Chapter 107 – Water – Wet – Clay
"Wait, say that again?" Naruto rubbed his head, "I didn't get it."
"Sorry, nor did I?" Shikamaru confusedly looked at Guren and Boruto, turning his eyes towards Sasuke, "What happened again?"
Guren grinned, "Well, there was this guy Shiki, and I thought that I'd lose to him for sure, so I should go to Dad and learn a strong lightning style, and boom. There was a spark between Boruto's eyes and my Sharingan, which somehow morphed our surroundings. Allowing us to see through Space and Time, Past and Future, and Parallel Worlds to see all the strong Lightning Styles. Centered around Dad."
Guren curled his lips, "I have been praying that I want to see all the other Ninjutsu that ever existed, but it didn't happen. I even asked just for Fire Style Jutsu's. Still nothing."
Naruto focused his gaze, shaking his head with confidence, "I still don't understand how that is possible."
"Naruto, it was almost like his purest wish, the one from the depths of his heart was granted."
"Hmm," Naruto tilted his head, "I am afraid I know you are trying to point something out, but I am not just getting it."
"Wait, you don't mean," Shikamaru jumped in shock, "It's that?"
Sasuke sighed, "I'll spell it out. Didn't we just recently hear something that could grant wishes...any wish?"
"Hogyoku?!" Naruto jumped on his feet, "But Lady Tsunade..."
"Maybe we should try talking to her again," Sasuke narrowed his eyes when Tsunade appeared in the room, "No need. You are right...it's sealed inside of him."
Sasuke turned to the side, seeing Tsunade stand there, looking at Guren, with genuine anger in his eyes as he spoke in a suppressed voice, "Why would you do that?"
"Granny Tsunade..." Naruto couldn't believe that she had lied to him.
Tsunade patted Guren's head, "It was meant to be sealed and stay sealed. Jun planned to be the decoy, attracting anyone who thought of wanting to get their hands on Hogyoku. While in truth, it was here where no one would think of, safe inside him."
Sasuke calmed down a little, "If it's sealed, then why is it affecting him? What is happening? Why him?"
Tsunade pressed her lips, "Because he has the mind of a scientist above a Ninja. It was in a case that Hogyoku managed to break the seal or its powers leaked, then who would be the right person to handle it? A Ninja? Or a Scientist. Hogyoku was created by Scientists; it wasn't natural to begin with. Moreover, if I had to guess what Jay was thinking. Then Hogyoku also listens to the wishes of others around the holder and grants them power. With a threat like Hollows that we can't see...something like Hogyoku could present an edge. The same goes for the Otsutsuki's...and among all the Scientists...in both Worlds. Can you guess how many were capable of being trusted to give something like a Hogyoku?"
Sasuke, Naruto, and Shikamaru were a bit speechless hearing the reasoning when Tsunade added, "It was also...in case...the two of you died or were defeated against the Otsutsuki's. For the next generation. You understand what kind of ripple would that create in the heart of others. Pure wishes...that come from the depths of the heart."
"Hey! I don't know who you are! But there is no way Dad and Sensei are dying against anyone!! You didn't see what I just saw, but they are powerful!"
Boruto jumped up in front of Tsunade, who smiled at him, gently patting his head, before flicking his forehead so hard that his body got hurled through the room. It broke through the wall, falling down on the center of the road, "See...like I said."
Naruto stretched his hand out, his eyes wide in shock, muttering, "Boruto..."
Sasuke covered his face, closing his eyes, "Can you see...if the seal is still there? Or is Hogyoku running uninhibitedly?"
Tsunade knelt in front of Guren, hiding the little blame in her eyes, but she was happy with the fan service over the clothes she was wearing, so she forgave him for making her lie. The karma on her forehead spread, and a Rinnesharingan appeared in her eyes, "That's...strange..."
The next moment, everyone in the room stepped into the center of darkness, nothingness, seeing the Hogyoku floating, completely sealed, "There isn't even a crack on the seal..."
Sasuke watched it closely, seeing the cosmos inside it, narrowing his eyes, "It's like his eyes..."
"Yeah, it is...wait...so how did it affect him while being sealed."
"Maybe it didn't," Shikamaru confusedly said, "Maybe...it's not Hogyoku that's affecting him. But it's like Guren being affected just because he is the vessel."
"That makes no sense," Tsunade looked up at Shikamaru.
"It's like glass and water. When you pour the glass, it's not to make the glass wet but to hold the water. The glass becomes wet because it's holding the water."
"That's...still complicated, but I think I get it," Naruto rubbed his head, "Guren is showing Hogyoku like powers because he is holding the Hogyoku. Not because the Hogyoku is trying to wet him, right?"
"Right," The four of them appeared back in the room as Tsunade's karma retreated.
Tsunade scratched his cheek, "No wonder we didn't predict this coming...Jun didn't show any signs of being affected, so we thought so wouldn't Guren."
"I think it's the difference in strength," Guren smiled, interrupting their talks between self, "It's the same difference as molding the hard clay and wet clay. I know about Jun...Karin and Yuzu's brother, right? He's strong and has good control over his ability, having developed them. So he's like hard clay...I hadn't even awakened my Sharingan, so I am like the wet clay...changing the shape when something heavy has been put over me."
Guren touched his eye, grinning, "The eye that grants wishes...sounds interesting enough. At least it's better than Boruto's, and he'll never live that down."
Guren turned towards Tsunade, innocently looking up, holding her hand between his palms, "Miss Tsunade...thank you so much."
Tsunade blinked, seeing his pink lips, big innocent violet eyes, looking up at her, and her face became puffed red, swirling, "Yes...of course..."
Guren kissed her fingers, waving his hand, "I have to go for the Chunin Exam; see you later."
He happily waved his hand, running off, leaving behind Tsunade, who covered her face, "Who did I give the Hogyoku...this was a mistake...that brat is evil."
Shikamaru and Naruto started laughing, while Sasuke sighed even further, apologizing, "Sorry."