**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto Does.

Author's note: Hey there Readers!, This is gonna be my first ever time travel story and official story for this site. So I really hope you go easy on me because I'm just a newbie here.

Thank you and Enjoy!

Plot Summary: During the fight with Kawaki in a destroyed Konoha, Boruto unknowingly gets himself sent back in time along with his little sister and Uchiha Teammate.

(Interview)

"It has often been said that every beginning has an end. But what if that end was the only way that you could go back to the beginning?

-Boruto

Prologue**

A Barren wasteland is what you could call the once progressive place known as Konoha. Buildings and homes were now ravaged into pieces, and there was barely any signs of any life.

Not even the seven Hokage faces were spared from destruction. All of them were completely damaged and on the 7th's destroyed face, two human figures could be seen fighting.

The battle had just begun and it was clear that there was no turning back. A young blonde man knelt down on the rocky surface, holding the handle of his blade that was stuck deep in the ground. His face was covered with dust, a few small cuts, and a right eye which is badly scarred.

There was a sense of calmness in him as he kept quiet. He opened his left eye, it's color a cerulean blue, and stared at the opponent in front of him.

"I didn't know that you go this far, Kawaki." 16-year-old Boruto Uzumaki calmly said. Even with all the horrible deaths and destruction that he witnessed, he still managed to control his rage.

His counterpart, who was revealed to be none other than Kawaki himself, just stood there holding his staff, looking down at the latter with pride and arrogance.

"It's hopeless now; I will send you to where I sent the Seventh, Boruto." Kawaki cruelly stated. "There will be a new world under His reign and everything existing in this current world must be erased to make way. The Age of Shinobi is over."

The wind blew stronger than it had before, its breeze rustling through the rubble surrounding them the only sound as they both fell into a tense silence.

Boruto kept his gaze steady and jaw hard set as he reached for his pocket. He drew out an old Konoha headband, the only difference on it was the harsh slash that ran through the middle of its Leaf symbol.

The blonde then slowly raised the headband and wrapped it around his head. At the same time, looked up with determined eyes, ready to finish this once and for all. He opened his right eye, finally revealing the Jogan.

The blue had drained from the iris into white with a darkened sclera and visible pupil. Then, small dark tattoos began to appear around his right eye down to his arms and hands.

Kawaki, however, didn't even react; he wasn't intimidated. He was ready to shed yet another persons blood to reach his ultimate goal and calmly waited for their fight to begin.

In his mind though, he was a bit puzzled about why Boruto would still want to fight after his home had already been completely destroyed. Desiring an answer, he almost asked, but the blonde spoke first.

His blonde counterpart on why the latter would still want to fight since his home had been destroyed. He was going to ask that question until the latter spoke.

"Then you're wrong... I'm still a shinobi!" Boruto exclaimed as he charged as fast as lightning towards Kawaki, his blade poised to strike. But Kawaki just smirked and lunged as well, now even more determined to put the teen back in his place.

As the two high-level ninjas clashed, their chakra and energy were emitted in extreme amounts, each hoping that the other would end up defeated. Boruto's mind was consumed with various thoughts, but most centered around his doubts and fears, making him wonder if he should be the one to give up.

"What if I fail to defeat Kawaki? What will happen to the rest of the people that I love if I lose to him?" he wondered.

Boruto shook his head to rid himself of the self-defeating thoughts. He was not going to give up and let his little sister and the others become victims of this destruction. "There is no turning back now." He thought as he prepared himself for what could come.

Unbeknownst to the Uzumaki, a certain worried, short, dark blue-haired girl and an exhausted raven-haired Uchiha teen had managed to escape and survived the horrors and tragedies that they had witness earlier. They arrived on the scene moments after Boruto began his charge and found themselves witnessing a final death match. Sarada clenched her fist as she activated her Sharingan. She was greeted by all the energy gathering in that particular area. It gave her the feeling that this will end up in a grand catastrophe.

