Konoha. A once prideful village, now doused in flames and debris. The buildings that used to stand in these lands now lay ruined, the entire village destroyed. There were no houses left, no transport and no signs of life in this once beautiful place. On the Hokage Faces, a few hundred metres away from the destroyed village, laid a woman. She wore a white sleeved buttoned shirt, with a deep V positioned where her collarbone is. She had small, white shorts on with a black belt keeping them in place. Over her outfit she had a black sleeveless coat on, which was split down the middle, showing the front of her shirt. The back was split into two below her waist, reaching up to her knees. On her back laid the Uchiha symbol, with a black sash and tool pocket below it. A pair of red glasses adorned her face, clashing with her black hair an onyx eyes. Her outfit was ruined, her shorts ripped and coat tattered, but what stood out the most was the slowly growing red patch in her stomach. Beside her laid a white cloak, with red flames marking the edges. There were characters written on the coat, all in red coloring, saying '9th Hokage'.
Beside her, kneeling down next to her head was a man. He wore a white undershirt and a black jacket with red markings over it. He has a black belt, short black pants and a cloak draped over his shoulder. A sword was strapped to the back of his waist, making sure that it didn't collide with the woman in front of him. His clear, blue eyes are filled with tears, a scar adorning his right eye. His long, blond hair drapes over his face, covering a headband with a slashed leaf on it.
"Sarada..." The man said, his voice threatening to crack anytime. The woman in his arms looked at him and smiled.
"Boruto... looks like this is it, huh?" Sarada addressed Boruto, her voice filled with sadness.
"N-no Sarada! Don't say that!" Boruto shouted, the first tear leaving his eyes. "I need you here with me! W-who else am i meant to talk to when i'm bored! Who else is going to be my partner in battle, Sarada! You can't just leave me like this! You...you can't..." Tears are streaming down the man's face, his whole body shaking as his sobs grew louder. He felt a hand on his cheek, and looked down to see Sarada still smiling, her eyes filled with nothing but love for the man with her.
"Boruto," Sarada whispered, her voice slowly leaving her, "I-i know i have no regrets in this life. I became a great kunoichi, I saved world at least twice, and I achieved my dream of being Hokage. I lived a great life Boruto." Her face is now streaming with tears, her smile still on her face. "I met lots of new friends, made lots of enemies, and did so much with my life. I am happy, Boruto. So... you should be too." Boruto's eyes widen, his mind comprehending what was just said to him. After a few seconds, his face breaks into a watery smile, tears streaming down his face at an even faster rate.
"I-i am happy, Sarada. It's just... I would be even happier if you were here with me..." Boruto said, his eyes locked onto hers. The two stare at each other, knowing that it would be that last time they shared a moment like this. Sarada raises her hand and places it on his cheek, a wide smile on her face.
"And I will be with you, even if I die." She whispered, her hands trembling as they fall. Before they could hit the ground, they were caught by Boruto's hand, the two unconsciously wrapping around each other. "But, there was something I was never able to do in my life..." Sarada looks away, her face adorning a slight blush. A hand finds its way onto her chin, turning her head so that it was looking back at Boruto. They make eye contact, his hand squeezing hers tightly. Suddenly, Boruto leans in and kisses Sarada, pouring all his emotions into it. Sarada returned it gratefully, the two interlocked in a passionate kiss. After a moment, they separated, looking into each others eyes once more.
"I love you, Sarada..." Boruto says, leaning his forehead onto hers. She smiles, tears streaming down her face. Slowly, her eyes start to flutter, and Boruto's grip on her hand tightens.
"I-i love you too... Boruto..." Sarada whispered, her final breath leaving her as she finally closes her eyes. Boruto quickly embraces her, his head buried in her shoulders as he rocks her back and forth. He cried for half an hour, his anguish too great to ignore. Suddenly, he stood up, his eyes blank and empty. He stared at the ruined village, his mouth in a firm line. Memories came rushing back to him. Memories of his childhood, schooling and life in Konoha. The memories he made as a teammate and as a rouge shinobi. A single tear threatens to fall from his eyes, soon being wiped off by the man.
Just as he was about to leave, he was interrupted by a hooded man landing next to him. Boruto stares at the man, his hand slowly making his way to his sword.
"What if i told you I could help you stop this from happening?" Bortuo froze. Quickly, he pulled out his sword and leveled it at the man, his eyes darkening a shade.
"Look, I don't know who you are, but if you want to joke around like that, especially at a time like this, then you're running to your own death." Boruto said, a snarl threatening to escape from his lips. The man raises his arms, making sure that he seemed harmless to the shinobi.
