Naruto: Boruto Returns to Shippuden

Chapter 4 The Vanishing Rasengan

"Just you wait and see!"

Boruto confidently raised the corners of his mouth, then quickly pulled out several shuriken from his waist and threw them at Zabuza.

Zabuza remained calm and composed in the face of Boruto's shuriken attacks. His Executioner's Blade drew arcs in the air, as if weaving an invisible net.

Each flash of the blade accurately struck the incoming darts, deflecting them one by one. The collision between the darts and the blades sparked a series of sparks, accompanied by a crisp metallic clang that echoed in the air. These darts eventually fell helplessly to the ground, posing no threat to Zabuza.

"If this is all you've got, then I'm truly disappointed. Your attacks are so weak, they're hardly interesting." Zabuza's mockery was palpable.

"Oh? Is that so?" Boruto took a deep breath in the face of Zabuza's provocation, gathered his chakra in his palm, and several powerful streams of energy began to swirl around his hand, gradually forming a visible energy vortex.

"What!? That's... Rasengan!" Kakashi's pupils contracted sharply, his gaze fixed on the chakra ball gradually taking shape in Boruto's hand, an unbelievable shock surging through his heart.

He recognized the familiar shape and energy fluctuations; it was the Rasengan, a technique created by his former teacher, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

The Rasengan is an A-rank ninjutsu created by Minato, requiring extremely high chakra control. As far as I know, besides Minato himself and myself, the only person who can master this technique is Minato's master, Jiraiya. And now, Boruto can also use the Rasengan.

Kakashi's thoughts raced. The name Boruto Namikaze, the Shadow Clone Technique he had previously demonstrated, and the Rasengan he was currently using—these clues intertwined in Kakashi's mind, forming an increasingly clear hypothesis.

Although Boruto has mastered the powerful Rasengan, its power is difficult to unleash at the current distance.

As a close-range ninjutsu, the Rasengan requires a close distance to the opponent to unleash its maximum destructive power. Moreover, his Rasengan is smaller than the normal one.

Therefore, even if Boruto can use the Rasengan, it's meaningless if he can't get close enough to Zabuza and land a clear hit.

Kakashi didn't believe that this young man, who was about the same age as Naruto and Sasuke, had mastered chakra to the point of being able to walk and run freely on the lake.

Zabuza's gaze lingered on Boruto for a moment, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. Zabuza could sense a potential threat emanating from the blue orb in Boruto's hand.

He quickly adjusted his posture, holding the decapitation sword upright in front of him, assuming a defensive stance.

"This is interesting. Looks like I need to get serious." He put away his previous disdain for Boruto.

Boruto's Rasengan had already taken shape, chakra swirling in his palm, his gaze fixed on Zabuza in the center of the lake.

"Go!" With a loud shout, Boruto forcefully swung the Rasengan in his hand, and the chakra ball streaked through the air like a meteor, heading straight for Zabuza.

"What?! The Rasengan was actually thrown out!!" Boruto's action completely stunned Kakashi.

He had never seen anyone throw a Rasengan in this way before, but Boruto's appearance broke this convention, which was completely beyond his comprehension.

Boruto's Rasengan traced an arc in the air, and as it flew away from Boruto's palm, the spinning chakra ball began to gradually shrink.

Its size decreased continuously during flight, and its energy seemed to gradually dissipate in the air. Finally, when it was still some distance away from Zabuza, the Rasengan completely disappeared, failing to achieve the attack effect that Kakashi had expected.

Kakashi watched the Rasengan dissipate in the air, a wave of disappointment washing over him. He shook his head slightly and sighed softly, "Alas, it seems I was still pushing it too far. The Rasengan is a ninjutsu that requires direct contact with the target; throwing it out of the air goes against its very nature."

In Kakashi's eyes, although Boruto's plan failed, this action opened up new avenues for him.

If the method of using Rasengan is adjusted and improved, it might actually be possible to achieve long-range attacks, provided that one can survive.

"This is ridiculous! I couldn't even touch it, and I was even trying... Ugh!" Before Zabuza could finish speaking, he suddenly received a heavy blow to the face, causing him to let out a painful groan. He exclaimed in disbelief, "How... how is this possible?"

Boruto's attack not only severely injured Zabuza, but also directly led to the breaking of Zabuza's Water Prison Technique.

"It worked!" Boruto jumped up excitedly when he saw that his attack had successfully broken the water prison technique.

