Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 186
Author's Note:
Hey guys!
Sorry for the delay—I really had a hard time writing Sasuke's part. In Boruto, he's so emotionless compared to how he was in Shippuden or even OG Naruto. He doesn't show much feeling, so it was tough figuring out how he'd react in this scene.
Anyway, this chapter's around 5,000 words—and it also marks the end of this arc! The next arc will begin with a time skip, so I hope you're excited for what's coming next. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Boruto shrugged, setting down his chopsticks. "Sasuke got his chakra drained right at the beginning. And Urashiki broke my hand and kicked me aside like I was nothing. It was all Kaito. He mastered Sage Mode—and used it along with some of Kurama's chakra that he took from your younger self… when you went berserk."
Naruto's eyes widened further. "He mastered Sage Mode?! But… didn't you say he was around your age? And wait—what do you mean, I went berserk?"
Boruto nodded. "Yeah, he's thirteen. But Grandma said he's the youngest person to ever master Sage Mode. She also said… he's the strongest person in the village. As for you… Urashiki impaled Kaito through the chest. Everyone thought he'd died. You kinda lost it after that. Kurama's chakra burst out of you, and that's when Kaito used it to take Urashiki down."
Naruto was quiet for a second, visibly trying to process all of it.
Boruto then said, "Oh—speaking of Sage Mode, Kaito asked me to talk to you about the toad contract. He said I should learn it."
Naruto blinked. "Don't you already have the snake contract?"
Boruto nodded. "I do. But Kaito told me that if I really want to master Sage Mode, I should either go to the toads or the slugs. He learned it from the slugs. That's apparently how he heals so fast—slug sages have insane regeneration."
Naruto crossed his arms thoughtfully. "So Grandma Tsunade actually let him sign the slug contract, huh…" He then smiled. "Well, if you're serious about it, I can introduce you to Gamakichi later."
…
The morning sun cast its golden light over the Hidden Leaf Village. Sasuke walked quietly down the hallway of an apartment complex, his steps calm and unhurried. Reaching the familiar door of his home, he slid it open and stepped inside.
In the kitchen, Sakura stood tying an apron around her waist. She glanced over as the door clicked shut behind him. "Oh hey, Sasuke—welcome home," she greeted with a soft smile, tugging the apron strings into a knot.
"Did you just wake up?" Sasuke asked, stepping further in.
Sakura shook her head lightly. "Oh no, I just got back a little while ago. The village alert has been cancelled, right?"
Sasuke gave a short nod. "Yeah."
Sakura nodded back. "Good. Are you hungry? Give me a second—I was just about to start breakfast. Why don't you sit down?" she said as she passed him on her way into the kitchen.
But Sasuke shook his head. "That won't be necessary." He placed a wrapped package down on the dining table.
Sakura paused mid-step and looked back at him. "Oh? Did you already eat something on the way back?" Her eyes flicked to the box. "Wait... is that breakfast? Where'd you get that?" she asked, walking over to the table with curiosity.
Sasuke reached into his pouch and pulled out a scroll. "No. Itachi gave it to me."
Sakura nodded slowly. "Oh, I see…" Then her eyes widened in surprise. She turned to Sasuke, confused. "Wait… Itachi?"
Just then, Sarada wandered in, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Mama, do we have anything to eat? I'm—" She paused, blinking when she spotted Sasuke. "Papa? You're home? Did you just get back?"
Sasuke gave her a small nod. "Good morning, Sarada. Yeah, I just arrived. Come, sit down."
He walked over to the table and unrolled the scroll he had brought with him.
Sarada walked closer, tilting her head. "A sealing scroll?" she asked, curious.
With a small puff of chakra, Sasuke released the seal. One by one, hot dishes began appearing on the table. Three neatly packed bento boxes unsealed themselves first, followed by plate after plate of food—each one steaming and fresh, as if it had just been made moments ago.
