By Jacob Miller | Sep 11, 2026
For years, fans considered that moment the satisfying conclusion to Naruto's journey. But the Boruto series has since taken that legacy in a much darker direction, expanding on Naruto's time as Hokage while also significantly damaging his standing within the story. In the current Boruto timeline, Naruto has officially been stripped of the Hokage title following a three-year disappearance. Meanwhile, a new and increasingly powerful figure is emerging as his eventual successor, one poised to surpass even the legendary Child of Prophecy himself: Sarada Uchiha.
Naruto's Fall From Power in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex
Naruto's story took a tragic turn in the Boruto series. In Boruto: Naruto Next Generations chapter 55, released on February 19, 2021, Naruto lost access to Kurama's power entirely. Following his battle against Isshiki Otsutsuki, Kurama's chakra was completely depleted after the use of Baryon Mode, ultimately resulting in the tailed beast's death. Kurama had warned Naruto beforehand that this loss would strip away his superhuman abilities, leaving him significantly weakened. In the battles that followed, Naruto was a shadow of his former strength, which ultimately led Kawaki to make the drastic decision to seal him away.
In Boruto: Naruto Next Generations chapter 77, Kawaki sealed the Seventh Hokage within the dimension known as Daikokuten, where he remains trapped to this day. Three years have since passed, and the world has been told that Naruto Uzumaki is dead, allegedly killed by Boruto himself. With that false narrative widely accepted, Konoha has been forced to move forward without its leader.
After enduring three years without permanent leadership, Konoha finally took decisive action. In Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter 36, released on July 18, 2026, the village moved to elect a new permanent Hokage, officially removing Shikamaru Nara from the role in the process. With this shift, it now seems virtually certain that Naruto will never reclaim the position of Hokage, since by the time he eventually returns, Konoha will have already moved on entirely, unaware that he's even still alive.
Sarada's Mangekyo Sharingan Signals Her Rise to Power
Among the potential candidates for the next Hokage, one name clearly stands above the rest: Konohamaru Sarutobi, Naruto's own former student. Currently serving as Shikamaru's right-hand ninja, Konohamaru has managed to retain a degree of trust even as Shikamaru faces scrutiny from the Land of Fire's Daimyo. All signs point to Konohamaru becoming the official Eighth Hokage of Konoha, a fitting milestone for his character arc, though his time in the role likely won't last long. That's because it's already understood that Sarada Uchiha is destined to eventually take on the mantle of Hokage before the series concludes.
Sarada's eventual rise to Hokage feels inevitable, and once it happens, she will surpass Naruto Uzumaki as the strongest Hokage in Konoha's history. In many ways, she's already stronger than him now, largely thanks to the abilities granted by her Mangekyo Sharingan. Sarada first awakened this power in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter 20, released on March 19, 2025, unlocking the technique known as Ohirume, capable of taking down enemies on the level of the Otsutsuki in a single decisive strike. Notably, Sarada's full strength hasn't even fully developed yet, meaning that by the time she assumes the role of Hokage, she'll likely leave both Naruto and her father Sasuke far behind in terms of raw power. She has arguably already surpassed both of them in their weakened post-Isshiki states, and that gap is only expected to widen further as her Mangekyo Sharingan continues to evolve.
By this point in time, Sarada Uchiha is already one of the strongest ninjas in Konoha, surpassing the current Hokage Shikamaru Nara and the next Eighth Hokage candidate Konohamaru Sarutobi in raw power. However, becoming Hokage takes more than just strength, which is why Sarada probably won't step into the role right away. Rather, she is expected to become the Ninth Hokage of Konoha after Konohamaru's time is up, making her the first Uchiha to ever hold the position, and the strongest Hokage the village has ever seen.
Naruto Uzumaki's Six Paths Sage Mode made him an unmatched powerhouse at its time but the power scaling in the Boruto series has skyrocketed taking the new generation of ninjas to incredible levels. With this trend in mind, it's little surprise that Sarada, like Boruto and Kawaki, is set up to eventually surpass Naruto completely. Fans are excited to see how her journey continues, especially with the new post-Mamushi arc of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex resuming serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump on September 17, 2026, with much of the story focusing on her development. Fans have also been paying close attention to Sarada's blindness, with many theorizing that her Mangekyo Sharingan has yet to evolve further and could unlock even greater abilities in the future.
