We'll Get Home, I Promise

by Takeshi1225

A lot can change in the little moments creating a vastly different future. A lot more can happen when two worlds collide. Shinachiku, the son of Naruto and Sakura, and Arata, the son of Sasuke and Hinata, are transported to the world of Boruto where the problems of their own world is now shared. This isn't the same Konoha, but they will defend it all the same. That they promise.

13. Grave News

We'll Get Home, I Promise

Chapter 13: Grave News

It had been two days since Shinachiku and Arata faced their respective fathers' counterparts. The pair were taking things easy by just hanging out at home with Shinachiku lying on the bed, and Arata tending to the garden outside.

Arata smiled as he saw the flowers starting to bloom. It warmed his heart to see them grow as he could already envision his little sister, Kure, beholding their sprouting with awe. Though his heart still ached from her absence along with the rest of his family, this sight before him, though unimpressive to most, brought him joy and a sense of peace.

"Maybe I should start growing tomatoes." Arata said as he finished watering his sprouting plants.

After tending to them, Arata put away his watering can, and walked over towards the edge of the house. He sat down on the walkway in a lotus position and started to meditate. He eased his breathing as he focused on being at peace.

He then heard clucking, making him open one eye to see the chickens out and about.

"I got it!" Shinachiku called out as he jumped out the window and hurried over to get the chicken feed.

Arata closed his eyes and resumed his meditation. He enjoyed the serenity for the moment. Despite the clucking of chickens, he actually felt at peace within the moment.

"Oi! Wake your rear ends up!"

And it's over.

"Hello, Boruto." Arata greeted the golden-haired blonde who had landed in front of him.

"What's up?" Shinachiku greeted their half-brother as he came back with the chicken feed.

"You drop the chicken feed, and you get off your lazy butt. We're heading over to Lightning Burger." Boruto said.

Arata and Shinachiku blinked their eyes in response.

"Wow. You're just as bad as him." Arata said, nodding over to Shinachiku, making the sunshine blonde frown with a dull, yet annoyed glare.

"Whatever. Just get off your rear and get ready." Boruto said with his hands on his hips.

"Yare yare." Arata said as he got to his feet.

"Here." Shinachiku handed the chicken feed to Boruto.

"What the-?!"

"Chickens still need to be fed. And the rooster." Shinachiku said as he ripped open the bag to allow the chicken feed to spill.

Just as Shina walked away, the rooster, Kenzou, then let out his rooster call, alerting Boruto as he and the chickens charged his way, causing Boruto to let out a scream as he ran away from the crazed fowl.

"Hn." Arata smirked in amusement as he and a grinning Shinachiku headed inside to get ready for the day.

.

.

Sarada was waiting at Lightning Burger for their missing teammate.

"He sure is taking a while." Sarada said with her arms crossed and a frown. "In fact, it's been almost a week and I still haven't seen Mitsuki in days. Where is he?" Sarada wondered aloud, now a bit worried for her biologically engineered friend.

"Hey, Sarada." A female voice called out, making Sarada turn to see Chocho waving towards her with Inojin and Shikadai following. "How's it hanging?" Chocho greeted her friend.

"Fine, I guess." Sarada said with a shrug.

"Where's Boruto? You'd never be standing in front of Lightning Burger without him leading the pack." Shikadai said.

"In fact, where is the pack?" Inojin asked.

"Boruto didn't want to eat without Arata and Shinachiku, so he went ahead to get them, leaving me here all by myself. As for Mitsuki, he's been a no show for days. I'm kind of worried." Sarada admitted with a frown.

"Arata-kun is going to be here?" Chocho asked as her face lit up with joy and excitement with a blush on her cheeks.

"Mitsuki's missing? That's troublesome. We should talk to Nanadaime-sama about this." Shikadai said, now concerned for the pale genin.

"I don't think we should worry about it too much though. I doubt Mitsuki would have gone AWOL again. If he was in trouble, Nanadaime-sama would have told us something about this already." Sarada said.

"So, let's not for now then. In fact, I'm feeling a bit peckish right now. Why don't we join you for a burger since we're right here." Chocho suggested with an innocent smile.

"Hoping to split one with Arata?" Inojin rhetorically asked with a dull smirk.

"Only if he's offering." Chocho thought with sparkling eyes, blushing at the idea.

"You are way too predictable, Chubs." Inojin said with half-lidded eyes and a more humorous smirk.

"Hey guys!" They all heard Shinachiku's voice, making them look to see him waving at them with Arata and an annoyed Boruto with them.

Chocho's line of sight was solely focused on Arata, who looked so cool as he walked at a calm pace with his hands in his coat pockets and that cool, stoic look on his face. Just the sight of him walking her way made Chocho swoon with a dreamy sigh.

"About time you guys showed up." Sarada said.

"Have you been waiting for us this whole time?" Shinachiku questioned with mild surprise.

"Mm hmm. Standing here and getting hungry as a result." Sarada said with her arms still crossed.

"Sorry." Shinachiku apologized while rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're not the one who should be apologizing. Although from the looks of it, I'd say he's already sorry enough for leaving me behind to get you both." Sarada said as she looked to Boruto, who was pouting with his hands in his pockets and face having peck marks here and there. "Run in with the chicken again?" Sarada 'asked' with an amused and knowing smirk.

"Let's just go inside already. I need a burger meal deal right now." Boruto said, looking away from Sarada's gaze.

"Hi, Arata-kun." Chocho greeted her crush with a blissful smile and wave.

"Afternoon, Chocho." Arata greeted the Akimichi heiress before looking towards the others. "Sarada. Shikadai. Inojin." He greeted the rest with a nod for each.

"Hey, Arata. Hey, Shinachiku." Shikadai greeted the Uchiha-Hyūga back, along with the Uzumaki-Haruno.

"How are you both feeling now?" Inojin asked both inter-dimensional shinobi.

"Much better! I feel like I could run around the village fifty times right now!" Shinachiku said with a grin and flexing his biceps. "Of course, I won't since no doubt Sarada would just give me an earful. Followed by her mother."

"Damn straight." Sarada said with a smile and her head held high.

"Mitsuki still a no show?" Shinachiku asked with signs of concern.

"Unfortunately not." Sarada said with a frown.

"There's no need to worry. I went to Konohamaru-sensei and asked if he at least knew if Mitsuki was in capable hands. He told me there was nothing to worry about." Arata answered.

"You found Konohamaru-sensei?! I've been wondering where he's been!" Boruto exclaimed with surprise.

"He's off doing his own training. Next time we see him, I guarantee he'll be much stronger than before." Arata said.

"What kind of training is he doing?" Sarada asked.

"Does that really matter now? The most important thing to be had at this moment is lunch! So let's not waste any time!" Chocho said as she suddenly grabbed Arata's arm, surprising the blue-haired shinobi as she pulled him closer towards her. "I know they're not on the nutritious side, but there is a lot of protein found in burgers, and I know someone as strong as you need protein to build up strength. Am I right, Arata-kun?" Chocho said with her a wide smile on her face and cheeks now rosy as she guided the dōjutsu user towards the restaurant's entranceway with her arm linked around his own.

"T-True." Arata stuttered out with his cheeks reddened a bit from the way Chocho was bonding with him. "Although, Shina's the one who devours more protein than I, and needs it. He can't survive on ramen alone, as much as he tries." He added, causing Shinachiku to give him a half-lidded annoyed glare and Chocho to laugh in amusement.

"Oh, Arata-kun! You are just so funny!" Chocho said with a bright smile, as Arata just averted his eyes as his cheeks reddened a smidge more from embarrassment.

The rest just stared at the two with dull anime expression on their face.

"No shame." Inojin commented.

"Uh-huh." Shinachiku agreed with a frown.

The others followed the pair in, as Arata, now being in public, looked towards the side with a nervous frown as his face was slowly starting to turn red. He was never fond of witnessing these types of acts of closeness in public, at least ones that were more in your face like this, and now he was unwillingly put into it by the big-boned kunoichi holding him in her grasp. How unfortunate.

Chocho was none the wiser of Arata's uncomfortableness with the position she was putting him in. Instead, she interpreted Arata's reddened face and inability to look her in the eye as him being shy of being with Konoha's number one female heartthrob in such a romantic way, which made her sigh dreamingly.

'He looks so cute. I can tell he's already falling hard for my charm.' Chocho thought with sparkling eyes as she used her free hand to hold one of her blushing cheeks.

'Someone please, rescue me. Being draped in a black sheet to spare me of these stares would be greatly appreciated.' Arata thought with embarrassment and anxiety as his eyes were shadowed and face was starting to steam red.

"Wow. This might be the only time Chubs is going to get a guy blushing over her." Inojin said with surprise and having a small, amused smile.

"And even then, it's not because he's falling for her charm or anything. Poor Arata." Shinachiku said with a sympathetic, yet amused grin for his friend.

'Man, I feel bad for him. What a drag this must be.' Shikadai thought with an empathetic frown and rubbing the back of his head.

"Hey, guys!" A female voice called out to the group, causing them to turn to see Wasabi waving to them as she was sitting with the rest of her teammates. "Sit with us when you get your orders!" Wasabi called out with a smile.

Arata flinched when he saw Team 15 not only there, but also noticing Tsubaki's eyes directly on him as she enjoyed her fries. The Uchiha heir of another reality subconsciously grabbed the top of his bandana and pulled it down more over his eyes so as to spare himself of her judgmental gaze.

Once again, Chocho interpreted this incorrectly as she figured Arata was embarrassed with having their close friends seeing them together in such a manner. Once more, she loved his shyness.

'So cute!' Chocho thought with an adoring smile, blush and eye smiles.

After the Teams 7 and 10 got their meals, they joined Team 15 by their booth.

"Well, who have thought we'd all meet up together right around the same time. And with Konoha's newest power couple from the looks of it." Wasabi said with a grin as she was referring to Arata and Chocho, who were sitting side by side thanks to the Akimichi.

"Please don't joke about that." Arata said with a frown.

"Y-Yeah. Arata-kun and I are still just friends. Nothing's official just yet." Chocho said with a bashful little smile and dismissive wave.

"Hn." Arata frowned at the 'yet' part.

"Well, congratulations then. You look cute together. I suppose." Tsubaki said with a stoic expression as she resumed eating her meal.

"We're not official, so please withhold your congratulatory gesture." Arata said with his own stoic expression as he looked towards the samurai.

"Yeah, yeah! Don't treat it so seriously yet." Chocho said with widened smile and blush as she waved her hand some more.

"You know, it almost sounds like a certain samurai has some choice words here." Inojin said with a cheeky smirk.

"I already said my peace. Now please, let me enjoy my meal in peace." Tsubaki said as she had another fry, following by a sip of her drink.

'She sounds so disappointed.' Wasabi thought with a smirk.

"Still though, I don't know about the whole 'cute' thing, given Chocho's appearance." Inojin said with a shrug.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chocho questioned with a glare and frown.

"Oh, nothing. At least not on Arata's end. It just seems you have way too many dimensions there to be a matching pair is all." Inojin said with a joking smile.

Chocho growled with a pout and narrowing her eyes. However, she thought about Inojin's assessment and wondered if Arata really would prefer a matching half.

"Say, Arata-kun." Chocho spoke just as the Uchiha-Hyūga was about to have his burger.

"Hn?" Arata halted himself as he looked to Chocho.

"Would… would you prefer…" Chocho's body started to decrease in mass, surprising the others, as she was now in her slim form usually found in her Chō Mōdo (Butterfly Mode). "If I looked more like this?" Chocho asked with a nervous look.

Arata blinked his eyes in confusion.

"What's the point? You're still you regardless. That's enough to satisfy anyone." Arata answered as he resumed eating his burger, failing to notice, or perhaps ignoring, the look of awe on Chocho's face.

The Akimichi girl gasped with her mouth agape, eyes wide and shimmering, and cheeks reddened as she felt her whole world burst with pure delight, as if heaven had appeared before her and around her at this very instance.

'I knew it! You and I…' Chocho suddenly leaned over and hugged Arata's arm, surprising the kōdona genin. 'Were fated to be here, together, Arata-kun.' Chocho thought with a joyous and loving smile as she closed her eyes and enjoyed Arata's warmth, not knowing she was making him blush red with embarrassment.

Arata frowned as his face turned complete red and eyes were shadowed, very unnerved with being in such a position, and in public. It didn't help that he was hearing the stifling laughter of Boruto, Shinachiku, and Inojin.

"They do make… kind of a cute couple, dattebasa." Boruto said trying to fight off his amusement, but failing to do so, along with Shinachiku and Inojin, who were all smiling with amusement.

"Yeah… I guess so." Inojin said, cracking an amused smile with his fellow blondes as he tried to take a sip of his drink while Shinachiku and Boruto were about to eat a fry and burger, respectively.

Before they could enjoy their respective nutrition, they suddenly heard what sounded like the wind being sliced, making them halt as then each of their nourishment was sliced into several pieces.

"The Hell?!" Boruto shouted with shock as he saw his innocent burger sliced into five pieces, with Shinachiku's fry and Inojin's cup meeting the same fate, with the latter now having soda spilt in front of him and on him.

The trio of blondes looked up towards Arata to see him no longer blush, but instead having a menacing aura around him with his eyes shadowed and his straw raised up before being inserted back into his cup of soda.

"H-Hey, we don't mean anything bad by it, Arata. Honest." Shinachiku said with a nervous grin and eye smiles as he had his hands raised up in defense.

"Truly and wholeheartedly." Inojin added as he and Boruto mirrored Shinachiku's actions.

"Uh-huh. Sure you guys mean that." Sarada said with a smirk and resting her cheek on her knuckles.

"Man, he's good." Wasabi said as she and Namida had a look of awe from Arata's skills.

"Hmph." Tsubaki closed her eyes as she resumed enjoying her meal.

'He's so cool~.' Chocho thought with awe as she continued to smile with delight and hug Arata's arm, as he resumed chowing on his burger.

Shinachiku sighed with his shoulders slumped. His eyes looked towards an empty booth as he imagined Team 5 there, with Iwabe making a comment or giving a jab about Arata scaring the crap out of him and the other blondes of the group. This causing Shinachiku to gain a somber look.

"What's wrong?" Shikadai asked, noticing green-eyed Uzumaki's somber demeanor.

"It's just… this all feels a little hollow without Team 5 here, datte- is my plight." Shinachiku said with a solemn frown.

