Sssshhhrrrrip!
A claw mark, moving with lightning speed, appeared behind Boruto.
What?! Both Boruto and Kawaki were shocked.
"Kawaki, you wouldn't want anything to happen to him, would you?" Code sneered, grabbing Boruto and holding him hostage. He looked at the man nearby who resembled Otsutsuki Isshiki, his expression somewhat grave. Their earlier exchange had made him realize an "unfortunate" fact: in his current state, he was simply no match for Kawaki. So, he could only resort to some petty tricks. Coincidentally, Boruto had arrived just in time.
"You're not going to intervene?" Amado asked Naruto. "With your strength, you could easily rescue that little brat from Code's grasp." It seemed both of them had their own ways of "seeing" the distant battlefield.
"I taught them a long time ago that for every choice made, one must consider the corresponding consequences. Reality isn't a game; there are no do-overs," Naruto said coldly, his sword fingers pressed against his right eye.
"A strict teacher indeed," Amado commented, then said no more.
"Boruto, you understand what I mean, right?" Kawaki's gaze was downcast.
"Isn't it just death?" Boruto laughed freely.
Tch-tch!
Several black rods materialized out of thin air, heading for Boruto.
Code's heart leaped. He hadn't expected Kawaki to actually dare to attack, and with lethal intent at that. His claws slashed towards Boruto's neck, while his body began to phase into a claw mark on the ground to escape.
However, Boruto directly activated his Karma. His physical strength surged, and he grabbed Code, who was already halfway into the claw mark, pulling him up and crashing them both towards the incoming black rods.
"Are they both this ruthless?!" Code's eyelids twitched violently. He still had to inherit the Otsutsuki Will; how could he die in a place like this?! He stomped his right foot hard on the ground, dragging Boruto with him as they narrowly dodged Kawaki's killing blow.
Pfft!
Despite this, both of them were inevitably pierced by a few black rods.
"Damn it!" A shadow suddenly fell from above. Without even looking up, Code knew what it was. He forcefully kicked away Boruto, who was still trying to take him down together, and his body quickly vanished from the spot.
Seeing this, Kawaki's left eye twitched, and the massive black cube instantly shrank to the size of a finger.
A conversation from their training flashed through his mind.
"What if a comrade is taken hostage by the enemy?" Sarada had asked.
"Simple. Just treat them both as attack targets," Naruto had replied.
"Indecision will only lead to greater losses. Team battles are for better mission completion. If a comrade's presence merely adds to the burden, then having them or not makes no difference."
"Of course, the above situation only applies when dealing with brainless teammates. If your teammate is aware..."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Code had just emerged from a claw mark on a tree trunk when a barrage of black rods rained down on him. He could only desperately dodge.
In the distance, Boruto hid himself in the bushes, observing the distant battle while also bandaging his own wounds. During their training period, the thing he had been warned about most was not to act rashly after being injured and become a drag on his teammates.
"Kawaki's fighting style, why has it changed so much?" He tightened the bandage with his teeth, watching the distant battle with some confusion. Previously, Kawaki's fighting style was, if not exactly like his, then virtually identical. In fact, it was even cruder than his own. His fighting style at least incorporated some ninja techniques, whereas Kawaki had just relied on brute force with Karma and scientific ninja tools. But now, Kawaki's battle with Code even showed him glimpses of Little Dad and Uncle Sasuke. Coordinated, precise, using his abilities just right... It was as if he were a different person.
Naruto, far away in Konoha, had the same question.
"Boruto, Kawaki, and even Code—the reason their strength experiences a qualitative leap after using Karma is only partly due to enhanced physical abilities," Amado answered his unspoken question. "The [Data] contained within Karma isn't just simple revival information; it also includes the combat experience accumulated by the Otsutsuki over vast eons. Activating Karma also releases this 'experience.' It wasn't obvious before because Boruto and Kawaki weren't [Pure]."
"As long as the Otsutsuki information within their bodies is correctly drawn out, these two brats can become what you call 'powerhouses' at any time. Of course, Boruto's situation is a bit more complicated, since Otsutsuki Momoshiki's consciousness is still attached to him."
"Understood."
Thump!
Boruto was heavily stomped under Code's foot. As the saying goes, one picks the softest persimmon to pinch. He couldn't beat Kawaki, so he could only vent his frustration by tormenting the softer target. Of course, actually killing him wasn't realistic. The Ten-Tails still needed sustenance.
"Hmm?" Just as he was about to dodge Kawaki's attack, a strange movement suddenly came from beneath his foot.
"This is getting interesting..." Code quickly moved his foot away. He seemed to have found a way to turn the tables.
"How about we cooperate?" he asked Otsutsuki Momoshiki.
"Finally out." Otsutsuki Momoshiki glanced at him, an air of unrestrained ease on his face.
"He really has a short memory for pain." Kawaki's expression shifted slightly, then he calmly looked at the two of them.
"Things are heating up," Amado remarked, clearly enjoying the show, not minding the escalating chaos.
"Aren't you afraid something might happen to Kawaki?" Naruto was in a similar state of detached observation.
Eida: "..."
"Shadow Clone Technique!" Boruto formed hand seals, creating several shadow clones.
"This guy...?!" Code's face changed drastically, and he quickly adopted a defensive stance.
BOOM!
Several heavy attacks landed on his body, the aftershocks even cracking the ground beneath.
"Kawaki, let's get him together!" Boruto's voice had a strange, overlapping resonance.
"Got it!" Kawaki roughly understood his comrade's current state and launched a series of killing blows at Code. But this guy possessed spatial abilities and was as slippery as an eel; their attacks had difficulty landing effectively.
"...What on earth is going on? Wasn't his consciousness being controlled by Otsutsuki Momoshiki?" If circumstances allowed, Code would have been cursing up a storm.
"Could it be because of Amado's [Medicine]?" Eida voiced her speculation to the ear on her arm. "In any case, Boruto's body must have undergone some kind of change. At least he's not like before, where Otsutsuki Momoshiki could directly control his mind. He can maintain his consciousness while wielding Momoshiki's power."
"Medicine..." Code's expression turned somewhat grim. Nothing good ever came from anything involving Amado.
"If it really comes down to it, let's retreat first. If we actually die at the hands of these two before our power is restored..." Eida didn't finish, but her meaning was clear.
"It can only be this way." Code scoffed under his breath. He looked at the two of them, especially Boruto. "Although you got that medicine from Amado, it doesn't mean Otsutsuki Momoshiki has disappeared. When your Karma fully thaws, and you become a top-grade [Live Sacrifice], I will come find you again. We'll meet again next time!"
His figure vanished from the spot.