71 AHV: Konoha Crush, Han and Yagura
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#Team 7 is hired by Nekobaa to get the paw print of the boss of the ninja cat underworld, Nekomata to put in her Paw Encyclopaedia.
#Seeing their village's power waning because their THIRD HOSHIKAGE forbade the fatal 'Star Training Method' for the past ten years; Akahoshi, Shisō, and Yotaka begged him to again allow the continuation of the star training but the Third Hoshikage still refused their request as he just couldn't risk all of Hoshi's ninja dying because of fatal star training. Angered at the refusal of their request, they kills the Third Hoshikage, with the help of a special poison which made his murder looks like death caused by an illness.
#Akahoshi then take his position of power as the substitute Hoshikage and falsify his murder as an illness as well as reinstated the star training.
#Hanare, the spy of the Jōmae Village and Team Kakashi.
#The events of 'NARUTO OVA: NARUTO: THE CROSS ROADS' takes place.
#Team 7 meets with the Sand siblings, one of the ten Genin teams from Sunagakure, sent to participate in the Exams.
#Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai all volunteered their teams for the Chunin Exams despite Iruka's protests.
#Twenty four Genin teams from Konohagakure, ten Genin teams from Sunagakure, five Genin teams from Kusagakure, four Genin teams from Takigakure and one Genin team from Otogakure participates in the Konoha-held Chunin Exams.
#Despite being in an ongoing civil war, Hanzō still sent seven genin teams to participate in the Chūnin Exams that were being held in Konohagakure.
#Tsukigakure ninja are seen briefly during the first part of the Chunin Exams.
#Kirigakure ninja are seen briefly during the first part of the Chunin Exams.
#The first part of the Chunin exam took place in the academy, consisted of a written exam and was proctored by Ibiki Morino.
#Team 7 dispels the genjutsu on the floor board and proceeds to the examination hall. Later, they encounters Rock Lee and his sensei, Might Guy.
#Team 7 finds Kakashi just outside the hall who came check them out and wish good luck.
#In the hall, they meets Kabuto Yakushi, a fellow Konoha shinobi, who gives them advice for the exam and information on the examinees.
#Three Oto-nin attacks Kabuto for insulting their village but before things can escalate any further, the proctor, Ibiki Morino, and his team appear on the scene and begins the exam.
#The first stage of the exams ends with 26 teams passing it.
#The second part of the Chunin exam took place in the Forty-Fourth Training Ground, also known as 'The Forest of Death', consisted of a survival exam for a period of five days and was proctored by Anko Mitarashi.
#Konohamaru ninja squad takes an interview from Team 7.
#The Sound Five kills Team Shiore of Kusagakure on the orders of Orochimaru. Orochimaru then steal their faces and enter the Chunin Exams. At this point, Kimimaro gave a bloody cough, but decided to ignore it.
#Anko explains the second part of the exam and all teams are given either a heaven or an earth scroll.
#Team 8 searches for a scroll and manages to take a Amegakure team's scroll.
#Team 7 is attacked by a disguised Ame ninja.
#In the forest, Orochimaru, disguised as a Kusa Genin aka Shiore attacks Team Kakashi and uses the Five Elements Seal on Naruto, disrupting the flow of the demon fox's chakra, as well as Naruto's own, resulting in his unconsciousness. He then goes on to fight Sasuke and brand him with the Cursed Seal of Heaven, resulting in his unconsciousness.
#Anko finds the real Shiore and her team, dead and faceless, and recognises it to be the work of Orochimaru. She concludes that Orochimaru must've killed the genins to use their faces to enter the exams and so she ran off to confront Orochimaru, only to end up helpless after he reactivated her Cursed Seal of Heaven.
#With both Naruto and Sasuke unconscious from the fight against Orochimaru, Sakura takes care of them. Following the orders of Orochimaru, Team Dosu attacks Team Kakashi and Kin Tsuchi of Team Dosu easily defeats Sakura, she then realises how pathetic and useless she is and her personality reaches a turning point. she then vows to improve herself so that she would have enough strength to protect her team-mates in times of their need and free herself to once again fight Team Dosu.
#Sakura battles Zaku Abumi and gets injured.
#At this point, Team 10 and Team 9 arrived on the scene to help Sakura.
#Sasuke awakens, in a state of insanity and murderous intent due to the effect of the cursed seal, he then proceeds to brutalize Zaku Abumi of Team Dosu but Sakura somehow manages to bring him back to his senses.
#Dosu, as the captain of his team offers their own scroll and decides to retreat while wondering why Orochimaru had ordered them to kill Sasuke if he had given Sasuke a cursed seal.
#As Team Kakashi, Team Asuma, and Team Guy recover, Team Kurenai witnesses how Gaara mercilessly kill a team of Amegakure genin.
#Gaara's team shatters the previous record for reaching the tower at the centre of the forest, reaching their destination in just about an hour and a half.
#Team 7 still managed to make it past the second stage by acquiring the scroll of Team Oboro of Amegakure, with the help of Kabuto Yakushi.
#Team 7 opens its scrolls inside the tower, summoning Iruka who congratulates them for passing the second part of the Chunin Exams.
#Seven teams managed to pass the second stage of the Chunin Exams, which was more than twice as many as had been expected. So due to having too many participants to advance to the next and final stage of the Chūnin Exams, the examiners run an additional preliminaries to reduce the number of finalists.
#Before the preliminary, the proctor of this stage, Hayate Gekkō, asks if anybody want to withdraw from this exam due to injury, exhaustion, etc and Kabuto volunteer himself claiming that he had used too much chakra. With Kabuto's withdraw, twenty people remained in the competition and were matched up with each other, in a fight that lasted until somebody gave in or was unable to continue fighting or the proctor interferes.
#The first matchup was Sasuke Uchiha up against Yoroi Akadō. Sasuke wins.
#After the fight, Kakashi took Sasuke away to seal the cursed seal.
#The Second matchup was Shino Aburame up against Zaku Abumi. Shino wins.
#As the cursed seal of Sasuke is sealed by Kakashi, Orochimaru shows up for Sasuke, asserting that all the genin he currently had at his command were disposable. As Kakashi readied his Lightning Cutter to defend Sasuke from the Rogue Sannin, Orochimaru left, saying that Sasuke would be his someday.
#The Third matchup was Misumi Tsurugi up against Kankurō. Kankurō wins.
#The Fourth matchup was Sakura Haruno up against Ino Yamanaka. Nobody wins.
#The Fifth matchup was Tenten up against Temari. Temari wins.
#The Sixth matchup was Shikamaru Nara up against Kin Tsuchi. Shikamaru wins.
