"The goal is to make the yellow-haired rat(Not fox), a good character and likable, it'll be hell, he's made to be bad. Even after the time skip, he's just sasuke, like actually." -Me
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The early morning sun filtered through the curtains as Boruto Uzumaki groggily opened his eyes. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, he suddenly remembered.
"Oh, shoot!" he exclaimed, bolting upright. Today was mission day.
Throwing off the covers, Boruto scrambled to change into his clothes before darting into the washroom. As he splashed water on his face, a soft voice from the hallway caught his attention.
"Hi, Oni-chan!" Himawari's sleepy voice called out, rubbing her eyes as she stood in the doorway.
"Hey, Sis! See ya later!" Boruto replied hurriedly, giving her a quick smile before dashing out of the bathroom and sprinting downstairs into the kitchen.
"Hey, Mom!" he shouted mid-run, grabbing a slice of toast from the table in passing.
Hinata smiled warmly, her tone as motherly as ever. "Hello, Boruto. Have a great day today!" she called after him, though her son had already bolted out the door.
Boruto leaped onto a nearby pole, swiftly scaling the rooftops as he raced toward the mission location. "It was somewhere near the weird forest, right?" he muttered to himself.
The "weird forest" was none other than the infamous Forest of Death—a place shrouded in danger, once avoided by most due to its feral wildlife and untamed terrain. Even seasoned shinobi had struggled with its unpredictable threats. Boruto's pulse quickened as he neared the forest, his excitement rising despite himself.
When he arrived, he spotted his teammates, Sarada Uchiha and Mitsuki, already waiting for him.
"Yo, guys! So, what's up?" Boruto greeted casually, waving as he landed in front of them.
Sarada scowled, adjusting her glasses with an irritated glare. "Don't 'Yo' us like that! You're half an hour late, Boruto!" she snapped, her frustration clear.
Mitsuki, ever the calm one, smiled slightly. "Hello, Boruto. How was your rest?" he asked politely.
Boruto shrugged, brushing off Sarada's irritation with a smirk. "Meh, it was okay."
Before the conversation could continue, the sound of rustling bushes caught their attention. Stepping into view was their sensei, Konohamaru Sarutobi, with a tall, thin figure trailing behind him. Meanwhile, hidden in the trees, a shadow clone of Naruto Uzumaki watched the scene unfold, his presence unnoticed by his son.
Konohamaru cleared his throat, commanding his team's focus. "Alright, everyone. Lord 7th has been impressed with your recent progress. As a reward, you're about to meet someone very special," he announced, excitement clear in his voice.
The night before, Naruto—Konohamaru's childhood mentor—had sent him a personal message praising the progress of Team 7. The message also contained instructions to introduce them to a "prized pupil" of Naruto's, though in truth, Naruto had exaggerated the title to help this individual fit in more easily.
"Alright, go ahead and introduce yourself!" Konohamaru gestured for the figure to step forward.
The young man approached, his black hair falling slightly over his pale, thin face. A black eye mask covered his eyes, making him an enigmatic presence. "Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you, I'm Arsene," he said, offering a casual wave.
Mitsuki, ever observant, gave Arsene a curious look before offering a friendly nod in return. Sarada, on the other hand, took it upon herself to introduce the rest of the team.
"Sorry for the idiot over there," she said, pointing at Boruto with a slight eye roll. "I'm Sarada Uchiha. Boruto the Moron, and Mitsuki over here." Her tone was sharp, but there was an underlying playfulness to it.
"Nice to meet you all," Arsene replied, his voice quiet but composed.
Boruto crossed his arms, his curiosity piqued but his irritation obvious. "So, what's this guy here for?" he asked, directing the question toward Konohamaru.
Konohamaru paused, building suspense before answering. "Well, your father wanted to recognize your recent accomplishments by sending one of his personal best students. Arsene here is the only one Lord 7th has ever accepted as a student."
Those words hit Boruto like a punch to the gut. His heart sank, and his fists clenched at his sides. His dad—who could never spare a single moment for him—had a secret student. A special, prized pupil who trained directly under him? Boruto's anger flared, a bitter feeling swelling in his chest as he processed the information.
Unknown to Konohamaru and the rest of Team 7, Naruto's claim about Arsene being a "prized pupil" was a lie, a small fabrication meant to help ease Arsene's integration into the team. But to Boruto, it felt like a betrayal.
His father barely had time to share a meal with him, and yet somehow, he had managed to take on another student in secret.
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[Auther: Yo. I hate this guy.]