This is not a Wikipedia article: It is an individual user's work-in-progress page, and may be incomplete and/or unreliable.For guidance on developing this draft, see Wikipedia:So you made a userspace draft.
Finished writing a draft article? Are you ready to request an experienced editor review it for possible inclusion in Wikipedia? Submit your draft for review!
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, known in Japan as Naruto Shippuden: Narutimate Storm 2 (ＮＡＲＵＴＯ－ナルト－ 疾風伝ナルティメットストーム2) is the sequel to Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Namco Bandai Games. It was released during 2010 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 15 in Europe, October 19 in North America and October 21 in Japan.
File:21939_video_big.jpeg The gameplay retains many of the elements from the first game and has 23 fighting stages. It has 9 chapters including the prologue and extra chapter. Each character can also gain new combos and jutsu by activating the Awakening Mode. As the story progresses, players will unlock new Jutsu and Ultimate Jutsu for certain characters. Jutsu clashes, however, have been removed.
Support characters return with 2 new features. The first feature is Support Types. These types are Defense, Attack, and Balanced. Each of these can be unlocked for each support character and will decide the actions of the support character during Support Drive level 1. The 2nd new feature is the Support Drive. Support Drive has 2 levels. Level 1 is activated once the players support characters are summoned enough times. When Support Drive level 1 is activated, the players support characters will summon themselves automatically depending on their support type depending on what actions the player is executing. When a support character automatically summons itself, it will not reset the support character charge gauge, and can even summon when the gauge is not full. A support character cannot be manually summoned by the player if it has already automatically summoned itself. If a support character is set to Defense, it will automatically summon itself when the player is charging chakra, block the opponent from dashing into the player. When a support character is set to Attack, it will help the player attack the opponent through combos, and knock the opponent back when a combo sends them flying. When a support character is set to Balanced, they will throw projectiles along side the player when the player uses chakra projectiles and block incoming Ultimate Jutsus, at the expense of losing that support for a while. When Support Drive level 2 is activated, for a limited amount of time the player will be capable of releasing a Team Ultimate Jutsu. A Team Ultimate Jutsu is activated by hitting the chakra button 3 times and then the attack button. A Team Ultimate Jutsu drains an enormous amount of the players chakra, and does massive damage if it makes contact with an unguarded opponent.
The game does not have free roaming in the same sense as the original, instead it is replaced by more traditional JRPG screens and movement. In addition to the Leaf Village, players are able to travel outside the village, ranging from forests to deserts, and also the Hidden Sand Village. Boss battles have returned, with quick-time events and cutscenes.
Players can access multiple online features; quick matches have opponents chosen at random, ranked matchees with leader boards, match customization, as well as the availability to host matches.
Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 features 44 characters from the Shippuden series including Sage Mode Naruto and the exclusive Taka Sasuke[4] as well as Tekken 6's Lars Alexandersson. Lars appears in his costume from Tekken 6 designed by Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto.[5]
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 was officially announced on December 20, 2009 by Namco Bandai Games at a Jump Festa event. V Jump magazine revealed the game a few days beforehand.[6][7] As CyberConnect2's first multi-platform project, they worked closely with Microsoft.[8] The pre-release playable demo for Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 was first mentioned in the official Japanese website on July 8, 2010[9] and was made available for download on July 29, 2010 in the Japanese PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.[10] The demo was also made available in an English version on the European PlayStation Network and Xbox Live on August 25, 2010.[1] The English demo was also released on the American PlayStation Network and Xbox Live on August 24, 2010.[2] Namco Bandai announced on September 27, 2010, the game had gone gold.[11]
GameSpot awarded the game 7/10 and said "A flair for the dramatic elevates Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 above its shallow combat." While the users awarded the game with 9.1[12]GameTrailers gave it an 8.4/10 saying "this is one of the best games based on an anime and it's extremely faithful to its source." Video game talk show Good Game: Spawn Point's two presenters gave the game a 6 and 7 out of 10 calling the fighting fun if a bit simple however saying that going to different shops just searching for health potions and battle buffs means more running around. However stating "The real value of Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is that it gives fans a chance to relive their favourite fights from the show. But I agree that as a fighting game - or a role playing game - it’s more of a shadow clone; try and get a grip on it, and the gameplay will vanish in a puff of smoke."[13]
Namco Bandai hoped Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 would have sold 700,000 units by November.[14] The game shipped 1 million copies worldwide; 500,000 in Europe, 340,000 in North America and 160,000 in Japan by November 25, 2010.[15] In May 2011, Namco Bandai reported it became its second best-selling game from 2010 behind Tekken 6 with 1.1 million units sold.[16]
The episode begins with a preview of episode 51: Running through an underground hideout, Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno are reunited with their former teammate, Sasuke Uchiha, and try to bring him back to Konoha, but Sasuke retaliates with a fight, ending with him suppressing the Nine-Tailed Fox within Naruto's subconscious. Then the episode begins as Naruto returns to Konoha after a two-and-a-half-year training journey with Jiraiya and is reunited with Sakura. They are then summoned to Tsunade's office for their first assignment.
2"The Akatsuki Makes Its Move" Transliteration: "Akatsuki, Shidō" (Japanese: 暁, 始動)February 15, 2007October 28, 2009[17]
Naruto learns that all of his friends have advanced to Chunin rank and even beyond. Jiraiya tells Kakashi Hatake about Akatsuki's plan to capture all the Tailed Beasts, and that Naruto is in danger. Later, Kakashi gives Naruto and Sakura a test to see how far they had improved. Meanwhile, two Akatsuki members, Deidara and Sasori, arrive at the entrance of the Sunagakure to capture the One-Tailed Shukaku's host, Gaara. They discover that Yura, their sleeper agent, has already killed off the guards at the entrance of the village.
3"The Results of Training" Transliteration: "Shugyō no Seika" (Japanese: 修業の成果)February 22, 2007October 28, 2009[17]
Kakashi challenges Naruto and Sakura in a bell test, in which they must forcefully take from Kakashi two jingle bells using whatever means necessary. Sakura and Naruto both demonstrate their newly acquired skills. At Sunagakure, Deidara reveals his ability to create and manipulate exploding clay. He takes to the skies aboard a giant clay bird and begins his aerial assault on the village by lobbing exploding clay spiders onto the guards, instantly killing them. As soon as he makes it to the Kazekage building, however, he finds Gaara there waiting for him.
4"The Jinchuriki of the Sand" Transliteration: "Suna no Jinchūriki" (Japanese: 砂の人柱力)March 1, 2007October 28, 2009[17]
Deidara tries to strike, but Gaara's sand manages to push him away. An aerial battle between the two ensues above Sunagakure. Meanwhile, Kankuro is alerted to the presence of Akatsuki in the village and he begins to mobilize the troops. In Konoha, Naruto and Sakura continue to fight against Kakashi, but are unable to get past Kakashi's barrage of elemental jutsu to get the bells from him. Later on, Naruto manages to trick Kakashi by pretending to ruin the ending of his new book; with Kakashi's ears covered and eyes closed, Naruto and Sakura get their bells and finish the test.
Gaara tries to trap Deidara with his sand, but the latter escapes, although his left arm gets crushed in the process. Because of this, Deidara plans to launch his C3 level clay bomb on the village itself. Kakashi, meanwhile, allows Naruto and Sakura to be placed on a team with him, by Tsunade, named Team Kakashi. As Deidara prepares his clay, Kankuro remembers Gaara's yearning to be someone's precious individual and friend, as Naruto had taught him. As Baki orders the village troops to stop firing, Deidara drops his C3 explosive down on the village and initiates the detonation.
Deidara, determined to defeat Gaara and capture him, unleashes his C3 clay bomb on the village, causing a massive explosion. But Gaara is able to deflect the explosion in time by using his sand to create an enormous shield over the village. However, this leaves him open to a sudden surprise attack from Deidara, and he inadvertently uses sand that had been seeded with Deidara's clay, to defend himself. Deidara then detonates the clay-infested sand, knocking Gaara unconscious. Deidara then captures the falling Gaara and prepares to take him away.
As Deidara carries an unconscious Gaara out of the village, Kankuro chases after them. At the village entrance, Kankuro discovers that all the guards there have already been killed. Upon catching up to Deidara and Sasori, Kankuro initiates his puppet techniques by summoning his the puppets: Crow, Black Ant, and Salamander. Sasori sees this as an opportunity to demonstrate his own skills, and he allows Deidara to go ahead so that he can battle Kankuro alone.
Kankuro's attacks are all nullified by Sasori's scorpion-like tail. He eventually pierces Kankuro with his tail, inflicting him with a slow-acting poison which would kill him in three days. Kankuro is puzzled at how easily Sasori countered his fighting style, to which Sasori responds by revealing to him his identity and reminds him that he was the designer of all of Kankuro's puppets. Meanwhile, an urgent plea for assistance that Sunagakure sent to Konoha arrives and is brought to Tsunade's attention. Acting immediately, she assigns Team Kakashi to back up Sunagakure.
Kankuro is brought back to the village, but he is feeling the effects of Sasori's deadly poison. The village's medics are helpless in finding a cure. Baki decides to seek help from the village's elders, Chiyo and her brother, Ebizo. Meanwhile, Team Kakashi, on their way to Sunagakure, pick up Gaara's elder sister, Temari, after telling her of Gaara's kidnapping. They all continue towards the village, as Naruto sheds tears over the hard life that Gaara's had.
Deidara and Sasori arrive at the secret Akatsuki hideout. The Akatsuki leader gathers the other members, using an astral projection technique, and they begin a three-day long jutsu to extract the One-Tailed Shukaku from Gaara and seal it in a giant statue. At Sunagakure, Kankuro's condition worsens and Chiyo claims that even her expertise is not enough to counteract Sasori's poison. At Konoha, Tsunade foresees the difficulty of Team Kakashi's mission and orders Team Guy to back them up.
