1 Chapter 1: Awake

A child with a mop of tousled blonde hair groggily stirred from his slumber. His small hands, still heavy with sleep, reached up to rub the remnants of dreams from his bleary eyes. As he blinked away the sleepiness, his gaze fell upon the window that was unfamiliar to him.

"Ugh, why on earth am I awake at this ungodly hour?" He grumbled to himself, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with the disgruntlement of being robbed of his sleep.

His confusion deepened as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. This room, with its unfamiliar decor and unfamiliar scent, was definitely not his.

"Wait a minute, where am I?" He muttered, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Did one of my friends book a room for me? But this room... it doesn't feel like a rented one. It feels like it belongs to someone else." His voice trailed off as he pondered over the strange situation.

With a sigh, he pushed off the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He padded across the room, his bare feet sinking into the plush carpet, and made his way to the mirror hanging on the wall. The reflection that greeted him was so shocking that he couldn't even muster a scream. His mouth hung open in a silent gasp.

"I... I am the trash of the Uzumaki?" He whispered to his reflection, his voice filled with disbelief and a hint of despair.

"I am Uzumaki Boruto," he declared, his voice echoing in the silent room. As the words left his lips, a tidal wave of memories crashed into his consciousness, causing him to stagger and collapse onto the cold, hard floor. He gritted his teeth, struggling to withstand the onslaught of memory that was suddenly flooding his mind.

"Damn it," Boruto cursed under his breath, his hands clutching his head as he grappled with the memories of the original body's past. "Could my life get any worse than this?" he groaned, the weight of his new reality sinking in.

Just then, the door creaked open, revealing the original body's younger sister. "Onii-chan, what could possibly be worse than this?" she asked, her innocent eyes wide with concern.

Boruto managed a weak laugh, rubbing the back of his head in an attempt to ease the throbbing pain. "Ah, it's nothing, Himawari," he reassured her, forcing a smile onto his face.

'She's quite adorable. It's a shame that Ikemoto's art doesn't do her justice. I wish Kishimoto would take over the drawing, even though Ikemoto has shown some improvement,' Boruto mused inwardly, his thoughts wandering.

"Mama is waiting for us downstairs," Himawari announced, her voice pulling Boruto out of his thoughts. She turned on her heel and began to walk away, leaving Boruto alone with his thoughts once more.

"The only Jutsu I have at my disposal right now is the Shadow Clone," Boruto muttered to himself, his mind already strategizing. "Boruto's talent is truly remarkable, to have been able to replicate this technique from Naruto."

"But for now, I need to play the part of Boruto until I can find some quiet time to sort through my thoughts," Boruto murmured to himself, his gaze fixed on the floor. "Today is the day Naruto becomes Hokage. I should wake him up."

With a newfound resolve, Boruto made his way to Naruto's office, where he found the soon-to-be Hokage fast asleep on the couch.

'This is the man who once ruled the battlefield,' Boruto thought, shaking his head in disbelief. He approached Naruto and gently nudged him.

"Wake up, you're going to be late," Boruto urged, his voice soft yet firm.

Naruto remained sound asleep, oblivious to Boruto's attempts to rouse him. Boruto's eyes drifted to Naruto's stomach.

'Kurama, huh?' Boruto mused, his thoughts wandering once again.

"You know what, you're on your own," Boruto declared, ready to leave the room. But as he turned to go, his eyes caught sight of several scrolls scattered around the room.

'Hmm, there might be a Jutsu or two in here that I could use,' Boruto pondered, curiosity piqued.

He approached the cabinet, rifling through the scrolls. Most of them were filled with historical records, political treaties, and economic theories, but among them, he found two that contained Jutsu. They were only D-rank techniques - the Body-Flicker Technique and the Shadow Shuriken Jutsu - but they were a start. There were still many scrolls left to explore.

'Well, it's better than nothing. I'll borrow these and return them once I've mastered the techniques,' Boruto decided, tucking the scrolls into his jacket before exiting the room.

As he stepped out, he nearly collided with Himawari, who had come to wake Naruto.

"Onii-chan, what were you doing in Otou-chan's room?" Himawari asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Just trying to wake him up for his big day, but he wouldn't budge. I think Kaa-chan will have better luck," Boruto replied, inwardly cringing. 'It feels so strange to call Hinata 'mom',' he thought, remembering his past life's attraction to her.

"Alright, let's get Mama to do it," Himawari agreed, her face lighting up with a smile.

'Safe,' Boruto thought, letting out a sigh of relief. He had narrowly avoided being caught.

As they descended the stairs and entered the dining room, Boruto spotted Hinata setting the table.

'She's stunning, but she's your mom now. Stop it. But Hanabi... she's still available. She's like an upgraded version,' Boruto mused, his thoughts wandering.

"Where's your father?" Hinata asked, looking up as her children entered the room.

"He's still sleeping," Boruto replied.

"Mama, can you wake him up?" Himawari asked, her voice sweet and innocent.

"Alright, I'll go wake him. You two wait here at the table," Hinata agreed, heading upstairs.

Meanwhile, Boruto and Himawari took their seats at the table, waiting for their parents to join them.

....

Boruto and Himawari stood side by side at the entrance, both dressed in pristine white attire to celebrate the inauguration of the new Hokage. Himawari clutched her beloved teddy bear tightly in her arms, a comforting presence amidst the excitement.

"Hurry up, we're going to be late!" Boruto called out impatiently as he watched Naruto make his way downstairs and slip on his shoes.

