Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

The Shinden Saga – Arc 3: The Dragon Sage

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Chapter 134 – Boruto and Toneri

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Sasuke Uchiha, at the moment, is exploring the plains and ruins of Takama, and will very soon meet a ghost of the Otsutsuki's past. Meanwhile, in the same universe where the ninjas' Earth resides, on Ashihara, the youngest members of the celestial clan, all those who are less than 400 years old, have been reunited by one of the Shinden.

Naobi Otsutsuki, goddess of purity, creation and order, is considered a mentor by anyone who was born in the 4th age. For as long as the clan has lived on this red aster, she is who educated all the youngs about standards that will lead them to become true gods. At the moment, she is giving a lesson on the cosmic and essential energies that their kind can drain in order to attract the attention of a potential future Shinden.

Generally, such lessons would always be attended by Sakitsuki, as she is who Naobi enjoys the most teaching to, but she is still deemed to stay on Earth and can't even remotely assist to this since her golden sight still didn't fully return.

Instead, the attendees of this class are, in order of age: Seimei (the daughter of one of the Tenshin), Taiyoshiki (son of Tokubei), Watsuki (right hand of Aritsuki), and Torushiki (the uni-horned giant serving Yasona). The mistress of the latter is also here to spectate the lesson. And as usual, she's well surrounded. By her side are Chishiki and Kuboshiki, her two other pupils, but also Aritsuki who's only here to flirt.

Not paying much attention to Naobi's lesson, Seimei, the youngest, easily gets distracted and looks at Taiyoshiki next to her, who's her partner in activity. He acts as a mentor to her in their quest to collect information about the traitors and criminals of the clan. In some way, they pursue the same truth as Sasuke, but purely for their own enjoyment.

"These lessons are the only times where you and I are taught equally, sensei." she comments playfully, but quietly to avoid being noticed by Naobi who uses Genjutsu for her narration and therefore isn't visible to anyone. Yet, judging from the look on Taiyoshiki's face as she makes this comment, Seimei guesses that her discretion failed.

Out of nowhere, she receives a slap from Naobi's shakujo on top of her head.

"Your lack of concentration is limiting your growth, young girl." Naobi scolds her.

"Ouch! Sorry Naobi-sama. I just don't think that this Shinsen thing is for me." Seimei embarrassingly replies.

"You've said this about all my lessons." the goddess of order argues. "Seimei, you're still just 30, and yet you already learned Kakuremino, the invisible cape. That this jutsu found an heir is remarkable. You are remarkable, but you rest too much on your past achievements. You're wasting your potential. Your father, Kojin, didn't become as great as he is just thanks to Yamitsuki. On the contrary, he was chosen as a student by Yamitsuki because he was already exceptional. He built himself into the god he is today. You younglings don't understand that."

This complaint is suddenly turned toward all the students that Naobi believes hadn't the shoulders to one day become like Hyakki, or even like Saki. Looking at Watsuki and Torushiki, she simply doesn't get any sensation of power. And in Taiyoshiki, she doesn't see a wisdom rivaling his father's.

"Sakitsuki, with all distractions in the universe at once under her eyes, is still a better student than you." she argues.

To this comment, Torushiki squints and looks at Yasona, his mistress. Naobi doesn't fail to notice it and looks at her as well, as if she was expected to speak. Next to her, Kuboshiki feels like Yasona is being threatened, and attempts to stand up for her by calling out the goddess of order.

"At least, unlike your golden eyed baby, none of these 4 became a filthy traitor reducing themselves to recreation with pathetic inferior creatures." he says, inspiring disregard toward Sakitsuki, which startles everyone and triggers Naobi's bad side.

As a punishment for such careless hate toward her favorite, Naobi instinctively subdues him. By taking over his body with just a hand movement, she forces him to tense all his muscles at once and almost break entirely. As a result, Kuboshiki's body snaps into millions of liquid droplets that splash around, but rapidly start coming together again. This is Ekika, the liquefaction significant of his body.

Knowing that she overreacted, Naobi sighs and goes on with her lesson as if nothing happened. Yasona makes an unimpressed face as she notices that the drops of Kuboshiki that fell on her are enjoying their time along her smooth skin and go slower than the others. Frustrated by this taken advantage, Chishiki makes a hand movement to wash the droplets off her mistress with a wind repulsion.

While he's still getting back in shape, Yasona looks at Torushiki compassionately, and then at Chishiki.

