Perfect form!
The Chunin Exams are finally nearing.
You're really fired up, Big Brother!
– They're to be held in – Yeah…
– the Leaf Village this year… – You just watch, Byakuya Gang…
No matter what jutsu you throw at me,
I'm gonna pulverize you!
We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news…
Huh?
A crowd of protestors accusing them of corrupt practices
KAMINARIMON COMPANY A SOCIETY OF EQUALITY! EQUALITY! TRUE JUSTICE UNFAIR! are gathering in front of the Kaminarimon Company headquarters.
KAMINARIMON COMPANY A SOCIETY OF EQUALITY! EQUALITY! TRUE JUSTICE UNFAIR! Don't support the Kaminarimon Company's unfair exploitative practices!
Let justice fall upon this corrupt company!
Yeah! For true justice!
What brought this on all of a sudden?
We don't treat our employees unfairly…
Could this be—?
What's going on?
Hey, what's a protest?
Well…
Those people are angry because they believe
that Mr. Kaminarimon's company did bad things.
Your friend's company wouldn't do anything bad,
would they, Big Brother?
That's true…
Of course, they wouldn't!
Don't tell me the Byakuya Gang is behind this too!
If they are, this isn't good.
If this disturbance continues,
chaos will grow from inside the village.
Damn it!
This is getting beyond just fighting them.
It's going well.
It's still small scale,
but protests are breaking out, just like we expected.
More people are cooperating too,
and are helping us avoid capture.
It couldn't get any better than this.
Once you figure out what moves people's hearts,
people are surprisingly easy to manipulate.
The trick is to serve them up a villain.
Dissatisfaction with life… daily stress…
Everyone just needs something to focus their anger on.
This is my ninjutsu,
one that manipulates human minds and deceives them…
And ultimately, I wonder what will happen at the last stage?
We are noble thieves, right?
The false rumors…
This is all to save the people…?
Of course.
It's for the sake of true justice.
Memories from the Day of Snow Anti-capitalist protests?
Memories from the Day of Snow Yeah.
Lately, the anger directed toward
the village's wealthy and large corporations, by the poor,
has been unnaturally widespread.
What's the cause?
Seems like there's an agitator.
Looking at the timeline,
it began just around the time that gang appeared in the village.
The Byakuya Gang, huh?
It's hard to think that they're not involved…
But, I don't get it.
For what purpose? What would they gain from it?
Could creating unrest in the village make it easier
to find opportunities to steal?
The thing is, after their last job,
the Byakuya Gang stopped their activities cold.
It's almost strange.
Yeah, that's definitely weird.
I'll contact the other villages and ask about the gang's movements.
We'd rather not add more work to your already full plate.
Any unrest in the village is also my responsibility.
I think you're doing a damn fine job.
Still, I'll have the Police Force continue their investigation.
Yes, please do that.
Hey, have you seen the news?
More than that… Look.
Damn it, not here too!
There's never been anything like this.
It's like the Byakuya Gang's turned into saviors of justice.
A SOCIETY OF EQUALITY! It's like the Byakuya Gang's turned into saviors of justice.
There's no way we can confront the Byakuya Gang,
let alone ordinary citizens.
I don't like it!
How can those awful guys be so popular?!
Justice? Yeah, right!
They can make any excuse they want,
but what they're doing is still stealing!
Right, Shikadai?
Huh?
Yeah… That's right.
You seem awfully detached about all this.
Did something happen?
No, nothing happened.
Hey! Hold on!
What about our meeting for the next mission?
Sorry… Can we meet next time?
PAWN
Then I'll move here.
That hand again?
My decoy move worked.
You fall for it a lot.
Really? It's not like I meant to.
Shikadai…
You're a good son.
The place where I belong is the Byakuya Gang.
That's how I decided to live my life,
ever since that day.
Okay, I'm going.
Be good and wait for me.
Okay, Dad!
Be careful, my dear.
Come on, it's going to be an easy mission.
I'll be home by tomorrow night.
Besides, I have a trustworthy partner by my side.
Do you love your dad, Ryogi?
Yeah!
Your dad has a wonderful job helping people.
Do you think I can become like Dad?
Of course, I'm sure you will.
Dad's late. He said he'd be home by nighttime.
It must be Dad!
Welcome home!
Ryo…gi…
D-Dad?
Dear!
What happened? It's me? Can you hear me?!
Please answer me!
– Please! – M-Mom…
– Behind…Behind you… – Please! Dear!
Run…
R-Run…!
You're awake, Ryogi.
Uncle Gekko?
Rest assured.
I killed the man who attacked you.
What about my dad and mom?!
I'm sorry…
I wasn't strong enough…
The funeral is over.
What do you want to do from now?
Do you want to come with me?
I want to teach you everything about your dad.
What do you say?
Why did you bring me all the way here?
Just give it time.
They'll gather soon.
Gather?
Wha—?!
So, how did it go?
Flawlessly, Boss.
Boss?
Who's the kid?
Let's just say he's gonna observe our work.
Work?
That's right.
Your dad and I did something else besides shinobi work…
No, this was our real "job" that we did secretly.
Dad did?
We are the Byakuya Gang…
We work for justice to crush the powerful…
and save the weak! We're society's noble thieves.
Oh!
We really scored big again, Boss!
You were thieves? You and my dad?
Hey, c'mon. Didn't I tell you?
We're noble thieves.
Listen.
The loan shark we stole all this from…
Do you about know all the dirty things he did to get rich?
Huh?
This is blood money,
stolen off the backs of good, honest people.
