Chapter 281: Capture of the Five-Tails Complete
"Who exactly are you?!"
Ōnoki hovered in the air, staring intently at the future Boruto, who was holding up a massive Rasengan with both hands.
"..."
Just as Boruto was about to introduce himself, the surroundings once again turned monochrome.
When he gave up the idea of introducing himself, the world reverted to color.
"That cloak with the Akatsuki cloud emblem... Are you with the Akatsuki?!"
The Akatsuki had already been active in the ninja world before Uchiha Itachi defected from the village. After Itachi joined them as a double agent, the Hidden Leaf gradually acquired some intel on the organization, sharing some of the less sensitive information with the other Hidden Villages.
Especially after Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame attempted—but failed—to capture Naruto, Tsunade, at Jiraiya's suggestion, significantly increased intelligence-sharing regarding the Akatsuki.
"Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"
According to the intel from Konoha, the Akatsuki was a terrorist organization active across the ninja world, dedicated to capturing Tailed Beasts. Each member was an S-rank rogue ninja from one of the villages—some so infamous that even one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, had once joined their ranks.
Ōnoki's Particle Style technique formed a cube-shaped barrier that enveloped Boruto's massive Rasengan, slowly beginning to dismantle it molecule by molecule.
"Akatsuki members always operate in pairs, so why is he alone…" Ōnoki frowned at the future Boruto. "The Five-Tails' Jinchūriki!"
As Ōnoki came to this realization, Boruto moved in to attack.
Hidden Stone Village.
Entering Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, Hanabi used Gentle Fist to take down several Iwagakure shinobi protecting the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki, Han. Fixing her gaze on Han, she prepared to face him head-on.
"Gentle Fist, Byakugan... You're from the Hyūga Clan? Since when did Konoha's Hyūga start invading the Hidden Stone?"
Han glared at her disdainfully.
"Tch. You're annoying, old man. If you're gonna fight, hurry up."
Hanabi waved him off with a bored tone.
"Disrespectful brat! Then I'll show you the might of the Steam Ninja—Han!!"
As he spoke, jets of steam blasted from Han's heels, propelling him toward Hanabi at breakneck speed.
"Gentle Fist: Rotation!"
Hanabi spun rapidly in place, channeling the Nine-Tails' chakra within her. A golden, spherical barrier formed around her, rebuffing all physical attacks—particularly effective against someone like Han, who relied heavily on taijutsu.
"So this is the famed 'Absolute Defense'—Rotation? Let's see if I can break through it! Boil Release: Unmatched Strength!"
Steam blasted out from Han's back with even more intensity. Simultaneously, he forced his chakra to its boiling point, instantly boosting his physical strength. He collided with Hanabi's Rotation head-on. Unfortunately for him, the Rotation this time was fueled by Nine-Tails chakra.
"A draw...? But with a Rotation of that caliber, I doubt you can pull it off many more times."
Han, having put some distance between them, looked down at his right hand, now covered in wounds from the clash. Hanabi, panting, remained where she stood—her Rotation from earlier had drained a significant portion of her chakra.
"Hm? That chakra... is it Kurama's? But why is it so weak?"
The Five-Tails, from within Han, peered through his host's eyes at Hanabi.
"So that's it… She's just a lucky human who obtained part of Kurama's chakra... Wait! Kurama is over there!! And that form… that damn fox actually acknowledged that human?!"
The Five-Tails looked upward toward the airborne future Boruto, currently engaged in battle with Ōnoki.
"Chakra materialized into hands... Damn it! The sheer volume of this guy's chakra is absurd."
Ōnoki stared warily at Boruto.
...
"This is the last time! Boil Release: Unmatched Strength!!"
With a sound like a locomotive, Han charged toward the now visibly fatigued Hanabi.
"My chakra's too low... I can't use Rotation again…"
Analyzing her situation, Hanabi reached into her ninja tool pouch and flung a handful of shuriken at the charging Han.
"Useless!"
As Han shouted, he knocked the shuriken flying into the air without breaking stride.
In the sky, Ōnoki clasped his hands together and then spread them apart toward Boruto.
"Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"
"Heavenly Hand Power!"
Revealing his Rinnegan, Boruto swapped places with the shuriken Hanabi had thrown—now sent flying into the air by Han. As a result, Ōnoki's Particle Style hit nothing but that very shuriken.
But that wasn't the key point. What truly shocked Ōnoki was that Boruto had revealed the legendary Rinnegan.
Ōnoki, born in the era of the First Tsuchikage, naturally knew a few things about the Rinnegan—the so-called eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.
Appearing in the spot where the shuriken had been, Boruto descended directly above Han.
As he landed, he used his only remaining hand to grab Han's head and slam it into the ground. The force of Han's own momentum and steam propulsion caused him to drag along the ground, skidding all the way to Hanabi's feet.
"Hanabi, you okay?"
Still holding Han's head to the ground and kneeling on his back, Boruto looked up and asked her.
"Mm."
Hanabi nodded instinctively, not even realizing how Boruto had suddenly appeared beside her.
"You... who the hell are you…"
Han, pinned down with his head pressed to the dirt, muttered weakly.
"Oh? Still conscious, huh? In that case—Shinra Tensei."
With a sudden surge of force from Boruto's right hand, immense repelling energy exploded downward, pressing Han even deeper into the ground. The steam armor covering him shattered under the pressure.
And it wasn't just Han—the entire ground surrounding Boruto caved in with him at the center.
All of this was observed by Zetsu, who was secretly watching from the shadows.
"The Five-Tails' Jinchūriki is down. Let's go."
Hoisting the unconscious Han onto his shoulder, Boruto turned to Hanabi.
"Mm."
Ōnoki, shaken by the sight of the legendary Rinnegan, did not move to stop Boruto and Hanabi from leaving with the unconscious Jinchūriki.
"Grandpa, are you okay?!"
As the dazed Ōnoki floated back to the ground, Kurotsuchi rushed over in concern.
"The Rinnegan... the legendary Sage's eyes… They're real…"
Ōnoki muttered, his face twisted in shock.