Chapter 7: A Certain Darkness

"People speak sometimes about the "bestial" cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel."

― Fyodor Dostoyevsky


Boruto & Himawari-Hyūga Compound

"Papa was super popular when he was around your age Boruto! So many people wanted my autograph back then y'know!" Naruto chuckles as he tucks him in.

Boruto instantly lights up, pulls back his blankets again. "Really?! It was when you learned the rasengan, right?! You have to teach me!"

He sighs, eyes drifting open.

Still at the Hyūga manor, still in the past...

'Those bedtime stories were all lies.'

Boruto turns over, shuffling amid his blankets to sit up properly. "Papa's lied about so many things from what I've seen so far of the past y'know."

He looks see where Himawari's gone when she doesn't immediately answer him from the opposite room. Sleep eludes him once more, considers if Grandpa will be upset if both he and Hima decide to sleep in instead of going to morning meditation and sparring like usual.

Himawari's already beat him to it apparently in staying up at seeing her not in bed, sitting on the patio steps studying the darkness of the garden when he heads outside.

It's been basically impossible to stay asleep since Jiraiya returned them back to the Hyūga compound, low cry of crickets and pattering rain filling the area. The night guards give them long glances at being awake past almost 2:00 AM now, but none so far have bothered to reprimand them besides send them scowling looks or disapproving frowns.

'Whatever. Better than continuing to call us half-breeds.' Boruto decides, glaring right back until they finally move on with their patrols.

Himawari looks away from her observing of dragonflies slipping between the greenery of the lily pads and cattails, wings shining iridescent when a crescent moon manages to slip through the clouds.

"I heard you. About what exactly?"

Boruto waves a hand about the air. "About so many things Hima! I mean, clearly Papa wasn't popular, cool, or even all that friendly with any of the civilians or even his fellow classmates at this age! People treat Papa like he's...invisible. Or they wish he was."

Himawari grins slightly. "Papa is cool though Big Brother! People...People just haven't seen it yet."

'Yeah, and it's about time Konoha's residents saw it.' Boruto mulls over making some type of grand statement in the Central Market showing all the good Papa has and will do for the village, though both Grandpa and Toad Gramps want them to keep to a low profile for their own safety.

Still, there's only so much he can take of both civilians and shinobi mistaking him for his Dad, ignoring his existence, or outright insulting him before he loses his patience. When did Konoha's citizens start to show Papa a bit more respect anyways?

Himawari taps at his shoulder taking him out of his thoughts.

"Let's get to bed. Grandpa is probably going to want to do a sparring session with the others in the morning."

But they wake in the morning to the sounds of jovial laughter unusually coming from the dining hall, peek out of their rooms to see familiar white hair from last night walking about the manor taking everything in.

Jiraiya.

"You know, I think this is my first time ever seeing the Hyūga manor from the inside!" He chimes out, studying the warm oakwood furniture, crystal chandeliers hanging over them.

In the coming sunrise, everything seems tinted with gold, hallways seeming to go on for miles.

It's just as fancy as he pictured it knowing the wealth and power the Hyūga have amassed over the years in Konoha. Rich tapestries depict the village's surrounding mountains and rivers in shades of greens and blues. Paintings line the walls as well of various fighting styles reminiscent of his childhood days training at the Academy and years of traveling abroad.

Opalescent watches him from the corner of his eye, sighs.

"...Is it now? Well, I suppose there was no reason for our paths to cross until now." Hiashi muses.

Jiraiya looks back over to him, grin widening. "No, there wasn't. And this won't be the last you'll see of me I'll bet!"

Both Main and Branch members send him wary looks as Hiashi leads him to his private study for tea. A majority of them only know him for his adult novels, probably are questioning behind the Hyūga patriarch's back his decision to bring him actually inside their clan's walls the same way he did with Boruto and Himawari.

Too many changes at once.

Boruto and Himawari peer to each other, neither are seeing things.

'He came back!' Boruto considers.

