Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

Walking along the road, Boruto noticed the increasing number of ninjas coming and going as they approached the familiar Hokage Building.

"Hey, Kawaki, don't you think the atmosphere here feels a bit strange?" Boruto asked quietly.

"Yeah," Kawaki nodded in agreement. "It's really odd—feels like something big is about to happen."

"It probably has nothing to do with us..." Boruto murmured, carefully recalling everything they had done so far in this era. Nothing they'd done seemed serious enough to warrant this level of tension in the village.

When they entered the Hokage Building, Boruto, expecting to be taken to a prison or interrogation room, was surprised to find himself instead brought to the Hokage's office—where a familiar face awaited.

"The Sixth Hokage!" Boruto exclaimed instinctively, recognizing Kakashi, who looked just as he remembered, dressed in the Hokage's distinctive robe.

"It seems you know me. That makes things easier," Kakashi said with a smile, adjusting the bamboo hat bearing the word "fire."

"Can you tell me why you've come to the village?"

"We're here to find someone named Kirito," Boruto explained, sensing Kakashi's kind demeanor hadn't changed.

Kawaki remained on guard, scanning the empty office warily. Although there were only the three of them present—Boruto, himself, and Kakashi—an ominous feeling of danger hung in the air, as though an unseen predator was watching.

Hearing that Boruto was searching for Kirito, Kakashi's smile faded slightly. "Can you tell me why you're looking for him?"

"We're in a difficult situation and need his help. If Kirito's not here, we could also use Naruto's help!" Boruto replied earnestly.

"And what is your relationship with Kirito and Naruto?" Kakashi asked. Suddenly, a suffocating aura filled the room, pressing heavily on Boruto and Kawaki. The oppressive energy made their hearts pound with unease. Kawaki instinctively raised his arms in defense, ready to shield himself and Boruto.

Boruto, despite the overwhelming pressure, bit his lip and stood firm. "I'm friends with them—I've even stayed with Naruto!"

"Huh?!" Kakashi's intimidating aura dissipated abruptly, leaving him looking at Boruto with a mix of disbelief and exasperation.

Kawaki, understanding Boruto's implication as someone from the future, wisely chose not to clarify the ambiguous statement.

Seeing Kakashi's hostility fade, Boruto seized the opportunity. "If you ask Naruto, he can vouch for me!"

Kakashi's expression softened further. Smiling again, he said, "You really do seem like one of Naruto's friends."

From the moment Boruto and Kawaki arrived, Konoha's heightened security had taken note of their presence. However, Ino, the head of the intelligence team, had identified Boruto's chakra, concluding they likely weren't enemies of the village. With most of Konoha's ninjas deployed across the country for ongoing crises, Kakashi himself had taken charge of the interrogation. An Anbu unit was stationed nearby, ready to intervene if necessary.

Fortunately, the situation didn't escalate. Kakashi couldn't help but notice a certain resemblance between Boruto and Naruto, which stirred a sense of familiarity and trust within him.

"Then, can you tell us where Kirito or the Seventh Hokage—Naruto—is?" Kawaki asked, sensing the tension had eased.

"Unfortunately, neither of them is in the village right now. You'll have to wait until they return," Kakashi replied.

"What? How can that be?" Boruto said, disappointed. "Where are they, and when will they be back?"

"Well..."

Rumble!

Their conversation was interrupted by a piercing roar in the sky above Konoha. Through the transparent windows of the Hokage's office, Boruto and Kawaki watched as a fiery meteor streaked across the night sky, passing over the village before disappearing into the horizon.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Moments later, muffled explosions echoed in the distance. Even without seeing the impact, Boruto and Kawaki could sense the meteor's immense power.

"What's going on?" Boruto asked, stunned.

Kakashi remained calm, his expression unchanged, as if accustomed to such events. "As you can see, the end of the world is approaching," he said, glancing up at the bright moon. "For your safety, you should evacuate with the villagers."

"Wait! We need to find Naruto and Kirito first!" Boruto insisted.

"They're both out on missions. One is trying to stop the mastermind behind this, and the other is preventing more meteors from striking," Kakashi explained, leaving Boruto and Kawaki speechless.

Kakashi then looked down at his palm, where a device resembling a clock was embedded. Unlike ordinary clocks, this one counted down in reverse.

A few days earlier, scientific research ninjas had discovered that the moon was moving closer to Earth. As it approached, gravitational forces would eventually tear it apart, resulting in catastrophic meteor showers that could destroy the world.

The countdown clock marked the remaining time until the moon's disintegration. Meanwhile, Hanabi of the Hyuga clan had been kidnapped by unknown assailants. To rescue her and uncover the culprit behind these events, Kakashi had dispatched a team led by Shikamaru, including Naruto and Hinata.

Simultaneously, Kirito had been tasked with intercepting the incoming meteors. Hired by the five great nations for an astronomical sum, he had taken on the "S"-rank mission and ventured into space alone.

Thanks to Kirito, most of the meteor showers had been neutralized, with only a few small fragments falling harmlessly in unpopulated areas. This allowed the villagers to evacuate in an orderly manner.

Looking out the window once more, Kakashi's gaze extended beyond the Hokage's office, beyond the village, and even beyond the continent.

Far above Earth, nearly 400 Kilometers in space, Kirito floated silently. Facing him were countless meteors that had broken away from the moon, hurtling toward Earth.

(End of this chapter)