"I hear ya. I've been missing Denki and the others." Boruto said with his own frown. "Where are they anyway?"

"Maybe their mission is taking longer than expected." Namida suggested.

"Where did they go for their mission?" Boruto asked.

"From what I heard they were sent on a mission towards Iwagakure." Shikadai said.

'Iwagakure?' Shinachiku thought as his eyes widened a bit. 'Iwabe went to Iwagakure? Oh boy…' Shinachiku thought with a frown.

"What's with you?" Wasabi asked, noticing Shinachiku's drop in mood.

"Uh, nothing." Shinachiku said, looking to the side. "Hey, uh, be honest. You guys have gotten used to me, right?" Shinachiku asked.

"Mm~. Yeah, pretty much." Wasabi said with a smile.

"Yeah. The time's been short, but it already feels like you're a true part of the village. Same with Arata." Namida said with a smile.

"I'd say so." Chocho said breathlessly as she snuggled closer into an uncomfortable, blushing Arata.

"Do you think… Iwabe feels that sentiment?" Shinachiku asked, surprising the rest. "I mean, I can tell that Metal and Denki have accept me, but not so much from Iwabe, datte- seems like it."

"Don't mind him. Iwabe has been known to be harder in head than any earth release jutsu in his arsenal." Wasabi said with a joking smirk.

'Oh yeah, I know about that.' Shinachiku thought with a frown. "But he seems to be sizing me up. He gives me this look that kind of reminds me of-"

"Boruto." Sarada, Arata and Team 10 said in unison.

"Oi." Boruto pouted at this as he grabbed one of his burger slices.

"Just give him time, Shina. I'm sure he'll come around soon." Sarada said, offering her half-brother a smile.

"I doubt it. Iwabe's the kind who only gets things when it's comes at him full force." Boruto said with a frown as he ate his burger piece.

'Ain't that the truth.' Shinachiku thought, glancing to the side with a pout.

"See? Just got at him full force. If he's acting like a baby over being weaker, then just kick his ass until he gets the point." Wasabi said with a shrug.

"You know that won't work. He'll just be more pissed, datte- is the truth. I mean, my assessment." Shinachiku retorted.

"He's right. Iwabe's short tempered and can be really stubborn." Shikadai said with a frown.

"Yeah. No arguments there." Wasabi said with a frown and her arms crossed.

Shinachiku eyes were on Wasabi for the moment. He blinked his eyes only to see an image of markings on her cheeks in the shape of fangs, but with four marks line up to form it were spaces in between, kind of like cat whiskers. Shinachiku blinked his eyes again in surprise as the marks were gone.

"Hmm? What's with you?" Wasabi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh, nothing." Shinachiku said, looking away, confusing Wasabi. Shinachiku then gained a pondering look as he thought about something rather big. 'Should I… tell the others? Team 10 already know, so isn't it fair to let Teams 5 and 10? Maybe this way Iwabe won't be-'

Suddenly Shinachiku's thought was interrupted by the loud, booming sound, followed by a bit of a shake.

"What the heck?" Boruto questioned as he and the others quickly hopped to their feet, ready for anything.

They all then noticed citizens running pass the restaurant in a panic.

"What's going on out there?" Sarada wondered with curiosity and concern.

"Whatever it is, it can't be good!" Boruto said as he, Shinachiku and Arata immediately hurried out the door.

"You guys, wait!" Sarada called out as she and Team 10 and 15 hurried out after them. "Great. So running in headfirst runs in the family." Sarada muttered with an annoyed frown.

"What was that?" Namida asked.

"Nothing. Let's just go after them before they get into some serious trouble." Sarada said as she and the others hurried after the trio of boys.

.

.

Shinachiku, Boruto and Arata hurried down the streets towards the opposite direction of where the villagers were heading.

"What the hell's got everyone so spooked? Are we being attacked?" Boruto asked with worry.

"Smoke ahead." Arata informed as he noticed a cloud of black smoke, signifying a fire ahead.

"So either there's an accident or we're being invaded." Shinachiku deduced. He then noticed an elderly man trip and fall helplessly to floor, prompting him to hurry over to his side and start looking him over, spooking the old man. "Calm down, sir. I'm here to help. Seems you sprained your ankle." Shinachiku said as he started healing the geriatric citizen's ankle.

"W-We have to get out of here! He's attacking us!" The old man said with fear and shock.

"Who is?" Arata asked as he and Boruto came to their side.

"I-I don't understand how, but he's back and he's attacking us! I don't get it! Why?!" The old man exclaimed, utterly flabbergasted over who was attacking their home.

After Shinachiku was finished healing him, he created a clone.

"Take him to safety." Shinachiku ordered, earning a nod from his clone, who then carefully picked up the old man and hurried off at a steady pace so as not to upset the recently healed villager.

"He gave his life to save us all! Why would he come back and do this to us after everything he has done?!" The elderly man shouted out, still in shock as the clone hurried off with him to safety, leaving the trio of young shinobi confused.

"Gave his life? Like, someone coming back from the dead?" Boruto questioned, causing Shinachiku and Arata to look to one another with shock and worry, before developing serious expressions and hurrying off. "Hey, wait up!" Boruto called out as he hurried after his half-siblings.

Shinachiku and Arata hurried down the streets as fast as they could, with Boruto sprinting after them to keep up, which he was doing moderately well. As they were getting closer towards the origin of the smoke, they noticed several shinobi hurrying away.

"Hey! Stop! Don't go any closer!" A Chunin shouted out towards the trio.

Shinachiku and Arata noticed a shadow overhead of them, forcing them to leap back, and grabbed one of Boruto's sleeves in each of their hands, as the three managed to avoid being squished by something big. Shinachiku and Arata landed on their feet, while Boruto fell upon his bum. The three looked up to see what they had avoided was a ginormous black staff with golden lining at the ends of its tip, which was so close to squishing them a moment prior.

"What in the-? Who's is this?" Boruto questioned with utter shock.

The three noticed someone standing atop of the other end of the gigantic staff, with his visage being obscured by the Sun's rays.

"Who are you and why are you attacking our village?!" Shinachiku called out as he, Arata and Boruto, who quickly got back to his feet, glare up at the figure.

The figure stayed silent for a moment before clicking their geta sandals upon the tip of their ginormous staff, causing to shrink in size, with the figure grabbing his, still rather large, but holdable, weapon in hand as he landed upon the ground, in front of the trio, gasping them to gasp in shock at who it was attacking the village.

"N… No way… it's…" Boruto choked out as he and Shinachiku stared in shock, while Arata furrowed his brow.

There before them was none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi, garbed in his battle attire, and eyes pure white.

"Sandaime-sama…" Shinachiku spoke the elder shinobi's title breathlessly with shock.

"Get away from him!" Another Chunin shouted at the trio.

"Katon: Haisekishō!" (Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning) Hiruzen shouted out as he littered the street in front of him in ash, consuming the trio, before clicking his teeth, setting the ash ablaze.

Luckily, Shinachiku, Arata and Boruto were quick enough to leap away and land upon nearby buildings.

"I-I don't get it! Konohamaru-onii-chan's Ojīchan?! How is he back?! And why is he attacking Konoha?!" Boruto questioned, now utterly shocked and a bit afraid.

"I have an idea on that… and I don't like it at all." Arata said with a frown and furrowing his brow again.

Shinachiku gritted his teeth and clenched his fist as he glared down in anger at who he knew was behind this.

"Danuja." Shinachiku spoke the name with venom in his tone.

Boruto had never heard Shinachiku speak with such malice before when it came to someone.

"Heads up!" Arata exclaimed as they all looked to see Sarutobi up in the air with his staff raised back as it then grew in size before swinging it towards them, forcing the trio to jump away again as his giant staff plowed right through the buildings. "This isn't good." Arata said as he, Boruto and Shinachiku landed back onto the ground. "He's clearly in a trance with a one-track mind of destroying whatever or whoever is in front of him. If we don't get him out of the village, he'll just keep at it until there's nothing left to break." Arata said.

"Then I'll just have to flash him out of here. I'll send a clone to a Hiraishin kunai, and I'll switch it with him. We can finish this there." Shinachiku said as he made a clone that then immediately flashed away. "Now I just got to mark him." Shinachiku said as he took out his left glove and put it on tight.

"You guys!" They all heard Sarada's voice as they noticed ahead of them, across the street that had some fire on the shops, buildings and other structure, that the rest of their friends showed up. "We're here!" Sarada called out.

"Get away from here!" Shinachiku called back, surprising and confusing the bunch, before Hiruzen landed in the middle of the street, between both groups.

"What the-?" Sarada questioned as the figure before them had his back turned to them. A moment later, he turned his head to the side to look towards them, causing them all to gasp and flinch in shock and fear.

"I-Is that…" Wasabi was so in shock she couldn't finish her sentence.

"It can't be!" Chocho said in shock.

"Sa… Sandaime-sama…" Sarada spoke breathlessly with utter shock at being in the presence of the deceased Professor of Shinobi.

Hiruzen suddenly brought his staff up as it elongated again, alerting everyone.

"Watch out!" Shinachiku cried out, just as Hiruzen then swung towards the larger group behind him.

Sarada managed to react in time, summoning sparks of lightning around her arms and legs, before speeding to the side, intercepting the staff in time.

Everyone looked in shock to see Sarada had managed to block and take hold of the Sandaime's enlarged staff.

Hiruzen suddenly swung his weapon upward, bringing Sarada along with it.

"Sarada!" Chocho called out her friend's name in worry.

Shinachiku quickly threw a Hiraishin kunai upwards where it whizzed by Sarada. He quickly flashed and grabbed her with impeccable timing before wind around his feet.

"Fūton: Hishōkyaku!" (Wind Release: Flight Foot) Shinachiku flew away with Sarada in time thanks to firing wind from his feet.

Hiruzen slammed his staff towards Boruto and Arata, who managed to dodge it in time.

The Hyūga boys rushed towards Hiruzen with lightning chakra surrounding their feet, increasing their speed with their palms ready to strike, but the old shinobi stomped his foot against the ground, creating a pillar of earth to send him upwards, where he flew away with his staff shrinking again.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique) Hiruzen shouted out as he inhaled a great amount of air and fired out large fireballs of fire, raining down upon the group.

"Shit!" Boruto shouted out as he quickly made several clones, and still using lightning release to increase all their speed, hurried off to grab their friends.

'Tsukia, I'm going to have to borrow one of your own techniques.' Arata thought as he went through several hand seals. "Katon:Kūfuku Ryū!" (Fire Release: Hungry Dragon) Arata took in a deep inhale just as the fireballs approached, sucking them in like a vacuum until he completely devoured them. Arata quickly increased his lightning release chakra, giving him enough speed to meet the Sandaime in the air. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Arata blew out a continuous blaze of fire that engulfed the Sandaime, who disintegrated as a result.

Thanks to Boruto and his clones, he managed to get his friends a good distance away just before they all saw Arata incinerate the old Hokage.

"Did he just kill the Sandaime?!" Inojin questioned with shock.

"I believe it's more return him to the grave." Tsubaki said. "But I don't think that's what occurred. Arata isn't one for taking lives." Tsubaki added, knowing that her fellow kenjutsu specialist isn't one for bloodshed.

Suddenly the end of an elongated staff rocketed towards Arata, forcing the Uchiha-Hyūga to bring up his chokuto to block the hit. Thanks to his reaction speed and perfect timing, he had managed to summon the chakra of his Susano'o to appear in front of him right before contact, adding to his defense, but not enough to keep him from flying away.

"Arata-kun!" Chocho called out her crush's name with fear for his health as she saw him flying overhead. She turned and growled as she and the others saw the staff shrink to normal size within the Sandaime's hands.

"A clone. Of course." Shikadai said with a frown.

"T-This is a kage, after all." Namida said nervously.

"I don't care what or who he is! Nobody does that to Arata-kun!" Chocho shouted out with rage before increasing his size to that of a giant ball. "Nikudan Sensha!" (Human Bullet Tank) Chocho screamed out as rolled in place before bulleting her way towards the former Hokage.

"Chocho, wait!" Shikadai called out in urgency but to no avail.

'She must be really pissed to be willing to use that jutsu!' Inojin thought with surprise at the Akimichi girl's sudden action.

"No One Is Safe From the Power That Love Can Grant!" Chocho screamed out as she charged her way towards the Sandaime while chanting 'roll' repeatedly.

Hiruzen brought his staff in front of him and increased its size, making it very wide and thick to block the rapidly rolling boulder sized jutsu.

"Roll, Roll, Roll, Roll, Roll, Roll, Roll!" Chocho cried out with intensity. Unfortunate, Hiruzen used her momentum against her as he took a step back and moved his staff enough redirect Chocho, causing her to roll straight into a building.

"Chocho!" Inojin called out his friend's name with worry.

"Roll, roll, roll…" Chocho said, now back to normal and dizzy from both her jutsu and meeting headfirst with the building's wall.

Hiruzen raised his staff up high and increased its size, before bringing it down onto the building she was inside of.

"CHOCHO!" Everyone shouted out with fear for their friend's life.

As the dust settle with the building, Chocho coughed a bit as she was surrounded by a large shadow. Looking up, she silently gasped to see the staff was close to crushing her, but she was saved by several Shinachiku clones.

"You okay there, Chocho?" One of the Shinachikus asked with a smile, but they were all suddenly lifted away by Hiruzen, raising his staff high.

The Sarutobi spun it around at intense speed, sending all the clones flying, before slamming it right into the ground beside him, blocking a pair of Chidoris from both Sarada and Arata.

"Dammit! He's good!" Sarada said with annoyance.

"He wouldn't have been a kage if he wasn't." Arata said as he and Sarada quickly leaped away before Hiruzen could push them away with a mighty swing.

"Dive Bomb!" A collection of voices shouted out as Shinachiku clones rained down from the sky towards the Sandaime, forcing him to continuously leap away from each collision.

"Damn. I really shouldn't have said a thing while doing that." The original Shinachiku said as he landed back onto the ground beside Arata.

After the last clone burst away, Hiruzen glared up at the trio in front of him, but all of sudden, he was struck in several places by an invisible force that burst with wind, shocking the trio in front of him.

"Yatta! Kieru Rasenrengan (Vanishing Spiraling Serial Spheres) accomplished!" Boruto cheered as he and his clones grinned.

"Way to go, Boruto!" Shinachiku cheered for his Uzumaki brother with a proud grin.

