"I doubt you could even imagine it…" The narrator said.
The screen turned entirely black for a second, and the audience watched with bated breath.
There was a fade in. A young man with hair of pure black sat across from the viewer. The inn was dimly lit. His one visible eye was dark, intense… piercing. As though he held most of the world's wisdom.
The man spoke.
"I have saved snow princesses, rice princesses… all sorts of princesses from the darkness of man. I burned the town of Akkasu in the Land of Wind."
The scene changed and cut to the same man sitting shirtless, outlined against a blazing fire, holding up a silver bar pendant. There was a forlorn, darkly amused expression on his face.
"I have spent nights with the world's most beautiful woman, tamed some of its worst monsters… and left with both my sanity and my life."
There was a sound like moaning, a scene depicting a passionate embrace.
(Someone groaned in the room. Maybe it was several people.)
"I was banished from the world's strongest village at a younger age than most civilians are allowed to drink."
The scene cut to a woman crying about her lost future, two men lying down on the floor, face down. The same young man was standing proudly, his lone eye staring in the distance. Making plans.
It cut to the dark room again. The young man leaned forward, staring into the viewer's eye without flinching.
"I have walked paths that make others curse their stars in bitter grief. I have written stories that make women weep, brought false Gods down to their knees, and cheated Death."
There was a pause as the man took a deep breath. He smiled thinly and his lone eye looked red in the eerie light.
"You may know my name."
The screen faded to black as a haunting melody filled the air.
…
As the screen turned dark, the real Toru flipped a title card in front of the audience. It burned away, and its ashes wrote a message in flaming letters. It read: "The Sharingan Thief."
Toru smiled slowly. "Any thoughts…?"
"The title is very unclear." Sakura said. "Is it about a thief who steals Sharingan or a thief who happens to have a Sharingan or two…?"
Toru thought about it. "Good point. I'll need to reword that. Anything else?"
"I think you had some help with the cheating Death part." Karin said.
"Never said I didn't. Anyone else — Anyone that's not Hanabi?"
Before anyone else could answer, there was the sound air being displaced.
"What are you guys doing…?" A voice asked dryly.
"Shit!" Toru muttered. "Lights on, the mood-killer's back."
The room turned bright again, very suddenly and everyone groaned in pain. Toru realized he would need to do something about the transition, likely.
And as he had thought, Naruto was standing in the back of the room, arms folded.
"…That's what you were planning yesterday…?" Naruto asked evenly. "I thought—"
"No shame in leisure." Hanabi piped in.
"As she says." Toru nodded solemnly.
"Which woman were you even talking about in this…?" Akemi asked, frowning.
"You, of course." Toru stated. "Sex sells. Don't overthink it."
"Oh, it's alright then."
"I considered embellishing a bit, but everyone knows there's only one woman in my heart." Toru continued.
"…Hanabi, you mean?" Akemi tilted her head.
Hanabi let out a disgusted grunt.
"I meant Naruto, but that's it, exactly. Hanabi." Toru smiled. "So. Good trailer or bad trailer?" He asked again.
Yoisen, who had been seated far from Ino, nodded very seriously. "I cannot speak of the truthfulness of the events in this one, but I suppose I would watch it."
"That's not saying much." Karin muttered. "Your taste might be almost as bad as Naruto's."
"You meant to say great." Naruto intervened.
"Kunio and Sōsuke was the laziest excuse for a film I've ever seen." Karin grunted.
"You just say this because you read the reviews, which were admittedly harsh." Naruto said.
"I say this because it was trash."
"Good job. You've just been uninvited from the next movie night." Naruto stated.
"How so…?" Karin laughed. "It's my house."
"Your house too." Ino intervened.
Sakura frowned. "Why are you like this? We built it, Ino."
"And I thank you for it." Ino nodded graciously. "It was the last time you did something productive that did not involve murdering officials."
"I stick to my strengths." Sakura shrugged.
"You really weren't there, Ino." Naruto shook his head. "Nor Toru and Hanabi."
"Oh yeah…?" Toru scowled. Why, he wasn't entirely sure — maybe he didn't like feeling excluded. "Well, I prepared something else because I just knew someone…" He said, glaring at the offending blond meat-head. "Would try to ruin it."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "As long as it's not the Toru Clone Show."
It was the Toru Clone Show.
"You're a ninja, Naru-Toru." Saru-Toru said. "And as such, you will join the Ninja Academy."