Each bento was carefully arranged: two okaka onigiri, perfectly cut tamagoyaki slices, mini karaage or grilled fish, a portion of broccoli with sesame, a single cherry tomato, and cute apple rabbit slices.
On the side, there was a full plate of assorted onigiri—okaka, umeboshi, grilled salmon—each neatly labeled. Then came traditional dishes: miso soup, nikujaga, grilled fish, chawanmushi, tonkatsu, oden, karaage... and finally, dorayaki stacked on a small dessert plate.
Sarada's eyes lit up. "Wow! This looks amazing! Papa, where did you get all this?"
Sasuke replied simply, "Someone gave it to me."
Sakura's gaze was fixed on the bento. She picked up a folded note that had been placed on top of one of the boxes. "There's… a note," she murmured.
As she lifted it, Sarada leaned in closer and pointed. "Huh? It has the Uchiha crest on it," she said, noticing the familiar red and white fan symbol painted onto the top of each box.
Sakura didn't answer right away. Her eyes moved slowly over the letter as she began to read it silently,
Hey there, Sasuke-kun,
I placed this note here just in case I forgot to explain. I hope you enjoy the food in the bento box. Just so you know… the meal inside the bento was made by Mikoto-san.
It was super embarrassing, ya know? I couldn't tell her the real reason I needed the food, so I told her I lost all my money gambling with Tsunade and needed someone to spot me for lunch! She totally bought it—but I wanted to sink into the floor, ya know!
Anyway, I made the rest of the food. I followed Mikoto's recipes step-by-step, so I hope it tastes close to what you remember. I also included a copy of her recipes, in case you ever want to try making them yourself someday. It might be a nice way to bring a little of her warmth into your home.
Oh—and Boruto told me you have a daughter now! That made me really happy to hear. I sealed a few little gifts for her at the bottom of this note—i feel that if she knew she would want to gift her something, so im giving this in her stead hope she likes its ya know. The recipes are included in that seal too!
Take care of yourself and your family, ya know.
—Kushina
At the bottom of the note was a tiny, animated chibi Kushina—hands on her hips, a bright grin on her face, pointing to the seal and a little speech bubble above her head.
"Tap here with chakra, ya know!" it read.
Sakura stared at the note for a second, then looked up at Sasuke with a serious expression. "Who is this... Kushina?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. Sasuke was busy inspecting one of the dishes, not yet noticing the tension in her voice.
Hearing her question, Sasuke glanced up and saw the note in her hand. He let out a quiet sigh and said as he pulled out a chair, "She's Naruto's mother."
Sarada, already seated and opening one of the bento boxes, blinked in surprise. "Wait—Lord Seventh's mom?"
Sakura frowned in confusion. "What do you mean? Naruto's mother died years ago." She pointed at the wrapped bundle. "And earlier, you said Itachi gave this to you… Now you're saying it came from Kushina? Sasuke, I'm really confused right now."
She sat down across from him and handed him the note.
Sasuke took it silently and read through it.
Sarada tilted her head, just as puzzled. "Uncle Itachi gave it to you…? But she's from the past? What's going on?"
Sasuke sighed and finally spoke up. "Yesterday, Urashiki—the Otsutsuki—used a device to travel back in time. He wanted to steal the Nine-Tails from Naruto when he was younger. Boruto and i chased after him, but the device pulled us into the past too. We ended up in an alternate timeline… where Naruto's mom, Kushina, survived the Nine-Tails attack."
He paused before adding, "Boruto was staying with her while we were there."
Sarada's eyes widened. "You went back in time?! That's… even possible?"
Sakura stared at Sasuke, mouth slightly open in disbelief. "Time travel? Urashiki? Alternate timelines?" Her hands landed flat on the table as she tried to process it all. "And you met Kushina-san? You actually spoke to Itachi again?"
Sasuke nodded, placing the note gently on the table. "Yeah… it was from when we were eight," he said quietly. "In that timeline, Naruto's mother survived the Nine-Tails attack. The bento… it was made by my mother. Lady Kushina got her to cook for us. At least the ones in the boxes. The rest of the dishes… those were made by Lady Kushina herself."
