BORUTO/ALTER.
"EVERYONE...everyone is dead.." she whispered. Boruto's eyes tightened.
He turned in bed.
Boruto smelled blood. Fire seemed to curl around his back. His stomach felt as if he was pressed against hard and splintered wood.
He felt weight cause the ground to shake.
Boruto attempted to move again.
He couldn't. He then realized that he wasn't breathing.
No, that's not it.
I can't breathe.
She was about to say something- but uttered an almost silent gasp instead. Boruto felt steps hurriedly hone in on him.
"..what are you doing.. Amakushiki..."
She reached over to hold his hand. It trembled, slack with terrified sweat that rolled down Boruto's face as well.
He attempted to wake. It was to no avail.
I'm in bed. I know I am.
But Boruto also felt the flames. smelled the blood. Heard her gasping cries.
He peered at the being directly above him.
It stood, before slowly freeing itself from the bloodied floor with an imperial presence. Long white hair fell behind a slender pale face. It was dressed in a simple black kimono, slim across an androgynous figure. It wore wooden sandals the color of deep blood, slightly dipped as it hovered.
It seemed young. It bore rectangular, red tattoos on its forehead and across its cheeks. Both of its scarred eyes.. held the Byakugan.
Boruto thrashed as the being looked down upon him. His vision became distorted.
"Ninurta-" Boruto felt hands attempt to tighten their hold. Seconds later, She screamed.
"Why can't I feel you anymore? Where are you?!"
Boruto's sight returned for a flashing moment. He saw the figure, the scarred one who stared down upon him, now contorted in a violent, crazed grimace. A pallid finger rose-
The sound was as if a thousand glass cups broke simultaneously.
She cried aloud in fear.
Boruto saw curling wraiths, leering spirits that seemed to claw at whatever was around them.
Then, his vision went black.
Echoing whispers bounced between Boruto's consciousness.
"Enough, Amakushiki." A strong, rumbling voice commanded.
"...Did you not hear that cry?! They got away..the remnants. What we killed...were husks. A vile and mundane trap...set by the previous seed!" Another voice protested with haunting fervor.
"...re is noth... I will not ha... you... ru.."
The voices seemed to grow quieter and harder to discern.
".. y-.. successor.."
Boruto realized then he felt motion.
Now, however, he wasn't in bed. In fact-
I feel as if I have no.. body?
He saw.. but it was blackness.
The blackness turned to a wide expanse of blinking stars. Once again, it felt as if the constellations were a part of him.
Boruto.. continued. He forced his consciousness, his being, ahead.
As he did an onyx, tranquil sea took up sight as far as Boruto could discern, devouring the stars up to a shifting horizon.
However, the voices were now closer.
"...cleansing this seed bed before the Consort arrives is our purpose. However, you alone, Amakushi-"
Boruto heard another violent crash.
The ebony lake trembled, thick like blood.
"I said Enough, Amakushiki!"
The voices shouted at each other between sloshing waves.
"He's there..! Can you not see?! He's there! Survivors right before us! He'll doom us! He'll kill us!"
Then, Boruto was back with her.
The fire was all around. It was an unnatural flame- skeletons of black chakra danced within it. Boruto scanned cataclysmic land.
He saw corpses strung about the roaring hell. Silhouettes of huts became smoldering blazes betwixt two shadows slowly striding away, clean of their wonton chaos.
She was no longer sobbing.
She shook- breathing heavily beside Boruto.
"We're.. we're not hurt. It's because of you, Ninurta. I know it is. Everyone else is dead..they.. killed everyone..."
Echoed crying was heard once more, backed by disembodied screaming ringing within Boruto's ear as images, colors, even smells- vortexed, before coalescing into a blinding light.
Then, Boruto saw a pale man with white hair that seemed tinged with blue hues. He wore ornate white robes. His eyes were closed into fine slits. He stood upon cragged ground.
Stars blinked around the man's shoulders.
"So.. it is you. Cursed Eye.."
Boruto sat up in bed. He nearly threw himself out of it. A cool chill settled within his room. Drawing arms closer around a trembling body, Boruto looked to the window.
It was almost morning.
Boruto shut throbbing eyes, rubbing them before moving black hair away from clammy forehead.
He saw the dream again.
The smell. The heat.
The voices.
Everyone is dead..
Boruto shivered.
