Partial Expansion Jutsu!
Damn!
Don't damage the power facility!
I know that!
You're not getting away!
Damn it!
Cho-Cho, I'm leaving these guys to you!
Okay!
Shikadai, I got this!
Damn it!
Take this!
Shadow Paralysis Jutsu, complete!
EXPLOSION
Damn it!
Thank you!
Shikadai! That was way too forceful!
Thankfully, I got there in time, but just barely!
Maybe you didn't have to stick to your Shadow Paralysis Jutsu, huh?
Yeah, sorry.
I'll go and make sure there was no damage.
Shikadai seems kinda impatient.
He's been a little off lately.
I have to get better in the way I use my Paralysis Jutsu.
ONE MONTH AGO
I'm home.
Huh? Are you going out now?
I was asked to attend the Feudal Lord's banquet.
VIPs from the Land of Wind are here, so…
What a drag!
It can't be helped.
I have to go and support Gaara.
Who's here?
Lord Enchu.
That old man?
Shikadai's Decision
Damn it!
Shikadai's Decision Temari's been invited to the banquet.
Why aren't you going?
Tonight's guests of honor are
the Land of Wind's Feudal Lord and politicians.
It's only natural that Temari,
who's related to Lord Kazekage, attends.
You are the Hokage's chief aide.
In fact, you are essential to the village!
I'd be totally out of place at a banquet.
Oh, have you forgotten what happened
when you two were to be married?
There was gossip from the Hidden Sand
that you were an unworthy upstart who stole their princess!
They were just rumors!
Please don't get offended over such a thing.
The start of a rumor is insult enough!
It's proof that they're looking down on the Nara Clan.
If I knew things would be like this,
I would have made you a politician when I had the chance.
I have no interest in politics. It's too much of a drag.
It's because of that attitude that your son's been adversely affected!
How long does Shikadai intend to play it safe as a genin?
I have heard that he has a long way to go
in mastering the Shadow Jutsu.
I'll have you know that Shikadai's assessment
went up during the last Chunin Exams.
As for the Shadow Jutsu, he's been training very diligently.
So, in time…
Using the Shadow Jutsu is synonymous
with taking responsibility for the clan.
Don't you think it's an embarrassment
for him to remain so unskilled?!
After the last Great War, many of our clansmen retired from active service.
From now on,
you and your son must take the lead and energize our clan!
I understand that only too well.
But I will take on that burden.
There's no need to push it upon Shikadai.
Just remember, don't forget your mission in life.
Hmm? Shikadai, you're back?
Sir.
I have high hopes for you.
Don't become like your father.
Dad…
I didn't know you were home.
Why didn't you tell him off more?
That geezer thinks he can say whatever he wants
just because he's the clan elder!
We've been indebted to Lord Enchu since my dad's time.
Dad, I…
No need to be impatient!
Just do things at your own pace.
TODAY
What's wrong, Shikadai?
We messed up again because of his Shadow Paralysis Jutsu.
Again?
That's four mess-ups in a row.
Shut up.
It's unusual for you to mess up, Shikadai.
You've been oddly obsessed with that jutsu lately.
I have not.
You used to leave most of this stuff to me and Cho-Cho.
Speaking of which…
Is the Shadow Paralysis Jutsu the only jutsu that you can use, Shikadai?
That's not true.
You used to be good at the Wind Style back then, right?
Your mom's Lord Kazekage's older sister, right?
I can't use it anymore.
What's that mean?
It doesn't matter, does it?
Right now, I have the Shadow Paralysis Jutsu.
A clan's Secret Ninjutsu that's been passed down through the generations!
Man, I'm jealous
that you can use a technique that's rich in tradition and history.
My family doesn't have anything like that.
It's just a drag, is all.
There's just too much emphasis on obligation.
In fact, I'm jealous of your family, Denki.
My family's no fun either.
The company became successful under Dad,
so there's a lot of pressure on me.
Oh, I see.
In other words, we're in the same position.
We're both caught in the middle of family affairs, huh.
