Watching Code leave, Boruto began to doubt himself.
He had originally planned to take Code directly to the Land of Water, but the other party had clearly hesitated and politely declined.
Rather than letting Boruto see him off, he chose to board a Thunder Car cruise ship instead.
Damn it… How little faith do they have in my abilities?
Code had even said it seriously—
"Traveling is also a way to temper perseverance and physical endurance."
Feeling irritated, Boruto opened his heterochromatic eyes, floated into the air, and activated his Byakugan. Within a radius of nearly a hundred miles, he began searching for abnormal chakra fluctuations.
He had already flown across most of the Land of Birds, relying on his terrifying eyesight to scan the terrain for miles in every direction, all for the sake of locating the long-lost Angkor Fortress.
Perseverance eventually paid off.
After a long search, Boruto finally detected an unusual chakra "seed" near the edge of the Land of Birds.
It was a dense forest, the ground blanketed in thick green vegetation. His target was a low hill that protruded slightly above the surrounding land.
According to his memories, the Angkor Fortress had been destroyed long ago by Naruto. Even the Zero-Tails had been annihilated by Naruto and Sasuke together. Logically speaking, the fortress should have collapsed completely and lost its ability to float.
Yet through the Pure Eye's vision, Boruto clearly saw a faint chakra flame deep inside the fortress.
That alone made his heart stir.
Could the Zero-Tails still be alive…?
Boruto landed on the fortress's surface and activated the gravitational power of the Tenseigan, forcibly suspending the entire hillside in midair.
"Yin Release · Wheel Reversal!"
Without entering Tenseigan Chakra Mode, jet-black Truth-Seeking Balls formed around him. After being tempered by Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode, Boruto's Sage Body had fully mastered all seven chakra natures.
The Truth-Seeking Orbs were not a kekkei genkai, but the fusion of Yin–Yang Release with the Five Elements.
Light flashed in Boruto's Tenseigan as two Truth-Seeking Balls underwent a rapid nature transformation.
In the next instant, a deafening tornado roared out from his palm.
The hurricane swept across the land like an ocean tide, stripping away soil, trees, and debris from the fortress's surface, completely revealing its original form.
What remained, however, was nothing but ruins.
Since that was the case, there was no need to preserve them.
Another Truth-Seeking Ball floated before Boruto, suspended without physical contact. Golden radiance stretched outward from his palm as he completed a new transformation.
A blade of chakra more than forty meters long descended.
With a single strike, Boruto sliced through the ruined remains, cleanly severing everything that had already crumbled beyond repair, then tilted the fortress and let the debris fall away.
After finishing, he stared at the now-bare surface of the fortress, falling into deep thought.
…Can this thing still fly?
Following the Pure Eye's gaze, Boruto descended toward the abnormal chakra seed. Using Earth Release, he shattered the hardened soil beneath the surface.
What surprised him was that the interior wasn't solid at all.
Not only was it hollow, but it was filled with outdated instruments and machinery. At the very center, a faint light flickered, illuminating the darkness like a dying ember.
Is this Shennō's laboratory? The place where the Zero-Tails was cultivated… and also the fortress's control core?
Boruto approached slowly.
As if sensing his presence, the flame suddenly surged violently, leaping off the experimental table and attaching itself to Boruto's arm.
It's absorbing my chakra… It's alive!
Boruto's gaze sharpened instantly.
The flame seemed to sense danger as well. Its light dimmed, trembling faintly, as if frightened.
Seeing its desperate hunger for chakra, Boruto fed it an enormous amount—while releasing a cold, unmistakable intent.
"Those who obey me prosper. Those who oppose me perish."
The flame shuddered violently, flickering in a strangely human way, as if nodding in acknowledgment.
Boruto accepted its submission and released an even greater surge of chakra.
In an instant, the flame expanded explosively, its form growing rapidly until it reached an astonishing size.
Then the black flame began to transform.
Gradually, it condensed into a familiar shape—a smooth, dark silhouette resembling a… snake?
It looked oddly silly and somewhat cute, completely different from the greedy and ferocious Zero-Tails he remembered.
Boruto restored the Zero-Tails to its peak state in one go, then calmly turned his attention back to the surrounding equipment.
All of it was far too old—beyond simple repair.
Restoring this facility would require immense effort and an enormous amount of money to replace the machinery.
Then the compromise is…
Kidnap Konoha's Ninja Tool Science instructor—Katasuke Tōno.
With his obsession with research, Boruto did not doubt that Katasuke could restore the fortress's power and control systems.
After a quick inspection, Boruto confirmed there was nothing else worth salvaging underground. He brought the Zero-Tails back to the surface.
After a moment of thought, Boruto formed hand seals.
"Sage Art: Wood Release: Pavilion and Tower Technique!"
From beneath his feet, thick wooden flooring rapidly spread outward. Boundless vitality surged from the earth as he followed with—
"Sage Art: Inorganic Rebirth!"
Towering trees erupted from the ground. Wooden buildings rose one after another like stacked blocks. Fences formed naturally, gravel paths laid themselves out, and a clear stream cut through the courtyard.
Flowers bloomed under the combined nourishment of nature and Wood Release, bringing color to the sea of timber.
In the blink of an eye, the fortress grounds transformed into an exquisite settlement.
Some structures that required extreme precision were completed instantly, as if molded from clay at Boruto's will.
At the very center stood a magnificent castle-style structure. Despite being entirely wooden, its grandeur was unquestionable.
The surrounding buildings merely served to accent it, forming an isolated, island-like town.
A city.
Even Boruto felt drained after expending such an absurd amount of chakra and mental focus. Intricate patterns spread across the ground beneath his feet, a testament to the precision required.
This castle will one day welcome its mistress…
But only after my strength reaches a truly extraordinary level.
The world was currently in chaos. There was no time for love.
Boruto Uzumaki—twelve in appearance, yet already an adult at heart.
With a quiet sigh, he turned toward the Zero-Tails.
"This city, born from my wishes… will now be protected by you."
The Zero-Tails didn't fully understand, but it nodded vigorously.
It had a strong feeling that hesitating even slightly would lead to consequences far beyond imagination.
Boruto stepped forward and constructed a massive gate before the castle's elegant fence, carving it with unique chakra markings.
—City of Dawn and Moonlight.
A resting place for the soul.
Leaving behind a Wood Release clone to keep the floating fortress suspended, Boruto descended to the ground, used Earth Release to seal the massive pit below, and erased all traces of activity—
And quietly departed.
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