"What's a ninja?" Naru-Toru asked.
"A ninja is a man, a woman, a summon animal, anyone who protects their village. Konoha, in our case."
"Protect, you say…? With chakra, or with weapons…?"
"Yes."
"I shall accept, then." Naru-Toru decided, his voice strong, like thunder during a storm. "I am not the property of Konoha, and not yours either. I shall learn about chakra and break my chains."
Saru-Toru was impressed by such a strong resolve. He made Naru-Toru his apprentice the next day.
…
"Friends, you say?" Naru-Toru asked, as though he were tasting the word for the first time.
"Yes." Sasu-Toru said, hand still extended. He was kind, like a gentle breeze on a hot summer day. Behind him, his brother in all but blood, Toru-Toru, stood calmly. Many of the academy's young girls were watching him.
"I refuse, then. I have no time for it." Naru-Toru decided, voice full of rocks or something equally as heavy. "I must focus on my vision."
On the other side of the room, Saku-Toru nodded in the shared realization that she didn't need friends either, and she respected Naru-Toru for it. The others disagreed.
Especially Toru-Toru.
…
"What is the difference, Uzumaki Naru-Toru, between a shinobi and a murderer…?" Their Academy teacher repeated the question the child had asked.
Naru-Toru nodded his head, and stood up bravely. His eyes hardened, and they were like an animal's eyes. Sharp, focused… and entirely devoid of human empathy.
"They are the same thing." Naru-Toru stated. "A shinobi is one who kills."
The teached glanced at him. "…For Konoha."
"Yes." Naru-Toru nodded. "Of course." He laughed, distant like a cold star in the night sky.
One could think he didn't enjoy the idea of killing.
Toru-Toru knew better. He could see through the facade. Ino-Toru apparently couldn't, and he could see her watch the boy with newfound fascination.
Toru-Toru shook his head sadly.
…
"As of now, you are Konoha's Team Six." Kaka-Toru declared.
Naru-Toru shook his head, firm like a rock in the ground. "I am my own man."
"But you are still part of a team."
"You say a team." Naru-Toru said. "But what you mean is an ensemble of child-slaves to the collective; child-killers, working for a monolithic military dictature… all for the sake of profit."
Kaka-Toru ruffled his hair fondly.
"Oh. You are still so young."
…
"Wake up, Toru-Toru." Naru-Toru said, slapping him awake.
It was the middle of the night.
"What is it this time…?" Toru-Toru asked, irritated. "I need sleep, Kaka-Toru-sensei will run us ragged again."
"I am leaving the village." Naru-Toru said. "It is a dead place, it just doesn't know it yet."
"…You can't leave the village."
"I can and I will. Did so already. I am but a Shadow Clone, created by the Shadow Clone Technique."
"I meant that it's a stupid idea. Besides, why did you warn me, and only me?"
Naru-Toru stood in his window, bathed in the moonlight, with a slight smile.
"Because you are my best friend. You deserve to know."
Then he dispelled, after making Toru-Toru promise not to tell anyone.
Toru-Toru's heart ached for Ino-Toru, but he was a good friend. He did not tell her. That should have been Naru-Toru's role.
"…I feel as though there might have been an insult slipped in, somehow." Naruto said slowly.
Toru shrugged. "We could ask Sasuke what he thinks, if that's how you feel about it."
"Well I'm glad it's over, in any case." Naruto said, dryly.
"Over? Oh please. I can go on all day." Toru rolled his eyes.
"Please don't. You can air your grievances about the Emperor on the holiday we declared for it."
Toru thought about it.
"It's not a real thing." Hanabi said. "Just in case you actually fell for it."
"...I didn't." Toru lied.
Hanabi chuckled. "I'm sure."
"Well, if you idiots are done…" Naruto began. "I think it's time to head out. You've spent enough time in the movie cave."
"Are you our boss, now…?" Akemi frowned. "Them I get, but I have my own business."
"He's not our boss either." Hanabi shook her head.
Yoisen tilted her head. "Is he not?"
Whether the true confusion in her voice made Ino less angry… or more so, was hard to tell. Well, not that hard.
"Let's go, then." She decided, and got out of the room first.
The others followed. Yoisen stayed, staring after them.
"…Did you not tell them about the danger we face yet…?" She asked, trying not to sound reproachful. "Why are they like that…?"
Naruto shrugged. "No, I told them already. They're just…" He stared. "Like that."
