The sun was noticeably lower in the sky, painting the western horizon with streaks of orange and a soft, hazy gold. Half the afternoon had slipped away, and the air held that still, expectant quality that often precedes the coolness of evening.
At the main gates of Konohagakure, Konohamaru stood with his hands casually in his pockets, his gaze directed down the main path leading into the village. Beside him, Sarada had her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her usual composed demeanor replaced by a visible impatience.
She had just finished letting out a long, frustrated sigh, the sound barely audible in the gentle breeze that rustled the leaves of the nearby trees. Mitsuki stood slightly apart, his serene smile as constant as ever, his gaze also fixed on the approaching figure.
"He's here," Mitsuki stated calmly, his keen eyes having spotted Boruto in the distance.
Boruto came into view, his figure a little disheveled, his breaths coming in short, quick gasps as he finally reached the gate. He leaned forward, hands on his knees for a moment, trying to catch his breath.
Konohamaru, his expression serious despite the otherwise relaxed atmosphere, addressed his tardy student. "Boruto, will you ever manage to arrive on time, kore?"
Boruto straightened up, a sheepish look on his face. "Sorry, Konohamaru nii-chan, I wa—"
Before he could offer an excuse.
Sarada cut him off, her voice sharp and laced with annoyance. "Listen up, Boruto! We have to finish this mission today. And if we aren't able to, I will personally inform Nanadaime-sama that it was you who caused the delay!" Her eyes flashed momentarily, emphasizing her determination.
"Huh?! How can you drag Tou-chan into this?!" Boruto exclaimed, clearly taken aback by her threat.
Sarada's retort began, her voice rising with exasperation, "Because he is the Hok—"
"Silence!" Konohamaru's voice boomed, cutting through their bickering. Boruto and Sarada immediately fell silent, exchanging annoyed glances.
A moment later, Konohamaru's serious expression softened into a chuckle. "Alright, you three. Are you finally ready to go?"
Mitsuki offered a simple, "Hmm."
Sarada nodded firmly. "Yes."
Boruto, regaining some of his usual energy, clenched one fist and punched it into his open palm. "Yeah! Let's do this, dattebasa!" The last rays of the afternoon sun glinted off his determined face.
_OROCHIMARU'S LABORATORY: OUTSIDE_
The last vestiges of daylight had surrendered to the encroaching darkness. The sky above was now a deep, velvety black, dotted with the first faint glimmerings of distant stars.
A cool evening breeze whispered through the rocky terrain, carrying the scent of damp earth and something subtly metallic in the air. The imposing, jagged cliffs surrounding them loomed like silent sentinels under the dim moonlight, their rough surfaces casting long, distorted shadows.
In this desolate, rocky area, a small group stood facing a dark, nondescript opening in the cliff face – the entrance to Orochimaru's laboratory.
A voice, belonging to man, resonated in the stillness. "I hope you'll be able to manage inside, right?" His tone held a note of concern, the darkness of the lab entrance seeming to swallow the light.
Another voice replied with a determined edge, "Yeah... kore."
The first speaker continued, his form a solid presence in the dim light. "In case of any trouble, be sure to inform one of the shinobi on guard. I'll come as fast as I can, as my duty is to guard from outside."
The second nodded towards the shadowed entrance. "Please don't worry, Yamato-san. After all, there are strict orders from Nanadaime-sama not to create any unnecessary commotion, kore."
Yamato offered a curt nod. "Well then, good luck, Konohamaru."
Standing just outside the lab's entrance were Yamato and three other Konoha shinobi, their figures alert and watchful in the deepening twilight. Facing them were Konohamaru, Mitsuki, Sarada, and Boruto, ready to step into the unknown depths of Orochimaru's domain.
The air crackled with a silent tension, the weight of their mission settling upon them as they stood on the threshold of the laboratory.
_OROCHIMARU'S LABORATORY:INSIDE_
The interior of Orochimaru's laboratory was a stark contrast to the open night outside. It felt damp and close, the air thick with a strange mix of chemical odors and a faint, underlying mustiness. Narrow pathways stretched ahead, their smooth, cold stone walls turning abruptly, creating a disorienting maze.
Konohamaru led the way, a focused expression on his face, though even he seemed to be navigating somewhat cautiously. 'Alright, Nanadaime said Orochimaru would give us the location... but where exactly should I start looking for Orochimaru in this place?' he thought, his eyes scanning the numerous doors that lined the corridors.