#Naruto, still impaired by the Five Elements Seal, was matched up with Kiba Inuzuka and his ninken, Akamaru in the Seventh match. Naruto wins.
#Kiba, being borne away on a stretcher, urged Hinata to forfeit if she is to be matched against Neji or Gaara.
#The Eighth match brought a family rivalry to the forefront, as Hinata and Neji of the Hyūga clan battled.
#The exam proctor intervene and stops Neji from killing Hinata. Neji Wins.
Her bravery in the fight inspire Naruto, as he vowed to battle and win against Neji in the third exam.
#The Ninth matchup was Rock Lee up against Gaara. Only the interference from Might Guy did prevent Gaara from killing Lee, and after learning from the medical ninja that Lee could no longer be a ninja due to his intense injuries he received from opening the inner gates, Guy regrets having taught Lee how to open the inner gates. Gaara wins.
#The Tenth matchup was Chōji Akimichi up against Dosu Kinuta. Dosu wins.
#After the preliminary ends and the nine qualifying genins draws lots to determine the first round match-ups for the main tournament:-
*First Match was Naruto against Neji,
*Second Match was Sasuke versus Gaara,
*Third Match was Shino versus Kankurō,
*Fourth Match was Dosu Kinuta versus Shikamaru,
*Fifth Match was Temari versus the winner of the Fourth Match.
#Those who passed the preliminaries are granted a one month break to prepare for the third stage of the Chunin Exams.
*Elsewhere, Kabuto prepares to kidnap Sasuke under Orochimaru's orders, but he is stopped by Kakashi and is forced to retreat.
#Naruto later meets with Kakashi in hopes of training with him for the finals. Kakashi, planning on training Sasuke instead, offers Ebisu as a trainer for Naruto.
#Ebisu trains Naruto for sometime until Jiraiya defeats him. Impressed with Jiraiya's prowess, Naruto tries to convince Jiraiya to train him and Jiraiya agrees.
#The Toad Sage secretly removes the Five Elements Seal after finding it out while teaching Naruto the water walking practice.
#The sage teaches Naruto to control the Nine-Tails' chakra.
#Ebisu lets Jiraiya take over Naruto's Training.
#Gaara murders Dosu at the Kikyō Castle.
#Baki murders Hayate and Kabuto collects Hayate's DNA.
#Jiraiya teaches Naruto the Summoning Technique.
#Jiraiya allows Naruto to sign the Toad summoning contract scroll. Thereafter, Naruto tried using the Summoning Technique, but only a tadpole appeared.
#Hayate's body is found by Yūgao Uzuki's Anbu group.
#The Third Hokage has a meeting with the jōnin regarding Hayate Gekkō's death near Kikyō Castle. They discuss about the possibility of Orochimaru's involvement and the Third warns his shinobi that Otogakure and Sunagakure might invade Konohagakure, so they must remain prepared to fight all times to defend Konohagakure.
#Ino and Sakura goes to the hospital to visit their injured comrades.
#Kakashi practises the Cliff Climbing Practice, and after nearly falling to his death, finally succeeds in activating the First Gate and arrives at the top of the rock, only to see Sasuke waiting there for him for training.
#Nagato fully masters the power of the Rinnegan. Thereafter using the Six Paths of Pain, he confronted and easily overpowered Hanzō and all his guards. As Hanzō expressed shock at being so outclassed and by one of the Paths looking like the presumed-dead Yahiko, Pain degraded him as trash for his selfish actions and how he had become a mere shadow of the man he once admired, before killing him.
#With the end of the civil war, Nagato starts refering himself as Pain aka the God of Amegakure and Konan aka the Angel of Amegakure.
#Pain then decides to systematically slaughter every person Hanzō was ever in league, or affiliated with; from family and servants, to even ambassadors of the various villages who he was associated with.
{{{A/N: In the anime, as a further testament of Nagato's hatred for Hanzō, Nagato did not even bother to give Hanzō a proper burial.}}}
#After Pain starts slaughtering every person associated with Hanzō, Kandachi who'd had held the position as the right hand man for Hanzō before the latter's death, and a group of Ame ninja fled the country in fear of being killed and becomes missing nins.
#The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa was murdered by Orochimaru with the help of Sound Five and Kabuto. Having also killed his guards, Orochimaru used his Vanishing Facial Copy Technique to pose as the Kazekage, making it easier for him to manipulate Sunagakure, while the Sound Four impersonate the Kazekage's personal bodyguards.
#During this assassination Kimimaro's disease fully manifests, thus he is sent back to Otogakure to be placed by Kabuto in intense medical care to keep him alive for as long as possible. This unknown disease destroyed what remaining worth he was to Orochimaru. Kabuto Yakushi attempted to cure Kimimaro, but to no avail due to Kimimaro's unique structure and lack of medical information on his clan. As such, he was left bedridden to extend his wavering lifespan, unable to participate in the upcoming Konoha Crush.
{{{{A/N: After infiltrating Konoha during the Chūnin Exams, the Sound Five killed three Kusagakure genin, so that Orochimaru could impersonate Shiore. At this point, he gave a bloody cough, but decided to ignore it. However, while participating in the assassination of the Fourth Kazekage and his bodyguards so that Orochimaru and the Sound Four could impersonate them, Kimimaro's disease fully manifests. He is sent back to Otogakure to be placed by Kabuto in intense medical care to keep him alive for as long as possible. Hearing that his failing health has caused him to be of no use to Orochimaru, Kimimaro began silently crying for losing his purpose. Source: NARUTOPEDIA}}}}
#Jiraiya throws Naruto off a high cliff, attempting to force the boy to draw on the Nine-Tails' power. Naruto successfully summons the Toad chief Gamabunta.
#Gamabunta accepts Naruto as his underling.
#As Naruto attempts to gain complete mastery over the Summoning Technique, he passes out from exhaustion, but before unconsciousness, he manages to hear Jiraiya mutter how he had hoped Naruto would be able to use the Fourth Hokage's legacy to clear the final rounds.
#In Konohagakure, Temari argues with Baki over breaking the treaty alliance between Konoha and Sunagakure. Later in Sunagakure, Baki reports to the Fourth Kazekage that everything was going according to plan.
#Deidara returns to Iwagakure and detonates several bombs within his village, while he flew away, leaving the village in shambles.
{{{A/N: This event is probably the reason Iwagakure didn't took part in the invasion of Konohagakure. Danzō probably knew that Iwagakure might try to attack them and he knew that Konohagakure can easily defeats Sunagakure but with the addition of Iwa things could have turned very bad so he employed Akatsuki to harm them enough to make sure that they didn't try anything.