'Knocking a kage off of his feet. Not bad progress in almost a week.' Arata thought smirked at this with pride as he went 'hn'.

Hiruzen fell onto his back, not moving for a moment thanks to the shock of being struck in several places by such a barrage of jutsu.

Just then, several Chunin arrives, encircling the Sandaime as they finished their hand seals.

"We got this!" One of Chunin called out as they all slammed their hands onto the ground.

"Tajū Isshi Tōjin!" (Multiple String Light Formation) The Chunin all shouted out as a ring of sealing formula surrounded them, then extended towards Hiruzen's body as a much larger sealing formula glowed under him.

"This might not hold him long, so you all better get out of here!" A Chunin called out.

"We should listen. We're not ready for a kage yet." Shikadai said.

"Not yet." Shinachiku said as he pulled out an ink and brush, dipped it in the ink and faster than the eye could see, managed to make a new sealing formula on his right hand. "I just need to land this on his head, and he'll come back to his senses." Shinachiku said as he brought his right hand up.

"Back to normal?" Wasabi questioned. "How do you know that?"

"When this is over… I'll tell you. Everything." Shinachiku said, surprising Team 10, along with Boruto and Sarada, while Arata wasn't all that surprised by what Shinachiku meant.

Hiruzen slowly brought his now shaking arms up, managing to clasp his hands together and start making hand seals, and once finished, his body glowed white with sealing formulas surrounding it as well, alerting everyone.

"Kai!" Hiruzen shouted out, causing the sealing formulas around his body to come off and form an invisible dome with them that expanded and struck the group of Chunin head on, sending them flying, before they and the dome dispersed.

"No way! He reversed it?!" Sarada questioned in shock.

The Sandaime got to his feet, glaring ahead at the genin, ready for more.

Shinachiku glared back as he readied a Hiraishin kunai in his left hand and the sealing formula on his right hand.

"I'll give you an opening." Arata said as he brought his left hand up, encasing it in lightning.

"Same." Boruto said as he rushed over.

"Me too." Sarada said with a nod as her arms and legs were sparking with lightning.

Hiruzen readied himself, bending his knee and readying his staff behind his back.

Rushing from behind the Sandaime was a new shinobi with a pair of trench knives ready in hand.

"Chakura-tō: Kurosu!" (Chakra Blade: Cross) A female voice called out as she dashed towards the Sandaime and unleashed a pair of slashes powered by chakra.

Hiruzen quickly spun and blocked the pair of chakra blade strikes with his staff. Hiruzen's black eyes stared into the shocked yet fierce eyes of his granddaughter, Mirai.

'Ojīchan…' Mirai stared into the blank voice of her long-deceased grandfather's eyes.

"Mirai-san?!" Shinachiku spoke her name in shock of her appearance.

"Shina, now!" Sarada called out, knocking Shinachiku out of his stupor.

"Right!" Shinachiku said as he readied his kunai.

Hiruzen suddenly brought one of his hands back and made one handed seal with it.

"Doton: Doryūheki!" (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall) Hiruzen announced as he slammed one of his geta sandals behind himself.

Shinachiku threw his kunai towards the Sandaime, but a very large and high wall of earth had risen up behind Hiruzen, breathing through several nearby buildings and blocking Shinachiku's kunai.

"Holy crap." Boruto said with shock and awe as he and the others were surrounded by the shadow of the giant newly made wall before them. "So this is how tough Sandaime-jiji was? Suge~." Boruto said, still in awe at the old kage's abilities.

"Dammit! Mirai-san's on the other end of this thing! I got pound right through it, 'ttebaro!" Shinachiku shouted out as he dashed towards the wall with his fist ready.

The blonde was so excited that he didn't keep his wits end on refraining from saying his usual phrase. Because of that, Team 15 had caught on to it, which sounded eerily familiar.

"What'd he just say?" Wasabi asked, blinking her eyes in surprise.

"Shinachiku, wait!" Sarada called out to the blonde.

On the other side of the giant wall, Hiruzen focused wind chakra to his currently free hand and then pushed it towards Mirai.

"Fūton: Reppūshō!" (Wind Release: Gale Palm) Hiruzen shouted out as he sent a blast of air out of his hand, sending Mirai flying back.

The younger Sarutobi managed to slam her feet back onto the ground, skidding a good distance from her deceased grandfather. Mirai directed her now shocked gaze back towards who is to be her long-dead grandfather.

'Such power! It has to be the real deal, but how?!' Mirai thought to herself with worry that the man before her was indeed her grandfather, Hiruzen Sarutobi, back from the dead. The question is, how? Was he reanimated back into the world? 'Don't worry about that Mirai. You got a job to do.' Mirai mentally told herself as she gained a determined expression with her blades raised up in front of her, before suddenly, Hiruzen bolted towards her at intense speed, until he was right in front of her. 'Right now, that's staying alive!' Mirai thought with urgency.

Hiruzen let out a battle cry as he swung his staff at his granddaughter.

Mirai tried blocking with both her arms and trench knives up in a guard, but the might behind the swing was so powerful, it sent Mirai flying back and slamming into a building. She let out a cough and pained gasp with her mouth open wide and eyes widened greatly, before Hiruzen forced his staff to elongate and strike Mirai, sending her deeper into the building.

Hiruzen summoned his staff to retract back to its normal size. He stared ahead at the damaged building with dust clouds around.

Suddenly a burst of wind came from within it, clearly out the dust and debris, before Mirai rocketed towards her grandfather.

"Fūton: Senpūken!" (Wind Release: Whirlwind Fist) Mirai shouted out as she slammed her right fist and chakra blade into Hiruzen, who blocked it with his staff.

An immense force of wind burst from impact, sending dust and debris everywhere and striking their surroundings with a powerful squall of wind, so strong that some of the concrete walls of the nearby buildings were cracking with their wooden structure earning more damage.

Mirai let out a loud battle cry as she surrounded both her chakra blades with an even higher concentration of wind chakra.

"Fūton: Senpū Rendan!" (Wind Release: Whirlwind Combo/Barrage) Mirai shouted out as she started unleashing blow after blow of wind chakra that was unleashing repeating forces of wind that came out similar to miniature sonic booms that were actually pushing Hiruzen back from the force of each consecutive blow. Mirai was going at it as fast and as hard as she could. She was giving it her all to see the man before her fall. It didn't matter who it was she was facing! She was going to give it everything she had to protect this village! To protect everyone, especially her king: the children of the Leaf themselves! She Would Protect Them All! "Fūton: Tsuin Senpūken!" (Wind Release: Twin Whirlwind Fist) Mirai screamed out as she slammed a pair of punches that unleashed a pair of typhoons that went through Hiruzen's body.

Hiruzen was sent skidding back far straight into the building behind him, breaking it apart upon impact. The force behind the blow that carried him was so grand that the entire building fell to pieces on top of him.

Mirai panted, staring ahead at the damage she caused, hunched over a bit with her arms slumped.

"And that's… that." Mirai said as she panted a bit more before finding to strength to compose herself once more. 'Sumanai, Ojīchan.' Mirai thought with a frown, saddened that she had to take down her grandfather like this.

Suddenly, Hiruzen's staff burst out from the top of the debris, reaching far up into the sky as it was now massive sized.

Mirai gasped as she looked up towards the enormous staff, only to feel the rest of the air in her body leave her after feeling an intense blow to her stomach.

Hiruzen had actually enhanced his staff as a distraction so as to charge out of the debris and slam his fist right into Mirai's abdomen.

Mirai fell onto her hands and knees, wheezing from the blow to her stomach. She couldn't breathe. Even though it was her stomach that suffered damage, it felt like her lungs had collapsed upon impact as well.

Hiruzen stepped back, then leaped high up into the air. He reached high over his enlarged staff, back flipping over it and delivering a pair of strong kicks to its tip, causing it to topple over.

Mirai noticed a shadow engulfing her form, making her find the strength to look up to find that the enormous staff was coming down on top of her. She couldn't move a muscle as it came down on top of her. All she could do was think of a few final words.

'Shikamaru-san… Otōsan… forgive me…' Mirai thought, closing her eyes, feeling guilt over failing to defend her home.

She waited for impact, but before it happened, something broke right through the giant wall of earth her grandfather had created earlier. Whatever it was quickly collided with her, holding her in its grasp, saving her from being crushed by the giant staff that crushed a few buildings in its wake.

Mirai's eyes were still shut tight, but upon regaining herself, noticed that she was being held in someone's arms. She opened her eyes to find herself in the arms of none other than Shinachiku, who was currently using the Hachimon (Eight Gates), as his skin was red, and a thin red aura surrounded him.

"Shi… Shinachiku…" Mirai was surprised by the blonde boy's intervention.

Shinachiku released his Hachimon state as his eyes were on Mirai. Seeing that she was fine, he turned his head back towards the enlarged staff.

Hiruzen landed on the other end of the giant staff as it then shrunk to normal size. He kicked it up back into his grasp and reentered his fighting stance.

Shinachiku just glared at the man for a moment, before gently placing Mirai down. After making sure she was sitting up, which caused her to flinch in pain and hold her stomach in pain, Shinachiku started applying medical ninjutsu to her abdomen.

Mirai looked to the younger shinobi, who had a serious expression on his face as he focused his efforts on healing her. She gasped when she noticed Hiruzen dashing over ready to attack.

"Shina!" Mirai spoke, only to flinch in pain. She couldn't properly warn him in time, but luckily, she didn't have to as someone else dashed right through the hole he made earlier.

Hiruzen noticed someone charging behind at an intense speed. He was forced to jump away into the air to avoid none other than Arata, who was ready to strike him with lightning erupting from his hand and his Tōmeigan (Transparent Eye) active.

Thanks to his dōjutsu, Arata was able to perceive the Sandaime's movements, causing him to skid to a halt, then leap and ricochet off of a building's wall to reach the Sarutobi in the middle of the air.

"Raikiri!" (Lightning Cutter) Arata shouted out as he delivered a chop downward onto Hiruzen, forcing the Sarutobi to block it with his staff, which he quickly enlarged a bit to increase its defense.

The two gritted their teeth as they fought one another in a power struggle, but in a moment, Arata's eyes changed with his tomoe now taking the shape of a four-pointed air sabre shuriken. Arata unleashed a loud battle cry as his Raikiri transformed into an elongated sword sparking with blue and white lightning that was so powerful that it sent the old Hokage down into the ground.

A dust cloud was formed upon impact, but after a few moments, one could see the silhouette of the old kage within it, knees bent but still standing strong over the newly cracked street.

His blank eyes glared ahead of him, before noticing a new shadow looming over him.

"Chanara!" Sarada screamed out as she came down towards the Sandaime with her leg raised high and sparking with electricity.

Hiruzen quickly brought his staff over himself right before Sarada slammed her heel down atop of him. Though he blocked the heel with his enlarged staff, the power behind it was still grand enough to create a crater three to four times his size with bolts of electricity sparking everywhere around him. The old Hokage gritted his teeth and grunted as he trembled from the power behind the blow and feeling the sparks of the bolts surrounding the area around himself.

Thanks to Sarada, his movements were halted, giving Boruto and a pair of his clones attack him from behind.

"Boruto Sutorīmu Rasenrengan!" (Boruto Stream Spiraling Serial Spheres) Boruto shouted out as his clones sent him rocketing with wind chakra towards the Sandaime, allowing him to slam a pair of Rasengans into his back, sending him rocketing forward, passing Shinachiku and a shocked Mirai.

The Sandaime rolled against the ground away from the members of Team 7 and his granddaughter but managed to somehow find the strength to flip in the air and land on his feet, albeit skidding back some. The old shinobi almost fell face first onto the ground but managed to catch himself by slamming his enlarged staff onto the ground. He panted as he glared ahead at the group of five, with Boruto, Sarada and Arata glaring back at him.

Mirai blinked her eyes in shock at what she had just witnessed. In an instant, three of her juniors had managed to nail her grandfather with a surprise attack that nearly left him in as bad a state as she was just a few moments prior. She felt Shinachiku finish healing her stomach, causing her to look to the blonde kōdona genin, who then surprised her by picking her back up into his arms, bridal style.

Shinachiku carried a now slightly blushing Mirai in his arms towards the side, where he gently placed her against a building to keep her out of harm's way from the impending battle before them. Shinachiku slowly risen up, catching Mirai's attention again.

"I don't care who you are. Be it genin, chunin, jonin, kage, or a so-called God. And I especially don't care if you're her grandfather. Anyone who tries to harm Mirai-san or even attempts to take her life… I will crush." Shinachiku said as he faced the Sandaime with a glare on his now serious expression.

Mirai's cheeks reddened more as she stared at Shinachiku in surprise.

"You don't have to." A new male voice spoke from behind the Sandaime, causing everyone to look to see none other than Konohamaru, staring at his own grandfather with a serious expression of his own. "I'll be taking it from here." Konohamaru said with his brow furrowed.

"Konohamaru-onii-chan!" Boruto was surprised to see his sensei/older brother figure had arrived.

Konohamaru was solely focused on the man before him though. A face he had not seen in so long.

'Ojīchan.' Konohamaru mentally spoke with seriousness and a hint of sadness.

Hiruzen slowly stood up straight and faced his grandson.

Both Sarutobis stared one another in the eyes; one with pure white and one with blue eyes.

Shinachiku blinked his eyes before turning back to Mirai and picking back up into his arms. He started walking away with her in his grasp, with Arata following his lead.

"Come on. We'll just be getting in his way." Shinachiku said as he, with Mirai in his arms, and Arata, walked pass Boruto and Sarada.

"Huh? You mean, we're just going to leave him to handle this alone?!" Boruto questioned with shock and disbelief.

"That's the plan." Shinachiku said as he headed for the hole in the earth wall that he had made with Arata following behind him.

Sarada blinked her eyes in confusion, before looking towards her sensei, only to gasp in shock at what he was holding in his hand.

"But wait a minute-"

"Boruto, it's okay. We can leave it to sensei." Sarada said to her golden-haired teammate.

"Huh? But why?" Boruto questioned with surprise, confusion and concern.

"Shinachiku-onii-chan has never steered us wrong before. Let's not start doubting him now." Sarada said with a stern expression as she then followed after Shinachiku and Arata.

"Uh~…" Boruto was confused, but if Shinachiku and Sarada said it was okay, then he'll put his trust in them, like he has been doing for a while now. He turned towards his sensei/older brother figure, earning his own stern expression. "Konohamaru-onii-chan! Win this thing!" Boruto called out before hurrying after the rest of his team.

