A rush of cold dread washed over Naruto. 'Two Hikaru's? From different timelines?' His mind spun, trying to grasp the idea. It sounded like something straight out of a really bad dream. It went against everything they knew about the world. 'Is this guy messing with us? No, Orochimaru wouldn't joke about something like this.' He looked at Sasuke, whose face was as blank as his own. The shared shock was clear.
Sasuke's mind was racing too fast to keep up. 'Two? And from different timelines? This changes everything.' His usual calm shattered, replaced by a deep unease. The Rinnegan Man already made no sense. Now, there were two of him? And from different times? It felt like the world had just turned upside down. 'This is even more dangerous than I thought.'
Naruto was the first to find his voice, though it was still shaky. "Orochimaru, do you know him? This... Hikaru?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Orochimaru gave a faint, knowing smile. "Oh, yes. I know Hikaru kun." His sharp eyes seemed to hold many secrets.
Sasuke's voice was low, demanding answers. "How?"
Orochimaru tilted his head slightly. "He was my student," he said, his voice smooth and thoughtful. "And the most brilliant shinobi of his time. Truly, a genius."
Naruto's eyes widened. "From which time was he?" he asked, trying to put the pieces together.
"He was the same age as your father, Naruto-kun," Orochimaru replied, looking directly at Naruto. "Namikaze Minato. And yes, they knew each other very well. Both were quite remarkable." Orochimaru's gaze then shifted to Sasuke, a slight curve to his lips. "Hikaru kun also knew your mother, Uchiha Mikoto. And they... had a very deep bond."
Sasuke didn't even blink. His face remained cold. Such old relations didn't matter to him right now. "Leave that relationship talk aside, Orochimaru," he cut in, his voice sharp. "If he was so old, like my mother's age, then why does he look so young here? Like a seventeen-year-old brat?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed. That was exactly what he was thinking! It made no sense. Before Naruto could speak, Sasuke continued, voicing the thought that had just popped into both their heads. "Could he have performed the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu?"
Orochimaru let out a soft, almost amused chuckle. "A person from such an old time could not have knowledge of the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu," he said, shaking his head slowly. "That jutsu is... more recent. No, he could not have." Orochimaru's gaze became thoughtful. "However, he could have performed some forbidden ninjutsu."
Naruto frowned. "But there's no forbidden ninjutsu that could make someone look younger, is there?" he mumbled, thinking aloud. He had heard of many forbidden jutsu, but none like that.
Orochimaru's sharp eyes glinted. "Ah, but a forbidden scroll like that does exist, Naruto-kun. And I happen to have one of those... in my laboratory." He paused, his gaze turning distant. "Though, for the past few days, it's been... missing." He looked at them again. "So perhaps, yes. He could have stolen it."
Naruto's eyes went wide. "How could he steal it?!" he asked, surprised. "Was he just... living in your lab?"
Orochimaru nodded slowly. "Not in my laboratory itself. But Hikaru kun has lived inside a cave which was very near my laboratory for many years," he explained, his voice calm. "I had no idea about it until last night. That's when I discovered Hikaru there myself, near my laboratory, near his cave."
The air grew heavy with the weight of this new information. Naruto, Sasuke, and even Orochimaru fell into deep thought, trying to piece together this impossible puzzle. The Rinnegan Man, Hikaru, two of him, from different times, knowing their parents, living secretly for years, stealing forbidden jutsu... it was too much.
Orochimaru was the first to break the tense silence. His voice was calm, almost casual. "Well, as long as the turtle is within Konoha's hands, he won't do anything."
Naruto blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. His eyes widened slightly. He frowned. "But he already left! And he took the turtle with him!"
Orochimaru's calm expression cracked. His sharp eyes widened, just for a moment, revealing genuine shock. He stood completely still, absorbing Naruto's words. A long moment passed, and then a slow, unsettling smile spread across his face.
"Then there is no meaning for me to stay here," Orochimaru said, his voice softer than before, almost a whisper. "In Konoha, any longer."
He turned slowly, his long black hair swinging gently. Without another word, he started walking in a direction that led towards the very edge of the village, towards the outside world. His loose robe flowed around him as he moved away, leaving Naruto and Sasuke standing there, stunned.
As he walked, Orochimaru thought to himself, his voice a quiet murmur only he could hear.
"So... it's already too late."
The gentle breeze rustled the leaves around him.
"That turtle... in Hikaru-kun's hands... this world won't stay the same."
He kept walking, his steps unhurried, yet purposeful.
