Chapter 1: The Ninja World Inventory System Descends
Memory Storage Location!
Konoha Year 61 Sign-In Checkpoint!
Suddenly, two figures appeared.
Boruto looked at Sasuke with confusion and asked,
"Mr. Sasuke, what's going on?"
"The stone tablets have decreased. Not only is my dad's missing, but so are Uncle Kakashi's and Granny Tsunade's."
Sasuke frowned and said,
"When we entered that strange space, that guy mentioned collecting the Nine-Tails' chakra."
"So that means we've arrived in Konoha's past."
Boruto exclaimed in disbelief,
"The past? Are you serious?"
Riki (犁) said,
"That's right! This is currently the era when the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, is in charge of the village."
Sasuke looked at Riki and asked,
"Then what about Urashiki?"
Riki explained,
"Due to an operational error, Lord Urashiki will arrive in a few days."
"Also, since you two are from the future, you must not reveal your origins to anyone."
"Furthermore, you cannot interfere with people you have close relationships with, or it will cause major disruptions to the future."
Boruto grinned and said excitedly,
"This is getting more and more exciting. We actually came to Konoha before I was even born."
"But Mr. Sasuke... your fashion sense is really..."
Boruto commented as he looked at Sasuke.
Sasuke, expressionless, replied,
"I have no choice. You haven't been born in this era yet."
"We can't let anyone see your headband. Our current mission is to find Naruto as soon as possible."
Boruto turned to Sasuke and asked,
"Do you know where my dad went?"
Sasuke thought for a moment and said,
"In this era, he's either at Ichiraku Ramen or at home."
Boruto suddenly exclaimed as he spotted someone ahead,
"Huh? Isn't that Aunt Sakura?"
"Let's go ask her where my dad is!"
Sasuke quickly covered Boruto's mouth and said,
"Wait!"
"Didn't we say we need to act cautiously?"
He looked slightly panicked.
"There are too many people here who know us. We have to think twice before every move."
Boruto looked at him, puzzled:
"But Mr. Sasuke, since we're supposed to protect my younger dad, don't we have to meet him at least?"
Sasuke said in a low voice,
"It's a bit tricky, but once I find Naruto, I plan to tail him instead."
Boruto turned around, disappointed,
"How boring..."
Suddenly, Boruto bumped into Naruto.
Boruto cried out in pain,
"Ouch! Hey, don't you watch where you're going?"
Naruto yelled back at him,
"Baka! Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"
"What are you doing standing in the middle of the road?"
Sasuke looked at Naruto and muttered,
"It's over..."
Boruto looked at Naruto in shock and cried out,
"Dad?"
Naruto stared at Boruto and asked in surprise,
"Dad? Who are you calling dad?"
Suddenly, a voice shouted from a distance:
"Naruto! Forget everything else! The pursuers are coming!"
Boruto looked at the approaching man and whispered,
"Huh? Isn't that... I've seen him in photos. That's my dad's teacher."
Naruto, panicking, said:
"It's all because of that pervy sage! Now look at what's happened."
Sasuke asked Naruto,
"Someone's chasing you?"
Boruto patted his chest and said,
"Leave it to us!"
Jiraiya looked at Boruto in surprise and joy,
"Really?"
He handed Boruto a telescope and said to Naruto while running,
"Then we're counting on you!"
The bathhouse owner shouted angrily:
"Don't think you can escape, you peeping perverts!"
Boruto shouted in shock:
"Peeping?!"
Sasuke covered his face and muttered,
"Baka..."
Jiraiya excitedly said,
"Yoshi! Time to move to the next location!"
"No wait—next research location."
Naruto looked at Jiraiya with disdain,
"You call that research? I don't want Granny Tsunade to beat me up again."
Behind them, Tsunade stood with arms crossed and a cold smile,
"What are you two idiots up to now?"
As the two froze in terror, Tsunade "politely" dealt with them.
Jiraiya and Naruto, trembling, said:
"We're sorry, Lady Tsunade!"
"Please forgive us!"
Tsunade sighed and turned to Boruto and Sasuke,
"Now, as for you two..."
Boruto stammered:
"W-we weren't peeping!"
Tsunade interrupted,
"Those two idiots already confessed. I know."
"I'm Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha."
"You two look unfamiliar. What brings you to the village?"
Suddenly—
[DING!]
[The Ninja World Sky Screen has appeared!]
[In five minutes, all sentient life in the ninja world will be forcibly connected!]
Just as Sasuke was thinking of a way to make up an excuse—
A huge screen appeared in the sky.
Tsunade frowned and asked,
"What's going on?"
"Jiraiya, do you know anything?"
Jiraiya looked at the screen and shook his head,
"Nope. But it doesn't seem like a genjutsu."
Boruto whispered to Sasuke,
"Mr. Sasuke, do you know what this is? Is Urashiki behind this?"
Sasuke frowned and looked at the sky,
"I don't think so. Riki said Urashiki wouldn't arrive for a few more days."
"Let's observe for now. Our task is to protect Naruto."
Tsunade paused and said,
"Jiraiya, Naruto—these two outsiders are your responsibility for now."
"I'm going to the Hokage's office."
Naruto, dumbfounded:
"Wha—what do you mean our responsibility?"
Jiraiya responded thoughtfully:
"Understood. Leave them to us. You be careful!"
"All villagers, do not panic."
"Everyone, return home immediately."
"All ANBU members, mobilize at once!"
"All clan leaders, report to the Hokage's office!"
"As of now, the village is under emergency lockdown!"
Tsunade's steady and commanding voice echoed through every corner of Konoha.
Meanwhile, in the Sand Village, Cloud Village, Mist Village, Stone Village, and elsewhere, similar events were unfolding, and all were moving swiftly.
---
Hokage Office, Konoha
Tsunade looked at Nara Shikaku and asked,
"Shikaku, report on the investigation."
Shikaku paused and replied,
"Lady Tsunade."
"From what we've gathered, the screen that suddenly appeared has no signs of life."
"There's no chakra fluctuation around it either."
"Moreover, when we try to approach it, it keeps moving away."
"We've tried everything."