Oh, what? Dad?
You're still here?
You're taking your sweet time today.
Do you have the day off?
It's not a day off.
You're one to talk, after waking up at the very last minute.
Don't come crying to me when you run out of time to get ready.
Get ready?
What are you talking about?
Today's the day of remembrance for those who died
in the line of duty during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Oh!
I told you the other day.
You forgot, didn't you?
No, not exactly!
It's a day where we pay respects
to your grandpa and many of our friends.
To the Village Hidden in Leaves…
No, to every shinobi in the Five Great Nations,
it's a very important day…
…today.
Our Fathers' Example
So many people have gathered on this day of remembrance
for the Fourth Great Ninja War.
First off, I'd like to thank you for coming.
Many years have passed since that event,
but even now, when I close my eyes,
it feels like it happened just yesterday.
During the fierce battle,
many of our friends risked their lives and perished
to protect the world.
The peace and prosperity we take for granted now
is the result of their sacrifice.
The new generation has no experience with war,
but I believe it is our duty to teach them
about the many things we learned during that battle.
RECEPTION
Excuse me.
Yes, may I help you?
Is Dr. Katasuke available at the moment?
I heard that I could ask him to perform maintenance
on the prosthetic arm he made for me.
Oh, yes, of course! Please wait one moment!
I'm very sorry. Unfortunately, he's out today.
I see… That's too bad.
It's my fault for showing up suddenly without an appointment, after all.
I'll try again another time.
Please give Dr. Katasuke my regards.
I've come to pick up the regular report.
Please wait one moment.
What did he want?
Oh, seems he wanted Dr. Katasuke
to perform maintenance on his prosthetic arm.
Excuse me!
In the Fourth Great Ninja War,
our enemy was an army led by Madara Uchiha.
The shinobi of the Five Great Nations from
the Hidden Leaf, Sand, Mist, Stone and Cloud,
as well as samurai from the Land of Iron,
joined together to form an alliance to fight them.
Before then, we were divided,
but shinobi everywhere joined together to achieve victory.
However, it cost us the lives of many of our friends.
Finally, I respectfully offer my sincerest condolences to
those who passed away in the Great War.
What are you doing here, Shikamaru?
Hey, Ino…
What's with that look on your face?
On days like these, I end up thinking about…
…that day.
That day?
When we got the final transmission
from my dad and Mr. Inoichi at HQ.
Me too.
Makes me a bit mad knowing that we think about the same thing.
That's mean!
My dad was an advisor to the previous Lord Raikage,
who was supreme commander at the time.
Mr. Inoichi was carrying out his duties
as the Captain of the Intelligence Corps
at the Allied Shinobi Forces headquarters.
When we learned that the Ten-Tails
had released a Tailed Beast Bomb toward HQ,
my dad used the little time he had left to entrust us
with a strategy to defeat the Ten-Tails.
This is my last duty.
Put me through to everyone on the battlefield.
I have a plan to stop Ten Tails, our final act.
And if this plan doesn't work? What then?
Then you live on and take the reins, Shikamaru!
HQ will soon be no more!
Our dads sure asked a lot from us!
Given the situation, there was no way we could refuse.
That's so true.
It was so unfair of them to make themselves look cool
even at the very end.
Unfair, what are you–?
It's the truth, isn't it?
Well, yeah…
HQ will soon be no more!
The only face time I spent with you as your father
was when we played shogi.
I haven't given you a thing…
You gave me plenty!
I was able to grow up, staring at your back, Dad.
Ino…
you grew up perfectly in line with the flower language
of the Yamanaka Clan's floral family crest,
the purple bush clover.
Optimistic love… right?
That's not the only meaning of the purple bush clover.
What I am most proud of about you…
is your care and compassion for your friends!
You have blossomed into a beautiful bush clover flower indeed.
Never forget that we live on inside of you forever.
Don't forget that!
Our dads carried out their duties as
shinobi magnificently until the very end.
Yeah.
What a half-hearted response.
Well…
There's something I've been wondering about.
Something you've been wondering about?
When they told us their strategy to defeat the Ten-Tails
and entrusted everything to us…
Yeah?
Did they really think we could pull it off?
Maybe my dad and Mr. Inoichi only said that
just to raise our morale?
Shikamaru…
Well, we've got no way of finding out now.
It's not like me to get so bothered about something.
Will the day come one day when we'll lead by example,
believe in them and leave everything in their hands,
just like our dads did?
Hmm, I'm not so sure.
Well, I'm sure we'll know when it happens, right?
What kind of half-baked response is that?
I'm being really serious here!
Since you've come to the Hidden Leaf for maintenance
on your prosthetic arm,
does that mean you are an acquaintance of Dr. Katasuke's?
Yeah. He saved my life when I was injured during the Great War.
I see…
You were injured in the Great War.
Please, don't be so sad.
I'm here thanks to the doctor's prosthetic arm.
It makes me happy, being from the same village as him.
I shall let the doctor know.
It looks like we're a little too late.
There's only a few of people left and the ceremony seems to be over.
So, it seems.