"Looks like my dear Toru isn't cut for Shinsen business…" she remarks. "What about you, Chishi? You think it's too late for you? I'm sure it would look fantastic on your cute little face."

"Please, don't flatter me in such a way, Yasona-sama." the poisonous celestial answers. "What about yourself? Why did you never focus on learning this? Don't you find it appealing?"

"Ah! Touché!" Yasona laughs it off. "Of course, it's the essence of true godhood. Obviously I deserve this power. But I can't bother wasting time learning it. My fate is to be a queen in all terms. I shouldn't have to take any training to receive this gift. Shinjutsu should be offered to me in another shape. That is all I'll accept."

"Truly a queen's expectation." Aritsuki replies to her, getting her attention. "But I agree, this pure energy would certainly fit the perfect nature of your body, goddess of beauty."

"Speaking of natural beauty…" Yasona says to turn down these compliments, as she notices Torushiki who took off his mantle through the illusion of Naobi. Aritsuki follows her gaze and stares, unimpressed, at the same man.

"You should raise your standards, Yasona." he says. "Torushiki is not worthy of your praise. He has messy hair and an asymmetric horn. Sure, he's tall and muscular, but his shape is imperfect. His silhouette is poorly drawn. And he's a man with a hairless face. Nothing that can be compared to my image. This is to be considered, Yasona. If my heritage and yours were to combine in procreation, the child would be the most beautiful being conceivable."

To this suggestion, Yasona slightly tilts her head and raises an eyebrow. Even this silly manner emphasizes Aritsuki's wish. Chishiki, disgusted by what Aritsuki aims for, looks at him with distrust. She knows how complicated it is for their clan to procreate. It is to such extent that it has become impossible without a centuries long loving relationship between two individuals.

"What makes you think you're any closer to being worthy of Yasona-sama's affection?" Kuboshiki interrupts just as he comes back in shape.

"Oh, you're still here?" Aritsuki mocks him. "I almost forgot."

Yasona doesn't interrupt this starting fuss. On the contrary, she's amused, smiles and keeps listening to them arguing over her. There is nothing that she enjoys more than such moments that validate her beautiful nature and how much she's desired. Obviously these moments are nothing rare but she never gets tired of them. Yet, this time, it is another feeling that disturbs her and Naobi's mind.

All of a sudden, the two Shinden sense another world's mystical energy, as if something just awakened. In another universe, Sasuke Uchiha just summoned the soul of Ayaka Otsutsuki, former queen of the clan and grandmother of Yasona. Each of the Shinden, who forbid themselves to ever summon these spirits, was set to be alerted whenever someone would do so. The two goddesses stare at each other.

"Someone found Takama?" comments Yasona.

"This lesson is dismissed." Naobi immediately says, feeling the urge to inform her beloved Dragon Sage.

Taiyoshiki stays sitting there, having heard only Yasona's remark, confused. Seimei stays with him. Naobi disappears on the spot. Yasona, however, waits for Watsuki and Torushiki to join her and leaves with all her troop calmly. As she walks away, Chishiki and Kuboshiki look at each other in confusion. Aritsuki is more curious and interrogative.

"Yasona, did you say Takama?" he asks. "The first Takama? Did something reach this place?"

"Oh! Is it the Uchiha?" Watsuki suggests, panicking.

"Well… It could be." Yasona replies to everyone's shock. "That man's getting his hand on solid intel."

"Aritsuki-dono, we have to stop this!" Watsuki insists. "You have to erase Earth's memories and put an end to this age of doubt. The Uchiha can be disposed of by Taiyoshiki's father."

To this suggestion, Torushiki, the massive servant, even taller than the goddess of mischief, hums. Hearing his reaction, his mistress invites him to speak his mind.

"What is it, dear Toru?" she asks.

"… The Ryu Shinsen's instructions are clear." he reminds them. "No action taken until the Tenshin get their job done on Earth. Especially for the Rinnegan user. He is the one that they'll target in this world. He can't be killed by anyone other than them. Or his victims will be lost forever."

These details, Yasona never forgot them, but as she hears them stated, she remembers what confused her about it. If the Tenshin found Sasuke Uchiha, it could allow Momoshiki's resurrection. She's certain that Yamitsuki wouldn't like this to happen, so why does he want to spare him for now. Also, he seems to be the only reason found to hold back Naobi or Aritsuki from erasing the ninja world's memories.

