Chapter 256: Encounter with the Nine Tails Inside Naruto
If the future Hidden Leaf Village is a modern metropolis, then the Konoha of the past is truly just a village.
It took Future Boruto, who had taken over the five-year-old Hanabi's body, only a few days to fully grasp his current situation. He confirmed one thing for certain: he had returned to the past, and somehow occupied the body of his older cousin, Hanabi. Whether this was a parallel shinobi world remained unclear, but so far, everything in the Leaf Village seemed perfectly normal.
Though he still retained his combat experience and the ninjutsu he had learned, the chakra in this body was simply far too meager—it wasn't even worth mentioning.
Having survived in a dystopian shinobi world ravaged by zombies, Future Boruto had developed a deep-seated anxiety over lacking power.
Right now, there was only one viable path to acquiring powerful chakra—tailed beasts.
And currently attending the Ninja Academy, Naruto was the only viable target for Future Boruto to act upon.
School dismissal time at the Ninja Academy.
Unlike most kids who had parents to pick them up, Naruto always walked home alone.
"...Naruto."
At the gates of the academy, Hinata—who had just been picked up by Hyūga clan members along with her younger sister Hanabi—muttered softly as she watched Naruto's lonely figure disappearing down the road.
"You take my sister home first. I have something I need to deal with."
Hanabi's voice was cold.
Even the kindest people turn into monsters in a zombie-infested world. And so, the only people Future Boruto truly cared about were his family.
"But... Lady Hanabi…"
The branch family ninja clearly wanted to protest.
But with the Gentle Fist techniques Hanabi had displayed over the past few days—while being controlled by Future Boruto—Hiashi had finally resolved to focus on cultivating her talents seriously.
"As members of the branch family, you should understand your role."
Hanabi looked at the branch family ninja trying to reason with her, her gaze indifferent and cold.
"Hanabi, isn't that a bit harsh...?" Hinata said softly and timidly.
Hanabi's behavior did come across as excessive. In the past, to maintain harmony among the branch family, Hiashi would have certainly reprimanded her. But now, with Hanabi's newfound talent, Hiashi at most would give a mild scolding.
"Sis, go with him. I've got something to take care of on my own."
"But Hanabi…"
Just as Hinata was about to speak, Hanabi had already lightly leapt away, heading straight in Naruto's direction.
"That way…?"
Almost all the adults knew Naruto was a jinchūriki. The children might be oblivious, but adults—especially the Hyūga clan, even the branch members—knew the truth even more clearly.
"Hanabi…"
Hinata looked worriedly at Hanabi's receding figure.
"Lady Hinata, let's return."
"Mm."
Young Hinata nodded. Ever since she was little, she had always done her best not to trouble others.
Naruto's home.
A complete dump.
"That child is the Hyūga clan head's daughter… Stay here. I'll go report this to the Hokage."
A Konoha Anbu ninja instructed his teammate.
"Yes, Captain."
As knocking sounded on the door, there were obvious footsteps rushing inside.
"Who is it?" Naruto's voice called out. As he opened the creaky door, he looked down at the noticeably shorter Hanabi and asked, "A brat? Here to pull a prank?"
There had been plenty of times when kids played pranks at Naruto's doorstep: knocking on his door and running off. But after Hiruzen Sarutobi had once shown up at Naruto's home, those pranks had stopped for good.
With precise Gentle Fist technique, Hanabi lightly pushed Naruto aside and walked straight into his home.
"I'm Hanabi Hyūga, Hinata Hyūga's younger sister."
"Hyūga... Hinata? Hmm…" Naruto furrowed his brows, trying to remember. "Who's that?"
"…" Though she knew her father had once been slow on the uptake, this was ridiculous. He couldn't even remember the name of a classmate sitting right behind him?
"She's your classmate—the one who always sits right behind you, with white eyes."
"Hmm…" Naruto thought for a moment, then shook his head again. "Nope, never heard of her. Anyway, I don't care who you are. Just leave."
At this point in time, Naruto was wary of everyone except for Sakura and a few of his male classmates—especially toward unfamiliar girls like this one.
"Naruto, do you know why you've never been able to properly use ninjutsu?"
"What do you mean?"
Naruto clearly wore a skeptical expression.
How could this five-year-old girl know something even he didn't?
Hanabi slowly activated her Byakugan, fixing her gaze on Naruto. The intense, exposed stare made Naruto feel like he was completely naked.
"With your Uzumaki bloodline, you do indeed have far more chakra than normal people. But among that chakra, there's some that doesn't belong to you."
She spoke while slowly approaching Naruto, her Byakugan focused intently.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Naruto instinctively stepped back under her pressure—unsure if it was because of her intimidating aura or the eerie blank eyes of the Byakugan. Maybe both.
Eventually, Naruto backed himself into a wall.
Hanabi suddenly lifted Naruto's shirt with her left hand, revealing the seal on his belly button.
"So this is the sealing technique left behind by the old man…"
She muttered to herself as she pressed her right hand against the seal.
"Hey, you—!"
Before Naruto could react, his vision blurred.
The dim glow of torchlight illuminated the space. Naruto had slumped unconscious by the wall.
Hanabi, or rather Future Boruto, didn't pay any mind. He knew Naruto would be fine.
"A kid I've never seen before?"
The Nine Tails crouched in its cage, staring at the small girl approaching without even a trace of fear in her eyes.
She must not realize how terrifying I am, the Nine Tails guessed.
"Hey, brat. I don't know how you got in here, but you see that seal on the cage? Take it off. You hear me? Otherwise, I'll eat you alive!"
The Nine Tails pressed up against the bars and opened its mouth wide, releasing a foul stench.
"Threats don't work on kids. You still haven't figured that out?" Hanabi said as she calmly walked up to the cage and met the beast's gaze head-on. "Kurama."
"WHAT!?" The Nine Tails' expression changed dramatically. "How do you know my name?! That damn old man—!"
"That old man? Oh, you mean the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki…"