They went to the city center.
…
"Oh, Sakura!" A woman greeted. "Long time no see."
Sakura blinked. "Oh, hey. Yeah, we've been away for a little while."
"Are you done writing your book?"
Sakura cringed. "It's coming along… Coming along."
Karin couldn't prevent a small chuckle from escaping her.
"Oh, shut it, Karin." Sakura scowled, once the woman was gone. "I'll get to it." Then she spotted Yoisen. "Later, I mean."
Karin noticed the glimmer of interest in her eyes and decided to follow, just in case she had yet another dangerous idea.
Toru threw Yugito over his shoulder.
She spun with the throw, and cartwheeling back, she rose with a kick aimed at his chin.
His eye flashed red for an instant, and he blocked it with his forearm. He did the exact same thing when Sasuke's leg rose. Except his cousin was much stronger than Yugito was, physically. Toru winced and withdrew his arm.
He tightened his left fist and threw his weight into a mighty hook, not bothering to supercharge it with chakra. Sasuke's eyes gleamed and he countered the motion with an open-handed palm strike that Toru was pretty sure he had lifted from his wife. Typical.
Toru then had to duck under Yugito's claw swipe. Sasuke shot forward again, thrusting his hand forth, and billowing flames erupted from his sleeve. Toru threw himself into an arching handstand — as unnecessary as it was flashy — and tapped the floor, making both of them focus on his hands for an instant.
Sasuke slammed both hands together and a wall of flame, slightly taller than he was, rose. Toru flipped backward, weaving through the red, white and blue flames that the duo wielded.
Yugito's eyes could likely see through the illusion he had cast, which meant that he had to focus on Sasuke first, while he was caught.
Toru dashed toward him and made a swiping motion. Gravity halted for an instant, and then resumed with a tearing sound, pulling Sasuke to his right, and throwing his balance off entirely. Even as he fell toward the wall, Sasuke managed to react. Jagged fiery spikes shaped themselves out of nothing, and they exploded outwards.
Toru continued to dance through them, moving faster and faster with every dodge.
Some eldritch, fireproof wood rose with the flames, wrapping itself around them, under them. They became strange creatures, automatically shaped by Sasuke's undoubtedly fucked up subconscious thoughts. A grinning tanuki opened its mouth wide to swallow Toru whole.
An eight-armed, eyeless monstrosity rose behind it and tried to wrap its limbs around him, too.
Fiery drills exploded from the floor, and Yugito spat a roaring blue flame that wrapped around the both of them, knowing that Sasuke would manage just fine.
Sasuke's leg shot up, rising in a searing high kick, just as a whale-shark… thing leaped above them, and began its heavy fall. The floor under them turned to liquid fire, allowing Sasuke to slide forward along its length.
Fire wrapped around him, a pure white armor of molten heat.
Toru crashed against the wave of fire—
And then he didn't. The illusion dispelled, and Toru had Sasuke in a tight choke-hold.
"I think I won." Toru stated. "Again."
Yugito groaned.
"For fucks' sake."
"It's alright." Toru said humbly. "If I ever manage to get the Tsuchikage — what's his name, again…? — to spar with me, I'll be able to say I beat all of the Kage up. It's good ninja cred."
"Again." Yugito said, quite bossily.
Toru sighed. "Look, I'm no Kumo ninja. I'd rather go and draw something—"
"Please." Sasuke said." Again."
"…Man, you're lucky I like you guys."
In any case, he indulged them.
Yūshirō, who was watching, nestled against a certain monstrous cat, behind several layers of protection… tried to make a fist.
Matatabi pretended she didn't see it.
"Say." Sakura said, wrapping a casual arm around Yoisen's shoulders.
Yoisen stared at her, but didn't react at all, otherwise.
"…Yes?" She asked.
"How did you learn to hide the Rinnegan that well, my sister-in-white?" Sakura asked, grinning like a predatory cat.
"…Your what?" Yoisen asked dubiously.
"Don't sweat it." Karin smiled reassuringly. It looked kinda predatory, frankly. She slung an arm over Yoisen's other shoulder.
Yoisen stared at their hands, then their owners. "…May I ask what you're truly after?"
Sakura pretended to be offended. "After something…? Us?"
"I am surprised you've learned to mimic human emotion so well." Karin remarked.
"You guys really have to stop with these jokes." Sakura shook her head. "Compared to people like Orochimaru, I'm doing just fine."
