The Chronicles of Boruto

CHAPTER 38: Momoshiki's return

Konohagakure

Nara Shikadai

Playing Shogi was never an easy task; even for geniuses. One thing anyone should learn; were the endless possibilities available for the opponent against oneself, the fact that there were always people who thought way outside the box and had extraordinary moves even intellectuals couldn't come up with.
Being brought up in the Nara household, Shikadai was based on principles, the ones above being an example. By the end of the battle, what mattered the most, was keeping a cool and collected head even when losing.

Once they reached the opposite side of the village and into the forest, did only Boruto's body stop moving in the air. Inojin and Mitsuki's birds were the first to almost reach him before the drawn birds exploded in colourful ink and the four of them began falling toward the land.
Mitsuki caught Sarada midair by extending his arms to catch a branch and using the other to hold Sarada's hand while Shikadai steadied himself using chakra on a tree and grasping Inojin's leg using a shadow.

After they'd reached the ground safely, Shikadai looked back up at Boruto, whose body now moved to stand in the air. His ninja headband suddenly fell off and the skin on his forehead shifted. Shikadai grit his teeth in the perception of what was happening. A horn began making its way up the right side of his forehead until it was pushing back a part of his sun hair. The Karma engraved in his right palm activated spreading till it reached his Jōgan eye.

Sarada's hands slowly moved to cover her mouth, and her eyes widened in realization, "he—he's back..."

Boruto cricked his neck on both sides and stretched his body airborne. His lips twisted and tugged upward in a mocking grin before his eyes opened, displaying the Jōgan in the right, and Byakugan in his left.
A burst of mirthless laughter escaped his mouth, which proved who stood in control, Otsutsuki Momoshiki, "Kneel before your god, fools!"
Shikadai and the rest three stood there, mouths hanging open and speechless; the same celestial being who they'd believed Boruto had defeated, now hovered before them in their sunshine's body. "I can't say I don't regret having spent three years inside my own vessel's body as nothing but a spirit, but it still had its advantages, didn't it? For instance, I've gained valuable Intel about almost every single capable shinobi in this damned village"

Sarada, surprisingly, snapped out of the 'can't believe what's going on' trance first. "How are you still alive? Didn't Boruto defeat you?"

Momoshiki chuckled cruelly once more, sending chills down Shikadai's strong spine. "You mortals are all the same... you would believe anything over trust, wouldn't you?"

Inojin grimaced, "what are you entailing?"

"Did any one of you see evidence that I, a god, was defeated by Uzumaki Boruto? No, every single one of you decided to accept my vessel's words of idiocy and move on, that's why mortals like you will always suffer. Perhaps two of them had their doubts, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Boruto, but they kept it to themselves" said Momoshiki, x-raying down at all four of them through his Byakugan. "Now that I can multiply his chakra reserves using his Jōgan, this period may last for longer. You shall grieve my wrath, puny mortals!"

Mitsuki immediately jumped into his sage mode, and his headband fell off too, as a horn grew from his forehead and a powerful blue-green aura radiated from his body. This was his complete sage transformation, which meant he wouldn't be able to maintain it for longer. Shikadai had to come up with a strategy; he couldn't fail like the time with Delta, because if he did, there were many more lives that would be taken.
Sarada brought out her three-tomoe Sharingan and Inojin spread his scroll on the ground, simultaneously pulling out a brush. Shikadai pulled out a kunai from his pouch and readied himself, it was now or never. Time to make the first move; "wind style: dance of turbulence!" Shikadai formed as much wind as he could and channelled it in between his palms before directing it toward Boruto's body.