BORUTO ALTER

ORANGE LIGHT danced down stems of tall grass. Late autumn flowers poked amongst them, petals barely peeking over green blades.

In the far distance a large stone guarded the horizon.

It was gigantic- the relic shadowed over a large portion of valley as the sun steadily rose- now seemingly sitting upon the stone's peak.

As the silent group marched ahead, Boruto's eyes were drawn to the ancient construction.

"They did that on purpose." Boruto spoke-

More to himself than anything.

Sarada turned somewhat, eyebrow raised.

"That pillar up there. The way the Uchiha..built it.. it catches the sunrise on its point. I'm surprised you didn't notice it when you came here last." Boruto nodded towards the stone as he spoke.

Sarada continued walking.

"It's new to me too. I've never seen this before. We must.. be going to a different Uchiha site."

Sarada's fist tightened-

"What's wrong?" Boruto asked. He sneaked a glance ahead at Sasuke-

The man moved at a fast pace, uncaring if Boruto and Sarada fell out of sight.

"There's just.. so much. So much I don't know about myself. I see these ruins and wonder just what it is that the Uchiha did. "

Sarada stopped. Lowering her head, she spoke barely above a whisper.

"What made Madara.. Obito.. the people they were? Why Don't I have cousins. A grandpa.. a grandma. A clan." Sarada turned to give Boruto a deep, stoic look.

Boruto paused.

"All I have.. are more questions. Questions I know he won't answer." Sarada's mouth turned downwards.

"I don't get all of it," Boruto began, walking towards Sarada.

"But I understand some of it. I know there's more about my parent's past, the world's past, that everyone is keeping hidden from us."

Boruto gave Sarada a small grin just as she looked up at him.

"There's secrets around both of our lives… It's frustrating." Boruto shrugged, walking past the Uchiha girl.

"I was upset about it all the time. Well, I still am. But we can't really do anything about it, save for trying to make ourselves better." Boruto stretched, hearing Sarada race closer-

until she stood some space beside him.

Her voice regained some of the old joviality Boruto was familiar with.

"Whatever. I guess you're right. I talked with Hima the other day." Sarada began-

The girl started running to catch up with Sasuke Uchiha.

Boruto zipped next to her, the both of them passing the massive Uchiha stele that stabbed into murky morning clouds above.

Boruto hadn't had a chance to talk with Himawari, even though she had been home for about two days now.

It's insane how fast things change. After everything.. Himawari is home again, as if nothing happened.

"How's she doing?" Boruto asked. He wanted to ask much more, but guarded himself from doing so.

Sarada maintained a dark eyed gaze forward.

"She's.. quieter now. I think she just feels weird. I know I would. She said she's afraid of the village hating her. She doesn't even know if she wants to take the exams." Sarada said.

Boruto looked at Sarada for a moment as they both ran through the final edge of the valley. Now a large hill rose immediately before them, covered with grass that was yellowed and much shorter.

"To be honest.. Boruto.. I know your sister has been through a lot. With that said..I'm really worried about Sumire." Sarada said. She slowed down to a walk, Boruto following suit.

Boruto said nothing. His mind flashed back to when he and Mitsuki ran into Sumire at the cafe- how worried and.. sickly she looked.

"My dad hasn't told me anything else about what happened. I guess he hasn't had time to. I heard they think her parents were killed." Boruto's voice was quiet- he spoke to Sarada, but his mind was focused on the hell that seemed to be growing around the outskirts of Konoha.

Everyone is dead..

Sarada grimaced.

"My mom said she's in shock. I just.. I don't know. you can ask Himawari when you see her. Sumire- she was acting.. different. She doesn't seem to remember things. It's odd.. it feels almost as if she's faking." Sarada shook her head.

"Nevermind." Sarada gave Boruto a smile that dismissed grim musings.

"I'm probably just being annoying. It's unfair of me to think that." Sarada jogged ahead of Boruto, reaching the top of the hill.

"That must be where he's taking us." Sarada said, shading eyes from the morning sun's growing strength.

Boruto joined her, blue silver eyes falling upon a collection of ruins that spread across another flat valley.

Mountains surrounded them in the far distance, lush and green despite autumn's march.

As Boruto looked upon the ruins, he understood once more Sarada's anger. Why hadn't anyone- even his Dad, spent more time researching something- anything-

beyond war? even during times of peace.. every advancement was out of necessity.. enterpise even, but not peace. Information was forgotten.

Boruto laughed to himself.

He probably doesn't realize what he's signing- unless there's talk of conflict.

"You have to wonder how old this world really is. Where everything, everyone came from." Boruto crossed his arms, frowning at how far the ruins traveled about yellow grass.

