Author Note
Hi Everyone.
Believe it or not I have managed to get you a chapter today. Only just though, aren't you lucky...
In addition it is the single longest chapter from this story yet. It took way longer to write than I thought it would.
Also, please see the author note at the end, which will contain spoilers, before reviewing this chapter.
Thanks,
Cbehrills
THE BATTLE FOR THE EARTH – A TRUE COWARD
In the Valley
A grin comes to Martin's face. What he has just come to understand is that Minato is Boruto's grandfather. This makes little sense to the Colonel for one reason, Minato looks to be around the same age as Boruto. Nevertheless, he is not one to let an opportunity like this slip through his grasp. With such a weak opponent before him, with a man he so desperately wants to torture, this is a golden chance.
"I see" Martin smirks, "I get it, you are one of those types. I have the perfect torture for you".
The Colonel slowly raises his hand into the air, pressing his thumb firmly against his middle finger before letting it slide off. A click of his fingers, a click that affects Boruto on a highly emotional level.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
"AHHHH".
A scream.
A guttural scream that makes you want to cover your ears.
This is a scream made by the 4th Hokage.
Minato falls to his knees, clutching at his chest before falling onto his back. He breathes heavily, spittle leaking through his teeth as his tongue thrashes around the inside of his mouth. The poison had been hard to endure previously, he had to devote his entire consciousness towards staying alive but it was nothing compared to this. The agony, the pain is on another level this time.
"Minato" Kushina shouts as she cradles his arm in her hands.
Naruto turns to his father, stunned. "Dad" he calls kneeling down at Minato's side. Thankfully, this time, the 7th Hokage is on hand when required, he immediately begins his efforts to push the push poison away from the 4th's heart.
A cold hand squeezes his own heart though, forcing it to skip a beat as he realises something. 'It's not working… the poison is still advancing'.
In the Valley
Martin cackles as he observes the situation. On the opposite hill, everyone has become flustered, on his own hill many are cringing at this sight. This lack of honour is something that only he possesses from the invaders. To revel in this pain and misery is something that only he can do.
"Whatever they try, it won't help him, I've accelerated the poison within him to its full speed" Martin explains to Boruto in an attempt to taunt him. "It may be possible for someone from our side but for your side it is completely impossible".
Boruto understands this principle very well. If everyone on his own hill is getting this distraught over the situation, it is not something that Naruto can prevent. Indeed, only someone from the other side can prevent Minato from dying. Someone from the other side of that portal. One person is already at the forefront of the Uzumaki clansmen's mind, that person is, of course, Colonel Martin himself.
"Make it stop" Boruto growls.
"Oh?".
"I said, make it stop, you bastard".
"Why would I make it stop?" the blonde Colonel snorts as he narrows his eyes and looks at his opponent's face, "If I keep it like this, I can enjoy watching your anguish, your disdain, your fear, your terror".
Once more the Colonel raises his hand into the air and clicks his fingers. He claimed not a moment ago, that he had already accelerated the poison to the limit but that doesn't seem to be the end of his power. The shinobi's grandfather let's out another primal scream of agony.
Boruto is clenching his fists so tightly that his fingernails are forced into his palms. Blood slowly trickles along the length of his fingers before dropping to the ground.
This is beautiful in the eyes of the Colonel, "Come on, try to stop me, but you can't can you".
"You're too slow aren't you"
"You're too weak aren't you".
Boruto takes but a single step forward before Martin kicks the ground before him. It looks like a harmless act but the shinobi can see that it is not. The kick sends the simplest of projectiles towards him, bound for his head is a rock.
THUD!
The rock connects.
Boruto begins to fall backwards, unconscious.
Boruto's Inner World
Boruto wakes up in this world, his inner world. He is not sure how much time has passed, whether it has been years or an instant. He is not sure if this place is heaven or hell. Instead, he gradually gets up to notice something before him, a man, sat on the watery ground.
"You are his student, right?".
Boruto is stunned, this man is now talking to him. Wasn't this all a dream, does this mean it's real. Is this the afterlife?
"I…".
"You're Uzumaki Boruto aren't you" the man questions impatiently, "You are the student of Uchiha Sasuke and the son of Uzumaki Naruto".
"Yeah" the blonde shinobi finally answers, still trying to ascertain what is happening. "I am Uzumaki Boruto".
He sizes up the man before him. He appears to be middle aged, experienced, confident. He has a certain royal air about him, as if he is the most important person to have ever existed. His long brown hair rests partially on his shoulders and partially on his upper back. Just one look is enough to tell Boruto that this man is special, one gaze around is enough to tell that this world is special. This situation is not like anything he has experienced before.
