PART 3.

Bathed in the first rays of the morning sun, Konoha, the glorious land of the Hokage and forbidden ninja arts, awoke in all its glory.

The bustle of the village intensified as the citizens gathered in small groups, captivated by the events taking place. The murmurs spread like fire in a dry field, fueled by the constant coming and going of the Konoha inhabitants.

While some headed towards the shopping area in search of tempting deals and goods, most turned their gaze to the tall watchtowers. There, the ninjas, with their imposing presence and distinctive uniforms, stood as guardians of an unbreakable order.

Every ninja, no matter their rank or mission, was subject to close scrutiny. Whispers, like secret melodies, intertwined in every corner of the village, carrying with them rumors and intrigues.

Even those who patrolled on foot, dedicated to protecting and ensuring the well-being of civilians, did not escape public scrutiny. Every step they took, every gesture they made, was analyzed with a mixture of respect, admiration and fear.

The faces of the civilians, masked by a mixture of curiosity and caution, reflected the knowledge that the tranquility of their beloved village was threatened.

The atmosphere vibrated with palpable energy, fueled by the conspiracy theories circulating in the crowd. On every corner, in every square, stories and speculations were woven about the events that were unfolding.

Meanwhile, as if a transparent, soundproof barrier surrounded the Hokage residence, teenage ninjas lay in front of the doors leading to the stairs to enter the building.

Protected by the tower's main doors to avoid being seen by gossipy eyes, the generation that would once be known for making history would crowd to one side of the stairwell door, standing aside as ninjas in uniform urged their way down the stairs.

Among them, Uzumaki Naruto stood out. With her spiky blonde hair and somewhat shrill voice, she resonated even when the main goal of the small gathering was not to be heard.

It was the early hours of the morning, between a quarter past nine and ten. Since before the sun rose, the ninjas of Konohagakure had not rested. Among them was Naruto.

Although his situation was different, having been part of those responsible for getting the message across, which meant that tasks such as paperwork and disseminating information were no longer his direct responsibility, did not mean that he would simply retire home. Not before having a clearer picture of what was happening.

"Is a scroll capable of doing something like that?" TenTen's voice was present, sounding unconvinced. 

They had all been summoned and informed, and only they, except for as many others in the village's Shinobi circle, were aware of it thanks to the Hokage himself. Who, in his eagerness to protect his family and avoid further losses after Asuma's death, had provided them with the information as a confirmed fact.

The news that the Kakashi team had wandered into an unknown village spread through the halls of the tower like a rumor within hours. At first, only a few ninjas were informed, but by the third hour, everyone knew the story, perplexing even those who used to question everything.

Trozani, a city hidden within a protective and camouflaged barrier, was somehow related to the Third Hokage. The city, frozen in time by decision of its first king, prohibited powerful techniques that posed a threat to all nations. Among them, a technique capable of rewinding all existence, with a cost still unknown.

"Was Kakashi-sensei involved in all this?" Neji asked, with his characteristic imperturbable countenance, although he showed some perturbation. "Because I can't believe he took that story so lightly. It's impossible, if you ask me."

Surrounded by his companions, he turned to Naruto, whose face reflected seriousness.

"I can't help feeling skeptical either!" Rock Lee added with controlled enthusiasm, aware that they could be being heard. "However, the commands...no, all the words of the Hokage are law and truth. I can't believe that Tsunade-sama accepted that whole story, just like that."

"You're right." A low, deep voice interrupted the conversation, sending a shiver down the spine of those listening to it. "Why? Because not only did they bring with them a lot of information being trusted ninjas, but they also brought the scroll itself."

As if a bell had rung in the place, the eyes of the three members of Team Kakashi drifted towards him. Shino, behind his dark glasses, emitted a sound of doubt from the high collar of his jacket. Although he was sure of his statement, he couldn't help but let out that sound.

"Am I wrong?"

"Hm, hm, not at all." Sakura replied. But discreetly, she approached Shino with a finger on her own lips, visibly affected by the gravity of the situation. "But try not to say that out loud. The others... they do not know most of the details."

