Chapter 68

As Kawaki slowly regained consciousness, he found himself lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by three individuals. To his right stood Konohamaru, while Naruto sat in the middle on a chair, and Shikamaru occupied the left.

Confusion clouded Kawaki's mind as he spoke up, his gaze darting around the room. "Where am I?"

Naruto, his voice filled with reassurance, replied, "You're in a safe place. Don't worry."

Kawaki's memory began to piece together, and he uttered, "Konohagakure," recalling the words Boruto had spoken.

Konohamaru nodded, confirming Kawaki's assumption. "That's correct. Boruto brought you back here. He mentioned that you were an experimental subject who had escaped from Kara."

Shikamaru, ever the strategist, couldn't help but voice his curiosity. "Hokage-sama, how does your son have such detailed knowledge about this situation?"

Naruto let out a sigh, realizing the need for answers. "We'll have to ask him, won't we?"

In a desperate attempt to escape, Kawaki lunged towards the window. However, his escape was short-lived as Shikamaru swiftly restrained him with his Shadow Imitation Jutsu, keeping Kawaki firmly in place.

"Calm down," Shikamaru urged, releasing his hold on Kawaki. "You won't be able to accomplish anything by running away. If we intended to harm you, we would have done so already."

Kawaki reluctantly returned to the bed, his suspicions still lingering. It was then that Naruto, wearing a warm smile, introduced himself. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, the Hokage. I am currently the leader of this village."

Kawaki's suspicion remained, but he couldn't help but be intrigued by Naruto's seemingly unassuming demeanor. "You don't look like it," Kawaki remarked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

As the intense discussion unfolded between Naruto and the other Kage, a separate meeting was taking place in another room. Naruto sat alongside a few other Kage, including Gaara and Kurotsuchi, who still seemed visibly shaken by the recent incident in her village.

Gaara, his voice filled with understanding, spoke up. "I'm with Naruto on this plan. As a fellow Jinchuriki, I understand the harsh realities we face."

The other Kage nodded in agreement, their expressions reflecting their trust in Naruto's judgment.

Darui, however, couldn't help but voice his curiosity. "Naruto, how is it that your son seems to be more knowledgeable about this situation than even Sasuke?"

Naruto took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding. "I haven't shared this with all of you, but my son actually left the village for two years. During that time, he encountered these individuals."

The room fell into a brief silence as the Kage processed this new piece of information, realizing the depth of Boruto's involvement in the current situation.

Forest of Death,

As Boruto diligently trained his body, his clones worked tirelessly to perfect their mastery over various Chakra natures. He swiftly maneuvered through hand signs, honing his Jutsu skills and sharpening his fighting abilities.

Amidst the intense training, Delta sat on the ground in a Yoko Suwari position, her gaze fixated on Boruto's every move. Lost in her thoughts, she couldn't help but reflect on the extent of her programming. 'It seems like I may have gone a bit too far with Delta's programming. I guess I ended up doing what Ains did, didn't I?' Boruto let out a sigh, acknowledging the complexity of the situation, but he remained focused on his training.

"Ganbare, Boruto-kun!" Delta exclaimed, her voice filled with encouragement as she cheered him on.

A small smile formed on Boruto's face upon hearing her words. Despite the complicated circumstances, he couldn't deny the impact Delta's support had on him. 'Well, it's not that bad,' Boruto thought to himself, finding solace in the unexpected bond that had formed between them.

Somewhere in Konoha,

As Naruto descended the stairs, Kawaki abruptly halted in his tracks.

"Oi, where are you taking me?" Kawaki questioned, his tone filled with skepticism.

Naruto turned to face Kawaki, a warm smile on his face. "To my house. We're going home, and you're going to live with me and my family," he replied, his eyes meeting Kawaki's. "You should know, Hinata's cooking is absolutely delicious."

Kawaki, seemingly unfazed, had already started to walk away from the area.

Naruto's smile widened, undeterred by Kawaki's initial resistance.

Kawaki continued running, effortlessly leaping over buildings, occasionally glancing back to see if Naruto was following. To his surprise, when he looked ahead, Naruto was already there, leaning against a wall, his right shoulder resting casually.

"That little detour isn't enough to satisfy your appetite. Let's head back," Naruto suggested, taking the lead and guiding Kawaki towards his home.

Kara Hideout,

Koji stood before the man with half of his hair shaved, who sat regally on a throne-like chair.

"Why have you returned alone? Where are Delta and Garou?" the man inquired, his voice carrying an air of authority.

"I apologize, Jigen-sama. I came across the individual who killed Otsutsuki Momoshiki," Koji explained. "And he proved to be even stronger than before."

"Did you lose?" Jigen questioned, his gaze fixed on Koji.

"Yes," Koji admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice.

"It's alright. The time will come," Jigen reassured, his tone calm yet resolute. "The vessel will return."

As the tension thickened in the room, an elderly man wearing glasses emerged from the entrance. "Gorou is dead," he stated with a somber tone, "And it appears that Uzumaki Boruto has acquired the Karma seal. Not only that, but he has also reprogrammed the other Delta using his own Rinnegan."

"Hmm," Jigen murmured, realizing that he needed to be extra careful with his plan now that Boruto had gained such power.

The elderly man was none other than Sanzu Amado, a brilliant scientist and mastermind behind the creation of the Kara organization. Standing beside him was the new body of Delta, her expression filled with anger upon learning that her other body had been reprogrammed.

"That blonde bastard!" Delta exclaimed, frustration evident in her voice as she kicked the nearby wall. "He's incredibly audacious to reprogram my entire mind. The next time I see him, I'll break apart his limbs."