JONIN CHUNIN GENIN RECEPTION DESK
Observers from the Land of Wind will be here soon.
Why are they coming?
To examine the Hidden Leaf Village's electric power technology.
They're planning to build an electric power plant in the desert soon.
A power plant?
Isn't that like the facility that we guarded recently?
Yes. And that facility is also on the itinerary.
Things are going to be pretty hectic for a while.
So, what's our mission?
We'll be on standby.
Standby? You mean, like on break?
It's not a break, but…
If anything happens, we have to be ready to jump into action.
Since our team's been a little off lately…
I see.
You reap what you sow, huh?
How come you're all looking at me?
But it's a little strange.
Our team is the only one on standby.
How much of everyone's trust did we lose?!
Well, we just have to keep doing our best to win back their trust.
– Okay. – Right.
Damn it!
Shikadai…
Lord Enchu?
So, you've been ordered to be on standby.
Huh?
I put in a request in to the Feudal Lord
that you be pulled from the vanguard for now.
Why did you do that?
You're trying to take your father's place
and restore the prestige of the Nara Clan, aren't you?
It's not going well, is it?
You seem to be trying your best, but at this rate,
it will only have the opposite effect…
In fact, you'll make your father lose face.
And so…
Shikadai, go into politics.
Our Feudal Lord Ikkyu has been looking for candidates
that he can develop into skilled politicians.
I've arranged for you to study with him.
Study to become a politician?
Is that why we were pulled from active duty?
Currently, Shikamaru is carrying the weight of the entire Nara Clan alone…
I know that.
It seems you're making an effort,
but it takes a long time to master the Shadow Paralysis Jutsu.
It's just like shogi.
There are times when you cannot break through a predicament with a frontal attack.
Hence, you must use your pieces wisely to topple an opponent.
At times, a new strategy might be necessary.
I will make the arrangements.
But don't you think this is a good opportunity to be useful to your father?
It's all so sudden…
For me, being a ninja—
You can continue being one.
Huh?
Two years.
For now, go and study for two years.
Being mentored by the Feudal Lord is, in itself, prestigious.
What do you say?
If I agree to this,
will you stop meddling with my father from now on?
Fine…
I'm thinking of becoming a politician.
A politician?
When did you suddenly—?
Don't tell me, did Lord Enchu—?
Lord Enchu brought it up.
But…I decided on my own.
What about being a ninja?
I'll take two years off for the time being.
PAWN PROMOTED ROOK I'm thinking about it as a way to advance.
PROMOTED ROOK
Are you really sure this is what you want?
Yeah.
I understand.
Hold on!
It's the path that he chose himself.
He should do what he wants.
– Dad. – On one condition.
Do this for yourself.
Talk it out with your friends first.
Yeah.
THUNDER
Shikadai?
Sorry to call you out like this.
It's okay.
Were you okay with coming out this far?
Sure.
This is the location, right?
You and your team protected this place.
I wouldn't call it protecting.
What are you saying?
Thanks to you guys, we were spared from some major damage.
The energy generated by the windmills is stored here,
then sent to the village.
What's that?
We link that windmill to the underground turbine for monitoring.
When that windmill is turning, the system is working normally.
So, right now…
Yeah.
I was involved in designing this system.
So, maintaining it is part of my job too.
You're amazing, Denki.
Not at all!
I think you guys are more amazing!
I mean, Shikadai,
I could never copy your Shadow Paralysis Jutsu.
Denki…
I'm gonna quit being a ninja and become a politician.
Huh?!
Why all of a sudden?
I guess you could call it a family situation…
You can understand, right?
In my position, I have no other choice.
Shikadai…
What is it?!
Not good!
There's a counter flow of energy in the storage battery!
If we don't do anything, it will explode!
It's not working!
It's not accepting external data input.
Isn't there another way?!
If we can directly access the main system—!
Are you sure about this?
It could explode anytime, but…
Shikadai, get back.
I have to do this.
Don't be reckless, Denki!
Even if you're doing it for the sake of your dad's company—!
For the sake of my dad? What are you saying?
I'm here of my own free will!
This is an important place that's connected to the future of the village.
And the only one who can protect this place, is me!
Denki!
I'm okay!
Shikadai, you said earlier that I would understand your position.
It's true.
At first, I was caught in the middle of my family's affairs.
But even such situations can be changed to the way you want them to be.
After becoming a ninja,
I learned that from Boruto and all of you.
Situations…can be changed?
I'm not gonna restrain myself!
I'll do whatever I can, to the best of my ability.
And one day,
I'm going to be the ninja president of the Kaminarimon Company!
This should…
do it!
Huh? It didn't work!
The wiring must be cut somewhere.
The turbine that sends out energy isn't working.
At this rate…
You said the turbine and that windmill are linked, right?
Huh? Yeah, but…
In other words,
if we make that thing run, the turbine will run, right?
Logically speaking, yeah.
If we restart the system at the same time the turbine's moving…
we can avoid an explosion caused by the counter flow.
But right now, there's no way to make that giant windmill move…
Okay then, leave that to me.
Are you going to use the Shadow Paralysis Jutsu?
I don't think it has enough power turn the windmill—
No!
I'm going to use this one!
Shikadai?!
Denki, you focus on restarting the system.
But, you can't be thinking of turning the windmill with a Wind Style?
I swear I'll make it work!
I got it!
Here we go.
Wind Style: Dance of Turbulence!
Amazing!
All right!
We did it!
Looks like it worked somehow!
Shikadai!
Shadow Paralysis Jutsu…complete!
I guess I stressed too much about doing things for my parents' sake.
Earlier, when you said you're gonna become a ninja president,
I got really ashamed of myself.
I still haven't done everything that I can do.
I'm not gonna become a politician.
I'm not gonna restrain myself anymore, either.
Shikadai…
You can be quite a drag, huh?
Shut up!
I'm not gonna be a politician, after all.
Huh? What is it this time?
I understand.
If you made that decision yourself, that's fine.
What? You're satisfied with that?
We should discuss it a little more—
Shikadai thought it all out on his own, then he changed mind.
Right?
Yeah.
Damn it, you two are so…
I need to talk to you too, Mom.
What is it? You're being so serious.
Mom, I want to ask you to teach me the Wind Style properly.
The Wind Style?
Yeah!
I didn't wanna use it before,
because I didn't want Dad to lose face and feel bad.
Kids shouldn't worry about stuff like that!
I know.
I'm gonna do everything I can do.
Increasing the number of my pieces,
even by a little, will benefit the Nara Clan.
Look at you, getting so high and mighty.
I'm coming in!
Oh good, you're all here.
Perfect timing.
Shikadai, I brought the forms
you'll have to submit to the Feudal Lord.
Oh, I don't need them anymore.
I see, you don't need them—
Huh?
I've changed my mind about going into politics.
What are you saying?!
Now hear this! The Nara Clan can't have you and Shikamaru…
Basically, you want to make sure
the rest of the village doesn't look down on us, right?
With my dad's Shadow Jutsu and my mom's Wind Style…
You'll see. I'll master whatever I can use
and exceed your expectations, Lord Enchu!
Fine! Do as you please!
But I'm washing my hands of the lot of you!
Lord Enchu's lost face too!
I'm gonna go tell everyone that I've changed my mind about quitting.
Better let Boruto know as soon as possible.
It's okay.
He's such a drag, so I didn't tell him anything.
Damn it, what's with him?!
All right, how am I gonna explain this to them?
What a drag.
– What?! – What?!
Team 7 will be undertaking a joint mission with Team 15.
I'll be leading both teams.
What are we going to do with two teams?
We're going to investigate and try to find what's causing injured wildlife.
Injured wildlife?
Recently, there have been repeated reports
of birds going into a rampage and attacking people.
Next time on Boruto Naruto Next Generations:
"The Cursed Forest"
There's no need to combine teams for something like this.
Team 7's gonna wrap this up quick!
THE CURSED FOREST