Author Note:
Hi Guys.
Finally reached this landmark. 'To the Future' now has 50 chapters.
I intend to write a lot more. I'm not even half way through this story yet.
With that said, I'll see you at 100.
Thanks for reading,
Cbehrills
THE BATTLE FOR THE EARTH – THE STRONGEST COLONEL
Part Way to Himawari
Boruto and Kakashi run side by side their arms stretched out behind their back as they move as fast as they can. Normally these two could move very fast, far quicker than a normal shinobi but right now their speed is highly conservative. Each of them has had to endure a tough battle. Kakashi had to embrace his new power, to bring about a shining moment of brilliance as he fought for the first time with Obito's full chakra. Boruto though, Boruto had turned around, he had joined Sarada in a battle against two Colonels, greatly draining his stamina.
"Are you really alright?" Kakashi asks.
Boruto pauses, his gaze fixed into the distance, "What do you mean?".
"Back there you seemed to be in a lot of pain" the masked warrior replies, "You may be able to fool somebody else but Sarada and I are Hokage".
Boruto sighs.
That substance has been haunting him for ages now. That wispy grey substance that leaks from his body. Ever since he had miraculously survived the attack of one of the Colonels, the substance has followed him everywhere he has gone. That day, everyone in his team had died, he had been the only survivor. It has hindered him at the most inconvenient of times, leaking from his body as he groans in agony. Only Naruto knows about this strange ailment and with the present situation, Boruto has no intention of making anyone else concern themselves with his condition.
"Yeah, I'm OK" Boruto insists, "I was just pretty winded from the battle. I didn't want to look weak compared to Sarada so I toughed it out".
"Boruto" Kakashi looks sincerely into the eyes of the shadow Hokage, "This is not the time to be hiding something if it could affect our chances of winning".
Kakashi is right of course, this match is possibly the most crucial event in the history of the hidden leaf village. Hokages, their descendants, even a shadow Hokage, the best and brightest from the village's history have all gathered for this match to decide the village's life and death.
"It won't affect our chances" Boruto looks intently towards the man who was Hokage at his birth, "Don't worry, you can trust me".
Kakashi nods, continuing to run towards Mirai. "I never knew you and Sarada were so close".
Boruto recalls what he said before. How he had acted so worried for Sarada's safety, after so long fighting the invaders, with the village being invaded, with Sarada protecting its people each and every day, it makes little sense for him to be more concerned for her now. She is stronger than ever before, stronger than most of the Colonels and yet now is when he is scared of her death.
He knows exactly what Kakashi is thinking.
"It's not like that" he answers.
"It isn't?".
Sighing, the blonde delays his answer, "Well it certainly never used to be like that. Not between the two of us".
Kakashi nods gently. He has experienced far too much war during his life. He has lost too many people. It is only at times of great loss and great danger that you realise just how much you value those around you. In many cases, you feel nothing while your supposed friends are cut down, yet sometimes you are overcome by sadness as some rival dies. Sometimes, humans are incapable of telling how they feel about those they care about, so fate force the answer upon them.
"Grief can make you realise things you never knew before" Kakashi replies to Boruto, understanding exactly how the latter feels, "Your thoughts about yourself, about others".
The shadow Hokage explains his thinking to Kakashi, "I have to protect Sarada because if I ever stray from the right path, she is the only one who can save me".
"Didn't you have someone like that Lord 6th".
Kakashi's very eyes are a testament to this person. A friend taken from him far too soon. A man who he feels, should have been the 6th Hokage.
"Yeah" he says, thinking of Obito, "I had someone like that".
"That's why I can't let anything happen to Sarada". Not so long ago, Boruto had spoken with Hashirama regarding this very issue, about how Sarada could save him no matter how clouded his heart becomes. "Because if something does happen to her, I may do great harm to those around me".
"I get that, I really do". The 6th Hokage has stepped onto a destructive path before, he had begun to lose himself before Hiruzen had saved him. No, Hiruzen put him in charge of a gennin team, it would be more accurate to say they saved him. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura.
Still, this is showing too much concern, it is bordering on fear, something Kakashi seldom felt for his subordinates in team 7. "Is that really all it is? Is that the only reason you are so concerned for her?".
"I thought it was" Boruto answers honestly, "But this war doesn't give you much time to think about these things…".
He shakes his head violently from side-to-side. This is not the time to be thinking about his feelings about Sarada. His feelings for Sarada. "Why are you being so nosy anyway" he shouts towards the Hokage, "I never got the impression you were one to poke into other's private lives".
"Normally I'm not" the 6th confesses, "But you guys are the children of my students. Of course, I want you both to be happy, no matter what".
Boruto pauses.
To be happy, at a time like this.
In years of misery, what time had he to think of being happy.
"Whatever Sarada and I feel, whatever would make us happy, it's not worth thinking about right now" Boruto concludes, "Regardless of what I feel, we have to win here".
Kakashi nods, "Yeah".
'You may not think this is the time to think about it, Boruto. It may be the perfect time though. Your fears are not unfounded. This time tomorrow you could both be dead'.
With that thought in mind, Kakashi and Boruto continue on towards Mirai. They may not be much help for the rest of this match, but her power is remarkable, with so much room for development. She could be a difference maker.
Tobirama and Peterson's Starting Point
Tobirama delicately removes his finger from the ground. This is the technique that makes him one of the hidden leaf's greatest sensors. In this battle, there is a Rinnegan user, a Mangekyo Sharingan user, a Tenseigan user, a miracle fusion user and two sage mode experts. Yet, amongst all these people, Tobirama's sensory abilities are still very unique. As such how could he not sense it.
'She is coming'.
ZOOM!
Amongst a gust of wind, she appears.
It's Colonel Sheer.
She arrives at Tobirama's side in an instant. Her technique is not teleportation but it allows her to travel with the wind, making her more difficult to hit, nearly impossible to follow and much quicker. This makes it similar to Sarada's technique. Upon her arrival, Sheer throws a punch towards Tobirama's head, intent on killing him with the first blow.
Naturally, the 2nd Hokage sees through this simple attack. In a brief flash of light, he disappears, reappearing behind the attacking Colonel. He also doesn't intend on requiring a second attack, he thrusts his kunai at her head.
Zoom! Sheer uses her evasive technique. She reappears a few seconds later a good distance away from her opponent.
'If I remember correctly, he can teleport but only to a location he has written on'. Sheer contemplates this for a moment before she startles, 'Could it be…'.
Tobirama smiles as he watches her momentary reaction. 'She has likely figured it out already. Yes, I have already marked most of this area with my jutsu formula. I haven't just been sat here waiting you know'.
The 2nd Hokage continues, 'Still, her knowing will make no difference'.
"Let's go Kurama" he calls to his inner world.
"You don't need to tell me twice" the nine-tails answers.
An orange aura overtakes him, sticking close to his body, dyeing both his skin and his clothes the bright orange colour that would have met the approval of a young Naruto. This is nine-tails chakra mode.
With a flash, Tobirama appears behind Sheer's back. It's not only his teleportation speed, but his movement speed proves to be quick too. He leaps into the air before swinging a kick at the back of her head.
Miraculously, Sheer manages to dodge this attack. She ducks beneath it before creating a wind sword, turning and thrusting it towards the powered-up 2nd Hokage. This sort of attack will not work though.
Once again, he teleports. Once again, he appears behind her back. He takes the initiative to thrust a kunai towards the back of her neck. Suddenly though, he stops. Sheer has a wind blade pointed backwards towards Tobirama.
Tobirama's kunai.
Sheer's sword.
The two find themselves in a stalemate.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
Minato grins. 'This situation is awfully familiar' he reminds himself of a battle he had long ago. A battle against Naruto's jinchuriki tutor, the eight-tails host, Killer Bee. That day Bee had shown himself to be a shinobi-killer. A man of true skill and heart, who had been willing to sacrifice himself for his allies.
The lesson Minato is not taking from this though, is that Sheer is also willing to sacrifice herself.
Tobirama and Peterson's Starting Point
Tobirama disappears in a flash. He moves back to the position from which he started the fight. Not so long ago, he was willing to sacrifice himself to kill a Colonel, something has changed though, he has to save his brother, honour his sister. Unlike before, he values himself highly. He calculates that it is not work sacrificing himself in this little skirmish.
Crossing his fingers, Tobirama creates two clones.
Sheer remembers this method from the man's match against Peterson, 'This technique is…'.
'In an area, I have marked, I hold the complete advantage' Tobirama smiles.
The first clone teleports to Sheer's front. Upon the Colonel attacking this first clone, it uses the flying thunder god technique, switching positions with the second clone. By switching positions, the two clones dodge the attack before the second clone hits Sheer with a simple bare-fisted attack.
