Looks like the meeting with the Feudal Lord
is happening today as scheduled.
We had some unexpected interference.
But whatever. I'm gonna go notify the Boss.
It's time for the Mujina Gang to finally make its move.
Mr. Uzumaki, we've been expecting you.
Please, this way.
Lord Tento is waiting for you in the garden.
O-Okay…
This way.
You booked the entire hotel and the gardens?
Feudal Lords sure do things differently.
Oh, really?
Isn't this pretty standard?
It's not like we bought the place.
What an arrogant jerk!
Friends!!
But never mind all that.
What was it called, the Shadow Clone?
Show me now!
The Feudal Lord Ikkyu Madoka personally asked for you!
Fine, guess I have no choice.
Watch closely, ya brat.
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
There's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of you!
Real ninja are so cool!
You're definitely the son of the Hokage!
W-Well, yeah.
So, cool! So, cool!
Look at him laughing so genuinely…
He's still just a kid.
But you know, I hear the Hokage can make over a thousand clones.
Compared to that, this is pretty lame.
This mission might be tougher than I imagined.
Next, I wanna see that one!
What was it?
The one where you transform?
Oh, the Transformation Jutsu.
Right! That one!
Okay, sure.
All right… I'll just give him a little shock.
Transform!
Sexy Jutsu!
Followed by…
The Harem Jutsu!
How's this, ya brat?
So shocked, you can't talk, huh?
What? That's not the reaction I expected!
Well, that was fun, but I would've preferred a less flashy type.
Those sexy types come and go all the time at my house.
I'm tired of seeing them!
Precocious brat!
I bet you don't have any friends!
Huh?
Aren't you my friend, Boruto?
You're kinda dense, aren't ya?
What about my attitude makes you think I am?
Man, I'm just so glad!
I've always wanted a ninja friend
who was about the same age as me.
Are you listening to me?!
Look!
This is my Card collection.
What?
A-Amazing!
You even have the Con Exclusive Sharingan Mode Kakashi Hatake!
You practically have every card!
That's my binder of rares and above.
I have lots more.
You have so many, why you don't have one of Dad…
I mean, the Seventh Hokage?
I just haven't been able to get the card I really want.
It's really weird.
Tell me about it…
Wait, don't tell me–!
Y-You have it.
What, Boruto?
You want that card?
Want? That's an understatement.
This is the only reason why I keep buying them.
I've never seen the actual thing before, ya know?
Oh…
You want it?
Hey, man!
Do you even know how rare this is?!
It's super rare!
It's fine.
As long as I have my black card, I can get it again!
In exchange…
Will you teach me ninjutsu?
Huh?
I was thinking that I want to become a ninja too.
Well? If you'll teach me ninjutsu, that rare card is yours.
It's not a bad deal, right?
No thanks!
Huh? Why?
I'm the type who has to get what he really wants
by his own strength, no matter how hard it is.
Then, how about something else?
Just tell me anything you want. Okay?
Just teach me ninjutsu!
This guy just uses money to get his way!
C'mon, please!
You have nothing else to do anyway, right?
Fine!
But training's gonna be super hard!
Really? Yes!
All right!
Time to be really hard on him
and beat that attitude right outta him.
Cut the defense budget?
But it's essential that we continue to investigate
the ruins that Kaguya left behind.
Besides that, there are other things…
I know.
And I know that this peace is temporary.
I don't expect this situation to continue forever.
That's why I think it's important to focus more
on social services and education which we've never budgeted for.
But–!
Shikamaru.
Lord Ikkyu…
I always tell you to call me Ikkyu.
You're the only one around
that I can be totally at ease and honest with.
Ikkyu, whether you divert the budget to something else or not,
what we do will not change.
Naruto…
It's a shinobi's job to protect the nation, and its people.
Thank you for understanding.
Well then, I'll be leaving soon.
You're leaving already?
To be honest, I'd like nothing better than to stay
and talk with you a little longer…
But neither of us have the time, do we?
Oh, that's right!
Your son came with you this time.
Yes.
Usually, I spend so little time with him.
So, this was a way to make amends.
He's been obsessed with ninja because of something called Cards…
When he learned I was going to the Leaf Village,
he insisted on coming along.
On top of which, he asked that Boruto be his bodyguard.
I see.
He's a handful, but please ask him to be good to him.
I couldn't pay much attention to him,
so he grew up spoiled and a little out of control.
That's just how kids are, ya know?
FIRE I really hope that's true.
Aw man, no more!
Is it even possible to hit this? I don't believe it!
Do a better job teaching me!
I've been teaching you properly all this time.
Watch.
You don't just "throw" a shuriken.
You kind of "strike" them.
I wonder if it's something you can understand…
Strike rather than throw.
Aw man, why doesn't it hit already?!
It's not something that you can do right away.
Hey, why do you want to train to become a ninja?
Huh?
I got interested after I started collecting Cards.
I mean… Ninja are strong and cool!
Is that all?
Okay, I'm feeling this now!
Go!
I can't do this.
That was quick!
I can't hit anything!
Don't you want to become strong?
You want to be a cool shinobi, don't you?
Then show a little more dedication!
Shut up.
C'mon!
I hate this.
I knew it. He gave up.
Now do you understand
that things don't go the way you want so easily?
Well, let's call it a day.
What's the point of all this if we stop now?
I'm going to keep trying until I get it!
This kid–!
All right, I get it.
If you really want to do this, I'll stick with you until you get it.
Boruto!
Oh, right. You wanted that rare card too.
No! That's not why!
It's because you got serious about doing this!
Sure, okay.
Actually, he really pisses me off!
Oh dear!
Where did he go?
What is the bodyguard doing? Seriously!
Damn it!
That was close. One more time.
Milord!
Yamaoka!
Milord!
So, this is where you've been!
Watch me, watch me, Yamaoka!
I just barely missed the target!
Until now, I couldn't even get it to go in that direction!
What is the meaning of this, Lord Boruto?
Our request was that you guard the Young Lord, that's all.
We can't have you doing things without authorization.
Wait, Yamaoka.
Milord, this is much too dangerous!
I asked him to teach me.
Don't blame Boruto!
It doesn't matter.
You are the heir to the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire.
There is no need for you to undertake such things like this.
But–!
I just started getting better at it. Let me try just a little bit longer.
Milord!
Let him do it.
He's finally getting the hang of it.
It's more fun for him now
to hit a target with shuriken with his own strength,
than buying up rare cards with his black card.
Yamaoka!
Good grief. I understand.
However–!
This is only while we are staying here.
Yes!
The next one will be a bull's eye!
I doubt if he'll agree to that!
Focus more on striking!
You mentioned the credit card earlier…
The Lord gave it to him for his birthday.
Huh? It was?
The Lord is so busy,
he doesn't even know what his son wants.
So, he decided to get that card,
so he could purchase whatever he wanted.
Milord, it's a birthday present from your father.
Wow! I wonder what it is?!
Milord?
Leave it to Papa!
And still, he smiled brightly
and said, "This is just what I wanted."
He then collected the strongest Cards
and participated in a tournament.
And just recently, he made it to the finals of a big tournament.
Winning the tournament was a way to deal with his loneliness?
Perhaps.
He probably thinks that if he garners attention at the tournament,
his father will come see him play.
So, he said that he was going to win the next one without fail.
No wonder he's collected so many cards.
Yes.
EXTREME If he completes his collection, winning would be a certainty.
EXTREME And the Lord would be sure to attend the event…
He wants his father to acknowledge him,
even if it's just a little bit.
But perhaps today,
the Young Lord discovered something even more than that.
Huh?
I've never seen him so enthusiastic about anything.
– I did it! – Whoa!
I hit the target! I did it!
See, you can do it!
I finally did it.
But if I don't keep practicing, I'll lose my touch again, right?
Yeah…
If you don't keep at it, muscle memory can fade.
And even if you keep practicing,
it doesn't mean you'll hit it every time.
But,
If you just keep at it, despite all of that…
I bet it will lead to something.
Something?
That's right.
Something that you can't buy with a black card…
something that you can only win with your own hands!
Here's a good luck charm for that.
Make sure you stop and come back
before you push yourself too much.
I'll go on ahead and prepare your dinner.
Can you stay with me just a little longer?
Yeah, sure.
Hey, looking good!
Who's there?
Damn it!
A decoy again?
Boruto, you fall for traps too easily!
I'm all out of life now.
Game over! I win again!
Damn it.
Isn't there some rule where you can win once just by dedication?
What does that mean?
Hey, I was wondering…
what kind of people become a ninja?
Seriously speaking, can I become one?
Well, it all depends on how much effort you put in.
Do you really want to become one?
Yeah.
My dad's always telling me ninja are amazing.
That they're trustworthy people.
He's always working and doesn't come home much,
and he's always thinking about ninja.
That's why I want to become a ninja
who's amazing enough to get a Card made of him.
Then maybe, my dad will finally acknowledge me.
You did great.
I-It's important…
This is…something really important.
I'll be watching.
I'm…
Huh?
I'm just like you.
I wanted my dad to notice me.
I did lots of stupid things just to get his attention.
I even got banned from being a ninja once.
I can be a ninja now, only because everyone forgave me.
Boruto…
I might not be much now, but one day…
I wanna become an amazing ninja who supports the Hokage.
One day, for sure.
Well! It's not gonna be easy!
What's that about?!
Okay, one more game!
Oh, that's right!
You don't have a Seventh Hokage card, do you?
Nope.
You can have this.
What?! Are you serious?
No, it's okay. I don't want it.
Huh? Why?
Well…
Because I've decided too!
To get the things I want with my own strength,
no matter how hard it is.
Then this is a reward for hitting bull's eye.
You've earned it
by working hard for it all on your own.
So, what do you say?
Thank you!!
Will you continue training me on shuriken
tomorrow and the day after that too?
Sure…
But the road ahead is long, you know.
I know that!
Okay then, I'm gonna be really strict with you tomorrow!
Okay!
Oh yeah! It's tomorrow, huh?
Yeah, but I don't want to go home yet.
Boruto, it was just a few days, but I had a lot of fun.
Me too. I wasn't expecting it though.
Can we meet again?
Hey man…
Is that something that you'd say to a friend?
Boruto!
Hey! Why are you crying?
Did you get the face?
Yeah.
Now, the Feudal Lord will have no choice
but to give in to Mujina's demands…
Understood.
We're all counting on you…
Boss.
Milord! Let's get away from here now!
Yamaoka, what happened?
I came across a dubious man!
He might be targeting Lord Ikkyu's life!
If we remain he might even target you!
No, I'll catch him!
Take me to him!
It's time to show Papa the results of my training!
Next time on Boruto: Naruto Next Generations:
"The Value of a Hidden Ace"
You're gonna be our hidden ace, Lord Tento!
THE VALUE OF A HIDDEN ACE