Chapitre 35: PART 2.
In the dark underground shelter, Boruto grew impatient as he gave instructions to his companions.
The situation was not distracting, and despite the attempts of some to reassure him with their murmurs, anxiety was still palpable in the air. The grand old woman, with her aura of eternal wisdom and mysterious appearance, stood in a corner, as if oblivious to the uneasiness of the young ninjas.
"Come on, what are you waiting for?! We need to train right now!" Boruto exclaimed, feeling the burden of guiding his friends in this unknown place.
The great old woman, with a mixture of serenity and flashes of senile dementia, replied calmly:
"Yes, yes, I'll teach you the basics, but you have to watch me first."
With her silver hair and wise gaze, the old lady stood in the center of the circle formed by the young ninjas.
His expression fluctuated between serenity and those moments of insanity, adding an aura of mystery to his presence. With slow but sure movements, he indicated that he would start by teaching the basics, but that first he wanted them to contemplate his art.
A deep silence enveloped the room as all eyes fell on the old woman. Sarada, always unperturbed, stood by Boruto's side, watching intently. The Ino-Shika-Chou trio, with their characteristic calmness, also directed their curious gazes from a distance.
The great old woman began a series of fluid movements, similar to those they had witnessed in masked men some time ago. It seemed to be dancing with the very energy of the place, absorbing it and merging with it. The young men felt enveloped in a strange feeling, as if they were connected to the underground nature through the old woman.
Suddenly, the old lady jumped up from the ground, throwing both feet in a double kick. Around him, the earth rose, forming high steps like pillars. The old woman's energetic and precise movements seemed to command the earth to obey her will.
The young ninjas watched in disbelief as it happened. Boruto was stunned, feeling a mixture of amazement and some discomfort.
The old woman continued to jump from pillar to pillar with impressive agility, as if she were a leaf carried by the wind. Despite being barefoot, she seemed to be in perfect harmony with the subterranean nature around her.
Every time the old woman jumped, the earth on the surface of the pillars rose with her. Finally, it reached the last platform, the highest of all. He stood there motionless, extending his arm and flexing his body as if he were requesting the air's permission for his next move.
From below, the young people watched with surprise and fascination. Sarada, adjusting her glasses, showed only a gleam of amazement in her usual serenity.
The old woman snapped her fingers and spun her feet, generating a swirl of air that hit them firmly, but almost imperceptibly, leaving them unharmed as if the wind had passed through them instead of over them.
Then, the old woman spoke aloud, her words resonating with wisdom and mysticism.
"The traditional methods taught to our people connect us with nature. When it is disturbed, we must accept it and overcome the challenge, instead of manipulating it at will as the Chakra does. Learn to accept the challenges that come our way and to survive; Underground, there is only dirt and hardly any breeze. Learn to use the scarce air that remains, the gaps in the earth, to rise and achieve what you desire."
The power demonstrated by the old woman transcended the mastery of the Chakra and the Jutsus; It was an ancestral skill rooted in the very essence of nature.
The young ninjas were baffled by the existence of a technique so foreign to their knowledge. Even Sarada, whose knowledge had led her to consider the library as her second home, had never heard anything like it.
To execute something of such magnitude without resorting to the Chakra was inconceivable. Yet that was precisely what they had witnessed, and that knowledge came at a price.
A deathly silence fell over the scene as everyone watched the old woman from below, whispering to each other in an attempt to comprehend what they had witnessed.
Boruto, his eyes bulging from the experience, was among the most surprised. He, whose body held the secrets of the very fabric of existence, found himself in front of something that challenged part of what he thought he knew.
Beside her, Sarada held one of the temples of her glasses as if that simple action kept her anchored to reality. He fixed his attention on the old woman while his mind was bubbling with turbulent theories.
Just as he was about to open his eyes to try to comprehend the phenomenon, a murmur of disbelief echoed nearby.
"There are no traces of Chakra."
Inojin, the last descendant of the Yamanaka, was nearby. His ashen hair seemed in tune with his expression, and the barely visible singed marks on his skin bore witness to the cataclysm that had devastated the world.
He shook his head softly; The boy who had shared laughter and training with his friends now showed a hint of melancholy. The team's Chunin watched calmly, ready to face any threat.
Sarada loosened her grip on her glasses and stopped the cart's advance. It was clear that the situation no longer required his intervention.
"Are you sure there isn't a mistake?" Akimichi asked, visibly more confused than her companions. "I didn't quite understand, but didn't you mention something about the Chakra when we met you?"