"You'd be pleased if the Tenshin found the Uchiha, wouldn't you?" Aritsuki asks Yasona, rhetorically, before making a crazy suggestion that she can't not take advantage of. "Tell me, Yasona… What if I actually do it?

She stares at him intrigued, and waits for him to continue.

"I will go now and erase Earth's memories." he explains. "When I return with the job done, you get in touch with the Tenshin, and send them immediately after the Uchiha on Takama. You're a Shinden, so you can do that, right?"

"Well… It's true that Jashin wouldn't refuse to do me such a favor…" she thinks aloud, slowly turning this suggestion into her own plan. "And Isshiki's my cousin after all. I'll make it worth it for him too. With him involved, the target will surely not get away."

Behind their mistress, Torushiki and Chishiki look at each other, frightened. If such a thing really was to happen, it could get out of hand for the Ryu Shinsen and Yasona, and could force a conflict. The clan's few members who still follow the rules would have to be split in two. Even with the prince of darkness Isshiki Otsutsuki by Yasona's side, they wouldn't be able to withstand the wrath of both Naobi and Yamitsuki.

Chishiki, on her side, thinks this through a bit further. If Isshiki really gets involved, he'll have to learn about the ninja world's current state, and about the death of Hyakki. He wouldn't simply eliminate Sasuke Uchiha. Also, Yasona and Aritsuki aren't considering Sakitsuki who's still on Earth. Or do they simply want to condemn her to the same fate as humans? Before Chishiki or Torushiki can share their worries, Aritsuki prepares to seal this agreement.

"Do you want me to do it?" he asks. "Or should I say, if I start this for you, how would you reward me?"

Yasona thinks for a while. She successfully turned this into a mad plan to impress and satisfy herself. To her, it feels like an easy way to a decisive rebellion against the god of nature, knowledge and balance. With Momoshiki back, the Tenshin with her, and Earth out of the equation, her only enemies would be Yamitsuki and Naobi, and maybe Kojin and Shiva who'd side with them. Unlike these 4, Momoshiki, Isshiki and her won't be limited by any rule. She's too curious not to attempt it. And she knows just how to convince Aritsuki to work for her.

"You know, I'm past a millennium old, Ari…" she says with a mature but flirty voice. "Maybe it is about time for me to attempt pregnancy."

By this invitation, Aritsuki is flabbergasted. If he really does as demanded, he could obtain the most magnificent bride to ever exist. Watsuki, behind him, is as surprised as him, and is actually hyped for his master. Of course, Chishiki and Torushiki are shocked as well, but negatively. They're confused by the little value Yasona gives to her own self with such a proposition. For Kuboshiki it is more out of jealousy that he gasps and expresses his frustration. Yasona, before they can argue, plays it smooth to shut them up.

"Hey, Kubo, wouldn't you like to have your brother Urashiki back to life?" she tempts him with something he can't argue with. "Wouldn't it be nice?"

After these words, to no answer as expected, she opens the door to her palace hidden in another dimension.

Jiku Hikido

An elegant door appears and opens before her and her pupils. She crosses it first, followed by Chishiki, Kuboshiki, and Torushiki. Before it closes she tilts her head to look back at Aritsuki who's still agape from her proposition. The door closes and leaves him alone with Watsuki.

"… So, what will we do?" Watsuki asks his master.

"You know exactly what we will do." Aritsuki replies, full of confidence, electing to ignore the Ryu Shinsen's authority and follow Yasona's temptation instead.

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Closer to the ninja world, inside the moon that revolves around Earth, in the great castle of Hamura's remaining heirs are Toneri Otsutsuki and Boruto Hyuga whom Sasuke left there to be taught about his Tenseigan. Before leaving his sensei 2 years ago, he had already mastered Hiraishin, Kenjutsu, and all 5 elements of Ninjutsu even though he still specializes in Raiton, his natural affinity.

Since he joined the last Otsutsuki of the moon, he managed to master most aspects of his Tenseigan. This includes his abilities to absorb jutsu and chakra into his chakra cloak and to create and manipulate gravitational forces, which he does mostly by mimicking Sasuke's Tendo. He can now also use his Byakugan and Tenseigan simultaneously.

Yet he still struggles with the two most powerful abilities of his Dojutsu: the Gudodama's versatile use, and the power to bring life to objects and restore asters. At the moment, 2 days after Sasuke Uchiha's arrival on Takama, the Hokage's son is training with Toneri in a massive dojo of his castle. After a long session with no results, the two of them fall down tired.

