Boruto the Akatsuki: In search of power 28

In the previous chapter: Momoshiki faced the Kages, displaying his immense power. Even though Naruto and Sasuke fought with all their might, they managed to put him in a vulnerable position. However, due to a mistake by Katasuke, Momoshiki recovered and, with his absorbed techniques, managed to defeat the Kages.

Just when all seemed lost, Boruto appeared from above, launching a devastating attack that ended up defeating Momoshiki. After the intense battle, Boruto, exhausted from the fight, returned to his lair in the abandoned factory to recover in his incubator.

In Konoha, everything was in chaos after the attack of the Otsutsuki clan. The damage in the village was considerable, especially in the stadium, where the Chunin exam had been held. The genin of the new generation were hard at work, helping with the repairs under the supervision of Shikamaru, who coordinated the work with the other shinobi of Konoha. The Chunin exam had been officially cancelled due to the sudden appearance of these beings, but it was announced that the five Kages had managed to solve the incident.

Even though the village was beginning to regain its tranquility, in the Hokage's office, Naruto had more work than ever. His desk was covered in towers of papers, and as he looked through each document, one constant thought distracted him: "Boruto, where are you? It's been a few days since the battle against Momoshiki... I hope you return soon."

Sighing, Naruto turned his attention back to the endless paperwork.

Elsewhere in Konoha, inside the abandoned factory, a beeping sound echoed throughout the space, coming from the incubator. The sound ceased and the liquid filling the inside of the tube began to drain away, freeing Boruto. With slow movements, Boruto grabbed onto the edge of the incubator to help himself out. When his foot touched the ground, his body was still dripping with the viscous fluid.

With heavy steps, he made his way to the stone throne in the center of the factory. As he walked, he made a seal with one hand and took out a scroll. He quickly unfolded it and, with a simple gesture, extracted dry clothes from within. When he reached the throne, he dressed himself completely and let out a sigh of relief as he sat down.

Afterwards, as was his custom, he ate some food to replenish his energy. He ate in silence. Once he was done, he washed his hands in a small water tap nearby and, after making sure everything was in order, he sat back down on his throne. Boruto closed his eyes, allowing himself a brief moment of tranquility in his lonely lair.

Boruto slowly opened his eyes, looking at his right hand. He turned his palm over to examine it more closely. Seeing a mark in the center, he muttered to himself:

—What is this? I have a strange feeling… I didn't have this before. And those words Momoshiki said… they leave me with a bad feeling. How annoying.

Concentrating, Boruto began to examine the mark on his hand more closely. An idea crossed his mind, so he activated his Doujutsu. Immediately, his vision changed. Everything around him became a fragmented landscape of rocks, floating in the air, with red and white hues everywhere.

—This place… —Boruto mused while floating in the air— is where Momoshiki told me those words.

Suddenly, a deep voice echoed behind him:

—Human, you've returned to this place. You've got guts.

Boruto was alarmed as he recognized the voice. His body reacted on instinct; he emitted rays of chakra that ran through his entire being, quickly moving away from the point of origin of the voice as he turned around to face it.

—Momoshhiki... How are you still alive? —Boruto asked, surprised.

Momoshiki, with his usual appearance, but with broken horns and loose hair, observed him calmly. He fixed his gaze on Boruto's right eye and, after a few seconds of silence, he spoke:

—I see… that makes sense. You possess the Jougan.

Boruto was alarmed to hear this. He quickly covered his right eye with his hand, thinking to himself, "How does he know about this eye? What's going on? So… this Doujutsu is called Jougan."

Momoshhiki, with his authoritative voice, asked:

—Tell me, human, what do you want in this place?

Boruto uncovered his right eye, keeping the Jougan activated, and replied firmly:

—That's what I ask: What are you doing on my body, Momoshiki? What is that mark on the palm of my hand?

Both of them floated in the void. Momoshiki looked around as the rocks began to clump and merge behind him. Within seconds, a stone throne formed, and Momoshiki sat on it, leaning his elbow on the armrest and resting his cheek on his hand, looking relaxed.

"That mark on your hand is karma, imposed by me," he explained calmly.

Boruto watched him for a moment, then looked at the rocks floating around him. Just like with Momoshhiki, the rocks gathered behind him, fusing together to form another stone throne. Noticing this, Momoshhiki half-opened his eyes in mild surprise, thinking, "So he already has some control over the Jougan."

Boruto sat on the throne, placing his ankle on his knee, and looked at his hand again.

—So it's called karma… What does it mean exactly? —he asked, his tone serious.

Momoshhiki smiled eerily before replying:

—Karma is a backup. When the process is complete and karma finishes imprinting itself on your being, I will take control of your body and be reborn.

Boruto's eyes widened, and then he frowned, with an expression of suppressed anger:

—So… you'll take my body?

Momoshhiki stopped smiling, his expression turned serious, almost furious, as he spoke in a sharp tone:

—That would be possible… if you didn't have the Jougan.

