Somewhere along the way, Sasuke—this version of Sasuke, stranded in another world—had become a man who often carried the weak buff debuff.
His chakra never seemed to recover fully. In critical moments, his body would falter—just like Kakashi after overusing the Sharingan. His injuries from the Otsutsuki battle had never fully healed, leaving him frequently drained, often exhausted. Still, even in this weakened state, his strength remained at a Kage's level.
But that was a far cry from the power he wielded after sealing Kaguya.
This alternate Sasuke, hovering half a step into the realm of the Six Paths, still bore the Rinnegan and the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. And yet, what use was godlike potential if his body couldn't keep up? His power now... was clumsy at best.
Boruto, on the other hand, remained mostly unaffected. After all, he hadn't suffered such a critical injury. His strength was stable—upper Chūnin level, give or take.
"Master…" Boruto suddenly asked, his voice unusually quiet. "Do you think we'll ever get back?"
The same boy who once dreamed of escaping his father's shadow… now longed for home.
Sasuke gave him a sidelong glance, then exhaled.
"Not yet. But it's not impossible." He paused, then added, "I signed you up for the joint Chūnin Exams. You'll be joining your father's team."
Boruto's jaw dropped.
"What?! You—you signed me up?! But you always said my dad was a slacker when he was a kid! And I already passed the Chūnin Exams once!"
"You're not allowed to use ninjutsu scrolls," Sasuke cut him off.
Boruto slumped. "Aw, come on, Master…"
"You rely on tools too much. If you depend only on shortcuts, you'll never even reach elite jōnin. Where do you think your father and I got our strength from?"
Sasuke knew this rebellion well. Boruto reminded him of himself—back when everything was about pride and rivalry. The difference was that Sasuke's rebellion had been forged by hatred. Boruto's? Pure immaturity.
Meanwhile, in another room, Fugaku was explaining Boruto's mysterious addition to Naruto and Sasuke's team.
He didn't reveal Boruto's surname.
Naruto bore the Uzumaki name, and the Uzumaki clan's legacy in Konoha was well known. People of the same bloodline, especially those of the same generation, often knew one another. If Naruto learned that a boy named Uzumaki Boruto had just appeared out of nowhere… he'd start asking questions no one could answer.
"But why do we have to bring some outsider?" Naruto frowned. "What if he slows us down?"
Sasuke crossed his arms, clearly displeased. "We've never trained together. This makes no sense."
"No buts," Fugaku said firmly. "Boruto's stronger than you think. You, Sasuke, and Karin will lead him through this. He won't be a burden."
That was the end of that discussion.
---
The first round of the Joint Chūnin Exam began with a written test. Due to the unprecedented number of participants, several large exam halls had been prepared across the academy.
Outside the test buildings, tension filled the air.
Each village's Genin had gathered in clusters, keeping to their own. Konoha's team—Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, and the unknown transfer Boruto—stood at the center of attention.
Everyone knew Naruto and Sasuke were the sons—or at least protégés—of the current Hokage, Uchiha Fugaku. Their reputation at the academy had been stellar. Boruto, on the other hand, was a complete mystery.
So much so, that most people didn't even notice familiar faces from previous exams—like Rock Lee, Tenten, or Hyūga Neji.
Neji, in particular, sighed deeply when he saw his team's leader, Hinata, staring absentmindedly at Naruto.
The political landscape had changed. With Fugaku in power and Kumogakure defeated early, the incident involving the Hyūga bloodline theft had never happened. Hiashi was alive and well, and as a result, Hinata grew up with less pressure and more freedom.
And Neji… well, Neji adored his cousin.
But she's hopeless when it comes to romance, he thought, watching her sneak glances at Naruto. If you like him, go talk to him. Don't just stare from the corner…
He was worried—but truth be told, Neji wasn't exactly a love expert either.
On the other side of the courtyard, Yamanaka Ino gushed in classic fangirl mode.
"Sasuke-kun is so handsome!"
Sakura nodded in fierce agreement. "Totally! He's just… perfect."
Behind them, Hinata murmured under her breath, "I think… Naruto is more handsome…"
Ino turned. "Hmm? Did you say something, Hinata?"
"N-No! Nothing at all!" she stammered, shaking her head quickly.
As Sakura and Ino resumed swooning over Sasuke, their eyes landed on the unfamiliar boy standing beside him.
"Wait a sec… who's the blonde kid?"
"No idea," Sakura said, frowning. "He wasn't in their team before. But doesn't he kinda look like Naruto?"
Naruto, for his part, was less than thrilled about their new teammate.
