Escaping the Tightening Net
We're totally surrounded!
Hey, it looks like we've fallen right into their trap.
They're in here!
Hurry and break it down!
We can't hold them any longer, ya know!
I don't think they're gonna listen to us.
Yeah, we can't waste any time here
since we need to get the Hashirama Cell back.
There they are! Up there!
They just keep coming at us!
Our chakra won't last if we have to keep fighting them off!
Let's go!
All right!
They're getting away!
Follow 'em!
What do we do?!
Just run for now!
Where did they run off to?
Where's the treasure?!
What treasure?
We don't have anything like that.
You sure got the message quick.
We heard them shouting and spreading the news that the "Leaf shinobi did it."
Damn it!
The guys who stole the Hashirama Cell did it!
From what I saw, there are a lot of ex-shinobi.
They'll do anything for money.
If we keep fighting, we won't be able to catch up to the real culprits.
We have to avoid fighting as much as possible and search for those guys.
We have to get the Hashirama Cell back!
By the way, Boruto…
What's that smell?
Perfume?
I got a whole bottle splashed on me!
I smell it!
I can smell it!
It's perfume!
Not good.
Boruto, get rid of that smell!
Easy for you to say! How?
We have no choice. Change of plans!
I'll go with Boruto and find a way to get rid of the smell
and we'll catch up to you later!
Sarada and I will search for the guys who stole the Hashirama Cell.
That's the only way!
We'll meet up later, Boruto!
Damn it!
I can't believe I'm holding everyone back because of this?!
We should be safe after coming this far.
Then while we have the time…
Yeah.
Yoruga!
Without your sacrifice,
we wouldn't have been able to infiltrate Fushuu Castle.
Thanks to you, we have the Hashirama Cell.
Hey! Be extremely careful with that!
Yeah.
But it's frustrating that we can't use our full powers
until we reach the border.
We're buying time especially for that reason.
While those guys from the Leaf are being held up,
let's get as far away as possible.
How am I gonna get rid of this smell?
Hey, Boruto.
Try diving into that.
It's a drainage ditch!
The stench might neutralize the smell of the perfume.
Hey, there's a limit to some things, ya know?!
There's no way I'm diving into that!
Are you refusing absolutely?
I absolutely am.
I see.
You leave me no choice.
I guess there is a limit to some things…
I told you!
We have to test everything through trial and error.
I'm not gonna stand for that, ya know?!
Keep your voice down! Do you want them to find us?
We just managed to find an undetectable route.
An undetectable route?
No way. Not through there…?
Exactly. Come with me.
Are you serious?
I wonder if Boruto is okay?
Frankly, the way we paired up might have been a mistake.
What?
I just have a feeling that Mugino and Boruto aren't compatible.
That's for sure.
Well, regret isn't going to get us anywhere.
Let's just focus on getting eyewitness info of the guys
who stole the Hashirama Cell.
Yes.
How about approaching that shop owner in the black market?
I see!
It takes one to know one, eh?
Then I should do this!
As Kirisaki?
He knew that Kirisaki was expecting a big payday.
So, you're gonna use that and
make him jump at the chance to cooperate?
Sarada, stand by outside of the shop in case anything unexpected happens.
Right!
Thank goodness we found a well close to that ditch!
So? Did it take away the smell?
Yeah, we're good…probably.
Yeah, you're right.
The scent's finally gone.
Now we can meet up with Sarada and Sensei!
No need to worry about anyone coming after us!
Hold it!
I see. Guess we can't fool a dog's nose!
On to the next lesson!
This is not the time to be thinking about that!
A shinobi stays calm in a predicament and thinks things through.
Okay, okay. Is that right?
Oh… Identical shinobi wearing earrings, correct?
If you can find them, I'll pay whatever it takes.
Why would a doctor like you be looking for them?
They ran off without paying their surgery bill.
I'm the type of guy that hits back hard when I get conned.
I see.
Well, you're in luck.
There's a guy who just happened to see 'em.
Really?!
Yes, please wait a moment.
Dammit, I've got to get rid of this scent somehow!
No, it's impossible to camouflage a scent completely from a dog.
What should we do then?
They'll find us again really quick!
Even now, our targets are getting further away.
The only thing we can do is to forget about our rendezvous
and get out of this village using the shortest route possible.
We'll just have to risk it.
The shortest route?
That's right.
We're gonna cut right through 'em, down the middle, all at once.
That's it!
Then–!
Hey?!
What's the point of going up?!
If they corner us up there, we lose our escape route!
It's okay!
This is the right way!
How?!
Hey!
Found it! That's our "shortest route"!
What's all this about?
You took the words right outta my mouth, Mr. Kirisaki.
Or should I say, Leaf shinobi?
Don't underestimate my intel network.
Someone quite astute found the real Kirisaki slumbering away
in a deserted house.
I see.
Of all the people—!
Don't be mad at me.
These guys don't give a damn about anything…if it's for money.
Hope you're ready!
Cha!
Sensei, this way!
Thanks! Let's retreat!
Yes, sir!
Don't let 'em get away!
Where did all of them come from?!
This is bad.
We're totally surrounded!
Hey!
What?!
Jump on!
An airship?!
Don't tell me…
…he stole it?!
RUDDER
We commandeered an unmanned and docked airship.
It was Boruto's idea.
I can't help but acknowledge your quick thinking!
