BORUTO'S MASTERS – FIND UZUMAKI NARUTO
South East Aturia
"It's an emergency, I need to speak to the 9th Hokage at once."
Sarada groans, her eyes opening as she awakens. She stretches and wonders how long she has managed to sleep this time. She guesses by the sun's position that it's just past midday. Since entering this desert biome, it has been nothing but scorching hot days and freezing cold nights. The heat hasn't made sleep any easier, nor has the weight on her shoulders. She still has nightmares of the harrowing sights of recent months. This time she slept two hours, a new record. Sarada shakes her head, it was going so well before the scout interrupted, she hopes that he has something important to say.
"Lord 9th!" the scout says as he rests his hands on his knees.
"Yes, I'm here," Sarada grumbles while doing her best to sound enthusiastic.
"It's… I saw…"
"Take a deep breath."
"I see Lord 1st and Lord Shadow 9th, they're on their way here."
Those within earshot begin to scream and shout, word quickly spreads throughout the camp and it becomes impossible to contain the panic. This is the last thing Sarada needed, two warriors coming here, one of whom is stronger than her, who will try and take the villagers away with them.
Still, there are no holidays for the Hokage, especially in troubled times like these. She quickly musters the most senior shinobi in the group to formulate an action plan. The majority of them agree not to get in Sarada's way and to take the villagers and run as quickly as they can, leaving her to fight Boruto and Hashirama.
Not everyone is taken with Sarada's plan of action. The greatest objection comes from Tsunade who forcefully convinces Sarada to let her remain. As always, Mitsuki stands by his new student in difficult times, opting to remain with Tsunade if she is going to be involved in this brutal battle. Naturally they both have other agendas in mind when they decide to stay. Tsunade's grandfather is one of their opponents and the other is Mitsuki's best friend.
They wait as their two former allies' approach. Their hair flutters in the breeze created by the incredible speed of the two 'death' wielding shinobi. The whole world seems to go a bit darker as they arrive, even without their ensemble of crazy cultists. When Boruto and Hashirama come to a halt, Sarada can only pray that they are not here to fight because she knows that even with the others, she will not be able to stop them.
"Hello Boruto," Sarada smiles.
"Hello Sarada."
"Have you come to return to the village, because right now I really need something to keep me moving forward."
"I'm not coming back Sarada, not until you realise the truth. But, if it's to put a smile on your face I could always tell one of my famous jokes"
Sarada smiles, "I'll pass. Thank you."
"Grandfather," Tsunade interrupts, taking a step forward away from Sarada, "I have to ask you something. Are you willing to answer me honestly?"
"Of course."
"Are you happier now that you have more power."
The moment those words escape Tsunade's lips red flags go off in Sarada's mind. Nobody has suffered more as a result of coming to the future than Tsunade. She has lost almost everything dear to her except for Hashirama. She has long said that she has felt helpless to make a difference in this conflict and Hashirama and Boruto have tried to force their power on her before. Joining Hashirama may seem like the most appealing option to her.
Sarada looks to Mitsuki as if to ask him what to do but he doesn't return her look. Mitsuki is focused entirely on the discussion between the Senju clan members. The 9th Hokage decides to trust Mitsuki's judgement, knowing that her team 7 comrade has spent more time with the 5th Hokage than anyone else since she came to the future. Tsunade must make this decision herself, whatever her decision may be.
"Since I obtained this power, I have always had the chance to protect the people I care about," Hashirama answers, "So, yes, I have been happier. The only thing that would make me happier is if friends and family supported my decision."
Sarada grimaces, it seems Hashirama has had the same thought as her. If a third Kage-level shinobi were to be added to the ranks of their group, they would be even harder to oppose than before. There is no way that she could protect the others from them in future. Alas, all she can do is watch, if she were to interfere, she may end up pushing Tsunade away.
"I've been thinking about her a lot," Tsunade says.
Hashirama nods, "Your grandmother."
"Yes, it's like you said, I wonder what she would think of all this. I think she would be sad that you and I are fighting each other now. I think she always believed in you to tie the family together, no matter what."
"I am ashamed that I let her down," the 1st Hokage admits.
"What would she think of who you are now? What would she think of your 'death' powers, of you attacking Naruto, of you killing all these people who oppose us? Do you really think she would be OK with all of that?"
Sarada hopes that's enough. Unfortunately, she knows that Hashirama possess a quality that makes him a terrible opponent. That quality is that he's just like Naruto.
"I think she would have trusted my judgement," Hashirama answers, "I think she would have had faith in me to make the right decision, no matter what the circumstance."
The 9th Hokage swears that she would give anything for this encounter to be interrupted, to go back to the villagers with the same number in their ranks, for everything to be OK. She closes her eyes and asks what her master would have done, how would he have talked Tsunade around. Naruto has a way with words that she doesn't, a way of talking to people's very souls that nobody else can emulate. However, when her prayers are answered by a 3rd party, she doesn't realise just how much worse the situation becomes.
