Naruto Uzumaki is an iconic character that all anime fans are very well aware of. In the world of shonen anime and manga, it goes without saying that Naruto is one of the most loved characters alongside the likes of Goku, and Monkey D. Luffy. Naruto is the protagonist of his own story written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto, titled Naruto. In his story, Naruto aims to become the greatest Hokage and get everyone to acknowledge him.
Despite facing a life full of hardships, Naruto conquers all the obstacles in his path and eventually, saves the world from doo m during the 4th Great Ninja War. In doing so, Naruto also rescues his best friend, Sasuke Uchiha from darkness, and, thus, his story is a success. Fans all over the world love Naruto Uzumaki and when the sequel to the story, Boruto, teased his death, fans grew anxious, and rightly so. Finally, after years, Boruto has finally revealed what exactly happened to the Seventh Hokage and whether or not he's truly dead.
The Prologue Of Boruto
In the prologue of Boruto, fans were treated to an intense clash in the village of Konoha between Boruto Uzumaki, Naruto's son, and Kawaki, a mysterious boy who fans knew nothing about at that point in time. The village surrounding them was completely destroyed, comparable to when pain attacked Konoha. Amidst all the destruction, Boruto and Kawaki traded blows and, by the looks of it, were out for each other's blood. It was then that Boruto Uzumaki lamented the outcome of their relationship. To that, Kawaki replies that he will send him to the same place that he sent the 7th Hokage to. Immediately, fans assume that Naruto Uzumaki is in some sort of danger. Due to the ambiguity of Kawaki's words, it wasn't certain as to whether he had died or was just incapacitated in some form.
However, the fact that Boruto Uzumaki claimed to be the only Shinobi at this point and exclaimed that the age of Shinobi is over, led fans to believe that Naruto Uzumaki is, truly, dead. What's more, Boruto was seen cloaked in Sasuke's attire and was holding his sword. This also implied that something had happened to Sasuke as well, further strengthening the idea that all the other Shinobi were most likely dead. Finally, Boruto has answered this question, at least partially.
Is Naruto Dead?
The short answer to this is, no, Naruto Uzumaki is not dead. In the previous chapter of Boruto, fans finally saw what actually happened to him and his wife as well, curiously. As fans know already, Naruto adopted Kawaki and called him his own child. He saved him from Isshiki and gave new life to him. All this caused Kawaki to idolize him and, to save him, he would now go to any lengths. Realizing that Naruto has lost the powers of Kurama and is now severely weakened, he does not want him harmed by the likes of the Otsutsuki. Kawaki has taken a vow to root out all the Otsutsuki from their stem and destroy them so as to protect all those he loves.
While he loves every single member of his family, it just so happens that his very own brother, Boruto, is possessed by an Otsutsuki currently. This means that Kawaki also aims to kill Boruto. Kawaki realizes that the existence of Momoshiki within Boruto is a threat to the 7th Hokage. To put a stop to that threat, he will go to any lengths, as it concerns the life of his benefactor and savior, Naruto. Knowing that Naruto will stand in his way, Kawaki sent him to a different dimension, along with his wife, Hinata Uzumaki. This ties very well with Kawaki's very own words where he mentioned to Boruto that he would send him to the same place he sent the Seventh Hokage.
What The Future Holds For Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto Uzumaki will not be a part of Boruto for quite a while, given that he is now in a different dimension. To save him, Kawaki will first need to be properly defeated and, then, his mind would need to be changed. It is abundantly clear that Naruto does not return to the story until after the timeskip, which is when Boruto and Kawaki are fighting their battle. As such, the future for the 7th Hokage in the story doesn't look very bright. It is highly likely that he will return to the story when everything is done and dusted and the conflict with the Otsutsuki, Boruto, and Kawaki is finally resolved.
That will certainly take some time and now, fans of Naruto will have to endure quite a long wait to see their favorite return to the story. Even if he returns later on, there is no guarantee that he will make a mark or influence the plot in any major way. Naruto was nerfed severely in the story very early on and, by the looks of it, he will never hit the same levels again in the future, sad as that may be. Currently, the future is grim for the 7th Hokage of Konoha.