BORUTO ALTER: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS

-EPILOGUE-

THE EARTH.

Herds of animals.

the crackling of a fire.

Stars shined above, granting the simple clansmen a miniscule of light.

There was naught here, not much.

Nothing but..swaying old trees, tall in their resplendence. Ancient guards of an age, somehow, older than they.

As the clansmen tumbled through the dark, it became evident they were carrying something.

it was a child.

The clansmen were of dark hair, wearing tightly bound topknots. All of them, both men and women, carried weapons.

They continued in hurried, hushed silence.

Soon, the group broke from the belt of vast trees. A hill sprouted before them. A light came from it-

Some of the clansmen dared to smile then. From their expressions, you could tell hope had not seen them for some time.

The foremost of the tribe, the one carrying the child, grunted as they came to the crest of the hill.

The light was nearly blinding then.

As the childbearer strode into the light, some of the clan halted in their brave march up the hill, now fearful of the alien sight before them.

"Ninurta.."

A voice from within the light echoed.

The child was gently placed before the grace of a force that rivaled the sun and all around it.

However..

The childbearer frowned as the light began to fade away. From it..

The one that bore white hair, tinged with slight blue hues. His skin pale, color matching that of the missing moon.

Six magatama symbols lined the forgone deity's neck, and its body itself was adorned in robes of simple design but fine make.

The being approached the child carefully, kneeling before it.

The being opened a roaring palm.

Within it, an orb of lethal and wicked energy sprouted. It swirled and cackled, belching out into the air as hissing strikes of lighting.

The tribe knew this engery-

Nadi. The strange gift given to them by this very same figure, tale of old.

The life force that gave them powers beyond that of flesh.

Now..

despite the power's preachings, its warnings..

something felt wrong. The childbearer, the leader of the clan, hesitated-

Then bolted to take back her precious cargo.

Perfection's demeanour instantly viled-

A wave of air puslated from the white haired one- throwing the woman backwards with such harsh force she instantly broke her neck upon hitting the hilly ground.

The child wept-

Some of the clan began fleeing in terror.

"Do you not know what's at stake? I'm trying to save your wretched kind!" The being spat-

the clan continued in their retreat- down to the last.

In silence, the child's wails continued. The nighttime air wrestled against those ancient trees, creating a hiss that accompaned the Demon's kind voice.

"Eat.. Ninurta. This is a joyful fruit.. one that blooms only once a lifetime. One that comes at the cost of everything. Eat Ninurta, and free those of your creation from this cycle."

BLACKNESS.

Wind howled. Boruto squinted as blonde hair sped past a scarred eye. His vision was a blur- but Himawari's body was just ahead- crumpled- wounded-

Above!

Senses twanged. Boruto gathered chakra into the soles of his feet-

The ground below exploded into a cackling spread of onyx ink, devouring all matter it came across. The ink faded away like ash in the wind, leaving behind gaping holes and crevices in the places it missed.

Boruto landed upon a jutting stone, shifting his weight as he shouldered his sister, simultaneously raising a gleaming sword. A black cape billowed behind him, weeping over the ruins of Konoha.

He released Himawari, her eyes shooting open in awareness. She landed beside him, crouching while chakra began flaring around her shoulders.

"Isshiki..." Hima snarled.

Her eyes tensed, veins bulging. Blonde hair parted across her forehead, revealing two Byakugan that glared ahead with raw, white anger.

The young shinobi tapped a pinky against the pommel of his sword. In seconds, a stream of electricity sprouted along the blade's edge.

Laughter- laughter once so familiar to him filled the air.

"Twins of the Cursed Eye.. finally getting serious, are you?"

A snap of light-

Isshiki rose from nothing. Wasting no time, it stabbed its hand for Boruto's torso.

Boruto sidestepped the attack, expanding a web of lightning around him in lethal defense.

His attacker vanished-

"Ningi-Mo-Mikoto!"

Boruto followed the sound of Isshiki's stolen voice. The figure was now in the air, but his jutsu spread about Boruto's feet.

Thousands of hands sprung from the earth, some of them groping for Boruto's legs while others held shining mirrors.

