"Man… I can't even squeeze out a little progress bar on my dad anymore."
Inside Ichiraku Ramen, Boruto sighed inwardly while savoring his noodles.
Sitting across from him, Krab held a bowl bigger than his face in his tiny hands, slurping ramen in huge mouthfuls and exclaiming between bites, "It's so good! So delicious!"
Watching this scene, Sarada couldn't help but chuckle, covering her mouth in amusement at his silly behavior.
"Hey, Krab, could you please pay a little attention to your table manners?" Boruto said, half-exasperated.
Hearing this, Krab quickly put down his bowl and apologized, "I'm sorry, Master. This ramen is just too delicious. I've been with my father for years, but I've never eaten anything like this before!"
Before he could finish speaking, his bowl was already empty.
He looked up at Boruto, tail wagging eagerly, his single eye shining with anticipation as if to say, "Master, I want another bowl."
Seeing this, Boruto sighed dramatically. "Oh my god, where do you even put all that ramen? With that tiny body of yours, one bowl isn't enough? You eat so much, I can't afford to feed you! Maybe I should just give you to Orochimaru for experiments instead."
The moment he heard Orochimaru's name, Krab froze in terror. His tail shot straight up, his small body trembling.
He kowtowed repeatedly and begged, "No, Master! Please don't give me to Orochimaru! He's a terrible man! I don't want to be his experiment!"
In his memory, his father, Uchiha Shin, had warned him countless times about Orochimaru's cruelty — a man like a poisonous snake.
His father had suffered inhuman torture under that man before finally escaping.
"Miss, please… please speak to the Master for me! I don't want to go to Orochimaru!" Krab turned to Sarada, kowtowing in desperation.
"Miss?" Sarada blinked, then smirked and looked at Boruto. "Alright, Boruto, stop teasing him. He's just hungry. Give him another bowl."
Boruto chuckled and called out, "Sister Ayame, could you please get another bowl of ramen for Krab?"
"Sure thing! The little guy's got quite an appetite," Ayame said cheerfully as she placed another steaming bowl in front of him.
Krab' single eye lit up in gratitude as he dove into his food again.
A few days later, near the entrance of the Ninja Academy…
"Alright, spill it. Why are you following me?"
Chōchō's massive hand had a long-haired boy in white clothes tightly pinned in her grip.
His face was flushed from the pressure, his breathing uneven.
He patted her giant hand weakly, as if to signal he wanted to speak.
"Chōchō, he seems to have something to say. Maybe let him go first," Sumire said gently beside her.
With a reluctant sigh, Chōchō released her hold. The boy staggered but stayed standing.
Some passing students noticed the commotion and quickly gathered, forming a curious crowd.
"Boruto, what's going on over there?" Sarada asked, looking at the group.
"I don't know. Let's check it out," Boruto said, taking her hand as they walked closer.
"Are you from the class next door?" Chōchō asked, narrowing her eyes. "You've been following me for days, haven't you? Don't tell me you're secretly in love with me or something?"
Then she smirked and added proudly, "Sorry, but we're like macarons and natto — totally incompatible!"
The boy waved his hands frantically. "No! The person I like is actually… Sumire!"
The words slipped out before he realized what he'd said. His face went pale with regret.
Chōchō blinked, then smirked. "Oh, so it's the class rep? Hmph, what a short-sighted guy."
More students gathered around, whispering excitedly. The boy's nervousness grew. He took a deep breath, mustered all his courage, and bowed deeply.
"I… I've always liked you, Sumire! Please go out with me!"
Sarada watched, amused. "So it's a confession scene, huh?"
"That's a confession?" Chōchō said incredulously, then added dramatically, "I'm gorgeous — why don't any handsome guys confess to me?"
The crowd collectively covered their faces. "Too much cringe," someone muttered.
"Hmph, a bunch of tasteless people," Chōchō huffed proudly.
Sumire looked at the boy's hopeful expression but couldn't help glancing at Boruto in the crowd.
Her eyes softened briefly before she said calmly, "Sorry… I already have someone I like."
Her words hit the boy like a splash of cold water. His face went blank, then pale.
"I see… someone you like, huh? I should've just stayed quiet… hiding like before." He smiled weakly, turned, and ran off without looking back.
Chōchō crossed her arms. "Wow. Is that how all guys act when their confession fails?"
Sumire sighed softly. As she turned to leave, her eyes briefly met Boruto's.
They then dropped to his hand — tightly interlocked with Sarada's. Her shoulders stiffened before she lowered her head and hurried away.
Later, in the spacious Ninja Academy classroom, Shino stood before the class and announced solemnly:
"Everyone, we'll be going on a school trip to the Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water. This will be our first trip outside the village, so remember — safety first."
The class erupted into chatter at the mention of Hidden Mist Village.
Chōchō's mind immediately wandered to food. "The Land of Water... the sea... seafood... grilled beach barbecue…" Her mouth watered just imagining it.
Shikadai frowned slightly. "Hidden Mist Village, huh? Doesn't have a great reputation."
Boruto folded his arms, his eyes serious. The Hidden Mist Village... let's see if anyone there truly understands pain.
The next morning at home, Hinata carefully packed Boruto's bag. "Boruto, Mom doesn't know much about the current situation in the Land of Water, so please be careful. Don't get into any danger, okay?"
Boruto grinned. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm strong now. And even if something happens, I've got Krab' time-space ability. I can come right back in an instant."
At the mention of Krab, Hinata's eyes moved to the tiny Nine-Tails plush in Himawari's hands — the one Krab had transformed into using the Transformation Jutsu.
Boruto suddenly remembered something. "Oh right! When I get to the Land of Water, I'll ask Krab to teleport you and Hima there for a few days. Didn't Hima say she wanted to try seafood from the Water Country?"
As the giant ship sailed steadily toward the Land of Water, Boruto and Sarada stood side by side on the deck, gazing at the sparkling horizon while the sea breeze brushed their faces.
Sarada smiled softly. "Boruto, what do you think is on the other side of the sea?"
Boruto looked out at the endless waves and smirked.
"The other side of the sea?" he said quietly. "Enemies."