Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

Walking through the bustling commercial street, Kirito led Boruto and Kawaki to a house in the heart of the district.

When Kirito opened the door, Boruto and Kawaki were greeted by an empty hall lit faintly by the lights filtering in from the street. Traces of ongoing renovations were visible everywhere.

Without turning on the lights, Kirito led them further inside. "This place is still under renovation, so the lights aren't installed yet. The living room is just beyond this hall," he explained.

Boruto glanced around at the large, dark space and muttered, "Is this where you live now? It's huge!"

He vaguely remembered that during his last visit to this era, Kirito had been renting a small, ordinary apartment. This new house felt like a significant upgrade, though Kirito didn't offer any explanation.

The hall itself was sparse, with only a few renovation tools scattered about. Their footsteps echoed in the emptiness, creating a quiet, almost eerie atmosphere.

Looking at the tools lying around, Kawaki asked, "Are you planning to open a shop here?"

"Yes, this will eventually be a weapon shop," Kirito replied.

"A weapon shop…" Boruto's mind wandered to the future.

He thought of a family friend who also ran a weapon shop. In the peaceful era he came from, such businesses struggled, as the demand for traditional weapons dwindled. Scientific ninja tools, developed by companies like Katasuke's lab, had become the new standard. These tools, capable of directly releasing ninjutsu, allowed even non-ninja to perform powerful techniques.

Considering this, Boruto felt compelled to caution Kirito. The house, located in the commercial district, must have been expensive. If the shop failed, it could lead to financial ruin.

Just as Boruto was about to speak, Kirito reached the end of the hall and opened a door.

Click!

With the flip of a switch, the space was illuminated, revealing a warm and inviting living room.

"This is… actually nice," Boruto admitted, surprised by how well-furnished it was.

The room felt modern and familiar—almost like it belonged in the future. From the neatly arranged sofa, table, and TV to the glimpse of the kitchen in the back, nothing about it felt out of place.

Boruto couldn't help but ask, "Have you been to the future before?"

Kirito, already heading toward the kitchen, replied casually, "No. I thought about finding a Karasuki from this era to explore, but I didn't know its exact location and gave up. Have you eaten yet?"

"We've already eaten," Boruto answered.

"Good. The cooks are away on missions, so I can only offer you drinks," Kirito said as he handed them bottles from the refrigerator.

"Thanks!"

Boruto eagerly took a bottle, gulped it down, and then leaned back on the sofa with a satisfied sigh. "Ah, it feels like I'm home."

He glanced at the TV and instinctively looked for the remote, only to remember this wasn't his house. "This place really reminds me of my home," he muttered.

The stressful events of the day had taken a toll on Boruto. From learning about Naruto's abduction and Sasuke's injuries to navigating a foreign timeline with Kawaki, his nerves had been stretched to their limit. Seeing his parents' familiar figures and being in a cozy, home-like environment brought him a rare moment of peace.

Kirito smirked. "I just set this place up based on some impressions I had. I guess those impressions were influenced by your family."

"When are we leaving tomorrow?" Kawaki asked, his tone more relaxed after sipping his drink.

"We'll leave whenever you're ready," Kirito replied.

"But I don't think I'll be able to sleep," Kawaki admitted. Thoughts of the Seventh Hokage's peril weighed heavily on him.

Kirito didn't press the issue but checked the clock on the wall. "It's still early. If you can't sleep, we can use the time to discuss strategies for dealing with Jigen and the 'Kara' organization."

A few hours later.

Kirito glanced at Boruto and Kawaki, now both fast asleep on the sofa. Quietly, he turned off the lights, cleaned up the empty drink bottles, and retreated to his room.

"Ahh—"

Little Leopard yawned loudly, seemingly infected by the drowsy atmosphere. It detached itself from Kirito's head, floated onto the bed, and rolled around a few times before lying still.

Kirito watched it with mild curiosity. Ever since devouring Urashiki, Little Leopard had become more "humanized," showing behaviors unlike any other Ten Tails-derived creature. Kirito suspected this was due to the unique way it had been split from him. After all, even the Nine Tailed Beasts had distinct personalities.

Once he confirmed that Little Leopard was asleep, Kirito sat at his desk and began writing a letter to Tenten, informing her of his plans to leave for a while.

The next morning.

Under the bright morning sun, Kirito placed the letter on the living room table before heading to the door.

Outside, Boruto was already waiting impatiently. "Hurry up, we're ready to go!"

The streets of Konoha bustled with activity as usual. Thanks to Kirito's efforts in stopping the meteorites, the villagers remained largely unaffected by the lunar events. The Kage, fully confident in Kirito's abilities, had ensured no panic spread among the populace.

When they reached the woods where Boruto and Kawaki had first arrived, Boruto pulled out the Karasuki. "It's dormant right now—it doesn't have any energy."

"Let me handle that," Kirito said, taking the Karasuki and channeling a vast amount of chakra into it.

Hum!

The Karasuki glowed, its turtle-like form raising its head. "Respected Mr. Kirito Otsutsuki," it said, "please state your destination."

"Take the three of us back to the exact moment these two traveled from," Kirito commanded.

"As you wish. Beginning transport now—"

The Karasuki's shell opened, revealing a glowing core that rapidly expanded to envelop the trio.

Whoosh!

In an instant, they vanished in a flash of light, leaving the woods behind.

(End of this chapter)

A/N: Karasuki is a device shaped like a turtle. Although, it introduced itself as Karasuki, its not cognisant and therefore is an item. Therefore, referring to it with "the" is appropriate.