The Ōtsutsuki Training Ground

Boruto sat down against the stone wall, gasping for breath.

Sweat trickled down his cheeks and dripped onto the bloodstains on the ground, spreading into a dark red smear.

Sarada crouched in front of him and deftly pulled a bandage from her ninja pouch. With practiced ease, she dressed the cuts on Boruto's arm, where flying stones had sliced into him.

"Does it hurt?"

"I'm fine." Boruto tugged at the corner of his mouth. "It feels a lot better than before."

Sarada's hands paused, but she said nothing.

The only sound in the quiet air was the crackle of the burning torches.

Boruto stared at the withered bones of the demon wolf on the ground. Its corpse had completely decayed, as if time had drained every last trace of life from it.

"Just now... was I close to turning into that thing?"

"No." Sarada looked up, her gaze firm. "You still recognized me and could hear me. That means you're still you."

"But I can feel it. That voice is getting clearer." Boruto clenched his fist. "It's mocking me, saying I'm too weak, saying this body will belong to it sooner or later."

Sarada fell silent for a few seconds, then suddenly smacked him on the forehead.

"Ow!"

"Get a grip." Sarada stood up and dusted off her hands. "If you really turn into an Ōtsutsuki, I'll be the first to kill you."

Boruto blinked, then burst out laughing. "You've really got some nerve."

"I mean it." Sarada turned and headed deeper into the passage. "So don't die, and don't change. I don't want to cry over a corpse or a monster."

Boruto watched her retreating figure, warmth swelling in his chest.

He braced himself against the wall, got to his feet, and followed her.

The two of them continued