Boruto carefully pushed open the laboratory door, stepping out into the cool night air. The weight of the stack of forbidden scrolls in his arms was considerable, a testament to their number. As he started walking along the deserted mud pathway, the only sounds accompanying him were the soft crunch of his footsteps and the incessant chirping of crickets, which created an eerie silence that made him feel a little uneasy. He focused on maintaining his balance, determined not to drop any of the precious scrolls.
After a while, the dark opening of the cave came into view. He slowed his pace as he approached it, stopping a good distance away. Turning his head, he peered into the blackness of the cave's mouth, but it was impenetrable, swallowing all the ambient moonlight.
Directly in front of the cave's entrance, he noticed something he hadn't seen before: the entrance was now sealed by what looked like a heavy, reinforced door. A sign was affixed to it, starkly reading: RESTRICTED AREA.
Boruto frowned, a seed of curiosity planting itself in his mind. He turned slowly and continued his walk towards the designated gathering point, the weight of the scrolls a constant reminder of his task.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted back to the strange room inside Orochimaru's laboratory. He vividly recalled the large map hanging on the wall. The intricate details of the surrounding forest and pathways hadn't particularly registered then, but the distinct marking of the cave and a thin, winding path leading away from it were now clear in his memory.
Snapping back to the present, he reached the marked tree and carefully deposited the heavy stack of scrolls at its base. He noticed that his was the first pile; Konohamaru was still inside, and there was no sign of Mitsuki or Sarada yet. 'They must be taking their time at the back,' he thought.
Without waiting, Boruto turned and began the walk back towards the laboratory. His mind was now occupied by the image of the map. 'Why would Orochimaru have such a detailed map of this specific area?' he pondered. 'The trees and the path are just ordinary… it has to be related to the cave. The way it was emphasized on the map… it truly must be the cave.'
He found himself approaching the cave again, his earlier unease now mixed with a growing sense of intrigue. He stopped at the same distance as before, his gaze drawn to the sealed entrance and the ominous 'RESTRICTED AREA SIGN.
His curiosity was rising, a strong urge to know what lay hidden behind that sealed door.
He shook his head slightly, reminding himself of their mission. He continued his walk towards the laboratory, deciding that when it was his final turn to carry the scrolls, with fewer in his arms, he would take a proper look inside the mysterious cave.
The thought settled in his mind, a secret plan for his return trip.Finally, he reached the entrance of the cave once more, the sealed door now an even greater magnet for his burgeoning curiosity.
The dark silhouette of the laboratory was now clearly visible in the distance. As Boruto approached, he saw Konohamaru standing at the entrance, his arms completely full of scrolls, stacked precariously high. As soon as Konohamaru spotted Boruto, he nodded briefly and began to walk away from the laboratory, heading towards their designated meeting point.
Boruto continued his own approach, and they met at a point roughly halfway between the lab and the cave. "There are fewer scrolls left now," Konohamaru said, his voice slightly strained by the weight he was carrying. "But wait for about ten minutes before you come back. Give Mitsuki and Sarada some time."
"Understood, Nii-chan," Boruto replied, nodding. With that, they passed each other, Konohamaru disappearing into the darkness with his heavy load, and Boruto continuing towards the silent, foreboding entrance of the laboratory.
Boruto glanced back once, watching Konohamaru's figure become smaller and smaller until it was swallowed by the night. Then, he turned and stepped back inside the dimly lit laboratory, his footsteps echoing softly on the stone floor. He quickly gathered the remaining scrolls, which were indeed a much smaller pile than before.
He waited for a couple of minutes, the silence of the lab amplifying his growing anticipation about the cave. Then, deciding that enough time had passed, he started to walk back outside. He deliberately kept his pace slow, wanting to avoid crossing paths with Konohamaru on his return journey.
'Nii-chan will be waiting at the tree,' Boruto thought to himself. 'And Sarada and Mitsuki will probably take a while longer, judging by how long it took for the first trip. This is my chance.' A mischievous glint entered his eyes. 'I can take a quick look inside the cave. Just a peek to satisfy my curiosity and maybe find out why Orochimaru had that map. What secrets are hidden behind that sealed door?'
With this thought firmly planted in his mind, he altered his course slightly, his steps now leading him directly towards the dark, mysterious entrance of the restricted cave.
