A/N: Okay I lied. I said I wouldn't update this because of exams. But I just had to. The first week's gone by and I'll be honest, I'm feeling pretty exhausted from all the studying and revision. Hence why I decided to take a break by engaging in some fanfiction :P
Things are starting to converge now and I hope you all will enjoy this chapter!
When Shikadai's eyelids fluttered open, he discovered he was in the midst of a room in a spa village near the Land of Grass. He had been lying on the tatami floor, unconscious. The faint earthy smell of bamboo wafted through the air, ever so slightly. It was strangely calming.
"You're finally awake," came Sakura's gentle voice as she handed him a cup of hot green tea. "I've been waiting for a long time – Mitsuki has gone to buy more supplies. He'll be back soon."
Shikadai was slightly dazed: "What happened?"
"You were knocked out by the Hyuuga and Sarada…" The woman bit her lip as she uttered the name; her eyes shut and she took a deep breath. "Sarada tried to buy time for you and Mitsuki to escape. She was captured by the Hyuuga police subunit."
Shikadai's heart fell.
"I… I'm…" He couldn't spit it out. He couldn't say 'I'm sorry.' Words deserted him.
He had failed.
"It's okay," Sakura answered as if she were reading his mind. "Casualties happen on missions like this – I don't blame you at all. You also encountered one of the most dangerous police units in Konoha. You all fought bravely and did the best you could."
"What – what do we do now?" He couldn't help ask. "We've failed to gather any form of intelligence on the situation and whereabouts of Boruto. Our teammate was captured. We are getting nowhere in terms of, well, resisting!"
"All is not lost yet," Sakura explained calmly. "We have already assembled a full taskforce to retrieve Sarada – we know where she is."
"How?" Shikadai's brows furrowed as he questioned quizzically.
"We've got a tracker on her."
Boruto's stomach fluttered as he headed over towards the Department of Torture and Interrogation. He had passed by Takashi and Ayame chatting happily and chose to ignore them. He had passed by a taciturn chuunin who tried to saddle him with another errand; he simply brandished Sasuke's letter and the man shirked back in discomfort.
He had no time to waste in this world anymore.
He made his way across Konoha's labyrinthine array of buildings, circumventing the conventional long path with short cuts only a well-versed Konoha insider would know. No one else tried to halt him or question him.
He frowned as he caught a glimpse of two jonin's beating up a vaguely intellectual middle-aged man in one of the narrow alleys, possibly one of those political dissidents. The man's face was bloodied and bruised purple. He begged the jonin to stop.
Boruto did not stop and continued, accelerating his pace by channelling more chakra into his legs. The worse this world is, the more the need for him to get his friends back to where they belong.
Sarada's eyes flew open.
She realised she was in a cell, with only the dank and stifling air as her companion. She could not see the other inmates. They were all isolated from each other well. Deciding to use her Sharingan for confirmation on that matter, she winced in pain as some intricate complication abruptly shut down the chakra pathways to her eyes.
Hanabi Hyuuga's chakra-blocking.
No.
This was not the shutting down of chakra pathways – it was something active, something proactively resisting the activation of her dojutsu.
A seal.
She was covered in seals. Seals engraved on her arms, her legs, her torso, her forehead and near her eyes too.
She needed to figure out how to undo them.
Boruto approached the guards outside the Department of Torture and Interrogation, pulling out the Hokage's letter of permission in response to their sceptical expressions. They immediately nodded deferentially.
Boruto nodded back and entered the complex.
Its interiors were grey and clinical. A large desk was situated at the centre of the first room. A bald man with dark sunglasses sat there writing, writing and writing. Death notes, notes about prison conditions, notes about prisoners' weaknesses, notes about the torture and interrogation scedules.
"Excuse me?" Boruto approached him.
The man looked up, his emotions obscured by the black glasses.
"Yes?" he uttered quietly.
"I… I'm here to retrieve my friend. Here's a letter of authorization from the Hokage," Boruto said as he handed the man the parchment.
When Mitsuki returned, he saw Sakura and Shikadai engrossed in a conversation about the affairs of Sunagakure.
Apparently, Temari, Shikadai's mother, is based in Sunagakure and is currently helping the demonstrators against food shortages, clandestinely deflecting the worst forms of violence directed at them and doing her best to offer them whatever aid – food, water or otherwise – she could muster. Her brother, who runs a Hi no Ishi base in the sands of the Land of Wind, often helps her.