11"The Medical Ninja's Student" Transliteration: "Iryō Ninja no Deshi" (Japanese: 医療忍者の弟子)April 26, 2007December 23, 2009
On reaching Sunagakure, Team Kakashi and Temari get informed of Kankuro's attack. Using the medical ninjutsu that she had learnt from Tsunade, Sakura manages to extract the poison from Kankuro and create an antidote. Afterwards, Kankuro gives Kakashi a piece of Sasori's clothing that he managed to get from him, allowing Kakashi's ninja dogs to track down the Akatsuki's whereabouts. Before heading out themselves, Kankuro asks Naruto to retrieve his brother, and Naruto acquiesces, stating with a smile that Gaara will have to owe him one later on.
Team Kakashi heads out to Akatsuki's hideout, along with Chiyo. On the way, Chiyo tells them about the nine Tailed Beasts in the world, two of which are sealed within Gaara and Naruto. Meanwhile, Kakashi's summon, Pakkun notices Team Guy's approach and informs them of the Akatsuki's lair positioned in the Land of Rivers. Zetsu, the Akatsuki spy, notices the two Konoha teams approaching, and informs the others. The Akatsuki leader then sends out Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha to delay Team Guy and Team Kakashi, respectively, to gain Akatsuki time to seal the One-Tailed Shukaku.
The battle between Team Guy and Kisame begins, while Team Kakashi encounters Itachi. Kakashi warns his team of the danger of Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, and reveals what he's discovered to be its weakness. Guy's team is quickly contained by Kisame's powerful Water Style Jutsus, leaving Guy himself to fight Kisame alone. Kakashi leads the attack against Itachi with Naruto following close behind, but Naruto is shocked when the real Itachi explodes into a cloud and his allies morph into Itachi's clones.
The battle between Guy and Kisame intensifies. Guy bring outs his nunchaku to compensate for Kisame's Samehada sword, but takes a beating from Kisame's Water Style Jutsu. After being submerged by Kisame's attacks, Guy resorts to opening up six of his Inner Gates, and defeats Kisame with the Morning Peacock technique. Meanwhile, Naruto realizes he is caught in a genjutsu that Itachi cast upon him, and recalls his training with Jiraiya to try to dispel Itachi's illusion on his own.
After the bad visions that Itachi makes him suffer, Naruto is released from the genjutsu by Chiyo and Sakura. Distracted and immobilized by Kakashi's shadow clone, Itachi takes a direct hit from Naruto's Great Ball Rasengan. Meanwhile, Guy frees Neji, Rock Lee and Tenten after defeating Kisame. Later, the two Konoha teams find, to their surprise, that the two foes that they had defeated are neither Itachi or Kisame, but two entirely different people, who the Akatsuki leader had used to stall the Konoha teams using Itachi and Kisame's likenesses.
16"The Secret of Jinchuriki" Transliteration: "Jinchūriki no Himitsu" (Japanese: 人柱力の秘密)May 31, 2007January 6, 2010
Kakashi and Guy's teams both figure out that their battles were only set-ups to delay them from rescuing Gaara. Chiyo goes on to explain that the Tailed Beasts' hosts were individuals burdened with the task of carrying the Beasts within them, such as Gaara and Naruto, and that if their Beast is removed, then they will die. As the two teams rest from their battles, the Akatsuki leader sends out Zetsu to dispose of Itachi and Kisame's clone's bodies.
17"The Death of Gaara!" Transliteration: "Gaara Shisu!" (Japanese: 我愛羅死す!)June 7, 2007January 13, 2010
Team Guy and Team Kakashi both finish their breaks and go on towards the Akatsuki lair. After noticing Naruto's agitation towards Gaara's capture, Kakashi explains to Chiyo that Naruto is himself a Jinchuriki. Chiyo then reveals that she was the one who sealed the One-Tailed Shukaku in Gaara, to protect Sunagakure. Meanwhile, Akatsuki finishes the sealing of Gaara's Tailed Beast, thereby killing him. Outside the base, Teams Guy and Kakashi arrive, prepared to break into the cave and retrieve Gaara.
Kakashi and Guy's teams find out that there is a barrier protecting the Akatsuki hideout, being generated by five forbidden tags in the nearby area. Neji pinpoints the tags' locations with his Byakugan, and Team Guy dispatches to remove the tags and disables the barrier, allowing Team Kakashi to enter the hideout. Meanwhile, the Akatsuki members end their astral projection technique and leave the hideout, save Deidara and Sasori, who are ordered by the Akatsuki leader to dispose of the intruders.
19"Traps Activate! Team Guy's Enemies" Transliteration: "Torappu Sadō! Gai-han no Teki" (Japanese: 罠作動!ガイ班の敵)July 5, 2007January 27, 2010
Once removing the tag seals to open the Akatsuki lair's entrance, Team Guy is individually ambushed and attacked by exact clones of themselves. Inside the lair, Deidara angers Naruto by stating Gaara's death. Kakashi tells Naruto to calm down. After Deidara and Sasori get into an argument about what art truly is, Deidara takes Gaara's body away within a clay bird as bait, forcing Naruto and Kakashi to follow him. Sakura and Chiyo remain behind to battle Chiyo's grandson, Sasori.
20"Hiruko vs. Two Kunoichi!" Transliteration: "Hiruko vs. Futari no Kunoichi" (Japanese: ヒルコVS二人の女忍者)July 19, 2007February 3, 2010
Chiyo explains to Sakura that Sasori used to be one of the best puppeteers in Sunagakure, but he left the village after he started making puppets out of humans. Chiyo also reveals that Sasori's true body is hiding within his favorite puppet, Hiruko, and the only way to kill Sasori is to first destroy his puppet. Chiyo and Sakura are able to dodge Sasori's poison-laced attacks and successfully demolish the puppet using Sakura's strength. Sasori then emerges from the puppet's remains. Just outside, Deidara begins telling Naruto and Kakashi how much stronger Sasori is compared to himself.
21"Sasori's Real Face" Transliteration: "Sasori no Sugao" (Japanese: サソリの素顔)July 26, 2007February 10, 2010
With his puppet destroyed, Sasori reveals himself to Chiyo and Sakura, looking no older than when he left his village over twenty years ago. Meanwhile, Temari's team, along with Kankuro and Ebizo continue to make their way towards the Land of Rivers, where Ebizo tells the others of the strongest ninja in Sunagakure's history, the Third Kazekage, and his mysterious disappeance. Back in the Akatsuki lair, Sasori summons the Third Kazekage puppet, whom he had kidnapped and turned into a Human Puppet many years ago. Using its weapons, which are even more dangerous than Hiruko's, Sasori is able to catch Sakura in a cloud of poison gas.
22"Chiyo's Secret Skills" Transliteration: "Chiyo no Oku no Te" (Japanese: チヨの奥の手)August 2, 2007February 17, 2010
Sakura manages to escape the poison gas cloud by using an explosive scroll on herself. Chiyo calls forth the "Mother" and "Father" puppets, that Sasori had modeled out of his dead parents as a child, to fight him with. They manage to hold down the Third Kazekage for a while until Sasori releases the Third's secret technique: Iron Sand. Meanwhile, Team Guy are having trouble fighting their clones and showing exhaustion from the battle. Elsewhere, Naruto and Kakashi manage to avoid Deidara's clay bombs and keep up with him.
23"Father and Mother" Transliteration: ""Chichi" to "Haha"" (Japanese: 「父」と「母」)August 2, 2007February 24, 2010
The Third Kazekage, being a Human Puppet, is built to retain the chakra the body once had when it was alive, allowing the Third to use his special Iron Sand techniques. The Iron Sand clogs the mechanism in the "Mother" and "Father" puppets, as well as Chiyo's right puppet arm. Chiyo remembers back to when Sasori was a child and created the "Mother" and "Father" puppets to try to get parental love. Chiyo uses a willing Sakura as a puppet, and has her dodge the Iron Sand techniques to get close to Sasori.
Sasori attacks with an Iron Sand pyramid and prism, but Sakura is able to fend them off, causing the cave in the lair to fall. Sasori then uses the Iron Sand to create a makeshift globe-model out of randomly growing spikes of iron, one of which hits Sakura and paralyzes her with poison. With one last attack from the Third Kazekage puppet, Sasori attempts to kill the seemingly helpless Sakura, only to discover that Sakura is somehow immune to his poison and she destroys the Third Kazekage puppet with a single punch.
25"Three Minutes Between Life and Death" Transliteration: "Sei to Shi no Sanpunkan" (Japanese: 生と死の三分間)August 16, 2007March 3, 2010
Sakura reveals to Sasori that she had taken an antidote to his poison, that she brought with her. Meanwhile, Deidara attempts to split Naruto and Kakashi by creating a swarm of explosive jumping crickets out of his clay and has them pursue Kakashi. Kakashi makes a shadow clone as a decoy and the crickets, mistaking the clone for the real Kakashi, detonate harmlessly. Kakashi then catches back up with Naruto and strategizes a plan. Sakura and Chiyo ready themselves for the battle with Sasori, who reveals the reason behind his eternal youth: he had transformed himself into a human puppet.
26"Puppet Fight: 10 vs. 100!" Transliteration: "Jukki vs Hyakki" (Japanese: 十機vs百機)August 23, 2007March 10, 2010
Sakura and Chiyo continue the battle with Sasori, who overwhelms them initially. Sakura manages to later destroy Sasori's puppet body, but he reforms back. Seeing this, Chiyo summons the Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu, which Sasori counters with his One Hundred Puppet Manipulation Jutsu. Sakura and Chiyo, with the help of her Ten Puppets seem to trap and defeat Sasori, but, under cover of the battle, Sasori secretly transfers the only living part of his body - his heart - into another puppet, and tries to attack Chiyo from behind. Sakura notices this and intercedes, causing Sasori to stab her through her torso.