"That snake-man-child is truly not as bad as Naruto depicts him to be." Yoisen said.
"He mellowed out a bit." Karin yawned. "He's like a quirky friend, by now. I guess he's kinda… happy."
Yoisen nodded. "I suppose it has to do with his partner. They are a…" She hesitated on the word. "Peculiar pair, and I am quite unsure about the ethics of it, but well, if it works for them…"
Karin glanced at Sakura. Sakura glanced at Karin.
"…What?" Karin asked. "Since when does that guy have…?"
"Who is it?" Sakura asked. "Who's crazy enough…?"
Yoisen blinked. "Well, that Ōtsutsuki woman."
Sakura burst out laughing. "Okay that's pretty funny. Good one, number six. You just convinced me."
"…Number six…? Convinced of what, exactly...?" Yoisen squinted. She had the feeling she might know what the pink-haired woman was talking about. "And I was not joking."
Sakura continued to laugh and Karin shook her head in negation. "They are not romantically involved." She seemed as though she were repressing a shiver.
"I believe you are fooling yourselves." Yoisen shook her head. "There is something there."
"He is stuck in a child's body." Karin stated, flatly.
"For now." Yoisen admitted. "Which is why they are not involved yet."
"…That just sounds like grooming with extra steps."
"I mean… I guess he is a sixty-year-old man." Sakura said, but it didn't really help. "Assuming there's any truth to... this."
"It is understandable for people to freak out about the age difference." Yoisen nodded.
"Well yeah." Karin made a face. "That's weird, no matter how you look at it. Even in ten… twenty years."
"It would be, even had that man been in his original body." Yoisen said. "People would wonder what this sixty-year-old man was doing with a woman more than ten times his age."
There was a pause.
"…Are you still talking about them?" Karin asked hesitantly.
Yoisen looked away from her. "Yes."
Sakura cut through the awkwardness with her usual subtlety. "Yeah, okay. So anyway, how did you do that thing with the Rinnegan?" She asked. "These eyes are clearly your own…" She peered closer. "But I can feel its power."
Yoisen nodded. "I sealed it inside my soul, of course."
"Ah, just that." Sakura said dryly.
"Yes. I did, in fact, get the idea from watching Naruto's own."
"Nice." Karin nodded enthusiastically. "Can you teach us?"
Yoisen idly wondered what they were about to do with it. "Certainly. We are allies now, after all."
"Ino, too?" Sakura laughed.
"...Yes, I suppose so."
Ino and Hanabi watched their wives depart with Yoisen.
"Traitors." Ino shook her head. "Both of them. I should've seen it coming."
"They're just like cats, really." Hanabi commiserated. "You give them one shiny new toy, and then you've lost them for the day."
Ino wisely kept her comments about what she had tried to pull with Other-Hanabi to herself. A heavy arm settled around her waist and she grunted. Not because of its weight, but because of who it belonged to.
"Will you ever forgive me…?" Naruto asked, quite dramatically.
"No." Ino grunted. "I'll look into partial divorces — I will only keep Hanabi."
"As you say." Hanabi nodded, linking her arm with hers. "We were always the best of them, anyway."
Ino turned to Naruto. "And if you think I'm going to forgive you—" She began.
"You say that and do it every time, still." Hanabi reminded her. Ino glared at her.
"I don't think I've done anything particularly wrong." Naruto said. "Also, I'm still learning my place."
"And she clearly hasn't learned hers." Ino shook her head. "She's just waiting, biding her time."
Naruto shrugged uneasily. He didn't really have a satisfying answer to give her here. Either Yoisen would get over it, or…
"She won't do anything." He said.
"What about you?" Ino asked pointedly.
Naruto chuckled. "And here I thought you trusted me."
"It's likely not true anymore because you brought that woman in the fold." Hanabi remarked.
"…Thank you, dear." He said, sounding very unimpressed. "I'll tell that Kaito guy to remove some of your social points."
"It's only fair." Hanabi acknowledged. "I've been a bad citizen."
Ino was still waiting for an answer.
"Things might become more dangerous." Naruto remarked. "If we're taking her with us, I would rather she be safe."
"Do we really need her, though?"
"I would say so." Naruto said. "And I care for her, too."
Ino rolled her eyes. "Do you think I'm blind enough not to notice…?"
"Anyone could tell you two want to fuck." Hanabi laughed. "It doesn't take the Byakugan, really."
