Soon enough, it was time for the second round of the chunin exams, which was a capture-the-flat type of battle where the two competing teams would each try to capture the flag of the opposing team.

“Boruto, are you sure that you can defend us from those triplets? I’ve heard that they have extremely good coordination with each other,” Sarada asked imploringly in a no-nonsense tone. They were standing on top of the rooftop of an emptied building. The enemy team was housed on a similar rooftop a couple of blocks away.

Moments later, there was the sound of a gunshot that signified the commencement of their competition.

“You can count on me,” Boruto nodded before forming the hand signs for the shadow clone jutsu as four of his clones appeared out of thin air and surrounded the flag in a circle, ready to take any attack that came at them. He nodded at Sarada and Mitsuki, showing a confident expression as he took his spot.

Sarada nodded back at him before sharing a look with Mitsuki as the two jumped off of the roof and started moving toward the enemy lines.

Just as they jumped off, the three opposing ninjas appeared on the same rooftop as Boruto with a Shunshin Jutsu. “Mitsuki, turn back, support Boruto.” Sarada’s decision came instantly as she reacted to the appearance of the three, “Their flag is undefended, I can take care of it. Go help Boruto in his fight.” The white-haired boy nodded and turned back, jumping toward Boruto who had already lost two of his clones.

As the duo started fighting the triplets, Sarada quickly reached the opposing team’s rooftop which was filled with flags.

‘Genjutsu? Against me?’ Big mistake,’ She couldn’t help but smirk confidently as she activated her Sharingan. Looking around, it took her no more than a second to locate the real flag among the fake illusions. Just as she was about to grab it, she noticed something in the direction that she had previously come from. A huge sphere of water was conjured in the air before being thrown down at the very rooftop that Boruto and Mitsuki were supposed to be fighting the three triplets on.

‘I should get back quickly,’ She thought before grabbing the flag and quickly jumping from rooftop to rooftop to reach her home base. Moments after she jumped away from the enemy team’s roof, she noticed a second large-scale jutsu. A visible bolt of lightning struck the huge amount of water that the previous jutsu had created. She couldn’t help but feel astonished at who could’ve possibly had so much chakra to cast so many large-scale jutsu. [1]

By the time she reached the roof with the flag in her hand, “How surprising, Mitsuki, Boruto,” She said with a smile as her free hand rested on her waist and she leaned against the flag after planting it on the ground, “Did you guys practice a secret combination jutsu without telling me?”

The water was slowly draining away as the triplets were all completely out of it and seeing the burn marks, it was clear that it was her team that had cast the two jutsu.

“I wish,” Mitsuki said, “This was all Boruto. He surprised me as well with those two large-scale elemental bullets. When did you get so proficient in chakra transformation?”

“Haha,” Boruto awkwardly laughed while putting his hand behind his head, “You know, just practice here and there.”

Sarada felt that there was weird about Boruto’s behavior but didn’t know what and amounted it to him acting humble but not knowing how to.

…

“I’m home,” Boruto announced as he took off his shoes. He heard repeated thumps as if someone was running toward him.

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“Onii-chan!” Himawari tackled him as he barely kept his balance and held her up. She wrapped her limbs around him and hung onto him like a koala. “Congrats, Onii-chan.”

“It’s just the second round, it isn’t such a big deal,” He said, feeling uncomfortable inwardly but masking it with a smile.

“Welcome home, Boruto,” Hinata also came to greet him. “You did very well in the exam.”

“T-thanks, Mom,” He said. “I’m pretty tired, so I kinda just want to rest up. I’ll come back down for dinner thought.” He quickly made his way up the stairs as Hinata gave him a concerned look.

“Is there something on his mind, Kaa-chan?” Himawari asked Hinata. “He seems weird.”

“He’s probably stressed about the third round. Give him some space. Come, help me set the table for lunch, Naruto should be home soon.”

