The way Boruto explores Naruto lore, and at the same time, focuses on its plot is its biggest strength. A lot of Boruto’s worldbuilding can be attributed to the foundation set in the earlier Naruto stories. Concepts like Jinchūriki, Chakra, Dojutsu, and Ninjutsu, were the foundation of the Narutoverse.
Even variations of this concept present themselves in the Boruto Saga. Like the Shinju who are born from the Ten Tails, and Shinjutsu. which is a variation of Ninjutsu.
However, there is one element that was explored in Naruto, that still holds a lot of weight in Boruto, and was even explored more— the Otsutsuki. Naruto’s exploration of the Otsutsuki was limited to the Sage of Six Paths family. Boruto, on the other hand, has shone a light on the Otsutsuki race. It has been explained that they are a parasitic alien race and that Kaguya was one out of many.
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While Kaguya’s origins were being revealed in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, her counterpart, Isshiki, was also talked about. Isshiki was meant to be the Otsutsuki that consumed the Chakra fruit. However, he was betrayed by Kaguya and nearly died.
According to a fan theory, what nearly killed Isshiki was the Ten-Tails and not Kaguya. The fan insinuates that Isshiki let his guard down and was pushed by Kaguya into the Ten Tails reach.
This theory could be true, as a flashback in Boruto showed Isshiki with a damaged half-body. Let’s explore more of these details in depth.
Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and contains the author’s opinion.
How Boruto subtly shows viewers the way Isshiki was betrayed by Kaguya
To ascertain whether the theory proposed by the fan holds any credence, one must revisit the origins of the Otsutsuki. The Otsutsuki are an alien parasitic race whose chief goal is to grow stronger and evolve. How they achieve this growth and evolution is through a Ten Tail Sapling, which they plant into a new planet.
That sapling eventually grows into a God Tree and sucks all Chakra and genetic material from the planet. That tree eventually blooms and bears a large fruit that the Otsutsuki consume to grow stronger.
The Otsutsuki always travel in pairs, and when the Otsutsuki came to Earth, it was Isshiki and Kaguya. For the sapling to bloom into a God Tree, an Otsutsuki must be sacrificed. Kaguya was meant to be that sacrifice, but she loved Earth so much. That is why she betrayed Isshiki.
However, betraying Isshiki is no easy feat, as he is much stronger than Kaguya. This means Kaguya used Subterfuge to defeat Isshiki, which means the theory isn’t wrong.
According to Naruto Shippuden, Kaguya ate a Chakra fruit, and that gave her unrivaled power that later showed up in her sons, Hagoromo and Hamura. For her to have had access to a Chakra Fruit, she needed to feed the Ten Tail Sapling with an Otsutsuki.
Otsutsuki only travel in pairs, which means that the only available Otsutsuki was Isshiki. However, this line of reasoning raises two questions: How did Isshiki survive if he was fed to the Ten Tail Sapling? And how is the Earth still intact?
While the first can only be answered speculatively, the second raised question can easily be answered: the Earth remains intact because half of Isshiki was eaten by the Ten Tail Sapling. There was enough Isshiki that was consumed to bear Chakra Fruit, and at the same time, not destroy the Earth.
This might be why the entire Naruto and Boruto are just based on one continent— it might be because the rest have been destroyed.
Final thoughts
The only downside to this theory is how Isshiki survived the onslaught of the Ten-Tails and Kaguya. The only explanation can be his Sukunahikona, which he can use to increase or reduce the size of objects (including himself).
This is most likely how he escaped from the grips of Ten-Tails and considering the Otsutsuki pride, Kaguya would not have bothered to be thorough enough. Coincidentally, that pride is most likely what made Isshiki lower his guard.
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