She took her towel and gently patted her face dry; inspecting herself in the mirror for any blemishes she could have possibly missed. Taking the floss she meticulously began to clean her teeth, not a single grain of rice stood a chance against her all seeing eyes. Creaking ever so faintly, she could just make out his footsteps as they crept up the staircase. He entered the bedroom as he took a rigid sitting upon the corner of their bed, his hands cradled his head as he held a gaze to the floor.

"Now, now, come on," she teased him with a collected smile, watching him with the mirror, "We always knew he loved Sarada. It was only a matter of time before he confessed."

"Hinata-" Naruto tried.

"I know it'll be an adjustment for them to be on different teams, but they'll get over it sooner or later. He's not going to hate you for it if that's what worries you so. The day he accepted Anbu, he knew the responsibilities he was to undertake."

"Hinata-" again he spoke hoarsely, barely saying anything at all.

"Still I'd imagine Sasuke is having a much more difficult time with this. I know he likes Boruto enough, but Sarada is his only child and the only other Uchiha-"

"My love," he practically begged, "we need to talk." Alarm took her expression as she furrowed her eyebrows at the sudden change in mood. He patted the bed as she sauntered over and sat down next to him, she took his hand sweetly,

"What's wrong?" He looked up to meet her gaze. Exhaustion rimmed his eyes in dark circles. His hair was unkempt in frizzy dandelion fuzz. Sleep was not his friend and comfort abandoned him. She caressed his whiskered cheek, as he leaned in to her warm touch. With an exasperated sigh and an unsteady inhale, he began to explain to Hinata everything that Sasuke and Konohamaru had divulged to him. The Morimasa clan and their intentions, the knife wounds, the imminent danger their son was facing. She became quieter and quieter, until she simply didn't have any words to share.

"Hinata…as soon as he's able, he needs to leave the village until we've dealt with this situation. Grandma Tsunade says he will be in condition by Saturday. We have no way knowing when they may strike. It took Sasuke Uchiha a month to just catch wind of this." He explained.

"But," she whispered, "couldn't he take my name? He could stay with my father and take the Hyuga name. He'd be safe here with my house offering him protection."

"Hyugas have a very distinctive appearance," Naruto explained, "Himawari could do this easily as she takes after you. But Boruto….looks exactly like me. They'd be able to see that trick from a mile away."

"Surely there's more that can be done," Hinata protested, "there's no way I'm allowing our son out in the wilderness on his own only moments after being in the hospital."

"He wouldn't be alone," Naruto assured her, "Sasuke will go with him, and they will stay with Kakashi-sensei for a while." She still didn't look pleased, it wasn't that she didn't trust Sasuke and Kakashi with her entire being, she simply was appalled that her own son was being forced to leave the village. Her anger was flaring,

"I cannot believe this. I truthfully just can't begin to fathom why the village that our families have painstakingly protected for years is not affording our son the same bargain. He's your son, Naruto."

"Our village is doing the very best it can, Hinata. In this situation, the best Konoha can offer isn't good enough. I'm doing this to save our son." There was a silence as they held one another's gaze.

"How long will he be gone?" She dreaded his answer.

"We have no way of knowing," Naruto explained, "Could be a month, could be a year."

The Uzumaki household over the next few days had an impenetrable, silent depression that had seized the usual merriment. Of course Naruto and Hinata had to keep a brave face for Himawari's sake. They had decided not to tell her, for they didn't want to dampen her spirits, especially since her Chunin ceremony would take place tomorrow. It was a huge accomplishment, one that shouldn't be taken lightly despite the illustrious ninja paths her father, mother, and brother had taken.

A hawk that had been sent to Kakashi had arrived at the Hokage office, in reply to the inquiry that Naruto had sent in regards to Boruto, which simply said.

Looking forward to meeting the boy. –K

All that was left was to tell the boy, who was still entirely oblivious to everything. With heavy feet, Naruto began the small walk towards the hospital. He hoped his son could handle the news with more grace than he would have at his age. "Fat chance," he whispered softly to his own thought, "he's my son and so his temper cannot be helped."