Boruto stopped frowning, and with a more inquisitive look, he replied:

—So the Jougan won't allow you to be reborn in my body. Tell me, Momoshiki, why are you telling me this? What do you want from me? Because, seeing how your personality is, I can tell that you hate humans.

Momoshhiki let out a cold laugh and spoke:

—You're right, you are smarter than you look. Not bad… for a lesser being. But yes, I need something from you. Although I wonder if you'll be able to fulfill it.

Boruto relaxed on his throne, closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again, speaking calmly:

—So you need a new vessel, is that it? That's what I can gather. When you first appeared here, you seemed confused, but then your attitude changed completely.

Momoshhiki smiled with dark satisfaction, and replied:

—Hahaha, you are very perceptive. I expected nothing less from the being that was capable of killing me.

Boruto looked at him seriously, but then he smiled a sly smile and said:

—And what could you offer me, Momoshiki? What can you give me to help you with your new body?

Momoshiki looked at him with stern eyes, stood up from his seat, and extended his hand towards Boruto. In an instant, the surrounding rocks swirled at high speed, surrounding Boruto and sealing him within a large stone sphere. From the outside, Momoshiki spoke with contempt:

—You, inferior being… I'm not asking you for a favor. You'll just do it. You have no choice.

Inside the seal, Boruto clenched his fists and activated the Jougan at full blast. An invisible force began to emanate from him, expanding the rocks that held him prisoner. He stretched his hand out in front of him, and in an instant, the rocks scattered all over the place, breaking the seal.

Boruto, with determination in his gaze, replied:

—If you want to fight, I'll gladly do so, Momoshiki.

Momoshiki glared at him, his face distorted with rage, and exclaimed:

—Disgusting human! You dare to challenge a god?

Boruto looked at him seriously, undaunted. He calmly replied:

—We can fix this the easy way or the hard way.

Despite Momoshiki's angry glares, Boruto lowered his arm and put his hands in his pockets, adopting a relaxed posture.

"I want information, Momoshiki," he said firmly. "I want to know about the Jougan, karma, and also about the Otsutsuki clan."

Momoshiki looked at him with contempt, his eyes shining with anger.

—You dare to ask for information about my clan? Damn you!

Boruto, without letting himself be carried away by the tension, answered:

—I don't want to fight, just talk. I have an idea of how to give you a new vessel.

The fury on Momoshiki's face faded slightly. He stopped scowling and sat back down on his throne, eyeing Boruto warily.

—Why would I make a deal with you? What assures me that you won't kill me before I get my new vessel?

Boruto sighed and, sitting on his own throne, calmly replied:

—I'll tell you this, Momoshiki: I'm a man of my word. Whatever I promise, I'll keep. But only if the other person is willing to do the same as me.

Raising his arm, as if making an oath, Boruto added:

—I promise not to betray you and to give you a new vessel. In return, I will receive your help. When you are fully reborn in your new vessel, our deal will end.

Momoshiki watched him closely, his distrustful expression still present.

"Human, your promise is meaningless," he said. "Do you think I will trust you just because of your words?"

Boruto looked into his eyes, his expression full of sincerity.

—Think what you want, but I always keep my promises, even if it means death. When I mean something, I do it. This time I mean it, do you understand?

Momoshiki looked at him for a few seconds, assessing the situation. Finally, he relaxed and raised his arm, making a gesture similar to Boruto's, like a promise.

"Fine," he said. "I, Momoshiki, promise not to betray you and to help you by giving you the information you desire. In return, I will receive a new vessel, and when I am fully reborn, our deal will be off."

They both stared at each other, sealing their pact in that place outside of time.

Boruto stood up from his throne, floating in the void, and determinedly approached Momoshiki. With a confident smile, he extended his fist towards him.

"Let's fist bump," he said firmly.

Momoshiki stared at him in disbelief, his expression a mix of surprise and disdain. For a moment, he hesitated, but eventually did the same, raising his fist and clashing it with Boruto's. The contact was brief, but they both stared into each other's eyes. Neither of them uttered a word, but the tension in the air was palpable.

After the gesture, Boruto floated back to his throne, sat down calmly, and spoke seriously:

—So, what will you tell me?

Momoshiki glanced at him briefly before speaking, his signature tone filled with superiority:

—I'll tell you about the Jougan and nothing else, until you show me about the container.

Boruto nodded, standing his ground.

—Don't worry. I'll tell you about the container after you tell me what you know about the Jougan.

Momoshiki, satisfied with the answer, leaned back on his throne. He rested his cheek on his fist, while his elbow rested lazily on the stone armrest. With his other hand, he pointed at Boruto's right eye, which was still glowing with the Jougan activated, and spoke with a certain air of mystery and laziness.

—That eye... I've only known three beings to possess it, and now you're the fourth.

Boruto, shocked by that revelation, widened his eyes in disbelief. What did that mean? Before he could fully process it, Momoshiki continued speaking, lazily lowering his arm.

—The Jougan is rare, even among the Otsutsuki. In theory, there are five Jougan eyes, including yours.