“Yay,” Himawari was excited. “Tou-chan comes home every day for all three meals now, even staying with me as long as I ask. I’m so happy.”

A warm smile made its way to Hinata’s face, “I’m also very happy, Hima.”

A few minutes later, Naruto showed up and received a similarly warm welcome from Hinata and Himawari.

“Is your brother home yet, Hima?” Naruto asked, holding Hima up and having her sit on his arm.

“He’s upstairs,” She said. “Kaa-chan said he’s probably stressed about the exam and needs to rest.”

Naruto smiled, “Your Kaa-chan is right. I’ll go up to talk to him, okay? Give him some motivation.”

“Give him some compliments, Tou-chan,” Himawari said. “He hides it but Onii-chan loves it when you give him compliments and praise him.”

“My smart little girl,” Naruto kissed her cheek lovingly before letting her down on the ground. “Go on, I’ll be back in a bit after talking to Boruto.”

…

Knock knock.

“I already said I don’t want to have lunch,” Boruto shouted agitatedly, pulling his sleeve all the way down to his hand.

“It’s me, Boruto,” Naruto said as he opened the door and entered.

“W–what’s up?” He asked confused and nervous.

“You know, son,” Naruto walked up to the window and looked out of it, “Hima just told me that you love it when I compliment you even if you don’t show it.”

“T-that’s not —“ Boruto wasn’t able to complete his denial-filled statement as Naruto continued.

“But sadly, that’s not what I’m here for,” Naruto said, turning to look at Boruto, specifically his arm that had its sleeve pulled further forward than necessary. “I would love nothing more than to praise you and tell you that you did amazingly in the second round. But it wasn’t your effort in particular, was it?”

“What-what are you talking …” Boruto trailed off, understanding that his father had seen what needed to be seen and denying would only make things worse. “Yeah, I wasn’t the one who cast those two large-scale jutsu.”

Without a word, Naruto grabbed Boruto’s wrist and pushed his sleeve back. “I specifically forbade it, didn’t I, Boruto? The use of the scientific ninja tool in the tournament.”

“I —“ Boruto slipped into his fight or flight response to Naruto’s question, “I don’t know why you can’t just accept the use of the ninja tool,” He shouted agitatedly. “In the real world, we are going to have this tool and any others as long as we’re prepared. So why not allow it in a competition too? You allow kunai, they’re also tools, why not this?”

“Can you guarantee that you will always, at all times, have this tool handy, Boruto?” Naruto asked. “What if I decide that I want to attack you in your sleep? Are you going to wear it to sleep? What if you accidentally trigger a jutsu? And you can fight without a kunai easily. What if you solely use this tool as a crutch and stop learning any jutsu? You will become a husk of a ninja.”

“You’re just a boring old man who isn’t able to understand anything at all!” Boruto stood up, his guilty conscience making him explode at Naruto. “You never listen. There’s no point in talking to you!” Just wanting to get away from Naruto, he stepped toward the door before a shiver passed down his spoke.

“Sit. Down. Boruto.” Naruto said each word with enunciation as Boruto found himself seated instinctively before he even processed the words completely.

“The only way that you can ever prove to everyone, to yourself, that you’re better than me, is by getting stronger on the basis of your own ability and that’s a fact,” Naruto said before stopping. He took a deep breath before continuing, “You are going to participate in the third round of the chunin exams. Without that ninja tool. If I see it on your wrist, I will revoke your status as a ninja. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Boruto looked down at his lap, clenching his fists as tears gathered in his eyes. Naruto stood up and walked to the door in silence. Just as he grabbed the doorknob, “Dad …” Boruto’s weak voice came out with a tremble. “I’m sorry … Sorry for disappointing you.”

A faint smile made its way on Naruto’s face as he turned around, “Keep your head up. Even if you end up losing, lose gracefully after giving it your all. That is what will make me proud, not your cheating, understand?”

Sniffing, Boruto wiped his eyes with his sleeve before nodding with a smile, “‘Kay, Dad.”