Chapter 295: Return to the Past

With the successful elimination of Boruto's Karma, the weight of uncertainty had lifted. That night, Boruto was back to his lively self, running around and showing no signs of having "died" even once.

However, not everyone was as relieved. That evening, Naruto found himself at the receiving end of Hinata's fury. She chastised him for proceeding with the risky plan without consulting her. She insisted that, if such a situation arose again, she wanted to stand beside him to protect Boruto together.

Thankfully, the happy outcome softened her anger. Boruto was free of Momoshiki's shadow, and the transformation of his Karma into a harmless White Karma even left him with residual Otsutsuki abilities. Kawaki couldn't help but feel envious of Boruto's newfound power, though he refrained from saying so out loud.

Through Amado's detailed explanations, Konoha also learned about the White Karma. It was revealed that one of the remaining threats within the Kara organization was a man named Code, who also bore a White Karma. Though it lacked the reincarnation capability of the Black Karma, it still granted significant power.

With most of Konoha's immediate threats addressed, Naruto began preparing to dismantle Kara's remnants.

That evening, as Kirito and Naruto sat in the backyard enjoying the cool breeze after dinner, Naruto asked, "Are you really sure you won't stay longer? Both I and the village would love to have you."

Kirito smiled. "You know, as long as you have the 'Karasuki,' you can always come to the past to find me if something comes up."

"Yeah, but it feels a bit embarrassing to always rely on you when things get tough," Naruto admitted, scratching the back of his head.

"Don't think that way," Kirito reassured him. "I'm always happy to help. By the way, did you get the thing I asked for ready?"

Naruto grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "Of course! It'll be delivered tomorrow morning. I made sure to pick out the best flavors—I guarantee you won't be able to put it down!"

"Good. That'll settle the wedding gift," Kirito said, smirking. "How much—"

"Wait!" Naruto interrupted. "You're not paying for it. It's the least we can do to thank you for everything you've done for the village."

"Alright," Kirito agreed without argument, his smile widening.

The next morning, Naruto's yard was filled with familiar faces: his family, the new Team Seven, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Sai, and a few other close friends. The small space felt crowded but warm.

Naruto handed a sealed scroll to Kirito. "Everything's packed in here," he said with a grin.

Kirito accepted the scroll with a nod. Shikamaru stepped forward, clearing his throat awkwardly. "So, uh… I hate to ask this, but could you promise not to share anything about the future when you return?"

Kirito immediately understood the concern. Considering the time period he would be returning to, knowledge of the future could disrupt events. "No problem," he assured Shikamaru.

"Thanks," Shikamaru said, visibly relieved.

With goodbyes starting to wrap up, Boruto spoke up, "Hey, how about Kawaki and I take Kirito back? It makes sense since we brought him here."

"Yeah!" Kawaki chimed in. "We should be the ones to see him off."

Naruto looked at Kirito, who had no objections, then turned to Boruto and Kawaki. "Fine, but as soon as you send him back, you need to come straight home. Got it?"

"Got it!" the two said in unison.

Kawaki retrieved the Karasuki, the turtle-shaped time-travel device, from Naruto. Unlike before, Kawaki no longer wore the prosthetic limb Naruto had given him, as it had started to cause rejection reactions and severe pain. With Amado's help, Kawaki had a new, fully functioning arm, but he kept the prosthetic as a cherished reminder of Naruto's care.

Handing the Karasuki to Kirito, Kawaki said, "Only you can activate it fully."

Kirito infused a large amount of chakra into the Karasuki, causing it to glow brightly. The turtle's head extended from its shell, and it spoke in a mechanical tone, "Dear Mr. Otsutsuki, where would you like to go?"

"Take me back to the exact moment they summoned me, accounting for the time I've spent here," Kirito instructed.

"Understood. Preparing for departure."

The turtle's shell disassembled, revealing a glowing core. A portal of light opened before them.

"Goodbye!" Himawari waved enthusiastically. "Come visit us again!"

"Thank you for helping Dad!" Sarada added, adjusting her glasses.

Kirito waved back with a small smile before stepping into the light.

"Let's go!" Boruto said, pulling Kawaki with him as they followed Kirito into the portal. The light brightened momentarily before fading away, leaving the yard quiet again.

Shikamaru turned to Sasuke. "I didn't expect you had such a powerful tool hidden away. If it weren't for Kirito, we would've had a much harder time dealing with Kara."

Sasuke shook his head. "Actually, it wasn't planned. I never intended to summon Kirito."

"Wait, what?" Naruto and Shikamaru said in unison, stunned.

Sasuke explained, "Originally, I wanted Boruto to use the Karasuki to anticipate Jigen's moves. But… Boruto misunderstood my instructions."

Shikamaru rubbed his temples in exasperation. "So it was all an accident? I guess we got lucky that Kirito was on our side."

Naruto chuckled. "Either way, thanks to Kirito, we got through a lot of tough situations. And now we've gained some incredible allies."

Shikamaru wasn't as optimistic. "We should minimize our reliance on him in the future. After all, Kirito isn't from our era. We barely know anything about him beyond what he's told us."

Sasuke nodded solemnly. "If Kirito ever turned against us, I doubt we could stop him. His power far surpasses Isshiki's, and he knows the ninja world better than any of us."

"Then all we can do is strengthen ourselves," Naruto said. "That's what we've always done—rely on each other and grow stronger together."

Shikamaru sighed but nodded. "You're right. From now on, we focus on preparing for the next crisis."

And so, the resolve to grow stronger for the challenges ahead united them once more, setting the stage for Konoha's next chapter.

(End of Chapter)