REMEMBER: During the Five Kage Summit, the Fourth Raikage insinuated that the Konoha Crush was a secret plot of Danzō with Akatsuki to dispose of both the Hiruzen and the Fourth Kazekage. }}}
#The FOURTH MIZUKAGE Yagura Karatachi DIES during the invasion led by Mei Terumī and her rebel forces, due to the extraction of Three-Tails. Yagura lives long enough to pass on the message that he was being manipulated, thus his forces surrenders and Mei's forces wins the Civil War.
{{{A/N: Yagura dies due to extraction of Three-Tails. The Genjutsu had some side effect which released the Three-Tails from Yagura upon being dispelled. Source: Narutopedia. Mei Terumī only succeeds because Akatsuki was busy in securing the borders of Land of Storms(Amegakure) and to make sure that nothing leaks about the end of their civil war or the death of Hanzo.}}}
{{{{{A/N: I named these countries in which the following hidden village resides:- i)Amegakure resides in Land of Storms due to frequent rain.
ii) Kusagakure resides in Land of Mushrooms due to the large mushroom found in their forests.
iii) Takigakure resides in Land of Canyons due to the many rivers flowing through the deep gorges found in this land.
**It isn't manga-based, i.e., it is not mentioned anywhere in manga or anime.}}}}}
#The three tails ran away into his dimension using his unique space-time technique.
#After the death of Yagura, Akatsuki came to the realisation that they couldn't anymore control Kirigakure cause of Ao's Byakugan, and the new Fifth Mizukage and the new Kiri Council being aware of the manipulation of the Fourth Mizukage Yagura Karatachi by some unknown force aka Obito.
{{{{A/N: Although Akatsuki has the power to try to control Mei Terumī again but there was the risk that if they did such a thing and were found out, then there was a chance that this information may reach to the other great nations. And in such a scenario, the great nations would have been forced to mobilize against Akatsuki. And upon finding out that criminal organization is full of only S-ranked criminals and on top that one of their members possessing the power to control a Kage of all people who is also a perfect Jinchūriki, the great nations would have definitely marked them a grave threat as well as there was a chance that they might have joined forces to wipe Akatsuki out of the face of Earth. It would have made things very difficult for this group's survival. So I don't think Obito would have taken such a risk, hence with Yagura's death, the Akatsuki was forced to change their base of operations.}}}}
{{{{A/N: Jiraiya only managed to find the identity of Orochimaru and Itachi even after he gathered information on them for several years, and he only managed that much because Orochimaru was once a member of the group otherwise I don't think he would have even noticed the group until after some more years. It shows how much Akatsuki valued secrecy as such they wouldn't have done something like trying to take control of Mei Terumī, that would attract the attention of the world. So they are forced to change their base from Land of Water to Land of Storms.}}}
#Akatsuki is forced to leave their base of operations in Land of Water(Kirigakure) permanently.
#Naruto wakes up in hospital and learns from Shikamaru that he has been asleep for three days, and the Chūnin Exams finals are the next day.
#Gaara enters Lee's room and attempts to kill him while he is unconscious, but Naruto and Shikamaru immediately stop him and prepares to fight.
#Gaara reveals to Naruto and Shikamaru that he is the Jinchūriki of the One-Tails, Shukaku. He then attempts to kill the two of them, but Guy steps in and demands Gaara to leave at once. Gaara has no choice but to do so, but before doing it, he promises that he'll kill them all.
#After being discharged from the Konoha Hospital, both Naruto and Chōji have lunch at Ramen Ichiraku. Thereafter Naruto goes on to inquire the Third Hokage about the Fourth's legacy and failing to get any answers from Anko, Guy tells him to go on a dangerous quest where he shall find out about the Fourth's legacy.
#Sakura joins Naruto's quest as she secretly wishes to pass the Fourth's legacy to Sasuke to help him win.
#Chōji, who had been spying on Naruto, informs Shikamaru and Ino about the Fourth Hokage's legacy, since they believe it would help Shikamaru win his match, a sort of competition takes between Team 7 and Team 10 who end up travelling together and, except for Shikamaru, find themselves stuck on a spider web. After Naruto uses his Naruto Uzumaki Combo to defeat the GIANT SPIDER, which was nothing more than a SUMMON, Shikamaru realises that it was an intentional trap and that there are more on their path. Careless, Naruto rushes ahead to take on the oncoming challenges in order to find the secret technique and break the previous record set by the Fourth Hokage.
#Under the leadership of Samidare, a group of fifteen shinobi of Amegakure who had failed to get past the first test of the Chūnin Exams chases Team 7 and Team 10 to find out what it is they are after and if possible take it with them back to Amegakure.
#While Naruto and his friends search for the former Hokage's legacy in the temple, the shinobi of Amegakure comes up with another plan to attack them after failing in their first attempt.
#In order to practise using Chidori on moving targets, Kakashi sends Sasuke to the temple.
#In their second attempt, the Amegakure Genins comes up from behind and use the Grudge Rain Technique against the Konoha Genins in an attempt to take them out, flooding them inside to obtain the legacy of the Fourth Hokage for themselves. However, they are stopped by the intervention of Sasuke Uchiha, who proceeds to attack and defeat them all using Chidori.
#Team 7 and Team 10 finds the Fourth Hokage's legacy(scroll) and completes the quest.
#Naruto rides the daimyō's bulls and arrives to the stadium.
#The Fourth Kazekage arrives with his bodyguards, and the Third Hokage commences the final exam.
#Genma as the proctor announces that the first match will be Naruto vs. Neji.
#Outside of the battle arena, Kabuto kills an Anbu in order to impersonate him as a disguise.
#Neji surprises the entire Hyūga clan by using certain techniques reserved and taught only to the main branch of the Hyūga clan, leaving a shocked Hiashi and Hinata.
#Naruto then asks about the Hyūga clan and Neji's hatred for it. He then berates Neji and uses the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's chakra and defeats Neji. Genma then gives some advice to Neji and announces Naruto the winner of the match.
#Hiashi reveals the truth behind Hizashi's death. He then bow his head to Neji, begging for his forgiveness.
#The Third Hokage decides to disqualify Sasuke for being late but the Fourth Kazekage councel him against it, as such Sasuke's match is postponed.
#Kankurō's match is thus moved up, but he forfeits his match with Shino Aburame, thus allowing Shino to win by default.
#With Kankurō's withdrawal, the next match is set to begin, between Temari and Shikamaru Nara, who outsmarts Temari but forfeits the match at the last second thus by default, Temari wins.
#Sasuke arrives at the last second with Kakashi Hatake to begin his duel with Gaara.
#Gaara kills a pair of Kusa ninja who are attempting to fix the match on his way to enter the arena.
