Ao (volume)

Ao ( 青 , Ao ) is volume 5 of the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga.

## Chapter 16
" Vessel " ( 器 , Utsuwa )

Jigen informs the rest of Kara they have lost the "vessel". Two members lament the wasted time, effort, and money wasted on it. An elder member, Victor , presumes it was an accident during transportation, and proposes locating and recovering it at once. Another member attributes failure to such a perception, causing Victor to threaten him. Jigen points out that while time loss is something that can be accounted for, this was a case of preventable human error. Delta says it is a discussion on how the responsible party will pay their debt. Victor asks about a still absent member, Amado, a concern shared by Jigen, who decides their plans should go forward as planned over Victor's objections. Victor wishes to mobilise an Outer to collect data on the new scientific ninja weapon, cursing at the situation caused by Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki .

Koji Kashin , the one who criticised Victor, asks to deal with the situation, as the area in question is under his responsibility, to Victor's dismay. Koji thinks the aircraft has crashed, and fighting will be inevitable. Jigen agrees with Koji, and asks the other Inners their opinions, they agree with Koji. Koji tells Victor to contact the Outer . Victor tries protesting, but Jigen will not have it, and that the "vessel" is key for their goals, as the projections of other Kara members begin disappearing, and to recover it. The other members gone, the angry Victor mentions if it wasn't for the Genjutsu Communication , he'd have blown Koji's head up. Koji replies to his comment, Victor asks how long he's been there, startled. Koji says he's been there since before the meeting began, questioning Victor's senses. Victor tries attacking him, but Koji lands a kunai on his shoulder. Victor tries weaving hand seals, but Koji activates his own jutsu, the True Fire of Samadhi , which he claims even Victor's regeneration jutsu can't overcome. The flames consume him. Koji thinks about Konoha and the Land of Fire . At Konoha, Boruto spars against Naruto . Boruto distracts Naruto with two shadow clones, which Naruto easily defeats, and positions himself behind Naruto, sending a Rasengan his way. Naruto waves at it and it vanishes, to everyone's confusion. Naruto compliments Boruto's Rasengan. Boruto sends an electrified wave his way, to his classmates' amazement. Naruto blocks it by raising an earth wall . Naruto punches through the wall with his prosthetic hand, and absorbs the charged water. Mitsuki notes it was the same with the Rasengan. Boruto watches the hand on the wall, and Naruto surprises him from behind, landing a kick. Shikamaru declares the sparring over. Shikadai and Inojin discuss the battle. Boruto notices Naruto's missing hand. Sarada and Mitsuki discuss Naruto's distraction, and how his hand was able to absorb jutsu. At the Hokage's office, Boruto calls Naruto out for using a scientific ninja weapon when he previously considered it cheating when Boruto used them. Shikamaru reminds Boruto that testing the tool was the point of the sparring. Naruto tells him this is one of Katasuke 's prototypes, inspired by the latest conflict with the Ōtsutsuki , but they have only been able to make it absorb jutsu, not release them like Momoshiki could. Sasuke chides Boruto for not understanding the situation, that the device itself isn't, and the point is the circumstances of its use. Sasuke says that the Ōtsutsuki have proved the crisis in the world still isn't over. Elsewhere, Konohamaru arrives at the crash site of a blimp, the Horse, and noting no signs of survivors, decides to investigate inside. He finds an empty container, and his radio gives out. Mugino asks Konohamaru about it, and Konohamaru has a bad feeling about it. Something approaches the crash site.

## Chapter 17
" Ao " ( 青 , Ao )

Konohamaru investigates a compartment in the crashed blimp, and copies data from it. Konohamaru's partner is attacked, and urges him to run away. Sasuke further explains to Boruto that there are Ōtsutsuki -calibre foes operating in the shadows. Mitsuki asks if it's related to Boruto's seal. Naruto says Sasuke has filled him in on what they know about the seal, and the existence of an organisation related to them. Boruto ponders on the implications. Naruto explains that this is the reason why they're working on scientific ninja tools. Katasuke arrives, mentioning that the absorption functionality is useful for reducing collateral damage. Boruto is still angry at Katasuke for his deception at the Chūnin Exams. Naruto says the technology is a power that supports the Hokage , much like Sasuke, who Boruto admires, and once again stresses the way the technology is used matters.