He neared the door to his son's room, it was slightly ajar and he could hear the visitors that had come to wish him well. Through the crack, he could make out Sarada, Mitsuki, Shikadai, ChoCho, Metal Lee, and Inojin. He heard his son laugh at a joke that Mitsuki had shared, and couldn't help but feel an overwhelming guilt that his son would have to leave all the comforts of home because the village couldn't protect him adequately. He eased the door open, to which the teenagers who had been quite rowdy and were horsing around only moments ago had stopped at the sight of the hokage. All of them, except for the bedbound Boruto offered a formal bow, to which Naruto nodded his gratitude,

"Good evening, I wonder if I could have a word with my son in private." Boruto furrowed his eyebrows in a confused manner. Surely whatever Naruto needed to share couldn't wait until the morning, and that was cause for concern. They began to file out, Shikadai made smooching noises teasingly as Sarada hugged Boruto around the neck.

"Oh grow up!" She shouted with clenched fists. Giving him a quick peck goodnight, she ran after that spiky pineapple head, surely to give him a pummeling.

"Dad," Boruto began as Naruto took a seat at his side on the bed, "I know what you're going to tell me." Then it was Naruto's turn for confusion,

"You do? Did Sarada tell you? Sasuke?"

"No, no one had to tell me. It's pretty obvious, isn't it? She and I tried for months to hide it, but I think it's for the best that we'll be on separate teams. As much as I love her, I'm a shinobi. Anything that could compromise a mission must be taken into account, and I'd never want to jeopardize her or anyone else." Boruto had explained. "I'm not mad or anything, don't you worry." He smiled at his dad encouragingly, and was unnerved when his dad didn't return the gesture. Instead Boruto could see a current of sadness well within his father,

"I'm afraid I'm not here to discuss the change in your teams, while that will inevitably happen," Naruto explained, "I'm here to let you know…that you're leaving Konoha tomorrow." Boruto couldn't help but laugh, believing his father was horribly sleep deprived from the demands of being hokage. But again, his concern spiked when Naruto looked deadly serious.

"Surely you're joking? You mean I have a mission, right?" He asked hopefully, "I know Lady Tsunade thinks I'm not ready yet, but believe me I am so ready for a good fight! Where am I being sent?"

"It's not a mission, you're being sent away for your own safety." Naruto said. Boruto's mouth opened, then closed, not at all certain of what his dad was getting at, so he propped himself up more to listen better. Surely his dad had gone cagey from being in that hokage office all day.

"You're going to go and stay with Kakashi-sensei until I send for you. We are dealing with an exiled clan from the Hidden Leaf that wishes ill upon you."

"Why do they wish ill upon me? They want me dead?" He asked.

"No, they want to make you their jinchuriki of the 11 tailed beast. They are the Morimasa Clan, and Okino Morimasa was the rogue shinobi who attacked you with those knives."

"The rogue I killed? What does he have to do with anything? I finished him." Boruto said indignantly, as though his hard work had been carelessly forgotten.

"He lives." Naruto spoke, "He used the jutsu of his clan to only appear dead. Not only that, but the scars that will stay on your chest are a means of marking you, keeping track of you." The boy's knuckles paled as they balled into tight, frustrated fists,

"You gotta be kidding me!" He barked, "And what do you mean their jinchuriki? Why me?"

"I'm afraid you can blame me for that one." Naruto sighed, "They believe you can handle it because of myself being one for all the years of my life." Boruto tossed his clenched fist into his open palm threateningly as he popped his neck to loosen his tension,

"I'm not going anywhere. If the Morimasa clan wants me, I'll give them ten thousand reasons why they'd return me in an instant. Let them come, I'll show them a fight they can't refuse. That's a promise, and my ninja way." His arrogance was a mirror image of how Naruto used to be.

"This will not be open for argument or compromise." His father spoke hotly, "You will be leaving tomorrow with Sasuke and go stay with Kakashi-sensei in the land of beaches, until you receive word from me. That's final, anything less than that and it will be a treasonous act."

Bitterly, Boruto glanced at the Anbu tattoo inked from the top of his clavicle to the near end of his upper left arm. It swirled in the curvature of his muscle structure; a proud testimony to his hard work in training. A look of betrayal rested upon his face,

"You think I can't handle myself. I'm being punished for failing that mission. Are you not confident in your own son? A member of Anbu black ops?" There was a venomous bite in his words that disappointed Naruto.

