The desert was quiet after the storm, the sand cool under the fading moonlight. Shattered glass dunes sparkled where lightning had struck, remnants of a battle that felt like a warning of the war to come.
Team Boruto sat around a small campfire outside the Hidden Sand's walls, the embers crackling softly in the calm night.
Boruto chewed on a rice ball, the bandage on his shoulder peeking under his jacket. "You know," he said, his mouth full, "I hate that guy."
Sarada rolled her eyes, poking the fire with a stick. "You hate everyone who gets away."
Boruto scowled. "Well, yeah! He shows up, talks all high and mighty, and then disappears like smoke."
Ryo sat quietly, the mark on his wrist pulsing with a soft glow, his gaze distant as he replayed Kuro's words:
"Join me…"
"You will stand in the way of true peace…"
Boruto noticed the look, frowning. "Hey, Ryo. You okay?"
Ryo looked up, blinking as if waking from a dream. "Yeah… just tired."
Boruto smirked, tossing him another rice ball. "Eat. You'll need it for when we beat that mask creep next time."
Sarada sighed, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "He's right. We're in this together."
Ryo hesitated before nodding, the warmth in his chest stronger than the cold fear creeping into the corners of his mind.
---
Council with Gaara
The next morning, Team Boruto stood in Gaara's office, the Kazekage's pale green eyes studying them silently as the reports were laid out before him.
"Your actions last night prevented a disaster," Gaara said, his quiet voice carrying weight. "We owe you gratitude."
Boruto scratched the back of his head. "Aw, it was nothing."
Sarada elbowed him, bowing. "We are honored to have assisted, Lord Kazekage."
Gaara's gaze lingered on Ryo. "Your connection to the storm… it is dangerous, but it is also a hope we cannot ignore."
Ryo's eyes widened. "Hope?"
Gaara nodded. "When I was young, I believed I was only a weapon. That I could only bring pain." His gaze softened, memories shadowing his eyes. "It was Naruto who showed me that we can choose to protect, even if we carry the power to destroy."
The room was silent, the words sinking into Ryo's heart.
"You have that choice too, Ryo," Gaara said. "You can choose to protect."
Ryo looked down at his wrist, the mark glowing softly. He clenched his fist, feeling the warmth of the Will of Fire rising within him.
"I will," he said quietly.
Gaara nodded once, a faint, rare smile touching his lips.
---
Boruto and Ryo: Bonds Forged in Fire
After the meeting, Boruto dragged Ryo to the outskirts of the village, away from the patrols and eyes, to a rocky outcrop overlooking the dunes.
"Why did you bring me here?" Ryo asked, puzzled.
Boruto grinned, pulling out kunai. "Training."
Ryo blinked. "Now?"
"Yup," Boruto said, spinning the kunai in his fingers. "You've been too tense. If you're gonna fight Kuro again, you can't freeze up."
Ryo frowned. "I didn't freeze."
Boruto's grin widened. "You almost did."
Ryo sighed, but he couldn't hide the small smirk tugging at his lips as he drew his own kunai.
They sparred under the rising sun, kunai clashing, sand kicking up around them, laughter mixing with the ringing of steel.
Ryo felt his doubts easing, the heaviness in his chest lifting with every strike and dodge.
Finally, they collapsed onto the sand, panting, the sky above them a brilliant blue.
Boruto stared at the sky, his Jougan fading. "You know, my dad always says the world's worth protecting, even if it's a pain."
Ryo turned his head, looking at Boruto. "Even if it hurts?"
Boruto grinned, turning to face him. "Especially if it hurts."
For a moment, Ryo let out a small laugh, the sound surprising even himself.
---
Kuro's Next Move
Far away, in the hidden cavern where the Chakra Resonance Core pulsed like a heartbeat, Kuro stood before a large map, red markers indicating chakra storm locations spreading like a spider's web across the nations.
Aika stood beside him, her pale eyes scanning the storm data.
"You let them win again," she said quietly.
Kuro's masked face turned toward her. "It wasn't time."
Aika's eyes narrowed. "And when will it be time?"
Kuro's hand rested on the Resonance Core, the fragments swirling violently within.
"When Ryo is ready," Kuro replied. "The storms are only the beginning. The true test will come when the nations turn on each other."
Aika raised an eyebrow. "You intend to break the Five Nations' alliance."
Kuro nodded slowly. "Only then will the world see that their leaders are incapable of true peace. And only then will Ryo see the truth."
Outside the cavern, clouds gathered, thunder rolling in the distance.
---
A Promise to Protect
That night, as Team Boruto prepared to leave the Hidden Sand, Ryo stood on a balcony, watching the desert stars.
Sarada joined him, her Sharingan fading as she deactivated it after a long day of patrol reports.
"You're thinking again," she said.
Ryo nodded. "Kuro… he's planning something bigger."
Sarada folded her arms. "We'll stop him."
Ryo looked at her, the uncertainty in his eyes clear. "What if I'm not strong enough?"
Sarada's eyes softened, a rare vulnerability in her calm demeanor. "Then we'll be strong enough together."
Ryo looked away, blinking rapidly. "Thank you."
Sarada smirked. "Don't mention it."
Behind them, Boruto appeared, a grin on his face. "Come on, you two! Let's get some sleep before we head back to Konoha."
As they left, Ryo looked back at the desert sky, the mark on his wrist pulsing in rhythm with the stars.
"I will protect this world," he whispered.
And he meant it.