"It feels awkward to teach someone obviously stronger than I am…" Toneri comments.

"I don't think it's that obvious." Boruto replies. "You still sound like you'd beat my ass easy if you had my eyes."

"Well… I can't deny that." the moonling replies. "You've become remarkably strong, Boruto, but you still don't understand two things that hold you back. For the incarnation and puppeteering, you're making progress. But you seem to be stuck on simple tricks with the Gudodama. What you need is to unlock your mind. These orbs are part of you. They can be anything you want. They are infused with energies that you can control like in a lucid dream."

"All that stuff… You had it figured out when you had the Tenseigan, right?" the ninja asks. "Where did you learn all that? Is it from the resources in the castle's library?"

"Not at all…" Toneri says. "All this knowledge was entrusted to me by my father."

"Really? Um… I never bothered opening any of the books in that library. What are they about then?"

"The Tenseigan, its abilities and the way to reproduce it were secrets of my ancestors. We were at war, and couldn't let it leak to our enemies. So we never wrote it anywhere. They are the words of Hamura transmitted through generations. About the books, most of them actually belonged to the extinct branch of the clan. Nothing that can educate you on the Tenseigan, except maybe about its weaknesses."

"That's a shame… It could have motivated me to read for once… Not gonna lie, I actually feel like I'm having a hard time learning something. I wouldn't mind a break."

Toneri sees the young man sit up and stretch. Silently he thinks of how far they've been with this training, and this coliving until now.

"You're right…" he says. "I guess it's my fault for not being a good teacher."

Boruto looks at his second master, stands up with him, and waits for a follow up to this statement.

"As you know, I've never had much human contact aside from my father." the Otsutsuki says. "I certainly never had the occasion to socialize with someone who could be my son. Just, understand that I don't have any experience with teaching, even as a student."

"Not much human contact, you say…" Boruto wonders as they leave the dojo and see the puppets wake up around them. "What about these? Don't you consider them sentient?"

"Oh, they're not. Did you never notice?" Toneri corrects. "Whenever one of them speaks to you, it's actually just me speaking through it. They're no more than puppets that I control all across the castle."

"What? Seriously?" the ninja exclaims, feeling dumb. "But my mom once told me that this castle had living puppets that are just like humans."

"Oh yes of course. These puppets were sentient beings back when the Tenseigan was giving them life and thoughts. What powered them to be such was destroyed by your father. But maybe now you could…" he suddenly stops. "Follow me."

Boruto follows him to a studio where pieces of puppets are laid all around on walls and tables. This is where Toneri spent most of his time since losing to Naruto. He builds new puppets to replace those destroyed by Konoha's team as a hobby. On one table is a just finished puppet. It doesn't look like any previously made puppet but is a brand new model.

"This is the 20th one I built to be completely unique from all others." he says.

Boruto already knows what his master wants him to do. With his Tenseigan, he looks down at the puppet, its almost human feminine face and silhouette, and its light yellow cloud of hair. With his hand raised, he breathes in and listens to Toneri's words.

"Now focus and be confident." the Otsutsuki says in his ear. "Whatever planet you stand on, its life and death depends on your eyes. Same goes for any object and shape near you. You can choose what stays inert, and what lives."

Kugutsu Tensei

Using this jutsu, Boruto infuses the puppet with his purple chakra, and to his surprise, sees it rising all of a sudden.

"Fantastic!" Toneri exclaims. "Welcome to the world, puppet! Since you're the 20th of my collection, we shall call you… Nijuu!"

Boruto, hearing the praise of his master, smiles as well, proud of his achievement. However, distracted, he doesn't see the bad side of his performance. It is Toneri who saves him by pulling his collar away just as the awakened puppet is about to slit his throat with a chakra blade. Directly after this failed attempt, the humanoid leaps off the table and runs out of the room. Boruto immediately prepares to get after her, but is stopped by Toneri.

"Let go." he says. "She's just confused. She's running away, looking to find what she is… Let's take this as a lesson. You managed to bring life to a puppet, it's good progress. Problem is that you seemingly didn't manage to transfer your own will to it at the same time. So she lives, but not to serve you."

"So… Does she have free will?" Boruto asks, to which Toneri only answers by shrugging his shoulders. "That's insane, don't you think?"

