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Chapter Text

THE LAST NINJA

The Jolt and the Chancellor

Two past friends, standing apart, facing each other on the rock, not unlike the Hokage and his best friend so many decades ago at the Valley of the End. But so much was on the line this time, more than mere friendship as they stood on the crumbled faces of the Hokage.

Boruto could not fail. No, there was no choice but to keep fighting, even as drained as he was.

"To think you'd be this strong...Kawaki!" he declared, steadying himself once more.

Enough was enough. He prayed they could stop right now, that his silent prayers would get through to him but...Neither of them would let go of their current convictions.

His old friend didn't even bat an eyelash. "I'll be sending you to meet the Seventh, Boruto."

Boruto looked down, his heart hurting, and he asked quietly, "Did things...really have to turn out this way?"

Their eyes met.

"Yes."

Something in Boruto grimaced.

The marks on Kawaki began to change hue, his power shifting into place as Boruto readied his. Grimness filled him all the same. At this rate, he would have to use the last ounce of his strength and hope Kawaki's did not outlast his. That was never a gamble he wanted to take. But...He could do it, he had confidence he could.

But it would hurt.

"The age of ninja is over."

No. It can't afford to be, idiot.

And they ran.

Boruto jolted up, his body leaping upward in preparation for the attack, his heart pounding, adrenaline rushing through him. And all was quiet. Kawaki was nowhere in sight. Boruto waited tensely in this position longer, waiting for Kawaki's next strike, forcing his breathing to quiet to normal. A moment longer still, chakra buzzing at the bottom of his soles...And nothing.

Not lowering his defensive position, Boruto risked looking around, his white eye piercingly sharp.

"Come out and face me, Kawa...ki..."

His voice faded.

He was in a grassy terrain. Last he checked, he should be standing amidst the ruins of Konoha, the mountain, with rubble everywhere. An eyebrow shot up. Just a second ago they had charged at each other. Now...Not only was Kawaki and all signs of his presence obliterated but it was like he was in a completely new setting.

No...

Did he somehow teleport me? Is that why...?

Looking around he could see he was standing next to the tall mountain that watched over Konoha steadfastly, but as if it had been wiped clean like a slate, the surface bore none of the Hokage faces. It was like they had been erased.

The surface of the rock had been repaired, but not the faces. Boruto stepped back, baffled. He could tell this was the same mountain. But yet, how had it changed like this? So fast?

And above it, the newer city and its towers. Where they the same? Magically repaired? He couldn't tell from his vantage point, not without running up the mountain, and his chakra was too low for that.

His head snapped back towards where the village should be in crumbles, and smoke should be rising, and instead...

"Holy—"

Towers, a city, in one piece at that. He could scarcely process what he was seeing.

"There's just no way!"

Was this some game!? He was just wasting both of their time!

Boruto growled under his breath. "Don't know what you've just done, but when I find you, I'ma beat the friggin daylights out of you."

Forget trying to talk, no, he done annoyed him now. Squaring his shoulders, Boruto started for the...city.

"Kawaki, I swear..."

Now he was doubting himself completely. Nothing about this felt right at all. This...city, it may be located where the ruins of Konoha should be, but it was not Konoha, not even a true rebuilt one, because if it was, there would be shinobi walking about, the leaf emblem on them, worn with pride, or even engraved on various signs and buildings in the village.

What Boruto traversed through now was devoid of any sign of shinobi completely and he could not help mutter under his breath "Just what game are you playing with me, Kawaki?"

People kept staring at him as he passed through the busy streets tentatively. Boruto had lived a good chunk of his life receiving scolding looks from village elders, scorns for all the pranks he used to pull, or insults he used to disrespectively spout about his work-married dad. But this was something different. Their eyes, they kept drifting to the band around his forehead as if it was some disease-riddled monstrosity.

Then he remembered that the metal plate was scratched across the front. They must have been assuming that he was some rogue because of it. Yes, that had to be it. Quickly he drifted to the side so he could remove the band in private. Holding the band now in his hands, he stared at it, sadness filling him.

Uncle Sasuke...Dad...I'll get to the bottom of this...I'll find Kawaki. Then, I swear I'll find you. But first...

Voices, speaking, about him. Hushed. He could catch them at the edge of his peripheral vision, a thin man, civilian, and a bigger one, wearing some uniform. But neither had chakra, so they were mere civilians, but something about their tone made him feel apprehensive. And the bigger one. He wasn't a ninja but he was definitely a someone. Boruto didn't want to find out what or who.

Not liking their aura one bit, Boruto slid into an alleyway, hoping to lose their attention. He didn't. He could hear footsteps following. His pace began to quicken.

I really, really don't have time for this!

Boruto had no clue what was going on, what had happened to the village, the shinobi, but he did know that he didn't have time to dilly dally in this strange place. Quickly he ducked into a store and began grabbing clothes and even a cap. As he was now, he was attracting attention. And why wouldn't he? He had just come from a draining fight. His clothes were ragged, dirty, and he smelled of sweat. He was just a sight.

He dashed into a dressing room to switch the clothes out but had to take a moment to just breath and look at himself in the mirror.

There was blood still on his chin, his forehead. He had multiple bruises. If any good had come from their first couple of fights, it was that he had least gotten some close hits on Kawaki as well. Just not as much as he would have liked.

Sighing he wiped the blood off with his old shirt.

Ugh, he was a sight. No wonder everyone had kept staring at him.

But no more, he thought, getting dressed in the boring casual clothes he had grabbed. Just cheap things, but they would help him blend in until he found Kawaki and sorted this out. Then...He slipped the final touch on, a simple baseball cap.

"Normal civilian-no-jutsu," he said into the mirror, grinning a bit.

Ah, but there was a problem. The sword. Unlike his ratty clothes, he refused to leave it behind. It was Sasuke's. Boruto took only a moment to work it out the best he could. He tucked it under his shirt vertically, so it sat between his shoulder blades, the hilt sticking out but sitting behind his head. It was still visible but it wasn't as obvious as having it sit at his hip, fully exposed. Whatever projection Kawaki had created wouldn't see him as a threat as easily now. Hopefully.

He threw a tan jacket on, better hiding the prominence of the sword under the t-shirt, then he was done. Finally satisfied with his look, he went to the counter for checkout, making sure to keep his face down so the bill of the cap better kept his too recognizable face in shadow.

"I got my clothes really tore up playing some baseball," he said. "So I kinda had to change, but here's all the tags for the clothes I'm wearing." He set them on the counter and slid his bank card to the cashier as well. It was a card his father had given him recently for emergencies. A seemingly endless credit card. Hokage power and all that.

The cashier was a tiny thing that barely even looked at him. Just took and scanned all of the tags before settling her focus on the card. Now her countenance shifted. First surprise, then concern.

"Um, sir, this card, we don't use these anymore."

An eyebrow rose as he looked at her doubtedly. "Why?"

Now it was her turn as her brown eyebrows arched up. "Because it's an Elemental one. Everyone quit supporting these cards. Don't you know that?"

Nope. News to him.

And she was talking to him like he was dumb. He didn't appreciate that.

Boruto took a step back, rubbing his forehead. "Listen, I already threw my old clothes away and I really need these. You sure you can't take it?"

The lady nodded.

Great. Just great. He really didn't want to be a runner. The petty person who runs out of a store with unpaid merchandise on them, not only is it pathetic and demeaning, but it would attract attention as well.

But he had no cash on him.

He checked his pockets, acting like he was looking for something.

"Ah man," he groaned. "I had another card, the newer one, but I think I may have dropped it in the fitting room. Just give me a moment."

The lady was staring at his card on the counter fixedly as if she hadn't heard him. He cast a worried glance at her when she hadn't responded to his conjured excuse to leave her sight with merchandise still on him.

"Boru...to," she read. She looked at him now, hands reaching for a phone, her tone horrified and maybe even outraged. "You!"

Who was she about to call!? Whoever it was, he got the feeling it wasn't anyone good.

Uh-oh. Forget trying to sneak out. He bolted.

"SECURITY!"

He knocked into things, running for the door and once out there, he didn't stop running until he was far from that store as possible and the sounds of her screeching had faded. Breathing heavily, he collapsed against the side of a building and slid down until he was sitting on his rear, legs out in front of him.

She read the name and her first instinct was to call for help?!