"I will." Konohamaru said in a low tone with a resolute tone.

The genin of Team 7 made their way through the hole and out the other way where they met their friends.

"Arata-kun~!" Chocho quickly glomped the Uchiha-Hyūga boy causing him to blush red in embarrassment. "I was so worried! But I knew you would have prevailed against even a kage!" Chocho said as she continued to hug the clearly embarrassed shinobi.

"H-Hn." Was Arata's only response as he was too uncomfortable to properly respond with a full sentence.

"Mirai-san, are you alright?" Shikadai asked, ignoring the fact that she was being held in Shinachiku's arms.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks to Shinachiku." Mirai answered.

"Wow, Shina-kun! I'm impressed! You went in, saved the girl and carried her away like something out of a romance novel!" Chocho announced with a look of awe and intrigue.

"Na-Nani?!" Shinachiku questioned as his cheeks and Mirai's reddened upon this mention with both flinching.

"P-Put me down!" Mirai ordered, wanting to be spared of any embarrassment.

"H-Hai! S-Sumanai, M-Mirai-san!" Shinachiku quickly said as he placed the female Sarutobi back onto her feet. "I-I didn't mean to embarrass you like that you anything, 'ttebaro. Yurushite." (Forgive me) Shinachiku said, rubbing the back of his head as he gave his senpai and apologetic bow.

"N-No, it's fine. I honestly should be thanking you. You saved my life and kept me out of intensive care by healing my stomach." Mirai said, looking to the side, still embarrassed with her cheeks still red and her arms crossed.

"Speaking of which, if we don't want to end up in there, we should move out of the way." Arata said, confusing everyone, minus Shinachiku.

"Just trust him on this." Shinachiku said.

On the other side of the wall, Konohamaru and Hiruzen continued their stare down.

The two Sarutobis remained calm, but they could feel the intensity in the air surrounding them. Their chakra, though calm, was eclipsing as the area around them was feeling heavier. The pair glared at one another readying to make their move.

The scene was quiet for a while.

That it until a bird flying high above them let out an audible screech.

The two quickly made one-handed seals as they breathed in a large heap of air into their lungs.

"Katon: Haisekishō!" Grandfather and grandson announced as they blew out large volumes of ash towards the other and once both heaps met halfway, they clicked their teeth, igniting the ash, creating a giant explosion surrounding the area.

Hiruzen quickly thrust his staff forward and made it elongate towards Konohamaru at a high speed, but as he did so, Konohamaru threw a three-pronged kunai his way at an even faster speed. Hiruzen managed to turn his body in time to dodge the kunai, but suddenly, his grandson appeared in front of him in a flash of light with a large Rasengan in hand, shocking the elder shinobi.

"Ōdama Rasengan!" (Big Ball Spiraling Sphere) Konohamaru shouted as he slammed the large spiraling ball into his grandfather's gut.

Hiruzen let out a loud, painful scream as he felt the intense force and power behind the jutsu slamming into his stomach. After a moment, he was sent rocketing away straight into the giant earth wall that he had created earlier, completely shattering it apart as he was sent flying through it and far across the other side, leaving a trail in the form of a tornado of wind following him.

Thanks to Arata's warning, the genin and Mirai managed to avoid Hiruzen's soaring body and the debris of the now destroyed earth wall, witnessing what had just occurred on the side.

Boruto, Sarada, Mirai and Teams 10 and 15 stared in shock at what they had just witnessed.

Hiruzen hit the ground, skidded far and hard against it, leaving a large rut in the process.

Everyone stared in awe at what had occurred, none more than Mirai. To see your own grandfather, who had long been deceased, now lying defeated courtesy was definitely a shock to anyone.

They all heard footsteps, making them turn to see Konohamaru walking over the debris and stopping near them, staring at his defeated grandfather.

"You okay?" Shinachiku asked with concern for his temporary sensei.

"Yeah. Thanks for informing me about what was going on." Konohamaru said, as he recalled being alerted by Shinachiku's clone earlier. His gaze never left his defeated grandfather. 'Gomen ne… ojīchan.' Konohamaru mentally spoke with somber eyes and a frown.

Landing at the head of Hiruzen's down form were none other than Naruto and Sasuke, who stared down at the face they had not seen since the Fourth Shinobi World War. Both had somber expression on their faces as they stared down at the defeated kage.

"Tou-chan!" Boruto called out as he hurried over.

"Hold it, Boruto!" Konohamaru called out to his student, halting him in his tracks. "Don't go anywhere near there! Let your father and Sasuke handle this!" Konohamaru ordered.

They all suddenly heard laughter, alerting them all as it was coming from none other than Hiruzen.

The old kage slowly rose into a sitting position and smiled towards the group of young shinobi, along with his grandson and granddaughter.

"You really have grown into a fine young shinobi, Konohamaru." Hiruzen said with a smile as the blank white eyes he had before now regained their smoky brown color once more.

"Ji… jichan…" Konohamaru spoke his grandfather's name with shock and awe as there before him he saw the kind old man he had known back in his youth, warmly smiling towards him.

"Oh, good. He's back to normal." Shinachiku said with a smile, catching everyone's attention.

"Say what?" Mirai questioned.

"How do you know that?" Wasabi asked, now very suspicious of the beanie-wearing shinobi's knowledge.

Hiruzen groaned as he gently held his abdomen, where a large round tear within his clothes now was with burn marks from the intense friction of the jutsu his grandson had used against him. He noticed a bandaged hand extended to him, making him look up to see it was from Naruto, warmly smiling down at him with teary eyes. Hiruzen gladly took the hand, giving Naruto a warm smile himself, as he allowed the current Hokage to raise him up to his feet.

"Thank you, Naruto." Hiruzen thanked the blonde Hokage that he had not seen since their time in the war. "Glad to see you're doing a fine job as the Hokage. I'm sorry I had to be one of the threats to come to our home."

"Jiji… you're not surprised I'm the Hokage?" Naruto questioned with surprise.

"I've been watching all of your progress from the other side. Even if I wasn't, I knew this would have happened one day." Hiruzen said with a smile.

"You mean you recall all of your experiences from the afterlife?" Sasuke asked with surprise.

"I do. Whatever has brought me back is not the Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation) jutsu. It feels like a more advanced, or perhaps I should say, a more complete jutsu compared to the one the Nidaime had created." Hiruzen said to the adult Uchiha. "In fact, I feel to have strength I did in my prime. Though my appearance looks aged, it is as if I had regained the pinnacle of my body's strength with just this shell being nothing more than just that." Hiruzen said as he examined his own body.

"Ojīchan!" Konohamaru called out as he and the others ran over, joining the pair of Hokage, and the Hokage's Supporting Shadow. "Are you… you?"

"Excellent work defending the village, my grandson." Hiruzen said, smiling to Konohamaru, before turning his attention to Mirai. "Same to you, Mirai."

"You-you know my name?" Mirai asked with utter shock.

"Of course I would. I have been keeping a close eye on my family after all, and I can't say I have never been prouder of the generation of Sarutobi that came after me. However, I'd say Asuma is plenty prouder of his daughter than I am." Hiruzen answered with a smile.

"Tou… tou-chan?" Mirai started to tear up from the news of her father being proud of her and always keeping an eye on her from the afterlife.

"Although, I must admit it is quite odd. I have been brought back from the dead once before, but the Edo Tensei can only bring back memories from when you were alive. You cannot take any memories made from the Pure World." Hiruzen said, rubbing his goatee in thought.

"What was the last thing you remember?" Arata asked.

"Well… I was with my wife and son, when I felt a presence. A powerful source of energy that I somehow felt tether to. I then heard someone calling my name as then a large white hand had extended its way towards me. It took ahold and consumed me in light. After that, I awoke onto the ground with everything that had happened between then and now all came back to me, as if my mind was catching up to the point of my defeat." Hiruzen explained as he recalled everything.

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Shinachiku said with a frown, earning everyone's attention. He then stepped up towards the resurrected kage with a stern expression on his face. "I'm sorry." Shinachiku said as he gave Hiruzen an apologetic bow.

"Hmm?" Hiruzen was confused by this action.

"I mean, I know this wasn't a result of my actions or anything, but still I feel sorry that your rest was disturbed, dattebaro. Even if I have no reason to do so, please, accept my apologies." Shinachiku said, continuing to bow to Hiruzen.

"Shina…" Mirai was surprised by the young blonde's actions.

"There is no need for that, Shinachiku. As you said, you are not the one who has brought me back to bring harm to the village." Hiruzen said, surprising everyone.

"You know my name?" Shinachiku asked in surprise, raising his head to the aged kage.

"Of course. I have been watching. Same with Minato, Kushina and Jiraiya. In fact, a good number of us have noticed what has been going on." Hiruzen informed, shocking everyone.

"Tou-chan? Kaa-san? Ero-sennin?! They've all been watching?!" Naruto questioned with utter shock.

'Ero-sennin?' The genin and Mirai looked towards their Hokage in question with sweat drops.

"I assume you know who the culprit behind all this was." Hiruzen deduced with a knowing frown.

"Yeah. The son of bitch who pulled this stunt and finds it all crap hilarious is none other than Danuja. The self-proclaimed Icon of Vanity, and one of Jashin's Nana Deshi." (Seven Disciples) Shinachiku said with an angered frown and glare as he tightened his fists.

"Jashin?" Namida questioned with confusion.

"Those bastards again?!" Mirai questioned with a look of shock and anger.

"Why am I not surprised." Konohamaru said with an angered frown and glare.

"I see. So, this is a habit of his, is it?" Hiruzen said with a disgusted frown.

"The bastard doesn't like to fight his own battles. He considers himself too priceless to be stained with any sort of result of conflict, so he summons people from beyond the grave to do the fighting for him. Just for kicks, he summons those close to whoever oppose him, just to watch the be forced to fight those that they love and lost to the death for his own sick amusement." Shinachiku said with a look of disgust and anger.

"Like if he summoned the Yondaime or Jiraiya-sama to face the Nanadaime, or Itachi to face Uchiha-san here." Arata gave an example, shocking and disgusting everyone.

"What?! That's… that's so low! Total garbage, dattebasa!" Boruto shouted with anger.

"Yeah. He may not be the strongest, but he's definitely the worst." Shinachiku said, retaining his look of disgust and anger.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes while Naruto gritted his teeth with both tightening their fists in anger at the idea of this Danuja pulling such a stunt with them.

Sasuke was far more pissed than Naruto though. After all the crap he went through in the past regarding his clan, the coup, and his brother… the idea of being forced to fight mindless resurrections of them churned his stomach and made his mouth taste like bile, poisoned with vile venom.

"This is very odd though." Arata said.

"Everything about this is very odd." Inojin said.

"No, I mean, considering that Danuja has the ability to summon several people from the dead at once, even a whole battalion or more, to do his fighting, why would he just send the Sandaime?" Arata explained.

"Yeah. If he wanted to, he could have summoned all the Shodaime, Nidaime, and Yondaime-Ojīchan. Hell, he could even throw Madara Uchiha into the mix for extra shits and giggles." Shinachiku pointed out, surprising the others.

"Now that you mention it, I am recalling something." Hiruzen said, once more earning everyone's attention as he rubbed his goatee in thought. "Yes… when I was summoned, I met two people. One with white hair and another with dark. The dark haired one said he wished for me to deliver a message and handed me something."

"The white haired one was no doubt Danuja, but what of the other? Denji, maybe?" Shinachiku wondered.

"Perhaps, but I'm not too sure on that one. Nobody, not even the other disciples like Danuja." Arata said.

"You said he handed you a message. What was it?" Sasuke asked.

"If I recall…" Hiruzen checked reached into his own pocket and took out an envelope. "He handed me this. Said to give it that: Oversized-Brow Blonde Bastard and the Gray-Eyed Freak." Hiruzen said as he then cleared his throat and extended the envelope to Shinachiku and Arata. "I believe he was referring to you both."

Shinachiku and Arata blinked their now widened eyes as they glanced to one another before Shinachiku took the envelope.

Suddenly, Hiruzen's form started to glow white, shocking everyone.

"What the-?!"

"Looks like he's fulfilled his purpose." Arata answered, interrupting a shocked Boruto.

"Wait, you mean, you're leaving already?!" Konohamaru questioned with shock and sadness.

"I believe so. I already feel my soul being called back to where it belongs." Hiruzen said as he stared down at his hands, which started turning into white light.

"Wait! But I want to know more about my father!" Mirai said with urgency.

"And I still have so much to say!" Konohamaru said with urgency as well.

"There will always be another time. This is not goodbye forever." Hiruzen said to his grandkids.

"Yeah, but… Ojīchan…" Konohamaru spoke with a look of clear sadness.

"Do not worry, you both. You have grown to be fine ninja. I can already tell that you both will take the Sarutobi clan to new heights that I could not have dreamed of. There is no need for a relic like me to stick around when you are doing just fine on your own in protecting the village and upholding both the clan and the Will of Fire." Hiruzen said with a smile.

"You're not a relic!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

"Please, Ojīchan! We still…" Mirai was getting so choked up, she couldn't finish her sentence.

"If you are to take anything I say to heart, know this." Hiruzen spoke, earning his grandkids' utmost attention. "Asuma and I, along with all of our clansmen, are so very proud of you both. We couldn't ask for anything better than to have you both be part of our clan. Our family. Thank you for being born into it." Hiruzen said with a warm, proud and loving smile, shocking both his grandkids, who started shedding tears at their grandfather's words.

"Nanadaime-sama!" Everyone heard, making them all turn to see none other than Moegi, with many more shinobi falling. "We're here!" Moegi said, only for her and the others to stop and gasp at the glowing visage of their late Sandaime Hokage. "Sa… Sandaime-sama?" Moegi spoke in utter shock and awe at the sight of her best friend's grandfather, standing before them in a bright illumination.

Hiruzen smiled towards the shinobi before him, proud of seeing all the children he had managed to protect with his dying breath, now standing before him, all proud shinobi.

"I'm sorry for scare. I'm afraid I wasn't myself then… but I am glad that my last sight from my return into this world is seeing you all as you are. Proud shinobi of the Leaf." Hiruzen said as he fully turned towards all of them as he glowed brighter. "Thank you all… for keeping the Will of Fire alive."

And with one last grin, Hiruzen's entire body was engulfed in white light as his form shot into the heavens where it dispersed into embers of light that soon vanished from sight.