She knew that if something bad were to happen to her blonde teammate, she would blame herself. After the death and sacrifice of both her parents, the knucklehead was the only family that she's got. Her eyes glazed shortly at Himawari beside her before turning her attention towards the main battle. He was the only family they both got.

As for Himawari, the young lady was covered with dirt and the latter had a several bruises on her skin. Her clothes were almost tattered yet she didn't bother any of those recent aspects. Her mind focus on her big brother all the way. It didn't took long enough for her to finally voiced out her concerns.

"We need to help Nii-chan!" Himawari stated worriedly. She was concerned about her big brother and was eager to protect and save him from the man, who she used to treat as a family.

"No Hima! It's dangerous!" Sarada protested. She was thinking more logically and knew if they get in the way, they could potentially received major injuries or simply get killed in the process. Although, this was the knucklehead that they are talking about and they really need to help him.

Boruto's eyes widened in shock when two familiar voices reached his ears. "Hima!? Sarada?! What the heck are they doing here!?" He thought as he continued to charge towards his enemy.

But it was too late to stop. As his sword clashed with Kawaki's staff, a huge wave of energy surged outward with sparks of lightning appearing around the area. Boruto felt something small yet sharp had struck his skin near his right eye and it became numb after a few moments and also didn't realize that the Jougan had reacted and was glowing out of control, it being the cause of the lightning and growing energy.

Meanwhile, Himawari who was near the point of breaking down suddenly charged towards the main scene in the goal of helping her big brother. He was the only family member she had right then and it was too difficult for her to witness another death of a loved one. She'd already seen her mother risk her life to protect her and she didn't want to see her big brother risk his life.

Sarada, who was surprised by the Uzumaki girl's actions, followed. "Hima! What are you doing!?" She exclaimed. She understood what the younger girl had been going through as she had also witnessed her own mama and papa giving their lives to save her, but rushing into an obviously dangerous situation was not the smart thing to do.

Himawari ignored the raven-haired girls pleas and continued towards the two young men who were barely even due to the sparks of lightning that had very much engulfed the scene. Sarada quickly acted on the situation and proceeded to catch up with Himawari who was nearing the main site.

"I need to get her before she-" Sarada started, only to be cut off when a powerful wave of energy, one that she had never seen or felt before, hit her. It was followed by a bright flash of light so large that it completely engulfed her and the others.

Boruto was shocked as the sparkles of lightning suddenly stilled and a sudden flash of bright light hit his eyes. He found himself being engulfed by that light as if a giant shark swallowed him whole in a matter of seconds.

If anyone were to witness the whole scene unfold from a distance, the last thing that they would see or witnessed was a giant, powerful explosion. It was so massive that it would be compared to a single drop of an atomic bomb and the whole place was engulfed by the explosion.

Before blacking out, Boruto's last thoughts centered around his family. He wondered if he would get to see them soon- His mom, dad, and everyone else. He was expecting a peaceful ending to his life and he was looking forward to it.

Although, Fate had bigger and better plans for him.

(Interview)

-I think it was because of fate which led us to where we are right now. From the very beginning, I knew that this would be a Different Kind Of Journey."

-Boruto

PROLOGUE END

Thank you for reading the prologue chapter!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto Does.

Author's note: Hey readers! I'm back with a new chapter! Hope you guys enjoy!

Beta Reader for this Chapter: AnimeFanGirl2223

(Interview)

"Just like everyone else, I had no knowledge of what was going to happen next. I'm a shinobi, so violent deaths were common in my profession, but still—I never actually thought that my life would end in such a way. Now that it might, I have no choice but to brace myself for whatever lies ahead of me. It's surprising, but dying seems to be rather peaceful and serene no matter how we go; I guess this is what heaven really feels like. Despite this calming sensation, I have a feeling that it isn't going to last."

-Boruto**

The last thing that Boruto remembered before being swallowed by complete darkness was a blindingly bright light. It took a few moments, but soon, all of his senses slowly returned to him. He felt a single drop of a familiar liquid and woke up fully, his eyes snapping open.

He found himself lying on his back and looking up at something brown and green which he soon realized to be branches of a tree with leaves sticking out of it.

