The Shinobi Prison: Hozuki Castle
Stop!
Fire Style: Celestial Prison!
That should do it. Unshackle them.
You have committed serious crimes unbecoming of a shinobi.
Therefore, you have been sent here to Hozuki Castle.
The Celestial Prison has been embedded in each of you to bind your chakra.
As long as it's on you, you can't use any ninjutsu.
If you try to escape outside the castle,
the jutsu will create a chain of fire that will burn you.
Any criminal, no matter how evil, can be rehabilitated.
So, I look forward to the day
you're released from prison, completely reformed.
Chief Officer Benga will explain the rest.
Thank you very much, Lord Mujo.
Whatever worked on the outside doesn't mean crap in here!
Pound two things into your heads!
One, I make the rules around here!
Even idiots like you should be able to remember that!
What's the other thing?
Don't interrupt me while I'm speaking!
The second rule is…
Don't forget the first rule, even if it kills you.
Keep your arrogant mouth shut!
Just because you're kids, don't think we'll go easy on you!
Oww!
Don't move!
Hey, you!
Fool! You can't escape!
I'm not gonna fall for your bluff!
See?
Didn't I say you can't leave the castle?
That's horrible!
Hey, do something—!
Keep your mouth shut!
Call the doctor.
Yes, sir!
Have you heard of the Mujina Gang?
Mujina?
You don't know?
They're targeting and creating chaos all over the Land of Fire.
Do you know what their boss looks like?
It's not just his face.
His name, age, background…
Even the kinds of jutsu he uses is shrouded in mystery.
Gang members make a blood oath.
If they're captured, they never talk.
And anyone who tries to desert is killed.
No wonder there's nothing out there about the boss.
But we found one exception.
A man named Kokuri sent this.
About a year ago, he secretly stole gang money and snuck away.
He was living under everyone's radar…
But it seems he committed another robbery
and was thrown into Hozuki Castle.
Hozuki Castle is a prison only for shinobi,
administered by the Hidden Grass Village.
KOKURI
Based on his letter, Kokuri's managed to conceal the fact
that he's a former member of the Mujina Gang…
TSUKIYO But a prisoner who arrived after him,
TSUKIYO just happens to be the gang's number two man.
He's in a situation where he could be killed at any moment.
He wrote that if we protect him,
he'll tell us everything about the gang.
If that's true, that's crucial intel.
If that intel is that important,
I'd think the prison would want to protect Kokuri too.
Only big nations like ours have suffered
from the Mujina Gang's misdeeds.
For a small nation like the Hidden Grass,
it's not worth their time.
We sent a request to the Hidden Grass
to put a temporary protection order on Kokuri,
but they hemmed and hawed, saying it's an internal affair.
They said it will take a month to make arrangements.
If we wait around, who knows when he'll be killed.
And so, Boruto, Mitsuki…
We're going to send you in, undercover, as prisoners
to protect Kokuri until all the arrangements have been made.
Luckily, the lord of Hozuki Castle is an old acquaintance,
and we've already taken steps to send you there as prisoners.
Ordinarily, this is a chunin-class mission.
But the team who was chosen can't go now.
So, we're the stand-ins?
You are just as skilled as chunin shinobi.
And since the prisoners can't use ninjutsu,
we've decided this is something you genin can accomplish.
So, we won't be able to use our jutsu either?
Don't worry about that.
We asked the lord to use a fake Celestial Prison on you.
I heard there were three coming.
The other one was sent to the hospital.
Be nice to each other!
Am I the only one being left out of this one?
You have an important job as well, ya know.
I'm Sarada, I put in the request to conduct some research for my article.
Young lady, are you really a student aspiring to become a journalist?
Yes!
Academics mean nothing.
That's the kind of world we live in.
Hey!
Newbies always start at the bottom bunk.
Huh?
Oh well, you just have to suck it up.
Nice to meet you.
Don't bother.
Kedama doesn't talk to anyone.
