One goal. One purpose. One mission. All they needed was to hook him on the prospects of their desire and the rest would go swimmingly. Or so they thought.

Using the cover of the shadows, the author spied into the window of the local burger shop from across the street. The dim glow of a laptop screen illuminated their face as they typed a line of text into a word document. Immediately, their appearance shifted to that of a Konoha local that seemed neither feminine nor masculine.

It wasn't their plan to involve themselves in the story, but rather, to watch and record as the mission they gave to the Hokage's son unfolded. The less details everyone else knew, the better.

According to the plotline of the anime, Boruto and his friends were in Kaminari Burger having a conversation. In approximately 4 minutes the episode would end, and Cho-Cho would enter. The plan needed to be enacted before her entrance, or the author would have to exit the world and start from scratch all over again.

Looking as casual as an introvert could, they entered into the restaurant and purchased a meal, sitting down at a nearby table to wait for the moment of truth.

"When are we going to go on an S-rank mission?" Boruto complained to his teammates.

"S-rank is reserved for Jonin. We won't be taking on something like that anytime soon. Especially not with someone who would use scientific ninja tools to cheat during the Chunin exams on our team. We're lucky they're still giving us missions at all," sighed Sarada. "How did I get lumped together with someone so irresponsible?"

Immediately pouting, Boruto retorted back a half-sarcastic, "sorry."

"Boruto," began Mitsuki, "let's do our best in the next Chunin exam. Then we can climb our way to Jonin status and take on s-rank missions."

"That's more like it! Now, to try the new limited-edition burger!"

The author glanced up as Boruto happily dug into the newest trend: the sweets burger. Almost immediately after swallowing, he stuck his tongue out.

"Sweet! But… actually pretty good!"

"Hmm," Sarada mused, "maybe I'll go buy one."

Mitsuki smiled. "How unlike you, Sarada."

"Hm?"

"You always make fun of Boruto for wanting to try every single burger here. Maybe you're starting to enjoy them after all?"

"I-I am not!" Sarada insisted, pushing up her glasses. "Besides, I like sweets anyways. Although, combining it with a burger does sound kind of repulsive… Maybe I won't try it..."

"Everyone should understand the amazingness of Kaminari Burger's limited-edition burgers," replied Boruto. With an aura of confidence about him, he stood to his feet and smiled. "If you like sweets, you'll like this, trust me!"

"Well, I did tell Cho-Cho I was going to the sweets shop with her tomorrow…" Sarada glumly rested her cheek on her fist. "I don't know if I have enough money left to afford both."

"Then I'll buy you one and make you admit that it's delicious," Boruto declared.

The author watched as he climbed out of the booth and headed towards the counter, leaving behind an unamused Sarada. Three minutes remaining.

"You two get along well, don't you?"

"That again," Sarada mused, slumping her head into her hand. "I don't understand what you see in that idiot, Mitsuki."

"Boruto has some surprisingly good points." Mitsuki smiled.

Sarada just rolled her eyes and averted her gaze.

"One limited-edition sweets burger," said Boruto proudly as he placed the tray in front of Sarada and took his seat next to Mitsuki. "Enjoy. You'd better eat the whole thing since I paid for it," he added with a sly smile.

Sarada narrowed her eyes. "If it's gross, I'm throwing it away."

"Come on, a deal is a deal!"

"I don't recall making a deal with you. You just went and bought this of your own free will."

"Oi, Mitsuki! Tell her she has to eat it."

"If she doesn't like it, why don't you eat it Boruto," said Mitsuki as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"But it has her germs on it!"

"You could cut off the part she bit off of," he replied, holding up a plastic knife.

"…Fair point. Now hurry up and try it and be amazed!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Sarada took a bite of the burger. Her eyes widened. They began to sparkle. "Sweet! But this is actually really good!"

Boruto smiled. "See? I told you. And now I've used up all my mission earnings… Hey Mitsuki, any word from Konohamaru on missions?"