Boruto remained silent, eager for more information. Momoshhiki continued:

—The only ones in my clan who possess the Jougan are the God Otsutsuki, his right guardian and his left guardian. They are the only beings with that power.

Boruto opened his eyes in surprise and spoke:

—Guardians? God Otsutsuki? What are you saying?

Momoshhiki, with a serious look, replied:

—I don't plan on telling you anything about my clan, at least not yet. I'll just tell you about the Jougan.

Boruto sighed in resignation and nodded. Momoshiki continued speaking:

—The way to obtain the Jougan varies. For each being, the conditions are different.

Stunned, Boruto asked:

—Different conditions?

Momoshiki calmly stated:

—That's right. Conditions. Although there is only one known condition: the concentration of Otsutsuki power.

Boruto nodded, intrigued:

—So, that's the first one. And what are the others?

Momoshhiki, in a carefree tone, replied:

—I don't know about the other conditions, or perhaps they don't exist. For each being, the conditions for awakening the Jougan are different.

Boruto processed his words and then asked:

—So where does the Jougan come from? What are its abilities?

Lazily, Momoshiki replied:

—The Jougan first appeared in the primordial being of the universe, the first Otsutsuki, the Jougan was known as "The Pure Eye". It is also called "The First Eye of God", "The Primordial Eye". It has several names, but in essence, that is what it is. As for its abilities, they are relatively simple: it shares some with the Byakugan.

Momoshhiki paused and added:

—Since you were born from the blood of the humans of this planet, I assume you possess abilities that could be compared to the right eye of the being with the Rinnegan.

Boruto replied:

—Sasuke Uchiha's eye, the Sharingan.

Momoshiki spoke:

—So they call it Sharingan, a degraded version of the Rinnegan, but useful.

Boruto nodded, and Momoshiki continued:

—He also has the abilities of the Rinnegan.

Boruto stood up from his seat in surprise and shouted:

-That?!

Momoshhiki looked at him lazily and tiredly.

—You continue to surprise yourself.

Boruto sat back down and said:

—How could I not? It's a very powerful eye.

Momoshiki replied:

—Let me finish explaining so you understand. There's no point in me being surprised.

Boruto nodded, and Momoshiki continued speaking:

—The Jougan, in addition to having the abilities of the Byakugan, the Sharingan, as you call it, and the Rinnegan, has two more surprising aspects: it turns you into a god over two elemental laws.

Boruto couldn't say anything at Momoshiki's words. He continued:

—From what I've seen, your Jougan is akin to the law of lightning. Also, when you launched that slash attack, I noticed that it was the law of space.

"Become a god? I don't understand," Boruto said.

Momoshiki replied:

—Since you don't have enough chakra to push that eye to the maximum, you don't feel that way. But, if you get a powerful chakra, you'll be able to do anything related to those elements, being a god of lightning and a god of the void or space.

Boruto was amazed by the Doujutsu he possessed and could not articulate a word. Momoshiki continued speaking:

—In addition, the Jougan has another ability called control or dominance.

Boruto looked at him seriously and spoke:

—Control or dominance, what exactly is that?

Momoshhiki smiled slightly before answering:

—What did you feel when you moved the stones in this place?

Boruto frowned, thinking about what had happened.

"I didn't feel anything, just... that I could do it," he answered, still somewhat bewildered.

Momoshiki looked at Boruto with a piercing gaze as he continued:

—That's control or dominion. It allows you to control other people's things as if they were your own. For example, this place is my creation, and in theory, only I can manage it. However, you were able to modify it as you wish. Do you understand now?

Boruto nodded slowly, processing the explanation.

"So, if this eye is so strong," he began, a tone of doubt in his voice, "what is its weakness?"

Momoshhiki let out a soft laugh, a cunning smile appearing on his face.

—In theory, it has no weaknesses. It all depends on how powerful the user is, how much chakra they are able to channel — Momoshiki replied, a cold glint in his eyes.

Boruto stared at him and after a few seconds of silence, he asked the following question:

—So, if it has no weaknesses... why don't you try to take my eye?

Momoshiki narrowed his eyes, smiling even wider as he tilted his head to the side, as if enjoying the mystery he was about to reveal.

"That eye of yours has a conscience," he replied calmly, but with a hint of amusement in his tone.

Boruto opened his eyes wide, surprise clearly visible on his face.

"Consciousness? What are you saying?" Boruto asked in disbelief.

Momoshiki let out a low laugh, as if he found Boruto's ignorance amusing.

"You see," he began to explain, "that eye doesn't have a strong consciousness, but it does have enough to know who it belongs to. This eye isn't tied to the physical body, but to the spiritual body. The Jougan can't be stolen. For example, if you were to take the Rinnegan from me and put it on yourself, you could use it. But with the Jougan, if someone tries to steal it, they'll get nothing but a stupid death. The Jougan will simply return to you, regenerating, and kill the thief from within, destroying their spirit."

Boruto sighed, overwhelmed by the amount of information he had received, but before he could say anything else, Momoshiki smiled wider.

