Boruto the Akatsuki: In Search of Power 18

In the previous chapter: Boruto reached into the ninja pouch at his waist, slowly pulling out a three-pronged kunai. Kakashi was shocked to recognize the weapon, though he maintained his outward calm. With a mischievous grin, Boruto dropped the kunai to the ground, disappearing in a puff of smoke, as a new Boruto, in a different outfit, appeared. With a firm voice, Boruto declared that it was time to end the fight. Kakashi, in disbelief, braced himself for what was to come.

Meanwhile, the sensei, Shino and Anko, defeated the students one by one, leaving only the strongest standing: the team Ino- Shika -Cho, Denki, Iwabee and Metal Lee. Despite their combined efforts, the students struggled to keep up with their sensei, who demonstrated their experience and power.

In the midst of this intense battle, an unexpected presence disturbed the battlefield. Shikadai sensed a change in the air and warned his team that something had changed in the forest. The air grew colder, and everyone present felt a chill run through their bodies. Chocho, hugging herself, expressed her uneasiness, while Shikadai muttered that it might be the presence of the real Boruto.

Anko and Shino also sensed the disturbance, wondering what was going on. Boruto's presence had altered the atmosphere, signaling that the real challenge was just beginning.

Everyone in the forest felt the drastic change in the atmosphere. The air became colder and a heavy silence enveloped the place, as if a predator had just appeared.

In the area where Shikadai's team was located, Iwabee was the first to react, clenching his fists and looking around cautiously.

"What do we do? Do we attack?" he asked, ready for action, but aware of the danger.

Shikadai looked at the senseis, who also turned their attention towards the mysterious presence emanating from deep within the forest.

"Let's wait a moment," he replied calmly. "The sensei have noticed it too. Let's see how they proceed first."

Inojin frowned, clearly worried.

—You mentioned that that presence comes from the real Boruto, right? So how strong does someone have to be to change the atmosphere of the entire forest like that?

The group fell into a tense silence, taking in the magnitude of the idea.

"This Boruto seems really dangerous..." Chocho muttered, crossing her arms as she tried to control her uneasiness.

Shikadai nodded slowly.

—I don't know exactly how much strength it takes to affect the surroundings in this way, but it's surely more than our sensei possess.

Chocho's eyes widened in surprise.

—But how is that possible? Sensei are experienced jonin!

Denki gulped, fear evident on his face.

"So how are we going to expose the truth without Boruto eliminating us first?" Inojin asked, concern evident in his voice.

Shikadai pondered for a moment before answering.

—We won't do anything for now. If Boruto wanted to remain hidden, he could have easily done so. By revealing his presence like this, it means that he no longer cares about hiding or that he has achieved his goal.

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do next.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Sarada, Mitsuki, and Saku continued to confront Konohamaru. The atmosphere was tense, and each of them felt the weight of the situation.

"What should we do now?" Saku asked, with a mix of impatience and concern. "Do we continue fighting or retreat?"

Sarada kept her eyes fixed on Konohamaru before turning to Mitsuki.

—Mitsuki, do you have any idea what's going on with Boruto and the Sixth?

Mitsuki shook his head, his expression serious.

—My snake was discovered and eliminated by Boruto. All I know is that before the real Boruto appeared, the Sixth managed to enrage the clone. It seems they are about to face each other.

Sarada nodded, evaluating the information.

—So, the best thing to do is to wait and see how things develop.

"Wait?" Saku replied, clearly frustrated. "Wouldn't it be better to take advantage and defeat Konohamaru-sensei now?"

Before Sarada could respond, a figure emerged from the trees, quickly approaching the group.

"Delegate! What are you doing here?" Sarada exclaimed, surprised by her arrival.

Sumire stopped beside them, breathing slightly raggedly, but with determination in her eyes.

—I went ahead because I thought they might need an extra hand.

Sarada gave her a small smile of gratitude while Sumire turned to Mitsuki with a serious look.

—Mitsuki, do you think you could defeat Boruto if necessary?

Mitsuki considered the question for a moment before answering honestly.

—I'm not sure. My father told me that Boruto is extremely dangerous.

Saku, trying to ease the tension, smiled confidently.

—Well, whatever happens, we'll be ready for whatever comes. There's no way we're going to be intimidated that easily!

The others nodded, finding some comfort in Saku's enthusiasm, though worry still hung in the air.

Konohamaru, who had been observing the direction of the strange presence, finally turned to his students with a thoughtful expression.

—I don't see Boruto anywhere... Is he up to one of his usual pranks?

Sarada kept her composure as she answered.

—I don't think so, sensei.

Konohamaru sighed lightly, scratching the back of his neck.

—Well then, what's the plan? Do we continue with our genin exam or take a break?

Sarada exchanged a glance with her companions before answering.

—For now, we think it's best to wait and see how things develop.

Konohamaru nodded, understanding his students' caution.

—Alright, let's wait then. I'm also curious to know who is responsible for this peculiar presence. Besides, being in the direction where the Sixth is, I don't think there's too much to worry about... but it's always better to be cautious.

The group remained alert, aware that something big was about to happen and prepared to face it together when the time came.

Elsewhere in the forest, Kakashi and Boruto stared at each other. Boruto, shrouded in slowly dissipating smoke, raised his hand to face level. In his palm, a small white snake writhed, trying to break free. Boruto regarded the creature indifferently before speaking, his voice laced with disdain.

—That Mitsuki... always butting in where he doesn't belong. If he sends another snake, I'll find him... and kill him.

Kakashi looked away at the snake in Boruto's hand. He watched as Boruto clenched his fist, and the snake burst into a puff of smoke. Boruto then turned his attention to Kakashi, his eyes reflecting a mix of mockery and determination.

—Kakashi Hatake, the Sixth Hokage... the world's hero. It's been a long time since we met in person.

Kakashi looked at him warily, his expression serious.

-Who are you?

Boruto watched him silently for a few seconds before replying with a crooked smile.

—Your face and your words don't match... You're not saying everything you think, are you?

Kakashi didn't answer, keeping his gaze fixed on Boruto. The tension in the air was palpable, as if time itself was slowing down around them.

"I'm not angry about what you said about those I called friends," Boruto continued, his tone casual, almost mocking.

Kakashi insisted, his voice firm.

—Tell me who you really are. Why are you so different from the Boruto we knew?

Boruto stared at him, his expression unchanging.

—We are not different. We are the same. The only thing that changes is the clothes.

Kakashi frowned in disbelief.

—What you're saying... I don't think it's that simple.

Boruto let out a small laugh, his gaze sharp.

—I see... that's why you weren't so surprised. You already knew something about me, but you didn't quite believe it. Thanks for giving me that clue.

Kakashi's eyes widened a little more, but he didn't say anything.

Boruto continued, his tone more serious.

—The fact that you know I'm different from the previous Boruto, without us even having spoken, tells me that you had an idea of what was happening.

Boruto watched Kakashi with a calculating gaze, his amused smile lingering on his face.

—I can think of a few people who might have spoken... but I don't think it was them. So it must have been those I call family, right, Kakashi? Old Hiashi, perhaps.

Kakashi couldn't take his eyes off Boruto, his mind working quickly to process the situation. So this is the real Boruto . He remembered the conversation he had with Hiashi, where the old man had told him about Boruto's true nature. I didn't think it was true… How is that possible? Hiashi had also mentioned that the real Boruto was a genius of another level, but seeing him in person was something else entirely.

Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts and spoke, remaining calm even though his words carried an undeniable weight.

—I never thought this could be true. I never imagined a child could fool everyone.

Boruto let out a low laugh, his amusement evident in his gaze.

—I don't care what you say.

Kakashi frowned, not being swayed by Boruto's carefree attitude.

—I want to ask you... why did you go to such lengths? From what your clone showed me, I can deduce that you saw your friends die. But to do all this just because you couldn't save them... it's pointless. The hatred you direct is pointless.

Boruto's smile remained on his face, though his tone became colder.

—I have no hate or anger. I'm just having fun as I go along my path.

Kakashi looked at him seriously, trying to understand the twisted logic behind Boruto's words.

—Is this fun for you? Fooling others into thinking they have someone they love nearby?

Boruto shrugged, his expression one of complete indifference.

—I don't deceive them. I just show them what they want to see, that's all.

Kakashi didn't back down, pressing his words further.

—So, you lie to them about yourself. If that's not cheating, what is?

Boruto looked at him with a mix of contempt and patience.

—They wanted something to love, so I gave it to them. I never told them to trust me; they did it on their own.

Kakashi watched him closely, trying to find some loophole in Boruto's logic.

—So you see it that way. I wonder what Jiro and Yuki would feel upon hearing those words.

The mention of those names caused a slight spark to appear in Boruto's eyes, though his smile widened.

—I see you insist on that. I don't know what you're trying to do, Kakashi, make me angry? It won't work. But it doesn't mean it doesn't annoy me. I warn you, every action has a consequence... I hope you're prepared to receive yours.

