Sasuke neither agreed nor refused right away. He merely asked, "Boruto, why do you want to become stronger?"
Why do I want to become stronger?
The question caught Boruto off guard. Then countless images flooded his mind:
The danger-filled alley outside Kirigakure. Sarada's faint breathing in his arms. Soulmon closing in, radiating death. The despair of struggling with all his might and still being unable to break free. And the cry for strength that had echoed in his heart...
His gaze hardened. All his usual playfulness and impatience fell away, and his voice rang out clear and strong.
"Because I never want to feel that helpless again! I don't want to stand there watching someone important to me get hurt and fall into danger while all I can do is cry out in despair!"
"In Kirigakure, I had Sarada on my back, and the enemy cornered us. I never want to go through that again!"
He clenched his fists, his voice burning with resolve. "Strength isn't about showing off or beating someone."
"To me, becoming stronger means standing in front and blocking the blade aimed at my friends. It means being able to say, 'Leave this to me,' when danger comes. It means protecting everything I care about with these hands."
He paused and glanced quickly at Sarada, who looked a little stunned. His voice dropped, but his conviction only grew stronger. "I don't want my weakness to leave me with any regrets!"
As Sarada listened, she remembered being held tightly in Boruto's arms on the Red-Eyes Black Dragon's back. He had been nervous then, but his arms had held her steady as a rock.
Heat rushed to her cheeks. She hurriedly looked away, pretending something in the room had caught her attention, though her heart had somehow begun to