"People talk about peace, but deep down, nothing really changes. Hatred, fear, the hunger for power… it always comes back. Just takes a little push."
He continued on, his figure slowly fading into the deepening twilight.
"We built this peace on broken ground. I knew it wouldn't last."
His eyes, sharp and ancient, gazed up at the fading light of the sky, his expression utterly unreadable.
"Now the cracks are showing again. One mistake… and everything begins to fall."
A brief pause. He stopped for a second, then resumed his slow walk.
"Hikaru-kun isn't the end. He's just the trigger. The world was already waiting to break."
A faint, almost wistful sigh escaped him.
"Let's see how much they can protect… before it all burns."
_OUTSKIRTS OF THE LEAF_
The night forest outside Konoha was thick with shadows. Tall trees stood like dark giants against the faint glow of the distant village. The air was cool and still, filled only with the soft rustle of leaves and the buzzing of unseen insects. It was a perfect cover for two figures moving quietly through the undergrowth.
Both figures wore black cloaks, their heads hidden by deep hoods that kept their faces in shadow. They walked with a silent, confident stride. One of the figures, clearly younger, kept tossing an object into the air. It looked like a small, black metal kettle, glinting faintly before he caught it again with a quick, playful movement. This was Young Hikaru. The cloaked figure walking beside him was Older Hikaru.
Young Hikaru, as he tossed the kettle up again, let out a huff. "Why did we waste our precious time on a useless object that's barely alive?" he grumbled, catching the kettle smoothly. He gave it a light shake. "Maybe it's dead."
Suddenly, a small, tiny voice, surprisingly clear, came from inside the kettle. "I'm not dead," the voice said, sounding a little annoyed. "I'm just waiting for my orders patiently."
Young Hikaru stopped tossing the kettle. His head tilted, and even under the hood, his surprise was clear. "Wooah!" he exclaimed, a childish wonder in his voice. "This thing speaks also?!"
The Older Hikaru, walking beside him, let out a soft sigh. "Don't trouble the turtle," he said, his voice calm but firm. "If it absorbs your chakra, you'll surely be in trouble."
The turtle's voice spoke up again, sounding a bit proud. "Please be rest assured. I have enough chakra. I can make you travel to at least ten timelines Urashiki-sama."
The moment the name 'Urashiki-sama' left the turtle's mouth, Young Hikaru became very offended. He stopped walking and his body stiffened. "Who is this Urashiki bastard?!" he snapped, his voice sharp with irritation. "My name is Uchiha Hikaru!"
The turtle quickly apologized. "My deepest apologies, Hikaru-sama. I apologize for mistaking you as Urashiki-sama." The small voice sounded truly sorry.
Young Hikaru huffed, but seemed satisfied with the apology. He then turned to the Older Hikaru, his tone becoming playful, almost like a younger brother complaining. "Isn't it unfair?" he whined, looking at him. "Both of us looking so smart, and the same age, even though you're from this time, which is way ahead of me, because I came from the past!"
He crossed his arms, like an annoyed child.
Older Hikaru simply smiled, a thin, knowing smile that barely showed under his hood. "I've gone through great troubles to achieve such an age," he said, his voice carrying a hint of self-satisfaction.
Young Hikaru's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "So," he said, eager now, "that mission you talked about... was it fulfilled? Are you satisfied?"
Older Hikaru let out a slow, pleased smirk. He looked at Young Hikaru, his eyes glinting in the dim light of the forest. "Of course," he said, his voice deep and confident. "I achieved those three things which I had never imagined I could achieve."
Young Hikaru bounced a little on his feet. "What were they?!" he pressed, clearly excited.
Older Hikaru paused, letting the suspense hang in the air. "First," he said, his voice resonating with power, "were the eyes. I have the Rinnegan. According to the legend, these eyes were possessed by Rikudo Sennin – The Sage of Six Paths." His tone was filled with immense pride.
"Second," he continued, a pleased note in his voice, "was my youth, which I had acquired."
And then, with a final, slow gaze down at the small black kettle in Young Hikaru's hand, Older Hikaru finished. "And the third... was the turtle. Uraume."
Young Hikaru's excitement grew. "How did you do all that?" he asked, his voice filled with impatient wonder. "Was it a plan? Did you think of it all beforehand?"
Older Hikaru chuckled softly, a dry, rasping sound. "No," he said, shaking his head. "It was a last-moment plan. A plan born of desperation, then shaped by opportunity."
Young Hikaru tilted his head. "Why last moment?"
