Classroom.
White clouds drifted across the ocean-like blue sky, and a pair of azure eyes gazed at them for a long time, his thoughts drifting away with them, lost in nowhere.
"Boruto… hey, Boruto. You've been staring out the window since you came in. What's so interesting out there?"
"Ah, nothing much," Boruto replied lazily, resting his chin on his hand. "Just thinking about whether I should skip class later or not."
"..."
Sitting beside him, Shikadai slapped his forehead and muttered, "What a mess." He had thought Boruto had calmed down—but of course, it was just like he expected.
In reality, Boruto's mind was full of far bigger problems than class.
He was thinking about how to bypass Tou-san—Naruto, the Hokage himself—and somehow capture the Tailed Beasts to become a Jinchūriki.
Or rather, if avoiding Naruto was impossible, maybe it was better to be open about it. Reunite all the Tailed Beasts, reform the Ten-Tails, and become its new Jinchūriki himself.
But if he actually told Tou-san about that idea, he'd probably get punched halfway across Konoha before he could finish explaining. Not ideal.
Maybe… he could establish his own organization? Like Akatsuki back then—boldly declaring to the whole ninja world that he would "revive Kaguya Ōtsutsuki!"
He chuckled under his breath. I'd be the Black Zetsu of the new era… saving Mother Kaguya herself.
Then he shook his head. Yeah, no. That's definitely going too far.
At this stage, he needed to focus on the basics—learning powerful ninjutsu, increasing chakra reserves, and starting Sage Mode training sooner rather than later.
"I remember they'll be teaching summoning in a few days," he thought, tapping his desk. "If I summon a toad, maybe I can use reverse summoning to reach Mount Myōboku…"
Then it hit him. According to the story, this afternoon he'd have a duel with Iwabe, the repeater. His taijutsu couldn't compare, and he didn't know any other ninjutsu yet.
In the original plot, Iwabe outperformed him in the basic exam. It was clearly a setup event—yet now, he had to live through it.
So he had two choices: avoid the fight… or learn a strong ninjutsu before it happens.
As a long-time Naruto fan, the first thing that came to mind was, of course, the Rasengan.
Feeling the pressure, Boruto decided there was no time to waste. As the teacher stepped into the room to begin introductions, Boruto suddenly stood.
"Report!"
All heads turned toward him.
"I'd like to ask for leave today!"
The whole class fell silent.
Today was literally the first day of school.
If you don't want to be here, just say so!
"Hey, hey," Shikadai muttered, tugging his sleeve. "What's with you all of a sudden?"
Someone from the back snickered. "Heh, spoiled Hokage brat wants to leave on the first day. Typical."
Shino, who was the homeroom teacher, sighed as he pushed up his glasses. "And what exactly do you need to leave for?"
Boruto froze for a second, brain blank. "Ah—sorry, sensei. I misspoke. I just meant I needed to go to the bathroom."
Shino's expression didn't change. "…Then go."
Murmurs filled the room again.
"Oh, so that's him—Lord Seventh's son?"
"He doesn't look like much. I heard he always causes trouble for the Hokage."
"Yeah, figures."
Seeing the class stir, Shino coughed lightly, his tone turning stern. "Quiet."
The students fell silent again, though Shino looked faintly exasperated. Ignored again. Do I really have that little presence?
He looked around, noticing Boruto had already slipped away, then continued, "Alright, everyone. Let's head to the training field for your first agility assessment."
...
Playground.
Rows of simple obstacles stood on the training field. The test was straightforward—speed, reaction, balance.
By the time Boruto arrived, most students had finished. Despite joining last, he ended up outperforming almost everyone and even earned a small cheer from the crowd.
Denki handed him the result sheet. Boruto frowned slightly.
Even after trying his best, his speed was still slower than Iwabe's.
So, the afternoon fight… would depend on the main body.
...
Meanwhile, in a forest near the village, the real Boruto was already deep in Rasengan training.
The training had three stages: rotation, power, and stabilization.
Naruto had once spent ages learning it—but Boruto had the advantage of knowing the steps in advance. It was like having the multiplication table for chakra control.
He created two shadow clones to help.
The sun climbed higher, and hours passed.
By noon, Boruto had reached the third and hardest stage—stabilization. Once mastered, it would mean completion.
Compared to Naruto, who needed a week, Boruto progressed quickly thanks to his understanding of chakra mechanics.
The Rasengan required compacted chakra—its outer shell maintaining form, while the core spun violently.
Because Boruto's chakra reserves were smaller, he dismissed his clones and continued alone. Though limited in chakra, his control and precision were excellent.
His Rasengan was smaller than usual, but the progress was undeniable.
...
Back in the classroom—no, the dueling arena.
As expected, Boruto's shadow clone had triggered the event.
He now faced Iwabe Yuino, the repeater who had failed twice and hated the current exam system.
They stood opposite each other under the afternoon sun, the class watching intently. Boruto's golden hair swayed in the wind, his expression calm and confident, though his chakra was running thin from the clone's weakened form.
Still, his mission was simple—stall for time until the main body arrived.
"Let's get this over with," Boruto said casually.
Iwabe grinned. "Fine by me!"
The duel began.
Boruto threw several shuriken, their spinning arcs slicing the air. Iwabe dodged easily and rushed in.
The clone met him head-on. Fists and kicks clashed, the impact echoing across the field.
For a shadow clone, Boruto fought skillfully—enough to surprise everyone watching.
The students began cheering.
The two fighters broke apart after a fierce exchange. Boruto quickly threw two kunai in succession.
Iwabe, now cautious, formed a quick seal. "Earth Release: Hardening Technique!"
A rock layer coated his arm, blocking the kunai with ease before he charged again.
"This is bad," Boruto thought grimly. "If I take one solid hit, the clone's done for."
He flipped backward, widening the distance, trying to think. The standoff lasted barely seconds before Iwabe threw a smoke bomb.
Dust filled the air.
Boruto instinctively activated his Jōgan—the eye reacting on its own. Within the haze, his vision sharpened, allowing him to see Iwabe's chakra outline clearly.
He crouched low, drawing a kunai and circling behind.
When he lunged, the blade aimed straight for Iwabe's shoulder.
"Earth Release: Earth River!" Iwabe shouted, slamming his palm down. The ground split open like a wave, slamming into Boruto.
"So you weren't blind—you were tracking my footsteps…" Boruto muttered as his clone dispersed into smoke.
Iwabe stood still, breathing hard, until a faint thud echoed behind him.
He tensed. The smoke cleared, revealing the empty field.
"Where did he go?" someone whispered.
"Did Boruto run away?" another asked.
Even Shikadai frowned. "No… knowing Boruto, he's waiting for the right moment. But… why hasn't he used Shadow Clone Jutsu yet?"