Oh boy. Really, what had Kawaki done? The village was completely different looking, heck of more modern. As he had passed by he kept catching various tech in civilian hands. And the civilians, they did more than just outnumber shinobi like himself, they completely dominated! In fact, he felt like he was the only ninja around. Not once had he even sensed the chakra of another.

Fear filled him.

There was just so much he didn't understand. Why had Kawaki broken up their fight, and really how did he even do it? The questions continued to rage in his head like a storm, so much so that Boruto wanted to scream.

He cursed Kawaki's name a few times before he forced himself to get back up. Tiredly he headed for the only place he could think of, the Hokage's Tower. Kawaki had to be hiding there. There, they would sort this out and whatever was happening would fade back into normal, yes this is what Boruto told himself to keep going.

Taking a deep breath he continued on his slow pace to the center of the village. City really. Why was everything so different? Since when did Konoha itself have such impressive and new buildings? Towers?

Ugh, and worse, yet, a vending machine, there was one in front of him with protein bars and energy drinks. He would do anything for either of them right now. Near it, a kid was playing with a toy by himself. He also had a drink of his own off to the side.

Boruto watched him for a moment before he risked approaching the child.

"Hey kid, you wouldn't happen to have some spare change, would you? I would make it worth your while."

The kid stopped playing and looked at him curiously.

Boruto pulled his handheld game system from his pocket. It was a miracle it hadn't broken during the fight. Then again he had spent a lot of money on its protective case for situations when he had missions or something else came up. Now it was paying off.

The kid's eyes got real big. "No way! That's a classic! How much!?"

Boruto smiled. "Just need ya to buy me a drink and bar from that vending machine."

"That it?!"

Boruto nodded. He didn't need his game set anymore. His desire to relax and play had just been shot to Kingdom Come.

"I'm very tired, and hungry. And I need the energy. Besides, you look like a good kid, wouldn't hurt me to be generous, and you'd be doing me some good in return."

The kid nodded. "It's a deal!"

With that he ran to the machine, throwing money in it. The can clattered as it came down, and the bar thunked. Taking them, Boruto stood to the side, devouring them ravenously.

The boy sat beside him, already giving his new prize a look.

"Wooooow," he drawled, smiling with a toothy grin.

"Mhm, take care of it," Boruto said between his small mouthfuls.

The boy looked at him for awhile before he asked quietly, "Your eye...How'd that happen?"

Boruto stilled and traced over the scar that ran down his eye with his finger. "I, uh, had a disagreement with a friend. It didn't end well..."

"Ah, so like me mom"

Something in him stung.

"She okay?"

"She is now."

"That's good."

The kid was still staring at him.

"What?"

"You have a sword."

"Yeah...?"

"Are you cosplaying as a ninja or something?"

Boruto smiled. "No, I am a ninja."

The kid's face went deathly pale. What was wrong? Seconds ago he was practically a chatterbox.

"Um," the kid started, getting to his feet. He looked sick. "I have to go home, um, my mom wouldn't want me...Thanks for the game though."

With that, he quickly scurried off.

Boruto finished off the rest of his small meal in solitude, something in him disturbed.

There was something perverse about this place, he just couldn't put his finger on it yet. Heck, he didn't even know what this place was.

Finished, he tossed the wrapper in the recycling and headed out, his body refueled just enough but his spirits lower than ever.

This place...

He soon caught a sign off to the side, declaring the name of this place. It did not read Konoha.

No, it read The Fire Capital.

Why the change? What exactly did it entail?

So, Kawaki, have you dreamed up your own world, perverted it in your own image?

His thoughts continued to race. Had Kawaki transported him? This sounded like something straight out of a comic book, like a parallel universe or something. But that was as far fetched from reality as it got.

No matter, he was here where the Hokage's Tower should be, had things been normal.

And he was met with a metallic and sleek building.

"Ugh," he groaned. Had he redone everything?

No matter. He reached for some wire. When he had changed he may have gotten rid of his holsters, but he wouldn't have dared to throw his tools away. So he had stuffed them in his pocket. Well, everything but the sword. The pockets wouldn't exactly commindate that.

He sneaked into the back area, it was almost the same idea as before, the design of it. Most people didn't know it was built to house a secret exit so the Hokage could leave quickly in case of an emergency. Looks like whoever had updated the building kept this part the same.

From here he could sneak in and even go directly to the office without attracting the attention of everyone inside. There would no doubt be a few guards, but only a few, in comparison to something guard crazy like, say, the lobby.

Had his body been fully recovered, and if he had a team with him, he would charge right through the front doors, but time had matured him. Taught him caution. And after everything that had happened...He couldn't afford to be caught. To lose. Kawaki was dangerous...Dangerous enough to—no, he wouldn't think about it. About his father, his home. His sensei. Not now.

He snuck through the secret entrance tunnel, careful to not make any noise. Careful to suppress any signs of his chakra. The tunnel wasn't long and mostly consisted of stairs at a certain point.

Wait. Scratch that. An elevator. It had been updated with an elevator.

Boruto shook his head, as he entered the claustrophobic box. He wasn't going to use it though, no. He balanced himself in the upper corner, holding himself to the wall and close to its ceiling so he could work on getting out of its escape hatch.

Stupid Kawaki, you can't rely solely on tech! What if it was shut down? How would you escape then during an emergency? Then again, you're the sort who would think to have a backup generator...

As much as he wished that he had an unintellegent opponent, he did not. Kawaki was dangerous as you got and he was fiercely smart to boot. He had also been a good friend. But a freaking manipulative one.

He only used me to get to my father...

That wasn't true, though, as much as he wanted to believe it so, some part of him knew better. Knew they had truly bonded for the short time they were friends. But still, Kawaki had deemed his end goals more important in the end. And now everything was screwed up.

"I'ma pound you so hard for this, friggin hard-headed show off punk," he growled. He pushed the hatch open and was now standing in the elevator shaft. Hope no one uses this and it suddenly becomes a speeding bullet towards the ceiling...

That wouldn't be pretty.

Taking the wire from earlier, he threw it up in the air, trying to loop it at the top so he could climb up. He would not even attempt to climb up the elevator's cables. It would be booby trapped to electrocute anyone who dared try.

The rather dark climb took a solid minute or two without chakra. At its end, he pried the door open slowly, making sure the hallway it led to was empty. From the crack he was looking through it appeared to be. He pried it open further, enough to slip through. And—

"Hey, you!"

Crap! A guard.

He rushed toward them, palm thrust out, smacking their forehead. They fell backward and he followed up with a kick to their diaphragm, winding them. And he rushed closer still not finished yet wrapping his arm around their neck. They struggled but soon the lack of oxygen had them passing out. The guard collapsed limply in his arm and he slowly released them, but only once he was positive they were truly unconscious.

"All right," he whispered standing to his feet. He glanced around. There were no other guards standing watch. Good. The office, if Kawaki was in there, and he would be if Boruto knew him at all, was only a door away.

Boruto squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. This was it. Time for answers, time to make Kawaki fix this.

Yes.

Dad...I'm so sorry.

The door, his father's door.

And of course, he would be in there, acting like he owned it. So predictable.

The monster's voice could be heard drifting on the other side:

"What do you mean there was an incident?"

A pause.

"Was it the Taka? No, then who—"

Boruto's heart raced.

Kawaki was on the other side. Maybe with one other person at least, but still completely unaware of Boruto's presence.

"No, I can't believe that. He isn't that stupid."

He couldn't help barge in. Let the door slam against the wall, his sword drawn.

"Kawaki!" he cried.

And there he was, Kawaki, wide-eyed from the sudden intrusion, standing against his father's desk, a cell phone against his ear. So he was alone. Perfect!

Boruto smiled triumphantly, sword pointed at him. He didn't understand why Kawaki suddenly looked in tip-top shape after their fight, why his appearance had changed, the once wild mane on top his head pulled into a tame tail, his suit, a freaking suit? But Boruto did know one thing, right now, and it thrilled him.

He had the upper hand!

Kawaki's widened eyes soon narrowed and he shook his head, almost disappointedly.

"I take that back. Apparently, he is that stupid."

He snapped the phone shut, not bothering to catch Boruto's following scowl.

So the phone call had been an update, most likely about the store incident. Whatever.