Boruto's walk back towards the cave was filled with a growing sense of anticipation. The path was the same bare mud track he had traversed earlier, but now, under the cloak of the deep night, it felt different. The surrounding trees stood like silent, watchful sentinels, their branches skeletal against the starlit sky. The chirping of crickets seemed louder now, amplifying the solitude. The air was cool against his skin, and the weight of the remaining scrolls in his arms was a minor inconvenience compared to the burning curiosity that pulled him towards the darkness ahead. The sealed entrance of the cave loomed larger with each step, a dark promise of unknown secrets.
Reaching the sealed door, Boruto hesitated for only a moment before pushing it open. It moved with a surprising lack of resistance, a low groan echoing into the blackness beyond. He stepped inside, and the darkness enveloped him completely. It was a thick, absolute void, and he instantly regretted his decision to leave the flaming stick behind. 'Damn it! Why didn't I think to bring the light?' he mentally berated himself. Nothing was visible, not even the faintest outline of the cave walls.
"Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing eerily in the confined space. "Is anyone here, dattebasa?" He waited, listening intently, but only silence answered him. He tried again, raising his voice slightly. "Hey! If you have any problem, don't worry! Just come outside. I am a shinobi of Konoha!" He hoped his words would reassure anyone who might be inside and potentially in trouble.
When no response came, Boruto let out a soft sigh of relief. A part of him had been worried about encountering someone hostile. He took a tentative step forward, his hands outstretched to feel his way through the darkness. Suddenly, his foot caught on a small, loose stone on the uneven ground. He stumbled, his arms flailing, and with a frustrated grunt, he fell forward, the remaining scrolls scattering across the cave floor.
"Ow! God damn it..." he muttered under his breath. Now, not only was he in complete darkness, but he also had to find the scattered scrolls. He began to sweep his hands across the cold, damp ground, feeling for the familiar texture of the rolled-up paper. Slowly, painstakingly, he started to locate them, gathering them into a pile behind him.
As he continued his search, his hand brushed against something unexpected. It felt bony and lean, like a thin, elongated structure. A wave of unease washed over him. Tentatively, he ran his fingers along it, trying to discern its shape. It felt… like a leg.
His breath hitched in his throat. Slowly, his gaze lifted into the impenetrable darkness, trying to see what this leg might be attached to. And then he saw it. A single point of red, glowing faintly in the blackness, almost like… a Sharingan.
A voice, raspy and soft, seemingly coming from right in front of him, broke the silence. "I suppose you are looking for this?"
Boruto's blood ran cold. His jaw dropped, his eyes wide with sheer terror at the glowing red eye in the darkness and the chilling voice. A strangled scream escaped his lips.
"Wahhhh!"
Endless questions flooded his mind, each one more terrifying than the last. Was that really a Sharingan? Was the thing I just touched a human leg? And the most deadly question of all… what in the world was going to happen to him now? The darkness of the cave suddenly felt infinitely more menacing, and the silence that followed his scream was heavy with unspoken dread.
Boruto's mind raced despite the terror gripping him. He knew he had to act fast. In a sudden burst of adrenaline, he lunged forward and snatched the scroll that the old man was holding. It felt brittle and papery in his trembling hand. He immediately turned to make a run for the cave entrance, where his scattered scrolls lay.
But before he could take more than a few steps, he felt a hand close around his wrist. The grip wasn't crushing, nor was it so light that he could easily slip away without effort. It was a firm, unsettling hold. With a sharp tug, Boruto managed to wrench his hand free from the old man's grasp.
He spun around again, intending to grab his pile of scrolls and bolt. But in his haste and the complete darkness, his foot caught on another unseen obstacle, and he tumbled to the ground once more. This time, he landed awkwardly, and he felt a weak but persistent grip close around his ankle. He was trapped.
Panic surged through him. Desperate, Boruto instinctively threw the scroll he had just taken, aiming for the glowing red eye he had briefly seen. The scroll hit the old man's face with a soft thud. In that fleeting moment, as the scroll made contact, Boruto caught a clearer glimpse of the figure holding his leg.
The face was that of an old man, etched with deep wrinkles that spoke of a long and difficult life. His hair was mostly white on top, but streaks of a faded bluish-black still remained, as if the darkness of youth was slowly surrendering to age.
His features were sharp and gaunt, his body incredibly thin and bony, giving the impression that he was frail and starving, clinging to life by a thread.
Seeing the old man's face, even in that brief, terrifying instant, didn't lessen Boruto's fear. It only added a layer of unsettling mystery to the glowing red eye.