Kakashi didn't back down, his tone remained firm and calm.

—You say that, but I see in you that you don't even know what you're going to get.

Boruto's gaze darkened slightly, but his voice remained the same dangerous calm.

—I have long been prepared for the consequences of my actions. The biggest of them is that I might not be able to accomplish what I want and die of despair. But I am prepared. The only thing I can do if that happens is accept it and keep walking... without stopping.

Kakashi let out a sigh, but his eyes remained focused on Boruto.

—You keep going, without stopping… It's admirable, but dangerous. Especially when you don't care who you leave behind.

Boruto tilted his head, with a mocking smile.

—Are you speaking from experience, Kakashi? Or are you just afraid that someone like me will cause more harm?

Kakashi remained firm, his gaze more penetrating.

—I've seen many follow that path. Some find redemption, others only darkness. There is always a point where you decide whether to continue or change.

Boruto let out a cold laugh.

—Redemption? That's for the weak who fail. I don't plan on failing. If I get to that crossroads, I'll keep going without looking back.

Kakashi nodded, understanding.

—And that determination makes you dangerous, Boruto. Not just for what you can do to others, but for what you could do to yourself. You could become the very thing you despise most.

Boruto narrowed his eyes, his expression colder.

—Disdain is a luxury I don't have. I only have one goal, and I don't care what I become to reach it. As long as I can smile at the end, nothing else matters.

Kakashi watched Boruto silently.

—You may think you can carry it all alone. But even the strongest need an anchor. If you keep cutting those ties, you might discover too late that loneliness isn't so easy to bear.

Boruto snorted.

—You think I don't know? I've already embraced solitude, Kakashi. It's more liberating than you think. I don't need anchors. I need to move forward, with or without company.

Kakashi nodded, his tone somewhat melancholy.

—So I just hope that when you face true loneliness, you're as prepared as you think you are. Because if you're not, it could be the thing that destroys you.

Boruto stared at him, his smile fading before reappearing, sharper.

—If that day comes, it will be another challenge. And like everyone else, I will overcome it… or die trying. I don't plan on stopping.

The wind blew softly through the trees, carrying Boruto's words with it. Kakashi watched him for a moment longer, then looked away, processing the words he said into the young man in front of him.

—I hope you find what you're looking for, Boruto. And that when you do, there's still something left of you worth saving.

Boruto looked at Kakashi with calculated coldness.

—You think so, Kakashi? I don't expect anyone to save me.

Kakashi watched him seriously, weighing each word before answering.

—Since you're here, I need answers. What you've told me so far is just evasion. Tell me, what happened that night? How did you obtain the Fourth Hokage's techniques?

A sly smile appeared on Boruto's lips, his eyes shining with a glint of amusement.

—I can't tell you what you're asking for... but I propose a bet.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Boruto's defiant tone.

—A bet?

"Yes," Boruto replied, his smile widening even further. "I'm here to prove my strength and get a higher rank before graduation. I don't want to be with brats who only do stupid things."

"Do you want to rise in rank?" Kakashi asked, seeing the determination in Boruto's eyes.

Boruto nodded, his voice a mix of confidence and disdain.

"I don't consider myself a genius, but I am stronger than anyone in this forest. My father would never allow his son to rise in rank, even if he is a prodigy. He would say something like, 'Even if my son is a one-of-a-kind genius, I'm not going to have him rise in rank and waste valuable years of growth. If he is so strong, he must protect his comrades. ' Isn't that right, Kakashi? Meaningless words, right?"

Kakashi pondered those words, recognizing in them the echo of Naruto's ideals, ideals that he himself had once shared.

—To prove that I'm in a different league —Boruto continued—, I had planned to crush the examiner. But now that you're here, things change. You'll be my rival.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, sensing the seriousness in Boruto's voice.

—So you want to defeat me to rise in rank?

"Exactly," Boruto replied, his tone full of amusement, almost challenging.

Kakashi gave a slight smile, accepting the challenge implied in the young man's words.

—No child has ever underestimated me like that in the past. I will make you understand that you only deserve to be with those of your level.

Boruto smiled confidently, the excitement of the upcoming fight shining in his eyes.

—That's the attitude. But listen to me carefully, if you beat me, you disqualify me and you'll get all the answers you want. But if I win, you'll have to do whatever I ask of you without complaint. Easy, right?

Kakashi nodded, his eyes narrowed, accepting the bet.

—Let's make the bet, but don't think I'll hold back. If you say you're the strongest in this forest, then I hope you're prepared for what's coming.

"I can't wait for our fight," Boruto said, his smile turning almost malicious.

Kakashi looked at Boruto with a serious and calculating gaze before speaking.

—I wonder how long you can keep talking like that.

Boruto let out a laugh that echoed through the trees.

—Hahaha, we'll see about that. But before we start, I'll ask you a favor… Get everyone out of this forest. If you don't, they could die.

Kakashi frowned, analyzing Boruto's words.

—What do you mean by that?

Boruto shrugged, giving an enigmatic smile.

—Who knows…

Kakashi quickly assessed the situation. He knew that with the Hiraishin in Boruto's hands, the young man already had the ability to kill with lethal precision. He couldn't afford to underestimate him. With silent resolve, Kakashi pulled a small ninja communicator from his pocket and placed it to his ear.

—Let's do what you say.

Kakashi quickly assessed the situation. He knew that with the Hiraishin in Boruto's hands, the young man already had the ability to kill with lethal precision. He couldn't afford to underestimate him. With silent resolve, Kakashi pulled a small ninja communicator from his pocket and placed it to his ear.

"Let's do as you say," he replied, keeping his tone neutral as he watched Boruto warily.

Boruto looked at him with a quiet curiosity, as if he was enjoying the show.

Kakashi pressed a button on the communicator and spoke in a firm voice.

—Shino, Anko, Konohamaru, get everyone out of the forest. The genin exam will be delayed.

Elsewhere in the forest, the sensei stood vigilantly, monitoring the situation. Hearing a sound in their pockets, they reached into their pockets and pulled out their own communicators. Kakashi's voice echoed in their ears, causing surprise.

"What's going on, Sextus?" Anko asked, alarmed. "Did any enemies appear?"

The students who had been fighting minutes before watched their sensei's reaction with curiosity. Shikadai, in particular, frowned as he thought about what could be happening.

Kakashi replied calmly.

—Don't worry, no enemy has appeared. Just leave the forest and wait outside. Also, take the students and tell them that the exam will be postponed.

—The sensei responded in unison, we will do what the sixth says.

Konohamaru, with concern evident in his voice, asked:

—One question, sixth, are you with Boruto, I haven't seen him in this time, I'm worried that he's doing some mischief?

Kakashi was silent for a few seconds, measuring his words before answering.

—Yes, I'm with him. Don't worry.

Konohamaru relaxed and sighed.

—It's good that I'm with you sixth

Shino, sensing the tension in Kakashi's voice, intervened with concern.

—Has something serious happened, Sextus?

Kakashi, keeping calm, replied:

—There's nothing to worry about. Everything is under control. It's just a matter of educating the children when things get out of hand.

Konohamaru was surprised, but didn't say anything.

Boruto, who had been listening to the conversation, couldn't help but laugh.

—Hahaha I hope you're not the one who ends up being polite, Kakashi —he joked with a mischievous laugh.

The senseis exchanged glances before answering in unison.

—Understood, we will leave the forest and await your orders.

Anko, Shino, and Konohamaru took off their communicators and approached their respective students. Shino and Anko turned to Shikadai and the others.

"The exam is postponed. Help us get those who are unconscious out," Shino ordered.

The students, shocked, widened their eyes, but quickly nodded, beginning to move. They leapt through the trees until they reached where their fallen comrades were. Each of them lifted an unconscious student, placing them on their backs, and began to run towards the exit of the forest.

Konohamaru, meanwhile, approached Sarada's team.

—We must leave the forest. The genin exam is postponed.

Sarada and her team looked at him in amazement.

"What's going on, Konohamaru-sensei?" Sarada asked, her concern evident.

"I'll tell you when we're out of the forest," Konohamaru replied seriously. "But right now I need you to help me carry your unconscious companions."

Sarada, Mitsuki, and the others nodded, following Konohamaru. Soon after, they arrived at the place where the other fallen students were. Following their example, they picked up their companions and began running towards the exit of the forest, their minds filled with unanswered questions.

Meanwhile, Shino and his group continued to run and jump between the trees. After a while, they finally reached the entrance of the forest. Around them, the dense forest loomed like a dark shadow in contrast to the light of the Leaf village that stretched out in the distance. The students, exhausted but curious, exchanged glances as they carefully placed their unconscious classmates on the ground.

Shortly after, Konohamaru arrived with his team and they replicated the same action as his companions, adjusting the unconscious students.

Without wasting any time, Anko took out her communicator and spoke with determination:

—Sixth, we are already outside. We will be waiting for any order.

Kakashi's calm voice echoed on the other end:

—Rest. I'll tell you everything in a moment.

