Where are you taking me, Old Man?
You'll soon find out.
You said earlier that you want to create a world where everyone can live happily.
What was that about, ya know?
The place we're going to
is the ideal place to make you realize this.
We're here.
There's nothing here!
I once told you the story
when I was in the Hidden Leaf Village, right?
About how my grandchild died?
Oh yeah, his name was Kozuchi, right?
This is the place.
EARTH Kozuchi's Will
This all happened when I was under a genjutsu?!
I'm sure that Lady Kurotsuchi is also…
Since it's come to this, we must notify the other villages!
It's useless.
You're—!
This village is now under our control.
It is all for Master's sake.
How disappointing…
So, this is the extent of the Hidden Stone under Kurotsuchi's leadership?
I'll leave you in command of the Akuta.
Understood.
By the way, Lord Ku,
I hear the Leaf shinobi that was under our custody escaped.
Right now, the whereabouts of our master takes priority.
It's just one rat.
You should be able to deal with him by yourself.
What is it?
It's nothing. I understand.
This is where your grandchild died, Old Man?
Yes.
This all started when my grandchild, Kozuchi, died.
FIRE WATER WIND EARTH LIGHTNING The Fourth Great Ninja War left massive scars on the world…
Our village was no exception.
We spent day and night restoring our village,
and in a few years, we somehow built a new town, but…
We suffered great losses in human life during that last war.
The younger generation seriously lacks the skills.
How do we compensate for that?
Well, the age of wars is over.
Just give it time and nurture their talent.
Now that you've retired, you make it sound so easy, Grandfather!
You're leaving?
I promised to meet up with Kozuchi.
He's turned into such a doting grandfather.
Welcome home, Grandpa!
Oh, sorry I'm late, Kozuchi!
You seem awfully happy.
That's right, I am!
The Genin Exams are about to begin and I've been looking forward to them!
That's right…
You're at that age now, aren't you, Kozuchi?
Kozuchi, from now on,
it's all going to be up to young shinobi like you.
I've lived a long life and I have no regrets now.
What are you saying, Grandpa?!
You have to live long to see me become a jonin…
no, the Tsuchikage, okay?
Oh, the Tsuchikage, eh?
Then I will teach you the precious words that I live by.
The shinobi who becomes the Tsuchikage must never run away.
He must confront any and every difficulty.
A will strong enough to do so is absolutely essential.
Never run away…
A strong will…
Do you have that?
I sure do!
I'm gonna become a Tsuchikage who will surpass you, Grandpa!
My, my… Such confidence!
I have high hopes for you, Kozuchi.
Yup!
I have no more regrets…
Back then, I seriously felt that way.
However…
Kozuchi's unusually late today.
I wonder where he's loitering about?
Lord Ohnoki!
It's terrible!
Kozuchi is—!
What?!
Kozuchi! Hang in there!
Why… Why?
Some deadbeat ninja attempted to steal village secrets…
And Kozuchi tried to stop them and…
Grandpa…
Kozuchi!
I wanted to become the Tsuchikage…
But I don't think that's possible anymore…
What are you saying?!
It's still possible!
I really wanted to become…
A shinobi who protects the peace… of the world…
Kozuchi?
Kozuchi!
Kozuchi…
Why?
Why did Kozuchi have to die?!
By chance, Kozuchi realized that robbers were about to attack,
and he confronted them alone…
By himself, until reinforcements came.
Don't tell me…
Was it because I told him never to run away?
No!
What have I done?!
Thinking the world was at peace,
I foolishly set high expectations upon him…
And this is the result!
What have I done?!
It's as if I'm the one who killed Kozuchi!
He's been like this ever since…
It's understandable…
I was like the walking dead…
And spent every day in remorse and despair.
Then one day…
This was found among his belongings.
Is it Kozuchi's?
All right, I'm handing it over to you.
Grandpa always tells me…
That the peace we have in the world…
was made possible by great shinobi who risked their lives.
I want to become a shinobi like them!
A shinobi who never wavers,
who maintains a strong will, no matter what happens.
And this time, I'll be the one to protect the peace.
By becoming a great Tsuchikage, just like Grandpa.
That's right…
That is the least I can do.
I must fulfill Kozuchi's will!
There must never be another tragic death like yours.
I will build a lasting peace,
so that young lives will never be sacrificed again.
That will be my tribute to you, Kozuchi…
But what should I do?
I gave it a lot of thought…
And I came up with one solution.
If those who were to fight weren't human,
but soldiers who had no will and did exactly as ordered…
I unearthed jutsu that had been lost,
and tried to create soldiers who had no will of their own,
who would do the fighting for humans, but…
They were defective and uncontrollable…
There was no way would Kurotsuchi and the others would approve of such soldiers…
I tried everything possible in search of a breakthrough.
And the solution came from a most unexpected source…
What did you want to talk about confidentially?
This plan that you are pushing forward, Lord Ohnoki…
perhaps I may be of some assistance.
What?
This is a sample of what was discovered the other day at a certain ruin.
This is—!
Wouldn't you agree that with this,
great progress can be made in the research to create non-human soldiers?
Why have you brought this to me?
I support your plan wholeheartedly.
And so, rather than show it to Lady Kurotsuchi, I thought I'd first...
But to rely on something like that…
Would such a thing be approved?
What do I do?
Kozuchi…
I must carry on Kozuchi's will and fulfill his wish.
For that…
Even if the means is detestable…
I will—!
There was an old underground facility that hadn't been used in a long time…
I secretly made it my base, and revived my plan.