He tapped the small seal on the bottom of the note.
Poof!
A soft cloud of smoke burst up from the table, and when it cleared, a small wooden box and a thin, notebook sat neatly on top of the paper.
"What's that…?" Sarada asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
Sasuke looked at the items for a moment before answering. "A gift," he said. "From Kushina."
Sasuke picked up the notebook and set it on the table, then picked up the box and turned to Sarada. "Here," he said, holding it out to her. "It's a gift for you."
Sarada blinked in surprise and took the box, confused. "Huh? What is this?"
"Just open it," Sasuke said simply.
Sarada carefully opened the box. Inside was a hand-knitted red scarf, warm and soft to the touch, and a delicate pair of earrings shaped like the Uchiha clan crest.
Her eyes widened. "Wow... It's beautiful," she whispered, holding up the earrings to the light. She looked at Sakura. "Mama, I wonder if they'll look good on me..."
Sakura smiled warmly. "Yeah, they're lovely. That was really thoughtful of Kushina-san. And the scarf—it looks hand-knitted. She must've put a lot of time into this."
Sasuke glanced over at the wrapped bundle sitting on the side and gave a small nod toward it. "As for that..." he said, voice low. "Itachi figured out I was from the future. He gave it to me when Boruto and I were about to leave. You should open it."
Sarada looked up, curious.
Sakura leaned forward, untying the cloth bundle gently. Inside were three boxes stacked neatly—one small, resting on top of the larger ones. A folded note was placed on top.
She picked up the note and read it aloud: "'Heard you were married… and had a daughter. These are for them—and you. The dango is for you to share. It was made by Mom. –Itachi'"
Sakura blinked, then looked over at Sasuke, puzzled. "Huh? Where'd he hear that from?"
Sasuke gave a short shake of his head. "Naruto's brother might've told him."
Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly. "Naruto has a brother? Since when?"
Sasuke let out a quiet breath. "As I said… It's an alternate timeline. In that one, Naruto has an older brother. He's the same age as Itachi. They're friends."
Sakura nodded, a small smile on her face. "Like you and Naruto, huh?" she said, handing the box labeled Sarada to her daughter.
She then opened the box meant for her. Inside was an ornate hairpin—elegantly crafted with both the Uchiha clan crest and the symbol of the Leaf Village.
Sakura gently picked it up to examine it.
"Wow..." Sarada breathed, eyes widening as she looked at the hairpin. "It's beautiful. Must've cost a lot."
Sakura nodded, brushing her fingers over the golden edge. "Yeah… It's made of gold. Must've cost a fortune," she murmured, clearly touched.
Sasuke gave a slight nod and turned to Sarada. "Go on. Open yours, Sarada."
Sarada nodded and lifted the lid off her own box. Inside were two scrolls and a smaller box tucked in between them. "I got two scrolls… and another box?" she said curiously, taking all three items out and placing them on the table.
She set the scrolls aside and opened the smaller box first. Inside was a golden pendant shaped like the Uchiha clan crest. "Wow… this is amazing," she whispered, holding it up and showing it to her parents.
Sakura's eyes softened. "That's beautiful," she said. "He really put thought into this."
Then she asked, "What's in the scrolls?"
Sarada carefully placed the pendant back in its box, then picked up one of the scrolls and unrolled it. Her brows furrowed as she looked it over."Huh...?"
Sakura leaned in. "What is it?"
"It's… a bunch of seals. I don't understand them," Sarada said, holding it out for her parents to see.
She then opened the second scroll while they looked at the first.
Sasuke's eyes immediately recognized the markings. "That's a summoning contract."
Sarada looked up quickly. "A summoning contract? For an animal summon?"
Sakura blinked. "What about the other one?"
Sarada glanced down at the second scroll again. "It's a jutsu… Looks kinda like the Substitution Jutsu, but I don't get it." She turned it so they could see.
