When Tsunade saw Boruto accompanying Temari to the Land of Wind in the future, complaining about the long journey across endless yellow sands, she couldn't help herself.
"Tch." Tsunade leaned back in her broad chair and turned to Shizune, who was sorting medical reports beside her.
"See that, Shizune? Looks like Naruto and Hinata really spoiled that kid Boruto. He can't even handle a long trip."
Her voice carried the weight of experience. "Back when we went on missions, who had time to complain like that?"
"Never mind three or five days on the road. We'd sometimes spend a month or two traveling nonstop, tracking leads and investigating across borders."
"Over mountains, through wilderness, eating and sleeping wherever we could. All we had were our own two legs, our stamina, and our will."
"Kids these days!" She shook her head, her long blond hair swaying. "They were born at the right time. They have convenient transport and ways to communicate, yet even traveling is too much for them."
"Seems technological progress isn't all good. At the very least, it's softened some ninja's grit."
Shizune stopped writing and set the report down gently. She adjusted her glasses. Rather than sharing Tsunade's sentiment, she looked thoughtful.
"Lady Tsunade," Shizune said with her usual measured calm, "you have a point. Hardship certainly forged the older generation's resilience."
"But perhaps we should look at it another way."
"Technological progress is like Chakra's Form Change. It's an inevitable part of the times."
"It isn't good or bad in itself. What matters is how people understand and use it."
Shizune turned to face Tsunade, her gaze earnest. "Boruto thinks that journey is too long. Doesn't that suggest that, in his time, ninja are expected to cover much greater distances and work far more efficiently than we