he summoned!? His heart, and central chakra point was diminishing fast. The network, its reserves, its flow, had all but nearly stopped. The only amount of chakra she could see was centered in his heart. Like a flame treading dangerously on the verge of going out, his chakra fluttered woefully, lagging with each attack he made.
Only when she passes the next corner, her eyes burning, deactivated. And, nearing the edge of the north village gate, does Sarada see the condition of her father. The once elite ninja reduced to a training dummy. Quick response and masterful tactics reduced to his body clawing limply at the white hand wrapped around his throat.
She finally saw the true face of the invader—the monster.
Sarada recognized the distorted black band on its head, and hollow green, now red eyes. She did not recognize the form he had taken, similar to a pseudo-Ōtsutsuki by the sickly white hair. Exposed torso and arms painted in white markings, similar to that of Boruto’s kāma. One of the remnants of the organization that trapped nanadaime, and nearly abducted Kawaki, years ago— Code. Her eyes are entranced in a daze as the being tightened his grasp, far too easily snapping her father's neck in two. His body going slack, limp neck in tow, was discarded like rubbish with the rest of the rubble.
Red, blistering, and prickling tears burning on her face. Blood, she can tell.
The second of her eyes aching in unbearable pain.
She cannot give into the urge to simply shut them, unable to lower her guard, and unable to grieve for her father. Instead, she rushed to rejoin the group.
For Boruto’s sake, for all of them, he better have a plan.
Below the Hokage monuments nearly every entrance and door had been wrenched shut. There are intentional signs here, from the paper bomb fragments, to locked doors that the village had done this as a precaution. The archways supporting these channels to the Hokage’s facilities and the underground intelligence quarters were all buried in rock. There is intention, yes, but there are also signs of struggle.
The possibility that the intruder first attacked from outside, likely above the monuments, must have sent the village into a panic. But, as was the nature of their leader, this central sector of the village was spared from the destruction in the exterior. The only telltale of any battle this close was the partially collapsed portrait monument of their Nanadaime. A truly ironic, and lackluster twist of fate on its part.
One exit and secret entrance from the lower section of monuments remained open, and it is from here that Boruto leads them into the darkness of the mountain.
Sarada is the last of their group to enter inside before Kawaki slams his fist into the ceiling, causing the tunnel mouth to cave into itself.
“Oi, Kawaki!”
She screams, voice going unheard as the rest of her team rush past her.
If this was the only way in and out of the Hokage’s offices, how would they be leaving here!? For all they knew, Code could be on his way there, searching for them.
When they are above the surface of the tunnel, none is more astonished than Boruto to see the once pristine and honored space become degraded to a hoodlum's hideout. Darkness and disarray filled these glorious halls. Scrolls, no doubt of lower classification, lined the ground like decorative paper. Kunai and shuriken glow when the torch Mitsuki lit crosses them. The office of their village leader, acclaimed for its symbolic placement and view, on the shoulders of their Hokage was completely erased. At some point into the battle giant chunks of the earth took shelter inside the entirety of the room.
Sarada could only sigh in some relief that whatever Boruto was searching for did not happen to be inside that mangled office.
They walk further, Mitsuki lighting another torch to provide for Kawaki and Boruto. Somehow, in this darkness, the other ninja knew where to go. Everyone in the village knew how the offices of the Hokage were notorious for being designed to trick and confuse any enemy or visitor that would reach this deeply into the secretive space. Yet, perhaps a testament to the time spent once playing and observing these halls, Boruto continued to accurately lead them.
Eventually, when they do arrive at their location the entire group is on edge.
What Sarada and Mitsuki had expected was some safeguard or secure passage to flee the disaster site. Instead, Boruto had stopped them inside one of the Archeological group's only known public research libraries at the Hokage building. This library was opened after Urashiki’s infiltration of the exterior one. Though, to Kawaki, even if this was just another ordinary library, if Boruto had any solution to their plight, he would trust that decision.