"Kawaki," he growled. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

Kawaki merely sighed and settled back so he was sitting on the desk, still facing Boruto.

"I believe you are the one who has a lot to account for, old friend."

Boruto's hand was shaking, his heart racing. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Sighing as if exasperated, Kawaki shifted once again. He leaned to the side, pushing a button on the desk and spoke into it. "Security. Code C...S1."

"What..."

"You have approximately thirty seconds to leave this place and quit harassing me. If you are still here, well, you've done yourself in."

Crap!

No matter, he would take care of the punk before the security even arrived. That or he would just take care of them as well. However this played out, he would not leave this place without the punk.

"Just tell me what the heck you've done! What's going on, Kawaki?!"

Kawaki straightened himself and pulled out a cigarette and lighted it boredly. He spoke again, the stick between his teeth and his tone one of utter disinterest.

"First, like some pussy, you suddenly ran for it or something. I don't know. And this entire time, I'm wondering what your next move is, I wait in anticipation, and you just cower. Then this? You come at me like this? So disappointing, I expected better of you, Bo."

He exhaled a stream of smoke, his eyes studying Boruto.

Boruto blinked. "What?"

And then it hit him.

Bo.

He had just called him Bo.

There was only one person in the entire world who called him that.

He lunged for Kawaki, the sword dropping behind him as he shoved him into the wall, his shirt balled in his fists.

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

Kawaki's eyes were wide, the cigarette falling to the floor.

"She? She's fine. I apologize, I guess I just picked it up, Boruto. There, that better?"

He was shaking. "My home is one thing. I swear if you've laid a single finger on her..."

Kawaki rolled his eyes, prying Boruto's fingers off his shirt. "You know me better than that. And your home? Are you daft? I've repaired everything."

Boruto's eyes narrowed and Kawaki smiled. Then swept his leg to knock him down. Boruto panicked for a second but pulled his hands up to catch himself with the wall. By the time he did Kawaki was at the desk again, pulling at one of the drawers.

Crap, he was hunting for a weapon, Boruto had dropped his' and now rushed for his master's sword.

"No you don't," he screamed, snatching it from the carpet. "You're going to put everything back to the way it was before!"

He held it up, pointedly at Kawaki, as did Kawaki with his own weapon.

Boruto's brow crinkled. A black weapon gleamed from Kawaki's hand. He didn't...What was it called? He had heard of a longer version of that thing before, the name escaped him though...

A metallic device that spat out pellets like a cannon. He remembered that something of the sort was used in prisons like Hozuki Castle.

Whatever it was, Kawaki pointed it at him now, and suddenly he had the upper hand. By the time Boruto even swung his blade, that small cannon like device, yes, that gun, could...

"You no honor?"

Kawaki's lips curled. "Oh please, spare me your backward ways. Besides, you're the one who came in here, trying to assault me."

"How could I not after everything you've done!"

Voices and footsteps flooded the room as the two continued to stare the other down in a frozen standoff. Boruto's eyes darted around the room as it continued to fill with men and women wearing matching uniforms.

"Chancellor," one called. "Your orders?"

What the heck's a chancellor? Whatever it was, it was a position of authority. And it was Kawaki? What the heck happened to the role of Hokage?

"Thank you," Kawaki spoke out loud, his eyes not leaving Boruto's. "Boruto here has just attacked me. He also still has his network. Take care of that."

Boruto hissed between his teeth, speaking quietly, "Kawaki, I'm not leaving until you start making sense. Now start giving me answers already!"

Kawaki shook his head, and stepped back, lowering his firearm. "Take care of him. I've got paperwork to catch up on."

Howling, Boruto leaped at him, sword held high. A guard rushed to get in his way, batting the blade away.

Hissing, he spun around, swinging the blade widely as more of the security personnel went after him. "What's your guys' problem? I'm the son of the Hokage and this guy is a murderer! He destroyed the village!"

"This guy's a loon," one called from the back. Boruto ignored them as he continued to defend himself from the onslaught.

Kawaki in the meanwhile watched from the sideline, lighting another cigarette.

Crap, Boruto couldn't take them all on. He would have to use chakra. He may not have recovered all of it as he would have liked but he had enough!

"That's it, you guys asked for it!"

He started weaving seals together. "How about—"

Suddenly there was a loud crack sound, hot and angry, and Boruto was falling to his knees, hissing in pain.

"Augh!"

It became dead still.

Kawaki stood in front of him, lowering his weapon. "There will be no more of this nonsense now. Got it? Just go silently for once."

Boruto hissed, reaching for the origin of the pain. His arm. It stung like a thousand fires, sharp and intense.

"I didn't want to resort to this," Kawaki continued to speak, looking down on him. "It is just a surface wound, but I also line my bullets with a specific venom."

Now it was paralyzing, the pain. Boruto could do nothing more than drop his forehead to the floor, his back arching, grounding his teeth and groaning.

Kawaki leaned down to pick something up, a small metallic pellet. The bullet, Boruto realized.

He had shot him. Freaking shot him.

And to make it worse, so much worse, one of the guards latched onto his arms, wrenching them behind his back.

Realizing what was happening, Boruto cried out, "Stop! Don't you guys see him! Nng! Let me go!"

Cold metallic cuffs locked around his wrists.

"Stop!"

They didn't care, even as he struggled as much as his body could afford to. The poison, whatever it was, it was a devil to fight back. But he tried the same, dragging his feet and trying to pull himself free of their grip.

"You can't do this to me! You don't understand!"

"Uzumaki, you're under arrest for assault, and for carrying and wielding an illegal weapon and chakra."

"Let me go!" he howled, slamming himself into the nearest guard in an attempt to loose their grip on him.

A fist crashed into his stomach, and he collapsed, sinking to his knees. He threw back his head groaning.

"Son of a..."

The over zealous guard readied to strike him again and suddenly a hand was grabbing his arm, stopping him from doing it.

"That's enough. He's already apprehended."

Boruto glanced up wearily.

Kawaki.

He stood tall, speaking with authority. "He is still the Hokage's son, and as wayward as he is, he'll be treated as such. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes...Chancellor."

The guard lowered his arm.

Boruto looked down, his breathing raspy.

"Kawaki...Please, just..."

Kawaki shook his head.

"Boruto, we've tried talking countless times. And never do we get anywhere. I tried reasoning with you. And by coming here, you brought this on yourself."

"Please, just listen to me, my home—"

"Goodbye Boruto."

He closed his eyes and wished it all away. But it wasn't going anywhere. And neither was he but an utter blackness as they dragged him away in handcuffs.

Chapter Text

Then.

He was just a traveler. A nobody from nowhere.

You wouldn't have known, just looking at him.

He had the aura of a person of power. Of great chakra reserves. But the funny thing?

"So let me get this straight," Boruto said, stepping over the body of an unconscious thug. "You came here, to Konoha, the greatest of the ninja villages, for training, and you don't even know the basics of chakra?"

The traveler, he had mentioned his name before asking directions to the nearest tutor. Some Kawaki. He hadn't given a family name. Had to have been a year or two, maybe three, older than Boruto.

And Boruto found himself utterly fascinated.

"Really?" he probed again, stepping over another body.

How does someone with his build know nothing? Had he lived in a cave all his life? But he seemed too cool to have come from any backwater place. He had this really modern edge about him. Leaned towards the punk side although, with his pierced ears and hairstyle. Hadn't helped him stay out of the previous fight. But still.

Even without knowing how to use chakra, he had just taken three muggers on. And actually won.

"Well, squirt—"

"It's Boruto." The boy held out his hand for a shake. "Boruto Uzumaki."

"Well..." He glanced to the Leaf emblem on his forehead, not bothering with the handshake. Boruto thought he caught the strange teen's eyes narrowing slightly, as if in distaste but it could have been the sun glinting off of the metal plate. "Unlike you, I wasn't born in a ninja village."

"Ah," Boruto said. "Where do you come from?"

Kawaki shrugged. "Hell."

THE LAST NINJA

Hell and a Kiss

It had taken him less than two hours to end up in Solitary. Ten guards. Two of which now had black eyes. One a broken leg. (Then there was a couple he had just thrown up on, but that was Kawaki's fault, not his, for poisoning him and all.)

Boruto would have taken some satisfaction in this accomplishment except all he could do now was spin the encounter and situation with Kawaki in his mind. Replaying the scenario repeatedly, then grate on himself for being so reckless and getting arrested. He had made such stupid and careless mistakes! Of course even if surprised, Kawaki would know what to do. Duh.

And now, not only was Boruto still completely lost but incarcerated as well.

He had expected some dank underground hellhole. What he had gotten instead was a facility that seemed legit. At least from what little he had seen before he had ended up being thrown in the seven by seven box he was in now. The walls and ceiling and floor of Solitary were blindingly white but save for that abomination of a color scheme, the rest of his cell was...fine. No rats, no muck or dirt. No blood. Food arrived on time. Yes, they were considerable at least. Mostly.

They hadn't taken off the handcuffs, only tightened them so even when his chakra was fully recovered, he still wouldn't be able to use jutsu. He should be grateful, he supposed, that they didn't resort to methods that involved electrocuting or burning prisoners when they molded chakra like they used to do in places like Hōzuki back in the day. That would totally suck.

Still, leaving him pretty much armless was a pain.

And not only that, while his clothes had been replaced with the prison ones, they had slapped a metallic bracelet on him. It had a sensor on it, and that dot was glowing light blue...He suspected it served various purposes but no one had been willing to delve into that or what the point of such a device even was.

It was also at that point that he realized that his necklace, the screw that hung around his neck by a thick string, was gone. He had no idea when or where it had become so. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind of it until that point. Perhaps, wherever it was now, and who it was with, they were the one who ripped him from what he was now dubbing the Correct Timeline. If he found his necklace, he would have the first solid piece of the puzzle before him for this...again, he couldn't call it anything but a place.

This...Fire Capital that sat where Konoha should be. Nothing but a sickening perversion of what was once his home. That's it, he thought, I'll call this the Punk's Universe.

Ugh, this was ridiculous.

He hated this place, of being clueless and honestly so freaking screwed.

No, stop it, he thought. He wasn't one to wallow in self-pity, not while there was still important matters on hand to focus his attention on, like Kawaki's words as well. He ran them through his mind, trying to make sense of everything.

"He's still the Hokage's son..."

What exactly did that mean?

Was...Where was his father?

And then there had been the brief attempt to somewhat answer his inquiries:

"You suddenly ran for it or something...And this entire time, I'm wondering what your next move is, I wait in anticipation, and you just cower. Then this? You come at me like this?"

Kawaki had spoken as if Boruto was the one who had left the fight. And that time had passed since that split second when everything had changed.

But he was lying, he had to have done something to make him skip to this point. Boruto didn't know what or how or even why but he did know that if he looked in that office, he would be intent on finding his screw. Then he would have proof that Kawaki did something to him. Still, if he wanted to accomplish his goals to no ends, then why didn't Kawaki just kill him earlier, during their fight? He had acted like he was going to too...

Gwah! Boruto stamped his foot in frustration, his teeth grinding together.

No chakra, no other shinobi, no recognizable faces around, well hardly any.

Just what had Kawaki done to the world of ninja?

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Kawaki never did expound on what he had meant. Where he had come from. At least, not directly to Boruto.

But he did to the Hokage.

A few weeks had passed since Boruto had run into Kawaki, and after that week of random encounters and even aiding him in basics of chakra, both thought it was time for him to meet his father to discuss an official teacher. Kawaki was a total outsider, but Boruto had a feeling that his father would trust his own son when he had told him that Kawaki was not someone to be judge based solely on appearances.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was another matter altogether. And so was the fox that dwelt inside his father.

Boruto could hear them from the other side of the door belong to the Hokage's office, speaking.

Quietly, Boruto pressed on the door just hard enough to crack it open.

His eye blinked between the wood of the door and frame, taking the sight of the office in. His father at the desk, listening to Kawaki's story and why he came here, to Konoha. Sasuke, listening quietly, off to the side. Neither saying a word but Kawaki.

Yes, Boruto would finally hear the full story now.

And he almost wished he hadn't.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Three guards came this time.

"Up, Uzumaki!" one clamored loudly, making him jump. Boruto had fallen asleep by this point, leaning against the corner of the cell.

He yawned tiredly, shifting at the sound of their voices. "Finally ready to let me go?"

"Just move it."

He was led through a hallway, the tiles cold to his bare feet. The walls were not pitifully cracked and gray but white and only broken up by cells that made his look all the more worse. Beds in each, with a bathroom area, and some with things like bookshelves and desks. Thick glass for the door, where cold metallic bars should be. Prisoners were lazing about inside them, reading or pace or exercising.

Their bracelets' glowing dots were green.

Why am I the only blue one?

Before he could ponder more, a person mopping the floor in his peripheral vision caught his attention. Or rather it was their silvery hair, more white, light bluish in hue really, and yellow eyes.

"Mitsuki!" he called, knowing those colors, that look from anywhere. He startled the guards a bit, but right now, all he cared about was confirming that at least one person he knew, was okay in the Punk's Place. And he seemed to be.

He was afar off, at the end of the hallway, mopping. Instead of wearing traditional garb like he usually wore, he was dressed in what appeared to be a janitor uniform, dark blue attire with a plain shirt and pants. A cap even, but even it could not hide the smile of recognition Mitsuki gave Boruto. He did so, giving him a wave.

But that was it, he continued his work, and the guards urged Boruto on.

This irked him greatly, but he didn't exactly have the energy or room to just punch them in the faces so he could talk to his old friend and try to play catch up.

The men, they latched onto him by both arms, one keeping an eye from behind. Boruto was almost flattered. They winced at the slightest hint of movement from his lips or arms. This amused him to no end and part of him wanted to play with that, with them, but even he knew that the consequences of such teasing weren't worth it.

"So..." he began trying to ease the tense and rather awkward air as they traversed through the bleak hallways, Mitsuki already long gone from his sight.

"You guys've read my account. You're letting me go now, right? Now that you know what Kawaki did to Konoha and the Hokage. Right?"

After he had been filed in and all the unpleasant personal space breaking things, he had been sure to explain his story to a head personal at the time. How Kawaki had unleashed a devastating attack on Konoha. How he attacked the Hokage. And their final confrontation. And how before he could stop him, he was suddenly...transported to this place.

The man had laughed at him.

He moved his arms a bit. "Just undo theses and I'll happily walk right out of here on my own, or with Mitsuki. We're buds, see? And I'll even help you bring that punk calling himself, what was it, the calculator down. What do you guys say?"

He tried to smile and ignore the echo of that boisterous laugh at his account from earlier bouncing around in his head.

Now it was the guards' turn to laugh at him. He frowned, the skin between his eyebrows bunching up.

Fine. Have it your way, when I escape from here, and I will, I'm going to target you guys specifically and handcuff you together. Then we'll see who's laughing then. Hah.

They came to a lonely room at the end of an empty hallway and he was pushed inside.

Catching sight of its inside, he held in a sigh.

A table, and two chairs at opposite sides of it.

Of course, they hadn't believed him.

He was pushed toward a chair.

"Sit," a guard said stiffly.

What am I, a dog?

Boruto waged his chances of escape before he settled on obedience for now. He still didn't know anything about this place, and if he was just honest, he could probably learn a thing or two about it from whoever questioned him.

He sat in the chair and someone moved behind him to connect his cuffs to the back of the chair, at the seat. He thought he felt them tighten and again held in a sigh.

Instead, he carelessly murmured under his breath, "Just bring it on."

The men shuffled out of the room, surprisingly.

Then a woman walked in.

Her hair had grown out and been tucked into a bun at the top of her head. She wore the prison guards uniform but with a mid length skirt instead of pants. Then there was her face, pale, a little cold and her eyes...those dark eyes, scanning him after what felt like years. Taking him in, so angrily, yet he detected a great sadness in them as well.

Sarada. Sarada Uchiha.

He breathed a sigh of release, smiling. "Sarada...You don't know how happy I am to see you again. To know you're alright."

She didn't answer, just continued her approach to the table, setting a notebook down.

Her glasses are gone, he thought, eyes unable to leave her. And the implication of her glasses missing was a saddening one. She had to be wearing contacts and one of the reasons she used to always pick glasses over them, even if they were at times impractical during missions, was because they had been the only thing she had of her father when she was young.

Boruto was starting to get a bad feeling.

"You heard I was here and are visiting, right?"

