BORUTO ALTER: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS

CHAPTER 2: CLASH! ADVANCE OF THE MISSING-NIN!

Konoha's main gate loomed above Boruto's head. The wind was blowing again, making his headband seem colder than it already was.

A dirt road stretched for miles and miles ahead- leading all who travel upon it from the relative safety of Konoha to a world growing more and more dangerous each passing day.

"Boruto,"

Konohamaru's voice broke Boruto's trance. He looked up to see Sensei standing beside Mitsuki and Sarada.

Mitsuki pounced upon Boruto, inches away from Boruto's face in unnatural seconds.

"Are you alright?" Mitsuki asked, staring ahead blankly.

Boruto pushed Mitsuki away as he joined his team.

"Yeah- sorry." Boruto said.

Konohmaru nodded.

"As the Hokage said, we're going to the Land of Rivers. According to the intel gathered, the rogue shinobi left Konoha undetected. However- "

Konohamaru's eyes passed over each member of his team.

"There were tracks found here, at the main gate, and at the southern gate. That means there may have been two groups, or it's meant to throw us off track. In any case, both tracks are in directions that could lead to the land of Rivers, amongst other villages."

"What if they're attempting to frame the land of Rivers? The cut made by the kunai. It could've been deliberate." Mitsuki said neutrally.

Konohamaru nodded in agreement.

"That was something we discussed. It's definitely a possibility- however, with the other circumstantial evidence.. it's the only lead we have for now." Konohamaru turned away from his team, facing the road.

"Team 11 is leaving from the southern gate. They'll take the southern paths to the Land of Rivers, we'll take the northern route. Then, we'll meet at Chofu village- equal distance from both paths, and some miles away from the border."

Sarada threw a fist into a waiting palm.

"All right!" Her dark eyes darted for Konohamaru.

"We shouldn't let Himawari and the others get ahead of us!" Sarada said as she pushed up her glasses.

As they started running down the path, Konohamaru spoke with his back turned towards his team, leading them through a forest that quickly swallowed them.

Rays of light from a setting sun painted his flak jacket in hues of bright warm tones.

"So, what we know is that these shinobi were able to enter the village undetected.. kill two jonin, and leave similarly hidden." Konohamaru spoke swiftly, his eyes taking in all of their surroundings.

"They were able to leave unnoticed, but left tracks at two gates." Mitsuki added.

As he ran beside Boruto, he smiled.

"What if they didn't leave on foot?" Mitsuki stated.

Sarada nodded, taking up space at Boruto's exposed flank as they sprinted.

"Mitsuki's onto something Sensei- What if they didn't go in either direction?" She said.

Konohamaru set his gaze sternly ahead.

"That's why Hanabi took the southern path. Both teams will circle the area- that way we can cover more ground. Regardless of how they're traveling.. there's no way they can be more than 100 miles away. Not unless they're the Hokage."

Konohamaru sped up, vigor in his voice.

"We'll get to the bottom of this. That's what we've trained for."

Sarada chuckled.

"Right!"

Boruto was silent as he moved. Sarada and Mitsuki brought up good points- something wasn't adding up. The rogue shinobi getting past the perimeter.. their murders. And now, the evidence they left behind.

Worry began to claw at Boruto's throat.

Is this mission.. doomed from the start?

HE STOOD EERILY STILL.

Tattered robes, black and dark brown, waved in the wind. Ahead, the sun was minutes from setting, painting the sky in beautiful shades of red and orange.

Silver hair traveled down his back, while sharp bangs dressed his high cheekbones. He had no eyes- instead, forever open pupils were drawn over empty sockets, staring ahead at nothing at all.

His mouth was a thin, barely discernible line against a sea of marble white skin.

His name was Han Sifu.

Han's ears twitched as his senses alerted him to footsteps coming from behind.

He recognized them as the members of his group.

Beside Han, the presence of a sleeping man could be felt.

The man was a fellow Outer and wanted missing-nin, Kamimura Goro. Han could feel Kamimura's chakra levels- tsking silently to himself upon seeing that Kamimura still wasn't fully recovered.

We don't have time for this.

Lord Deepa's plan.. it hinged on Kamimura's special jutsu. Kamimura had told them he was able to use it three times a day.. but as it turned out, he could only use it twice.

And the second time, he could only travel half the distance he had originally.

Han Sifu smiled.

If they somehow survived, Lord Deepa would gift Han with Kamimura's head- Han was sure of it. This sort of failure is exactly the pretense Deepa loved to utilize- in order to justify his killings.

A voice broke his musings.

"They're moving. Two teams."

Han turned. He sensed the presence of three other men- Nire Tokujiro, Mitchisune Shichi, and Yoshika Ito.

All of them Outers, all of them assigned to Lord Deepa as his Lower Guard. It was their duty to fulfill Lord Deepa's wishes- and if they did, he would sponsor them entry into the coveted circle of Higher Guards, then..

Inners.

"What should we do, Han?" The voice spoke again.

Han turned his head towards the speaker, Nire.

"Kamimura isn't ready yet." Han said, his voice soft and well humored.

"If they're sending two teams, that probably means they're canvassing the entire valley. This is their land." Han Sifu smiled.

"They'll find us within a few hours."

"But- I can sense them, vaguely. My sensory jutsu is best out of all the outers-" Nire protested.

Han Sifu giggled, covering his mouth with a ripped sleeve.

"These are Konoha shinobi. Your sensory skills will be useless if we aren't fast enough to escape them."

"Then.." Nire began.

Han interrupted him.

"If there's two teams.. then the best course is to mirror our attackers." Han grinned, painted eyes staring ahead with inhuman focus.

"Nire- you and Mitchisune will stay behind. Yoshika, you and I will take turns carrying Kamimura until we reach Shota and the rest of Lord Victor's Lower Guard."

Han could feel fear build up within Nire.

"S-stay behind?" Nire said, voice shaking.

Han nodded, a thin smile on his pale face.

"Not just that. You'll use your sensory skill to hunt them. Your mission now.. is to delay our pursuers. Mitchisune- I'm sure you agree."

Han felt Mitchisune's chakra flare up in excited bloodlust.

"Of course." He said politely.

"Hmph." Han chuckled.

"Yoshika-"

"Ugh- yeah. I knew you were gonna tell me to carry em first-" Yoshika complained.

As Yoshika gathered up Kamimura, Han gave one more instruction.

"You are to delay them- killing them would be ideal. Focus on hindering their movement. Even though there's two groups.. one must be closer, correct?" Han asked.

"Yes- one is much closer. In the north, like us."

Then the other group took the false lead.

"If you catch them by surprise, even you may find success. Now go." Han commanded.

Without another word, he felt the presences of Nire and Mitchisune vanish.

"Alright-I think he's steady." Yoshika said to the left of Han's hearing.

"You're definitely carrying him in the morning." Yoshika whined.

As Han and Yoshika took the trees before them, Han reached into his ruined haori. Producing a stolen scroll, he ran his fingers over the bone script that covered ancient parchment.

Uzumaki death god jutsu..

Han used his chakra to sense the area ahead, Yoshika close behind. As they moved, he gripped their precious cargo tightly between thin fingers.

What could Lord Deepa want with something like this...?