Disappearing Lives

" Disappearing Lives " ( 消える命 , Kieru Inochi ) is episode 277 of the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations anime.

## Synopsis [ ]

The captives wait for Ōga to announce the next experiment. A few complain of thirst, Fugō trying in vain to exchange his luxury watch for another captive's water. The Kusa-nin agrees with Boruto that they need to cooperate to survive. Batta continues to only care about getting payed, and Yatsume finds merit in both approaches, asking Rokuro 's opinion. He thinks they need a strong will to survive throws a parasite on the Kusa-nin to force him to confess, accusing him of being Ōga's minion, as he activated the first experiment, and avoided the platform edges before they started crumbling. He grabs another captive and asks for Ōga's help before perishing. Rokuro picks another scroll, finding it useless to hesitate. It takes them do a dark room, where a candle lights up on its own when Yatsume grabs it. They all grab candles, which also light up. They're supposed to reach a goal, avoiding many traps, without letting their flame die. An older captive sneezes, blowing out his candle, and dies. Ōga explains the candle flame is their life, showing them lanterns to carry them. He adds how passing the candles from person to person works, the person not holding a candle dying if one goes out on someone else's hand.

The candle belongs to whoever holds it. Sarada and Mitsuki look for the Thunder Train Boruto disappeared on, asking the company's staff about it. The Department of Prisons also made inquiries, and the employee working that day suddenly quit and went away. A train employee spies on them as they discuss Boruto's disappearance. They hear a snap and find money on the floor. The suspicious employee escapes, but later despairs at what he got involved in. The captives have to wade through water, Batta, Fugō, and Rokuro going first. Shamo carries a girl he likes on his arms. They reach a closing gate that requires both hands for raising. Kiseru is concerned Ōga has other minions among them. Batta is interested in the commotion, and offers to carry Fugō's briefcase so he can hold his lantern with both hands, promising not to steal it, but he refuses. Boruto trusts Yatsume with his lantern, but is unable to raise the gate until Kiseru and Namua help him. Yatsume finds him odd. They reach a desert like area where trash is being burned, where fans begin blowing a dust storm. Boruto has the non-shinobi hold the candles, while the shinobi form a shield. Shamo creates an earth wall , but it's too weak and crumbles at Boruto's touch. They protect the non-shinobi from the storm with their bodies. When it passes, they're all alive. An old lady offers Boruto her water as thanks. He notices that Shamo and the girl with him aren't around, Kiseru saying they went ahead. Shamo helps her up a wall, but she leaves him behind as another dust storm kicks up around him. The old lady dies, her candle having melted completely. The heat of the area melted her candle, making it go out. They find Shamo abandoned as they reach the end, and catch up with the others, the girl now clinging to Rokuro. Ōga appears and offers a bonus stage, claiming that the elevator the first group is on will take them to the goal, but only has two more spots on it. Two civilians rush to fill it, and it closes. The others go into the second elevator. They notice it is moving too slowly, and the candles will be used up before they reach the top. Kiseru realises that the candle holding rules mean that taking and preserving stolen candles will increase their remaining time, but others would have to die. On the other elevator, Rokuro blows out the girl's candle, taking it for himself. Fugō wants Batta to steal the other civilians' candles so they can last. She hands him her lantern and makes their way to them. Boruto notices melted wax on the floor from his and Yatsume's candle. He recalls the rule that the candle belongs to whoever holds it, and suggests making one long candle they all hold on to. From the first elevator, only Rokuro, Batta, and Fugō came out alive. Batta is shaken, with blood on her hand holding a candle. When everyone from the second elevator appears alive, Ōga is amused by their ingenuity, and they're all transported back to the waiting room. Mitsuki and Sarada chase the train employee, and find where the Thunder Train changed tracks. He screams that the passengers became part of experiments, and runs into the tunnel, triggering explosive tags which collapse the tunnel on top of him, to Sarada's and Mitsuki's shock.

## Credits [ ]