Older Hikaru's eyes seemed to drift, seeing a distant memory. "I had met Uraume before," he began, his voice low. "A long time ago. I was very weak then, at the brink of death. I was stuck, trapped, and I hadn't eaten anything for many, many days." A hint of bitterness touched his words. "I was foolish at that time. All I wished for from Uraume was to keep me healthy, without food and water, for a period of time. Just to survive."
He paused, then continued, his voice gaining a cold edge. "But then, that time limit of being healthy was coming to an end. I had become old and weak again, and still... I was not getting food or water. I was stuck in that cave."
He lifted his cloak slightly, revealing a small, dark object. "That's when I used my visual prowess. My Mangekyo Sharingan powers. I opened a space-time portal and went to a different dimension. And there, I got this turtle."
He revealed a small, dark turtle shell, not the kettle, hidden beneath his cloak. It looked ancient and mystical. "This is Karasuki," he stated, showing it to Young Hikaru. "I thought this Karasuki was Uraume. But it was not. I had mistakenly gotten him." Older Hikaru sighed, a rare flicker of disappointment. "But he was not utterly useless."
"After I got my hands on the wrong turtle, my hopes were down," Older Hikaru admitted, a shadow passing over his face. "I thought I wouldn't be able to survive." He smirked then. "But that thought... that feeling of despair... it was only in my mind for a very short period of time." He paused, his gaze fixing on Young Hikaru.
Young Hikaru leaned in, eager. "So what happened next?!"
Older Hikaru's smirk widened. "One day," he continued, his voice dripping with satisfaction, "a young brat, only twelve years old, came inside my cave. He was scared of me, and he threw a scroll at me." Older Hikaru's eyes gleamed. "And fortunately, that scroll contained the forbidden ninjutsu hand seals. The Toki no Jutsu."
"Toki no Jutsu?" Young Hikaru whispered, impressed.
"Yes," Older Hikaru confirmed. "But the time was not a good opportunity then. I wished to gain more power. So I waited for further more days." His voice became a low, triumphant purr. "And then... I met a man who had a very special chakra. He contained the Senju chakra." Older Hikaru's grin grew wider, showing a chilling edge. "So I ate his flesh.
And with that, I awakened the Rinnegan.
Awakening the Rinnegan requires the fusion of Senju chakra and Uchiha chakra, you see." He tapped his head, a gesture of dark pride. "And after awakening the Rinnegan, I performed Toki no Jutsu and became young again."
Older Hikaru gestured around at the dark forest. "And so, I executed the plan of getting Uraume, which I got to know was inside Konoha." He looked at Young Hikaru, a sly glint in his eyes. "I used Karasuki to bring you from the past. Karasuki's power, you see, is that he can travel to the past. And I brought you from the past, because I needed an ally to help me obtain the turtle."
Older Hikaru's gaze was fixed on Young Hikaru, a look of complete satisfaction on his face. "And so," he finished, his voice echoing with finality, "I achieved what all I wished for. All my plan was fulfilled."
Older Hikaru turned fully to face Young Hikaru, his smile now chillingly triumphant. "Now that my task is fulfilled," he said, his voice losing its storytelling warmth, "and what I wished to obtain, I have gotten that..." His eyes, sharp and cold, fixed on the younger version of himself. "You are of no use to me anymore." A pause, heavy with unspoken meaning. "It is time for you to go back."
Young Hikaru's excited expression faded. His smile faltered, replaced by a flicker of sadness. He looked down at the small black kettle in his hands, then back up at Older Hikaru, his voice a little shaky. "But... what will you do with Uraume?"
Older Hikaru's eyes gleamed with a fierce, burning ambition. "I will change my destiny,"
he declared, his voice low and powerful. "My past. I will finish all those sufferings I had to bear. I will not let myself be destroyed by Konoha. Rather..." A dark smirk stretched across his face. "...I will destroy Konoha. And the ninja world. I will bring destruction to the world!"
Young Hikaru listened, his sadness quickly replaced by a wide, admiring grin. "You should better do that only!" he exclaimed, his voice bright and eager.
With a final nod, Young Hikaru gently handed the black metal kettle, containing Uraume, to Older Hikaru. Now, Older Hikaru held Karasuki in one hand, the ancient mystical turtle, and Uraume in the other, the small black kettle.
Older Hikaru's Rinnegan glowed faintly as he activated Karasuki, and a swirling vortex of shimmering light, a space-time portal, began to open on the ground between them. Young Hikaru stepped forward, ready to move inside the portal, his excitement clear.
But just as he was about to enter, Older Hikaru raised a hand, stopping him.
