Chapter 301:
"Blond hair? Missing his left arm, and looks a lot like me..." In his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, Naruto eyed the Future Boruto standing before him. Preparing to fight, he asked, "You must be the mysterious ninja Kakashi-sensei mentioned who infiltrated the Hidden Leaf, right?"
"…What a pain."
While mid-leap, Future Boruto turned and flung a shuriken at Naruto.
Naruto easily dodged and countered with a jutsu: "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
For ordinary shinobi, losing an arm would mean being unable to form hand signs and cast jutsu—but Naruto was different.
He'd made his name in the shinobi world with three signature moves: Shadow Clones, Rasengan, and Talk-no-Jutsu.
The Shadow Clone Jutsu was the very first technique Naruto ever learned. Naturally, he'd long since mastered forming its hand signs with just one hand. As for the Rasengan and Talk-no-Jutsu, neither required hand signs at all.
Hundreds of Naruto's clones formed and charged at Future Boruto, each one spinning up a Rasengan.
"I didn't want this to escalate... but it looks like this idiot old man thinks otherwise..."
Future Boruto muttered under his breath, staring at the approaching horde of Rasengan-wielding Narutos. He then revealed his Rinnegan: "Shinra Tensei!"
All the clones rushing toward him were blasted away, one after another dropping from the treetops and vanishing into plumes of smoke upon hitting the ground.
"Naruto!"
Hinata, who had just arrived, cried out in concern as she saw the clones disappear.
"Naruto, are you alright?"
Sakura landed next to Naruto, checking on him.
"I'm fine. Those were just shadow clones. But that guy…" Naruto stared intently at Future Boruto. "He has the Rinnegan."
"What?!" Sakura followed Naruto's gaze. "That really is the Rinnegan!"
Whether it was during Pain's assault on the Leaf or the Fourth Great Ninja War, the Rinnegan had always been at the center of it all.
"Geez, you guys move way too fast."
Kiba and Akamaru finally arrived.
Akamaru barked furiously at Future Boruto.
"Akamaru says he smells Hanabi on that guy."
Kiba translated.
"Then Hanabi might've been kidnapped by him…"
Sakura clenched her fists as she looked at Future Boruto.
"That guy has the Rinnegan, so leave the fighting to me. You guys—"
"Naruto, don't underestimate me. I'm not that much weaker than you now!" Sakura stared at Future Boruto. "Kiba, I'm leaving Hinata to you."
"Wait—? My strength's not exactly—"
Before Kiba could finish, Sakura was already charging forward: "Let's go, Naruto!"
"Yeah! Sakura!"
Naruto and Sakura flanked Future Boruto from both sides, coordinating their assault.
Whether it was Sakura's punches or Naruto's Rasengan, taking a direct hit from either would not end well.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Future Boruto blasted Sakura away as she charged ahead, but Naruto's Rasengan came right in behind her.
Seeing his Rasengan about to land, Naruto couldn't help but grin. "So your Shinra Tensei can't be used in rapid succession after all."
"Amenotejikara!"
Just before the Rasengan could hit, Future Boruto swapped places with the airborne Sakura. Naruto's Rasengan struck Sakura head-on.
"Sakura!"
Hinata cried out, worried, as she saw Sakura take the hit.
"I'm okay, Hinata."
As the smoke cleared, Sakura replied to Hinata's concern.
"Good thing I held back just in time, Sakura."
"You idiot!" Sakura smacked Naruto on the head, while her chakra rapidly healed the injuries caused by his Rasengan. "That guy's Rinnegan powers are exactly like Sasuke's…"
"Time to get serious, Sakura."
Naruto clutched his head and looked ahead at Future Boruto.
"Right." Sakura stood up. Patterns started spreading across her face. "Strength of a Hundred Seal: Release!"
"Then I'll… Kurama!"
"Yeah!" The Nine-Tails lifted his head. "I've always hated the Rinnegan anyway!"
"They've both gotten ridiculously strong…"
Kiba muttered instinctively as he watched Naruto and Sakura unleash their full power.
Naruto and Sakura exchanged a glance, then charged at Future Boruto once again.
This time there was no flanking, no complex tactics—just the two of them rushing in head-on.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Future Boruto extended his right hand toward them.
"Kurama!"
"Here we go, Naruto!"
Kurama responded.
Naruto entered Sage Fox Mode. The flames of his Tailed Beast cloak flared up, shielding him completely from the force of the Shinra Tensei.
"And me too!"
The massive chakra surge from Sakura's Strength of a Hundred Seal allowed her to briefly ignore the effects of Shinra Tensei as well.
"Rasengan!"
"Shannaro!"
Naruto's Rasengan and Sakura's empowered punch both slammed into Future Boruto, sending him flying through trees and carving a trail nearly twenty meters long in the ground.
"The ocular power I used up during the Fourth Great Ninja War still hasn't fully recovered…"
Half-kneeling, Future Boruto murmured as he watched Naruto and Sakura cautiously advancing on him.
"It's over. Tell us where Hanabi is!"
Naruto stared down at him.
"Believe it or not, I was looking for Hanabi too…"
Naruto hesitated.
"Naruto, let's bring him back to the Hidden Leaf first," Sakura suggested.
"…Alright."
Naruto paused for a moment, then nodded.
"If I'm taken back to the Hidden Leaf… I might never be able to return…"
"Lord Boruto, the chakra is fully gathered!"
"Good."
Future Boruto slowly stood up.
The toll of the Fourth Great Ninja War had drained Kurama's chakra significantly.
"Super Sage Fox Mode!"
A form he used to enter instantly now required Kurama inside Future Boruto to carefully build up chakra before it could be activated.
"Naruto, be careful! Something's different about his aura!"
Sakura watched Future Boruto closely and warned.
"Yeah… this look—reminds me of myself in Sage Fox Mode… except his hair's standing up… Sakura, do you think my hair would look cooler if I spiked it up too?"
"Get serious, idiot Naruto!"