Boro and Deepa appeared beside Kawaki. Gritting his teeth and suppressing the nausea churning in his stomach, Kawaki forced himself to ask the question that mattered most to him right now. "Where is Jigen? Didn't he come with you?"
Boro chuckled. "Heh, he's already gone to Konoha to look for you."
"What? Then the Seventh Hokage—!" Kawaki's concern for Naruto instantly overwhelmed any worry for himself. "Take me to Jigen right now! If he doesn't see me, he'll definitely—"
Smack!
Before he could finish, Boro slapped him hard across the face, sending him crashing to the ground. "Insolent brat. That's how you speak after causing trouble for Lord Jigen?"
"Ugh!" Kawaki's laser sword fell to the ground as he clutched his swollen cheek, his head ringing violently.
Deepa stepped forward, grabbing Kawaki by the hair and yanking him up. His sharp, cone-like chin hovered close as he sneered mockingly. "Fufufu… what about the Seventh Hokage? Don't tell me you've started feeling attached to that childish little village, playing house in its fake peace?"
"Those people will eventually rot away in their own comfort… and you, an ill-omened existence, will only speed up their destruction. Especially that precious Seventh Hokage of yours."
"Shut up!" Kawaki snapped, fury blazing in his eyes. "A clown like you has no right to speak about the Seventh Hokage like that!"
The next second, his expression twisted into agony. Deepa's five fingers, gleaming with a dark sheen, pressed directly into the wound on Kawaki's abdomen left by the Rasengan.
"Don't get cocky just because you're a vessel," Deepa said coldly. "There are countless ways to make you suffer without killing you."
He released Kawaki, who collapsed to the ground, curling up as he coughed up saliva and blood.
Watching this unfold, Sarada looked completely confused. "What is going on? Those two seem to be on Kawaki's side, right? Why are they beating him like this?"
Mitsuki clenched his hand slightly, his gaze never leaving Boruto. "More importantly, I'm concerned about that black mist earlier. Boruto, you inhaled some of it. Do you feel anything strange?"
Boruto paused for a moment before answering honestly. "My limbs are starting to feel numb… and it's spreading."
Sarada's face changed instantly. "What!? How could that happen!?"
"Numbness… sounds like poisoning," Mitsuki muttered, thinking briefly before reaching into his clothes and pulling out a white capsule. "Boruto, take this."
Boruto raised his hand slowly and examined it. "What is it?"
"A fast-acting antidote from someone in my family. It works on most poisons."
"What do you mean 'most'?"
Mitsuki thought for a moment. "Well… anything that isn't from my 'hometown' should count."
Even though Boruto hadn't visited Ryuchi Cave in this timeline, he knew far more about Mitsuki's origins through other means.
"Thanks. That helps a lot." Boruto swallowed the capsule.
"Do you feel better?" Mitsuki asked.
Boruto hesitated slightly. Mitsuki's heart sank as he clenched his fist. "Don't tell me…"
Sarada, who had just relaxed, tensed up again. "Boruto, did it not work!?"
"It's too early to say. Maybe it's just a difference in how fast it works depending on the person."
He reassured her calmly, but inside, his thoughts were grim. This is bad. Not only has it not improved, it's getting worse. This isn't a normal poison… or maybe it's not poison at all.
Every Inner member of Kara possessed a unique system of scientific ninja tools embedded in their bodies. Boro's ability allowed him to release a fast-acting virus in the form of a dark mist. Once inhaled, it rapidly weakened the body and gradually caused paralysis. Because it was a physical substance rather than chakra-based, it couldn't be absorbed.
Only Boro himself and those implanted with the corresponding antibodies could resist it. This was also the source of his confidence in being able to defeat Uchiha Akira and take his Rinnegan and Sharingan.
Feeling the worsening numbness spreading through his body, Boruto made a decision. If this keeps up, I'm finished. I need to end this while I can still move.
Without hesitation—
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Puff! Puff! Puff! Thick white smoke erupted in waves.
In an instant, both sides of the valley walls were filled with Boruto clones—over a hundred of them.
Even Boro was impressed. "To create this many clones while infected by my virus… impressive. A vessel is truly something else."
Momoshiki: "…"
"Let's finish this in one go!" Boruto declared.
Whoosh! The clones surged forward from all directions, each one forming a Rasengan in their palm.
Yuki once called my scientific ninja tool barrage 'Hundred Might: Boruto'… then I'll use the same name for this technique.
"Multiple Rasengan Shadow Formation: Hundred Might!"
From above and all sides, countless Rasengan descended, surrounding Boro, Deepa, and Kawaki completely.
Boro couldn't help but laugh. "So this is the power of a vessel? Lord Isshiki, you have to admit—while Momoshiki himself is far weaker than you, his vessel is far more capable than yours."
Momoshiki: "…"
Kawaki looked up, stunned by the overwhelming barrage. "Boruto… just what are you…"
Deepa, on the other hand, was thrilled. "Hahaha! This is great! The vessel of Momoshiki is worth killing!"
With a wave of his hand, countless polished carbon pellets formed and hovered above him.
Deepa's ability allowed him to control carbon, compressing it into ultra-dense forms to create an incredibly durable body. Combined with his powerful taijutsu, it made him terrifying in close combat. Fire, wind, lightning, even direct Rasengan hits couldn't harm him.
At long range, he could fire carbon pellets like a storm of bullets, so fast even the Sharingan struggled to track them.
For most ninjas, who relied on fragile yet powerful techniques, Deepa was a natural counter.
Despite being called a "battle-loving clown," he possessed genuine Kage-level combat strength.
"Carbon Bullet Rain!"
The sharpened pellets shot upward like a torrential storm.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Boruto's shadow clones were wiped out in waves, disappearing almost instantly.
However, the white smoke from their destruction became a perfect smokescreen.
Suddenly, a hand shot out from beneath Deepa's feet, grabbing his ankle. Another hand, hidden underwater, formed a one-handed seal.
"Water clone!?"
Water surged from all directions, compressing rapidly into a dense prison that trapped Deepa inside.
"What!?"
"Now you can't fire those carbon bullets!"
As the smoke above cleared, Boruto's real body descended from the sky. In his right palm, marked with Kāma, a Rasengan expanded wildly.
Akira's words echoed in his mind from their first training session.
"Boruto, remember this—your true trump card isn't the techniques I taught you in illusions. Those are only to build your foundation as a ninja."
"Don't get it backwards."
"Find your own trump card. Combine it with the massive chakra boost from Kāma… and you'll become unstoppable."
The Rasengan stabilized, expanding into a massive sphere nearly fifteen meters wide.
"Master… this is the strongest move I can use in Kāma Stage One!"
"Super Massive Rasengan!"
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