Chapitre 30: Burrito.

Ah, it's been awhile since I made a chapter here, I tend to go back here whenever I get to a slice of life part of Kuro's story.

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Boruto stood in one of the Academy's training fields, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he looked around the grassy clearing. Normally, he might've enjoyed a spot like this—lush greenery, a peaceful breeze, and just the right amount of shade from the nearby trees. It was the perfect place to kick back, play some games, grab a drink, or maybe even sneak in some training. But today? He had company, and not the kind he preferred.

Sitting on a log nearby was Arsene, the class's enigmatic loner. His posture was as stiff as ever, his face obscured by that ever-present mask that made it impossible to read his expression. To Boruto, Arsene was like a locked box—annoyingly mysterious and unapproachable.

"Should I just fail this?" Boruto muttered under his breath. Partnering with this guy? It felt more exhausting than trying to impress Sarada or keep up with Mitsuki. Maybe tanking this exercise wouldn't be so bad.

Meanwhile, Arsene sat silently on the log, his thoughts elsewhere. His current predicament nagged at him—not the partnership, but his own growing strength. Despite his progress, something about it felt… unstable. Power without control was no better than weakness. He needed answers, and that meant finding someone with the right expertise. Sumire came to mind. If she was still working toward her career in the Ninja Science Department, she might have insights.

The silence lingered between them like an awkward third party until Arsene finally broke it.

"Hey."

Boruto glanced over, half-surprised to hear his voice. "Oh, so you can talk?" he said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Arsene ignored the jab, brushing it off like an annoying fly. "As amazing as this peaceful moment is, we're supposed to be doing something. Right?" His voice was calm and detached.

"Wow, Captain Obvious," Boruto replied, throwing up his hands. "I've been trying to figure that out, but it's kinda hard when you're partnered with an ice block pretending to be a person."

"...Oh." Arsene didn't bother defending himself. He leaned back slightly, dragging his fingers across the grass beneath him in absent thought. "So, I'm curious. You've been training under Sasuke Uchiha, haven't you?"

Boruto perked up instantly, his frustration melting into a cocky grin. "Oh, you've heard of my genius, huh? Yep, I'm the one and only disciple of the great Sasuke Uchiha!"

Arsene tilted his head slightly, unbothered by Boruto's enthusiasm. "That means you've likely learned his Chidori, right?"

Boruto puffed out his chest, ready to show off, but Arsene interrupted. "Actually, I don't care about that. I want to see the other move—the Rasengan."

Boruto blinked, momentarily deflated. "...That's it? Seriously? I thought you'd ask for something cooler." Still, he couldn't resist the chance to demonstrate. "Fine. Watch and learn!"

Clapping his hands together, Boruto focused his chakra into his palm. A small, spiraling sphere of pure energy began to form, glowing bright blue. With a confident smirk, he hurled the Rasengan forward. A faint whirring sound filled the air before the jutsu disappeared entirely. A split second later, a distant tree exploded, its trunk crushed by an invisible force.

"Pretty awesome, huh?" Boruto turned back, clearly expecting praise. But Arsene was lost in thought, murmuring to himself, his analytical mind already dissecting the technique.

"The refraction of light…? No, that wouldn't make sense with a lightning-natured chakra base. Unless he's manipulating gamma or X-rays, but even then, the dispersion would be erratic. Could it be Space-Time Ninjutsu? An unintentional dimensional shift, perhaps…"

Boruto stared, his smile fading into a flat expression. "Uh… hello? Earth to Arsene?"

Arsene snapped out of his musings, blinking. "Oh. You're still here."

"Yeah, I'm still here," Boruto said, rolling his eyes. "So, what'd you think of my amazing technique?"

Arsene considered for a moment before delivering his verdict with blunt precision. "It's… pretty worthless."

Boruto's smile died on the spot. "Excuse me?"

"It's ranged, but it only moves in one direction," Arsene explained, his tone entirely matter-of-fact. "Even if it's invisible, it can still be dodged. Besides, it's clearly not your specialty."

Boruto took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "And what, genius, would you say is my 'specialty'?"

"Light," Arsene said simply. He turned his masked face toward Boruto, his inhuman eyes studying him beneath the fabric. "It's clear you're not using Space-Time Ninjutsu—it's beyond your reach. But the relation between lightning and light is undeniable. You've somehow managed to refract light itself to achieve invisibility. Your natural talent for it is near miraculous."

Boruto was taken aback. The explanation was a bit much, but it made sense. A new path—one that was entirely his own. But something didn't sit right.

"Hold on," Boruto said, narrowing his eyes. "Why are you helping me? What's in it for you?"

Arsene turned away, his tone as cold as ever. "Adversity helps growth. To put it simply… I'm farming you, Boruto Uzumaki."

Boruto stared for a moment before breaking into a grin. "Farming me, huh? Well, that's good to know! I hope you like challenges because I'm no pushover." He held out his hand, an unspoken offer of camaraderie.

Arsene didn't even glance at it. "...Don't care," he said, standing and brushing off his pants.

Boruto sighed but couldn't help chuckling to himself. "Man, you really are the worst."

As Arsene turned to leave, he paused, his voice dropping slightly. "Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses. The next time you throw that Rasengan, make sure no one can escape it."

For the first time, Boruto felt a flicker of genuine respect for the stoic loner. Maybe, just maybe, this partnership wouldn't be so bad after all.

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[Auther: Ready for an info dump? I've been cooking this idea for a bit]