"How is this possible? He's so powerful that I can't even detect his movements..."
Uchiha Shin was embedded in the boulder, unwillingness flashing in his eyes.
Thud!
With a heavy crash, he struggled free from the boulder and fell to the ground.
After being hit by the Rasengan, he vomited blood, his body clearly suffering from serious injuries.
"Damn it! I can't move my body…" Shin panted heavily.
Sasuke looked at the two before him—both immobilized—but didn't relax his guard.
He quickly stepped forward to check on the younger Shin lying on the ground. After confirming that he was no longer in danger, Sasuke turned his gaze to the older Uchiha Shin in the distance.
"Sarada, did you just say that this young man is also called Uchiha Shin?" Sasuke asked deeply.
"Yes, Dad. He also called himself Shin when he attacked us before. I didn't expect this person to also be called Uchiha Shin," Sarada replied.
"Same name… could it be a clone? Orochimaru?" Sasuke frowned.
"That's right, Sasuke. These two people must have a strong connection to Orochimaru," Naruto added.
"No matter what, we'll bring them back to the village for interrogation first." Sasuke decided, walking toward Uchiha Shin.
Meanwhile, Naruto formed a giant golden chakra hand and grabbed the younger Shin firmly.
"This Mangekyō Sharingan is such a waste. He has so many of them but can't even use Susanoo. With this level of strength, he's not even worthy of reviving Akatsuki."
Boruto looked at the fallen Uchiha Shin, who couldn't move after being hit by Naruto's ordinary Rasengan.
"Boruto, what is the Susanoo you're talking about?" Sarada asked curiously.
"Susanoo is a unique eye technique of the Uchiha clan's Mangekyō Sharingan," Boruto explained.
"It materializes chakra into a gigantic warrior that protects the caster and grants immense power."
"However, using Susanoo requires enormous chakra, a fully awakened Mangekyō Sharingan, and complete mastery of its power."
"So powerful… Mitsuki said my father also has the Mangekyō Sharingan. Can he use Susanoo?" Sarada's eyes lit up.
Boruto nodded. "Of course. Uncle Sasuke can use the complete form of Susanoo, which is over a hundred meters tall. Its power can easily crush mountains."
"Mangekyō Sharingan, Susanoo… Will I ever have that kind of power?" Sarada whispered, full of longing.
Just then, as Sasuke approached Uchiha Shin, Shin's Mangekyō Sharingan began to writhe wildly, releasing a terrifying aura.
The space around him distorted, forming black space ripples.
At the same time, Naruto's giant chakra hand holding the younger Shin was shattered by similar spatial ripples.
"It's a Space-Time Pupil Technique!"
Sasuke turned sharply to Naruto. "Sarada, watch out!"
"Take those two brats with you!"
Suddenly, a strange white creature resembling a crab appeared beneath Boruto and Sarada's feet, releasing a space vortex that tried to swallow them whole.
"That's the same creature that evaded my Sage Mode perception!"
Naruto's expression hardened as nine golden chakra hands burst from him, trying to stop the vortex.
But it was too late. Boruto, Sarada, and Uchiha Shin were all swallowed and vanished without a trace.
"Damn it, Naruto! You couldn't even protect the children—you didn't sense that thing?" Sasuke snapped, appearing beside him in an instant.
"Calm down!" Naruto said, though his voice betrayed his tension.
"That creature hides its presence perfectly. Even my Sage Mode perception can't detect it fully."
With the help of his Ninetile Sage Mode, Naruto expanded his perception to the limit—still finding nothing.
"No... I can't sense Boruto or Sarada's chakra. They might have been teleported far away—or trapped inside an invisible barrier."
Naruto's face darkened. "Worst case, they could be in another dimension—like Obito's Kamui space."
"Damn it... your Rinnegan still hasn't recovered?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke shook his head slightly. "I'm sorry. I've been exploring Kaguya's dimensional space recently. My pupil power hasn't fully recovered yet—it'll take some time."
Naruto thought for a moment. "Then we'll go find Orochimaru. He might know where Shin's base is."
"You don't seem too worried," Sasuke observed.
Naruto smiled slightly. "Of course I'm worried—but I trust Boruto's strength. That Uchiha Shin is only at an elite jonin's level. Boruto has the Jōgan—ordinary jonin can't touch him."
"The Jōgan? Can Boruto really control it?" Sasuke asked, doubt lingering in his eyes.
Naruto patted his shoulder. "Sasuke, my son's a genius. He'll protect Sarada."
Meanwhile, Boruto and Sarada appeared in a dim, unfamiliar base.
As soon as they landed, several clones identical to the younger Shin surrounded them, weapons raised.
"Boruto, where are we? Why do they all look like Uchiha Shin?" Sarada asked.
"This must be their base. Those are his clones," Boruto replied calmly.
A cold, mocking voice echoed from the shadows.
"With you two as hostages, Akatsuki's revival is just around the corner!"
Uchiha Shin leaned against a wall, blood still at his lips, his expression twisted.
"Hostages? Revive Akatsuki? You're not worthy!" Boruto sneered, transforming into Pain.
[From Uchiha Shin's emotions, progress bar increased by 241 points]
"I didn't expect this Shin to show emotional fluctuations. I thought experiments like him would be emotionless, like Mitsuki—but it seems he's different."
"Pain?"
Uchiha Shin's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Now that you stand before the leader… bow down!" Boruto's voice boomed with divine authority.
"Hmph, just a Transformation Jutsu," Uchiha Shin scoffed coldly.
"Really? Then it seems you'll need a bag of rice—but you don't even know how high to carry it!" Boruto raised his hand, pointing straight at Uchiha Shin.