"It's impressive, but nothing that would help against the enemies we have to fight." the moonling complains. "You need to master it, well enough to enliven a statue that could rival giant avatars like your father's golden fox."

Boruto, by this remark, is brought, in the first place, to be reminded of the celestials he will have to fight, which makes him wonder if he has any chance against them now. But secondly, by the mention of his father, he's brought to think about the common past that Toneri has with his parents. After they leave the studio to see that the woken puppet disappeared, as they walk through the corridors, he tries to discuss it again.

"Tell me, Toneri-sensei… If my dad hadn't been there to stop you, would you really have destroyed the world?" he asks. "Also, what then? Did you think of the future? If you destroyed the Earth and Moon, where would you have gone?"

Toneri, not bothered by this question, comes to think about how much his relationship with that kid evolved. Ironically, he is the child of the woman he wanted with the one who defeated him. And the heir of the power he pursued. But they trust each other enough to be honest, he believes.

"It seems like your parents never told you the whole story…" he says, which confuses his student. "I kidnapped and hypnotized your mother to marry her, and I stole your aunt's eyes to awaken the Tenseigan and destroy your world. This is what you know."

"Yeah. Pretty sick by the way, but yeah I knew that." Boruto answers. "What's there more to know?"

"The after. What I told only Hinata." Toneri explains. "After destroying your world, I intended to use the Tenseigan's power to revive it. Hinata and I would have been the first of a new humanity, living on an Earth with no ninjas. Only us, the puppets I kept as servants, and the animals that live inside this moon."

"… Pretty evangelical." Boruto comments.

"But, as you know, Naruto stood in my way." Toneri finishes the tale. "It ended up becoming a duel for Hinata's heart, and I got miserably beaten. This day your father showed me what the ninjas of Earth really were. But he didn't beat me alone. It is with your mother that he destroyed the Tensei no Me, the power source that my ancestors all sacrificed their eyes to nourish. It was equivalent to the Tenseigan. This man, Naruto, showed me that his strength is equal to his love."

Boruto is not sure if he should be disgusted by Toneri's past wish or amazed by his parent's story.

"I kinda envy what my parents have…" he confesses. "Actually, I even envy what you had for my mom. I mean… I'm 20 now. Older than my parents when this happened. Yet I'm still alone. Even worse than that, I've been away from Earth and any contact for 2 years, and I don't feel empty at all… A few years ago, someone told me that I wasn't meant to love, and only knew how to fight and seek rivalries. This last year got me thinking… Maybe he was right."

Toneri listens to Boruto's assumed complaints, and feels some sort of guilt. By keeping him here with him and preparing for a battle to protect his territory, he's making him lose his affection. He's turning Boruto into him. This, in his opinion, is definitely not something he should let happen.

"Well, in that case, maybe you should take a break soon and get back to Earth. I showed the secret path to Earth, didn't I? Or maybe you can use Hiraishin?"

"Nah, I don't have any marks on Earth at the moment." Boruto replies. "They're all on my stuff and Sasuke's things. But are you sure it's okay if I leave?"

"Not that it matters. Your priority should be not to sacrifice your self love or relations for this moon." Toneri compassionately adds.

Boruto looks at him just as they arrive in a large dining room where Toneri sits down on a chair. He lies on the table, tired. Too stubborn to show his appreciation for the Otsutsuki's advice, Boruto thinks of something else and remembers one thing Toneri mentioned earlier.

"… About that power source you talked about. What happened to all the Byakugan?" he asks.

"The Tensei no Me?" Toneri guesses. "After your parents destroyed it, I merged with all the remains. It almost killed me, but Naruto saved me. As a result, it was all turned into energy that I absorbed. So, to answer your question, the raw chakra of these thousand Byakugan is no within me."

"The Might of a thousand Byakugan?" Boruto thinks aloud, remembering the formula used by Hamura to describe the Tenseigan.

"Exactly." Toneri answers. "Now that I think of it, since your eyes were awakened purely from your Hyuga and Rikudo heritage, it could be that this energy is what you're missing to reach Hamura's potential…"

To this suggestion, Boruto doesn't answer. Of course, this isn't to be considered as it would probably require Toneri to die. The moonling, brought to think of his student's training again, suddenly has an idea.

"Let's try something that could get you to figure out more about your Gudodama." he suggests.

"What is it?" Boruto asks, standing up from the table.