All the shinobi that had arrived, along with Mirai, Konohamaru and even Naruto, stared up with tears in their eyes, already missing their beloved grandfather figure.

'Sayonara… Sandaime-Ojīchan.' Naruto mentally spoke with one last tear shed.

"Na… Nanadaime-sama… was that really…?" A Chunin was so choked up he couldn't finish his question.

"Everything is fine now. The threat has been resolved. Back to your stations." Naruto ordered, surprising everyone who frowned. "And please… remember the Sandaime's words and continue protecting the Will of Fire."

Everyone started to get choked up more and let out tears. They all quickly wiped them away and put on determined expressions.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Everyone proclaimed before vanishing from sight.

All except Moegi, who made her way over towards her team.

"You all were here? Are you alright?" Moegi asked.

"Yeah, we're good, Moegi-sensei." Shikadai answered for the team.

"All thanks to Arata-kun and the others!" Chocho exclaimed with a proud, gushing smile as she hugged the bandana shinobi's arm again.

"So, we're designated as 'others', huh?" Sarada questioned, frowning at her best friend.

"From a dear pal." Shinachiku said, causing everyone to look to him. "That's what it says on the envelope." Shinachiku said, showing off the written words he read aloud on it.

"May I see that?" Naruto asked, extending his hand to his alternate dimensional son. Once receiving it from the younger blonde, the Hokage opened it, taking out its contents to see it was a letter. He gave it a once over. His brow furrowed more and more as he read through it with his face becoming more serious the farther along that he got. "We best take the rest of this matter back in my office." Naruto said as he looked up towards the group. "That includes all of you, Teams 7, 10 and 15." Naruto informed, surprising and confusing the bunch with Shinachiku and Arata furrowing their brows as they knew things were going to be really bad.

A distance away behind the other side of the debris that was once the giant earth wall remained Hiruzen's staff. It was engulfed in a puff of smoke, which soon dispersed to reveal Monkey King: Enma, who was rubbing the back of his head, groaning with minor disorientation.

"What strange dream. I could have sworn I had just saw Hiruzen alive again." Enma said as he lightly shook his head to rid himself of his delirium, only to then notice the surrounding debris of buildings and earth. "Wait… where am I?"

.

.

A bit later, Teams 7, 10, and 15 were standing within Naruto's office with the Hokage sitting at his desk with Shikamaru and Sasuke standing at both his sides.

The genin and their Jonin senseis waited patiently for their kage to speak, but one could tell they were getting anxious on what subject he might indulge upon them.

"Team 5 has been captured." Naruto said, shocking everyone.

"Say what?" Konohamaru questioned with shock.

"The letter that Sandaime-jiji- I mean, Sandaime-sama, had is directly from their captor. It says that he ambushed Team 5 on their way back to Hi no Kuni, and that he had a good time doing it. He's holding them captive as ransom, but he's not demanding money. He wants all of you." Naruto explained.

"What kind of sense does that make?!" Konohamaru shouted with anger and annoyance.

"He takes Udon and his team captive, and his demands is to obtain more hostages? It's illogical to believe that we would give in to such an absurd demand." Moegi said with a frown and glare that displayed her aggression for the perpetrator.

"I should have been more specific. By 'all of you', I meant the genin." Naruto said, shocking everyone once more.

"Us?" Namida questioned with shock and a sense of worry.

"It says right here that he's challenging all of you to try and save Team 5. All except Boruto, Sarada and Tsubaki." Naruto said, gesturing to the letter in his hand.

"Why not us?" Sarada questioned with surprise and confusion.

"Hold on, does that include Shinachiku and Arata?" Shikadai asked with curiosity and worry.

"Yes, it does." Naruto answered with a nod.

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would he want our teams along Shinachiku and Arata? There's no real connection between us. They've only been in the village for like two weeks and we've never been on a mission with them. I guess I would understand Team 10 since they were on a joint mission with them, but why Team 15? It just doesn't make sense." Wasabi said with a frown, not liking any of this crap.

"Hokage-sama… who is the letter from?" Arata asked, furrowing his brow as he had a hunch on the answer.

"His name is Iwagoro." Naruto said, shocking both Shinachiku and Arata down to the core.

"That… that bastard?" Shinachiku questioned as his eyes started widening in anger. He started to growl as he gritted his teeth hard. His fist clenching tightly as one could see his chakra leaking out, alerting the others. "He's back?! That son of bitch is back?!" Shinachiku questioned with anger.

"That explains a lot." Arata said with a frown, knowing it had to be a ghost from the past.

"So, you're familiar with him. That just complicates things even more." Shikamaru said with a frown, knowing what this has to mean.

"Iwagoro? Never heard of him." Wasabi said with confusion.

"Yeah, you never did… but the Wasabi I know does." Shinachiku said, slumping his shoulders, causing Wasabi, and by proxy Tsubaki and Namida, to look to him with surprise and much confusion. "In fact…" Shinachiku took off his beanie to reveal his spiky golden locks to everyone and faced them. "The Teams 5, 10 and 15 of our world are very acquainted with him. Unfortunately." Shinachiku admitted, shocking Teams 7 and 10 that he would reveal himself to Team 15, who were in shock at seeing Shinachiku's full appearance with his golden locks and the diamond outline placed dead center of his above average forehead.

"Yare yare." Arata said with a sigh as he took his bandana off to reveal his own blue locks. "I had a feeling you were going to do this eventually." Arata said, looking to his best friend.

Team 15 stared at the two in shock, but they were even more shocked when they noticed that Arata and Shinachiku looked very similar to Boruto and Sarada's fathers.

The three kunoichis glanced from Shinachiku and Arata to Naruto and Sasuke several times with flabbergasted expressions and wide, almost bulging eyes.

"W-What the Hell Is This?!" Wasabi shouted out in shock, confusion and annoyance.

"Hold on." A new voice spoke, catching Team 15 off guard, as then a blue frown with a green jewel on its back hopped out of Naruto's jacket. "Should I even be hiding in your jacket anymore? Why not just tell the whole damn village while we're at it? Be easier on me coming in and out every few days to explain things." Kyoto said, frowning to the Hokage.

"Gomen." Was all Naruto could offer as he gave her an apologetic smile and eye smiles.

"What… the hell is that?" Wasabi questioned, still in shock.

"That's clearly a talking frog. Not that shocking considering, but what I wish to know is why is there a jewel attached to its back." Tsubaki wondered.

"This jewel is actually a key to open a gateway to my sister's world. Their world." Kyoto said, gesturing to Shinachiku and Arata. "My name is Kyoto, and I am theSekai no Gētou~ei (World's Gateway). This world's to be frank, and my sister, Onatsu, is the Sekai no Gētou~ei of Shinachiku and Arata's reality. Unfortunately, a group of cultist bastards had syphoned the energy from my sister's jewel, giving them access to our reality, and they dumped these two here after a confrontation with them. I think that's enough of an explanation on my part. The rest is on you." Kyoto said, looking to Shinachiku and Arata after finishing her explanation.

"Right. Again, sorry." Shinachiku apologized, offering a remorseful smile and eye smiles while rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm… I'm lost." Namida said as she and her team were still very much confused, despite getting an explanation.

"Let us introduce ourselves properly. My name is Shinachiku Uzumaki. Nice to truly meet you." Shinachiku said, giving Team 15 a friendly yet nervous smile.

"Arata Uchiha. Yoroshiku." (Nice to meet you) Arata said.

"U-Uzumaki? Uchiha?!" Wasabi questioned with utter shock, while Tsubaki's eyes widened as they were focused on Arata.

"They are the sons of Naruto and Sasuke from another reality." Shikamaru said.

"EH?!" Team 15 exclaimed with utter shock on their faces.

"Yeah, it got us that bad too." Inojin said with a bit of a humorous smile.

"You Guys Knew About This?! And You Never Told Us?!" Wasabi shouted with annoyance towards her fellow genin.

"Please, don't be mad at them. This was our secret to tell… and to be honest it's been a secret I've been wanting to tell. I actually was going to do it today, just not under these circumstances." Shinachiku said with a frown.

"… So… you're Boruto's brother through his father, and you're Sarada's brother through her own." Wasabi said, pointing to Shinachiku then Arata, still trying to make sense of this new information.

"Well, actually… I'm also Sarada's brother through kaa-chan, and Arata is Boruto's brother as well through Hinata-obasan." Shinachiku confessed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Say What?!" Wasabi exclaimed with shock and bulging eyes.

"Y-Your parents swapped?!" Namida loudly asked Boruto and Sarada, only to immediately clamp both her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry." Namida apologized.

"It's fine. We were shocked as well." Sarada said with a dull frown and dismissive wave.

"Now that that's cleared up. What can you tell us about this Iwagoro, and why does he want all of you genin?" Shikamaru asked.

"For starters, he was a shinobi from Iwagakure." Arata started explaining. "His father fought in the Second Shinobi World War and witnessed all his comrades being killed by the Yondaime, which led to him having a deep seeded grudge for Konohagakure, which he passed along to him. Iwagoro never had a problem with Konoha personally. He just inherited his father's hatred thanks to the stories he's heard and his great admiration for the man. The same couldn't be said for Iwagoro's elder brother, who not only wanted to distance himself from the path his father was pushing them on but had soon fallen in love with someone who's ancestry originated from Konoha. The two planned to move there right after their child was born. Iwagoro didn't like that."

"The bastard hunted down his own brother, trying to kill them all. The wife and son survive and escape, but Iwagoro managed to kill his brother." Shinachiku said with a frown.

"That's awful." Namida said with a saddened expression.

"Afterwards, he had been slowly building his own militia within Iwagakure. He wanted to stage a revolution and start a war with Konoha. In order to do that, he needed a weapon. An ancient one that was sealed away somewhere within Iwa. When he discovered that his brother's son was still around and now a Konoha shinobi, he made a plan to lure him back to Iwa, promising to tell him the 'truth' about his father." Arata said.

"As it turns out, it was actually a ploy to bring me into the mix." Shinachiku added with an annoyed frown.

"You?" Shikadai questioned.

"The weapon Iwagoro wanted was created by the Uzumaki clan as a way to combat an old foe, but it was so powerful that in the hands of any clan, village or nation, it would lead to a global catastrophe. A Shinobi World War where there would only be one nation left standing. The clan didn't wish for what they had brought into the world to cause such damage, so they sealed it away since it was too powerful to destroy. That weapon was sealed within Tsuchi no Kuni. When Iwagakure was established, the built their village near the weapon in the hopes to gain it someday." Arata explained.

"My clan used a blood seal to lock it up, but since the Uzumaki clan were too powerful, and by the time Kushina-O bāchan was sent to Konoha, the Uzumaki clan nearly went extinct after the raid on Uzushiogakure. Luring me to Iwa to get a sample of my blood was all he needed." Shinachiku said, furrowing his brow as he looked down to his hand. "My blood… to think just a drop of what runs through my veins could have started a whole new war and ruined everything my father… my parents, and so many others worked so hard for. What so many people had to die for." Shinachiku said, mainly to himself, with a frown and somber eyes.

The poor boy was so focused on the terrible events of the past, he didn't notice the shocked, somber and sympathetic looks on everyone else's faces.

It sounded like Shinachiku, a by extension Arata, had been through a lot where they came from. The kinds of things they haven't truly experienced yet.

Boruto then looked to his right hand, directly at the center of his palm, staring at his Kāma seal. A weapon in so many senses of the word, containing a godly, or demonic in a sense, being that wanted to consume all.

The words Momoshiki spoke the day he got it rang through his head.

"I can see your destiny very clearly. Beware. Those blue eyes shall eventually take everything from you!"

Boruto narrowed his eyes as that alien's evil grin flashed within his memory.

"So, he's trying to do it again?" Moegi questioned with a stern frown.

"No. The way he wrote this seems too personal. I think he just wants good old fashion revenge." Naruto said.

"So, you guys stopped him?" Wasabi asked.

"We all did. Well… the ones I know… we all worked together." Shinachiku said as he recalled their adventure in Iwagakure. "It was a hell of an experience we had. Between saving Mitsuki and Iwabe and fighting both those false humans and Iwagoro's militia… it's kind of amazing how we all managed to make it out of there. Albeit barely. No way was it a cake walk. I almost got buried alive once, but I managed to get back up and finish the fight, 'ttebaro." Shinachiku said.

"Saving Mitsuki and Iwabe?" Inojin questioned with surprise and confusion.

"Mitsuki, I understand. We went through the same experience with those false humans. The same ones the Sandaime Tsuchikage created, all led by Ku." Shikadai mentioned. "But Iwabe?" Shikadai wondered for a moment, before he came to a realization. "Whoa, wait a minute. Are you saying-"

"Yeah." Shinachiku nodded with a serious frown and steely gaze. "Iwagoro is Iwabe's uncle."

"EH?!" All the genin exclaimed as they and the adults were in shock.

"No way." Konohamaru said in shock.

"H-Hold on! That doesn't make any sense! I-Iwabe… I think his dad is still around and kicking!" Boruto spoke up.

"But remember, this reality and theirs are both just as different as they are similar. Though both your Iwabe and their Iwabe are essentially the same in personality, attitude and drive, they're still completely different people from one another. In their case, not just experience but also lineage." Kyoto pointed out with her frontal legs crossed.

"That's right. You guys told us that your Iwabe was part of two clans and has two Kekkei Genkais!" Sarada spoke up.

"He does?!" Wasabi and Shikadai questioned.

"Yeah, we did." Shinachiku said.

"Iwabe has one from each parent. His paternal Kekkei Genkai is called Ketsueki Kanri (Blood Management). It comes from the Kawa clan of Iwagakure. It allows them to control blood itself and the properties that make it up. They were most known for using it to increase their defense and physical strength by manipulating the iron in their blood to harden around certain parts of their bodies. Created a layer of armor between their skin and internal structure." Arata explained.

"That's really handy." Inojin said with surprise.

"A little gross though." Chocho said with a small, disgusted frown.

"So, they transform themselves into living armor. I see." Tsubaki said as she then gripped her katana. "I suppose cutting them won't be enough."

"As one would expect." Arata replied.

"To control blood through a Kekkei Genkai. Sounds much like the Chinoike clan's dōjutsu." Sasuke said.

"In a sense, the Chinoike clan could be considered the Uchiha variant to the Kawa clan's Senju. One through eyes, the other through body." Arata said.