Anko nodded, although Kakashi couldn't see her.

—Understood, Sextus.

He put the communicator in his pocket and turned to the students, who were awaiting further instructions.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the forest, Kakashi removed the communicator from his ear and put it in his pocket before turning his gaze towards Boruto.

"Are you happy? They're out now," Kakashi said in a neutral tone, though his eyes remained attentive to the young man's every move.

Boruto nodded slowly, a lopsided smile on his lips.

—Yes, I can feel it… their chakras —he answered, closing his eyes for a brief moment as he sensed the distant presences of the others.

Kakashi watched him with interest, noting the intensity with which Boruto handled that ability.

"That sensor ability is pretty strong," Kakashi commented, acknowledging Boruto's advancement in techniques he shouldn't have mastered yet at his age.

Boruto opened his eyes and his smile widened, reflecting an almost arrogant confidence.

—Well, it's time to get started.

The air around them changed palpably; the atmosphere became heavy, filled with tension. Their chakras began to resonate in the air. Boruto, with his unwavering confidence, felt the thrill of facing an opponent of Kakashi's stature. For his part, Kakashi knew that this fight would not be easy, and that Boruto was no longer the child he used to be.

The silence that surrounded them was interrupted only by the soft rustling of the wind through the trees, a prelude to a fight that was about to begin. Both of them mentally prepared themselves, knowing that there would be no room for error.

The confrontation was about to begin, and both Kakashi and Boruto knew that only one of them would emerge victorious in this bet.

Boruto quickly crouched down, picking up the three-pronged kunai that his clone had dropped as he disappeared. Without wasting a second, he threw it towards Kakashi with a precise movement. Kakashi reacted instantly, unsheathing his own kunai, and the metallic sound of the clash echoed through the air. The three-pronged kunai shot upwards, but before it could hit the ground, Boruto appeared in the air, grabbing it with his right hand.

—Katon: Hoin no Jutsu! —Boruto shouted.

His hand became covered in flames, which quickly expanded into a ferocious attack. Kakashi barely had time to react before he was engulfed by the fiery explosion. A rumble echoed through the forest.

Boom !​

The fire spread, and a cloud of dust rose up, covering the area. Boruto stood firmly, keeping his gaze fixed on the spot where he had attacked Kakashi, who, to his surprise, vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing that it had been a clone.

"You can't hide from me, Kakashi," Boruto muttered, his cold eyes focusing on the roots of a large tree nearby, where he sensed the presence of his opponent.

At that moment, leaves from the trees began to fall, swirling in the air like a rain of green. The forest, which was previously on fire, was covered by the blanket of leaves, extinguishing the fire. Boruto quickly turned around and heard another metallic sound: his kunai clashing against Kakashi's again. Without wasting any time, Kakashi launched a kick towards Boruto's head, who dropped the kunai and ducked to dodge it. However, Kakashi changed the trajectory of his kick in one fluid movement, launching it vertically towards Boruto.

Boruto leapt to the side with impressive agility, and as he did so, he formed seals with his hands at high speed.

—Katon: Endan no Jutsu! —he shouted.

A large fireball shot out of Boruto's mouth, heading towards Kakashi. Although he tried to dodge, the attack reached him, engulfing him in flames. The jutsu continued its trajectory, crashing into several trees in its path.

Boom !​

The trees fell one after another, destroyed by the force of the attack. Boruto, without stopping, turned his body towards the large tree again, his eyes fixed on the root where he suspected Kakashi was hiding.

"Since you're not going to show up, I'll get you out," he said with determination.

Quickly, Boruto performed more seals with his hands.

—Suiton: Suidanha ! —he exclaimed.

A jet of water shot out of Boruto's mouth, cutting through the base of the large tree. Kakashi jumped up to dodge the attack, but the tree, weakened by the jutsu, began to slowly fall. Both shinobi began to run along the top of the tree as it fell, the sound of their kunai clashing, their kicks and punches echoing at high speed.

Finally, they reached the top of the tree, where Boruto's kunai and Kakashi's collided once again.

Boom !​

The large tree crashed into the ground, destroying a part of the forest and sending up a large cloud of dust. But Boruto and Kakashi had already jumped before the crash, continuing their fight in the air. Both continued running through the forest, the metallic sound of their weapons clashing in the air.

Boruto, every time he collided his kunai with Kakashi's, would release the three-pronged kunai and disappear in yellow flashes, reappearing in the air where the kunai bounced off, constantly changing position to be unpredictable. With a kunai in each hand, Boruto moved at incredible speed, until they both reached a nearby river.

The final clash of their kunais echoed loudly through the forest. They both fell into the water, lying on the surface as they assessed their next actions, never taking their eyes off each other.

Kakashi, analyzing the situation, thought: "I can't afford to remain static. If I do, Boruto could use his seals to catch me in unpredictable ways. His speed is incredible, after all, these are my master's techniques."

For his part, Boruto was also deep in thought: "Kakashi is strong, that's undeniable. But, although I could win more easily using my Doujutsu, I prefer not to. I want to see how far I can go without relying on my eye. This fight is an opportunity to explore my limits without the additional power of the Doujutsu , after all, I already discovered my limits in the fight against Karasugan," Boruto mused as he looked at Kakashi.

—Hahaha, I thought you wouldn't be able to keep up with my speed. After all, you're already old —Boruto said, with a mocking smile.

Kakashi replied calmly, keeping the same intensity in his gaze:

—So that's all your speed? You're so slow, I thought you'd be a challenge.

Boruto smiled wider, his tone turning serious:

—So let's skip the warm-up and get serious, don't you think, Kakashi?

"I wonder if you can keep up with me," Kakashi replied calmly, though in his mind he said, "So that's not all of his speed or power. I wonder what other jutsus he has hidden."

The tension in the air intensified as Boruto relaxed his body, took a breath, and let it out slowly. In a quick motion, he made a sign with his hands and shouted:

—Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!

In an instant, a puff of smoke enveloped the area, and when it cleared, twenty clones surrounded Boruto.

"You know what to do," Boruto ordered, with a determined look.

The clones disappeared in an instant with the Shunshin, leaving Kakashi wondering what he was planning now. Without giving him time to process it, Boruto ran straight towards him. Kakashi, alert, adopted a combat stance, readying his kunai.

The clash of kunais rang out with a loud metallic sound as Boruto attacked. Kakashi quickly dodged a kick, moving to the side. The fight intensified, with the two exchanging punches and kicks at high speed, while the sound of metal echoed across the surface of the river. Boruto leapt onto a nearby tree branch, and with a quick hand sign, conjured a katana.

Pushing himself off the branch, Boruto launched a vertical slash at Kakashi, who responded by placing his kunai to block the attack. The clash of both weapons made the atmosphere vibrate.

"Raiton," Boruto muttered with a smile, as the katana filled with lightning, beginning to cut through Kakashi's kunai.

Kakashi, without losing his calm, replied:

— Shiden .

Kakashi's kunai was surrounded by purple lightning, and the clash of both bolts of lightning spread across the entire surface of the water. The crackling energy illuminated the surroundings, while Boruto maintained his confident smile and Kakashi looked at him seriously.

Both of them applied more force to their weapons, intensifying the electric shock between the katana and the kunai. The tension reached its peak when, suddenly, both of them were pushed back by the force of the discharge, sliding across the surface of the water. However, both of their weapons were still charged with lightning, sparking with an energy that reflected the ferocity of their battle.

Boruto disappeared in a yellow flash, suddenly appearing behind Kakashi. The silver-haired man, surprised by the sudden appearance, spun on his axis just in time to block Boruto's katana. The force of the blow caused Kakashi to be pushed back, straining his stance. But before he could fully recover, Boruto disappeared again in another yellow flash, reappearing beside Kakashi with a quick and lethal horizontal slash.

Kakashi raised his kunai, still shrouded in lightning, to block the attack, but the impact was so strong that it sent him flying into the nearby trees. "How does he do that? It doesn't make sense… Are the clones sending the Hiraishin through the water current? Damn it!" Kakashi thought as he tried to steady himself. Wasting no time, he leapt into the upper branches, beginning to run through the trees to gain distance.

Boruto, watching from the river, smiled mischievously as he followed Kakashi with his gaze. He muttered to himself:

—It seems that everything is going according to plan… The direction he is running is towards Konoha. Haha, I can't wait…

Boruto waved his katana with a hand sign and in a flash of yellow, Boruto disappeared again. Kakashi, who was advancing at full speed between the branches, barely had time to react when a thrust of a katana wrapped in lightning descended towards him. He raised his kunai instinctively and shouted:

—Shiden !​

The clash of electrical energies spread white and violet rays throughout the surroundings, illuminating the forest. Kakashi took advantage of the moment to jump to another branch, throwing a pair of shurikens towards Boruto. The ninja stars hit squarely, but Boruto disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"A clone..." Kakashi muttered, his gaze sharp.