#Determined to kill Sasuke, Gaara retreats inside his Shield of Sand to begin his transformation but Sasuke stops him by using his new technique: the Chidori.
#At that moment, Kabuto Yakushi used a powerful genjutsu to put the audience to sleep, signalling the start of the Konoha Crush.
#Sunagakure is tricked by Orochimaru, who is impersonating the Kazekage in helping Otogakure invade Konohagakure resulting in the death of Hiruzen Sarutobi at the age of 69 along with many others.
#With Orochimaru's defeat and his arms being sealed up by the Third Hokage, the Sound Four help him escape Konoha and return to Otogakure.
{{{{A/N: Orochimaru losing his arms doesn't meant he could not use Ninjutsu at all, it means that he won't be able to use any complex Jutsu that requires hand seals such as the Impure World Reincarnation Technique.}}}}
#Naruto defeats a transformed Gaara, with the help of Gamabunta.
#Meanwhile, two Kumo spectators takes advantage of the choas due to the invasion and kidnaps Hinata to take her Byakugan. Tenten, Neji, Kiba and Akamaru set out to rescue Hinata on the request of the Hyūga Elder.
#Akatsuki learns about the joint effort of Otogakure and Sunagakure to destroy Konohagakure, and of the Third Hokage's death. Itachi volunteers to evaluate the situation, covertly wondering about Sasuke's safety.
#The next day, the ninja of Konoha mourn the deaths of those who died defending Konoha during the invasion, especially the Third Hokage.
#Itachi and Kisame secretly enters Konohagakure.
#Naruto joins Team Guy on a mission due to Rock Lee being in the hospital, to ask a tool maker 'Iō' for more tools, as the village was weakened. For this mission, Guy assigns Tenten as captain of this temporary team.
#After the failed attack on Konoha, Suna discovers Rasa and his two guards' rotting faceless corpse on the outskirts of their village, making them realise that they were betrayed by Orochimaru and thus they surrendered to Konohagakure feigning innocence on how they were manipulated by Orochimaru.
#Jiraiya was offered the title of the Hokage for the third time in his life but he refuses and instead suggest Tsunade for the position.
#Asuma and Kurenai confronts Itachi and Kisame. Kakashi joins the fight but Itachi easily defeats him.
#Might Guy arrives and attacks Kisame, forcing Itachi and Kisame with no choice but to flee.
#Jiraiya takes Naruto on a mission to find Tsunade and starts teaching him the Rasengan. Itachi and Kisame trail them cautiously.
#Aoba accidentally reveals to Sasuke that Itachi is after Naruto as such Sasuke rushes out to protect Naruto from Itachi and avenge his clan.
#Jiraiya was seduced by a girl who was placed under a genjutsu by Itachi to separate him from Naruto.
#Itachi and Kisame finds Naruto, and Sasuke arrives and attacks them.
#Itachi easily defeats Sasuke and put him in a genjutsu.
#Jiraiya arrives just in time and saves both Sasuke and Naruto from Itachi and Kisame who fled the scene to avoid a confrontation with him.
#Guy mistakenly attacks Jiraiya and after apologizing, takes a comatose Sasuke back to Konoha.
#Guy bestows upon Naruto a green jumpsuit that Lee wears.
#Jiraiya teaches Naruto the first step of Rasengan.
#After seeing Hiruzen sacrifice himself using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to defeat Orochimaru, Danzō decided to teach Sai how to use a powerful fūinjutsu known as Sealing Technique: Tiger Vision Staring Bullet, in order to prevent the same from happening to himself.
#Jiraiya teaches Naruto the second step of Rasengan and shares a popsicle with him as a reward.
#Orochimaru and Kabuto greet Tsunade by summoning snakes and destroying the Tanzaku Castle.
#Orochimaru offers to revive her dead brother, Nawaki, and lover, Dan in exchange of healing his arms from the effects of the Third Hokage's sealing Jutsu.
#Jiraiya finds Tsunade and offers her the position of the Fifth Hokage, thereupon, he learns of her encounter with Orochimaru and Kabuto. Tsunade rejects it and insults the all Hokages.
#Naruto disrespects Tsunade over it and ends up fighting her with a bet over his money and her precious First Hokage's Necklace.
#Tsunade drugged Jiraiya and went on to confront Orochimaru and Kabuto with the intention of killing them.
#Both Orochimaru and Kabuto are defeated and driven away by the combined efforts of Tsunade, Jiraiya, Naruto and Shizune.
#Tsunade accepts the proposal for the position of the Fifth Hokage from the 'Fire Council' and acknowledges Naruto.
#Naruto is kidnapped by the Akagi Gang, the debt collectors of Tsunade.
#Tsunade comes back to the village and treats Kakashi and Sasuke. And she then examine Rock Lee's Injury and with regret declares it a hopeless case with the chances of surviving from the operation being 50-50.
#Tsunade creates the Cell Activation Technique and raises the chances of Lee's survival to 58 percent.
#TSUNADE is inaugurated as THE FIFTH HOKAGE, and the role as Konohagakure's protector is passed on to her.
#Guy appoints Naruto to a mission to go to Mount Jofuku to retrieve the Jofuku Flower, a medicinal herb said to cure any illness, which is the missing ingredient in the medicine he is making.
{{{A/N: Since Sasuke and Kakashi are still recovering in the hospital due to Itachi's genjutsu. Team 7 is suspended for the time period and Naruto was forced to do mission alone. And Naruto wears the green jumpsuit during this mission. Naruto received this jumpsuit from Might Guy after he accidentally attacks Jiraiya.}}}
#Iwagakure invades Konohagakure to take advantage of Konohagakure's weakened state after the invasion but the Eternal Genin Kosuke Maruboshi single handedly defeats the invaders with the help of Naruto and others.
#Akatsuki captures the Five-Tails.
{{{A/N: This event must have been the reason why Iwa didn't do anything after their failed invasion of Konoha. Because they suddenly lost their Jinchuriki and became very busy to find it.}}}
#Team Kakashi comes into a conflict with Moya Triad.
#The events of NARUTO THE MOVIE: NINJA CLASH IN THE LAND OF SNOW takes place.
{{{{A/N: The film chronologically took place right after episode 101 "Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-Sensei's True Face!". In this episode Team Kakashi comes into a conflict with Moya Triad.}}}
#Team 7 is back in action.
#Konohagakure's Team 7 and Team 10 were hired by a Village Headman of an unknown village to rescue his granddaughter who was kidnapped by Baji and his gang of bandits.
#Team 7 are sent on a mission to stop a group of bandits located between Konoha and Suna, resulting in the two villages working together for the first time since Suna's invasion though Naruto is reluctant about it. They meet with a team from Suna who are lead by Gaara, shocking Team 7. Later on, they find out that the mission was just a ploy to assassinate Gaara by Suna ANBU on the orders of Suna council.
