Boruto: Naruto Next Generations just opened the door to some seriously game changing possibilities in the latest chapter. Fans are knee-deep in the “Kara” Arc, which sees a new Otsutsuki threat rising to endanger the shinobi world. The mystery of Boruto’s Karma seal has been revealed to be even darker than the danger that the Nine-Tails brought upon his father. If that weren’t enough, some other mysteries hover around Boruto‘s Kara arc as well. Select members of the villainous organization have some hidden ties to Konohagakure’s past. Those identities will come to light at some point, and one challenger has stepped into the Hidden Leaf with a lethal proposition.
The latest installment of Boruto, chapter 45, has been revealed as “Defection.”
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Buckle up everyone, things are about to get interesting. Warning – Boruto manga SPOILERS follow!
Kara’s whole power set has (thus far) been based around two things: either tapping into the power of the Otsutsuki Clan (as their Jigen is hosting an Otsutsuki entity in his body), or the enhanced ninja powers through the combination of unorthodox ninjutsu, and cybernetic enhancement using cutting-edge Scientific Ninja Tools implanted into human bodies.
The mind behind Kara’s cybernetic enhancement techniques is Amado, the mysterious engineer that seems to know more than his share about Hidden Leaf, and its practices. In fact, even without fighting skills, Amado was able to infiltrate Konohagakure, and spring an ambush that has put Boruto’s friend Shikadai in grave danger, as Amado’s hostage. At the end of Chapter 44, it was revealed that Amado is the Kara member who wishes to defect to Koonohagakure, under Naruto’s protection. In return, the scientist offers Naruto intel on Kara, Jigen, their Otsutsutki connections and the Ten Tails beast they have locked away in another dimension.
Given that setup, chapter 45 of the Boruto manga, “Defection” has the potential to be another major game-changer for the series. The whole chapter could conceivably consist of Amado giving crucial exposition on the nature of Kara and how Jigen came to be a vessel for Isshiki Otsutsuki, Kaguya’s partner. More importantly: Amado may be able to fill in key information about the Karma Seal that Boruto and Kara defector Kawaki are branded with – and how to stop the Otsutsuki from using the seals to possess the boys’ bodies.
However, “Defection” could mean many things wrapped into one. The term could refer to a “defect” of some kind, in Jigen or the Otsutsuki resurrection process; or it could be a story of how Amado (and/or his Kara co-conspirator Koji) somehow defected from Konohagakure, at some point in the past. Amado and Koji have both hinted at ties to Hidden Leaf, so it would be a fitting time for that origin story.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga chapters can be found HERE.