Sarada chuckled.

"That's something I always wonder, too. It's annoying- no one seems to care about stuff like that. How can we progress if we reject the past?" The Uchiha crossed her arms in unconscious mirrior of Boruto.

"I want to become Hokage." Sarada whispered.

Boruto offered no words-

his eyes widened in surprise.

Hokage?!

Sarada smiled.

"I want to lead projects that focus on studying the world.. How things worked.. The people who lived thousands of years before us. I'm sure they'd have answers, too. Answers on how to improve our lives." Sarada began to walk down the hill, careening into the valley of ruins.

Sarada had changed. She sounded.. more driven now. Before she was steadfast in succeeding. Now however, there was a fire in her eyes- a goal that only she could see. Boruto realized then it wasn't Sasuke that made Sarada strong-

It was the mindset that Sarada had adopted after whatever it was Sasuke Uchiha told her. She had taken that knowledge.. and decided to improve her own life with it, as opposed to being controlled by the reality of truth.

Boruto grunted, once more jogging to catch up with Sarada.

"You want to become Hokage. Just to be an archeologist." Boruto replied flatly.

Sarada turned around, a frown on her face.

"I think my reasoning is good." She said simply.

"Why wouldn't you be the most boring Hokage?" Boruto sighed.

Sasuke, in the distance, suddenly made his presence known to both of them. His chakra beamed as if a slight beacon, leading the pair through the open and catacombic ruins of the Uchiha.

As they navigated, Sarada gave the Uzumaki a disapproving gaze.

"Funny, Boruto."

DEEPA SAT on the floor within his chambers. Deepa's room was adorned to his liking-

Stolen tapestries from around the river's palace hugged white marble walls, while a massive bed filled with soft cottons warmly cooed him back to the comfort of thick covers.

Despite all of this, Deepa couldn't sleep in as he typically liked to. His mind.. raced.

Betray.. Jigen?!

Kashin Koji's offer bounced between Deepa's ears.

Deepa wanted to run-

Run away from this world, this plan. He didn't know who he could trust, to tell the truth. He didn't necessarily trust Victor-

he did think, now possibly foolishly, that Victor's trust of him would've kept their mutual plans secret.

Now..

If you decide to refuse, the result is simple. I'll kill you, your upper, and your outers. We cannot allow even a modicum of this plan to reach Jigen, nor Otogane.

Kashin had laughed then.

Much is known about you, Deepa. You killed Kamimura because he was weak. You grow attached to those who've proven their worth to you. Your team.. even after all the suffering you've caused.. you care about them.

Deepa's eyes flared.

Kashin Koji's voice rang within Deepa's mind almost as if the masked man was still whispering beside him.

Frustration goaded tears that ran down Deepa's cheeks.

He had gotten so far..given so much of himself to this Organization..given so much to have something-

I was planning to betray Jigen and even Victor. Maybe I even viewed it as a faraway goal.. an ideation to keep me from going insane.

The prospect of the task being thrust upon Deepa renewed the man's spiral.

For everything to be undone by the appearance of one Inner. How could he trust Kashin? Deepa knew that something about Kashin was.. off.

The man felt similar to Otogane's anti-chakras, and his left arm was stitched and discolored from the elbow. The arm was armored, sure.

Deepa swallowed.

When they spoke, He could see teases of skin behind Kashin's iron gauntlets- skin that didn't match the color of Kashin's face.

Maybe.. maybe this is a test. A ploy by Jigen to purge Kara of those who aren't loyal to him.

Deepa's heart rocked behind a thin chest.

You are to steal Kawaki. He and Madan Goro are within Amado's lab in Amegakure.

Deepa knew there were many secrets within Kara- many, that he, despite being an Inner, was not privy to.

He did know that Amado had numerous hideouts scattered throughout the villages-

funded by his industries in the real world, not the machinations of Kara.

This tangent jogged Deepa's recolletions- he remembered how cold his skin felt when Deepa asked Kashin how he knew.

It was becoming too much.

A masked man laughed within Deepa's memory.

I was transported there by way of Otogane's upper, Subutai. In order to give Kawaki his gift.

Deepa then asked Kashin why he hadn't freed Kawaki while he was there.

Jigen already suspects you. He expects you to betray him. Right now, I need to maintain my loyalty, as does Amado.

The last question Deepa asked was how he would even learn of Kawaki's location, something that Deepa wouldn't know without Kashin or Amado telling him directly.

Kashin smiled from the mire of Deepa's thoughts.

You don't need to worry about the particulars, Deepa. Right now, you simply need to worry about your answer, and the lives of those you've put under your direction.

