Game one: Boruto’s bullseye, followed by a surprisingly steady streak. Kawaki matched, point for point, reminding everyone that calm intensity was its own kind of spectacle. By the fourth dart, Boruto fumbled—he’d been talking and trying to psych Kawaki out—and Kawaki took the lead.
Kawaki, by contrast, was methodical. He warmed the rice, flattened it into an even patty, and pressed the spam into a neat square. He fried the egg sunny-side up and placed it with surgical precision atop the spam, then sprinkled seaweed and a single thin pickle slice as a minimalist accent. No glaze, no fuss—just balance.
On the final throw, with scores nearly tied, Boruto pictured his father—Naruto’s never-say-die smile—then did something he rarely let himself do: breathe slow and steady. He let the dart go, and it landed dead center. The alley erupted; even a sleepy Ichiraku chef stuck his head out to see what the commotion was about. Kawaki clapped once, without a grin, and handed Boruto the victory in silence—a rare show of respect. They didn’t announce the terms strictly. Training was squeezed into the early morning, while the resident losers exchanged good-natured jabs over tea. Sarada took notes for the Academy’s “Team Dynamics” seminar, recording how competitive rituals built trust. Himawari ate both plates and declared herself the real winner.
What began as a silly challenge became, in its small way, a ritual: a morning that stitched them tighter as friends and rivals. Boruto learned that a reckless flourish could win hearts, Kawaki showed that quiet persistence wins points, and Sarada confirmed that structure keeps chaos edible. The breakfast-dart morning ended with a plan to repeat it—different ingredients, different stakes, same alley—so that the village’s dawns would keep making them better, together. The charm of “Boruto + breakfast + darts” isn’t just the novelty of pairing food with a game; it’s that small competitions and shared meals shape relationships. The duel became a shorthand: whoever could make something from nothing and then calm their hands enough for a bullseye earned not just bragging rights, but a story that would be retold between missions. In a world of ninjas and high stakes, those ordinary mornings held their own kind of power.
Sarada tasted both with the seriousness of someone signing off on a mission plan. Boruto’s plate was loud and comforting—salt, umami, crunch. Kawaki’s was clean and efficient—focused on texture and temperature. The vote from an impartial Himawari (who’d wandered in for crumbs) went to Boruto for “fun,” while Sarada handed Kawaki the honor of “best technique.” They called it a draw. The alley behind Ichiraku became their arena. Darts had been a village pastime since before either of them could remember: cheap, precise, and a rare test of calm under pressure. Boruto’s approach was flashy—he spun the dart once between his fingers, winked at Kawaki, and threw with theatrical flair. Kawaki’s throws were quiet, compact, and exact.
It started with a dare.