{{{{A/N: This event further made Iwagakure deter from the path of war as now suddenly Konohagakure regained it's ally whereas they lost their Jinchūriki of the Five-Tailed beast.}}}}
#Sasuke and Kakashi are sent to investigate national wanted list criminals while Naruto and Sakura were sent to escort Naho, a relative of the Fire Daimyō, to Shizume village. Naho wants Sasuke to escort her, but he was with Kakashi in another mission. Naruto disguises himself as Sasuke so Naho agrees to go with them. After Sasuke and Kakashi noted that the fortress was empty, Naho's group was intercepted by Sadai and his associates with the intention of kidnapping her. But later with the arrival of Kakashi and Sasuke, they defeats Sadai and complete their mission.
#Team 7 (without Kakashi) is given a mission to protect a young man, Idate of Wasabi family, during his foot race against their rival clan, Wagarashi family that will settle the feud between the two.
#During this foot race, Team Oboro led by Aoi of Amegakure, who have been hired by the Wagarashi family attacks Idate and Team 7. Idate shares his past and Team 7 defeats Aoi and his team as well as destroy the Sword of the Thunder God in the process.
#Idate wins the race and the Wagarashi family is disbanded after the Tea Daimyō shows a photo of them bribing the minister who conduct the race. Ibiki Morino transport injured Team 7 back to the village.
#Due to the injuries Sasuke received from the Land of Tea, he is stuck in the hospital recovering. Due to jealousy over Naruto's growth, Sasuke challenges Naruto to a fight to prove himself superior when Naruto and Sakura comes to visit him. Naruto accepts the challenge and the two head to the roof to fight it out.
#Shikamaru gets promoted to Chūnin by Tsunade.
#Tsunade conducts the surgery on Rock Lee.
#Kakashi ends the fight of Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke witnesses the superiority of Rasengan over Chidori. Kakashi and Jiraiya bickers with each other.
#Sasuke is attacked by the Sound Four, an elite unit of Otogakure, sent by Orochimaru to retrieve Sasuke.
#Sakura finally reveals her knowledge about the cursed seal that Orochimaru had placed on Sasuke in the Forest Of Death, to Naruto.
#The Sound Four extend an invitation to Sasuke to join Otogakure and gain enough power to kill Itachi.
#On his way to Konoha's exit, Sasuke meets Sakura and knocks her out then proceeds to leave Konohagakure to join Otogakure in the company of the Sound Four.
#Izumo and Kotetsu finds Sakura and tells them about Sasuke's defection, and the two inform Tsunade, who orders Shikamaru to assemble a team of Genin and go after Sasuke to retrieve him.
#Shikamaru recruits Naruto, Kiba, Chōji and Neji for the mission.
#Naruto promises to Sakura to bring Sasuke back.
#In order for the cursed seal to advance to its second state, the Sound Four seal Sasuke into a barrel after giving him 'Mind Awakening Pills' and carry him from Konoha as his seal advances.
#Sound Four are confronted by two nearby Konoha ninja, Raidō Namiashi and Genma Shiranui, but they eventually defeat them with their cursed seals.
#Sound Four take a break and the retrieval team caught up to them but their presence is detected, and the Sound Four attacks them before they can make a move.
#Jirōbō traps the retrieval team but they break free and Chōji volunteers himself to take care of Jirōbō while the others continue the chase. Chōji uses the Three Coloured Pills, allowing him to easily overpower and kill Jirōbō despite the latter using the cursed seal.
#As his Gentle Fist techniques are the only way to sever Kidōmaru's spider webs, Neji volunteers himself to take care of Jirōbō while the others continue the chase. After a series of battle exchanges, Neji manages to kill Kidōmaru.
#Orochimaru prepares to use his Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique at takes over Gen'yūmaru's body, the sole surviving prisoner of the battle to death among all of Orochimaru's prisoners.
#Kimimaro Kaguya despite being terminally ill, leaves Otogakure to ensure that Sasuke, Orochimaru's future vessel, is brought to Otogakure, as the last act of his life and his devotion to Orochimaru.
#Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru ambush Tayuya and Sakon, and manages to get away with the container containing Sasuke.
#Due to an accident, Sakon, Kiba and Akamaru both plummet off the end of a cliff and fall down. Kimimaro arrives and takes the container back from Naruto. #Shikamaru faces Tayuya and her three Doki. Naruto chases Kimimaro and fights him.
#Kiba and Akamaru fights Sakon and Ukon below the cliff. Sakon and Ukon overwhelms Kiba and Akamaru so they retreat.
#Shikamaru outsmarts Tayuya and incapacitate her.
#Sasuke's cursed seal finally reaches its second level, allowing him to exit his coffin.
Sasuke then departs to Otogakure with Naruto attempting to follow, although Kimimaro prevents Naruto from going after Sasuke.
#Lee arrives and fights Kimimaro, sparing Naruto to go after Sasuke.
#Lee drinks sake, mistaking it as his medicine bottle and becomes inebriated. He then becomes capable of using the Drunken Fist and takes on Kimimaro.
#Kimimaro sober up Lee using his Kekkai Genkai and prepares to deal the finishing blow, Tayuya overpowers Shikamaru's Shadow–Neck Binding Technique using her Cursed Mark and prepare to kill him, Sakon finds Kiba and Akamaru, and prepares to finish them off.
#Gaara save Lee from Kimimaro, Temari save Shikamaru from Tayuya and Kankurō save Kiba from Sakon.
#Kankurō quickly kills the deranged brothers Sakon and Ukon with his puppets. Temari easily kills Tayuya with the help of her summon.
#Gaara and Kimimaro fights and just before Kimimaro can kill Gaara, Kimimaro's terminal illness gets the better of him and he dies.
#Naruto and Sasuke starts fighting at the Valley of End.
#Kakashi learns of Sasuke's defection and immediately goes after him.
#Sasuke emerges as the victor in his fight with Naruto, he then leaves to go to Orochimaru for power. A while later, Kakashi arrives at the scene and carries Naruto back to Konoha along with Sasuke's forehead protector.
#Zetsu in an Akatsuki cloak rises from the ground and notes that things have become interesting. He then departs to report the events to Akatsuki.
#The retrieval team was brought back to Konoha where, despite the severity of their injuries, all managed to fully recover.
#Sasuke arrived at Orochimaru's lair, where he soon proved himself worthy of Orochimaru's guidance.
#Jiraiya, Naruto and Sakura head off to the Land of Sound to find Otogakure on a mission that in part involves finding Sasuke.
#Naruto and Sakura encounters Sasame of the Fūma Clan.