No point focusing on whatever.. that was. I need to be strong now.
For Hima.
Konohamaru had asked to train yesterday. Boruto obliged, happily.
He knew Konohamaru was worried.
Boruto was too, of course.
There hasn't been word from either Moegi or Mugino. Kakashi's silence is expected.. but typically the other two were the type to have sent multiple reports within this timeframe.
Don't die out there, Shikadai.
Boruto looked down at his hands.
Is this.. the truth of Shinobi? Waiting for your loved ones to die horrible deaths when they're not around?
Boruto frowned. He stepped out of bed slowly, body aching. He had been training every day with Mitsuki.. his chakra control had improved.
Will it be enough?
Boruto still couldn't mold the chakra in the slight deviation needed to break the rubber ball. The trick of chakra control at that point is being able to move chakra outside of its normal pathways to create external manifestations.
Which is why if it is misapplied for even a moment-
Boruto was reminded of the pain that failure brought. His arm seemed as if it bore thousands of miniature cuts along his bones and muscles.
He dressed, pulling his black and purple jacket across tired arms while exiting to a darkened hallway.
As Boruto passed through his living room, he saw Hinata sleeping on a large green couch. Boruto frowned.
Staying up worried about Himawari.
Hinata felt as if she needed to be awake at all times were something to happen.. or if Himawari were to come conscious and need her.
I don't blame you, mom.
They were all in a constant state of dull, gnawing dread.
He approached quietly, pulling a blanket from a nearby chair and placing it over Hinata.
Boruto smiled at her, before gingerly stepping for their door and then, the outside world.
The morning air wa-
"Boruto." Mitsuki's face suddenly leapt from seemingly nowhere, yellow eyes boring into Boruto's own.
"You're early, Mitsuki." Boruto frowned.
He moved past-
Mitsuki allowed him to, but stood closer than even he typically would.
"I'm sorry Boruto." He smiled.
"You're really not." Boruto sighed, slowing down but continuing ahead, Konoha's tall buildings standing over them.
"True. There is something important I would like to talk with you about." Mitsuki said.
Boruto looked over at him then, raising a brow.
His speech is a little more animated..
"I'm about to go meet Konohamaru where we've been training. We can talk privately on the way there." Boruto looked away from Mitsuki's nod.
They quickly left Konoha's gates. Before long, Boruto and Mitsuki were upon familiar brown dirt road, pathing through mazes of towering trees.
Finally, Mitsuki spoke.
"What happened at Sumire's.." he began.
Boruto glared at him.
"I don't think it was anything. My chakra levels have been fluctuating since I've been training so much. My body is stressed, probably." Boruto swallowed heavily.
Mitsuki maintained his gaze.
"That's what I want to talk about. You screamed, Boruto. Like you were in pain. Your chakra also felt like the thing that attacked Himawari. No, it was.. cleaner , somehow. But the density was the same." Mitsuki's voice was neutral while eyes blinked with almost veiled emotion.
Boruto was silent.
A million thoughts raced through Boruto's mind, before churning into a feeling of rejection, a feeling of comforting ignorance as opposed to the truth of whatever horror lurked within him.
Cursed Eye..
Boruto felt a chill swarm over his skin.
He opened his mouth, then closed it.
Mitsuki watched, concern vaguely written about his near stoic face.
Finally, Boruto spoke.
"Please Mitsuki.. never bring this up again." Boruto uttered softly.
The wind blew between them, throwing errant leaves into the air.
Mitsuki looked away.
"I won't." He answered. Springcloud white hair, kissed with blue, crossed Mistuki's yellow eyes, catching Boruto's own. Emotions sang in the silence on the way to their Sensei.
KONOHAMARU raised his eyes to movement breaking free of wavering trees.
There you are, Boruto. It's good to see Mitsuki with you, as well. You need to keep yourself around people.
Konohamaru smiled, waving.
"Boruto, Mitsuki! Good morning."
Boruto seemed.. quieter than usual. He nodded, blue-silver eyes catching Konohamaru behind black hair. Mitsuki gave Boruto a half second glance, before bowing to Konohamaru.
"Good morning, Sensei." He said plainly.
Konohamaru frowned.
"Is everything okay?" He asked, before instantly regretting it.
Stupid! Of course everything isn't okay!
Konohamaru laughed nervously, scratching his head.
