Predestined Fate (episode)

Synopsis
Koji observes Jigen struggle with the flames. Boruto questions if Jigen won't simply absorb them with the Kāma. Katasuke notes they're not dying down, and Kawaki deduces they're natural flames summoned from elsewhere not derived from chakra, explaining why Jigen can't absorb them. Amado explains it to the Konoha shinobi. The flames begin to diminish, and Sasuke determines that instead of absorbing them, Jigen is shrinking them. Amado details Jigen's shrinking ability. Shikamaru questions how Koji will deal with it, and Amado reveals there's a reason they've waited until now to make a move. Jigen begins to run out of chakra, and unable to keep shrinking the flames, starts to be consumed. Amado tells Naruto and Sasuke that Jigen had yet to fully recover from fighting them, limiting how much he can shrink anything. Naruto finds it an abrupt end, but Sasuke chastises him, reminding him there's a Kāma in play. He summarises what Amado has explained so far. However, he questions the fact that if Jigen is killed, Kawaki would be his remaining vessel, the one Amado said would make Isshiki unstoppable. An enraged Kawaki barges into the room, attacking Amado, but is stopped by Sasuke. Katasuke instructs Sumire to alert Akita and other lab works to prepare for video analysis. Amado greets Kawaki, who insults him. He continues, revealing that when Jigen perishes from the flames in moments, and Isshiki along with him, it'll trigger the Kāma. While both Jigen and Kawaki have Kāma, Jigen's has had time to fully extract Isshiki's data, while Kawaki's hasn't, and therefore can't act as a vessel yet. Boruto thinks Amado means to kill Kawaki before it can happen. Amado admits that is an option. He turns their attention to the feed, and reveals that even if Jigen dies, his branded corpse can still act as a vessel for Isshiki's resurrection. Amado comments on how fortuitous it is that Kawaki is there, wanting to confirm something about to happen with his body. Kawaki's Kāma flares up and recedes, and Amado has Boruto confirm the Kāma on Kawaki's palm vanished. On the battlefield, the flames all shrink suddenly. He explains that when a Kāma resurrection takes place, all other Kāma in other vessels are erased, presumably a safety feature to avoid creating multiple copies of the same individual, and when that happens, an Ōtsutsuki can be permanently killed, until they brand another vessel. Isshiki emerges from the smoke, and begins shrinking everything in the vicinity, including the toad, cutting off the transmission. Naruto asks about Koji, and Amado deems the plan mostly fruitful, saying Koji served his purpose. Naruto asks if Koji knew he wasn't meant to survive, and feels like he fought like he truly wanted to kill Isshiki. He can't explain why he's so concerned for Koji when Amado asks him. Isshiki shrinks Koji's mask, and realises that Koji is a clone of Jiraiya, whose change-bringing fate Amado had clung to. Isshiki walks towards him, shrinking Koji's attacks. Koji grabs him with his hair and tosses him around, but Isshiki shrinks and escapes. He tries stabbing Isshiki when he gets close, but Isshiki avoids it. Isshiki ponders that Jigen's body will only last a few days, and Kawaki's Kāma has been removed, praising Amado's planning. He taunts Koji, telling him Amado doesn't think he has enough power to kill him, presuming him to have fled to Konoha so Naruto and Sasuke can kill him. He deems Koji a sacrificial pawn, having fulfilled his purpose in forcing Isshiki's resurrection in Jigen's body. Koji enters Sage Mode. Amado goes over his deal, and is informed of the rights it affords him and conditions required of him. Shikamaru demands he remove the explosive collar from Shikadai, but Amado reveals it to be a decoy, having only used a real one on the tree to force a negotiation. Turning the subject back to Isshiki, Amado thinks only Naruto and Sasuke are strong enough to defeat him, but stresses that their main concern right now is protect Kawaki, who Isshiki will want to rebrand before his time in Jigen's body runs out, ignoring combat with Naruto and Sasuke, and suggests evacuating the village, where he'll come looking. He proposes that Kawaki be hidden, and Sasuke and Naruto keep close to him, to fight off Isshiki if he discovers Kawaki's location, until he expires. Koji attacks Isshiki, trying to use wide flames to block the line of sight for his dōjutsu. He tries to pin Isshiki between flames and an Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan, but Isshiki pins him with the stone pillars he shrunk before.