"Of course I think you are a capable shinobi. Do not think of this as a punishment. This is me being a father, not a hokage. I want you far away from here, until we know what we are dealing with. I'd do anything…anything and everything to spare you the burden of being a jinchuriki." Boruto grew silent, clearly thinking that if his father was in fact telling the truth, then he'd allow his son to stay. A true shinobi could handle unpredictable circumstances, no matter how grave they could be.

"Besides," Naruto began again, "it is my strongest belief that you training under Kakashi-sensei is the next step in your ninja path. When the time comes that you may return to the village, you will be more than ready."

"Ready for what?" Boruto practically growled with arms crossed over his chest.

"For any enemy to threaten Konoha. When I was younger than you, I left home for 2 and a half years to train with master Jiraiya. Think of this as a training period to learn whatever you may wish or whatever Kakashi would see fit. He has practically all the elemental affinities; he's more than capable of teaching you any jutsu under the stars." Naruto explained, offering a small smile thinking back on the times of team 7 and Kakashi leading them. His son couldn't help but think that his dad was trying to sell this as a vacation to some spa and resort rather than at face value for what this all really was,

"Surely you can understand the differences between you voluntarily leaving the village compared to me being forced to leave because of a vindictive, exiled clan after me, right? You're making me a coward by making me tuck tail and flee the home I've been sworn to protect no matter the cost." Boruto spat, "I have every intention of killing Okino Morimasa for his acts of meaningless violence, and no one will stop me."

"You are most certainly not a coward, I'm sorry you feel that way. I am simply trying to protect you and not put you at risk. I believe that you and Okino will meet again; you will have another chance." Standing, Naruto gave his son another glance. His fists were still clenched, the bolt that hung from his neck glinted. Some of the boy's chakra leaked unconsciously due to his temper and had made it bounce from his chest. He cupped his son's chin, demanding his gaze. Eyes that were usually a playful sapphire were now a stormy, gray sea,

"Promise me, you'll follow my orders. I expect nothing less from a member of Anbu." Naruto demanded. He could feel his son grind his teeth, as his temples jumped from his tense jaw,

"I promise." Boruto whispered. The hokage released him, turning on his heel about to leave.

"I do have one request." Boruto spoke, falling into his pillow, defeated. Naruto was at the doorway, the light from the hall creeping inside the small room. "Before I made this promise to you, I promised my kid sister that I'd go to her chunin ceremony tomorrow. I beg of you to let me stay until it's over, then I will leave with Sasuke unquestioningly. Please."

"I will allow you to stay until then, but not a minute later." Naruto spoke. The hokage had cracked his jurisdiction, and that was final. "Goodnight."

The next day was cloudy, a summer rainstorm was promised for the afternoon. It was good that the ceremony would take place in the late morning since it would be on the terrace atop the Hokage Rock. Lady Tsunade did the final bandage wraps around Boruto's torso, they would need to be removed in a few hours. Hinata had retrieved him early that morning and brought him back to the Uzumaki compound for him to get dressed for this special occasion. There was silence between mother and son, Boruto could only assume his mother knew everything and Hinata couldn't bring herself to talk about it again for fear of tears that would inevitably escape. Entering the home, Himawari jumped at her brother in an embrace.

"Easy on him, he's still recovering." Hinata explained as Boruto winced at his sister's indomitable hug. Releasing bashfully in apology, she smiled at seeing her brother walking (even if there was somewhat of a limp). She wore her headband and an aquamarine kimono that imitated water with its graceful, flowing sway and ripple to her every move. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was.

"My kid sister is growing up," he whispered sweetly.

"We'll have to leave in an hour or so, ok sweetie?" Hinata asked to which Boruto nodded. He could see his dad in the living room going over his speech for the ceremony, wearing clean, white Hokage robes. Acknowledging him in a nod, he retreated up to his bedroom to get ready; shutting the door he could just make out Himawari asking their parents if her brother was alright, because he was so quiet. Today is not about me, baby sister. Today is for you and your accomplishments.

His room was an exhibit of his boyhood; ever since he began his training for Anbu, he'd never spend much time in it. Manga that had at one time been read religiously without rest had an acute layer of dusk that lightly covered them. Video games that were played relentlessly against Shikadai and Inojin were neatly stacked, untouched. Posters of movies and popular bands from years ago were taped all around, outdated. He couldn't remember the last movie he'd seen or the last song he'd heard. He hadn't even slept in his own bed in over a month, as it was neatly made with pillows fluffed invitingly. Photos of his family, friends, and mentors took up the majority of his desk and his walls which were just about the only inanimate things that truly mattered to him.