You're both from the Land of Water?
Yeah. I'm Boruto.
I'm Mitsuki.
Call me Arai. He's Kamata.
So, what are you in for?
Eight years for robbery.
Pretty bold for your age.
Huh? Hey!
The toothbrush I put here is gone.
Hey, you stole it! Give it back!
If you leave something lying around, it no longer belongs to you.
That's the rule around here.
If you want it, I'll sell it to you.
Who the hell made that rule up?
Just be careful next time.
Hey, where'd my book go?
Hey, man!
That's the rule, right?
I'm willing to exchange it for the toothbrush though.
He got you there, Kamata.
Okay, newbies! Let's go, it's time to eat.
That's the castle keep where Lord Mujo and I stay,
the watch tower and the inner garden.
As you can see, we're surrounded by the sea,
and escape is impossible.
Is it true that if you're splashed with water,
the Celestial Prison Jutsu is undone?
Well, it's a Fire Style, after all.
But it takes much more than a splash to undo it.
And it's useless looking around the premises
for a large amount of water.
We don't have baths or flush toilets.
What's that?
The medical ward.
Guys faking illnesses take refuge there.
Give me a break!
You gotta be kidding me!
If you don't pay attention, I'm gonna leave you behind.
If you don't have this wooden tag, you can't go anywhere.
You're lucky you didn't get lost, young lady!
It's tradition for a member of the same family
to become the lord of the castle, correct?
Yeah. From the clan that uses Celestial Prison.
It's an old-fashioned set-up.
Are you dissatisfied with it?
It's not that.
But Lord Mujo tends to be too soft on the prisoners.
It's futile to hope that they'll reform.
Be strict and teach 'em. That's the tried and true way.
Oh, Miss Sarada.
How is your research coming along?
Great! Thanks to you all!
What's the big idea?
– Damn it, wanna fight? – Let's do it!
Hey, move away from each other!
Are Boruto and Mitsuki managing?
It seems so, for now.
Honestly, I'd like to help you more.
But I have my position as the Lord of the Castle. I'm sorry.
He's a supplier.
As long as you pay,
he'll get you almost anything you ask for.
Even though this is jail?
Yeah. In here, money's the only thing that talks.
Let's go.
By the way,
I heard that the Mujina Gang's number two man got caught.
Yeah, so I heard.
We're thieves too... I'm super curious.
If you know him…
He caused trouble, so he's in solitary.
Solitary?
Tsukiyo is that number two guy's name.
As soon as he came here,
he got into a fight with a guy named Kokuri.
He beat up Kokuri pretty bad,
so that's why Tsukiyo got sent to solitary as punishment,
And Kokuri? Did he die?
Just the opposite.
He's in the medical ward now, taking it nice and easy.
Clever guy.
Is the medical ward that nice a place?
Well, they've got air conditioning.
Oh! I wanna go there!
Forget it, it's impossible.
The doctor over there is really sharp.
You can't fool him by faking.
The medical ward is in a separate building.
Also the doctor and Benga hate each other,
so even guards aren't welcome there.
It's probably like an oasis in this entire prison.
After hearing that, I wanna go there even more!
Well, it's not as if there isn't a way…
But I wouldn't recommend it.
You were told when you came to the island, right?
This place is called Hozuki Castle.
Yeah.
There are Hozuki, Chinese lantern plants, everywhere.
Oh… They're Chinese lantern plants!
But Chinese lantern plants are poisonous.
Red ones aren't that dangerous,
but you have to watch out for the white ones that fruit once in a while.
Once, a curious prisoner ate a Chinese lantern fruit
that got blown in by the wind…
He didn't die, but his entire body went numb and he couldn't move.
I see.
If I eat that, I could fool that doctor.
But to us over here,
that patch of Chinese lantern plants is nearly impossible to reach.
I think you'll just have to wait until the wind blows one over to you.
Are you going to do it?
I don't like it, but it's for the mission.
