(Continued after Part 1)
Sakuya stood tall, his eyes fixed on the unconscious figures of Naruto and Hinata. He didn't need to say a word. With a swift hand motion, a series of shadow clones erupted from his body—each one focused, unwavering. The clones immediately began to move, taking Naruto and Hinata in their arms with precision, preparing to carry them back to the village.
"I'll take care of them," Sakuya muttered, his tone calm but resolute. His eyes were sharp, constantly scanning for any signs of danger, even in the moments of respite. His shadow clones, now numerous, quickly began their retreat toward the village, their movements coordinated and swift.
Meanwhile, Tsuyohana stood in the distance, watching them intently. Her smile was twisted—satisfied, but tinged with annoyance. "So, you think you can just take them and run?" Her voice was lilting, mocking, but beneath it, there was a deep, insidious anger. "You can't escape what I've already done. What's done is done. I am your end."
Sakuya's eyes narrowed, his posture shifting as he prepared himself. Beside him, Boruto stood, chest heaving as his breathing grew more labored. Despite the earlier exhaustion, his resolve was unwavering. His eyes were locked onto Tsuyohana, the dangerous Ōtsutsuki who had torn through their ranks and who now threatened everything.
With a quick glance at Sakuya, Boruto's lips curled into a determined smirk. "We've taken enough of your games," Boruto said, his voice steady despite the weight of his wearied body. "It ends now."
Sakuya nodded in agreement, the shadows around him shifting in response to his intent. His Ketsuryugan flared, the red glow in his eyes amplifying the power coursing through him. The moment they locked eyes with Tsuyohana, the tension was palpable—a storm waiting to break.
Without a single word spoken between them, Boruto and Sakuya dashed forward. In an instant, they moved as one, a synchronized strike that threatened to engulf the battlefield in pure, raw power. The ground cracked beneath their feet, the force of their movements sending vibrations through the air.
Tsuyohana narrowed her eyes, but her smile never faded. She was ready. "You'll regret this," she hissed, her hand shooting forward to summon a barrier of Ōtsutsuki chakra—a glowing, dark shield that rippled like liquid darkness. It pulsed with malevolent energy, ready to deflect their assault.
But Sakuya's smile was grim, knowing exactly how to strike. The Ketsuryugan in his eyes focused on her, reading her every movement, her every chakra pulse. With a snap of his fingers, his shadow clones began to shift positions, redirecting the flow of energy around them.
"Not so fast," Sakuya murmured, his voice laced with a deadly calm. His hand shot out, and in an instant, a burst of lightning chakra crackled across the battlefield. The jutsu—a lightning-enhanced wind palm strike—was fired at the Ōtsutsuki's shield, forcing her to divert her attention to the incoming assault.
Boruto seized the opportunity. With a twist of his body, he launched himself toward Tsuyohana, his chakra-infused kunai drawn and poised for attack. The tension in the air thickened, like the prelude to a storm.
"Karma…!" Boruto shouted, channeling the power of the Karma Seal that had begun to consume him. His eyes glowed with the intense, pulsing energy, and in that moment, the swirling vortex of his Karma began to manifest, like a second layer of defense.
In that split second, Tsuyohana's shield flickered, the Ōtsutsuki's concentration wavering just enough for Boruto to exploit. With a surge of raw energy, he thrust the kunai forward, crashing against the barrier in a brutal, vicious strike that splintered the darkness, causing the shield to crack and fade.
But just as Boruto's weapon found its mark, Tsuyohana retaliated, her chakra-infused hand swiping through the air like a blade. "Fools," she hissed, her voice almost lyrical, as though she found this entire exchange amusing. Her hand lashed forward at Boruto, attempting to intercept him with a brutal counterattack, but—
Sakuya wasn't finished. In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Tsuyohana, his Kenjutsu technique glowing in his hand. The edge of his katana flashed like lightning, the steel cutting through the air at a blinding speed.
"Hah!" Sakuya roared, unleashing a devastating Kenjutsu slash aimed directly at her back. The blade hummed with the power of his chakra, the very air bending and warping with the sheer force of his strike.
Tsuyohana's eyes widened for a moment, but her smile never faltered. She spun around just in time, deflecting the attack with a chakra-infused palm, her body shifting with the unnatural grace of the Ōtsutsuki. The clash of energy sent a shockwave through the battlefield, sending both Sakuya and Boruto tumbling backward.
They landed with swift grace, regaining their footing immediately. Their eyes locked on Tsuyohana, each of them breathing heavily, but both still standing—resolute. The moment had arrived.
"You'll never defeat me," Tsuyohana sneered, her eyes glinting with malice. "I am beyond your reach."
Sakuya took a step forward, his face determined. "Maybe… but you're not invincible."
And in that instant, the Ōtsutsuki's grip on the battle began to falter. Boruto's Karma Seal flared one last time, and Sakuya's Ketsuryugan pulsed with malevolent power. Together, they would finish this—together, they would end the war.
But Tsuyohana's eyes narrowed. "We'll see about that."
The clash was far from over. It was just beginning.
The battle raged on, the remnants of dust and smoke swirling in the air as Boruto and Sakuya stood side by side, bruised and bloodied. Their bodies ached from the endless exchanges, their chakra reserves nearly depleted. Yet, their determination burned brighter than ever. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the ground beneath their feet cracked from the sheer force of the conflict.
"Boruto...," Sakuya panted, his voice hoarse. "We need to end this now... Or we won't make it out alive."
Boruto glanced at his cousin, sweat dripping down his brow, his breath shallow and labored. He could see the strain on Sakuya's face, the same exhaustion creeping into his own limbs. Despite it all, there was a fire within them that refused to go out.
"You're right," Boruto said, his voice tight with resolve. "We can't let her get the upper hand."
Across from them, Tsuyohana stood, a sinister grin stretching across her face. Her eyes gleamed with malice, and the air around her seemed to pulse with dark energy. She had been toying with them, enjoying every moment of their struggle. Her strength, amplified by the Ōtsutsuki powers, was overwhelming, and she knew it.
With a sharp exhale, Tsuyohana raised her hand, the chakra swirling violently around her like a storm. "You think you've fought enough?" she taunted, her voice dripping with amusement. "You're nothing but insects beneath my boot. I'll crush you, and then the world will be mine."