Suddenly, several Boruto clones emerged from the shadows, launching an attack. Kakashi, with astonishing speed, began to neutralize them one by one, but each clone he destroyed vanished into smoke. The frantic pace continued for several minutes until, finally, the Boruto clones disappeared completely, leaving Kakashi breathing heavily in the middle of the forest.

A mocking voice echoed from the shadows:

—You look tired, Kakashi. If you were younger, you'd be quite a challenge... and with the Sharingan, you might give me a bit more of a fight. But that doesn't change the fact that I'll beat you, do you?

Kakashi turned his gaze to one of the branches, answering seriously:

—Boruto, you have mastered all kinds of jutsu and you also have the ability to fight at incredible speed. You are a serious problem.

Boruto smiled, his expression reflecting an eerie confidence:

—Kakashi, I know you have more tricks up your sleeve, but if you don't use them, you will die. Is that what you want?

Kakashi looked at him seriously, but didn't answer. The tension between them was palpable.

—Let's clean this place up first, katsu! —Boruto said coldly.

In a flash of yellow, Boruto disappeared again. In the blink of an eye, the trees around Kakashi were filled with explosive tags that began to glow brightly. Kakashi opened his eyes in surprise as a gigantic explosion echoed throughout the forest.

—BOOM!

Trees were uprooted and thrown into the air as a cloud of smoke and debris engulfed the area, destroying much of the forest.

Those waiting for Kakashi outside the forest heard the mighty boom. The sensei jumped into the treetops, looking worriedly towards the source of the explosion. The students who were still conscious followed their teachers, watching in awe as the gigantic curtain of smoke rose up and the trees fell one after another due to the devastation caused.

Boruto appeared on one of the highest branches of a nearby tree, out of range of the explosion. From his position, he watched as the cloud of dust and debris slowly settled, covering what was left of the forest. Meanwhile, his mind analyzed the situation.

"I can still feel some of his chakra… He's not dead. That's good, but… this chakra…" Boruto smiled to himself. "He's trying to trick me… Hahaha, how funny. We should continue our fight."

With that thought in mind, Boruto began to descend from the tree, jumping from branch to branch until he reached the ground. With a mischievous smile, he began to walk towards the cloud of dust that covered the place where he had left Kakashi.

Meanwhile, inside the cloud, Kakashi was coughing heavily. "Cough…cough…Damn it, Boruto went for the kill. That was a clear warning… I never thought things would come to this. Naruto, what have you been doing all these years?" Kakashi was breathing heavily, feeling the weight of combat on his body. "But if he's willing to attack with such intensity… it's time for me to get serious too."

Boruto walked slowly through the area devastated by the explosion. The place, once filled with trees, was now just a wasteland of dust and ashes. Without stopping, he pulled out a three-pronged kunai and threw it into the air. Performing several hand positions, he uttered, "Hiraishin: Eikyo Fuin." The kunai multiplied and scattered across the field. Boruto paused for a moment and thought, Everything is ready now .

As he was about to turn around, Kakashi appeared from the dust surrounding him behind him, shouting " Shiden ". Boruto, surprised, disappeared in a yellow flash just before being hit, reappearing behind Kakashi's back and counterattacking with a "Raiton", piercing the ninja's chest.

"I thought there would be more of this," Boruto said coldly.

However, Kakashi began to glow, revealing himself to be a shadow. Boruto disappeared again in a yellow flash just before Kakashi exploded in a resounding explosion, BOOM!, kicking up another cloud of dust.

Boruto reappeared at another point on the field, still shrouded in dust that would not fully dissipate. Once again, Kakashi emerged from the cloud behind him, a " Shiden " in hand. Boruto disappeared in another yellow flash, bouncing around Kakashi in a series of flashes before materializing behind him, his back to him. Kakashi fell to the ground, dismembered, and exploded again, raising another cloud of smoke.

A thought resonated in Boruto's mind: He's testing my capabilities... he's clever, but how long can he keep this up?

Boruto crouched down, touched the ground with his hand, closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, he smiled. I've found him... He's out of this place. He knows he can't stay still .

Meanwhile, Kakashi was running and jumping at full speed between the trees, thinking: What a troublesome kid he is. My two clones have already been destroyed, he will catch up with me at any moment... I need to prepare a trap .

Boruto stood up, looking in the direction Kakashi was running away, and thought, This is a problem. He's not attacking . So, he firmly performed a hand seal and shouted, "Katsu!"

Suddenly, in the middle of Kakashi's run, several explosive tags began to glow on the trees around him. He opened his eyes in surprise just before the boom of the explosion echoed out, BOOM! Trees flew into the air, leaving behind a thick, grey cloud of dust, as Kakashi was thrown by the blast, part of his chunin vest torn to pieces. Protecting himself with his forearms, he tried to withstand the impact.

From a distance, Boruto watched the explosion and thought: You can't escape, Kakashi. This entire forest is already under my control. The only option is for you to face me directly . He let out a laugh, fading in a flash of yellow.

Kakashi fell into the branches of a tree, looking at the great devastation caused by the explosion. Just then, Boruto appeared behind him in another flash, shouting in amusement, "Rasengan!" Kakashi tried to turn around completely, but it was too late; the Rasengan hit his body with a powerful boom, BOOM!, destroying the nearby trees and raising a huge cloud of dust as the trunks fell from the sky with loud rumbles.

Boruto looked at the result of his attack and commented, "Kakashi, you sure are sneaky." He then turned around, directing his gaze to another branch, where Kakashi was staring at the devastation with wide eyes.

"That Rasengan... Did Konohamaru teach it to you? That devastation looks just like his," Kakashi said in amazement.

Boruto looked at him and replied coldly, "He didn't teach it to me. I learned it myself."

Kakashi, unable to contain his astonishment, looked at him more seriously.

Boruto smiled and added, "You still see me as a child… I wonder how much longer you will continue to look at me like that."

Boruto disappeared in a yellow flash just as Kakashi leapt upwards. The tree Kakashi was standing on before was cut in two by Boruto's kunai, imbued with lightning chakra.

"You have a good eye, Kakashi," Boruto said with a mocking smile, "but I'm tired of playing with you."

Without wasting any time, Boruto quickly performed a series of hand seals and exclaimed:

—Suiton: Sudanha !

A powerful jet of water shot out of Boruto's mouth, heading towards Kakashi. The latter, still in the air, made a hand seal and in a puff of smoke, a clone appeared beside him, pushing him out of the path of the attack. The jet of water cut the clone in two, vanishing it in smoke.

Kakashi landed on one of the branches and Boruto redirected his attack, cutting down everything in his path as Kakashi ran circles around him, dodging the torrent of water. Soon, all the trees around them were cut in half.

Kakashi, jumping from one tree to another, made several hand seals and, after lowering his mask, shouted:

—Katon: Endan no Jutsu!

A fireball shot out of his mouth, heading towards Boruto. Boruto quickly cancelled his jutsu and disappeared in a flash, reappearing behind Kakashi.

—Raiton! —Boruto shouted, as white rays appeared in his hand, ready to hit.

Kakashi quickly replied:

—Shiden !​

Purple lightning surrounded his body, spreading across the area. Boruto, seeing the danger, withdrew his attack and disappeared again in a yellow flash, appearing on one of the nearby branches.

They both stood on the branches of the cut trees, with the sun shining on them, illuminating the scene.

Kakashi, taking a deep breath, spoke:

—Now I understand how you can move throughout the forest. It was your clones who spread the Hiraishin seals. You are able to teleport the explosive tags using the Hiraishin marks.

Boruto gave a confident smile.

—And what good does it do you to know that? It doesn't change anything.

With a quick movement, Boruto made a seal with his right hand and a katana appeared in his hand. He then pulled out a three-pronged kunai with his other hand, spinning it around before assuming a combat stance, with the katana facing back and the kunai in front.

Kakashi noticed the intent in Boruto's movements and prepared for the next assault.

"This is going to be tough," Kakashi muttered, ready to face him.

Boruto and Kakashi watched each other from their respective positions. The atmosphere was charged with tension, with the sun's rays piercing through the cloud of dust still floating in the air, creating a contrast between light and shadow.

"Come on, Kakashi," Boruto teased, "I know you have something else up your sleeve. You don't want to disappoint me, do you?"

Kakashi kept his gaze firmly on Boruto, not responding to the provocation. Instead, he began channeling chakra into his body, preparing for any surprise attacks. Wasting no time, Boruto disappeared in a yellow flash, reappearing just inches away from Kakashi with his katana ready to strike.

Kakashi, reacting quickly, twisted his body to deflect the katana with his own lightning-imbued kunai. The clash of the two weapons generated sparks that lit up the forest. However, Boruto did not lose momentum and, taking advantage of the proximity, launched a flurry of kicks that Kakashi barely managed to block.

"He's faster than I thought!" Kakashi mused as he tried to find a gap in Boruto's relentless attacks.