Most were heavy, metal-reinforced, and bore no markings. The only consistent source of light came from flickering fire stands placed sporadically along the walls, casting dancing shadows that played tricks on the eyes, making familiar shapes seem menacing.
Boruto, his initial apprehension slowly giving way to a morbid curiosity, peered around. 'This place is creepy, dattebasa! What kind of experiments does a guy like Orochimaru even do?' His gaze landed on a slightly ajar door. Hesitantly, he edged closer and peeked inside.
The room was dimly lit by a single, eerie green light emanating from some unseen source. In the center stood a large, cylindrical vessel made of thick glass, filled with a murky, viscous liquid. Suspended within the fluid was a human figure, seemingly unconscious but with a faint rise and fall of their chest indicating they were still breathing.
Tubes and wires snaked from the vessel, connecting to a bewildering array of humming and blinking machines surrounding it. Boruto's eyes widened. The figure looked undeniably human, yet the entire scene screamed of some disturbing experiment. 'Who... what is that?' he wondered, a shiver running down his spine.
Sarada, meanwhile, remained vigilant, her Sharingan activated, its crimson glow subtly illuminating her surroundings. Her gaze darted from one shadowy corner to another, her senses on high alert. 'We can't let our guard down for a second in this place. Orochimaru could have anything hidden here.' Even the slightest sound made her tense, ready for any potential threat.
Mitsuki moved with a quiet confidence that none of the others possessed. A faint, knowing smile played on his lips as he walked, almost as if he were on familiar ground. He didn't offer any directions, simply following Konohamaru, a silent observer. 'It has been a while,' he thought to himself, a hint of something unreadable in his eyes.
He kept his connection to his parent a secret, understanding the complexities it might introduce to their mission.
They continued down the main pathway, the oppressive silence punctuated only by the soft sounds of their footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls. The air grew heavier, the strange odors intensifying, hinting at the unnatural experiments conducted within these depths.
They reached a junction where the pathway they had been following ended, opening into a larger area with more branching corridors.The path directly ahead seemed to disappear into absolute darkness, the fire stands not reaching far enough to illuminate what lay beyond.
As they hesitated, trying to discern their next move, a voice cut through the silence from behind them. "Yo! Long time no see, Konohamaru."
The suddenness of the greeting caused Boruto and Sarada to freeze, their bodies tensing as if turned to stone. Only their eyes darted around, trying to locate the source of the unexpected voice.
'I knew it someone was coming in this way,' Konohamaru thought, his hand instinctively moving towards his kunai pouch. 'That voice… I recognize it, but who…?'
Mitsuki, however, showed a flicker of recognition. A subtle widening of his eyes and a barely perceptible shift in his usual calm demeanor betrayed his familiarity with the speaker.
Konohamaru turned around sharply, his three genin following suit, their stances now alert and ready for a potential confrontation.
Standing a few paces behind them was a tall, lanky figure with distinctive white hair and a mischievous grin. Water droplets seemed to cling to his skin, giving him a perpetually damp appearance.
"Hozuki Suigetsu..." Konohamaru stated, his initial tension easing slightly as he recognized the familiar face.
"Suigetsu-san!?," Sarada added, a note of cautious recognition in her voice.
Boruto, completely lost, leaned towards Sarada and whispered, "Hey, how do you know him?"
Sarada replied in a low voice, "He worked with my Papa once, a long time ago."
Boruto's eyes widened in surprise. 'Sasuke-san with this guy? What kind of past does Sasuke-san have?' He couldn't quite reconcile the image of his stoic mentor with this rather odd individual.
Mitsuki offered Suigetsu a small, polite nod, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.
Konohamaru cut to the chase. "Where is Orochimaru?" Suigetsu shrugged, his grin widening. "He's busy with his... research. But don't worry, he told me all about why you came crawling over here."
He then gestured further into the darkness. "Leave the kids and follow me." his tone serious.
Konohamaru hesitated, his gaze flicking towards Sarada. She met his eyes, understanding the unspoken question.
With a subtle nod, she indicated that she and the others would be alright on their own for a short while, conveying her readiness to take responsibility in his absence. Konohamaru, trusting her judgment, turned to follow Suigetsu into the dimly lit corridor.
