Morning sunlight spilled through the window, illuminating the quiet room.
Boruto — or rather, his shadow clone — blinked awake.
He lay still for a moment, frowning. The main body hadn't returned all night.
Did something happen on the way to the moon?
He sat up with a sigh. "Just great… if the main body gets into trouble, I'll be exposed the second this clone disperses."
For now, he had to keep a low profile. No fights, no flashy jutsu — just blend in and wait.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
The moment he stepped out into the morning air, chaos greeted him. Metal Lee — wild-eyed and completely unhinged — was tearing through the streets, chasing down classmates like a man possessed.
Boruto groaned. "...Sumire Kakei, I swear, I'll make you pay for this one day."
His vision shifted subtly, the world tinting faintly blue. Even without conscious effort, his perception sharpened — and through that strange clarity, Boruto could see it: the dark, smoky chakra coiled around Metal's body, writhing violently.
The same ghostly presence as before.
As Lee's son, Metal was already a powerhouse in taijutsu, but under this influence, his strength had skyrocketed. Every strike shattered the air, leaving the others scrambling.
Iwabe clenched his jaw, raising his weapon. "That's it! I'm ending this!"
"Wait, Iwabe!" Denki called out. "We should trap him first, not fight him head-on!"
Meanwhile, Shikadai — panting and bruised — was trying to keep up. He'd attempted his Shadow Binding Technique earlier, but Metal's movements were too erratic. His chakra control couldn't hold up against that raw speed.
"This is such a drag…" Shikadai muttered, narrowly dodging a kick that cracked the ground where he'd been standing.
"Iwabe, now!"
"Got it!"
"Earth Release — Earth Flow Wall: Four-Sided Prison!"
Four thick stone pillars erupted around Metal, merging into a cube that sealed him inside.
The ground trembled from within.
"Did it work?" Denki asked nervously.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
The answer came in an explosion — Metal burst through the walls with a spinning kick, chunks of stone flying in all directions. His movement blurred into a streak of green, closing in on Shikadai again.
Boruto stepped forward.
A small orb of spiraling chakra formed in his hand, glowing faintly blue. He focused, condensed it — and with a quick flick, the Rasengan shot forward like a bullet.
It vanished midair.
But Metal, even while possessed, sensed the approaching chakra. He twisted mid-jump, planting his foot and rebounding sideways — just in time for the Rasengan to explode harmlessly nearby.
The shockwave sent dust flying.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!" Iwabe slammed his hands down again, erecting another barrier. The group quickly fanned out.
A heartbeat later, Metal shattered the wall with a roar — but the instant he broke through, Boruto was already moving.
His vision sharpened. Through the haze of debris, he could see the perfect angle — the point of breakthrough.
He thrust his hand forward.
"Rasengan — Compression!"
The spinning sphere struck Metal square in the chest before he could react. The blow sent him crashing into the dirt, the chakra dissipating in a burst of force.
Shikadai didn't waste the moment. "Shadow Binding Technique!"
His shadow extended, pinning Metal in place. Iwabe dashed in, his weapon poised — but before he needed to strike, the dark chakra lifted from Metal's body like smoke fading into the air.
Metal's eyes returned to normal. He blinked, confused. "W–What just happened…?"
Boruto exhaled, dispelling the remaining chakra in his hand.
Iwabe stepped forward, smirking. "That jutsu of yours — the Rasengan, right? It's seriously strong."
Boruto scratched his cheek. "Still nothing compared to my Tou-san's."
Shikadai smirked. "Heh. That's new — hearing you praise your dad."
"Shut it! We're gonna be late!" Boruto shot back quickly, hiding the hint of warmth in his tone.
The group burst out laughing and sprinted toward the academy.
Meanwhile, at the Hokage Building —
Naruto returned to his office, rubbing his temples. Shikamaru was already there, sorting through papers and sipping coffee.
"You're back earlier than expected," Shikamaru said. "How'd it go? Figure out what's going on with this 'Chosen One' business?"
Naruto sighed, dropping into his chair. "More or less. But the news isn't good."
"That so?"
"The Great Toad Sage predicted a new enemy — one on the same level as Kaguya Ōtsutsuki."
Shikamaru's eyes widened. "You've gotta be kidding…"
"I wish I were." Naruto looked out the window, his voice low. "The Sage's visions are never wrong."
"This is bad," Shikamaru muttered. "We barely managed to seal Kaguya last time. Another being like her…?"
"Yeah." Naruto leaned back. "I'm thinking about calling a Five Kage Summit — make sure every village knows."
"Too risky," Shikamaru warned. "If we don't have solid proof, the other Kage might panic. It could cause more problems than it solves."
Naruto frowned but nodded slightly. "You're right. For now, we'll strengthen the village defenses. And… maybe review sealing techniques."
"Hmm. We might even need the tailed beasts again."
Naruto's gaze softened. "Kurama, what do you think?"
Inside him, a deep, rumbling voice answered, full of amused annoyance.
"Hmph. You've gone soft, Naruto. But fine — if it comes to it, we'll lend our power. The others won't refuse."
Naruto chuckled. "Heh. Thanks, partner."
Shikamaru adjusted his headband. "The Chūnin Exams are coming soon. We can use that to gather the Five Kage quietly."
"Good idea. Let's prepare it that way."
Back at the academy, Konohamaru stood before the students on the training field, hands confidently forming seals.
"Today, we'll be learning the Summoning Jutsu — a technique that lets you summon your contracted beast from anywhere."
He slammed his hand to the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
A burst of smoke filled the field. When it cleared, a massive toad stood beside him, croaking proudly.
"Whoa!" The students erupted into cheers. "Konohamaru-sensei's so cool!"
Standing in the crowd, Boruto muttered under his breath, "Man… with my chakra reserves, I'd probably summon a tadpole."
As the applause continued, a chilling thought crossed his mind.
Wait… isn't there supposed to be that stupid male-versus-female battle later today?
His face paled instantly.
"Oh, come on… spare me."
He dropped his head onto his desk, groaning softly. "Guess I'll just… surrender early."