Chapter 299:
"Can't forget about you, Black Zetsu!"
Sakura picked up the nearly dead Black Zetsu that she had just pummeled and flung him toward the being currently being sealed—Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
The fused Ten Tails also disintegrated into the nine Tailed Beasts, who landed on the ground.
"The sealing is complete. Now it's time for us to head back!"
Naruto said with a smile, then turned to look at Future Boruto.
"My eye power is pretty drained... let's wait a bit."
...
A space-time tunnel opened before the reincarnated dead.
"It's Naruto!"
Reanimated Minato beamed as he watched Naruto emerge from the tunnel.
"Dad!"
"Looks like everything's been taken care of. Good job, Naruto. You've really grown into a fine young man."
Reanimated Minato praised Naruto warmly.
"It's not over yet," Sasuke said, stepping in front of Future Boruto. "Next, it's time you tell us—who exactly are you?"
"Hey! Sasuke, he helped us. He's our comrade..."
Naruto protested unhappily.
"So what? Whether it's a second Nine Tails, the Rinnegan, or that inexplicable Tenseigan—this guy has way too many suspicious things about him."
Sasuke stared at Future Boruto.
"Um... Sasuke, was it? Actually, Boruto can be trusted."
Reanimated Minato turned to Sasuke.
"See? Even my dad says so."
"No, it's fine. I was going to ask Sasuke to erase your memories anyway, so I don't mind telling you my identity now," Future Boruto said. "In truth, I'm a shinobi from the future. The son of Naruto Uzumaki, the Seventh Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. My name is Boruto Uzumaki—and I'm the Eighth Hokage of the Leaf Village."
"...Huh? HUUUH?!"
Sakura stared at Future Boruto in complete shock.
Even after facing Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, which had significantly toughened her mental resilience, learning that this was Naruto's son from the future still shook her to the core.
"You're... my son?!" Naruto looked at Future Boruto and pointed at himself. "Now that you mention it, you really do look like me—your hair, your eyes, even the whiskers on your face... No wonder you've got the Nine Tails inside you. Hahaha! Hey, hey—can you tell me who I end up marrying? Is it Sakura?"
"Ask that later. Right now, explain your Rinnegan."
Sasuke focused in again.
"Yeah. If you're really my son, why do you have the Rinnegan?"
"Don't tell me..."
Sakura suddenly caught on, raising a trembling hand to point back and forth between Sasuke and Naruto, her face full of despair.
"My Rinnegan was entrusted to me by your daughter before she died..."
"This was something Boruto already mentioned when he summoned us."
Reanimated Minato added.
"I didn't expect Uncle Sasuke to obtain the Rinnegan here, so it's fine to explain it again."
Future Boruto said calmly.
"You still haven't told me—who do I marry in the future?"
Naruto asked, glancing at Sakura and nudging Future Boruto for a hint.
"It's Hinata. Uncle Sasuke's the one who ends up with Sakura."
Future Boruto answered.
"I... Sasuke... married...?"
Sakura swayed on her feet and finally collapsed to the ground.
"Too excited, maybe..."
Future Boruto muttered, looking at her lying there.
"What the hell..."
Naruto's face was full of disappointment.
"Uncle Sasuke, to prevent changes to the future, I need to ask you to use your Rinnegan to erase the memories of everyone who saw me."
"...Alright." Sasuke nodded, looking at Future Boruto. "But you're not erasing my memory?"
"No need. Besides, since you also have the Rinnegan, I wouldn't be able to erase your memory even if I wanted to. And I trust you, Uncle Sasuke—you wouldn't spill the secret of my appearance here."
"Then you shouldn't need to erase mine either."
Naruto pointed at himself.
"...No, I don't trust you, Dad."
"What?! I'm your dad, and you don't even trust me?!"
The sun rose again, casting golden light across the earth.
"We're already dead—we can't stay in this world much longer. Still, I never imagined I'd get to meet my own son, and even my grandson."
Reanimated Minato smiled. "Oh right, Naruto—you probably forgot… Happy seventeenth birthday."
"...Thanks... Uh, Dad..."
Naruto had so much he wanted to say, but it all choked up in his throat.
"I'll tell Kushina everything about you. Knowing how well you're doing, I'm sure she'll be very happy."
Reanimated Minato's body began to glow as he neared the end of his time.
"Oh, and Dad, make sure you tell Mom—I've been eating properly, so she doesn't need to worry. I'm not picky anymore—I eat everything. And I bathe regularly, sometimes even go to the Leaf hot springs. Um... and I've made lots of friends too. They're all great people..."
Though he spoke with a smile, tears streamed down his cheeks uncontrollably.
The reanimated Hokage of past generations all faded from the world.
"Sasuke, let's hurry and wake everyone caught in the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Naruto wiped his tears and turned to Sasuke.
"Before that... I have to kill the current Five Kage."
Sasuke said quietly.
"What did you say, Sasuke?!"
"Not just the Five Kage. The nine Tailed Beasts—all of them must be executed."
"You little... WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
Kurama roared at Sasuke and immediately launched an attack, claws bared—only to suddenly be restrained by Sasuke's Rinnegan. The other Tailed Beasts were bound as well.
"Why are you doing this, Sasuke?!"
"To destroy the Five Great Shinobi Nations and rebuild a new, shadowless world of ninja. That's my goal now, Naruto!" Sasuke formed a hand seal. "Chibaku Tensei!"
"Damn..." Kurama, his body being encased in stone, looked at Naruto. "I'm counting on you now, Naruto!"
"Yeah. Don't worry, Kurama—it won't take long." Naruto looked straight at Sasuke and said, "Sasuke, according to what Boruto just told us, I become the Seventh Hokage in the future—which means you'll definitely lose in the end!"
"Hmph. If Boruto came to the past acting so cautiously, that means the future isn't set in stone!" Sasuke stared at Naruto. "Anyway, this place isn't suitable for our fight. Let's go to that spot—you know where I mean."