CHAPTER 259

"I Should Be Your Father"

"Isn't Boruto a ninja from Uzumaki Village?!"

Sasuke cast a vigilant gaze at the boy before shifting his eyes to Boruto, who was pushing himself up from the ground.

Boruto dusted off his clothes, glanced at Naruto—who stood not far away—and muttered with lingering unease, "I never said I was from Uzushiogakure. My teacher and I are travelers, just passing through."

After speaking, Boruto studied this era's Naruto, his thoughts running wild.

The dad from this timeline is so ruthless... How did he turn into such a pushover later on? He even sent a shadow clone to my sister Himawari's birthday instead of showing up himself.

"Did you just stumble in by accident?" Sasuke scoffed coldly. "You'd better reveal your real identity. Naruto's strength is far beyond your imagination—even Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, is no match for him."

"Orochimaru? Is he that powerful?" Boruto asked, feigning ignorance.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in surprise. This kid doesn't even recognize Orochimaru? Where the hell did he come from? He studied Boruto's spiky blond hair, striking blue eyes, and demeanor. Wait… with that hair and attitude… could he be related to Naruto?

Sasuke shot a look at Naruto. It wouldn't be the first time Naruto had hidden something from him.

Meanwhile, Naruto scrutinized Boruto, quickly confirming his identity. If nothing else, this boy was Boruto Uzumaki—the son from the original timeline. But considering his current skills, Naruto found himself questioning how he had ended up raising such a weak son.

Even Sasuke's daughter, Sarada, could beat him in a fair fight. How the hell is he supposed to be the future protagonist of "Boruto" when he can't even handle basic combat?

As Naruto's gaze lingered, Boruto grew uncomfortable. He knew he had to keep his identity a secret—Sasuke-sensei had warned him—but there was no way this "traveler" excuse would fool this version of his father.

Then, suddenly, Naruto stepped forward, ruffled Boruto's hair, and said with a light smile,

"Uzumaki Boruto… If nothing else, I should be your father."

Boruto's jaw nearly dropped. What?!

For a split second, he wanted to deny it, but after thinking about it, he realized—technically speaking—there was no flaw in that statement.

Yeah, he's younger than my dad… but he is still my dad. So I can't even argue.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded. Naruto never jokes like this… But what stunned him even more was Boruto's reaction. The brat didn't even deny it—wasn't he supposed to have some ninja pride?!

After a moment of silence, Boruto hesitated before asking, "How do you know?"

Naruto smirked but didn't answer directly. Instead, he glanced at Boruto's pocket, where a small turtle-shaped device—the Kāma-linked time-travel tool—was barely visible. He chuckled, then said,

"How I know isn't important. What is important is that I am your father… so, from now on, you're staying with me."

Before Boruto could react, Naruto's hand shot out, swiftly snatching the turtle from his pocket.

Boruto's face paled. The turtle—our only way back to the future!

Without it, he and Sasuke were stuck in this timeline.

Panic set in as he quickly followed after Naruto, while Sasuke trailed behind, trying to process the absurdity of the situation.

---

A Shift in Perspective

Not long after, the three found themselves walking through the bustling streets of Konoha. The moment villagers caught sight of Naruto, they warmly greeted him. However, something about their behavior unsettled Boruto.

This isn't right…

He had seen his father interact with the villagers before, but this was different. Normally, Naruto was beloved, treated like family. But here, their flattery felt… forced.

Soon, they arrived at a restaurant. The owner rushed to prepare a lavish meal, filling the table with dishes.

"Naruto-sama, this is on the house. We hope you enjoy it."

Naruto merely glanced at the waiter, flicking a few banknotes onto the counter. Then, with a subtle hand sign, he set up a barrier, isolating their conversation.

Boruto immediately sensed something was off.

As they ate, Naruto finally spoke.

"Boruto, do you think I seem… different from the father you remember? Colder? Less human?"

Boruto, mid-bite, hesitated before nodding. "Yeah… My dad is usually super busy, but you seem like you have all the time in the world. You're even taking me out for a meal."

Naruto chuckled. "That's because I am your father… but not quite. The Naruto Uzumaki you remember—the one who's always smiling, who never gives up, who works himself to the bone to be Hokage—is just one possibility.

"I, on the other hand, never cared about being Hokage. I never went out of my way to please the people who once despised me. And because of that, I became stronger—strong enough to protect this village in ways your father never could."

Boruto stared at him, half-understanding but still puzzled.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was trying to wrap his head around the situation. So Boruto really is Naruto's son… from the future? And I'm supposed to believe they traveled through time?

But Boruto clearly knew him too—knew about his future self. That only made things more bizarre.

---

The Arrival of Another Visitor

As Naruto ate in silence, his senses sharpened. Within his perception range, Shisui Uchiha was engaging in battle. The only opponent strong enough to force Shisui to fight seriously was…

Sasuke.

Moments later, Shisui appeared outside the restaurant. He entered, dragging a breathless, older Sasuke behind him.

"I have brought the intruder who infiltrated Konoha," Shisui announced, though his expression was odd. After a brief pause, he added, "But… this Sasuke possesses both the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and the Rinnegan. I expected him to be stronger."

Naruto smirked. "Too weak to be the owner of the Rinnegan?"

Shisui flinched. Naruto had read his thoughts exactly.

Sighing, Naruto gestured toward the empty seat beside him. "Sit, Sasuke of another timeline. We sensed your presence the moment you entered Konoha."

Shisui blinked. "Sasuke… from another timeline?"

His mind reeled. He had considered many possibilities for the infiltrator's identity—but Sasuke Uchiha?! That was the last thing he had expected.

Meanwhile, the younger Sasuke shot to his feet, glaring at his older counterpart.

"If he's Sasuke, then who am I? Naruto, are you sure you're not mistaken? That guy's an impostor!"

The older Sasuke locked eyes with Naruto. "I am Sasuke. But I'm Sasuke from the future." His gaze flickered to Shisui. "And as for you, Shisui… it's best you leave for now. I need to speak with Naruto alone."

Shisui hesitated, but after a moment, he nodded and stepped back.

Naruto leaned back in his seat, watching as the past and future converged once again.

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