He could only hope...And yes he knew the notion of that was stupid but still, this was Sarada. Oh, how he had missed her. He wanted nothing more than to embrace her and hold her tightly so this place could not take her away as it had everything else he cared about. Well, everyone but Mitsuki. That guy seemed fine and chill—when was he not?! Even in the Punk's World, all fine and dandy.

"No," Sarada finally answered, taking her place across from him. "This is an interrogation."

He did not hold in a sigh this time. He just let one go, rolling his eyes too.

"I am so over this!"

She leaned forward, tucking her chin over her interlaced fingers, elbows on the table, staring at his face intently.

"What?" he said defensively. "Just what am I here for."

"You already know, don't act stupid. Attacking the Chancellor. Illegal weapon and chakra network."

"Illegal chakra network—are you high?!"

Her eyes narrowed, and she waited.

"Look," he said. "Everything I know, I've told you guys."

Now she let out a sigh, full of exasperation. "He told me not to come here. And now I see why."

"What? Cause I'm the only one who knows the truth?" he barked. "Sarada, you know me, you know I'm not a liar and I most certainly never, ever, would lie to you. You have to let me go. Kawaki's screwed everything up and I need to fix things."

She could only shake her head, eyes closed in disappointment. "This is just sad. All this time...and this is how you...Okay, I'll entertain this game for a bit, tell me what you mean, Boruto."

Okay, this was promising.

"About Kawaki? Yeah, you should know. He freaking just destroyed home, then...My father. My dad, he—"

"Saved his life."

Boruto both wanted to laugh and yell at her. How stupid. How preposterous, how—

Yes, it actually made sense now. Kawaki would totally have done something like that.

"He didn't save him, unless." Boruto laughed out loud. "I think I finally get it! He broke everything so he could build himself up and change everything when he fixed it again! He loathed things the way they were so he...he manipulated the heck out of you and everyone else in this crazy place!"

He could only laugh. I get it. I totally do now!

"And why would he do that?"

"Well, dear, if you've gotten close enough to him that he would pick up on something as personal as a nickname, I think you should know."

Something nasty had just taken over his lips and spat out words with as much animosity as they could. It both surprised him and hurt him. But yet... Bo was the affectionate nickname she had given him, and Kawaki had just spit it out during their last confrontation. He would have to have heard it multiple times to pick up on it like that and...

He added softly "Then again he isn't one to delve into his past for others unless it's a necessity."

She still stared at him, seemingly expressionless, but he knew her better, knew to see the fire in her eyes when it was there. And the hurt.

"What does it have to do with now, though?"

A malicious grin came over him. "Why don't you ask him, huh? Ask him why he hates ninja so much. About his hell."

A vein practically ticked. "Listen, Boruto, we're not here to discuss his backgrounds. We're here to find out how you got here, where you've been and who you're working with, so either start telling the truth now or I swear..."

"The report says everything. I was trying to fight him then suddenly I was here! End of story."

"I will not put up with your lying anymore!"

Now it was his turn to yell. "I've already told you guys everything and now I have nothing else to say. It's not my fault that you refuse to believe me!"

"Believe that you, what, magically skipped through time?"

"I don't know! Okay!? I just know that we were going to charge for the other and suddenly I was here..."

She shook her head. "And you just happen to have had Sasuke's sword? And your chakra?"

"Yeah."

"Where were you before this point?"

"That's the one thing I can't tell you because I don't know."

"Please, don't tell me you're going to play amnesia."

"Dang it, Sarada! I'm not lying, and I don't have freaking amnesia!"

"You are and you're not leaving here until you start telling the truth! Who are you working with!?"

"I already have!"

"Boruto I'm sick of this! You can't just run and, after all this time, after everything that's happened, and refuse to acknowledge it. Refuse to take responsibility. And attack others..."

Her voice had risen, but she shook her head, forcing her emotions back.

Things had escalated quickly and loudly enough that a guard had come in. A rather big man, a concerned expression on his face.

"Miss, you alright? We told you..."

She again could only shake or head, a fist crumpled tightly to the side. She looked like she wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. "I can't do this. Kai, take over."

Boruto scoffed. "What, you don't have the gall to face me so you sic fatso there after me—" he quickly glanced at the officer. "No offense."

The man shrugged. "None taken."

Boruto looked back to Sarada, as pleadingly as he could. "Look. I love you and if you can't do this...Maybe you should ponder why that is."

It was quiet for a long moment before she noisily stood up, chair scraping across the metal floor loudly, and headed for the door.

"Sarada, you know I'm right!"

Before she left, she glanced to her replacement. "Uzumaki are known for their stamina. Don't stop until you've extracted every bit of information out of him. I want it all by morning."

Boruto narrowed his eyes. "Coward."

She spun on her heels. "No, when he fails, I'll have the pleasure of doing it myself, and I assure you, I won't fail the Chancellor."

He really could not handle this. The last strand of hope...It slipping through his fingers like grains of sand in an hourglass.

"Sarada...We went through hell together. Does it...really mean nothing now?"

He looked at her pleadingly, praying she would come to her senses. But...

She refused to meet his eyes.

Finally: "And I went through hell without you...Bo."

And with that, she left, closing the door between them firmly.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

The old office, where earlier Boruto Uzumaki after years of being AWOL had suddenly tried to attack him. Kawaki sat in his chair again as he waited for the truth to unveil itself.

Boruto had had Sasuke Uchiha's sword. He had to know where that man was now...

"I won't pretend I approve of all your initiatives, but..." A voice sounded, almost timidly, to him, interrupting the quiet.

"Spit it out, Shikadai."

The Chancellor's secretary and counselor, Shikadai, stood before him just as his father had stood with the previous...tenant. But unlike his father and his father before him, he had survived the previous war. Kawaki had grown to like him because of this, they shared the trait of being a survivor. And it helped that this man was intelligent as well, and useful in that regard.

"The people Boruto had spoken to since...entering the Capital—"

"Still no answer to that one?" Kawaki asked, unintentionally interrupting Shikadai. His fingers drummed on the desk.

"No, and his interrogation has brought nothing. Anyway, there are only two accounts. Firstly, the store incident. Then this strange interaction with a child."

Shikadai pulled out an old game system from a plastic bag. Kawaki glanced at it before giving Shikadai a puzzled look.

"He always kept it on him but that was years ago."

"Yes. Well, the system logs everything. And according to its log, it hasn't been played since before the day the Elemental Nations broke. But it hasn't been charged since then either."

"And? This isn't exactly a surprise." Kawaki countered. Shikadai wouldn't bother him with pointless information so what was this then?

"It is when you try to ponder how a game system on rest mode hasn't long died by now."

"Wait, what?"

Shikadai nodded. "I don't know if you're familiar with these things, but think of it like a cell phone. You can leave it on and never use it, or shut it off completely. If you leave it on, but on the black screen, the battery will slowly drain even though it is technically not in use. It was kept in rest mode all this time, a game right in the middle of a boss fight, paused, and not since then has it been charged. It's got half of a charge, still very much alive. Making me believe he's either skipped to this point like he keeps claiming or that he was utterly frozen in place, but that wouldn't be plausible, with no account of his presence until now. The aforementioned goes with his story, which he is so insistent on."

"But that's impossible."

Kawaki thought back to that day. How Boruto had suddenly disappeared...

Maybe...

Shikadai glanced down. "I would lay off of him a bit until we find out how this was done because however it was, I truly believe it was out of his control."

"I understand," Kawaki answered. "Still I would love to know how one just skips. And for what purposes."

And who is responsible. Because whoever was, they were dead.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He met her at the house, and just as he knew she'd be, she was venting on a hanging punching bag furiously, laying waste to it.

"I told you to not bother," he commented, coming behind her.

"I had to see him for myself," she countered, slamming her fist into the bag hard. It swung violently but she still it, grabbing hold of it. Her forehead collapsed to it as she stood there, sweat running down the sides of her face.

"And do you regret that decision?" he asked, clearly knowing the answer already.

She turned her head slightly, to face him. Her face was pale, eyes on the brink of filling up and flowing over.

He tucked his finger under her chin, tilting it up.

"We'll get this sorted out...Alright? I'll take care of him. He can't be trusted to keep chakra, but I'll make sure he only gets the best doctor for the operation. You have my word."

Kawaki leaned down to kiss her on the lips.