"Wait a minute, speaking of Senju, isn't your Iwabe a Senju?!" Boruto shouted out, causing everyone, minus Shinachiku and Arata to flinch.

"NANI?!" Everyone screamed out, minus Sarada.

"You idiot! Don't just scream that out!" Sarada reprimanded her teammate as she covered his mouth.

"I-Iwabe? A Senju? No way." Wasabi said with wide eyes as she shook in place.

"Oh, yeah. Through his mother. Turns out she's a descendant of the clan." Shinachiku said.

"When Iwagoro found this out, his blood boiled, quite possible literally as much as figuratively. His clan's DNA mixed with one of the founding members of Konoha… there was no way he was going to allow her and Iwabe to live peacefully. It was actually the discovery of Iwabe's Mokuton abilities during the Chunin Exams that helped him find out his identity. He lured in Iwabe to lure in Shina to get a drop of his blood. Luckily, they managed to stop him. Shina especially." Arata explained.

"And he's using our Iwabe for revenge. Bastard." Boruto said with an angered frown and glare.

"But why would he just want revenge alone. Why not try the same plan again, but with Boruto's blood?" Inojin asked.

"Well, for one, the weapon does not exist in this reality, so there's no need. Although, I doubt he knows that. But also, because I doubt someone with his current 'condition' would be able to use it now." Kyoto answered.

"Current condition?" Sarada asked.

"What do you mean?" Moegi questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Shinachiku tensed a bit and slowly tightened his fist, staring down at it with a frown.

"Iwagoro… he's… dead." Shinachiku answered, shocking everyone, but they became speechless with the next words Shinachiku spoke. "And I killed him."

The whole room was silent as they all stared at Shinachiku with utter shock and disbelief.

"You didn't kill him. You just sent him crashing into the place where the weapon was sealed. He was still alive and could have been saved, but he instead of taking Iwabe's hand, he tried for one last assault and got buried alive as a result. Quit blaming yourself for something he had the power to prevent once it was all said and done." Arata said to Shinachiku.

"It still made him an easy target for those guys." Shinachiku said to Arata in a low tone so no one could hear, but Sasuke managed to read his lips, which, of course, he was very skilled at thanks to his experience of espionage.

"Wait, so, this guy is just a sore loser, blaming you for burying him alive when he could have saved his own rear-end? What kind of sense does that make?" Boruto questioned with a frown.

"That's just how powerful hatred is Boruto." Sasuke answered.

"But it wasn't even his to begin with! His old man made him hate people that he never came across in his life!" Boruto argued.

"As I said, that is how powerful hatred is. It causes you to make choices you wouldn't even consider before certain events occurred. Such as killing your brother." Sasuke said, and though he did not show it, his eyes faintly grew somber as he recalled the final memory he had of his brother, smiling at him with blood coming down his mouth before collapsing.

"So hatred can spread and make someone kill someone so precious to them just like that?!" Boruto exclaimed with growing rage.

"That's right. Hatred isn't just earned. It can be taught and inherited. That's just how potent it can really be, 'ttebayo." Naruto said, frowning as he recalled all the kids who ignored and despised him just because their parents told them to.

Shikamaru looked to Naruto with sympathetic eyes. Though they hung out when they were younger, he couldn't really have called them friends like they had become after they had become shinobi. He really wished he could have changed that but dwelling on the past when things have already been resolved was too much of a drag.

Especially when there's an even bigger problem to focus on right now.

"I hope this guy's hatred didn't blind him enough to leave out his location." Shikamaru said, looking to the Hokage.

"No. It just says within Kusagakure." Naruto informed.

"That's right in between the borders of Hi no Kuni and Tsuchi no Kuni. It's possible his location is somewhere nearby where he ambushed Team 5. We just need to narrow down the route." Shikamaru said.

"That might take too long!" Boruto exclaimed.

"Boruto, please, calm down." Konohamaru said to his student.

"How can you be calm, sensei?! Udon-sensei was your teammate and he's your friend! Same for Moegi-sensei!" Boruto retorted, looking to his elder brother figure.

"We're aware of that. However, we don't have the fortune of determining an accurate location. If we're not careful, we might fall into whatever trap the enemy has for us." Moegi said.

"Unfortunately, that's a guarantee, even if we do determine the exact location. Iwagoro isn't an idiot. He'll no doubt have everything planned out for our inevitable confrontation. Just like before, he's the one inviting us in, which means he'll be in control of terrain there." Arata said. "As for narrowing the location down, that might be another story." He added, causing everyone to look to him in surprise, confusion and peaked interest. "Shina… is there any chance you still have that item Katasuke-san gifted to you?" Arata asked his longtime friend.

"Katasuke-san?" Boruto questioned with wide eyes as he remembered the scientist that he once called a friend.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! I think I might!" Shinachiku said with an excited grin as he searched into his pockets. "Bingo!" Shinachiku exclaimed as he pulled out a handheld electrical device in the shape of a fox with a screen covering its torso.

The genin blinked their eyes in confusion at the sight of the device.

"Kawai~." Namida commented in a low tone.

"What's with the accessory?" Boruto asked.

"This is a birthday gift Katasuke-san had given me. It's a little device that scans and absorbs a trinkle of a person's chakra, memorizing their signature as a result while using the village's chakra network sensing system to identify who they are, along with their known jutsu, chakra nature, personal information and track where they are. Originally, it only worked within the village's walls, but thanks to Katasuke-san, it's been upgraded since then, so now it can be used outside of the village's walls, able to track and identify both criminals and people in need. Mainly used for the latter considering the Oni Zetsu and all." Shinachiku explained with a smile.

"Oni- what?" Wasabi questioned as she and her team were confused.

"Did the Katasuke of our world make anything like that?" Naruto asked Shikamaru in a low tone.

"Not that I know of." Shikamaru answered back.

"Just how exactly is that supposed to help though?" Inojin asked.

"Because I have all my friend's chakra signatures memorized in this puppy- I mean, kit. I know the Iwabe of our reality and this one is different people, but I'm sure their chakra signature is similar, despite ours being descendant of two clans." Shinachiku informed.

"It's a good plan, but you said that it needed the village's Sensing Barrier in order to help determine chakra signatures and their location, which I'm guessing has been expanded or there's a whole new system using that same practice. It might not work the same considering the barrier is still only surrounding Konoha. It won't work in Kusa, and even if it did, it might take some time before we could get this device registered and connected to the network." Shikamaru pointed out.

"Not to worry. Luckily, one of the upgrades was a special sonar that the device can emit. Its most recent upgrade goes up to 10 kilometers." Shinachiku informed.

"Not bad, but will that range be enough?" Shikadai asked.

"It actually can go even farther, so long as it's in the hands of certain individuals. Individuals from a certain clan that is." Shinachiku answered as he turned towards Team 10. "Heads up, Inojin." Shinachiku tossed the device over towards the pale genin, shocking him as he caught the device in hand.

"Me?!" Inojin questioned with shock.

"Because of the Yamanaka clan's innate jutsu sensory abilities, they can expand not just the range of the device's sonar, but the device can enhance their own abilities and mental prowess for sensing and tracking." Arata explained.

"Our Inojin said that when he used it, it felt like he could feel the flap of a nearby bird's wings as if they were right beside his face." Shinachiku commented.

"Wow. Dr. Katasuke really is a genius." Sarada said, complimenting the potential of the man's inventive skills.

"Yeah, I guess it's cool when it's used properly." Boruto muttered, looking to the side with a frown, causing Sarada to look to him in surprise before adopting a sympathetic look, understanding his plight.

"I'm not sure if I'm exactly the best choice for this job." Inojin said, surprising Shinachiku. "I have been focusing on my clan's jutsus now, but I'm still rather weak compared to others within it." Inojin said with a frown.

"You're kidding, right? I mean, you're able to extend your mind jutsus into your Chōjū Giga (Super Beast Imitating Drawing) and Chō Yōkai Giga (Super Strange Apparition Imitating Drawing). No one else in your clan is able to do that. Well, except for one that is." Shinachiku pointed out.

"Wait, I can do that?!" Inojin questioned with shock.

"You mean you never tried?" Shinachiku questioned, surprised once again.

"N-No!" Inojin answered, still in shock.

"… I'm shocked." Shinachiku said with a frown.

"You don't sound that shocked!" Inojin shouted out, noticing the lack of surprise in Shinachiku demeanor.

"Well… I mean… I guess it… makes sense compared to…" Shinachiku trailed off from his sentence, as he looked to the side, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"You got something to say, Gaku Danshi?" (Forehead Boy) Inojin questioned, furrowing his brow.

"Up Yours, Botta Kuri Eshi!" (Rip-Off Artist) Shinachiku shouted in retort with annoyance and an irate anime expression.

"How Dare You!" Inojin shouted back with equal annoyance and same angered anime expression.

"Jeez, calm down." Shikadai said with a frown as he and the others were surprised by the two blonde's sudden behavior.

'That was Ino and Sakura's side coming out if I ever saw it. Can't believe these two even inherited their habit of butting heads with one another. What a drag, man.' Shikamaru thought with a tired frown, while Naruto chuckled nervously at this development.

"Although, what exactly did you mean by 'makes sense'?" Shikadai questioned with a frown.

"Yeah. Are you suggesting that we're weaker than your friends?" Chocho questioned with a miffed frown, furrowed brow and her hands on her hips.

"Well… I mean… in a… in a sense?" Shinachiku spoke, looking to the side with an uncomfortable expression and rubbing the back of his head.

"Yes." Arata bluntly answered.

"Dude!" Shinachiku scolded his friend for his honesty.

'He just said it!' Teams 7, 10 and 15 thought with shock.

'Arata-kun, why~?!' Chocho thought with a hurt frown and water pouring from her eyes.

"Although, I believe a more accurate analysis would be that you all don't take advantage of your abilities like our comrades do." Arata spoke, keeping his ever-present stoic expression.

"What do you mean by that?" Inojin questioned with a pout.

"Well, as Shinachiku said, you don't apply your clan's techniques into the jutsu your father had passed down to you. Since you pour your chakra into your artwork to bring it to life, it gives you the ability to connect your consciousness into it. You practically connect with them on a telepathic level through your chakra anyway, so making them an extension of the Yamanaka clan's signature jutsus is not out of the realm of possibilities." Arata explained.

"That makes sense." Shikadai said, rubbing his chin in intrigue. "That other jutsu you mentioned Inojin can do. I'm guessing that's a variation of his Chōjū Giga jutsu."

"Yeah, it is. Since our world is plagued with the Oni Zetsu-"

"Seriously, what the hell are they talking about?" Wasabi asked in a low tone, only to be shushed by Chocho.

"Inojin thought of fighting their ferocity and unpredictability with something similar. Not only that but given that they are more unique creations compared to the jutsu they're derived from, it allows Inojin more possibilities in both battle and even espionage. In fact, one of them is called the Chō Yōkai Giga: Tenome (Super Strange Apparition Imitating Drawing: Hand Eyes)." Shinachiku explained with a smile.

"Tenome?" Sarada questioned.

"Oh~. Now I get the name." Boruto said, now getting the variant's namesake. Even though it should have been obvious.

"See, Inojin, our Inojin that is, makes a painting of long arms with eyes in the center of the hands. By using the Yamanaka clan style jutsu, he can use the eyes on the hands as an extension of his own line of sight. They can lurk in shadows, peek around corners and even travel through cracks in structures, allowing him to see in places that no ordinary shinobi could. His own father said that such a technique surpasses his skills in espionage, and that's not even the only techniques he has using both his tou-chan and kaa-chan's jutsus, 'ttebaro." Shinachiku said with an amazed smile, surprising everyone.

"I didn't know you could do something like that." Chocho said to her blonde teammate.

"Me neither." Inojin said with utter shock and a sense of self-pity that he never came up with such an ingenious tactic.

"I've never heard you talk with such excitement regarding Inojin." Arata said, causing Shinachiku to flinch.

"Y-yeah… thank Kami he's not here. He'd never let me live this down. No need for him to get a big head from it and all, dattebaro." Shinachiku said, glancing to the side with a frown and lightly scratching his cheek with his finger.

"Knowing him he'd say something along the lines of 'his head could grow to the size of a planet, and it still wouldn't be as massive as yours'." Arata said, causing Shinachiku to flinch with a look of anger, while Boruto pfft out air from his mouth before he covered his mouth to stifle any laughter.

"Yeah, sounds like him. That jerk. I ought to slug when I get back home." Shinachiku said looking to the side with a frown and glare as he brought up a fist with veins pulsing on it and his forehead.

"He didn't even say it. I did, as a hypothetical." Arata pointed.

"A hypothetical he would say if he had the chance. Imma kill him." Shinachiku said, gritting his teeth as he cracked his knuckles.

'Yare yare.' Arata thought as he looked to the side with a stoic glance.

'Jeez, looks like he's inherited more from Sakura than I thought, and Inojin from his own mother. Just to a much more troublesome degree.' Shikamaru thought with a frown and sweat drop, while Naruto chuckled nervously as he too saw a lot of Sakura in Shinachiku.

"Man, and I thought our Inojin was rude." Chocho said with a frown and half-lidded eyes.

"Chubs, I'm going to be sticking behind you for a while until he cools off." Inojin said to Chocho, with a frown as he was sweating from a sense of fear.

"Chocho." Arata spoke the Akimichi girl's name, catching her undivided attention.

"Y-Yes, Arata-kun?" Chocho responded with a pink tint upon her cheeks.

"Out of everyone, I'm the most surprised of you." Arata said.

"Me?" Chocho questioned, pointing to herself.

"You inherited lightning release from your mother, correct?" Arata asked, earning a nod from the Kumo descendent. "It surprises me how you never got the idea to learn lightning release so as to incorporate it with your Akimichi style techniques."

"Lightning release?" Chocho questioned, blinking her eyes.

"Oh, yeah~. That actually makes sense." Shikadai said, now getting the logic.

"I'm surprised too. Then again it is you." Inojin said, causing Chocho to gain a tick mark.

"And what's that supposed to mean?!" Chocho questioned her blonde teammate with annoyance and an aggravated anime look.

"No, I get it too. Chocho's never been one to put what she considers over-effort into things that don't really demand you going beyond what's needed. Even a little. So long as you got enough to get the job done enough of the times, that's satisfying enough for her, dattebaro." Shinachiku said, looking up and rubbing his chin.

"Look at him. Acting like he knows me so well." Chocho said with a pout, lightly glaring at Shinachiku with half-lidded eyes.

