A veteran of the ninja world: surviving from the Six Paths of Heroes to Boruto

A little over a decade is but a fleeting moment in the long river of the ninja world, yet it is enough for a child to grow into a tall and upright young man.

The two children who nestled in Kaguya's arms listening to stories back then

Now he has grown tall and slender, and the childish horn on his forehead has faded, giving him a more imposing and dignified air unique to the Otsutsuki clan.

This bamboo grove remains exactly as it was back then.

But time has left deeper marks on the forest; the lush bamboo has grown even taller, its intertwined branches blocking out the sun and keeping out most of the winter chill.

Bamboo Forest Center

A majestic temple stands quietly.

Green tiles and red walls, flying eaves and upturned corners, copper bells hanging under the eaves ring softly in the breeze, their crisp sound penetrating the tranquility of the forest.

The temple's plaque bears the three ancient characters "Wanci Temple," written in a vigorous and powerful style, faintly reminiscent of Kaguya's calligraphy.

Dozens of ordinary monks dressed in gray robes were sweeping the fallen leaves and snow in the courtyard with brooms in hand, their movements slow and gentle, as if afraid of disturbing the solemnity.

Incense smoke curled up from the main hall, mingling with the fragrance of the bamboo forest, filling the entire space. Outside the hall, incense burners were filled with candles of varying lengths, their ashes piled up, indicating that people had been worshipping there for many years.

This place was built by Kaguya for Manji, and the location was chosen to be the bamboo forest where the betrayal and sacrifice took place.

Every year on this day, she would bring Hagoromo and Hamura, not for any other reason than the guilt she couldn't let go of in her heart.

Over the past decade or so, she has selectively dispelled the illusion of Infinite Tsukuyomi, and some humans have regained their freedom.

They thrive on this land, while the Divine Tree still stands at the top of the world. Every so often, "offerings" are sent to the foot of the Divine Tree to become nourishment for the White Zetsu.

Kaguya needs this large army to defend against potential future repercussions from the Otsutsuki clan.

Over time, three kinds of beliefs emerged in the world: the belief in Kaguya, the creator goddess; the belief in the sacred tree that was always sacrificed to; and the belief in the legendary Manji.

Mortals, unaware of Wanci's past, only knew that he was the hero Kaguya herself acknowledged, and thus came to worship and pray for his protection.

"Hagoromo, Hamura, let's offer incense."

Kaguya's voice was still clear and cold, but it had gained a weight of experience over the years. She stood at the entrance of the main hall, gazing at the portrait hanging in the center of the hall, her expression complex and unreadable.

"Yes, Mother."

Upon hearing this, Hagoromo and Hamura respectfully accepted the incense and candles from the monk, lit them, bowed deeply to the portrait, and then inserted the incense into the incense burner.

The portrait inside the main hall is lifelike. The young man in the painting is dressed in simple robes, tall and elegant, with light black hair, red lips and white teeth, and a hint of arrogance and indifference in his eyes. He is exactly like Wan Ci back then.

As Yu Yi gazed at the portrait, her doubts grew stronger.

Over the past ten years, my mother has told him countless stories, but she has never mentioned his fate, as if this hero had vanished into thin air in an instant.

After the worship ceremony, Kaguya did not linger. She turned and walked out of the bamboo forest, quickly disappearing from sight.

Hagoromo and Hamura, on the other hand, seemed to be taking their time, until they walked out of the temple and saw their mother leave.

Yui couldn't help but speak, her voice tinged with confusion: "Hamura, I always thought Manji was a hero my mother made up. Do you think he really exists?"

Hamura stopped and looked back at the temple that was faintly visible in the bamboo forest, then looked at the outline of the boy in the portrait.

He pondered for a moment and said, "I think it must exist. My mother has always been realistic. If it were just a fictional character, she would never have gone to such lengths to build this temple and have mortals worship it for generations."

He paused, then added, "Look at the size of this temple, the constant flow of incense smoke. If it weren't for the existence of such a person, why would Mother have gone to such lengths?"

"That's true."

Yu Yi nodded, but was still puzzled: "But I've asked many older villagers, and none of them know the specifics of Wan Ci's deeds. How could such a powerful person leave no trace?"

My mother never said where he went in the end, or whether he lived or died.

"Perhaps it's because it's been so long."

Hamura gazed at the distant mountains and said softly, "We don't know how long Mother lived. The story of Manji may have happened a very, very long time ago, so long that even history couldn't record it."

This explanation seems reasonable.

Yu Yi's doubts lessened slightly, and the two stopped talking and walked side by side toward the lake where they often went as children.

The winter wind whipped up heavy snowflakes, which fell in a flurry, turning the world into a vast expanse of white.

