Night fell.
The intermingling of neon lights, combined with the hazy moonlight, created a scene where a delicate figure stood quietly in the dim darkness.
She wore a specially made mask and a large cloak that concealed her adolescent figure.
While others were still fast asleep, and while her peers were still enjoying the future, she shouldered an unimaginable mission.
The owner of Nue — the source of chaos yet to come.
"Don't worry, Nue, you'll soon have enough chakra to enjoy."
Looking at the bright moonlight, Sumire Kakei released a ball of black chakra from her hand, which condensed into the shape of a snake and slithered toward Denki Kaminarimon, who was being criticized by his father at that moment, just as planned.
After finding its target, the snake head excitedly pounced and bit Denki's shoulder, releasing the pent-up resentment within him.
As the dark chakra fed on Denki's negative emotions, the pattern of Nue's sigil engraved on Sumire's back became more distinct, bringing her one step closer to opening the gate to another dimension.
Having accomplished her purpose, Sumire's figure grew even fainter, quietly blending into the moonlight as if nothing had ever happened.
But… she wasn't the only one hiding in the darkness.
At this moment, Boruto stood on a tall rooftop platform, bathed in silver light. One of his bright blue eyes subtly changed, witnessing everything Sumire Kakei had done.
According to the original story, Boruto had coincidentally awakened his Jōgan after seeing Denki being possessed by a "ghost."
Now, he had simply advanced that event, choosing to awaken his eye earlier so that he could adapt to it faster and obtain the power of the Jōgan as soon as possible.
However, things didn't go as planned. Perhaps his body was still too weak, but once Sumire left, the light in his eye faded quietly, returning to its normal azure hue.
When the Jōgan activates, it doesn't seem to bring any direct enhancement to the body. It's almost like an ordinary eye, aside from the Byakugan-like vision and a partial 360-degree field of view.
Boruto sighed helplessly. "Really… not even a single cheat function."
Having extinguished his last illusion, Boruto calmed down and began to think seriously about how to grow stronger.
...
The next morning, Boruto woke up early, yawning and rubbing his sleepy eyes before neatly making his bed.
Today was the first day of the Ninja Academy, but Boruto wasn't interested. He had stayed up all night thinking and had come up with a plan: to send his shadow clones to school in his place.
After breakfast, Boruto strolled down the street, too afraid to linger at home for fear of arousing suspicion.
Wait… did I forget something?
Suddenly, Boruto remembered that he had witnessed Sumire release dark chakra the night before. Which meant… this morning, Denki's revenge plan might have already begun.
"What a hassle," Boruto muttered and ran toward the train station he remembered from the story.
...
Upon arriving at the scene, he saw a long tram old tram, its metal sides dotted with rust.
Seeing that Denki's plan had already started, Boruto marveled at how much courage the ghost chakra had given him. He jumped lightly onto the tram, ready to stop everything before it went too far.
Inside, Denki was arguing with the same three thugs from yesterday. Looking unusually composed, he said coldly to prove his resolve,
"This train is just a defective prototype. All functions except for starting have been shut down. On the opposite track, I've arranged another electric train."
"In the end… the two trains will collide."
As he spoke, Denki gestured calmly, leaving the three bullies pale as they finally understood what that meant.
"Y-you're crazy! Madman!" one of them yelled.
But Denki didn't respond. His indifferent expression made them realize he was serious.
"Help! Somebody help!!!" the three screamed.
Boruto sighed softly above the carriage. "Guess I'll take it from here."
He jumped into the tram, landing smoothly in front of Denki.
"Boruto…?" Denki was stunned but said nothing more.
Boruto's left eye shimmered faintly, unconsciously activating the Jōgan. He could clearly see the "ghost chakra" coiling around Denki's chakra network. Remembering the scene from the original plot, Boruto asked quietly, "Is this really how you plan to prove yourself?"
"It doesn't matter!" Denki snapped. "I just want to prove to my father that I have the power to fight back — that I'm not some coward!"
Boruto was speechless for a moment. What kind of logic is that? Getting bullied doesn't mean you take everyone down with you.
"So you planned all of this — to use destruction to make others afraid of you? Is that what you think strength is? Spreading fear?"
Denki turned away silently.
Boruto sighed, his tone softening. "If you want others to recognize you, you have to first believe in yourself."
"A person's strength doesn't come from fear. It comes from protecting those who can't protect themselves."
Denki's eyes wavered slightly. The stubborn anger in them began to fade.
"But…" Denki started before the train jolted violently. The brakes had failed.
Boruto's clone appeared on the roof at that moment, throwing a kunai tied with wire, hooking onto the brake lever beside the tracks, and pulling it down with all its strength.
The tram screeched as sparks flew, and the vehicle finally stopped just before the collision point.
Boruto extended a hand, smiling faintly. "Come on. Let's both try to become proper shinobi — and earn everyone's acknowledgment."
Denki's expression softened. He nodded quickly. "Yeah!"
"Good. Now let's go — we'll be late for the first day of class." Boruto chuckled, giving the three frozen thugs a silent glare before walking out.
Denki quickly operated the control tablet in his hand to remotely stop the other train, then hurried after Boruto.
Under the rising sun, the dark chakra had completely vanished from Denki's body. The faint light in Boruto's Jōgan faded as well, returning to its usual calm blue.
...
Later that morning, the opening ceremony began.
The gentle sunlight bathed the schoolyard, where countless new students gathered, their faces full of energy and anticipation.
They stood proudly beneath the Hokage Monument, their gazes fixed on the man standing on the stage.
Golden hair, two familiar whisker marks on his cheeks, and a white Hokage robe that fluttered softly in the breeze — the Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki.
Boruto sat among the crowd, suppressing a sigh. He hadn't planned to attend, but now there was no way to sneak out.
Even so, seeing Naruto up close stirred something in him. After all, this man had been the face of his childhood, the symbol of everything he admired growing up.
It still didn't feel real to see him here — alive, older, and standing before him as Hokage.
He couldn't help but think, Why did he have to cut his hair short? It makes him look like Obito.
Their eyes met briefly. Naruto smiled faintly and nodded in acknowledgment before returning to his speech. When he finished explaining the Academy's new term, his figure disappeared into a puff of white smoke.
"That was the Seventh Hokage's Shadow Clone Technique! So cool!" a girl nearby exclaimed.
Boruto smirked. "He's definitely cool… but with all the paperwork and stress, I doubt he's got the stamina to make too many clones these days."
Still, he glanced at the platform one last time, his expression thoughtful.
The Tailed Beasts would definitely become part of the plan someday. But since Naruto was the communication bridge for all of them, any strange movement would draw his attention immediately.
This is difficult...