After that, Kashin Koji left, leaving his outer and upper here.

Three days, Deepa. You have three days.

Deepa closed purple eyes tightly, hissing in silent rage.

All he wanted was to be free. Free of pain, strife. Free of this world. That was his dream. That was why he decided to join Boro all those years ago..

But now.. he felt as if he was working towards not his dream.. no.

Deepa felt his death.

Deepa wiped purple eyes. He leapt to his feet, forcing his face into its typical, cruel demeanor. He dressed himself in the cloak of Kara, before adorning his left arm with the clockwork of gears that aided him in controlling his jutsu.

Three days.

Deepa spat.

No need, Kashin. I've made my decision in one.

YOSHIKA WAS ON PATROL.

He was with Kashin's outer, Mouri Sechime. The woman had strange, snakelike eyes and dark green hair. She was dressed in binded robes, with tassels of black that tied around her arms and her waist. The tassels wavered in the air as they hopped from roof to roof, investigating the outer limits of Rivers.

It wasn't going well.

Neither Deepa nor Victor had any intent to actually run Rivers. What they wanted was River's uncharacteristically advanced lab, and the resources of River's upper government.

The two Inners cared little for the people, especially now that they were under the control of Akane's genjutsu.

Being said..

It seemed huge groups of people- entire families left unharmed by Kara's takeover, were missing. This was, along with Jeishi's report, enough to cause the both of them separate alarm.

Akane's genjutsu allowed the village people to go about their daily tasks- in reality, they weren't conscious. They still did the things they were expected to, and expected to say, in case any merchants or shinobi came across the land.

If that creature Jeishi fought came across them, it wouldn't take long for it to realize what was happening.

It would make sense for that thing to kidnap people.. right?

Yoshika closed his eyes, remembering the visceral fight from days before.

The creature used something called "body carving" jutsu. Does it need bodies.. organs.. to fuel its power?

Mouri's voice shook Yoshika from his thoughts. They both were standing upon cobbled roof, side by side as the sun shone brilliantly, aloof to the hell that had befallen its benefactors.

"That marks three districts. Three districts depopulated by half." Mouri said. She turned to Yoshika, catching his eye with her reptile-like pupils.

"What should we do?" Yoshika asked, somewhat unnerved while unwavering- he was polite enough to not draw attention to Mouri's strange features.

She, to Yoshika's surprise, sat, loudly crashing against the roofing.

"It's not our problem to worry about that now. Not until we get our next orders." She said.

Yoshika still stood, unsure of what to say next. Finally, he gingerly motioned back to the palace.

"Shouldn't we head back then?" Yoshika asked.

Yoshika was worried about Jeishi. The Uzumaki's screams had stopped...

Mouri laughed.

"What, afraid of me? relax. Take a break." Mouri turned her head to Yoshika, giving him a smile.

"Well, no-" Yoshika began.

Mouri laughed again.

"I look like this for the same reason you have your crystals."

Yoshika's breath drew in as his almost hidden surprise surfaced.

She knows about my jutsu?!

"A Shinobi may have an affinity with fire. Or wind. Or water. If we get complicated, a Kekkei Genkai like yours. There is, though, a rare smattering of Shinobi who share chakra and blood with not the elements.. but animals."

Yoshika looked at Mouri for a long time.

Besides her eyes, even her appearance was snakelike. She had a defined, sharp nose, with eyes the shape of almonds. She wasn't ugly- her beauty gave off a strange and alien look that was distinctly human..while simultaneously something else.

"I'm assuming you were born with a chakra affinity for.."

"Reptiles. Snakes. Anything that has scales.. or slithers." Mouri answered, her tongue flicking free from between thin lips for a moment.

"Is your family like you too?" Yoshika asked. Mouri's face displayed something other than boredom for a moment- it could've been sadness- Yoshika wasn't sure.

"No." She said simply.

The answer was so abrupt it made Yoshika step backwards.

"Sorry," he offered.

Mouri shrugged.

"It's fine. Just sit down so I don't feel like I'm the one being lazy." Mouri responded.

Yoshika sighed, sitting down.

He and Mouri offered no further conversation, each preferring the silence of their worried thoughts.

SHOTA STALKED THE WOOD right outside Rivers. Shitai galloped ahead of him, black fur almost eclipsing the light of the sun that broke through autumn leaves. Junban, as always, strode beside Shota. The upper body of the Chinoike girl leaned backwards from Junban's back, arms dragging against the soft ground as the girl's head nodded back and forth.

Within Junban, another woman was now stitched.

The thought brought a tear to Shota's eyes.

Sachi.

