BORUTO'S MASTERS – MONTHS LATER
The Village
White light, dancing under the surface of his eyelids, his face the perfect picture of serenity, Naruto has once again begun to meditate on his element, sworn not to awaken until he has broken through. This time he started from the right mental state, this time there will be no intervention from Kurama. Naruto went to sleep a man without enough power, when he wakes up he will be the man that Furst Jonas dreads, the man who can pull down the empire.
"Are you happier this time?" Kushina asks her granddaughter.
"Of course, I am, this time he's not abandoning anyone. This time he isn't running away, he's running forwards, that's how dad should always be."
Himawari takes a moment to think, to remember her childhood. Naruto had no parents during his youth, just a series of people who would occasionally offer him support. Her childhood was very different, despite Boruto's initial rebellious phase. She never felt unsafe when her parents were there, they protected her all the way.
The ground shakes violently three times and Himawari looks around with concern as several of the nervous villagers fall over. The mayor quickly checks on everyone, telling them to sit down if they can to avoid injury. These small tremors have been nearly constant for hours now as the ground beneath them is battered with the mighty fists of Headmaster Sora's first student.
Ming Dai, since the village defences were awoken, has been trying to tunnel out, deep underground where the imperial guard should be unable to perceive his position. Once the tunnel is far enough from the village, they can all escape, they can be free from the terrifying oppression of the imperial guard. Of course, the majority of them are not warriors, they will not have a big role to play in the upcoming conflict, but they are on the right side of it. After ensuring their safety, it will fall to the mayor to make sure they are doing their bit for the war effort, that is assuming the war gets started.
There are few people in this world who can speak and make everyone hear them. It will fall to one such person to turn this rebellion into a war, someone who will have to believe Naruto is worth investing in.
With a flash of gold, a man carrying a mountain of earth arrives in the village, throwing his luggage into the barrier and watching it get destroyed. He looks back over his shoulder to see that the mayor is approaching for a status update.
"It's hard work," Minato remarks before the mayor can get a word in, "That Ming Dai never seems to run out of stamina."
"I've met people with a similar personality," the mayor replies, "They want to be strong, to be tough, he is trying to show that he is somebody that we can depend upon."
"Are you saying he's ordinary?"
"Far from it. It's just his personality type, it's an admirable one. I've seen many who match the same psychological profile, but very few who are willing to take it to such an extreme. He reminds me of the previous emperor in some ways."
Minato nods, indeed, Ming Dai's work ethic is something to behold. In the past few days he has lost his mentor and his first friend has gone into a meditative state he may not leave in years. Most people would be distraught and become unable to act in these circumstances, but Ming Dai keeps pressing forward. King Hoffman Swen is Ming Dai's biological father, this amuses the 4th Hokage. It seems that much like Naruto, Ming Dai gets some of his best qualities from his mother.
Minato teleports away, ready to collect more excavated earth from the tunnel. If Ming Dai is going to work this hard who is he to take it easy?
Meanwhile, Himawari has stepped aside and has begun to make a small monument of rocks. An unmarked tribute that will quickly fade when the defences drop, and the winds batter it, but it is a tribute, nonetheless. She hopes that this small stack of rocks will help her to send a message to the other side, to her most precious loved one, to her mother.
Kushina walks over and looks over the monument.
"Your mother?"
Himawari nods.
"She died doing something noble," Kushina says.
"She died doing something stupid."
"Himawari…"
"She didn't need to go back, to keep attacking. It was an obvious bluff and she fell for it, and that's so unlike her. But I… I… I don't understand it, not at all."
Kushina steps towards Himawari, pushing her granddaughter's head into her chest and embracing the sobbing woman tightly.
"She died believing that she was fighting for your father. I think that's something noble, don't you Himawari?"
"Yes."
The duo glance at the memorial for a while, sharing a silence for the fallen Hyuuga clanswoman. They each send up a prayer, hoping that their voices reach Hinata. They hope that she watches over them, and that she watches over Naruto as he embarks on perhaps the toughest quest of his life.
"She seemed like a good mother."