Using this tactic, the two clones repeatedly avoid Sheer's attacks while getting their own in. This happens time-after-time, slowly but surely, the Colonel's fatigue from her last battle begins to show, she is being worn down with each attack.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
Himawari pumps a fist, "Lord 2nd's offence is incredible" she remarks, "There is no way the Colonel can counter this".
"That may not be so Himawari" Minato counters.
"Grandpa…".
"Lord… Tobirama. Tobirama's offence has one key weakness".
Tobirama and Peterson's Starting Point
As the first clone swaps positions with the second clone, it's fist flies towards Sheer with great momentum. This is the effect of Tobirama's chakra control, naturally it cannot compare with Hashirama's who is legendary for it, nor Sarada's which she picked up from her mother but it is still far better than average.
The punch doesn't work though, instead it is Sheer, who kicks the first clone, sending it flying into the second clone and destroying them both with a single attack.
Tobirama frowns, 'So she noticed it did she'.
Sheer takes a few deep breaths, recovering from that sustained beating. "Your copies have to start their attacking motion before they swap positions" she explains with a smile, "Otherwise I would have time to react to their attacks upon them swapping positions".
She furthers her explanation, "All you need to do is keep an eye on the other clone to know how to defend from its attacks".
Tobirama knows this is not good. This attack had been very effective against a worn-down opponent, especially Sheer. He still has his link with Kurama, but, that alone is not enough to give him a true advantage against a Colonel.
"I no longer have time to play around with you" Sheer declares as she flies up into the air. Following her rise, comes her dive. She dives down towards the prison at great speed.
'Damn, I haven't got any marks up there, my manoeuvrability will be limited' Tobirama frowns once again, 'Still, I have no choice, I have to defend'. The 2nd Hokage arches his arm, throwing a kunai as fast as he can into Sheer's path.
The moment that Tobirama teleports to this airborne kunai, Sheer grins and disappears. It is where she reappears that is terrifying to him.
She reappears at the side of the prison.
'Did I lose sight of her'.
Smiling, Sheer taunts her opponent. "You gave me some information you shouldn't have during your assault".
"What would that be?".
"Your reaction time is worse than mine". As the Colonel declares this, she slowly stretches out her finger, as if daring the 2nd Hokage to act in retaliation. It is too late though, he has no way of stopping the inevitable.
She touches the prison.
The strongest Colonel, is free!
Peterson steps out from the prison.
The man with the scarred face makes a quick analysis of the situation. Tobirama and Sheer have been fighting and while neither is clearly that injured, it is Sheer who is the worse off of the two. Clearly freeing him was the only choice she had. Drinking in the sight of Tobirama is enough to make Peterson's blood rush, he has no intention of losing to the Senju again.
"Attack" Peterson orders.
Sheer does this with a spear of wind. She throws it towards Tobirama at full force, while she does not know exactly what her partner is thinking in this moment she has unwavering trust in him.
Peterson slowly stretches his hand out to his side, waiting for the moment that Tobirama is about to be hit. It is at that moment, the 2nd Hokage teleports away from danger and Peterson fires his attack. Both choose the same destination, Sheer's back.
Tobirama falls onto his own back as he is stunned by the lightning. 'How could he?'.
"Our fight was enough for me to understand your thought process" Peterson explains as he stands over his fallen opponent, "I knew that you would try and take the weaker of us out quickly, that is only sensible. I also knew that you would chose to attack her from behind. That's just the sort of man you are".
Tobirama sighs internally. 'He got me'. Then he faints. Unconscious.
"Burns and Sisto?" Peterson looks to his comrade.
"Both down".
The lightning user nods, realising now how dire the situation is for them. Still, his escape has truly turned things around, there are now four nearly useless warriors on the enemy's side and he has become the strongest on this battlefield.
"Grace's opponent is the highest priority now" Peterson assesses.
"I agree" Sheer turns to face Grace's direction, "We absolutely cannot let that man escape".
This match consists of two separate battles. The first battle is the most important, the one between Naruto and Clyde. The battle between these two is vital, whoever is down for ten seconds first will bring doom to their side, no matter what happens in the second battle. That second battle though, the winner can help influence the first and there is only one person in it stronger than Peterson.
Senju Hashirama.
Peterson looks in the General's direction. The first battle heavy on his mind, 'That man's chakra is incredible, truly incredible. It looks like the General can handle it though'.
After checking on his superior, Peterson agrees with Sheer, the two Colonels immediately head towards the starting point of Grace and Hashirama.
The battle of the Colonels has come to this.
It will all depend on the escape or detention of one man.
It will all depend, on Senju Hashirama.