Chapter 20: Naruto: Check out these scenes! #20
Nanashi mustered the last of her strength to reveal a faint but warm smile. "I... I am very happy... to call Boruto my friend..."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her cheeks, uncontrolled. "But... even so... the pain remains... so painful... I can't forget... the past... I feel so... painful, yet I..."
Boruto lowered his gaze slightly, his voice softening as he replied, "Don't say it. I understand."
But Nanashi's condition was rapidly deteriorating; the sparkle in her eyes had dimmed significantly. "Hmm...? Boruto...? Where have you gone...?"
Seeing her hand reach out weakly, trying to grasp something in the dark, Boruto hurriedly grasped it. "Don't worry! I'm right here, beside you!"
At that moment, he felt how cold Nanashi's palm had become. Despite her desire to hold his hand tightly, she simply couldn't summon the strength. "This..."
As he looked down, Boruto noticed a beautiful crystal resting in her palm. Nanashi smiled faintly. "It's mine... and yours... our Kiseki... Though it's small, I treasure it deeply... Will you... accept it?"
Feeling tears blur his vision, Boruto quickly composed himself and smiled back, "Of course! And I promise, this Kiseki will grow bigger! We'll have adventures together in the future! Sound good?!"
However, Nanashi could no longer perceive the world around her; she felt trapped in a suffocating darkness, watching the light grow more distant. Under her breath, she whispered sadly, "Ah... Oh no... Why... must is this... the end?"
"I want to be spend so much time... together... with you... Boruto..."
"I'm not ready..."
Before she could voice her final reluctance, Nanashi's life force slipped away completely. Her frail hands fell lifelessly to the ground, her tears the only testament to the yearning she felt.
Boruto was devastated by the loss, his heart shattering at the sight of Nanashi's stillness.
The others stood helplessly by; Naruto and Sasuke were too depleted of chakra to offer any support, and the rest lacked the medical expertise needed in such dire moments.
Meanwhile, Teguse, lurking nearby, witnessed the tragedy unfold. He stepped back, a smirk on his face. "I may have failed this time, but next time..."
"Next time what?"
Just as Teguse took a few steps back, Shikamaru's voice cut through the tension. He turned around in shock to find not just Shikamaru, but ninjas from all five major villages standing there, ready for confrontation.
"Huh?!"
Before he could react, Shikamaru signaled two Konoha ninjas forward to apprehend him.
[Uchiha Sarada: Nanashi-san... just like that...]
[Uzumaki Boruto: Nanashi...]
[Senju Hashirama: This girl's life is truly tragic. Her childhood spent as a weapon of the Uchiha clan, and even after being freed, she was used by others. Sigh...]
[Uchiha Madara: Don't remind me. The Uchiha of the past infuriates me.]
[Senju Tobirama: Oh? I didn't expect that perspective from you.]
[Uchiha Izuna: Really? After my brother became the leader, he always promoted harmony; it made the Uchiha clan stronger.]
[Senju Tobirama: I don't deny that.]
As the video continued, it showed the events that followed.
After Boruto dealt the final blow to Meru and dismantled Zero, the major ninja villages initiated a comprehensive search.
It was revealed that Zero had infiltrated all the major villages, with Konoha housing the most spies among them.
Fortunately, a thorough search led to the arrest of all members of the Zero organization, and countless other scattered members were apprehended based on the intel provided.
Thus, "Zero," which had previously wreaked havoc on the ninja world, had become a part of history.
On a somber note, after Nanashi's passing, Naruto couldn't bring himself to exploit her for research. Instead, he and Sasuke honored her memory by burying her in the Uchiha clan's cemetery, giving her soul peace.
As for Boruto, he fell into a deep sorrow over Nanashi's death. For days, he returned home directly after missions, turning down offers from Shikadai and others to play games.
The Kiseki Nanashi had given him was fashioned into a necklace that he gifted to his sister Himawari, believing her cheerful nature would breathe warmth into the stone, contrasting his own grief.
Then one day, after Team 7 completed a mission, Sarada, who typically avoided games, suggested they play "Ninja Heroes" again to help lift Boruto's spirits.
[Ninja Heroes] was a special VR game created by Teguse, inspired by the Nanashi Tsukuyomi and enhanced with a summoning technique.
Logic dictated that after Nanashi's demise, the game should no longer function without the Tsukuyomi, the core eye technique. Yet, to their surprise, the game continued to operate normally, though previous quest NPCs were now absent.
Reluctant, Boruto initially resisted but, thanks to Sarada's insistence, he finally relented and logged into the game with Mitsuki.
Upon entering, however, he was greeted not by the familiar ninja village but by a vast white expanse, a tall stone door standing solemnly in the center.
"What is this... a rift in time? How did I end up here?"
Boruto recognized this space as the one he had accessed to regain his father's memories. Why was he here now?
"Boruto."
Turning at the sound of his name, he spotted a white-haired man clad in white, his eyes closed.
[Uzumaki Naruto: Toneri?! I didn't expect him to show up!]
[Uchiha Madara: Why do I feel something unusual about him? Who is he?]
[Uchiha Sasuke: He hails from the Ōtsutsuki clan.]
[Uchiha Madara: That can't be! The Ōtsutsuki clan was wiped out ages ago.]
[Uzumaki Naruto: True, there are none on Earth, but some still exist on the moon. The Outer Path Demon Statue you summoned is located there.]
[Uchiha Sasuke: The Ōtsutsuki clan may not be extinct; there are still members in the world.]
[Uzumaki Naruto: Besides, your infinite moon reading plan is destined to serve another's ends.]
[Uchiha Madara: What are you implying?]
[Uzumaki Naruto: It's a spoiler, I can't reveal everything now.]
"Oh, Toneri!"
Boruto instantly recognized the identity of the person before him.
Ōtsutsuki Toneri, appearing unexpectedly, seemed different from Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki. He showed no intent to attack; instead, he was there to assist.
Toneri spoke earnestly, "I understand your concerns, and that's why I've been maintaining this space."
"Oh? Thank you for that," Boruto replied, surprised by his kindness.
It made sense now why the game continued to run despite Nanashi's death; people speculated that Raimon Company had taken over its operations.
Toneri continued, "I'm maintaining this space in hopes of creating a [miracle]."
Boruto cocked an eyebrow, intrigued. "[Miracle]?"
Toneri added affirmatively, "Exactly. It's a method that can only be carried out here. Some might say it's a forbidden technique."
Boruto's eyes lit up with wonder. "That sounds incredible! What do you intend to do?"
Toneri paused, then declared, "Change history"