Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Chapter 85 - He could have been me

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Kakumei – Arc 4: Might Makes Right

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Chapter 85 – He could have been me

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In Konohagakure, in front of the ninja academy, Boruto is sitting, waiting for his sister like he did for the last 10 months on a daily basis after his training sessions with Sasuke. He sits on the same swing as usual, and thinks of what his sensei told him a bit earlier.

Sasuke crossed paths with Kawaki, the 2nd Captain of Kakumei who's also the boy that Boruto elected as his nemesis. He's the guy who made him feel inferior during the last chunin exam. He is, with Takeshi Minamoto, the reason Boruto aspires to become stronger.

While in his thoughts, the blonde girl who usually comes to sit on the second swing arrives. During the last 10 months, she and Boruto regularly met in this setting, and he got to learn more about her, even if he never asked. She's called Kanojo Doroku. She is the daughter of Inaka Doroku, the janitor of the academy.

She's only a year older than Boruto, and comes to join her dad here at work everyday because she wants to make sure he won't pass by bars or cabarets that could hold his attention and make him get home late. Since she also mentioned being an apprentice journalist, Boruto assumed that her reason to dialogue with him every time is because she hopes to get scoops out of him.

This time, Boruto doesn't speak, unlike all the last times where he was acting like in a therapy session. Kanojo, intrigued by this unusual silence, leans over to see the yellow haired boy's thoughtful face.

"Not very talkative today?" she asks. "Didn't you train with your sensei? Don't you feel any stronger? Any closer to that guy you often mention?"

Boruto doesn't reply and just thinks of her questions. He stays silently upset about his sensei's meeting with his rival. Seeing that he doesn't speak, Kanojo tries to insist further.

"I remember you saying this dude is from the lands of Heart." she says. "Rumors are spreading about this place. Little information is leaking from the more talkative ninjas of the nations. The Kage council recently added 7 names in the bingo book, labeled as international enemies and not just mercenaries or pariahs. Rumors say that the responsible for the attack on the Chunin exam last year is the leader of this group and of the lands. Some also say that he's an Uchiha... And another of these 7 priced heads matches the description you made of your rival."

"Stop being so attentive and analyzing!" Boruto exclaims. "It's getting creepy! Sounds like you're stalking me?"

"Stalking you? You've been chatting about this with me for nearly a year!" Kanojo replies. "I'm not stalking you. You're forcing your daily life onto my memory, that's all."

"HmHm!" Boruto grins, amused by this valid argument, before getting more friendly. "You're right! This boy is from the leading group of Hikarigakure. They recently came back in action and attacked the nations again. This dude..."

"His name is Kawaki, isn't it?" Kanojo interrupts. "That's what's written in the bingo book!" she adds while shaking her hand, holding a copy of the said ninja notebook.

"Where did you get this?" Boruto asks, surprised that a regular villager is in possession of a ninja's tool.

"My dad got it from a ninja teacher here, and he gave it to me." she answers happily. "So that boy, Kawaki, showed up again?"

"... Yeah. My sensei met him yesterday." Boruto responds, looking upset. "In just a very short battle, he figured out everything Kawaki could do, and of course, he told me everything."