"Not... gonna happen," Sakuya growled, clenching his fists, even though he could barely keep his footing.
But Tsuyohana's grin only widened. "I've had enough of this."
In an instant, she disappeared in a flash of movement, reappearing right in front of them. Her hand shot out, her fingers crackling with an ominous energy, her eyes locked onto the exhausted pair. Boruto and Sakuya barely had time to react before Tsuyohana unleashed her Final Impact, a devastating technique that tore through the air with the force of a meteor crashing down.
"Move!" Boruto shouted, his eyes wide with panic. But Tsuyohana was too fast.
The ground trembled as her chakra-infused palm collided with the air itself, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. Boruto barely managed to dodge to the side, but the force still sent him sprawling, his body slamming into the dirt with a sickening thud.
Sakuya, his vision blurred from the impact of the attack earlier, struggled to rise. He was already on the edge, his body screaming for rest, but he refused to give in. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to his knees, just in time to see Tsuyohana's final blow coming down on them.
"No...!" Sakuya muttered through gritted teeth. "We... can't... lose."
With every ounce of strength he could muster, Sakuya summoned a surge of chakra. His Ketsuryūgan flared, his bloodline power amplifying his senses and his physical capabilities to the max. Lightning coursed through his veins as he dashed toward Tsuyohana, his sword drawn and ready.
"Wind Style: Gale Palm!" Boruto yelled, his own technique combining wind and lightning to propel himself back into the fray.
Sakuya was right behind him, his movements a blur as he slashed at Tsuyohana's defenses. But Tsuyohana was too quick, using her amplified chakra to block the strike, sending them both flying backward with a violent crack that echoed through the air.
As they landed, Boruto's mind raced with memories of everything he'd been through. Of Naruto's teachings. Of his father's sacrifices. Of the battles he'd faced before, each one shaping him into the shinobi he was today.
"Boruto!" Sakuya shouted, trying to shake the haze from his head. "Focus! We can't give up now!"
Boruto nodded, the words cutting through the fog of exhaustion that clouded his mind. He pushed himself back to his feet, his stance shaky but determined. "We fight together. No matter what."
Tsuyohana was still standing, eyes glowing with malicious anticipation. "You're persistent, I'll give you that. But this ends now."
A ball of black chakra began to form in her hands, growing larger by the second. "Say goodbye, Boruto Uzumaki... Sakuya Hirose. The world is mine to control."
"No." Sakuya's voice was steady, his gaze unwavering as he took a step forward. "It's not over yet."
Boruto's body pulsed with an unfamiliar warmth, his chakra surging back to life as the words echoed in his mind. "We're not finished. We fight until the end."
With a battle cry, Boruto surged forward, combining his Rasengan with Sakuya's lightning-charged blade. Together, they attacked with everything they had. Tsuyohana's technique collided with their combined force, the explosion of energy sending a shockwave that flattened the area around them.
For a moment, everything was still.
Then, as the dust settled, the sound of heavy breathing filled the air. Tsuyohana's figure was barely visible through the smoke, but it was clear she was severely wounded. Her once confident posture had faltered, and a deep gash ran across her side.
Boruto and Sakuya stood, both of them drenched in sweat and blood, their faces grim.
"We did it..." Boruto whispered, his voice ragged.
"Not yet," Sakuya said quietly, his gaze never leaving Tsuyohana. "She's not finished. But we have a chance now. This is our moment."
And with that, they charged once more, their final strike aimed directly at Tsuyohana's heart, determined to end the battle and protect their loved ones from the forces of darkness once and for all.
The air was thick with tension. A storm of chakra raged around them, the sky crackling with raw power. Boruto and Sakuya stood side by side, bloodied, battered, but unwavering. Their bodies screamed for rest, their limbs heavy with exhaustion, but there was no time for weakness. Not now. Not with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
The sound of heavy breathing filled the air, echoing through the silence that had descended over the battlefield. Tsuyohana, her form still standing defiantly, her chakra swirling violently around her, glared at them with a sadistic grin. Her body was covered in wounds, her once pristine armor torn and scorched, but she showed no sign of backing down.
"You... think this is over?" Tsuyohana's voice was a cold, mocking laugh. "You should have learned by now, little shinobi. You cannot defeat me. I am the future. I am the power of the Ōtsutsuki!"
Boruto's eyes were narrowed, his fists clenched tightly. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins, every fiber of his being screaming that this moment was the one they had been waiting for.
"Not if we have anything to say about it," Boruto said, his voice hoarse, but filled with conviction. "We've come this far, and we're not stopping now!"
Sakuya, standing beside him, gave a silent nod. His Ketsuryūgan gleamed in the dimming light, its blood-red glow shimmering with intensity. "This is it," he murmured, his voice steady despite the pain that wracked his body. "It's now or never."
They both knew the truth. Tsuyohana had underestimated them—time and time again—but now, they could feel it. The moment was upon them. They couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. This was the final clash, the ultimate test. Victory or defeat.
Tsuyohana's grin widened, her chakra expanding violently, creating ripples in the air. "Foolish children," she hissed, her eyes burning with hatred. "You think you can beat me in your weakened state? You cannot comprehend the power I hold. I will wipe you from this world, and no one will stand in my way."
A dark cloud of chakra gathered above her, swirling with a menacing force. Her body was consumed by the overwhelming energy, and Boruto could feel the pressure building, a weight that threatened to crush him under its intensity.
But Boruto refused to be overwhelmed. He felt Sakuya's presence beside him—his cousin, his ally—together they were stronger than anything Tsuyohana could throw at them.
"Let's end this," Boruto said with finality, turning to Sakuya.
Sakuya's gaze locked with his, and the connection between them was instant. They were in perfect sync. With a single, unspoken command, they moved.
Sakuya surged forward first, his body cloaked in the lightning-charged aura of his Kenjutsu, the speed and power of his strikes amplified by his Ketsuryūgan. He dashed through the air, his sword slicing through the wind with devastating precision, aiming directly for Tsuyohana's chest.