Sarada kissed back, wrapping her arms around... before her head drifted towards his chest, where a soft sob broke out.

Hearing it, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her. Kawaki waited patiently for her to finish, and only then did he ask softly, "You going to be alright?"

She rubbed her eyes, trying to regain her composure.

"Yes...He just...surprised me."

"I know."

Sarada smiled grimly. "And you smell like cigarettes."

He shrugged.

"He surprised you too, didn't he?"

"Yeah..."

"You smell like cigarettes."

Kawaki shifted, raising his head. The voice had come from behind and now its owner plopped down beside him. He had been sitting at the edge of a dock that sat over a small lake.

"You've been smoking again. Actually, you've been doing it a lot lately, ever since the meteor shower..."

Kawaki shrugged and glanced back to the night sky.

"I just have a lot of things on my mind."

"Hn." Boruto hummed. "There's better things to—"

"Start preaching at me and I'll throw you in the water, brat."

Boruto laughed. "Would love to see you try. Punk."

They laughed briefly before all became quiet and not even crickets chirped. Boruto hadn't seemed to notice. Just flopped backward, so he was laying on his back, elbows out as his head rested on his palms.

"To think people thought my dad and Sasuke were the pentacles of ninja...And here we are now. The new jutsu...It's been amazing, so thrilling. So...so much more."

Kawaki scoffed. "Shut up." He had said it lightly, in mock annoyance.

Boruto inhaled the night air on through his nostrils, closing his eyes.

"For real, Kawaki, something going on?"

"Nah."

The following day...the world of ninja shattered into a million pieces, pieces as numerous as the stars that watched over them.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Chapter Text

THE LAST NINJA

Friends Lost

He had been left in the interrogation room for the rest of the night and well into the next day. Foot anxiously tapping against the floor. Impatiently.

Maybe worriedly.

Uttering curses to the man who had caused all of this, but there was only so many combinations he could go through before he was forced to just sit there, glaring at the wall, trying to wish an encounter into existence. He wanted very much to hit the punk, right in the face.

He did though occasionally attempt to move his hands, slide them free from the cuffs and was never rewarded with even the slightest budge.

So he waited longer.

And longer.

Until he could have screamed if only he could muster the energy.

And finally, finally, Boruto could not help the drop of his head, as if there was some weight there. And with each thought, each question floating inside him, unanswered, that weight increased and something in him ached.

He could think of nothing more terrifying than being stuck here, alone, forever. The fates of those he cared about...So unclear.

Sarada's words which he had been trying to avoid thinking about up until now began to echo inside him:

You can't just run and, after all this time, after everything that's happened, and refuse to acknowledge it. Refuse to take responsibility.

Just what had happened, to the ninja world, and everything else? To Sarada... He got the sense that everything had changed in that blink of time and that whatever had happened, he had only made it worse by being missing. Just thinking about it, he could feel that weight in his chest increase. See that look in her eyes, before her job took over. Almost crushingly so and—

"You look like you could use a friend."

His head jerked upward, eyes widening.

A paper cup was in front of his face. A straw protruding from its lid.

This cup hovering in front of him nearly took up his entire field of vision but he could make out the fingers grasped around it as well. Pale digits, the fingers. Dirtless.

"Um," he croaked, blinking. "Mitsuki?"

Now a face appeared, from behind the cup, tilted and smiling. Definitely Mitsuki, his ghostly pale pace, shiningly yellow eyes. And that cheeky grin.

"Heya pal. It's been a while," Mitsuki said.

"Um...Hi?"

The cup lowered itself so he could better see his old friend. Mitsuki was still wearing the uniform from earlier and off to the side, Boruto could make out a mop and bucket in the darkness.

Catching his line of sight, Mitsuki shrugged. "I'm really not supposed to be in here, but after I finished up my chores, I just had to. You look like crap! Worse than crap, really, if we're honest." He, again, gave Boruto a cheeky grin, showing his teeth.

Boruto sighed, smiling weakly in return. "Thank you for that, Mitsuki. It thrills me, you gracing me with your presence solely so you can inform me of my crapage. Means a lot."

Mitsuki's mischievous grin widened earnestly. "That's what friends are here for. Right?"

"Well, sort of. Honesty is important but it doesn't hurt to try to...deliver it nicely? I dunno. But seriously, Mitsuki." Boruto took a deep breath. "What...What exactly is going on here?"

Again the cup was pushed in his face.

"Drink!"

Boruto shook his head. "I really need some answers, buddy."

"Drink first," Mitsuki insisted.

Yeah, Boruto was incredibly thirsty but he wasn't sure he could hold it down at the moment.

"Fine, but can you kinda uncuff me first?"

"Sorry, I can't."

"Figures."

He sipped through the straw as Mitsuki held the cup for him and instantly a cold drink filled his mouth.

Ah. So heavenly. What was it, some juice? He was sure he didn't want to know what was in it, just that whatever it was, it was something that would do him some good. That was just Mitsuki's way.

He had learned this truth a long time ago: Never ask what was in the food or drink that Mitsuki provided, just trust that it was healthy.

He remembered off hand, in days gone by, of missions with his friend, and even a few visits to his...parent. He regretted very much asking that snake-like man(?) anything and he always just felt uncomfortable around him. There was something just off-putting about the scientist. He wasn't sure if it was a simple fact that he couldn't discern the gender easily or the weird way of speaking he had, especially when it came to science or jutsu. His lower regard to human life in comparison to his interests especially.

His father had never talked about him either but had a clear uneasiness with him as well, there was some obvious but unspoken history, especially with Sasuke. But none of that changed the fact that Mitsuki was once you got used to him, actually a very dependable and unique friend. Team Konohamaru would not be the same without him.

Even now, after what all had changed, that vibe had never.

And Boruto was grateful. He quickly gulped the rest of the drink down so they could talk.

"Mitsuki," he began. "I think...I think I've somehow been gone a long, long time. So much has changed."

Mitsuki nodded. "Yes...Three years, one war, new world order. Heck of a lot."

"A war? How the heck did one happen! The nations were unified!"

The achievements of his father and everyone else to achieve such peace was straight up legendary. And Kawaki or not, a war had actually broken out? A war? How does a single person...

"True, the shinobi world was one. But the Daimyo, the civilians, they got it in their heads we were too powerful. And no longer needed."

"No longer needed? What are you talking about?"

"With new technology, they could keep peace without depending on our chakra. So throughout the nations, firearms were collected. Then the fighting began. It was horrible on both sides. Many of us didn't make it, and neither did they."

Boruto could only imagine. A battle between elements and guns. While jutsu could change the very landscape depending on the user and formations, the power of a gun could snuff them out before a jutsu was even cast. It must have been the most bloody, senseless war in eons.

Mitsuki continued, his face blank. "The only option after the mess of that war, was to unite. New leaders were elected. Konoha became the capital of the Land of Fire, rather than a military servant to it. It was then that they began to bleed chakra out of the equation. Besides, humans were only given the power of chakra by accident. And I guess, over time, we let it happen. Peace was on the line, and no one wanted another all-out bloody war. In this modern age...Ninja are outdated. Barbarically violent. Or so they say."

"Kawaki," Boruto growled under his breath. He had no doubt instigated the mess in the beginning, knowing the outcome. Spread the firearms around, whispering in ears. It would have been easy after he had let the world witness how apparently easy the wiping of the strongest shinobi village and ninja was...Yes.

His thoughts towards him darkened. But seeing Mitsuki sitting in front of him, on the table, shifted.

"Mitsuki," he asked quietly. "Why are you here, working in a prison of all things?"

Now for the first time, Boruto sensed a great sadness in his friend.

"Better here, where they can't touch me, with Sarada, than out there. I was always different and still am. And my...being linked to a past enemy like Orochimaru..."

A single tear threatened to spill over his friend's cheek but he wiped it away. Boruto knew better than to ask him his parent's fate. He had a feeling he knew, and it ended violently. Even Orochimaru, the one that had emerged from the war, had not deserved it.

Instead, Boruto sat there quietly, unsure how to shift from that.

Since he had failed to speak up, Mitsuki did instead.

"Listen, Boruto, about Sarada...Please don't take today personally. Of all of us, she was hit the hardest by the war. She lost so many, her entire family, Chōchō went missing...Then, you."