Inojin shook his head, indicating that he had searched thoroughly.
Meanwhile, Shikadai kept his gaze on Inojin, studying his reactions with a disguised interest. Beside him, Boruto was also watching the old woman on the raised platform, his amazement palpable.
"I can feel the Chakra of all of us, clearly this change does not affect my ability to detect." Yamanaka reported, trying to make sense of the inexplicable. "However, I was unable to detect it..."
"That can't be, even my mom could feel Hima long before she learned to use the Chakra. Boruto murmured, his words full of anxiety. –
Sarada, like the connection between the Ino-Shika-Chou team and his team, watched silently.
"She herself mentioned that she uses the energy of nature." Mitsuki contributed, joining the chorus of unknowns. His serpentine eyes remained fixed on the figure overhead. A barely perceptible frown marked his forehead. "But that doesn't explain why it's undetectable..."
"How...?" Shikadai began to ask, but was interrupted.
"It must be a lie!" Boruto exclaimed, disbelief tinged with frustration in his voice.
A shudder ran through his body as he spotted the Old Woman on the platform again.
"Getting along with your environment is hard work that accumulates with years and years of experience." The woman began to tell them. "But that was only limited to such things as Chakra detection, physical strength, and more performance."
While the limits of such feats were enumerated, Boruto soon found a similarity to what he said. He had been familiar with a term and technique that played by the same rules, and he had witnessed it many times.
After all, on most occasions, he was the reason why such a technique was activated.
"The Wise Way." Saying that earned him a few looks, including Sarada's. "It's just like my father's Sage Mode, but, for some reason... they are still very different."
Uzumaki Naruto, the seventh Hokage and father of Boruto. Despite his legendary name and the admiration of millions, for Boruto, he was only his father. Only Boruto knew the most intimate sides of that man.
From a very young age, he had wanted to awaken that side in his father. Beyond being the son of a legend, he found it funny.
That his father, a war hero and the Hokage, activated Sage Mode was a source of pride for Boruto.
That such a strong and busy man, capable of creating more than a hundred clones with a simple summon, would limit that technique to just four clones for his son, could be considered a waste of time for many.
Perhaps his father did so so that he could be located more easily, which would save time and allow him to continue his work. But those days together were fun. And he wondered if his father ever saw it the same way.
"They are completely different things." The woman answered her doubt, after a moment of silence. "Sage Mode helps humans understand nature. What I showed you... It's just a sample of what nature can do to help us understand each other."
"But how does all this work without Chakra? How will we do it?!"
Surely more than one wanted to ask, but certainty lay at their feet, and they could do nothing but observe the only person who had held out his hand to them after the cataclysm.
Even if they didn't fully understand it, at least some of the most astute had caught on to this woman's way of behaving.
No matter how much they asked, they would not receive a clear answer. They should even consider themselves lucky that she has been willing to teach them something like this in such a short time of meeting.
In itself, this woman's confidence and willingness to help them was a mystery. Their mere presence exuded an aura of mysticism.
"Learning the basics is crucial in your situation." The old woman said to them with an unusual seriousness in her tone. "Myself... I have sworn an oath. If I fail to do my duty, I would be disappointing all those who know these techniques."
"An oath?" Namida wondered, immersed in the wave of mystery, trying to decipher the old woman's words.
His way of expressing himself... It seemed as if she was forced to maintain a delicate balance between truth and morality. He didn't seem to have any bad intentions, but he also didn't give any indication that he would treat them like what they were: ninjas.
For Boruto, whose power was the catalyst that unleashed all that wave of blood and loss, it was a somewhat surreal reality. Selfishly, he had never seen himself as a child in need of care. When he became a Shinobi, he had expected things to change.
But his father would never allow children to fight for him, whether as Hokage or as an ordinary father.
I had experienced that feeling before. Perhaps in academia, when his relationship with his father was more complicated. Or maybe not long ago, when he had accepted that sooner or later, Boruto would die if the thirst for power within him took over.
A familiar feeling, but not entirely welcome.
"We will begin in order of birth."
The old lady jumped off the platform nimbly, landing on the ground gently. He picked up the staff he had left on the ground and, as if made of snow or dirt, the platforms returned to their place of origin, barely making a sound, muffled by the distant echoes of the subordinates training.
All eyes were fixed on her, and the old lady couldn't hide her gloomy expression as she spoke clearly.
"Which of you is the oldest?"
