Boruto the Akatsuki: In search of power 31

In the previous chapter: In Konoha, several important events occurred: the defection of Mitsuki, who left the village for unknown reasons, and the appearance of a new enemy that threatens peace. These events have put everyone on high alert.

Boruto, after disappearing in a flash from the Hokage building, appeared in a forest near Konoha. Without wasting any time, he began to jump between the tree branches at full speed, advancing like a shadow through the dense vegetation.

Elsewhere in the elemental nations, five people were running at full speed in a clear direction. They were the members of team 10 along with Sarada and Saku. The atmosphere was tense, and as they ran, Saku broke the silence:

—Shikadai, who do you think Konoha sent after us?

Shikadai glanced at him, without slowing down, and replied:

—It's hard to say, but I don't think they'll send any more teams.

Sarada, intrigued, intervened:

—Really? Is it possible they won't send anyone else after us?

Shikadai looked at her for a moment before looking away and thinking for a moment. Finally, he replied:

—There's a person... —he paused, looking back at Sarada—. During the chunin exams, Boruto handed you a kunai, right?

Sarada tilted her head, somewhat confused.

—That's right... but what does that have to do with it?

Shikadai sighed, his expression becoming more serious.

—Do you know why Konoha couldn't deal with Boruto and had to accept his conditions?

The surprise in the group was evident. Inojin, unable to contain himself, exclaimed:

—Konoha had to accept Boruto's conditions! What are you talking about? Even if Boruto is strong... how could he force the village to accept his conditions?

Shikadai nodded, his expression thoughtful.

—Do you remember how Boruto was able to disappear and appear anywhere at will?

Saku, intrigued, asked:

—What does that have to do with anything?

Shikadai explained:

—Boruto is stronger than you think. My father told me that Boruto knows a jutsu that allows him to move quickly, the same jutsu that the Fourth Hokage used.

Sarada stepped in, connecting the pieces.

—The Fourth Hokage's jutsu... if I'm not mistaken, it's called Hiraishin.

Saku nodded, but commented doubtfully:

—But we didn't see that jutsu used in the chunin exams.

Shikadai sighed again, a certain tiredness in his voice.

—First, because of that jutsu, Boruto can't be caught. That jutsu allows him to teleport to wherever he has a Hiraishin mark. Konoha couldn't capture him because they didn't know how. Second, during the chunin exams, Boruto made a deal with the Hokage. They agreed that Boruto would get what he wanted in exchange for not using the Hiraishin in combat.

The group fell silent, shocked by the revelation. The magnitude of Boruto's power was beginning to become apparent to everyone.

Saku muttered in disbelief:

—So we haven't even seen all of its capabilities...

Shikadai nodded, but his gaze became more serious.

—That's right, but that's not the only problem. —He looked back at Sarada, and asked—: Sarada, did you bring the kunai with you?

Sarada just sighed, a little relieved.

—No, I left it in Konoha.

Shikadai breathed a sigh of relief.

—That's good. If Boruto were to return to Konoha, they might ask him to bring us back. And it's possible that if they send him after us, he won't care what we think about Mitsuki. He'd just send us back to Konoha.

Saku nodded, understanding.

—It's a problem dealing with him. We have to increase speed.

Saku reached into his ninja bag and pulled out a small white snake. As he showed it, he said:

—Mitsuki left this message for Sarada and me. We must find the Sage of Snakes to tell us more about this snake.

Chocho, panting from the effort, protested as he tried to keep up:

—This is complicated... I can't take it anymore.

Inojin, pushing her away with his mocking attitude, commented:

—Come on, fatty! We have to pick up speed.

Chocho was discouraged by Inojin's words, but gritted her teeth, determined not to be left behind. Everyone present increased their speed as they continued to advance along the path in front of them.

Elsewhere, Boruto was running at full speed between the tree branches. However, he was not satisfied with his pace, and muttered to himself, with a mix of frustration and determination:

—I'm going too slow... I need to increase my speed. It's not time to hold back anymore.

With that resolution in mind, Boruto pulled out a three-pronged kunai and threw it forward with surprising precision and speed. In an instant, he disappeared in a flash, appearing right next to the kunai. As soon as he grabbed it, he threw it forward again with force, repeating the process without pause, disappearing and reappearing in succession.

Every time he performed the Hiraishin, his speed increased impressively, becoming almost a blur among the trees.

After a few minutes, Boruto stopped on one of the branches of a tree. From his position, he observed an imposing ravine in the distance and, around it, several shinobi watching attentively. With a smile barely visible on his face, he thought to himself:

—It seems I've arrived.

Looking at the shinobi calmly, his thoughts continued:

—Looks like this place is on high alert... Do you think Mitsuki will pass by here? Or maybe someone else got here before me... hmmm .

Without any rush, Boruto jumped down from the tree branch and began walking calmly towards the guarded area, his gait firm but relaxed, as if he had no worries at all about being detected.

At another nearby point, Yamato, in charge of guarding the area, remained alert, observing his surroundings carefully. He was standing near the edge of the ravine, in a clear area without trees, where several shinobi remained nearby, following his orders and alert for any movement.

At that moment, Yamato heard footsteps coming from the trees and quickly turned around. The shinobi accompanying him did the same, alert for any threat. From between the shadows of the trees, a figure emerged. He wore a black cloak with a red interior, his blonde hair and blue eyes were devoid of any emotion, deep as a dark ocean.

Yamato instantly recovered, immediately recognizing the newcomer:

—You are Boruto. What are you doing here? —he asked firmly, without letting his guard down.

Boruto continued walking towards him calmly, his gaze cold as he replied without stopping:

—I don't know if you're aware of my rank now, but I'm here on a mission from Konoha.

Yamato watched him closely, his thoughts racing: So the rumors are true... With a serious expression, he spoke again:

—What are you here for? Do you know what's in this place?

