"Aunt Karin..."
Sarada stared at Karin's distraught face, a swirl of emotions tightening in her chest. She spoke softly, but her voice barely calmed the storm inside Karin.
"How could it not be? You look so much like me, and you even wear glasses. Am I really not your mother?" Karin's eyes reddened.
She tried to hold the tears back, but when she glanced at Sasuke, everything crumbled — the dam broke and the tears flowed freely.
Sumire Kakei looked on, sympathy swelling in her chest. She knew how painful it was to love someone you couldn't be with.
"Oh my... she really does look like Karin. And her talent—" Orochimaru shook his head, a hint of regret and puzzlement in his voice.
"Go to the battlefield. Don't waste time," Sasuke said slowly, drawing a deep breath.
"Finally, I get to see my son, Naruto," Minato said, his voice tight with excitement and guilt. "I've always failed my duties as a father. This time, I'll give him a proper gift."
"It's been a while since we had a war. We must not be careless," Hiruzen agreed with a solemn nod.
"Madara, this time I will defeat you!" Tobirama declared, voice steeled with resolve.
"It might be strange to say this now, but I'm looking forward to meeting old friends. Wait for me, Madara!" Hashirama's tone carried a nostalgic warmth.
"There's war in every era, but this will be the final battle. Let's go!" The words lifted their spirits as they prepared for the confrontation ahead.
…
In a crimson-streaked alternate dimension, Urashiki panted, clothes torn and body laced with wounds.
Boruto's attacks had left him with barely any strength to return a blow. If not for Time Reversal, he would have died long ago.
His chakra was nearly exhausted. The chakra in his fishing receptacle had been consumed as well. Only the Rinnegan in his sockets remained intact.
He dared not consume his own eyes — though doing so would boost his power, it would cost him Time Reversal and Yomotsu Hirasaka.
Even if he evolved further, he still doubted he could defeat Boruto. There was only one choice left: run.
"Still not running, you mongrel?" Boruto's figure appeared close behind, weapons hovering like a halo of death.
Urashiki swallowed and fixed him with a malicious glare. Then he slammed a palm to the ground.
The dark red soil vanished, replaced by a huge black altar etched with runes that pulsed with an eerie light.
"Space–Time Barrier!" he snarled.
A circular gray energy curtain erupted and wrapped around Boruto. Immediately, Boruto felt his perception of — and control over — space-time weaken.
This will slow his space-time abilities — but only for a while, Urashiki thought. For him, breaking it is inevitable.
On the battlefield below, Madara leaned toward Black Zetsu, suspicion on his face.
"Black Zetsu, are you saying that if we simply throw that white-clothed man to the Ten-Tails, the beast will immediately transform into the Divine Tree?"
"That's correct, Lord Madara," Black Zetsu replied. His voice carried a cold, uncanny certainty.
"We only need the corpse of that white-clothed man. Once the Ten-Tails devours his remains, it transforms into the Divine Tree. There would be no more need to consume the Nine-Tails or the Eight-Tails."
Madara's eyes narrowed. "How do you know this?"
"I have investigated ruins linked to Kaguya Ōtsutsuki for many years," Black Zetsu said, bowing his head.
"I found records detailing the Ten-Tails' transformation. To evolve into the Divine Tree and activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi, it must first devour a member of the Ōtsutsuki clan. Kaguya once sacrificed an Ōtsutsuki for this purpose."
"The Byakugan-bearing man is Ōtsutsuki," Black Zetsu continued. "If Lord Madara can obtain his corpse and feed it to the Ten-Tails, the Infinite Tsukuyomi can be triggered."
Madara murmured, "If we don't need to devour the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails, then Obito is redundant."
He formed a hand seal with one hand. Immediately the cursed seal within Obito — who still clung to the Ten-Tails in the pit — tightened its hold.
Damn it! The plan is ruined! Obito roared inwardly. He struggled to break free of the seal, but it held him like iron. He knew his fate was in Madara's hands.
"Outer Path — Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique!" Madara intoned.
White smoke welled from Madara's form. Blood and a heartbeat returned to Obito's body, but the Rinnegan in Madara's eyes vanished like scattered fragments.
"My eyes are gone," Madara muttered, voice threaded with regret.
After performing the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique, Obito collapsed, exhausted and barely breathing. He had lost strength and hope; he could only wait.
A figure leapt by his side — a white Zetsu with a spiral head.
It peered at the weakened Obito and then unfurled like shedding skin, wrapping Obito in a white, armor-like shell.
The new White Zetsu plunged into the earth and returned, holding a Rinnegan.
Madara seized the eye and pressed it into his sockets. Instantly, a rift tore open in the sky. Urashiki stumbled out and flew toward the Ten-Tails.
"Perfect timing!" Madara barked, eyes alight. "I'll take your eyes and your body!"
Back in the crimson dimension, Boruto felt the barrier press against his perception, but he kept his composure.
Even constrained, he could sense Urashiki's fear and exhaustion. The chase stretched on — dimensions tore, portals opened, and the war below continued to twist toward its turning point.
Down on the battlefield, everyone felt it — as if the world had shifted.
Eyes turned skyward, and all of them waited, breath bated, for the next blow that would decide the fate of the ninja world.
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Boruto: Growing Up as Naruto's Son is now on Patreon!
🔥 I also have additional **18+ fanfics** available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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