(~~~)
For the next three hours, the large solitary room in which they stood, illuminated only by rays of day filtering through the ceiling, became a scene of intense concentration and activity.
Under the serene but piercing gaze of the old woman, the young Shinobi immersed themselves in their training, carrying out a series of exercises that, while not challenging their abilities or pushing them beyond their limits as ninjas, did force them to remain in a state of heightened awareness.
Overcome everything, without using a single bit of Chakra.
The old woman began by directing them to meditate. They formed a circle on the ground and each closed their eyes, seeking to focus on their own thoughts. However, Iwabee, the oldest of the group, chose to close his eyes to the old woman's instructions.
As the others tried to keep their minds clear as they experienced the sensations of the outside world, Iwabee found himself connecting with the breeze that the old woman provided.
However, his concentration was abruptly interrupted when a stone platform suddenly emerged from beneath him, throwing him into the air with a shocked expression on his face. The platform disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and Iwabee landed on the ground with a snap of his teeth.
The silence that had enveloped the others was broken as they watched the unusual scene in amazement and, in some cases, holding back the urge to ask questions. But it was not the right time for it.
The old lady looked at Iwabee with a slight smile, as if she was waiting for his reaction.
"To merge with nature, they must feel its onslaught and, moreover, fear them. Stay alert, either with your eyes closed or open." The old woman said in a calm but firm voice.
From that point on, the training became a delicate balance between meditation and constant alertness.
Iwabee, determined not to be caught again, morphed into a whirlwind of movement as he moved among the others, unleashing swift attacks and distractions (and some pushing and shouting from those who wanted to put an end to this).
Whenever someone got distracted or lost focus, he was there to remind them that constant concentration was essential.
Boruto thought about the possibility of letting Iwabee take a few hits, but wisely chose to keep that thought to himself. The last thing he wanted was to provoke unnecessary fights between them.
While Iwabee became something of an inexperienced ninja (although he wasn't), he managed to dodge attacks as best he could. Although he was not victorious in every matchup, he could stand up with honor for having accepted a decent blow.
The rest of the group was torn between focusing on their own minds and keeping a constant watch to avoid being caught off guard by Iwabee's unpredictable movements.
The pursuit came to an end when Iwabee rose up with a request for surrender.
Doushu, in his attempt to stay in tune with his surroundings, was hit by an attack of small stones that threw him backwards with a groan of pain. The old lady showed no sympathy and simply declared, "The lesson is for everyone."
In the following hours, everything went according to plan by the old woman since Mirai left on her mission against the clock. Among the activities that might seem simple to a ninja, there were others that would be nearly impossible without the use of the Chakra.
Boruto wasted no time and while his body exercised, he mentally recorded every detail. He carefully jotted down each important point and added notes for himself.
The jumping exercise between platforms was exactly the same as the Big Old Woman's demonstration.
Boruto understood this when he saw Iwabee fall to the ground and noticed that the expected platform never appeared.
The old woman, sitting on the floor with her staff in hand, collaborated by adding and removing platforms in an unpredictable way. Boruto understood that this training tested the perception of each one.
Although they were ninjas, they couldn't predict where the next platform would appear. The platforms emerged from the walls unexpectedly, which increased the risk of falling. Also, they couldn't use Chakra on their feet to hold on to the walls. Boruto knew from experience that doing so would only prolong his time in platform training.
The team members of Sai-san and Sarada excelled in the exercise, managing to go further thanks to their keen perception and adaptive skills.
He wasn't surprised to see Sarada at the top of the platforms, but he couldn't say the same about Hoki and his companions.
They had shown the fruits of being Anbu, along with Sai-san, whose relationship with Boruto was almost that of a family. Sai-san could be funny when he put his mind to it, and if it weren't for being Inojin's father, he would surely be one of the men the Boruto of the past would have wished he had as his father.
After so many falls, Boruto stepped forward and asked the same thing that everyone had been thinking, but couldn't express due to fatigue.
"Why in order of age?" He gasped, exhausted.
The old woman understood his question among the bustle of those who faced the challenge of the platforms. He replied to Boruto:
"I have already told you that your presence is very unstable. This is just to make sure I don't cause too many waves."
"What? Are you trying to prevent anything we do from being returned to us?" Boruto asked, wiping the sweat from his face with his forearm. "Wasn't that a metaphor?"
There was a moment of silence between the two, only interrupted by Wasabi's encouragement to her brunette friend, who had broken her streak of three platforms in a row.