"…Hanabi, please." Naruto closed his eyes. "That's not how I meant it."
"Still true." She shrugged.
Ino made an angry sound. "Then maybe you should have fucked her and be done with it, then. Better than a bond."
"Very progressive of you." Naruto said dryly. "Considering you knew what sort of relationship you knowingly joined."
"I know." Ino said, a small chuckle escaping her. "And as you might have realized… I have no problem with Yugito. Just her, really."
"…And that female Gaara, from back then." Hanabi reminded her.
"…Her, too." Ino admitted.
"And that Araki woman, that Aoyama woman, that woman from the noodle shop—" Hanabi rattled off.
"Congrats." Ino grunted. "You won. Guess who's going to spend the night on the corner of the bed…? That's right, you, Hanabi. I'll be ignoring you, very pointedly."
"I don't care. Karin won't ignore me." Hanabi said, raising her chin.
"She'll be too busy with her new ghoulish fuck-toy, by then. And Sakura, too. So I guess you have… me. And maybe Naruto — but that guy is unreliable, as you know."
"…I'll just find Yugito, then. I can ignore the child's whining for a night, I suppose."
Naruto laughed and pulled both of them close.
"Don't worry, Ino." He said.
"I am not worried." She said, rolling her eyes. "Annoyed is more like it. Furious works, too."
He smiled. "I suppose you girls are not in the mood for a cute little date, then…?"
Ino lifted a perfect eyebrow, and she was smiling too. "And who said that?"
"You're paying today." Hanabi stated, glancing at Naruto. "No 'I forgot my wallet' again. We have space-time shit."
"I wouldn't dare." Today. Naruto still pretended to be offended.
In any case, he thanked Toru and Chōji inwardly, glad that they had likely eaten the brunt of the two women's little spat.
He was wrong, of course.
…
They made their way toward town, chatting and laughing easily in the sunlight.
They crossed over a stream, using the stone bridge. Ino nudged him. "I wanted to show them to you." She said, pointing at the carpet of flowers nearby.
"Me?" Naruto asked.
"No. Hanabi." Ino laughed. "I wanted to show her off to the flowers, actually."
Hanabi grinned and Ino earned herself an enthusiastic kiss. Feeling a bit bemused, Naruto just grunted his vague amusement.
"You may look at them from a bit closer, though." Ino offered, magnanimously. "Flowers tell stories, sometimes."
So he did, leaning toward the flowers.
Then he was in the water, cursing both of them. He climbed back to his feet and rolled his pants up, throwing his geta to the shore. Hanabi pretended that she had nothing to do with it, and that her hand had not been extended just one moment ago. Ino was laughing and laughing—
Until he raised his hand and pulled them into the water. They fell in with similar shrieks.
"Yes…" Naruto nodded sagely, wringing water out of his hair. "I think the flowers just told me the story of two foolish young women who messed with a powerful, great and terrible wizard."
"You've been listening to Nacchan too much if you believe this." Ino laughed, pulling her long, sodden hair away from her face.
"I'll tell you a fucking story!" Hanabi threw herself at him, stripping her dress in the same leap.
"I'm glad you finally learned about underwear. There are passersby, you know—" Naruto laughed, even as Ino, that traitor, dunked him underwater.
Their struggle went on for a little while, before they went to dry on the shore. Ino smiled, a true smile, her pink lips looking red under the heavy sun. Hanabi stretched, almost as though she intended to show off her lithe, perfect form. Naruto commented on it, and she just grinned mysteriously. It pulled at her eyes.
"Well?" Ino asked, shrugging. "Where is our lunch basket, dear…?" Her voice was teasing, almost mocking even, but she held his eyes with tenderness.
He laughed and pulled his dear wives to him. They stayed there for a while, until the sun dried them.
Sarada was lying down on the cool grass, staring at the blue sky.
She ignored the pit of unpleasant feelings in her gut as best as she could.
What was the nature of a shinobi…?
Just that…? A miserable killer, and a dirty liar, too…? Someone willing to sacrifice anything, for the sake of the mission? For the village...?
And if not, what was she doing?
…
"I'm bored." Boruto decided.
Mitsuki glanced at him. "Oh? Already?"
"Aren't you?" Boruto asked dubiously, already knowing the answer.
"Why should I be…?"
"You've been sitting there for three hours, saying nothing." Boruto grumbled.
"Silence is not a bad thing." Mitsuki smiled. "I had no need for words at the time, and so I was content to just sit still."
