Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

"...By the way, do you really know where the Seventh Hokage lives?"

As the sun began to set, Kawaki couldn't help but frown and ask.

"Ah—I can't remember!"

Realizing he was lost, Boruto grabbed his hair and let out a frustrated howl.

Kawaki crossed his arms, looked at the frantic Boruto, and said, "Forget it. What should we do now?"

Looking at the setting sun, Boruto held his stomach and replied, "We can only find a place to stay the night first, then look for my father tomorrow."

After deciding, the two headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner.

Watching the pedestrians passing by on the road, Kawaki asked, "Tell me, who exactly are we looking for?"

Before this, Boruto had only told Kawaki that they were going to the "past" to find a helper. Out of trust in Boruto, Kawaki followed him to this era without hesitation.

But after an entire day of wandering, Kawaki began to question whether it was wise to have come here so recklessly. If they had brought Sarada or the others along, they would probably have been more reliable than Boruto.

Noticing Kawaki's doubt, Boruto explained, "When Sasuke-san and I traveled to this world while pursuing Urashiki, we received help from a friend. He was the one who helped us defeat Urashiki."

"This time, Sasuke-san brought the Karasuki turtle. It must be because of the enemy's strength that he's seeking this friend's help."

From the information gathered from Shikamaru, Sasuke was found near his house, severely injured, clutching the Karasuki turtle. Meanwhile, Naruto's whereabouts were unknown, and Kawaki's prosthetic arm, which relied on Naruto's chakra, had lost its energy.

Clearly, Naruto and the others had encountered an unbeatable foe, prompting the use of the Karasuki turtle as a last resort. Since only Sasuke and Boruto had wielded it before, Boruto concluded that Sasuke intended for him to use it to find assistance.

"So, who's the helper this time? Why go through the trouble of traveling to the past?" Kawaki glanced around and asked in a low voice, "Is that person dead in the future? Is he a friend of the Seventh Hokage?"

"Hmm... He's my dad's friend," Boruto said, frowning. "I came here specifically because he doesn't exist in our time; he only appears in this era..."

"Can you be more straightforward!" Kawaki grew impatient with Boruto's cryptic explanation.

"Okay, okay, calm down." Seeing Kawaki's irritation, Boruto gave in and answered, "After I tell you, don't freak out."

"Just say it. I won't be surprised." Kawaki leaned back in his chair, confident that nothing Boruto said would faze him.

Boruto took a deep breath and said, "His name is Kirito. He's a member of this village in this era, and he's also an Otsutsuki..."

"What did you say?!"

Clang! Kawaki shot to his feet, knocking the tableware over.

The commotion startled everyone in the restaurant. For a moment, all eyes were on their corner.

"I knew this would happen..." Boruto sighed, pushing Kawaki back into his seat. Once the attention died down, he continued, "This is why I was worried about how to explain it to you."

After confirming Boruto wasn't joking, Kawaki asked incredulously, "Do you even understand what 'Otsutsuki' means?"

To Kawaki, nothing good ever came from the Otsutsuki. They had brought him nothing but pain and suffering, leaving no room for positive feelings toward them.

To be honest, hearing that Boruto wanted to seek help from an Otsutsuki was enough to make Kawaki want to slap him, but he held back because of their friendship.

"Although it's hard to explain, this Otsutsuki is an ally," Boruto said, opening the Karma mark on his palm. "Haven't you ever wondered how we knew about the Karma mark on your hand? It's because the information came from Kirito."

Hearing this, Kawaki glanced at the Karma mark on his own palm.

This revelation piqued his curiosity. The other party clearly had no ties to the Kara Organization, yet they recognized the Karma mark immediately and were just as knowledgeable as Kara.

At the time, Kawaki had asked Boruto about it, but Boruto had remained tight-lipped. Now, hearing the truth, Kawaki was stunned by how bizarre it sounded.

"Have you guys met this Kirito?" Kawaki asked, trying to stay calm.

Boruto shook his head. "No. In fact, Sasuke-san and my dad have avoided using the Karasuki turtle ever since. This time, Sasuke-san must have had no other choice. Even if it's risky, I trust him."

Just as Kawaki trusted Naruto, Boruto had unwavering faith in Sasuke.

Seeing Boruto's determination, Kawaki sighed and said, "Fine. If it's as you say, and it helps save the Seventh Hokage, I'll cooperate—even with an Otsutsuki. Besides, if we stick together, we can escape if things go south."

Although he wasn't confident in defeating Isshiki's vessel, Kawaki was certain they could retreat if necessary.

Swish!

Just as they resumed eating, two ninjas wearing animal masks suddenly appeared beside their table, showing signs of surrounding them.

Always on alert, Kawaki immediately extended his left arm, transforming it into a large black weapon.

Before he could act, Boruto quickly stopped him. "Wait! Attacking here would be a disaster!"

Their goal was to find someone in the village, but if they fought the village's ninjas, they would only become targets and jeopardize their mission.

Seeing Boruto hold Kawaki back, the two Anbu ninjas relaxed slightly and said, "Excuse us. Please come with us."

"Why?" Boruto asked.

"Your presence is suspicious, and we need to confirm your identities."

"Fine..."

Reluctantly, Boruto and Kawaki followed the Anbu to the brightly lit Hokage Building.

(End of this chapter)