"Raijin's Wrath!" Sakuya roared, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
In response, Tsuyohana flung her arm forward, a massive wave of black chakra surging from her palm. The collision between her dark energy and Sakuya's lightning-infused attack created a shockwave so powerful that it split the ground beneath them, sending debris flying in every direction.
Boruto, his hand already forming seals, focused every ounce of his remaining chakra into his next move. He wasn't going to let Sakuya fight alone. With a yell, he launched himself into the fray.
"Rasengan..." Boruto began, the familiar, swirling sphere of energy forming in his palm, "—Double Rotation!"
The Rasengan was now imbued with his lightning chakra, spinning faster and more intensely than ever before. He flung the massive sphere toward Tsuyohana, the force of it creating a whirlpool of energy that ripped through the air. The impact was catastrophic—lightning and wind fused together as the Rasengan surged forward, aiming to annihilate Tsuyohana's defenses.
The explosion of chakra was deafening, a roar that shook the earth beneath them. For a moment, there was nothing but blinding light and chaos, the battlefield consumed by the sheer magnitude of their combined attack.
Then, the dust began to clear, and there, standing amidst the wreckage, Tsuyohana appeared—her body smoking, blood dripping from multiple wounds. Her eyes glowed with an eerie intensity, and the smile never left her face.
"Impressive," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "But it's too late. You cannot stop me."
But something had shifted. The power radiating from Tsuyohana was faltering, her stance weakened. The weight of the damage she had sustained was beginning to take its toll. Her confidence wavered, ever so slightly.
Boruto's heart raced as he stepped forward, the last vestiges of his chakra pushing him to his limits. He knew what they had to do. One last strike, and it would all be over.
"We've got one shot," Boruto said, his voice strained but resolute. "Sakuya, now!"
Sakuya nodded, his eyes narrowed in concentration. In a single, fluid motion, he sheathed his blade and then, in an explosive burst of speed, he drew it again, the sword glowing with his final reserves of chakra.
"Kage no Tora!" Sakuya shouted.
With a roar, Sakuya slashed through the air, the blade cutting through the fabric of space itself, a slice of raw energy that aimed directly at Tsuyohana's core.
In the same moment, Boruto charged forward, his own Rasengan revived in his hand, the energy swirling around him in a cyclone of power.
"Tornado Rasengan!" Boruto yelled, unleashing the attack with all his might.
The two attacks collided simultaneously with Tsuyohana. Her shriek of pain and disbelief echoed through the battlefield as she tried to summon her last vestiges of power to counter, but it was too late. The combined force of their attacks overwhelmed her, consuming her in a blinding explosion of chakra.
The explosion shook the earth, the shockwave rippling through the air, and for a moment, everything was silent.
When the dust cleared, Tsuyohana was gone—nothing but a crater remained where she once stood.
Boruto and Sakuya stood, their bodies trembling with exhaustion, but their eyes were focused. The battle was over. They had won.
Sakuya breathed out slowly, his sword falling to his side. "We did it... it's finally over."
Boruto smiled, his voice barely a whisper. "Yeah... we did."
But deep down, both knew the fight wasn't just about defeating Tsuyohana. It was about more than that—about standing together, about pushing past every limit, and about protecting everything they held dear.
And as the dust settled around them, the two of them stood together, victorious but forever changed by the battles they had fought. The storm had passed, but the journey was far from over.
The silence was deafening. The battlefield lay in ruins, the echoes of the explosive clash still lingering in the air like an ominous hum. Tsuyohana's body was crumpled on the ground, scorched, bloodied, and seemingly defeated. Her once-pristine appearance had been reduced to something unrecognizable—her armor shattered, her skin bruised and battered.
But then, a low, guttural chuckle rose from the wreckage.
It was slow at first, a rasping, almost broken sound, but it quickly grew in volume, in strength. Tsuyohana's body twitched, her fingers curling into the dirt as she began to push herself up. Her breathing was shallow, each gasp coming with a sharp wince of pain, yet her eyes, those piercing golden orbs, remained locked on her enemies—unbroken, unyielding.
Boruto and Sakuya stood side by side, exhaustion etched across their faces, their chakra reserves dangerously low. The power they had just unleashed had taken everything they had, and yet, it wasn't enough.
"She's not finished," Boruto muttered, his voice trembling. His body protested with every movement, his legs threatening to give way, but his resolve was stronger than ever. "She's still alive…"
Sakuya's face was grim as he staggered forward, his Ketsuryūgan flickering weakly, but his gaze never left Tsuyohana. "We've got to finish this now, Boruto. If she's still breathing, she'll come back for us—stronger than before."
But something was wrong. Tsuyohana was... changing.
As she rose to her feet, her form began to twist, her once-beautiful features distorting in a grotesque display of power. Her body stretched and pulsed with a divine energy, one that sent tremors through the ground itself. Her chakra exploded outward, the force so intense that it seemed to warp the very air around her.
"No..." Tsuyohana's voice was low, filled with an almost reverent desperation. "This... is my ascension."
Boruto's eyes widened. "What the hell is she doing now?"
Sakuya, his breath ragged, his vision narrowing, understood the terrifying implications. "She's tapping into something beyond the Ōtsutsuki. This power... it's not just chakra. It's a divine force."
Tsuyohana's body arched unnaturally, her skin cracking like dry earth, revealing streams of glowing energy beneath. Her hair whipped around her, turning from golden to a silver-white glow that radiated a piercing light. She muttered something under her breath, an ancient incantation, and with every word, the air grew heavier, suffused with an almost unearthly resonance.
"Naraka... Shinrin... Kuon..." The words flowed from her mouth like a chant of forbidden power.
Suddenly, Tsuyohana's back arched as her body surged upward. A massive, divine aura enveloped her, her chakra flaring so brightly that it illuminated the entire battlefield. The ground cracked beneath her feet, the very air distorting as she was lifted off the ground, her body suspended in a grotesque, yet beautiful transformation.
Her eyes glowed like twin suns—golden and burning with an overwhelming energy. The air around her vibrated with a divine hum, a sound that sent chills down the spine of even the most hardened warriors. Her limbs elongated, and her body seemed to warp, growing more ethereal, more otherworldly by the second.
Boruto took an unsteady step back, his heart racing. "What is this...?"