Chiyo injects the last remaining antidote into Sakura, and finally kills Sasori by stabbing him through his heart using the "Father" and "Mother" puppets. With Sasori immobilized, Chiyo revives the nearly-dead Sakura using her Resurrection Technique. As he dies, Sasori tells Sakura where he had planned to meet with one of his spies, who had been secretly working as one of his former Akatsuki partner, Orochimaru's subordinates. Meanwhile, as Kakashi and Naruto are pursuing Deidara, Kakashi reveals his plan to activate his version of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Team Guy continues to fight their clones. Neji explains to each member of the team that they are growing weaker as the fight drags on, and their clones, being non-human, remain as strong as they were when they were formed. Lee realizes that the only way for them to defeat their clones is to become stronger than they were when they first started fighting. After remembering their training, they remember their resolve to constantly become stronger. This gives them the strength needed to overpower and destroy their clones.
Kakashi reveals his Mangekyo Sharingan, and uses his interdimensional warping technique, Kamui, to try to warp Deidara, but succeeds only in warping his arm. While Deidara has his guard down, Naruto manages to separate him from his clay bird, and has his clones retain Gaara's body from the bird's mouth. Naruto attacks Deidara, only to discover that he is beating up a clay clone. Angered, Naruto's Nine-Tailed Fox chakra begins to emerge, leading Naruto to transform to his Two-Tailed form.
30"Aesthetics of an Instant" Transliteration: "Shunkan no Bigaku" (Japanese: 瞬間の美学)September 27, 2007April 7, 2010
After Naruto is taken over by the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra, Kakashi uses a seal that Jiraiya gave him to suppress it. Team Guy finds Deidara thanks to Neji's Byakugan, and seeing the pursuing team, Deidara seemingly self-detonates by ingesting his own clay and exploding. However, the explosion is countered by Kakashi's Kamui, who is able to warp it to a different dimension just in time. Meanwhile, Sakura fails to bring Gaara back to life, and the group mourns Gaara's death. Seeing Naruto's emotions as a friend for Gaara, Chiyo moves over to Gaara's body and uses a Life-Transfer Jutsu to resurrect him.
Chiyo finishes her Life-Transfer Jutsu, after Naruto volunteers to her to use his chakra with her dying chakra. As she continues the technique, she begins to reflect on how Konoha and Sunagakure have acted in the past, and she passes down to Naruto and Sakura her wisdom for the future. A revived Gaara finds himself surrounded by shinobi from Sunagakure celebrating his return. Temari and Kankuro soon reveal that Chiyo gave her life to rescue Gaara, shocking Naruto. Gaara asks his villagers to mourn for Chiyo.
32"Return of the Kazekage" Transliteration: "Kazekage no Kikan" (Japanese: 風影の帰還)October 25, 2007April 21, 2010
Deidara, revealing that the self-detonation was caused by his clone, survives his battle and begins to search for his missing arm. Meanwhile, Zetsu and his new subordinate, Tobi, who wishes to join Akatsuki, search Sasori's remains for his ring. Deidara later finds the two searching for his own ring. The Konoha ninja begin to leave Sunagakure after their mission. In Konoha, Danzo gives Sai instructions for his secret mission after joining Team Kakashi. In Sunagakure, the Konoha and Sand ninja pay their respects at Chiyo's grave, and Naruto and Gaara shake hands before departing.
In Konoha, Kakashi rests in a hospital, while Sakura tells Tsunade about the information the dying Akatsuki member, Sasori gave her: that he was supposed to meet with one of his spies from within Orochimaru's ranks in ten days at the Tenchi Bridge. As four days had already passed, Naruto realizes the need of another teammate and so, starting searching Konoha for a willing recruit. He runs into Team 8, but they are unable to help, as they are assigned a mission of their own. Later, just as Choji agrees to help Naruto, the two and Shikamaru are attacked by Sai.
34"Formation! New Team Kakashi!" Transliteration: "Kessei! Shin Kakashi han" (Japanese: 結成!新カカシ班)November 15, 2007May 5, 2010
Unable to identify Sai, Naruto, Choji and Shikamaru attempt to capture him, but Sai withdraws. Concerned that Akatsuki might soon come to Konoha looking for the Nine-Tailed Fox, the village elders confront Tsunade. They propose to Tsunade to keep Naruto in Konoha and not send him to missions outside the village. Tsunade declines, and promises to protect Konoha with her own life if Naruto is captured. But she is still forced to compromise with Danzo by adding Sai as a new member to Team Kakashi. With Kakashi in the hospital, Tsunade temporarily replaces him with ANBU member Yamato and tells him to keep an eye on Sai. Later, Naruto and Sakura meet their new team members, and Naruto is immediately angered upon Sai's appearance.
Yamato takes leadership of Team Kakashi, while Sai, devoid of any human feelings or emotions, insults both Naruto and Sakura. While preparing to set off, Sai receives an envelope from an ANBU Root shinobi containing secret orders from Danzo. Jiraiya then meets with Tsunade and Yamato in Kakashi's hospital room to brief Yamato on the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within Naruto, detailing the "demon fox's cloak", and revealing a huge scar on his chest he got from Naruto, when the latter ascended to a Four-Tailed form. Finally, the new Team Kakashi sets off on their new mission to capture and intercept the spy in Orochimaru's subordinates, and gather information about Sasuke.
Team Kakashi heads out for the Tenchi Bridge. Sakura and Naruto come down hard at Sai for making fun of their former teammate, Sasuke. Seeing the tension in the team, Yamato decides they need to improve on teamwork and uses the Wood Style Jutsu to create a wooden cage, threatening to lock the trio up unless they behave. Sakura is shocked to see Yamato using the secret techniques that only the First Hokage was said to possess. Given an ultimatum between being locked up or spending the night at a hot springs by Yamato, the team chooses to visit the springs to improve team cohesion. Despite this fact, Naruto still despises Sai.
Sakura sees Sai drawing by a river and finds out that he has artistic talent, but has never given titles to anything he ever drew. Naruto and Sakura begin to realize the reason behind Sai's repulsive personality. After the hot springs, the team heads off to the Tenchi Bridge to meet with Sasori's spy. Yamato, being suspicious of traps, suggests to the team to alter their route and go through a forest. Camping for the night, Yamato then creates a two story house by again using his Wood Style Jutsu. Inside the house, the team formulates their plan of capturing the spy.
Yamato decides to have a mock test for his team to see how everyone coordinates with each other. Naruto is paired with Sai despite his objections, and Sakura is assigned to support Yamato. Yamato conducts a simulation of the meeting, with himself as "the spy", to gauge Naruto and Sai's abilities and teamwork. After Naruto makes a mistake, Sai immobilizes him and goes off alone. Naruto is angered with Sai for not acting as a comrade would, but resolves to work together with him to get Sasuke back. Sai then reveals to Sakura that he has no emotions, and little understanding of them, as a part of his training in ANBU Root.
Yamato disguises himself as Sasori within Hiruko, and goes to meet "the spy" at the Tenchi Bridge. The spy is revealed to be Kabuto, who spills out the location of Orochimaru's current hideout. Before the meeting could finish, Orochimaru appears and interrupts the two. While Kabuto initially seems frightened by Orochimaru's appearance, he stops the ruse and turns around to attack Yamato disguised as Sasori, revealing his and Orochimaru's trap. Seeing Yamato's Wood Style Jutsus, Orochimaru recognises him as one of his test subjects in Konoha years ago, when the latter tried to replicate the Wood Style from First Hokage's DNA by injecting it in the bodies of numerous unborn babies, out of which only Yamato survived. Orochimaru then tells Yamato to call out Naruto, Sakura and Sai from where they are hiding.
Yamato signals Naruto, Sakura and Sai to appear on the bridge. On seeing Naruto, Orochimaru begins mocking him and compares him to Sasuke, which causes the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra to leak from an enraged Naruto's body and ascends him to a Three-Tailed form. Meanwhile, Yamato remembers Jiraiya speaking of the appearance of number of tails on Naruto during their training, and had specifically warned of Naruto's Four-Tailed transformation.
Naruto gets more enraged in his three-tailed state, and throws Kabuto away, who inadvertedly knocks Sakura out too. Naruto's anger eventually escalates to him destroying the Tenchi Bridge and he takes to a forest to battle Orochimaru. Sai creates an ink bird and flies beneath the collapsing bridge to the site of Naruto and Orochimaru's battle, instead of catching a falling Sakura. Yamato saves her using his Wood Style Jutsu, and creates a wood clone to follow Sai. In the forest, Naruto's ever-increasing aggression causes his blood to mix with the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra and transform him into a four-tails-bearing miniature fox.
42"Orochimaru vs. Jinchuriki" Transliteration: "Orochimaru tai Jinchūriki" (Japanese: 大蛇丸VS人柱力)January 10, 2008July 7, 2010
Naruto, in his Four-Tailed form, attacks Orochimaru, and devastates the surrounding landscape, also preventing Sai and Yamato's wood clone from approaching him. The majority of Orochimaru's attacks prove to be ineffective against Naruto, but he still manages to keep up with Naruto with his Regenaration Jutsu. Meanwhile, Kabuto advances toward Sakura and Yamato, deducing that Sasori has died. Orochimaru finally manages to strike Naruto with his Kusanagi Sword, even though he fails to pierce the sword through him. Seeing Naruto in his Four-Tailed state, Sakura is awestruck and terrified.