How I smell doesn't matter this high up in the air, right?
Plus, we can search for the culprits,
so we're killing two birds with one stone!
If we can continue like this, we'll be out the village soon.
The question is…
Which direction did the guys who made off with the Hashirama Cell go?
I'm sure they haven't gotten that far.
We'll find them if we search for them from this airship, ya know!
I guess we have no choice, since we have no other leads.
What was that?!
There's smoke coming from the propeller on the left!
It's them!
What's that?!
Shoot it down!
Can you pull up more?!
I can't! The fuselage's caught on fire!
RUDDER
It's gonna explode soon!
Don't let 'em get away!
I can't hold it any longer!
Just a little bit more!
We're almost out of the village!
Is everyone all right?
We're still in one piece somehow, ya know?
It would have been great to at least get out of the village, but…
Doesn't seem like that's happening.
Is fighting our only option left?
But this many people–!
Hey, you guys!
Over here!
Who're you?
You're that brat from the black market!
Who cares about that, just hurry!
I didn't know there was a passageway like this under the village!
It's probably an abandoned sewer system.
You can rest easy now.
The grown-ups don't know nothin' about this place.
Why are you helping us?
It's cuz' I owe you guys…big time.
You owe us?
Ask your friend for the details.
Friend?
We're here. This is the place.
Hey there.
Mitsuki!
How—?!
You're all better now?!
Yeah, I'm fine now.
Thank goodness!
We were so worried!
But why are you here?
I rushed over as soon as I was able to.
With her.
You were the girl at the hospital!
You both got better!
Thank goodness!
I told my big brother that he risked his life to save mine!
Kona is my kid sister.
Thank you for protecting her.
The person who left her at Miss Yubina's hospital was…
Me!
I had no choice… I couldn't pay for her treatment.
You all saved her life.
So that's the connection.
What goes around comes around.
Hey, the good you do for others is good you do yourself, indeed.
Hmm?
You smell strange, Boruto.
A lot of things happened. A lot…
Let's take stock of our situation.
The ones who tricked us and escaped with the Hashirama Cell
were those lookalike shinobi, right?
Yeah.
I remember seeing those earrings.
When we met Kirisaki at the pub, they were there in disguise.
So, we were being watched since then?
Probably.
They used some method to get past the tight security
got one step ahead of us and…
…killed the mistress of the castle
and stole the Hashirama Cell.
We don't even know what village they're from, right?
This is just about the only lead we have.
It could come in handy in pursuing the culprits.
But guys, while we're here doing this,
couldn't they be leaving the Land of Silence?
About that, Miss Yubina told me that the Hashirama Cell is unstable,
and when it's wobbled around,
there's a high risk of it going out of control.
So, you can't rush around while handling it?
I see.
So that's why they went through all the trouble
to make us into decoys. To buy time.
But aren't there several routes to the border?
Unless we know which way they're escaping…
…finding them is gonna be difficult, huh?
I think we can be of help there.
How?!
Just watch.
This is Katara.
Can you hear me? Over!
Loud and clear, over!
Amazing!
You're linked up far with just a pipe?!
Loud and clear here too, over!
Captain Katara! We're good to go, anytime! Over!
And there's so many!
There's another nation that spreads out underground
that belongs only to us!
Listen up, this is a mission.
Get me intel on some suspicious lookalikes wearing earrings.
They should be headed out of the village.
– Roger! – Roger!
Huh…
Wait and see.
They'll be super easy to find.
Sighting report!
There are witnesses who saw a trio wearing earrings.
There, you see?
They were on a domestic path, most likely headed toward the border.
All right!
This is very impressive!
Furthermore, if we use an underground passageway,
we can pursue them using the shortest route.
That's how we got here too.
Yeah, we have exits scattered all over.
We can't thank you enough.
Yeah, thanks!
Seriously, stop it!
This is the least I can do
to pay back the debt my sister and I owe you.
Let's hurry! I'll guide you right up to the edge of the border!
Be careful, Big Sister and Brothers!
This tastes just like sand.
I came all this way to the sticks…
I think I deserve to have a little more fun.
Thank you for the meal!
This is where we say goodbye, Katara.
We're indebted to you.
Yeah! Do your best! Don't die!
They're such strong-willed kids!
Yeah!
Now, it's our turn to pursue them.
We don't have a moment to waste.
We'll split up to track the guys who stole the Hashirama Cell.
You three will track them together!
Call for back-up as soon as you find a lead.
I'm going to say this again, but do not engage them by yourselves.
Yes, we know!
Just watch!
I'll catch up to them!
Let's go, Mugino!
Yeah.
Let's find them, Boruto, Mitsuki!
– Yeah! – Right!
Tracking…tracking…
Anyway, after making it this far,
looks like we don't have to worry about guys coming after us.
Don't let down your guard!
There are shinobi from other lands
trying to get their hands on the Hashirama Cell too.
I know that!
Boruto! Sarada!
Lightning Style?
What was that, all of a sudden?!
Who are they?
Even though we don't have the Hashirama Cell,
people just keep coming after us! Who are they?!
I don't know.
But it's clear that they're pursuing us.
Damn it! The way things are going—!
We have to defeat them, or we won't be able to proceed.
Boruto! What should we do?
Next time on Boruto: Naruto Next Generations:
"The Pursuers"
THE PURSUERS
We have to wrap this us quickly
and catch up to the trio wearing the earrings!