Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

"And now, the second question," Kirito continued, interrupting Naruto and Kawaki's thoughts.

"The Karma on Kawaki's body contains data unique to Ishiki, along with his chakra. As we all know, chakra links can serve as a beacon. Ishiki can locate Kawaki at any time through their shared chakra connection.

"If you want to sever this link, you must either kill Ishiki or eliminate the Karma entirely. Otherwise, there's no way to break their connection."

Kawaki frowned, staring at the Karma on his palm. "Then why hasn't Ishiki come to capture me after defeating the Seventh Hokage?"

Naruto replied with a wry smile, "If our deductions are correct, it's because Ishiki—acting through his vessel Jigen—was exhausted during the last battle. He's likely recovering at the Kara Organization's base. But we don't know how long it'll take him to fully recover and come after you again."

Without any concrete intelligence on Ishiki's status, the village was left in a precarious position. They couldn't predict when Ishiki might strike again. Naruto couldn't watch over Kawaki every second of every day, and even the smallest lapse could leave them vulnerable.

"Is there a barrier or technique that could block Ishiki's perception?" Naruto asked hopefully.

Kirito immediately shook his head. "From what I know, Konoha doesn't have any barriers strong enough for this.

"To give you an example, Kawaki's prosthetic arm could receive your chakra across dimensions, even while you were sealed away. That connection only broke when your chakra was completely depleted.

"Compared to that link, the connection between Ishiki and the Karma is much closer. Do you think any barrier could sever that?"

Kirito's explanation cast a heavy pall over the room. As long as Kawaki remained in Konoha, Ishiki could potentially appear at any time, leaving the village in a perpetual state of reactive defense.

"Still," Naruto said optimistically, "I doubt Ishiki will show up anytime soon. He's probably still recovering. For now, the most important thing is that we've found a way to save Kawaki and Boruto. We just need to plan carefully.

"I'll inform Shikamaru about this. He's better at strategizing than I am. Kawaki, you'll come with me later. We'll explain everything to Boruto so he's prepared."

"Alright," Kawaki replied, still processing the weight of the situation.

Near noon, Naruto created a shadow clone to handle work at the Hokage's office and led Kirito, Kawaki, and the others to the training grounds on Konoha's outskirts.

The scenery was familiar: dense, lush forests in the distance, soft grass underfoot, and a few training posts scattered across the field. Despite the passage of time, the simplicity of the training grounds remained unchanged.

"Seventh Hokage!" Sarada called out in surprise, pausing her shuriken practice as Naruto approached.

"Hey there! No missions today?" Naruto greeted, waving.

"Konohamaru-sensei is still recovering in the hospital," Mitsuki explained.

Boruto glanced up from his training, a puzzled look on his face. "Why are you here, Dad?"

"I'm here to talk to you about something important," Naruto replied. "It's about the Karma on your body."

Boruto instinctively raised his palm, his expression tense.

While Naruto and Kawaki discussed the Karma with Boruto, Kirito struck up a conversation with Mitsuki and Sarada nearby.

"Hi, I didn't properly introduce myself before," Mitsuki said politely, extending his hand. "I'm Mitsuki."

"I'm Kirito," Kirito replied, shaking Mitsuki's hand.

"I'm Sarada Uchiha. Nice to meet you," Sarada added.

Kirito smiled. "Ah, you're Sasuke's daughter, aren't you?"

"You know my dad?" Sarada asked, intrigued.

"Of course. I'm from the same generation as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. I know them all well," Kirito explained.

Sarada's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Can you tell me what my dad was like when he was younger? Mom and Dad never talk about their childhood."

Kirito chuckled. "I can understand why. But sure, I'll tell you a little."

Choosing his words carefully, Kirito shared stories of Sasuke's strength and talent, painting him as a prodigious genius. He avoided mentioning any painful or controversial parts of Sasuke's past.

"So Dad was always the Seventh Hokage's rival? No wonder he's so strong," Sarada said in awe.

Mitsuki interjected, "I remember Orochimaru once mentioned that he was Sasuke's master."

"Wait, Orochimaru? That Orochimaru?" Sarada asked, adjusting her glasses in disbelief.

Kirito nodded. "Yes, but it depends on whether Sasuke acknowledges it. They did collaborate for a time."

He added with a chuckle, "By the way, Naruto's master was Jiraiya, and Sakura's master was Tsunade. In our era, those three were known as the 'New Sannin.'"

Sarada's jaw dropped. "That's incredible! Why didn't my parents ever tell me about this?"

Naruto, overhearing the conversation, walked over with a grin. "That's ancient history. But it's noon now—how about we grab lunch? My treat!"

"Alright!" Boruto cheered. "Let's go to Rayburg!"

Everyone agreed, and Naruto treated the group to burgers and fried chicken at "Rayburg," a popular fast-food spot in Konoha.

It was Kirito's first time trying this version of Konoha's cuisine, and he found the experience refreshing, though it lacked the over-the-top promotions he remembered from his own time.

The following days in Konoha passed quietly.

Konohamaru eventually recovered from his injuries and was sent to investigate the Kara Organization's base, but his mission yielded no results. The location of Kara's headquarters remained a mystery.

Meanwhile, Konoha suffered a troubling incident: the village's ninja files were stolen. Despite their efforts, the culprit—a Kara member—escaped without being apprehended.

The calm was short-lived.

One fateful day, the tranquility of the village was shattered. News reached Naruto that Shikadai, Shikamaru's son, had been abducted by a member of Kara.

(End of Chapter)