"Who are you?" Boruto finally asks.
"My name is Otsutsuki Indra" the man finally answers.
This name immediately rings a bell. Although the children of the sage of the six paths are not well depicted in history they are still known to a special few. The members of team 7 for example and several of their closest friends. Naturally, with Sasuke taking on Boruto as a student, one of the subjects that came up during their lessons was the source of his power. One lesson that Boruto would never forget, told of how Sasuke and Naruto were reincarnations of Otsutsuki Hagoromo's children, Indra and Asura respectively.
"Otsutsuki Indra…" Boruto stammers.
"We don't have much time" Indra remarks, "Our world seems to be in quite some jeopardy at the moment and while I don't agree with the philosophy of my brother and my father, I still don't want this world to die".
Boruto frowns as he recalls what is going on in the outside world. That is right, at this very moment he is locked in battle with a Colonel named Martin. A man whom is torturing him by forcing him to watch his grandfather die. It is a battle he cannot afford to lose, for if he does, the hidden leaf will die.
"Something has changed in this world. I shouldn't still be in this spirit form. After Sasuke died I should have reincarnated, or at least passed over to the afterlife but neither of these things happened".
"Why not?" Boruto asks.
"I have no idea. Still, that is not your problem, that is something that can be solved in time. Right now, I am going to help you".
"Help me, how?".
"I cannot reincarnate into someone who has already been born" Indra explains, "I cannot even gift you a portion of my chakra. However, I happen to know another way to help you".
Boruto stands in silence, he doesn't know what help Indra is going to offer him but he won't turn it down no matter what.
"Before that though, I must ask you a question" the spirit mentions, "When you go back, when you start fighting again, how will you do it?".
Boruto is staggered by this question. Never had he thought that a wandering spirit would debate philosophy with him, much less the wandering spirit of Otsutsuki Indra. This question, it is something debated many times through history, by Hashirama and Madara. By Hiruzen and Danzo. By Jariya and Orochimaru. By Kakashi and Obito. By Naruto and Sasuke. Now it his turn to answer.
He is given little time but requires little time, he recites the words Hashirama said to him not so long ago.
"I will embrace my rage" Boruto explains, "The cycle of hatred cannot start again if I crush my enemies".
A smile comes to the face of Indra, "Well put".
Indra gets to his feet before slowly approaching Boruto and placing a hand on his stomach. "You are the son of Uzumaki Naruto, a possessor of Otsutsuki chakra. While it is only a little bit, some of that chakra passed on to you, I am going to unlock that".
"Will a little bit of chakra be enough?" Boruto asks.
Of course, he knows the answer to this. No way, a tiny boost to his chakra levels won't put him on par with a colonel. Not in a million years. Still, there is a reverence he holds for this man, the son of the sage of the six paths, the man who would reincarnate into his master. The man who pioneered the way of thinking that he is slowly adopting.
"A little bit of chakra won't be enough by itself" Indra shakes his head gently, "But your heritage is perfect. For you and you alone, it will be enough".
"For me and…".
"It's time for you to go now" Indra raises his hand into the air and clicks his fingers. "Good luck, Uzumaki Boruto. I'm expecting big things from you".
In the Valley
This conversation in Boruto's internal world, it had not lasted a long time. In fact, it had not taken any notable time at all. Instead, the conversation happens in an instant. When the shadow Hokage leaves his inner world, and returns his consciousness to his body, he is still falling towards the ground.
It doesn't take him more than a second to react. He tenses his core muscles along with those in his leg, he forces himself to stand upright.
'What's this' Boruto questions as he feels the new chakra surging in his body, all heading towards one place, his eyes.
Martin stops laughing as he senses the newfound chakra within Boruto.
Covering his eyes with his hand, the shinobi growls. "I told you to stop, I told you".
The Colonel's laugh starts once again. His opponent doesn't seem to realise, if he gets hit by even a single punch from Martin, that will be it, he will be poisoned. To win this fight Boruto would have to hit him repeatedly without being hit himself, something that is impossible. Or at least seems to be impossible.
Boruto removes his hand from his eyes to reveal what the chakra has been doing. A white pattern, it is very faint but it is there, surrounding a newly formed pupil in the white ocean that was the Byakugan. The transformation of his eye isn't all that happens, a bright green energy begins to manifest all over his body.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
"This power…" Shikamaru gasps, this feeling was firmly engraved into his mind. He would never forget the feeling of something this terrifying.
"Shikamaru" Naruto shouts to his friend, "Is something wrong?".
"I witnessed this power on the moon so many years ago," the calm man recalls.