Sasuke nodded, voice calm. "Yeah… that's one of Nii-san's jutsu. The Crow Clone Technique. You'll need to sign the summoning contract to use it."
Sarada tilted her head. "Huh? But it looks just like a regular Substitution..."
"It's both," Sasuke said. "You'll see once you practice it."
Sarada looked even more puzzled but also intrigued. 'Crow Clone Technique… sounds cool…'
Sasuke glanced at her again. "Do you have to meet your team today?"
Sarada shook her head. "Nope. We're off today."
Sasuke gave a slight nod. "Then I'll help you train with the jutsu later. We'll go over both the scroll and the technique."
Sarada's eyes lit up, her face instantly brightening. "Wait—really?! Papa, you're gonna train me? That's great!" she grinned. "Just wait! I'll go get ready—"
But before she could run off, Sakura chuckled and held up a hand. "Hold on, Sarada. You're forgetting something."
Sarada paused mid-step, blinking. "Huh?"
Sakura smiled and motioned to the food. "The meal. You and your papa can train later. For now, finish your lunch first. It was made by your grandmother, and Kushina-san went through a lot of trouble to get it here for us. We shouldn't let it go to waste, ya know."
Sarada stopped and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Right... I totally forgot about that. Sorry, Mama," she said with a grin.
Sasuke gave a rare smile as he reached for one of the bento boxes and opened the lid. "It's alright. Let's eat first."
Sarada sat back down and took a bite from her bento. Her eyes widened immediately.
"Wow… this is really good!" she said, clearly impressed. "So this is Grandma's cooking… This feels kinda special, ya know.'
Sakura smiled warmly as she joined them.
Sasuke nodded, "It is," taking a bite of his mother's cooking after so many years.
…
The noon sun hung high above the Hidden Leaf Village. At a training ground near the outskirts of the village, Naruto and Boruto stood facing each other in the center of a wide clearing. At the edge, Hinata and Himawari sat on a large boulder, a picnic basket resting beside them.
Boruto smirked, cracking his knuckles."You know, I probably don't have to say this… but I'm not gonna hold back. Not even a little, Dad."
Naruto grinned, rolling his shoulders."Good. There's nothing I'd like more. Come at me with everything you've got."
On the sidelines, Himawari cupped her hands to her mouth."You can do it, big brother!"
Hinata smiled, brushing a bit of hair from her face."Do your best, Boruto-kun."
Boruto's smirk widened."Alright then... here I come!" he shouted, pushing off the ground and vanishing in a blur.
Naruto's eyes widened as he barely caught Boruto's punch aimed at his head. "Fast…" he muttered, blocking it with his forearm.
But he recovered quickly, eyes narrowing. Using Boruto's momentum, Naruto leaned to the side to throw him off balance, then launched a sharp kick toward Boruto's stomach.
Boruto saw it coming and twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the kick. "Tch," he smirked, planting a foot on Naruto's extended leg and springing off of it like a launching pad.
From the sidelines, Himawari's mouth dropped open. "Whoa! I didn't even see him move! Big brother's so fast!"
Hinata nodded, her eyes following the fight. "When did Boruto-kun become this quick...?"
Back in the air, Boruto flipped and pulled out a handful of shuriken. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled them at Naruto—lightning chakra sparking along their edges.
Naruto immediately pulled out a kunai, eyes locked on the incoming projectiles. But just as they neared him, Boruto made a quick hand sign.
In a split second, the shuriken multiplied, turning into a hundreds shuriken raining down from above.
Naruto's eyes widened. "Shuriken Kage Bunshin…!"
Abandoning the idea of deflecting them, Naruto leapt back as the clearing where he stood was peppered with steel.
The instant his feet touched the ground, he ducked instinctively—Boruto was already at his side, foot swinging toward Naruto's head.
Naruto ducked and threw a punch at Boruto's chest in the same motion. But Boruto crossed his arms to shield himself, absorbing the hit and getting pushed back.
Boruto flipped mid-air, landing on his feet with a slide across the dirt.