"Not that I know of… Things have seemed rather slow lately."

Boruto sighed. "More low paying d-rank missions… Ah, I'm so tired of this."

The author decided it was now or never. Getting up from their spot at the table, they threw their trash away and headed towards the group. "You."

Boruto blinked up at the figure, taken slightly aback.

"You are shinobi, correct?"

"W-What if we are?"

"Come with me." The author turned and began to walk away.

Boruto stood up, facing their back. "Why should we follow you?"

"You wanted to take on an S-rank mission, did you not?"

Boruto's eyes began to sparkle. "S-rank… Finally!"

"Boruto, wait!" Sarada's hand came down like lightning on his shoulder.

"What?"

"We should only be taking missions from the mission board with the approval of Konohamaru-sensei. This isn't something you can decide on your own. S-class quests involve fighting high level threats."

The author stopped, turning towards the team once more. "This mission involves a higher level of secrecy than can be trusted to the woman running the mission board, but it isn't difficult to carry out. No fighting will be involved, and you don't have to leave the town."

Sarada narrowed her eyes. "How do we know it isn't a trap?"

"If you doubt my words, you don't have to take it. As for me, I have a request that must be fulfilled by your team. Why would I lead you into a trap?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

The author sighed. "You possess something unique to the Uchiha clan known as the sharingan, do you not?"

Sarada backed up. "How did you…"

"If you'd like, I'll take these two and brief them on the mission in an open area of your choosing. You can stand back and watch the area with your sharingan. If you still don't trust me, bring that friend of yours that can sense chakra, Inojin, to come along as well. But time is of the essence."

"If I remember right, Ino-shika-cho are out on a day mission right now… I don't know when they'll be back. Sarada, it wouldn't hurt to hear… I'm sorry, who are you?"

"If my identity could be made known so easily, I would not have to ask this request of you."

"And yet you came to an open place like Kaminari Burger to ask us," prodded Mitsuki.

The author lowered their head. "Fear not. I have already disguised my face."

Mitsuki eyed Boruto who only shrugged back. "Seems suspicious, but if Sarada's watching, it should be fine. The least we can do is hear them out. Come on, Mitsuki."

"Wait, Boruto!" Sarada put her hand on his shoulder. "This is still too dangerous. I don't approve."

"Then you don't have to come. We get to pick the location, right?"

"Yes."

"Hold on just a—"

"Sarada, let's use the training grounds behind your house."

"But—"

"Very well."

Boruto turned around, his hands casually folded behind his head. "Don't worry," he whispered, "Sasuke-san is home right now, isn't he? If anything happens, we'll be able to hold whatever it is off until he gets there."

Sarada sighed. "Fine. But just because we go doesn't mean we accept. And we're only there to hear them out!"

The author nodded and allowed Boruto and Mitsuki to lead the way to the training grounds. Sarada trailed behind, a look of discomfort on her face. After a short while, the author took out their laptop and began to write.

"Hm? Isn't that the same device Denki has?"

Boruto turned around and eyed the device in the author's hands. "You're right. What are you using that for?"

"It's to record the events of this mission," replied the author, typing a few lines of text into an open word document.

"Hmmm… Sounds like hard work."

A snake slithered out of the collar of Mitsuki's kimono to spy on the author from the front. The author just smiled and waved at the snake.

"By the way," said Boruto, "Sarada's dad is crazy strong. He's also my master. He'll be nearby when you explain, so if you do try anything funny, you're as good as dead."

The author sighed. "Still untrusting as ever, I see."

"You can't blame us," replied Mitsuki, "you haven't given us any reason to trust you."

"I can't argue with that," they replied, eyelids growing heavy as they walked. Typing a line of text into the laptop, they ridded themselves of the need to sleep and eat. Being inside a story was certainly convenient.

Long at last, a little clearing came into view. The author eyed Sarada's position from a tree. From that distance, she won't be able to hear… Good.