#Jiraiya seeks information about Otogakure and the Fūma clan. During this operation, he was attacked by the remnants of the Fūma Clan, who reveal to Jiraiya that the person who brought misery to their clan and lead to the separation of the Fūma clan was Orochimaru.
#Naruto and Sakura again encounters an injured Sasame and decide to help her. She then reveals that she wants to rescue her cousin Arashi, who went with several members of their clan to join Orochimaru to revive the clan. But they were attacked by Jigumo, Kamikiri and Kagerō of the Fūma Clan.
#The three servants of Orochimaru from the same clan fools Sasame into giving drugs to Naruto, Sakura and Jiraiya. Later after they reveals that they faked being drugged. Kagerō then attacks Naruto and Jiraiya with a powerful technique that shortens her life, then escapes with Jigumo and Kamikiri to Orochimaru where they discover that they were being used by Orochimaru, as such they attack him, but are apparently killed by the latter.
#Sasame leads Naruto, Jiraiya, and Sakura to Orochimaru's hideout. Gamakichi helps them get inside it where Jiraiya is seduced and separated from the group by Kotohime Fūma with a musical instrument. Naruto and Sakura continues to explore the Oto hideout.
#Naruto is trapped in a trap and Sakura encounters Orochimaru and Kabuto. Naruto frees himself and rescue Sakura from Kabuto but Kabuto traps him with a special technique who reveals himself to be Kagerō. Sasame arrives and helps Naruto freeing him from the trap. They then finally finds Arashi, who had been disguised as Orochimaru, who then attacks all of them. After Arashi was defeated, he reveals to Naruto that Sasuke is alive and being protected as a vessel until Orochimaru can reincarnate again in three years. After hearing this the group leaves, leaving Arashi behind. The Fūma clan promises to rebuild their town and everyone heads back to Konoha.
#Akatsuki halts their plan by three years due to the following reasons:-
(i) Due to the death of Yagura who was providing Akatsuki a very large amounts of funds needed for their operations.
(ii) They also halted their plans because of they couldn't anymore use the resources of Kirigakure to uncover the identities of the last of the remaining Jinchurikis.
(iii) Pain wanted to focus on helping Amegakure recover from the civil war as well as eliminate every ally, associates, etc of Hanzō.
(iv) The other reasons are Obito needed time to create his zetsu's army using the chakra of the Five-Tails sealed in the Gedō Statue.
#Considering herself to have been of little use, Sakura asks to become Tsunade's apprentice and learn to become a medical-nin, to which Tsunade accepts Sakura as her personal disciple and starts teaching her medical ninjutsu.
#Tsunade concludes that a mere Chūnin like Mizuki shouldn't know about the Forbidden Scroll of Seals and that it will make more sense if someone like Orochimaru may be the one who was pulling the strings of Mizuki as such she sends Asuma and Kurenai to interrogate Mizuki.
#Mizuki break out of Konoha's Correctional Facility along with the help of Fūjin and Raijin, the Legendary Stupid Brothers.
#Naruto shows up in the prison and finds the two jōnin Asuma and Kurenai injured, beaten and defeated, and the prison abandoned.
#Shizune and her team encounter Mizuki, but all of them are defeated whereas Tonton goes back to warn Tsunade. Tonton then guides Naruto to Shizune's location.
#Kakashi summons Pakkun who guides Iruka to Naruto.
#Pakkun sends Tonton back to the village. Pakkun then leads them and they soon find Shizune.
#They then chase after Mizuki, where they soon fall into a trap. Iruka reveals that Shizune is not Shizune, but actually Mizuki. Mizuki attacks Iruka and lead him to a building used to test Academy instructors while Naruto deals with Fūjin and Raijin. As the brothers prepare to kill Naruto, Shikamaru, Chōji, and Ino comes to the rescue.
#Tsunade discovers a startling secret about Mizuki and Orochimaru, and leaves to intervene. As Ino-Shika-Cho struggles to stop the Stupid Brothers, Tsunade shows up and defeats them both easily. Fūjin and Raijin surrender and agree to return peacefully to the institution
#Mizuki's fiance Tsubaki comes to offer help to the three, feeling responsible for not having stopped him earlier. Meanwhile, Mizuki completes the formula he was making and drink's the formula turning into a large beast-like creature as similar to the transformation as one nearly identical to that of Orochimaru's cursed seal.
#Mizuki uses his new-found prowess to kill Iruka and Naruto but the formula he drank ultimately backfires and ends his Shinobi career.
#Hōki of the Watari Ninja secretly poison the daimyō of the Land of Birds, Ōwashi which resulted in his death.
#The events of NARUTO THE MOVIE: LEGEND OF THE STONE OF GELEL takes place.
#Naruto catches a cold and Infects Sakura who collapse in Tsunade's office. Tsunade then speculates the cause to be the chakra virus. The illness, which turns chakra into a terrible flu, was found long ago in another village, where Naruto had recently gone to for a mission.
#Shino was tasked with leading Team 8 to find the a bikōchū, a very rare insect which would be able to track down Sasuke if it smelled his scent and Naruto joins with them as the fourth member.
#The remnants of Kamizuru clan of Iwagakure, who were seeking to recover a scroll using the bikōchū in order to restore its former glory in Iwa attacks Hinata and abducts her, who demands the bikōchū in return for her safety.
#The Konoha team then hides the bug and goes to rescue Hinata but are lured into a trap. Meanwhile, Hinata attempts to escape, but is swept down a river while stuck in a cocoon.
#Trapped and with no choice, Shino agrees to tell them the location of the bikōchū if they take them to Hinata's location. The Iwa group agrees and takes them there, only to find the rope cut apart and Hinata missing with the Iwa group believing that Hinata fell into the sewer and died. But Hinata suddenly sneak attacks the Iwa group and destroys their insects with her new technique, thereby forcing them away and saving her companions. Then all of her companions with her help successfully defeats their enemies but ultimately the mission ends in a failure due to Naruto's fault.
#Tsunade assign Naruto Uzumaki and Team Guy to a mission to eliminate the Kurosuki family and Raiga, one of the seven Swordsman of Kirigakure and free the Katabami Gold Mine village from their control.
#The team then engages Raiga and Kurosuki family in a fight and kills Raiga, and later the Kurosuki family, there they encounters Ranmaru who reveals that Raiga cared for him, and that he helps Raiga fight by serving as his "eyes". His eyes having the powers similar to Byakugan as well as with the ability of fooling even the Byakugan and along with some pseudo-revival prowess that allowed him to revive Raiga once more.
