Chapter 341: Brain Invasion
"Shikadai, I came to see you." Boruto pushed open the hospital room door, carrying some get-well gifts. "Shikadai? What's wrong?"
"I… I'm fine… Just feeling a little cold…"
Shikadai's teeth chattered as he spoke.
"Cold?" Although it wasn't summer anymore, it wasn't winter either—no reason to be this chilled. "Shikadai, you…"
"Boruto, listen to me…" Shikadai looked up at him, shivering uncontrollably. "I had that dream again. The Hidden Leaf Village was buried in snow… everyone turned into icicles…"
"Shikadai, that's enough. No matter what happens, I'll protect you. I'll go call Aunt Sakura now, and let me get you another blanket."
After adding an extra blanket to Shikadai's bed, Boruto left the hospital room and went to find Sakura.
"He's freezing?" Sakura paused from reading her medical report, puzzled. "Boruto, take me to him right away."
"Aunt Sakura, please go by yourself. I need to head back to the Hokage Tower."
"Got a mission? Then go on. The Hokage's work comes first."
"Thanks for taking care of Shikadai, Aunt Sakura."
With that, Boruto hurried back to the Hokage Tower and found Shikamaru.
Hokage Tower.
"What did you say? Shikadai had that dream again?!" Shikamaru put down his work, face darkening as he listened to Boruto's report. "I see… The village covered in snow… Do we know when this is supposed to happen?"
"No."
Boruto shook his head.
Capital of the Land of Water.
"Orochimaru? What is this?"
Jiraiya pointed to a pale blue egg inside a cultivation tank, the inside of which was completely covered in frost.
"Something the Director sent back. He said that placing it in the Hidden Leaf Village would result in something… interesting."
Orochimaru explained casually as he continued his research.
"What?! The Director returned?!"
Jiraiya looked shocked.
"Of course not. Finding unlimited energy isn't that easy. This was something he found by chance along the way and sent over via the Flying Thunder God Seal Array. Oh, right—Jiraiya, if you've got time, I'd like you and Clone #4 of mine to deliver this thing to the Hidden Leaf."
Hidden Leaf Village.
Jiraiya, Little Gray, and Gray Wolf Clone #4 were assigned to deliver the cultivation tank to the Hidden Leaf. Because Clone #4 was keeping a close eye on him, Jiraiya had no chance to sneak the intel back to the village.
"Wood Style: Wood Clone Technique!"
After Gray Wolf Clone #4 created a clone, he said to Jiraiya, "You and I will draw their attention. Little Gray and my wood clone will deliver the tank to the Hokage Tower in the center of the village."
"Alright."
Jiraiya nodded.
The rebuilding village was struck again.
"What's going on?!"
Shikamaru looked up from his desk, eyes darting toward the explosion's direction.
"Report: the village is under attack. The Hokage is already engaged with the enemy."
An Anbu agent reported respectfully.
"Got it."
Shikamaru turned to the window and contacted Ino. "Ino, you there?"
"Yeah, Shikamaru—are we planning a strategy against the attackers?"
"No. I've got a different mission for you. Meet me at Konoha Hospital. I'm already there."
Konoha Hospital.
"Why did you call me to the hospital?"
"Come with me."
He led Ino to Shikadai's hospital room.
"That's… Shikadai?!"
Ino's face showed visible shock. She turned to Shikamaru with a questioning gaze.
"Yes. And it seems Shikadai has developed the ability to foresee the future. I want you to use the Yamanaka Clan's secret technique to examine his brain."
Shikamaru looked at Shikadai resting silently on the bed.
"But you know our clan's technique causes some degree of damage to the subject's brain."
"I know. But this is for the village." Shikamaru looked straight at Ino. "S.H.I.E.L.D., the Ability Beasts, Hydra—if Shikadai really can see the future, then we'll have a massive advantage moving forward. This is a necessary sacrifice to protect the village… and the shinobi world."
Because Boruto had been by Shikadai's side the past few days, Shikamaru hadn't found the opportunity—so he seized the moment, now that Boruto had gone off to face the enemy, to inspect Shikadai's brain.
"…Alright."
Ino was finally swayed by Shikamaru's reasoning. She walked over to the sleeping Shikadai and placed her hands on his temples.
Her brow gradually furrowed.
"What's wrong, Ino?"
Shikamaru asked.
"It's no good." Ino shook her head and withdrew her hands. "My chakra can't enter his brain. It looks like his brain has been sealed by a jutsu."
"What if we increase the chakra input and forcibly break the seal?"
Shikamaru suggested.
"Absolutely not!" Ino replied firmly. "Doing that would almost certainly—no, definitely—turn Shikadai into a vegetable!"
Meanwhile, on the battlefield.
Because Gray Wolf Clone #4 and Little Gray had to buy time, they were carefully holding back their true power.
Boruto, too, restrained himself—afraid a fierce battle might destroy the village again.
As a result, their fight looked more like a back-and-forth sparring match than a real battle.
"Boruto… something feels off."
Kurama's voice echoed from within Boruto.
"What is it, Kurama?"
"They don't seem interested in fighting at all. And they're clearly not using their full strength." Kurama looked up inside Boruto. "What the hell are they really planning?"
"Boruto, what's wrong?"
The Hydra captain stationed in the village walked up beside Boruto.
"Sorry, Captain. I need you to buy me some time. I have to figure out what their real goal is."
"Buying time again…"
Obito looked at Gray Wolf Clone #4 in front of him and recalled that terrifying Heavenly Dragon.
"All I can say is—I'll try."
Boruto activated Sage Mode. With Kurama's chakra surging through him, the layout of the entire Hidden Leaf Village gradually materialized in his mind.
"Where is it… Where are they… What are they planning…"
He scanned every corner of the village—including Konoha Hospital.
"Uncle Shikamaru? Aunt Ino? What are they doing in Shikadai's hospital room…"
Sensing something was wrong, Boruto shifted into his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode and rushed toward the hospital.
"Hey! Boruto, where are you going?!"
Obito shouted after him, struggling to hold back both enemies.
"I can't hold off both of them alone—!"
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