"So, what is this S-class mission?"

The author closed their laptop and held it behind their back. "It concerns the townspeople."

"The townspeople?" Mitsuki asked.

"Yes. They are all awaiting a certain something, some more so than the end of all evil."

Boruto flinched. "More than putting a stop to the Otsutsuki? More than their lives?"

"I never said they were living here."

"Then what's it got to do with us?"

"Not us," said the author, turning in Boruto's direction, "you."

Mitsuki stepped in front of Boruto, his eyes narrowed. "Explain."

"You are aware that Sasuke's rinnegan can open portals to different dimensions, yes?"

"How'd you already know about Sasuke-san?!"

The author sighed. "I am from another dimension, and I bring a message from my people that only you can fulfill. Some have been awaiting this moment for nearly eight years."

"Eight years?" Mitsuki asked. "Why haven't they acted already?"

"Because Boruto wasn't old enough yet," replied the author.

"So, what's the special mission?"

"The mission itself is quite simple," the author said, closing their laptop and holding it at their side. "Boruto, lend me your ear."

"…My ear?"

"It'd be better if you were the only one who knew what the mission was. It's yours to complete, and yours to accept."

"Then why did you call all of us out here?!"

"Because you would have trusted me even less if I called you out alone…"

Boruto eyed the author with suspicion. "Fine. I got it. Just tell me already," he said turning to the side. Mitsuki readied himself for battle as the author neared Boruto's ear and began to whisper the details of the mission.

A short sentence later, Boruto jerked backwards. "HUH?! I AM NOT DOING THAT! NO WAY!"

"Boruto!" A group of snakes came out from under Mitsuki's Kimono.

"Wait, Mitsuki…"

Mitsuki frowned. Boruto was hiding his face with his hair.

The author smiled. "Whether you chose to accept or not, I will not be returning home until the mission is completed. Which means, you can decline, but I'll be following you. Waiting. For the rest of my life." With that, the author took their laptop back out and began reading the writing on the screen.

"You're saying until I do that, you won't leave us alone? And people have been waiting for that since… Wait, since I was that young?! And how is this supposed to be an S-rank mission?!"

The author only continued to smile. "Because I am from another dimension, it would be bothersome if people like your father found out and tried to take me into custody. In fact, this whole world would essentially be ruined if I had to stop several people to achieve my goal… I am an all-powerful being, after all. It would start a war, my people versus yours. And this world would be obliterated. This mission is to be handled as though it were top secret. I trust you can complete it?"

Boruto's eyes narrowed. "You're joking. Sarada, go call Sasuke-san!"

"Hmm… I suppose I'll have to show you a bit of a demonstration." The author opened a separate word document and typed a few lines into their laptop. Moments later, Mitsuki disappeared.

"Mitsuki!" Boruto waved his hands around. "What did you do with Mitsuki?!"

"I just deleted him from existence." Of course, actually doing that would be a violation of the rules. They had merely put a soundproof black box around Mitsuki and made the box invisible to Boruto and Sarada. But they didn't need to know that.

"What do you… Give Mitsuki back!" Boruto threw a punch, but the moment his hand was within a foot of the device, it started to vaporize. He screamed, writhing in pain.

The author simply typed a few lines of text into their laptop, and within moments, Boruto's severed hand was fixed and Mitsuki stood in front of him.

Sarada looked on in horror. "It's the device," she said, throwing a kunai towards the laptop, but before it could reach, it vaporized. A few taps of the keyboard later, Sarada and Boruto was frozen.

"…Shadow paralysis jutsu...?" They struggled to move, but it was no use.

"I don't want to cause you any purposeful harm… In fact, I'd prefer to keep you alive." The author turned towards the struggling Sarada and Boruto. "I can heal you, and even revive you, if necessary. However… I would like to go home at some point. Boruto. Please give this mission some consideration."

