Please stay still for a second, Sensei.
It'll take longer for you to heal if you move around.
This is really gonna heal me?
That foam boosts your natural healing abilities.
Just think of it as an amped-up bandage.
A bandage, huh?
Your Scientific Ninja Tools are really something, Doctor.
Please, don't…
At the moment, it doesn't seem like our pursuers are closing in on us.
As soon as we're done treating Sensei,
we need to get away from here.
Mr. Mugino!
Damn it!
Ao's attack was fatal.
He made the decision to sacrifice himself to protect his comrades.
You just don't know when to die.
What a shame.
Earth Style:
Rock Breaker!
Everyone run away!
Don't worry about me…
Go!
We can't do that, Big Bro!
Stay back, Boruto!
Don't forget, what I asked you to do!
He was right in front of me.
But I couldn't do anything!
There's no time to be sad.
We're still alive.
It's up to us to carry out his will.
I know that!
But this is just too much for me!
Boruto…
Tools
I never thought a hero from the Great Ninja War
would end up being an enemy.
He's a jonin who has supported the Village Hidden in the Mist
since the time of the previous Mizukage.
His skills are terrifying.
What's more,
the Scientific Ninja Tools implanted in his body spell trouble.
He was looking for the contents of that container
that was inside of the airship…
and he intends on getting rid of us for snooping around.
What did it contain that was this important?
I don't know.
But
we have to do whatever we can to get this data back to the village
for thorough analysis.
It may provide clues about our enemy.
But he's probably nearby, searching for us.
Making it difficult to escape, right?
Yeah.
If we want to prioritize getting this back,
it would be wise to split up into two teams.
Hold on a second!
I'll work alone as a decoy to stall him.
Konohamaru Sensei!
You guys take this and head back to the village.
Got it?
Are we going to lose you too, Big Bro?!
That's not right!
Hold on, don't get the wrong idea.
This decision is meant to ensure this intel gets delivered.
But Sensei, you're already exhausted.
It's too dangerous!
That's right.
We can't let you do this alone!
We'll defeat him.
And avenge Mugino's death!
Boruto!
I understand how you feel.
But—!
Are you all right with this, Big Bro?!
Of course, I'm not!
But that's all the more reason we need to make decisions calmly!
If I had ended up dying instead,
I know Mugino would have done the same thing.
Big Bro!
Umm, I have a suggestion.
I believe I'm more suitable to be the bait.
Please allow me to do it.
– What?! – What?!
Dr. Katasuke?!
Wait a minute!
There's no reason for you to do that.
But there is.
You could say that I brought this situation upon us.
You did, Doctor?
What do you mean?
It was right around the time of the Chunin Exams.
I was placed under genjutsu,
and psychologically manipulated, it seems.
What?!
And I leaked my knowledge of the Scientific Ninja Tools.
What are you saying?
It's been a total mystery who had
cast that genjutsu on me,
but with everything that just happened, it's totally clear who the culprit was.
Ao.
Yes.
That's why I said that I caused this situation.
In short, the enemy attacked us with tools developed from
technology stolen from you, Dr. Katasuke?
Correct.
Not all of it is mine,
but they probably made use of my technology.
So that's why the enemy has such advanced Scientific Ninja Tools…
This is not your fault, Doctor.
It couldn't be helped.
The enemy is at fault for manipulating you with genjutsu.
During the Chunin Exams…
So, you using me back then was also—?
I'm very sorry, Young Lord.
Though, that was partly me.
Genjutsu can also amplify existing traits.
No way!
You should have told me that sooner!
This matter is still considered classified.
If we weren't in this situation, he would have stayed silent.
It's all right.
I did something that warrants hatred.
The misuse of the Scientific Ninja Tools,
however inadvertent, ended up creating a monster like Ao.
And because of that, Lord Mugino was—!
My remorse is endless.
I don't blame you, Young Lord, if you don't forgive me.
And I was so close to rekindling our friendship!
I guess I'm just a deceitful, cowardly adult.
I got what I deserve, but I still wish for that.
Dr. Katasuke…
That's all the more reason why
I have to take responsibility for all of this.
Yeah.
Scientific Ninja Tools shouldn't have been
invented to begin with, after all!
Hey, hold on!
I hope that's not what you're thinking, Dr. Katasuke.
Young Lord?
I used to think that too.
After everything that happened during the Chunin Exams,
I wished things like these never existed.
But the Scientific Ninja Tools I saw at your lab were different.
They were so much fun.
I couldn't help feeling excited, despite myself.
I get it now.
I'm flying, ya' know!
Those tools were created to make everyone smile.
They weren't meant to make people sad.
Isn't that right?
However, old man Ao is different.
He misused Scientific Ninja Tools
and killed Mugino to suit his own needs.
I can't let that go.
Boruto…
That's why I can't ignore this.
If he's allowed to run loose, there will be more victims.
And everyone will get the wrong idea about Scientific Ninja Tools.
They'll hate them without knowing anything about them.
Just like I used to.
These are tools made to make everyone smile, right?
Then…
Don't you need to be the first one to smile, Doc?
Young Lord!
Yes!
So anyway,
I guess this means we won't be using
the decoy strategy, right, Big Bro?
I also…
agree with Boruto, Sensei!
Me too.
You're right.
We'll defeat Ao without letting anyone else die.
That's our win condition.
That's more like it.
All right!
Let's all think of a way to make it out of this alive!
– Yes, Sir! – Yes, Sir!
Young Lord!
Everyone!
All right.
I need to test the results of my maintenance.
Is this in return for what I did before, Code?!
If you want a fight, then I'll take you on.
I'll use you to test out the maintenance done on my body.