"Sorry, no doubt you're exhausted. Let's just get to it. Have you broken the rubber ball yet?" Konohamaru spoke as he led them to the center of the clearing.
Grass softly sang in the calm breeze, while fat clouds hung high beside a brilliant sun.
A good day for spontaneity.
"No, not yet. Though I can almost visualize it more now. What I have to create." Boruto answered, walking ahead of Konohamaru and Mitsuki.
Create?
"What do you mean?" Konohamaru asked.
I had suspected he didn't have enough chakra to sufficiently burst the ball.
Sure..a well trained Shinobi, even one with low chakra, could rupture it. But the trick is applying enough chakra to a specific point and destroying it without harming yourself, or weakening the chakra being used-rendering the energy exuded useless.
It's why the Rasengan is such an advanced technique.. in some ways, it's more advanced than the variation of chakra control medical nin use.
Boruto sighed, pulling the ball from his jacket's pocket.
He braced.
Then, Boruro stepped one leg ahead of his body-
That's a Hyuga stance!
Boruto closed his eyes.
Konohamaru watched intently. The wind seemed to grow faster.
Konohamaru narrowed brown eyes as chakra rose from Boruto.
This chakra.. it's different than if it was normal infusion. The variation is slight.. but I can tell he's cycling it through his body.. as opposed to producing it from each of his chakra points as normal infusion entails.
Konohamaru caressed his chin, deep in thought.
It's as if he's using Naruto's spur of the moment genius with Minato's calculated application..
The chakra from Boruto was growing stronger. However, the volume of it seemed to remain the same.
The ball trembled to the left of Boruto's palm.
Konohamaru glanced at Boruto's face. The boy's eyes were closed, mouth closed in a silent grimace.
However, he exhaled with a soft hiss, relaxing his jaw.
The ball bounced upwards in Boruto's palm- before landing squarely back onto it.
To generate that response without experiencing pain or wasting chakra-
Konohamaru wanted to cheer Boruto on, but he knew Boruto would scold him for it.
Konohamaru and Mitsuki remained silent.
Boruto then raised his free hand- before placing it over the rubber ball.
His chakra seemed to change.
As Konohamaru was versed in all four chakra natures, he was able to detect which one was being applied- not insomuch during an actual fight, but within a safe training session it was a simple task.
Lighting..? No.. it's too subtle..
The sensation grew stronger. Then- Boruto's chakra spiked.
The amount of it wasn't unusual.
The density however..
This time, Konohamaru did speak.
"Boruto! This is-" he stepped backward.
Six visible pins of light flashed from within the ball. Then, six lines circled, connecting with each pin. The lines cut through the rubber ball, popping it within an almost soundless shred due to the force.
As the flaps of the ball flew away, a small orb swirled within the hollow sphere Boruto created.
Boruto staggered forward.
He grunted, throwing his arm into the air.
The sphere sparked- particles were drawn to the sphere's swirling core, before filling the orb completely into a-
"Rasengan!?" Konohamaru bellowed.
How is something like this possible..this sort of advancement after struggling with the second stage!
It was then Konohamaru understood. The cycling of Boruto's chakra.. He melded it specifically to become a feedback loop.. Powering his chakra beyond its actual strength.
Not just that. He..then used Lighting and Wind simultaneously! Ionizing the particles in the air and using that ionization to fuel his Rasengan to a complete state!
Konohamaru looked over to Mitsuki. Mitsuki himself said nothing, though his yellow eyes were uncharacteristically wide.
I don't blame Mitsuki, I'm shocked too. To be able to influence positive and negative charges from the atoms in the ai-
Boruto's arm slackened as he began to fall over.
Konohamaru rushed for Boruto, catching him-
The weight of the Rasengan nearly caused Konohamaru to send it straight into Boruto's chest. Konohamaru threw Boruto from himself, then kicked Boruto's elbow straight.
Boruto's Rasengan hit the ground as the boy fully fainted.
There was a flash- followed by a soft churning sound.
Then-
The earth underneath Boruto's Rasengan exploded in a fury of pent up chakra. It tunneled ahead for nearly fifty meters, before tearing up three trees from across the clearing.
Konohamaru and Mitsuki rushed to Boruto, the sound of trees crashing backing them.
"That was.. Ion Release." Konohamaru marveled with a sudden realization.