"She was," Himawari answers, "She used to hold the family together, saying the right things at the right time. When I got sick, she used to make dad and Boruto be quiet. Dad didn't really know how to interact with children, so she helped him with that. I think that her hard work when we were younger is probably the reason, we are still alive now. Without her I think things would have turned out a lot worse for Boruto and I. I hope that wherever she is now she puts in a good word for all of us."
"I'm sure she is."
Glancing back, Naruto's daughter is certain that he is still hurting, that he is playing back those same events in his mind. Hinata's death, his inability to stop it, Sora's sacrifice, the battle with the mercenary Mars, they could all be key components to understanding the second level of 'life' energy, to breaking through and obtaining a 'life' cloak. She hopes that he knows that Hinata is with him too, that they are all with him and that while their voices cannot reach each other, they are all right there together.
Days Later
"I can't feel any tremors anymore," one villager says.
"That Ming Dai must be really far away," another adds.
They are right, Ming Dai and Minato are now operating at a great distance from the village, so far that they cannot even feel the vibrations as Dai's fists burrow through the dense earth beneath them. Only Himawari has the senses to gauge their presence now, to detect the miniscule yet regular thumps echoing through the ground. It is as if Ming Dai and Minato are sending a message from a long way away that they are still pressing on.
"Hey dad," Himawari says towards her unresponsive father. "I know that you probably can't hear me, but I think I should tell you about what's happening. Grandpa is helping Ming Dai to tunnel through the ground, they've gotten so far away now, all so that we can get you and the villagers out safely. They're great you know, working hard for our freedom. When you wake up you better justify their belief in you, otherwise mom would never forgive you."
Minato arrives with a flash of gold, once more discarding the earth he brings with him into the village's defensive barrier to destroy it.
"One more return and then we'll have surfaced," the 4th Hokage says before disappearing.
The mayor leaps to his feet, "Alright, everyone up on your feet, we've got a long walk ahead of us and some of us aren't as young as we used to be. I want those of us lucky enough to be young to help our elders OK, nobody gets left behind, got it?"
The people of this small village, protected by a single veteran all hop to their feet, ready for what to them appears to be a very long walk. Naturally, to those with power, like the captain who betrayed the empire and to Kushina this walk will be easy. However, as the mayor said, not everyone is so fit, and it would be unfair to expect Minato to take everyone back and forward.
Minato returns once more, casting the excavated earth into the shield and collapsing to the ground, taking a well-earned rest. He brushes the sweat from his brow and laughs as he jokes with his wife about the Hokage doing hours of manual labour. He waits while the villagers all pour into the tunnel, beginning their trek to safety.
Himawari looks at her father, "right," she says as she angles to pick him up.
However, the mayor arrives first, lifting Naruto over his shoulder. "I will carry him, if he manages to succeed in his job then the entire world will owe him a great debt."
Himawari cannot argue and follows the mayor and the citizens of the village into the long tunnel.
Three Weeks Later
They continue for three weeks before they emerge out the other end, with Ming Dai proving that he was able to dig the tunnel a great deal faster than the citizens were able to walk it. He boasts cheerfully to Himawari as she and the others arrive, forcing them to acknowledge that he is indeed the pupil of Headmaster Sora.
When they emerge, it strikes Himawari that they have entered an entirely new ecosystem. This time it is one full of hills. There are hills as far as her enhanced eyesight can see. Some gigantic, some little more than mounds, some covered in trees, some completely devoid of plant life and others with just beautifully green grass. After weeks in that tunnel, it is a welcome sight.
Himawari knows that her mother and father were fond of the scenery in this world. They were both entranced by the grassy plains were they first camped and by the garden paradise they stayed in while they planned the assault on the imperial palace. She wishes that they could be hear now to see this with her, because in her opinion this is the greatest of the lot.
Amongst the trees she spots some kind of primate, leaping between branches as dozens of its friends watch on. On the grassy hills, she sees two young big cats chasing after one another, presumably playing, learning to hunt for a day their mother will no longer be around to look after them. Above them birds call out, releasing sounds from their mouths that she never heard in the pocket-world, with feathers of all the colours of the rainbow.