"Delta, you stay here," Jigen commanded, his voice firm. "Koji, locate Kawaki for me."

Koji nodded and swiftly left the room, a smile playing on his lips as he now knew who had the potential to defeat Jigen.

Meanwhile, Amado couldn't help but feel a sense of worry about Boruto. The young Uzumaki was an unpredictable individual, and his newfound power only added to the uncertainty of the situation.

Uzumaki Household, Konohagakure

Naruto and Kawaki sat facing each other, their eyes locked in a tense exchange. Hinata approached with a tray, offering Naruto a cup of tea.

"Is tea okay?" Hinata asked gently, placing the cup on the table between them.

"It's fine," Naruto replied, accepting the tea with a nod of gratitude.

Hinata turned her attention to Kawaki, a warm smile gracing her face. "Make yourself at home," she kindly offered.

Naruto took a sip of his tea before breaking the silence. "Boruto mentioned that your name is Kawaki."

Kawaki's gaze met Naruto's, his guarded expression revealing his skepticism. "If this is about Kara, I'm not a member, and I don't possess any valuable information," he stated, his mind filled with thoughts of Boruto. "The guy said I would be safe here, but can I really trust him? This person in front of me doesn't seem capable."

Naruto let out a sigh, his eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and determination. "You're quite stubborn. When I said 'make yourself at home,' I meant it," he emphasized.

"What do you want from me?" Kawaki questioned, his voice laced with suspicion.

Naruto's expression softened as he replied, "Boruto mentioned that you were an experiment subject and that you're on the run from Kara, right?"

Kawaki's thoughts raced, wondering how Naruto had obtained such information. 'How does this Karma guy know about that?' he pondered silently.

"You think you can use me as bait to lure Kara members here," Kawaki stated, his voice tinged with a mix of defiance and uncertainty.

Naruto couldn't help but think to himself, 'This kid is too stubborn.'

As Kawaki analyzed the room, assessing the number of people present, Naruto abruptly stood up, causing the table to topple and Himawari's favorite vase to shatter.

Kawaki instinctively tried to flee, but Naruto swiftly activated his KCM mode, his voice commanding, "SIT DOWN!"

Kawaki froze in his tracks, inwardly acknowledging Naruto's power. 'He's incredibly strong,' he admitted to himself.

Just then, Himawari entered the room, her eyes widening at the sight of the broken vase. "Otou-san?" she questioned, her voice filled with concern.

"Sorry, Himawari," Naruto said, deactivating his heightened state and sighing in frustration. He turned to Kawaki and gestured towards the remaining seat. "Take a seat."

Reluctantly, Kawaki settled onto the single couch, his gaze shifting to Himawari as she began to collect the broken pieces of her beloved vase. A pang of guilt washed over him as he witnessed the sadness in her eyes.

Uzushiogakure,

The construction site buzzed with activity, multiple buildings in progress, their skeletal frames made evident by the numerous metal poles scattered about.

"Boruto-kun, where are we?" Delta inquired, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

"This is our new home," Boruto replied, a sense of purpose in his voice. "I need you to guard this place for me."

"I'll do my best, Boruto-kun," Delta assured him, determination shining in her eyes.

Just then, one of Boruto's clones, sporting glasses and wearing a researcher's coat, approached him.

"Boss, you need to read this. It's a clear version of the scroll we found," the clone informed him, handing over a document holder.

Boruto took the holder and began to read its contents. In summary, the scroll revealed that there were many gods in this world, but most of them were merely humans with extraordinary abilities. This was knowledge passed down through the Uzumaki clan.

"Well, I thought we might have to fight against actual gods, but it seems we'll only be facing aliens," Boruto remarked, a mixture of relief and surprise in his voice.

"Also, boss, these so-called 'gods' are still alive in other forms, and they can bestow power upon their apostles," the clone added.

"What is this? Is this some kind of Manhwa?" Boruto questioned, a hint of amusement in his tone.

"Kinda, boss," the clone replied, a small smile forming on his face.

Boruto sighed and instructed, "Continue with your work, and also inform the other clone that Delta will be guarding this island."

"Hmm, I'll relay the message," the clone acknowledged before returning to his duties.

As Delta tugged on Boruto's sleeve, he turned to face her. "Is there something you need?" he asked.

"Boruto-kun, are you going to leave me here?" Delta inquired, a hint of concern in her voice.

"It's just until this place is complete, and I'll be staying here with you," Boruto reassured her.

"In that case, okay," Delta replied, a small smile gracing her lips as she leaned in to kiss Boruto on the cheek before setting off on her patrol.

"Hmm, interesting," Boruto mused to himself before teleporting back to Konohagakure.

Konohagakure,

Boruto stepped through the front door of his house, greeted by the familiar warmth that enveloped the space. As he turned his head towards the kitchen, a heartwarming sight unfolded before him. Naruto, Hinata, Himawari, and Kawaki were gathered around the table, sharing a meal together, their laughter and conversation filling the air. Despite Kawaki's initial unfamiliarity with such familial moments, he seemed to be finding his place among them.

Himawari's eyes lit up as she caught sight of Boruto, and she rushed over to him with excitement. "Welcome back! How was your training?" she asked eagerly.

Boruto smiled affectionately at his little sister and ruffled her hair. "It was just like usual, but don't mind me. Continue eating," he replied.

"No, sit and eat with us," Himawari insisted, tugging at Boruto's arm and leading him towards the kitchen.

Boruto obliged and allowed himself to be guided to a seat next to Kawaki. Before Kawaki could inquire about Boruto's absence, Boruto turned to him and said, "I'll explain everything after we finish eating."