THE UNEXPECTED HIT

The crisp, pre-dawn air still carried the scent of dust and ozone from the recent attacks. In the heart of the shattered village, where the Hokage's office stood as a beacon of flickering hope, Yamanaka Ino's concentration was absolute. Her eyes were closed, a faint blue chakra pulsed around her, and her mental presence stretched thin, reaching.

Far outside the village, in the muddy, broken forest, Ino knelt, her hands still resting on the recovering Kage, though her primary chakra was now focused elsewhere. She took a deep, steadying breath, pushing past her own exhaustion and the lingering aches in her body. The sheer scale of the task Naruto had given her was immense. Connecting everyone. Not just the sensory units, but every shinobi still within the village walls. It was a feat that pushed her Shin Denshin no Jutsu to its absolute limits, a testament to her mastery and the dire need.

One by one, like threads of light sparking across a vast, intricate web, minds began to connect. First the sensory team, then the scattered units, then the more distant Jonin, Chunin, and even Genin who were still on alert within the village perimeter. Naruto's own strong mind, acting as the central hub, felt the surge of consciousnesses joining.

Naruto felt the vastness of the network bloom within his awareness. It was like standing in a huge, silent chamber, suddenly filled with hundreds of faint, individual heartbeats, each a mind now linked to his. He could sense the varied emotions – confusion, weariness, anxiety, but also a growing readiness to follow orders. It was an astonishing sensation, the true power of the village united.

Sasuke stood on a nearby rooftop, his lone Rinnegan eye surveying the damaged streets, his body weary but alert. Suddenly, a distinct, calm hum filled his mind, clear as if a voice was speaking directly into his skull. He recognized Ino's unique chakra signature instantly. 'So, this is it,' he thought, his sharp mind already anticipating the next move. 'Naruto's playing his hand.'

Kakashi, still standing beside Naruto, felt the same subtle shift in his mind. It wasn't intrusive, just a clear, open channel. He gave a slight nod, a silent acknowledgment to Naruto. 'Impressive, Ino,' he mused internally. 'A full-scale mind-link. Only the Yamanaka Clan could pull this off on such short notice, and only Ino with her current level of skill.'

Sai, though still a little pale, straightened up, his eyes widening slightly as the mental connection settled within him. It felt different from the genjutsu, clear and controlled. He could feel the presence of so many others, a silent hum of collective consciousness. 'This is... efficient,' he observed to himself, ever practical. 'But what exactly is Naruto planning that requires this?'

Boruto, huddled alone in a dark alley amidst the debris, felt the hum too. His eyes snapped open, his heart pounding with a fresh wave of dread. 'No... no, not now,' he whimpered internally, a cold knot forming in his stomach.

He was still reeling, still cursing himself.

Shinki, far across the village, felt a connection. His green eyes, usually so stoic, held a flicker of surprise. 'A full mental connection,' he thought, his mind already analyzing the implications. 'The Hokage has a direct channel to everyone. A bold move.'

Sarada, not far from her father, also felt the connection. Her sharingan, already active, sharpened further. 'A full mind link... just like Ino-san can do on a smaller scale,' she thought, her mind racing with the implications.

Within seconds, the vast mental space was stable. Then, Naruto's voice, not a whisper, but a clear, commanding resonance, filled every single mind connected to the network. It was calm, firm, and carried the undeniable weight of the Hokage.

"Listen carefully, everyone. This your Hokage Uzumaki Naruto speaking. I have a critical order for all shinobi currently within the village walls." Naruto's voice echoed, each word distinct. "Your immediate priority is this: If anyone finds a black kettle containing chakra in it. Report it to the Hokage Office immediately.

Rokudaime-sama, Kakashi-sensei, will be there to receive it. You are to hand this 'turtle' ONLY to him. Is that understood?"

Naruto paused, letting his words sink in. He could feel the slight ripples of understanding, confusion, and curiosity across the network.

"Now, for the absolute most important part,"

Naruto's voice hardened, becoming even more urgent and severe. He could feel the thoughts of Sasuke and Kakashi sharpening, knowing this was the critical detail. "If you encounter a young man with black spiky hair and distinct purple eyes, or suddenly shifting to red eyes, then in that scenario, you are to THROW THAT KETTLE AWAY IMMEDIATELY. Do not engage. Do not try to secure it. Do not approach him with it. Simply throw it away and then report his location. Do you understand? This is a direct order. Your lives, and potentially the village, depend on it."