Furst Jonas may be the devil, but the realm he presides over is far from hell. For an artist, this place is heaven.
"Where are we?" Himawari asks.
"We are near the city of CheoCheo," Ming Dai answers, "This is the perfect place to hide for the villagers. They can access everything they will need if they discretely set up a settlement amongst the trees over there. CheoCheo is close enough that they can visit if they need any emergency supplies. We got lucky that the tunnel came up here."
The mayor explains that he agrees with Ming Dai and sets about giving a few jobs to the strongest amongst his villagers. They need shelter, food and water quickly. His experience during the last conflict aid him greatly in explaining how to come by these things in a place like this.
"So, what will you do now?" the mayor asks Ming Dai after giving his final order.
"We are going to head to Taigai."
"What sort of place is Taigai?" Himawari asks.
Ming Dai turns to his companion. "We are currently in the nation presided over by King Weiss Max, the head of the laboratories. This nation is called Aturia and right in the middle, within a ring of volcanoes lies it's capital city, Taigai."
"It sounds dangerous."
"Of course, Taigai is a dangerous place to get to and even more dangerous place to remain, especially when you bring Uzumaki Naruto with you," Dai admits. "But it will be a long time before we can say we're safe again. That's what we've agreed to give up, right?"
Himawari nods. That is what her father and her mother wanted, she will stick by it until the end, as will Minato and Kushina.
The captain who betrayed the imperial guard argues that she should go with them, but Ming Dai rightly points out that she is needed here, with the villagers. If there is an emergency, the villagers won't be safe unless they have two powerful warriors to look after them. She reluctantly agrees and along with the mayor bids farewell to the man who changed everything.
As Ming Dai, Himawari, Minato and Kushina leave, they pull Naruto behind them on an impromptu cart.
The mayor and the captain wonder if they will ever see this young man again, they pray that they will. He is hope for Homeworld, but he treads the most dangerous path ever walked. Even as he remains unconscious, Naruto has taken another important step on the path to free Homeworld.
Many Months Later, New Khugai
A long way south and somewhat east of CheoCheo is the city of New Khugai. This city is not the most popular in Aturia, having always had a problem with crime. This place was cursed with bad luck long before Furst Jonas became the emperor, long before Endou Akashi rose to prominence and united the empire. It doesn't matter who is at the top of the world, be they a benevolent powerhouse or an evil genius, there will always be places like this where their influence cannot reach.
It is a foggy night, and the setting of the sun casts an orange shadow on the city of a thousand criminals. There is a back street in this city where innocent people never dare to go, and on that street, there is an inn. This inn has very few visitors and they're always the same ones. This is where they do their business, the business that gives New Khugai its reputation, the business that breeds the city's curse.
An elderly man enters the inn in a long black cloak, trying his best to conceal his grey hair and ageing face as he enters. He has never been in this place before and after hearing of the stories he doesn't want to be hear one second longer than he has to be. Though, the one he is here to meat has never been here either. He reluctantly admits, this is the best neutral ground.
A woman gestures the man over to her table, a woman with a red teardrop painted below her left eye. She appears the younger of the two but is in fact many years older. She has not weathered a day since she broke through and understood her element, she looks not a day over 40.
This lady is Lan-Fen, formerly Hu Lan-Fen before her name was taken. She is known to the world as the infamous red teardrop for obvious reasons. She is an aristocrat, a veteran of the last war, a virtuoso of violence.
"Hello," the old man says nervously.
"Sit."
The old man does as he is told, sighing as he does so.
"What do you have to offer me?" Lan-Fen asks.
"You know what we have to offer you, almost impossible odds. You would have a chance to go against the big man, and you would probably die if you took it. However, I hope you will take it anyway. If you want to stand up for the oppressed, this is your best chance to do it, joining our group."
"What do you know about me?"
"I know you appear to be a young woman, though you are likely an aristocrat from the last conflict," the old man deduces. "You aren't wearing your aristocratic uniform; therefore, you are probably dissatisfied with Furst's rule. I don't know if you are a good person or not, but I've learned to be open-minded about these things. I believe you want to wage war against Furst, that's a good enough starting point."