Suigetsu led the way, his damp footsteps making soft squishing sounds on the stone floor. Konohamaru followed closely, his initial apprehension replaced by a growing sense of being led on a wild goose chase.
"I think that Nanadaime-sama said the scrolls were supposed to be in a specific location," Konohamaru said, his voice tinged with suspicion. "So what exactly are we doing wandering around here?"
Suigetsu, who was walking a few paces ahead, stopped abruptly and turned around, a wide, mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Indeed, they are at a different place.
But..." He paused for dramatic effect, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. "...we need to find out where that different place is!" He punctuated his statement with a flourish of his hand, as if revealing a grand secret that was anything but.
Konohamaru let out a long, exaggerated sigh, the sound echoing in the narrow corridor. "Haaah... you couldn't have at least figured that part out before we came all the way here?" He rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache brewing. 'Of course Orochimaru wouldn't make it easy. And of course,
Suigetsu is just as helpful as ever.'
Suigetsu's eyes twitched slightly, a vein throbbing in his forehead. His cheerful grin faltered for a moment. "Now listen here, hotshot brat," he said, his voice laced with annoyance. "Instead of complaining, why don't you use that big brain of yours and help me find them? Unless you'd rather go back empty-handed and face the Hokage's disappointment?" He crossed his arms, a defiant glint in his watery eyes.
Konohamaru shot him a dry look. "Fine, fine. Lead the way, you overgrown puddle. But if this is a waste of time..." He trailed off, letting the unspoken threat hang in the air. Suigetsu simply smirked and turned back down the corridor, Konohamaru grumbling under his breath as he followed.
Boruto, still disturbed by Konohamaru's departure spoke, "I wonder why only Konohamaru-nii-chan went with that Suigetsu guy. I mean, we could have gone too, right?"
Mitsuki, his gaze fixed in a dark deserted pathway, offered a possible explanation. "Perhaps it is some secretive matter, Boruto. Something that Nanadaime-sama or even Konohamaru-sensei doesn't want to reveal in front of us genin."
Sarada, ever focused on their objective, adjusted her glasses. "Yeah, looks like this Orochimaru is being secretive as always. Well, never mind. Our mission is to take the forbidden scrolls back to the Hokage. Why butt our noses into other superior matters?"
Suddenly, Mitsuki turned, his usual calm smile replaced by a look of focused determination. "Sarada, Boruto, I'll be back in a while." And before either of them could fully react, he took off at an incredible speed, disappearing down one of the branching corridors.
"Hey, Mitsuki!" Boruto called out, surprised by his teammate's sudden departure.
Sarada, her Sharingan widening in astonishment, started to say, "Mitsuki, wait! You can't just go lik—" But the sentence hung unfinished in the air as Mitsuki's figure vanished around a sharp corner, leaving them alone in the eerie silence of the laboratory.
Boruto, instinctively about to follow Mitsuki, was stopped short as Sarada's hand clamped firmly around his wrist. "Shhh!" she said, her index finger pressed urgently to her lips, her Sharingan wide with a sudden intensity that held a hint of something beyond mere caution. Her touch sent a surprising warmth through Boruto.
Boruto, about to question her abrupt action, fell silent, tilting his head in a silent inquiry, his blue eyes meeting the serious gaze of her red ones. Sarada, still holding his wrist, her grip surprisingly firm yet gentle, pulled him back towards one of the doors they had just passed.
She quickly and quietly opened it, her eyes darting around the dimly lit corridor before she ushered Boruto inside, her hand lingering on his arm for a fleeting moment that made his heart skip a beat. Then, she silently closed the door behind them, plunging them into near total darkness, the strange sounds of the lab fading slightly.
Inside the room, a single, bare bulb hung precariously from the ceiling, swaying slightly and casting a weak, yellowish glow that barely illuminated a small circle in the center. The rest of the room remained shrouded in deep, mysterious shadows, creating an intimate, almost secluded space.
The air was thick with the stagnant smell of dust and something vaguely metallic, yet in that moment, Boruto was acutely aware of Sarada's close proximity.
Boruto, still bewildered, tiptoed to the door and pressed his ear against the cold metal, straining to hear any sounds from the corridor outside. Silence. Suddenly, a harsh, rattling cough echoed in the small, confined space, startling Boruto.
He whipped around, his eyes wide with surprise, only to see Sarada clutching her chest, her face contorted in a fit of coughing. Her glasses were gone, held loosely in one hand, and she had instinctively raised her other hand to cover her eyes, which seemed to be watering.