"It has never happened, but it is better to prevent it." The old woman replied clearly, absorbed in the platforms. The grip on his staff softened. "If something were to happen to them... It wouldn't be my fault. Therefore, I try to break the rules of time."
Boruto questioned her again, and she replied:
"This time... You see, it's like I know you don't belong here, at least not yet. "
The old woman reflected, with a thoughtful gesture.
"No, they definitely don't. Their time is gone, and he tries to drive them out. If they have only been here for a couple of days, without causing a disturbance, then they can be fine the longer they go by without causing waves. The best way is by creating very tiny slingshots. Since Iwabee-kun is the oldest of you, he must start slow, and you must follow him. Only then will we be able to break the rules... at least for now."
"..."
It was all far from Boruto's comprehension. Things were barely glimpsed in the distance, and their understanding was limited. He was a pretty cunning child, and according to the words of adults, no matter how much information was kept from him, he would be able to adapt to the situation in his own way.
This situation was one of the many with which he had taken a risk. He no longer gained anything by refusing and sitting still. I had to learn, adapt and fight. He was gambling with training something that he didn't know was true, and he had sworn to himself to confront whoever wore the mark of "Assassin" on his forehead.
He had been sent back in time. But the "why" was not one, but many.
What exactly were adults looking for? Change something? To avoid what happened to them?
And if it's the latter, what would be the root of all that?
The young Uzumaki was hungry for knowledge. This curiosity was interpreted differently when it was experienced by the blond, grandson of the fourth Hokage.
He wouldn't stop to analyze it all (at least not now). If she had a seemingly reliable source of information right next to her, she wouldn't miss the opportunity to shower her with questions. I wanted to know the reasons behind this "training".
He divided his time between questioning the one who had earned the nickname "Great Grandmother" and testing what he had learned.
She learned that the Great Grandmother sought to enhance the most basic skills: balance, reflexes, and strength.
The exercises in which he excelled were those of reflex and balance. Boruto did not have a superior strength to his teammates, and that discouraged him a little.
One of the most challenging tests turned out to be also one of the simplest in appearance. It consisted of going through the holes in a stone wall that the Great Grandmother summoned on the other side of the room, which was approaching at full speed towards the position of the ninjas.
However, the difficulty increased when the holes became narrower, leaving them with two options:
1. Find a way to get over the wall, using stone platforms that would crumble or be crushed by the wall itself.
2. To be crushed by the wall.
Boruto stood out in this test. Although he was not very skilled at balancing on the platforms, he showed good reflexes when going through the various holes, managing to reach the other side of the room without being crushed by any walls.
At least he had better luck than ChouChou. When her friend realized late that she would not be able to pass through a hole, she chose to jump, but her spirits exceeded her strength.
There were many falls, whether it was dodging the Great Grandmother's attacks as they trotted around the room or trying to foresee their next move and avoid her individual attacks.
In total, they spent about five hours, alternating between exercises and breaks in a balanced way.
At one point, between gasps and the comforting sound of bandages being submerged in hot water, Hoki questioned the priority given to basic training compared to perfecting the techniques they already possessed as Shinobi.
Boruto recalled how the old woman, busy treating Namida's wounds while her back was turned to the children, clinked the pottery filled with hot water.
He felt that the question was inopportune, and although everyone knew that the old woman rarely offered clarity when speaking, it was evident that she did not like to repeat herself, even if she did it in different words.
"In two days they will have to go abroad." What he told them surprised many in the room, including Namida, who was receiving care to relieve fatigue in her left leg. "When they do, they will run the risk of being detected by dangerous people who may come from their time. Not to mention, many of my time will be curious about their roots."
As he listened, Boruto stretched out on the ground as part of a small exercise, but considering his roots as a member of the Uzumaki Clan and grandson of the Fourth Hokage, and as the son of a future Hokage, he was forced to sit down.
"I understand that it may seem like an exaggerated overprotection, but it is the right thing to do." The Great Grandmother told them as she applied warm water with a cloth to Namida's ankle.
Boruto felt strange about himself, as if what he heard determined his survival. It foreshadowed an act that would change the course of his life at some point. He looked at the woman's back, feeling a multitude of unfinished sensations that still had no name.
A familiar sensation, but with unknown roots: fear. That was the atmosphere that enveloped them as the old woman spoke.
"Use bows and arrows, blades, anything that doesn't give them away like Shinobi." The woman wet the rags and scrunched them, letting the water fall noisily on the pottery as she cleaned herself and her companions.
In the midst of that dense cloud of concern, Sarada raised her head to join the conversation. Although his body language suggested distance, his interest was evident.
"What would happen if we met allies?" He asked, attracting Boruto's attention.
The old lady didn't rush to answer, allowing the question to resonate in the minds of others.
"Pray that they are not traitors. Your answer was direct." He continued with his cleaning task, soaking and wringing out the rags with a firm gesture. "At the moment, they can't trust anyone. My case was different for several reasons. Otherwise, the adults in their village would have better prepared them to survive on their own. Instead, they trained them enough to get to me."
"How can you be so sure?"
It was Hoki who popped the question, leaving Boruto momentarily silent.
The boy was standing next to his companions on the ground, his headband removed, but his mask still in place. He stared at the old woman, as if he could penetrate her thoughts with his eyes.
It was evident that the old woman's response had struck a chord, and Taketori looked visibly shaken.
"We come from Konoha, and although this time is more ruthless than ours, they might surprise us! They could help us!"
Hoki looked directly at the Great Grandmother, defiantly. The woman looked at him over her shoulder, which caused a pucker on the boy's forehead.
"I don't want it to be misunderstood, but even if I'm willing to stay here and help my friends survive, I can't even entertain that idea!"
He almost exclaimed, but he restrained himself at the last moment. His teammates were equally interested in the discussion.
"Maybe some good ninjas could help us. We could even prove it to the Hokage..."
"Suppose you do." Grandma replied calmly.
However, they all felt the same thought: it was dangerous for her to continue talking and for Hoki to continue. So they stood still, listening intently. The woman continued with her task, highlighting the condescending but also fearsome tone that contrasted with her true intentions.
"You would gain the opportunity to enter Konoha without being perceived as a threat. You would get valuable permission to speak personally with the Hokage and explain your situation." He stopped his story and focused all his attention on the blue-eyed boy. "Do you think that would automatically make you one of them?"
"What?" Hoki replied puzzled.
"I'm asking you if you think they wouldn't see you as a threat, kid." The woman was direct. "No matter what your explanation is, you are still an unknown, a threat to his people. You don't belong to them anymore. Also, would you be willing to risk their lives and well-being just to save yours?"
"What?! I have never hinted at anything like that!" Hoki put a hand to his chest and waved his words away. "I would never hurt anyone!"
"They will if they involve them, children." The sentence was addressed to everyone equally, filling Hoki with despair. The woman continued to wet the rags, stoking the already tense atmosphere in the room. "The past and the future are destined to remain separate. Even if you have escaped the cataclysm, involving your village could trigger another. And while it may not be as devastating as a cataclysm, it could lead to the deaths of many people due to the waves that you generate. Do they think that's fair to them?"
No one dared to answer.
"Even the strongest Kage would be a victim. No one from the past should be involved in this. My presence is more than enough." The old woman pointed the dripping rag at Hoki. "Only because I'm helping them and I know the consequences. If nations find out and help them, it could bring them to a catastrophic end. Therefore, they must avoid even being persecuted by them."
"But we'd be doing the right thing, wouldn't we?!" Iwabee exclaimed. "Even if they don't help us, to chase us would be to protect their village. Even if we belong to it too..."
"It's the same!" The woman spat out, tapping the soaked rag on the stone floor and splashing the dark-haired man in the process. "Whether they are persecuted with good or bad intentions is not the important thing. They must not know of its existence. If they are discovered, under no circumstances should they expose themselves to being known. Their duty is not only to stay alive, it is also to ensure that they do so."
The message was clear to everyone, with no further questions needed.
Even Hoki, who had triggered that cascade of sincerity, was clearly dejected, though he didn't regret asking.
They no longer had control over their lives; Everything changed from the moment they opened that parchment.
The hope of finding allies in Konoha was slowly fading, like flames that breathe their last before being completely extinguished.
Convincing them would not be useful if their goal was to avoid another cataclysm. They did not even know who the enemy was, the one responsible for their misery. How could they carry a Konoha without Naruto with that weight?
That Konoha didn't have Kakashi as one of the Hokage, nor the Ino-Shika-Chou trio leading the vanguard.
In the past, phenomenal Ninjas existed, but those who came close to finding the solution to the cataclysm chose to protect their children, sacrificing their own souls by going back in time and returning to their youth.
Now, they were nothing more than young people or children. Their parents, heroes, family... they all came down to that.
They could not unjustly endanger them. It wouldn't be fair to anyone.
Although some still held out a small hope that things would not be like that.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone