章節 14: Smoothing Things Out.

You've guessed what I did huh? Arsene despite being so edgy, just looking at his eyes will cut you(And send you to the 7th level of hell), is weak to the ultimate weapon, "KAWAII!", Ahem.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

As Boruto sprinted through the streets of Konoha, his mind was solely focused on one thing—finding Himawari. He had been running for what felt like ages, the urgency of the situation making him oblivious to everything around him. His feet pounded the ground, breath coming in sharp bursts as he pushed himself harder, eyes darting in every direction. Where could she be?!

Suddenly, Boruto collided headfirst into someone, knocking the wind out of him. He stumbled back, rubbing his head. "Sorry, Sir—" he began to apologize before looking up. His words froze in his throat as he found himself staring into a pair of purple, ringed eyes and a single, sharp red eye in the other.

"Naruto?" the man said, surprise flickering across his face, though he quickly realized this was not his old friend. "No... you're Boruto, aren't you?"

Boruto blinked, still processing the shock of the strange eyes staring down at him. "Y-yeah," he stammered, taking a step back, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. "And who are you?"

The wind picked up at that moment, making the man's cloak billow dramatically behind him. His silhouette, shadowed by the setting sun, gave him an almost ghostly presence.¹

"Sasuke Uchiha," the man replied coolly, his voice low but powerful. "Your uncle."

Boruto froze in place, staring up at him, trying to comprehend what he just heard. "Wait, what?" The name hit him like a ton of bricks. He'd heard of Sasuke Uchiha, but only in stories. Naruto's former rival, now his closest ally, and one of the most legendary shinobi alive. This guy... is my uncle?

A few minutes passed, and Boruto had quickly moved past his initial shock, his mind now buzzing with curiosity and excitement. The two of them had moved to a quieter area near the outskirts of the village, away from the busy streets. Sasuke leaned against a tree, arms crossed, as Boruto paced in front of him, bombarding him with questions.

"So, you actually fought my Dad that long ago?!" Boruto asked, his eyes wide with amazement. "And you both lost your parents?!"

Sasuke chuckled softly, though his eyes held a distant, somber look as memories of his past flickered through his mind. "That was only the start of our fight," he replied, his voice trailing off as he remembered the fierce battles, the overwhelming hatred that had once consumed him. "I haven't even told you about the first time we fought at the Final Valley..."

Boruto's eyes lit up with excitement, eager to hear more. "Whoa, really? What happened?!"

Sasuke smirked slightly, though his gaze remained distant. Revenge... Even now, he could still feel traces of that all-consuming darkness, the hatred that had driven him to seek vengeance against Itachi, against the world. But he had long since come to terms with those feelings, buried beneath layers of experience and redemption.

Before Sasuke could continue, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "But aren't you supposed to be looking for someone?"

Boruto blinked, realization hitting him like a punch. "Oh right! My sister!" He frantically looked around as if expecting her to appear out of nowhere.

Sasuke, with his ever-observant gaze, pointed toward the stream below. "Is that them?" he asked, nodding toward a figure walking along the water's surface.

Boruto squinted, following Sasuke's gaze. Below them, walking on the stream was a pale-skinned boy with dark hair, slim build, and a cold, indifferent aura. Next to him was a small, familiar figure—Himawari.

"Yep! That's her!" Boruto yelled, relief flooding through him. But before he could dash off, Sasuke's sharp eyes remained fixed on Arsene, the boy walking beside Himawari. He noted the boy's pale skin and inhuman, unsettling eyes, and something about the way Arsene moved piqued his interest.

These two... have potential. Sasuke mused, sensing something unusual about Arsene. His appearance didn't faze Sasuke in the least. He had faced far worse. But the calm control Arsene carried himself with stood out.

"Hi, Boruto!" Himawari's cheerful voice rang out as she waved excitedly from the stream below.

Boruto, now fully snapped back into big-brother mode, glared down at Arsene. "You bast— I mean, jerk!" he shouted, correcting himself to a more kid-friendly tone, remembering his sister was present. He pointed an accusing finger at Arsene. "What did you do with my sister?! Hima, are you okay?"

Himawari beamed, completely at ease. "I'm fine, Boruto!" she called, her voice filled with sweetness.

Arsene, unfazed by Boruto's outburst, glanced up at him lazily. "I burned an orphanage. Does that satisfy you?" he said, his tone so calm and detached it was impossible to tell whether he was serious.

Boruto froze, his expression caught somewhere between shock and confusion. "What?! Oh..." He frowned, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "You're joking, right?"

Arsene said nothing, his face as unreadable as ever, continuing to walk on the stream. Himawari, on the other hand, giggled innocently. "Well, I'm not sure if we did that, but look at this!" She lifted the massive bucket of candy she had been carrying, waving it proudly in the air. "I got all of this candy!"

Boruto glanced at the bucket of candy, and despite the situation, he couldn't help but smile. He reached down, taking the bucket from Himawari's hands and pulling out a piece of chocolate. He unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth, the sweet taste momentarily distracting him from his frustration. "Thanks, Hima."

As they continued walking toward the Uzumaki house, Boruto glanced over at Arsene, his guard still up. "...This doesn't make us friends, you know."

Arsene, never one for pleasantries, gave him a flat look. "Good. Screw you, brat."

Boruto rolled his eyes but said nothing, too tired to continue the argument. What a weirdo, he thought, but at least Himawari was safe, and that was what mattered.

Meanwhile, Himawari happily munched on another piece of candy, her face full of satisfaction as she contentedly followed her brother and Arsene. This was the best day ever.

...

Sasuke, having observed the interaction between Boruto, Arsene, and Himawari, smiled faintly. Naruto's kids are growing up fast... He watched them for a moment longer before turning on his heel, his cloak billowing behind him as he disappeared into the shadows of the trees.

"Looks like this new generation will be just as interesting as ours," Sasuke muttered to himself, heading off to continue his mission. His mind lingered on Boruto and Arsene. Both had potential—untapped, raw, but with the right guidance, they could become forces to be reckoned with.

As the wind carried him away from the village, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. Maybe one day... they'll understand the same lessons we had to learn the hard way.

______________________________________

[Auther: