Early the next morning.
Boruto took out Karasuki and placed it on the table in the middle of the courtyard.
The Seventh Hokage walked out of the house and stopped beside the stone table, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard.
Minato Namikaze was crouched beneath a tree, tying Himawari's shoelaces.
The little girl was wearing new clothes today, which Kushina had stayed up all night making yesterday. A tiny sunflower was embroidered on the cuffs.
She tilted her head up and lifted her foot cooperatively, her eyes constantly glancing toward the Seventh Hokage.
Hinata came over from the other end of the corridor, carrying a small cloth bundle.
Inside were several changes of clothes Kushina had bought for Himawari early that morning.
Yet every few steps, she would look back at the courtyard, as though she wanted to commit every corner of it to memory.
Future Sasuke leaned against the courtyard wall.
His face was expressionless, and every so often, he looked in a certain direction.
That was where he had only just seen his father and mother yesterday.
He had not said much to them last night.
He did not know what to say.
But now that he was leaving, an indescribable heaviness filled his heart.
Naruto walked out of the house carrying a cup of tea.
His gaze swept over everyone in the courtyard. He said nothing, merely giving the Seventh Hokage a slight nod.
The Seventh Hokage nodded as well.
Farewells between men sometimes needed no words.
"Boruto, get ready!" Naruto said.
Boruto took a deep breath and laid his palm over Karasuki's shell.
Momoshiki's Ōtsutsuki Power surged from his hand and flowed through his palm into Karasuki.
The patterns on Karasuki's shell lit up, the glow flowing across its surface like countless tiny rivers.
"The coordinates