"There is no doubting it" he continues, "That is the Tenseigan".
Shikamaru is the only person in the world who knows about this eye. The team that had gone to the moon so long ago is gone now. Naruto had died, with his past self being brought into the future. Hinata had died when the same thing had happened to her. Sai had given his life to detonate a bomb, to protect the fleeing villagers and blow up the hidden leaf. Lastly, Sakura, Sakura had given her life in an attempt to bring Sasuke back to their side.
Shikamaru is the only survivor. The only one who knows about this eye. He identifies it correctly of course, who could ever forget it.
It is the Tenseigan.
In the Valley
Boruto dashes towards Martin, immediately throwing a volley of punches and kicks towards the Colonel. His speed is what everyone notices, his chakra has increased only a tiny amount, a result of it being unlocked from within his core, but his speed has increased enormously. The unlocking of the Tenseigan's chakra mode amplifying all of his abilities even further than sage mode had.
It is this speed that causes Martin such trouble. The Colonel may be physically incredible but he has the least battle experience of all the Colonels. Every hit, every last one, he fails to avoid them. A combination of his inexperience and Boruto's newfound speed.
This is not to say Boruto's power is on his level. It is just to say that he is powerful enough for his experience to win.
Martin tries several times to counterattack, disregarding the incoming blows altogether and instead haphazardly throwing his own punches and kicks. Despite Boruto's repeated attacks though, the talented shinobi finds a way to dodge every counter punch, to evade every counter kick.
'This vision. This eye. I can see everything he is going to do. I can see it in the fibre of his muscles'. Naruto's son is astonished by his new powers. He believed the Byakugan to represent the peak of vision but it has nothing on this, perhaps this eyesight can even be described as on-par with Sarada's. 'His greatest weakness, he is strong but he is not a warrior'.
Suddenly, defying all expectations, Martin flies vertically into the air, turning to face his own hill.
"This is all your fault Clyde!".
The Invader's Hill
Clyde is stunned by this action. True, Martin had become more and more rebellious but to defy him like this. 'What is he…'.
In the Valley
Martin raises his voice even further as he shouts at his own hill. "When you all die beneath her boot you will have nobody to blame but yourself".
After that declaration, he flies away.
Boruto flinches absolutely flabbergasted by what is happening. "He's running away".
The fight had finally become even in the last few minutes. Boruto was getting shots in on Martin while dodging all counterattacks. The fight had still been even though, if the Colonel had landed but a single blow it would have been fatal for Boruto. How cowardly is he then, to run away in a situation like this where even losing wouldn't be fatal?
The Invader's Hill
Sisto steps slowly in the direction Martin is fleeing. "Hey, doesn't that mean he is forfeiting. Are we not surrendering this match to the enemy"?
While there is no rule against it, that is what every onlooker, regardless of which hill they are on is assuming at this moment. For someone to run from a fight with no intention of coming back, how else could that be interpreted than as a forfeit. If Minato's situation were better, the hidden leaf hill would celebrate this victory.
"I knew he was a coward" Burns shakes her head, "But he could have won this fight if he had just calmed down for a second".
"Never mind that" Clyde snaps all of his subordinates to attention as he nods towards the valley. "Peterson, he is wide open and has nobody around him".
Peterson recalls what they have been worried about this entire time. Someone with an enormous power hidden within them. A power that is enough even for the invaders to feel fear. Someone, with a power greater than Naruto.
The source of that power, is Boruto.
'Kill'.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
With Naruto's healings failing to produce any results, Hashirama adds his hands-on top of his juniors. He doesn't know if he can help but his healing has improved through his training. Together, two reincarnations of Asura, they may be able to do what they cannot do apart.
"Anything?" Tsunade asks, "Can you two slow it down at all?".
Hashirama shakes his head before turning to his granddaughter, "No, it's not working".
"Dammit" Kushina curses, "Right when Boruto wins, right when he proves that you were right to believe in him. You can't die now Minato".
In the Valley
Boruto turns his head from hill to hill, one moment he questions whether his grandfather will be OK, if there is anything he can do to help. The next moment he questions if that is really the end of the fight. After all this it astonishes him that the invaders could allow this fight to slip from their grasp so easily.
Eventually, he relaxes, dissipating his Tenseigan and the chakra cloak with it.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
"Tsunade" Kushina takes the 5th Hokage by her hand, "You are a miracle doctor who helped Naruto right. Can't you think of any way to save him".
Tsunade can't bring herself to look Kushina in the eye. If this were a complicated operation or some internal injury that couldn't be healed with medical chakra, it would be her specialty. This is poison though, there are only two ways to stop it. One is to cure it and the other is to push it away with chakra. She is capable of neither.