Boruto, showing no signs of annoyance, walked past him without deigning to stop, answering in a low, confident voice:

—I came because I know who's here.

Yamato turned around to look at Boruto's back, his distrust growing. He spoke in a firm tone:

—I'm sorry, but you can't come in unless you show me the Hokage's order.

Boruto was unfazed by the words, moving towards the edge of the ravine. From there, he observed what was at the bottom: a structure hidden in the shadows. Without turning around, he replied disdainfully:

—I don't have an order from the Hokage. So tell me... how do you plan to stop me?

The air tensed. Yamato frowned, sensing the challenge in Boruto's words:

"What are you looking for in this place?" he asked seriously.

Boruto took one last look at the ravine before jumping to the bottom and spoke,

"The person in this place has the information I need," he said in a calculated tone as he disappeared from sight.

Boruto jumped, plummeting, but landing precisely on a structure that seemed to be a bridge leading to a hidden entrance. The shinobi led by Yamato watched him from above, restless and tense.

"What do we do, Captain Yamato?" asked one of the shinobi, nervous about the situation.

Yamato came out of his stupor and, with a firm voice, replied:

—Let's follow him.

Without wasting any time, Yamato and the shinobi jumped down, quickly descending to catch up with Boruto. Meanwhile, Boruto walked calmly until he reached the entrance of the structure. Just as the shinobi landed behind him, a few meters away, Boruto began to quickly perform a series of seals.

With a decisive movement, he struck the wall at his side with the palm of his hand. The shinobi rushed towards him, but, when they tried to get closer, they were abruptly repelled. An invisible barrier had been raised at the entrance, blocking their way and keeping them out.

Without turning to look, Boruto spoke coldly:

—Stay outside, you're not needed.

He began to walk forward, not paying attention to the reaction of the others. Yamato, looking at Boruto's back, spoke seriously:

—I hope you're prepared for the consequences.

Boruto didn't answer. He continued walking down the hallway, his footsteps echoing in the room. After a while, the atmosphere changed: white lights illuminated a new corridor, and Boruto noticed out of the corner of his eye that there were rooms arranged every few meters. Without giving it much importance, he continued walking without stopping, changing corridors several times.

After a few minutes, Boruto turned into another hallway and walked a few more meters, until he found himself at a crossroads with three paths. He stopped, looking first to his left, then to his right, and finally ahead, as if waiting for something or someone.

After a few seconds, footsteps could be heard coming from the hallway in front of Boruto. He looked closely, noticing that the hallway was filled with entrances to other corridors. In the distance, several figures began to appear, and among them stood out Orochimaru, accompanied by his subordinates.

Reaching the end of the hallway, Orochimaru smiled slightly and spoke in his soft, serpentine tone:

—I wasn't expecting your visit, Boruto-kun.

Boruto stared at him without hesitation and replied coldly:

—I came for information.

Suigetsu, with his carefree attitude, intervened:

—Kid, you better go. This is no place for you.

Boruto watched him for a moment before answering, his voice filled with contempt:

—You're Suigetsu, right? Wasn't it enough that you almost killed them last time?

Orochimaru gave a sly smile:

—That was a very dangerous thing, Boruto-kun.

"That's what they get for butting in where no one invited them," Boruto replied, leaving no room for reply.

Orochimaru let out a soft laugh, with his usual "ku... ku... ku...", and then nodded slightly:

—You're right, Boruto.

Out of patience for any more games, Boruto sighed and got straight to the point:

—I want you to tell me where the genin who passed through here went. What is their destination?

Orochimaru's face turned serious for a moment, as if considering the request, before he replied:

—I don't know what you're talking about. But I notice that your personality has become much colder. Tell me, what happened to you? I'm listening...

Boruto closed his eyes for a second, and when he opened them, his gaze was sharper:

—You're a nuisance. You should have died in the past, Orochimaru.

Orochimaru's smile returned, more playful this time. He ran his tongue across his lips, a snaking grin:

—You are so interesting, Boruto-kun. I wonder what I should do with you... ku... ku... ku...

As he spoke, Boruto looked to the side, spotting a redhead standing next to Orochimaru. It was Karin. She noticed Boruto's gaze and stood firm, not looking away.

—You, the one with the red hair... what's your name? —Boruto asked, with an intensity in his voice.

Karin was silent for a moment, surprised, before answering seriously:

—My name is Karin Uzumaki.

Hearing the last name, Boruto narrowed his gaze:

—You're an Uzumaki? I see... you're the only one capable of that. It was you... When I was younger, I always felt a chakra watching me. You're the only one who knew about me... hmmm .

Karin opened her eyes in surprise, but didn't say anything. Boruto continued, as if all the pieces finally fit together:

—It makes sense now... why Orochimaru knew so much about me. It was you who informed him.

Karin remained silent, her face showing a mix of surprise and resignation, while Orochimaru maintained his smile, enjoying the moment.

Orochimaru smiled as he spoke:

—You are indeed rude, Boruto-kun. I was the one who discovered that you are not the original Boruto. After all, I am a Sanin...

Boruto watched him for a moment, his gaze sharp, and replied indifferently:

—I understand. Then she is of no use... I will eliminate her for you, Orochimaru.

Orochimaru's smile disappeared. His tone became more serious:

—I can't let you eliminate her, she's a subordinate of mine.

Boruto turned a cold gaze towards Karin and spoke without hesitation:

—I'm not asking for your opinion, Orochimaru.

In the blink of an eye, Boruto disappeared from everyone's sight. Immediately, Orochimaru reached out and grabbed Boruto's wrist, stopping the hand that was millimeters away from Karin's head. Karin, shocked, quickly stepped back, her face filled with shock at seeing Boruto's hand so close to her.

"I told you you couldn't eliminate her," Orochimaru said, his tone soft and calm, while maintaining a firm grip on Boruto.

Boruto glanced at him, his voice cold and contemptuous:

—I thought she would be able to see me... but she couldn't. The chakra she has is nothing more than decoration.