Boruto, giving Kakashi no respite, disappeared again in a flash, this time appearing at several points around Kakashi in quick succession, attacking him from all angles. Amidst the confusion, Kakashi said:

—Raiton: Kage Bunshin!

A shadow clone charged with electricity appeared at his side, intercepting one of Boruto's attacks and exploding in an electric discharge that covered the area. Boruto, anticipating the explosion, had already disappeared and reappeared somewhere else, attacking again. Kakashi, due to the rhythm of the fight, began to jump between the branches until he reached the ground, while Boruto attacked him with great speed, causing the clash of metal to resonate throughout the forest.

Boruto reappeared on one of the branches and looked down at Kakashi from above.

"Not bad, Kakashi," Boruto said, smiling as he held his katana in one hand and his three-pronged kunai in the other, "but it won't do you any good if you can't catch up to me."

Kakashi, now on the ground, was breathing heavily, assessing his options. He knew that Boruto was a formidable opponent, one he couldn't underestimate. With determination, he performed a series of hand seals at breakneck speed.

—Doton: Doryuheki ! —Kakashi shouted.

A wall of earth quickly rose between them, momentarily separating them. Boruto stared at the wall, assessing the situation.

"Let's see how much you can resist, Kakashi-sensei," Boruto muttered as he performed a seal with his left hand.

—Katsu! —he exclaimed, Hiraishin's marks glowed and several explosive tags appeared, shining brightly, detonating.

The explosion echoed throughout the forest with a deafening boom! Rock fragments and debris flew everywhere. Boruto stood his ground, watching the site of the explosion intently. Smoke and dust rose again, spreading twelve feet across the site, almost completely covering the blonde, but Boruto did not let his guard down.

Suddenly, from the cloud of dust behind Boruto, a figure appeared with a purple shiden ready to attack.

"It's over!" Kakashi shouted, taking advantage of the distraction created by the explosion.

But Boruto, prepared, disappeared in a flash and appeared behind Kakashi, this time with his katana charged with Raiton.

"Too slow, Kakashi," Boruto whispered before launching a quick slash.

Kakashi, at the last second, turned his body and managed to block the attack, albeit with difficulty. The clash between the two lasted a few more seconds, with both measuring their strength. The silver-haired boy could notice the difference in Boruto's energy.

—What…? —he started to say, but was interrupted by Boruto's pressure, who pushed him back. With a burst of electrical energy that ran through his body, forcing Boruto to retreat.

Boruto looked at Kakashi with a more serious expression.

—It's not as easy as I thought, but this isn't over yet, Kakashi.

Kakashi stopped sending electricity through his body and prepared himself for what could be the final phase of the fight. They both knew they couldn't hold back any longer if they wanted to emerge victorious.

Boruto disappeared in a flash of yellow, appearing next to Kakashi, sending out an attack with his lightning-filled katana. Kakashi noticed and shouted:

—Shiden !​

Once again, he sent purple electricity throughout his body, spreading it across the area. Boruto disappeared in a flash again, but moved across the field in yellow flashes, dodging Kakashi's lightning. With a chakra-charged side kick, he hit Kakashi, who flew away, destroying several trees along the way until he reached a desolate field left by the previous explosions. Kakashi hit the ground, bouncing several times until he crashed into some rocks, making a loud bang ! Boom !

In Kakashi's mind: But what was that? He increased his speed and strength... Kakashi slowly stood up and, with his left hand, touched the place where he had received the kick from the blond.

Boruto looked at Kakashi sticking his katana into the ground and performed several hand signs, shouting as he threw his body back:

—Katon: Karyuu Endan! (Fire Release: Dragon Flame Fire Bullet).

Boruto threw his body forward and a fire dragon came out of his mouth at high speed, burning everything that came near. Kakashi opened his eyes and, after making several hand seals, shouted:

—Suiton: Suijinheki ! (Water Release: Wall of Water).

He lowered his mask and a jet of water came out of his mouth, forming a wall to protect himself, crashing against the fire jutsu.

Boruto thought: It's time to increase the intensity . He sent more chakra, making the fire turn a whitish color and increasing the fire and heat. Kakashi, for his part, sent more chakra into the jutsu, causing more water to come out of his mouth. The clash of both jutsus rose higher than the trees.

In the distance, those watching the fight were amazed by the explosions and looked at the jutsus that were launched with great power. The fire began to ravage the trees and the water tried to extinguish it. The clash was impressive; even at that distance, they could feel the heat a little.

—What 's going on? This level is much higher than ours... Who is the Sixth fighting against? —the sensei thought, surprised by what they were seeing.

— That's Boruto's power... How much further can he go? —Shikadai mused, unable to take his eyes off the fight.

—This is why my father told me to be careful... He could have known... He is strong —Mitsuki thought, understanding his father's warning.

— I don't want to meet him. If he can fight at this level, I don't want to imagine what he could do to us — Chocho mused, worried about Boruto's abilities.

— This is Boruto's level... I know I don't know him, but... —Saku clenched his fists—. I don't want to lose. For some reason, my heart won't stop beating with excitement, as if I've found my rival, someone to catch up with. Don't worry, Boruto, I understand now. To get you out of that world, all you have to do is show you defeat, and I will do it .

— Sarada thought, Boruto... When did you reach this level? What is it that you are so intent on pursuing? She wondered, unable to help but feel a mix of worry and defiance. — If you are going to keep moving forward, then I will not be left behind. I will do whatever it takes to keep up. The others didn't know what to think; they couldn't believe the level of combat they were witnessing.

With Boruto and Kakashi, the clash of jutsus reached its peak, erupting in a massive puff of steam that covered the battlefield. Taking advantage of the dense blanket of steam, Boruto disappeared in a flash of yellow, while Kakashi, on alert, launched himself into the cloud of steam. The fight continued at breakneck speed within the mist, where flashes of clashing metal echoed in the air. Both ninjas traded blows incessantly, with an intensity that made the surroundings vibrate, each carefully measuring their movements without giving up a single step.

Suddenly, amidst the steam, a scream was heard that tore through the silence: "Rasengan!" A powerful roar reverberated throughout the forest, causing trees and rocks to be torn from the ground, flying through the air like leaves in the wind. A new cloud of dust rose, adding to the chaos. Kakashi emerged from the cloud, protecting himself with his forearms as he tried to regain his balance from the explosion. In that instant, Boruto appeared from above, emerging from the air like lightning, with a shining Rasengan in his hand, sending it hurtling with precision towards Kakashi, who was still on the ground.

Kakashi, aware of the danger, looked up just in time to see the Rasengan heading towards him at high speed. But at the last second, the Rasengan vanished into thin air, leaving Kakashi perplexed.

What the...? He disappeared! Kakashi thought, trying to process what had just happened. But before he could react, he felt a devastating blow to his chest that sent him flying violently towards the ground. The impact was so strong that it caused an explosion of dirt and debris, BOOM!, kicking up rocks and trees alike and clearing the area of any obstacles left standing.

Boruto, with a satisfied expression, landed nimbly on a nearby tree branch, watching from above as the dust began to dissipate, revealing the magnitude of the devastation he had caused.

After the curtain of dust dispersed, Kakashi was on his knees, breathing heavily. His chunin vest was torn apart, and his body showed clear signs of wear and tear. Boruto watched him from the branch he was standing on, and then, with a superior expression, sat down on the same branch.

"It's over, Kakashi. You can't take it anymore," Boruto said, his tone denoting both pity and mockery.

Kakashi looked up, noticing Boruto's carefree attitude.

"Those jutsus you used... There's only one place you could have learned them, and that's from the forbidden scroll," Kakashi said, his voice filled with concern and surprise.

—As I told you before, that doesn't change anything. You lost, Kakashi. Even though you are strong, it's not enough. You were the weakest Hokage in Konoha's history. If it had been any other Kage, you wouldn't even stand a chance, don't you think? —Boruto let out a laugh, enjoying his apparent victory.

Kakashi glared at him, slowly getting to his feet despite the wounds covering his body.

"This isn't over," Kakashi replied firmly, his resolve unwavering.

Boruto looked at him with amusement.

—Really? I thought you would die from that attack, but you managed to survive. Besides, I see in your eyes that you no longer see me as a child. But it's too late... this is over —Boruto said as he stood up from the branch. With a simple gesture of his hand, his katana appeared in his right hand, shining with a dangerous light.

Kakashi, wounded but still determined, slowly pulled out a kunai, preparing for the next attack. Boruto jumped off the branch and landed gracefully on the ground, running straight towards Kakashi with his katana ready.

Kakashi braced himself for impact, and when Boruto swung his katana with force, he blocked it with his kunai. The clash echoed through the air, and both ninjas stared at each other, gauging each other's strength and skill in that crucial instant.

The fight between Boruto and Kakashi was reaching its peak. Every swing of Boruto's katana pushed Kakashi on the defensive, who could only resist as Boruto disappeared in yellow flashes. Kakashi, although blocking the fatal blows, could not prevent his body from showing multiple cuts. Finally, he managed to stop Boruto's katana, the sound of metal echoing in the air.