What choice do we have?
The thing is how to get there without touching the ground.
Boruto…
I guess we have to use that wire.
But can something so thin support my weight?
Leave it to me.
Oh!
Recreation time's over!
Return to your cells!
Did you get it yet?
There it is!
Hey, you two over there!
Didn't you hear me say that recreation time is over?!
I'll be there in a sec!
My clothes got snagged on the fence!
Is it here yet, Mitsuki?
Hey, you two!
I'm loose now!
That was close!
Oh!
Amazing, Boruto. How did you get it?
I was just lucky!
All right!
You're not serious about eating it, are you?
I'm not gonna pass up living easy with air conditioning.
Idiot!
Whatever happens to you is not my responsibility!
Guard! Come quick! Guard!
Boruto! Hang in there!
Damn it! I was on my break!
I was talking to him, and then he suddenly keeled over in pain.
This Kokuri hung out with bad guys, right?
Can we trust him?
It's not unusual for a prisoner to lie out of desperation.
Part of the mission is also to verify
whether Kokuri can be trusted or not.
What's your name?
Do you know where you are?
Where am I?
Would you like some water?
My mouth is totally numb!
You were out for a whole day.
But don't worry. You're safe here.
This is the only oasis in this prison.
Oasis?
Oh, right! To get to the medical ward, I…
Hey! I'm looking for someone…
His name's Kokuri.
Ow!
Hey, cut it out, stop!
Did you come here to kill me?!
Huh?
I was right, huh?!
No! You got it wrong!
We got your letter
and I'm here from the Hidden Leaf to save you!
Are you lying?
You're Kokuri, right?
Of the Mujina Gang.
What was the color of the envelope?!
Like I'd remember something like that!
Blue! It was a blue envelope!
I-I thought you were here to kill me.
The instant I saw Tsukiyo, I thought I was gonna die.
That's why I took measures.
While the guard was looking, I pretended that he and I were fighting,
and I purposely hit my head.
You don't seem at all like the bad guy type.
I hear that a lot.
I heard you ran off with the gang's money.
But you seem pretty weak.
Anyway, you managed to desert the gang,
so why'd you do something to get arrested?
I'll explain it all when you take me to Hidden Leaf Village.
How much time is left on your sentence?
Um… About ten years, I think.
"I think"? Not very detail oriented, are ya?
Logically, I should already be out.
But Benga was mistreating another prisoner, so I punched him…
And I got a ridiculous amount of time added on.
Is that why you ended up running into Tsukiyo?
You're so unlucky!
Right?
But we're here now,
so we can guarantee your safety at least.
That would be great, but don't take any chances, okay?
Tsukiyo's a frightening man.
Tonight's a half-moon.
Half dark and half light...
It's proof I've got luck on my side.
Did it go well?
Using a knife?
Make sure it goes deep, without fail.
Are you going already?
My fever's gone and
if I linger too long, they'll get suspicious of me.
You want me to hit you a couple of times?
No, are you kidding?!
Anyway, it'll be fine as long as the doctor's around.
You wait here.
Don't eat things you find on the ground, okay?
I got it.
Start walking!
Didn't I tell you to treat prisoners with respect?!
You can leave now, doctor!
I can't do that.
Hey!
Kokuri!
A-A man! Suddenly—!
What's going on?!
Someone attacked him!
Find him! Hurry!
R-Right!
Is that true? Someone attacked you?
It's true! I swear!
Security here in medical ward is very tight.
I don't think anyone could enter easily without the wooden tag…
Then how did he get in here?
Kokuri was attacked.
I can't believe the medical ward is unsafe too!
What's going on right now?
There's someone watching over him.
We have to make our move soon, huh?
It would be great if we could do something to get him near us,
so we could guard him.
Next time on Boruto: Naruto Next Generations:
"A Test of Willpower"
There's no other way!
Guess I'm just gonna have to put my life on the line.
A TEST OF WILLPOWER