Young Hikaru turned, looking back over his shoulder. "What is it?" he asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
The next second, his eyes widened slightly. His body stiffened, then went completely limp.
His vision swam, and his mind felt like it was dissolving into mist. He collapsed to the ground, falling unconscious, and tumbled forward into the swirling light of the portal.
Older Hikaru had placed him under a powerful Genjutsu, erasing all memories of their meeting and the shocking truths he had learned, ensuring no trouble would follow.
_HOKAGE MOUNTAIN – NARUTO'S STONE FACE_
The strong evening wind roared over the Hokage Monument, tugging at the giant stone faces. At the top of Naruto's own, he sat with his legs dangling, staring over the village. His white Hokage haori flapped wildly behind him, his hair and shirt collar fluttering. Behind him, Sasuke stood silently, his cloak and hair billowing, both of them watching over the village like silent guardians.
A long silence passed between them, broken only by the wind.
"Twenty-four hours," Naruto said finally, his voice low. "That's all we have before Kiri declares war... unless we hand you over." He clenched his fists. "After everything we fought for, Sasuke. This can't be happening."
"I know," Sasuke replied quietly. "It's a high price for a lie." He sighed. "I'll go, Naruto. If it stops the war, I'll do it."
Naruto stood sharply, his haori snapping in the wind. "No. You're innocent dattebayo. I won't sacrifice you for peace built on lies."
"And I can't let Konoha burn because of me," Sasuke said firmly, turning slightly.
Naruto walked up to him, calmer now. "Orochimaru didn't say much, but his silence said everything. He believed what he saw… the two Hikarus, from different times. One who knew your mother, my father."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "It sounds insane. But Orochimaru wouldn't lie about this."
"He said the older Hikaru used a forbidden jutsu — Toki no Jutsu — to become young again. And he was after that turtle… 'Uraume.' Orochimaru called it dangerous. Now it's in enemy hands."
Sasuke's Rinnegan flickered. "The man with two Rinnegan… he looked like me but older. It makes sense now. Time travel, age reversal… forbidden jutsu. Two versions of the same person."
Naruto nodded. "So how do we stop a war with just that? Kiri wants blood, not theories dattebayo."
"Then we find him," Sasuke said firmly. "Both Hikarus if needed. We bring the truth to them — even if we go there ourselves."
Naruto looked back at his village, thinking of everyone he swore to protect.
"Yeah," he said with renewed resolve. "We'll find him. Protect Konoha. And protect the future. Together."
The wind howled louder, carrying the weight of what was coming. Below, the village slept — unaware of the storm its protectors were preparing to face.
_OUTSKIRTS OF THE LEAF_
Back in the dark forest outside Konoha, Older Hikaru stood all alone. The swirling light where Young Hikaru had just gone disappeared quickly, leaving nothing behind.
The forest became very quiet. Only the wind made soft sounds through the trees.
Older Hikaru slowly lifted his hands. In one hand, he held the old, special turtle called Karasuki. In the other, he held the small, black metal kettle with Uraume inside. He looked up at the dark night sky. His face was hidden by his hood, but his special eye, the Rinnegan, gave off a soft light in the darkness. It showed he was happy in a cruel way.
'Konoha,' he thought. The name tasted like poison in his mouth. 'That village... that place full of people who say one thing but do another. They took everything from me. My family, my future, who I was.' He remembered all the bad things that happened to him – feeling betrayed, being alone, and the long, terrible pain in the dark cave. The world had moved on, built on his pain, and called it peace. But he remembered. He never forgot.
A slow, scary smile spread across his face. It made him look evil, like a monster. His eyes, now shining with strong power and a desire to get back at them, looked at the small kettle.
"Uraume," he called out, his voice low and full of dark hope.
From inside the kettle, the small, old voice quickly answered. It sounded calm. "Yes, Hikaru-sama. I am here. Waiting for your orders.".
A deep, rough laugh came from Older Hikaru. It sounded like pure happiness and evil, promising only bad things would happen. He held both turtles up high, like a dark god holding the power to create and destroy.
"Good," he said, his scary smile getting bigger. His Rinnegan shone brightly, making a strange purple light on his face. "Then do it. I tell you..."
His voice became a quiet whisper, full of very strong power. It was a whisper meant to break the world itself.
"CHANGE THE TIMELINE."
_HOKAGE MOUNTAIN - NARUTO'S STONE FACE_
The wind was still blowing hard around Naruto and Sasuke. It carried the soft sounds of the sleeping village far below. Their talk had ended, but the heavy feeling of their strong decision, and the very hard job ahead, stayed with them.