Boruto closed his eyes, wishing so much to turn things back. To protect her from the grief.

But he had not been there. Someone else had.

"And Kawaki, it was purely professional. I don't believe either of them intended it, but—"

"Please stop," he whispered "I get it. Alright?"

Mitsuki's lips pursed. "You're giving up? That's unlike you."

"No, I know to not fight this. She's not dumb. She would not let someone in who would hurt her. And if they did, she'd be a force to reckon with. And with everything twisted as it is right now, I...I can't focus on her."

His expression said otherwise, and even Mitsuki would not be fooled by his words.

The reality was he couldn't bear even the notion of the distance that had suddenly wedged itself between them.

'I went through hell without you, Bo.'

"Mitsuki," he finally said. "That bracelet. You have one too."

He had caught it under the young man's sleeve, wrapped around his thin arm, the small sensor on it glowing light green, like the underneath of a leaf, blazing in the sunlight.

"Yes. Once put on, they never come off."

"She didn't have one."

"That's because the use of her chakra network is authorized. Very few are, mostly people who are officials of some sort or are involved with government. You, on the other hand, had you come back and not attacked Kawaki, you could have probably been approved and been hired, although something tells me you would have rebelled if you had gotten the chance to catch up with them and were offered the chance." Mitsuki sighed.

"Getting in trouble with the new law is the first ticket to getting slapped with a chakra sensor bracelet. Of course, many of our classes managed to go with the new law without needing to be forced to. Some managed to leave and no one has a clue where they are. But very few did. Now they just work and live normal civilian lives. Been that way for like two years now. True peace...Or so they like to say. But I guess I can't argue with their results thus far."

"Why," he said. "Why would any of them, of us, agree to villainizing chakra in the process?"

"Time and a lot of bloodshed, I guess. Humankind has always been violent, but the possession of jutsu and all manner of kekkei genkai has not helped at all. That's the argument."

"But chakra can be used for more than just fighting! I mean, what about medical jutsu, and say a fire broke out, and there happened to be a water style user nearby! You're telling me...Ugh. Forget it. I'm going to fix this and everything will go back to the way it was!"

Mitsuki smiled. "I knew you would say that. Orochimaru...he used to say you were the sun or something like that. So I've been waiting for you, all this time, for your return. I don't know what happened, but I won't hold it against you."

"Thank you."

Mitsuki nodded, smiling again. "It's kinda exciting, we're going to do something big. Change the world, just like your father and sensei. Right?" He laughed. "Of course."

Even now, after all that had happened. Boruto had no clue he had gone through so much, losing Orochimaru, his comrades, forced to hide in a prison because of the past. Yet he smiled. The utter faith he had in him...

"There's still something important I need to ask. About chakra being outlawed."

"Yeah?"

"How do they achieve such a thing? And why am I the only blue one here?"

A serious expression came over Mitsuki.

"I'll tell you, but while I'm doing so, you really need to drink more. You're going to need as much strength as possible."

Boruto nodded, sensing there would be some fights ahead.

"I'll be right back, just going to get you more of that placenta drink." *

"Wait, what?! Nevermind, please, I think I'm good!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Just as Mitsuki had said, guards came in to get him. He went along, playing like he was still tired and hungry and unable to put up a fight.

Mitsuki's warning about the events that were about to transpire hovered in the air heavily, like condensation on a window.

Mitsuki's tone was grave. "Listen, Boruto. Everyone else has practically given up and accepted things, but deep down, they know it's wrong. They just won't admit it, and neither will I. You're the first real hope we've had since the war to restoring the Elemental Nations back to the way they should be. You are our hope, the sun, just like Orochimaru used to tell me, but you will cease to be if you don't escape from here. Here, you'll be snuffed out."

"I know that. So how do I do it?"

"Those shackles will never come off until the surgery."

"What surgery?"

"The one that destroys your chakra network completely."

All life sucked out of the room, the air, even the slightest hint of movement. All sound. It was dead quiet, Boruto's eyelids had widened and stayed there, unblinking at the horrific statement Mitsuki had just made. It made his skin prickle with goosebumps.

"They...they can do that?"

"Listen carefully. The doctor will be in tomorrow. They will take you to a special room, and they will strap you down and surgically go through different points of your chakra network, starting with the center along your spine and destroy it. There will be no recovering from that. Chakra will always be a part of you, but like a civilian, you will not be able to mold it. You'll be useless as a shinobi and unable to fight back. There are others who still have theirs, yes, but not like you. You're the key, I just know it."

Boruto has sat there quietly. "Is that why your bracelet is green?"

Mitsuki looked down sadly. "Yes. Green is safe for them. Blue is a sign of chakra. It was right after the People took over that my chakra was broken."

Sadness threatened to engulf him. "How do I stop them?"

"They will take you to the room, up to the table, and then, only then will they uncuff you so you can be strapped in. At that time, you must fight back, and run, for all your worth. If you fail..."

He was in a clinical-looking room now, with a big cumbersome t-shaped table in the middle. It had various straps on it and other equipment attached, including a table with surgical cutting tools. Seeing it, the drink threatened to come up again. Again because soon after Mitsuki's talk, Boruto had thrown up. He couldn't now, or they would see more than stomach acid and know he had had been given food and drink to consume before this point. He didn't want to get Mitsuki in trouble.

A doctor was standing beside the surgery table, trying to smile politely at him. The man had no personal grudge against Boruto, he was just doing his job.

"Hello..." He glanced to a clipboard. "Boruto...Uzumaki. Oh, an Uzumaki, hm? Interesting. Anyway, I was called in specially, as I have the highest success rate so please don't fret about anything going wrong. I have yet to lose a patient during this operation and when this is all said and done, you'll be a back to normal life in no time."

He smiled and it took everything in Boruto to not spit at him. The man truly believed he was doing something good, removing chakra from the equation.

Brainwashed lamo, Boruto couldn't help think.

The doctor nodded to the guards. "Get him ready."

They grabbed hold of his handcuffs and only when the tick of the tumblers as the key unlocked them was heard, did Boruto make his move.

Smiling triumphantly he jerked forward, rolling from them, right eye blazing to white.

He spun to his feet, hands clasped together, already preparing a jutsu. "Wind Style: Gale Palm!"

Air shot forward, hitting a guard, knocking into the wall from the sheer built up force. The guard he had aimed for still had chakra. His Byakugan-like eye could see it, his intact chakra network. The other didn't, so he wasn't going to bother wasting chakra on him. He would be easy enough to knock down with simple Taijutsu.

The chakra-owner crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath. Boruto skidded to the table, grabbing hold of the surgery tools between his fingers, and thrust them at the man like he was a dartboard. The various tools pierced him in different parts of his body painfully.

"Stay back!"

It wouldn't kill him of course, but certainly hurt and take up time trying to pull from his skin without causing more damage.

Easy peasy.

The doctor took a step back, eyes wide in fright and Boruto twisted around to slug him. He crashed to the floor, crying out, blood gushing from his nose.

Now just the chakra-less dwee—

Suddenly, something bit him, and electricity ran through him. He let out a scream, his muscles seizing up, and he crumbled to the floor, his vision flashing, the room crackling.

"Agh!"

No, no, no! I took out the chakra user!

He fought to stay conscious, trying to move, his howls caught in his throat, his muscles rebelling against his commands...

Of course, I underestimated what the other could do, could use. A freaking taser or something.

He swore but it was already too late, his body was giving out.

Mitsuki's words, echoing:

"At that time, you must fight back, and run, for all your worth. If you fail..."

If you fail, you'll be useless. It'll be over...

Over...

He snapped back, fully alert now, ready to spring into action once more.

But he found he was lying horizontally and he could not move.

No!

His sight was hazy and distorted but he could see shapes hovering over him. Feel something tighten around his limbs...

Finally, his voice obeyed him because his limbs would—could not.

"You don't know what you're doing!" he rasped out.

He struggled uselessly, but they had enclosed his wrists and ankles with buckled straps, tightly so he was tautly outstretched.

"Listen, you think you're right, but you're not!"

He could make out the doctor now, hunched over, holding a cloth to his bloody face. Wiping it once more, he stood up, looking down on Boruto and he shook his head.

"I know this isn't easy to accept, but your life will not be over. You will be safe and have a happy lifestyle, just like everyone else. Free from violence."

