The Byakuya Gang Surfaces!

The Byakuya Gang Surfaces! is the forty-third episode of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations .

## Summary [ ]

Kōtarō and Konohamaru inform Boruto , Sarada , and Mitsuki that the hostage situation was just a distraction, allowing noble thieves called Byakuya Gangto steal jewels from the vault. Boruto insists on going in the vault with them, feeling cold from the security system. Considering the security measures in place, Kōtarō suspects an inside job. Outside the vault, Sarada finds a frozen flower. Five days go by without any developments. Denki explains to Boruto that noble thieves steal from the rich to give to the poor. Boruto asks Shikadai his opinion on it, and is surprised when Shikadai answers they must have their reasons, as there is more to what they know and learned in the Academy. Their talk is keeping Shikadai from understanding a shōgi strategy he's studying. Sarada makes a breakthrough on the case, and informs Boruto and Mitsuki on her theory on an Ice Release user, who would have brought their body temperature down as not to trigger the thermal sensors. At Boruto's suggestion, they don't report their findings so as to be kept in the loop of the investigation. Boruto takes them to Katasuke to find out more about Ice Release without alerting the investigation. Shikadai saves a child from injuring himself too seriously when playing with explosive tags, and a bystander picks up a shōgi piece he drops. Katasuke confirms their Ice Release theory, and shows them a more clandestine side of Konoha where they might find the Byakuya Gang.

They find a posting about selling the stolen jewels. Shikadai still struggles with the shōgi strategy, and the bystander returns him the shōgi piece. The two talk and play shōgi for hours. Shikadai offers him the set, having more at home, hoping to play against him again the next day. Shikadai asks his father to teach him new tactics, and Shikamaru gets carried away, angering Temari when he ignores her call for dinner. Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki meet with the thief, pretending to be a buyer. The thief they're meeting is a decoy, rigged with explosive tags. The real thief questions their allegiance to the rich, considering them to be thieves themselves. He uses the jewel for a distraction to flee, but leaves them a trail of frozen footprints to follow. They follow the footprints to a water system by a mountain side, and up the mountain side to an impoverished village. The thief traps them with ice, and reveals the jewel was already sold, its profit used to fix the water system for the village. Boruto doesn't pursue the thief when he frees them, and later is conflicted about the case. The thief reports to a partner, who says another plan is already set up. The thief leaves for guard duty. Shikadai waits for his shōgi partner.