"My name is Lan," Lan-Fen declares, providing a deliberate half answer, "You are right, I am an aristocrat. During the last conflict I made a name for myself battling against the Dark Dimension. Whether I'm a good person should be irrelevant to you, you need to be ruthless and unrelenting if you are going to challenge the emperor. I met him once during the last war and I can tell you nobody more impressive has been born since him."
The old man leans back, relaxing slightly. "Can I ask, it has been years, you know little about me, why are you having this conversation? Why are you considering rebellion?"
"That's none of your business."
The old man groans, leaning forward once again, he rests his chin on his hand. "What a drag," he says.
"If you must know then I disagree with Furst on principle. He mistreats the people he rules over. He intimidates me and my fellow aristocrats. Nothing has gotten better since he took over. I was also a great admirer of Endou Akashi and his wife. I just want things to go back to how they were."
The old man shakes his head, "The reason you give lots of little reasons is because you're hiding the true reason. Are you really not going to tell me?"
Lan-Fen remains silent.
"Well, I can't say I blame you, I'm an unknown quantity at the moment," the old man admits, "I suppose I need to share some information with you so that you will be more comfortable trusting me."
"Your name," Lan-Fen demands bluntly.
"I have two names."
"Liar!"
The other patrons of the inn look at the two hooded figures. Voices do not get raised in this inn; voices are deliberately kept very quiet. What people say to each other in this place is meant never to be heard by another.
"I have two names," the old man insists. "I have a clan name and a given name. I am what you would call a pocket-worlder."
Lan-Fen's eyes narrow slightly, this ominous old man is a pocket-worlder, in this place. She has never heard of a pocket-worlder infiltrating Homeworld like this, infiltrating New Khugai and passing himself off as a civilian, its impressive, especially in a place where everyone you walk past casts suspicious eyes over you.
"What are your names?" Lan-Fen asks.
"My clan name is Nara. My given name is Shikamaru."
Lan-Fen is sceptical of the man's claim, but there is an intelligence behind his eyes. Clearly this old-looking man is actually much younger than she is, but there is a composure about him that she lacks, an intelligence behind his eyes far greater than her own. Trying to outthink him won't work, she realises this quickly. Going against this man in a battle of minds is like trying to outfox Queen Nadia in a battle of strategy.
Lan-Fen decides that if Shikamaru were going to make up a lie a man of his intelligence could have come up with something a lot more believable. On top of everything, while Lan-Fen can detect that Shikamaru is a brilliant thinker, she doesn't believe that he is a liar. Offering to let her join a fake rebellion under the pretence of being a pocket-worlder, surely it cannot be a trick. The emperor and the royals do not need to resort to such petty tricks to control their followers. This old man is the real deal.
"I'm willing to help you," Lan-Fen says after concluding Shikamaru is sincere. She slides him a card. "If you meet me at my estate, I will tell you the secret of Jonas' communications."
Shikamaru nods his assent and gets to his feet.
"You can bring the two you left outside with you if you like," Lan-Fen says.
Shikamaru grins, "So, you noticed."
Shikamaru leaves the inn, reuniting with Choji and Ino outside. Together they have got what they came for. After months of trying, it seems like they have finally courted what could be a powerful ally into their ranks. While Uzumaki Naruto meditates on the other side of the nation they work diligently to increase their numbers.
Progress is slow but it is steady.
The rebellion is beginning to grow.
Author Note
Hello everyone,
I'm back. I'm sorry that it took so long. I can offer the good news that I have planned a large part of part 10 as well though, so unless something goes very wrong there will be no interval between parts 9 and 10.
Again, sorry that it took so long.
Part 9 is called Boruto's Masters.
I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter of part 9 and enjoy the rest of it too.
As for my schedule I will be writing one chapter per week until I complete planning for part 10.
Then I will write quicker if I'm available to do so.
This should help to ensure that there is no delay between the end of part 9 and the start of part 10.
Thanks for reading,
Cbehrills