Kabuto states that Naruto's current form is a consequence of his desperation to bring back Sasuke to Konoha. Sakura begins to cry and tries to approach Naruto, but is attacked by him. Yamato erects chakra-suppressing wooden pillars using his Wood Style Jutsu to bind Naruto before he does any more harm. Kabuto heals Sakura and disappears after reasoning that the Konoha ninja are not Orochimaru's enemies because they are also fighting Akatsuki. Yamato forcibly returns Naruto to his normal state. Meanwhile, Sai, who was hiding nearby the battlefield the entire time, confronts Orochimaru on behalf of orders from Danzo.
44"The Secret of the Battle!" Transliteration: "Tatakai no tenmatsu" (Japanese: 戦いの顛末)January 24, 2008July 21, 2010
Sakura tries to heal Naruto, but her medical ninjutsu has little effect on his wounds. In the forest, Orochimaru tries to kill Sai, but it is revealed to be an ink clone. The real Sai emerges from the ground and gives Orochimaru a letter from Danzo. Sai, then, leaves with Orochimaru and Kabuto for their hideout, with Yamato's wood clone on their trail. After Naruto comes to his senses, the team reaches the battlefield spot, and picks up Sai's picture book. From what his clone observed, Yamato infers that Danzo seeks to destroy Konoha with Orochimaru's aid.
45"The Consequences of Betrayal" Transliteration: "Uragiri no hate" (Japanese: 裏切りの果て)January 31, 2008July 28, 2010
To confuse and slow down Yamato's wood clone, Kabuto creates a fake corpse, resembling Sai. Naruto, still recovering from the effects of his Four-Tailed state, is told to stay behind by Yamato. However, Naruto tells Yamato he is fine and the trio continue to follow Sai. During their pursuit, the team is forced to take a break when Sakura's own injuries take their toll on her. As she heals herself, Yamato talks to Naruto in solace, and tells him that it was he, in his Four-Tailed form, who hurt Sakura. Naruto is shocked to know this and condemns his own actions.
Yamato tells Naruto not to rely on the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra, as Naruto is strong on his own. The Konoha team decides to browse Sai's book to give them some clue about him, and they notice that its filled with the story of two boys' paths and battles, however, the pages where the two boys would meet are unfinished. Meanwhile, Orochimaru's group reach their hideout, not realizing that Yamato's wood clone had spotted them. There, Sai confronts a shadowed Sasuke, realizing that this is the man whom Naruto and Sakura have been searching for.
47"Infiltration: The Den of the Snake!" Transliteration: "Sennyū! Dokuhebi no ajito" (Japanese: 潜入!毒蛇の巣窟)February 14, 2008August 11, 2010
Sai is temporarily trapped in a powerful genjutsu from Sasuke's Sharingan, that frightens him. After recovering, Sai tells Sasuke that Naruto sees him as a brother, as told to him by Sakura. Sasuke replies that he has only one brother, the one he is going to kill, and leaves. Orochimaru gives the envelope with information from Danzo about Konoha's ANBU to Kabuto and instructs him to make a bingo book. On reaching near Orochimaru's hideout, Yamato gives Sakura and Naruto wooden seeds to ingest, which are imbued with his chakra, that would enable him to track them down in case they are lost, and reveals that he was able to track Sai with the same seeds that he had secretly fed Sai. In the hideout, Kabuto locks Sai in a room, and the latter summons a bingo book of the same information in the envelope. Outside, Yamato uses a Earth Style Jutsu to open a tunnel into Orochimaru's hideout, and he, Naruto and Sakura travel to Sai's room undetected.
Yamato and his team enter Sai's room and confront him. Sai tells them that not only was he to help in Konoha's destruction, but also act as a spy against Orochimaru. Yamato reveals that in ANBU Root, one must murder his own comrades and sever their emotions, but Sakura returns Sai's picture book to him, remarking that he still has emotions because he treasures it. Afterwards, the team ties up Sai. Once outside, Naruto informs Sai about his bonds of a brother with Sasuke and about how far he would go to bring Sasuke back.
Before Yamato's team departs to find Sasuke in the hideout, Kabuto appears in front of them and attacks them, before freeing Sai. However, Sai, wanting to learn more about his own bonds with his deceased brother through Naruto's bond with Sasuke, betrays Kabuto and aids Yamato in his capture. A tied up Kabuto gives a vague description of Sasuke's location to the team, thinking that Orochimaru would just kill them either way. Leaving Yamato's wood clone to watch over Kabuto, Yamato and his team enter Orochimaru's hideout and they split up to find Sasuke, Naruto and Sai heading one way, with Sakura and Yamato to another.
As the Konoha team continues their search for Sasuke, Naruto suddenly collapses due to exhaustion from his previous battle with Orochimaru. As Naruto wakes up, Sai remembers what he wanted to draw in the middle pages of his picture book: him and his brother smiling; an action which Sai mirrors. As Sai talks about his bonds, Orochimaru suddenly appears and attacks them. Sakura and Yamato come to Naruto's aid, while Sai goes alone to continue the search. Just as Sai finds Sasuke with his ink rats, Yamato finds Sai's bingo book with Sasuke listed as a target for assassination, realising that this is Sai's top-secret mission.
Yamato suggests that Sai's true objective is to kill Sasuke, who, according to his master Danzo, is a threat to Konoha. Sai enters Sasuke's room and wakes him up. But instead of following his orders and killing Sasuke, Sai reveals that he wants to preserve Naruto and Sasuke's bonds. Sasuke retaliates by causing a giant explosion in his room, which attracts Sakura, Naruto and Yamato's attention. As Naruto and Sakura meet with their former friend, Sai declares that he is discarding his mission orders and now wishes to aid Naruto in bringing Sasuke back to Konoha.
52"The Power of Uchiha" Transliteration: "Uchiha no chikara" (Japanese: うちはの力)March 20, 2008September 15, 2010
With his skills immensely improved over the years, Sasuke begins to attack Naruto, but Sai intervenes. Sasuke keeps the two at bay with his Chidori Current. Sakura decides to charge at Sasuke, but Yamato jumps in front of her, only to wind up being stabbed by Sasuke's Chidori-infused katana. As the Nine-Tailed Fox attempts to goad Naruto to use its power in his consciousness, Sasuke, using his Sharingan, appears in front of them. The Nine-Tailed Fox states that Sasuke's chakra reminds him of Madara Uchiha, before its chakra is totally suppressed by Sasuke. As his chakra dissipates, the Nine-Tails warns Sasuke not to kill Naruto.
Just as Sasuke is about to execute a powerful jutsu to finish the team, Orochimaru, followed by Kabuto, appears and stops him. Orochimaru and Kabuto convince Sasuke to withdraw with them and they disappear, leaving a weeping Naruto, who confesses his failure to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, but Sakura reassures him, saying that they will soon bring Sasuke back together. Back in Konoha, Yamato's team reports to Tsunade about the results of the mission, and Tsunade is greatly angered over Danzo's treachery of leaking classified information of Konoha ANBU to Orochimaru. In the ANBU Root base, Sai asks Danzo to allow him to remain longer with Team Kakashi, as well as keep his name. Danzo reluctantly agrees. Later, Sai goes on a mission with his team, having come to see them as his friends.
Asuma apologizes at the grave of the Third Hokage for not understanding his advice concerning what the "king" of the Fire Country is. At the hospital, Naruto and Sai recover, and Naruto resumes his training. Tsunade receives a report from Kakashi that Akatsuki is again on the move. Elsewhere, Yugito Nii, the Two Tails Jinchūriki, struggles against Hidan and Kakuzu and unleashes her beast form, but is defeated and captured. Hidan and Kakuzu then turn their attention to the Fire Country for their next target.
Zetsu arrives to take Yugito away, as Hidan and Kakuzu head off for their next assignment. Naruto meanwhile proceeds to the next step of his training, the cutting of a waterfall. Hidan and Kakuzu reach the Fire Temple and manage to break in. Once inside, they fight Chiriku, the head monk, so that Kakuzu would be able to attain the bounty on his head. Chiriku puts up a strong fight, but is ultimately defeated and killed. Afterwards, Hidan and Kakuzu move out to claim their bounty and thereafter target their next Jinchūriki.
74"Under the Starry Sky" Transliteration: "Hoshizora no moto de" (Japanese: 星空の下で)September 4, 2008March 30, 2011
The second stage of Naruto's training continues, while Tsunade sends out the Niju Shotai, twenty teams composed of four ninja each, to deal with and exterminate the Akatsuki members in the Fire Country. Shikamaru leaves with Asuma, Izumo and Kotetsu, whereas Ino and Choji leave with Raido and Aoba. That night, Sakura cries over her picture of Team 7, and Naruto, after witnessing a shooting star, manages to clear the second stage of his training, but subsequently collapses from hunger and exhaustion almost immediately afterward.
75"The Old Monk's Prayer" Transliteration: "Rōsō no inori" (Japanese: 老僧の祈り)September 11, 2008April 6, 2011
Asuma's team arrives at the Fire Temple and mourns Chiriku's death. Izumo realizes that the Akatsuki must be trying to claim the bounty on his head. Elsewhere, Hidan and Kakuzu continue towards the bounty exchange point. At Ichiraku, Kakashi tells Naruto that he has something up his sleeve that will surprise him. Back at the training ground, Kakashi informs Naruto what the true purpose of his new training is and begins his explanation by showing Naruto his own mastery of the Rasengan.