"This isn't just an Ōtsutsuki transformation," Sakuya said, his voice tinged with awe and fear. "She's ascending into something... divine. This isn't just power—it's a new form of existence."
Tsuyohana's grotesque transformation reached its apex. Her body now radiated an aura of impossible energy, a combination of divine light and dark chakra that sent waves of pressure crashing down around them. Her hands, once delicate, were now monstrous claws, each digit tipped with pure, gleaming chakra. Her face had become a mask of divine fury, a deity that had shed all remnants of humanity.
The sky above seemed to ripple and crack, as though it could no longer contain the force she was emitting. Her power was so overwhelming that it was bending the laws of nature itself. The ground beneath her feet crumbled and disintegrated into nothingness.
"You fools..." Tsuyohana's voice was no longer human—it had taken on a monstrous, divine quality. "Do you still think you can stand against me? I am no longer bound by the constraints of this world. I am the goddess of a new dawn."
Boruto could feel the weight of her power bearing down on him, crushing him with an invisible force. Every breath felt like a battle, his limbs trembling under the sheer pressure of her presence.
His voice was hoarse, filled with determination. "We've... got to end this, now!"
Sakuya, his Ketsuryūgan blazing fiercely, growled under his breath. "We don't have a choice. If we don't stop her now... everyone is finished."
With no more words needed between them, they charged forward.
Sakuya moved like lightning, his body enveloped in a veil of red chakra as he unleashed his Kenjutsu technique, his blade slicing through the air with incredible speed and power. But Tsuyohana's form was no longer a mere target. She moved with an unnatural, almost fluid grace, her divine aura warping around her as she easily dodged Sakuya's attack.
"You think your sword can pierce me?" Tsuyohana mocked, her laughter resonating in their very bones. Her arms raised, and her claws swiped downward with terrifying precision.
Boruto followed Sakuya's lead, summoning all the chakra he had left into his hand, forming his Double Rotation Rasengan. His entire body screamed in protest, but he didn't hesitate, hurling the massive sphere of energy at Tsuyohana.
"Take this!" Boruto shouted, his voice cutting through the tension.
But Tsuyohana smirked, her clawed hand outstretched, and she absorbed the Rasengan with ease, her form warping and shifting around it like it was nothing more than an insignificant detail.
"You are nothing compared to me now." Her voice was laced with madness. "You will learn your place, and you will bow before the goddess."
The energy around her began to compress, converging into a massive sphere of divine, destructive power.
Boruto and Sakuya shared a look. They knew what was coming, and they knew that this was their final stand.
"This is it," Boruto said quietly, determination etched in every line of his face. "Let's give it everything we have left."
The sky above them trembled as Tsuyohana's divine energy surged one final time, her transformation complete. The world was about to witness the birth of a new god, and Boruto and Sakuya would stand in her way—no matter the cost.
The air was thick with tension, the battlefield shuddering beneath the weight of Tsuyohana's transformed power. As Sakuya and Boruto stood their ground, preparing for the final assault against the divine force that loomed before them, something—something strange—began to stir within Boruto. His vision blurred for a fraction of a second, and suddenly, he found himself in a different place altogether.
It wasn't a physical place, but a space within his mind—a dark void, void of all sound, but not devoid of presence. His breathing slowed, and his heart skipped a beat as a figure materialized in front of him, surrounded by the oppressive darkness.
"You're... not real, are you?" Boruto whispered, his voice trembling. The figure was unmistakable.
Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki stood before him, his ethereal form towering and seemingly boundless in the vastness of the vision. His eyes glowed with the same otherworldly light that Boruto had inherited, his piercing gaze cutting through the void with intensity. The air around them crackled with a latent, oppressive force—the same one that Boruto had felt coursing through his veins ever since the mark of the Karma had appeared.
"Real?" Momoshiki's voice echoed in the void, a mix of amusement and something darker, more ancient. "What is real, Boruto? Is it not just perception? Your reality, my reality—do they not blend in the end, as one?"
Boruto took a step back, his pulse pounding. "What do you want from me, Momoshiki? You tried to take me over before, and now you want... what? To merge with me?"
Momoshiki's eyes softened just slightly—an odd sight for the intimidating, godlike figure who had once sought to control Boruto's body. "Merge? No. I offer you something different. I offer you... redemption, Boruto Uzumaki."
The words caught Boruto off guard. Redemption? What was Momoshiki talking about? The very thought seemed absurd.
"Redemption?" Boruto repeated, narrowing his eyes. "You—you're the one who put this curse on me in the first place! You—" He stopped himself, his voice faltering as the weight of Momoshiki's presence settled even heavier on his shoulders.
Momoshiki's gaze became piercing, deeper, as though reading Boruto's every thought. "Yes, I gave you Karma. Yes, I took everything from you—my purpose was to use you. But now I offer you something else. Forgiveness. Freedom. Choose, Boruto. Become one with me, and in return, I will let you stay human. You will live as you are now—no longer a vessel for the Ōtsutsuki. No longer bound by fate."
Boruto's heart raced. Momoshiki's words were far from what he had ever expected. To be freed from the endless cycle of Karma, to remain himself... But at what cost?
"What's the catch?" Boruto asked warily, his voice barely above a whisper. "You want to give me... your power. But there's always a price, isn't there?"
Momoshiki nodded, his calm demeanor unshaken. "Indeed. You will carry my mark, my essence, forever. The Jōgan—the power that connects us—will never leave you. But you will not be its slave. You will be free to shape your own destiny. The Karma will no longer seek to consume you, and the Jōgan will be yours to command, not the other way around. You will live as a human... but part of me will remain."
Boruto's mind raced as he processed the implications. The Jōgan—the very eye he had been born with, passed down by Toneri Ōtsutsuki—was now something he would have to live with forever. The idea that it could disappear after his death seemed like an impossible hope. It was the very thing that connected him to a power he didn't fully understand.
"But I'm... not ready for this," Boruto said, clenching his fists. "What happens when I die? Will it—"
Momoshiki's expression was unreadable, but his eyes flickered with an understanding that startled Boruto. "When you die, the Jōgan will dissipate... but it will remain your gift to wield. It will live with you until your final moments. I won't control you anymore, Boruto. I will trust you."
