Chapter 136:
A tense atmosphere hung in the air—battle could break out at any moment.
"We're all civilized shinobi here. Let's talk things through nicely, no need to fight. Fighting is bad," the Jar Merchant said as he squatted down and slapped his hands onto the ground. "Nuclear Release: Nuclear Radiation Jutsu!"
Half of Konoha's ground instantly turned bright green.
"Ugh…" Hinata bent over, gagging and retching.
"Hinata!" Sakura rushed over and knelt beside her, healing her with a gentle green glow in her hands.
"This is poison!" Tsunade glared at the Jar Merchant. "Edogawa Jar!"
"Don't get so worked up, Lady Fifth Hokage. I suggest you let us go. Otherwise, the innocent residents of Konoha…" The Jar Merchant's speech was interrupted when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Boruto beside him. "What is it, Boruto?"
"Jar… I feel kind of sick too…" Boruto mumbled, covering his mouth.
"See that? When I get serious, I don't even spare my own comrades!"
"What do we do, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi quietly asked as he stepped up beside Tsunade. He glanced at Sakura, who was still healing Hinata while wiping sweat from her brow. "Looks like this strange poison keeps gnawing away at the body."
"It's not poison. It's nuclear radiation. Seriously, no culture at all," the Jar Merchant interjected.
"Summoning Jutsu!" Tsunade slammed her palm to the ground, summoning a massive white slug.
The size of Tsunade's summoned slug depended on how much chakra she used.
"This place… feels awful…"
"Katsuyu, it's because of this man's nuclear radiation that Konoha ended up like this. I hope you can split apart and shield the villagers from its harmful effects," Tsunade said weakly, her face pale.
"Understood."
The massive slug vanished, and a rain of slug clones began to fall from the night sky.
"So gross…" Boruto muttered instinctively as the slugs landed on him—then blinked in surprise. "Huh? I actually don't feel disgusted anymore."
"The radiation might be gone, but you've drained a ton of chakra. Hokage-sama, I doubt you'll be much help in the coming battle," the Jar Merchant said as he withdrew his hand, staring at Tsunade.
Just then, a spirited young man happened to be passing by.
"Overcome yourself! Surpass yourself! That's the essence of youth!"
With several slugs clinging to him and tears streaming from his eyes, the bowl-cut young man dashed over.
"This just got troublesome…" the Jar Merchant murmured to himself—but Boruto happened to overhear.
"Uncle Might Guy… is he really that strong?" Boruto asked, tugging at the Jar Merchant's sleeve.
In Boruto's time, Might Guy had long been confined to a wheelchair, so Boruto had never truly understood Guy's strength.
"Let's put it this way—no one in the shinobi world has ever withstood one serious kick from Might Guy," the Jar Merchant replied.
"He's that strong?" Boruto looked over at Guy, who was still crying. "You'd never guess just by looking at him."
In Boruto's mind, someone strong was supposed to be cold, stoic, and cool—like Sasuke.
"Might Guy, you're here."
"Yo, Kakashi! I've once again surpassed myself! Just wait, the scales of balance are about to tip in my favor!"
"…Actually, it was the Hokage's slug that helped you…" Kakashi looked at Guy's excited face, sighed, and added, "Never mind. You're here, and that's what matters. This time, our enemy is powerful. You'd better be ready."
"Don't worry, Kakashi. I'm always ready to fight strong opponents… Because a youth without battles is incomplete!"
"I'll handle Naruto," Sasuke said, glancing briefly at the approaching Guy.
Tsunade nodded. "Kakashi, Might Guy—you two handle Edogawa Jar and Edogawa Boruto. As for Sakura and Hinata, stay alert for sneak attacks from the Akatsuki."
"Jar Merchant, can you really take on Uncle Kakashi and Uncle Might Guy at the same time?" Boruto asked.
The Jar Merchant looked over and replied, "Who said I'd be fighting alone? You're going too."
"Huh?" Boruto pointed at himself in disbelief. "Me?"
"How are you going to get stronger if you don't fight? Don't worry, Boruto—I'll let you handle Kakashi."
Boruto glanced at the serious-looking Kakashi, then at the dopey expression on Might Guy's face, and muttered, "Pretty sure Might Guy would be easier to deal with…"
Despite his grumbling, Boruto stepped forward.
"Hold on, Boruto! Don't forget your Akatsuki cloak."
Seeing the Jar Merchant already wearing his Akatsuki robe, Boruto asked, "What are you doing?"
"Don't ask so many questions. I'm giving you a buff. Also, your forehead protector—hand it over."
"Didn't you say we couldn't reveal we're from Konoha?" Boruto asked as he handed it over.
"Stop fussing. I said it's a buff." The Jar Merchant scratched a line across the metal plate of Boruto's forehead protector and handed it back. "Put it on. And remember—no matter what happens, don't take off your Akatsuki cloak in battle."
"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Boruto muttered as he slipped on the slashed forehead protector and donned the Akatsuki robe. He looked up at Kakashi.
"So I'm up against a kid… And that's a Konoha forehead protector…" Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "That age… a fresh genin from the academy? Or maybe he just picked up that forehead protector off some battlefield…"
"Kakashi Unc—cough, Kakashi! It's not good to get distracted in battle!"
"What?!" Kakashi's eyes widened. When he focused again, he saw Boruto standing there forming a Rasengan. "Rasengan? But it's so small. Not enough chakra?"
"Rasengan!" Boruto hurled it.
The small Rasengan flying toward Kakashi vanished halfway.
"It got blown away… No—wait!" Kakashi's eyes sharpened as he slapped his hands to the ground. "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A wall of earth rose in front of him just as Boruto's Rasengan struck it.
"An invisible Rasengan… Never seen anything like it…" Kakashi stared at Boruto through the cracked wall. "Looks like I can't treat you like a kid anymore."
He lifted his headband, revealing a three-tomoe Sharingan.
"I won't hold back just because you're a child."