Boruto turned to him then, motioning for the other boy to hold his father's body. Kawaki does not think twice about this, mind resolved to do whatever he could to quell the regret and guilt in his heart. Even if it meant holding the cruel physical embodiment of their present reality.
Boruto takes the flame from his hand and begins to rummage through the locked cabinets. Breaking the unsealed drawers and lockers when he finally stops.
“Boruto..?”
Sarada asked, waiting, anxiously waiting for any sign of something. Of hope, and not the fear regaining a hold of her mind.
The yellow-haired boy appears to find a box. Medium, and of dark wood. A simple seal had been cast on its casing, and a simple black thread kept its contents virtually closed.
He is able to break the seal after recalling some basic practice with Sasuke, and places the box on one of the tables in the library. Removing the lid, everyone’s breath is held tightly, perhaps feeling the effects of the high stress of their plight, and in anticipation. Boruto removes a bowl. A round, broken spherical miso bowl, much larger than its normal counterpart, but smaller than the old bulky telephone in the academy. It is old, ancient in appearance, made of either clay or some earthenware material.
Sarada wanted to shout from the top of her lungs how foolish she was. How pointless this plan was! What could a relic, not a sacred relic of power or of value do to save them from being pursued by the monster outside. A monster who murdered her father, friends, and leader right in front of her eyes! The same monster who would hunt them down when they wish to destroy their only protection, a wall of rock. While she could do nothing to stop them.
Mitsuki placed a hand on her shoulder, and shook his head. Have patience, he says.
But pulls Sarada back, away from Boruto, suddenly when a single outward horn, and intricate blue markings appear on his arms and face. Markings, they recall, unique to the kāma.
“Oho. How long has it been since you've personally summoned me, boy.”
Mitsuki and Sarada continue to move backwards until they stop two bookcases apart in distance between them. Kawaki, unperturbed by the change in Boruto’s voice, stood exactly in place.
“Surely not of your own free will. Whatever could it be…”
Boruto turns around, searching for something in the faint light of their shelter. Pausing to stare at the body in Kawaki’s arms, a prominent scowl on his face. Then seeming to assess the situation, after sizing up and gauging the levels of those present in the room, he clicked his teeth in distaste.
“I see…how pathetic of you. Using me as a tool for your whims. You and your weak and primitive kin only know how to rely on the power of others. It is no wonder that even this rare pedigree of your people is in this state. Or should I simply say, dead?”
“Why YOU—”
Mitsuki squeezed on Sarada’s arm, a silent message sent, 'don't do it.’
He may have been the only person in their group to have fully accepted that the infamous Hokage, the former enemy of his father, and an unusual but kind man was gone. Even he could not fathom the point in parading around a corpse. Not only had this man, even in death, slowed down their survival, but somehow continued to have some unspoken authority over the two aces of their team. What sort of power did he use to master them? What sorcery, or spell did he use to thoroughly create such fundamental change in people? Even Sarada, a pragmatic and level-headed individual, was swayed to help Boruto in this foolishness. Or rather, serving this lifeless man. Her acclaimed clan, despite being thinned out, continues to show interest in the deceased leader. Although this presently took form through her, from her father, ironically.
None of them, perhaps only Kawaki, could possibly stand some chance against an awakened kāma. Should they need to restrain Boruto.
“Whatever could it be that you want~ Not even I can bring back a human from death. No matter how invaluable it is.”
Boruto shifted forward once more, but flinched when he saw the artifact on the table. And starts laughing.
“Hahaha! Very clever…very clever, indeed. I see now…only an Ōtsutsuki has the knowledge you seek. Shall I help you, this once? I will give you this, no. In fact, I will activate and allow you to use this tool of my clan, but in return, you must put on a show. The last one…well it was terribly banal.”
Sarada wanted to rush over there and pummel that monster inside Boruto desperately. Yet, even without Mitsuki holding onto her, she couldn't. Somehow, in some way, she understood that the only way to find clarity in this horrible reality is to trust Boruto. To trust that thing.
