On September 21, 1999, young Uzumaki Naruto boldly declared his goal to become the strongest Hokage in history. Over decades, Naruto not only fulfilled his dream but rose to become one of the most powerful ninjas in the world as the Boruto era began in May 2016. At that time, anyone reaching or surpassing the Seventh Hokage’s level was unimaginable.
However, times have changed dramatically in the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex storyline. With Naruto’s power greatly diminished, the next generation has relentlessly trained and broken new ground.
Now, three young Leaf Village ninjas have officially stepped out of Naruto’s shadow and are on their way to forging their own legends.
A Heartbreaking Turning Point: The Loss of the Sage of Six Paths Mode
Naruto was once a godlike force until chapter 55 of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. To activate the ultimate Baryon Mode against Isshiki, Kurama, the Nine-Tails, sacrificed his entire life.
Kurama’s death severed Naruto’s connection to the tailed beasts, causing him to lose the chakra of the beasts and the Sage of Six Paths Mode forever. This overwhelming power had shaped the world since the great war.
“I feel a completely different energy than before. It feels like I can do anything in the world with this power!”, Naruto Uzumaki upon first awakening the Sage of Six Paths Mode.
Although Naruto has since upgraded his regular Sage Mode, it’s still not enough to face the new generation of monsters who have undergone three years of intense training after the timeskip.
The Leaf Village Trio Officially Surpasses the Seventh Hokage
1. Boruto Uzumaki – The Strongest Ninja in the World Today
Trained directly by Uchiha Sasuke and later Kashin Koji, Naruto’s eldest son has reached an entirely new level. Beyond that, Boruto and Momoshiki formed a power-sharing contract in chapter 29 of Two Blue Vortex.
This fusion of genius ninjutsu and Otsutsuki power lets Boruto surpass even Naruto’s strongest Sage of Six Paths form, claiming the title of the world’s strongest ninja today.
2. Kawaki – The Perfect Clone of Otsutsuki Isshiki
Kawaki possesses the full power of Otsutsuki Isshiki and has mastered it completely. After removing all power-limiting devices from his body, Kawaki has pushed his offensive strength to the max.
As of chapter 34 of Two Blue Vortex released in May 2026, the two supreme dōjutsu, Daikokuten and Sukunahikona, are fully under Kawaki’s control, easily placing him above Naruto today.
3. Uchiha Sarada – Awakening a New Supreme Dōjutsu
The final piece is the Uchiha heiress. In chapter 20 of Two Blue Vortex (released March 2026), with Yodo’s support, Sarada awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan with a special ability called Ohirume to defeat Shinju Ryu.
Despite side effects affecting her eyesight, Sarada’s current power surpasses a typical Kage level and is fully capable of defeating a Naruto without Kurama.
The Leaf Village Trio Has Yet to Reach Their Full Potential
The most terrifying fact for Leaf Village’s enemies is that all three still have unlimited potential to grow stronger.
Boruto has yet to use his Karma Stage 2 after forming the pact with Momoshiki, and his basic skills continue to improve.
Kawaki, though freed from power limits, is still learning to fully control Isshiki’s massive energy to avoid exhaustion.
Chapter 34 opened the path for Sarada to seek new power sources to counteract the blindness caused by her Mangekyo Sharingan. Her second dōjutsu and Susanoo guardian form remain mysteries. Once revealed, she will surpass both her father Sasuke and Naruto.
Whether longtime fans accept it or not, the era of Naruto and Sasuke has officially passed, making way for a new generation of talented young ninjas to take center stage.