Those on the sidelines of the meeting circle cringed at the recollection of the event. The intimation as to why the portals appeared the way they did had been received only by those who had the honor of being Chunin. However, the existence of the scroll was known only to a few Jōnin.

Except for the twelve of Konoha, which also included the Ino-Shika-Chou. After all, his return was being expected.

Despite their young age, which did not exceed eighteen years of age, they were respected in their work. Each one had exceptional abilities, and no one questioned when any of them was appointed squad leader.

"It's terrible... It's like a nightmare." Heiress Hyuga's whispering voice rose in a barely audible tone at the outskirts of the circle they all formed. 

Not far from her, with Akamaru, the ninja dog on her team, as a separation between them, Kiba crossed her arms as she immersed herself in her thoughts.

"Like this..." He barely articulated. He had a hard time assimilating everything that had happened, and not denying or refuting what was being discussed was unusual for Kiba. "This is all so sudden..."

"And the ten team knows about all this?" It was Neji who asked, his voice calm. 

Team Kakashi simply shook their heads in response, with Sakura taking it upon herself to explain:

"Apparently, something held them back in Sand Village. Tsunade-sama told me that Captain Yamato feared that he had something to do with all this."

"Something"? The brown Hyuga asked, frowning slightly. "What was so important as to make them stay?"

As Sakura prepared to respond and quell Hyuga's curiosity, TenTen added with a hint of disgust as she let out a sigh that seemed more like an apology for what she was about to say.

"Stain the Sand with our troubles... The least they can do as representatives of Konoha is to stay if something happened there."

"It's frank, but reasonable. Why? Because there are no lies in the background of your weak argument." Shino commented from behind the collar of his jacket, his voice an enigma to his friends due to the difficulty in understanding it. 

TenTen frowned slightly, as if trying to decipher the meaning behind those words. The way she expressed herself made her feel like she had been insulted in some way, though the words "No lies" belied that impression.

Meanwhile, Shino adjusted his dark glasses, and Kiba watched him disinterestedly, more focused on his own thoughts, which he hadn't yet shared.

"Even if a village attacked us, it would be our problem. If we were to ask for help, as an ally, The Sand would have the obligation to support us. But that would also mean getting dirty. So, if the Kazekage offered his help at our request, he and his village would be in danger if the person responsible for all this has other intentions."

"When will you stop saying these things?" Kiba growled beside him, squinting and pursing his mouth in annoyance. "We have enough to worry about this problem to also consider what you say."

"Kiba-kun..." Hinata tried to calm the situation with a gentle call, but Shino fell into the silence of incomprehension, remaining silent while his companion finished his usual complaint. —

At least this time he wasn't interrupted midway.

"And now what do we do?" Lee asked when silence fell on them again. "If the Hokage ordered the parchment to be protected, then there is no longer any discussion about whether the future is real or not. However, I find it impossible to accept something so confusing without further ado."

Sakura gave him a tired look, perhaps an indication of his lack of rest.

"Kakashi-sensei explained everything to us on the way here..."

"Did you explain?" TenTen asked. "That king... Saturo-sama, right?"

Haruno nodded.

"Saturo-sama is an eloquent person, and honestly I thought he was sincere." He said, his eyes fixed on TenTen's, as if he was somehow warning him not to trust blindly as well. "But still... Kakashi-sensei looked very uneasy. He didn't seem satisfied with leaving Saturo-sama in Trozani."

His friends held their breath at that revelation.

"He's the leader of a city where trap reigns, right? It would be normal that, being the only one willing to protect the truth, he is the main objective of all this." Kiba said, just behind a Shino that remained motionless. 

"But even if it were easy to get him out of there, I doubt that someone who has never been out of a barrier can adapt to the outside so easily." He added, his voice showing a hint of concern. 

"I agree." Lee agreed. "Both he and the citizens live outside this part of the world. There will be a lot of things they don't know, and it could be risky if you don't take the necessary precautions."

The words of Guy-sensei's favorite student resonated with an undeniable truth.

In a way, the strange barrier that protected Trozani and its inhabitants left them extremely protected. However, just as the entire inner environment was frozen in time, so were diseases.

What would happen if the second king caught a common flu on his way out? There is a possibility that something so insignificant could end your life simply because you were not prepared. In other words, you could be severely affected by not having previously interacted with the outside world.

While that was the least of their worries (given that Konoha had exceptional doctors, with Tsunade being a good example), the reason for Kakashi's bewilderment was simply to leave Saturo to his fate.

"Although..."

Sai took the initiative to continue with the theme. With his usual tone of mature innocence, he ventured to explore the remote possibilities with every word that came out of his mouth, as if they were golden. His closest friends took his words as possible, being captivated by every letter that made up his sentences.

"Saturo-sama showed great interest in our situation." It began, once he had the full attention of his friends. "After all, the care of the Scroll was his responsibility. Because of his way of expressing himself and his philosophy, he does not seem like the type of person who delegates problems to others. I could see that he was willing to help us with all of this. It is no coincidence that he commissioned Kakashi-sensei to deliver the scroll to Tsunade-sama."

All eyes were fixed on him, but in a calmer manner than before. Sai had revealed a truth that most, upon learning about the scroll and the king, had only vaguely intuited.

Of course, Sai had remained silent the entire time he witnessed the unfolding disaster until now. The oratory and personality of Trozani's second king had captivated him in a way he could not explain.

Every time Sai opened his mouth to argue or give his opinion, he seemed to find himself sunk in his own words due to the bewildered expressions of others.

However, with Saturo it was different. The king was never distant from Sai, which he perceived as quite unusual, considering it wasn't the first time he had been treated with respect by a customer paying for ninja services. Although Saturo was not a customer in the conventional sense, his attitude did not seem to be an obligation.

This led him to think that possibly Saturus was consumed by guilt for not having protected the scroll.

"Guilt?" Hinata asked timidly. "Why...?"

"It's the most normal thing. And so it should be!"

Naruto intervened, and with his intervention, Hinata ceased her unknown. The addition of Uzumaki to the dialogue seemed to have returned her to the drawer in which she was hiding.

As she curled up to the side of the group, Hinata took a breath in silence, bringing her hands to her chest. It almost seemed that just the simple intervention of the blond who aspired to be Hokage had taken all his breath away with a single sign of his discontent.

"Naruto! I thought everything was clear!" Sakura intervened quickly, showing obvious anger, but maintaining her composure in front of Hokage Tower. His eyes widened, staring intently at Naruto with his apple-green gaze. "We have enough evidence to rule that out, so don't misinform others!"

"But I'm not so wrong, am I?" He muttered as the only defense against Haruno's harsh presence. Irritated, he continued with his point. "I don't care about the nonsense of the future or the supposed wisdom of the ancient kings of that ghost place. Guarding the scroll was his job, wasn't it? It's their fault that all this happened."

"He apologized!"

"But-"

"HE APOLOGIZED!!"

A loud scream was held back just before leaving. With a thud that sounded like a victory after Sakura's last warning, the discussion was ended without adding any other words. In full view of everyone, Naruto rubbed his head, almost bent by the strong impact. Meanwhile, Sakura left her fury behind, clenching her fist tightly.

He closed his eyes after widening them and was able to readjust his posture, crossing his arms with determination. He ignored Naruto's complaints, making it clear to him who was right between the two.

The seven spectators watched in silence, each with their own mixture of regret over the situation. With the exception of Rock Lee, who adopted a posture similar to that of the pink-haired girl.

It was a rarity, almost a blessing, for Lee to endorse certain views. But it's worth mentioning that this was because of the girl who had captured his heart some years ago.

These opinions could be ignored if they were not too serious. In addition, Naruto was known for being stubborn.

"That hurts... It hurts, Sakura-chan..."

The aforementioned raised a finger in warning, showing everyone the importance of what she was about to say.

The gesture was so abrupt that it was enough to indicate that Sakura, who wasted no time and was open to many ideas as long as there was evidence, had good reason to disagree with Naruto.

"He said it himself: even if he is the King, he is forbidden to go out. Do you realize the meaning of those words?" Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "They have the King under constant surveillance, and not because they want to keep him protected, Genius."

"Uh..."