Now he attempted to spit at him but was blocked by a mask, coming down on his face...

"No! Stop!" He shook, straining to break free with all his might, the right side of his body beginning to glow with dark markings though it was already too late to resort to that power, and useless, he had to instead focus on holding his breath from the gas that would knock him out.

No! It can't be over!

It was over him now, and he could no longer hold his breath, he had to take air in!

And he could feel it taking him, on the cusps of sending him over the edge of a deep darkness.

And suddenly it was dead silent. The mask was gone and in its place a black circle, hovering over his eyes. He strained to understand what it was. The dark tube?

Then he saw the doctor, standing beside him, a look of terror on his face. Then he realized why. A dark figure, it stood between them, holding guns to both their faces. He could only see its back and just that alone had a terrifying presence about it. Their head was covered by a hood.

No one dared move.

Finally, it spoke. The voice was extremely distorted, as if through a computer.

"Undo the straps. Slowly," it said. It because their gender was indistinguishable with the distorted voice.

The doctor obeyed, the gun still very much pointed at his head. The guards had already been taken care of and rather been made examples of for the doctor.

Then the figure looked at Boruto, sensing his tensing muscles.

"You will stand and keep your hands to the back of your head. Make any sudden movements and you will die."

He swore under his breath.

It looked to the doctor now. "And you, the Chancellor would not like to know that his prisoner has died because you did not comply with my demands. Do I make myself clear?"

He nodded frightfully, undoing the last strap.

Boruto carefully sat up.

"What do you want—"

The gun clicked. He shut his mouth, putting his hands up. "Alright, I get it."

"Good. Now you will come with me. Make the slightest sound or outside movement and you die."

He was led out the room, the gun pressed into his back. Any attempt to ask questions was quickly stifled with harsh commands to shut up. So he obeyed for now, as they traversed through the halls of the prison. They were oddly pitch black, and devoid of any sign of a single guard.

Whoever this person was, they had known what they were doing and had obviously gone through a lot of trouble to get him.

"Who are you?" he asked finally.

They deftly ignored him and pushed the gun harder into his back.

His eyes narrowed. They seemed to be heading for an exit. He stopped short, turning around now.

"I'm not leaving without my friend!"

His newest "captor" was wearing a dark hood and under it a mask resembling one the Anbu would use. Except instead of being white porcelain with usually red patterns painted on it, this one was all black, with purple markings on it. Around where the mouth should be, were some slits, with dotted gray steel under it. The voice distorter, no doubt.

"You," they said, "will leave now."

"Not without him! He comes with me!"

"It is already too late for him."

They pushed him impatiently, pressing the gun hard into his temple. He glared rebelliously back, starting to form the seals for a clone jutsu.

Huffing, the figure suddenly had a second gun out, pointed at his hands and shot it, missing them by mere millimeters.

A warning shot.

"I will shot those fingers right off."

Two guns. Nice.

He threw up his hands. "Fine. But once we're out of here," his eyes narrowed, "I expect some answers."

"..."

"Creep."

They continued through the dark halls and something about this just bothered Boruto.

He couldn't quite place it, yes roaming dark hallways in general with two guns pointed at you by a mystery assailant with an unknown agenda should be off-putting but still...Something more was wrong.

Something...

"Oof!"

He had walked into a door, so lost in thought. Backing away, he rubbed his forehead. The exit. To the side, a mechanism that looked like it needed a keycard to unlock. But apparently not this one anymore, not in this blackout. Opened wide open, no resistance. Not another soul in sight.

Yes, something was very wrong with this picture.

It couldn't be this easy.

Just who was this person?

They shoved him and he fell outside, landing on a patch of grass.

Again, he let out an "Oof!" then, recovering, thrust his fist up. "Freaking ease up, will you! And who the heck are you?!"

The hooded person stood at the door, still keeping a gun pointed at him. The second one had been put in a holster attached to their hip.

"You will find the Taka," it spoke.

"The Taka? They disbanded decades ago!" he cried frustratedly.

Then it hit him. Right before he had attacked Kawaki, he remembered the man had brought up the Taka in his phone chat. What was it, something like, the incident, was it them?

"They're a resistance force in need of a game changer. Scattered throughout the United Lands. Join them."

Ah, this sounded promising. But still, he didn't like being told what to do.

"Yeah, but only if you take the mask off first, then I might trust ya!"

He ran forward, leg arching upward in a high kick aimed straight for the gun in their hand. The thing flew from their hand. They let out a hiss, sweeping to the side to evade the next strike aimed for the mask.

"I'm really sick," he spat, swinging for it once more, "of being pushed around!"

They evaded him once more. He gritted his teeth and swiped his leg to trip them before they could pull the second firearm out. They landed on the ground and he pounced on them, locking his knees between their torso.

Time was locked like this for a moment, as he tried to catch his breath, sweat dripping down the sides of his face.

From under him, the figure remained still. Then suddenly twisted violently, knee crashing upward and catching him in the thigh. He groaned and was thrown backward and toppled this time. They latched onto his limbs and he squirmed from underneath them.

"Ugh!"

He bucked and they only remained firm, although struggling to do so.

There was a familiar sensation about this. "Have we wrestled before?" he hissed. "Though, I find it highly unlikely—Ugn!"

"Uzumaki, you will find the Taka, and take this device with you. You will push the button on it, and help will come. Do I make myself clear?"

It looked like a radio, one the figure thrust into the pocket of the prison pants.

"No, not until you tell me who you are and what you want and why you don't just do it yourself!"

He was rewarded with a jab to the side, painfully pointed fingers, the jab. He groaned, throwing his chin up.

No! Again, he reached for his sage-like jutsu, and the dark shapes began to glow along the right side of his body, strengthening him. He twisted violently now, strength and chakra enhanced, flipping their position.

He had their second gun, somehow automatically having grabbed it from the holster on their hip and now held it pointed at them this time.

"Listen, you, I control my own fate from here on, not the chakra-stealing monsters, not Kawaki, not you, and not whoever ripped me from this world!"

He was shaking. His fingers tightening around the black firearm.

"Now let's see who you are."

"Hmph."

Their hand ripped in an arch, crashing downward and suddenly smoke was bellowing out, blanketing everything in a thick cloud of darkness.

He clumsily tripped backward, coughing like a sick man with lung issues.

It must have been a solid minute after this when the smoke cleared and he could actually breathe again.

When it did clear, he was alone. All traces of the figure gone. The fallen gun too.

But clutched in his hand still, was the one he had managed to capture from them.

Evening his breathing, he clutched the firearm.

"Oh, I'm so keeping this."

Why didn't they take it from them while he had been overwhelmed by the smoke?

Perhaps...

Could they be trusted? They did just free him after all, and let him keep their weapon. And they mentioned help...It could be they were just a jerk about it.

He didn't know. Didn't know anything, just the sudden need to go to sleep.

So he stumbled through the surrounding forest by the prison for awhile, trying to put some distance between him and it. After awhile, his knees gave out and he was slumping to the cold dark earth. Exhaustion reigning every molecule of his body. And he crumbled completely, cheek now resting against the crisp earth under him, and he slept, undisturbed, but distraught, until day broke. Fingers just grazing the surface of the gun. His gun.

His father sat at the desk, looking defeated with his head bowed, clasped fingers the only thing holding it up as he buried his face in them.

"I had no idea," he whispered.

"..."

"Well, I did to some extent, but...It never hit me like this."

"What? That after the Tree incident the rate of suicides in poorer regions drastically went up?"

To be given heaven then suddenly be dropped back in hell...Reality must have been too much to bear after that. Had been.

Sasuke was a little too cold.

Naruto raised his head, looking at his old friend.

"What is it?"

"I understand where he is coming from, but I still don't trust him."

"Sasuke..."

"Hear me out, Naruto." His sensei glanced to the Hokage, his expression stern.

"Why now, after all this time, and here? Something is off about him."

"Still..."

Naruto glanced out the window. "My son has really taken a liking to him. He's finally got a rival, someone who pushes his limits. Kinda reminds me of us back then. Is that really a bad thing?"

"You're too trusting."

Naruto swallowed dryly, shaking his head.

"No. Even I don't trust him. But until we find more out, I want to see how this plays out."

"You're playing a dangerous game, Naruto" Sasuke said. "A very dangerous game."

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