—But... —he continued, with a dangerous glint in his eyes—, between Jougan users, things are different. In a fight, they can steal each other's abilities from the elemental laws.

Boruto stood up from his seat, clearly surprised.

"Stealing elemental law abilities… only between Jougan users?" he asked, incredulous.

Momoshhiki looked at him with interest, his expression becoming more serious as he listened to Boruto.

"That's right," Momoshiki said, nodding slowly, "skill-stealing between Jougan users. When you fight and die, the other Jougan user can absorb your elemental law abilities."

Boruto let out a sigh, tired of so much revealing information. After a brief silence, he decided to continue.

"You told me that in your clan, three beings possess the Jougan," Boruto said, crossing his arms. "What elemental law abilities do they have?"

Momoshhiki looked at him seriously, his face adopting a colder expression.

"I told you I wouldn't tell you anything about my clan's data..." Momoshiki replied, his tone sharp. "At least not until you show me something of value about the one who will be my new vessel."

Boruto sighed again, but remained calm.

"I understand," he replied, resigned. "With the information you've already given me, that's enough for now. I'll tell you how to get that new vessel."

Momoshiki, with an eyebrow raised, gave a small smile, eager to hear what Boruto had planned.

"You know, I'll tell you something else," Momoshiki said. "For a person to be my vessel, they must have enough power to withstand my presence."

Boruto nodded, thinking silently for a moment.

"That doesn't change anything," he finally replied, with renewed confidence.

Momoshhiki looked at him curiously, as Boruto continued to explain.

—On this planet —Boruto began—, there are individuals with special abilities inherited through blood, known as kekkei genkai.

Momoshiki frowned.

"Spatial abilities inherited by blood... Interesting," he murmured, nodding slightly.

Boruto looked at him with determination.

—On this planet —Boruto continued—, there is a being with a unique ability: the ability to adapt to anything, no matter how extreme. You could say that his kekkei genkai allows him to adapt his body.

Momoshhiki looked at him with a crooked smile.

—So we have to hunt down that person who will be my vessel, huh?

Boruto smiled calmly, showing confidence in his gaze.

"There is no need," he replied. "That person is already under my control. He is my subordinate."

Momoshiki's smile widened, showing a flash of interest.

—So, it's ready now, hahaha!

But Boruto shook his head, keeping his calm.

"I can't give it to you," he said firmly. "It's useful to me, so I won't allow it."

Momoshhiki frowned, his face hardening as a spark of fury ignited in his eyes.

—Are you planning to break the deal, Human? What are you planning?

Boruto, unfazed, replied:

—Don't worry. I have a plan... or rather, two.

Momoshiki's expression changed to curiosity.

"I'm listening," he said with interest.

Boruto began to explain himself.

—My subordinate is a clone that I improved and modified to make him stronger.

"A clone?" Momoshiki asked, intrigued.

—That's right —Boruto continued—. A clone is a being that is physically identical to the original, but different in other aspects, such as age or personality.

Momoshiki nodded, understanding.

"You see," Boruto continued, "there are several clones of my subordinate. But I don't think any of them would work. The ideal would be to clone my original subordinate and improve him from scratch, thus creating a perfect vessel that can withstand your power."

Momoshiki pondered for a moment before speaking.

—Why don't we use the clones already created and improve them?

Boruto shook his head, clearly disagreeing.

—Those existing clones are imperfect, they have flaws. The subordinate I improved was a fusion of the best parts of several clones, making it more durable. Creating a new one, from scratch, is the best option to ensure that it can withstand your power.

Momoshiki nodded, understanding the logic behind the plan.

—I understand. Then we will do as you propose.

Boruto nodded in turn, although his tone became more cautious.

—However, creating that clone will take time. I hope you don't get impatient.

Momoshiki nodded in acceptance.

—I understand... but what about Karma? —Boruto asked.

Momoshhiki smiled enigmatically and replied:

—I'll give you that information when you're ready to use it. There's no point in revealing it to you now.

Boruto nodded, knowing that this conversation had come to an end. He deactivated his Jougan, exiting the shared mental space with Momoshhiki, and returned to the abandoned factory.

Once again on his stone throne, Boruto sighed tiredly, relaxing after an intense conversation.

After a short rest, Boruto slowly stood up from his stone throne, stretching with a carefree gesture as a smile formed on his face.

"It's time to go collect what they owe me," he muttered to himself.

Without wasting any time, Boruto disappeared in a flash.

He appeared at the entrance of the Hokage building, then. He looked at his hands briefly, and pulled out a new pair of gloves from a scroll he was carrying. He put them on calmly. Afterwards, he shoved his hands into his pockets, and began walking towards the Hokage's office.

Naruto was still looking through the documents when he heard a knock on the door. Without taking his eyes off the papers, he said:

-Forward.

The door slowly opened, and upon looking up, Naruto was shocked to see Boruto. He stood up from his chair immediately, his face showing a mix of relief and surprise.

—Boruto!

Boruto walked in calmly, his hands in his pants pockets. His eyes swept around the office, his expression cold and unconcerned.