The consistent unrest of arduous training and going on missions in and out of the village ensured that he couldn't enjoy the comforts of being home. It would be a far easier and peaceful life if he'd chosen another path…anything else in fact. But he'd chosen this life, and fate had chosen this life for him. He couldn't imagine doing anything else; he was born to be a shinobi and that was unquestionable. The prospect of being forced to leave the village that made him a shinobi, that watched him grow into a man, was something painful and dishonoring. His very existence put his village in danger, and it was shameful and heartbreaking.

He took a shower; he hadn't been able to take one for the entire week he was in the hospital. Snarling at the water was all he could do to take his mind off the agony as it splashed on his wounds. The bruising had gone down, but the scarring was severe.

Dressing in black trousers, his shinobi sandals, and a long sleeved black undershirt, Anbu armor, with his gray flak jacket following in close succession, he was just about ready. The Uzumaki crest sneaked a flash in the mirror coming from his back, and he couldn't help but think that it would be a long time until he'd be able to wear it again. The flak jacket also had the Hyuga flaming crest on his shoulder to honor his mother's family. His Anbu sword was strapped to his back, with a vile clan after him he could very well need it. Upon his bed were both his Anbu mask and his forehead protector with Konoha's leaf symbol. He tied his headband tightly, tucked the mask into his sash around his waist and he was ready. Coming down the stairs, his mother fixed his unkempt hair to her liking and soon they were out the door.

The Hokage Rock offered a brilliant view of the village despite the clouds. Gardenia flowers and cherry blossoms were woven into intricate garlands that decorated the trees and the fences; there was a buzzing excitement among the genin-soon-to-become-chunin. Himawari said her goodbyes to her family as she was ushered away with her friends in preparation for the ceremony. Her girlfriends were all giggling frantically over her brother.

Hiashi Hyuga, Hannabi, and many Hyuga cousins came for the occasion, Hinata kissed her father's cheek,

"Thanks for coming, dad."

"I wouldn't miss it, it's not every day when your granddaughter becomes a Chunin." Hiashi and his omnipotent eyes found his grandson, as he took Boruto's shoulder and squeezed it,

"And you, young man, are you ever planning on visiting again? Too important to hear any of my lectures anymore, is that it? Too busy staying in hospitals?" He was joking of course.

"Never ojiisan (grandfather), it's just that I've barely been home to catch my breath." Boruto began. And I won't be able to visit again for a while.

"Come stop by for tea sometime. I'd love to hear about your first month being in Anbu. You're the first in my family to join, and so it is not a familiar territory for me. I still want to see that tattoo, even though I find it to be a brash mutilation of your body." Hiashi smiled, his white hair swaying in the wind. He was old and traditional, and practically thought tattoos would be the cause for the end of the world.

"Some other time," Boruto returned the smile. "I wouldn't want you fainting, ojiisan." It was strictly forbidden to show the tattoo without wearing the porcelain mask out in public, as it would defeat the whole point and secrecy of Anbu. His grandfather's eyes floated to Boruto's flak jacket,

"It makes me swell in pride that you carry our clan's crest. It is so typical to just take the father's side. I can only hope that you will lean and rely more on our clan, Boruto." Hiashi explained. "For we protect what is ours."

"Of course. It is an honor to carry the name Hyuga with me wherever I may go." Boruto said. It had once been Neji Hyuga's; Hinata had sewed it on so that somehow Neji could watch over Boruto on his missions. "It is an even greater honor that it once belonged to such a great man. I only hope to serve his memory well."

"I know he is proud, just as I am." Hiashi ensured.

Something raven colored flurried in the corner of Boruto's vision, it was none other than Sarada. He excused himself, and his family melted into the background as he reached her. She had a bouquet of vibrant sunflowers with her,

"What are you doing here?" He asked pleasantly.

"I brought these for Himawari, these are her favorite after all." Sarada smiled.

"She'll love them," he said.

"It's so good to see you on your feet finally, much less actually dressed and cleaned up." She said.

