Chapter 189:
Taking the freshly laundered Hokage cloak from Hinata, Boruto draped it over his shoulders.
"You look so cool, big bro!"
Future Boruto smiled as he patted Himawari, who had exclaimed in admiration, then turned to Hinata and said, "Mom, I'm heading out."
"Mm. Be careful, Boruto."
Hokage Office.
"…That guy, Jigen, could re-enter the Hidden Leaf Village at any time through Kawaki's Kāma seal. Even so, Naruto, you still insist on letting Kawaki stay in the village?"
Shikamaru looked at Naruto as he spoke, with Sasuke silently standing to the side.
"Shikamaru, I understand your concern—for the village and for its people. But I'm the one who can best understand how Kawaki feels. Back when everyone was afraid of the Nine-Tails sealed inside me, if the Third Hokage hadn't protected me, it wouldn't have been surprising if I'd been imprisoned."
"But…" Just as Shikamaru began to respond, the door to the Hokage's office suddenly swung open.
"Boruto, you're here." Naruto looked at the now grown-up Boruto with visible relief and affection. "Right, I asked you to come because I've arranged for Granny Tsunade to take a look at your arm."
"Mm… Thanks, Dad."
Naruto blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Come to think of it, this is the first time you've ever thanked me."
Elsewhere.
Tsunade had just walked out of the Hidden Leaf's research lab, stretching wearily. Though she still looked youthful, she was now indeed of an age where kids would call her "Granny."
"Seriously, Naruto dragging me over like that—no consideration for old people at all…" she muttered as she sniffed herself. "Ugh, I stink… Whatever, I just came out of the lab. Better hit the hot springs first and relax."
The Hidden Leaf's Historic Bathhouse.
Said to have been founded during the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's era, it had undergone multiple reconstructions over the years but had impressively lasted to the present day.
"This is the women's bath, but there's zero inspiration here…" A female gray wolf lay listlessly in the tub. "Or is it because there are no women around?"
The vast bathhouse was completely empty—except for Jiraiya. After all, it was still morning, and everyone was busy with work, so it wasn't likely anyone would come to bathe now.
To be able to enter the women's bath openly had always been one of Jiraiya's dreams. Now that he had achieved it, he felt more empty than fulfilled.
"Someone's coming…"
Hearing the sound of the door sliding open, Jiraiya looked up—and a nosebleed instinctively started to trickle out.
"Wolf? Gray Wolf?" Tsunade blinked in confusion, then suddenly clenched her fist and lunged at Jiraiya without the slightest concern for her own complete lack of clothing. "Orochimaru! How dare you show your face in the village again!"
"I'm not Orochimaru! Orochimaru's a man—I'm a woman!" Jiraiya frantically leapt out of the bath to dodge her blow. "I'm Red Wolf!"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the figure before her. "You can't fool me, Orochimaru!"
After all, Orochimaru did have a history of cross-dressing.
"I'm telling you, I'm not Orochimaru!"
"Even if you're not, you must be connected to S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
"..." Jiraiya couldn't refute that one.
"So it is true! What is S.H.I.E.L.D. doing in the Hidden Leaf?!"
"I…"
"Forget it. I'm headed to the Hokage Tower anyway—I'll just take you with me. Heavenly Foot of Pain!"
"Wild Lion's Mane Jutsu!"
Jiraiya's gray fur suddenly lengthened and wrapped around Tsunade, binding her. Seeing that he'd temporarily restrained her, Jiraiya let out a sigh of relief. "Look, Tsunade, I—"
"You didn't seriously think that was enough to hold me, did you?!"
Tsunade clenched her fist, tearing through the gray fur restraining her, and hurled a punch at Red Wolf.
"Crap…"
The Red Wolf struck by the punch turned into a wooden log.
"Substitution Jutsu…" Tsunade turned her head and saw the Red Wolf—now dressed—fleeing into the distance.
Having frequented various clubs and hot spots for years, Jiraiya had become very efficient when it came to getting dressed in a flash.
"Damn it!" Tsunade threw on some clothes and stormed out of the bathhouse. After quickly scanning the area, she dashed toward the Hidden Leaf's commercial district.
Hidden Leaf Flower Shop.
Run by Ino Yamanaka, the head of the Yamanaka Clan. Thanks to her exceptional sensory abilities, she was also responsible for monitoring any disturbances in the Hidden Leaf's barrier.
"Lady Tsunade? What brings you here?"
Ino looked visibly surprised at Tsunade's sudden visit.
"Ino, I just ran into someone I suspect is from S.H.I.E.L.D."
"But… there hasn't been any disturbance in the village's barrier."
"Orochimaru probably gave S.H.I.E.L.D. the barrier codes. Whatever the case, Ino, find this person immediately."
Even though Tsunade hadn't been Hokage for many years, she instinctively issued the order in a commanding tone.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade."
Meanwhile.
Jiraiya, moving swiftly through the village streets, finally stopped after confirming that Tsunade wasn't chasing him anymore. From the rooftop of a tall building, he looked down at the village below.
"Looks like the Hidden Leaf's doing pretty well under Naruto's leadership…"
Naruto had always followed him around as a kid, constantly proclaiming his dream of becoming Hokage. But honestly? Jiraiya had never believed Naruto would actually become Hokage. As a child, Naruto had clearly inherited Minato's goofy nature and Kushina's brash impulsiveness.
Someone like that might grow into a loyal and powerful ninja—but not a suitable leader for an entire village.
"…Come on, Sarada, stop being mad. I already told you—future me said you became the Eighth Hokage, but before you died, you passed the cloak on to me."
Boruto followed behind Sarada, trying to explain himself.
Ever since learning that Boruto would become the Eighth Hokage in the future, Sarada had been distant and cold toward him.
"I'm not mad about that, Boruto," Sarada said. "I'm just worried about the future. Bioterror outbreaks, the destruction of the ninja world… Do you remember the footage that merchant gave us? If we don't get stronger through sheer rage, we won't be able to protect anyone—not even our families…"
As she spoke, she happened to glance up and saw someone standing on the rooftop. "Boruto, that person—isn't she with S.H.I.E.L.D.?!"
Following the direction of Sarada's finger, Boruto's expression turned serious.
After all, Mitsuki had been abducted by S.H.I.E.L.D., and Boruto had been keeping close tabs on their intel ever since.
"No doubt about it. A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent—Red Wolf. That's her!" Boruto nodded grimly.