"I see you're still doing the same job as always. Nothing has changed," he said in a casual tone.

Naruto, still somewhat surprised, smiled and scratched the back of his neck.

—Yes, you know how it is. Because of the accident I have more paperwork.

As Boruto approached the desk, Naruto sat back down, though his eyes never left his son.

"I'm glad you're okay, Boruto. Nothing happened to you," Naruto said, his tone genuine with relief.

Boruto sighed lightly, his expression still cold.

—I just did what had to be done, nothing more.

Naruto watched him for a moment and, smiling, spoke curiously.

—I'd like you to tell me what happened when you took us off the battlefield. I want to hear what your fight was like.

Boruto looked at him for a few seconds, without much interest, and then began to recount the fight against Momoshhiki and how he had defeated him.

Naruto listened attentively, and finally, he nodded in surprise.

—I didn't think you already had a summon... and a crow at that. You've really gotten strong, Boruto.

Boruto didn't respond, maintaining his indifferent attitude.

Naruto, noticing the silence, decided to change the subject and with a more serious tone asked:

—So, what have you come for, Boruto?

Boruto looked him straight in the eyes and, with a calm but firm voice, answered:

—I think you already know why I'm here.

Naruto sighed, understanding his son's words, and calmly replied:

—So that's it... Okay, I'll keep my promise to you.

Naruto stood up from his chair and seriously continued:

—I officially promote you to Konoha Special Jounin.

Boruto remained silent while Naruto sat down and continued talking,

—During the Chunin Exams, I asked Kakashi-sensei to tell you not to use the Hiraishin during combat. Do you know why I did that?

Boruto nodded slightly and spoke coldly.

—You wanted me to be fair to the other participants. If I had used the Hiraishin, they wouldn't have stood a chance.

Naruto smiled slightly and added:

—That's one of the reasons, but I also wanted to see what you were capable of without relying on the Hiraishin. Seeing you compete, I thought about allowing you to be a Chunin first and then a normal Jounin, before you became a Special Jounin.

Boruto opened his eyes slightly and, with a slightly surprised expression, commented:

—So you didn't plan to do what you said.

Naruto looked at him seriously, but his tone was soft as he replied:

—I know you would hate me for that, and I might not be able to control you. But you are my son, Boruto. I will do whatever it takes to protect you, just as I protect this village… which is also my family, just like you.

Boruto sighed, and calmly asked:

—So what made you change your mind?

Naruto, smiling, replied:

—You saved me and all the Kages from the other villages. And also... you defeated Momoshiki. Not to mention that in the Chunin exams they didn't show your true potential, since you were wearing weights and gravity seals.

Boruto nodded, processing the words, and then spoke coldly:

—So, that's the reason... I understand. But as you promised, I'll move like Sasuke Uchija does, since that was the deal.

Naruto nodded firmly and replied:

—That was the deal, and I intend to keep it. I hope you can protect Konoha from the outside and help us identify any threats that may endanger people.

Boruto smiled with an air of determination and said:

—I understand. From today on, I will be a Special Jounin, but I will operate from the shadows.

Naruto looked at him proudly and added:

—Take care, Boruto. And keep us informed if you discover anything out of the ordinary in the elemental nations.

Boruto, preparing to leave, nodded, but before he could, Naruto stopped him.

—Boruto, don't you want to say goodbye to your mother and sister? Your mother told me what happened. Maybe you should talk to her.

Boruto looked at him silently, with a sign of his hand he took out a scroll in a puff of smoke, then opened the scroll. And suddenly he hit a seal, from a puff of smoke a black cloak with a red interior and a hood appeared. He put it on, reaching his ankles, Boruto lowered the hood and spoke coldly.

—I don't need to say goodbye to them. But tell Mom that there's no problem between us, and that she shouldn't worry. Everything is fine.

Naruto sighed, knowing he wouldn't push it any further, and nodded.

—I'll tell him. And what do I tell your sister?

Boruto thought for a moment, and then, with a slight smile, said:

—Tell her that when she comes back I want to see the fruits of her training. That will make her happy.

Naruto nodded with a warm smile.

-I will do that.

Boruto, taking one last look at his father, said:

—See you, father.

And in a flash, he was gone. Naruto stared at the empty space where his son had been, and with a smile on his face, he muttered:

—Take care, Boruto.

Shikamaru slowly opened the door and, after a quick glance, commented:

—He's gone.

Naruto, still sitting, nodded and replied:

—Yes, he's already gone.

Shikamaru let out a slight sigh and added:

—You sure have it tough...

Naruto took one of the sheets of paper he had on his desk, looked at it for a moment, and after signing it, he turned back to his computer. He checked Boruto's status and updated his rank to "Special Jounin." He then extended the document towards Shikamaru, who walked over and took it from his hand.

"So you're a Special Jounin now..." Shikamaru commented, reading the paper with curiosity.

Naruto nodded and, with confidence in his voice, said:

—Boruto is strong. He should be able to survive out there.