Maybe he has news on Papa and Mama having found them!

He hurriedly wipes grit from his eyes, last remnants of drowsiness slipping away to give follow.

"Toad Gramps! Whatcha doing here?!" Boruto calls out gaining both men's attention, Jiraiya instantly bristling at the title. Hiashi sends him a look at his rudeness, reflexively bowing to both men in proper good morning greetings.

Jiraiya slows his pace as Himawari comes up behind him, crosses his arms.

"Geez, is that the best title/moniker you could give me Kid?! I know you've read up on my history to know I'm Jiraiya the Gallant or The Great Toad Sannin! Even-

Boruto shrugs, waves away his suggestions. "I think Toad Gramps is way better than Pervy-Sage, y'know! That's what Papa always referred to you as."

"And don't worry, being Toad Gramps is just how we'll differentiate you from Grandpa!" Himawari reassures him.

'That's not what's bothering me!' Jiraiya wants to retort, can't help but smile anyways at seeing both their azure eyes shine with delight at his arrival.

Hiashi nods to Hizoko and Hawara, men straightening awaiting his order.

"There's some updates I need to discuss with Jiraiya for the next hour or so. See to it that we aren't disturbed."

They nod in unison, though their gaze flickers to the siblings on if that order includes them.

Pearl falls to Boruto and Himawari too, pair rooted in place.

"If this involves us, then we should be a part of the discussion too y'know!" Boruto speaks up first, squeezes Himawari's hand that they're in this together.

Himawari nods, lips setting into a firm line. "You can't keep us in the dark forever Grandpa!"

Jiraiya chuckles between bites of onigiri, Hiashi's features twisting between frustration at old rules so casually broken by these two to amusement that so much has changed in the world his grandchildren are growing up in.

'That stubbornness certainly isn't a Hyūga trait anyone around here is used to.' Jiraiya admires.

He leans back against the wall as Hiashi eventually lets them give follow, Gamakoto slipping into the folds of his sleeves at his shoulder.

"What's the latest?" He asks by way of greeting.

"Anko Mitarashi and her aides discovered three corpses with their faces stolen. The exams have not yet been called off though." He murmurs back lowly.

His grin vanishes as he settles opposite Hiashi.

'Damn. Looks like Orochimaru is already on the move.'

Boruto notes his expression, brows knotting in concern.

"Is...Is Papa okay?"

Jiraiya rolls his shoulders as Hiashi sends him a look not to worry the siblings too much. It's bad enough they keep slipping out when he's busy with meetings, none of their assigned guards truly trying to stop them from leaving the compound.

But Jiraiya's never been one for giving false promises or hope considering Boruto's determined look, Himawari straightening her shoulders as well prepared for whatever news he has to say.

"I'm not sure to be honest, comes with the territory of these exams Kid."


Naruto, Team 7-Forest Of Death, Northwest Forests

'Is this really Naruto?' Sasuke clenches his teeth.

He already saw for himself briefly back in Wave that something dark and vicious slumbers within him, awoken by that other shinobi's words or whatever he did to him.

'But what if they switched places? What if this is the enemy?'

He slips out a kunai from his sleeves.

Then again, everything matches Naruto's usual self.

For the most part.

His gaze has been focused mainly on ahead, up above to the trees for any enemies keeping out of site in the shrubbery or shadows.

Sakura pats at Sasuke's shoulder jolting him.

"Are you alright?" She questions, chest tightening at his lack of response, onyx still burning on Naruto's back.

"Fine. It's Naruto you should be concerned about." Sasuke eventually mutters.

Verdant narrows warily. "...Why?"

Naruto finally looks back to them, azure softening at their concerned looks.

"You know I can hear you guys; right?"

Sakura purses her lips while Sasuke steps forward.

"Tell us what happened back there in the bushes or else I consider you an imposter."

'You don't have to say it so bluntly Sasuke!' Sakura eyes him testily, though his gaze remains on Naruto alone. They don't have time to waste bickering amongst each other or not believing they are who they appear to be, but neither boy moves from their position.

