Boruto Part 1 has finally concluded and the story went on a short hiatus immediately after that. Back in August, Boruto finally returned with Part 2 and the series is now well underway with some very intense action already underway. Of course, the favorite characters of the fans have already returned, all grown up and stronger than ever before.

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However, two characters that are missing right now in Boruto are the 7th Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki and, of course, the Other Hokage, Sasuke Uchiha. These two characters are the core of any Naruto series and the sequel, Boruto, is no different. Fans know that these two characters have been treated very harshly in the series before, however, there is hope for these two characters in the future of Boruto.

Naruto's Current Fate

Naruto Uzumaki was dealt much worse cards than Sasuke in Boruto. Although he started the journey in Boruto at the top of his powers, Naruto ended up crumbling down towards the end of part 1. This all started with the return of Isshiki Otsutsuki, who was so strong that none of the Shinobi kind could challenge him to battle. Naruto had to hit a completely new level to take him on in combat and he did exactly that when he tapped into the powers of Baryon Mode. This power was so incredible that Naruto was even able to overwhelm him and, eventually, pave the way for his demise. However, the toll it took on Naruto Uzumaki himself was massive. Naruto ended up losing Kurama and this weakened him tremendously. Now, he was just as vulnerable as any other human and this marked the beginning of his downfall in Boruto.

Immediately after, it was made quite clear in the story that Naruto needed to be protected. Kawaki, his adopted son, took it upon himself to see that he didn't die and sealed him away in the dimension of Daikokuten. He then proceeded to attempt to kill Boruto, given that he was Otsutsuki, and, as such, a threat to Naruto. Things ended up getting worse when Kawaki failed to kill Boruto but ended up switching lives with him. That is exactly where the timeskip of Boruto began and ever since then, Naruto Uzumaki has remained sealed.

Sasuke's Current Fate

Sasuke Uchiha was also dealt with a very similar fate in Boruto. At the beginning of the series, Sasuke was incredibly powerful and his powers were great enough to overcome anyone. Sasuke did face quite some trouble dealing with the Otsutsuki kind, however, with Naruto's help, he always pulled through. This changed when Isshiki came up as the main antagonist and, although the two were able to deal with him, largely thanks to effort from Naruto, both of them ended up paying a huge price. As mentioned earlier, Naruto ended up losing Kurama, however, Sasuke also ended up giving up a significant portion of his power. In his case, Momoshiki made sure to stab his Rinnegan and, with that, Sasuke lost the vast majority of his incredible power.

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Since then, Sasuke has weakened tremendously and, now, is not all that stronger than an average Kage-level shinobi. Still, he is a legendary figure and he did play more of a role in the story than Naruto from this point onwards. Towards the end of Boruto part 1, it was Sasuke who saved Boruto Uzumaki and then together, the two escaped the village when the lives of Boruto and Kawaki were switched. Sasuke actively trained Boruto Uzumaki during the timeskip, however, ever since then, fans do not know what exactly happened to him. Even though Boruto has returned in part 2, Sasuke is nowhere to be seen, which has raised questions about his very fate.

The Return Of Naruto And Sasuke

Fans are currently wondering whether Sasuke and Naruto will return in Boruto and the answer to that is, absolutely, they will. These two characters are the core of this series, even though it is not about them, to begin with. Without Naruto and Sasuke, no fan would ever watch Boruto as they are the ones who started everything.

Fans can rest assured that Naruto and Sasuke will return in Boruto part 2, however, when exactly that will happen is what needs to be discussed.

In the case of Sasuke Uchiha, fans have been largely surprised that he hasn't returned already. He left on the journey with Boruto towards the end of part 1, however, he did not make his way back to the village with him. Fans also know that Sasuke and Boruto were chased by Code during the three-year timeskip. This meant that they engaged in constant battles and Code also received a heavy injury to his eye. This means Sasuke, who was stronger than Boruto at this point, would likely have had to fight him. It is possible that Sasuke could have died, however, that would be extremely intensive on the part of the writers to do offscreen. Sasuke has to stay alive for the story to work, and fans should expect him to return sooner rather than later, especially now that Konoha is under attack.

As for Naruto Uzumaki, fans will have to wait quite a bit for his return. In order for that to happen, the threat of Code will have to be dealt with, first of all. After that, Boruto and Kawaki will have to fight it out and, from there onwards, the story can see the return of the beloved 7th Hokage. This conflict is at the center of Naruto's plotline as well and when Boruto knocks some senses into Kawaki, Naruto can return.

What Role Will Naruto And Sasuke Play In Boruto?

When the conflict between Boruto and Kawaki is settled, the Boruto series will most definitely not end just there. Fans certainly expect the story to continue beyond that since there are many threats that are still looming over the world, such as other Otsutsuki, and even the likes of Shibai, who was very recently introduced as the strongest of all characters to have ever lived in the Naruto world. These characters will need to be dealt with at some point in the story and that is when Naruto and Sasuke come into play.

Fans can be absolutely certain that these two characters will play some sort of role when the time to fight stronger enemies comes. While they are considerably weakened at the moment, fans should expect them to power up and possibly even get back to their former strength. This can be made possible using the power of Omnipotence or, in some other ways, and given that these two characters have scaled heights that would have been deemed impossible in the past, fans should not put it beyond them to do so all over again. Boruto, Kawaki, and Sarada are certainly powerful, however, they will need help and it is up to the adults and the most experienced ninjas, such as Naruto and Sasuke, to lead the line from the front.

Boruto is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus app. The release date for the next chapter of Boruto, Boruto part 2 chapter 3, is set to be October 20, 2023.

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