Boruto slowly tried to get up but felt pain all over his body. He cringed and winced, but was eventually able to sit up enough to finally get a good look at the place that he had woken up in.

"What in the world?" Boruto muttered. He had found himself in a forest, possibly in the middle of nowhere. In addition, the sky was dark and cloudy, fat rain drops slowly starting to fall. He supposed one had hit him earlier as it slipped through the fluffy tree leaves.

Of course, he was still confused. Why would he end up in some forest? His memories from before waking up here consisted of him in a death match with Kawaki. The energy surge from his Jougan had been powerful and at the time he'd thought it was going to rip him to shreds and then disintegrate all the pieces. But instead, it seemed like he'd been transported somewhere.

As the blonde slowly got back to his feet, he had to support his weight on the nearby tree, his balance still unsteady causing him to stumble around. Once he was sure that he wouldn't fall, he surveyed his surroundings. To his continued shock, he found his sister lying unconscious a few feet away.

"Hima-chan!" Boruto exclaimed as he instantly tried to rush to her. It still hurt to move though, the pain in his legs keeping him from running and causing him to limp the short distance. His mind was racing a mile a minute, thoughts boring into his head.

Was his little sister really alright? Was she injured in the blast wave like he was?

The blonde couldn't subdue his worried, overprotective 'big brother' complex away as usual; every time Himawari was in trouble it tended to come out and consume him. He kept repeating 'She's going to be alright, no matter what, she has to be alright' over and over again.

As soon as he reached his little sister, he rolled her over so that he could check her vital signs and examine any injuries she might have sustained. It was very possible that she received broken ribs and damaged muscles just as he had. He wasn't a medic ninja, but right then he had to do his best; if anything happened to Himawari when he could have prevented it, he knew he would blame himself.

To his intense relief after several minutes of intense examination, he didn't find a single serious injury to the lavender haired girl. He sighed happily, hoping that her unconsciousness was just a deep sleep and not indicative of something worse.

Boruto struggled to lift her from the ground, finding her much heavier than she had been when she was a child. He told himself that she was growing up and felt pride swell in his chest. He sat her back against a tree and then stood again to continue searching. If she'd been transported their as well, then that meant that Sarada and Kawaki could have been too.

Before leaving, he used what was left of his chakra to create a shadow clone that would guard his sister just in case, hoping that all would be well again soon. He kissed her head gently, whispering that he'd be back to take care of her.

(**Interview)

"It was the only thing what was left in chakra vault so far and I'm really glad that it was a full working clone that puff up.

-Boruto**

Boruto eventually decided to search for Sarada first, his mind deadest on finding the girl that he somehow saw as a possible crush. He was fairly certain that she felt the same way towards him, but it was just intuition. His feelings were far more obvious since he'd always blush whenever she got near him.

The blonde shook his head to clear it. There was no time to think about such frivolous things when his priority needed to be finding her and making sure she was alright too. It took a while, but luckily the sun was still out to help him see. He eventually found her lying in a small grassy field a little ways out of the forrest.

"Why would you end up all the way over here Sarada?" Boruto thought to himself as he approached her unconscious form.

The area was quiet, almost too silent. It gave him the creeps and put him on edge, especially when he was still very low on chakra and limping. He examined her as he had with Himawari, relieved that she was unharmed as well.

He picked up her glasses that had ended up on the ground beside her and looked at her face. It was covered in a few cuts and dust, but she was beautiful. "She might even look prettier without them on…" he thought as he smiled.

As he proceeded to pick the girl up though, he sensed danger coming towards them and knew he had to get here somewhere else that would better allow him to keep her safe. Just as he turned to run, he came face to face with a large wild boar, it's snarl telling him in was angry and probably hungry as well.

There was a moment of silence between Boruto and the wild boar, the wind russeling around them as they stared each other down.

"You've got to be kidding me Dattebassa." Boruto tiredly sighed. He did not want any more trouble but, it didn't look like the boar was going to back down. He had to just suck it up and run like a real man.