Boruto sighed. "Maybe I asked the wrong person. Aren't you bored, Nacchan?"
"…Not really." The supposedly older teenager shrugged. "These books are pretty interesting. Is it true that this other Naruto is the world's God-Emperor…?"
Boruto blinked. "Who…? Uncle?" He laughed. "Of course not."
"It says so in this book." Nacchan said, lifting The Great & Terrible Ninja Wars.
Boruto shrugged. "Uncle taught me that propaganda usually has a very tenuous connection to the truth, at best."
"But—"
Boruto shook his head. "I know how you feel, I've been there before." He said, clapping his shoulder. "Uncle is unemployed and unemployable." Nacchan remained unconvinced.
Mitsuki pointed at the sea. Boruto followed his finger.
"What is this…?" Boruto frowned. He stepped closer to the offending item. "A… message in a bottle…?"
Boruto looked around. There was no one. He pulled the message out and cleared his throat.
"Salutations, noble stranger.
"If you are reading this, then you have found my bottle and you are destined for a great fortune. I am the Lord Ryūnosuke, a sailor and a scholar who was unjustly imprisoned in the Emperor's terrible holding cells for more than a year.
"If you are reading this, I never managed to escape and am likely dead."
Boruto gasped and looked at the horrified Nacchan.
Mitsuki, on the other hand, seemed to be interested. He motioned for him to continue reading. Boruto showed them the letter, instead.
"And if that came to happen, I shall entrust someone, anyone, with a secret that I have learned from a fellow prisoner. It is the location of a hidden treasure located on the north-western island. The treasure belonged to a powerful family of nobles from the mainland that was wiped out by the False Emperor and his legions. It contained gold, jewels, and precious documents that could change the course of history.
My fellow prisoner promised me that he would use the treasure to seek justice and vengeance for both of us. He also promised me that he would share it with anyone who helped him or showed him kindness. He was a good and honest man, and I wish he could have fulfilled his promise.
Unfortunately, he is dead, as well.
And the only thing I may do in honor of his good name is get the word out. My dearest wish is that the message finds someone who is not under the False Emperor's thrall.
If you wish to find the treasure, you must follow these steps:
— Go to the north-western island and look for a cave near the shore. You will need a boat and a torch.
— Enter the cave and follow the tunnel until you reach a large chamber. You will see a wooden chest with a seal on it.
— Open the chest and you will find the treasure. You might or might not also find a letter from my fellow prisoner with more details and instructions.
- Take as much as you want or need, but leave some for others who might come after you.
- Use the treasure wisely and generously. Do not let it corrupt you or make you greedy. Remember that it is a gift from a dead man and something I tentatively call a legacy from me.
May you be luckier than we both were.
A humble prisoner that was once a Lord,
Ryūnosuke"
Nacchan finished reading it first.
He didn't say anything for a long while. Then both of his hands went to his head, and he looked frightened. "Are you sure your Uncle has nothing to do with all this…?"
That sounded like the sort of thing that man might do.
Boruto looked a bit more unsure. "I… don't think he's the Emperor—"
"You don't think…?" Nacchan asked, quite hysterically.
"It must have been the previous Emperor." Boruto shook his head.
"There was none in recent times." Mitsuki said.
"Then it must be from before that." Boruto decided, looking as though he really wanted to believe it. "The letter looks old."
And it did. The yellowed parchment looked as though it had seen better days.
Mitsuki slowly nodded. "It is true, I suppose."
"Which means all the people involved are… likely dead." Boruto said, frowning. Yes, maybe it was better that way.
Nacchan had nothing to add. Besides one thing. "That's… terrible."
"No matter." Boruto said.
"…No matter?"
Boruto smiled slightly. So did Mitsuki. "We have something to do, now." He said. "Perhaps Boruto will stop tapping his foot restlessly."
"Come with us, Nacchan. We have a fourth person to find."
…
Sarada could smell sea salt and hear the sound of the rushing waves.
Which wasn't saying much, because that's how being on a boat tended to be. The water was churning around them as Boruto steered them around Umi's central island. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw a towering cliff, and large chunks of rocks. Trees high above, too.
The waters were not particularly dangerous, and even less so with this sort of finely made boat. Sarada could feel drops of water hit her face.
"Are you sure there is anything there at all…?" Sarada asked.
"What do you think?" Boruto asked. "You've read the letter too, haven't you?"
