Chapter 127: Boruto: Is Dad from Another World a Jerk? Will I Never Be Born?
Boruto followed the voice and saw a beautiful woman in a maid outfit, his eyes widening as he pointed, shouting, "This… this… this! What's this, Dad! How could you find another woman behind Mom's back!"
In his agitation, Boruto called out "Dad."
Future Sasuke instinctively covered his face, while Ninja World Naruto was stunned. "Huh? Boruto, what did you call me? Dad?"
"Sorry, Naruto… Boruto's lacked fatherly love since childhood. Seeing mature men he likes, he often instinctively sees them as his dad. Doctors diagnosed it as a mental disorder." Future Sasuke explained.
"Is that so? Poor kid…" Ninja World Naruto showed pity. "How about we visit the Empire's top hospital? Sakura's medical skills are amazing; she could surely cure Boruto."
"No need for now." Future Sasuke shook his head. "His condition rarely flares up, and other doctors checked him, saying there's significant risk…"
"Sorry, sorry, my mind was a mess earlier, Big Brother Naruto. Is that woman your wife?" Boruto asked awkwardly.
Inwardly, he screamed hysterically: 'Why! Why! Why! Why didn't Dad in this world marry Mom? Instead, he's with this weird woman! If so, how could I be born! Aaaaaa!'
"Her? No way, of course not." Ninja World Naruto shook his head, amused.
'Not? Could Dad in this world be a jerk, ready to exploit her? Poor big sister, but at least Mom still has hope!' Boruto's expression flickered.
Future Sasuke roughly guessed his thoughts, sighing inwardly. "She's your maid, right?"
"M-maid? Wow! Big Brother Naruto even has a maid at home!" Boruto exclaimed, shocked.
"Maid, you could say that, but actually, she's a smart mechanical head maid." Ninja World Naruto said.
"What's that?" Boruto asked blankly.
"You don't even know that? You two…" Ninja World Naruto paused, making their hearts race.
Were they about to be exposed?
"What about us?" Boruto swallowed, tensing.
"You two must be from the mountains, right? Ninja clans hiding in forest mountains to avoid the world before His Majesty the Emperor unified it?" Ninja World Naruto said, as if reading their minds.
He recalled his first time in the Empire, meeting a girl who thought them rustic ninja, his lips curving into a smile.
"Huh? Hahaha… y-yeah, Big Brother Naruto's so sharp, guessing it right away." Boruto laughed loudly, relieved inwardly.
"Hahaha… thought so." Ninja World Naruto laughed proudly, then said to the maid, "Amagi, prove your identity as an AI head maid."
"Yes… Master." the maid said, removing her head, her chest opening.
Seeing blue chakra light and wiring inside, Boruto and Future Sasuke exchanged glances.
"A puppet! But the tech's so advanced." Boruto said.
"Hahaha… it's an Empire research department product. I was shocked the first time too. Amagi, prepare dishes to entertain our honored guests." Ninja World Naruto laughed.
The maid bowed respectfully and retreated.
Watching her leave, Boruto whispered to Ninja World Naruto, "Big Brother Naruto, can I ask something?"
"Huh? What's up? Just ask, don't be shy with me." Ninja World Naruto said cheerfully.
"Big Brother Naruto… when do you plan to marry Sister Hinata…?" Boruto asked.
"Marry Hinata…?!" Ninja World Naruto was shocked. "W-why ask that? I'm not even 18!"
"What? Not 18? No way! Big Brother Sarutobi Konohamaru looks almost 18." Boruto shouted, picturing muscular Konohamaru.
"Huh? Konohamaru? He's only 14, you know! How could he be 18?" Ninja World Naruto exclaimed.
"14?!" Boruto and Future Sasuke shouted in unison, their eyelids twitching.
'You're saying that musclebound guy over 185 cm is 14?'
At 14… Sasuke recalled being a scrawny kid under 160 cm…
Boruto, not yet 13, under 150 cm… couldn't imagine growing that tall in a year… not even 160 cm!
What do people in this world eat to grow like that?
"Yeah, 14, what's weird?" Ninja World Naruto didn't get it.
Living in the Empire for one and a half years, he'd forgotten his once-short stature.
"N-no…" Boruto shook his head, then anxiously said, "Big Brother Naruto, even if you're not 18, you're not young… you must've thought about marriage, right? Is Sister Hinata the one?"
"You kid, why so obsessed with that? The Empire's average marriage age is around 24; 18's too early. Seriously, even my parents aren't pushing me, why's a kid like you so concerned?" Ninja World Naruto grumbled.
'How could I not care? This world's so weird, I'm scared I haven't been born and it's already over!' Boruto thought.
"Hahaha… I saw Sister Hinata seems to really like you, and she's kind, so gentle. Marrying someone like her would make you so happy." Boruto smiled.
Future Sasuke tensed beside him. 'This world's so bizarre, could Naruto still be hung up on Sakura? If he and Sakura end up together, what about me here?'
Imagining them turning off the lights at night, bodies entwined, Future Sasuke's face turned green, unease surging.
He cleared his throat softly. "Naruto, for a woman, gentler is better. Being loved is the greatest happiness, more than loving someone."
"Why's Big Brother Sazu saying that too?" Ninja World Naruto shook his head helplessly. "I'm really not thinking about love or marriage. What I want most now is to surpass that smug Sasuke fast! I'm sick of that arrogant jerk acting high and mighty."
"Huh? Smug Sasuke?" Boruto muttered, glancing at his Uncle Sasuke.
'Why smug? He's clearly cool!'
Future Sasuke blinked, smiling awkwardly. "That's right, having a goal to chase and surpass is good, but marriage and kids are vital life matters, not to be taken lightly."
"Ugh, ugh, ugh! Alright, alright, I get it! Stop nagging! Amagi, is the food ready?" Ninja World Naruto, fed up with their lectures, urged the AI maid.
Amagi swiftly served dishes on the table.
Seeing strange foods and smelling their aroma, Boruto's mouth watered. He shouted, devouring them greedily, exclaiming while eating, "Waaaaa! Delicious! So delicious, better than Raimon's burgers! What's this dish called?"
"That's Mapo Tofu, soft in the mouth, sweet and savory."
"This one? This? So fresh and tender!"
"That's boiled fish slices, three-flavor mushroom soup, roasted frog…"
"Wow, wow, wow! Everything's so tasty! How's this food so good!"
Boruto kept shouting.
Future Sasuke, eating, nodded.
In cuisine, this world's people far surpassed theirs.
After eating, Boruto suddenly remembered something. "Huh? Not right! Why're we eating first? Where's Grandpa Minato… Uncle, Aunt Kushina?"
"Them?" Ninja World Naruto rolled his eyes. "They're off enjoying their couple time, saying I'm grown with Amagi, don't need their care, must learn independence, so we don't live together. Seems I'll have a sibling soon."
"What… sibling… uncle… aunt?" Boruto was stunned.
Future Sasuke showed slight envy.
They chatted more with Naruto, then were led to rooms to rest.
But they didn't rest, gathering again.
Under bright lamplight, Boruto sat on the bed's edge.
Future Sasuke sat on a chair, expression serious. "Earlier, the shadow clone I sent to investigate returned, its memories transferred. This world's far more complex than we initially thought."
"Uncle Sasuke, quick, tell me! Why're there two Dads here?" Boruto urged.
"From the intel, this happened because one Uzumaki Naruto is from another world." Future Sasuke said.
"Another world?"
"Right, like us. To this world's people, Uzumaki Naruto, Hinata, Kiba, and Neji we saw earlier are all from another world." Future Sasuke nodded.
"Huh? That's too weird. Why's this world so strange? Grandpa and Grandma aren't dead, Dad's a musclebound guy, tech's super advanced, and there's martial arts stuff?" Boruto asked.
"It all stems from someone named Senju Ryuji. Twenty-four years ago, he unified the ninja world." Future Sasuke said.
"Senju Ryuji? Senju clan? Doing that, he must be super strong? Maybe we can ask him to help fight Urashiki!" Boruto's eyes sparkled.
"Useless. Unifying the ninja world sounds grand, but it's not hard. Both First Hokage Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara could've done it. Even your dad and I could. We could, thanks to Indra and Ashura's power, mainly from Hagoromo Otsutsuki."
"Others, even if they unify the ninja world, can't compare to us. Relying on someone else is impossible, Boruto. This mission, we can only depend on ourselves." Future Sasuke said firmly.
"Got it…" Boruto looked regretful.
"Rest well. These next few days, we must stick close to Naruto, not letting Urashiki get a chance." Future Sasuke said, leaving to rest.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The next morning, Boruto and Future Sasuke woke early, but Ninja World Naruto, the host, was still fast asleep.
Amagi, seeing them up, woke Naruto.
After breakfast, Ninja World Naruto said he'd go train.
The three left the villa's gate, meeting someone exiting the villa opposite.
Seeing him, Boruto blurted, "That's Uncle Sasuke!"
"…"
Future Sasuke instinctively clutched his forehead, sighing inwardly: 'We're done.'
"Huh?"
Ninja World Sasuke's handsome face showed slight confusion, tilting his head at Boruto. "Kid, who're you calling uncle?"
His eyes glinted coldly, as if ready to act if displeased.
"Huh?"
Boruto was startled. This world's Uncle Sasuke was so aggressive. Just a mistaken "uncle." and he's this intense?
"Sorry, Boruto misspoke. Mighty, handsome sir, can you forgive this kid?" Future Sasuke said quickly.
He recalled himself at this age—if not for the Valley of the End battle, any stray dog barking at him might've faced Amaterasu. He feared this world's self was the same, acting rashly.
"Hahaha… Sasuke, don't get mad, Boruto didn't mean it. Perfect timing today, let's head out together." Ninja World Naruto laughed heartily at Ninja World Sasuke.
"Tch… rude little brat, watch your mouth next time, or it'll bring trouble." Ninja World Sasuke said coldly to Boruto, then to Naruto, "You lazy bum, up pretty early today. By the way, what's with these two? Why're they coming out of your house? This one-armed guy seems weird."
'One-armed guy? This world's Uncle Sasuke is so rude! Calling me a brat's one thing, but calling himself one-armed?' Boruto fumed inwardly.
Future Sasuke sighed.
The feeling was spot-on!
But… why so embarrassing…
"Oh, you mean Boruto and Sazu? They're new tourists in the capital, no place to stay yet, so I let them crash at my place. As for why they feel familiar, Big Brother Naruto said maybe we're distant relatives from generations back." Ninja World Naruto explained, smiling.