As Mitsuki explains that he cannot cure it and the others fail to come up with any alternatives, Tobirama resolves himself. "I'll chase down that Colonel and force him to hand over the cure".
Throwing a kunai in the direction Martin fled, Tobirama teleports away. His enemy has a head start on him but he can teleport. Still, that is not enough to know whether he can make it in time or not. He thinks back to Mito though, he doesn't want to lose a friend like that, not ever again.
The Invader's Hill
'They must have realised from our reactions that we don't get along with Martin. It provides us with the perfect excuse' Clyde notes, 'Their teleporter has even gone, this is the perfect chance'.
The General nods to Peterson, an indication that this is the moment.
Kill Uzumaki Boruto!
"HEY" Peterson screams at the top of his lungs, "WHY DID YOU LET HIM ESCAPE YOU FOOL".
The Colonel fires a full power blast of lightning towards Boruto.
Not a moment ago, Martin had threatened the invaders, claiming that they would all be crushed for forcing him into this situation. It makes perfect sense then, for the invaders to hold a grudge against Boruto who let him go. There is no way the locals can interpret their true intentions through this. It is the perfect disguise for the perfect attack. With one enemy teleporter gone and the other one poisoned nobody can save Boruto.
In the Valley
Boruto starts as he realises the attack is coming for him. He has just powered down, dissipated his Tenseigan.
There is no way he can power up in time to save himself.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
Only one person reacts to this attack. Uchiha Sarada.
Her hand stretched out before her she begins to run towards the valley. "BORUTO".
She doesn't make it though, this lightning attack is enormously powerful, perhaps the mightiest attack seen in the contest so far. If Peterson had used this attack against Tobirama, he may have won.
A blaze of white light slowly disappears from the valley. Crackles of electricity slowly quieting as the light dims.
Emerging from this white light. Is an orange one.
Sarada gasps as she looks at the source of this orange light.
The Invader's Hill
Peterson shakes his head lightly as he looks at the orange light himself. "That's impossible".
The Hidden Leaf Hill
"Was that" Mirai starts as she looks into the valley, "No it can't be".
"Is that who I think it is?" Hiruzen asks.
Tsunade shares her sensei's astonishment, "IT can't be".
Unlike this trio who are surprised, Hinata is delighted. The confident smile on her face gives her an air of certainty. "Is there any doubting it, that's Naruto".
A couple of people turn to Minato to verify this. It's true, Naruto is no longer stood over his father. There can only be one conclusion.
This is Naruto.
Shikamaru shares Hinata's smile, "Of course, only Naruto can do something as crazy as that".
"Unless you think someone else can move that quickly" Tenten teases the others.
The Invader's Hill
Peterson still struggles to calm himself as he surveys the scene. He is certain that Naruto was healing the poisoned one just moments previously. To get all the way to the bottom of the valley, that is a speed that transcends the Colonel level of power. A speed on par with Generals.
Clyde keeps calm being the only one capable of following Naruto with his eyes. Still, he cannot deny that he is shocked by what he has seen. 'So, this is your level, Uzumaki Naruto'.
Having saved Boruto, Naruto seems to disappear to all but Clyde. He reappears before the formation of Colonel's causing them to jump in surprise.
"You can hit me with as many cheap tricks as you like" the 7th Hokage explains, "But, I'm not going to let you hurt the others".
The tension can be cut with a knife as he stands truly face to face with Clyde.
"The sun is setting General" he frowns, "Tomorrow… tomorrow you and I will settle this".
In the Valley
Naruto heads back down into the valley. Not as speedily as before but he still makes haste to check that his son is still alive and kicking.
"Dad, thank you, if not for you I would have died".
"Come on" Naruto grabs hold of Boruto's hand, "Your grandfather is in trouble". In another dash of speed, Naruto disappears from the bottom of the hill with Boruto, before reappearing at the top.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
"Naruto, that was incredible" Kushina exclaims. "But, do you really have no way to save your father".
The 7th Hokage hangs his head in shame. For all his strength, he still cannot save his father. Something as trivial as poison is going to overcome his mighty power.
"I have a way to save him" Hashirama finally declares, "But it's very risk".
"What do you mean?".
"You will have to shoulder the risk Kushina, are you alright with that?".
"Of course, I am" the red-haired shinobi practically shouts towards Hashirama, "Just tell me what I have to do".
Hashirama stands from his crouching position, turning away from Minato and instead facing his wife. "I am going to extract the nine-tails from you and place it inside Minato".