The sample that was brought to me was used…
And the plan to create artificial life known as "Fabrications" began.
First, came Ku who is like my clone…
who would command the soldiers.
Then four more Fabrications who would serve as his arms and legs…
And finally, to be led by these five…
the Akuta troops were born.
Once these beings are perfected,
the peace of the Hidden Stone will be protected.
And Kurotsuchi will have no choice but to acknowledge that I was right.
If we let non-humans do the fighting,
there will never be another tragedy in which young lives are lost.
We are almost there, Kozuchi.
Something like that is…
I must bring this plan to completion.
Because I am carrying out and fulfilling Kozuchi's will.
Old Man…
I told you this story because I believed that you would understand.
I'm not even thinking about using the Akuta
to conquer the territory of another land.
In fact, it's just the opposite.
Ultimately, this is a power to preserve the peace in Hidden Stone…
and the entire shinobi world.
You were all captured only to prevent you from interfering with the plan's completion.
Once this is all over, you will be released.
Does that mean you had no intention of fighting with us in the first place?
As long as you didn't get in my way.
Well? Do you still have a reason to oppose me?
That's…
What is it?
Hey, you said you had a sample…
that made your research reach a turning point, right?
What was it?
It's something you are very familiar with.
Yes…
It's a White Zetsu!
A White Zetsu?!
You're using a dangerous monster like that?
What are you thinking?!
I'm fully aware of the danger.
But—?!
That thing was created by the Otsutsuki in the first place, right?
Admittedly, there are still things that are a mystery.
That is why Mitsuki is so critical to us.
Mitsuki? What do you mean?
The lifespan of a Fabrication is still unstable…
They do not live long.
They don't live long?
A year, or even several months…
Sometimes even the following day…
They could suddenly stop functioning.
And Mitsuki is the means to resolve this.
A perfect synthetic human…
From the data we gather from Mitsuki, we can make perfect Fabrications.
At that time, we will release Mitsuki.
What he decides to do after that is all up to him.
You're saying that you don't intend to hurt him?
I would never want to do that.
What I desire is peace, and only peace.
Peace…
All right.
I've been very honest with you and told you everything.
Do you still mistrust me?
But—!
I won't ask you to cooperate.
However,
there is no reason for a conflict between us.
Preventing the loss of lives,
and protecting the peace of the shinobi world…
You are a shinobi too, and you must feel the same way, Boruto.
Am I wrong?
Old Man!
This is a coup d'état!
Don't they care about how this is received?
I've got to get word back to my dad!
It seems all the key points of the village have been secured.
Anyone who has tried to interfere has been jailed.
We killed two birds with one stone.
We also got the "thing" that we need.
We chose five as you ordered.
So, if we use their hearts, we can extend our lives?
Correct.
However, we cannot lay a hand on them without the master's authorization.
Huh?!
That's ridiculous after we've come this far, Lord Ku!
No!
It is not the master's desire to take away human lives.
Yes, but this is no time to be so deliberate…
The master has the final say.
Just get everything ready.
Okay, I leave everything to you!
So, what do we do?
Split up and search for the master.
However, don't go overboard.
Are you worried about us, Lord Ku?
We are necessary tools for the master.
We cannot take risks.
But what if we don't make it in time?
We have a way to live now, yet you want us to just wait for death?
When the time comes…
A little sacrifice can't be helped.
Oh, my!
My wish is the master's wish.
I'm sure he feels the same way.
I understand what you talked about earlier.
That you're seriously thinking about peace.
Yes…
So that young lives are not sacrificed,
they are essential.
But still, Old Man…
Huh?
I don't know much about them.
I had run-ins with two of them, that's all.
But…
they could talk and think like us humans.
And it seemed to me that they had personalities.
Letting guys like that do the fighting…
What's the difference between us and them fighting?
They may look like humans,
but they are Fabrications, just like their name.
What seems like a will and personality are merely functions.
Do you really believe that?
What?
Your belief in "will" is much stronger than others.
Just like the time you taught us back at Hidden Leaf Village.
And here, you're saying that those Fabrications have no will…
Do you really mean that?
Do you really believe that?
What a strange thing to say.
You know nothing about them.
Maybe not…
But I know a little about Mitsuki.
As well as the fact that those guys and Mitsuki acted like friends.
Mitsuki has a will of his own.
So, you have no proof that those guys don't have a will, do you?
And if they do have a will, how different are they from human beings?
How different is it from sacrificing human shinobi in battle?
Don't get so emotional.
While they may seem alike in appearance, Fabrications are not humans.
Perhaps, this applies to Mitsuki as well.
What did you say?!
Are you saying Mitsuki doesn't have a will?!
On what grounds can you say he does?
That's crazy!
Mitsuki has a will!
And if you insist on it,
I won't believe all this talk about Fabrications having no will!
There's no way I can cooperate with a plan like that.
I've explained what I wish to do.
If still you aren't convinced…
If you oppose this heartfelt vow of mine…
Then it can't be helped.
We'll just go back to being enemies.
It looks like someone has come for us, just in time!
Here you are, Lord Ohnoki.
Good of you to come for us, Kakou.
Kakou? No way, is he a Fabrication as well?
Hey, you! Could your heart be pounding right now?
Let me get a taste of that feeling!
Quit saying stuff that makes no sense!
Hey, entertain me some more!
Next time on Boruto Naruto Next Generations:
"The Sensation of Living"
It's so fun! Fighting is so fun!
THE SENSATION OF LIVING