With careful planning, the group manages to find and trap Hidan and Kakuzu. However, things seem to be going a bit too smoothly.

When Kakashi strikes Kakuzu through the heart, the battle seems to be over. However, when Kakuzu not only survives the attack, but also manages to escape from Shikamaru's trap, it soon becomes clear that the fight is only just beginning..

Shikamaru continues his fight with Hidan. Hidan manages to injure Shikamaru and curses him the same way he did Asuma, but when Shikamaru survives Hidan's attack, Hidan realizes something isn't quite right.

In the aftermath of the battle, Teams 7 and 10 return to Konoha. After examining Naruto, Tsunade officially classifies Naruto's new technique as a Forbidden Jutsu and warns Kakashi never to let him use it again. What is the terrible secret of the Rasen Shuriken that has left even Tsunade stunned by its power? Meanwhile, Orochimaru orders Kabuto to search for a woman who will help him reach his goal.

While Naruto continues his training with Gamakichi and Gamatatsu, Yamato, Sakura, and Sai prepare to leave and back-up Kakashi's group. As Guren and her gang prepares to intercept Kakashi's group, Yukimaru grows concerned for her safety and gives her a charm in hope of a safe return.

While Naruto continues practicing a combo attack with Gamatatsu, Kakashi, Kiba, Hinata, and Shino have a run-in with Guren's gang. Will Kakashi and Team 8 be able to defeat these strange foes?

Naruto runs into Guren while trying to find Yūkimaru. Yamato and Kakashi find Naruto and bring him back to the group. Kabuto tells Guren that Yūkimaru is only a tool to control the Three-Tails, which upsets Guren. Meanwhile, Shizune, Ino, Tenten and Lee meet up with the team and tell them that their new mission is to rescue Yūkimaru and capture the Three-Tails before Orochimaru's group can capture it.

Shizune, Ino, Lee and Tenten arrive and Kakashi, Shizune and Yamato discuss about a strategy to seal the Sanbi and rescue Yukimaru. Meanwhile, Kabuto and Rinji notice Guren's care for Yukimaru and become concerned.

Kabuto plans on breaking Leaf’s The Four-Corner Sealing Barrier from the inside by using Yukimaru’s power and have the Three-Tailed Beast go on a rampage.

The battle for the Sanbi comes to an end as neither the Konoha ninja nor Orochimaru are successful at obtaining it. Tsunade classifies the mission of catching the Sanbi as a failure, for it is too dangerous to accomplish. As Naruto and the others prepare to return home, Yukimaru goes missing. Unbeknownst to everyone, Akatsuki lies in wait, and they have their own plans for the Sanbi.

As Akatsuki seals yet another tailed beast, Itachi and Kisame are warned that Sasuke and his group are after them. Both Konoha and Team Hebi prepare to move out for their quests to find Itachi, but Sasuke makes a little trip to an old Uchiha storage house first.

Kakashi splits the two teams into five separate groups, each aided by a couple of his ninja dogs, in order to locate clues about Itachi and Sasuke's whereabouts. Unbeknownst to everyone, familiar foes have set their eyes upon both Naruto's group and Sasuke.

Jiraiya is now confronted by two new Pains who both possess different abilities than the one he was fighting. Just who is Pain and how many Pains are there?

After successfully breaking out of Itachi's Tsukiyomi, Sasuke gains the upper hand on his weakened brother. With no other alternative, Itachi activates his second Mangekyo ability, Amaterasu, a black flame said to burn forever.

After Madara finishes telling Sasuke about his past, he reveals the unfathomable truth about Itachi's massacre of the Uchiha Clan. What really happened on that night? Why did Itachi join Akatsuki? And for what reason did he really spare Sasuke's life?

As Naruto heads back to the Tsuchigumo Clan village, Akaboshi and his group find Hotaru with the help of Hotaru's uncle. Hotaru manages to escape but the ninja bandits surround her in the forest. Utakata comes to her aid and manages to take her and escape from the ninja bandits. Akaboshi and his group are about to chase after them until their boss arrives and reveals to them that Utakata is in the Hidden Mist Village's Bingo Book.

Team Kakashi returns to the Hidden Leaf Village after completing their mission. As Naruto thinks back to the talk he had with Itachi, he's summoned by Tsunade, where he discovers shocking news regarding Jiraiya.

