A Meeting with the Snake

The sky was bright and clear, the weather pleasant—neither hot nor cold. It was the perfect time to head out.

More than ten days had passed since the Nue incident. The village remained as prosperous as ever. Hidden Leaf Village's higher-ups had suppressed all unrest, and since there had been no casualties or damage to buildings, the matter was easily buried on the surface.

But afterward, the higher-ups gathered together to speculate about Yue and investigate Nue.

Paper could not contain fire. Thus, on the second day after Nue appeared, Sumire Kakei met Naruto with Boruto accompanying her and explained the entire matter in detail.

After all, with Anbu chief Sai's investigative ability, he had been the one to discover and investigate records and experiments related to Nue in the original story.

Just as the higher-ups had witnessed, Yue's leader successfully stopped everything. Once he obtained what he wanted, the alternate dimension collapsed.

Earlier, Boruto had coordinated their story with Sumire Kakei. "The alternate dimension was isolated anyway, so they have no evidence. We can just make something up."

Sure enough, Kakashi said, "When it comes to alternate dimensions, even we have no way to investigate.

No traces of anything resembling a spatial gate were found at the scene. It was as though that alternate dimension carrying Nue had never existed."

With no other choice, Shikamaru could only probe from another angle. "The other party used Senjutsu during the battle. Could that provide us with enough information?"

Clearly, he was asking Naruto. Naruto was the most knowledgeable person present when it came to Senjutsu, and there were only three great sacred lands in the Shinobi World where one could learn it.

At present, both Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest vaguely favored the Hidden Leaf Village. Aside from them, there was only the Senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave, which had no training restrictions. Their rule was that anyone who passed the trial was qualified to learn it.

Naruto said, "The other party probably learned Senjutsu at Ryūchi Cave. Mount Myōboku said they haven't taught anyone Senjutsu recently, and Shikkotsu Forest goes without saying. Granny Tsunade said she is Shikkotsu Forest's last disciple."

At the same time, the Hidden Leaf Village's higher-ups showed sufficient leniency toward Sumire Kakei, the "rebellious" student. Their exact words were: Since there were no casualties and no losses to the village, it counted as a crime stopped before the brink.

And since Sumire Kakei showed sufficient remorse, while the threat of the Ox-Head Heavenly King had already been eliminated, her status as a Ninja Academy student would be restored.

Afterward, the two sat down for a meal at a burger joint, finally letting out a sigh of relief. Once things had settled down, Sumire Kakei instead regretted her earlier recklessness. She had nearly destroyed everything she once had with her own hands. (Her friendships and companions.)

Sumire Kakei had also curiously asked where Boruto's Senjutsu came from.

But Boruto candidly told her that his Senjutsu came from Mount Myōboku, only that he had reached an agreement with them.

Until I became completely strong, this secret would be kept.

Sumire Kakei praised him. As expected of Boruto—even the sages of a sacred land would speak up for him.

Just as the two were immersed in their cheerful conversation, a discordant voice shattered the peace. It was like a scream suddenly cutting through heavenly music—exceedingly piercing and irritating.

Sarada passed by the burger joint. Since Boruto and Sumire Kakei were seated by the window, she happened to spot them and loudly said, "Boruto, honestly. Bringing a girl out for fried food so early in the morning."

Boruto: ...

Sumire Kakei hurriedly explained, "No, it's not like that. I asked him to accompany me to see the Seventh Hokage about something. We came here for breakfast together afterward."

"Oh." Sarada gave a brief acknowledgment.

"Want to come in and have something?" Boruto invited her.

"No. I'm not as free as some prince. I still need to help my mom with something," Sarada said with a faintly mocking tone.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just too idle. But at least I've learned another one of the Seventh Hokage's signature ninjutsu.

"I wonder what astonishing gains Sarada, so diligent and studious, so brilliant since childhood, has made by now?" Boruto shot back sarcastically.

"Uh..." Sarada had nothing to say.

The image of Boruto defeating the summoned monster with a Rasengan still lingered in her mind. Whenever she thought of that scene—especially Boruto's remarkable performance, turning the tide and resolving the crisis—she, who had always looked down on him and held herself in high regard, felt utterly ashamed.

She had always claimed to be better than others, yet even Boruto, a half-baked ninja, had surpassed her—or rather, everyone their age. Like runners and the leader in a race, in this competitive world, the one in front would always run ahead of those following behind.

The one leading everyone should clearly have been her, someone who had held herself to strict standards since childhood. She could not accept that half-baked Boruto spent every day fooling around, either playing games or giving his father trouble.

Yet that person, who seemed to do nothing at all, had ultimately become the pioneer leading the way.

Sarada stood frozen for a long while, clutching the doll she was preparing to return tightly in her arms. Silent yet stubborn, she turned and left.

She walked away slowly, tossing back a domineering remark. "Just wait. It won't be long before I show you just how outstanding I am!"

Boruto smiled faintly and neither confirmed nor denied it, continuing to savor his burger. Fried food paired with soda was always a treat.

Conservative people would forever live in self-satisfied complacency, like frogs at the bottom of a well.

That night, the moon was dark and the wind high. Faint moonlight shone down while the stars filling the sky hid behind clouds, shyly concealing their dim glow.

Boruto and Mitsuki met up—more precisely, Boruto came to Mitsuki's home. The room had minimalist decor and blue curtains. A single bed stood in the spacious house, its bedding folded neatly. Pulling back the curtains offered a view of the night sky.

Of course, there was also Boruto's photograph placed beside Mitsuki's bedside cabinet.

"Has Orochimaru finished the preparations?" Boruto asked upon arriving at Mitsuki's home.

"Father said the experiment is complete. It just depends on when you want to go over," Mitsuki said.

Boruto nodded. After all, Orochimaru had mastered cloning technology to perfection. Genetic cultivation was no more difficult to him than solving a math problem.

"Right now is fine," Boruto said.

"Sure, but how are we getting to Father's place? Traveling there?" Mitsuki asked in confusion.

"Summoning," Boruto said.

Mitsuki immediately understood. Though it was a clumsy method, it was indeed the quickest and most convenient option at the moment.

"But are you sure you want to let yourself be swallowed into a snake's belly?" Mitsuki kindly reminded him.

After all, in his understanding, if one wanted to use a summoned beast for spatial travel, one could only be fully wrapped by it—in other words, swallowed into the belly of a larger summoned beast. (Like Sasuke during the Shippuden era.)

"No, it's not that troublesome." Boruto rejected the idea and merely had him summon that little white snake.

Mitsuki did as instructed. Then Boruto gently pressed down on the snake's back, and a pattern was immediately imprinted there, like a tattoo, except the design was a flower from the other shore.

"What kind of technique is this?" Mitsuki was clearly full of curiosity.

"The Flying Thunder God Technique."

When he had taken Sumire Kakei to the Hokage Building earlier, Boruto had also sent a Shadow Clone to the Forbidden Jutsu Vault to borrow a few interesting ninjutsu.

In another underground chamber, Orochimaru froze for a moment upon seeing the little snake delivering the message. Then he came to his senses, revealing an expression full of excitement and anticipation.

"So, Boruto, let me see it. Just how high will this wind blow?"