Come at me!
You may never need to undergo maintenance again after this.
Those are some bold words.
You think you can defeat me?
Even your thoughts are pitiful.
I won't lose against a traitor.
What did you call me?
Don't act dumb!
There's a traitor amongst the Inners.
That's what Jigen said.
Amongst us?
Jigen believes that they're responsible
for crashing the airship the Vessel was on.
You weren't behind that?
Why would I do that?
So you ambushed me thinking I did it?
No.
Actually, anyone would have been fine.
What?
If I tortured you all in numerical order,
I'd eventually find the culprit.
I think this is a pretty clever idea.
Huh?!
Oh, but since you didn't make any excuses,
I guess that means you've admitted to being the traitor.
You've got to be kidding me!
You must really want to die!
But it's odd.
What is?
Can't you tell?
From my perspective,
you're the most suspicious one, Code.
Me?
I mean, the person happiest about losing the Vessel…
is you, right?
Take back what you just said.
Oh? Are you mad that I guessed correctly?
You're so lame!
Take that back!
Hey,
why are you two so mad?
Give me a break, guys.
Good grief, it's always like this with you.
How many more problems are you going to make for me?
I'll never have enough antacids to deal with this.
Are you trying to put out the fire?
Well, just listen.
Rooting out traitors is normally my job.
I'll explain it in terms you can understand.
It's true that Jigen believes
there might be a traitor amongst the Inners.
But that said, there isn't enough proof.
Making that assumption because of a single airship mishap
could be overthinking things.
Is that why you inspected us under the pretense of maintenance?
Yeah.
But it didn't produce any results.
How convenient for you!
I did it to settle things peacefully!
But your haphazard actions are derailing my efforts.
That's not good enough!
I'll find the culprit.
Listen, Jigen won't be happy if you do that.
What?
If fact, it would upset him.
Get that through your head and stay put.
But there's no guarantee that we shouldn't be suspicious of you,
is there, Amado?
Come on. Give me a break.
If I was the traitor,
there would be no reason for me to stop you guys.
I'm not so sure about that.
That might just be a tactic to make us trust you.
If you want to suspect me, then go ahead.
It's not as if I believe you're innocent
just because nothing showed up during your maintenance.
But that makes Boro even more suspicious
for skipping out on maintenance.
Koji Kashin didn't undergo maintenance either.
Isn't that bad
to leave someone like that in charge of finding the Vessel?
Now that you mention it, where is he right now?
Destiny is quite full of irony.
I never expected my enemy would be the son of the Hokage.
Lord Koji Kashin.
It's not like you to let them get away.
Have they sparked some emotion in you, my dear ex-shinobi?
The shinobi in me died long ago.
I'm simply now a tool being kept alive by science.
Yes.
A tool that exists solely to carry out its duties
as an Outer of the Kara.
Such outstanding professionalism.
That's what I like about you.
But the same could be said of the other side.
It seems they're bent on doing everything it takes
to take you down as shinobi.
It might only be a matter of time before they sniff out
the true identity of the Vessel.
Why don't you deal with them yourself?
This is also a test for you.
It's easy to just say what you just said.
But can you really discard your emotions
and eliminate all of your former compatriots?
With a flip of a switch,
I'll kill the enemy, like a Scientific Ninja Tool.
I have no emotions.
Good!
I'm looking forward to your results.
My goal is to break away from the life of a shinobi.
And to prove that, I'll defeat them with Scientific Ninja Tools.
Listen up.
He's armed with the Jutsu-Absorbing Gauntlet
he stole from Katasuke Sensei.
So, he can likely absorb most, if not all,
ninjutsu attacks, right?
Rasengan!
But we'll take advantage of that.
We'll launch jutsu attacks at him.
And while he's distracted with absorbing them,
we'll strike from his blind spot.
I get it.
He didn't have a blind spot
back when he had the Byakugan in his right eye.
But he lost that eye in the Great War.
That means we can use surprise attacks on him.
In order to absorb jutsu using the gauntlet,
one needs to create an Absorbing Sphere first.
In other words, he needs to create a sphere for absorbing.
You mean this thing, right?
Yes.
As you can see, it only takes a second,
but it creates an opening.
That's true.
If we use that, we can deal with the enemy's Jutsu Bomb attacks,
so we can get in close.
Yeah, we'll create the opening.
We're counting on you to take him down, Boruto!
You can count on me!
I'll do it with this!
Huh?
What?
H-Hey, Boruto!
Are you all right, Boruto?
This thing is dangerous.
Its chakra depletion is no joke!
That much?
Yeah, I can feel it rapidly draining my strength!
I mentioned it at the lab,
but that prototype is not yet suited for practical use.
Its power is impeccable, but it's not easy to handle.
Come to think of it, I remember you saying that.
Damn it!
I guess I'll just have to activate it right when I attack.
I'm done adjusting the size of the gauntlet.
Please adjust the wrist one on your own.
Thanks!
Good grief.
It's literally a double-edged sword.
That's right.
Powerful tools are like that.
This is a situation where there aren't any cheat codes
like video games, Young Lord.
Yeah, I know.
It's like with ninjutsu,
where practice makes perfect, right?
All right, listen up, everyone.
Let's get this plan started!
Let's go teach him a lesson…
on the proper use of tools!
I know you chose a path different from a shinobi's,
but you still have lingering feelings, don't you?
I can see it.
The shinobi in me is dead.
The Kara gave me new power.
They gave me a reason to live, as their tool.
Next time on Boruto: Naruto Next Generations:
HOW YOU USE IT
"How You Use It."
If you're a tool now, and not a shinobi…
I'll use my power as a shinobi to take you down!