Shikamaru tries to decipher the dying message Jiraiya left before his death but cannot figure out what it says. Shikamaru asks for Naruto's help, thinking he might know the code. Can the saddened Naruto decipher Jiraiya's dying message?

Naruto succeeds in mastering his Sage Mode, taking it farther than even Jiraiya could. Things aren't looking so great for Konoha, however, as Pain prepares to make his move.

Kakashi continues to fight against Pain. With the arrival of Chouji and Chouza, things start looking up, but Pain's not out of tricks just yet.

Naruto's rage pushes him to unleash six of the Kyubi's tails against Pain. In order to combat this menace, Pain is forced to rely upon his most powerful technique to stop Naruto. Will Pain succeed in defeating Naruto, or will the most unexpected of allies appear to calm Naruto down?

Deciding to believe in Naruto, Nagato uses the Gedo Art: Rinne Rebirth jutsu, expending the last of his chakra, and thus giving his life, to revive every person in the village who died in the attack, saying that it's the least he can do. With Nagato dead, Konan leaves Akatsuki, taking Nagato and Pain's God Realm (who is actually the body of Yahiko) with her, parting with Naruto saying that since Nagato believed in him to achieve true peace, she will as well. As Naruto returns to the Leaf, he is astonished to find the entire village awaiting his return, hailing him as a true hero. After all these years, Naruto has finally received the acknowledgment he's always wanted.

As the ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village work on repairing their village in the aftermath of Pain's invasion, Naruto and Sakura come across a familiar face among the carpenters: Inari and Tazuna have arrived to help out. Inari recalls what happened after Gato's death and how Naruto and Sasuke came to his rescue.

Konohamaru's team asks Neji to talk about Naruto's heroism. Instead, Neji tells them about an incident during the Chunin exams three years prior. While Orochimaru attacked Konoha, two rogue ninja take advantage of the commotion and kidnap Hinata. Neji, Tenten, Kiba, and Akamaru rush out to save her. They're in trouble until Hiashi shows up and saves them, telling Neji that he's the beloved memory of Hiashi's younger brother. Neji realizes Naruto's speech about destiny was right; he isn't just a slave to the clan name. Konohamaru's team complains that Naruto wasn't in the story at all, and Neji cryptically answers that Naruto was the most important part.

Karui decides to get information about Sasuke from Naruto by any means necessary. When Naruto refuses to sell Sasuke out, Karui takes out her frustration upon the former. Meanwhile, Danzo prepares for the Kage Summit, and determines to keep Naruto confined to the Leaf Village.

Sasuke uses Susano'o to slip past Gaara and the Raikage and heads towards Danzo. Just as the latter is within Sasuke's grasp, however, the Mizukage stands in his way.

The formation of the Allied Shinobi Forces is ratified by the Feudal Lords of the Five Great Nations. Each Kage returns to their village to prepare for the coming war.

Naruto meets two kunoichi ninja named Shizuka and Tokiwa from the Nadeshiko village who are seeking the student of Jiraiya.

During his final stop for supplies on an island in the Land of Water, Naruto runs into Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi of the Hidden Stone, who are on an assignment to deliver a letter from the Tsuchikage addressed to the Mizukage.

Ino sees Sakura falling from the sky. Although she manages to save her, the shock of the fall has left Sakura with amnesia.

Three years ago, Leaf Anbu Yugao Uzuki lost her lover Hayate Gekko in battle. Unable to cope with his death, Yugao has since left the Anbu and joined the Medical Corps. Meanwhile, Kabuto has reanimated Hayate.

Yugao is ordered by Sukui to track down the reanimated Hayate. Still shaken by her lover’s unexpected return as an enemy, Yugao manages to catch up to Hayate and his men.

Madara is prepping his new jutsu Limited Tsukuyomi, choosing Naruto as his test subject. Meanwhile, Naruto is spending his day off alone in his room. Thinking that Naruto is lonely, Lee suggests they all go to the bathhouse for some relaxation.

The power of the reanimated Madara Uchiha far exceeds what the Allied Forces expected. Despite the difference in power, the Third Tsuchikage, Ohnoki, along with Naruto and Gaara, refuses to give up.

Naruto finds himself inside Four Tails’ inner world, where he promises to free Four Tails from Madara’s control. Listening in on their conversation, Nine Tails recalls all the time he has spent sealed inside Naruto.

