Chapter 255: Your Name...?
"Eh? Me, like Boruto?" Hanabi waved her hands in flustered denial after her initial surprise. "No way, that's impossible! I'm his sister-in-law…"
"Like the perfect pairing of chips and broth that creates a culinary miracle, there's no need to worry, Sister Hanabi." Chōchō Akimichi stepped forward and took Hanabi's hands in hers. "I'll definitely help you chase after your own happiness!"
"Eh? Something like that…"
In a tent within Konoha Village.
"Big Brother, Dad is looking for you."
Himawari, crouched beside the entrance flap of the tent, called into the interior toward Future Boruto.
"Mm. Thanks for letting me know, Himawari."
Future Boruto stepped out of the tent and patted Himawari on the head.
In the future, after the outbreak of a biochemical crisis that swept through the ninja world, Boruto hadn't patted Himawari's head in a long time—not since she'd grown up. Their once warm sibling relationship had long since grown cold and distant.
Holding Himawari's hand, Future Boruto followed her lead to Naruto's location.
The former Hokage office site.
Currently the largest tent in all of Konoha.
After handing Himawari over to Hinata outside the tent, Future Boruto lifted the entrance flap and stepped inside. He glanced around at everyone present before his eyes settled on Naruto in the center.
"Dad, you wanted to see me?"
"Yeah." Naruto looked at the fully grown and now far stronger Boruto standing in the doorway and said, "There's a task I need to entrust to you..."
He was to head to the Land of Fire's Antiquities Research Institute and retrieve some ancient relics discovered underwater, then return them to Konoha for safekeeping.
Even though Konoha Village had been nearly razed to the ground, within the borders of the Land of Fire, it remained the safest place available.
The Rinnegan's space-time portals were a tremendously convenient ability.
In less than ten minutes, Future Boruto returned to Konoha carrying the ancient relics retrieved from the research institute.
"This thing... is it really an ancient relic?"
Walking down the street, Future Boruto murmured to himself while examining the red string in his hand.
"Boruto!"
Hearing someone call his name, Future Boruto instinctively stopped in his tracks and turned toward the voice.
"Sister Hanabi?" he said, looking confusedly at Hanabi and the three people behind her. "And Shikadai, Chōchō, and Inojin—did you guys need something?"
"Um... Boruto..." Hanabi fiddled with her hair, hesitating and mumbling awkwardly.
"Hurry up, Sister Hanabi," Chōchō nudged her. "If you don't say it, I will."
"Ahhh, um..." Flustered, Hanabi glanced at the red string in Boruto's hand and quickly pointed to it. "Right! Boruto, what is that thing?"
"No idea," Future Boruto replied, shaking his head. He held one end of the red string and said, "Dad told me to bring it back. It's supposedly an ancient relic, but no matter how I look at it, it's just an ordinary red string."
Hanabi picked up the other end and examined it closely. "It really does seem like just a regular red string…"
As soon as she spoke, the string began to emit a faint red glow.
"Hey! That string is glowing!"
Despite Shikadai's warning, by the time the others turned to look, the glow had already faded without a trace.
"It didn't glow at all, Shikadai. You must've imagined it," Chōchō said.
"Boruto, since my brother-in-law asked you for this favor, hurry up and deliver that red string to him."
"Okay. See you later, Sister Hanabi."
Watching Future Boruto's departing figure, Hanabi couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh.
Society's prejudices weren't so easy to ignore after all.
"Seriously, Sister Hanabi—if you keep acting like this, how is Boruto ever supposed to understand your feelings?" Chōchō said with exasperation.
...
That night in Konoha Village.
The red string that had been stored away emitted a soft, glowing light—but no one noticed.
...
The next day, Konoha Village remained in the midst of reconstruction.
"Where is this...?" Waking early, Future Boruto looked around, then slowly lowered his gaze to examine his own body. He reached out and touched himself cautiously. "Is this... a genjutsu?"
Hyūga Hanabi. Five years old.
Though still young, she had already begun training in Gentle Fist and was far stronger than her older sister had been at her age.
This morning, upon waking, she found herself in a completely unfamiliar environment. Even her body had transformed into that of a strange adult man.
"Lord Boruto, what's wrong?"
The Nine-Tails, lounging inside Future Boruto's body, scratched its ear as it spoke.
"Who's there?! Who's talking?!"
Future Boruto reflexively adopted the Gentle Fist stance, eyes scanning warily.
"Hmm?" The scene before five-year-old Hanabi's eyes abruptly changed. A massive fox-like beast loomed in front of her. The Nine-Tails stared at her and said, "You're not Boruto. Who are you?"
"Hyūga Hanabi. Five years old. And who are you?" she replied, assuming the Gentle Fist stance again. Even when faced with the colossal creature before her, she didn't flinch. "Did you bring me to this strange place? Did you put me in this body? I'm warning you—send me back now, or the Hyūga clan won't let you off!"
"Hyūga Hanabi?" The Nine-Tails narrowed its eyes, studying the person before him. "So, you've traveled from the past to the future... but why...?"
"Travel? What are you talking about?!"
"Alright, alright. Hanabi, was it? I'll explain. This is the future Konoha Village. The body you're in right now belongs to Uzumaki Boruto, the son of your sister Hinata and the Seventh Hokage Naruto. However, the Boruto of this time is still a child. You're currently in the body of the Boruto from the future, who has traveled back to the present..." The Nine-Tails' voice trailed off as he realized that five-year-old Hanabi likely couldn't understand much of what he was saying. "Anyway, just know this: compared to your time, this is Konoha's future."
Back in his own tent, Future Boruto lifted the flap and stepped outside.
The sun had only just begun to rise in the east. Dawn hadn't fully broken. Normally, this was the time Hanabi would be practicing Gentle Fist against trees. But now, she had no such mood.
"Hey, big fox, you said this is Konoha in the future?"
Future Boruto looked around at the scene of devastation.
"I'm not 'hey.' I have a name—Kurama. And yes, this is the future Konoha, though it just went through a major war. The body you're in now belongs to the hero who saved Konoha during that battle."
Kurama rested his head on his paws as he spoke.
"Calling it 'saved Konoha' when it's clearly in ruins…"
Grumbling, Future Boruto strolled along the village streets, inspecting his surroundings.