Puppets (episode)

Synopsis
A boy looks at the sunset. Akita provides Team 7 with manuals on the scientific ninja tools as they leave. She attributes her concern with Chamaru and Katasuke joining them. Katasuke wishes to test a prototype mechanical suit made for care-giving that was modified for combat. Sarada finishes packing, and they say goodbye to Sumire. Arriving at their airship crash site, they notice several scattered puppets. Boruto wonders if Konohamaru defeated them, and Sarada looks for signs of a puppet user. Katasuke gets carried away examining the airship, and notices the open, empty container. One of the puppets moves on its own and attacks Boruto, who defeats it with a Lightning Release. The other puppets begin to activate and surround the genin. Sarada attacks with taijutsu and Fire Release, Mitsuki with Wind Release. The puppets get up again, and begin using Fire Release against them. From their firing rate and lack of hand seals, Sarada and Katasuke surmise they're autonomous scientific ninja tools. Katasuke believes they were there to guard the container he found. He steps forward, using his own scientific ninja tools to absorb their attacks until they overheat from continuous firing. Katasuke instructs them to destroy the puppets' power supplies to prevent them from reactivating once they cool down, and takes one for later examination. Sarada is surprised, as she believed such tools were still a field exclusive to Konoha. Katasuke recalls being told by Ibiki he may have leaked intel while under genjutsu, and feels guilty. Chamaru brings them one of Konohamaru's kunai, and leads them, having caught his scent. At Kara's headquarters, Jigen deflects an attack from Code, who wishes to handle the traitor. Jigen points out he has another important task. Code leaves, crosses paths with Delta, and they insult each other. In a cave, Konohamaru tends to Mugino's injuries. Team 7 finds them, and they catch each other up on what happened. Konohamaru means for Katasuke to analyse the data he acquired, but they're interrupted by Ao. He points a weapon at them and asks about the contents of the container. Konohamaru refuses to share intel from a mission, so Ao opens fire against them. Sarada recognises it as the same attack the puppets used. Katasuke absorbs Ao's attacks, allowing Konohamaru to break his weapon with a Rasengan. He asks about the container and about Kara. Ao shoots Konohamaru in the face with a hidden prosthetic in his chest. Them knowing about Kara is a greater mess than he anticipated, so he removes one of Katasuke's Jutsu Absorption Arms, and uses it to absorb Boruto's Rasengan before kicking him aside. Sarada considers using the Smoke-Flash Bomb, but Konohamaru and Mugino don't know the signal of her plan. Mugino grabs Ao, and asks him about what he said when they met during the memorial. Ao pierces him with a hidden tool in his arm. Mugino holds Ao in place and collapses the cave around them, telling the others to run. Ao begins emerging from the rubble, so Konohamaru hastens their escape. Free from the rubble, Ao intends to kill all of them.