Boruto, no, Momoshiki stretches out his hand and implants some of his chakra into the relic.
“Activate Karasuki.”
Everyone is in awe at the transformation of the old relic. One moment it is as delicate and brittle looking as an old flower pot. In the next, a sudden flash of light causes the formerly perceived bowl to take the form of a miniature turtle.
Activation authenticated.
This turtle is unique with its six circle grooves etched onto its blue exterior shell, and has the most unusual dull and large round eyes.
I am Karasuki. A Noble Device that oversees Temporal Transfers.
Perhaps the most peculiar thing about that turtle is its muted robotic voice. There is also that luxurious red drawstring around its shell that looks purely for decorative purposes. A stupid, and toy-like object. What were the chances that this small and useless thing could spare them from a looming death awaiting them.
Momoshiki exhales morosely, but snaps his fingers at that dazed-like turtle.
“I do not wish, nor need to hear any of your procedures. Do you understand me? Begin the transfer process.”
He said, warningly, heterochromatic eyes frigid.
…Understood, Momoshiki-sama.
Suddenly, a blinding white light opens from the turtle and engulfs the entire table.
The possessed Boruto motions for them to follow him, watching carefully as the boy disappears inside the white light.
Kawaki enters first, despite the mumbling warnings of Sarada. Then Mitsuki, taking her hand, and pulling them inside before the entrance closes.
Everything becomes white at the initial crossing, but when inside Sarada could only marvel at the infinite space within this light. It could only mean that they were in some pocket dimension or boundary.
The entire dimension is in a constant state of motion, surrounded by a nebula of stars and galaxies. Immeasurable translucent blank tablets moving infinitely upwards towards no end. And, on the single vast golden platform they all stood upon, unmoving and stable in the space, the same turtle floats at the center. This turtle, she now understood, could only be powered-on by a member of the Ōtsutsuki. That must explain the appearance of the same turtle that resembles a machine now. While floating, its shell has detached into six varying rings that surround a single, but immense ball of chakra.
“The coordinates are set.”
Mitsuki and Sarada finally rejoin Kawaki, but keeping their distance from the body still cradeled in his arms. It may seem childish or immature for Sarada’s age, but how could anyone endure standing, much less, holding onto the body of your deceased loved one? Her heart couldn't take being beside the reminder of her failure, of all of their failures.
“Now, now. The estimate you gave me is in no way near close enough for these plans of yours to bear any fruition. I have set coordinates for a reasonable date. The rest will ultimately be in your hands. I will release my hold over your vessel when the Karasuki is ready. Mortals have no knowledge of reading the signals from it. How would you know when to stop a transfer to the past?”
“Past..?” Mitsuki asks. Walking up closer to the turtle.
Momoshiki, finished with his one-sided subconscious discussion with Boruto, acknowledged him briefly. And shook his head, playful smirk on his lips.
“None of you must carelessly touch the Karasuki. Lest the process be stopped prematurely and deviate from the date that we've chosen.”
Mitsuki nods, glancing at Sarada who must be trying to make sense of his words. However, during trying times, his father often stated that the simplest explanations were often the truth; simply another method to providing heavily condensed forms of information. But, what Momoshiki, Boruto had said, is impossible. No jutsu, or known clan, from his father's extensive records and knowledge, had accomplished this feat. And, if they had, it would be shrouded in incompleteness and secrecy.
Only…only the inhumane clan of the Ōtsutsuki could have possibly unlocked this taboo.
Everyone watches and waits as Boruto walks over to the turtle and touches it.
Gently, pushing the turtle over the edge of the platform, and awaiting as a small vortex opens inside the space.
“The gate has finished. All of you step inside it, if you choose to remain here then another gate will open. However, the second gate is unbound, and will transport you to an unspecified period of time at your own risk. If you wish to stay together then come.”
Boruto says, falling into the vortex with the Karasuki. Immediately joined by Kawaki, Sarada, and Mitsuki.