There are sounds from above. A hoot-hoot sound.
Suddenly, a young woman with white hair and purple eyes drops down next to them. Probably still a teenager, she is dressed in a fair green hoodie more associated with civilians than warriors. Nevertheless, her drop down from above and her perfect landing show that she is no ordinary citizen.
This young lady is an unknown quantity to them, one that they should be terrified of.
This is Clyde and Lara's daughter.
This is Hannah.
"You are pocket worlders, right?"
Sarada inspects the young woman with her rinnegan, observing not a trace of chakra within her. This of course means that Hannah must have been born in Homeworld. She doesn't wear the uniform jacket of the imperial guard, nor the mauve cape customarily worn by aristocrats. Given her attire she is not one of the royals, so Sarada is left to assume that she is something else entirely. She couldn't know the full story behind Hannah's existence.
"We are pocket worlders," Boruto answers.
"So, you knew my mother, Head General Lara?"
"You're Lara's daughter?" Sarada asks with widened eyes, "Yes, I know your mother, she and I are allies in the battle against-"
"My mother's dead."
Sarada stops in her tracks. She had never been Lara's biggest fan, but they were allies who worked together in the fight against Carmen. Together they performed a miracle by defeating one of the most adept aristocrats in all of Homeworld. To hear that she has died comes as a true shock, was she discovered by the empire, was she killed by one of the imperial guards, no she wasn't.
"I killed my mother," Hannah admits emotionlessly.
"Why? Why would you kill your mother?"
"I didn't want to do it. It's this divine ability, I couldn't stop myself."
Sarada notices the nearby sound of laughter. She is shocked to see that Hashirama is laughing. The 1st Hokage who once cared about the wellbeing of all his allies is laughing uncontrollably as if he were some villainous caricature. Even Boruto appears surprised by his master's out of character reaction.
"This is good news," Hashirama exclaims, "With Lara gone the Hidden Leaf Village is one step closer to peace again. However, you might be even worse. You are a psychotic maniac who killed your own mother, with her out of the picture, you are next."
Hannah scowls at Hashirama, the 1st Hokage is not what she pictured in a shinobi. She expected that they would be gallant and charming, that they would be worthy of being her parents' allies, but she is markedly unimpressed with the once leader of the Senju clan. Looking at Sarada though she can't help believing the Uchiha Hokage is different, there is a sympathy in her eyes, something there that can be found even behind the rinnegan.
"I'm looking for a good person who can defeat me," Hannah explains, turning exclusively to Sarada, "That's the only way I can learn to control myself."
"But-"
Hashirama does not wait for an invitation to fight, he immediately launches himself forward and strikes Hannah in the side of the head. He guides himself with structures born from the wood style, dancing around in the most elusive fashion he can.
Boruto follows not far behind, running towards the now ricocheting Hannah using the terrain and his master's projections to best avoid detection. Together they are a terrifying tandem, using coordinated attacks that they have practiced thoroughly, taking experience from battles against the most talented shinobi to have ever lived.
Normally there wouldn't be anyone on their level who could resist their attacks.
Hannah is the exception to their rule.
Without even opening her eyes Hannah reaches out to the right, snatching a kunai from the air that Boruto believed he had throwed while out of view. She spins on the spot with this kunai in hand, releasing it with a power far greater than she caught it with. It powers towards Hashirama, tearing through the wooden barriers he puts in his way and hitting him directly in the chest, knocking him powerfully back into the ground.
Boruto stops in his tracks, marvelling at the raw power Hannah was able to achieve. He activates his tenseigan to increase his observational powers and notices a slight wavering in the air around Hannah's body. She is concealing her divine cloak; Hannah is a class 7 warrior. He quickly realises this must be a quirk of her elements of 'light' and 'darkness' which she surely inherited from her parents.
As if reading Boruto's mind and knowing that the rouse is up, Hannah's divine cloak splits into two halves, one black, one white.
Boruto smiles, he has been waiting for this challenge.
The Uzumaki clenches his fist and a grey wispy aura begins to appear around his body as his divine energy output begins to spike. He starts to use his full power too, the power of a class 7 warrior.
As if to rise to the challenge, and Boruto's expectations, an aura appears around Sarada as well. She too ascends one step further, manifesting her advanced understanding of the 'creation' element.
As Hashirama begins to power up, Boruto smiles in Sarada's direction. There is no escaping her, whenever he makes an advance, she is right on his tail, as if she will forever be just as strong as he is. He wonders if his father has made the same advances, whether he has also become a class 7 warrior.
With everyone's divine cloaks out, the battle commences.
Hashirama charges at Hannah once again, dashing in a straight line this time as his opponent makes no effort to move out of the way. He strikes forward with his incredible strength ready to test his raw power against someone he believes to be a worthy opponent.