Kakashi reveals that the Rasengan is an incomplete jutsu as he is not able to combine his own elemental chakra affinity into it, just as it's creator, the Fourth Hokage couldn't do. He then presumes that Naruto might be the first one to be able to do so. Meanwhile, Asuma sends word to the other teams about the Akatsuki’s location and proceeds on. Kakuzu then exchanges Chiriku's corpse. Naruto's training increases his stress to the point that the Nine-Tailed Fox tries to break free, but Yamato manages to suppress it entirely.
Asuma’s team reaches the bounty station and ambushes Hidan. Izumo and Kotetsu attack, but are unable to kill him despite stabbing vital organs due to Hidan's immortality. Asuma says that if they retreat, Konoha will be endangered. Shikamaru realizes that Asuma is considering sacrificing himself to help defeat the enemy. Asuma begins fighting Hidan, while Shikamaru distracts him by forcing him to dodge his Shadow Sewing Jutsu. Hidan cuts Asuma on the cheek with his scythe, draws a circle of blood on the ground and steps in it, as Asuma uses a Fire Style Jutsu to engulf Hidan in flame.
Asuma’s Fire Jutsu strikes Hidan, but, to his team's surprise, Asuma gets burnt as well. Hidan then reveals his ability to link his body to his opponent's after ingesting their blood. Asuma rushes at Hidan, but collapses after Hidan stabs himself in the leg, thereby injuring Asuma. Shikamaru realizes Hidan needs to be in the circle for his curse ritual to take effect, and so, uses his Shadow Possession Jutsu to force Hidan to step out of it. As he does so, Asuma gets to strike a finishing blow on Hidan. As Hidan screams, Asuma decapitates Hidan with his chakra knife.
Hidan’s immortality enables him to stay alive even with his head cut off, although he cannot move his body. Seeing this, Kakuzu sews Hidan's head back on his body with threads that sprout from his body. Izumo and Kotetsu try to attack Kakuzu, but he manages to grab them both by using his body threads, restraining them and suffocating them as well. Hidan, now able to move again, returns to the circle and stabs himself with the blades of his scythe, and he finishes the ritual by stabbing himself in the chest with another spike, fatally wounding Asuma.
Asuma is mortally wounded and collapses. Shortly thereafter, Ino, Choji, Aoba and Raido appear as the team's backup. Hidan and Kakuzu prove to be a match for them too, but they're ordered back to the hideout by their "leader" to seal the Two Tails. They retreat, warning the group that they will return. Ino tries to treat Asuma with her medical jutsu, but fails, as Hidan's attacks had damaged his vital organs. Asuma leaves advice for his students, and whispers to Shikamaru the identity of the "king" that Konoha must protect. As he smokes a final cigarette, he dies.
Naruto struggles to combine the shape and elemental manipulation in the Rasengan. Elsewhere, the Akatsuki begin sealing the two-tailed beast, and the Akatsuki "leader" reveals Akatsuki plans to use the tailed beasts to cause conflict in the ninja nations, serving as mercenaries at a lower cost than the ninja of the hidden villages, replacing them, having monopoly on war and eventually taking over the world. Meanwhile, news of Asuma's death reaches Konoha just as Naruto realizes the solution is to use two shadow clones instead of one.
A funeral is held for Asuma, but Shikamaru does not attend it, choosing instead to sulk at home. After a careful prodding by his father during a game of Shogi, Shikamaru works through his emotions, and comes up with a strategy to defeat Asuma's killers, Hidan and Kakuzu. Team 10 visits Asuma's grave before setting out for revenge, but Tsunade stops them, telling them that they need a four-man squad and backup for the mission. But Kakashi volunteers as the leader of the team, when it becomes clear Team 10 has no intention of backing down.
Tsunade tells Sakura that Team 7 will be Team 10's backup, but only if Naruto finishes his training within 24 hours. Elsewhere, Shikamaru quickly adjusts the team's strategy to include Kakashi and Yugito dies after having the two tails extracted from her. After Hidan and Kakuzu are found, Shikamaru pins their shadows with Asuma's chakra knives imbued with his chakra. Using his Shadow Possession Jutsu, he forces Hidan to attack Kakuzu, but Kakuzu dodges the attempt, after revealing that he had secretly detached his arm during Shikamaru's previous attack to remove the chakra knife pinning his shadow. With Kakuzu cornered, Choji then attacks Kakuzu from above.
Choji's spiked cannonball attack proves ineffective against Kakuzu's special ability, which enables him to harden his skin. In Konoha, Naruto learns more about the five elemental chakra natures and their strengths and weaknesses in relation to each other. Kakuzu gets struck by Kakashi's Lightning Blade right through his heart, but survives and produces four masked entities from his back, one of which dies, as it had been struck by Kakashi. Kakuzu then uses the masks to attack Team 10 with powerful Wind, Lightning and Fire Jutsus.
Shikamaru realizes Kakuzu has five hearts, each of which must be killed to defeat him. He also reasons that separating Kakuzu from Hidan is the only way to defeat them, and, so he uses Shadow Possession Jutsu to lead Hidan into a dense forest. Kakuzu combines two of his hearts into a single entity and prepares to face Kakashi, Ino and Choji to get a replacement heart. At the same time, in the forest, amidst numerous explosive tags that Shikamaru had set up for the Akatsuki duo, Hidan strikes Shikamaru with his spear, drawing his blood and ingests it. He then prepares to use his curse ritual to kill Shikamaru.
Hidan stabs himself in the chest, but instead of mortally wounding Shikamaru, he accidentally destroys another one of Kakuzu's hearts. When demanded an explanation from Hidan about why he still was alive, Shikamaru reveals to have poured Kakazu's blood (that Kakashi had retrieved earlier in a capsule) on Hidan's spear, and so he had killed one of Kakuzu's hearts. He also traps Hidan with his Shadow Possession Jutsu. Being temporarily incapacitated, Kakuzu's remaining three hearts return to his body, with one sacrificing itself to become his heart. Just as Kakuzu is about to finish them off with another Fire-Wind Jutsu, Team 7 arrives just in time to stop the attack with Naruto and Yamato's Wind-Water Jutsu combo.
87"When You Curse Someone, You Dig Your Own Grave" Transliteration: "Hito o norowaba ana futatsu" (Japanese: 人を呪わば穴二つ)December 4, 2008July 16, 2011
Sakura and Sai leave to help Shikamaru. Hidan attempts to break out of Shikamaru's weakened Shadow Possession Jutsu on him, but Shikamaru pulls the explosive tags onto Hidan's body. Shikamaru then opens a trap hole that he had prepared, and reveals his plan to bury Hidan beneath the Nara family woods. He has a vision of Asuma entrusting his "will of fire" to him, and then throws his lighter to ignite the tags on Hidan, which explode and dismember the latter. Meanwhile, Naruto prepares the new Jutsu that he had been developing, Wind Style: Rasen Shuriken.
Naruto attacks Kakuzu with Rasen Shuriken, but his attack dissipates before he can land a hit. Meanwhile, with Hidan's dismembered remains in the trap hole, Shikamaru uses another explosive tag to fill in the hole to finally bury Hidan. He is joined by Sakura and Sai, and they head back to the others. Naruto once again creates a Rasen Shuriken, and Kakuzu switches to a long-range mode to counter his attack. As Naruto, with his shadow clones, rush towards Kakuzu, the latter flies over and nails the original Naruto. But this is revealed to be a shadow clone, and the real Naruto manages to lands a critical hit with the second Rasen Shuriken, destroying both of Kakuzu's replacement hearts.
The time for the Reanimation jutsu is coming and Orochimaru's body is reaching its limit. Kabuto and Orochimaru discuss Sasuke's growth during the Chunin Exams. After practicing his ninja techniques, Sasuke makes a sudden attack on Orochimaru, having nothing else to learn from him. Orochimaru reveals his true form, a giant white snake, and makes his attempt to take Sasuke's body. Sasuke uses his Cursed Seal to counter it. Meanwhile, Tsunade discovers the Three-Tails is taken by Akatsuki.
114"Eye of the Hawk" Transliteration: "Taka no hitomi" (Japanese: 鷹の瞳)June 18, 2009
Orochimaru reminisces about the memories of his past, how he became interested in reanimation and the Sharingan. Orochimaru begins the ritual to take over Sasuke's body. Later on, Kabuto arrives to see Sasuke standing over Orochimaru's snake corpse, and from the Sharingan, he finds out what happened: Orochimaru had failed in possessing Sasuke's body, as Sasuke manages to reverse Orochimaru's Jutsu and absorbs Orochimaru into his body. Sasuke then leaves his hideout to find his own path.
115"Zabuza's Blade" Transliteration: "Zabuza no daitō" (Japanese: 再不斬の大刀)June 25, 2009
Sasuke frees Suigetsu Hozuki from his hydro capsule, and requests his services. Suigetsu responds that he would gladly give them, on condition that he helps him find Zabuza's sword. They fail to find the blade at his grave, but learn that it is in the possession of a man named Tenzen Daikoku. Sasuke uses Tenzen's guarded fortress to test Suigetsu's combat abilities, and Suigetsu gets the blade without much effort. As promised, Suigetsu joins up with Sasuke, and goes with him to the Southern hideout.
116"Guardian of the Iron Wall" Transliteration: "Teppeki no bannin" (Japanese: 鉄壁の番人)July 2, 2009
The second member of Sasuke's team is revealed to be a woman named Karin. After Sasuke and Suigetsu arrive at the Southern Hideout, Sasuke requests that Karin comes with them. Despite her hesitations and quarrels with Suigetsu, Karin ultimately accepts after remembering her very first encounter with Sasuke. Sasuke orders Suigetsu to release the prisoners, and after that, they set off to recruit the final member of the team - Jugo.