Orochimaru tightened his grip, his hold firm as a snake wrapped around its prey, and spoke calmly:

—Her role is not combat. She is a healer, Boruto-kun.

Boruto looked down at Orochimaru's hand holding him, noticing the increasing pressure. His expression didn't change as he replied in a curt tone:

—Let me go, Orochimaru.

With a smile, Orochimaru replied:

—I don't want to. Now you'll stay here...

But before he could finish his threat, Boruto applied an unexpected force to his arm, freeing himself from the grip with a sharp movement, jumping backwards.

Boruto raised his arm, looking at his hand, which hung limply with the wrist broken. Orochimaru, amused, commented:

—Look what you made me do... now what am I going to tell Naruto?

Without showing the slightest sign of pain, a small steam came out of Boruto's wrist. The bone in his hand realigned itself and the wrist returned to its place as if nothing had happened. Orochimaru noticed this, surprised by the instant regeneration.

In the blink of an eye, Boruto appeared beside Orochimaru. With surprising speed and a three-pronged kunai, he cut off one of the Sanin's arms in a single movement. Orochimaru's arm fell to the ground while spewing blood, Boruto looked sideways into Orochimaru's eyes, his voice as cold as ice:

—Look what you made me do.

Orochimaru, surprised by Boruto's speed and determination, reacted quickly, launching a direct kick. Boruto took the full impact, but in the same instant, he counterattacked with a powerful punch to Orochimaru's chest. Both of them were thrown back, crashing violently into the walls. The sound was deafening: BOOM !

Orochimaru stood up from the crater in the wall and looked at the ground where Boruto had been standing. He noticed a particular mark and then looked down at his arm, which had been amputated. However, he quickly regenerated it while letting out a dry laugh:

—Ku… ku… ku… so it's the Hiraishin. Not bad at all, Boruto-kun.

At that moment, Suigetsu approached Orochimaru, visibly worried.

—Are you okay, Orochimaru-sama?

"I'm fine, Suigetsu," Orochimaru replied calmly.

Jugo, who had been watching the battle, approached Orochimaru, positioning himself behind Suigetsu, and spoke:

—Do you want me to attack?

Orochimaru glanced at him before answering:

—No need. You better back off. I want to test Boruto-kun's capabilities.

Jugo and Suigetsu took a step back, obeying Orochimaru's orders.

Boruto, covered in dust and debris, emerged from the crater he had been embedded in. While shaking his cloak, he spoke coldly:

—So you want to test my abilities, huh?

Orochimaru watched him with an amused smile.

—Don't waste my time, Boruto-kun.

Both of them began to raise their chakras, causing the tension in the environment to increase dramatically. But from one moment to the next, Boruto stopped releasing chakra and, with a sigh, declared:

—You're a nuisance, Orochimaru.

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow in surprise.

—I thought you were going to attack me, Boruto-kun. What's going on?

Boruto looked at him with disdain and replied:

—This is not my mission, and although fighting you would be entertaining, I have more important things to do.

Orochimaru, intrigued, stopped releasing chakra as well.

—You are indeed interesting, Boruto-kun.

Boruto didn't answer, but Orochimaru continued speaking:

—The genin who passed through this place went in search of the Sage of Snakes.

Boruto stared at him for a few seconds before asking:

—Why are you telling me this?

Orochimaru gave a sinister smile and replied:

—I know you could find them easily, but what you're really looking for is Mitsuki. If you go in his direction, you could get there faster than them, right?

Boruto narrowed his eyes, analyzing the situation.

— Hmmm … What are you looking for, Orochimaru?

Orochimaru maintained his calculating smile as he replied:

—I don't want you to kill Mitsuki, Boruto-kun. Just let him move as he pleases.

Boruto, without losing the coldness in his voice, replied:

—I won't. Your information is useless for finding Mitsuki, it's of no use to me.

Orochimaru let out a light laugh, amused by the response.

"Do you really think it's useless?" he asked, in a mocking tone.

Boruto remained silent for a moment, pondering. Then, he spoke more cautiously:

—They… have a way to find Mitsuki.

Orochimaru nodded, satisfied with Boruto's deduction, and added:

—I'll tell you more, but in exchange, when you find Mitsuki, don't hurt him.

Boruto stared at him before answering:

—Okay, but if Mitsuki attacks me with the intention of killing me, don't expect me to sit back and do nothing.

Orochimaru watched him closely, his tone remaining soft but firm:

—Mitsuki is in full growth. Don't hurt him, Boruto-kun.

Boruto looked at him for a few seconds, evaluating his words, and then said in an icy voice:

—I'm not promising anything. If you get in the way of something you shouldn't, you'll pay for it.

Orochimaru let out a sigh, resigned:

—Then there is no deal. It's a pity...

Boruto, without further ado, concluded:

—It was a waste of time coming here.

With those words, Boruto disappeared in a flash.

Orochimaru stood in place, watching as Boruto disappeared. He then turned around, walking towards his subordinates. Suigetsu, with some trepidation, asked:

—Is it okay to just let him go, Orochimaru-sama?

Orochimaru, without stopping, replied:

—It's not like we can stop him.

Juice, with a serious voice, added:

—Orochimaru-sama, you could defeat him.

Orochimaru continued walking, passing by Jugo, and with a calculating smile he commented:

—At this point, without Edo Tensei , it would be complicated... I would defeat him, of course, but I wouldn't come out of that fight unscathed.

The subordinates continued to follow him as Orochimaru cast a sidelong glance at Karin, who was walking behind him. In a warning tone, he said:

—In the future, if you meet Boruto-kun, you better prepare yourself, Karin-chan, because he will go for the kill.

Karin nodded silently, processing her master's words.

Elsewhere, in a dense Fire Nation forest, Boruto appeared in a flash on a high branch. He looked out at the scenery for a moment, before closing his eyes and entering his mindspace, where Momoshhiki and Karasugan were waiting for him.