(**Interview)

"It practically scared the hell out of me (Chuckles) Can you imagine a fearless Shinobi scared of a small but menacing wild boar."

-Boruto**

Boruto found himself running comically through the forrest for dear life as the boar chased him. He kept his grip on Sarada firm, though the girl on his back didn't even stir from the jostling trip; "lucky for her"he mused.

She was still in her deep sleep and was unaware of what was happening right then. Although, there were signs of her dreaming as she was muttering some words about riding a roller coaster and eating lots of her favorite dishes.

As funny as the situation was, Boruto was still injured and tired. He knew he had to find a way to either outrun or outsmart the boar so that they could get away and he could safely get back to Himawari.

Luckily, his quick thinking worked out and he saw a large, sturdy tree coming up ahead of them, knowing he could use it to his advantage. He kept running straight at it, tricking the animal into thinking that he wasn't going to change directions anytime soon.

"Hold on tight, Sarada." He muttered as he channeled chakra into his feet and braced himself for a jump. He ran up a few steps and then did a backflip, holding his unconscious teammate tightly as he flew back.

The boar, who hadn't expected Boruto to leap away, widened its eyes in shock. It watched as the blonde barreled over it, escaping its clutches without realizing that it was still running at the tree. A moment later, the impact occurred, instantly knocking it out.

Boruto landed safely on the ground with his Uchiha teammate in one piece and finally safe. Breathing out a sigh as he headed back to his little sister.

The rain had finally stopped by the time the young Uzumaki had made it back to where he'd woken up and the sun finally appeared in the sky. He saw that Himawari was still asleep while the rays of the sun penetrated the forest and shined upon her. He then thanked the clone for its service of protecting his little sister and with a single hand sign, it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Boruto gave a small smile as he slowly walked towards the tree where his little sister was resting and placed the still sleeping Sarada beside his her. As for the blonde he sighed and rested on a rock in exhaustion.

The blonde let out all the pressure that had been building up inside of him and breathed in a fresh breath of air, completely forgetting about Kawaki who didn't seem to have been teleported their too. Of course, he knew celebrating wasn't the answer since the enemy was still at large somewhere and he had to find a way back to civilization or at least away from ground zero.

He theorized that somehow his Jougan had reacted to the intensity of his fight and accidentally transported them far away from the ruins of Konoha. But he was not sure and there was only one way to find out.

Boruto then darted his eyes at the two girls, who were sound asleep. The blonde smiled, he was sure envious of them because they were getting a good sleep while he was still awake and acting as a babysitter for the two of them.

He knew he couldn't just leave them there, but carrying both would be difficult. There were shadow clones, but his chakra was so low he wasn't sure he could make another one right then. Boruto sighed yet again, knowing he just had to try and lift them both himself and hope for the best.

While he considered the best positions to carry them in, he saw and heard some birds flying above him. The blonde looked up and wished that he had wings so that maybe he could get an idea of where they were and where they should go. It could be a long journey otherwise.

(**Interview)

"I really didn't have any maps or whatsoever, I really had no idea where I was, but when I saw those flock of birds, it gave me idea that they could be somehow useful as a guide to get out of the forest.

-Boruto**

Unbeknownst to Boruto, the birds were flying in the direction of a village, one with a large overseeing mountain with five huge faces carved into it.

(**CHAPTER END)

Author's Note: Thank you for reading the Chapter**!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto does.

Author's Note: Hey readers! I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you guys enjoy!

Beta Reader: AnimeFanGirl2223

Arc 1: The Forest Part 2

By the time noon had arrived, the dark clouds that had caused the earlier showers were finally gone, and the sun had reached its peak. Citizens everywhere could go outside and do as they pleased without the unfortunate interference of rain.

Along the vast countryside of forests and fields, there was a long, lonely stretch of road. On that road was a transportation wagon heading to its destination. The wagon was small and only needed one simple brown horse to pull it.