Naruto bristles, sighs at the memory looking down to his hands.

Coppery blood still lies beneath his nails, bits of flesh and cloth he gathered in a rage he still doesn't fully understand or remember himself.

"I saw that look alike of yours walking about the village on my first day here from Ame. Lucky for me, I learned a bit of info on you. The Dead Last of your class with no particular skills or feats. Kagari even heard the sister say something about bringing you a good luck charm that would be worthless. Heh, maybe once these Exams are done and over, I'll mess with those two telling them of your fate. How I left your body left here on the forest floor." Oboro chuckles in Naruto's ear, kunai poised at his throat just as he zips up his pants.

He'll bury him underground and take his place amid his teammates, none the wiser until it will be too late.

But when he meets Naruto's gaze his eyes are scarlet, kunai snapped in half from the pressure of his grip.

Ah, so this guy is like that one Sand sibling. Someone from a neighboring village who thinks they can simply bully the shinobi here out of perceived weaknesses. He isn't sure what skills Boruto and Himawari fully hold, though he's sure neither have that much experience on the battlefield.

"Did you now? Thanks for telling me, now I know you're someone I can't let leave." Naruto growls.

Oboro's eyes widen a fraction in alarm at his glare, this new gravelly sharpness to his voice, steps back as the heat of his chakra pores out across the terrain.

'What's going on with him?! Is this some secret technique of his? Shit, I need to get away from here!'

He draws up his hand quickly. "Earth Release: Underground Swim!"

Right as his body starts to slip into the ground to slink away does Naruto drag him back up by the arm, crimson gleaming as his nails rip into his arm.

"Like I said, you can't leave. Not anymore."

He pulls a kunai from his pouch, tears straight into his neck in a jagged line, stabs along the ends near his collarbone when his hands try to futilely scratch at him before tossing him to the side.

Oboro's screams turn to rasps, clutching at his throat as Naruto crouches low beside him to dig through his bag. He feebly attempts to put up a haze to somehow distract him, send out a signal to his teammates. Will Kagari and Mubi get his dying message to avoid this area?

His thin fog gets waved away by Naruto, vermilion meeting obsidian.

The trees above him grow dim, greenery clouded with black as his vision darkens.

"Your corpse can be found here by your teammates the same way you promised to do so with me. If they even care to find you." Naruto notes.

"P-Please! I'm sorry-don't...don't leave me here to die!" He hisses, voice warbled by blood, Naruto ignoring him now as he pulls out his scroll.

Good, an Earth Scroll.

Sakura's a shade paler at knowing what he's done and for what reason, shifts her attention between him and the ground. Bile skims the back of her throat she swallows down, nausea making moss and vine spin at her feet. This is what it means to be a shinobi, what she signed a waiver on just like everyone else.

'When was he going to tell us this?' Her thoughts run in circles.

"Why didn't you tell us so sooner?" She manages to find her voice.

Naruto blows out a breath. "I wanted to cool down y'know. Plus, I want to be careful since we don't know who else is around here until we get to the tower. I'm sorry for not fully trusting you guys or bringing it up earlier, but Boruto and Himawari...they have a connection to me that I know is personal despite them trying to deny it."

His stare turns to Sasuke next. "I know you're just as curious about them, but I want to be the one to talk to them first, okay? There's a lot of questions I want to ask various people too, though let me have that confirmation with them first and if they want to talk about the future, if they're even allowed to talk about it, then we can go from there."

Sasuke nods slowly in return, mood equally dampened to not argue.

They move on for the center, stopped when a new voice beckons them from up above.

"Ah, there you three are. I've been wondering where you guys were hiding this whole time." The man purrs, licking his lips.

Sasuke has come along nicely and up close now he sees his body is on the cusp of puberty, sharingan already having been activated at some point during a previous encounter with that wretched brother of his.

