Episode 5 

影の忍軍、火影の言迷！

Shadow Ninjas; The mystery of the Hokages.

Recca Hanabishi had overcome his depression and defeated Tokiya Mikagami. However, Kage Houshi warns them about another flame caster who would come for them...

The next day at school, Fuko Kirisawa burst in Yanagi’s classroom and showed Yanagi, Recca & Domon a newspaper article, which wrote about yesterday’s vandalism at the House of Mirrors. The police had concluded that the vandalism was caused by gangsters. She found the conclusion of the article strange but Recca ignored it. When the school bell gave the signal that lessons were to be resumed, Recca happily returned, giving Yanagi the impression that he liked to study (as if he does!). Back in Recca’s class, Mr Tatesako announced that he will be teaching Japanese History and Recca was the only who enthusiastically praised him.

Yanagi entered the staff room where she finds Recca and Mr Tatesako in deep conversation about ninjas. Recca quickly introduced Yanagi to Mr Tatesako as his ‘Hime’. Then, he asked Mr Tatesako if he had any information about the Hokage Ninjas. Mr Tatesako changed his attitude and quietly told Recca to visit him after school. Later, Recca, Yanagi, Fuko and Domon arrived at Mr Tatesako’s house, which looked like a ancient Japanese house. Inside, Mrs Tatesako invited them for dinner. Although Recca and his gang brought something for a curry dinner, Yanagi had forgotten to bring the curry powder. So eventually, Fuko and Domon offered to buy it for them.

Meanwhile, the news reporters portrayed Mori Kougan as a saint due to his generous donations to charity. Kurei sarcastically commented on his father’s victory in winning the press. Mori Kougan told him that it was necessary to deceive the public if he wants to gain immorality. Kurei informed him the experiments were ready to be conducted once the girl of healing has been captured.

Tatesako eagerly showed off his ninja collection to Recca including a Hokage ninja scroll. He explained that during the reign of ninjas, ninjas were expected to do the impossible. Of all the ninja clans in Japan, the most feared ninjas were the Hokage because they were able to create maudoughs that till today, modern science was still unable to come up with a suitable theory for it. Recca viewed the scroll and was shocked to see the pictures of the maudoughs – Fuko’s Fujin, Mikagami’s Ensui and Kage Houshi’s Eikai. Tatesako went on saying that Hokage were able to do time-travel techniques and had the power to create fire from their arms.. Recca was beginning to believe what Kage Houshi had said to him during their past encounters. Suddenly, the lights went off and a 10-year-old boy entered the house.

The boy addressed himself as Koganei Kaoru and displayed his maudough, Anki Kougan. He knocked Tatesako unconscious because he was a threat to the Uruha organization due to his knowledge about the Hokages. Koganei said that his purpose for coming here was to get the girl of healing, Yanagi Sakoshita. Recca attacked him but Koganei sent him flying out of the house. Recca got up and was about to release his flame when another guy, named Mokuren appeared and used his paralysis potion, immobilizing Recca. Mokuren went on about his craze in killing women for enjoyment. Then, he heard Yanagi and Mrs Tatesako’s voices outside. (Apparently, the two women were completely unaware of the danger that they were in.)

Mokuren (with his Hokage moudough, Tree spirit) shot tree branches from his body and stabbed Mrs Tatesako. Yanagi screamed, exciting Mokuren. Kogenai reminded him that Kurei had ordered them to capture the girl unharmed and if he disobeys, he would tell Kurei. The reluctantly Mokuren used his paralysis potion, causing Yanagi to lose conscious. By that time, Fuko and Domon had returned and both tired a futile attempt in rescuing Yanagi and Mr Tatesako. Recca was mad at himself for allowing Yanagi to be taken away right before his eyes. He managed to stab himself with a pocketknife, snapped out of his immobilized state and attacked Mokuren.  Koganei was surprised that Recca was able to do that and wonders why did he desire to save Yanagi so much. Unfortunately, Koganei proceeded to knock Recca unconscious.

Kurei reported to Mori Kougan that Yanagi had been captured and the experiments in determining her ability to heal had started. The episode ended with Recca, lying face down in the rain.

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