Shikamaru watched him for a moment and then asked:

—So how did he defeat Momoshiki?

Naruto was about to answer when a familiar voice echoed from the door:

—I want to know too.

Naruto looked up, as did Shikamaru, and saw Sasuke standing in the doorway.

"Sasuke, come in," Naruto said, pointing at him with his hand. "I'll tell you what Boruto told me."

Sasuke entered the office and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the desk and Naruto began to narrate the details of the fight between Boruto and Momoshiki. When he finished, Shikamaru, with wide eyes, commented:

—So you have a summon of that level...

Sasuke, with his typical seriousness, added:

—Now it makes sense. That attack was executed by that summon. It makes sense.

Naruto nodded, confirming Sasuke's words.

Shikamaru changed the topic, worrying about the escaped Otsutsuki:

—What are we going to do with the other Otsutsuki who managed to escape?

Naruto frowned, his expression hardening.

"I doubt they'll leave us alone after all this," he replied.

Shikamaru crossed his arms thoughtfully and said:

—If their target was the chakra here, it won't be long before they attack us again.

Naruto sighed deeply and commented:

—The only thing we can do for now is investigate the Kaguya ruins.

Sasuke nodded, his gaze fixed on Naruto.

"I'm worried about the guy who got away," he said seriously.

—Gaara commented that he didn't show his full power —Shikamaru added.

Sasuke knew it, but he still replied:

—I know, but… what mission will you give Boruto? You could send him to find him. He also has a space-time jutsu.

Naruto shook his head immediately.

—Even though he defeated Momoshiki, that doesn't mean he can defeat another Otsutsuki.

Shikamaru agreed:

—It's as you say. We'd better send him on simpler missions, ones that only involve ninjas for now, and not Otsutsuki.

Sasuke nodded, understanding the logic, and then said:

—See you later, Naruto. It's time for me to go.

Sasuke started walking towards the door, ready to leave.

"Are you leaving already?" Naruto asked, surprised.

Without turning around, Sasuke replied:

—I'm the only one who can chase him at the moment.

Naruto tried to stop him.

—Why don't you stay a little longer? Sarada… and you…

Sasuke reached the door, opened it, and before leaving, glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Don't lecture me," he said in his characteristic tone, then left the room.

Naruto scratched the back of his neck with an awkward smile.

Shikamaru watched the scene and, turning to Naruto, commented:

—Changing the subject… The Chunin Exam was cancelled, but we already saw the abilities of the participants. There will be a meeting with the other villages to decide what we do about it.

Naruto sighed, unable to help but feel frustrated by the situation.

Shikamaru, adopting a thoughtful expression, added:

—We also need to decide what to do with Katasuke and the ninja tools. What he did during the confrontation with Momoshiki was dangerous.

Naruto remained silent, but Shikamaru smiled and, changing the subject, added:

—By the way, Killer B returned to the hidden cloud village.

Naruto, hearing this, couldn't help but smile with joy.

"Is old B okay? I'm glad," he said, leaning back in his seat, clearly relieved.

Glancing sideways at Shikamaru, Naruto suddenly leaned forward and commented in a low voice:

—Hey… I was thinking about taking a few days off.

Shikamaru looked at him curiously.

—And who says you can't?

Naruto smiled happily.

-Yeah!

But Shikamaru, pointing at the towers of papers on the desk, quickly stopped him:

—But let it be after finishing all this paperwork.

Naruto instantly became depressed, exaggerated tears welling up in his eyes.

"That's going to take forever!" he complained dejectedly.

Somewhere in the elemental nations, Boruto was advancing at an impressive speed, jumping between the trees while his black cape fluttered in the wind. His face reflected concentration, until a voice echoed in his mind.

"What are you planning to do, human?" Momoshiki asked in an arrogant tone.

Boruto stopped on a thick branch and frowned.

—Is that you, Momoshhiki? Can you speak through my mind now?

"Not only that. I can connect to your mindspace," Momoshiki replied. "In fact, I'm there right now."

"I understand," Boruto replied calmly, closing his eyes.

He immediately entered his mindspace, where he found himself in front of Momoshiki. They both stared at each other intensely, measuring their presence.

"What do you want, human?" Momoshiki asked, breaking the silence.

Boruto, somewhat disinterested, asked:

—Karasugan, are you there?

Momoshiki turned around, finding Karasugan watching him with his third eye flashing. Momoshiki narrowed his eyes, clearly surprised by his presence, but didn't say anything.

"Is that the being we defeated? What is it doing here?" Karasugan asked, his tone filled with distrust.

Boruto, without much interest, replied:

—It seems that he'll be staying in my body for a while, so you two better get along.

Momoshhiki slowly floated towards Karasugan, examining it curiously.

"This being… was the one who launched that energy attack," Momoshiki said, studying him closely.

"What do you want? Why are you looking at me like that?" Karasugan replied with annoyance.

Momoshiki, without answering, floated up to sit on Karasugan's head, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Be a good pet and stay still," he said mockingly.

