Konoha – Council Room
"I have information about the Ōtsutsuki," Sasuke said flatly. "Someone more powerful than the Ōtsutsuki is coming."
He paused, then added, "Since Naruto is no longer Hokage, I will serve as temporary Hokage."
Shikamaru nodded slowly, though he wasn't fully convinced. Something about Sasuke felt off, but he couldn't figure out what.
Amado sat quietly, folding his hands, deep in thought.
Shikamaru finally spoke. "We have no objections. Let's hold the Hokage ceremony tomorrow."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "There's no need for that," he said. "I will act as temporary Hokage."
Without another word, Sasuke turned and left the office.
---
Mount Myōboku – Toad Sage's Dwelling
Boruto and Koji Kashin arrived at the old toad's home. The large toad lay still with his eyes closed.
Boruto stepped forward. "Sage Toad, why did you summon us?"
The toad's eyes snapped open. His expression was tense.
"I had a vision," he said. "A bad one."
He paused, voice steady but grave. "I saw someone sitting on a pile of bones and blood. Strange creatures were around him monsters born of darkness. There was no light. Just silence and fear."
He looked at Boruto. "This is a warning. Someone stronger than any Ōtsutsuki is coming. If he awakens fully, all worlds are in danger."
Boruto frowned. "Who is he?"
The old toad shook his head. "I don't know. But he's real."
Koji Kashin stood silent.
---
In Konoha, Draven walked down a quiet street, his hands calmly folded behind his back. He hummed a soft melody, a tune with no real meaning just noise to pass the time. His face was calm, almost bored.
Eventually, he reached the riverside. There weren't many people there just a few birds, wind, and water. He sat down by the edge, still humming. The sky was dull, the river slow.
Suddenly, he heard a light thud and a voice.
"Haah… it feels good!" Hima said, stretching her arms wide as she stepped closer to the river.
She turned her head and froze when she saw Draven.
"…Big brother?" she blinked.
Draven didn't look at her at first. He kept his gaze on the water.
"I don't remember seeing you here before, big brother," Hima said, tilting her head slightly. "Are you new?"
Draven glanced at her, his expression calm. "Ah, yes. Yes, I'm new here. Just came recently."
He looked back at the river. "It feels nice, doesn't it?"
"Yes," Hima smiled. "It does."
There was a short pause.
"So… who are you?" Draven asked, still looking at the water.
"I'm Himawari," she said proudly. "Himawari Uzumaki."
Draven turned his head a little, giving her a subtle nod. "I see. Nice to meet you, Himawari."
"Oh, Himawari… are you the daughter of Lord Seventh?" Draven asked casually.
Himawari looked flustered. "Ah, yes… I am. But…"
She paused, her smile fading into sadness.
"My parents… both disappeared. I don't know where they are or what they're doing. No one tells me anything."
"I see," Draven said quietly.
Himawari's voice lowered. "I hope they're okay…"
Draven looked at her calmly. "Himawari, do you know about your father's past?"
"I… not really. Dad never told me much."
"I see. Do you want to know about him?"
"Ye–yes!" she said quickly, eyes wide with excitement.
Draven nodded, turning his gaze to the river. His voice grew a bit heavier.
"Naruto Uzumaki was born during a catastrophic night when the Nine-Tails Fox, Kurama, attacked Konoha. To save the village, his parents — Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, and Kushina Uzumaki — gave their lives to seal the beast inside their newborn son. Naruto grew up an orphan, never knowing his parents or why the village rejected him. He was treated like a monster because of the beast inside him."
Himawari listened in silence, her expression stiffening.
"Lonely, confused… Naruto acted out. He played pranks, failed in the academy, and was laughed at. But inside, he just wanted to be acknowledged… to be seen."
Draven paused. Himawari was sniffling, her eyes red.
"Dad… did he really have to be treated that way… just because he was a jinchūriki?" she asked.
Draven nodded slowly. "It's a sad truth. But he never gave up. He made bonds. He found strength in people who believed in him. And one day, he became the Hokage — the most respected man in the village."
Himawari wiped her eyes. "Dad… really was brave."
Then she blinked. "By the way, Big Brother… do you know my brother?"
"You mean Kawaki or Boruto?" Draven asked with a faint smile.
"Yeah. Everyone says Kawaki's my brother now. But Boruto… he just vanished. I don't know what's going on anymore…"
Draven looked down at her. "Don't worry. Boruto is safe."
"Really!? You met him!?"
"No, I haven't," Draven said. "But I'm sure he's not dead."
"I… I see," Himawari said, her tone lifting just a little.
And just like that, he disappeared into the wind.
---
Boruto and Koji Kashin stepped into the fading daylight.
Koji glanced at him. "What are you going to do now?"
Boruto looked up at the sky, his expression unreadable. "I guess I'll go see Hima. Haven't seen her in a while."
In a flash of light, he vanished—Flying Thunder God.
Koji sighed. "Still reckless," he muttered, then disappeared after him.
Outskirts of sand village -
The battlefield had gone quiet. The tide had shifted.
Sarada stood with her arms crossed, scanning the distant treeline. Kawaki checked the area perimeter with a calm, sharp gaze. Mitsuki and Mitsuri returned from the outer patrol, both alert and composed.
"They've stopped," Sarada muttered.
"Yeah," Mitsuki nodded. "The monsters… they're no longer attacking. Most are retreating or just… hiding."
"They were mindless earlier," she continued. "Now they look… afraid?"
"They're regaining sanity," Mitsuki agreed. "But there's something you need to know."
Sarada looked at him.
"I studied the remains. Each monster had a unique ability—some used wind, some acid, some phased through walls—but all of them share one weakness."
"Fire," he said firmly.
Sarada raised an eyebrow.
"They react to it like it's poison. Even minimal contact slows them down drastically. It doesn't kill them, but it suppresses their regenerative abilities for a while."
"Speaking of regeneration…" Mitsuki added, "they all can regenerate from nearly anything. Lost limbs, crushed bodies—it doesn't matter. Unless—"
"You destroy their core," Sarada finished, catching on.
"Exactly. The core is embedded somewhere deep inside each monster's body. And it moves."
Sarada nodded. "We've got what we came for. Intel and support."
"Let's relay it to Konohamaru-sensei," Mitsuri suggested. "Mission complete."
The four exchanged silent glances, all calm and unwavering.
Then, without delay, they prepared for extraction.
KONOHA – NIGHT
Boruto reentered the village.
The surveillance systems didn't detect him. Neither did the barrier team. With Kawaki, Sarada, and Mitsuki still out, there were no high-level shinobi nearby to notice his chakra.
He walked silently through the shadows of the village.
He wasn't here to fight.
He headed toward Ada's residence.
She would answer the question.