And unlike him, his body is perfect for his taking. He'll mold him into just what he needs to continue his studies.

'That Nine Tails boy will be an issue though based on what I've already witnessed. In that state, his anger and abilities are uncontrolled and can ruin my plans.' Orochimaru decides.

Dark eyes shift between the trio before snapping his fingers.

Out of the tree branches his viper slithers forward, nods for it to go for Naruto.

'Who is this guy targeting?! All of us or just one?' Naruto leaps back as the snake's fangs sink into dirt. Its eyes pinpoint towards him alone and his chest knots with the ugly realization.

"Look out, you're the target Naruto!" Sakura shouts from the opposite side, throws out a barrage of shuriken to try and direct the snake away while Sasuke draws in a breath.

"Fire Release: Dragon Flame!"

A blaze of reds and yellows ensnares around the viper's head it sheds away with ease.

"Naruto, get back! I'll try another diversion!" Sasuke shouts.

But it races forward too fast for him to shoot out another burst of fire, splitting them apart as trees smash in its wake, mouth enclosing around Naruto sealing him into dark.


Boruto, Himawari & Jiraiya- Hyūga Manor/Forest of Death Entrance

"There's no reason for you two to head out there."

Hiashi's voice is resolute, ignores the way Boruto and Himawari's features instantly shift into dismay. He sets down his tea, peers to Jiraiya to back him up on this.

Jiraiya nods. "He's right. You two will only just potentially get in the way or change the future even more than you've already done so. Consider that your parents and the rest of their friends and associates made it out of there alive since they're in your time period. That means that it will all work out without your interference."

Boruto looks between them both, frown deepening. "We can't just sit still Toad Gramps, Grandpa, especially knowing we could do something to help y'know!"

'If Papa or Mama are in danger, then the least we can do is check in.' He turns to head out, hears footsteps instantly patter after him.

"Grandpa, Hima and I won't-" He stops himself seeing it's Jiraiya instead.

He looks back inside to see Hiashi simply watching him, unmoving from his mat. White eyes darken, firm grip on Himawari's shoulder keeping her in place.

"Go. But don't drag your sister into what could be a pointless death. You should know better as the eldest child when to act and when to be still."

He's heard some variation of this before, time and again.

"Boruto. As Himawari's Big Brother, you have to show her right from wrong; okay? Always look out for her!"

"Yes Mama!" He chirps.

Dad plops down beside Mom as she lowers the camera, pair squeezing close to snap photos of just themselves.

"Mama. Papa. My hands are getting tired y'know! Boruto mentions at their nuzzling.

They've been posing for nearly an hour now, arms getting numb holding Himawari against him.

He looks down to her again taking in her ruddy cheeks, blue eyes shiny just like his and Papa's, violet hair like Mama's blowing softly in the breeze.

"Gah!" Tiny fingers push onto his face, gummy grin regaining both their parents' attention when she starts gnawing on his shirt.

"Ah, she's teething! Don't bite your brother Hima." Papa coos as Boruto happily passes her over.

He ruffles at his hair as he leans into his side, studies the trail of drool Himawari left on his shirt with a soft groan.

'Ugh, is this what means to be a sibling?'

Boruto flinches, words cutting, balls his hands at his sides going quiet.

He stomps off to the garden without another word, Jiraiya giving follow.

"He's just worried-" He starts only for Boruto to hold up a hand.

"If there's something Hima and I can do to better the future, then, shouldn't we?!" He snaps, kicks up a slosh of dirt, clumps landing in the emerald waters.

Jiraiya chuckles.

"Ah, just like how you haven't been fully honest with me or Sarutobi-sensei about all that you truly know of the future?"

He observes as his shoulders lock up before slowly falling like rocks, features crumpling as well as he looks back to him.

"That...That isn't fair Toad Gramps." Boruto mutters.

Jiraiya shrugs. "Life, and being a shinobi especially isn't fair Kid. But I'm sure you've heard that plenty of times from your Old Man. Hiashi is your current guardian, so he has final say."