Boruto fails to understand Naruto's point. Naruto assigns them a mission to escort Katasuke and the prosthetic hand to be studied.. Boruto refuses to take the mission and storms off. Naruto asks Sarada and Mitsuki to watch Boruto's seal. Sasuke says Boruto will accept the mission after he has cooled off. Sarada and Mitsuki try talking Boruto into taking the mission. Sarada decides to take the mission anyway, and Mitsuki says if Boruto won't take it, he won't either. He points out Boruto has declared he'd support Sarada as Hokage, and that the hand is a tool that protects those in the village, including Boruto's family. Boruto relents, accepting the mission as Sasuke predicted. The three meet Katasuke at a train station, and look for seats. Boruto attempts to keep conversation with Katasuke to a minimum. They find empty seats by Ao , who is an acquaintance of Katasuke's. Katasuke explains Ao is a patient, pointing out his prosthetic limbs, his condition due to the last great war. Boruto and Sarada discuss technology, Sarada pointing out the tools are as much technology as Boruto's games, which Boruto rebukes, saying the tools are excessive. Katasuke explains the technology is being developed for civilian use as well, and adjusts Ao's prosthetic hand with a screwdriver. Katasuke mentions Ao used to be a shinobi, sparking Boruto's interest. Learning that Ao was already in the battlefield at a young age, and that he is from Kirigakure , Boruto mentions having visited it on a field trip , Ao musing how his village has changed. Ao says he's only alive due to scientific ninja tools, and asks if Boruto still dislikes them. Boruto says he doesn't, and Ao takes the Katasuke's screwdriver and holds it to Boruto's neck, saying that's how he'd have died if they were enemies, repeating Naruto's words on the use of tools. They arrive at their station, and bid Ao farewell, Boruto asking to meet again next time he's at Konoha . After they leave, Koji Kashin talks to Ao, who is surprised at being contacted by an Inner. He informs Ao about the loss of the vessel. Despite Ao claiming he's no longer able to perform taijutsu , Koji Kashin points out his genjutsu skills are still intact, having worked great on Katasuke. He entrusts Ao with the recovery of the vessel, mentioning Konoha has already dispatched two jōnin to the crash site. He gives Ao free reign to do as he sees fit, offers him a crate full of weapons, despite not believing Ao will need them, and leaves. Boruto is invigorated from his talk with Ao, and looks forward to meeting him again. Ao muses how it will be the first time in sixteen years he's been in combat.

## Chapter 18
" Hands " ( 手 , Te )

Boruto , Sarada , Mitsuki and Katasuke arrive at the research institute. There, they meet with Sumire Kakei from their Academy days, who is part of the research team. Akita Inuzuka , another research team member, arrives to collect the prosthetic hand from Katasuke, and gushes about it as Katasuke fills her in on information about it. Boruto thinks the mission is done, but Sumire and his teammates tell him there's more to their mission. Boruto was unaware they'd help test the scientific ninja tools because he stormed off the Hokage 's office before hearing all about the mission. They first have Boruto and Mitsuki fight against Sarada, who employs a prototype light and smoke bomb that overwhelms them with light and sound.

Mitsuki comments even his enhanced senses were beaten by it. Next, the three enter a room where all sound is nullified. In each room, Sarada mentions how each of the tools could aid shinobi missions. They next try gloves and boots that allow them to walk on walls without having to spend chakra, meaning they can focus on moulding chakra for actual combat instead of having a split focus. Boruto injures himself while trying to fly on a kite, and Sumire tends to his injury with a medical foam developed by Katasuke. Boruto notices Sumire's respect for Katasuke. He reads a plaque with Katasuke's qualifications, and a quote by Katasuke where he considers science to be a form of support. Boruto is distracted by Chamaru , Akita's ninken , and notices one of his legs is a prosthetic. Akita tells Boruto how Katasuke reached out to her, and how his developing of Chamaru's prosthetic leg led to her becoming his assistant. Katasuke offers Boruto to try one of his prototypes, a chakra katana. Boruto comes around regarding the prosthetic hand his father used before. Boruto receives a call from Naruto , who informs him of the loss of communication with Konohamaru and Mugino . Naruto suspends their current mission and tasks them with finding Konohamaru and Mugino, as they're the closest team. Naruto, Shikamaru , and Sai discuss the recent events. They believe Kara to be involved, and are concerned that a state of the air blimp was able to enter Land of Fire airspace undetected. They surmise that such an endeavour requires funding, and whoever is funding them is the enemy.

## Chapter 19
" Puppets " ( 人形 , Ningyō )

As they leave the research institute, Akita provides Boruto with scientific ninja weapon manuals, her contact information, and asks if he has enough healing foam. Boruto tells her he has enough, as more would hinder his movement. She apologises for her caution, attributing it to Katasuke and Chamaru going with them. Boruto thought Katasuke was staying, but he arrives clad in a prototype mechanical suit, originally designed rehabilitative care, but modified for combat, wishing to test it. Boruto isn't enthusiastic about it. Sarada checks if she has all packed. Sumire notices Akita has taken a liking to Boruto, and asks Sarada if Boruto is popular with girls. Sarada thinks Boruto just makes friends easily.

Sumire asks if Sarada is interested in Boruto. Sarada denies it, and Sumire reveals she is. They bid Akita and Sumire farewell and depart. At the crash site, they noticed mechanical puppets scattered all around, and wonder if a battle took place. They see no trace of Konohamaru . The crashed blimp catches Katasuke's attention, who goes in to investigate, finding the empty box. Outside, the puppets activate themselves and attack. Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki each attack them with various ninjutsu, without much success. The puppets unleash a barrage of Fire Release attacks . Boruto is astonished by the continuous rapid fire rate, and Sarada notices the lack of hand seal weaving. Katasuke recognises them as autonomous scientific ninja weapons, and deduces from the attack they're guarding the box inside the blimp, and that Konohamaru must also have investigated it. Boruto notices the advancing puppets, and Katasuke steps forward to fight them with his own scientific ninja weapons. The puppets open fire against him, but he absorbs their attacks with his suit. He does so until the puppets' mechanisms overheat, causing them to stop functioning. Mitsuki postulates the puppets' structure lacks the endurance for such a continuous engagement. Katasuke instructs them to disconnect their power sources so they don't attack again once they cool down. Sarada questions having to go against scientific ninja weapons, knowing them to be proprietary technology developed by Konoha. Katasuke recalls being told by Ibiki that while under genjutsu, he disclosed confidential information about the weapons to someone. Chamaru calls their attention, having found a kunai they recognise as Konohamaru's. Chamaru tracks Konohamaru through scent to a cave nearby, where he is tending to Mugino 's injuries. Anticipating opponents, Konohamaru is glad to see them. Katasuke ponders how the enemy's weapons outclass his. Konohamaru asks Katasuke if he also saw the container in the blimp, and hands him the data he collected for analysis. They're interrupted by Ao , who arrives wanting to hear about their situation. Boruto recognises him from the train, but Konohamaru recognises him as the "Byakugan Killer" from the Bingo Book . Knowing him to be retired, Konohamaru asks what he's doing there, but Ao deflects by readying a scientific ninja weapon against them. He asks for the location of the contents of the blimp's box. Konohamaru doesn't know, and refuses to divulge information on an on-going mission, again stressing Ao's retirement from shinobi life. Ao chooses to silence them instead, pointing the weapon at them.

## Author's Note