Two people sat at the very front of the wagon. The first was a man in his fifties with grey hair, glasses, a large beard and dark eyes. He wore a sleeveless V-neck shirt with an obi, pants and a pair of sandals. He also had a towel hung around his neck and had a pointed hat on his head. The second was a boy in his early teens. The younger had spiky black hair and dark eyes; he donned a similar attire to that of his grandfather.

The two travelers were on a journey to a familiar village, their haul holding loads of wood and building equipment. They knew the road well and were only fearful of bandits or other random acts of violence.

"Grampa Tazuna, do you think we're almost there?" Inari asked. He was obviously excited to see his friends from Konoha again.

Tazuna sighed and kept his eyes forward on the road they were heading down. "Don't get too excited Inari, but yes, we are almost there."

They could just barely see the large and famous Hokage mountain coming into view, but they still had to make it all the way through the forest ahead of them before they reached Konoha.

"Hmm, looks like we are going have to light up the candles when we enter the forest," Tazuna commented, catching the boys attention.

"What do you mean; will it get really dark or something? Inari asked. Even though his grandfather had been to Konohagakure before, this was his first time traveling so far from home and he wasn't sure what to expect.

Tazuna let out a small chuckle. "Well, the last time I went into that forest, the place was kind of eerily quiet and dark so we may have to be alert for any monsters in there." He jokingly said, attempting to scare the boy.

Inari, however, looked unamused. It had already been a long trip… and had been made that much longer from his grandfathers corny jokes; he was almost getting tired of them at that point. "Come on grandpa, monsters don't actually exist! Those are just fairy tales that parents tell their children to get them to behave. Besides, if we are close to Konoha that means there are ninja around who can help us!"

Tazuna let out another chuckle, realizing his once young grandson was growing up. "Oh, alright. I was just joking. Though, we might actually get to see a variety of animals here; forests are the easiest way to go to a zoo without paying."

Inari just rolled his eyes. Sure, his grandfather was a respected master bridge builder and was a genius when it came to architectural knowledge, but he really needed to revise his dad jokes. The teen kept quiet, knowing that as the apprentice and younger of the two, he had to maintain at least some respect; the man was his grandfather after all.

As time passed, the duo made their way through the forest and the full lights and rays of the sun slowly dwindled. The once beautiful view of a vast countryside became a quiet, gloomy forest with few rays of the sun penetrating through the trees.

Inari's mind was reeling from what to expect inside the forest. Even if he didn't believe his grandfather about monsters, he was still young and curious. This was the first time he would visit a real ninja area and wanted it to be a memorable journey.

He kept thinking back to his younger years, remembering the hyperactive blonde ninja and his team from Konoha—how they had saved him, his mother, grandfather and entire village from the clutches of a crazy mob boss.

It was only because of Naruto that he became the person he was now and after so many years, he could finally see that strange yet impactful person again.

"Well, if I'm going to see my role model again, I have to make it through this forest… No matter how scary it is." Inari thought to himself as he and his grandfather continued moving forward.

As the day continued on, Boruto found himself sweating through the back-breaking task of carrying two unconscious girls. It was like carrying a 500kg of rice in two sacks, only he couldn't just throw them around.

He still hadn't been able to discern where he was or how close to civilization he'd gotten. All he knew was that he had to find a way out or at least a road that he could follow along. He figured that there had to be one somewhere close by.

The blonde checked on Himawari and Sarada again for the umpteenth time, still finding them out cold. "Don't worry girls, I'm going to get us out of here…" he thought with determination.

"Zzzzzzzz, Nii-chan I want some ice cream..." A dreaming Himawari unknowingly muttered aloud.

Sarada however, still hadn't really stirred or said a word. She wasn't even snoring her sleep was so peaceful. It was almost the complete opposite of the younger Uzumaki.

As for the Boruto, he just sighed and smiled in spite of his exhaustion and back pain. He knew that after the crazy fight that had destroyed Konoha and caused them to be warped here—wherever here was—he was at least safe and babysitting the two people that he loved as a sister and friend.

