Naruto's upgrade has already been confirmed

This article contains spoilers for the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex series.

Key points

• Naruto is sealed away by Kawaki, losing his power and leaving fans eagerly awaiting his return.
• The Boruto manga suggests that Naruto gains greater powers in the Two Blue Vortex arc.
• Sasuke's increase in strength confirms that Naruto will receive a boost to maintain balance.

THE Boruto the series continues to gain traction and fans know that the next narrative arc will certainly be very important, especially because it will bring the story closer to the point that every fan is waiting to see, and that is, the eventual destruction of Konoha and the battle between Boruto and Kawaki. More importantly, readers are eagerly awaiting the return of Naruto Uzumaki, the seventh Hokage of the Village, as things stand right now, there is still some time for Naruto to reappear in the story.

Naruto was sealed by Kawaki and by the time he fights Boruto, Naruto is still sealed. Fans have been waiting for his return for quite some time now, and while they have an exhausting wait ahead of them, there is also good news. The course that the Boruto The manga that has taken over the past few months has basically confirmed that Naruto will gain greater powers in Two Blue Vortex.

Naruto's current situation in Boruto

• Naruto Uzumaki is sealed by Kawaki
• Naruto's power has been taken away from him

As fans know, Naruto Uzumaki suffered greatly in Boruto series. This shouldn't surprise anyone, given how poor the treatment of all the older generation characters was in this manga. It's been one of the biggest talking points regarding Boruto, and it's certainly something that all Naruto fans have criticized, and rightfully so. In the case of Naruto Uzumaki, his lifelong companion, Kurama, was completely stripped from him and this left him powerless. Naruto was then sealed away by Kawaki, and this ultimately led to him being left out of the story entirely, as sad as that may have been. These were the main problems that Naruto faced in the Boruto series, and they certainly frustrated fans to no end.

I will always watch over you, Boruto! – Naruto

When the Boruto series began, fans knew it was still an extension of Naruto. Of course, Boruto was supposed to be the protagonist of the new series, but the fact is that the universe is the same one in which Naruto exists, and Naruto is a cult hero. Fans certainly didn't expect Naruto to be the protagonist of the series or to always be at the forefront. But, for him to be involved in the conspiracy and have his achievements and power respected at all times, the bare minimum is that his legacy is not tainted.

Unfortunately, this did not happen in the Boruto series, and this is precisely why fans are waiting for his eventual return, so, at the very least, Naruto can enjoy his life in peace and continue to be the Hokage he always wanted to be.

Why Naruto gets a power-up is confirmed

Sasuke's growing strength confirmed that Naruto will receive a power-up

Naruto Uzumaki lost Kurama's power in the fight against Isshiki. Before this deadly battle began, Naruto knew that he would fight with everything he had. Naruto and Kurama used a strategy that used their chakras as kernels to give rise to a new form of energy. This energy was so great that even Isshiki paled in comparison. Naruto managed to successfully defeat Isshiki, but this sacrifice was such that it left him powerless in subsequent arcs. Sure, Naruto still had the power of Sage Mode at his disposal, but it would never be enough.

Come, Otsutsuki! Let me show you true determination. – Naruto

This is one of the reasons why Kawaki decided to seal Naruto. But, eventually, Naruto will return, and when he does, he'll need a power-up. There is absolutely no way that Naruto could lead the village as Hokage while being powerless or remaining a shell of his former self. Likewise, fans cannot expect Naruto to always be on the sidelines, especially being such an important figure, when major battles will take place upon his return in the future. One way or another, Naruto must be at the forefront, and that is precisely why he will have to acquire additional powers in Boruto's future.

Fans have been wondering how Naruto Uzumaki will get his power or if he will even get any powers at all. Fortunately, Boruto The manga has now essentially indirectly confirmed that Naruto Uzumaki will be getting a power-up. This is because Sasuke Uchiha, who Naruto believes to be his brother and, at the same time, his rival, has become stronger during the time skip. While Naruto was sealed, Sasuke trained with Boruto Uzumaki during the timeskip and achieved a higher level of strength. This was clear from when Sasuke fought Tails, who had the limiters removed from his body. Despite this, Sasuke managed to effectively deal with him and even wound him in battle, taking out one of his eyes and severely paralyzing him.

On top of that, Sasuke was facing a horde of Claw Grimes, yet he managed to hold his own very well. Previously, Sasuke had failed to even make a dent in the battle against Jigen, despite having his Rinnegan at the time. Even though he was eventually sealed, for him to be able to impress Tails in battle and even wound him is definitely a sign of great progress.

Kishimoto has previously stated that Naruto and Sasuke must always grow together. If one gets stronger, the other must too. Obviously, Sasuke didn't get a power-up when Naruto accessed Baryon Mode, but they were still nerfed the same way, which essentially meant the balance was maintained. At this moment, however, the balance was disrupted and Sasuke moved on. In fact, the difference in strength between Sasuke and Naruto is probably large, meaning that it is basically confirmed that once Naruto returns, one way or another, he will make ground and reach the same level as Sasuke.

How will Naruto get an upgrade?

Naruto might become a Jinchuriki again

Of course, there are many ways Naruto and Sasuke can gain their powers. Fans were hoping that Naruto would reunite with Kurama in some way. But now it's been passed on to Himawari, so that won't happen again. But the youthful Ten-Tails still exists and perhaps Naruto can become a Jinchuriki of this beast instead. This would also parallel how Hagoromo sealed the Ten-Tails within his body and saved the world. If that doesn't happen, Naruto will have to develop unconventional ways to enhance his Sage Mode, among other things.

It should also be kept in mind that Naruto is still quite young and for him to acquire new abilities and become stronger should not be impossible. Of course, before anything happens, fans will have to wait a while because Naruto's return doesn't seem imminent at all.

Boruto is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by fans officially and for free on Shonen Jump and on the Manga Plus app. The release date for the next chapter of Boruto, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter 17, is scheduled for December 20, 2024.