Hashirama doesn't get his wish, Hannah's raw strength, while far greater than average, doesn't compare to his. Her talent is her impeccable instinct which she uses to evade the strike at the last second. As she strafes sideways, she watches, the world seemingly in slow motion, as her opponent glides past her. She raises her fist at the opportune moment, striking Hashirama with the cumulative power of his forward dash and her punch.
Hashirama staggers backwards and Hannah senses her chance, just like with her mother and the red teardrop, she strikes ruthlessly. She takes two quick steps forward, lower her leg behind both Hashirama's and pushing him to the ground. She quickly positions herself above Hashirama and begins to strike him as quickly as she can. She watches his attempted reactions to her strike, his anticipations of where she will attack next, but he is wrong every time because Hannah is not like any opponent he has faced before.
It is not until Hannah lands the fifth strike to Hashirama's head that she sense the blood in the water. Hashirama's arms lose strength for a moment as he verges on the edge of unconsciousness. She pulls one arm back for a powerful punch but then quickly draws back the other as well, using two open palms to block a pair of incoming strikes.
Boruto and Sarada tried to attack at the same time, combining their might and defeating Hannah while her guard was down, but Hannah's guard is never down. Her near-automatic defence virtually nullified their combined attack, with her only floating backwards just over the floor rather than being sent flying as they hoped.
As Hannah lands her instincts calculate the best attack to use in this position. She gathers 'light' in her left hand and 'darkness' in her right, slapping them together in a dazzling effect, blinding her three opponents. Sarada recognises this as the same combo that Clyde and Lara used to defeat Carmen.
Hannah steps forward, ready to strike with the back of her right fist and hit both Boruto and Sarada at once. She had planned to take a second step on Hashirama's head, knocking him out, but she is unable to do so. Her instincts scream at her that Boruto and Sarada aren't blinded, that their eyes purple and white respectively can still see. She must look for an alternative way to blind them.
Hannah takes her seconds step slightly to the side of Hashirama but angles her foot to send sand up into the eyes of the 9th Hokage and Shadow 9th Hokage, this time blinding them despite their incredible ocular powers. When the follow attack she had planned is interrupted by Hashirama grabbing her foot, she uses his grip to help her pivot and strike the two of them with he back of her foot instead.
With Boruto and Sarada blind from the sand and dazed from the kick, Hannah pulls her other foot free and kicks the prone Hashirama into the duo. In one moment, Hannah delivers a powerful blow against three of the strongest shinobi to have ever lived.
Sarada manifests a Susano, using it to stop their backward momentum. However, when the trio comes to a halt they are stunned by Hannah's condition. There is not a scratch on her, despite their combined efforts. They have fought the people of Homeworld before, they have always been more skilled than them though, they thought their shinobi skill would always give them an advantage in battle. This is the first time they have ever met someone on their level who can outperform them.
"This cannot be happening," Sarada says, "Surely the three of us should be able to defeat any class 7 warrior."
"Is she hiding more power?" Hashirama asks Boruto.
"Not that I can see. She is genuinely on the same level as we are. She's just… too good."
Claude flies down to the ground, landing on Hannah's shoulder. Claude can tell from the sag of her shoulders she is disappointed. He whispers something into her ear to console her. Hannah brushes her finger along her cheek, wiping a single tear away. She nods to her avian companion and turns away.
"Hold on, where are you going?" Sarada asks.
"You're wasting her time," Claude the owl explains, "Hannah's divine ability is the perfect instinct, it's derived from the essence beast clan. She needs to be defeated to be brought under control, otherwise she will just keep on killing. But it looks like King Max was right about her abilities, her instinct is too great.
"There is nobody on her level that can defeat Hannah."
While the other shinobi remain calm, Sarada's mind is racing. Does such a person exist? She has quickly reached a high classification as a warrior to the point where Hannah could threaten most aristocrats. Her skill is tremendous as well to the point where she can stand against three of the most talented class 7s alive but is she unbeatable. Are they really depending upon a class 8 or class 9 ally to defeat her?
As Hannah begins to walk away, Sarada desperately searches for a solution to the young girl's problems.
"Wait," the 9th Hokage shouts.
Hannah turns back to glance at her.
"If you want to be defeated there is someone who can do it, I'm sure of it," Sarada says, "I don't know if he is a class 7 yet. I don't know if he is in Aturia anymore. I don't even know if he is alive anymore. However, if there is anyone on your level who can defeat you it is definitely my master.
"Hannah, find Uzumaki Naruto. He will defeat you. He will save you."
Hannah turns her back on Sarada, her instincts having determined that this fight is no longer worth it. As she drifts away, she doesn't want to feel anything, she doesn't want to be tormented by her own emotions any longer. Her instincts never switch off though, when the 9th Hokage told her about this man the belief in her voice and eyes was genuine. Sarada truly believes that her master will be able to overcome this instinct and free Hannah.
Hannah smiles to herself.
"Uzumaki Naruto huh."