Karasugan immediately burst into flames, forcing Momoshiki to jump up and hover in the air, clearly furious.

—Aren't you listening, you stupid creature?! —Momoshhiki exclaimed.

Karasugan, filled with anger, replied:

—You're the stupid one.

Momoshiki raised his arms towards Karasugan, revealing the Rinnegan in the palms of his hands.

"I'll teach you how to behave," he said with a mischievous smile.

But Karasugan was not intimidated. His third eye began to glow in deep shades of yellow and red.

"Go ahead, try it. I want to see what you can do," Karasugan said defiantly.

Boruto, with a twitch in his eyebrow in annoyance, shouted:

—Hey! Who gave you permission to fight in my mindspace?

—Don't worry, Boruto —Karasugan replied—. I'll finish quickly, you won't even notice.

"I say the same, stupid bird," Momoshhiki added, disdainfully.

Boruto sighed, bringing his hand to his forehead and closing his eyes for a moment. He then looked at both of them sternly.

"That's enough. Momoshiki, if you want a pet, I 'll get one for you in the future. And you, Karasugan, try to be more friendly. You two are going to share my mind space for a while, so get used to it," he said authoritatively, making it clear that he wouldn't tolerate any more conflicts between them.

Momoshhiki and Karasugan exchanged one last look of disdain before turning their attention back to Boruto. Momoshhiki, with a mischievous smile, spoke:

—I'll be waiting for that pet.

Boruto nodded slightly, accepting the comment without giving it much importance. Then, Momoshhiki spoke again:

—So, human, what do you plan to do?

Boruto closed his eyes briefly and stepped out of his mental space. When he opened them again, he was back in the forest. He adjusted his hood and began to nimbly jump between the trees.

"I plan to meet with my subordinate. He has information that will be useful to me," he said, more to himself than to the others.

Momoshhiki, with a hint of boredom in his voice, replied from Boruto's mind space:

—Why don't you use that space-time technique to get there faster?

Boruto, keeping his focus on the road, replied indifferently:

—No need. We'll meet at a beach. I'll let you know when I'm there.

Momoshiki let out a light sigh.

—You're a strange guy...

As he continued to advance through the dense foliage, Boruto raised his voice:

—There's something I want to ask you, Momoshiki.

"And what is it you want to know?" Momoshiki replied, in his usual lazy tone.

Boruto continued:

—It's about what you said before you died... you mentioned that I'll lose everything. What did you mean by that?

A long silence fell over the conversation. Boruto was still jumping between the branches when Momoshiki finally spoke seriously:

—I have a divine ability that allows me to see destiny.

Boruto's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"A divine ability? That allows you to see destiny?" Boruto repeated.

Momoshiki continued:

—I obtained that divine ability after consuming a chakra fruit.

—So eating chakra fruits grants you divine abilities... I understand —Boruto replied—. Then, what did you see in my destiny?

"I don't know exactly how it will happen," Momoshiki admitted, "but you will lose everything. You have been losing from the beginning, little by little."

Boruto stopped on a branch, processing what he had just heard.

"Have I been losing everything from the beginning?" he said, looking at the horizon. "Explain yourself."

Momoshhiki sighed and replied:

—In the future, everything will be taken away from you all at once. But in the past, the losses were slow, almost imperceptible. If I had to describe it, I would say that the past has stripped you little by little, while in the future you will lose everything suddenly.

Boruto fell silent, pondering for a few seconds.

—I see... I'll have to prepare for that —he muttered, before jumping back into the trees with renewed speed—. Anything else, Momoshiki?

Momoshhiki, intrigued by the question, replied:

—Well, in my vision I saw that you will be pursued by many humans. All of them had hatred on their faces, and that anger was caused by a wave that was spreading across the planet. That is what I saw.

Boruto, as he moved forward without stopping, coldly replied:

—I see. What you see are images from the future. But tell me, are those images inevitable? If it's only humans who are chasing me, it won't be a problem.

Momoshhiki smiled at Boruto's confidence.

—I don't dislike you, human.

Karasugan, who had been watching silently, interjected disdainfully, glancing at Momoshiki from the corner of his eye.

—You are an Otsutsuki, just like Kaguya.

Momoshiki looked at him with interest.

—Have you met Kaguya?

"Yes, I did meet her," Karasugan replied. "But it was only once. Back then, she was just a little crow."

Momoshhiki, now more serious, pressed him:

—What did you see?

Karasugan pondered for a moment before speaking.

—Not much. I only know that she faced her children and that she was sealed on the moon. But the strangest thing is that Kaguya loved this planet... and her personality had changed, or at least that's what I heard.

Momoshhiki was silent for a moment, pondering, while Boruto, who had been listening intently, spoke:

—Momoshhiki, Kaguya was released after her children sealed her.

The atmosphere instantly became tense. Momoshiki reacted with unexpected urgency:

—Where is he now?

Boruto, keeping up his pace as he jumped through the trees, replied:

—I'm not sure where it is exactly, but I know it was sealed again by my father and Sasuke in another dimension. That's what... —he paused for a moment, then continued—. But tell me, Momoshiki, it seems you're very interested in finding it.