"Don't slow us down, Boruto," he warned. "We don't have time to babysit."
Boruto snorted. "You should be more worried about keeping up with me, old man."
Karin stepped in quickly. "Let's not fight before the exam even starts. We're on the same team now."
Boruto scoffed, but didn't argue further. He still couldn't figure out why Naruto rubbed him the wrong way… or why Naruto seemed so annoyed with him.
---
"The written test is about to begin! All examinees, proceed to your designated rooms!"
Dozens of Genin began filtering into the examination halls. The process was orderly but tense. In this round, there were no trick questions or secret rules—just a straightforward academic test.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin sat at separate desks. Once the papers were handed out, they immediately began scribbling answers with confidence. Years of Fugaku's strict education—combined with Mikoto's patient tutoring—had given Naruto a solid academic foundation.
Sasuke and Karin, both top of their class, also tore through the questions without trouble.
Boruto, however, froze.
His foundation was already shaky. He had spent more time fighting than studying back home. Worse, the test was filled with historical references and terminology from this era—completely different from the one he knew.
To say he was out of his depth would be an understatement.
Meanwhile, the rest of the exam hall was a theater of subtle warfare.
Some candidates used hidden ninjutsu to copy answers. Others used bloodline techniques to communicate silently. It was a chaotic dance of deception—"Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing their unique talents."
But anyone using crude cheating methods—like passing paper notes—was eliminated immediately.
After all, the invigilators were made up of Hyūga and Uchiha elites. Hiding anything from the Byakugan or Sharingan was laughable at best.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin had all completed their answers when they noticed Boruto staring blankly at his untouched paper.
Sasuke sighed.
Tch… this idiot.
With a subtle flick of his fingers, his Sharingan activated. In an instant, he cast a minor Genjutsu—just enough to guide Boruto's hand, feeding him the answers without attracting attention.
Boruto blinked in confusion as his pen began to move on its own. Then his eyes widened slightly in understanding.
He looked up and saw Sasuke's stern gaze, unblinking.
Don't screw this up, it said.
Boruto silently nodded and let the illusion guide him.
And so, against all odds, all four members of Team Konoha made it through the first round—just barely.
---------------------
The moment they stepped out of the examination room, Sasuke was already fuming.
"You said you wouldn't hold us back," he snapped, eyes narrowed. "And yet, we almost failed the first written test because of you. Boruto, are you kidding me?"
His tone was sharp, unfiltered. Even Naruto was silently simmering beside him, brows furrowed. Karin, never one for unnecessary conflict, stood quietly—but even she didn't try to defend Boruto.
Under the weight of their disapproval, Boruto's confidence wavered.
"…It's my fault," he muttered, voice defensive. "I'll be more careful next time. But why are you yelling like I failed the whole thing on purpose?!"
Off to the side, the older Sasuke—Boruto's master—watched the scene unfold in silence, arms crossed, gaze unreadable.
When the group finally dispersed, Boruto slinked off to a quiet corner of the academy grounds, trying—and failing—not to sulk.
"You upset?" came a familiar voice.
Boruto stiffened. His master had followed him. Quickly, he wiped the corner of his eyes.
"I'm fine," he said, blinking rapidly. "It's just the Chūnin Exams."
"You're crying," Sasuke said flatly, ruffling his hair. "Don't lie about things so obvious."
Boruto scowled. "Even you're taking their side?"
"I'm not taking sides," Sasuke said. "I'm telling you the truth. You messed up. You held your team back, and you haven't even apologized. That's on you."
Boruto's fists clenched. "Even you think I'm wrong?"
"You are wrong." Sasuke's tone wasn't cruel—just firm. "But that doesn't mean you can't do better."
Boruto bit his lip, unsure how to respond.
"When your father was your age," Sasuke said, shifting his weight slightly, "he completely bombed the written test. Couldn't answer a thing."
Boruto blinked. "Seriously?"
"Yeah. But he passed—because the written test wasn't about getting all the answers right. It was about determination. Courage. Thinking like a ninja."
He looked down at his student.
"You didn't plan. You didn't coordinate. You didn't take responsibility. That's the difference."
Boruto looked away.
"Your father came from nothing," Sasuke continued. "He was alone. He had no family, no support, no privilege. You've had everything he didn't, and still, he had more heart back then than you showed today."
There was no venom in his words—only honesty.
"Boruto… you're better than this. A real ninja owns their mistakes. Has the courage to make things right. Don't make me lose faith in you."
Those words struck deeper than any lecture.
