"AAAHHH—!!!"
The battlefield had become a nightmare.
Broken bodies littered the ground.
Blood rained from the sky, pooling into a crimson lake in the lowlands.
Drain that lake—
And it would become a mass grave of ten thousand.
—
A burial pit made of Konoha shinobi.
No distinction—
Between young or old.
Male or female.
Genin, Chūnin, Jōnin… even elite Jōnin—
All reduced to the same end.
—
This scene—
Was a hundred times more tragic than Obito's hell back then.
—
Humans were no longer human.
They were livestock.
—
The "flock" was driven to the edge of a cliff.
Some, crushed by fear—
Chose to jump.
Others—
Desperate to live—
Knew resistance was futile.
So they began searching—
For the "wolf" hidden among them.
—
"Kawaki!! Find Kawaki!! If we hand him over, we won't have to die!!"
"Where is he!? Don't tell me he's already been killed!?"
"If that's the case, we're all doomed!!"
—
The wolf could not be found.
The hunter kept slaughtering.
—
Hope dwindled.
But still—
They clung to it.
—
"KAWAKI!! COME OUT!!"
"Do you want to watch us all die!?"
"You cursed brat! Get out here!!"
—
"Kawaki-sama! Please! Have mercy on us!! Go with Jigen-sama!!"
—
And so—
It happened.
—
When even one sheep yields to the hunter—
Fear spreads.
—
One person's fear—
Becomes the group's fear.
—
One person's hatred—
Becomes the group's hatred.
—
But sheep do not hate the wolf.
Nor the hunter.
—
They hate—
The one who led the wolf into their flock.
—
"…Damn it! Everyone's dead!!"
"Uzumaki Naruto!! Look what you've done!!"
"That disaster you sheltered killed us all!!"
—
"You always make decisions alone!!"
"You say we're your comrades—your family—!"
"But you never asked us what we think!!"
—
"Compared to monsters like you and Sasuke, we're nothing!!"
"We're not afraid to die—!"
"But we want our lives to mean something!!"
—
"Not to die like weeds—"
"For a coward who won't even show himself!!!"
—
Behind Hyūga —
Protected—
Himawari trembled, tears in her eyes.
"…Auntie…"
"Did… Dad really make a mistake?"
—
"…Himawari…"
Hanabi turned.
Seeing the pain on her niece's face—
Her heart shook.
—
She understood.
This moment—
Would shape her forever.
—
Kneeling down—
Holding her shoulders—
Hanabi spoke gently, suppressing her grief:
—
"Don't blame your father."
"Don't blame everyone."
"And don't blame Kawaki."
—
"If you deny Kawaki—"
"You deny everything your father sacrificed for him."
—
"No one is perfect."
"No one can be right forever."
—
"Your father…"
"My brother-in-law…"
—
"He gave Konoha—"
"And the ninja world—"
Fifteen years of peace.
—
"That alone…"
"Surpasses every Hokage before him."
—
"This tragedy…"
"Is not his fault alone."
—
"When an avalanche happens—"
"Not a single snowflake is innocent."
—
"For years—"
Everyone relied on him.
Pushed everything onto him.
Never letting him breathe.
—
"He's human too…"
"And no longer young."
—
"If we enjoyed the peace he created—"
"Then we must also share the burden—"
"When his kindness leads to disaster."
—
"…Mm."
Himawari clenched her fists.
"I won't hate anyone."
"I won't blame anyone."
—
"If Dad made a mistake…"
—
"Then as a family—"
"We'll face it together!!"
—
Hanabi's eyes trembled.
Her grip tightened.
—
"This is Konoha's calamity…"
"And the world's."
—
"I am a Konoha shinobi."
"I will stay."
"And face this to the end."
—
"But you…"
"You are not yet a shinobi."
"You must leave."
—
"…You want me to run?"
"I won't!!"
"I'm a ninja too—even without a headband!!"
—
Hanabi smiled faintly.
She said nothing.
—
Instead—
She removed the sapphire pendant from her neck—
And placed it on Himawari.
—
Half a year ago—
On an S-rank mission—
She had been saved—
By a mysterious girl.
—
They bathed together.
Spoke as sisters.
—
That girl—
Was from the Hidden Shadow Village.
—
This pendant—
Could guide her there.
—
"AAAHHH—!!"
The defensive line shattered again.
—
There was no time left.
—
Hanabi's mind raced—
Then she found the one reason—
Himawari could not refuse.
—
"Himawari."
"You said you're a ninja, right?"
"…Yes."
—
"Then listen."
"Ninjas obey orders."
—
"I, Hyūga Hanabi—"
"Am a Jōnin."
"Your superior."
—
"Uzumaki Himawari."
"I order you—"
—
"Go to the place this pendant leads."
"And tell everything that happened here—"
"To your brother."
—
"Uzumaki Boruto."
—
"…!"
Himawari froze.
—
"W-What about you…!?"
—
"Go."
"Once you land—move forward."
"Don't look back."
—
"WHOOSH!"
A gust of white chakra—
Lifted Himawari—
Sending her down the mountain.
—
I'm sorry… Boruto.
This burden… is too heavy for you.
But this is the only way…
To save her.
—
"As for me…"
—
"Crack."
Veins bulged at her temples.
—
Her gentle face—
Now filled with killing intent.
—
"Even if I'm torn to pieces—"
"I'll make you pay—"
"For destroying my home…"
"My family…"
—
"With blood."
—
Hyūga Hanabi—
Charged toward Jigen—
Without fear of death.
Enjoyed these chapters? Access 60+ ahead avanced chapters and exclusive content by visiting my Patreon. https://patreon.com/WillOFD129?