117"Jugo of the North Hideout" Transliteration: "Kita ajito no Jūgo" (Japanese: 北アジトの重吾)July 9, 2009
While approaching the hideout, Karin explains that Jugo has abnormal homicidal impulses, and is the original carrier of the enzyme used to create Orochimaru’s Curse Mark. Upon arriving there, Sasuke and his team are attacked by a massive number of rampaging prisoners, who they manage to suppress. Later on, Sasuke is attacked by Jugo, but he expresses that he only wishes to talk with him. In the meantime, Naruto and Sakura find out that Sasuke has killed Orochimaru.
While fighting with Sasuke, Jugo remembers how he met his friend - Kimimaro, and what he experienced with him. After being told that Kimimaro has died for his sake, Jugo agrees to go with them, believing that Kimimaro lives on within Sasuke. After informing his newly formed team that his goal is to kill Itachi Uchiha of the Akatsuki, Sasuke names their group "Hebi" ["Snake"]. In the meantime, Naruto decides to go after Itachi in hopes of finding Sasuke.
After capturing the Four-Tailed Jinchūriki, Itachi and Kisame are summoned by their leader and told about Orochimaru's death. They are then warned about Sasuke's movements and that he may be coming after Itachi. Later, after sealing the Three-Tailed and Four-Tailed Beasts, Deidara and Tobi set out targeting either Naruto or Sasuke. Meanwhile, Hebi gathers supplies at an abandoned Uchiha warehouse and Kakashi assembles Team Kurenai, led by himself, to set out with Team Kakashi, led by Yamato, to capture Itachi.
Sasuke asks where Itachi is and slices through Tobi, as Deidara retreats to a distance. Tobi gets back up unharmed as Deidara retaliates with his chakra-level 1 (C1) explosives. Sasuke escapes with a simple replacement jutsu forcing Deidara to use one of his C2 creations, the C2 Dragon. Working with Tobi, they forced Sasuke to use the Curse Mark. In the end, Sasuke defeats their combos, and Deidara is left with no choice but to use his trump card that was meant for Itachi, the C4 Karura.
As Deidara's C4 Karura detonates, Sasuke perishes. Believing to have won, Deidara drops his guard, only to be pierced by Sasuke's Chidori. After being asked how he had survived, Sasuke reveals that he was never harmed and that Deidara was under his genjutsu. Deidara tries to kill Sasuke, but is misled by his Sharingan again. Both combatants collapse and Sasuke deactivates his Sharingan. Angered at being mocked, Deidara unveils his final attack, turning himself into a living bomb and detonating himself in an attempt to kill Sasuke.
Upon noticing the blast, Suigetsu summons Manda and finds out that Sasuke had used him to escape. Unable to survive, Manda dies from his wounds and Zetsu informs the remaining Akatsuki of the death of Deidara and Tobi. Naruto and the others get to the crater, and using Kiba's tracking skills they begin to track down Sasuke's scent. Meanwhile, the Akatsuki leader, Pain and his partner, Konan, are then ordered to capture the Nine-Tailed Jinchūriki by a mysterious man, Tobi, his real identity being Madara Uchiha.
Jiraya arrives in Konohagakure and tells Tsunade that he has information regarding Pain's location. In the meantime, Karin senses that they're being followed and asks Jugo to help her throw off their pursuers. As Hebi departs, Naruto encounters Itachi. After talking, Itachi departs, having more pressing matters to attend to. Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Tsunade discuss Naruto's parents, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, and the Foundation before Jiraiya departs for the Hidden Rain Village.
127"Tales of a Gutsy Ninja ~Jiraiya Ninja Scroll~ Part 1" Transliteration: "Dokonjō ninden ~Jiraiya ninpōchō~ Zenpen" (Japanese: ド根性忍伝～自来也忍法帖～前編)September 24, 2009
Back in the times of the Third Hokage's youth, the young, soon-to-be Sannin are assigned to Hiruzen Sarutobi's platoon. Being fascinated by Sarutobi’s summoning jutsu, Jiraiya tries it himself, only to teleport himself to Mount Myoboku. There, Jiraiya trains under Fukusaku and meets the Great Lord Elder who has a vision of his future. Afterwards, Jiraiya goes on a journey with the goal to fulfill his destiny, meeting many strange characters on the way.
128"Tales of a Gutsy Ninja ~Jiraiya Ninja Scroll~ Part 2" Transliteration: "Dokonjō ninden ~Jiraiya ninpōchō~ Kōhen" (Japanese: ド根性忍伝～自来也忍法帖～後編)September 24, 2009
Due to the Third Great Ninja War, Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru are sent to the Hidden Rain Village, where they are named the "Legendary Sannin" by Hanzo of the Great Salamander. While in the village, Jiraiya meets with Yahiko, Nagato and Konan who request help from him. Jiraiya accepts and proceeds to train them before returning home. He is later informed that all three children were killed. Some time later, Jiraiya trains Minato, who together with Kushina, names their unborn son "Naruto" after the main character in Jiraiya's first book.
129"Infiltrate! The Village Hidden in the Rain" Transliteration: "Sennyū! Amegakure no Sato" (Japanese: 潜入! 雨隠れの里)October 8, 2009
Jiraiya successfully infiltrates the Village Hidden in the Rain, where he wanders around town and speaks to the inhabitants about their leader, Pain. Unsuccessful in gathering information, he captures two lower ninja of the city in a frog's stomach, who end up telling him that the mysterious Pain had defeated the former leader of Rain, Hanzo, whom the Sannin together couldn't defeat. Meanwhile, Pain orders Konan to search for the intruder and she folds herself into origami butterflies.
130"The Man Who Became God" Transliteration: "Kami to natta Otoko" (Japanese: 神となった男)October 8, 2009
Pain changes into a new body and tells Konan to confront Jiraiya, their former sensei. Pain soon arrives himself and discusses his personal ideology and the Akatsuki's goals with Jiraiya. He reveals that the collection of the Tailed Beasts is in order to create a Forbidden Jutsu weapon that will be able to destroy entire nations in an instant, so that the world will be able to "mature" and develop an aversion for war. Pain then summons a crab to attack Jiraiya, which is defeated before Jiraiya summons a giant frog named Gamaken.
Jiraiya and Gamaken begin their battle against Pain, who has hidden himself using camouflage. Jiraiya uses a barrier jutsu to try and find him while preparing to enter Sage Mode. Meanwhile, Pain assaults Jiraiya with a barrage of animal summons, such as a multiplying dog, a rhino, a bird and a bull, and Jiraiya finally enters in Sage Mode, after sending Gamaken back home. He summons Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima, who find Pain and destroy his chameleon. Pain then summons two more bodies.
132"In Attendance, the Six Paths of Pain" Transliteration: "Pein Rikudō, kenzan" (Japanese: ペイン六道、見参)October 22, 2009
Jiraiya blinds one of the new Pains, and Lord Fukasaku suspects that all three share the same eyes and vision, while Jiraiya realizes that each of the bodies has only one specific purpose. Jiraiya stalls for time while Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima prepare a powerful genjutsu to defeat the bodies and are successful in doing so. As Jiraiya leaves, another Pain ambushes Jiraiya destroying his left arm. As Jiraiya looks up he sees six Pains, including the three that were killed. He stands horrified wondering just who and what Pain is.
133"The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant" Transliteration: "Jiraiya gōketsu monogatari" (Japanese: 自来也豪傑物語)October 29, 2009
Jiraiya kills one of the Pains only to realise he's fought him before. Lady Shima leaves on Jiraiya's request, before Jiraiya realizes that he has met all of the Pains before. He learns Pain's secret, but his throat is crushed before finally being impaled by the remaining Pains. As he begins to die, he remembers Naruto's determination and forces himself awake, where he writes a message on Lord Fukasaku's back. Pain then blasts him into the ocean, where Jiraiya dies happy, knowing that Naruto will live in his place.
134"Banquet Invitation" Transliteration: "Utage e no izanai" (Japanese: 宴への誘い)November 5, 2009
While Naruto's team continues their search for Sasuke, Sasuke meets Itachi in a cave, fights an illusion and is told to come to the Uchiha hideout. On their way, Sasuke's team is intercepted by a shadow clone of Naruto, which Sasuke easily dispatches. The real Naruto quickly sends his team after Sasuke, but they are stopped by Tobi. Meanwhile, Team Hebi is confronted by Kisame who won't let anyone but Sasuke pass. Sasuke carries on while his team, specifically Suigetsu, faces Kisame.
135"The Longest Moment" Transliteration: "Nagaki toki no naka de..." (Japanese: 長き瞬間の中で...)November 19, 2009
As Sasuke approaches the Uchiha hideout, Itachi recalls his past with his little brother and the assassination that he carried out after joining the Anbu and being under close watch for his suspicious activities. When Sasuke arrives, he declares that his eyes have shown him Itachi's death and the fated battle between the two brothers begins. Itachi's illusions deceive Sasuke as he explains that he conspired with Madara Uchiha, the Leaf's founder and the first to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, when he killed their clan.
136"The Light & Dark of the Mangekyo Sharingan" Transliteration: "Mangekyō Sharingan no hikari to yami" (Japanese: 万華鏡写輪眼の光と闇)November 19, 2009
As Zetsu watches on, Itachi explains to Sasuke the secret behind the Mangekyo Sharingan, and the history of the Uchiha clan. Besides being able to tame the Nine-Tailed Fox, the Mangekyo will eventually rob the user of his eyesight and the only way to overcome this obstacle is to steal the Sharingan eyes of that person's sibling. Sasuke retaliates against Itachi's assaults, but he is eventually pinned to a wall and has one of his eyes seemingly stolen by Itachi.