#Raiga wakes up to find Ranmaru unconscious and believes that Ranmaru had died reviving him, thus he becomes enraged at Team Guy, Naruto, Sanshō and Karashi. Using the Thunderstorm to his advantage he tries to kill all of them. With the help of Ranmaru and Lee, Naruto defeats Raiga who then commits suicide by using lightning to incinerate his body. With the completion of mission, the Konoha team returns to their village and Ranmaru joins the curry shop as an apprentice along with Karashi.
#Sagi the heir to the throne of the Land of Birds dies an unnatural death, causing her younger twin sister, Toki to swore vengeance for her brother's suspicious death by disguising herself and becoming daimyō of the Land of the Birds in his place to find the one responsible and punish them.
#With no missions currently available, each of Konoha's genin have been assigned to lead a squad of three Academy students in a survival exercise. Naruto Uzumaki is assigned to lead the team of Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon.
#Tsunade assign Naruto, Hinata and Kiba to catch a criminal Ninja known as Gosunkugi.
#After Guy and Lee left the village on a mission; Mondai and Potcha infiltrate Konohagakure to gather its secrets by poorly disguising themselves as Guy and Lee.
#Tsunade assign Naruto, Neji, and Tenten to a mission to the Land of Birds to investigate reports of a ghost, Cursed Warrior, terrorising the local population. There they solves the case and apprehends Mōsō' aka Hōki and Watari ninja.
#The Cooking-nin Hakkaku kidnaps the daughter of Teuchi, Ayame. And Naruto, Chōji and Sakura offer to help Teuchi and they then rescue Ayame.
#Tsunade dispatch Anko Mitarashi to the Land of the Sea along with Naruto, Shino, and Ino to investigate the nature of the "Kaima" monster. Meanwhile, in the Land of the Sea, Orochimaru is having a meeting with Amachi, a scientist conducting experiments under his direction. Sasuke Uchiha is also present, and ends their conversation when it's directed towards him. There Anko Mitarashi, Naruto, Shino, and Ino were attacked by Yoroi Akadō, Misumi Tsurugi and Amachi but they manage to defeat all of them with the help of Isaribi. Gamabunta defeats Umibōzu and the Konohagakure Ninja capture Amachi, ending the mission.
#Tsunade assign Naruto the mission to babysit Kunihisa, the son of Tsunade's rich friend Kunijirō.
#Naruto, Hinata and Kiba are given a mission to find some treasure, and are told that if they fail it, they will be returned to the Academy, due to Naruto's poor performance on missions with at least Kiba and Hinata.
#Naruto while returning from a mission encounters Jiraiya who trains him for sometime. There they had some trouble with the Courier Ninja which resulted in effectively causing the war between Land of Fang and Claw to be cancelled. Later, Jiraiya had to leave as he chases an Akatsuki agent, forcing Naruto to return to Konoha to wait for Jiraiya's return.
#Tenten, Neji, and Rock Lee were assigned by Tsunade to a mission to protect the star belonging to Hoshigakure. Later, Naruto bribes Tsunade to have him join Team Guy's mission. There Naruto and Team Guy encounter Sumaru of Hoshigakure, who guides them past the poison gases that surround and defends the village.
#After the Konoha genin arrives in Hoshigakure, the substitute Hoshikage, Akahoshi explains their mission.
#Meanwhile Naruto and Sumaru see someone fleeing from the building containing the star and discovers that the star has been stolen. They chases after the thief who escapes from Naruto using techniques exclusive to those who had done star training and are once a member of the Hoshigakure.
#Sumaru and some of his friends came across a masked ninja and restrain him, but he renders them unconscious and kidnaps Sumaru.
#It is revealed that the masked ninja who stole the star is Sumaru's mother, Natsuhi, and that Akahoshi is the one who kidnapped Sumaru. Tenten and Lee infiltrate Akahoshi's residence and rescue Sumaru.
#Natsuhi then saves Naruto, Sumati and again tries to steal the star where she is killed. Later Akahoshi reveals his true colours and not being one to lose, Akahoshi fuses his body with the Star, causing his chakra to go out of control.
#With the help of Natsuhi's spirit, Naruto destroys the star and defeats Akahoshi. And the mission ends in failure.
#Naruto is assigned to watch Akamaru, Kiba Inuzuka's nin-dog, who has recently been acting strangely aggressive after being infected by a special bacteria during a mission. The mission ends with Akamaru being cured by a cure developed by Konoha's medical team.
#Naruto and Shino were sent on a mission to Motoyoshi Village to help Fūta Kagetsu inherit his wealth.
#Naruto, Chōji, and Hinata are sent to help some peddlers move out of the Land of Vegetables which were being used as cover for the Land of Vegetables' princess Haruna in order for her to escape from the Three Criminal Brothers called the Janin, who had taken control of the Land of Vegetables and killed all of the conspirators along with their daimyō.
#Ruiga, one of the three Janin attacks the peddlers and kills Kikunojō, one of escorts of princess Haruna. Naruto and Yurinojō then do battle with Ruiga, and with Chōji's help, are able to defeat him. Later the second brother, Jiga, kills Ruiga for a greater share of the country's wealth.
#Hinata uses her Byakugan and Gentle Fist to interfere with his chakra flow, rendering Jiga unable to turn off his magnetism and buried himself alive in a vortex of iron sand and Naruto rescue her from the iron sand.
#Naruto then pursue princess Haruna, as Hinata, Chōji and Yurinojō are kidnapped by the third criminal brother Renga along with several ninja.
#Renga offers Naruto to release the kidnapped victims if he turns over Haruna to him, prompting him to fight Renga. He then defeats Renga and learns that Shizune, Shikamaru and several Konoha ninja have rescued Hinata, Chōji and Yurinojō. Haruna then succeeds her father as ruler of the Land of Vegetables, and Naruto and his companions return home.
#Princess Fuku hires Ino Yamanaka - who looks exactly like the princess except for the one obvious difference - to take her place and win the heart of her fiancé's Chikara (who resembles Elvis Presley) along with Naruto. The mission ends with the revelation that the prince likes chubby women.
#Tsunade gave orders to search for and capture Nanafushi, a ninja from the Land of Valleys who had infiltrated Konoha to steal their secrets. And luck by chance, Naruto arrives with Nanafushi and hand him over to Tsunade thus it becomes the fastest mission that Naruto has ever completed successfully.
#Tsunade assign Naruto, Hinata and Kiba to a mission to investigate the missing wife of the daimyō of the Land of Honey known as Kayo. In this mission, their investigation leads them to Kubisaki castle which actually turns out to be a GIANT CHAMELEON SUMMON that had been carrying out its dead master, Kōza Kubisaki's orders for over fifty years. With the help of the spirit of Kōza Kubisaki, they manages to sent the summoning back home and Naruto, his team along with Kayo and her men were barely able to escape.