A silence pours into the room as they walk back, Himawari having slipped from Hiashi's hold.

"Grandpa. I won't let Big Brother go there alone." She affirms.

Hiashi clicks his tongue impatiently.

Weeks ago, he no longer cared where Hinata's shinobi career would go knowing she was too tender hearted to one day lead the clan. However, now he knows she'll go on to have children of her own, children she'll have despite all his harsh treatments and pressure he put upon her.

'I have to keep them safe.'

"If I have to, I'll confine you two-"

"Hey now, there's no need for such extreme measures! Because they won't be going into that Forest alone, I'll be tagging along!" Jiraiya chimes out.

Boruto peers up at him in surprise, Himawari grinning in equal relief.

Hiashi studies him warily.

"You cannot interfere with Naruto or Hinata's progress." He mentions flatly.

"Perish the thought!" Jiraiya promises.

Hiashi rubs at his head.

'Well, there's a reason he's Konoha's best spy and one of the 3 Legendary Sannin.' He decides.

Jiraiya meanwhile looks down to the siblings, beams.

"Consider this your first lesson in espionage! We watch and will only act unless absolutely necessary; got it?"

The latter part he specifically gazes at Boruto who nods eagerly he'll listen.

"Got it!" He cheers.

'Well, at least there's no guards patrolling about the entrance to block any non-participants.' Jiraiya considers as they reach the 44th training grounds in the late morning hours.

Or they've gone in to deal with Orochimaru.

"We're keeping low profiles, but you two are my aides helping clean up the area unless I say otherwise if we come across any participants." Jiraiya mentions.

The pair nod, stay close to him as they trek into the forest's depths.

Himawari bites back a yelp seeing a trio of bodies covered in slugs before burrowing into Jiraiya's leg, blood drained from their skin leaving it an ashen gray.

"Yeah, gotta be careful of the animals in here that call this place home. They're opportunistic creatures that can thrive on anything that enters here...or never leaves in their case!"

Boruto withers, clings onto the end of his kimono a bit tighter.

It smells of earth and blood, bodies starting to sink into the grass and mud as they get feasted upon.

"I didn't know people actually died during Mom and Dad's exams; I thought those were just stories to scare us. Wouldn't...Wouldn't that cause an international scandal?" He questions gently.

Jiraiya pats at his head to force him to look ahead. It's nice these two grow up in such peaceful times.

Their stories of the future for the longest time were like pipe dreams to him.

"No, considering all participants no matter which nation they came from understood there was a chance of them dying in here. Comes with the territory like I said when you're out on missions once promoted." He explains.

He gestures then for them to lower themselves into a thicket of moss as they reach a fork in the trees, nods to Himawari to activate her byakugan.

"Where to next Hima? You'll be our eyes and I'll be our ears." Jiraiya asks.

'I don't think my byakugan is as good as Mama's or Auntie's.' Himawari fidgets, heartbeat too loud in her ears to full listen to Jiraiya's instructions.

Boruto pats at her back.

"You got this Hima!"

She blows out a shaky breath, nods.

White eyes scour the forest floor from the canopies to the bottom before pointing.

"Oh, Mama is already with her team at the tower! And on the northwest side I see Auntie Sakura's and umm, I think that's Uncle Sasuke's chakra signatures!"

Boruto perks up. "What about Dad's?"

Himawari does another search, strains her eyes before blinking, shaking her head.

"I...I don't see Papa's."

Jiraiya lightly claps his hands before they can start fretting.

"That's alright. We'll get a bit closer to observe, but we won't interfere unless it's as a last resort."


Naruto, Forest of Death, Northeast Forests

'Ugh, just how far did that snake take me?!' Naruto backtracks.

He quickly wipes off bits of snake guts and slime, searches the area for any signs of Sasuke or Sakura.

'That snake guy. I wasn't his real target if all he did was send that snake after me!' Naruto picks up the pace, freezes when he sees Sasuke's body slumped over on the ground, black swirl formed on his neck.