He needed Sachi. Needed her ability to deconstruct the chakra being dispersed in the air, and record the formulas that created said jutsu. It was an innate ability.. one rare, if not unheard of, amongst the Yamanaka.

Shota stopped- right when Junban did. Shitai continued racing ahead, before noticing his master had ceased moving.

Junban lowered her snout low to the ground, baring teeth as she broke into a low growl.

Shota closed his eyes- summoning Sachi's power within Junban.

Then, his gaze settled on a belt of leaves to his left, high in the tall trees.

"Come out, Khitan." Shota ordered.

The leaves rustled.

Shitai was only a meter or so ahead of Shota, barking wildly while Junban continued her warning growl.

A man, by all accounts beautiful, broke through the leaves. He had a wide, smiling mouth and light blue eyes. His hair was long and blonde, tied into a ponytail that traveled to the middle of his back.

"Shota..You look haggard. When was the last time I saw that dour face..-"

"Our Chunin exams." Shota answered neutrally, voice nothing more than a warning whisper.

Khitan laughed.

"Oh, was that the day?" He smiled from his perch, kneeling.

Shota didn't reply. That was the day Khitan killed his newborn siblings- leading to him taking the moniker twin killer. Out of the three newborns, only one child survived.

Shota knew more than anyone that Khitan remembered the day. Back then.. Khitan had hated Shota. Despite Shota being five years older, they were rivals.

And Shota, at the time unskilled and delayed due to what he suffered during the last Great War.. had defeated Khitan, becoming a Chunin. This apparently drove Khitan mad-

A boy who was desperate for not only Sai's approval, but the rest of the Yamanaka.

Shota extended Junban's awareness to spread even further around the surrounding area. He knew of Khitan's jutsu.. knew of his ability to draw not animals nor objects-

Khitan could only bring drawings of people to life. A strange jutsu-

One that gave him the ability to essentially create an army of human-like beings- ones that could be independently controlled, and even cast jutsu themselves.

"It would be foolish for you to attack me here, Khitan." Shota said simply.

The man introduced to Kara as Khitan Yafuei gave Shota a charming laugh, blue eyes nearly glowing in the half-shade.

"I have no such intent, Shota. I would never harm a former comrade.. that, by circumstance.. is a comrade once more." Khitan jumped from his tree.

Instantly, Shitai charged.

Just as the dog moved, four skeletal thin men with painted skin and flowing white beards emerged from the ground, weeping as they wrapped their arms around Shitai, pulling the dog down with them. Shitai bit and cut into their skin-

Instead of blood, black ink sprayed out instead.

Shota raised his hand into a jutsu sign-

Before a heart wrenching yelp emerged from Shitai as the drawings stood, circling Shota's ninken.

Shitai was breathing haggardly- panting and yelping.

"Shitai! What is it?! What's wrong!" Shota's mind seemed as if it was going blank.

What's happening? Khitan has no scrolls-

Khitan's voice crawled over Shota as if a swarm of insects.

"There is.. something that would be equal to your peciular interests, Shota Inuzuka. Something in Ame-"

Khitan's voice fluctuated- a trail of blood fell from the corner of Khitan's mouth.

"W- what is this..?" Khitan stammered.

The corpse attached to Junban rose, its hands pressed together as Junban's chakra flared.

Whatever affliction affecting Shitai ceased. The dog's breathing calmed, but he didn't get up immediately. The ninken's eyes closed.

You've done enough, Shitai. Let me figure out what this.. monster wants.

Shota leveled his eyes on Khitan, who remarkably, was still standing.

"Let's finish this conversation..With both of us in checkmate, Khitan Yamanaka." Shota narrowed his eyes.

Khitan giggled, a fresh spurt of blood freeing itself from his mouth.

"Of course. It's only natural for us."

The painted men Khitan summoned exploded into a pulse of swirling ink, before reforming into a giant- It bore heavily muscled limbs and a face that was strange, elongated and deformed.

Khitan's sorrowful art shook as it wept mournfully.

It raised both fists above Shitai's body, ready to smash Shota's ninken in the next second if the monster's Artist demanded it.

"Us scions of the Leaf." Khitan finished, grin growing wider. Shota's ears perked up- his eyes flew about, seeing finally the dozens- no.. hundreds, of painted, moaning humans that shuffled from numerous hiding places.

Shota and Junban were surrounded.

"Now that the table has been set.." Khitan's eyes locked back onto Shota's.

"I'll start." Khitan rose his voice, causing a flock of procrastinating birds to finally break from the wood, and hurriedly begin their migration-

Spurred by the evil and violent chakras that flared from both men.

NEXT TIME: ONTO THE CHUNIN EXAMS! THEN, ENTER: KAWAKI! 3/27/2022