#The Three Ryūdōin Brothers who were seeking revenge against Might Guy for their father, Agira Ryūdōin's humiliation and death; kidnaps and later Genshō, one of three Ryūdōin brothers, impersonate Yagura, a genin from Konohagakure that Might Guy was going to train, in order to lure him out in a trap. Team Guy and Naruto goes to rescue him. The mission ends with Might Guy helping the Ryūdōin Brothers in truly understanding their father's dying wish.
#The events of NARUTO THE MOVIE: GUARDIANS OF THE CRESCENT MOON KINGDOM takes place.
{{{A/N: The movie takes place after Naruto episode 196, inbetween the Third Great Beast Arc and the Konoha Plans Recapture Mission, during the original anime's filler arcs. Source: NARUTOPEDIA}}}}
#Gennō the Trapper, a shinobi from the destroyed Kagerō Village comes to Konoha with the intention of blowing up the village but spending time with Naruto causes him a change of heart and he decides against it. The Konoha 11 completes their research and then concludes that Gennō set the traps 30 years ago, as part of a mission for the Kagerō Village, which was destroyed by another village shortly after he completed his mission, resulting in his son's death. They then begins taking action to disarm the explosive tags that are planted all across the village without Gennō finding out about it. The mission ends with Konoha realising that while Gennō had initially intended to destroy Konoha, but because Naruto reminded him of his son, he made his traps into a scavenger hunt. Hence, they concludes that Konoha was never actually in any real danger.
#Naruto encounters a mysterious girl named Yakumo prompting him to investigate her. Shortly thereafter, Kurenai Yūhi resigns as leader of Team 8, and Naruto is determined to find out why. He then discovers that the reason behind Kurenai's resignation is related with Yakumo Kurama. As Kurenai goes to see Yakumo, several Kurama clan members attack them. Kurenai then attempt to escape with Yakumo and in the midst of fighting a revelation happens that Yakumo being a talented genjutsu user had been entrusted to Kurenai as her student, but for some reason she had sealed away Yakumo's genjutsu abilities, under the orders of the Third Hokage. Meanwhile Naruto, and Sakura, the members of Team 8 and Might Guy came to their assistance and defeat the enemy Kurama clan members. Yakumo then envelop the entire Konoha in a genjutsu. With the help of the head of the Kurama clan, Unkai; they enter Yakumo's house to find her with Kurenai, threatening to erase her former sensei from existence. It is revealed that the malicious entity known as the Ido dwelled within Yakumo's subconscious, and was the reason why her abilities were sealed away. Yakumo ultimately overcomes the Ido and realises that Kurenai cared about her. Kurenai then returns to an overjoyed Team 8.
#Tsunade assigned Team Asuma and Naruto to go to the Land of This and kidnap Shū, the son of the daimyō of the Land of That under a treaty, with Yamato secretly assisting them.
#The Land of That, hires the services of Akatsuki to take over the territory of the Land of This.
#Land of This is assaulted by Sasori's hundred puppets and Deidara's explosive creations.
#Sasori kills the daimyō of Land of This and his ministers.
#Tatewaki confronts Sasori and lose his life, after being poisoned by Sasori's Puppet.
#Naruto and Team Asuma successfully escorts Shū and Chiyo to the Land of That where Shū's father welcomed Chiyo into their home with open arms.
#Land of That assimilates the territory of Land Of This.
#Naruto and Kiba are assigned a protection mission against bandits in which they have to escort a world-famous potter named Shin'emon who is transporting a rare and valuable artefact called Kachō Fūgetsu to Habotangai.
#Naruto, Sakura and Lee are hired to escort a "Ninja Dropout" — a criminal ninja — named Gantetsu safely to prison along with Todoroki, the captain of the hired guards who has a personal vendetta against Gantetsu and wants to kill him. During their departure, their ship comes under attack from other Shinobazu group. The two group then fights and Naruto's group manages to defeats another Shinobazu member, but Todoroki's younger brother, Akio is kidnapped and taken to the Shinobazu base in the Forest of Bewilderment. Naruto, Todoroki and Gantetsu enter the Shinobazu's base leaving Sakura to care for the children and Lee to fight off the other Shinobazu members outside. While Gantetsu and Todoroki go to rescue Akio, Naruto fights the leader, Shura and defeats him, ending the mission.
#Naruto finds a man close to a river bank and helps him out. The man is unable to remember even his own name, so Naruto calls him "Menma". Naruto and Menma are sent on a mission to a town that has been largely destroyed to guard it against another potential attack, along with Neji and Tenten. Tsunade and Neji begins suspecting that Menma is an Otogakure ninja due to his skills. There he regains his memory and to atone for his sins, and to protect the town from the plan of 'Head of Shiin Clan', Menma sacrifices his life. Later, Naruto somehow manages to defeat the Head To Shiin Clan and mourns Menma's death.
#A group of missing-nin known as Four Celestial Symbols Men from the Takumi Village seeking Gaara's powers to revive their village's ultimate weapon invades Sunagakure and kidnaps Matsuri, Gaara's only student in order to lure him to a trap to weaken him. Gaara, Kankurō and Temari pursue them alone. Meanwhile, Shikamaru assembles the Konoha 11 (minus Tenten), and splits up into two-man teams to either assist or support the Three Sand Siblings.
#As the Four Celestial Symbols Men prepare to kill Temari and Kankurō; however, Shikamaru arrives and saves Temari, Kiba saves Kankurō and, Lee and Naruto arrives and save Gaara.
#Later, Suiko was killed by Gaara, Rock Lee and Naruto Uzumaki; Kujaku was killed by Temari, Shikamaru Nara and Ino Yamanaka; Ryūgan was killed by Kankurō, Kiba Inuzuka, and Chōji Akimichi.
#Hōki died when he offered all of his life force and body to revive Seimei. Ultimately, however, the Four Celestial Symbols Men's goal was thwarted when Gaara killed the revived Seimei with the Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral. The mission ends with the successful rescue of Matsuri.
#After the successful completion of the Sunagakure Support Mission, everyone returns to Konoha, where Ino makes a request to Tsunade and also becomes her student to train in medical ninjutsu.
#Kandachi, a missing-nin from Amegakure, attacks and takes over the Genjutsu Tree Village. Tanashi's father Sukune stands up to protect everyone, but Kandachi uses Conch Whip and kills Sukune. He then helds the women and children hostage and threatened if word of their hidin andg was leaked outside the village, the hostages would be killed.
#NARUTO DEPARTS FOR HIS TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS OF TRAINING WITH JIRAIYA and Hinata watches him head off with Jiraiya.