A thin layer of ice had formed on the lake surface, reflecting the faint light of the snow. The vegetation on the shore was covered with a thick layer of snow.

Only bare branches point to the sky, like a plain white ink painting.

The snow was ankle-deep, and every step left deep footprints, making a soft "crunch, crunch" sound on the snow that was particularly clear in the silent world.

"Hey bro, look, there's someone fishing over there!"

Hamura suddenly stopped, his eyes lit up, and he pointed towards the lake.

"Oh? Really?"

Yu Yi looked in the direction he pointed and saw a simple thatched hut suddenly appearing by the lake amidst the vast expanse of white snow. The roof was covered with thick snow, like a white pom-pom.

On the bank in front of the thatched hut, a man was sitting quietly on a rock, fishing with a fishing rod in hand.

He was dressed in a thin, long black and red robe.

Her clothes fluttered gently in the cold wind, yet she showed no sign of being cold. Her dark hair was casually draped over her shoulders, making her skin appear even whiter against the backdrop of the white snow.

"Strange, no one has ever lived here before. When did this thatched hut appear?"

Yu Yi was puzzled. This lakeside was their secret base from their childhood, and they hadn't been here for more than ten years. How could it have changed so much?

"Let's go take a look."

Hamura, intrigued, took the lead and walked towards the shore, with Hagoromo following closely behind.

The closer they got, the clearer the man's features became.

He sat sideways, his profile smooth, his eyes deep-set, a faint smile playing on his lips, calmly holding his fishing rod as if the surrounding wind and snow had nothing to do with him.

"....."

Hagoromo and Hamura exchanged a glance, both seeing a strange sense of familiarity in each other's eyes, yet unable to recall where they had seen each other before...

"Sir, fishing in the snow is such a beautiful sight."

Yu Yi stepped forward, cupped her hands in greeting, and smiled, her tone filled with admiration.

Nowadays, most ordinary people are busy making a living, either farming or staying at home.

Would anyone be so bored as to fish in the dead of winter, braving wind and snow?

"Thump!"

Just then, the fishing rod suddenly sank, and with a flick of the man's wrist, a silver scale flashed, and a plump, fresh fish was caught!

"How lucky! To have caught such a big fish!"

A look of admiration flashed in Hamura's eyes; fish of this size were truly rare in a lake during winter.

The man slowly turned around, looking at the two of them. His smile was gentle, but his eyes seemed to see through time: "You two have come at just the right time. Would you like to have a bowl of fish soup together?"

Hagoromo and Hamura exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes, and nodded in agreement: "Thank you for your kind offer, sir."

The thatched hut was simply furnished with only a wooden table, a few wooden chairs, and some dry firewood piled in the corner. The fire in the stove was burning brightly, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere, which contrasted sharply with the snow and ice outside.

The man skillfully prepared the fresh fish, placed it in an earthenware pot, added water, ginger slices, and some unidentified ingredients, and then simmered it over a fire.

Before long, the rich aroma of fish soup filled the air, and the delicious taste made people's mouths water.

The earthenware pot was served, and the moment the lid was lifted, steam billowed out, revealing a milky white broth. The fresh aroma of fish and meat mingled with the sweetness of wild fruits, making one's mouth water.

"Mmm, it smells delicious!"

Hagoromo and Hamura picked up wooden spoons and scooped up a spoonful of fish soup, putting it into their mouths.

The fresh and rich flavor explodes on the tongue, without any fishy smell, only the tenderness of the fish itself and the richness of the soup. A warm current flows through the throat, dispelling the chill from the body.

"The craftsmanship is amazing!"

"This fish soup is even more delicious than my mother's!"

Yu Yi couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Yes, having a bowl of delicious fish soup in the dead of winter is really great."

Hamura nodded repeatedly, drinking the fish soup in large gulps, his face full of satisfaction.

Wanci sat to the side, smiling faintly.

His culinary skills are the result of years of practice, from creating "divine delicacies" from insects and fungi at Mount Myoboku.

He found it too difficult to swallow, so he had no choice but to take matters into his own hands and study cooking techniques. Over the past few thousand years, he has honed his skills to a high level.

After eating and drinking their fill, the fire in the stove gradually died down.

Wanci slowly rose, preparing to leave.

Hagoromo and Hamura quickly stood up and bowed. Hagoromo asked, "Thank you for your hospitality, sir. May I ask your name? So that I may repay you in the future."

Wan turned around and his gaze lingered on the two faces for a moment: "Nameless and faceless, I am just a person forgotten by time."

He paused, then a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "There will always be a way to repay you, and we will meet again."