He repeated his core instructions, ensuring they were drilled into every mind. "To reiterate: Find a black kettle with chakra, report to the Hokage Office, hand it ONLY to Rokudaime-sama. But if you see a young man with black spiky hair and purple or red eyes, THROW THE KETTLE AWAY IMMEDIATELY and report his location. Understood?!"

Sasuke's mind was sharp. 'Purple or red eyes... that fits the Rinnegan man. So that's the tell. And he wants the kettle thrown away if he is present? Good. Naruto's thinking clearly. This isn't just a retrieval; it's a trap avoidance.' His jaw tightened. 'He truly fears what that man can do with it.'

Kakashi's thoughts were calm, analytical. 'Naruto wants it in my hands directly.... And the order to throw it away if Hikaru appears... that's a very specific and unusual command. It confirms just how dangerous Hikaru is, or rather, how dangerous the 'turtle' is in Hikaru's hands. Naruto must have a very clear reason for that.' He trusted Naruto implicitly.

Kakei Sumire, hidden in a shadowed corner of a damaged building, felt the Hokage's words echo clearly in her mind. Her brow furrowed, a thoughtful expression on her face. 'A black kettle with chakra... and throw it away if a person with black hair and purple or red eyes is there? That sounds incredibly dangerous. It's not like Nanadaime-sama to order something to be discarded unless it's an absolute last resort.' She clasped her hands together, her eyes serious. 'That person must be far more powerful than we realized. Nanadaime-sama is not taking any chances.'

Uchiha Sarada, her sharingan active and scanning the area for threats, felt the message resonate through her mind. Her eyes narrowed in concentration. 'A black kettle... and a guy with black spiky hair, purple or red eyes... that's a description of the Rinnegan man.' 'This person must be able to could take that 'turtle' instantly. Papa's here too. He must know who that is. "Throw it away immediately"... that's not a normal shinobi command. We have to be careful.'

Akimichi Cho-Cho, usually quick with a snack, felt a nervous flutter in her stomach as Naruto's strange orders sank in. 'Throw it away? Like, just toss it? That sounds really weird. And purple or red eyes... that guy sounds super creepy. Like, scarier than any villain from my favorite shows!' She swallowed hard, mentally noting the description. 'Okay, not eating snacks right now. This is serious business.'

A wave of unanimous, disciplined mental responses flooded back to Naruto:

"Roger that, Hokage-sama!"

"Understood, Hokage-sama!"

"Acknowledged!"

Hundreds of voices, a unified mental voice, echoed in the network. Naruto felt a wave of relief mixed with grim determination. The village was connected. The orders were out.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit, shattered alleyway, Boruto sat slumped against a crumbling wall. The Hokage's clear voice, echoing in his mind through Ino's jutsu, felt like a hammer blow.

Each word about the "black kettle" and the "turtle" struck him with fresh, searing pain. He wasn't thinking about finding it; he was consumed by the crushing realization of what he had already done.

His eyes snapped open, wide and filled with a fresh wave of agonizing dread. He felt a cold knot form in his stomach, spreading quickly to his chest. He had had it. The very thing his father was now ordering everyone to find, to protect, to handle with such extreme caution, had been in his hands. And he, in his panic and foolishness, had simply thrown it away.

'No... no way... dattebasa,' he whimpered internally, the thought a horrified scream in his mind. 'I had it! I had it right there! And I just threw it away!' Tears, hot and endless, streamed down his face, soaking his torn pants. He wasn't just crying; he was sobbing, raw, guttural sounds of pure, unadulterated anguish. He buried his head in his knees, his body shaking violently, cursing himself over and over. 'Idiot! I'm such an idiot! Because of me! It's all because of me!'

The guilt was a crushing weight, heavier than any physical burden. He felt utterly worthless, a complete failure. He cursed his own impulsiveness, his fear, his stupidity. Every sob was a self-condemnation.

"Boruto! What happened?!"

"Boruto, why are you crying so hard?!"

Shikadai and Mitsuki had finally found him, their footsteps hurrying across the debris-strewn ground. Mitsuki knelt beside him, his golden eyes filled with worry. Shikadai, his brow furrowed with concern, put a hand on Boruto's shoulder.

Boruto flinched away, shrinking further into himself. He couldn't look at them. The words choked in his throat. How could he tell them? How could he admit the truth? That he had held the very thing Naruto was now risking everyone to find, and he had simply tossed it away like trash.