The word "trust" echoed in Boruto's mind, reverberating with more weight than he had ever imagined. Trust? From someone like Momoshiki? The Ōtsutsuki who had sought to control his body, his very existence, was now offering him a chance to shape his own future?
But there was a strange pull in Boruto's chest. He remembered his father, Naruto's relentless battle to protect the village. He thought of his mother, Hinata, her kindness and strength that had always been his guiding light. He thought of Sasuke and Sarada, Mitsuki... everyone who had ever supported him, believed in him. Their voices echoed through his thoughts, filling him with a sense of purpose.
"This is my choice," Boruto muttered, as his fist tightened. "I'm not doing this for you, Momoshiki. I'm doing this for me. For everyone I care about."
A wry smile touched Momoshiki's lips. "I never expected anything else. Now, the decision is yours, Boruto Uzumaki. Merge with me... and we shall forge a new path, together. Or fight me, and perish like all those before you."
Boruto's mind was racing. The power of the Jōgan, his link to the Ōtsutsuki... But at what cost? Could he carry that burden? Could he control it? Could he continue to live as a human, even with the remnants of the Ōtsutsuki inside him?
Suddenly, it hit him.
His eyes met Momoshiki's. "I will accept your offer."
Momoshiki's expression was unreadable for a long moment. But then, in a slow, deliberate motion, the Ōtsutsuki's form flickered, and a wave of energy began to envelop Boruto. The dark void began to crack, and from within the cracks, light spilled in, as if the fabric of reality itself was being altered.
"Then, this is the beginning," Momoshiki murmured. His form shifted, becoming one with Boruto's, an overwhelming rush of energy flooding through him. "Live, Boruto Uzumaki. Live for yourself."
Boruto's body shook as the power surged through him, the light of the Jōgan flickering brightly in his eyes. He could feel Momoshiki's essence melding with him—his chakra, his memories, everything. But this time, it wasn't a violent takeover. It was a fusion.
For a moment, everything seemed to stop.
Then, Boruto opened his eyes.
He was still himself. He was still human.
But the power... the divine energy that had once threatened to consume him was now his to wield. His eyes glowed with a new light, a light that spoke of understanding, of control. And, deep within his chest, he felt the remnants of Momoshiki—his presence, but not his control.
Boruto grinned through the overwhelming force of power now coursing through him. "I can do this."
The world around him came back into focus, the battlefield and Tsuyohana still in front of him.
Sakuya, still standing beside him, looked at him with surprise and awe. "Boruto... You—"
Boruto's expression hardened, his gaze locked onto Tsuyohana, who stood in her grotesque, divine form. "Now it's time to end this."
Tsuyohana, still filled with arrogance and divine fury, narrowed her eyes, sensing the change in Boruto.
"So… this is what you've become?" she sneered. "Then come, little human. Let's see if you can handle this power."
Boruto stood tall, his chakra flaring as the Jōgan burned brightly in his eyes. "I'm not a little human anymore. And I'm done letting anyone control me."
With that, Boruto launched himself forward, the power of the Jōgan and Momoshiki's essence surging through him, and the final battle for humanity's future began.
The battlefield trembled as the three titans stood poised, their powers crackling in the air like a storm waiting to break. The ground beneath their feet was scorched, shattered by the sheer force of their presence. Tsuyohana, now transformed into something grotesque and divine, stood at the center, a living embodiment of destruction. Her eyes glowed with an overwhelming power, her aura rippling with pure, otherworldly energy.
On the opposite side, Boruto and Sakuya stood shoulder to shoulder, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from their faces. The battle had already pushed them to their limits, but now, with the power of the Jōgan burning brightly in Boruto's eyes and Sakuya's resolve hardening, there was no turning back.
"This is it, Boruto, Sakuya. This is where it ends." Tsuyohana's voice echoed across the battlefield, reverberating like a war drum. "I will tear you both apart, piece by piece."
Boruto's eyes glowed a fierce blue, his breathing steady as he adjusted his stance, chakra pulsing through his body. He could feel the lingering power of Momoshiki inside him, lending him strength, but it was his own will—his own drive—that kept him focused. Beside him, Sakuya flexed his fingers, his body crackling with intense chakra as he readied himself for what was to come.
"We're not done yet, Tsuyohana." Boruto's voice rang out, unwavering. "We're going to end this, together."
Sakuya gave a quiet nod. His eyes gleamed with determination, his expression grim but resolute. "This ends now."
The silence between them stretched for only a heartbeat before it was shattered.
In an instant, Boruto and Sakuya surged forward, their combined speed a blur, moving as one. Tsuyohana's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but that was all the time they needed. Boruto's right hand erupted with glowing chakra, and he shot forward like a bullet, the force of his movement creating a shockwave that sent the air around them distorting. He swung his fist, aiming for Tsuyohana's head, but she swiftly sidestepped, her divine form moving like liquid.
"Too slow." Tsuyohana sneered, her voice low and venomous as she lifted her hand and unleashed a devastating blast of energy. A massive wave of raw, destructive power shot toward them like a comet, but Sakuya was already there, his shadows spiraling around him like an impenetrable shield. The blast collided with the shadows, creating an explosion that rocked the earth, dust and debris flying in every direction.
Sakuya gritted his teeth, his face strained with effort. "Don't think you can take us down so easily."
Boruto reappeared from the dust, eyes blazing with determination. "I'm not done yet!" His form was a blur, his movements powered by the Jōgan and the surge of energy coursing through his body. He darted behind Tsuyohana, appearing behind her with a speed that took even her by surprise. His fist was aimed directly at her back.
But Tsuyohana reacted almost immediately, her aura flaring, and she twisted around in a fluid motion, grabbing Boruto's arm mid-strike. Her grip was like iron, and with a powerful shove, she sent him crashing into the ground, the impact creating a crater. The earth cracked beneath him as he bounced across the rocky surface, groaning in pain.
"You think you can defeat me with that?" Tsuyohana's voice was mocking, but Boruto's eyes never wavered. He slammed his hand into the ground, pushing himself back up in a single fluid motion. His chakra surged, the Jōgan flaring with intensity as he shot forward again, this time with a new level of power.
"You're underestimating us, Tsuyohana!" Boruto yelled.
Sakuya appeared by his side, his shadow clones multiplying in an instant, filling the battlefield with multiple copies of him. Each clone attacked from a different angle, creating a barrage of strikes that Tsuyohana could barely keep up with. But Tsuyohana's divine form only grew stronger in response, her body shifting and warping with the power that surged from her very core.
"Pathetic." Tsuyohana's voice was cold and biting as she flicked her wrist, sending the clones flying with a single, fluid motion. The sheer force of her strike shattered Sakuya's clones into nothingness, leaving only the real Sakuya standing. "You really think you can defeat me, with all your tricks and little puppets?"
Boruto's breath was ragged as he recovered from his last attack. He could feel the exhaustion setting in, the toll the battle had taken on his body, but his willpower burned brighter than ever. "We're not backing down."
He and Sakuya dashed forward again, this time their movements more synchronized, more fluid. Boruto's hand flared with energy, while Sakuya's shadows danced around him, forming into sharp tendrils. They moved in perfect unison, Boruto's chakra-infused punches and kicks landing with brutal force as Sakuya's shadows lashed out, binding Tsuyohana's movements.
"Die already!" Tsuyohana's eyes blazed with fury as she summoned a massive orb of energy, one that crackled with the power of the cosmos. She hurled it toward them with an impossible speed, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The orb's presence was overwhelming, its destructive potential far beyond anything they had faced before.
"This is it, Boruto!" Sakuya shouted, his eyes wide with shock.
Boruto's heart pounded in his chest, the power surging through his veins. His vision narrowed, the Jōgan sharpening everything around him. Time seemed to slow as he focused. He could feel the overwhelming pressure of Tsuyohana's final attack, but he wasn't afraid. Not anymore. With a fierce roar, Boruto slammed his fist into the ground, unleashing a surge of chakra so intense that it split the earth in two.
"You're not the only one with god-like power, Tsuyohana!" Boruto's voice rang out, a defiant challenge as he harnessed the energy of his Jōgan and Momoshiki's power. The chakra that erupted from him was like a storm, overwhelming the blast with a force that sent shockwaves through the battlefield. He jumped forward, punching through the core of Tsuyohana's attack, shattering the orb into nothingness with sheer force.
Sakuya followed suit, summoning all his remaining chakra into one final, massive shadow tendril. It shot through the air like a spear, aiming straight for Tsuyohana's heart.
"We're ending this now!" Sakuya yelled as the shadow tendril collided with Tsuyohana, embedding itself deep into her divine form. Tsuyohana screamed in fury, her energy flickering and cracking like shattered glass.
For a split second, it seemed like time had stopped. The world held its breath as the collision of energies reverberated throughout the land.
Boruto's eyes glowed brightly as he landed beside Sakuya, both of them battered but unbroken. Tsuyohana, her form flickering in and out of existence, staggered back, the damage starting to take its toll. Her body was cracking, her once-magnificent aura faltering.
"You've lost, Tsuyohana." Boruto's voice was steady, but there was a fire behind his words. "It's over."
Tsuyohana's eyes narrowed, her divine fury still burning, but she was spent—her power waning. Her voice, cold and venomous, echoed through the battlefield one last time. "You think this is the end?"
But even as she spoke, her form began to collapse, unable to maintain the overwhelming power she had once wielded. With a final scream, her body disintegrated into nothingness, leaving only the scarred land where she had once stood.
Boruto and Sakuya stood in the silence that followed, their chests heaving with exhaustion. The battle had been long and grueling, but they had won. Together, they had defeated an unstoppable force. But Boruto knew this wasn't the end—not yet. The battle for the future was far from over.
But for now, they had earned their victory.
Boruto turned to Sakuya, a smirk forming on his face. "We make a pretty good team, huh?"
Sakuya, despite his exhaustion, nodded, a weary but satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Yeah. Not bad, kid. Not bad at all."
And as the dust settled, the two of them stood, ready for whatever would come next. The battle for the future was only just beginning, and Boruto was determined to see it through to the end.
The silence that followed the clash was deafening. For a brief moment, it felt as though the very world held its breath. The tumultuous forces that had been at play seemed to dissipate in an instant, and with it, the frantic chaos of the battlefield fell into an eerie stillness. Boruto and Sakuya stood at the edge of the ravaged terrain, their bodies battered, their breaths heavy and labored. Sweat dripped from their faces, mixing with the blood staining their clothes.
The sky above them, once darkened by the collision of divine and human power, now seemed to clear, the storm of battle slowly subsiding.
They both turned their gaze to the epicenter of the destruction—the place where Tsuyohana had once stood in all her grotesque, divine fury. Her form, once towering with an almost godlike presence, had begun to dissipate in the wake of their final combined assault. The divine energies that had once surrounded her now flickered, unraveling like a broken tapestry. Her body twisted, a shimmering blur of light and shadow, before it exploded outward in a burst of raw energy, sending shockwaves that rattled the very earth beneath their feet.
"She's... done for." Boruto muttered, his voice low and almost incredulous. The weight of the moment was just beginning to hit him—what they had just accomplished. Tsuyohana, the being who had seemed so invincible, was finally crumbling.
Sakuya said nothing at first. He just stared, his eyes locked on the spot where Tsuyohana had fallen. His fists were clenched, the tendrils of his shadows still pulsating around his body, as if they were unwilling to relax even after the battle had been won.
The air was thick with the aftermath of destruction. Boruto, despite the excruciating fatigue, felt a sense of accomplishment—relief, even. But there was no time to celebrate. Not yet.
"She's crashing down..." Sakuya finally spoke, his voice edged with something far darker than just fatigue. His gaze narrowed as he watched the divine being begin her descent, her form flickering as though she were losing all control. This was their final strike.
Tsuyohana's body burned with a celestial fire as she spiraled toward the earth, a falling star that could no longer maintain its godly form. Her eyes—once filled with a malevolent, almost infinite power—now flickered with the last vestiges of her existence, consumed by the devastating attack.
She crashed to the ground with a deafening impact, the earth shaking beneath her. The explosion of energy that followed sent a shockwave through the surrounding area, the force strong enough to level the terrain for miles. The debris and dust kicked up, obscuring their vision momentarily.
For a second, neither Boruto nor Sakuya could see anything but the dust cloud that swallowed the battlefield.
Then, it cleared.
There she lay. Tsuyohana's grotesque form was sprawled on the ground, her once radiant, godly aura now nothing more than a dying ember. Her body twitched spasmodically before finally going still. The last remnants of her divine energy flickered out of existence, leaving only the echo of her defeated power.
Boruto stared at the fallen figure, his breath still heavy in his chest. He couldn't help but feel a strange, hollow sensation in his gut. Tsuyohana wasn't just another foe. She had been a force of nature, a creature who had pushed them to the brink of death. And now she was nothing more than... this.
"We... we actually did it." Boruto whispered, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and exhaustion. He could hardly believe the battle was over. His legs wobbled beneath him as he struggled to stay upright, but his resolve kept him standing. He had never been through a fight like this before.
Sakuya, his expression unreadable, glanced over at Boruto. His stance was solid, despite the toll the battle had taken on him. But there was something else in his eyes now—a deep, bitter understanding that had come from facing an opponent like Tsuyohana.
"Don't let your guard down yet, Boruto." Sakuya's voice was low but firm. "The moment you think the battle's over, that's when you make your biggest mistake."
Boruto's eyes snapped to him, and for the briefest of moments, he was taken back. Sakuya's words were filled with a somber kind of wisdom. It was the kind of wisdom that only came from the harshest experiences.
Boruto let out a sharp exhale, trying to steady his breathing. "Right." He turned back to Tsuyohana's fallen form, his eyes narrowing. "But... I don't think she's getting up from that."
Sakuya didn't respond right away, but the way his eyes flickered between Boruto and Tsuyohana's form made it clear he wasn't entirely convinced. He had seen too many enemies rise from the ashes to let his guard drop too soon.
The battlefield was eerily quiet now. The cacophony of battle had died down, leaving nothing but the heavy breathing of two warriors who had pushed themselves beyond their limits. The wind swept through the ravaged terrain, kicking up dust and debris from the craters that marked the battlefield. The distant sounds of the world felt muted, as if the universe itself had paused to acknowledge the end of this war.
As Boruto walked forward, his steps slow but deliberate, he felt the weight of everything they had just endured. The pain, the exhaustion, the fear—it was all there. But it was the sense of resolve, of triumph, that kept him moving forward. He had seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and now it was within reach.
Sakuya followed him, his expression unreadable. As the two of them approached the fallen Tsuyohana, they could see that the divine being's form was slowly fading, her body deteriorating into nothingness. Her once unholy power was gone, leaving only a faint trace of the energy she had wielded.
Boruto stopped a few paces from her, his gaze fixed on the fallen foe. He had to admit—this had been unlike anything he had ever experienced. But it was over. Tsuyohana was no longer a threat.
"Is it really over?" Boruto whispered to himself, almost as if questioning the reality of the moment.
A sudden wind blew across the battlefield, swirling the dust and remnants of the fight. It was almost as though the world was letting out a collective sigh of relief.
Sakuya didn't answer, but he placed a hand on Boruto's shoulder, his touch firm and grounded. "It's over for now, Boruto. But this isn't the end of everything. Not by a long shot."
Boruto nodded, understanding the weight of Sakuya's words. The fight for the future wasn't finished. They had won this battle—but there would be more. There always would be. But for now, they had proven something: that together, they could overcome even the impossible.
And that was enough for him to keep moving forward.
"Let's go." Boruto said quietly. "We need to get back. There's still work to do."
With one last glance at Tsuyohana's fading form, the two warriors turned, stepping away from the battlefield. The echoes of their footsteps rang out in the quiet air, and for the first time in a long while, there was peace. At least for now.
The air was thick with tension, the once roaring battlefields now strangely quiet, save for the harsh sounds of Boruto and Sakuya's heavy breaths, their bodies still shaking from the intensity of the fight. The sky had cleared, but the remnants of Tsuyohana's divine energy still hung in the air like a fading storm.
It had been over. It had to be.
Yet, something lingered in the air. A sense of dread. A final, unshakable tension. Neither Boruto nor Sakuya could quite place it—something wasn't right. They both turned, eyes scanning the scene around them. The dust that still clouded the ground was now settled, the echoes of the battle dying down. But there—just beyond the cracks in the earth, just beyond the carnage—there was movement.
A form, broken and mangled, shifting through the remains of the destruction.
Tsuyohana.
Despite the ferocity of their final strike, the divine being wasn't completely gone. She was crawling, slowly, with each movement seeming to bring her closer to her end, yet unwilling to accept defeat. Her once-glowing eyes, now dulled and bloodshot, locked onto the lifeless form of Kawaki—his body lying like a marionette without its strings. Her chest heaved, bloodied and torn, and with each strained breath, she dragged herself forward.
"Kawaki…" Her voice was a raspy, guttural whisper, torn from the very depths of her anguish. The last of her power flickered as she closed the distance to the fallen warrior, her hands trembling as they reached out.
Sakuya was the first to move, his eyes narrowed, shadows flickering violently around his body. "She's not done..." His voice was cold, steady—his guard up, despite what had just happened. He wasn't taking chances.
Boruto's eyes widened. "What is she doing?" His voice was incredulous, disbelief taking over. "She can't… she can't still be alive."
But there was no denying it. Tsuyohana's form trembled as she crawled, inch by agonizing inch, across the battlefield, her gaze locked on Kawaki's motionless body. She was dragging herself through the destruction, her once-pristine skin now scarred and burnt, her form grotesque—yet there was a desperate, aching determination in her eyes.
She finally reached him.
Her hands, bloodied and shaking, wrapped around his lifeless form, pulling him close. Tsuyohana's breath hitched, and for a moment, there was a strange, haunting silence. The world seemed to pause, as if the universe itself held its breath.
Kawaki's body, still, cold, unmoving, felt impossibly heavy in her arms.
"No…" Her voice was a raw, pained rasp. "No! This can't…" She moaned, her head lowering against Kawaki's chest. She trembled, her body wracked with the agony of loss. "I won't… let him go..."
Boruto's heart thudded in his chest. He looked at the scene before him—Tsuyohana, the divine being who had nearly wiped them all out, reduced to this. She wasn't just a monster, not anymore. There was something almost human in her broken form. A trace of something that resonated deeply within Boruto, something that reached the very core of his being.