Momoshiki let out a sigh, as if he was considering whether to share more information. Finally, he decided to speak:

—I'll tell you something about my clan, since you've shown me how to get a vessel.

Boruto, intrigued, just nodded in approval. Momoshiki continued:

—There are eleven families in our clan.

"Eleven families?" Boruto asked curiously.

Momoshhiki nodded, as if it were a common fact for him, and continued:

—I am the leader of the eleventh family... the Rabbit family.

Boruto's eyes widened, and in a surprised tone, he asked:

—Wait! Don't they call Kaguya "rabbit goddess"?

"That's right," Momoshiki confirmed, "Kaguya belongs to the same family."

As Boruto continued to jump through the trees, everything began to fit together in his mind.

"I understand," he murmured.

Momoshhiki resumed his story:

—Kaguya was the head of the family when she was in the Otsutsuki clan. I, on the other hand, was a prince back then.

Boruto, shocked by the new revelation, spoke quickly:

—Are you Kaguya's son!?

Momoshhiki looked at him with a mix of indifference and seriousness before answering:

—I am not Kaguya's son. In our clan, strength is what is respected, not blood. My father, who had royal blood, was defeated by Kaguya, one of our family. But that did not change my status. Kaguya ruled better than my father. The family prospered under her rule... until she disappeared.

Boruto kept jumping, but his thoughts were focused on what he heard. Momoshiki continued:

—When Kaguya disappeared, someone else took over the family. The family's power and prestige began to decline. Slowly, members died off. When I finally overthrew the family leader, it was too late. The family had practically disappeared. Only Kinshhiki and I remained... so I decided to find Kaguya in order to steal her power.

Boruto nodded with each word, focused on Momoshiki's story.

"But how did you find her?" Boruto asked, clearly intrigued.

Momoshhiki replied cautiously:

"We received..." But he suddenly stopped, aware that he was about to reveal too much. "I'm not going to say any more. I almost gave away too much."

Boruto clicked his tongue in frustration:

—Tsk !​

Boruto let out a sigh as he continued to make his way through the trees. With a nimble leap, he emerged from the forest and landed on the beach. The sound of the sea and the wind blowing his cloak gave him a sense of calm. He lowered his hood and let the sea air hit his face, remaining still for a moment, staring out at the horizon as the echo of the waves rang in his ears.

After a moment of thought, Boruto took out a three-pronged kunai. With a slight flow of chakra, the inscriptions on the Hiraishin began to glow brightly. In an instant, a figure appeared beside him, wrapped in a cloak and hiding his face behind a mask.

—Kuroshhi... It's been a while —Boruto said, in his usual nonchalant tone, without turning around completely.

Kuroshhi quickly knelt down, bowing his head in respect.

"Boruto-sama," he replied in a deep voice. "I'm sorry for not marking this place as you ordered me to. I should have left a kunai here, as you instructed."

Boruto put away the kunai as his eyes remained fixed on the horizon.

—And Moku? —he asked.

At that very moment, a vortex distorted the air, and from it emerged Moku, a small, peculiar white creature with a single, enormous eye flashing on its face. It was wrapped in a black cloak, and its body, covered in bandages, showed obvious signs of fatigue. With difficulty, Moku knelt before Boruto, panting between each word.

—Boruto-sama... Sorry... for the delay... —he said before starting to cough violently cough... cough... cough...

Boruto glanced at him, his tone cold and unforgiving:

—Why are you covered in bandages? What happened to you?

Before Moku could respond, Kuroshhi intervened, his voice low and filled with guilt.

—Boruto-sama, it was my carelessness. I did not protect my comrade properly, and as a result, he suffered these injuries.

Boruto shifted his gaze to Kuroshhi for a moment, his expression remaining unchanged.

-I understand.

Without another word, Boruto leapt into the water, landing easily on its surface. As he looked out at the vast ocean, he spoke without turning around:

—Tell me the details as we go.

Kuroshhi nodded silently. He walked over to Moku, picked him up, and carried him over his shoulder. Then, with an agile leap, he arrived at Boruto's side. Both of them began walking on the water, moving towards an unknown direction. The horizon blurred in the distance, while the sun at its highest point cast its bright reflection on the surface of the ocean.

Elsewhere, more specifically where Momoshiki's match took place, a figure sat, observing the state of the place with an intriguing smile. The sunlight filtered through the clouds, illuminating his face. It was Urashhiki, with his fishing rod resting on his shoulder.

With an amused tone, he began to talk to himself:

—Boruto Uzumaki... I see. That's why Toneri was so concerned about him. He could become a threat one day.

A mocking laugh escaped his lips.

"Should I deal with him now or leave it for later?" he asked himself, a mischievous smile appearing on his face. "But on the other hand, I should thank him for finishing off Momoshiki. Hahaha! Anyway, this is going to be interesting. Hahaha!"

As Urashhiki laughed, his eyes shone with dark enthusiasm.