Time-Twisted Melody (Boruto - Twinkling Watermelon AU)

Chapter 11

 Boruto POV

It was a cold and relentless downpour that soaked through my clothes and chilled me to the bone. My heart pounded in my chest. I could see my dad in front of me, shielding me from the danger that loomed behind us.

And then it happened.

The katana came down, slicing through the air with a sharp, sickening sound. I watched in horror as it cut into his back, the force of the blow driving him to his knees. Blood sprayed out, mixing with the rain, and staining the ground beneath us. My mouth opened to scream, but no sound came out. My body was frozen, paralyzed by the sheer terror of what I was witnessing.

Dad fell forward, his body crumpling against mine. I caught him in my arms, the weight of him pulling me down. His blood soaked into my clothes, warm and sticky, contrasting with the cold rain that continued to pour down on us. I could feel his breath, shallow and labored, as he struggled to stay conscious.

"D-Dad...?" I finally managed to choke out, my voice breaking.

"Dad, please... stay with me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." I sobbed, my vision blurring. The world around us seemed to fade, the rain and the darkness closing in. All I could see was him, the man who had always been my hero, slipping away right before my eyes.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the nightmare ended.

"...!"

I jolted awake, my heart racing, my chest heaving with ragged breaths. The rain was gone, replaced by the quiet stillness of the night. My hands, trembling and cold, reached out to touch the ground beneath me. But as I tried to catch my breath, I realized I wasn't alone. My eyes darted up, and that's when I saw him.

"...!"

I couldn't believe my eyes. It was him! The same man who had given me that strange turtle amulet, Karasuki. The serene expression on his face was the same as before, but now it filled me with a sense of dread. Before I could even think, I sprang up and grabbed him by the robe, yanking him close.

Grab!

"What did you do to me?!" I yelled, my voice shaking with a mix of fear and anger. My heart pounded in my chest, the remnants of the nightmare still fresh in my mind. "Why am I in the past? What the hell is going on?!"

But the man didn't flinch. He didn't seem bothered by my outburst at all. Instead, he just smiled, that same calm, infuriating smile that made me feel like he knew everything.

"Karasuki," he said softly, his voice as gentle as a breeze, "only did what you wished for, Boruto."

'What...?'

His words sent a jolt through me. I let go of his robe, stumbling back as I tried to process what he was saying. My mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle.

'What wish? What had I asked for?' The memory of holding that turtle amulet flashed through my mind. I had made a wish, but in the chaos of everything that had happened, I hadn't even realized what I'd said.

Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

"I wished to save my dad," I whispered, the realization dawning on me. My eyes widened as I looked at the man, my chest tightening with a sudden, overwhelming fear. "But... I didn't mean to go back to the past!"

The man's smile didn't waver, and that only made me more furious. He seemed completely unbothered by the chaos he'd thrown me into.

"I just wanted to keep him safe!" I shouted, my voice cracking as the emotions threatened to spill over. "I didn't ask for this, for any of this!"