Mitsuki nodded, looking down at Boruto.
A line of blood trailed from Boruto's nose. His arm was heavily bruised, while moderate cuts, including the almost healed self inflicted one- sliced across a bleeding hand.
Mitsuki walked around Boruto, moving to help Konohamaru lift him.
Konohamaru smiled.
You did it, Boruto. It's a costly jutsu.. but you did it. To bypass the last stages of the Rasengan entirely..
Konohamaru's smile vanished.
Sasuke's visage now lurked into feelings of pride.
Will this be enough for you.. Sasuke Uchiha?
AMADO LEANED over Kashin Koji. The man was in a suspended state, sleeping underneath purple lab light.
The man's body was looking more human, and not at all like a corpse.
Skin and muscle had even grown over the thudding death scroll that had become Kashin's heart by way of Otogane's antichakra jutsu.
Amado sighed, straightening his back with a crack. Turning, Amado retrieved a vial of Jigen's blood.
Despite himself, he felt sweat bead upon his forehead.
This much dread over an action that will take a moment?
Amado placed the vial into a syringe. He returned to Kashin's still slumber. Amado breathed heavily.
His vision seemed to be blurring.
There's no going back.
Amado swallowed heavily. Pausing, the syringe hovered above Kashin's a-
Amado's laboratory door slid open.
His heart froze. Amado cooled himself however, injecting the serum into Kashin with a doctor's flourish.
As the steps grew closer, Amado relaxed.
"I'm starting to think we're becoming friends, Code." Amado chuckled. He faced the red haired youth, who glared back.
The glare was paired with a cruel smile, Code's eyes darting to Kashin.
"I just wanted to see it talk. But you put it under again. Disappointing." Code whined.
Amado placed the medical tools back into a coded compartment. Then, he retrieved a cigarette from a lab coat's breastpocket.
Lighting it, Amado leaned backwards on the interface that kept Kashin contained.
"If he was awake, you'd still be disappointed. He's not saying much." Amado motioned with his vice of choice, smoke following behind red embers.
Code gave him a quizzical look.
"I thought Otogane's jutsu-"
Amado sighed.
"It is able to return abilities.. jutsu. Muscle memory. Hard coded chakra information ingrained into Kashin's body, an impression made by his own existence." Amado took a deep huff of his cigarette.
He exhaled, blowing smoke purposely away from Code. Despite this, Code still spitefully waved a gloved hand about his nose.
"Kashin is missing memories- basic brain functions. Right now, he doesn't even truly understand speech. He does have a brain, but it is somewhat of an organic blank slate. That's where my expertise comes in." Amado clicked a switch on Kashin's console.
"He will be reprogrammed as Kashin Koji, inner within Kara. We've even found him an Outer and Upper." Amado watched as Kashin's fake life was written onto his brain.
Pages of code flashed on the screens of numerous lab equipment diagnostics, signifying the act of rewriting Kashin's very DNA.
Whatever life you lived four hundred years ago.. dies with Otogane Gamou.
Amado chuckled inadvertently.
Though I suppose that's already happened. Damn Makaigan..!
"Don't laugh at yourself. It's creepy." Code snapped.
Amado's glasses shadowed.
"You've no reason to be here anymore. Or did you want an update on your former Upper? According to Delta's last report, she decided to let the kiri nin use her." Amado said almost boredly.
This tactic usually works.
As expected, Code's expression hallowed. Amado could see Code's emotion churn from fear, to embarrassment, then finally subdued rage.
"Botashirin is a monster. Delta has no idea what she's dealing with." Code said harshly.
Amado was surprised. It's not that Code was wrong.. he just had no idea that Code's fear of the woman ran this deep.
Deterred by painful memories, Code made his way from Amado's lab. Amado watched- before narrowing his eyes at Code pausing at the door that hissed open for him.
"Tell me one thing, Amado." Code's words were soft. However..
Amado was surprised.
He's serious.
Amado remained silent. Code turned around expectantly.
After a few moments, the young man frowned.
"I don't know what you're doing with Kashin. But we both know how paranoid Jigen is. Perhaps I could keep a closer eye on you." Code said coolly.
Amado laughed.
"He is paranoid."
Amado smirked at Code, then continued.
"Which means he no doubt already suspects anything you could come up with. Just ask your question. I'll decide if I want to answer it or not. Maybe I'll even be truthful." Amado replied.
