Chapter 260: Captain Dragonfly, Reporting for Duty!
"According to the intel from Jiraiya-sensei… that S.H.I.E.L.D. Director… has appeared…"
Naruto glanced around at everyone as he spoke. At the mention of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director, a subtle unease crept onto everyone's faces.
"However, there's no need to worry about the Director for now," Shikamaru, Hokage's assistant and thus authorized to access the intel early, said calmly. "What we do need to pay attention to is the so-called Peace Star mentioned in the report. If it can grant wishes, then naturally, that means rebuilding the Hidden Leaf Village should also be possible."
Ichiraku Ramen
"Uncle Shunhi, you're back!"
As soon as Future Boruto heard the news of Shunhi's return to the village, he rushed back immediately. After all, the only one with the power to return from the future was Hydra.
"Hm? What's wrong, Boruto?"
Shunhi looked at the hurried Future Boruto, his face full of confusion.
"Uncle Shunhi, do you still remember Sister Hanabi?"
"Isn't she your aunt-in-law? What about her?"
"You do remember! Uncle Shunhi, no one else in the village remembers Sister Hanabi. Not Dad, not Mom, not even Grandpa…"
"Shunhi, who are you talking to?"
Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, walked over and asked.
"Just look at his hair—you can tell he's one of Naruto's distant relatives," Shunhi turned to Ayame and said. "Oh right, Ayame, do you know who Hanabi is?"
"Hanabi? Who's that?"
Ayame looked puzzled, as if she were hearing the name for the first time in her life.
"Sorry, Ayame, I've got something urgent. I'll come back to help later."
With that, Shunhi grabbed Future Boruto's hand and pulled him toward a secluded corner.
"Hey! Shunhi, get back here! I still need your help in the shop later!"
Ayame called after them as Shunhi disappeared from view.
———
"Uncle Shunhi, do you know what's going on?"
Future Boruto looked at Shunhi standing before him and asked.
In the future, Shunhi was the person he trusted the most. After all of his family and friends had turned into zombies, only Shunhi survived and continued to help him.
"I think… I know…" Shunhi said, his face darkening as he stared at the system panel in front of him. "In other words, you actually returned to a future where, due to certain circumstances, Hanabi died in childhood. At the moment of her death, the Sage of Six Paths sensed that something was off and directly erased all traces of Hanabi's existence."
"The Sage of Six Paths… So, if I want to prevent Sister Hanabi's death and disappearance, what should I do?"
"Go back to the past and change the outcome where she dies."
"Okay." Future Boruto nodded, then he and Shunhi fell silent, staring at each other. "…Uncle Shunhi, I need you to send me back to the past."
"Well, about that… Actually, Hydra doesn't have a method for traveling back to the past…"
Shunhi replied a little awkwardly. The system did contain a time travel function, but after dealing with Seer, Nick Fury, and the Peace Star, even the "landlord's house" had run out of resources.
"What?! But Hydra managed to bring me back from the future to the present!"
"Then maybe Hydra just doesn't currently have the means to return to the future."
Shunhi offered that explanation.
"Damn it… What do I do now…"
"Boruto, have you heard of the Peace Star?" Shunhi looked at the frustrated Future Boruto and continued, "It might not grant wishes directly, but it can provide a path toward fulfilling them."
"Peace Star? Oh right, the Peace Star! My memories are still a little fuzzy, but I do remember something about it!" A happy expression bloomed on Future Boruto's face. "Uncle Shunhi, has the Peace Star already appeared?"
"Yeah," Shunhi nodded. "You saw the meteor shower last night, didn't you?"
"Yeah—there were thirteen in total… and there are exactly thirteen Peace Stars… Don't tell me… those were the Peace Stars?!"
Future Boruto suddenly had a flash of insight.
"That's right. The Peace Stars should appear very soon. When that happens, S.H.I.E.L.D. will send people to compete for them. Boruto, be ready."
"Got it."
Future Boruto nodded solemnly.
If there are thirteen Peace Stars, that means he'll have thirteen chances to go back and save Hanabi.
"I could've sworn I just heard someone mention the Peace Star…"
"Who's there?!"
Future Boruto turned around and looked behind him.
"Number one!" A man in a black robe, his face obscured, spoke in a deep, powerful voice as he raised his right index finger. "Never act on impulse!"
"That's—!"
Shunhi looked at the robed figure, as if he were beginning to guess his identity.
"Number two!" The black-robed man extended his middle finger. "Never let any wrongdoing slip by unnoticed!"
"Uncle Shunhi, do you know him?" Future Boruto asked, glancing behind him.
"Number three!" The man held up his ring finger. "Absolute judgment, carried out beautifully!"
"…Yeah," Shunhi nodded.
"Captain Dragonfly, reporting for duty!"
With those words, the black robe was flung aside, revealing the red dragonfly-like robot underneath.
"Captain Dragonfly… He's also the appointed referee for the Peace Star competition… and he's strong," Shunhi said grimly. "If he's here, that means the battle for the Peace Stars has officially begun."
The same scene was playing out aboard the Seer outside the Shinobi World.
Orochimaru stood facing Captain Dragonfly, subtly preparing for combat.
"Orochimaru, you'd better not make a move…" Nick Fury warned, glancing back at Orochimaru with his one eye before turning to face the blue Captain Dragonfly ahead. "It's been a long time, Captain Dragonfly. Now that you're here, I assume the fight for the Peace Star is about to begin."
"Yes, Director."
In the past, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra had fought over the Peace Star in a brutal war sparked by the discovery of infinite energy, resulting in massive casualties on both sides.
Eventually, to minimize losses, the former heads of both organizations agreed to resolve the competition through peaceful means. To regulate the battle, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra jointly developed scientific ninja tools—the Captain Dragonflies—to serve as impartial referees.
There are two Captain Dragonflies in total, each aligned in sentiment with one of the two organizations.
"However, Director, S.H.I.E.L.D. seems far more diminished than before."
The blue Captain Dragonfly, developed by S.H.I.E.L.D., scanned the area as he spoke.
"Not long after the Peace Star incident, the Holy Grail War broke out," Nick Fury explained briefly. "S.H.I.E.L.D. took a hit, sure, but Hydra's situation was even worse."