Episode 5

**Cycle of Pain** (痛みの連鎖, *Itami no Rensa*) is the 5th episode of Shinobi no Ittoki anime series.

## Synopsis

The practical exam is coming up. Since there are fatalities every year, Koga intends to use it as an opportunity to kill Ittoki. Ittoki questions world of ninjas. In preparation for a showdown with Suzaku, Kosetsu and Ittoki form a plan...

## Summary

Sometime before Kishinmaru's death, he tells Suzaku that he wishes to create a world without ninjas. Since ninjas exist to protect the peace in secret, a world without ninjas would mean that the world is truly at peace. Suzaku liking the dream, wants to help out.

Kominami tells the students that the end-of-term exam is next week and it will be a practical exam conducted jointly with all classes. She explains that the exam is dangerous and each year there are injuries, and in worst case, they even had fatal accidents. After class, Kosetsu is sure that Koga will make a move during the exam. Kirei tells Ittoki since he skipped the last exam, if he skips this one too, he may get expelled.

Hayato tells Shione that Koga always had the greatest power and had expanded its power by swallowing up other villages by putting financial pressure on them. Kishinmaru changed it all as he aimed to walk the path of peace with the rest of the villages. He was a great ninja who was admired not only by the Koga ninja, but for some reason he was killed. Koga now has a great grudge against Iga and they need to uncover the truth and resolve the situation as quickly as possible since an all-out war is coming.

At Koga meeting, Kido allows Enbi to use some force to resolve the situation with Saiga as they need them. After that, he tells Housen to stay as he wish to speak with him alone. Kido wonders if Enbi had talked with Suzaku, and explains that he is a top student who even ranks alongside Kishinmaru, while Kido himself couldn't even get in the academy. Kido shares that his condition is frail and he could die any moment, so he is always thinking on who could succeed him as Koga Chief and believes that Suzaku is a fine candidate.

Kirei wants to prepare for the exam and starts a meeting with the members of the old dorm, but Ittoki decides to leave to not drag them into his problems. Ryoko gives him a prototype of Saiga's latest disguise ninja tool. She explains that when used with a Ninja Suit, it can disguise your whole body and even his voice. Kosetsu informs Ittoki that she will take down Suzaku during the exam. Ittoki is against it as she may get killed. She insist that this is the life of a ninja, but that only angers Ittoki, who leaves for a walk. While outside, Ittoki meets Juzen, who invites him for a tea and manju. Ittoki wonders if ninjas are killers, and explains that his father was killed because he was a ninja, and he was told that Iga killed Koga's chief, so they are after Ittoki's life now. Juzen tells him that a peaceful world without war, crime or killing is a fairy tail, but its too precious to give up, which is why the ninja do dirty work in the shadows to protect the fairy tail called peace. Juzen also reveals that Ittoki isn't the first student to asks him such a question. Kishinmaru Minobe and Hidetoki Sakuraba had asked him the same. After listening to Juzen, they both told him that this is not what they want to be. Ittoki then finishes his tea, thanks Juzen and leaves.

Kousetsu tells Ittoki that the exam will require the student to take the ninja core of another and decides to train with Ittoki. After some training, she tells Ittoki that she plans on attacking Suzaku right away and that Ittoki should stay hidden until he can get a ninja core from someone and then again remain hidden until the end of the exam. She then throws the plan in the bin, but someone takes it out after her. Later, Suzaku having obtained the plan, shares his plan on killing Ittoki. The Koga doesn't agree at first, but Suzaku tells them to prove themselves that they are superior, which makes them shut up.

As the exam start, the Koga head to where Ittoki should be, however as they enter the room he is, they get into a trap and get knocked out. Kosetsu and Ittoki then thanks the traitor as they knew he would give Koga their plan and used him. The student reveals he didn't had a choice as they threatened to crush his village if he doesn't obey. Kosetsu goes to face Suzaku, meanwhile, the traitor informs Himura that he has eyes on Ittoki. When Himura comes, the traitor points at where Ittoki is, however the traitor is Ittoki using the disguise prototype but he fails to surprise Himura. Himura then reveals he is also using a disguise and is in reality Suzaku, meanwhile the Suzaku which Kosetsu faces reveals that he is Himura disguised as Suzaku. Kosetsu is then attacked by other Koga. Himura reveals that Suzaku's plan worked and that Suzaku believes they can't defeat Kosetsu even if they all attack her, however, they are prepared to die. Himura then presses a button and causes an explosion. Hearing the explosion, Kominami heads towards it.

Ittoki is barely running away from Suzaku, who manages to injure him a few times. He manages to catch up to Ittoki and attacks him, but Ittoki refuses to die, stating that currently Suzaku is the killer and if he dies the circle of revenge will keep repeating and more people will die. Managing to escape him again, Ittoki throws a smoke screen at Suzaku and surprise attack him, breaking his core. He tells Suzaku that he doesn't like him, but doesn't want him to become a killer, and then collapses.

Ittoki wakes up in bed surrounded by Kosetsu, Ryoko and Kirei. Seeing he is okay, Kosetsu then falls asleep. The girls explain that Kosetsu said she will kill all of Koga if something where to happen to Ittoki and never left his side, even though she was is bad shape too. Himura and the rest of the Koga are also hospitalized and Himura is angry at Suzaku for not killing Ittoki.

Shione tails Tokisada, who leads her to a secret facility. Following the air ducts, she sees some scientists looking at Kishinmaru and other chambers with other body parts. Tokisada then shows up in front of her and they leave the facility. Shione is surprised that he knew she tailed him, but then wonders why he showed her this. Tokisada tells her to do her job herself.

Kirei visits Suzaku, saying that a lot of students from her dorm had stopped coming to school and if he is the reason. Seeing his expression, she asks him to spare her. Suzaku tells her that there are still things she needs to do. Kirei agrees to do anything he wants, calling Suzaku "master".

## Characters

* Kishinmaru Minobe
* Suzaku Ban
* Kominami Mitsuhashi
* Ittoki Sakuraba
* Kirei Kisegawa
* Kosetsu
* Hayato Goshogawara
* Shione Kozuki
* Housen Ban
* Enbi Takamine
* Kido Minobe
* Ryoko Suzunone
* Yumika Sakuraba
* Reiha Tsuge
* Juzen Jiraibo
* Himura Takamine
* Tokisada Kaga