Code narrowed his eyes, but when he spoke his glare grew less confident.
"Botashirin.. She's like me. A failed vessel. All six of us inherited parts of Jigen, whatever his whole consists of. I can control fire. Ada is only able to manifest his eye. Botashirin wields his strength, his body.. but she's the one who can use jutsu." Code said. As he spoke, Amado could almost feel the fear that trembled underneath Code's tongue.
Amado understood instantly.
"You want to know Jigen's power." He said quietly.
The lights in the lab blinked.
Code froze for a moment before continuing.
".. based on what Botashirin did.. how she could just.. rip apart whatever you threw at her with that black field.." Code trailed away.
Amado smiled.
"Botashirin is able to use a very rudimentary variation of Jigen's jutsu. You all possess devolved versions of Jigen's overall prowess. Madān was the closest other than Kawaki, objectively.. Then Ada.. then you.." Amado grinned at Code's growing frustration.
"I know how successful we all weren't. I'm surprised by your high opinion of Madān Goro... He is half machine, after all. I just.. I can't imagine how that sort of ability is incomplete." Code looked away, focusing on Kashin's corpse.
Amado dipped cigarette ash into a nearby container.
"Understanding Jigen's ability requires a leap of intuitive thought you may not possess, Code." Amado chuckled at Code's protest, though he quieted as Amado continued.
"Jigen.. controls causality. Or, to put it more simply, the kinetic past and future movement of all physical matter. He can also store these objects within himself, though this is restricted to inanimate material." Amado answered.
Code was quiet for a long time.
"So he can control time?" Code asked, finally.
Amado laughed condescendingly.
"No. Imagine that Jigen came across a home torn apart by a storm just seconds ago. Imagine that his chakra is linked to every single physical object: broken, intact, living, dead- all physical matter in the home. Using the energy of the home's instant destruction, Jigen can shift the causality of it within that same moment.
He could send pieces of wood flying into the sky. He could shoot it into the earth. He could shift the family within, making them move to their safety or demise. Or he could revert it all back into an explosion of pure kinetic energy. If he truly spent his chakra, he could reassemble the house. Though at that point, he would be using a secondary ability, one that also only works on non living subjects."
Code sighed.
"That sounds like time travel. Reverting things back to previous states-"
"It's not. It's energy. causality." Amado answered.
"He's not going back in time to change the matter, he's using kinetic energy to tap into the causality of its predetermined physical reality. In the second of bedlam reeling after a physical outcome.. Jigen's choosing the one he wants, or altering it from a natural course with the kinetic energy gained."
"If it's predetermined, how are there multiple outcomes?" Code pressed.
Amado crossed his arms.
"My my. A smart question from you."
Code frowned.
Amada closed his eyes as he explained.
"Every cause has an effect. When you look at the big picture, that means every action is predetermined by cause. There can be multiple actions as there are multiple variables of causes. All of these probabilities melt down to one event out of millions.. that is causality."
"That... Is Jigen." Amado sighed. For a moment, he was afraid too.
Amado shrugged, continuing. "Earlier I said he could control kinetic past and kinetic future. To put it even more simply, he can view cause and change effect."
Amado met Code's gaze, the young man's eyes growing fearful once more.
"To be able to influence an object to such a degree.."
Amado narrowed his eyes behind thick glasses.
"Object? Jigen's causality affects anything within a 450 meter radius of him."
Code stepped away.
"Scared?" Amado laughed.
"I feel like I know something I shouldn't." Code whispered.
"Don't worry. If Jigen didn't think you should know what I just told you.. I would be dead already." Amado said.
Code remained silent.
"Are they really gods?" He ventured after nearly a minute of silent thought.
"You know the answer to that as well as I do, Code." Amado said with a slack grin, retrieving a second cigarette.
Code simply turned and left- lacking the resolve to even grace Amado with a parting jab.
He finally understands why Jigen's power is so hard to contain. Why he and the others failed.
But.. Jigen's power is his greatest weakness. It takes a toll on him while also making him overconfident.
Amado turned to face Kashin.
He thoughtfully pulled smoke from a flaming cigarette, focusing on the discolored skin of Kashin's stitched arm.
The blood I gave you will do many things, Kashin Koji. A gift for both Kawaki and Jigen.
Amado stared at the body in silence.
