Boruto’s Rise Continues: How the Manga Keeps Momentum After Debut

Boruto launched as a direct continuation of Naruto on May 9, 2016, with its debut tied to Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #23. Since that start, the series has kept moving with strong momentum, and it remains one of the most widely read manga titles in active serialization today.

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From the start of Boruto, Naruto Uzumaki has been framed as the top-tier ninja in Konoha—an expectation that made sense given what he accomplished during the Fourth Great Ninja War. However, the situation shifts after Naruto takes a major hit to his power in Boruto Chapter 55. At that point, he’s no longer the clear strongest among the village’s fighters. Instead, a small group of Konoha shinobi begin to outclass him, and the title of “strongest” passes to a Jonin figure: Rock Lee.

Rock Lee’s rise is especially notable because he’s widely known as Might Guy’s student—then someone who eventually goes beyond his former mentor. The series treats Lee’s strength as a current reality rather than a future promise, even if he hasn’t always received constant spotlight time in every arc.

Naruto’s Kurama Loss Locks in the “Eight Gates” Advantage

In Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Chapter 55—officially tied to V-Jump Issue #4 on February 19, 2021—Naruto Uzumaki is shown losing Kurama, the most significant source of his power. The chapter’s explanation centers on Naruto activating Baryon Mode and using both his own chakra and Kurama’s chakra as “kernels” to generate a brand-new energy approach designed to stop Isshiki. Isshiki is ultimately defeated, but Kurama’s life is the price.

After Kurama’s death, Naruto’s connection to the other Tailed Beasts appears to be cut off as well, and he no longer has access to the Six Paths abilities. Put simply, this weakens the Seventh Hokage in a way that becomes a real combat liability—something the story demonstrates shortly afterward in the Code confrontation that takes place in the following arc, referenced here as Boruto Chapter #65.

“Normally, when a Jinchuriki’s Biju is extracted, they die. But that doesn’t apply to you. The Biju chakra simply vanishes. It might look to others like you’re dead, but you’re just in a temporary state of shock. Don’t worry, you’ll wake up soon. The price to pay for Baryon Mode is my life, not yours. I’ve got to go, but be real careful. You aren’t gonna have superhuman strength anymore. So if you overdo it, you’ll end up joining me soon. But, until that day comes, you be well, Naruto.” — Kurama’s final explanation of Naruto’s weakness, Boruto Chapter #55

With Kurama gone and Naruto’s overall capability reduced, more shinobi in Konoha suddenly have a realistic path to matching or surpassing him. Among the older guard, Rock Lee is singled out as the Jonin who currently sits higher than Naruto in raw strength. Lee is described as a proud Konoha ninja who may not receive constant focus in Boruto, but still operates at a level that’s easy to respect on paper and in fights.

Lee’s foundation is his apprenticeship under Might Guy and his mastery of the Eight Inner Gates—an ability system that’s treated as a limiter-removal technique capable of pushing power far beyond normal thresholds.

“The Eight Inner Gates Formation is a technique that removes the Limiters on your powers and takes them to the utmost limits. When you release all the Limiters, your power increases tenfold over tenfold, even beyond the Five Kage.” — Kakashi Hatake explaining the Eight Inner Gates, Naruto Chapter #669

Rock Lee’s first public showcase of using the Eight Inner Gates arrives during the Chunin Exams fight against Gaara, in Naruto chapter #85. That chapter is noted as officially released on July 30, 2001, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #33. At the time, the story presents it as a glimpse of what Lee could become—something that wouldn’t be fully realized until later.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Lee is able to operate at 6 Gates. The article points to moments like his efforts to prevent Might Guy from meeting a fatal end during the Madara clash as evidence that Lee’s growth is more than theoretical. After the war, Masashi Kishimoto is said to have officially confirmed that Rock Lee achieved complete mastery over all eight Gates. That confirmation places Lee among the most powerful current ninjas in the village.

Compared with Naruto Uzumaki—who, at this stage, is framed as having access primarily to Sage Mode—Lee’s full Eight Gates output is presented as strong enough to put him beyond Otsutsuki-level. In this view, Lee isn’t just “one of the best”; he’s positioned as Konoha’s strongest Jonin outright.

Naruto and Sasuke still have a massive problem to deal with when they finally return to the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex story.

Why Rock Lee Is the Current “Top Jonin” in Konoha

With the Eight Inner Gates in play, Rock Lee is portrayed as Konoha’s strongest Jonin right now, paired alongside Sakura Haruno in terms of being a top-tier threat. The article ties this to the Fourth Great Ninja War moment where Might Guy opened the Eight Inner Gate for the first time—specifically in Naruto chapter 669. The Gate of Death is described as pushing Guy’s overall strength past the combined power of the five Kage.

It goes further: the article claims Guy reached a level where he could directly challenge Six Paths Madara Uchiha and nearly kill him. That near-fatal clash is referenced as appearing in Chapter #672, officially released on April 28, 2014, in WSJ Issue #20. The text frames this as a feat that very few ninjas could pull off in the broader Naruto setting, and uses it to argue that Guy reaches Otsutsuki-level.

“This chakra of yours, I acknowledge it! Of all who have fought me over the years, there has been no one who exceeds your level.” — Madara Uchiha praising Guy’s strength, Naruto Chapter #672

In the Boruto era, the article notes that Rock Lee is said to have surpassed Might Guy, which implies Lee’s Eight Gates version is even stronger than Guy’s. The conclusion is that Lee sits above Otsutsuki-level overall, meaning he’s stronger than Konoha’s Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki—at least for the moment.

That said, the strongest ninja in the village isn’t automatically Lee, since Kawaki and Boruto are still positioned as major threats. Even with that caveat, the piece maintains Lee is the strongest among the Jonin and sits one step above Naruto in present-day power ranking.

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Naruto May Have a Path Back to the Top in Two Blue Vortex

Although Naruto has been overtaken by multiple ninjas right now, the article argues his comeback will reshape the hierarchy because a power-up is already being set up in Two Blue Vortex. That setup is tied to the latest release of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Volume #8 on June 4, 2026.

In Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 5, Sasuke Uchiha is shown reaching a level of strength that allows him to seriously wound Code after a year of training with Boruto Uzumaki. The article includes the confrontation beats that emphasize how far Sasuke has progressed.

Code: Uchiha, you!!! How dare you take my eye?

Sasuke: Listen closely, Boruto! There’s no way we can win against him right now. So escape. Survive at all costs and build on the skills that I’ve hammered into you. Then nobody will be able to stop you.

— Sasuke vs. Code, demonstrating Sasuke’s power growth, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #5

The piece frames this overall strength as exceeding anything the Seventh Hokage displayed in the current timeframe. As a result, it suggests Naruto will receive a range of potential boosts once he returns to meet Sasuke on equal footing—such as an upgraded Sage Mode, a new bond with another Tailed Beast, or another unspecified power source. The claim is that Naruto’s overall output will rise enough to push him back past Rock Lee once he’s fully caught up.

Newsletter: Deep-Dive Boruto Power-Scale Analysis

Naruto’s return, however, is said to be delayed for now because the narrative focus is being placed on Sasuke’s comeback in a new arc. That arc is described as being built again on June 18, 2026, in Chapter #35 of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. Only after Sasuke is back, the article argues, will the story finally shift attention to Naruto Uzumaki’s return—and it frames that wait as something fans are eager to see pay off.

All the newest Boruto chapters are available to read for free via Manga Plus and Viz Media.