"Settle down, Boruto Uzumaki. I am no threat." The man said, his voice firm. Boruto slowly lowered his sword but didn't sheath it; he wasn't sure if this man was telling the truth. "I'll ask again, what if I told you I could help you stop this from happening?" Boruto stared at the man. He wasn't sure what he was trying to do, but he'll play along until he's figured out what he wanted.
"I would call you crazy and run off." Boruto answered, his gaze falling back to the village.
"Then why are you still here?" The man asked, his voice tinged with amusement. Boruto kept quiet, unable to answer.
'Why am I still here?' Boruto thought, his mind filled with questions, but no answers. 'Is it because I don't know where to go? Or maybe I don't know what to do now? Or maybe...'
"Because, even if you're talking crazy, if there's a small chance that I could stop this..." Boruto trailed off, his silence finishing his sentence for him.
"I'm not talking crazy, Boruto. Here, catch." Boruto looked towards the figure just in time to catch a scroll, it's pages shining brightly.
"I'm sorry."
The hooded figure quickly made a hand sign, his hood falling off slightly. Looking into his hood, he could see the makings of a smile, one that seemed apologetic. Before Boruto could react, he felt the scroll open and drop from his hand. A bright flash blinded him, rendering him useless.
"FORBIDDEN SHADOW TECHNIQUE: TIME REWIND!"
Boruto felt himself being pulled into something, and soon realized that he was being pull towards a portal that appeared above the scroll. During this process, a sequence of seals popped into his mind, each one ingraining itself into his brain. With these seals came a thought, one that definitely wasn't his.
"I'm sending you back, Boruto. I hope you can use this curse well..." A voice said, the mere sadness in his voice striking a chord in Boruto. Before he could respond, he felt himself losing consciousness. Panicking, he thrashed about, his body moving sluggishly. Realizing that resistance was futile, he let himself go, closing his eyes and thinking one last thought.
"Sarada..."
Boruto jolted upright on his bed, his eyes wide and frantic. Looking around, his mouth slowly opened at what he saw. Brown walls, a multitude of posters, wooden floors and a white computer? There was no doubt, Boruto was home. His childhood home.
"W-wow... I really was sent back...' Boruto thought, thinking of why the masked man would've sent him back. And a curse?
'What did mean by curse...'
Suddenly, a thought hit him. Eyes widening, he hopped of his bed and ran out of his room, nearly ripping the door of it's hinges. Running towards the bathroom, he was relived to see that it was empty. Making his way inside, he ran towards the mirror and was shocked at what he say. No longer was there a man, a war shinobi that experienced many battles, defeats and deaths. No longer was there a man with a scar on his right eye, a cloak on his shoulders and a sword at his waist. Instead, there was a boy. A boy with shining blond hair, clear blue eyes and a very wide smile. A genin.
"Boruto! Come down and eat breakfast! Your father is here too!" Boruto nearly broke down at the voice of his own mother. She was killed near the start of the invasion, assassinated in front of him. Running down the stairs, a single tear dropped from his eye and hit the floor. Sliding the door to the kitchen open, Boruto's eyes widen when he saw his entire family, alive and well. Before anyone could say anything, Boruto ran to his father, pouncing on him and wrapping his arms around him in a massive hug. Naurto, who was reading the newspaper beforehand, looked down at his son. He noticed that his body was shaking slightly, and that he could feel wet patches forming on his shirt.
"Boruto, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, his eyes filled with worry. Suddenly, Boruto's let out a massive sob, the sound echoing throughout the house. Smiling warmly, Naruto wraps an arm around his son and pulls him in tightly, rubbing his shoulder when he started shaking even more. Hinata, who was busy setting up the table, saw the interaction and soon joined the hug, her arms wrapping around Naruto and Boruto. Their son hugged Naruto even tighter, the wetness becoming more prominent. Himawari, Boruto's younger sister, squealed and rushed into the hug, squeezing in between her parents and hugging Boruto directly.
At this very moment, Boruto realized that what this man gave him was a blessing, not a curse. His family was alive, the village was still intact, his friends still here and most importantly...
'Sarada is still alive...' Boruto smiled into his fathers chest, the mere thought of saving the girl he loved filling his heart with joy. Now, Boruto knew that this blessing must have a price, but for now he wouldn't think about it. For a war shinobi has been reunited with the people he was fighting for, and now...
He would never let them die again, because after all;
'I've been given another chance... haven't I?'