"He technically does know you." Shikadai and Inojin said in unison.

"Wait, are you saying that your Chocho mixes lightning release into her techniques? Like Raiton: Ōbādoraibu?" (Lightning Release: Overdrive) Boruto asked.

"Yeah, that's exactly right." Shinachiku answered.

"By combining her lightning release with her Akimichi techniques, she increases the strength of her attacks by energizing her muscles and coating herself in a coat of lightning release, not unlike my Raiton Chakura Mōdo (Lightning Release Chakra Mode). As you can imagine, the results are overwhelmingly impressive, given he ability to increase the mass of any part of her body thanks to her ties as an Akimichi." Arata explained.

'He thinks I'm overwhelmingly impressive!' Chocho thought with a blissful smile and eye smiles as hearts danced around her.

Inojin stared at his kunoichi teammate with a dull expression.

"Impressive is definitely one way of putting it. Honestly, she does have the potential to surpass Arata here in lightning release." Shinachiku pointed out, surprising the rest, minus Arata.

"Seriously?" Shikadai questioned with surprise.

"Only if she trained like he did, but I don't see that happening. Arata's training obsessed, dattebaro." Shinachiku said with an amuse smile.

"You're one to talk!" Boruto and Sarada exclaimed.

"Although, a lot of that potential does come from all the sodium she devours from those chips of hers." Shinachiku added.

"Her chips?" Boruto questioned as he and the rest were confused.

"Yeah, you see, with all the sodium Chocho devours from her chips, her electrolyte quantity is high."

"My electro-what?" Chocho questioned, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

minerals. You know, like sodium, potassium and calcium? They can help the body with its muscle movement, and even transmitting the signals from your brain to your organs. Our Chocho takes advantage of that to not only make using lightning release easier, but also as a turbo charge. Kind of like an equivalent to your clan's Chō Mōdo." Shinachiku explained.

"Oh, I get it! That's ingenious!" Sarada said with amazement.

"Yeah. I'm a genius." Chocho said with a proud smile and her head held high as she opened a new bag of chips.

"You aren't even the one who thought of it." Inojin mentioned with a dull frown.

"It really isn't easy being burdened with good looks and brains though. Aren't I right, Arata-kun?" Chocho said, looking to the Uchiha-Hyūga.

"Hn." Was Arata's response.

"Mm hmm." Chocho nodded as she popped a chip into her mouth.

"It's actually kind of impressive of her to turn such a negative side effect of her favorite treat into a bene-" Shinachiku stopped, widening his eyes as he could already feel Arata's eyes on him. "Don't you say it!" Shinachiku warned his close friend, pointing at him.

"I didn't say anything." Arata said, looking to the side.

"You were thinking it!" Shinachiku exclaimed with an annoyed anime expression.

"While this discussion has merit to it for the ones in this room, we should resume our attention on those who aren't." Arata pointed out, causing Shinachiku to flinch in realization.

"Oh, right! We still need to help out Iwabe and the guys!" Shinachiku said as he quickly hurried over to Naruto's desk. "I need to see that!" Shinachiku said as he swiped the letter from the kage's hand.

"We already know where they are, remember?" Sarada pointed out.

"… What's this about pictures?" Shinachiku asked, confusing the others, except Naruto, who remained silent. "Oi… what's this about pictures? He sent pictures in the envelope too?!" Shinachiku asked the Hokage, surprising the rest, while Naruto remained silent with his eyes growing a bit somber. "Show me them." Shinachiku demanded with a stern expression as he was not liking the one on Naruto's, who wasn't responding to his request. "Show me them!" Shinachiku ordered, raising his voice as he was now clearly getting worried.

"It's best if-" before Naruto could finish, Shinachiku reach over and swiped the envelope from his hand.

The younger blonde reached in and took out the photos that were sent with the letter.

That was not a good move.

Shinachiku silently gasped as his body stiffened. He gritted his teeth as he shook a bit.

Arata walked over, only for his eyes to widen at the sight of the photos. He closed his eyes and grunted, slightly gritting his own teeth.

"Hey, let me see them." Boruto said as he walked over, only for Arata to stop him with his arm blocking his path. Boruto looked to his maternal half-brother in confusion, earning a shake of the head in response.

"Onii-chan?" Sarada noticed Shinachiku shaking before them, bringing concern to all of them.

Moegi and Konohamaru walked over to see the photos, only for them to look on in horror.

Konohamaru gritted his teeth and gained a look of anger, while Moegi gasped with a look of horror as she covered her mouth upon instinct.

There in Shinachiku's hands were five photos of Team 6, beaten and bloodied, with one being the whole team together sitting upon in defeat, and four of them close ups of their bruises, swollen and bloodied faces, with one in particular being Iwabe being held by the head by Iwagoro, who grinned at the camera, with the photo having written at the bottom 'A Pleasant Little Family Reunion'.

Shinachiku gritted his teeth hard as his pupils became slit and iris blood red. Fissures appeared along the ground beneath his feet, shocking the genin, as they grew in size, with the only ones not responding being Arata and the adults, who, aside from Konohamaru and Moegi, had calm yet somber expressions.

Embers started to surround Shinachiku, and his body lit up in a golden blaze, shocking the genin further, Teams 10 and 15 especially. In a matter of moments, Shinachiku's form was started to create a warmer color of flames. Orange started to appear alongside golden and slowly started to overshadow them in quantity. As more and more orange flames appeared, the fissures got deeper and deeper, extending farther along the office floor with the entire room starting to shake.

The genin all fell off their feet, except Boruto and Sarada, who fumbled a bit, but managed to stay on their feet.

Within the building, everyone was feeling the sensation of Shinachiku's raw power. His rage was literally being felt by everyone as they were fumbling and falling, with even the shinobi struggling to stay on their feet.

"What's going on?!" A Chunin questioned with alarm.

"Are we being attacked?!" Another questioned with a sense of dread and urgency.

Poor Suika Kannonji was being shaken around while holding onto her seat for dear life, before finally hitting the floor.

"Why couldn't I call in sick today~?!" Suika screamed out with sorrow.

Back in the office, Shinachiku was starting to growl in rage as he was becoming engulfed more and more in orange flames as his Fukanzen Byakugō no In (Imperfect Strength of a Hundred Seal) shined green with light spreading everywhere while the marking spreading throughout his body.

Shinachiku's eyes shined bright red as anger was ready to fully take hold of him, until a hand was gently placed upon his shoulders, as in an instant, the flames dispersed with Shinachiku back to normal, yet he was panting from the intense exertion of power and rage.

"Shina… we'll get them back. I promise." Arata said, still calm throughout it all.

Shinachiku panted as his face was drenched in sweat with an intense still upon his face, showing clear evidence of anger, not yet diminished.

"We're leaving now." Shinachiku said with an intense glare.

"Shinachiku, I understand your frustration, but-"

"Shut up, ojisan." Shinachiku interrupted Shikamaru as he dropped the photos. "We're going now and that's final." Shinachiku said as he turned and headed for the door, but he was halted.

The green-eyed blonde looked down to see his shadow was taken ahold by Shikadai's own.

"Would you hold on for a minute." Shikadai said with a stern frown.

Shikamaru was about to use his own Kagemane no Jutsu (Shadow Imitation Technique), but his son beat him to the punch.

"Shikadai, you better release that technique right now before things get ugly." Shinachiku warned the younger Nara.

Shikadai was prepared to hold his ground, but felt a hand on his shoulder, making him turn to see it was Boruto. The annoying blonde that Shikadai knew for years gave him a stern yet reassuring look, telling him to let things be. Even though it was going against his logic, something told him to trust the golden-haired blonde.

"What a drag." Shikadai said with a sigh as he released his family's jutsu, allowing Shinachiku to resume his way towards the door.

Shikamaru was ready to do his own jutsu but stopped when he noticed Naruto bring up a hand, signaling him to halt.

"You snuck into the village on your first day here and we pardoned you for it, and now you're going to leave the village without my permission. You realize this kind of act brands shinobi as missing-nin, correct?" Naruto pointed out, causing everyone to worry.

"I don't care." Shinachiku said, shocking everyone, minus Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Arata. "When this is over, I'll relinquish my rank and go to jail as required, but until then, nothing is going to stand in my way to save my friends."

"Onii-chan…" Sarada stared at Shinachiku with shock along the other genin.

"Shinobi who breaks the rules are scum… but shinobi who abandon their friends are worse than scum." Shinachiku said, shocking Teams 7, 10 and 15. "I don't care who gets in my way. Even if it's the Hokage, I'll go up against anyone to save my friends!" Shinachiku announced before he left out the door.

Everyone was left speechless with the genin and their sensei still in shock at Shinachiku's actions, and even more so his words.

Arata sighed in response.

"Yare yare. When he gets like this, he never makes it easy for anyone." Arata said as he rubbed the back of his neck, before gaining a faint smile. "Well… that settles it." Arata said as he headed for the door, shocking the others.

"Arata-kun?" Chocho spoke her crush's name in surprise.

"Someone has to make sure he doesn't get himself killed." Arata said as he opened the door. "Although, to be honest… his feelings are the same as mine."

"You do realize what this could result in, right?" Shikamaru questioned with a frown.

"I'm aware. I won't deter though. That's just how my and Shina's parents raised us." Arata said, looking back with a shrug.

"Hn." Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at this response.

"Just so you all know, this behavior isn't only just a result of deep camaraderie. We have faced Iwagoro before. We know both how capable he truly is and how far he will go to reach his goals. He was willing to let countless citizens of his own village die for his aspirations, and that was just in the need of a distraction. Every minute we spend idly by is a minute we give him to take advantage of, and believe me, he wastes no time. Your reasons are valid, but so are our fears. Forgive us… but we need to break the rules to save some friends." Arata said before closing the door and leaving to go join Shinachiku.

Everyone was in shock at this display by the more level-headed of the pair, who was also prepared to risk it all in foreign lands just for those they see as friends.

"Arata-kun… suki desu." (I like you) Chocho whispered as she held her blushing cheeks.

"Man, what a stubborn pair." Shikadai said with a frown.

"Yeah, but they got a point!" Wasabi retorted. "We're not just going to stand here while Team 5 is in danger, are we?!"

"We can't just walk out of the village either." Inojin pointed out.

"But still, Arata-kun is right. With every minute we're spending…" Namida was too scared to finish her sentence.

Boruto turned towards the pictures. He walked over and picked them up, only to gasp with his eyes widening in rage and horror, now finally seeing what pushed Shinachiku over the edge.

Sarada noticed Boruto's behavior, causing her to walk over, only to gasp and cover her mouth in horror at the sight of the pictures.

Noticing Team 7, the other genin walked over only to look on in rage and horror just the same.

In the instant, they all felt what Shinachiku did and all worries about punishment went out the window.

"That's It! I'm going with them!" Boruto announced as he tossed the pictures away and marched towards the door.

"Boruto, hold it!" Konohamaru called out to his student.

"I'm sorry, Konohamaru-sensei, but I'm going too." Sarada said with a serious expression as she followed after her teammate.

"Moegi-sensei…" Shikadai spoke up with his head hung, causing his sensei to look to him. "I'm sorry… I know you were proud of when I became a Chunin… but I'm going to have to relinquish that rank after today." Shikadai said, shaking his fists in frustration as both his sensei and his father stared at him. "Wait for me, guys!" Shikadai said as he followed after Team 7 with a look of determination etched onto his expression.

"You mean wait for us!" Inojin proclaimed with equal determination as his teammate.

"Yeah! No way in hell we're just going to standby while everyone is out doing the right thing! Let's go!" Chocho announced with just as much determination as her teammates.

"I'm in too!" Namida announced with a determined expression as well.

"I've learned a lot here, and one of them is never to abandon a comrade in need. On my honor as a samurai, I will assist in Team 5's recovery!" Tsubaki announced with utter grit and pride.

"There's no way… that we'd ever gladly call ourselves shinobi if we just abandon our friends! Let's go free those knuckleheads!" Wasabi proclaimed with utter determination and pride as her team and Team 10 followed after Boruto and Sarada.

"Hold it!" Naruto called out, causing all the genin to stop.

Though they halted their steps, their looks of determination never left their faces and neither in their hearts.

Boruto's hand was held tightly onto the knob of the office door.

'Don't do this to us, old man.' Boruto thought with gritted teeth.

"Upon order as your Hokage… make sure Shinachiku and Arata don't screw this up. You're on a mission now and I expect the proper results, do you understand?" Naruto ordered, keeping a stern expression, shocking the genin.

"Tou-chan!" Boruto happily spoke as he and the others turn to their kage with joy and relief.

"Sir!" The genin spoke in unison, regaining their determined expressions before heading out the room.

"Well? Aren't you two going to follow them? You are their Jonin sensei." Naruto said to Konohamaru and Moegi, knocking them out of their stupor.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Konohamaru and Moegi proclaimed with determined expressions just like their genin, before following out the door as well.

Naruto could help, but smirk at what had just transpired.

"Good luck. All of you." Naruto said, proud of the next generation of shinobi.

"Oh boy, and here I thought the kid was more level-headed than you are, but it turns out he can be far more reckless." Shikamaru said with a frown and his hand over his forehead.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle nervously in response.

"Oh, that reminds me. Sasuke, mind doing me a favor and informing Hanabi about this? She's Team 15's Jonin sensei, dattebayo." Naruto said, looking to his longtime friend.

"Why does it have to be me?" Sasuke questioned with a frown, not really feeling up to just marching up to the Hyūga estate, much less the younger, more assertive sister of Hinata.

"You're faster." Naruto simply stated.

"Tch. Lazy idiot." Sasuke said with annoyance before vanishing from sight.

"She's not going to be happy about any of this." Shikamaru stated, still frowning.

"I'm aware." Naruto confessed.

"Are you really sure about this? We know next to nothing about this guy, but with the limited evidence provided to us so far, he's definitely not someone to underestimate. Considering how far he's willing to go, despite being dead, are you sure it was a smart idea to allow Teams 10 and 15 to go with them?" Shikamaru questioned his kage's logic.

"Smart? Oh, no, it wasn't a smart idea, but it's not like we're being given any choice here Shikamaru." Naruto said with a frown.

"I'm well aware." Shikamaru said with a defeated sigh as he crossed his arms.

