Team 25 (episode)

Synopsis
In the Hokage's Office building, Sai works on a map. Kakashi arrives, and comments on the building being empty save for him. Sai explains everyone else is out investigating a bomb threat, so all other work has stopped. Kakashi notices a complaint about Team 25 from a post office and offers to look into it. He dons his Sukea disguise on the way to the post office. There, Hōki berates Hako for not acting according to plan and Renga for trying to carry too many boxes at once, who ends up dropping them. A post office employee complains about them, saying he'll request other genin if their performance doesn't improve. Renga and Hako blame Hōki while leaving, as they end up doing things their way because they can't understand his orders. Sukea asks to speak with Hōki, and is impressed he remembers him from when he interviewed them as Academy students. Sukea asks Hōki about the way he dresses, and Hōki explains his admiration for the Sixth Hokage. Hōki informs Sukea his team is only being assigned D rank missions, and they're having to perform without a supervising jōnin, as theirs is recovering from a mission injury and due to labour shortage there's no one to fill in. He tried to lead the team, but Hako goes off to do her own things, and Renga only does things through brute strength. Boruto and Sarada suddenly arrive, and request to see a certain package as part of the bomb threat investigation. They find the bomb and manage to deactivate it. Several shinobi arrive at the post office to investigate. They explain to Hōki how the investigation revealed the bomber's plan to mail bombs, having discovered them through packaging paper found at the culprit's place, and how other genin are in pursuit. When their superior comes to talk to them, Hako deduces what he'll say from his behaviour and that he has marital problems from his clothes. Sukea takes notice. The office stops receiving packages for the day, but will resume the next day. Hōki discusses with Renga and Hako about being left out of the bomb investigation. He later confides his frustration to Sukea. Sukea suggests he's not taking his team mates' feelings in consideration, and comments on Hako's perceptiveness. Hōki knows about it, and that Renga's strength allows him to excel in defence. He realises they ignored his orders earlier because Hako had anticipated the clerk's schedule, and Renga picked up several boxes at once to make up for lost time. Hōki becomes frustrated with himself. Sukea tells Hōki how the Sixth Hokage made mistakes in the past and lost a friend over it. Sukea asks him how the genin knew which package had the bomb. Hōki explains that if the department store had wrapped up the packages, they'd have the store's stickers on it, while the one Boruto and Sarada found had no stickers. He recalls seeing three other stickerless packages earlier. He gets Hako and Renga, and find another bomb. They figure out the bomber sent multiple bombs, counting on security being relaxed after the first one was discovered. There's one bomb, whose package was already sent out, but they can't be sure of where it is because there's no set order of delivery, so it's up to postal worker when to deliver packages. Hōki confides in his team mates, and they go after the remaining bomb package. He asks Hako to take lead, as her keen perception should allow her to best assign tasks. She asks for who is responsible to delivery in the area, which Hōki has memorised. Based on who it is, Hako deduces where he'll make his delivery, at a train station, having observed the clerks through the mission. They find the bomb, but are unable to deactivate it. With little time until detonation, Renga has it thrown in the air and creates a wall for protection, allowing it to explode harmlessly. Kakashi arrives, claiming Sukea filled him in. He considers switching leaders in the middle of a mission risky, but Hōki thought about Sukea's story about him, and apologises to his team mates. They also apologise for leaving everything up to him so they could have it easier. Under Kakashi's recommendation, Team 25 is put under Sai's leadership, who considers their individual abilities suited for intelligence missions.