He skidded to a stop, breathing steadily, eyes locked on Naruto, with a grin.
…
From the sidelines, Himawari's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Wow! Big brother is so cool!" she cheered.
Hinata nodded with a warm smile. "Hai… Boruto-kun has improved a lot."
Just then, another voice chimed in from nearby. "Since when could Boruto fight like that?" Sarada asked, clearly surprised as she watched the spar.
Hinata turned her head and smiled when she saw the newcomers. "Oh, Sasuke-kun, Sarada-chan. Are you two here to train as well?"
Himawari perked up and waved happily. "Hello, Uncle Sasuke! Sarada-nee!"
Sasuke gave a simple nod in reply.
Sarada bowed politely. "Good morning, Lady Hinata. Good morning, Hima. Yes, Papa said he'd train me today."
Then, turning to Sasuke with a curious look, she asked, "Did you train Boruto to be that fast, Papa?"
Sasuke shook his head. "No… while we were in the past, Boruto trained with his uncle."
…
Naruto grinned, brushing some dust off his shoulder. "You're kidding when you say you've improved a lot, Boruto. I'd say you're already stronger than most chunin."
Boruto smirked and wiped his nose with his thumb. "Heh… you haven't even seen anything yet, old man."
His expression grew serious as he closed his eyes and formed the Ram hand sign. "Get ready, 'cause I'm going all out."
Naruto's eyes narrowed, and he adjusted his stance. "Alright… show me what you've got, ya know."
A second later, Boruto opened his eyes—and everything changed. His right eye's sclera turns dark, and his iris turns light blue, while his pupil turns a visibly lighter blue, and the eye appears to be shimmering. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he stood.
Naruto's eyes widened. "What—?!"
He barely raised his arm in time to block a punch that came out of nowhere. The force behind it made him slide back slightly. 'He's a lot faster… and way stronger too,' Naruto thought, narrowing his gaze.
He shoved Boruto's hand upward and snapped a kick toward his gut—but his foot passed right through him.
Naruto froze. "What the—!?"
Boruto's form flickered like static, and suddenly, another Boruto appeared behind Naruto with a kick aimed at his head.
Naruto reacted on instinct, ducking under the blow.
But Boruto twisted midair, flipping fluidly as he brought his other leg down for an axe kick straight toward Naruto's head.
Naruto crossed his arms above him just in time, blocking the hit with a grunt and then pushing Boruto off.
Boruto flipped back and landed on his feet, skidding across the dirt—and without missing a beat, rushed back in.
The space between them closed fast. A full-on taijutsu exchange began.
…
Sarada's eyes widened as she watched the blur that was Boruto dart around the battlefield. "So fast…" she muttered, stunned. "I can't even keep up."
She quickly activated her Sharingan, the tomoe spinning to life as her eyes focused. "Even with my Sharingan… I can barely follow his movements," she said, disbelief in her voice.
Beside her, Himawari had her Byakugan active, veins bulging slightly around her eyes. "Big brother's so fast…" she whispered in awe. "He's amazing!"
Hinata, watching quietly, had also activated her Byakugan. Her eyes narrowed as she focused intently on Boruto."Boruto-kun's eye…" she muttered to herself.
Himawari glanced at her mother, frowning a little. "But… what's wrong with big brother's right eye? Is it the Byakugan like mine, Mom?"
Sarada nodded, her expression serious."Yeah… since when did Boruto have a dōjutsu? I never knew..."
Hinata shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure. That's not the Byakugan… but it does look similar."
"It's called the Jōgan," Sasuke said calmly, speaking up from behind them.
Hinata turned her head toward him, surprised. "The Jōgan…? Did Boruto-kun awaken it during your mission?"
Sasuke shook his head. "No. Boruto said he's had it since he was in the Academy. But back then, he could only use it instinctively—when he was in danger. Like when Nue attacked the village. He didn't know how to activate it on purpose."