"I get where you're coming from. Boruto and Sarada are a different story since they have been training with Shinachiku and Arata for a while now, while Team 10 hasn't really advanced in theirs like they have, and Team 15 has only just learned about this, but we're already allowing them to go into the lion's den. However, this is no different from a certain other mission that I shared with a Nara." Naruto said, causing Shikamaru to look to him with his gaze softening a bit. "When a friend is in need… nothing can stop them. It doesn't matter how strong their opponents are. With determination like that, it's never a matter of if… only when, 'ttebayo." Naruto said with a serious expression as he recalled his own experience in retrieving a close friend.

"How troublesome." Shikamaru said under his breath as he then sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

He then took a glance at Naruto as he recalled something he had once told his own father.

"That guy… he possesses something no one else does."

"Something?" Shikaku's voice rang in his head.

"Yeah. Someday, he'll be a very precious shinobi to this village. When it comes to Naruto, I want to walk that road together with him."

The voice of his past-self echoed within his mind as his thoughts then went to his own son, following after those two blondes, one towards Iwa months prior and now the other today towards Kusa.

"Hmph. How troublesome." Shikamaru said with a smirk and his eyes closed.

"You just said that." Naruto pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, well that's how annoying it is. You having to pass down that same influence on them is real drag of a quality." Shikamaru said putting on a frown again with his arms re-crossed, causing Naruto to chuckle with an embarrassed grin. Shikamaru looked out the window to see the teams hurry off after Shinachiku and Arata, with his eyes squared onto his son's retreating form. 'Good luck out there, Shikadai.'

"Lord Hokage, are you alright?!" A group of shinobi barged into the office, ready to defend their Hokage if need be.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for asking." Naruto said with a smile and dismissive wave.

"Little slow to the draw there, aren't you?" Shikamaru commented with a smirk, making the shinobi feel embarrassed by their less than speedy arrival.

"Uh… what's with the frog?" One of the shinobi asked to cover up their embarrassment, causing Shikamaru and Naruto to look down to Kyoto with widened eyes, forgetting she was still out in the open.

"Uh~…" Kyoto quickly croaked to act like a normal, average blue frog. 'Please let them be too stupid to ask about the jewel on my back!'

.

.

Shinachiku marched his way towards the Konoha's gates, with his green beanie put on tightly to hide his golden locks as a serious and determined expression was etched upon his face.

"You know, it's not like the guards at the gate will just let you walk by without a word or anything." Arata said as he caught up to his friend, walking beside him with his bandana tied firmly around his head.

"Don't care." Shinachiku said, still possessing a stern demeanor.

"Well, they will." Arata retorted.

They two continued to walk for a bit before Shinachiku finally responded.

"Thanks for taking the ride to hell with me." Shinachiku said to Arata, grateful that he was here.

"Well, it's not just your trip down memory lane that up ahead." Arata said. He then suddenly stopped, catching Shinachiku's attention who stopped as well to see the Uchiha-Hyūga facing the other direction.

Shinachiku turned to see Teams 7, 10 and 15, along with the former squads' Jonin senseis, following after them.

"Don't tell me. You're here to stop us from leaving the village." Shinachiku said with a frown.

"Well, yeah. You think you're going to leave without us?" Boruto said with a smirk, surprising Shinachiku, who after a moment, smiled towards the group.

"You caused quite the ruckus back in there. As your intermediate sensei, I should be disappointed in your rash actions." Konohamaru said, trying to put on a tough act, making Shinachiku chuckle nervously. "But… I'm glad you spoke what was on everyone's minds." Konohamaru added with a proud smile.

"To be perfectly honest, Konohamaru-chan, I thought you were going to be the one to bust out of that office ready to fight. You practically were foaming at the mouth." Moegi said with her arms crossed, causing her old friend to chuckle nervously.

"You made one of hell of scene in there. Would be kind of lame if it didn't amount to anything, but friends beating up one another." Shikadai said, trying to act nonchalant and aloof as he scratched the back of his head.

"So let's just go out there and beat the guy holding our friends hostage, dattebasa!" Boruto said with a ready grin as he slammed his fist into his hand and cracked his knuckles.

"Everyone… arigato!" Shinachiku thanked the group with a very grateful smile on his face. "And, uh, sorry for almost getting ready to punch you in the face Shikadai… again." Shinachiku apologized to the Nara with an embarrassed and nervous grin.

"Again?" Shikadai questioned with a surprised expression.

"We better get moving. Time is precious." Arata said as he turned and walked away with the rest following.

"What do you mean 'again'?!" Shikadai asked, causing Shinachiku to pick up the pace to avoid an awkward conversation.

.

.

The three teams soon made it to the village gates, with everyone having a determined expression on their faces.

However, Team 15 soon gained a somber expression, which did not go unnoticed by the others.

"What's the matter you guys?" Sarada asked with concern.

"It's just… we're going out on a mission, but our team isn't complete." Namida admitted with a saddened frown.

"Yeah. Team 15 isn't complete without Hanabi-sensei." Wasabi said with her own saddened frown.

"Now it is." Arata said, pointing towards the direction behind them, causing them to turn to see none other than their sensei, Hanabi Hyūga.

"Aw, poo~. You ruined my entrance Arata-kun. And I was going to give them quite the shock." Hanabi said with a joking smile.

"Hanabi-sensei!" Team 15 were ecstatic to see their sensei had arrived for their new mission.

"How'd you get here so fast, onee-chan?" Boruto asked with mild surprise.

"A better question is how'd you find out so fast, Hanabi-sensei? We just left the Hokage's office." Wasabi pointed out.

"Well, I had a very… unexpected messenger from the Hokage himself who informed me on what was going on." Hanabi said with her arms crossed.

"A messenger?" Boruto questioned.

"Who sensei?" Namida asked with curiosity.

"Oh, you needn't worry about that." Hanabi said with a dismissive wave as she put on a smile, only to then pout a bit as she glanced to the side, recalling what happened earlier.

.

.

The Hyūga heiress was humming as she focused on making her and her father lunch, when she was interrupted by one of her fellow clanswomen.

"Ha-Hanabi-sama… s-someone is here to see you. They're at the gate." The Hyūga woman said, confusing Hanabi on who it could be and why her fellow clanswoman was nervous.

Hanabi made her way out of her part of the home and headed for the gates, only to see someone… she really wasn't keen on seeing, specifically because of recent events.

There waiting at the gates was none other than Sasuke Uchiha.

The supporting kage waited patiently with his eyes closed, until he sensed Hanabi walk up to him.

"The sole male of the Uchiha clan requesting the attention of a Hyūga female. Excuse me for being on my toes." Hanabi said with a light frown and her arms crossed.

"Your brother sent me to deliver a message." Sasuke said, ignoring Hanabi's jab and catching the Hyūga woman's attention. "Teams 7, 10 and 15 are about to head out on a mission to rescue Team 5 from enemy lines. Your team is heading for the village gates as we speak." Sasuke informed, surprising Hanabi, before he started to head out.

"Hold on! My team is leaving now, and without me?! The gall of those girls!" Hanabi exclaimed with annoyance.

"They got pretty fired up thanks to Shinachiku and Arata. They all looked ready for a war. Your girls especially." Sasuke said, turning his head towards the kunoichi.

"Those two, huh?" Hanabi said, pursing her lips a bit. She watched as Sasuke started to leave again, causing her to furrow her brow a bit. "Hey!" Hanabi called out, causing the Uchiha to stop in place. "What's your stance on all of this?" Hanabi asked.

"… This doesn't change anything." Sasuke said before vanishing from sight before Hanabi could prod any more.

"Hmph. How in the world could my sister ever fall for him in another reality?" Hanabi wondered with a pout and her arms crossed.

.

.

"How rude and cold. What were you even thinking, Hinata-onee-sama?" Hanabi whispered to herself with a frown and her eyes closed, arms still crossed.

"What was that Hanabi-sensei?" Namida asked as she and her teammates looked to their sensei in confusion.

"I said you needn't worry. What matters now is assisting our fellow shinobi!" Hanabi quickly said, putting on a tough and determined front.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Shinachiku exclaimed with a pair of fist pumps.

"Hell yes!" Boruto agreed with a grin as he turned and thrust his fist forward. "Everyone! Let's go!" Boruto exclaimed.

"Right!" Everyone agreed in unison.

"W-Wait, hold up! I just remembered, Mitsuki's not here!" Boruto said, realizing his team was down a member.

"We'll treat him to lunch as an apology when he comes back! Right now, we need to go save Iwabe and the rest! Now let's move!" Shinachiku ordered as he hurried out of the gates.

"Shinachiku, wait up!" Konohamaru called out as every rushed after him.

"Mitsuki doesn't eat!" Boruto called out as they all tried to catch up to Shinachiku, who was focused dead set on saving his friends.

'Don't worry guys. We're coming. Denki. Metal. Udon-sensei. Iwabe. I won't let that bastard get away with this!' Shinachiku thought with a determined expression and glare as his eyes shined gold and a green light shined from beneath his beanie where his forehead was.

.

.

In Kirigakure, the village had managed to rebuild most of itself from not just one, but two attacks in not even the span of a full month.

Poor Chojuro was deep in paperwork from all this debacle. Luckily, his predecessor took pity on his situation and decided to lend an aid to lighten the load.

"Thank you for your assistance, Mei-sama." Chojuro thanked the Godaime Mizukage with a grateful smile.

"No thanks needed. Such a massive amount should not be handled alone. I know that suffering very well. I just wish someone had loan a hand to me when I was doing this as the Mizukage." Mei said as she went through the paperwork.

"Didn't Ao-san help in any way?" Chojuro asked.

"Unfortunately not. He may have been doting in his duties, but he was so ungentlemanly. Seeing me handle such a heavy load, yet expecting me to handle it all, alone without even offering a hand even once. He's lucky I never followed through with my claims to kill him." Mei said with an annoyed frown, raising her nose in the air in a huff causing Chojuro to silently chuckle nervously at Mei's ire. "Speaking of you know who… how's he been?" Mei asked, trying to hide her concern with a stoic demeanor. "He hasn't come back to the village since the war started so long ago."

"I have been keeping tabs on him. So far, he's just been traveling from place to place all around the Five Great Nations." Chojuro informed.

"And not once has he decided to pay us a visit. Usually age grants wisdom and quells the soul, but I dare say he's even ruder than ever to just cut us off like that." Mei said with an annoyed and disappointed frown as she pressed her knuckles against her cheek.

"It's odd though. For as often as he travels, he does tend to return to not just Hi no Kuni, but also a specific region where a well-known company resides within Tanima no Kuni (Land of Valleys). And at times, he just goes off radar." Chojuro added, surprising Mei, who kept a stoic demeanor to hide her curiosity for her former bodyguard.

Suddenly, a Chunin burst through the door with urgency.

"Chojuro-sama! We have trouble!" The Chunin informed with clear distress.

"Dammit, not this again. Who's invading us this time?" Mei questioned with a miffed frown.

"Well, it's not an invasion. We've been infiltrated. Someone stole one of the seven mystical swords and has critically injured several of our elite officers!" The Chunin informed, causing both the current and previous Mizukage to flinch with worried glares.

"Does anyone know who it was, and which sword was stolen?" Chojuro asked with a serious expression.

"You… you're not going to believe this." The Chunin said with a grave expression.

.

.

Outside of the borders of Kirigakure, a man with jagged teeth grinned as he rode away from the village from atop a shark.

"Well, that was good practice. It's been a while since I've been to my old stomping grounds. A little too long actually. I wonder how long I've exactly been gone." The man said to himself as he pondered for a moment. "Oh well, it doesn't matter. I may be back for the time being, and although I hate being used like this, it does feel nice to be kicking for a while. I'm also very excited about the new fish this world has to offer. So many brand-new little guppies born into this vast ocean born from blood. I wonder how much stronger they are compared to the ones I last saw during my time." His grin widened with sadistic excitement at the thought of such promising new blood. "Well… we'll find out soon enough, won't we, Samehada?"

The living sword growled in response as its scales stood on end in excitement at both the new fights and tasty chakra ahead and being held once more by its previous master.

"I know. I'm excited too." Spoke the infamous tailless tailed beast, Kisame Hoshigaki, as he grinned with sadistic excitement, chuckling as he road his way towards the mainland.

Kiri's most dangerous shinobi is back once more, ready to for a new hunt.

And there will be bloodshed.

End of Chapter 13

Boy, oh boy! Does it feel good to focus on this story again! Happy 2023 ladies and gents! I'm proud to provide you with my first post of the new year and happy that it is from this story. Boy, did NaruSaku Birthdays sap my mentally, but it was worth it. Artists must suffer from time to time with their work, especially one they wanted to finish before the years end, despite being late literally half the time. Not proud of that.

What I am proud of is this story so far. It has some good reception, actually that's an understatement, there were some comments that made me oh so joyous! Some that were rude just for the sake of being rude, but who cares about that? And some that were welcomed constructive criticism that though hurt a bit, were necessary and I am thankful to hear them as they show that people do find enough interest in my story to want to give their two cents on how to do it better justice.

For one, I'll try to make my fights less detailed. I mean, I'm not just going to write like 'and so massive battle commence. Soon enough, Shinachiku managed to get the better hand and planted a Rasengan' and then write a few more lines and the battle over. No, I plan on giving enough detail, just not great detail like I have been for years now. Hopefully I did right by that here in this chapter. I hope the battle scene in this was a properly done compromise.

I also want to address one concern from a guest who didn't like me making Sasuke a bit emotion in the last chapter over Naruto and Sakura's natural chemistry with one another, platonic, of course. I have to admit, I felt the same way after reading it. I was forcing myself there. I still think an interaction between Sasuke and Hinata was nice there, but I should have made it, well, more accurate to the character of Sasuke. I was actually thinking it would be appropriate to go back to the scene and re-write that little interaction to make it more believable of the character.

I just don't want to come off as one of those anti-ending fans who glorify how great NaruSaku is and could have been in this alternate universe and not providing any respect to the ending we got, so little as many have of the sequel series we got. I'm not a big of the direction of Boruto, but I don't want to come off as mean, rude and disrespectful of the series just because I'm not a fan of what we got. I want to show it decency instead of scorn, as one should. Why spread hate and disrespect when it is unnecessary? I hope I'm doing fine in that department.

Anyway, thank you all for reading this chapter. I appreciate the continued support and chances you are providing it. Every like, fave, and review that is born through genuine interest in this story really means a lot. Thank you all for your continued support that will hopefully go on into this new year. Arigato!

Takeshi1225, Out!