The only thing that the young man could do was keep his mind occupied by humming or singing his personal favorite songs. The blonde didn't consider himself a good singer although some of his friends commented that he had a good voice, but he'd already gone through most of his mental playlist he'd been walking so long.

As his seemingly endless trek continued, he tried brainstorming new songs that he could sing to keep his mind from going to darker places. Finally, he found one that he thought would be nice. It was about peace and love.

Boruto checked his surroundings just to be sure but figured he was probably alone since there wasn't a single soul in sight—save for the few squirrels and birds watching him from their respective trees. Concluding that the coast was clear, he began singing the first lines of the song in a carefully regulated voice.

"Sometimes I lay under the moon

I thank God I'm breathing

And then I pray don't take me soon

I am here for a reason

Sometimes in my tears, I drown

But I never let it get me down

So when negativity surrounds

I know someday it'll all turn around

Because...

All my life I've been waiting for

I've been praying for

For the people to say

That we don't wanna fight no more

They'll be no more war

And our children will play

One day One day One day

One day One day One day."

As Boruto concluded the first half of the song, he paused for a moment to catch his breath, his energy still drained from such a long day of fighting and walking. He didn't even notice that he'd started to get a small audience from the various forest animals such as rabbits, birds, squirrels, and so on.

When he finished singing once more, he blushed as the animals almost seemed to applaud his display with cute chirps and squeaks. Even though it was probably just in his head, he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed and amused. "Oh… why did I have to sing…?"

(Interview)

"It was kind of a small hobby whenever things become too quiet. Whether you sing or hum, Music will often maintain the mood and I didn't have regrets with the exception of me suddenly turning into some kind of fictional Princess."

-Boruto

After even more time had passed, the blonde was still stuck in the forest. However, just as he was about to give up hope, the animals that had been watching him almost seemed to guide him out. He was suspicious and confused at first but was willing to just go with the flow if it meant finding refuge.

"Man, you guys are really something else," Boruto commented; he'd never seen animals behave in such a way. Maybe it was fate intervening to help him?

The different animals somewhat reminded him of each his deceased loved ones back home. One moody looking bird reminded him a lot of his Uncle Sasuke, while one cute bunny reminded him of his mom, Hinata Hyuga.

"Man, what am I seeing?" Boruto wondered aloud. Was this the effect of his jutsu teleporting him, or was he suffering from some kind of meltdown after losing his home, friends, and family? It couldn't be a good sign that he was seeing his loved ones in animals.

"I must be going crazy." The blonde added as his thoughts clouded his mind yet again. But he still kept himself sane as possible. The only thing that he could do is look on the brighter side. He, Himawari, and Sarada were okay. "Let's just say their spirits are guiding me through this creepy forest."

Finally, Boruto saw the edge of a read a little distance away. He was so thankful for everything right then. Despite how odd it seemed, he turned to thank the creatures for helping guide him out, only to find that there was no one there anymore.

Not a single creature.

"What in the world?" Boruto muttered under his breath as goosebumps spread over his skin. That was probably the creepiest thing to have ever happened to him. He knew then that he was definitely suffering from too much stress all at once.

He turned back to the road and began walking, quickly coming across a scene. From what he could tell, there was a group of about six armed men looking like they were up to no good. He quickly moved to hide Sarada and Himawari beneath a bush, not wanting them to get caught up in the conflict when they had no way to protect themselves.

"You three will say in your positions while we go and halt that wagon and horse; understood?" the apparent leader instructed. His followers nodded, moving to do as they were told.

"A wagon and horse?" Boruto wondered as he looked around the area. Eventually, his eyes landed on the vehicle they were speaking about. He knew fairly quickly that these men were bandits and planned on attacking the unsuspecting travelers.

The blonde was tired and knew he needed to be taking care of his sister and comrade, but he also couldn't stomach the idea of leaving what appeared to be an old man and his grandson to fend for themselves.

(Interview)

"In a series of unfortunate events, I quickly found myself in a very familiar situation. It's either I watch those innocent people get rob and hurt or do something to prevent the situation from getting worse."