Naruto kept rubbing his head, and it was a sight that captured the attention of the others, who did not take their eyes off him. Then Sai, determined to dispel the confusion as soon as he realized it, added:

"We suspected that the person responsible was someone who wanted to blame the King. But..."

"He himself told them why the Portals appeared." Neji added. Finding no signs of contradiction, he put a hand to his chin as he closed his eyes for a moment. "People from the future activating the scroll...? It's the closest thing to a story that is told to children. But, even so, the concern of the King of whom they speak can be understood."

"What do you mean?" TenTen asked, approaching her side. 

The Hyuga of the secondary branch of the family looked at his companion to back up his arguments. Keeping his composure on the surface and gesticulating calmly, though something inside him was still reluctant to believe the story.

However, for his duty and other obvious reasons beyond his control, he had no choice but to do so.

"He said... that whoever activated that parchment would lead humanity to destruction. Therefore, he as King has the duty to hide it from the world." Neji recalled. "But, if all this was really caused by a future that we do not know... It implies that he failed."

That conclusion caught everyone's attention, even getting Shino interested in the guess. Given his silent approach, it was not possible to know if he shared the same theories or not, but if anyone knew him well, they would know that he, like few others who knew about the scroll, had thought the same thing.

"Well, to begin with..." The Hyuga corrected, realizing that he was now the center of attention. "We don't know if the future is really true or not, but if it is... there will be no evidence to support whether in the future he continues to be King."

Sakura's eyebrows were raised in surprise, and although Sai didn't explicitly show his stupor with a facial expression, his eyes widened slightly, showing his surprise.

Immediately, Sakura brought her knuckles to her lips, showing concern on her face.

"I hadn't thought about that..."

"That opens the possibility that the Scroll has been stolen." Sai opined. "I mean, if the story of the future and the Parchment is true."

Once they reached this point, everyone began to comment on the idea.

"Traveling to the past is impossible in itself. I can't easily believe the story of that Parchment." TenTen argued, just as skeptical as the Hyuga next to her. "But if Tsunade-sama wants to take that possibility into account—"

"Everything is for the village." Lee said proudly, clenching his fist and straightening up, sticking out his chest. "If for your sake I must believe in legends and hold on to them, I shall be happy to do so without a doubt."

"I'm still in the "I don't believe it" wagon." Kiba said reluctantly. 

Finally, Shino came out of his trance and turned to look at him from under his dark glasses. With his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets, he spoke clearly, being listened to intently by the only person who bothered to do so: Hinata Hyuga.

"You'll have to, why? Because they are direct orders from the Hokage." The Aburame contradicted him with a calm harshness, so characteristic of him. "If he tells us to believe in the crazy man of the village for the good of the town, we have no choice. He told us what he told us, and we have to believe him."

Hinata nodded in response, though she was not noticed by those closest to her.

"We'll see, don't you hear me?" Kiba's refusal shook Hinata. "I refuse to believe it. It seems like a pure fantasy story of a town full of madmen."

"You don't have to contradict her, why?"

"Shut up! I'm not an idiot, I heard you the first time!"

As time went by, the voices seemed to intermingle with each other. The natural bustle outside and the constant hustle and bustle of Chunin passing by them contributed to the auditory chaos. Despite his state of "protection from Sakura's attacks", Naruto was unable to bring order to his thoughts.

He frowned more and more, feeling it all fade away in his ears. He experienced a growing irritation, as if a mixture of bitterness were pouring into his mind. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming dislike for a single person: that old man named Saturo.

It didn't matter what the direction of the conversation was or what theories were developing; The mention of that man dominated the discussion. Although Naruto had witnessed Trozani's ninjas disappear into the portals, he couldn't help but feel a growing frustration at not having a clear culprit in front of him.

When the topic of the future came up again, Naruto exploded. He didn't do it stridently, as he didn't want to attract Sakura's attention once again.

"Stop talking about it! Nothing can happen now that Grandma Tsunade has the scroll in her hands!" He declared, crossing his arms behind his head and trying to downplay the seriousness of his words with a lighter tone. "The scroll only opens with my blood and that of the Third, so there's nothing to worry about. With Grandpa deceased and that old man in his palace, no one else can open the scroll. It's safe here in Konoha. So everything is resolved."