"Yes, but…" Sarada hesitated. Was she the only one to see traps everywhere…?
"It will be fine." Boruto said reassuringly.
"What makes you so sure?" She muttered.
Nacchan shrugged. "He's not sure at all." He grumbled. "Just too interested not to go."
"It is fine." Mitsuki smiled, too. "Father said that I should indulge in curiosity more often, lest I grow as boring as most shinobi tend to be."
"Yeah, what he said." Boruto nodded, almost sagely, but not Sage-like.
Sarada did not say anything. Her thoughts were mostly about water monsters, sea snakes, cave birds, other monsters…
Idly, she wondered if Boruto was also trying to cope with the recent events in his own way. It was likely the case. It did nothing to raise Sarada's morale.
Their boat inexorably sailed toward Umi's north-western island. Less than a half-hour later, they entered a cavern with a ceiling so high it seemed to be out of sight.
They got out of the boat.
"Is that the place…?" Nacchan asked, looking around. The cave was not particularly eerie — he could not feel anything that had the heavy weight of sorrow and death, but then again, maybe it was something only ninja could feel. If that was a thing, of course.
The cave looked like many caves did, with smooth marble walls that shimmered in different blueish, greenish tones. Compared to the outside swelter, the air was cool and moist, and the gentle breeze carried the sounds of dripping water.
"It's supposed to be inside here, yes." Boruto nodded. "But this is just the entrance."
There were fissures in here. Dark tunnels that they were small enough to slip in, and wet walls.
And inside these claustrophobic tunnels they went.
They followed Boruto and his map, passing strange stones, stalactites and stalagmites alike. They went through openings in walls that seemed like doors to nothingness. At one point, they even struck a path open, when it seemed like they had gotten lost.
They went through frustration, curiosity, and frustration again as they went.
"It should be right here." Boruto said. "Around the corner."
Sarada dutifully held up a small ball of fire to the darkness. There was nothing there but a dark chamber. She glanced at Boruto.
"…It should be here." He repeated.
"If it exists." Mitsuki smiled. Sarada wasn't as amused with the whole thing, she had had to admit.
"…" Boruto said nothing else and looked around the room, feeling with his hand.
Nacchan did the same, and he idly wondered what his classmates would think of him if they saw him hanging out in a cave with trigger—… Ah, no. Knife-happy thirteen-years olds. And looking for treasure. Nacchan winced. He began doing the same thing as Boruto did, feeling the ground with his hand.
The hour of truth had come.
"…I think there is soil here." Nacchan ended up saying. "It's not rock — Or I don't think it is, at least."
They didn't bring pickaxes nor shovels, of course.
Sarada told them to move over. Then she went to work. Her knuckles dug into the earth and she rummaged around. So did the other shinobi — Nacchan tried to do so, but his hands were too soft. So he stood there, watching people younger than him, and infinitely stronger than he was.
He wondered if it was something he could learn.
The three continued to attack the ground.
Boruto looked up, grinning wildly at Nacchan.
"Did you…?" The latter asked hesitantly.
They pulled something out. And there it was, as the map had said, a large chest made of oak and iron. There was a strange, ink-made symbol on top of it, and try as he might, Nacchan could not push it open.
"It's a seal." Boruto said, as though he was seized with giddiness. "Let me open it."
"You know seals?" Sarada asked.
"Sure!"
Boruto stood in front of the seal for a good minute, muttering to himself.
He did something Nacchan did not understand and the lid flew open.
The chest was full of shiny things. Coins, ingots, diamonds, rubies, topazes… and a dagger, too. Their greedy hands touched them, as though they were making sure it was real.
And it was. There was more under.
The four of them laughed. Hesitantly at first, as though they were doubting their senses, then louder and louder.
In the middle of Yoisen's impromptu lesson, Sakura smiled.
Karin stared at her.
"…You know, some days I really wonder what goes through your mind." She said, looking a bit bemused.
Sakura shook her head, watching the teenagers through one of the seeing-arrows stationed far above Umi. "You should know that I don't bother with thinking, of course." She said. "I scheme."
Karin squinted her eyes, trying to figure if it was likely to be something dangerous.
'Just look at them.' Sakura thought to herself. 'Where else would they get such a sense of accomplishment…? In the Chūnin Exams? Certainly not.'
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"Team Seven and Nacchan's Day Off"
AN: Got a new tablet and need to get back to practice... Next arc begins Friday!