Boruto Light Novel 4

Part 3 (Chojuro's Doubt)

Boruto took off, heading away from Hachiya.

He's going towards the Mizukage's office... 

Sarada followed after Boruto, despite her lack of intel on the situation. "What are you planning," she asked as she chased Boruto across the village rooftops.

"You'll understand if you follow me!"

She grimaced. Boruto didn't seem like he was going to explain. Sarada trusted him, but in this situation, he seemed a little unreliable.

After running for a short while, the Mizukage's residence came into view. Terumi Mei and Chojuro were on their way inside. Their timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Boruto shouted, "Wait up a sec!"

The previous and current Mizukages stopped and turned around, surprise written clear as day on their faces. It didn't take long for Boruto and Sarada to reach them.

"Uzumaki Boruto... What brings you here?" Chojuro asked with a rather bewildered expression, staring down at the two Konoha genin. 

Terumi Mei narrowed her eyes. "You two... You didn't run into Shizuma, did you?!"

At that moment, Boruto figured out that the other side had already been made aware of the situation. "It's not Kagura's fault! He's just being manipulated by that Shizuma guy!"

"....." Chojuro's expression changed ever so slightly. But Sarada didn't quite understand the reason behind the change. All she knew was that Boruto's words were the cause, and the effect was negative.

She continued to silently observe the situation. Everything that was said from now on would play a crucial role in their negotiations. Kagura's life was probably hanging on the outcome of Chojuro's decision.

"He definitely went with those guys to save me, ya know!" Boruto protested.

The Mizukage seemed to be biting his tongue. Instead of saying what he wanted, he turned towards Boruto with a strict expression. "Even if his intentions were good, this is not something you can get involved in. This is The Mist's problem. Regardless of his reasoning, Kagura turned his back on our village," he said while gritting his teeth.

It seemed like he wasn't going to budge.

Boruto's expression hardened. Sarada could practically feel his thoughts racing through his mind at breakneck speed.

There was no mistaking it. Boruto was desperate... Desperate to save his friend.

"You can't be doing this because you want to! You should understand that better than anyone!" Boruto stepped closer.

Chojuro gently placed his hands on Boruto's shoulders. His hands... were trembling.

"Boruto-kun... I'm glad you care about Kagura. But Kagura is also a shinobi. As a shinobi, if he breaks the rules, we must punish him accordingly."

As he spoke, the trembling left his hands. His resolve was now firm.

Boruto bit his lip.

And in that moment, Sarada who had been restraining herself decided to speak up. "You don't actually want to kill Kagura-san, do you?"

She dared to point out the reason that Chojuro's hands were shaking. As if she hit the mark, Chojuro painfully averted his eyes for just a moment.

"Is sacrificing someone's life at the expense of your village what a Mizukage is supposed to do?" she continued. "At the very least, the Hokage I aim to be... Isn't like that."

A memory from the Uchiha Shin incident flashed into Sarada's mind.

Naruto, the Seventh Hokage, saved the lives of both Sarada and her mother Sakura. What's more, he did it without killing a single one of the Shin Clones. Once everything came to a resolution, he put the Shin clones in an orphanage run by his acquaintance. He went so far as to look out for their futures.