Chapter 196:
After a short while, Shikamaru also rushed over in a hurry.
"Seriously, it's just a taijutsu sparring match—did they really need to make such a big scene?" Shikamaru muttered helplessly, then spoke through Ino's real-time communication ability. "Ino, tell the others they don't need to come. It's just Naruto doing a taijutsu match."
"A taijutsu match? If Naruto's doing taijutsu, is it with Sasuke?"
"No, it's with Naruto's son, the one from the future—Boruto."
"Got it," Ino replied from her flower shop, then started contacting the others one by one.
In the arena, Naruto had grabbed one of future Boruto's hands. With his free hand, he attacked, but the Nine Tails' claw behind future Boruto suddenly extended and began forming hand seals.
Two shadow clones of future Boruto appeared to the left and right and simultaneously launched flying kicks at Naruto.
At such close range, there was no time to defend, so both sides ended up taking hits.
"Not bad, Boruto. I didn't expect you to have grown this much." Naruto, forced to create distance after being struck, said with a smile. "Having the Nine Tails' claw form hand seals... that's a clever move."
"I only have one hand, after all, so I need the Nine Tails' claw to assist with a lot of jutsu," future Boruto replied while pulling a capsule from his ninja tool pouch. Upon opening it, white mist poured out, and the Kusanagi Sword appeared in his hand.
"Scientific ninja tools, huh..."
"Yeah, they're future scientific ninja tools," future Boruto nodded. "Alright, I'm coming, Dad."
"Bring it on."
Just as Naruto finished speaking, future Boruto vanished in an instant.
Using his Sage Mode sensory abilities, Naruto easily detected where Boruto was coming from.
"To the left!"
Naruto quickly shifted to defend, and the Nine Tails' claw came forward, blocking Boruto's Rasengan.
"Wait, what about the Kusanagi Sword?!"
Just as that thought occurred, future Boruto's figure vanished again, replaced by the Kusanagi Sword stabbed into the ground in front of Naruto. Boruto had appeared above him, landed behind him, and drew another capsule that turned into the Kusanagi Sword. He held it at Naruto's throat.
"You win, Boruto."
"Mhm," future Boruto nodded. Having inherited everyone's hopes and abilities, he was now stronger than anyone present.
"It's about dinner time. How about you two join us?" Hyūga Hiashi, having watched the thrilling match between Naruto and Boruto, turned to the arriving Sasuke and Shikamaru.
"No thanks, Sakura's already made dinner at home."
"Same here," Shikamaru added, then shouted toward Naruto in the arena, "Naruto, I'm heading home! And next time, don't make such a big commotion over sparring!"
"Sorry, Shikamaru!"
...
After dinner, Hinata carried a drowsy Himawari back to the bedroom.
"Naruto, are you facing any difficulties with your duties as Hokage?" Hiashi sat formally across from Naruto. "If there's anything troubling you, just let me know. The Hyūga Clan will always support you."
"Yeah." Naruto nodded. In truth, the Hyūga Clan had recently provided him with a great deal of support, even dispatching many strong ninja to the sea border between the Land of Water and the Land of Fire for reconnaissance.
Sitting off to the side, Hanabi whispered to future Boruto, "Boruto, that fight with my brother-in-law today... you looked really cool."
Future Boruto touched his Rinnegan and shook his head. "I was just relying on the Rinnegan's external power."
"Speaking of which, your Rinnegan doesn't seem to consume much chakra."
"...Actually, my Rinnegan is a fusion of Uncle Sasuke's and Sarada's, so the chakra reserves are relatively high."
"—Oh right, Boruto..." Naruto suddenly turned toward future Boruto, who was whispering with Hanabi. "There's a mission I need you to take on tomorrow."
"Okay, got it." Future Boruto nodded.
"Because Konoha is severely lacking in ninja right now, you'll have to handle this mission alone. But it should be something you're quite familiar with," Naruto explained.
Even though Konoha had many areas in need of deployed ninja, Naruto still couldn't bring himself to send young children on potentially fatal missions.
"Something I'm familiar with..." Future Boruto paused for a moment. "Is it about zombies?"
"Yeah," Naruto confirmed. "Some highly infectious zombies have appeared in the Land of Wind. You'll be sent to deal with them. Also, the Jar Merchant will go with you, in hopes of finding a chance to summon the Wind Eagle Armor."
"Understood."
"What about me?" Present-day Boruto asked Naruto. "I'm strong now too!"
"Soon, the daimyō of the Land of Water and the Land of Fire will meet for talks. You, Sumire, and Sarada from Team 7, together with Inojin, Chōchō, and Shikadai from Team 10, will be tasked with protecting the Fire Daimyō under Sasuke's leadership."
"I see... What about Tentō?"
Tentō had recently been training intensively under Kakashi and Might Guy.
"Tentō will join you as well. There are many issues to be discussed at this summit—not just the relationship between the Land of Water and the Land of Fire, but also the matter of the Five Great Nations' secret treasure, the Light and Shadow Stones."
Since Tentō was the only known person to have come into contact with the Fire Light Stone, he needed to attend too.
Because this issue involved combating Ability Beasts and the Light and Shadow Stones, Konoha was taking it very seriously—so much so that they even sent Sasuke, one of their strongest.
"Um, brother-in-law..." Hanabi crawled over beside Naruto and asked softly.
"What is it, Hanabi?"
"If you're going to the Land of Wind, can I go too?" Hanabi pointed to herself.
"No." Future Boruto answered before Naruto could respond.
"Why not?!"
"This mission is dangerous and involves infection. If you don't want to end up like the future me—some ugly monster—then don't come along," future Boruto said firmly.
Whether it was turning into a zombie or having to amputate infected limbs, none of those outcomes were things he wanted Hanabi to face.
"Yeah, that's right. Hanabi, as you can see, this mission is dangerous. Besides, you're the Hyūga Clan's sole heir right now..." Naruto noticed Hanabi's increasingly displeased expression and quickly changed the subject. He turned to future Boruto and said, "By the way, Boruto, I have a gift for you before you depart tomorrow."