I'd only be a nuisance by staying too long in the village,
so, if you'll excuse me…
At the very least, let's pay our respects and offer some flowers together.
I see…
I've finally been able pay my respects to my fallen friends.
During the Great War, I was at HQ when it was destroyed.
But I was the only one who ended up surviving.
I should have come here sooner…
…and a lot of time has passed.
Back then…
When the Tailed Beast Bomb hit HQ…
I thought it was all over.
Hey! There's a survivor!
MEDICAL
This is–!
LEAF HOSPITAL
I managed to cling to life.
NO VISITORS ALLOWED
But I lay in a coma for many years.
When I finally woke up,
I learned that everyone I had fought with had died.
And…
I saw how my body had changed.
I wished I had perished then, rather than live like this.
In my desperate state, someone appeared before me…
It was him.
Meeting Dr. Katasuke…
…was a truly fateful encounter.
I was able to get a new left arm and leg.
In order to be able to use them,
I devoted myself to rehab.
Little by little, I was able to perform everyday tasks…
And finally, I was able to regain a normal life.
Are you still a shinobi now?
No…
In this condition, I'm retired.
The doctor said that if I had continued rehab,
I could have gone back to being a shinobi,
though I wouldn't have been as good as before.
So, I gave up on that.
I see.
But that's not all.
I realized something during the Great War.
No matter how much I train or master jutsu,
there's a limit to what I can achieve.
That there are beings who exist, that I can never beat.
But I feel stronger by acknowledging that.
That's how I can continue living like this.
Because I did everything I could back then.
What are you going to do now?
I'm thinking I have to find a way of being useful to someone's life
in a way that doesn't involve being a shinobi.
You've chosen to live as something other than a shinobi, correct?
Every day, I think about how I have to live the rest of my life
to its fullest for the sake of those who died back then.
It had bothered me
that I did not grieve for my friends all this time.
But thanks to you bringing me here today,
I was able to make that happen.
Thank you.
Oh no, I didn't do anything.
Mr. Ao?!
Mr. Shikamaru!
What?! Mr. Ao?!
You're Ao, the right-hand of the Fifth Mizukage Mei?!
Long time no see.
It's been a while, hasn't it?
I'm glad you're here. I'm sure our fathers are happy!
I hope so.
I'm really sorry I took so long to pay
my respects to Shikaku and Inoichi.
You truly are his son. You look very much like Shikaku.
Now then, I think I should take my leave.
Goodbye.
Excuse me!
What is it?
There's something I want to ask you.
During the war, do you remember when
the Tailed Beast Bomb hit headquarters?
You were with my dad and Mr. Inoichi, right?
Yeah.
At that time my dad,
Shikaku Nara was an advisor at headquarters
and told us the strategy to defeat the Ten-Tails.
Sometimes, I end up wondering…
if my dad completely believed that his strategy
would actually work.
At that time…
It's been acting weird! It seems to keep aiming afar!
So, every city and person is within its range of fire, huh?
Th-This is–!
What is it, Lord Ao?!
Please listen to me calmly.
Right here, huh?
Shikaku… What now?
Just keep doing what we must do.
Mr. Shikaku analyzed all the data that we had gathered so far
during the battle with the Ten-Tails,
and put together the best strategy he could.
Then he relayed it to all of you.
I thought that Shikaku's plan was perfect.
To be honest, I personally had no idea whether you could pull it off,
or whether it could defeat the Ten-Tails.
So, then–!
But…
Hey, Shikaku…
What is it, Ao?
Your strategy just now…
Did you tell them this strategy
because you believe they could really defeat the Ten-Tails?
Or was it just to–?
Well…
This has nothing to do with strategy or abilities.
They said they were proud of you,
their son and daughter.
That they were sure you would pull it off.
They believed in you, without a hint of doubt.
Dad!
It was a splendid and befitting end for the two of them.
Does that answer your question?
Yes!
Thank you very much!
Mr. Ao especially…
must be someone who has lived their entire life
adhering to their shinobi path.
Yeah…
I finally found you, Dad!
So, this is where you were.
Shikadai. What's the matter?
Since a certain someone didn't come home…
Mom told me to go out and look for you.
Sorry about that.
Well, it's fine.
What were you doing here by yourself?
Oh, just some stuff.
Hey!
Wanna go grab something good to eat?
Huh?
It's good to do once in a while!
We used to go out and eat after training, right?
I'll treat you to anything you want today.
Wait up!
It isn't like you to say stuff like this, Dad.
Did something good happen?
Who knows?
The heck's that supposed to mean?
Adults have a lot going on.
Hmm…
Being an adult sounds like a drag.
I wonder if he's learning anything by watching me?
I guess some day, the time will come
when I'll entrust him with everything, too.
Dad!
You're so slow! Hurry up already!
Yeah, yeah…
I don't have much time left.
The plan must be implemented,
or the goal will not be accomplished.
One can't solve a problem without making some sacrifices.
I'm going to steal Jigen's most precious "wish"
right from under him.
Next time on Boruto: Naruto Next Generations:
"Victor's Scheme"
VICTOR'S SCHEME
It was good I prepared this in case there was an emergency…
Seems it will come in very handy.