Kakashi found himself free again, and he muttered to himself, "So it really is possible..."

"Kakashi-sensei! That's great, Kakashi-sensei is free too!" Naruto was overjoyed, having also dealt with Zabuza's water clone.

Kakashi gave Boruto a deep look, then replied to Naruto, "Yeah."

Zabuza's rage erupted like a volcano. His voice was filled with fury as he roared at Boruto, "Damn it! You brat!" His hand swiftly reached for his waist, where a sharp Fuma Shuriken gleamed coldly. Without hesitation, he threw the shuriken, aiming directly at Boruto.

However, Kakashi stepped in front of Boruto and caught the Fuma Shuriken. Kakashi's eyes turned extremely ferocious at that moment.

After that tense standoff, the atmosphere between Kakashi and Zabuza Momochi became even more somber.

The two stood at opposite ends of the battlefield and began to seriously practice their hand seals and compete.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique".

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique".

In the fierce battle, Kakashi and Zabuza Momochi completed their respective ninjutsu hand seals almost simultaneously.

As the two completed their hand gestures, two powerful chakras met in mid-air, unleashing a deafening roar. The ninjutsu collided in the air, generating a huge energy fluctuation, which eventually canceled each other out and vanished into nothingness.

Kakashi's insightful observations and combat experience allowed him to accurately predict Zabuza's every move and psychological shift. He not only saw through Zabuza's ninjutsu but also discerned his opponent's tactical intentions and mental state.

......

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique".

A massive wave surged towards Zabuza Momochi, so powerful that Zabuza was almost powerless against it, crashing heavily against a large tree not far away.

At that moment, a mysterious ninja wearing a mask silently appeared at the edge of the battlefield.

The ninja took out two thin needles from his ninja tool bag, flicked them with his finger, and the needles flew out, hitting Zabuza Momochi's nape with perfect accuracy.

After confirming that Zabuza Momochi had lost all signs of life, Kakashi had a brief exchange with the mysterious ninja.

After confirming that the other party was indeed a pursuit ninja from Kirigakure, responsible for tracking down and dealing with rogue ninjas, Zabuza's "corpse" was handed over to this pursuit ninja.

After taking Zabuza's "corpse," the Hidden Mist Village ninja who had been pursuing him vanished before everyone's eyes like a gust of wind.

Boruto was puzzled by Kakashi's actions and asked him, "We were the ones who defeated Zabuza, so why are you just handing him over? Kakashi-senpai."

Naruto quickly chimed in, "That's right! If that's the case, then what was the point of fighting so desperately just now!?"

Kakashi gently patted Boruto and Naruto on the shoulder and explained in a calm tone, "In the world of ninjas, we do encounter some unpredictable situations. Sometimes, even if we put in a lot of effort, the results may not be as we wish."

But remember, every experience is valuable; it helps us grow. If you feel resentful, turn that feeling into motivation. Next time you encounter a similar situation, we can learn from our mistakes and do better.

"Alright, let's cheer up and move on." After saying this, Kakashi turned around and started walking forward.

Although Kakashi's tone was relaxed, his body was exhausted from using the Sharingan for a long time. He hadn't gone far when he suddenly felt dizzy and the world in front of him began to sway.

He tried to steady himself, but ultimately could not resist the sudden feeling of weakness. His body involuntarily leaned forward and fell straight down.

"Kakashi-sensei?!" Boruto and Naruto immediately tensed up upon seeing this and rushed over to Kakashi to check on his condition.

......

When Kakashi realized that Zabuza might still be alive, he decided to have Boruto and Naruto begin a special training program: tree climbing, a special training program for chakra usage.

This training requires them to use chakra to walk on tree trunks, which not only improves their control over chakra but also enhances their physical coordination and agility.

Naruto tried to climb the tree, but lost his balance after only a few steps, stumbled, and fell heavily to the ground. Sasuke, on the other hand, appeared more composed. He used his chakra to move slowly along the tree trunk, and although his movements were still a bit clumsy, he was already able to climb to a height of four or five meters.

Sakura displayed amazing concentration during her first attempt to climb the tree. Under their watchful eyes, Sakura eventually succeeded in climbing the trunk.

Naruto watched Sakura sit steadily on the tree trunk, a look of admiration on his face. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, Sakura, you're amazing! No wonder I've set my sights on you!"

"Eh!!!!!!!!!!"