Sakura holds him close, body equally rigid, gaze locked straight ahead.

Naruto follows her gaze to see the man from before he'd been attacked face partially melted.

A gold snake eye glimmers in the dark, scoffs as Naruto leaps for him.

"What did you do?!" He snaps, wind swirling about his fist.

A laugh escapes him in response, icily regards him.

"Hmm, I was hoping my snake would've slowed you down for longer, but no matter. I've finished what I came here to do. I suppose I was a bit too easygoing not knowing the full extent of the Nine Tails power. I'll take care of that now." Orochimaru murmurs.

His fist slams into his chest, blood and spit colliding in the back of his throat.

'What did he just do?! His vision clouds, Orochimaru kicking at his legs, world going upside down.

He hears Sakura scream his name, the whistle of wind in his ears right as everything goes dark.


Hinata & Neji- Forest of Death Tower

'It's fine. The children are safe at the Hyūga compound and Naruto and the rest of his team will arrive soon enough.'

Waiting is just the hardest part.

"You know, staring at the entrance ain't gonna make Naruto's team come any sooner." Kiba mentions, snickering as Hinata's face reddens.

Akamaru leaps from his shoulder into Hinata's arms, yips softly moving Hinata's gaze to him, giggles scratching behind his ears.

"Heh, even he doesn't always let me scratch behind his ears. Says I'm too rough." Kiba snorts.

Shino shrugs. "Akamaru has a point. Why? Because you have long nails that could dig in and lead to infection, hearing loss, or-"

"Yeah, Yeah; I get it. Geez, I don't need a lecture on animal care when you have insects that are harmful to animals on you 24-7." Kiba grunts.

Hinata grins at the duo, smile evaporating when she looks up again to see Neji's approach.

Kiba switches to a defensive position as Akamaru hops down beside him with a low growl, Shino silently unleashing a river of black beetles.

"Need something Hyūga?" Kiba snaps.

He ignores the pair, nods to Hinata.

"I'd like to speak with her briefly in private." Neji starts, Hinata moving to stand beside her teammates.

She notes Lee and Tenten's encouraging stares across the way, Lee sending them a thumbs up she half-smiles at.

'What exactly are they forcing Neji to do?'

"It's fine you two, but Shino, I'll take one of your beetles just in case." Hinata mentions.

They move to a corner on the opposite side of the entrance, both their teams a good enough distance from them to not eavesdrop so easily.

Away from the others, her smile cracks.

"Yes?"

Pearl to pearl study each other.

Neji clears his throat. "I know...I know you still haven't forgiven me for my prior actions and that's fine. However, I still think you should forfeit these exams Hinata. There's no way you can handle any of the powerhouses here if we're next to face each other in one-to-one faceoffs."

Hinata stiffens, Father's words rising up unbidden.

"You disappoint me Hinata."

And that disappointment, ignoring of her existence lasted until Boruto and Himawari appeared, a frostiness rising out of her she didn't know she had.

"-Why didn't you show this coldness during your match with your sister?"

"I assume that includes you as well in these powerhouses; right?" She murmurs, pushing Hiashi's image away.

Neji nods. "Yes, if we get matched up, I don't plan to go easy on you. We both know that you're far too softhearted in nature as it's what drove Uncle to switch the heiress title to Hanabi instead."

Hinata blinks. Haze falls over opalescent.

"Ah, I see. You can go back to your team now." She states gently, but firmly.

She doesn't bother hiding the acid in her voice despite feeling goosebumps prickling along her skin, heart skittering offbeat at she fights against her trembling. Maybe she had hoped too much that Neji would fully change knowing the truth about Uncle Hizashi's death.

He still sees her as below him, and true, she isn't at his skill level.

But quitting is not an option.

Neji sighs at her resolute expression. "I'm not trying to be harsh Hinata. You could suffer permanent injuries or even death in a bad matchup. You should-"

"Please go back to your team Neji. Lest I remind you of the true difference between Main and Branch." Hinata finally warns him.