She's mourning.
Sakuya stood silent, watching her from a distance. He knew better than anyone what the feeling of loss could do to someone. But this... This was different. This wasn't just grief—it was a deep, unrelenting obsession. Tsuyohana had been consumed by something far darker than the power of an Ōtsutsuki. It was as if she was willing to rip apart the very fabric of reality to bring Kawaki back.
"You killed him." Boruto's voice cracked, the words slipping from his lips before he could stop them. He didn't know why it bothered him—he didn't know why seeing Tsuyohana like this made him feel... guilty. He had to remind himself that she was the enemy. She was the one who had caused so much destruction, who had nearly destroyed everything they had fought for.
Yet there she was, holding him, her form shattered, utterly broken. There was nothing left of the divine power that once radiated from her. All that remained was the hollow shell of a creature consumed by grief.
"It's too late for you." Sakuya's voice was icy, but there was a certain gravitas to it, like he knew something the others didn't.
Tsuyohana's head snapped up, her bloodshot eyes locking with Sakuya's. She gritted her teeth, her face twisted in a grotesque, sadistic sneer. "I'll never let him go…" She hissed, her voice now laced with venom and madness. "If it's the last thing I do, I'll pull him back from the depths of death! I'll… I'll tear apart everything… to make this right!"
"Stop!" Boruto's voice rang out, filled with a kind of urgency he hadn't known he possessed. He stepped forward, clenching his fists, his energy flaring around him. "It's over. You've lost! Kawaki's gone, and nothing you do will bring him back."
But Tsuyohana didn't seem to hear him, or perhaps she simply didn't care.
"I WILL NOT LOSE HIM AGAIN!" Her voice exploded in a raw scream, shaking the very air. Her hands clenched tighter around Kawaki's body, her power pulsing around her as her last remnants of Ōtsutsuki energy sparked and flickered.
"Why?" Boruto's question was softer this time, quieter, almost to himself. "Why are you doing this?" he whispered, his gaze torn between the enemy and the person she had become.
Sakuya, his expression as stoic as ever, stepped forward cautiously. He reached out, his shadows lashing through the air, pulling at the remnants of Tsuyohana's fading energy. "Let him go. This is over."
But Tsuyohana wasn't ready to accept the truth. She was clinging to it—clinging to him—her mind unraveling as she muttered words that no longer made sense. Words of defiance. Words of sorrow. She was consumed, heartbroken in a way that Boruto could never truly understand.
As her form crumbled further, the last of her power flickered out, her strength finally fading. Her eyes softened, her grip loosening on Kawaki's body, but she whispered once more—"I'll... bring him back... I'll... make him... whole..."
And then, the light left her eyes completely.
The battlefield was silent once more, save for the soft, distant echo of footsteps. Boruto and Sakuya stood there for a long moment, feeling the weight of what had happened, their thoughts swirling with the aftermath.
"It's over." Boruto whispered, finally understanding. Even in the face of all this, he could feel the sense of finality settling in.
And just like that, the final chapter of their fight had ended. But the cost, the toll of all that had transpired, was not so easily forgotten.
Kawaki's death had left a scar that no one could undo, and Tsuyohana, in the end, had been as much a victim as the one who had destroyed. The cycle had ended—but the wounds would remain.
The battlefield was silent.
The deafening roar of battle had long since faded into the soft whispers of the wind. The destruction left behind was nothing short of catastrophic, but now, in the aftermath, there was an eerie stillness.
Sakuya stood at the edge of the ruin, his gaze fixed on the bodies before him. The once-proud forms of Tsuyohana and Kawaki lay motionless, side by side, like two forgotten relics of a cruel war. Their final moments had been full of rage, of grief, and of defiance, but now there was nothing but the quiet weight of their defeat.
Boruto, standing beside him, was unusually quiet. His eyes flicked between the two fallen warriors, his thoughts tangled with a storm of emotions.
"It's... done." Boruto muttered, his voice distant, as if he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.
Sakuya glanced at him, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in a rare moment of expression. "You're not gonna say anything else?" His tone was lighter than usual, but it held a knowing edge.
Boruto looked at him sharply, blinking as if snapping out of a trance. "What do you mean?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "What else is there to say?"
Sakuya shrugged, turning his attention back to the bodies. "I don't know. Maybe something poetic or dramatic. Some kind of final words. This isn't exactly your usual victory, is it?"
Boruto let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, no kidding. Can't say this one feels like a win. Not with all the... stuff that went down."
Sakuya raised an eyebrow. "Stuff?"
"You know, the whole 'guy you fought for an entire arc and who probably could've killed you' kind of thing. Plus, I'm pretty sure she had a lot of issues..." Boruto trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. He looked back at the bodies, and a strange quiet sadness seemed to settle over him. "I never thought it'd end like this."
Sakuya's expression softened, though he masked it with his usual composure. "I think we all hoped for a different outcome. But sometimes, things don't go as planned."
There was a long silence as they both stared at the fallen pair, the weight of the situation sinking in. Finally, Boruto broke the silence with a sigh. "We should... do this right. For them."
Sakuya didn't say a word, but he nodded. Together, the two moved to gather the bodies, preparing to lay them to rest.
The sun was setting as the two stood before a small mound beneath the tree. It was quiet here, peaceful, a place where the chaos of battle seemed a distant memory. A place to bury the past.
Kawaki's body was laid down gently beside Tsuyohana's. They were both wrapped in simple cloth, their features peaceful for the first time in what felt like forever. As the dirt was piled atop them, a feeling of closure began to wash over Boruto, despite the strange, heavy ache in his chest.
"I don't know if this is the right thing to do..." Boruto muttered, his voice low as he knelt next to the grave. "I just… don't get it. We won, but it doesn't feel like a victory. They were enemies, but in the end, they weren't much different from us."
Sakuya, who had been standing beside him, looked down at the grave before glancing at Boruto. "Sometimes, it's not about the enemy. It's about what you do after." He said it as though it were an axiom he'd known for years, a distant truth that made perfect sense in that moment.
Boruto let out a sigh, staring at the freshly covered grave. "Yeah, I guess."
...
(To Be Continued..)