As Itachi moves in to take his remaining eye, Sasuke manages to overcome the Tsukuyomi he was placed under. With Genjutsu now useless, the brothers switch to Ninjutsu, with Sasuke gaining the upperhand. Itachi then unleashes Amaterasu, however Sasuke uses a Substitution Jutsu to escape the flames. Itachi berates Sasuke, claiming he now has no chakra left, but Sasuke reveals that he had come prepared, and has one last technique left that would make his dream of killing Itachi a reality.
Sasuke summons his Lightning jutsu, Kirin, and directs it at Itachi. However, Itachi rises again and reveals his final Mangekyo technique, Susano'o. With Sasuke weakened, Orochimaru is able to break free from his restrictive chakra and attempts to take Sasuke's body. However, Itachi retaliates by sealing him away into another dimension, ridding Sasuke of the Curse Mark. Out of jutsu, Sasuke is left at Itachi's mercy, but at the last second, Itachi taps Sasuke on his forehead and collapses onto the ground, dead.
139"The Mystery of Tobi" Transliteration: "Tobi no nazo" (Japanese: トビの謎)December 10, 2009
The leaf ninja continue to fight Tobi, but all of their attacks manage to phase right through him. Zetsu arrives to inform Tobi of the outcome of the Uchiha match, and Madara drops his goofy persona in order to leave the fight and collect the brothers' bodies. Sasuke wakes up in a cave and Madara approaches him, introducing himself. An Amaterasu is unleashed from Sasuke's eye, but Madara recovers from it and mentions how in-depth Itachi's plans were. Sasuke asks what he means, and Madara tells him that Itachi was trying to protect him.
Madara tells Sasuke about the history of the Uchiha and how they and their rivals, the Senju clan, led by the future First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, once made a pact to unite the two clans as one and to make the first hidden village, Konoha. Afterwards, the Senju spied on and secretly discriminated against the Uchiha, forcing Madara, their leader, to leave and try to exact revenge upon them. Years later, the Uchiha were planning a coup d'etat on the village and Itachi was chosen by the village leaders to spy on the clan from the inside.
Madara continues by informing Sasuke that Itachi was a double-agent who was assigned to leak intel on the Uchiha back to the village. He then contacted Madara to help him undertake his mission of exterminating the Uchiha clan. They succeeded in their mission, although Itachi couldn't bring himself to kill Sasuke. Some time later, Sasuke reminisces on Itachi's final words to him, before breaking down into tears. He then changes his team's name to Taka and declares, with his new Mangekyo Sharingan, that their goal is to destroy Konoha.
142"Battle of Unraikyo" Transliteration: "Unraikyō no tatakai" (Japanese: 雲雷峡の闘い)January 7, 2010
The Konoha teams decide to head back home as Sasuke remembers that he saw Itachi crying after the massacre. He then states that he cannot rebuild the Uchiha clan in the same way that Itachi had envisioned. Madara, happy that he can use Sasuke for himself, assigns Taka the task of capturing the Eight-Tails while Akatsuki hunts the last two. Taka tracks down the host, Killer Bee, to the Land of Lightning and engages him in battle. Bee manages to overpower Jugo and Suigetsu before Sasuke steps up to fight him one-on-one.
143"The Eight-Tails vs. Sasuke" Transliteration: "'Hachibi' tai 'Sasuke'" (Japanese: 「八尾」対「サスケ」)January 14, 2010
Sasuke fights Killer Bee and is injured by his swords. Karin heals him, and Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Jugo then begin a combined assault on Bee until he decides to use the Eight-Tails' power. Sasuke is injured and revived again by Jugo, who regresses in age as a result. All healed, Sasuke unleashes Amaterasu on Bee in desperation, finally able to subdue him. Meanwhile, two Cloud ninja watch the fight from a cliff, and they notice the Uchiha crest on Sasuke's back. They rush the news to Bee's big brother, the Raikage.
The Akatsuki finish sealing the Six-Tailed Slug, resulting in its host, Utakata's death. At the same time, Sasuke Uchiha and Taka deliver the Eight-Tailed Ox's jinchūriki, Killer Bee, to Madara Uchiha for the beast's extraction, before retiring to tend to their injuries. Meanwhile, in Konoha, Naruto Uzumaki remembers about Itachi Uchiha's words about Sasuke, and about a "secret power" that he had given him. The next day, Naruto is summoned by Tsunade in her office, where he is informed of Jiraiya's death in his battle against Pain by Fukasaku. Unable to cope with the shocking news, Naruto lashes out at Tsunade for letting Jiraiya go to Amegakure alone and exits the room, needing some time alone. His former sensei, Iruka Umino greets and tries to perk him up, but to no avail.
153"Following the Master's Shadow" Transliteration: "Shi no Kage o Otte" (Japanese: 師の影を追って)March 25, 2010
Naruto is perturbed and thinks about his past times with Jiraiya while crying. In Tsunade's office, Fukusaku reveals the chakra-encrypted code that Jiraiya wrote on his back, and the Animal Path body from the Six Paths of Pain that Jiraiya managed to defeat. Immediately, Tsunade orders an autopsy to be performed on the body, and decryption of the code, before she leaves her office to secretly mourn Jiraiya's death herself. Outside, Iruka meets with Naruto again, and comforts him. Later, unable to decipher Jiraiya's code himself, Shikamaru Nara asks Kakashi Hatake for help in vain. He then goes to Naruto, but when he sees him still grieving, they both visit Kurenai Yuhi, who is pregnant with Asuma Sarutobi's child and who Shikamaru has sworn to the latter to protect. Bringing up the fact that they both have gone through the sorrow of losing their master, Shikamaru manages to cheer Naruto up, who finally decides to help.
The interrogation and autopsy on the captured Amegakure ninja and Pain's Animal Path body begins, respectively, as Naruto helps Shikamaru and Shiho on decoding Jiraiya's message. Naruto, having travelled and trained under Jiraiya, notices that each number, following the "Ta" katakana (that Jiraiya always wrote like the number 9), references the first character at certain pages of Jiraiya's "Make-Out Tactics" book, which Kakashi is forced to read out loud. They inform Tsunade and Fukasaku of the message, which reads "The Real One Is Not There". Remembering Jiraiya's foretold destiny of training the "world's savior", Fukasaku offers to take his apprentice, Naruto, back to Mount Myoboku for training in Sage Mode, which Naruto accepts.
155"The First Challenge" Transliteration: "Daiichi no Kadai" (Japanese: 第一の課題)April 8, 2010
Naruto commences his training to gather in Natural Energy to learn Sage Mode, in which he learns of a dangerous risk: if too much Natural Energy enters the body, the recipient might turn into a frog statuette. Fukasaku helps Naruto with a special lubricant called "toad oil" to gather Natural Energy quickly, and prevents his excessive collection of the latter by hitting him on the head. While taking a break, he gives Naruto the first book that Jiraiya ever wrote, which makes Naruto remember the latter bequeathing his mission for world peace to him. Meanwhile, the Akatsuki learn that the Killer Bee that Sasuke brought back was only a clone, as the Six Paths of Pain and Konan prepare to head out to Konoha to capture the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.
156"Surpassing the Master" Transliteration: "Shi o Koeru Toki" (Japanese: 師を超えるとき)April 15, 2010
After intense training on Mount Myoboku, Naruto finally masters gathering Natural Energy and enters a perfected Sage Mode for the first time, surpassing even Jiraiya in it's use according to Fukasaku, who now starts teaching Naruto a unique form of senjutsu-enhanced taijutsu called Frog Kumite, which increases the range of one's physical attacks. Meanwhile, Kumogakure initiates a massive man-hunt for Killer Bee, who's elder brother and the Fourth Raikage, A, asks a three-person team of Killer Bee's former students, Samui, Karui and Omoi, to deliver an urgent letter to Konoha's Hokage, Tsunade, entailing Sasuke's attack on Kumo and Killer Bee, as well as to invite her, along with the other Kage, to a first-ever Kage Summit.
157"Assault on the Leaf Village!" Transliteration: "Konoha Shūgeki!" (Japanese: 木ノ葉襲撃!)April 22, 2010
The Six Paths of Pain and Konan arrive in Konoha, split in two teams and begin their invasion of the village to capture Naruto, who is finishing his Frog Kumite training on Mount Myoboku. Amidst the chaos, Konoha's Intel Division, lead by Ino Yamanaka's father, Inoichi, tries to read the memories of the captured Amegakure ninja's mind, while Shizune leads a biopsy team to find out the secret behind Pain's Animal Path's metal piercings, that are distinctively found embedded on all the Paths' bodies. As Pain interrogates and assaults several Konoha ninja, Sakura and Shikamaru help the wounded, and Tsunade is informed that it is the Akatsuki leader that is attacking. She then orders for Naruto to be brought back immediately.
158"Power to Believe" Transliteration: "Shinjiru Chikara" (Japanese: 信じる力)April 29, 2010
As the Six Paths and Konan try to determine Naruto's location, wreaking havoc in Konoha in the process, Danzo Shimura tells the village elders, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, of Pain's arrival and Tsunade's inefficiency in dealing with the situation. They confront Tsunade on the matter, trying to make her change her mind about bringing back Naruto, fearing his capture would mean Konoha's annihilation. Furious, she tells them that they need to believe in Naruto (and the other young ninja) as he is too is member of Konoha, just like all of them, and not a weapon. As Shizune informs Tsunade of Pain's body piercings actually being unique chakra receivers, Tsunade formulates a plan to defend Konoha. In the battlefield, Pain's Deva Path encounters and attacks Iruka, but he is saved by Kakashi, who confronts Pain himself.
159"Pain vs. Kakashi" Transliteration: "Pein vs Kakashi" (Japanese: ペインvsカカシ)May 6, 2010
Kakashi starts fighting the Deva Path, which is soon backed up by the cyborg-like Asura Path. When none of his attacks work, Kakashi uses a clone as a decoy to learn of the Deva Path's powers of gravity-manipulation, allowing it to attract or repel any person, object or jutsu. After an eventual assist by Choza and his son, Choji Akimichi, who first destroy the Asura Path and then attack the Deva Path, Kakashi learns of a time delay of five seconds between Pain's consecutive attacks. He sets up a trap with the Akimichis' help, but a still-functioning Asura Path sacrifices itself to foil their efforts. Choza's squad is soon wiped out by the Deva Path, who seemingly strikes a fatal blow on Kakashi before leaving. However, Kakashi survives using his Mangekyo Sharingan ability, Kamui, and using the last of his strength, saves Choji from Asura Path's dying missile by warping it away for him to inform Tsunade about Pain's powers.
160"Mystery of Pain" Transliteration: "Pein no Nazo" (Japanese: ペインの謎)May 13, 2010
Konoha continues to fight off Pain while the Interrogation Corp fights off Pain's new Animal Path, which barrages them with an assortments of animal summonings. Ibiki Morino tries to torture Pain only to fail due to the corpse not feeling any sort of pain. Meanwhile, Naruto attempts to merge with Fukasaku, so that he can move in Sage Mode while Fukasaku gathers Nature Energy for him. However, Fukasaku is rebuffed by the Nine Tailed Fox, forcing the duo to find an alternate method for Naruto to enter Sage Mode in battle.
161"Surname Is Sarutobi. Given Name, Konohamaru!" Transliteration: "Sei wa Sarutobi, Na wa Konohamaru!" (Japanese: 姓は猿飛、名は木ノ葉丸!)May 20, 2010
Pain's Naraka Path displays its mysterious power against two leaf shinobi while Konohamaru Sarutobi watches in horror. Pain senses Konohamaru's presence but is interrupted by Ebisu who takes on Pain in order to allow Konohamaru to escape. After seeing Ebisu about to be killed, Konohamaru intervenes and after learning of Naraka's ability, judging souls and then reaping the sinner of their life, with a Shadow Clone, he unleashes the Rasengan and is able to keep Naraka at bay.
162"Pain to the World" Transliteration: "Sekai ni Itami o" (Japanese: 世界に痛みを)May 27, 2010
As the Inuzuka and Aburame clans battle with Preta Path and Konan respectively, Deva Path meets with Tsunade, who recognizes him as Yahiko. As Naruto learns of the village's situation, Human Path discovers his location and then kills Shizune, transmitting the intel to Deva Path, who, in its frustration with Tsunade, unleashes a giant shockwave on the village, destroying it completely. In the newly formed crater, at the heart of Konoha, Naruto appears with a small armada of toads following Sakura's cries for his return.
Naruto confronts Deva Path as the other five Paths reappear. Asura Path attacks Tsunade and Naruto destroys it, telling Tsunade to leave. She does so and reverts to her old self with Sakura. Naruto charges forward as the toads deal with Animal Path's summons. Naruto fights Preta Path with Frog Kumite and defeats it before speaking to Deva. He reveals that they were both Jiraiya's apprentices and how he only wants peace. Angered with his hypocrisy, Naruto throws a finally completed Rasen-Shuriken at the remaining Paths of Pain.
Naruto successfully begins taking out Pain's bodies one after another, but when his Sage Mode reaches its limit, Pain attempts to take control of the battle. Naruto throws another Rasen-Shuriken but it's absorbed by a revived Preta Path. He manages to kill the Naraka Path, just to get repelled by Deva Path who has just recovered his power. As Deva performs another Shinra Tensei to the toads, Naruto realizes he can't use taijutsu or ninjutsu on the remaining paths, so he will have to fight them using a genjutsu suggested by Fukasaku.
As Hinata worries about Naruto, Inoichi and the others try to find the original Pain. Naruto continues to fight back the remaining paths, but is captured by Preta Path. It absorbs his Sage Mode chakra and is petrified due to the uncontrollable Nature Energy. Fukasaku then attempts to trap Pain in a Genjutsu, but is killed. Deva then traps Naruto and informs him of his plan to bring world peace through pain, asking Naruto if he could think up of any other choice. Naruto can't, and Nagato states that his peace is almost among them.
Hinata decides to come to Naruto's aid as he is incapacitated by Pain. Despite knowing her overwhelming disadvantage, Hinata confronts Pain in battle. Subsequently, she confesses her love for Naruto. She is ultimately defeated and appears to be fatally stabbed by Pain, causing Naruto's Nine Tailed Fox chakra to go out of control from anger. Meanwhile, Konoha ninja start the search for Pain's controlling body, Nagato.
Naruto enters his Four-Tailed form and attacks Pain, who manages to repel his attacks. Angered even further, Naruto continues his transformation into a Six-Tailed form. Pain decides to fall back and activate his Chibaku Tensei technique, creating a miniature moon in the sky formed from the earth, which traps Naruto inside. However, Naruto breaks free of it, now in an Eight-Tailed form. Consumed in hate, Naruto prepares to completely release the Nine-Tailed Fox, but the Fourth Hokage appears and stops him.
Minato appears within Naruto's psyche and reveals that Tobi was the one behind the Nine-Tails' attack on the village 16 years ago, theorizing that he's just using Pain for himself. He re-activates Naruto's seal to suppress the fox's chakra, and leaves, placing his faith in his son. Naruto confronts Deva Path and manages to find Nagato through his Sage Mode. They fight again and Naruto breaks through his Shinra Tensei to launch a final Rasengan at Pain, overcoming his 5 second time limit. It connects.
169"The Two Students" Transliteration: "Futari no Deshi" (Japanese: ふたりの弟子)July 22, 2010[18]
Naruto defeats Deva Pain with his final Rasengan and then uses his Chakra Receivers in Sage Mode to find Nagato. He then heads off as Sakura finishes healing Hinata. Inoichi tries to stop Naruto from going in alone, but Shikaku agrees with Naruto, to Inoichi's dismay. Naruto finds Nagato and Konan, preparing to fight them out of anger. However, he remembers in Jiraiya's belief for a peaceful world and decides not to harm them. Nagato then asks how Naruto can still believe in Jiraiya's "peace" after all that has happened.
170"Big Adventure! The Quest for the Fourth Hokage's Legacy - Part 1" Transliteration: "Daibōken! Yondaime no Isan o Sagase - Zenpen" (Japanese: 大冒険! 四代目の遺産を探せ・前編)July 29, 2010
The story goes back to right before the start of the final rounds of the Chūnin Exam. As Naruto trains in preparation for his upcoming match, he hears Jiraiya speak of “the Fourth Hokage’s legacy". Using information from Guy, Naruto, Sakura and Team 10 head to the Honegami Grounds, where they are instructed by a disguised Guy to enter and complete the obstacle course and obtain the Secret Technique. Meanwhile Hidden Rain Ninja begin their pursuit.
171"Big Adventure! The Quest for the Fourth Hokage's Legacy - Part 2" Transliteration: "Daibōken! Yondaime no Isan o Sagase - Kōhen" (Japanese: 大冒険! 四代目の遺産を探せ・後編)July 29, 2010
Naruto and the others face the oncoming challenges in order to find the Secret Technique and break the Fourth Hokage's record, but Naruto’s impulsive action leads the group into various troubles. They are attacked by the Rain Ninja, but unknown to them, are saved by Sasuke. They eventually find the scroll which reads: "There is no shortcut in the ninja way". The phrase that becomes Naruto's motto. The story ends as the final rounds of the Chūnin Exam begin the next day.
Returning to the present series, Nagato waits for Naruto to answer his question and Nagato recalls his two moments of pain, the first of which being when his parents were killed by Leaf Ninja and when Nagato's Rinnegan Eye was activated, killing the two ninja. He then tells Naruto about how he met Konan and Yahiko, all three of them having to resort to thievery to stay alive. After seeing Hanzo the Salamander battle the Three Sannin, they set out to find the three ninja so that they can be taught ninjutsu.
173"Origin of Pain" Transliteration: "Pein Tanjō" (Japanese: ペイン誕生)August 12, 2010
Nagato continues talking to Naruto and describes his second pain. Nagato, Yahiko and Konan were taught ninjutsu by Jiraiya, but after he left, they grew up to start an organization, led by Yahiko, to bring peace to the Hidden Rain. Hanzo decides that Yahiko's group is a threat to his ruling and teams up with Danzo to kidnap Konan. Hanzo orders Nagato to kill Yahiko if he wants her to live and Yahiko sacrfices himself for Konan's sake, horrifying Nagato and forcing him into the crippled state he's in today.
174"Tale of Naruto Uzumaki" Transliteration: "Uzumaki Naruto Monogatari" (Japanese: うずまきナルト物語)August 19, 2010
With Nagato's story done, Naruto tells him his answer, declaring that he will not abandon the legacy of his master, and that he will keep striving for peace no matter what pain he is put through. Nagato reflects on what Naruto says, thinking back to his final days as one of Jiraiya's students, and ultimately decides to believe in him. Showed the errors of his past ways, Nagato begins to perform a technique that will revive all those that he killed in the Hidden Leaf.
175"Hero of the Hidden Leaf" Transliteration: "Konoha no Eiyū" (Japanese: 木ノ葉の英雄)August 26, 2010
Nagato finishes reviving everyone he had killed and dies due to running out of chakra. He entrusts his dreams to Naruto and Konan likewise decides to believe in him. After retrieving Nagato and Yahiko's bodies, she gives Naruto a bouquet of flowers symbolizing the hope Naruto represents. After erecting a memorial for Jiraiya, Naruto returns to the village and is, after years of pain and isolation, finally heralded as a hero.
Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).
