The Ninja Arts Library was quiet, the air thick with the faint scent of parchment and ink.
Outside the door, Boruto straightened his collar and greeted the guard with practiced ease.
"Good morning. I'm here to check Konoha's archives. Are there any ninjutsu scrolls suitable for new students?"
The guard, a seasoned Jōnin, straightened immediately. "Ah—Seventh Hokage! It's an honor. Please, come in."
Boruto nodded with calm authority, hiding the faint smirk tugging at his lips. Good. The transformation's working.
He stepped inside.
Rows upon rows of scrolls filled the towering shelves — neatly organized, categorized by nature, transformation, and use. Escape techniques, chakra manipulation, sealing, sensory… the entire shinobi system recorded in ink.
For most, this was a place for guidance. For Boruto, it was a hunting ground.
He browsed the shelves, scanning each section carefully, until a frown creased his face.
"Don't you have any stronger ninjutsu?" he asked bluntly.
The guard hesitated, then smiled politely. "Forgive me, Lord Seventh, but for academy-level students, higher-rank jutsu are restricted. They require greater chakra control—"
Boruto interrupted smoothly, his tone utterly serious.
"No, this is for me. There's been chakra leakage discovered near the border — suspected remains of the Divine Tree. It drains the chakra of nearby shinobi. As Hokage, I'll need to seal it personally."
The guard froze, eyes wide. "Ah—y-yes, I understand, Seventh Hokage. But that level of sealing jutsu should be in the Hokage Building archives, not here."
Boruto blinked, scratching his head. "Right… I've been so busy lately, I must've forgotten."
The guard laughed awkwardly. "Understandable, Lord Seventh. You've been working nonstop."
"Mm. Keep up the good work," Boruto replied coolly — and disappeared the next second in a flicker of chakra.
That was close.
Outside the Hokage Building, Boruto's eyes narrowed slightly as faint ripples of vision bloomed before him. The world shifted into layers — walls, floors, chakra flows. He silently observed the interior through his enhanced sight, studying each level's contents.
Naruto's and Shikamaru's office occupied the top floor — all papers and fatigue, no jutsu archives.
But two floors below… a concentrated flow of chakra tags, sealed scrolls, and preserved parchment.
Found it.
He adjusted his transformation, tightening the illusion of Naruto's robes and face, and strode toward the building with confidence.
The moment he stepped inside, however—
"Seventh Hokage!"
Boruto stiffened.
Sarutobi Mirai, Naruto's bodyguard, approached with a bright smile. "Perfect timing! You mentioned strengthening the Barrier and Sealing Teams. They're already assembled outside waiting for your guidance!"
This is bad.
"Haha… right, yes. Let's… get started," Boruto said, keeping his face perfectly composed despite the panic in his chest.
On the training grounds, the Barrier Team was already in formation, channeling chakra through hand seals as a pale-violet cube shimmered into existence around them.
The surface of the barrier gleamed like glass, humming faintly in the sunlight.
"Lord Seventh, welcome!" one of the barrier ninjas greeted proudly.
Boruto clasped his hands behind his back, pretending to inspect it. "Let's begin."
He didn't enter the barrier — he could tell just by the chakra density that it would take significant force to break through. He inhaled deeply and began drawing in natural energy.
Tou-san takes about five minutes to stabilize Sage Mode. Let's see if I can beat that.
Within moments, the air around him shifted. Faint markings appeared near his eyes — the telltale sign of Sage Mode. Boruto's chakra steadied, thrumming with controlled power.
The crowd murmured.
Boruto stepped forward, a Rasengan forming in his palm, the spinning light swelling rapidly until it towered over his frame — a roaring, contained sphere of spiraling chakra.
The Barrier Team exchanged nervous glances. Even knowing it was Naruto (or so they thought), the sheer pressure made them tense.
"Alright," Boruto said evenly. "Let's see how your defense holds."
He thrust his hand forward.
The Rasengan collided with the barrier, shaking the ground beneath their feet. For an instant, the two forces held — then, with a thunderous crack, the barrier shattered into a rain of glowing fragments.
When the smoke cleared, Boruto stood tall, Sage Mode fading from his face.
"This level of hardness isn't enough," he said simply.
The Barrier Team bowed in awe, and Mirai's eyes gleamed with admiration. "Incredible, Lord Seventh! You broke through the formation of four elite shinobi with one strike!"
Boruto gave a small shrug. "Rasengan focuses all power into a single point — efficient against static barriers. But keep training. Someday, you'll need to deploy a full Four Red Yang Formation to protect Konoha."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" they shouted in unison.
Inside, Boruto let out a quiet breath. Alright, that went better than expected.
Mirai stepped forward again. "Seventh Hokage, the Sealing Team is training nearby. Would you like to inspect them next?"
Boruto nodded. "Lead the way."
They moved to another field where several sealing specialists were kneeling before scrolls, inscribing formulas in practiced rhythm.
Boruto's eyes scanned their worry. Four Symbols Seal, Eight Trigrams Seal — basic but precise. Still… it wasn't what he was looking for.
"Seventh Lord, would you like to review our results?" Mirai asked politely.
Boruto shook his head. "No. Bring me the scroll on the Contract Seal."
Mirai blinked, puzzled but obedient, and ordered the sealing unit to retrieve it. A few minutes later, several scrolls were carried over and unrolled before him.
Boruto flipped through them rapidly, pausing when he saw the right one — the formula to sever summoning bonds between summoner and summoned being.
A faint spark of satisfaction crossed his face. This is it. The key to cutting Sumire's link to Nue.
He quickly memorized the structure and seals, scanning the others as well. The collection included different sealing patterns, though none rivaled the strength of Myōjinmon. Still, it would be enough for his current goal.
The head of the sealing team scratched his head awkwardly. "We've only managed the basics, Lord Seventh. With limited chakra, we can't fully test large-scale versions."
Boruto nodded thoughtfully. "Then test it together. If multiple shinobi layer the seals in unison, the combined resonance might amplify the effect."
The ninjas straightened at once. "We'll try that immediately!"
"Good," Boruto said, hands clasped behind him. "Keep refining the technique. You'll need it soon enough."
He turned slightly, voice calm but firm. "I'm counting on you all to protect the village when the time comes."
The team saluted sharply. "Yes, Seventh Hokage!"
A faint smile flickered across Boruto's lips. Perfect. Time to vanish before anyone notices.
He gave a polite nod. "You've done well. I'll continue researching sealing methods myself — they'll be useful in future battles."
"Understood!"
Boruto offered a brief word of encouragement, then disappeared in a flicker of light — leaving behind only dust and whispers.
Mirai exhaled softly, watching the space where he'd stood. "So it was another shadow clone after all…" she muttered with a wry smile. "The Seventh Hokage really never rests."