"Karasugan," Boruto called, "do you know where the Snake Sage is?"

Karasugan, annoyed, replied:

—That pesky snake... I don't know where it is now, we haven't talked for a long time.

Boruto frowned in frustration, but Karasugan continued, as if he had remembered something:

—However, I know which direction to look in. That snake always said that its home could only be found by those who truly wished to find it.

Boruto nodded, understanding.

—Guide me then.

Back in the real world, Boruto opened his eyes, and the Karasugan, from within his mind, pointed him towards the east. Wasting no time, Boruto pulled out a three-pronged kunai and threw it accurately and forcefully into the distance. Instantly, he disappeared in a flash, appearing right next to the kunai. He quickly grabbed it, only to throw it again, repeating the process over and over again. Each time he used the Hiraishin, his speed increased, becoming almost invisible among the trees.

While this was happening in Konoha, Naruto and Shikamaru were in the Hokage's office. Naruto, sitting in his chair, listened attentively as Shikamaru informed him:

—Yukito barely survived the explosion.

Naruto leaned back in his seat, sighing in worry, and replied:

—It's time to go to the hospital for the information about the chunin who was attacked.

Shikamaru nodded, agreeing with the gravity of the situation.

—You're right. We need to know who the attackers were.

Naruto stood up from his seat, put on his Hokage robes, and began walking towards the office exit. Shikamaru followed close behind, and the two of them headed off towards the hospital, determined to get answers.

Elsewhere, Team 10, accompanied by Saku and Sarada, was running at full speed through the forest. After a few minutes, they came to an area covered in thick fog, forcing them to stop. Everyone exchanged wary glances.

Saku was the first to speak, taking in the surroundings.

—Looks like we've arrived.

Shikadai looked around cautiously as the dense fog grew ever denser.

"This place is strange," he murmured with a mixture of uneasiness and distrust.

Saku, who was leading the group, continued walking without stopping, while the others followed him. Sarada, with her eyes half closed, remembered what they had been told.

—Orochimaru mentioned that this place exists, but it is not in this world. This is where they train the sages.

Shikadai nodded, keeping his attention on his surroundings.

—I've heard rumors that if you come here out of curiosity, the wise man won't let you leave alive.

Inojin, somewhat nervous, commented:

—That sounds pretty dangerous.

Saku, now with a more serious tone, answered as they continued forward:

—We will have to be extremely cautious.

They all nodded silently, preparing themselves for what might be waiting for them in that mysterious place. As they walked through the mist, from the top of the trees, three mysterious figures watched them.

"So you plan to move on?" one of them murmured in a female voice.

"Looks like they haven't gotten lost yet," another said, a hint of interest in her tone.

"It's too early to draw conclusions," added the third voice, somewhat more impatiently.

The first spoke again, with a mixture of excitement and defiance.

—Well, let's check it out directly.

The three figures disappeared in a Shunshin leaving only a faint whisper in the air.

The day in Konoha had passed relatively calmly, but as night fell, Naruto's concern grew. He had learned that the attackers who had manipulated one of the village's shinobi came from the Land of Earth. Now, under the moonlight, Naruto stood in his office, holding the phone to his ear as he waited for a response from the other end.

A female voice answered.

-Hello?

Naruto immediately recognized the person on the other end of the line.

—Kurotsuchi.

In the Hokage's office of Rock Village, Kurotsuchi frowned, puzzled by the call.

— Hmmm , it's strange that you call. What's wrong? —he replied in a serious tone.

Naruto sat up straight in his chair and spoke firmly.

—As Hokage, I have a question for the Tsuchikage.

Kurotsuchi raised an eyebrow, surprised by Naruto's formal tone.

—Why so serious?

Naruto took a deep breath before answering, a slight discomfort showing.

—You see, on the day of the Kages meeting, one of our guards was attacked.

Kurotsuchi, frowning, replied sarcastically.

—Between the Chunin Exam incident and this… What's happening with Konoha?

Naruto tried to smooth things over with an awkward smile.

—Don't be like that.

But Kurotsuchi was in no mood for jokes and got straight to the point.

—Well?

Naruto stopped smiling and resumed his serious tone.

—They manipulated one of our shinobi with a genjutsu a while ago... and obtained valuable information. In addition, they kidnapped one of our genin.

Kurotsuchi crossed her legs in her seat, remaining calm as she processed the information.

—This sounds like the old days, but it's a bit unusual now. What village were they from? Hmm , don't tell me…

Naruto confidently replied:

—From the hidden village of the Rock.

Kurotsuchi was silent for a few moments, surprised, and then spoke cautiously.

—If you say that so confidently, I hope you have proof.

"Yes, we have the testimony of the attacked guard," Naruto replied.

Kurotsuchi sighed.

—I find it hard to believe.

Naruto nodded, aware of how difficult the situation was.

—We've sent a team after them. They'll be reaching the border soon, and I wanted to ask you a favor: allow our shinobi to investigate your village.

Kurotsuchi shook her head, her tone firm.

—I can't do that.

Naruto, a little confused, asked:

-Why not?

"The decision is not mine alone... as Hokage, I imagine you understand," Kurotsuchi replied, looking at the responsibility she carried on her shoulders.

Naruto sighed deeply, leaning back in his seat.

—You're right, I understand.

Kurotsuchi, in a softer tone, added:

—If those shinobi enter our country, we will catch them... but I will keep your genin safe. I will let you know if we find them.

Naruto nodded, grateful for Kurotsuchi's willingness.

—Okay. I also wanted to ask you another favor.

Kurotsuchi, somewhat intrigued, asked:

—What favor?

Naruto smiled a little embarrassedly before continuing.

—The truth is that Saku and Sarada went after the genin... and Team 10 joined them as well.

Kurotsuchi smiled with an amused air.

—I understand. I will keep them safe and send them back to Konoha.