For those who understand the repercussions of losing a tailed-beast, this comes as a great shock. If a jinchuriki is separated from their tailed-beast, they will beyond doubt die afterwards.
"Will that really work?" Naruto asks, knowing better than anyone the curse of death such a move normally harbours.
"It will work" the 1st Hokage declares confidently, "The nine-tails grants his jinchuriki an incredible recovery rate. Having his chakra inside Minato will be enough to battle the poison away".
"It could work" Tsunade nods as she scratches her chin, "This poison seems to adjust to the victim, slowly killing them. It's more like a method of torture than a poison".
"I'm ready to sacrifice my life if that's what it takes" Kushina asserts. The pain that she went through before, having nearly lost Minato, it is something she would kill not to experience again.
"You've spoken about this before haven't you mom" Naruto asks, "You're an Uzumaki, if we combine your superior endurance with my healing power, you may survive".
"But the chances…"
"Are not zero" Sarada interrupts Tsunade, "Can't we overcome the impossible here?".
Kushina wastes no time, nodding to Hashirama. "Do it".
Hashirama shares Kushina's sentiment. Placing his hand on her stomach he offers a quick warning, "This will hurt", before pulling the nine-tails out by its chakra. This sort of incredible feat is only possible through Hashirama's enormous power and Kushina's willing cooperation.
The Uzumaki clanswomen begins to collapse but is quickly caught by her son. Immediately Naruto places his right hand on her chest and works his magnificent chakra into her body. He is no expert but immediately upon acting he gets a feeling, a premonition. He faces his emotional granddaughter and assures her, "Don't worry, she will survive".
By this point, Hashirama has used a quick sealing formation to seal the nine-tails chakra within Minato. But that does not mean he is safe, something quickly picked up on by Boruto using his Tenseigan.
"Dad" Boruto calls, "Something is wrong".
"The nine-tails isn't helping him" Hashirama grits his teeth. After overcoming so many impossible obstacles to come this far, is Minato really going to die just like that. Just like Mito had. Is he going to prove unable to save either of them?
Naruto clumsily pushes Hashirama out of the way before placing his own hand on his father's stomach. With but a thought, his consciousness leaves his body and enters Minato's inner world.
Minato's Inner World
Naruto immediately storms up to the newly-housed Kurama. "What's the matter Kurama, why aren't you healing my old man?".
The nine-tails turns his head away from Naruto, as if ignoring the plea of a younger sibling. "Are you insane, I'm the nine-tails, I am hatred incarnate".
It should be understood that this Kurama is younger than the one sealed within Naruto. This Kurama has not experienced what his future self has. This Kurama has still not known the respect of friendship of a shinobi from the hidden leaf. He still harbours an enormous resentment within his heart.
"Don't give me that nonsense, I know you better than anyone" Naruto raises his voice as he swings his arms out to his sides, "Old man six paths told you that one day someone would come, a child from a prophecy, that child is me".
"… that doesn't matter to me".
"STOP LYING".
"Kid…".
"This is the old man's world" Naruto declares, "This is the world he strived to protect, a world that he dreamed you would one day protect. There is no more time, that day has to be today, so please…".
"… just give my father a chance".
"… get lost" Kurama demands as an orange chakra begins to flow from his body. The cloud like chakra drifts slowly past Naruto, over his shoulder and down into a body hidden by the jinchuriki's feet.
"Thank you, Kurama".
"I said get lost" the nine-tails snaps as he banishes Naruto from Minato's inner world.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
Naruto removes his hand from Minato's stomach, opening his eyes again as he looks towards his children with a smile, "Boruto, Himawari, they're both going to live".
"Thank you" Himawari whispers as she grabs Boruto for a hug.
The aforementioned Boruto simply smiles, "Father, Lord 1st, thank you. Truly you are incredible men".
'Naruto, you make miracles happen one after another' Sarada smiles, 'Mum, Dad, all the things you said about him. They really were true'.
'It will be decided tomorrow, he can win. We can survive'.
Author Note
Please bear in mind, I made the decision for Boruto to unlock the Tenseigan ages ago. I was inspired by internet theories that he would get it in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
In that story, Boruto has an unnamed dojutsu and does not have the Byakugan.
In this story, Boruto unlocked the Byakugan before Indra helped him unlock the Tenseigan.
This was a part of the plot I formulated before Boruto: Naruto Next Generations was realeased. I know that show has now made this plot inconceivable but you will have to bear with it if you want to keep reading. Please do not criticise me because this cannot happen, as I couldn't have known that when I decided to write this.
Thank you for your understanding and for reading,
Cbehrills