Sarada gave a slow nod, still watching Boruto intently. "I never knew he had something like that..."
Sasuke continued, "While we were in the past, Kaito figured out Boruto had the dōjutsu. He helped him learn how to control it properly."
"I see…" Hinata said softly, her gaze never leaving her son. 'Thank you, Kaito-kun…'
…
Naruto launched an upward kick at Boruto. Boruto blocked it with both arms, but the sheer power behind the strike sent him flying into the air.
While airborne, Boruto quickly formed the Ram hand sign. In that instant, his body began to flicker in and out—at the same time, a shuriken behind Naruto's flicker in and out as well before both Boruto and the shuriken suddenly switched places.
Boruto reappeared behind Naruto, crouched low with his arm pulled back. Chakra began swirling and condensing in his palm, forming into a growing sphere.
Naruto muttered, "What the—?" as a shuriken appeared in the sky where boruto was.
He spun around the moment he heard the distinct whirling sound of chakra spinning behind him.
Boruto stood there, his expression sharp, holding a Rasengan in his hand. It wasn't just any Rasengan—it was massive, about the size of a basketball, just like the ones Minato and Kaito used to form.
Seeing it, Naruto didn't hesitate. Chakra surged into his own palm as he formed a Rasengan to match.
Both of them shouted in unison—
"Rasengan!"
"Rasengan!"
The two swirling spheres collided with a thunderous impact, chakra clashing violently as the ground trembled beneath them.
Boruto gritted his teeth, forcing his Rasengan forward against Naruto's. His feet slid backward across the ground from the pressure, but he didn't back down. "I'm not done yet—ya know!" he shouted, chakra flaring around him.
Suddenly, streaks of lightning began arcing from Boruto's Rasengan, crackling through the air with raw power.
Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait—what the—?!"
The surge of lightning-infused chakra tipped the balance. Boruto's Rasengan overwhelmed Naruto's, erupting in a massive explosion that blasted apart a chunk of the clearing in Naruto's direction. Smoke and dust rose high into the air.
Boruto lowered his arm slowly, panting hard. His breathing was heavy, his body trembling slightly from the exertion.
On the edge of the clearing, Himawari's voice rang out, full of panic. "Papa!"
She clutched her chest tightly, taking a step forward, but Hinata gently held her back. "Wait, Himawari—"
As the dust settled, a deep trench was carved into the ground—evidence of the Rasengan's raw force.
Boruto stood still, scanning the area with narrowed eyes. "Did I get him…?" he muttered between breaths, barely able to keep his arms steady.
Then, he froze. A calm voice spoke behind him. "I have to say… that was close, Boruto."
Boruto spun around—but too late. A foot crashed into his side, knocking him back and slamming him into the ground.
"Ugh!" he groaned, rolling over and sitting up.
He looked up to see Naruto standing a few feet away, arms crossed and a wide smile on his face. "Well… I've gotta say, I'm impressed, Boruto."
Boruto smirked despite the dirt on his face. "Heh… you better be. I trained my butt off—ya know."
…
Seeing that Naruto was okay, Himawari lit up with joy and ran into the training ground, smiling wide. "Papa!" she called out happily.
Hinata followed close behind her, leaving Sarada and Sasuke standing at the edge of the clearing.
Sarada stood still, eyes fixed on Boruto. Her voice came out in a quiet, stunned whisper. "Boruto's gotten this strong… he even pushed Lord Seventh..." She bit her bottom lip, her fists slowly clenching at her sides.
Sasuke watched her closely, silent, but attentive.
Then Sarada turned toward him, eyes burning with determination. "Papa… let's go train. I want you to train me really hard. I'm not gonna be left behind."
Sasuke smirked slightly and turned around, already walking away from the clearing. "Alright. Let's go."
Sarada took one last look back at Boruto—still catching his breath near the center of the field—then jogged after Sasuke, her resolve stronger than ever.
…
Back in the field, Himawari ran straight into Naruto's arms, tackle-hugging him."Papa! I'm so glad you're okay!" she shouted, squeezing him tightly.