"Don't think it'll be that easy," Kakashi muttered, sending Boruto back with a kick.

Boruto spun in the air and landed with agility, placing his katana to stop his movement. With a confident smile on his face, he stood up and extended his hand.

"Rasengan!" Boruto shouted, forming a sphere of glowing blue chakra in the palm of his hand and advancing towards Kakashi.

Kakashi, without hesitation, channeled his own chakra, enveloping himself in an aura of purple electricity.

" Shiden !" Kakashi exclaimed, launching himself towards Boruto with his lightning technique.

The jutsus collided with a blast of pure energy, creating a shockwave that shook the surroundings. The Rasengan and the Shiden struggled to gain the upper hand over each other, as the ground beneath them cracked under the pressure.

Suddenly, Boruto's Rasengan began to surge forward, gathering energy with each spin. Boruto, with a growing grin, watched as his attack gained strength. Finally, the Rasengan slammed into Kakashi's chest, launching him into the air and causing a devastating explosion. BOOM! Trees and rocks were thrown, and a thick cloud of dust rose up, covering the battlefield.

"Looks like it's over, hahaha," Boruto said with a triumphant laugh.

However, before Boruto could react, another Kakashi emerged from the ground behind him, his hand surrounded by blue lightning.

—Chidori ! —Kakashi shouted, and with a quick movement, he stabbed his technique into Boruto's back.

Time seemed to stop. Boruto opened his eyes in shock and pain as he felt the Chidori pierce his body. The lightning energy spread through him, paralyzing him and causing severe internal damage.

Boruto looked towards where Kakashi should have been hit by his Rasengan, but only found a pile of mud. He turned his head with difficulty to look sideways at Kakashi and spoke in pain.

—When… when did you change…? Cough… cough…

"It was when the Rasengan you threw hit me. You got too excited, Boruto. Your lack of experience was your downfall. Never underestimate a shinobi," Kakashi muttered, pulling his hand away as blood sprayed out. Boruto fell to his knees, coughing up blood.

Kakashi's clothes were torn, with a swirl in his stomach. Boruto glanced at him and smiled, muttering:

-Shit…

The battlefield fell silent for a moment, only interrupted by Kakashi's labored breathing as he kept his guard up, watching Boruto warily. The young shinobi was on his knees, his body motionless, as the wind blew gently, kicking up dust and leaves around him.

Kakashi slowly walked over to a tree trunk that had been torn apart by the previous fight and dropped onto it, holding a hand to his stomach as he looked at Boruto, who was lying badly injured. The silver-haired boy's thoughts overwhelmed him.

—I wouldn't have won if Boruto had more experience... —Kakashi mused, feeling the fatigue in every fiber of his body—. He relied too much on that last attack. I never thought a child would put me in such a tight spot... Plus, my chakra is almost depleted.

He brought his hand to the wound Boruto's Rasengan had left, feeling the pain radiate throughout his body.

—I was only able to use the Chidori because I was sure of landing the hit. Without the Sharingan it is much harder to control it... —he thought—. But it gave me enough speed to connect the critical attack.

Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts and, with obvious effort, spoke out loud, keeping his gaze fixed on the young shinobi.

—I won, Boruto. You better not move... If you do, you'll die. Although I didn't hit a vital organ, the wound is serious enough to kill you if you're not careful.

Boruto, his face covered in blood, gave him a defiant look and smiled with effort.

"You attacked me from behind… but I'm not complaining. This is a fight, after all." Boruto breathed heavily, but his smile didn't fade. "Though… you haven't won yet."

With one last breath of will, Boruto made a handstand and shouted loudly:

—Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!

From an explosion of smoke, several Boruto clones appeared and began to run towards the silver-haired man.

Kakashi opened his eyes in surprise and tried to move, but his body wasn't responding as quickly as he needed. Before he could react, one of the clones got there first and landed a direct blow to his jaw, lifting him off the ground. Another clone quickly grabbed Boruto's katana and slashed across Kakashi's torso, causing blood to gush from the wound. Kakashi spat out blood and before he could process what was happening, another clone kicked Kakashi into the air, sending him flying into a tree.

Kakashi staggered to his feet, his eyes narrowed in pain. He looked at Boruto, who was struggling to place a hand on his wounded chest, and muttered.

—Jutsu: Mystic Palm —A green chakra began to envelop the wound on his chest, slowly closing the wound that Kakashi had caused.

Boruto glanced at the silver-haired boy, and with a cold and calculated voice, he spoke to him:

—You won't be able to move much longer, Kakashi. My Rasengan has something very special... It's imbued with a small amount of lightning chakra. When it comes into contact with your body, it transmits a shock that slowly paralyzes the enemy's body.

Boruto let out a malicious laugh.

—Hahahahaha … Die, Kakashi ! —he shouted furiously.

Boruto's clones advanced towards Kakashi with the intention of ending his life. The former Hokage, feeling his body failing him, could barely stand.

—Shit, I can't move the way I want! —Kakashi thought, frustrated. His body wasn't responding the way he wanted it to.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Kakashi quickly dodged a slash from Boruto's clone's katana. With a well-aimed kick, he sent the clone tumbling back, while avoiding the attacks of the other two clones. He leapt nimbly towards a tree, and from there he slid between the branches, desperately searching for a way out.

—I have to get out of Boruto's Hiraishin's cover. If I stay here any longer, I might die —he told himself, focusing all his attention on moving faster between the tree branches.

The clones, noticing his movement, disappeared in yellow flashes and began to follow the silver-haired man.

Kakashi was advancing at full speed between the trees when suddenly, several Boruto clones appeared in front of him in a yellow flash, blocking his path. Kakashi stopped dead in his tracks and watched them intently. The clones ran towards him, throwing a shower of punches. Kakashi raised his forearms to protect himself, but the impact was such that he was sent flying through the air. As he tried to regain his balance, a third clone appeared above him, brandishing his katana in a deadly lunge. Kakashi reacted immediately, forming a seal with his hands, and in a puff of smoke a clone of himself appeared, pushing Kakashi out of danger, being the one who received the lunge and was impaled by the katana. However, the Boruto clones anticipated this move, and before Kakashi could recover, a kick and a punch hit him squarely, launching him at high speed to the ground. The impact was brutal, making the earth rumble with a loud boom ! The clones fell to the ground and looked at the cloud of dust that had risen after the collision.

The Boruto clone holding the katana began to walk towards the cloud of dust, closely followed by the other two clones. At that moment, a voice echoed from within the cloud:

—Raiju no Jutsu !

An electric dog emerged from the cloud of dust, rushing towards Boruto's clones. The clone holding the katana opened its eyes in surprise and disappeared in a flash, but the other two clones were not so lucky and were hit by the lightning-filled dog, vanishing in smoke.

Boruto appeared on one of the tree branches and turned his gaze towards the cloud of dust. Kakashi shot out of the cloud, jumping between the trees at full speed, trying to get out of the Hiraishin's cover. In his mind, Kakashi was thinking:

—The only place that could be free of the Hiraishin's marks is where the sensei are with the students...

With this idea in mind, Kakashi increased his speed. However, Boruto's clone observed him and disappeared in another yellow flash.

Kakashi, aware of the pursuit, quickly pulled out explosive tags from his ninja bag and stuck them on several trees as he continued forward. The clone appeared in a yellow flash a few trees behind Kakashi, preparing to attack, but Kakashi already had a plan. With a quick wave of his hand, he activated the explosive tags.

—Boom ! —a loud bang was heard as Kakashi watched the explosion from the corner of his eye, not stopping his advance. —Don't think you're the only one who can use explosive tags —he muttered to himself.

Suddenly, Boruto emerged from the cloud of smoke, his clothes singed and his face filled with fury.

"Don't think you'll leave this place without a memory," Boruto exclaimed, full of determination.

With katana in hand, Boruto threw it into the air and performed a hand seal, executing several somersaults in the air. As he came down, he kicked the hilt of the sword, and from his foot, a current of air propelled the katana with great speed towards Kakashi. Acting on pure instinct, he quickly turned and placed his forearm in the path of the sword. The katana stuck into his arm, deflecting the trajectory that was initially aimed at his head, but the force of the impact dragged him back, crashing him into a tree with a loud Boom ! Boruto's clone watched him for a few seconds before vanishing into smoke.

Kakashi, wounded but determined, stood up and started running, blood pouring from his arm, where the katana was stuck, and from his chest, marked by an earlier cut from Boruto.

—If I stay still for a second, Boruto could blow this place up. This forest is full of mines controlled by him... I have to get out of here quickly —Kakashi thought, speeding up his pace.

Boruto was on his knees, breathing heavily, while holding his hand over his chest, healing his wound. He opened his eyes and muttered between gasps:

"That Kakashi… he is really sneaky. He thinks I can't read his plan, trying to get out of the forest. But even if he does get there with his companions, they will get in the way no matter how much I tell them not to. Plus, he broke the bet… so I will make this forest disappear."

With his other hand, Boruto formed a seal and pointed in Kakashi's direction, shouting furiously:

—Die! Katsu!

Where Kakashi was jumping, the trees began to glow faintly and suddenly became filled with explosive tags. These glowed brightly before exploding in a series of earth-shaking explosions. BOOM! The trees flew into the air in pieces, as Kakashi increased his speed as he saw the destruction behind him.

Boruto opened his eyes in frustration.

—I failed... damn it —he growled, as he tried to stand up, but his legs didn't respond—. Shit, the wound on my chest hasn't fully healed yet...

Gritting his teeth, Boruto channeled more chakra into his hand, speeding up the healing of the wound. As he did so, he muttered to himself:

—I have to concentrate to aim correctly...

He closed his eyes, using his sensor ability to locate Kakashi's chakra, who was still running at full speed. He formed another seal with his hands and pointed in Kakashi's direction.

—Katsu!

Another explosion echoed through the forest. Boom ! Trees were sent flying in all directions. Kakashi, still running, briefly glanced back and saw the devastation left by the explosion. His thoughts were clear:

—I have to increase the speed...

Boruto, filled with anger, returned to focus.

—Damn, I failed again...

Boruto tensed up and shouted angrily:

—Katsu! —He aimed at Kakashi again. But he missed the target again. Desperation filled him and he began to repeat—. Katsu… Katsu… Katsu!

Meanwhile, Kakashi dodged one explosion after another. Trees and rocks flew everywhere, making his progress difficult. The explosions were constant and brutal.

On the other hand, the sensei watched from a distance the explosions approaching them. Shino, worried, spoke:

—I'll go check what's going on. The Sixth Hokage might be in trouble.

Anko and Konohamaru answered in unison:

—We'll go too.

Shino nodded and then looked at the students beside him.

—You stay here and protect your companions. We will go investigate.

The students nodded and the sensei rushed towards the origin of the explosions.

Among the students left behind, Iwabe spoke, in amazement:

—I didn't think Boruto was so dangerous. The first time I saw him, I just thought he was the Hokage's son. Now... I have no words to describe him.

Sumiere murmured with concern,

—Boruto…

Shikadai, on the other hand, remained calm:

—There's no point in going after him. Our priority is to protect our comrades.

Mitsuki watched the explosions in silence, while Sarada glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"Do you want to go see the real Boruto?" she asked.

"There is no need for that anymore," Mitsuki replied without hesitation. "It would be best if I stayed."

Saku touched his shoulder and smiled, easing the tension. Denki, with a somewhat sad tone, commented:

—In the end, we didn't even get to know a small part of the real Boruto.

Inojin, without losing heart, added:

—We don't need it. We will be the face of this generation.

Metal Lee, with his usual determination, shouted:

—I won't let him defeat me!

Chocho, somewhat scared, sighed:

—That Boruto is scary. I don't want to cross paths with him... no matter how handsome he is, I'd rather stay away.

The others looked at her with amusement, and, between laughs, they turned their attention to the fight that was taking place in the distance.

Meanwhile, the sensei who were running at full speed between the branches of the trees stopped when they reached a high point. From there, they watched the explosions in the distance, trying to locate Kakashi. Anko was the first to speak:

—I'm sure those explosions are Kakashi's. He exaggerates sometimes...

Konohamaru smiled, scratching his head:

—The Sixth is strong indeed...

But Shino, seriously, interrupted them:

—I hope so. My bugs are telling me to be careful.

Konohamaru and Anko looked at him curiously. The explosions continued to echo throughout the forest and the sound had reached Konoha. The shinobi in the village began to run towards the forest to find out what was happening, while the frightened civilians listened to the explosions in the distance.

Kakashi, who was still running through the trees, felt that his body was at its limit. Wounded and bleeding everywhere, he thought:

—I don't think I can hold out much longer... my chakra is almost depleted. It seems Boruto has gotten angry. I'm sure he thinks we broke our bet... but it doesn't matter anymore.

Kakashi lowered his head for a moment, then looked up again to see the sensei in the distance. His eyes widened, and with a final effort, he increased his speed.

The sensei, who until then were talking about the Sixth Hokage's abilities, were interrupted by a nearby explosion that took them out of their conversation. A strong gust of wind passed by them. Anko, somewhat bewildered, commented:

—It didn't look so dangerous from a distance, but... what's going on?

Shino, watching seriously, replied:

—I don't know, but this doesn't look good.

Konohamaru, with concern in his voice, added:

—These explosions could kill someone. Could it be an enemy approaching?

The senseis stood on guard, sharpening their vision to peer deeper into the forest. Suddenly, their eyes widened in disbelief. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Sixth!" Konohamaru shouted, seeing Kakashi in a sorry state.

Shino and Anko couldn't say anything. Kakashi's body was in tatters: he had a katana stuck in his arm, several serious wounds all over his body, and his chunin vest was gone, revealing a diagonal cut from his shoulder to his hip, along with a vortex-shaped wound on his stomach.

The sensei began to jump at full speed, determined to help the silver-haired boy. Kakashi, realizing this, shouted with all his might, using the little breath he had left:

—DON'T COME! TURN AROUND!

The sensei stopped on the branches of the trees, watching Kakashi with concern. At that moment, Boruto, who still kept his eyes closed concentrating his chakra, smiled widely, almost mockingly.

"These chakras… they're theirs, huh?" he said, letting out a cold, malicious laugh. "Ha, ha, ha! They've gone quiet…" A big smile spread across his face. "It's too late, Kakashi. Since you broke our bet, it doesn't matter who dies or gets in the way anymore… right?"

Boruto slowly raised his hand and formed a seal, full of satisfaction.

—I have one last batch of explosive tags left. I'll send everything to that place... I hope they're at least complete so we can see what awaits them —he let out a dark laugh before shouting— KATSU!

Where the sensei stood, explosive seals began to appear on the trees, completely surrounding them. The bright flash they emitted was the last thing they saw before a deafening explosion shook the forest. BOOM! The explosion was so powerful that Kakashi was pushed back, out of the air like a rag doll. The trees were completely destroyed, and huge rocks flew in all directions, shaking the ground violently.

Half the forest was devastated. From where the students were, the explosion caused a fierce wind to whip through the area. They covered themselves with their forearms as the gale pushed them back, trying to resist the overwhelming force. The explosion rose so high that the cloud of dust and debris began to rise into the sky, forming a column visible from all over Konoha.

Boruto, surprised by his own creation, smiled in amusement.

—I think I went too far this time... I didn't think the explosion would be so strong... —he laughed to himself—. Ha, ha, ha! Well... what now?

All of Konoha heard the explosion. Villagers and shinobi turned their heads in the direction of the sound, and could see the huge cloud of smoke rising from the forest.

In the Hokage's office, Naruto, who was going through some papers, jumped up when he heard the explosion. He quickly walked to the window, looking for the source of the noise, until he saw the cloud of smoke rising from the forest. His eyes widened in shock.

Shikamaru, who had also approached, observed the same scene and commented with concern:

—What's going on there?

Naruto, frowning, replied seriously:

—I think that forest is where the exam to become a genin is taking place...

Shikamaru looked at him in disbelief.

—Isn't the Sixth there?

Naruto nodded, his face more serious than ever.

—I'll go myself. I want to see what's going on.

Shikamaru followed him resolutely.

—I'll go with you.

Naruto, without wasting any time, put on his Hokage robe and quickly left the room. As they both walked towards the exit, Shikamaru activated his communicator:

—Ino, can you hear me?

Ino responded almost immediately:

—What's wrong, Shikamaru?

—Did you hear the explosion? What's going on in the forest?

Ino replied in a worried tone:

—There are disturbances in the chakra, but I can't perceive anything else clearly.

-I understand.

Naruto and Shikamaru left the Hokage building, not wasting any more time. Upon exiting, they began jumping between buildings at full speed, heading straight for the forest.

In the forest, students stared fearfully at the site of the explosion. They could not utter a word as trees fell from the sky and rocks continued to roll, hitting the ground hard. The cloud of dust covered much of the landscape, adding to the air of desolation.

Meanwhile, Boruto, with an amused smile, continued to heal the wound on his chest. His cold laughter echoed in the silence.

—Hahaha, it was a good idea to prepare this... After my fight against Karasugan, I understood that in this world there are enemies and objects of great size. You can't take them down with a simple kunai... only with explosive tags can you achieve something like that —he said with satisfaction, remembering the battle—. That fight taught me a lot... Hahaha, it seems that there is no trace of the sensei's chakra left... And Kakashi's is slowly decreasing... he will die soon. Hahaha, in this forest there will be no evidence of what I did.

Boruto, still with a smile on his face, was about to open his eyes, but suddenly he closed them tighter. His expression changed to a mix of fury and confusion.

"How can that be?" he growled. "How can they possibly be alive?!" He clenched his fists. "Their chakra has barely decreased, and Kakashi's… it's just stabilizing! Damn it! I don't have any more explosive tags left, and the wound on my chest… it's still taking a long time to heal… Damn it!"