"If you have so much power," began Mitsuki, "why did you coerce Boruto into accepting a mission from you? Couldn't you just force him to complete it?"

"My people have placed certain limitations on my existence. One of them being manipulating the emotions and thoughts of others."

"Hmm… I see…"

"I really do wish to interfere as little as possible. When and if Boruto decides to fulfill my request is entirely up to him… That being said, should I grow tired of waiting, I may try to hurry things along…"

"And how would you do that?"

"Well," said the author, typing away, "bringing s-class level threats into existence and starting a war are within my power. But a simple mission like this hardly worth such drastic measures. Instead, I might give you a rash, make a frog jump into your drink, put bugs in your food, turn the weather rainy… small things here and there as a reminder that I'm still waiting."

"Hmmm… Sounds rather unpleasant," replied Mitsuki, connecting his kimono sleeves. "And? If Boruto does complete this quest, does he get something as a reward?"

"The reward for completing the quest is the erasure of my existence from your world… And the satisfaction of completing it." With that, the author turned away. "And Boruto," they called, typing a new line of text into their laptop, "If you get punched after completion of the mission, it doesn't count."

Boruto pointed a finger in the author's direction. "T-That's just playing dirty! Come back here so I can fight you!"

A small flower sprouted at Boruto's feet and laughed up at him. Boruto stomped on the flower, but before his foot could make contact, it was gone.

"Flaunting your power to do anything… Gah! Why me?!"

Sarada put both hands on Boruto's shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. "Boruto."

He looked up at her, his face a mixture of embarrassment, anger, and confusion.

"What was the mission? I need you to tell me."

Cheeks pinkening, Boruto knocked her hands away, turning to the side to stalk off. "I'm not doing it. I refuse! Especially not… What kind of s-class mission is this?! The s-class mission to kill me?"

Mitsuki laughed. A snake slithered off of Boruto's shoulder and into his Kimono.

"Mitsuki…" Boruto watched as the tail of the snake disappeared into his sleeve. "Did you overhear…"

Mitsuki simply stood arm's length away, a smile on his innocent face. "Boruto, I think you should complete the mission. After all, all you have to do is—"

"Hold it right there Mitsuki." Boruto put his hands up palms out, his bangs shielding his eyes from the view of his onlookers. "Not another word."

Sarada put her hands on her hips. "What on earth is going on with you two?"

"Forget the mission. I'm going home."

"You're just going to let an s-class level threat walk away?! I don't want bugs in my food!" Sarada yelled after him.

"If I have an unlimited amount of time to complete it, I'm going to drag it out as long as possible. There's no reason for me to complete it like this," he whined, running his hands through his hair.

"You'd better complete it before that thing brings the apocalypse onto our village."

"I think we should give it a name," said Mitsuki with a smile.

"Mitsuki! You're not helping!"

"How about Hebi? It surprisingly reminds me of my parent."

"Hmm," Sarada mused, "that's not bad. It kind of reminds me of a snake, in a way. Ah, more importantly! Boruto! Tell me what the mission was!"

Boruto ran away. "I can't, ok? You heard that creep say that I wasn't allowed to tell anyone."

"Then why does Mitsuki get to know?"

"MITSUKI!" Boruto yelled, dashing back to where Mitsuki was. "Don't even think about telling her."

With a nod, Mitsuki looked towards Sarada. "Sorry. That's how it is. I have a feeling if I opened my mouth to tell you, my tongue might get vaporized. Don't worry, you'll find out what the mission is when Boruto completes it."

Sarada's hand reached up to rest on her chin. "So it involves me?"

"Don't think about it anymore," said Boruto, running up to Mitsuki and dragging him off. "I'm not doing it. Come on Mitsuki, we're going home!"

From the shadows, the author smirked. I expected him to rebel, but not quite to this extent. If he has no intention of completing it tomorrow either, I may have to pressure him… After all, I only have a week before the anime starts up and he loses his memory.