Boruto contorted his free hand into a jutsu sign.

"Hima!"

Himawari nodded- she stopped moving, closing her eyes as the hands covered her.

Boruto emptied his mind. He saw nothing.

Then- he saw his father.

Isshiki slapped its hands together as it descended in the air.

Boruto watched Isshiki's pale fingers weave against each other-

The fingers around Boruto's legs tightened their grip- he was immobile.

A clap and hoo' of thunder darkened the sky.

Chakra- vile, overbearing- bellowed in the air. From the heavens, a snake of electricity shot towards the earth. It then split into six parts- each one finding one of the mirrors scattered amongst the field of writhing hands.

The spears of light reflected off of the mirrors with a twang, each one hurtling for Boruto as his foe fell from above.

"...Jōgan.."

Sound creased.

Isshiki stopped as lightning crashed into now empty space. It landed amongst its hands, turning about as the limbs melted back into a waiting body.

Isshiki paused...

Within midair, reality opened.

Isshiki's mind froze in surprise.

THE girl? ho-

"RASEN...!" Himawari bellowed- her fist was cloaked in red, swirling chakra. She flew through the air, Holding her wrist with her left hand as she pumped more and more chakra into her right.

Too fast, Isshiki thought. It attempted to-

"...KEN!" Himawari finished.

Her fist connected with Isshiki's jaw, sending it flying backwards. Pain flew throughout its receptors as the creature was sent crashing through stone.

Blood poured from Isshiki's borrowed mouth. Its body convulsed as it tried to rise to shaky feet.

The destructive power of the Rasengan used in conjunction with the Byakugan..

Isshiki smiled, vomiting blood.

Surely these two are worthy of the Divine Tree!

To the figure's right, another pocket dimension opened. This one bit sparks of lighting that danced across ruined stone. From it, Isshiki could see Boruto's silhouette as he marched forward, Jōgan gleaming.

"Get up, Isshiki." Boruto flourished his blade.

Isshiki smiled.

"So unlike your fa-"

Boruto was upon Isshiki in seconds. He swung his sword in a downwards arc. Isshiki ducked, vanishing into thin air.

Boruto's Jōgan screamed- His visual prowess altered him to Isshiki's movement-

Boruto dropped his sword, clapping bruised hands together.

"Uzumaki Fuinjutsu:...Samadhi.."

Two massive ethereal oni heads crashed from underneath the stone. With mouths agape, tendrils of chains erupted from between the specter's pointed teeth.

The chains swirled in a vortex of whipping metal, until finally they tightened around Isshiki's wriggling body.

Now- Boruto thought. Hima sped ahead of him- leaping in the air.

"RASENKEN!" She roared, fist glowing with lethal chakra.

No-

Boruto whipped one of his chains around Himawari's ankle. He swung her backwards, flipping her through the air.

Isshiki's body began to glow. One arm broke free of the chains- then another.

Then, another.

Boruto felt the chakra of his jutsu- it was being absorbed by Isshiki. He dispelled the chains, glaring into the smoke as Himawari stood beside him.

Himawari grinned, blonde hair flecked with blood and grime. Her teeth were sharpened. One of her eyes bore the Byakugan, while the other was red, with a single black slit down the middle.

Boruto called his sword back to a waiting palm, Jōgan glowing.

"He's coming." He warned.

The smoke parted, revealing Isshiki's new form.

Four curling horns, like that of a ram, sprouted from the front and sides of its head. Black and segmented tattoos lined eyes and lips, while its pupils glowed bright yellow.

The chakra that rose from Isshiki.. it was..

Boruto glanced over to Himawari. She felt it too.

Kawaki.

Boruto activated Kāma. Tattoos suddenly spread across the right side of his body- geometric in shape, pointed and dangerous. As they settled across his skin, the markings turned a bright blue.

Beside Boruto, Himawari's chakra was ablaze in anger. Three tails had formed themselves from the cloak that wavered around her body, red chakra visible to Boruto's Jōgan.

Isshiki laughed, its voice an unholy combination of memories and pain.

"Come, children of Fate!"

Boruto's gaze darkened.