"Hey! What's the matter?" Boruto asked, his earlier annoyance completely forgotten, a genuine wave of worry washing over him. He took a step towards her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch hesitant but filled with concern. "Are you alright? Did something hit you?" His thumb brushed lightly against the fabric of her jacket.
Sarada finally stopped coughing, taking a shaky breath and lowering her hand from her eyes, which were slightly red and glistening. "It's nothing," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "Just... too much dust in here. It went in my eyes." She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision.
"Ohhh, okay," Boruto said, a visible wave of relief washing over his features. "So you're really okay, right?" His blue eyes searched hers with a newfound tenderness.
Sarada nodded, a small, almost reluctant "hmm" escaping her lips, though she continued to blink, her hand still hovering near her eyes.
After a moment, she sighed softly and reached into the small pouch at her back, carefully pulling out a clean, folded cloth. With delicate movements, she began to wipe the dust from the lenses of her glasses, her dark, unadorned eyes now fully visible in the soft, dim light, revealing a vulnerability Boruto rarely saw.
"You know..." Boruto began hesitantly, his gaze fixed on her face, a subtle warmth spreading through him as he took in her features without her usual eyewear. He found himself noticing the softness of her expression, the slight flush on her cheeks from the coughing.
Sarada paused in her cleaning, her fingers still gripping the frames, about to slide them back onto her face. Her gaze flickered up to meet his briefly, a flicker of something akin to curiosity in their depths.
"...you look better when you have your glasses off," Boruto finished, his hand instinctively reaching up to scratch the back of his head, a definite blush now coloring his cheeks. He avoided direct eye contact, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious and unsure of her reaction.
Sarada, still holding her glasses in front of her, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips, tilted her head slightly. "Hoo... well... you also look better when I've removed my glasses," she retorted, a playful glint in her blurry eyes.
'Finally, a good excuse not to have to see his annoying face clearly,' she thought with a touch of amusement. She completely missed the underlying compliment about her eyes, her blurry vision preventing her from fully registering the slightly flustered look on Boruto's face.
Boruto, completely understanding the teasing nature of her reply and still feeling a little embarrassed by his own impulsive words, turned abruptly back towards the door, his ears straining for any sound from the corridor. The silence from beyond the door remained unbroken.
Boruto, his usual impulsive nature taking over, marched confidently down the corridor in the direction Sarada had indicated. Sarada, though more cautious, followed closely behind, her senses still on alert.
As they navigated the dimly lit passage, they approached another open doorway, the interior shrouded in shadow. Before Sarada could even register it, Boruto's curiosity got the better of him.
He stepped right into the open room without hesitation. "Whoa! What's in here?" he exclaimed, his voice echoing slightly in the unknown space.
"Hey! Wait, Boruto! Where are you going now?" Sarada called out, a hint of exasperation in her tone.
She quickly followed him inside, her Sharingan eyes already scanning the room, ready for whatever they might find.
As Boruto and Sarada stepped into the room, the heavy wooden door creaked shut behind them, the sound echoing in the unnerving silence. A palpable sense of age and forgotten secrets hung in the air.
The only light source was the single, bare bulb dangling precariously from the ceiling, casting long, distorted shadows that danced across the room's contents.
Boruto's eyes widened as he took in the scene. "Whoa..." he breathed, his voice hushed with a mixture of awe and unease. "What is this place dattebasa?"
Directly in front of them, a large wall dominated the room, covered in hanging scrolls. Each was held in place by a kunai, their sharp points piercing the aged paper. Thick lines of black ink connected most of the scrolls, forming a bizarre web of relationships.
"Look at that," Sarada murmured, her Sharingan activated, its crimson glow illuminating the names written on the scrolls. "Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu... the names of the Konoha elders." She frowned, her eyes narrowing. "And... Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Koichi, Uchiha Daisuke... Who are they? And how come that are the Uchiha "
Boruto, his gaze following the ink lines, shivered. "It's like... some kind of twisted family tree, dattebasa. But why are they all linked together like this?"
Sarada noticed the two scrolls that stood apart, each circled with a bold question mark. "Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Koichi? Why are they marked differently?"
To their left, near where they stood, was an old wooden table, its surface thick with undisturbed dust. A photo frame lay face down, obscuring its contents. Beside it were two more scrolls: one tied shut with a thin rope, the other unrolled and almost touching the floor.
