Elsewhere.
On the outskirts of Konoha.
Dense woods grew thickly, and the destruction Feng Yao had once caused was still clearly visible in the distance.
Two figures slowly emerged.
"Master, is this what the village used to look like?" the boy asked.
"Yes, this is Konoha as it used to be," the tall man replied.
These two were none other than Sasuke Uchiha and Boruto Uzumaki.
During their battle against Urashiki Otsutsuki in the future, they had traveled back to the past along with him.
By now, Sasuke had shed the sharp edge of his youth and become composed and reserved.
He gazed at Konoha before him, his eyes filled with nostalgia.
But then.
Sasuke looked at a stretch of ruins nearby, then noticed an enormous, deep fissure running through Konoha!
Sasuke frowned.
Could this be the point in the timeline when Pain had already begun trying to capture Naruto's Nine-Tails?
In the original story, Sasuke had not been in Konoha during Pain's invasion, nor had he taken part in it.
He had only heard about it afterward from Naruto and the others.
At that thought.
Sasuke hurriedly took Boruto and rushed toward Konoha.
"Come on, Boruto!"
Boruto looked utterly bewildered as Sasuke grabbed him.
He asked Sasuke curiously, "What's wrong, Master? Why the sudden rush? Did you sense Urashiki?"
"There's no time to explain, Boruto. Come with me! Naruto is in danger!"
What?!
Boruto heard that his dad was in danger.
He grew anxious too.
Boruto had always trusted Sasuke's words without question.
If his master said his dad was in danger, then his dad was definitely in danger!
However, when Sasuke tried to rush through the main gate with Boruto, they were stopped.
"Halt! Who are you?!"
It was Konoha's two gate guardians, Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki.