WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Chapter 67 of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, “Rift,” by Masashi Kishimoto, Mikio Ikemoto, Mari Morimoto and Snir Aharon, now available in English from Viz Media.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Boruto series is how it's created hybrids, merging humans with Ōtsutsuki DNA. It was started by Isshiki when he used Kara to create vessels, all so he could be reborn in them, while having sacrifices to feed to the Ten Tails. This flipped the script and gave the franchise villains with more depth and humanity, as opposed to Ōtsutsuki tyrants such as Kaguya and Toneri.
Even Boruto himself has undergone an integration with Momoshiki, raising questions over his health and his ultimate destiny. Now, come Chapter 67 of the manga, Boruto fans finally got a big fight between two hybrids unleashing their strength, giving an answer as to who's more powerful between Kawaki and Code.
Both had a rivalry when they were prospective hosts for Isshiki in the Kara lair, which led to Code being jealous. While his body was more powerful, he wasn't the perfect vessel for Isshiki's mind and soul. As such, the Black Karma mark was placed on Kawaki, but luckily, Isshiki died before Kawaki's body could be rewritten and the villain's reincarnation could be completed.
Since then, the scientist Amado toyed with Kawaki and a new Karma, giving him access to Isshiki's full power and making him an Ōtsutsuki without an external pilot. Code, on the other hand, was given a White Karma before Isshiki died, allowing him access to most, not all, of the boss' power. However, he had limiters placed by Amado years before because Isshiki didn't want Code's power growing past his own and usurping him.
As such, Kawaki and Code are relatively on the same power level, leaving fans eager to see who'd win outside the Konoha woods. After Kawaki maxed out and wounded Boruto so Momoshiki couldn't be reborn, he turned his gaze to Code. However, despite the latter's agility, speed and clawed hand, Kawaki was beyond his level. He morphed his body even more, smashing Code into the ground, not to mention he used Isshiki's black chakra rods to stab up his opponent's body. It got so bad that Code tried to flee, but Kawaki deployed Isshiki's shrinking jutsu to reduce the size of the teleporting bands, trapping Code in the forest.
Kawaki proceeded to pummel Code, battering him because the villain wanted to use Boruto as a sacrifice and destroy Naruto. Simply put, anyone who messed with the Hokage or Konoha needed to die, so this defender of the Hidden Leaf used this rage to brutalize Code. It came to a head when Kawaki was about to use his mark to unleash a fireball and incinerate his opponent.
However, Code teleported Daemon in, and seeing as Eida's baby brother was able to reflect attacks, Kawaki ended up blasting himself away. Still, Code was so damaged that he fled, licking his wounds and ego. It provided a definite answer as to who is stronger, but with Code aiming to remove his limiters and Kawaki still to harness more of his power, a rematch will be different and with deadlier stakes as Boruto continues.
