Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

"Damn it! Where did those two go?"

In the future timeline, Shikamaru, serving as Konoha's Chief Strategist, paced in frustration after seeing Boruto and Kawaki vanish into the light.

He immediately contacted Ino, who was monitoring Konoha's chakra network. "Ino, have you detected Boruto and Kawaki's chakra signatures?"

"No," Ino replied, her voice tense. "It's as if they disappeared in an instant. Did something happen, Shikamaru?"

"Nothing… for now," Shikamaru muttered, pressing his fingers to his temple. "Let me know the moment you notice anything unusual."

Naruto had been kidnapped by Jigen, Sasuke was gravely injured and unconscious, and now Boruto and Kawaki had vanished after saying, "We're going to find help." If anything happened to them, Shikamaru didn't know how he would face Naruto—or the rest of Konoha.

Looking around at the courtyard, where black rods left behind by Jigen still stood, Sarada voiced her concerns. "What did Boruto take with him? And why did they disappear like that?"

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure," Shikamaru admitted, wracking his brain for answers. "Naruto mentioned something about it before, but said it was a secret Sasuke was responsible for keeping. He didn't want too many people to know about it."

Sarada frowned. "So what do we do now? Boruto and Kawaki won't be in danger, will they?"

Standing beside her, Mitsuki smiled softly. "I think they'll be fine. Boruto seemed confident before he left, and I don't think he'd do anything reckless."

Mitsuki's calmness reassured Sarada somewhat. Despite his usual aloof demeanor, Mitsuki understood Boruto well, perhaps even better than Naruto did at times.

Suddenly, Ino's panicked voice sounded in Shikamaru's mind. "Shikamaru! There's an enormous chakra signature near your location—something terrifying!"

Shikamaru's stomach dropped. His first thought was that Jigen had returned. "Everyone, prepare for battle!" he barked at the surrounding ninjas. "The enemy may be—"

Hum!

A brilliant sphere of light erupted from the spot where Boruto and Kawaki had vanished, forcing everyone nearby to shield their eyes.

As the light dissipated, three figures emerged—one tall and two shorter.

"Finally back!" Boruto shouted, stepping onto the familiar lawn.

Hearing his voice, Sarada lowered her arm and exclaimed, "Boruto, you—wait, who's that?"

Her gaze immediately shifted to the towering figure of Kirito, whose distinctly Otsutsuki features made him stand out.

"...That's an Otsutsuki?!" Shikamaru's sharp eyes locked onto Kirito. Without hesitation, he raised a hand. "Shadow Binding Jutsu!"

Whoosh!

Shikamaru's shadow darted across the ground, bypassing Boruto and Kawaki, and wrapped itself around Kirito, binding his limbs with dark tendrils.

"Are you Jigen?" Shikamaru demanded, his tone cold. "Where is Naruto?"

The surrounding Konoha ninjas stood at the ready, while the barrier team reinforced the area to prevent any chance of escape.

Kirito, however, remained unfazed. He scanned his surroundings with calm, white eyes, his curiosity piqued by this glimpse into the future.

"Wait! You've got it all wrong!" Boruto shouted, stepping forward. "Kirito isn't an enemy!"

"Boruto, step away from him," Shikamaru ordered, his voice tense. "He's dangerous!"

Boruto groaned, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "I knew this would happen!"

Just like when he and Sasuke had traveled to the past, Boruto realized Kirito would now have to earn Konoha's trust in this timeline.

Sarada, sensing Boruto's distress, asked calmly, "Boruto, what's going on?"

Relieved that someone was willing to listen, Boruto took a deep breath. "Kirito is the helper we brought back. This is why Sasuke-sensei gave me the Karasuki.

"The Karasuki lets you travel back in time. Sasuke-sensei and I used it once before to chase down Urashiki, and that's when we met Kirito. He helped us defeat Urashiki, so he's on our side."

"How can that be?" Shikamaru said skeptically. "If what you're saying is true, then why didn't we know about him before? There's no record of an Otsutsuki ally in Konoha's history."

Boruto sighed. "That's because we went to a different past—a parallel timeline."

"A parallel world?" Sarada tilted her head, trying to process his words. "That doesn't make sense…"

Mitsuki, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "If I understand correctly, this Kirito comes from a parallel world where an Otsutsuki became an ally. Is that right, Boruto?"

"Exactly!" Boruto exclaimed, grateful someone understood. "You're so smart, Mitsuki!"

Sarada looked skeptical. "And you really believe this?"

Mitsuki nodded confidently. "Yes. I trust Boruto, and he's clearly not under anyone's control. If Boruto trusts Kirito, then I trust him too."

Sarada sighed but relented. "Alright… but I'll be keeping an eye on him."

The attention turned back to Shikamaru, who remained tense, his hands locked in a seal.

"Are you all serious?" Shikamaru asked incredulously. "Do you even understand what 'Otsutsuki' means?"

At that moment, Kawaki stepped forward. "I can vouch for him. He's not Jigen, and he's not the one who took Naruto."

He paused, his voice steady. "The most important thing right now is finding the Seventh Hokage. Isn't that what really matters?"

(End of this chapter)