The Awakening Storm - Mitsuboru

Chapter 1: The Return of the Storm

The village of Konoha seemed quieter these days, cloaked in a shroud of tension that never quite lifted. The loss of Naruto Uzumaki Kyuubi , weighed heavily on everyone, not only because he was a hero that worked together with Naruto but because his absence left a gaping void in the hearts of the villagers. Yet life went on as it always did. Shops opened, children played in the streets, and shinobi went about their duties, but the sparkle that once radiated from the village had dimmed. There was an unmistakable sense that something was missing.

Boruto Uzumaki, now standing taller and more muscular than the boy who had left Konoha years ago, walked through the village gates. His hair still carried its familiar spikes, but his expression was different-harder, more focused. The mischievous glint in his eyes had been replaced with something colder, more distant, as if the weight of his experiences had drained him of the reckless energy that once defined him. He no longer felt like the son of the Hokage who could coast through life on his father's legacy. Now, he was a shinobi with a mission of his own-a mission he couldn't afford to fail.

The village looked mostly the same, but there were changes. New buildings had sprouted up, and unfamiliar faces roamed the streets. It was unsettling, a reminder that time moved on even when you weren't there to witness it. Boruto's mind wandered as he made his way toward the Hokage's office, wondering how his absence had affected those closest to him. Sarada, Mitsuki, and the rest of his old friends-how had they coped? He had kept himself distant, not wanting to burden anyone with his own pain or guilt.

But Mitsuki was different.

Even during Boruto's long absence, Mitsuki had never once strayed from his thoughts. There was something about the quiet, snake-like boy that lingered in the corners of Boruto's mind. Mitsuki had always been there, a constant presence at his side, offering support in ways Boruto hadn't fully appreciated at the time. And yet, Boruto had left him behind without a word of explanation, without a promise to return.

Boruto had made up his mind not to dwell on the past, but the weight of what he had left behind tugged at him all the same. He couldn't avoid it forever.

***

Mitsuki stood leaning against a lamppost on a quiet street, his golden eyes scanning the distance. His posture was as relaxed as ever, but inwardly, he was anything but calm. News of Boruto's return had reached him hours ago, and yet he hadn't made any move to meet him. Part of him wondered if Boruto had changed too much during his time away-if he would still be the same Boruto he had followed so faithfully. The thought unsettled Mitsuki more than he cared to admit.

To the average observer, Mitsuki was an enigma. Created by Orochimaru, he was a synthetic human, designed with advanced abilities and a purpose that he himself was still figuring out. For most of his life, Mitsuki had navigated the world with a detached curiosity, observing human behavior from a distance without fully understanding it. Yet, from the moment he met Boruto, something had shifted. There was a gravitational pull between them, something beyond reason or programming.

Mitsuki had never questioned why he was so drawn to Boruto-it felt like an intrinsic part of him, as natural as breathing. Over time, it had grown from simple loyalty to something deeper, something more complex that Mitsuki couldn't quite name. His connection to Boruto had always been effortless, and yet, after Boruto's departure, it had left a void that Mitsuki had struggled to fill.

Now, Boruto was back.

The sound of footsteps pulled Mitsuki from his thoughts, and when he looked up, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat. There he was-Boruto Uzumaki, standing just a few paces away. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched, thick with the weight of everything left unsaid between them.