Boruto stood quietly for a moment, eyes fixed on the dirt beneath his feet—then nodded.
He turned on his heel and headed back.
Later that afternoon, he found Naruto and Sasuke and bowed deeply.
"…I'm sorry," he said. "I screwed up. I'll do better from now on."
The gesture was sincere, and it showed.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance—something wordless passed between them—and then, they gave small, approving nods.
Sometimes, a kid just needs to be set straight.
---
The second round of the Joint Chūnin Exams took place, as expected, in the infamous Forest of Death. But this time, the scale was entirely different.
There were far more participants than in the past, and the danger had increased with it.
Naturally, the full twelve Genin from Konoha had passed the first round. From Kirigakure, Chōjūrō led a small team forward. Kumogakure sent Darui along with a handful of capable Genin. From Iwagakure came Kurotsuchi, Deidara, and several more. The Sand Ninjas were led by Gaara himself.
It was no surprise that Konoha still boasted the largest and strongest lineup. Many of its Genin hailed from the Uchiha or Uzumaki clans, though most had remained low-key during the written test. Their strength was yet to be revealed.
"Konoha really is overflowing with talent," muttered Ōnoki from the command center. He sat beside Fugaku, observing live feeds from the many surveillance cameras deployed throughout the forest.
"It's flattering to hear that from the Tsuchikage," Fugaku replied politely. "Though your granddaughter and apprentice are quite impressive too…"
He didn't mean anything by it—just typical diplomatic flattery.
Unfortunately, no sooner had he spoken than one of the monitors flickered—and showed Kurotsuchi and Deidara locked in a heated argument, on the verge of an actual brawl.
Ōnoki's eye twitched. "That damn brat!"
He slammed a hand on the console.
Kurotsuchi was fiery, sure, but level-headed. It was Deidara who kept provoking the other teams, his antics stirring the entire forest.
"ART is an EXPLOSION!" Deidara yelled, gleefully waving a clay sculpture in the air. Dozens of Genin glared at him from the shadows.
Deidara lived for chaos. And in a setting like this, he flourished.
"I swear, I'm gonna slap that grin off your face," Kurotsuchi growled, grabbing him by the collar.
"If you don't let go, I'll show you true art!" he snapped back.
In the command center, Ōnoki looked like he was about to combust. "Why can't I get normal subordinates?!"
Not far away, the Raikage was grumbling as well.
"Look at that energy!" he barked. "Deidara might be annoying, but at least he's got some fire! Darui over there looks half-asleep!"
Darui, of course, was half-asleep. The Raikage just groaned louder.
Mei Terumi, meanwhile, remained unbothered. As the only non-Kage representative among the five nations, she sat elegantly at her seat. Yagura had refused to appear—again—and Mei had long since stopped questioning her superior's odd behavior.
Kirigakure's team, led by Chōjūrō, had advanced, though his nerves and soft-spoken nature often made others underestimate him.
As for the Kazekage… well, he didn't exist.
The man posing as the Kazekage was Orochimaru himself, disguised through a flawless transformation technique. He had already slipped into the Forest of Death under everyone's noses.
---
The second test had a simple premise: Survive.
Every Genin carried one token. In order to pass, they needed at least two more tokens acquired from other teams. This meant that two-thirds of the participants would be eliminated—if not more.
"There are no restrictions," the proctor announced. "If you die, you die. Killing after surrender is prohibited. Surveillance is everywhere. If you're confident enough to avoid the cameras, congratulations—that's your ability. If not, expect an ANBU to hunt you down."
"Those who break the rules will pay the price."
"Now… sign in, and enter the forest!"
To prevent an early bloodbath, three separate entrances to the Death Forest were opened, splitting the participants into manageable paths.
---
Within their squad, Naruto took charge.
"Karin, stay at the center. Use your sensory abilities to warn us of any danger," he said, checking their gear. "Sasuke, you lead. I'll guard the rear. Boruto, support as needed."
"Understood," the team replied in sync.
This squad had balance. Karin's sensory abilities gave them advanced warning. Sasuke's tactical leadership and Naruto's adaptability rounded them out. With Boruto learning to cooperate, they were a formidable unit.
In the first few hours, they encountered little resistance. Thanks to Karin's keen perception, they avoided several ambushes and selected their fights wisely.
Their first encounter was with a Genin squad from the Land of Earth.
The battle was swift.
Naruto overwhelmed them with shadow clones. Sasuke locked down their movements with precise taijutsu and genjutsu. Karin provided real-time tracking and Boruto delivered support strikes where needed.
They walked away with three tokens.
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