"Is this the power of the Nine-Tails, wielded by the Seventh Hokage—the strongest ninja of our time?"
"Shin is no match for him. It's better to retreat for now," In a hidden place, a man in a black robe muttered to himself.
At that moment, a strange white creature appeared before Shin, who was tightly bound by diamond chains.
"What is that?" Naruto's eyes narrowed, his heart filled with curiosity.
The creature's Sharingan suddenly activated, and space itself began to twist and distort.
In the next instant, Shin Uchiha, still wrapped in the glowing chains, vanished without a trace.
"Space-time ninjutsu?" Naruto's tone was calm, but inside, he was shocked.
"Could that be Kamui?"
Boruto blinked in disbelief. "That weird crab-looking thing actually has the same space-jumping ability as Obito…"
"It just disappeared like that…" Sarada whispered, staring at the spot where Shin had been moments ago.
Naruto exhaled. "Run away, huh? But by the way—Boruto, Sarada, what are you two doing outside the village?"
Sarada quickly explained, "Uncle Naruto, Boruto and I were going to your office to ask about my father. We overheard you saying you were looking for him, so I…"
Her eyes shone with longing as she spoke.
"I see." Naruto nodded. "Come to think of it, Sarada hasn't seen Sasuke in a long time."
He smiled softly. "Well, I can't send you back alone. How about you come with me to meet him? I'm sure Sasuke will be happy to see you."
"Really? I can actually see Dad?" Her voice trembled slightly, filled with emotion.
"Yeah," Naruto said warmly. "Let's go. Stay close to me."
The three of them moved quickly through the forest, Boruto and Sarada following behind Naruto.
After a long trek, they reached a quiet clearing and decided to rest.
Boruto pulled out a scroll and unrolled it. With a puff of smoke, an elegant lunch box appeared.
"Dad, looks like you haven't eaten yet. Mom made this lunch for you—it was supposed to be delivered to your office."
Naruto chuckled as he accepted it. "Haha, Hinata really knows me best. I was starving."
He opened the box, and a delicious aroma filled the air.
"Boruto, Sarada—come eat with me," They sat together on the soft grass, enjoying their meal in peace.
As they ate, Naruto smiled nostalgically.
"Looking at you two reminds me of the old days with Sasuke and Sakura… makes me miss those times."
"Dad when he was a kid?" Sarada's eyes lit up. "Uncle Naruto, can you tell me about my father's childhood?"
Naruto leaned back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm… let's see. When we were at the Ninja Academy, Sasuke was always number one—in every exam and in ninjutsu. Just like me."
Boruto smirked. "First place? Last place is still a place."
Sarada frowned. "What's so funny, Boruto?"
"Ah, nothing," he said quickly, waving his hands.
Naruto glanced at him, inwardly sighing in relief. Good thing he didn't mention I was dead last… that would've been embarrassing.
"Sasuke was really handsome as a kid—just like me," Naruto continued. "All the girls at the academy liked him."
Boruto groaned. "Dad, stop bragging! Besides Mom, who else even liked you?"
Naruto scratched his head, smiling awkwardly. "Okay, okay… maybe I wasn't as popular as Sasuke. But with hard work and persistence, I eventually earned everyone's respect."
He chuckled softly. "Sasuke was cold, proud, and sharp-tongued—the total opposite of me."
Sarada smiled faintly, her heart tightening.
Naruto's voice softened. "Even though he seemed cold, Sasuke was actually very kind inside…"
After a short rest, they continued their journey through the deep forest.
The path grew steeper and rougher, but Sarada's determination only grew stronger. She was finally going to see her father.
Before long, a tall green tower appeared in the distance.
"That's where Sasuke and I agreed to meet," Naruto said, pointing ahead.
Seeing Sarada's heavy breathing, he stopped. "Let's rest a bit first."
"But the tower's right there," she protested softly.
Naruto smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You've come a long way, Sarada. A few more minutes won't hurt."
"Okay then… I'll go to the bathroom," She pointed toward the nearby woods.
"Alright, but don't wander too far," Naruto said.
But Sarada didn't actually go to the bathroom. As soon as she was out of sight, she sprinted toward the tower.
"Dad, I'm gonna go too," Boruto said, following after her.
Naruto sighed helplessly. "Why go so far? Just find a spot nearby…"
He shook his head and let them go.
Sarada ran up the hill, sweat dripping from her forehead. Her Sharingan activated instinctively as she neared the tower.
She pushed open the heavy wooden door—cold air rushed past her face.
Inside, it was dark. Only a single candle flickered weakly.
She stepped inside cautiously. Suddenly, she heard movement.
A shadow emerged from the darkness—a tall man in a black cloak, sword in hand.
"Dad…"
Sarada's voice trembled. She recognized him instantly.
But before she could say more, Sasuke's cold voice cut through the silence.
"You actually found this place," His eyes narrowed. "Are you one of that man's accomplices?"
He drew his Kusanagi blade and pointed it straight at her.
Sarada froze. The father she had longed to see for years… didn't even recognize her. Her vision blurred with tears.
Suddenly, a figure stepped in front of her.
Boruto—now disguised as Pain and stood between them.
"Pain?" Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise.
[From Uchiha Sasuke's emotions, progress increased by 8,634 points.]
Boruto glared at Sasuke.
"With all those Sharingan eyes of yours… you couldn't even recognize your own daughter standing right in front of you?"