Without a second thought, Boruto scrambled to gather the scrolls he had previously collected, his movements frantic and clumsy in the darkness. Clutching the pile tightly to his chest, he kicked his leg free from the old man's weak grip and scrambled towards the faint light of the cave entrance, his heart pounding in his ears like a frantic drum.
He didn't look back, his only thought was escape. He had to get out of that terrifying cave and away from the mysterious old man with the glowing red eye.
Boruto burst out of the cave's sealed entrance, his lungs burning with each desperate gasp. He didn't dare to look back, his mind still reeling from the terrifying encounter within. Clutching the precious scrolls tightly to his chest, he bolted into the moonlit night, his eyes squeezed shut as if to block out the lingering image of the glowing red eye.
His feet pounded against the uneven ground, his only focus on putting as much distance as possible between himself and the darkness he had just escaped.
Suddenly, his head collided with something solid, and he stumbled, his grip loosening. The scrolls slipped from his grasp, scattering across the narrow pathway once more. He fell heavily to the ground, a grunt escaping his lips.
"Boruto..." A voice, soft and familiar, reached his ears. "Are you alright?"
He heard the question again, tinged with concern. "Boruto?"
Slowly, hesitantly, Boruto opened his eyes. Blurry at first, his vision gradually focused on the figure kneeling above him. It was Mitsuki, his serene face etched with worry.
Relief washed over Boruto in a dizzying wave. The solid object he had collided with, the familiar voice – it had been Mitsuki.
"Mitsuki..." Boruto gasped, his chest heaving. "Yeah... yeah, I think so."
He pushed himself up into a sitting position, his gaze darting around for the scattered scrolls. "What... what are you doing here?"
"Konohamaru-sensei got a little worried when you didn't return after a while," Mitsuki explained, his gaze steady on Boruto. "He asked me to come and check on you, see if everything was alright."
Mitsuki's eyes then scanned Boruto's slightly dishevelled appearance and the scattered scrolls. "You seem to be in quite a hurry, though. Was everything alright back at the lab?"
Boruto quickly tried to compose himself, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "Oh, nothing really, Mitsuki! Everything was fine. I just... uh... I also realised that I was taking a bit longer than expected with the scrolls. Didn't want to keep Nii-chan waiting, you know? So, yeah, just making a run for it so I don't get scolded!"
He tried to sound casual, but the tremor in his voice betrayed his unease. He busied himself gathering the scattered scrolls, avoiding Mitsuki's gaze.
And together they went on to meet with the others.
FLASHBACK ENDS
PRESENT TIME : KONOHA'S ROOFTOP
Boruto's frantic flight across the rooftops continued, the deep voice echoing in his mind, each word a heavy stone sinking into the pool of his guilt and realization. His breath came in ragged gasps, his closed eyes not shielding him from the sudden, horrifying clarity that had dawned upon him.
'That voice… that deep, resonant voice… it's him,' Boruto thought, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. The memory of the old man in the cave, frail and bony, with that single, eerie red eye, flashed vividly in his mind.
Then, the fleeting glimpse of the youthful face as the scroll made contact… it all clicked into place with a sickening certainty.
'The scroll… the Forbidden Jutsu written on it… that's why he looked young! That's why his appearance changed so drastically!'
The pieces of the puzzle, scattered and confusing before, now formed a terrifying picture. The old, seemingly weak man in the cave… he was the same menacing figure who had attacked them, the one wielding the power of the Rinnegan.
A wave of nausea washed over Boruto. 'I threw the scroll… I'm the one who triggered this! If I hadn't been so scared, so stupid… maybe none of this would be happening.' The weight of his actions, his fear, and his ignorance crashed down on him, suffocating him with guilt and a dawning sense of responsibility for the danger they were all now facing.
The chase across the rooftops, his friends' worried shouts – it all faded into the background as the horrifying truth solidified in his mind. The enemy they were facing wasn't just some random attacker; it was someone whose transformation he himself had inadvertently caused. The consequences of his fear in that dark cave were now terrifyingly real.
---
QUIZ QUESTION
Question: What was the name of the jutsu Boruto saw listed on the unfinished scroll in Orochimaru's lab, alongside "Jigenkyo" and "Tokugen"?
a) Chidori
b) Rasengan
c) Shadow Clone Jutsu
d) Flying Raijin Jutsu
Please give the answer in the comments below