"Alright, let's go," Naruto replied, a hint of excitement in his voice. The three of them left the house, their steps quick and determined, as they headed towards the grand Hokage building.

After a few minutes of brisk walking, they arrived at the rooftop of the Hokage building. The air was filled with anticipation and a sense of reverence as they joined the gathering crowd, all eagerly awaiting the historic moment. The sun bathed the scene in a warm glow, casting a golden hue on the faces of the expectant onlookers.

A few familiar figures approached them, Hatake Kakashi and Umino Iruka, both esteemed teachers who had played significant roles in Uzumaki Naruto's life.

"Has Hinata arrived yet?" Naruto inquired, his eyes scanning the crowd.

"Not yet," Iruka replied, his voice filled with warmth.

Boruto's gaze fixated on Kakashi, his mind recalling a humorous meme about the legendary ninja. 'This is the guy who knows the fastest way to a girl's heart,' Boruto chuckled inwardly, amused by the memory.

Kakashi, ever perceptive, noticed Boruto's amusement and couldn't help but smile beneath his mask. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the lighthearted moment. Kakashi then knelt down, his eye crinkling with mirth as he addressed Boruto.

"Is there something funny on my face, Boruto-kun?" Kakashi asked, his tone playful.

Boruto quickly composed himself, realizing that Kakashi had caught him in his amusement. "Oh, no, nothing like that. I was just remembering something funny," he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Kakashi chuckled softly, appreciating Boruto's playful nature. He then turned his attention to Himawari, who was beaming up at him. A genuine smile graced Kakashi's features as he exchanged a warm glance with her. With a nod, he stood up and turned to Naruto.

"Naruto, let's hope the Hokage cape arrives early," Kakashi remarked, a touch of anticipation in his voice. "And let's hope it doesn't end up like my cape," he added with a chuckle.

Naruto joined in the laughter, rubbing the back of his head as he recalled the infamous incident of Kakashi's unfinished Hokage cape during his own inauguration day. The memory brought a lightheartedness to the moment, a reminder of the camaraderie and shared experiences between them.

"Hey, Tou-chan, I'm going to sit over there. Himawari, do you want to come with me?" Boruto asked, gesturing towards a spot a few meters away.

"Sure, be careful," Naruto replied, giving his son a nod of approval.

"I'm going to stay with Otou-chan," Himawari chimed in, her voice filled with affection.

Boruto made his way to the designated spot, finding a seat near the rail behind a tent where people had placed food. He leaned back, taking in the surroundings, knowing that his presence would be easily spotted by those who knew him.

As Boruto settled into his seat, his fingers instinctively reached into his shirt, retrieving a scroll from within. It was the scroll containing the Body Flicker Technique. Excitement coursed through him as he unfurled the scroll and began to read its contents.

"Let's learn this," Boruto whispered to himself, his focus solely on the scroll before him. He absorbed the instructions, studying the intricate details of the technique, determined to master it.

Minutes passed, and just as Boruto delved deeper into his study, Hinata finally arrived, holding the Hokage cape in her hands. She approached Naruto, a smile gracing her face as she handed him the cape.

"Here's your Hokage cape, Naruto-kun," Hinata said, her voice filled with pride and love.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," Naruto replied, his smile widening as he accepted the cape.

Curious about Boruto's whereabouts, Hinata turned to Naruto and asked, "Where is Boruto? I don't see him around."

Naruto pointed towards the rail, where Boruto had shifted his position and was now sitting, his legs swinging in the air. "He's sitting over there on the rail," Naruto informed her.

Hinata's eyes followed Naruto's gesture, and she spotted Boruto perched on the rail. "Ohh," she acknowledged, a mixture of amusement and adoration in her voice. She then turned back to Naruto, her expression becoming more serious.

"Now, get ready, Naruto. The ceremony will begin soon," Hinata reminded him, her voice filled with anticipation for the momentous event that was about to unfold.

....

As the ceremony commenced on the rooftop of the Hokage building, the majority of the attendees had descended to the ground, leaving only a select few to remain on the roof. The crowd of villagers below craned their necks, their eyes fixed on the elevated platform where Kakashi stood, preparing to deliver his speech and officially initiate the ceremony.

However, amidst the anticipation and excitement, one person was notably absent from the scene. Boruto, engrossed in his own world of training and exploration, found himself in the solitude of the restroom. It was there that he sat, scroll in hand, absorbed in the teachings of yet another jutsu—the Shadow Shuriken Technique.

"Hmm, I think I've grasped the basics of these two jutsu," Boruto mused, his finger tracing the intricate diagrams on the scroll. He furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "But understanding alone isn't enough. I'll need to put in some dedicated training to truly master them."

Resting his hand against his chin, Boruto contemplated the possibilities that lay before him. "The Body Flicker Technique relies on chakra to enhance speed and agility, but what if I were to take it a step further? What if I could modify it to enhance my entire body?" A spark of excitement ignited in his eyes as he considered the potential of this idea. "It's going to be a challenging, but I'm ready to take it on."

"But I'm pretty sure there are already similar kinds of ninjutsu out there. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the resources to explore them. It's not like I can ask my dad to give me the forbidden scroll," Boruto muttered, a hint of frustration in his voice. "I should probably get out of the bathroom before my mom starts looking for me."

With a determined resolve, Boruto left the bathroom and made his way towards his mother. He navigated through the bustling crowd, weaving through the villagers who were eagerly anticipating the new Hokage's speech.