The Path Lit by the Full Moon

Synopsis
Sarada complains to Mitsuki about Boruto's tardiness interfering with her achieving her goals. She asks Mitsuki about what missions he likes to do. He tells her he's happy doing whatever Boruto is doing, prompting her to ask if he does something of his own will. He explains he chose that of his own will, and thinks back to his past. He remembers waking up under Orochimaru's care, and dropping a cup of medicine when taking it. Orochimaru instructs Suigetsu to escort him when he's fully awake. Mitsuki has no memory of who he was. Orochimaru comments to a hooded individual this is the sixth time something had happened. Mitsuki asks Suigetsu why he was in bed. Suigetsu answers he was injured in a mission with Orochimaru, figuring he doesn't remember the bad parts. Suigetsu suddenly attacks Mitsuki, who immobilises him. Mitsuki almost stabs Suigetsu with the kunai taken from him, but blocks it with his arm when Suigetsu commends him. Suigetsu comments his body remembers he is a shinobi, and breaks free of Mitsuki's hold by liquefying his arm. He explains Mitsuki was captured and had his memories erased, and that Orochimaru would have been disappointed had his abilities also been erased. Suigetsu takes Mitsuki to Orochimaru, who introduces himself as Mitsuki's parent. He explains a certain shinobi they call Log has stolen his memories, and they have to retrieve them. Mitsuki asks why they were after him in the first place, and Orochimaru explains he wants the intel Log has acquired, which is why he has to be taken alive. He dismisses Mitsuki's concern about his memories also being altered, and his question of which parent Orochimaru is. Mitsuki just wants to know who he is. They go after Log. Orochimaru has Mitsuki disrupt Log's barrier, which Log detects. They meet Log, who intended to go after them himself. He tries paralysing them, but it only works on Mitsuki. Log and Orochimaru battle, their speed impressing Mitsuki. Orochimaru attempts to use snakes to poison him, but his armour blocks their fangs. Log uses a jutsu to have his armour cover Orochimaru and hold him in place. Orochimaru tells Mitsuki he can use senjutsu. Log moves in to strike Mitsuki, but is paralysed himself with the venom of a small snake Orochimaru managed to slip through the gaps of his armour. Orochimaru tasks Mitsuki with watching over Log while he goes in search of something. Log asks Mitsuki to take off his mask, and tells him Orochimaru is deceiving him. Mitsuki removes Log's mask, revealing him to be an older version of Mitsuki. Log explains they're both synthetic humans created by Orochimaru. He goes on to say the thing Orochimaru is after is the original source from which both of them were cultured, that he had stolen, but couldn't destroy, as Orochimaru held the key to open its container. Log wants to destroy it as it was created by Orochimaru's narcissism and greed, saying that when he escaped Orochimaru, he just created another. Log wants to destroy Orochimaru. Orochimaru returns, and says the manner of their creation is irrelevant, and that he loves them the same. Orochimaru and Log each press on their opinion onto Mitsuki, causing him to snap and activate his Sage Transformation, stating that as a child, he is not interested in what they, the adults think. He takes the container and the key and leaves. Orochimaru comments Mitsuki's achievement with Log, revealed to be the hooded individual Orochimaru talked to earlier. Orochimaru is glad that on the sixth try, Mitsuki was able to make his own decision, not wanting to erase his memory again for a seventh. Orochimaru hopes that by find a sun who will show Mitsuki the light, Mitsuki himself can be a moon that illuminates the darkness. Inside the container, Mitsuki finds a photo of Boruto. In the present, Boruto arrives, and the three leave for a mission.

Trivia

 * In the original Japanese TV broadcast and streaming simulcast, Log's propensity for smoking was censored, with his left arm, hand, and cigarette redrawn or edited out of several shots. The footage was restored in the DVD release.