Chapter 122: Flame Dragon Armor, Fusion!
"Can this thing really hit the target?" On the clearing outside the five-star Konoha Resort Hotel, Tentō picked up a shuriken from the ground and complained to Boruto, who was leaning against the wall. "Hey! Can't you teach me properly? I want to learn some cooler ninja techniques."
"I am teaching you properly. If you can't even handle something as simple as throwing a shuriken in a straight line, there's no way you'll manage anything more advanced." Boruto replied as he walked over to Tentō. He then threw two shuriken, skillfully making them collide mid-air so that one, which had gone off-course, was knocked back on target and hit the bullseye.
"Uchiha-style throwing technique. I didn't expect Boruto to be this good at it," Sarada said, standing next to Shuyu.
"So, why do you want to become a ninja?" Boruto asked Tentō.
"Because ninjas are awesome and cool!"
But the truth was, Tentō was envious of the bonds shared among ninja squad members. As the son of a feudal lord, he was destined to have few true companions.
That's why he believed that by becoming a ninja, he might gain comrades of his own.
"Young master!" The butler, Yamaoka, suddenly came running over in a hurry.
"Looks like something's happened," said Shuyu, who was standing with Sarada. He also moved closer.
"What's going on, Butler?" Tentō asked.
After taking a moment to catch his breath, the butler said, "I just spotted a suspicious person sneaking around near the hotel."
"What?!" Boruto exclaimed excitedly.
He had assumed this bodyguard assignment in Konoha would be a dull mission, and never imagined someone would be bold enough to cause trouble here.
"Uncle Yamaoka, where is the intruder?" Sarada asked.
"I saw the person near the warehouse behind the hotel," Yamaoka replied.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Boruto was the first to dash toward the hotel warehouse.
"Hey! Wait up, Boruto!" Sarada followed right behind him.
"Let's go too, Butler," Tentō said to Yamaoka.
"But Master Tentō, isn't this a bit too dangerous?"
"Don't worry, I just finished ninja training!" Tentō thumped his chest confidently and ran off after them.
"Master Tentō!"
"We'd better catch up too, Butler," Shuyu said to Yamaoka.
"Right." The butler nodded.
Konoha Hotel Warehouse
"It's pitch-black in here," Boruto said as he arrived first.
"Let's check around—there's a chance the intruder is already gone," Sarada added.
"You guys are fast." Tentō came in behind them, with Shuyu and Yamaoka trailing behind.
"Tentō? You came too?"
"I can't miss out on something this exciting!"
But just after they all entered the warehouse, the door slammed shut behind them.
"Damn it!" Sarada cursed.
"Everyone stay alert!" Shuyu warned.
"That thing is one of the strange beasts that usually follows Mitsuki around!" Boruto exclaimed. "Could it be that Mitsuki—?"
"Boruto, focus on the enemy in front of us," Sarada reminded him as he searched for signs of Mitsuki. She then turned to the butler. "Uncle Yamaoka, I'm leaving Tentō in your care."
"I want to help too—"
Tentō had just taken a step forward when Yamaoka grabbed his arm. "Don't worry. I will protect Master Tentō with my life."
"That thing can spit a highly corrosive venom—be careful," Shuyu warned, launching the first attack.
He skillfully dodged the beast's toxic spray, leapt into the air, formed hand seals mid-jump, and shouted, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
The Great Fireball struck the beast, but only managed to push it back a few steps.
The monster roared and charged at Shuyu, who had landed on the ground.
"Boruto, let's help out!"
"Right." Boruto formed a Shadow Clone hand seal.
"Lightning Release: Thunderball!"
But whether ninjutsu or taijutsu, none of their attacks could cause any real damage to the beast. They only managed to make it stagger slightly.
Sarada let out a faint gasp, her Sharingan eyes fading. The barrage of attacks had consumed more than half her chakra.
"The Sharingan eats up chakra fast. You need to learn to pace yourself in battle," Shuyu said, kicking the beast and using the momentum to land beside her.
"Got it," Sarada nodded. "But with this enemy—"
Before she could finish, Tentō let out a scream of pain.
"Tentō!" Boruto looked over—and saw the butler grabbing Tentō by the throat. "What are you doing, Yamaoka?!"
"Yamaoka? No, I'm not Yamaoka. I'm Shojoji, leader of the Mujina Bandits. The real Yamaoka has long been dead."
Having decided not to stay hidden any longer after witnessing the beast's power, Shojoji revealed his true identity.
"Let him go!"
"Only those with the blood of a feudal lord can summon a Light and Shadow Stone." Shojoji's chubby face loomed close to Tentō. "If you don't want yourself and these Konoha brats to die, then summon the Light and Shadow Stone for me!"
"Boruto..." Tentō, suspended in mid-air with his throat clutched, barely managed to open his eyes to look at Boruto, who was still locked in combat with the beast.
"There's no helping it. Regular jutsu can't hurt that thing at all," Shuyu said as he dodged another attack.
Normal techniques were indeed useless—but if he used his Mangekyō Sharingan, it would be a different story. Of course, doing so would fully expose his identity.
"Don't hurt my friends!" Tentō gripped Shojoji's thick wrists with both hands.
"Not bad—got some fire in you. But looks like you really can't summon the Light and Shadow Stone. Guess we'll have to try your father next," Shojoji said slowly. Then he ordered the beast, "Kill them all."
"You bastard! Stop right there!" Tentō shouted with all his might.
Just then, a meteor fell from the sun, streaking through the atmosphere and crashing through the warehouse roof with a thunderous boom.
"What was that?!"
The explosion immediately alerted Konoha's higher-ups.
Elsewhere—
"Could that be the Light and Shadow Stone?!"
The blazing red Light and Shadow Stone lit up everyone's hearts.
"That's mine now!" Shojoji tossed Tentō aside and lunged for the fiery stone—but it nimbly evaded his grasp and floated over to Tentō.
"Light and Shadow Stone?" Boruto frowned, recalling the tales told by the Jar Merchant that he'd always thought were just old legends. "Tentō! Quickly—summon the Light Shadow Armor!"
"But I don't know how!"
"Raise the Light and Shadow Stone high—"
"That voice—! It's the Jar Merchant!" Boruto exclaimed. He had expected others in the village to be alerted by the commotion, but never imagined the Jar Merchant would be the first to arrive.
"What next?!"
Tentō scrambled to his feet and raised the Fire Light and Shadow Stone high above his head.
The Jar Merchant continued, "Now repeat after me—Flame Dragon Armor, fusion!"