"Naruto! What are you saying?" Sakura exclaimed. 

Despite this, Naruto headed towards the exit, giving everyone one last excuse.

"Nothing bad can happen now that we have the parchment!" Naruto proclaimed as if it were something obvious. "It's no longer in the King's hands, so we've corrected everything. Ready! We won!"

"Hey, you idiot Naruto! You went with us, you know it can't be that simple!" Sakura screamed louder as she saw the blond walk away with his hands behind his head. "Hey, you idiot Naruto! Where do you think you're going? Tsunade-sama might need us again!"

"I haven't eaten anything since that old man's biscuits! I need to go for something more substantial! See you later!"

"This boy..." Sakura paused for a moment, as if a part of her ordered her to be completely silent. Biting her tongue, Haruno glared at Naruto's back, who was lost in the morning crowd. "What's wrong with this boy?" What is it? A small child?"

Each step he took took further away from the auditory range of others. Naruto could barely hear Sakura's protests, although his voice echoed through the street outside the building.

His partner's voice was as recognizable as it was audible, so knowing whether Sakura was still leading the conversation or not, was not a challenge for Naruto.

She moved farther and farther away, until her companion's voice was lost in the bustle of the village in full activity.

Now that no one was watching, Naruto let his expression relax, paying attention to the thoughts that were boiling in his mind. In an unusually serene way, in contrast to his usual way of being, the blond continued to ruminate on that thought.

"Even after you're dead, you still cause me trouble, don't you, old man?"

He didn't feel the need to explain to himself the meaning behind those words.

Her face carved in stone was enough, looking at it from its place in the historical line of the Hokage of the village.

(~~~)

The crunch of tiny pebbles echoed beneath their feet, surprising them momentarily by the large number of rocks as small as breadcrumbs scattered on the ground.

Although barely perceptible to the naked eye, when they were all stepped on together they produced a sound, sometimes irritating, that depended on the foot that stepped on them, the quality of the footwear and even the personal tastes of each individual. Some enjoyed that sound, while others could barely tolerate the feeling of the stones digging into the soles of their shoes.

However, despite walking on loose land, their minds were totally absorbed by what lay before their eyes. Following the old woman's slow steps with her cane, they were guided through narrow and wide tunnels, as she opened and closed doors as she pleased, as if the walls obeyed her gestures.

They were astonished when, upon arriving at their destination and following in the footsteps of the old woman, they found themselves in front of an underground field full of men, similar to those who had received them when they woke up. Following a paved path similar to cement, it was enough to look to its left to marvel at the creativity of those people.

The corridor they had passed stretched out until a little more light penetrated it. To his right, however, the wall was still intact, as it should be. But instead the stone roof rose so high that it was almost impossible to distinguish its height.

To their left, without any kind of railing separating the great height they were at from the ground that extended much lower, was a fairly spacious room. There was no decoration of any kind, being identical to all the corridors they had crossed until then.

However, this room was illuminated by the morning sunlight, which filtered through meticulously constructed holes in the ceiling, in an area of peculiar height. The arrangement of these holes was strange, as if they were arranged in the walls of a square room high up in the ceiling. The peculiarity of the design did not go unnoticed by any of them.

"What's that?" Lee asked, unable to contain his curiosity. 

"It is evident that there is no electricity here. We trust in nature. The woman answered, stopping so that everyone could observe the spectacle that was unfolding below them. "We have carefully concealed the holes through which the light of the sun and moon enters. They have unusual shapes because we have camouflaged them with the outside nature.

"And that? What are you doing?"

Intrigued by Chou Chou's question, some of them approached the edge of the ground. The absence of a railing allowed them to have a clear view of the stage below, without needing to get too close.

What they saw was nothing out of the ordinary for them, but the way the activities were carried out was unusual.

On the ground, there were numerous men dressed similarly to those in the cave they had arrived in. Although calling what they were wearing "garments" was a generous term for ChouChou, who could not find the right words to describe it at the time.

They all wore cloths rolled around their heads, leaving only a small space for their eyes, and similar cloths around their waists. There were about thirty men in all, though they didn't take up the entire room. They were organized into rows of five, all performing the same movements: striking in the air, doing somersaults when jumping.