Naruto laughed, spinning her around in the air. "Hey, come on, Hima! Have a little faith in your old man, will ya? Attacks like that won't do anything to your papa—ya know!" he grinned, setting her down gently.
Meanwhile, Hinata walked over to Boruto and offered him a hand. "You did great, Boruto-kun," she said with a warm smile. "I'm proud of you."
Boruto took her hand, pulling himself up and rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Heheh… thanks, Mom."
Himawari ran over and nodded eagerly. "Yeah, big bro! You were so cool out there! You've gotta teach me how to do that someday!"
Boruto smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. "Sure thing, Hima."
Naruto stepped closer then, his expression turning serious. "Boruto… your eye. What was that?"
Boruto looked up at him, then grinned. "I told you guys before—I thought I had the Byakugan, but no one believed me, ya know?" he said, folding his arms. "But it's not the Byakugan. It's called the Jōgan… at least, that's what Kaito and Urashiki called it."
He glanced at Himawari and Hinata, then back at Naruto. "I couldn't use it before 'cause I didn't know how—ya know? It only activated when I was in real danger. But when Kaito found out I had the eye, he helped me learn how to control it… and how to use it in battle."
Naruto nodded slowly, taking it all in. "I see… so what does it actually do? I mean, the Sharingan grants abilities to its user—does this eye have something like that too?"
Boruto shook his head. "Well, I don't know everything yet. So far, I've noticed I can track people's movements a lot better. Oh—Sasuke said my Jōgan is as good as his Sharingan when it comes to tracking."
He paused, trying to find the right words. "How do I put it… perception, yeah. My perception gets way sharper. I can react and move quicker. Like before, when I used the Body Flicker technique, I couldn't even keep track of where I was going. But with the Jōgan activated, it's a lot easier."
He held out a hand as if showing something. "My chakra control's better too. When the Jōgan is on, it just… flows easier. Kaito said it's similar to the Byakugan."
Boruto rubbed his chin, thinking. "And, well… I think I can open a portal to another dimension. I don't really know if that was me or Nue, though."
Then his eyes lit up a bit. "Oh! I can also see people using space-time ninjutsu. Like when Urashiki was using those weird portals—I could track where he was going to show up next."
Boruto scratched the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish."Well… that's all I can think of," he said with a small grin.
Naruto nodded. "I see. I've noticed your chakra control's gotten a lot better too. You're using way fewer hand signs than before. Is that because of your eye as well?"
Boruto shook his head. "Eh, no—that's all thanks to Kaito. He said I needed to master my jutsu, not just learn them—ya know? Said there's a big difference between the two."
He smiled, remembering. "He could use all his jutsu without even using hand signs. He had me doing his training routine—it was tough, ya know? I barely made it to the end of the day."
Naruto chuckled lightly, then asked, "And that last jutsu you used—was that from your eye? It looked kinda like Dad's Hiraishin… or more like Sasuke's Rinnegan ability, ya know?"
Boruto shook his head again. "Nah, that's a fūinjutsu Kaito created. He calls it Instant Swap. It's like a mix between Shunshin and the Replacement Jutsu, but it uses seals."
He gestured with his hands as he explained. "You mark an object, kind of like how the Hiraishin works, then you can swap places with it. Kaito said he made it in case he couldn't learn the real Hiraishin. It works on the same idea but is way easier to learn… at least, that's what he told me—ya know?"
Hinata frowned a little and spoke up. "Boruto… why are you calling him Kaito? Isn't he supposed to be your uncle? You should show some respect. He trained you and taught you a lot."
Boruto scratched the back of his head again, looking a little embarrassed. "Eh… sorry, Mom. I just got used to it, ya know? I met him when he was thirteen. It felt weird calling him uncle when he was barely older than me—ya know?"
Naruto let out a small laugh. "Heh… I guess that makes sense."
If you wish to support this story, please join me at patreon.com/Tilct
please contribute some power stone'