Only Time Can Tell

CONFRONTATION

CHAPTER 32

CONFRONTATION

BORUTO UZUMAKI

"Get ready." Neji whispered, crouching close to the ground. "They know we're here. They're waiting for their chance." He looked back at me for a moment, "There are two at 3 o'clock, and one right ahead of us."

"Okay." I could feel myself sweating. I don't like starting out battles like this. I'm the much more charge in and get the rumble started kind of guy. I started to stand, but Sarada grabbed my sleeve.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?!"

"Getting the party started." I smiled standing. I hadn't realized my error until the blade hit me. It thankfully only cut through the shoulder of my jacket, like a warning shot. "Oh shit!" I said crouching again.

"You idiot! You can't see them!" Sarada scolded me.

"Well I realize that now, don't I?!" I hissed back at her.

"Shut up!" Neji said holding a finger to his lips. "I can see them because of my Byakugan, but both of you are blind in this kind of darkness...if you're quiet enough, maybe you can hear them."

Sarada slapped her hand over my mouth. She closed her eyes listening. "They're moving." Sarada said quietly. "The two ninja at 2 o'clock are spreading out. They're going to try to surround us."

I fought against her hand, but she glared at me and I stopped. "You see them, right, Neji?"

"Yes."

"But you can't take them down all by yourself, since we don't know how strong they are?" Sarada assumed.

"Yes."

"I can see them, Neji."

"What?"

"It's because of my Sharingan..." Sarada said, reaching with her other hand to take off her glasses. "After Sai...after..." She said struggling for the words. "I can see so much better now. I can see...everything."

"What?" Neji repeated.

"I don't know why...Papa would know...but now...it's different. Now..." Sarada said looking around her. "I can tell, that the one at 12 o'clock has the fire element. His chakra is strong. Before...I could see that a little, but now, everything is so clear..." Sarada let her hand drop from my mouth.

"Boruto." She said.

"Yes?"

"Stay here. Don't move." Her words were hard as stone, cold and unfeeling. It almost didn't sound like her. "Stay." She stood up, and I could hear movement all around us, getting closer.

"Sarada!" Neji whisper yelled. "You don't fully know the abilities of your eyes, what if you can't-"

"I can. And I will." Sarada tossed her glasses to the ground, discarded into the sand. "I will be fine. Watch." She stood, and in a flash she was gone.

"Sarada!" Neji yelled. "Wait!"

I heard her footsteps disappear going farther and farther away from me. I reached out, into the darkness, and there was nothing. "Boruto..." Neji said. "Stay here. I have to do something." He stood too, but I was quick enough to grab him.

"Neji...I don't have your eyes, but what am I supposed to do? I can't just sit here! Knowing that you're out there, fighting a battle I can't even see?! I would rather run out there completely undefended if it meant that I might be able to help!"

Neji looked down at me, his eyes focused and alert. "Don't be stupid, Boruto. The sun will rise soon, until then, promise me that you won't do anything stupid." Without waiting for my response, he jerked loose and flew away into the darkness beyond our little campfire. He slipped right through my fingers.

I started to hear the sounds of metal on metal. Sarada was fighting now. I could hear it, just barely, but I wasn't special. I didn't have eyes like them. I couldn't see what they could. I was defenseless. I quickly reached to the fire and took out a stick alight with fire. I held it out in front of me like a torch, in an attempt to see anything.

Then I heard a scream off to my left. It was Sarada. "SARADA!!!" I screamed into the darkness. There was no answer no echo, and the scream abruptly stopped. "SARADA!!!"

"Hush." A voice said behind me. A chill ran down my spine. That wasn't a voice that I knew. I whipped around, seeing nothing. Just beyond my range of vision in this darkness. "You're not like the rest." It said behind me again. I turned, holding out the torch in hopes of seeing whoever it was. "Your chakra...it's strange. I know this chakra. Who are you?"

"I'd like to know the same thing. What do you want?!" I said turning slowly in a circle.

"What do I want?" It said laughing. "Tell me...why are you here?"

"Why is that any of your business?!" I said turning to try and find the source of the voice. I am confronted by nothing but darkness.

"Why?" It laughed again. "You're right in front of my lab, I'm certain you know that." A cold breeze seemed to trickle down my spine. "Why are a couple of children camping out in front of my laboratory? That's what I want to know...it's very...intriguing."

"Are you...Orochimaru?" I said my flame beginning to die.

"Is it possible? Nine Tails chakra?" It laughed loudly. "What a treat today! You will make an excellent specimen!" I felt something pool around my ankles, turning and churning slowly around and around. I looked down in horror pointing with my torch. Snakes.

Giant grey and purple snakes, hissing and lashing out with their forked tongues, wrapping around and around my ankles. I felt them tighten and I felt a cold in my gut that told me that I couldn't move.

"What did you do to my friends?"

"Those two? May I just say that it's very unfortunate for you to have such...interesting friends." My gut wrenched in fear. "A young girl...who already possesses the Mangekyou, an a boy who has mastered the Gentle Fist art with the help of his perfected Byakugan. Very impressive, indeed."

"Leave them alone." I said my hands trembling.

"And now you...tell me, how is it that you have the Nine Tail's chakra?" I heard Sarada's scream again, this time further away.

"SARADA!!!" I felt my blood begin to boil. "Let me go!" I screamed. The snakes wrapped more and more, my feet began to tingle from lack of circulation. "LET ME GO!!!" I had a sinking feeling as I watched red chakra come out of me, spreading over my body.

"Yesss." Orochimaru chuckled. "Show me."

"GET AWAY FROM THEM!!" I roared, Sarada's scream echoing in my head. I watched as the snakes around my ankles curled into ashes. "LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!"