She draws up one finger, points it right at his head.

Neji draws in a breath, shakes his head as he stands.

"Those weird kids you care so much about or maybe Naruto put some wild ideas into your head. You would never activate the seal on me."

Hinata grabs at his arm before he can go.

"I would Neji. I would if you attacked Boruto and Himawari again."


Team Dosu-Forest of Death, Northwest Forests

'Why did Lord Orochimaru give him the curse seal?' Dosu observes, eye narrowing.

The coming of their 3rd day in the Forest has brought some clarity.

Orochimaru gave them specific orders to kill Sasuke Uchiha and bring his body back to Otogakure, but giving him the curse seal...

'Why go to the trouble to give him the seal?' He considers.

A seal he's seen that creates a significant boost in power when tapped into.

Kabuto's words rise up from before the exams started.

'Oto shinobi huh? I've heard rumors that place can barely be considered an actual village! You all truly don't realize how pathetic you actually are; do you?'

He could've just been saying that to rile them up, but the way he hid that little smirk before he busted at his ears...

'He knows more than he let on. I'll force the answers out of him as soon the right opportunity arises!' He decides.

"Oh man, this is our perfect chance! My airwave bursts will have them retching on the ground begging for mercy!" Zaku snickers.

Kin draws out her senbon needles, nods to Sakura's exhausted form.

"I got miss beauty queen over there! Zaku, you can take out the blondie or Sasuke."

Dosu lets the duo go in first, Kin easily maneuvering past Sakura's traps.

Sakura glares at her between a mix mash of bruises and blood, verdant defiant.

"Pathetic. You care more about your hair than being an actual kunoichi; don't you? I'll make this slow and painful to show you what-"

A jet of water cuts between them breaking her grip, followed by a sharp screech of wind that makes them both recoil.

Kin shifts her gaze back up to the trees.

"What the? Who's hiding?! Show yourself coward!"

A second blast of water knocks her off her feet, jabbed in the chest and head before she can pierce her opponent back.

Sakura stumbles to her feet, hurriedly straightens herself to see blond hair.

'Naruto's strange clone?Why is he here?'

"Auntie or err Sakura, Hima and I will help you! Then you can focus on healing your teammates!" He declares.

Sakura eyes both Naruto and Sasuke. 'Healing? But I only know the basic first aid they taught us at the Academy.'

"Big Brother, on your left! Go for his arms!" Himawari calls out as Zaku rushes for him.

Boruto nods at her direction, ducks under the burst of his air, electricity crackling into his hands.

"Lightning Release: Flash Circuit!"

The current slams and rushes into Zaku's tubes, yelping in surprise as the heat and electricity overwhelm the compressed air, skin scorched to a scarlet black hurriedly moving back.

Sakura peers between him to his sister, notes a third older man rubbing his face in aggravation.

"Kid, I said we would not interfere unless it was a last resort!" He scolds him.

Boruto huffs, looks back to him.

"Ugh, Toad Gramps, surely this counts as an emergency y'know?!"

But he doesn't argue further, takes one last lingering look to Sasuke and Naruto before returning to the upper canopies.

Sakura clicks her tongue, blurts out the first thing on her mind just as they turn to leave as fast as they came.

"Hold on! You and your sibling, if you're really from the future then tell me, what is this mark Sasuke just received? Who was that man?"

-x-


I know Naruto and Hinata are acting a bit OOC lol, especially Naruto getting a little murderous in the forest and Hinata having a sharp tongue. But hey, that's the subconscious feelings of protection for their kids!

Well anyways, sorry for my lateness with this chapter, the flu got me and zapped my energy! My energy isn't fully back but ehh such is life. As always, pa-tre-ons get early access to chapters, bonus content/side stories I don't post here on fanfiction, and my original writings! I go by TheLovelyMidnightWriter there!

Let me know your thoughts!