Chapter 9-A Debriefing

-To anyone who might be reading this-

Sorry an update took so long. I took a break over the holidays, but will be updating not-so-regularly again.

I don't have a set update schedule, it just happens when a chapter is ready, but I try to keep it roughly between a few days to two weeks.

I hope anyone who reads this enjoys it, and please, please, please leave a review. I feel my writing is still in it's early stages and needs a lot of feedback, so please, if you read this, leave a review. Thank you!

"But I'm not your son." "You're Naruto's son, and I could damn well claim you were my son if I wanted to."

Boruto and Sarada were taking long, deep breaths to calm themselves down. Crying or getting angry would not help right now.

After about five minutes, the young blonde and raven had collected themselves once more, and the sight of their determined faces reminded Sasuke of back when he and Naruto were young. They had faced countless challenges during their time in Team 7, and they had faced each and every one with the same expressions determined expressions on their faces.

Fighting Zabuza and Haku, fighting Orochimaru, fighting Gaara, and even fighting each other, they were always determined to win.

Now, watching his daughter and Boruto, Sasuke couldn't help but feel proud.

"Alright. So, there isn't really a plan we can form right now. But keep a lookout for any gaps, anything we could possibly use. If you see any openings, any chances, take them. Got it?"

Looking conflicted, Sarada nodded. Boruto, though, frowned at him. "What if only one of us were to find an opening, and wasn't able to get to the other one?" Sighing, Sasuke looked at the young blonde directly in the eye.

"You and Sarada must always stick together. I mean always. Do not let anyone separate you. And if the two of you find an opening you can use to escape, use it. Promise me that if you have to choose between staying with me and escaping then escape. Alright?"

When he didn't reply, Sasuke gazed sternly at Boruto. "Understand? Sarada and you are our top priority. We can't risk losing you, no matter what. You're the next generation."

Sarada, seeing Boruto was still arguing with himself, steeled herself and blinked at her father.

"Understood." As much as she hated to agree with him, she knew he was only saying this out of worry and concern for them.

"B-but..." In a much gentler voice, she spoke to him. "Boruto, you trust my papa, right? He's thought this through; just because we escape doesn't mean they'll kill him. The Kindra need leverage against Konoha, they would only tighten security on him. Killing him would have no purpose. Of course, this is assuming we even get out, ne?"

Smiling, Sarada grasped Boruto's hands. "Don't worry. We can do this. We will all make it out of here," she added with a pointed glare at Sasuke, who smiled awkwardly.

"Y-yeah..."

Going back to the grey packages, Sasuke tore Boruto's open, folding the sides inwards, collapsing the roof. Eyes narrowed, he tried pushing chakra through his fingers, only to hiss in pain as the Celestial Prison began to glow and burn.

"Sasuke!" Almost collapsing from the pain, Sasuke barely managed to withstand it long enough to knead the required chakra through Boruto's box, resulting in said box glowing.

However, Sasuke was knocked out cold by the Celestial Prison, and Sarada only just managed to catch him, lying him gently on the floor. She noted that his clothes were half burnt, and there were strange glowing, red marks crossing over his chest.

What is that? It seems to be responding to his chakra...

Meanwhile, Boruto was glancing quizzically at the glowing box, as it was floating midair.

"Sarada, what's going on?" Almost immediately after he said those words, the bright light emitted from the grey packaged dimmed, and it settled on the floor.

A small, black and red opal was left lying on the floor, sitting inside the box, with a small gemstone embedded in the middle, an endless ocean of blue that reminded Boruto of his father's eyes. Flipping the stone over, he saw the bottom was lined with a yellowish-blonde.

"Hey, Sarada, come look at this!" Walking over, Sarada eyed the small stone, wary of what it could be.

Why would papa risk being hurt for this? It's just a pebble...

Picking it up, she rolled it around her palm, until a small engraving on the side caught her eye.

Chakra Link

"Boruto, do you think...?" Showing him the engraved words, his eyes widened. "I've seen a similar opal with my old man, except it was a sandy yellow, with a red gemstone in the center... He was putting it in a small box. Do you think the two are linked?"

"It says chakra link... Maybe it responds to their chakra? But papa is asleep..." She narrowed her eyes. "But we have very similar chakra to them... Maybe it'll work?" Boruto nodded. "It's worth a shot. Be careful though, the seal will react of you slip too much chakra through it."

When raised her eyebrow at him, he coughed slightly. "I-I tried while you were asleep..."

She shook her head.

Boruto can be such an idiot...

Slowly, carefully, she channeled a minimal amount of chakra into the stone, and kept a steady flow until the watery blue gem began to glow once more. Setting it on the floor, Sarada watched as it began to glow brighter, until it dimmed down to a warm, damp glow. However, there was a crack in the stone.

Boruto came closer at sat down in front of it, prompting her to copy the movement, vaguely noting that the shackle wrapped around her ankle was beginning to ache.

However, the two were distracted as an image flickered to life above the small opal, and a familiar face squinted at them.

"Boruto... Sarada... Is that you?!" Boruto's eyes widened, and he felt so relieved in that moment.

"Tou-san!"