Naruto, relieved, smiled.

—Okay, thanks, Kurotsuchi.

However, the tone changed when Naruto added with some concern.

—There's another problem too... Boruto is following them.

Kurotsuchi's smile disappeared, her expression turning serious.

—Is your son following those genin? Hmm ... Don't worry, I'll send him back to Konoha as well.

Naruto, with a hint of awkwardness, apologized.

—I'm sorry for bothering you like this, Kurotsuchi.

Kurotsuchi sighed and replied calmly.

—I will first investigate whether they are really from the Hidden Rock Village. Depending on the result, I will allow your shinobi to pass through.

Naruto, grateful, replied:

—Thank you for this, Kurotsuchi. I'm counting on you.

Kurotsuchi nodded, even though she couldn't see him, and replied before hanging up the phone.

—I'll do what I can.

Hanging up the phone in her office, Kurotsuchi looked at her advisor, who was watching her with concern.

"Tsuchikage-sama?" he asked cautiously.

Meanwhile, in Konoha, Naruto also hung up the phone and sighed, letting his weight fall back into his chair. Beside him, Shikamaru watched him and spoke.

—What's going on?

Naruto, looking at the ceiling tiredly, replied:

—It's okay, Shikamaru. I'll just have to leave everything in his hands.

The night passed without incident, but as dawn broke, Boruto was still moving at astonishing speed through the trees, using the Hiraishin to cover great distances in the blink of an eye. After a long journey, he decided to stop on a branch. In front of him, a strange mist spread through the trees. Without hesitation, Boruto jumped to the ground and, while observing his surroundings, mentally addressed Karasugan.

"Is this the place?" Boruto asked, his gaze fixed on the dense fog.

Karasugan, from the mental space, replied after a pause.

— Hmmm , I think so.

Boruto began to walk slowly through the trees, each step taking him deeper into the fog until it covered him completely. Feeling watched, Boruto asked his inner companion.

—Is there any way we can meet the wise man?

Karasugan was silent for a few moments, and without warning, a small fireball appeared at Boruto's feet. The flaming sphere slowly rose, spinning until it reached his shoulder and transformed into a small three-eyed raven. Boruto glanced at it out of the corner of his eye.

—So this is your miniature form.

Karasugan, perched on his shoulder, responded in a soft but commanding voice.

—This is just an image. My real body is still in my dimension.

Boruto nodded, showing no surprise. Then, he looked ahead and continued walking. After several minutes, he suddenly stopped, feeling several gazes on him. His patience was running out.

"How long are you going to keep watching? Your gazes are annoying," Boruto said, his tone cold.

Immediately, three female figures appeared in a Shunshin, surrounding him. One younger than the other, all dressed in elegant kimonos that gave them a mystical air. Their faces were made up in a way that highlighted their beauty, and around each one floated a cloth that moved as if it were part of them, giving them an ethereal, almost divine appearance.

Boruto glanced at them, unfazed.

"What do you want?" he asked disinterestedly.

The older woman, who seemed to be the leader, looked at him sternly and replied.

—You are not welcome here. You better leave or you will die.

Before Boruto could respond, Karasugan, from his shoulder, intervened in a defiant voice.

—You better watch that mouth, snake, or I'll burn you alive.

The older woman, with an expression of contempt, looked at the crow.

—A little bird dares to speak to me like that? It has no right to live.

The woman prepared to attack, but at that instant, a deep, ancient voice echoed throughout the place, stopping her.

—Stop.

The woman, hearing the voice, immediately lowered her hands and stepped back. The same voice spoke again, with a mixture of authority and curiosity.

—Karasugan... you haven't been here for a long time. What do you want?

Karasugan, without losing his air of superiority, responded.

—Show yourself, snake. Or perhaps... are you afraid of me?

The fog slowly cleared, revealing the imposing underground temple in Ryuchi Cave . Boruto observed the place carefully, immediately recognizing the dense, mystical atmosphere surrounding it. A sign hung above the entrance, confirming what Karasugan had already told him.

Ryuchi Cave ... I see —Boruto said thoughtfully.

Karasugan, perched on his shoulder, added.

—Walk to the temple. There you will find the snake.

Boruto took a step forward, but was abruptly stopped when the three women who had surrounded him earlier stood in front of him again, blocking his path. Boruto watched them coldly.

— Hmm , they don't want to let me through, do they?

The older woman, with an imposing voice, spoke.

—The being on your shoulder can pass, but you cannot.

Boruto looked at them with disdain and replied in a defiant tone.

—If you want to fight, I'll give you the pleasure.

However, before the situation could escalate, the wise man's voice rang out again, firm and clear.

—Let him pass.

The three women exchanged glances, somewhat reluctantly, but eventually stepped aside. Boruto began walking towards the temple, crossing the entrance with determined steps. Inside, stairs wound up to a higher platform, which seemed to be the heart of the temple.

Karasugan spoke again from his shoulder.

—Keep climbing. At the top is the snake.

Boruto nodded and disappeared in a flash, reappearing at the top of the stairs in the blink of an eye. In front of him, there was an imposing-looking old man, lying on his side on a stone bed. He was dressed in white clothes and behind him, a gigantic statue of a dragon's head watched over the scene.

Boruto looked at him carefully and spoke with determination.

—Are you the Sage of the White Snake?

The old man, with a calm but penetrating look, answered.

—That's right, it's me.

Before Boruto could reply, Karasugan, now materialized as a small crow, interrupted the conversation.

—Wow, snake, you've really gotten older... but also stronger.

The wise man smiled slightly.

—Karasugan... we are the same age. But it's true, when we were young, you were the strongest among us, now I know I can beat you.

Karasugan puffed out his chest proudly.

—I'm still the strongest and I don't think you can beat me.

The White Snake Sage looked at him with a mixture of amusement and disdain.

—You are confident, I admit. Although your power has not diminished, nor has it increased over the years, at this moment you are too weak compared to me.

