Ninja Kamui

I don't need any treatment.

It's not your physical state I'm worried about.

It's the emotional wounds of your heart that ache, no?

I'm certain they run deep.

After all, you just fought a deadly battle with a close friend.

One fierce enough that you both used your secret arts.

Zai's technique, which is a flurry of attacks at lightning speed

that go beyond the body's limits.

And you countered all of his blows

with your own technique that gives you super senses and keen foresight.

How do you know about our secret arts?

I came here... to explain everything to you.

Chief?!

Not my fortress...

Dilly...

Dilly!

Thanks for your report.

Seems like another victory for AUZA.

Performance in all departments continues to improve.

And an upward revision of your mid-term plan was proposed

during the board meeting earlier today.

I see.

What are your thoughts on that, Dilly?

Huh?

I would never propose a change to your plans, sir.

And why is that?

Because you're a ninja? Because you're ex-army?

Or because your duty is to serve as my secretary?

All of the above, sir.

I am nothing more than a mere soldier.

Well, that's not what I think!

Poverty, social polarization, environmental issues...

Nobody can solve those problems

because their common sense always gets in the way.

It takes insanity to make any real change in the world!

Our role in society is a shackle that we should just break free from.

Besides, don't you think that makes life more fun?!

"Fun"?

Why bother doing a job that you don't enjoy?

Surely you've felt that way before.

Let's enjoy ourselves, Dilly.

Because we're gonna change the world!

It's all right.

Since even without AUZA...

the world can definitely be changed as long as you're still alive.

How idiotic.

His ambitions have already met their end.

A new era is here, and now the ninja shall rule over everything.

I can't believe you lent an ear to that fool's nonsense.

It wasn't nonsense. At least...

not to me!

My time with him changed me.

And now... I have faith!

I believe in the power of change that he brings with him!

He provided everyone in our ranks with power that transformed us!

It lit a fire within our souls!

And I'm positive the same must be true for you,

Master Yamaji!

A perfected version of the Gusoku Gear...

the "Mikado"!

That man didn't understand how to wield power properly.

All of it should exist in the service of the great ninja cause.

Ninjas have no emotion. No ego.

They are hollow.

Why did you help me?

I was exiled.

I let myself feel. Develop a personality.

The ninja code that you instilled in all of us...

I broke it.

Wasn't the code the be-all and end-all?

The code is...

a curse upon the ninja

that shackles us all.

Our organization is ancient.

Long ago, we set out to take down all the other syndicates who rivaled us.

We succeeded and conquered the underworld,

solidifying our reign over Japan from the shadows for many ages.

However...

This assignment clearly does not require the skills of a ninja.

I suggest that we reject it.

In reality,

there had come a point

where the country of Japan began to distance itself from us.

There are other special forces teams we can hire.

Why trust a shady organization like this?

I suppose it's only natural.

It didn't matter how much new technology we adopted,

because we ninjas have always fallen back on

the ancient code passed down through the ages as our sole mainstay.

The end seemed inevitable given enough time,

so I searched for a new path that the ninja could walk down.

But...

I struggled.

The code is all we have.

We're warriors who cast aside our emotions

and any sense of self to live as the shadows of Japan.

I just didn't know what other path was feasible...

That was when I realized,

I was nothing more than another aging ninja who was trapped by the code.

Growing desperate, I chose to disguise myself and...

began to observe the organization in search of answers.

And that's when,

I came across your loving hearts.

Is something the matter?

I can sense a wavering... along with a calmness.

Huh?

Within your heart, I mean.

There are waves within the heart that affect the body.

Yours are quite warm...

which is peculiar for a ninja.

Peculiar for a ninja? Is that so?

Although it's especially true of you,

there are others who I've noticed exuding similar waves.

Two of them, to be exact.

There is nothing wrong with one who values their comrades.

However, I get the impression your bonds run much deeper.

In time, you will undoubtedly harbor emotions.

I'm not so sure.

Will you be reporting this to the chief?

No, I won't.

But continuing down this path

will lead you to tragedy sooner or later.

For those who break the code are doomed to be hunted.

Are you ready to face that fate?

To be honest,

I don't know if I'm ready or not.

However...

I don't want to simply surrender my life to fate.

If I must follow something, then I want to follow my heart.

The ninja of the distant past

were stuck living within a gruesome, back and forth competition.

So I imagine this was a change that never could have occurred back then.

It was a small push into the future

that was brought about by the passage of time.

I kept watch over your group as you followed your heart's desires.

"A ninja is more than just a warrior who holds a blade.

They must let their heart guide their blade."

At least that's what it felt like you three were telling me.

But I watched Yamaji, too...

and he had different thoughts.

He was also trying to find a way forward for our ninja clan.

We ninjas have already proceeded down a path to the future.

We shall no longer exist to support anything or anyone.

We will walk a road where ninjas can thrive as ninjas without dying out.

That is the way forward.

In our heart of hearts, every ninja should desire peace above all else.

Yet the vision you have for the future will surely result in many sacrifices.

That goes without saying.

But it's all for the ninja cause.

This will bring about an even greater peace for us to cherish.

And in pursuit of that,

I won't hesitate to cast aside everything that's deemed inessential.

Including emotion and ego.