Page 1:
Title: The King! (the King from Shouji, "Gyoku")
Side: The best view is always from the high ground! It's great! It's the best! Step by step, let's all climb the stairs!
Toad Kanji: Step
Page 2:
SFX: Step step
Pakkun: There you are!
SFX: Tap tap
Shikamaru: You guys're my backup, huh?
You're a few minutes too late.
Sakura: We are?? Shikamaru...
don't tell me you took out an Akatsuki all by yourself?
Sai: You must be much more capable than I was told.
Sfx: tik
Page 3:
Shikamaru: This was one of those things I had to do, no matter what...
Sakura: Yeah, huh...
Shikamaru: What about the others?
Sakura: We split off from them to come help you...
Sai: We should get back to them.
Page 4:
Ino: I can't believe you used your real body to distract him...
Chouji: Hehe...you're not quite at Shikamaru's level,
but you're pretty smart too, Naruto!
Naruto: Heh...don't compare me with him, that's not fair...
Yamato: I'm impressed that you managed to use the new jutsu three times...
You could barely get to two during our last training session.
Page 5:
Kakashi: He came up with a new strategy to ensure the jutsu would hit after the first attempt failed, and he did it so fast.
Naruto's gotten so strong...
He's... surpassed me.
Taking a jutsu that even the Fourth couldn't complete farther than I could ever hope to.
It's almost time for his generation to take charge of our world...
Can you sense it?
Page 6:
You're always there, right in front of his eyes.
He's getting stronger,
Sasuke.
Yamato: We should return to the village, Senpai.
Kakashi: Mmhmm...
Page 7:
Yamato: We're heading back to the Leaf village, everyone.
Ino: Where's Kakashi-sensei going?
Yamato: To finish him off...
Kakuzu: Ungh...
How could...a bunch of...kids...beat...
Page 8:
Kakashi: Oh, I'm sure we look like kids
to someone who fought the First Hokage.
And to us, you look like a washed-up, decrepit old man.
That's why it's time for you to die.
SFX: CHICHICHICHICHI
The next generation will always surpass the previous one.
It's one of the never-ending cycles in life.
SFX: CHICHICHICHICHI
SMASH!
Page 9:
Sign: FIRE
Tsunade: Excellent work, everyone.
Don't get complacent, though.
There are still Akatsuki to deal with.
For now, though, you can all take a break.
You've earned it.
Page 10:
Grave: Sarutobi Asuma
Shikamaru: Should you be out walking around?
Page 11:
Kurenai: You don't have anyone to play Shougi with now, huh?
You were Asuma's favorite student...
You'll be a bit lonely now, I imagine...
Shikamaru: He taught me a lot of stuff...some of it was really profund, and some of it was completely retarded.
Shougi was only one thing.
I could say I'm not sad, but I'd be lying.
The problem is, I'm too old to be acting like a kid,
so I can't lie around crying about it, either.
Page 12:
Shikamaru: When I was a kid, I'd always brush my responsibilities off as "troublesome".
That's why I messed up so often...
And Asuma would have to protect me.
He made for a weird teacher that I could never quite figure out...
But I always thought he was the coolest adult I knew.
And now it's my turn.
[Note the wedding ring on Kurenai's hand.]
Page 13:
Shikamaru: I'll have to protect your kid once its born...
So I've gotta grow up to be a cool adult, too!
Kurenai: Thank you...
Page 14:
Board [tl-br]: Rook
Pawn, Silver
Pawn
Pawn
Shikamaru: Damn, Dad. You're a lot better than Asuma.
Board: Silver, Pawn
SFX: TAK
Shikaku: The "Climbing Silver", huh...
SFX: TAK
Shikamaru: It's the best way to protect the King from a powerful enemy
without making any sacrifices.
Board: Gold, Silver
Pawn, Pawn
Knight, Pawn
SFX: TAK
Shikaku: And when you try to escape,
here comes the Knight.
Shikaku: No matter where your Gold goes, the Bishop gets taken out.
Freakin' Knight...
Page 15:
Shikamaru: If you think of the Leaf Shinobi as Shougi pieces,
That'd be me.
Shikaku: Whaa?
Shikamaru: That's what Asuma said.
Shikaku: Haha...he knew you pretty well..
SFX: TAK
Shikaku: Good ol' Asuma...
SFX: TAK
Piece: King
Shikaku: So who's the king? [THIS IS IT!]
Page 16:
Shikamaru: The unborn children who'll grow up to be the next generation of Leaf Ninja.
They're the king.
Shikaku: Looks like you understand...
Heheh...checkmate.
Shikamaru: WHAT?
Shikaku: You're not strong enough to protect the king yet, boy!
You need to focus harder!
Shikamaru: Bullshit!!
Page 17:
Sasuke: Is that all of them?
Ninja: Ugh...
Aaah....
Page 18:
Ninja: A..uh...
Orochimaru: You didn't kill any of them.
You're still too soft.
Sasuke: They aren't the ones I want to kill.
Text: What is Orochimaru's next move?
FIN