Following Naruto's words, a shocked voice pierced the sky.

Boruto felt like he had heard some incredible news: his own father actually had a crush on Sasuke's master's wife!

This incident shocked Boruto for an entire year.

Naruto was startled by Boruto's sudden scream and covered his ears, feeling a tearing pain in his eardrums: "What's wrong, Boruto! Is something wrong?"

Boruto seemed flustered, his voice trembling slightly as he stammered, "No! Dad... Naruto, you actually like Sakura?"

Naruto frowned slightly, looking somewhat confused, but still nodded firmly, responding to Boruto's question: "That's right, I do like Sakura, you wouldn't..." Then, Naruto slowly walked towards Boruto, his squinting eyes fixed on Boruto, trying to see through what Boruto was thinking.

Boruto felt a wave of panic and stammered, "Wh...what's wrong?" He was worried that his father might be suspicious of his identity.

Naruto suddenly clapped his hands, a look of sudden realization on his face, and said to Boruto, "You brat, you wouldn't... like Sakura too, would you?" Damn it! Has another love rival suddenly appeared out of nowhere?

When Boruto saw Naruto's scrutinizing gaze, as if he were examining a love rival, he immediately raised his voice and firmly retorted, "That's not true at all!"

Boruto felt somewhat helpless; how could he possibly like Aunt Sakura? They weren't even from the same generation.

Upon hearing Boruto's answer, Naruto finally felt relieved. He breathed a sigh of relief, a relaxed smile spreading across his face, and said in an energetic voice, "Alright! Let's continue training!"

Kakashi noticed that Boruto was still immersed in the conversation and didn't seem to have fully recovered, so he asked, "What? Don't you want to give it a try?"

Boruto waved his hand lightly, shook his head, and replied, "Never mind, never mind, I'd better not join in the fun."

As a ninja who once stood on the Chunin Exams stage, there was no need for him to show off in front of a group of genin who had not yet participated in the Chunin Exams, even though he had not been able to cross that threshold to become a Chunin that time.

Naruto glanced at Boruto and teased, "Hahaha, Kakashi-sensei, he's definitely scared. He might not even be able to beat me."

Upon hearing Naruto's words, Boruto's forehead veins bulged, and a surge of resentment welled up within him.

What?! This damn old man! He's so weak and he still dares to mock me. I could easily jump higher than him if he's climbed to this level, and he still has the nerve to make sarcastic remarks to me.

Without hesitation, Boruto quickly moved to the base of the large tree and concentrated his chakra at the soles of his feet.

With the flow of chakra, he lightly stepped onto the tree trunk and effortlessly climbed to the treetop. He imitated Kakashi, hanging upside down on the branch, to show off his strength in front of Naruto.

"What?" This was hard for Uchiha Sasuke to accept. He had always been regarded as a genius by everyone, possessing ninjutsu talent and combat skills that surpassed ordinary people. He never expected that there would be someone among his peers who was so much stronger than him.

Sakura is one thing, although she excels in theoretical knowledge and precise control of chakra, Sasuke believes that her practical combat ability is still far behind his own.

However, the Namikaze Boruto in front of him not only showed great skill in using chakra, but his performance in the previous battle with Zabuza also impressed him greatly.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Compared to Sasuke, Naruto didn't have as many ulterior motives. "Alright! I absolutely can't lose!"

While they were engrossed in their training, Kakashi quietly approached Boruto and whispered, "Boruto, let's find somewhere to talk." He then turned and slowly walked towards a secluded corner, gesturing for Boruto to follow.

Boruto was a little confused. Why couldn't he just ask directly? Why all the secrecy?

"Kakashi-senpai, what's going on?"

Kakashi stopped and turned around, looking directly at Boruto as he asked, "Boruto, I noticed that you used the Shadow Clone Technique and the Rasengan in your battle against Zabuza. These are both signature techniques of Konoha. Why did you use them?"

Although Kakashi already had some suspicions, he still hoped to get Boruto's confirmation in person to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

Boruto had anticipated that Kakashi would ask him about the Rasengan, so he prepared his answer in advance.

"My father is a ninja from Konoha, and the Rasengan is one of his best ninjutsu. It's not surprising that I can use it."

Kakashi grasped the key words in Boruto's speech: "Konoha," "Rasengan," and "Dad." He understood immediately and thought to himself: "So that's how it is, Sensei?"

Kakashi continued, "And who is your father?"