"You're telling me," he chuckled, "I was going crazy in that hospital under lady Tsunade's iron thumb, no wonder she made such a good hokage. That woman is scary when she's yanking kunai out of your chest, and the only thing between you is six feet of bandage." She giggled,

"I can imagine, my mom got her temper after all." Hand in hand, together they walked toward the railing with the view that overlooked the village, standing right on top the fourth hokage's stone head.

"One day, your big head will be carved into this mountain too." Boruto said.

"My big head?" She asked.

"Yup," he grinned, "you're pretty smart after all. In fact, I don't think there's enough rock here to make it look true to size." She gave him a playful punch on the shoulder, trying hard not to believe that she'd fallen in love with such an adorable idiot. They laughed.

Boruto observed the terrace and the young soon-to-be-chunin. Himawari was practically bouncing up and down in excitement for her new title. His gaze followed the horizon and the peaceful hustle and bustle of Konoha down below. Life still continued for its citizens. Ichiraku ramen would make deliveries, genin would have seemingly useless missions chasing cats and walking dogs, tea would be brewed, and steps would be swept. He watched from his perch, not a part of that tranquility and routine, but observing it from afar. Sarada squeezed his hand gently to bring him back to reality,

"Are you and my dad leaving today? He hasn't mentioned anything to me." He swallowed the lump in his throat,

"Yeah, supposedly right after this."

"I'd do anything for you to stay," she said. "More than that, I'd love to go with you. I've dreamt of meeting Kakashi-sensei. We were raised with his stories. He's a living legend."

"I'll be sure to tell him all about you. Who knows, maybe I could even convince him to come back to Konoha for a bit. The way our fathers always talk about him make it seem like he shouldn't have retired."

There were bells chiming sweetly in the breeze, which initiated the ceremony. The couple found seats next to the rest of their friends, as many of their younger siblings were becoming chunin today as well. Boruto smiled at his mother who brought out her enormous camera to take numerous photos for the occasion. Noticing her son, she aimed the lens at him. Sarada and his friends posed to offer cheeky smiles and goofy eyes behind him as the flash went off. Iruka-sensei took the center as all the attention was placed on him. His smile marks were slightly more noticeable, and he had a few gray hairs that were inevitably earned by teaching two Uzumaki troublemakers over the years. Himawari wasn't one of them, she was always top of her class and was far more studious than Naruto and Boruto put together.

"Good morning! It is my greatest honor this morning to induct our dear genin into their well-deserved, new titles of chunin. I have had the pleasure of guiding these shinobi in their academy days and see their improvement in skills, and their development as people. Today marks not only the initiation of a new title in rank, but also to demonstrate just how far they have come. They have willingly accepted immense responsibilities and duties to defend and help their village. They have chosen the path of a shinobi, which is no idle task. There will come challenging days ahead when they may think that they have chosen the wrong path. It will be their sheer determination and indomitable spirit that will help them endure. That is what it means to be a shinobi…to endure even in the most difficult of times." Sarada squeezed Boruto's hand, her expression told him that they would too know endurance.

"Now I welcome the 7th Hokage to come and offer some words of encouragement." Iruka spoke. There was a respectful applause as Naruto strode to him, clasped arms warmly, and cleared his throat,

"I too was a student of Iruka-sensei, and let me just tell you, it was a sheer miracle that I ever passed that man's class! Imagine the look of fright when I told him, that not one but two of my children would also be his students!" There were chuckles that escaped practically everyone at this. "But allow me to be a proud father, and mention that my daughter is also becoming a chunin today." Himawari blushed in embarrassment. "She owes her success to no one but herself. I mean look at Sasuke Uchiha and me, both of us are still technically genin!" Again there was uproarious laughter, Boruto cracked a smile. It was amusing that (soon to be) Himawari and he were technically a higher rank than their father despite him being Hokage.

"In all seriousness," he turned to the genin, "you all should be nothing but pleased with yourselves. If the path of a shinobi were easy, there'd be more people who would do it. I urge you all to take time today for mindful reflection of all you have done so far. Think of your own personal journey, because it is far different than that of the person sitting next to you. Think of your shortcomings that then became your strengths. Your failures gave you the chance to try again and succeed. Your skills have been honed to take on any situation and make the right decisions. There will be times when people may doubt you, you may even doubt yourself, but it will be your own ninja way and the will of fire within you that will allow you to continue."

Whilst all were entranced in the words of the hokage, Konohamaru appeared out of thin air as he sprinted to Naruto. Many gasped and talked nervously amongst themselves at the sudden feeling of urgency. He wore a ragged expression as he hissed what appeared to be grave news in his ear. The hokage locked eyes with Boruto, his stomach twisted. This connection was broken when a purple smoke screen engulfed the terrace. It was sensory depriving, not even byakugan or sharingan could break through it. Even the Inuzuka clan wouldn't be able to use their ninja hounds; the smell of fumes and exhaust burned the nostrils. Many screamed and shouted in fright,

"Sarada!" Boruto exclaimed. She reached out for him, and they could just barely make out each other through the impenetrable smoke. In the quickest motion possible, they each removed the flak jackets that revealed their clans. Anbu armor made an appearance underneath, as they both put on their scarlet and ivory masks. In a following swoop, they unzipped the sleeves at their clavicle as the Anbu tattoo emblazoned upon them flashed angrily.

"Hotfoot! Raven! You there?" Konohamaru barked their codenames through their earpieces.

"We're here!" They exclaimed.

"You both are ordered to-" there was a radio screech, it sounded like a struggle. Clearly Konohamaru-sensei was fighting with someone. But they couldn't see past their noses.

"We'll see soon enough!" Boruto bellowed, his hand signs obeying his intentions, "Ninja art: Wind Vortex!" Familiar with his wind natured chakra, he felt his energy flow outwards, infusing it with a circulation of air. A spiral of a wind current the size of a skyscraper whipped through the terrace. It expanded, using Boruto and Sarada as the eye of the storm. The smoke screen scattered and dissipated into nothing, leaving behind the attackers. They had somehow managed to sneak into the ceremony, and were stationed behind the congregation of people. Perched on top the hokage heads, they observed menacingly. They wore gray and black wolf skins that draped around themselves, and all had long dark hair that was tied back. All their headbands displayed the hidden leaf's symbol, with a gouging slice through it. There was a clear leader of this group of thirty rogue ninja, and Boruto had seen him before…it was Okino Morimasa. Boruto clenched his fists, Naruto made his way towards them. His son watched closely, should he require backup. Konohamaru placed a hand on his shoulder,

"We need to get you out of here."

"I refuse." Boruto growled, not taking his eyes off his father.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, the 7th Hokage. I can only assume you are the Morimasa clan. Please state your business and intentions."

"No warm welcome? No spread of food for our arrival? I'm disappointed in you, hokage." Okino spoke, "Surely you know of us and our intentions, after all we are simply returning home after long years in exile."

"A deserved exile at that," Naruto said sternly, "the jutsu of your clan is forbidden. I shall give you one chance only to leave Konoha, and never return."

"We've only just come home, I don't think we shall leave right away, at least not without a parting gift for us." Okino's lip curled in a disturbing way. Hinata came behind Boruto urgently,

"Himawari! She's gone!" She panicked.

"Gone?! What do you mean gone?!" Boruto exclaimed, eyes wide. He searched the genin, and indeed his sister wasn't there.

"Hotfoot! Look!" Sarada shouted. Behind Okino, a much larger ninja was holding what looked at first to be a waterfall with black hair. But it was a lifeless Himawari in her blue kimono! Her eyes were eerily glossy as she looked up to the sky in a daze. Protocol was far from his mind, his body had no override. He flung himself to be next to his father, Naruto's expression begged for him to leave.

"What have you done to Himawari?!" Naruto beseeched, all the tendons and veins in his neck bulging from anger.

"The kekkei genkei of my clan, or as you put it as the 'forbidden' jutsu in action. I've simply denatured her eyes, so she cannot see. Not only that, but her byakugan makes it worse for her. Her byakugan is attempting to overcompensate for her loss of sight, using her chakra exponentially, which of course causes exhausting fatigue. It would be as painful as taking a fish out of water, and watching it suffer as it gasps to breathe." Okino bit his thumb as he slammed his palm into the ground, "Summoning jutsu!" Popping out of the ground were a dozen grotesque, flayed wolves; their skins clearly worn by the man who summoned them.

"It's very simple, hokage. Give us the one called Boruto Uzumaki, or your youngest should suffice for our purposes. How hard would it be for a parent to choose between their children?" Okino made a tisk tisk noise in his mouth, "I guess we'll soon find out."

"He won't have to choose!" Boruto shouted. Taking out his palm, he twisted, tossed, and turned his chakra as a blue sphere manifested itself. He began to run towards Okino with the cyan spiral of energy. His enemy braced himself, only for Boruto to seemingly disappear altogether. A shadow clone, the perfect distraction. The real Boruto had appeared next to the burly, tall rogue ninja that held Himawari. He drew his sword in an inhuman speed and slashed at his arms. The appendages fell gruesomely to the ground, dropping his sister. Boruto caught Himawari, who was weakening by the second. To his horror, the arms that he had just detached from their host were beginning to grow back. Clearly denaturing wasn't just the destruction of the body, it was also a means of changing it, restoring it even. Okino set the flayed wolves on the Uzumaki siblings as they only got closer and closer, baring their frothy teeth and growling. Their father's orange chakra wouldn't allow it, he inundated them with the overwhelming power he possessed, courtesy of Kurama. All at once, the wolves cried in pain; they disappeared as quickly as they had come.

With his sister in his arms, Boruto transported them back over to Hinata and Sarada. His grandfather had once been the yellow flash, he had taken the time to learn this important skill and so did Boruto. He gave his sister to his mother, as she sat on her knees with Himawari's head in her lap. Her eyes had become pools of milky weighted light; she couldn't see and her temples twitched irritatingly. The byakugan was frenzied and causing her pain, much like a never ending short circuit. Anyone who caused his sister pain was going to die. He'd seen this little girl as a baby, and had sworn on his life to protect her no matter what. His mask hid his face, but if looks could kill…

In a wild spurt of movement, he was back by his father's side in an instant. Okino looked at the Anbu black ops shinobi with interest,

"That mask." He sneered, "You're the one, aren't you? The one who was arrogant and stupid enough to believe I was dead."

"Get out of here," Naruto whispered frantically.

"I'm sorry, but I have an even better idea." Boruto whispered back. He took another stride towards Okino,

"If you want to find out, you'll have to catch me first." He sheathed his sword, as he popped his knuckles and cracked his neck, "Do you know how I earned my codename? I'm called Hotfoot for a reason. Let me give you a demonstration. You're my guest after all, Okino Morimasa." He snarled. Boruto gave a leap like a shooting star over the surprised rogue ninja tauntingly. Flipping, his palms made contact with the fourth hokage's head as he continued the motion and sprang off the Hokage rock all together. The wind was whipping in his face as he plummeted downwards off the enormous mountain monument. He infused his feet with chakra as he began to run along the cliff at a terrifying speed. His plan was working, he knew that they were after him. They'd leave the village if he did, so he'd lure them far away. Right on his heels, the Morimasas followed as they dove off the cliff after him. Boruto could just make out the distressed screaming from his mother…it broke his heart.

"He's mine!" Okino had barked behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he could see that the leader of the Morimasas was rapidly preparing another jutsu with his hand signs. Still sprinting down the overhang of the hokage rock, Boruto too began to formulate his jutsu. It was one of many that Sasuke Uchiha had taught him under his tutelage as a genin. His hand signs following in quick succession…ox, rabbit, monkey. The familiar static crept into his hair, goosebumps claimed his skin, barely audible screechy noises were emanating from his hand, and with it a brilliant zigzagging light appeared. Throwing his body to face Okino, he leapt from the wall using the balls of his feet, and commanded the lightening sprouting from his entire arm,

"Chidori!" He screamed as the impressive, chakra-infused lightning strike vaulted towards the outlaw ninja. It must've been a trick with his sight, but it almost seemed like the attack had somehow gone through Okino. His clothes were singed, but he was unhurt. Boruto could only decipher that Okino had once again denatured his body to withstand a lightening styled attack.

