Before Kakashi can officially commence the test, Naruto rushes in to attack. He throws shuriken at Kakashi, only for the latter to throw his own back. As Naruto jumps up into the air to evade the shuriken, Kakashi throws another set. Naruto, however, instantly uses his Shadow Clone Technique to produce a shadow clone in mid-air to pull him out of the shuriken's trajectory. His move impresses both Kakashi and Sakura. As both Naruto and the shadow clone land back on the ground, Naruto transforms his shadow clone into a giant shuriken, intend on hurling it at Kakashi. Kakashi manages to grab Naruto's hand before he can throw it, telling Naruto that his attack would not work. However, Naruto manages to have a shadow clone sneak up on Kakashi with a kunai; his timing and usage of his shadow clones impresses Kakashi once more, as well as Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shizune, who are observing the fight from the shadows. Kakashi tells Naruto that he is impatient as ever, as Naruto also attacked before Kakashi could officially begin during their first bell test. After he begins the match, Kakashi disappears and heads for the woods.
Sasori and Deidara easily enter Sunagakure after Yūra, Sasori's spy, killed the guards posted at the village's entrance. Creating a large clay bird as transportation, Deidara tells Sasori to hang back while he single-handedly proceeds to find the jinchūriki of Shukaku, Gaara. Deidara manages to incapacitate the guards tasked with watching the skies above Sunagakure with his explosive clays, moulded into the shapes of spiders. Deidara marvels at the artistic architecture of Suna, but claims that an explosion is the truest, most beautiful form of art, and therefore he will relish at Suna's destruction.
Back in Konoha, Kakashi runs through the woods as he spots both Naruto and Sakura hiding behind their trees. He believes it to be a rookie mistake, and reminisces back to their first bell test, when Sakura and Sasuke managed to hide properly but Naruto could not. He is awakened from memory lane by shuriken hurtling towards him, thrown by Naruto. As he evades the attack, Sakura comes from behind and uses her massive strength to break the ground beneath him. Kakashi heads for the tree branches, only for Naruto use his Shadow Clone technique and send multiple shadow clones against him. Kakashi decides to use taijutsu to deal with the clones; however, after there are only three clones remaining, Kakashi opens the First Gate and uses the Front Lotus on the three Naruto shadow clones, both Naruto and Sakura recognising the technique as one Rock Lee uses. After the three shadow clones are taken care of, Kakashi wonders where the real one is, only for the real Naruto to announce his presence and come barrelling at Kakashi with the intent of using One Thousand Years of Death. Kakashi, horrified at the mere thought of being struck by that technique, evades the attack and retreats.
As Naruto and Sakura continue to head through the woods to find Kakashi, they are stopped in their tracks by an injured Sasuke. Struck with kunai in his body, Sasuke tells Naruto and Sakura that he managed to escape from Orochimaru and asks the pair to help him. Sakura, however, instantly recognises the trick as a genjutsu and dispels it, while at the same time pinpointing Kakashi's true location. Naruto then creates a shadow clone to prepare his Rasengan, and uses Rasengan on the tree that Kakashi is hiding behind. Kakashi manages to dodge the Rasengan, and ponders on a time when it was easier to fool Sakura with a genjutsu. Naruto claims that he would never fall for any of Kakashi's old tricks, only to spot the bells on the floor. Exclaiming that Kakashi must have dropped them while dodging, Naruto rushes towards them before Sakura can stop him. Naruto is ensnared by a rope before he can get the bells, prompting Kakashi to state that Naruto still falls for the same old tricks. However, the Naruto trapped by the rope turns out to be a shadow clone while the real Naruto, claiming an old trick like that would not work on him, rushes from behind and punches Kakashi right in the face, only for the latter to use a Body Replacement Technique and retreat once more.
Back in Suna, Deidara believes his infiltration of the village to be successful only to be stopped by Gaara, who claims that this is as far as Deidara gets