The vertigo and dizzying spell came instantly when another blinding beam of light distorted the vivid violet nebula. A weightless feeling and loss of gravity rushed against them as they all crashed down at the center of a forest.
The only indicator that they had left the dimension is the pure moonlight filtering through the field they had just landed on. Well…most of them. Boruto had fallen face-first onto the padded and grassy ground.
As for the transport of their leader…Sarada shifted to search for Kawaki who landed several feet away from them.
“Kawaki?”
The boy sat motionless on the ground. Arms held out, holding nothing but the night air. A panicked expression, mad, and unsettling look on his face.
Boruto regains some sense of awareness after his possession, and teeters in uneven steps over to him.
“Where…where is he..?”
Kawaki shook his head. They were both in disbelief. The other boy was unrelenting in leaving their leader's body alone. When Boruto entrusted it to him, he held onto it, lifeless, but regarded with every instance as more precious than his own life. Inside the space, and when inside the vortex, Kawaki held the body closely to his, in order to prevent any impact or harm to come to it. How could it just…!
“I—I don't know. I had him! When we landed here his weight, all of it just vanished!”
Boruto nearly tore the other boy in half with his burning gaze alone. Sarada and Mitsuki had expected a fight, until the Karasuki spoke.
If you seek the corpse, I must inform you that it could not be taken to this time. I was under the impression that Master Momoshiki had informed you of this. I am unable to safely transfer entities that do not have any chakra. Since this individual is deceased, he was returned to the present but will arrive at a later date.
Boruto and Kawaki exchanged soulless and exhausted expressions, unable to do anything about these changes. And, likely disappointed that the body of Boruto’s father, and father-mentor of Kawaki, would be returned, rather, left behind to be discovered in the wasteland of their village.
Everyone was hurting. In every fiber of their being, and everyone could not have been more lost than they ever had experienced in their lifetimes.
“What do we do now..?”
Sarada asked. Knowing neither Kawaki or Boruto would be right of mind to answer this. Did Boruto even know where they were? Or, had he intentionally put them all in danger? And for what..?
Mitsuki sighs, but quickly looks over their location and nods. “It's quite late. Let's find a village nearby and rest. We can decide how to reach the Sand in the morning.”
Sarada wastes no time in creating and following a path through the trees, not once caring to wait for others. Her heart had gone numb.
Mitsuki walked over to the other two boys, tapping their shoulders before making the same trek behind Sarada.
Eventually, the two wordlessly rose from the ground and left the forest.
Unaware of the presence observing them from afar in the darkness of the night.
----
Chapter 1: Full Circle; End.
A/N: Hey everyone, I decided to rewrite the missing chapters since my laptop is a lost cause. I'm not sure about an update schedule just yet, but I'll see how it goes. I would appreciate any feedback you all have on this chapter, can't wait to get the next one out. What do you think will happen? Any predictions!? I will also be adding chapter notes at the end of every chapter!
Chapter 1 Notes:
“Hikage”—Meaning shadow kage or hidden kage. When applied to stories, they usually describe Sasuke’s role. The shadow, or vice/deputy-Hokage in some ways.
“Kāma”—A portion, or DNA of an Ōtsutsuki which they use as a last resort to restore their body. They implant their DNA, but very much themselves and their consciousness into the bodies of their vessels. These vessels are given power, but at the risk of losing control of themselves. Eventually, the more they assimilate to their host, the closer the vessel is to dying. When their powers are used, markings appear, and originate from the implant area. In an inactive state, the markings take the shape of a Diamond.
Also, some of you may notice that I use both English and Japanese translations. Example: ‘Nanadaime | Seventh/Nanadaime-sama | Lord Seventh’. The Japanese words will be used to describe Formal speech, and the English will be Informal speech in this story.
And although I don't like the Boruto series (the writing and characters are great though), some information from the series will be present here. I don't follow much of it, but I know things. Any information that you need to know will be listed if necessary. If not, just ask a question or look something up. And thank you all for staying on top of this story.