Boruto cautiously approached the unrolled scroll, his brow furrowed. "Rasengan... Jigenkyo... Tokugen?" He read the words aloud, his voice questioning. "What are these? And why only these three? There's clearly space for more."
"It's like someone started to write something important," Sarada said, joining him, "but then just... stopped." A sense of unease settled over her. Then Boruto thought, 'Why is the rasengan written over here?'
On the right wall, a large, meticulously drawn map-like display hung. It was divided vertically into two halves.
"What is this?" Boruto asked, staring at the detailed drawing.
"A map," Sarada replied, her gaze sweeping over the intricate details. "On the right, a forest... and on the left... another forest, but also... a cave." She pointed to the clearly marked structure, partially hidden by the drawn foliage. "That cave... it's emphasized somehow. Like it's important.
"This room... the names, the map, the unfinished scroll..." She paused, her Sharingan eyes glowing brighter. "This place feels like it holds more than just the location of something, Boruto. It feels like... a secret."
Boruto, drawn by an inexplicable curiosity, walked over to the dusty wooden table. He reached for the photo frame that was lying face down and carefully picked it up. Using the sleeve of his jacket, he gently wiped away the thick layer of dust that had settled on the glass.
Sarada, equally intrigued, came to stand beside him, peering over his shoulder as Boruto finally turned the photograph over. Their eyes widened slightly at the image it revealed
.
The photograph depicted four individuals, all seemingly younger than they knew them to be in the present day, and all wearing the standard jonin attire of Konohagakure.
"Look," Sarada murmured, a thoughtful expression on her face, her gaze fixed on the familiar figures. "It's... the Legendary Sannin of Konoha. That's Jiraiya-sama, and that's Tsunade-sama... and Orochimaru." A slight distaste colored her voice at the last name.
Boruto's attention, however, was completely captured by the fourth person in the photograph. He pointed, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Hey, who's that guy? He looks... exactly like Sasuke-san!"
He stared intently at the young man in the picture, a sense of disbelief washing over him. The resemblance was uncanny, from the sharp features to the intense gaze that seemed to pierce through the photograph itself.
Just as Boruto voiced his observation, a soft but distinct creaking sound echoed from behind them. The wooden door they had entered through was slowly being opened.
Boruto and Sarada spun around, their hands instinctively reaching for their kunai pouches, their earlier curiosity instantly replaced by a surge of alarm. Standing in the doorway, framed by the dim light of the corridor, was a figure that sent a chill down their spines.
The person's features were partially obscured by shadow, but the serpentine quality of their movements and the unsettling glint in their eyes were instantly recognizable. A faint, sickly sweet odor, the distinct scent of this individual, wafted into the room, making the air feel heavy and suffocating.
A low, raspy voice, laced with a chilling amusement, slithered through the silence. "Well, well... what curious little rats have we here? I hardly think this is a playroom for children. Tell me... with what presumptuous thoughts did you dare to trespass into this room of knowledge?" The voice held a dangerous undercurrent, each word dripping with a sinister curiosity that promised dire consequences for their intrusion.
---
QUIZ QUESTION
Q- Sarada mentions sensing a presence ("someone's chakra") before Boruto enters the mysterious room. How might this sensing event MOST significantly influence the reader's interpretation of why the door to this room was found open?
a) It suggests that a member of Team 7 might have opened the door earlier.
b) It creates a feeling that the room was not meant to be a secret and was accessible for a reason.
c) It hints that someone else, whose presence was felt, might have recently been in the room and left the door ajar.
d) It establishes that there are other individuals within the laboratory whose actions might explain the open door.
Please share your answers in the comments down below!
_AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:_
Whoops! Looks like Boruto's curiosity got the better of him (again!), and Sarada's stuck dealing with the dusty aftermath. That room was a bit creepy, right? All those names and that weird map... and who was that photobombing Sasuke's look-alike? 🤔
But hold onto your kunai, folks, because the real fun's about to start! That little chat at the door in Chapter 36? Yeah, it's gonna be interesting. Let's just say Boruto and Sarada might find out that snooping around in Orochimaru's place has consequences. And where did our snake-loving Mitsuki slither off to? You'll just have to wait and see if our little team gets back together... or if they run into even more trouble. 😉 Get ready, things are about to get wild!