Shikadai was noticeably worried about her life and well-being; Mitsuki had to remind himself of the differences between this world and his world
"Hi guys," he interrupted somewhat awkwardly, "I brought some food stocks and toiletries."
"I've also got some dango," he added.
"Come join us," beckoned Sakura. "We were just talking about the situation in Sunagakure."
"I see," Mitsuki smiled at the two.
"But more importantly, Mitsuki, I want you to know that we already have a taskforce that's gone to retrieve Sarada. It's got some of our best," Sakura said, aiming to project a reassuring tone.
"That's good to know," Mitsuki nodded. "I… I want to go too. I can help save Sarada."
"That won't be needed," Sakura rebuffed. "Right now, what you need to do is simply rest and prepare yourself for what is too come." She sighed before resuming, "These days, I almost feel the children in this world share a burden comparable to the adults – this time, just leave things to us. We'll make everything right."
"Sarada!" A voice called in the dark.
Boruto.
It had to be him.
"Is that you, Boruto?" Sarada whispered.
"Yes and I've come to get you out of here!"
She could hear the sound of keys rattling as he drew near her cell.
"How-"
"There's no time to explain things. We've got to be quick," he cut her short.
"But I can't use my chakra – I'm covered in seals!" She protested.
"Doesn't matter. We'll get help later," he explained. "I've got the keys."
As clinking sounds of locks and keys echoed through the room, Sarada braced herself for an escape.
This won't be easy, she told herself. They were, after all, in one of the most secure buildings on the Continent.
"And… we're done!" Boruto declared triumphantly. "Come on Sarada, take my hand."
He helped her get up and (very kindly) offered her to lean on him after sensing her fatigue.
"... Thanks, Boruto," she remarked gratefully.
"No problem! We're all in this together, right?"
She nodded and, realising the hindered visibility of it all in the dark, said, "Of course."
Kakashi and his team were nearing the Department of Torture and Interrogation.
It was not as if this would be Kakashi's first time there. Indeed, back when he was still an elite jonin from Konoha, back when he was the sensei of Team 7 and before the Revolution, he would visit his friends Ibiki and Anko there.
It was still the same location, but the building has changed. It was fortified, enlarged, stripped of what little humanity is possessed by cold, grey metal walls, labyrinthine dungeons and emotionless men in suits and sunglasses. Granted, interrogation and torture complexes were not meant to be welcoming place, but this one had indubitably undergone a transformation for the worse. It was the embodiment of this regime's twisted ideals. The ideals of Kakashi's former student.
The man looked at the distance ahead and suppressed all the thoughts brewing within him.
It felt too easy, from Sarada's perspective.
They were supposedly breaking out of the Continent's most protected buildings, but they encountered no resistance. There was no way the fortifications and internal security were this sloppy.
Something felt wrong.
They bypassed empty hallways, tiptoed across cells of other prisoners, and evaded a room filled with guards (evidently on a break) by taking a detour through the extremely constricted ventilation system.
Whenever she tried inquiring Boruto about the state of the place, he would whisper urgently the need to for them to be quiet.
Boruto would never admit it, but he would have felt a certain queasiness if he ever had to reveal Sasuke's permission note in front of Sarada. She would not have looked upon him favourably if she found out the real reason why their 'escape' was such an easy affair. Being the person she is, she might also have accused him of colluding with the Hokage.
But of course I'm not, Boruto reminded himself internally. I'm just trying to be pragmatic and get what I want so I can fix this mess and take us all back to where we belong.
They were approaching the exit. It was getting late and the sun had already set. Yet there was still a dim, dying ray of light – possibly moonlight - emanating from outside.
"We made it!" Sarada cheered, throwing her arms into the air in relief.
"Yes, we did!" Boruto beamed at her. "Now, do you know anywhere we can go for a rest? Anywhere that's secure from this regime?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," Sarada said. "Sayuri's bookstore."
"What? You mean the girl we scared a few days ago?" He asked with a befuddled expression.
"Exactly. The girl we scared a few days ago. I'll explain things when we're there," Sarada answered. "I… I'm sceptical as to whether any information we share on the way there won't be picked up by spies working for this regime."
"Alright Sarada, you lead the way!"