'No! I can't tell them!' Boruto's mind screamed, panic rising. 'They'll hate me! Everyone will hate me! If they find out it's my fault, they'll never look at me the same way again!' The thought of facing their disappointment, their anger, was more terrifying than anything. He couldn't bear to be hated by his friends, by the village. He couldn't bear to be hated by his father.

Just then, Inojin hurried up behind them, his usual calm demeanor strained. "Hey! What are you guys doing? Nanadaime-sama just gave an order! We need to find that black kettle! Come on, hurry up!"

Boruto whimpered, shaking his head. "No... no, I can't," he mumbled, his voice hoarse with tears. He pushed himself back against the wall, trying to create distance. "I... I don't have the strength. I can't even move. I... I won't find the kettle." The shame locked him in place.

"What are you talking about, Boruto?!" Shikadai frowned, pulling at his arm gently. "This isn't like you! We have to go! It's an order!"

"Come on, Boruto. We're a team," Mitsuki added, his grip firm on Boruto's other arm. "We'll go together."

Boruto tried to pull away, but their grips were insistent. He was limp with despair, but they were determined.

"No, I told you, I can't!" Boruto protested weakly, his voice barely a whisper, as Shikadai and Mitsuki, with Inojin joining in, began to physically pull him up, forcing him to his feet.

He stumbled, his legs feeling like lead, but they didn't let go. They were dragging him away from his self-inflicted misery, towards a search he felt utterly unworthy to join.

The group moved through the streets, which were filled with broken pieces from the attack. The cool night air did little to help Boruto feel better about his deep shame. Shikadai and Mitsuki, with Inojin joining them, practically guided him. His legs felt like dead weight under him. Every step was a fight against his very strong guilt, but their firm grips kept him moving forward.

"Come on, Boruto, pull yourself together,"

Shikadai urged, his eyes looking over the dark alleys and broken buildings. "Nanadaime Sama's orders were clear. A black kettle, with chakra inside. It could be anywhere."

Boruto mumbled something that wasn't clear. His eyes were fixed on the broken ground in front of him. He couldn't really try to search. In his mind, he kept screaming that he knew where it was – very far away by now, after he'd thrown it with all his might. The sad truth, the huge shame of being forced to look for something he had already thrown away, was too much for him to handle.

Mitsuki, who always noticed things, quietly walked ahead. His golden eyes carefully searched the broken walls and fallen buildings. He was careful, checking every small, hidden spot. Inojin, meanwhile, was fast, moving quickly between piles of rubble. His own senses were sharp, looking for any strange chakra.

They searched for what felt like a very long time, but it might have been only a few minutes.

"Hey, wait a second," Mitsuki's calm voice suddenly broke the quiet. He paused, his head tilted a little. He looked at the group.

"Where did Sarada go? She's not with us."

Shikadai, who had just been about to climb over a fallen wooden beam, stopped moving. He looked around quickly. "Huh? You're right. I just thought she was around here somewhere, doing her own search. Did she go off by herself already?" His voice had a hint of worry.

Inojin, who had been looking behind a broken sign, stood up straight. "Yeah, I didn't see her join up with our group when we started moving. I thought she was nearby in the mind link." His forehead wrinkled with concern. "Did she run ahead? Or did she go somewhere else already?"

Boruto finally lifted his head. His face, still wet with tears, showed a quick surprise mixed with his sadness. 'Sarada? She's gone from our group?' He didn't even notice her absence before, because his own big problems had taken all his attention right after the mind link started.

"That's a problem," Shikadai said softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "She wouldn't just walk off without a reason. Especially not after such clear orders from the Nanadaime-Sama. Did she... did she go off by herself to look for something special?" His mind, which was already trying to figure out their mission, now had a new puzzle. 'Sarada doesn't usually ignore direct orders, but she acts on her own a lot, especially if she thinks she has an important clue. What would she be looking for?'

Mitsuki just looked at the path ahead. His face was hard to read. 'Sarada is smart and capable. If she left our group, she had a good reason. Maybe she understood more about the 'turtle' than we did from Nanadaime-sama's message.'

The four boys looked at each other, feeling a bit worried. The hunt for the kettle suddenly felt more confusing, and Sarada's sudden missing from their group added a new worry to their already hard mission.

Sarada moved like a blur across the rooftops, her Sharingan eyes locked onto the figure ahead. It was a person with black spiky hair, moving fast towards the Hokage faces carved into the mountain. In her eyes, there was no doubt who it was.

"Papa!" Sarada called out, her voice clear even across the distance. She jumped over a gap between buildings, pushing her tired legs harder. "Papa, wait up!"