"Ninja art," Okino began with a vile smile, "Nodoka Road Transportation!" Swiftly and without warning, Boruto had the sensation of being sucked into a vacuum. As though he had fallen into a trap, he was watching Konoha through a small keyhole in the sky as he was seemingly descending into another world. Okino was the only other who had somehow fallen through the keyhole. The ground was coming faster than Boruto could possibly think of a way to break his plummeting descent. Tucking his knees and bracing himself, Boruto had managed to roll as he hit the bottom. A rickety, rope bridge slammed into him as he somersaulted ten or eleven times, careful to stay on its narrow width. His earpiece was long gone and destroyed in the tumbling catastrophe. His body practically embodied a rock being skipped across water as he collided over and over again with the wooden boards of the bridge. The knife wounds that scarred his torso were flaring; the soreness was startling as it tightened his core unpleasantly. Momentum of the fall ceased, and the boy gazed horrified at the raging river underneath that fed into a large body of water in the foothills. It would be a fatal fall. He realized that due to Okino's transportation jutsu, he was clearly no longer in Konoha and instead were in the Land of Lakes. This must have been the infamous Nodoka Road, the place that team Konohamaru had been charged with investigating. But Boruto had never seen Nodoka Road before, since Okino had kept him busy the last time.

Footsteps were creaking upon the wooden boards, the bridge swayed at the enemy's hard swagger. Boruto turned to look at him, trying to focus his chakra to numb the pain that capsized him from the inside out.

"It is either dishonorable for you to have abandoned your clan, or brave of you to face me by yourself. Which one is it, Okino?" He stifled through the agony. "Or maybe you are just selfish."

"Is it selfish to only want my birthright? That's all I've ever wanted. Do you know what it's like to be a complete disappointment in the very eyes of your own father? My father, the jinchuriki of the 11 tailed beast, believes you…a seventeen year old kid has better potential as the tamer of the demon wolf than me." Okino spoke with a suffocating hatred that bore through Boruto like kunai. He gruffly took Boruto's shoulders as he flipped him to his back. The Anbu shinobi equipped his sword ready to strike Okino's shins, but the wolf skin clad rogue proved faster. In a devastating stomp of his foot, Okino managed to snap the sword in half as it slipped through the gaps of the boards and fell to the river below. Following in close succession, Okino struck Boruto's foxlike Anbu mask with his palm. The porcelain cracked like ravaged eggshell as it disintegrated into miniscule pieces. Okino was face to face with Boruto.

At first Boruto was surprised, Okino couldn't have been more than two or three years older than him. He had violet eyes that told a story of pain and adversity. Okino looked pleased with himself, for the boy must have been Boruto; he was the spitting image of Naruto. He wouldn't even have to look for the scars on the boy's torso to make sure.

"I see, so you brought us here to separate us from your clan. They wanted me alive, to become the next jinchuriki because it is the instruction of your father. But you…you clearly want me dead."

"You're not as dumb as you look, Boruto Uzumaki. I'll come up with some story about how I wanted to bring you back, but in your struggle to escape, you took a nasty fall from Nodoka Road. With you out of my way, my father will recognize me as the right option in the first place to carry on the responsibility of being the jinchuriki." He took Boruto's collar menacingly.

"I have no intentions of dying, and more importantly I have no interest in your daddy issues." Boruto growled as he grasped Okino's wrists.

"Well…unlucky for you, your daddy can't save you now like last time." In a quick motion, Okino had Boruto up on his feet as he tossed the boy over the edge. Boruto wouldn't allow Okino to end things the way he wanted to so easily. As he was thrown, the boy had flung a substantial rasengan the size of the hokage tower at Okino. It devoured his remaining chakra.

Surprise wasn't the right word for Okino; the rasengan had caused immense damage to him and had desolated the bridge. He hung on for dear life to the ropes and boards, as they slammed him into the side of the cliff, only being held by support beams on either side of the valley.

As Boruto fell, he watched Okino, but his mind wandered far away from this murderer, his murderous clan, the 11 tailed beast. He thought of his sister who may not see again, his panicked mother who he hadn't said goodbye to, his father's anguish that he simply hadn't listened. Sarada came to his mind, as well as Shikadai, Inojin, ChoCho, Mitsuki, Metal Lee. He thought of Konohamaru-sensei, Iruka, and Sasuke. Hiashi Hyuga, who he'd promised to have tea with and show his tattoo.

Falling was the last thing he felt, and then the darkening oblivion of unconsciousness, his old friend had found him again. Although he didn't so much slap onto the surface of the water, nor was he drowned by the ferocious current. Someone had released a jutsu in the valley below. The water reached upwards toward the flying body with a gentle caress and caught Boruto securely. Brought safely to the shore, the man who had rescued him from imminent, inescapable death sighed in relief to see that the boy was breathing. Placing the boy on his back, the man with silvery hair spoke softly,

"I guess I found you before you got the chance to find me, Boruto."