Chapter 275:
"That guy Zetsu—he's always finding ways to dump more work on us."
After finishing his mission report, Kisame grumbled to the taciturn Uchiha Itachi.
"A ninja who can use Sage Techniques, huh... This mission definitely won't be any easier than the one to capture the Nine-Tails in the Leaf Village."
Itachi said slowly.
…
Elsewhere.
After a few days of rest, Hanabi, who had fallen into a withdrawn state due to Danzō's interrogation, gradually began to regain her energy.
"Hey, since you're my nephew, you should listen to me. So don't you dare tell anyone that I cried that night, got it?"
Young Hanabi walked ahead while speaking to the future Boruto following behind her.
The incident where Hanabi cried had taken place not long after Boruto rescued her. Once her emotions were fully released, Hanabi had clung to Boruto and sobbed her heart out. It was only after that cathartic moment that she started to come out of her shell and slowly recover.
"Yeah, yeah," future Boruto quickly nodded.
"And really, all of this happened because of you in the first place!"
"I'm sorry, Aunt Hanabi."
"It's Auntie! Not sister!"
"...Yes, Auntie."
Although calling her "sister" was originally something a grown-up Hanabi had insisted on, Boruto didn't object to the younger Hanabi's demand now. After all, it was just a title.
"But seriously, are you really my sister's son?"
Hanabi suddenly stopped walking, turned around, and looked at Boruto.
"Yeah, why do you ask?"
"It's nothing. You just don't seem like it at all. I mean, if you're my sister's son, how come you don't have the Byakugan…?"
Hanabi stared at Boruto with skeptical eyes.
"..."
Just as Boruto opened his mouth to explain, he suddenly turned around, putting Hanabi behind him and shielding her with his body.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Hanabi, now protected behind him, asked in confusion.
"Come out."
Boruto said suddenly.
"Not bad at all. No wonder you were able to retreat safely even after facing off against four Konoha Jōnin. Your alertness is impressive."
Kisame walked out with his signature guttural voice, while Uchiha Itachi appeared from the opposite side, flanking Boruto with Kisame.
"Hey, nephew—who are they?"
Hanabi whispered, clutching tightly at Boruto's sleeve.
"They're from the Akatsuki..."
"You even know the name of our organization? That makes things easier. Since you know who we are, you must also understand how powerful we are. So—want to join us?"
Although it sounded like a question, the way Kisame pulled out his Samehada from behind him made it clear that it wasn't really up for discussion—he was pressuring Boruto to make a choice.
"Sorry, I've got a kid with me. I've got no interest in joining such a dangerous organization."
As soon as Boruto's rejection fell, Kisame and Itachi attacked at the same time.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Itachi launched a fireball from behind, while Kisame charged head-on with Samehada.
Boruto summoned two Nine-Tails chakra claws—one to scoop Hanabi onto his back, the other to shield her. His left hand faced the oncoming fireball, while his right hand blocked Kisame's Samehada with the Kusanagi Sword.
"Mr. Itachi's Fireball Jutsu isn't something you can block with just one hand," Kisame said as he clashed with Boruto. "And if this is all you've got, you're not qualified to join the Akatsuki."
To everyone's shock, Itachi's fireball was completely absorbed by Boruto's left hand.
"What?!"
Kisame looked stunned.
In the apocalyptic future ninja world ravaged by the zombie outbreak, Boruto had voluntarily amputated his left hand to avoid infection. His current left arm was a scientific ninja tool modeled after the powers of the Ōtsutsuki clan—capable of absorbing ninjutsu.
However, this kind of ninja tool couldn't absorb all ninjutsu, which was why Boruto hadn't used it until now.
"So you can absorb ninjutsu..."
Itachi muttered before rapidly forming new hand signs.
While Kisame was still in shock, Boruto seized the opportunity—he drove his right knee into Kisame's stomach, then spun around and hurled the Kusanagi Sword at Itachi.
Itachi dispersed into a flock of crows. The sword flew through and embedded itself into a tree behind him.
"He even has ninjutsu absorption..."
Zetsu, hiding nearby, poked his head out of the ground and murmured to himself.
"I'm not joining the Akatsuki…"
As Boruto's words fell, the scene in front of him turned black and white. Everyone froze in place, and Boruto's body began to fade. The space around him started to collapse.
Because Boruto refused to join the Akatsuki, Uzumaki Boruto would never be born. Without Uzumaki Boruto, future Boruto could not exist. And without future Boruto, none of the events he set in motion would ever happen. This alternate timeline would collapse, making way for a new and logically consistent ninja world without Uzumaki Boruto.
"I'll join the Akatsuki!"
As soon as Boruto spoke, color returned to the world, and time resumed its flow.
"You'll join us?"
Kisame looked confused. Despite his shark-like face, his intelligence didn't match that of a fish.
"Didn't you just say you weren't interested in joining?"
Itachi asked.
"I'll join you. But in exchange, she has to be protected by the Akatsuki."
Boruto pointed at Hanabi.
"She's the Hyūga girl you took from the Leaf Village, right?"
Kisame looked at the girl peeking nervously from behind Boruto.
Startled by Kisame's shark face, Hanabi shrank back even further behind Boruto.
"Since you've joined us, I'd say our mission is complete. Let's take you to meet the boss."
Itachi said.
Boruto didn't know what would come next, but he could only nod as he held Hanabi's hand.
Since he'd never been all that interested in history, future Boruto only remembered a rough outline of the events of this era:
The Akatsuki hunted the Tailed Beasts. When they tried to capture the Nine-Tails, they destroyed the Leaf Village. It was then that Naruto acknowledged Hinata's feelings. After gathering all nine Tailed Beasts as sacrifices, they summoned the Ten-Tails, which led to the appearance of Uchiha Madara, and eventually, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Boruto only had to ensure that these enemies appeared one after another—and were each defeated by his father.
In other words, to avoid altering the future, Boruto had to work harder than anyone else in the Akatsuki to make sure their plans succeeded.