บท 16: Training With Sasuke!

What's this? Is it something that doesn't have my MC in it at all? Is this possible?!?!

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The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains of Boruto's bedroom, casting a soft glow on his face. He groggily blinked awake, the memories of the previous day slowly filtering back into his mind.

The party, the cake, Himawari's laughter, and—most importantly—his father's surprise appearance. While Boruto had been beyond thrilled to see Naruto show up, there was no way he'd let that joy show too obviously. He's still Hokage first, after all, Boruto thought, though deep down, he couldn't deny how much it had meant to him.

With a huff, Boruto threw off his blanket and got out of bed. After a quick wash and getting dressed in his usual clothes, he headed downstairs, where the remnants of the party were still scattered about. His mother, Hinata, was busy tidying up, humming softly to herself. She looked much more cheerful than usual—no doubt because Naruto had finally managed to spend time with the family.

"Bye, Mom!" Boruto called as he made his way out the door, stuffing a piece of toast in his mouth.

Hinata smiled warmly, pausing from her cleaning to wave. "Goodbye, Boruto. Remember to be back soon!" she reminded him, her voice filled with warmth. Seeing Naruto back home had lifted her spirits.

With a quick nod, Boruto was out the door and sprinting down the road. He had one destination in mind—he was heading straight for the outskirts of Konoha, where one of the more remote training fields lay hidden near a small stream.

The Training Field – Sasuke's Test

By the time Boruto arrived at the training field, he was slightly out of breath, the run longer than he'd expected. "Whew... this place is far," he muttered, placing his hands on his knees as he took a moment to catch his breath. The area was quiet and serene, with the gentle sound of flowing water in the background. The perfect place for a ninja to train undisturbed.

Sitting calmly on a log by the stream, a fishing rod in hand, was Sasuke Uchiha. His cloak, draped over his shoulders, fluttered slightly in the breeze as he sat there, utterly relaxed. Sasuke appeared to be enjoying a peaceful morning, fishing as if he had all the time in the world.

"Currently, it's 10 AM," Sasuke remarked casually, not even turning to look at Boruto. "You truly took your time. Not that I mind. I got to eat breakfast and wake up in my actual bed for once."

Boruto grinned sheepishly. "Well, yeah, I guess I did take a little longer than usual," he admitted, scratching the back of his head. "But clearly, that makes me the best material for being your student!" he added with his usual shameless confidence.

Sasuke chuckled softly, shaking his head. "That's the purpose of today's test." He stood up from the log, gesturing toward the small stream flowing beside him. "You see this stream?" Sasuke handed Boruto a fishing pole, his tone still as calm as ever. "Your task is simple—catch a fish."

Boruto stared down at the fishing pole, then back at the stream. "That's it? Catch a fish?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. There's gotta be more to it than that.

As he peered into the water, the glint of sharp teeth caught his attention. His eyes widened. The stream wasn't filled with regular fish—it was filled with piranhas.

"Those are piranhas!" Boruto exclaimed, taking a step back from the stream. He'd heard about these fish, and though they weren't usually dangerous to humans unless provoked, the thought of dealing with their razor-sharp teeth wasn't exactly appealing.

Sasuke remained unfazed, his expression unchanged. "Piranhas don't tend to attack humans unless the water level is low... like in a stream, for example." He crossed his arms, his gaze steady. "But you'll only need to put the pole in the water, so you'll be safe."

He began walking away, leaving Boruto standing by the stream with the fishing pole. "I'll know when you succeed," Sasuke called over his shoulder. "And... you've got the whole day."

Boruto watched Sasuke disappear from view, his usual sense of ease slowly being replaced by nervous excitement. "Sheesh, he's fast," Boruto muttered as he turned his attention back to the stream. Alright, Boruto, no big deal. You've got this.

He gripped the fishing pole tightly and prepared to cast the line. "Some dumb fish aren't going to stop me!" With a quick flick of his wrist, he cast the line into the water. The hook disappeared beneath the surface, and Boruto waited, staring intently at the water's surface.

Suddenly, there was a tug on the line. Boruto's heart leaped in excitement as a piranha swam up and bit the hook. But instead of being reeled in, the fish bit right through the hook, leaving Boruto standing there with a broken line. "...Shoot," he muttered, holding up the pole. I get it now.

Before Boruto could dwell too much on his failure, Sasuke appeared at his side, moving so quickly and silently that Boruto hadn't even noticed his approach. "Try again," Sasuke said calmly, handing him another fishing pole before disappearing once more.

"Jeez, he's fast..." Boruto mumbled, staring down at the new pole in his hands.

He stood there for a moment, contemplating the challenge ahead. What am I missing here? It didn't take long for him to realize what Sasuke was getting at. The goal wasn't just to catch the fish—it was to catch the fish while keeping the fishing pole intact. The piranhas' sharp teeth would make that almost impossible unless...

Chakra reinforcement. The answer clicked in his mind. Chakra reinforcement was a technique taught at the academy, a way to "wrap" objects in chakra to increase their durability. He'd practiced it a little during his time at school, but never for something like this. That's what Sasuke's trying to teach me.

Boruto crouched down by the stream, his hand hovering over the fishing pole. Alright, just gotta master something I've only had practice doing for a day... no biggie, he thought, though the sarcasm was clear in his inner voice.

He took a deep breath, focusing on his chakra, feeling the familiar energy flow through him. Slowly, he let it wrap around the fishing pole, strengthening it. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start.

"Okay, Boruto," he muttered to himself, determination shining in his eyes. "Let's do this."

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[Auther: Yo. It's time to beat hard work and effort, into a brat! Hooray...]