Karasugan remained silent at that remark, but Boruto, impatient and direct, spoke in a defiant tone.

—Tell me, Sage of Snakes... do you think you're invincible? The way you talk annoys me.

The sage looked at him with cold eyes, his aura of danger beginning to manifest.

"A mere human dares to speak to me in such a manner? Don't think that just because you are accompanied by Karasugan, I am afraid of you. It has been a long time since I have tasted human flesh. I wonder if its taste is still the same."

Boruto replied unfazed, with a defiant smile.

—I wonder what a roasted snake tastes like, though.

The wise man frowned at the provocation, his patience at its limit.

—You should get out of this place, kid.

Boruto remained calm and finally got straight to the point.

—We finally talked about important things. We're here to find out where some people went.

The wise man looked at him with renewed interest.

"Some people...?" he repeated, as if he were evaluating the importance of the question.

Boruto kept his gaze firmly on the Sage as he listened to the proposal, his expression one of restrained impatience.

—There were five people, wearing a Konoha headband —Boruto said, pointing to his own forehead, where he wore the same insignia—. Like this headband.

The wise man nodded slowly, his gaze seeming to get lost in recent memories.

— Hmm ... they were here —the Sage confirmed.

Boruto wasted no time in moving forward with his request.

—I want to know where they went and what information they obtained.

The wise man watched him with some amusement, leaning slightly in his stone seat.

"Why would I give you that information?" he asked with a mocking smile. "You haven't done anything for me, you haven't even passed the test."

Boruto gritted his teeth, but stood firm.

— Hmm ... so what do you want in exchange for the information?

The wise man smiled even wider, clearly enjoying the situation.

"I thought I'd leave this for those people who came before," he replied. "But they passed the test. So I gave them what they wanted."

Boruto narrowed his eyes.

—So, you'll give me the information if I do what you ask? Is that it?

The White Snake Sage nodded slowly, his smile never fading.

—Exactly. There is a snake in this cave that even I cannot control. I need you to bring me its gekirin scale . That snake is found deep in this cave, in the area where the most violent snakes live. Its name is Galaga.

The name echoed in Boruto's mind, and he quickly assessed the situation. He turned his head slightly towards Karasugan, who remained on his shoulder, waiting for some reaction or comment, but the crow simply watched in silence.

Boruto sighed.

—Okay, I'll deal with that snake and bring you what you asked for.

The Wise Man looked at him with an almost fatherly smile.

—Good luck, kid. Galaga is no easy opponent... you better come back alive.

Without another word, Boruto turned around and walked out of the temple, observing several paths that opened up before him inside the cave. As he was evaluating his options, one of the women who had greeted him previously pointed out one of the paths.

"It's over there," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Boruto nodded slightly and, without wasting time, took the indicated path, determined to complete the mission that had been entrusted to him.

Boruto continued walking along the path the woman had pointed out to him. After a while, he came to a cave of much larger dimensions. He looked at the place carefully, noticing how vast it was. He took a few more steps and stopped when he came to what looked like a huge ditch, as if something large had been dragged across the ground.

He looked around, following the path of the ditch, and noticed that it stretched in both directions, disappearing into the distance. Without hesitation, Boruto turned his gaze to the other side and began walking, determined to follow the trail of whatever had left that mark.

After several minutes of walking, Boruto emerged from the cave and found himself in a forest, still shrouded in thick fog. He continued forward, following the deep trench in the ground, marked by the passage of something large. As he walked, he thought to himself: This place is strange, like it's another dimension within another. Very strange.

After a while, he came to the base of a mountain surrounded by chaos; the trees were torn apart and the terrain looked devastated. Intrigued, he began to explore, looking for any sign of what could have caused such chaos. Suddenly, he looked up into the treetops and noticed a statue of a giant snake. He looked in another direction and noticed that there were more identical statues, emerging from the forest and towering above the trees.

Karasugan, perched on his shoulder, commented:

—"Why do they have so many statues of themselves? What a big ego."

Boruto, as he continued walking, replied:

—"They were probably built by humans."

Karasugan replied:

—"Really? Humans are really strange..."

Without another word, Boruto continued forward until he reached the entrance of another cave, where the same deep ditch continued. Without hesitation, he entered the cave, determined to discover the source of that After a while of walking, Boruto arrived at an underground lake inside the cave. He skirted the water, keeping his eyes fixed on the trail that continued forward. Soon he reached an even larger cavern, supported by enormous columns of earth. The magnitude of the cave was impressive, and in its center rested a giant dark red snake, coiled and apparently asleep.

Boruto looked at her carefully and muttered, "Could this be Galaga?"

From his shoulder, Karasugan replied, " Hmm … it could be."

Boruto began to advance towards the snake, but it woke up when it heard his footsteps. As he stopped, Boruto noticed that the snake had a scar covering its eye, leaving it completely blind, and an inverted scale under its neck.

"Are you Galaga, snake?" Boruto asked.

The snake stared at him and, without responding, lunged at him with surprising speed, intent on devouring him. Boruto quickly threw a three-pronged kunai into the air and disappeared in a flash. The snake passed underneath, and Boruto appeared above its head, charging his fist with chakra. With a direct blow, he slammed the snake's head into the ground, creating a loud roar.

Standing on his head, Boruto repeated, "Again, are you Galaga?"

Galaga, barely conscious, attacked him with his tail, forcing Boruto to jump to the side to dodge the blow. The snake, full of fury, looked at him and spoke with a rough voice:

—Damn insolent human! How dare you?

—So, you're Galaga? —Boruto insisted.

The snake glared at him and replied, "What if I am, human?"

—I see... so you're Galaga. I want your inverted scale —Boruto said calmly.

Galaga, surprised, laughed disdainfully. "Ha! Who do you think you are, human?"

"I don't believe anyone in particular," Boruto replied.

Galaga, enraged, lunged at him again. With a sigh, Boruto released some chains from his body that wrapped around the snake, digging into the ground and blocking its movements.

Galaga tried to break free, but to no avail. Boruto said, "Don't try it," these chains are capable of stopping a Bijuu, you won't be able to break them.

Galaga glared at him and opened his mouth, releasing a jet of black venom. Boruto dodged the attack with a jump, while the chains continued to hold the snake. The venom fell to the ground, and upon contact, the earth turned gray and turned into rock.

Boruto, surprised, observed the effect and commented, "So you have poison that turns things into rock. What an interesting ability."

"Damn, despicable human!" Galaga screamed, trying to free himself.

"I see you hate humans a lot," Boruto replied, observing her fury. "I wonder why."

"All humans are equal," Galaga spat, struggling against the chains.

Boruto began to approach the snake, his gaze fixed on the inverted scale that shone beneath its neck.

"I need your scale," Boruto said calmly, "so I'll take it."

As he reached her, the chains holding Galaga to the ground lifted her head, exposing her scale. Galaga, resigned, stopped struggling and, almost in a whisper, murmured:

—I'm tired… maybe this is my destiny.

Boruto reached out for the scale, but upon hearing Galaga's words, he stopped. He looked up, seeing the tiredness on the snake's face, then looked at his own hand in silence. After a moment, he lowered his arm and turned around, beginning to walk away.

The chains holding Galaga loosened and returned to Boruto's body. The snake, surprised, observed its freedom and then looked at Boruto's back as he walked away.

"What do you intend, human?" Galaga asked, bewildered.

"I'm not interested in you anymore," Boruto replied, without turning around.

Galaga looked at him strangely and muttered to herself:

—Humans are so… strange. I can't understand their thoughts.

Boruto stopped for a moment, turning his body slightly to give her one last look.

"You don't need to understand them. After all, we are different," Boruto said, his calm unruffled. "Discord will always exist."

Galaga didn't respond. His damaged, dull white eye slowly opened, staring at Boruto. At that moment, Boruto felt a strange chill, and suddenly, everything around him turned white.

Somewhere in the elemental nations, in a barren place where only sand can be seen, a yellow fortress stood, blending in with the desert surroundings. Atop the fortress, Galaga, with both eyes healthy, watched a group of shinobi approaching from a distance, ready for combat.

"They have the nerve to raid our territory," Galaga said, his voice defiant.

Standing beside him on a tower of the fortress was a man with blue-black hair, combed back, wearing a yellow cloak. With a confident smile, he glanced at Galaga and said:

—We will protect this fortress to the death. I hope you are motivated, Galaga.

Galaga looked at him with amusement and replied:

—Who do you think you're talking to? I hope you are too.

"We will accomplish the mission in grand style," the man replied. At that moment, he leapt from the tower and landed on Galaga's head. Without wasting any time, Galaga launched himself at full speed towards the enemy shinobi, unleashing a fierce battle.

Galaga charged at the shinobi, using the strength of his body, while his partner launched powerful jutsus from the rear. After a while, the person next to him began to pant, showing signs of fatigue.

—It's better to retreat... We're going to lose this place —he said, looking at Galaga.

Galaga looked at him and replied with determination:

—Not yet… I'll scatter them in one fell swoop. You cover me.

Galaga once again launched himself at the shinobi, while his partner leapt towards a tower to take a better attack position. As Galaga swept with his body, destroying the enemies, he exclaimed with energy:

—Together, no one will defeat us!

He raised his head and, from on high, shouted:

-COME ON!

At that instant, from behind, a bolt of lightning pierced Galaga's head, entering from above his head and exiting through his right eye, destroying it completely. Stunned, he slowly turned to his companion and looked at him in bewilderment, finding in his eyes a cold and implacable indifference. Galaga, incredulous, thought to himself:

-Because?

His partner's betrayal was unimaginable to him.

His enormous body collapsed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. He fell unconscious, remaining there for what seemed like several hours.

Finally, Galaga slowly opened his one intact eye. He had survived the attack. He raised his head and looked around, bitterly noticing that the fortress he had worked so hard to protect was completely destroyed. He was alone; he had been betrayed, and everything he had fought and risked his life for lay in ruins.

Desolate, Galaga turned his gaze away, assimilating the harsh reality of his defeat and betrayal.

Back in the present, Boruto opened his eyes and found himself in his mindspace. He glanced back and, seeing Galaga, spoke:

—Those were your memories? Why are you showing them to me?

Galaga replied:

—I wanted to show you that all humans are equal... and you know that better than anyone. After all, you are a monster. What you did when you were younger... they didn't deserve it.

Boruto turned around completely and faced him.

—So you saw my memories?

Galaga looked at him and said:

—You're worse than him. You see... all humans are the same.

Boruto replied:

—You're wrong. They started this; I just responded. They started the game.

Galaga, with a penetrating look, continued:

—You blame others, but it was you who caused all this. Still, you follow their will. Or was it always your will and you gave it to them so they would give it back to you?

Boruto, with a serious expression, replied:

—I'm not interested in any of that right now. It's pointless. Tell me, Galaga, what are you going to do now? Are you going to leave?

Galaga didn't answer, and Boruto insisted:

—You already know me and I know a little about you. Become one of my companions, Galaga.

Galaga was about to reply when suddenly a voice echoed from above:

—You should accept... you'll die if you don't, snake.

Galaga looked up and saw a figure that surprised him.

—Momoshhiki... —Boruto muttered—. So you were hiding.

Karasugan appeared next to Galaga and commented, looking intrigued:

— Hmm ... we wanted to see what was going on.

Galaga looked at the raven beside him, surprised to notice that it was bigger than him and had a third eye on its forehead in a vertical position.

Momoshiki, floating above Galaga, approached Boruto, then looked directly at Galaga.

—Tell me, snake, what do you decide?

Galaga looked at Momoshhiki and asked:

—You have horns and white skin... what are you?

Momoshhiki, with a smile of pride and amusement, replied:

—I am what you call... a god.

Galaga stepped back, surprised, and questioned:

—What will I get if I become your partner?

Boruto intervened firmly:

—I will take care of the person who betrayed you.

Momoshhiki, amused, added:

—Become my pet... if you accept, I will grant you power. What do you say?

Boruto glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, as an anime-style drop appeared on his temple.

"Will you give him power?" he said, intrigued.

Momoshiki explained:

—It's simple, you just have to modify your DNA a little.

Boruto, impressed, commented:

—So you can do that... well, it was to be expected of an Otsutsuki.

As Momoshhiki smiled, Boruto looked at Galaga and asked:

—Tell me, what will you do?

Karasugan, watching Galaga out of the corner of his eye, added:

—You should accept. Otherwise, they will kill you. The fact that you know Boruto's past and have seen Momoshiki is enough to consider you a threat.

Galaga looked at everyone and asked:

—What assures me that they won't betray me?

Boruto replied seriously:

—I'm not the type to betray... unless I'm betrayed first.

Momoshhiki added, amused:

—You'll be my pet. We'll have fun.

Karasugan said in a neutral tone:

—It's your decision to join. In time, you'll see if we can be trusted or not.

Galaga was silent for a few moments, and finally agreed:

—I accept your request. Let's sign the contract.

Boruto smiled and nodded. Coming out of the mental space, he opened his eyes, still inside the cave, and turned to look at Galaga. He approached, and after a while of signing the scroll, he spoke.

—With this, you are now my summons.

Galaga replied:

—I understand... but why did you want my scale?

Boruto, holding the scroll, made a seal with his hand, and it disappeared in a smokescreen.

—The Snake Sage asked me to control you by bringing him your scale. In exchange, he will give me some very useful information.

Galaga nodded and asked:

—What do you plan to do then?

"I don't plan on doing anything special," Boruto replied. "I'll just talk to the Snake Sage to let him know that you won't be causing any more trouble."

Galaga nodded again, and Boruto added:

—But I better get you out of this place soon.

Galaga, surprised, replied:

—What do you have planned?

Boruto closed his eyes, entering his mental space, where he met Karasugan and spoke to him:

—Karasugan, I want you to live with Galaga; I don't want to leave him here for long.

Karasugan replied:

—This place is Galaga's habitat, moving him isn't that simple. It would be better if he stayed here a while longer. Besides, among the snakes in this place, even if they don't get along, they protect each other.

Boruto nodded and snapped out of his mindspace, opening his eyes again.

"For the moment, I will not move you from this place, but in the future I will take you out," he said to Galaga.

Boruto left the cave and walked back to the Snake Sage's temple. After a while, he arrived at the entrance, where he found the three women who had greeted him earlier. The youngest, with an amused expression, spoke:

—So you're alive, how surprising.

Boruto looked at her and replied:

—I am very strong; you should be careful, woman.

The young girl just smiled, a childish expression on her face. Ignoring her, Boruto entered the temple and headed straight to the White Snake Sage, who was waiting for him at the back. Upon arriving, Boruto spoke:

—I have solved the problem with Galaga.

The Wise Man looked at him and replied:

— Hmm … but I don't see the gekirin scale .

Boruto quickly formed a seal with his hands and, after shouting "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!", he punched the ground. At that instant, a puff of smoke appeared behind him, revealing Galaga, who emerged imposingly.

Surprised, the Sage smiled, and at that moment the temple disappeared as if it were an illusion, revealing that they were actually in a cave. The Sage's true form was revealed: a gigantic white snake adorned with golden details along its body on a platform of a blue color with golden details.

Boruto looked at the snake and said:

—So this is your true form... —He then looked around, observing the change of surroundings—. It was all an illusion, how interesting.

The Wise Man replied:

—So you signed a contract with Galaga. Very interesting… I'll show you the same thing they were looking for.

The Sage pointed at the wall, and Boruto watched as the images continued to unfold. The vision showed Mitsuki staring at his hand, which was emitting yellow sparks. In front of him, two shinobi lay unconscious on the ground. Mitsuki looked away to the side.

Two figures appeared: a person with orange hair and another with black hair, both wearing purple and white clothing, and bandages covering their faces up to the nose.

The orange-haired person spoke:

—Are you coming with us to the Land of Earth? The answers you seek are there.

The black-haired one stopped, looking at Mitsuki, and began to approach the fallen shinobi. Mitsuki, muttering to himself, whispered:

—Stop your heart for a moment.

A white snake emerged from Mitsuki's sleeve, descended to the ground and crawled towards the shinobi, biting their necks. The black-haired figure leaned down to check if the shinobi had a pulse. Mitsuki, watching them, spoke in a low voice:

—Let's go now.

The black-haired man looked at his companion and nodded. The orange-haired person smiled in satisfaction and said:

—See? I told you Mitsuki would join us.

The black-haired figure, who seemed less expressive, replied:

—Don't talk too much, Sekiei . Come on.

With a quick movement of Shunshin, both of them disappeared along with Mitsuki, who stood for a few seconds looking back. Mitsuki glanced at her little white snake and whispered:

—Go with Sarada and Saku.

The snake stood there for a moment, watching Mitsuki, and then began to walk away. In the projected images, the shinobi on the ground could be seen beginning to breathe again, their hearts slowly regaining their rhythm.

Boruto looked at the images carefully, processing what he saw, and muttered:

—So that's what happened… —he smiled to himself, intrigued—. Those two… they're not human, how interesting.

The Wise Man then spoke, his voice echoing through the cave:

—It's time for you to go.

Boruto looked at him and nodded silently. At that moment, a thick fog began to envelop him. The vision faded, and when the fog cleared, Boruto found himself at the entrance of the forest, surrounded by trees and silence.

Without wasting any time, he took a deep breath, turned around and began to walk through the trees, turning his back on the fog.