Right, left, jump and somersault. Then, one or two punches, followed by a resting fist next to the chest, and ended with a backflip. At certain moments, they performed static poses that were not clear to them. Some seemed more meditative, with movements so slow that they were barely noticeable to the naked eye.

The movements were precise and synchronized, like a choreography perfected over the years, building up the energy that the sun provided in their hearts. Even though one man seemed to lead the training, no one seemed to follow him; rather, they were all in perfect sync with each other.

"The power of the Chakra is immeasurable." The old woman declared, bringing everyone back to reality. 

The warm atmosphere around them faded as the woman approached from behind Boruto, who turned to look at her. Although the difference in height between the two was minimal, their imposing presence did not go unnoticed.

"Unfortunately, that power has been denied to you." The old woman continued, explaining her reason for taking them to the Base. "But here you can understand a little of the power that this world hides."

"Power?" Boruto asked, frowning slightly. 

Their question did not go unnoticed by the old woman, who urged them to move forward with a wave of her hand.

"It is not the same level that they reached with effort." The old woman continued. "But it will be of great help to have some wisdom. That way, they will be able to understand a little more about the world they are in."

The old woman's words were still an enigma to the children. They looked at each other, wondering what exactly that "power" she was referring to meant, and why they shouldn't use their own Chakra. Confusion enveloped them as the sounds of the men faded as they made their way through the stone and dirt corridors.

Finally, Hoki mustered up the courage to pose the question that everyone had in mind. Although they knew that the answer had already been given, they felt that the old lady's way of responding was like reading a poem in a foreign language.

Not only was it difficult for them to understand, but it had a unique and beautiful context that even the residents of the old lady's home country might not fully understand.

"Time is always very misunderstood." The old woman began, as if she were setting a daily example to the children. However, he didn't seem to notice the clearly confused expressions on their faces. "Haven't you experimented when you say 'I'll be there in five minutes', but in reality you take more time than planned?" He continued. "Whether it takes you longer or so, you'll still say it was five minutes. It's as if you're trying to manipulate time in a weak, non-destructive way."

"And what does that have to do with the Chakra?"

"Your very presence is trapped in your time. Even when you are sheltered in it, you suffer its consequences." The old woman explained. "Imagine that you have a chest in your hands, and inside you keep something precious. You close it with chains and throw it to the bottom of the sea. What do you think would happen?"

"Would it get wet?"

"What do you think would happen in the course of events?" The old woman corrected. 

"Course?" Hoki thought to himself. The looks of his companions encouraged him, since it depended on him to give a satisfactory answer to the old woman. "Well, first the inside of the chest would sink little by little, wouldn't it?"

"So, what do you think would happen?"

Hoki stared into space, the words flowing from his imagination. 

"If the chest is well protected, what it contains would stay safe. But... that would only be temporary."

"Hm?" The woman's mischievous little moan was received as an acceptance. Therefore, as he had implied, he was going to provide a clearer answer, which reassured his friends. "Your Chakra is fine... For now. They may feel a choking sensation if they spend it all. Be smart and use other methods. Your Chakra will not resist it and will be exhausted. And if that happens..."

An awkward silence lasted for a few seconds, with only the sound of his footsteps on the pebbles breaking it. The woman clutched the staff in her hand, showing her discomfort.

"Well, it's better not to find out." He finally said, his gaze wandering to the dark faces of the children, noticing the state of their clothes with a prick in his chest. His hearing lasted before he decided to continue. "I assure you that as soon as Mirai returns from the inspection, it will be much easier for you to attend to her needs without using the Chakra."

"Hai." The brown-haired man nodded. "I appreciate your answer."

She didn't need to respond to accept the thanks.

On the long way, the old woman ignored the insistent gaze that followed her. It was a very special look, the meaning of which he understood perfectly. He could feel it penetrate the back of his neck like the tip of a sharp weapon.

"It's not your time yet." She reminded herself in silence, keeping her discretion so as not to let her emotions reflect on her face. "Let her discover her own path. Then you can do the same with yours."