She knew he was far ahead, but she had to catch him. Her heart thumped with a mix of worry and hope. She thought it was her father, and she had to reach him.

Suddenly, a dark shape shot down from the night sky. It was fast, a small, black blur.

Before Sarada could react, it hit her hard on the head.

"Ugh!" Sarada cried out in surprise. The hit made her dizzy. She lost her balance at the edge of the roof, her feet slipping. For a moment, she was falling, heading straight down from the tall building.

But Sarada was a quick thinker. Even as she fell, her hand shot out, grabbing onto a broken pipe sticking out from the side of the building. She hung there, her body swinging in the open air. With one hand holding the pipe tightly, her other hand instinctively grabbed the thing that had hit her.

It was a smooth, round object. She held it firmly. As she looked at it, hanging there, she saw its shape. It was a dark, plain kettle, like something from a kitchen. But this one was special. She knew it instantly. It was the "turtle" Naruto had talked about in the mind link!

A wave of happiness and excitement washed over her. 'The kettle!' she thought, a spark of pride warming her chest. 'I found it! I found the 'turtle'!' She felt so proud of herself. More than anything, she wanted to impress Naruto, to be seen as strong and capable by the Hokage. This was a big win, and she felt a deep sense of joy and honor. 'Nanadaime-Sama will be so proud!'

With a strong push from her legs and a pull from her arm, Sarada used her strength to swing herself back onto the rooftop. She landed softly, her feet firm on the cold tiles. She quickly looked up, expecting to see her father, Sasuke, not far away. He had been so close just before the kettle hit her.

But when she looked up, the person she thought was Sasuke, the black-haired man she had been chasing, was gone. He was no longer in sight. He had vanished.

Sarada stood there, holding the kettle tightly in her hand. Suddenly, she felt a strange pull. The kettle in her hand began to glow softly with a purple light. A cold, draining feeling spread through her arm.

'What... what's happening?' she thought, her eyes widening. The light from the kettle grew stronger, and the draining feeling became faster. Her chakra, her inner energy, was being pulled away, very, very quickly!

Sarada gasped as her strength left her. Her body felt weak. Her legs wobbled, and she fell hard onto the rooftop. She lay there, suddenly very tired, but she did not let go of the kettle. Her fingers stayed tightly wrapped around it. Finding the "turtle" was too important. It was a main mission.

But as her chakra drained away, her mind started to race. 'My body... it's so weak!' She looked around, desperately. 'Papa! Where's Papa?!' She knew only Sasuke could help her now. She had seen him just a moment ago, and then he was gone. 'Where did he go? He was right there!'

Her vision blurred. Her body felt heavier and heavier. She had no strength left. Sarada lay flat on the rooftop, holding the turtle, her mind screaming for her father.

---

QUIZ QUESTION:

What unexpectedly hit Sarada on the head, leading her to find the "turtle"?

A) A piece of a broken building.

B) A shuriken thrown by someone.

C) The black kettle that Boruto threw.

D) A tree branch falling from the sky.

Share your answers in the comments down below!

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey everyone! We've just wrapped up Chapter 48: The Unexpected Hit, and wow, what an intense ride! This chapter truly showed the immediate effects of Naruto's mind link as his crucial orders went out to every shinobi.

We saw Boruto grappling with his overwhelming guilt, a raw and painful moment where his inner turmoil was laid bare. His struggle to cope with his mistake, even as his friends tried to pull him forward, was a difficult but important part of his journey. It highlighted the heavy burden he carries.

And then, we shifted to Sarada's side, showing her incredible determination and quick thinking. From her independent search, fueled by her sharp mind and powerful Sharingan, to that shocking moment the "turtle" literally fell into her lap – it was a thrilling twist! But that exciting discovery quickly turned dangerous as the kettle activated, draining her chakra and leaving her weak and desperate for her father's help. The emotional highs and lows Sarada went through in such a short time were truly something to write!

Get ready, because the stakes just got even higher! In the next chapter, you'll see the immediate aftermath of Sarada's discovery. Will Sasuke sense her trouble? How will she manage to hold onto the "turtle" as her chakra drains? And what will happen if Hikaru, or even other shinobi, appear on the scene while she's in such a vulnerable state? The consequences of her finding the "turtle" are just beginning to unfold! 💥

Thank you so much for reading and for your incredible support as we continue this unfolding story! Your enthusiasm keeps me going. Let me know your thoughts on "The Unexpected Hit" in the comments! ❤️