"Maybe asking you to turn them into anything is too harsh a task. I doubt even your father has that figured out." he explains. "But I'm sure Naruto can use his version of these orbs as any jutsu he wants. To make it useful, why don't you try turning an orb into a jutsu formula for your space-time spell?"

"A mark of Hiraishin?" Boruto thinks aloud. "That… sounds intuitive."

It's true that, even practically, such a trick would be useful. It could allow him to mark an object or a person remotely by reaching them with an orb. To try out this exercise, Boruto stands up straight and focuses to turn on his Tensei Chakra Mode. He then unleashes his 9 Gudodama floating in his back.

However, before he can get to practice, he's abruptly stopped by Toneri who's startled by an odd feeling.

"Wait! We'll have to do this later. Someone just broke into the moon's crust… There's 2 of them… They're…!"

At this moment, Toneri suddenly stands up in shock. The two chakra he senses are coming closer. They're far too dense and massive to be humans. They're on par… No, they greatly surpass the Biju. There is only one explanation possible for this.

"Boruto, get your weapons and bring us to the roof immediately." the lone Otsutsuki demands, to which his student directly complies.

He lies a hand on his master's shoulder and, using the mark posed on his sword in his chamber, he reaches it in an instant and collects it. He stores his blade in his back, attached with the short cape he wears as part of his new outfit. It is a fully white suit decorated with magatama symbols around the collar, characteristic of Hamura's people.

Once he got his weapon, he transports himself with Toneri to another mark laid on the highest roof of this castle. As soon as they reach that place, they look up and fall nose to nose with the intruders. Two white-skinned horned men.

The first one has no hair, no beard, no eyebrows. Only a pair of Byakugan and 5 pairs of little horns in range on top of his skull. He wears a simple outfit. Grey pants, black boots, and a short white vest with ornaments and large sleeves. He wears a glove on his right hand, but his left is free. On this arm, the sleeve is ripped off, revealing a red clawed hand and forearm.

The second man, who seems much stronger, has long and smooth blond hair and a circle beard with a goatee. He also has no eyebrows and two Byakugan. Protruding from above his ears are two black ant horns. He also has the same magatama ring tattoo around his neck as Toneri. His outfit is more atypical. No shoes, pants or gloves hiding his long black nails. He only wears an elegant but revealing toga.

The two men were already standing on the roof, analyzing the jutsu formula resembling the symbol of the Uzumaki clan. When the two hosts appear, the intruders step back and the one who seems to be the leader introduces himself.

"Salutations, vile beings." he politely says. "I go by the name Aritsuki Otsutsuki, god of control and memories. This is my colleague, Watsuki Otsutsuki. We are on our way to the world this aster revolves around. It is quite reassuring to see that fellows still live here."

With this last statement, he makes it clear that he means Toneri, and not Boruto whom he didn't even pay attention to. To get in a defense position, the owner of this territory signs to his student to get back before stepping forward by himself. Aritsuki continues.

"I am here to kindly wash all memories of my kind away from this world, which should get its inhabitants rid of outer world worries for at least the next century."

"No way we let that happen!" Boruto exclaims, which gets the celestials' attention.

"Sorry, boy, but I was speaking with the clean blood adult here." Aritsuki answers.

"Unfortunately, my student is right." Toneri answers with a serious face. "I've received the visit of your ruler before, asking me to give up my territory to you. You can return my answer to him, and tell him I refuse."

"… Well, I had no idea the Ryu Shinsen came here before, but I can't accept this answer." he replies, now looking at his partner. "Watsuki, may you show the way out to this rude host?"

Without a word, just a pervy smile on his face, the younger celestial steps forward and raises his right hand to touch Toneri, who hostilely holds it back by catching his ankle. With his other hand, he signs to Boruto, telling him to stand behind. Watsuki shrugs and raises his red left hand directly toward Toneri's other hand. Intuitively, he holds it back, palm to palm.

"Fool!" Aritsuki mocks, just as Toneri suffers the consequence of his mistake.

Akateko

He promptly vanishes, absorbed into the red hand of the intruder. Boruto, seeing his master disappear, immediately tries to sense his chakra to locate him, but can't find anything. He's totally gone. On his guards, and in shock, he holds his scabbard in his back and gets in a fight stance. The red handed celestial looks toward him with his hand raised.

"Now, your turn, kid." Watsuki provokes.

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End of Chapter 134 – Next Chapter: Red Hand