"This is it, then," Naruto said quietly, his voice almost lost in the wind. He was simply saying that a big, unknown future was coming. "Our last chance to protect... everything." He watched a single light come on far away in a window, a small sign of life he wanted so badly to protect.
Sasuke was about to answer. Maybe he would agree, or say something serious about their chances. He opened his mouth, ready to speak.
But before any sound could come out, a sudden, bright flash of light covered them both. It happened so fast they barely noticed. It wasn't an explosion or a burst of energy. It was like the space where they were just... stopped being there.
One moment, they were there, standing on the mountain, showing against the dark sky.
The next, they were gone.
The wind kept blowing hard, moving through the empty space where two of the world's greatest ninjas had just stood. The Hokage's stone face stayed there, cold and still. It saw a change that just moved through time itself. The village below still didn't know what had happened.
Just then, a single drop of water fell, and the scene shifted. The two figures, Naruto and Sasuke, vanished from the Hokage Mountain, replaced by a mysterious, otherworldly dimension. The ground beneath was liquid, like a sea of shimmering silver, rippling softly. On this liquid surface, Older Boruto sat cross-legged, his gaze distant and lost in thought.
He was looking downwards at the water, his gaze distant and filled with a deep, silent sorrow.
He slowly lifted his head, his voice a low, broken whisper that seemed to echo across the endless liquid surface.
"Tou-chan... Sasuke-san..." he began, his voice thick with a pain that time had not healed. "That day... that day felt like the whole ninja world just collapsed. No one knew where they had disappeared to. Had they been moved to another timeline, just like me? Or had they died? No one knew."
His eyes, heavy with the weight of memory, stared into the shimmering blue.
"Right after they vanished, the war between Kirigakure and Konohagakure began," Boruto continued, his voice growing colder.
"Kirigakure had asked for only one day, and that day was over. But then Konoha was also ready to fight because certain Kirigakure shinobis secretly entered Konoha the same night Tou-chan and Sasuke-san disappeared. So, everyone believed they had killed both of them."
A tremor ran through him, but his voice hardened.
"But then... another terrible thing happened. Otsutsuki Momoshiki came. He came to finish the Otsutsuki mission – to plant a God Tree, to eat its Chakra Fruit, and to take in powerful chakra beings."
Boruto's breath hitched, remembering the horror.
"And now... with Sasuke-san and Tou-chan not being there to protect the ninja world... I watched all that destruction right in front of my eyes. I was at the edge of death." His gaze drifted, lost in the terrible past. "And then... I didn't know what had happened after that.
Because fate gave me another chance to live.
And I had been sent to the past. All because of Uraume. She had followed Hikaru's orders and changed the timeline."
His voice faded, leaving only the soft sound of the light blue water rippling in the endless emptiness.
END OF VOLUME 1.
---
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hey everyone! We've finally reached the end of Volume 1, and what a journey it's been! From the tense standoff with the Rinnegan Man to Orochimaru's shocking revelations, and then the devastating truth unveiled by Older Boruto in the grim finale – it's been an absolute whirlwind of twists and turns! 🤯
The disappearance of Naruto and Sasuke from Hokage Mountain, followed by Hikaru's chilling command to "CHANGE THE TIMELINE," left our heroes (and us!) in utter disbelief. Older Boruto's heartbreaking account of a Konoha plunged into despair, a war with Kirigakure, and the terrifying arrival of Momoshiki.
But what does a changed timeline truly mean? Prepare yourselves, because Volume 2 is about to plunge us headfirst into the consequences of Hikaru's actions! The focus shifts entirely as we journey into the ripples of this altered past, beginning with Volume 2, Chapter 1!
Get ready to witness a world familiar yet drastically different, as we turn our attention to two legendary figures: Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui! How has their timeline been twisted by Hikaru's command? What new challenges, impossible decisions, and untold destinies await them in this drastically altered reality? Their story, and the true main story of this changed world, begins now!
A crucial note: As we step into this new era, the characters from Boruto's time have served their purpose in showing us the terrifying future. Their part in this volume is complete. Moving forward, we will be focusing on a fresh cast of characters and a vastly different narrative in this altered past, so be ready for a whole new dynamic!
Thank you all so much for your incredible support and for sticking with NARUTO: A CHANGE IN TIMELINE. Your theories and comments fuel this story 🔥. Let me know your thoughts on this epic conclusion and what you're most excited to see in the comments below! ❤️