Night had fallen over Konoha Village, wrapping the peaceful streets in a gentle silence. Moonlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, scattering silver threads across the quiet path.
Boruto walked side by side with Sarada, their hands lightly clasped together.
"Boruto, what's going on with your eyes?" Sarada asked softly, remembering the mysterious glow she had seen earlier.
"Oh, you mean the Jōgan? That's my Kekkei Genkai—my bloodline limit. It's just like your Sharingan," Boruto explained casually.
"Kekkei Genkai? Boruto, when did you awaken it? This is the first I've heard of it." Sarada looked up at him in surprise.
Boruto paused slightly. "Well, my Jōgan awakened when I was born. But my dad was worried I wouldn't be able to control its power, so he told me to keep it a secret."
"I see…" Sarada murmured, then lowered her gaze. "But, Boruto, your Jōgan is so beautiful. Compared to that, my Sharingan looks... kind of plain."
"Don't say that Sarada." Boruto stepped closer and looked straight into her eyes. "Your Sharingan is the most beautiful pair of eyes I've ever seen."
"R-Really?" Sarada's cheeks flushed a soft pink, and her lips curved into a shy smile. The warmth in his voice made her heart skip a beat.
They continued walking, chatting and laughing as they strolled through the quiet streets. Before long, they reached Sarada's doorstep.
"Sarada, we're here," Boruto said softly.
Sarada blinked, then smiled and waved. "Good night, Boruto. See you tomorrow."
"Good night, Sarada. See you tomorrow."
Boruto waved back and watched until she disappeared inside, only turning away after the door quietly closed.
Two Weeks Later
The classroom door at the Ninja Academy creaked open, and Boruto walked in with Sarada right behind him.
As soon as Boruto entered, he transformed into Tendo Pain, his voice echoing dramatically through the room.
"Feel the pain!"
He extended a hand, his expression cold and commanding.
Sarada sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead in embarrassment.
The rest of the students, however, barely reacted—they'd seen this show before.
"Huh? What's going on? Why isn't the system responding?" Boruto muttered under his breath, annoyed.
Just then, Shikadai Nara walked in, catching Boruto mid-performance.
"Hey, Boruto," Shikadai said, frowning. "Can you not pull that act again? The whole school knows about your transformation technique already. It's getting old."
Boruto sighed and released the jutsu, his appearance returning to normal.
"This system is really unreliable… Only a 200,000 increase in the progress bar? So I have to 'play a character that triggers emotions' just to get points, huh?"
He grumbled to himself, then shrugged. "Whatever. I've got the Jōgan anyway."
Turning to Sarada, he asked, "Where should I sit?"
"You can sit anywhere," she replied softly.
"Got it."
Boruto plopped down beside her, grinning.
"Good morning, Sarada. Boruto," said a soft voice.
Boruto turned to see Sumire Kakei, the class monitor, smiling politely.
"Good morning, Sumire," Sarada greeted warmly.
"Boruto, this is Sumire Kakei—our class representative," Sarada explained.
"Oh, the class monitor? Good morning, Sumire," Boruto said politely.
"Hm…" Sumire nodded shyly in return.
"Oof, the seat's taken already," came another voice.
Chōchō Akimichi walked in with a bag of potato chips, pouting when she saw Boruto sitting next to Sarada.
"I'm sorry, Chōchō," Sarada said, flustered. "Boruto insisted on sitting here…"
Chōchō sighed dramatically. "Well, I guess I can't get between childhood sweethearts."
Boruto chuckled and pulled another bag of chips from his bag. "Here, Chōchō—peace offering."
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Thanks, Boruto! You're forgiven!"
She happily took the chips and found another seat to enjoy her snack.
Just then, Inojin Yamanaka passed by and called out loudly, "The Hokage's second-generation kid is really something, huh?"
"Inojin!" Sumire hissed, embarrassed.
"Huh? Did I say that out loud?" Inojin blinked innocently.
"Man, that's a bit much," Shikadai muttered beside him.
Realizing his slip, Inojin scratched his head. "Ah, my bad. Sorry if that was rude."
Boruto grinned and waved it off. "No worries. But just for the record—I'm not second generation. I'm third generation Hokage family!"
He leaned back, folding his hands behind his head proudly. "My dad's the Seventh Hokage, and my grandpa was Hokage too!"
The classroom buzzed with excitement.
"What?! His grandfather was Hokage too?" one student gasped.
"Wait, who's his grandpa?" Denki asked, already pulling up data on his laptop.
"The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze—the father of Naruto Uzumaki! That means he's Boruto Uzumaki's grandfather!" Denki explained in awe.
Just then, the classroom door slid open again.
Wearing his signature green outfit and dark shades, Shino Aburame entered the room.
"Stand up!" Sumire called.
The whole class rose in unison to greet him.
Shino nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the room before briefly pausing on Boruto. Then he gestured for everyone to sit.
"Today," Shino announced, holding a clipboard, "we'll be conducting a comprehensive ability test. It will cover four areas: speed, strength, agility, and basic ninjutsu application."
"Please step forward in order when I call your names."
The first name he called was Sarada's.
Sarada adjusted her glasses and moved to the starting line, her eyes sharp with focus.
At the sound of the whistle, she shot forward like an arrow, weaving between obstacles with effortless grace. Her movements were fast, fluid, and precise.
"Wow, that's amazing!" Denki exclaimed.
"As expected of an Uchiha," Shino said approvingly. "Sarada's skill in taijutsu and ninjutsu is truly exceptional."