Meanwhile, Kakashi was embedded in a tree, barely conscious. He slowly opened his eyes, confused.

"Where am I...?" he thought as he looked around. He tried to move, but his body was unresponsive, completely exhausted. At that moment, he heard familiar voices.

—Sixth! —they shouted in unison.

Kakashi looked up and saw Shino, Anko, and Konohamaru approaching him.

—Shino... Anko... Konohamaru... How are you okay? —he asked in a weak voice.

Konohamaru was quick to respond:

—First we'll get you out of here, then we'll explain everything to you.

Wasting no time, Shino and Konohamaru pulled Kakashi out of the tree and placed him on Konohamaru's back. They began to jump rapidly between the branches, moving away from the devastated place.

As they ran, Shino answered Kakashi's question.

—Before we met you, Sextus, I had my bugs prepared for anything. So when the explosion happened, my bugs created a barrier that protected us from the worst of it.

Kakashi nodded, a smile invisible under his mask.

"Thank you..." he murmured with relief.

However, Shino continued, in a somewhat gloomy tone:

—90% of my insects were exterminated in the explosion...

Konohamaru quickly intervened:

—I'll make it up to you in the future, Shino.

But Shino, with his usual calm, shook his head.

—Don't worry. It's our duty as shinobi.

A few minutes later, they reached the end of the forest, where the students were. Jumping from the branches and touching the ground, the young men gathered around their sensei. Seeing the state Kakashi was in, they were shocked. None of them could utter a word. Their eyes, full of astonishment and fear, could not be taken away from the former Hokage. Just seeing Kakashi, one of the strongest shinobi, in that state, made them understand the magnitude of what Boruto had done.

Fear gripped them. The idea that Boruto could hurt someone as powerful as Kakashi in such a way was something they would never have imagined.

Kakashi, still weak and in pain, spoke in a firm voice:

—Put me down… and help me take off this katana.

Shino and Konohamaru carefully lowered Kakashi down and gently laid him on the ground. Anko, without hesitation, lifted Kakashi's injured arm and, with a quick, accurate pull, withdrew the katana. Kakashi gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and then exhaled in relief.

—Throw that katana into the forest, with all your strength —Kakashi ordered.

Anko, without question, stood up and threw the katana with all her might, disappearing into the trees.

Shino, who had been watching the scene in silence, finally spoke:

—Sixth… what's going on? Who was the one who left you in this state?

Silence fell among the crowd, all waiting for Kakashi's response. But before he could answer, the students, who had been unconscious, began to wake up, confused. Wasabi, rubbing his head, asked:

—What's going on? Are we disqualified?

Sarada and Sumire approached to explain what had happened. The students, still in shock, nodded at Sarada's words and stood up, all looking at the Sixth Hokage in shock and concern at how badly he was injured.

Anko, who was also uneasy, turned her gaze back to Kakashi, still lying down, and repeated the question:

—Sixth, who was it that left you like this? We need to know what's going on.

Kakashi, after a moment of silence, looked at everyone present and finally answered:

—It was Boruto Uzumaki.

A murmur of shock ran through the group. Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief, wanting to ask more questions, but Kakashi interrupted them.

—I'll tell you more when we get out of this forest. Although I left him injured, he was healing when I left him. He may come back at any time. Help me up.

Konohamaru and Shino, though surprised, nodded and each took one of Kakashi's arms, helping him to stand up. At that moment, several shinobi appeared in various Shunshin, surrounding those present. One of them, seeing Kakashi in that state, asked:

—Sixth, how are you? Are you okay? Are there any enemies?

Kakashi, breathing heavily, replied:

—First… let's get out of this forest.

The shinobi nodded, ready to follow the Sixth Hokage's instructions.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Boruto, with his eyes closed, snapped them open in fury.

"Damn it!" he growled. "More shinobi have appeared."

He hit the ground hard, gritting his teeth.

"The plans have gone wrong," he muttered. Then, his expression changed, becoming serene, but with an unusual coldness in his gaze. "There is only one way out: eliminate them all."

Boruto was still lying on the ground, one hand healing the wound on his chest by channeling green chakra. With his other hand, he quickly performed a hand seal, causing a scroll to appear amidst a cloud of smoke. Unfolding it, he revealed three seals written on it. With another quick hand seal, Boruto whispered:

-Release!

From the three seals, three clones of Boruto appeared, identical to the original. As the clones materialized, Boruto thought:

"I prepared this for an emergency. After the fight against Karasugan, I thought I would need some spare chakra. That fight taught me how valuable it is to be prepared. But it doesn't matter anymore… I'll use it now."

The clones opened their eyes and looked at him. Boruto ordered them in a firm voice:

—Give me all your chakra. All.

The clones nodded and, after performing the necessary seals, transferred their chakra to Boruto before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Boruto closed his eyes, feeling his chakra coils fill to capacity. Suddenly, he opened them, channeling more chakra into his wound, which healed in a matter of seconds. Standing up, he quickly calculated:

—I had only 10% of my chakra left. With the clones, I've recovered 90%. Healing the wound cost me 10%, so I still have 90% left... It doesn't matter. I'm as good as new now.

With a cold and determined look, Boruto disappeared in a yellow flash, ready to continue his offensive.

Boruto appeared on one of the branches where the last explosion had occurred. He looked around in all directions, observing the devastation he had caused, and smiled in satisfaction. The dust had already dispersed. With an agile jump, Boruto landed on the ground where the explosion had happened. The place was now a desert of destruction, only a desolate terrain remained. Then, he looked in the direction where the shinobi were and, with a powerful voice, he shouted:

—Kakashi, I hope you can survive and save them!

Kakashi, who was being held by Shino and Konohamaru, heard Boruto's voice. With a tired gesture, he muttered:

—Here it is...

The shinobi did not understand why someone had shouted that, but Kakashi, with a serious expression, warned them:

—Get ready!

Immediately, all the shinobi stood on guard, ready to face what was to come.

For his part, Boruto, watching the scene from afar, thought to himself:

"This jutsu I'm about to use… I found it in the forbidden scroll. There were only the hand seals and a brief explanation, but there were no details on how to execute it or make it work. I searched the library to find out who its wielder was, and when I found it, I was excited by the power this jutsu could unleash. However, because it was incomplete, it couldn't be used."

Boruto smiled as he continued to think:

"I assume the Second Hokage was the one who wrote it on the scroll, probably hoping that someone in the future would complete it and use it for the village's benefit. I studied the jutsu for a long time, and after many trials, I finally completed it. But I've never tried it… its power is immense. I'm not even sure how much chakra it takes to perform it."

Boruto adjusted his stance, his body tense and his senses sharp. He knew that what he was about to do would change everything irreversibly. His mind raced, going over every detail of the forbidden jutsu he had studied for so long, preparing for the devastation he was about to unleash.

Boruto took a deep breath as his expression hardened, his gaze filled with determination. He knew there was no turning back. He quickly formed a series of hand seals, channeling his chakra. The pressure in the air increased; small rocks and dust began to rise from the concentrated power.

—Katon: Goka Mekkyaku ! —he shouted, as a gigantic wave of fire erupted from his mouth, engulfing everything in its path. There was no room for error. The roar of the fire was deafening, an unleashed monster that devoured the entire forest.

Kakashi and the shinobi stood still for a second, watching the wall of fire approaching. The heat was unbearable, and the air was distorted. Kakashi, with all his might, shouted:

—Doton: Taju Doryuheki ! Earth Release: Great Earth Wall!

The shinobi with him reacted in unison. Several earthen walls rose from the ground, forming a massive barrier to contain the destructive flames.

The clash of the two jutsus was overwhelming. The fire struck the earthen walls with unimaginable force, causing the ground to shake violently and the heat to be felt throughout Konoha. The rumble echoed throughout the forest.

"We can't let it reach the village!" Kakashi shouted, struggling to keep the wall standing. The earthen ramparts began to crack under the pressure.

Behind the wall, the shinobi struggled to stay on their feet. Saku, seeing his comrades paralyzed with fear, ran towards them, invoking his own jutsu.

—Mokuton: Mokujoheki ! —he shouted, creating a wooden dome that covered the students.

The flames continued to push against the walls, and the heat was so intense that it was beginning to burn some shinobi. Kakashi shouted once more:

—Give it your all! All your chakra!

The fire continued to advance, but the shinobi resisted with all their might. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the fire began to dissipate, and what was left was a desolate landscape.

Kakashi, kneeling and exhausted, watched as the wall in front of him crumbled. On the other side, Boruto stood, his expression cold. The two exchanged silent glances, and Boruto's lips moved. Kakashi opened his eyes, and Boruto turned around and disappeared in a flash, leaving destruction behind him.

Kakashi muttered

—So... I've paid my price. Besides, those words, he doesn't like people who don't follow through on what they say. Naruto... what have you caused?