-Boruto

~Meanwhile~

As Inari and Tazuna continued towards their destination, they were suddenly halted by three silent and masked individuals. Inari glanced up at his grandfather nervously, feeling both surprised and confused.

Tazuna, however, was in a similar state to his grandson but had more fear. After dealing with the mob boss and his goons years earlier, he knew danger when he saw it. Still, he hoped that talking would get them out of the tough situation since he didn't have ninja's there to protect him this time. "Excuse me, can we help you?" he asked the three masked people.

To his dismay, the individuals didn't verbally respond. They simply stood there for a few more moments staring creepily. Finally, the one in the middle took a step forward and brandished what appeared to be a large knife.

Tazuna's eyes widened in shock and anger. He and Inari were no match for a group like this and he knew it. He took his grandson's hand in his own and squeezed it tightly, willing him not to panic just yet.

The one holding the knife waived it to the side, silently urging them to abandon their haul. The two men beside him stepped forward as a warning for them not to run and attempt to get help while their other three accomplices stepped out of the woods, effectively surrounding the wagon.

Inari and Tazuna relented and made their way down, not missing that every one of the bandits had weapons they were clearly ready to use. They knew they couldn't escape.

"We are simple carpenters and bridge builders. You will not find anything valuable inside other than the equipment we'll be using once we reach out destination." Tazuna tried to explain as the members started ransacking his cart for treasures.

The leader of the gang refused to believe the old man though and sneered behind his mask. "How unfortunate for you two… Unless you tell us where you are hiding your fortune that is."

He then signaled for his followers to separate the two, making both Inari and Tazuna panic with fear and dread.

"No, grandpa!" Inari exclaimed as he was forcefully pulled away.

"Inari, don't resist, just do what they say," Tazuna warned, still trying to keep the situation as under control as it could be.

"So old man, are you going to admit on where it is or are we going to have to push you a little harder?" The bandit leader asked. He simply couldn't believe that anyone traveling near a village as affluent as Konoha could be without money. "This old man is playing stupid. He definitely has something valuable hidden in there somewhere…"

When Tazuna still shook his head, he punched him hard in the stomach, the force of the blow causing him to fall to his knees in pain.

"Grandpa!" Inari screamed in distress, struggling against his captor's rigid grip without success.

The leader smirked beneath his mask, chuckling darkly. "Oh, your poor grandchild. I think I'll 'take care' of him first." He stated as he moved towards the boy, his evil intentions apparent. "Hmm. You don't look so happy; what if I try to carve a smile into your face?"

"No, Inari!" Tazuna yelled helplessly. All he could do was watch and shout as the vile man waved the knife closer to his grandson's face.

"Please somebody help me," Inari mumbled quietly to himself. He closed his eyes and shook with fear, waiting for the worst to come. But the pain never came.

Just as the knife was about to touch Inari's cheek, it was stopped by a firm grip. "Hey! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" a voice growled.

The bandits, Tazuna and Inari all looked to the source, finding a blonde teen glaring at the leader. In an instant, the newcomer sent a harsh fist flying towards the masked man's face, knocking him to the ground easily.

The two members holding Inari let go to help their boss, proceeding to attack the helpful young man only to be disarmed in a matter of seconds, their knives falling from their hands. Boruto gave them a taste of their own medicine, kneeing one in the groin and kicking the other's legs out from under him.

Inari and Tazuna though grateful, were frozen in shock a few feet away, watching the young man take down three assailants without any effort.

"He looks familiar" Inari whispered, easily recognizing the blonde hair, vibrant blue eyes, and whiskered cheeks. "It couldn't be…"

"Who the hell are you!?" The bandit leader shouted, his remaining followers preparing for a fight they knew they couldn't win.

Boruto just smirked. "Well, you guys can call me Bolt." He replied, citing his other nickname.

"What are you doing here!?" The still masked man demanded; their plan had been going so smoothly before his interruption.

The teenage blonde sighed but gave his signature Uzumaki smile. "Let's just say that I'm passing by."

CHAPTER END

Author's note: Thank You very Much for reading this chapter.