Sarada and Boruto were intercepted by Kakashi's team just outside of Konoha's suburbs, where the foliage began to thin.
"Kakashi!" Sarada gasped as she recognised the man under a mask. "Kakashi, what are you doing here?!"
"Sarada! Is that you?" The man was consumed by shock. "How- how did you-"
"Boruto helped me," Sarada gestured towards the boy. "He technically rescued me from the Department of Torture and Interrogation."
"But- It's one of the most secure complexes on this continent," Kakashi remarked, suspicion rising within him. He chose to bury it temporarily and noted, "You're covered in chakra suppressing seals. We'll take you to a base and you're staying there until we undo it."
"That would be great," Sarada said gratefully. "I am finding my inability to utilise chakra rather irritating."
The man chuckled, "Wouldn't we all?"
He then added, "Boruto, you look… just the same as your father did when he was your age. The resemblance is uncanny."
Boruto didn't really know what to say except scratch his head and grin.
"Anyways, we better get going!" Kakashi resumed with a warm smile beneath his mask – the gentle glow came from his eyes. "We don't have much time to waste before they try to recapture you guys."
They were at an inn in the Land of Grass. It was situated in a tourist village filled with cosy hot springs and people of all sorts.
It was apparently a Hi no Ishi base, ran by an elderly couple sympathetic to the cause. But it was also a pretty renowned tourist site, one of those inns that perennially showed up on magazine recommendation lists. They were hiding in plain site.
"Boruto! Is that you?" Mitsuki exclaimed in astonishment.
"Yup! The one and only!" Boruto grinned, walking up to Mitsuki and hugging him. "Mitsuki… we're going home."
"What?" Mitsuki asked, not entirely sure what Boruto meant.
Boruto took out the forbidden scroll with a wink.
Mitsuki's eyes bulged: "Where did you get that?"
"Long story," Boruto shrugged. For some reason, he didn't feel comfortable recounting the episode where Sasuke Uchiha basically barged into his room and handed him the scroll after an excruciating conversation.
"You're not going to tell me?" Mitsuki sensed something was amiss.
"I'll tell both you and Sarada once she's done with all the seal removal," Boruto quickly made something up. "There's no point in repeating myself."
"Really Boruto?" Mitsuki remarked sceptically. "Please don't try and hide something from me."
You're a terrible liar, Sasuke's voice rang inside Boruto's mind.
"Alright, I took it from the Hokage's office okay?" Boruto began to explain. "I devised this super elaborate plan where I auditioned for a job as an errand boy and, well, when the moment was opportune, I got the scroll!"
Not exactly lying. No. He was just obscuring some of the detail.
"Sounds pretty interesting," Mitsuki nodded.
"Interesting? Come on Mitsuki! I deserve better!" Boruto said while beaming.
"Well, the job's done!" Mitsuki agreed. "All we have to do is wait for Sara- no. Boruto, there's something I have to tell you. They don't want us gone."
"Yeah, I know."
"You do? How?"
Crap. Boruto had misspoken.
"I sort of guessed that," he simply stated. "Not sure why. Just a premonition that they want us to stay."
"Okay," Mitsuki shrugged and continued. "The thing is, we're their last hope."
"What?" Boruto was confused.
"The Grand Toad Sage had this prophecy that said three genin – presumably from an alternate dimension – would have the chance to doom or save this world," Mitsuki described what he remembered from his conversation with Konohamaru, this Konohamaru
It made sense now, Sasuke's desire for him to be gone. A missing piece of information completed one of the strangest mysteries Boruto encountered in this world.
Boruto wasn't so sure about how to feel. His resolve to leave this world was faltering – though only slightly.
No, no, no. He wasn't going to come this far and change his plans.
No, he needed to do something.
But then again, what was there for him to do? The prophecy only mentioned he would either doom or save this world. It never said how. What chance did a small genin like him (and Sarada and Mitsuki) stand against a regime that had dominated this world for almost two decades?
"… I see. What are-"
He stopped when he saw Sakura, Kakashi and Shikadai enter the room with Sarada, who was now free of seals and glad of it.
"Hi everyone, I'm Boruto. Boruto Uzumaki."
That was all he could muster.
A/N: And how did you all feel about this chapter? :D
Share your thoughts with me in the reviews! They're a nice reward for all the time taken to write this :P
What do you think will happen?
Question: What's your favourite part of this story so far?