We only do jobs on those kinds of people.
Listen well, Ryogi.
As your dad and I went about our shinobi missions,
over time, we began to question things.
Question?
Yes.
Ultimately, we ninja are just lackeys for the people above us.
Even if we possess strength,
we only save those we are ordered to save.
And that's the reality.
But that's doesn't excuse something like this!
This is reformation… that your dad and I began.
Reformation?
Dad never mentioned anything like that.
You probably can't understand it yet.
Once you cross a dangerous bridge,
you're bound to make more enemies.
So, the person who killed my mom and dad…
Yeah…
He probably wouldn't have wanted to get his family embroiled in this.
Oh, they're here.
Here.
We brought back what they swindled from you.
O-Oh!
Thank you… Master Gekko!
Do you understand now?
There are those who can only be saved through robbery.
Your dad also used to say this…
Ninja who only swear loyalty to the nation
don't try to hear to voices of those who really need saving.
They're merely tools of the powerful.
Yes, mere pawns!
Pawns…
You have potential.
Do you feel like joining us?
Me?
Yeah… We're going to change this rotten reality.
Thank you!
Your dad has a wonderful job helping people.
There you are.
Were you remembering the past?
A little…
I see.
Well, do it in moderation.
Tomorrow night,
we'll be undertaking the final stage of our plan.
Huh? What's that?
Oh, well… This is…
…something I borrowed from a friend.
I see, a friend!
I can't believe you made a friend.
I'm sorry.
Why apologize?
It's a good thing.
If your dad were alive, I'm sure he'd be happy too.
Yes…
Turn in early today.
Understood.
Friends… A friend, huh?
Whatever…
Everything will be settled, tomorrow.
Hey… It's been a while.
Yeah.
Were you waiting for me?
Huh? Don't be so full of yourself.
I was just practicing…
so I could kick your butt completely.
Yeah? I'd like to see you try.
I hope it's not just talk.
You sure talk big.
You better not start crying later.
You're right…
You've gotten stronger, Shikadai.
See, it wasn't all talk, right?
I wonder…
We won't know until this match is over.
This is so fun…
I can't believe you made a friend.
So, this is friendship.
It's getting dark…
Oh, hold on.
Huh? You're so prepared.
Because we're going to finish this, no matter how long it takes.
Finish this? Yeah, you're right.
Checkmate.
You really…got me.
I guess there are no take backs, are there?
That's the rule…
But I will take it into consideration…
What? Really?
But…
only if you answer a question for me.
What? You'd be fine with just that?
Yeah.
You're with…
the Byakuya Gang, aren't you?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Don't pretend. It's a drag.
Remember that time we were playing shogi,
and Boruto showed up?
So this Katasuke's lab has lots of unusual things, huh?
Someone who's just come to the village wouldn't know that…
In other words, you had already cased the village.
Hold on, Shikadai!
And that's why you think I'm with the Byakuya Gang?
Talk about a wild imagination.
Don't you think you're overreaching a bit?
Me? A member of the Byakuya Gang?
Or, do you have proof?
See?
You have no basis to make such a crazy assumption…
You think I'd say something like this without proof?
That lamp was on the list of stolen goods.
You brought it from your hideout, right?
That was really careless of you.
T-That couldn't have been traced already!
Imagine, falling for a trick like that.
Talk about a clumsy shogi match.
I didn't want to believe it.
If I'm wrong, then…
So? What are you going to do?
Are you gonna turn me in to the Leaf?
No… I…
I don't want to do anything like that.
I haven't told anyone about you either.
I just don't want you to continue doing something so stupid.
Something so stupid?
Yeah. I mean, think about it.
Noble thieves or whatever you call it,
it's impossible for a few guys to change the world!
I told you before, didn't I?
If people without power try to do things,
it just turns into a drag!
You'll only get crushed if you do, or at the very least,
you'll end up being someone's pawn!
PAWN
A pawn?
PAWN
So wake up!
Forget this stupid noble thief act!
Now I know for sure, Shikadai…
that you don't understand me at all.
Ryogi…
You—?
We're going to change that reality.
And for that, even if I die as a pawn, I'd have no regrets!
Ryogi!
You made the wrong move.
You're too easy, Shikadai.
Are you gonna run away?!
No.
I'm going to fight, as a member of the Byakuya Gang.
You're the one who's running away.
Me?
You think there's only so much you can do.
And you accept it and don't try to surpass it.
I—!
You've never really been serious about anything.
Not even once, have you?
And that's why you make the same claim about others.
If you grow up without a care in the world,
in a peaceful village like this…
I guess that's okay.
But I'm different from you!
Ryogi…
See, you're still doing it, even now.
You're a full-fledged shinobi,
but you aren't even trying to capture me.
You're only talk, after all.
Ryogi!
Ice Style: Mangehyo!
There's nothing you can do.
Don't go… Ryogi!
It's really too bad, Shikadai…
You're… you're the only one...
Shikadai…
You're late!
We're finally going to begin.
The final stage of our job here in this land…
"The Crest of Night Strategy."
It's now time to show our way of true justice.
Yes!
Ryogi, to think the plan that you came up
with would get us this far!
Even if we leave things as they are now,
chaos will grow by itself!
No one can change the flow of things
once they are set in motion.
Let's go, everyone!
For the sake of true justice!
Next time on Boruto Naruto Next Generations:
"Go! The Crest of Night Strategy"
Shikadai, you won't make a move anyway.
Even if you make a move, you won't be able to do anything about it.