Naruto finds himself inside Four Tails’ inner world, where he promises to free Four Tails from Madara’s control. Listening in on their conversation, Nine Tails recalls all the time he has spent sealed inside Naruto.

Back at the front lines, the five Kage struggle to hold their own against Madara's Susanoo-clad wood clones.  As the lights surrounding the reincarnated shinobi begin to illuminate the battlefield as they faded into pillars of light, Itachi approaches Sasuke and uses his Sharingan to show Sasuke everything about the Uchiha clan massacre.

Ten Tails is on the brink of its final transformation and begins to form a massive Tailed Beast Bomb.

Team 7 is finally reunited when Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke join forces.

Naruto and Minato combine their powers to perform a Sage Jutsu attack on Obito.

Naruto's power of persuasion moves Obito's heart. Due to the influence of the Ten Tails, visions of himself and Rin from the past appear in the inner realm and play havoc with Obito’s emotions.

Hanabi adores her sister Hinata, who struggles to become a worthy successor to the Hyuga Clan.

When Hinata is labeled unfit as a successor, Hanabi's heart becomes bound to her destiny.

Sakura and her team continue their trek across the desert towards the goal. Their continuous battles have depleted Sakura's chakra, so they stop to rest. Just then, they encounter a puppet manipulated by a rival team from the Sand and end up being discovered.

Ino and Choji fight to protect an immobilized Sakura although they have depleted most of their chakra due to the relentless fighting.

Guy activates the Eight Inner Gates Formation and relentlessly attacks Six Paths Madara. Even Madara, who has attained power strong enough to create huge fissures in the ground, tries to dodge Guy's direct attacks.

It’s been three years since Naruto set out to train with Jiraiya, and he's just returned to the Hidden Leaf Village. Konohamaru immediately begs Naruto to teach him a new jutsu and he starts to go over the basics...but his explanations are very vague. Soon after, Naruto sets out on a mission, leaving Konohamaru to figure it out alone!

It’s been three years since Naruto set out to train with Jiraiya, and he's just returned to the Hidden Leaf Village. Konohamaru immediately begs Naruto to teach him a new jutsu and he starts to go over the basics...but his explanations are very vague. Soon after, Naruto sets out on a mission, leaving Konohamaru to figure it out alone!

Tenten falls under the Infinite Tsukuyomi and wakes up in the Hidden Leaf Village. When Lee and Guy Sensei appear, Tenten is relieved to see that she is not alone. But her joy is short-lived, as both men act oddly and are dressed stylishly—just where has she been transported to?

Tenten falls under the Infinite Tsukuyomi and wakes up in the Hidden Leaf Village. When Lee and Guy Sensei appear, Tenten is relieved to see that she is not alone. But her joy is short-lived, as both men act oddly and are dressed stylishly—just where has she been transported to?

Karin is caught within the Infinite Tsukuyomi and dreams of her past. She was born into the Uzumaki Clan and has the unique ability to heal anyone who bites into her. Driven out of her village, the Hidden Grass takes her in, only to use her for this ability. Karin has no choice but to endure constant suffering in order to survive. She is later chosen to enter the Chunin Exams, where Sasuke saves her life. Karin has never forgotten what he did for her—or his smile.

The Masked Man shows Neji and Naruto images of past incidents that occurred in the Leaf Village. Meanwhile, Shikamaru and friends join up with Team Jiraiya to rescue the children. After fighting side by side with the Leaf, Yahiko and the others seem to have a change of heart.

Naruto’s strength is recognized by his fellow genin, except Sasuke. But while Naruto enjoys a close relationship with his father, Sasuke’s father, Fugaku, constantly compares Sasuke with his older brother Itachi and barely pays attention to him…

Sasuke takes his frustrations out on Naruto and the two begin to fight, this time with their respective new jutsu. Minato steps in just before it turns into a disaster. From this encounter, Sasuke realizes that he is nowhere equal to Naruto in strength and joins the Leaf Police Force, determined to beat him one day.

Three years have passed since Sasuke joined the Leaf Police Force, and he's now lieutenant. But his abusive Police Force has only increased anxiety within the village, and the Uchiha remain in poor regard. Now that his training with Jiraiya has ended, Naruto returns to Hidden Leaf Village and has an explosive encounter with Sasuke in the middle of town!

Fearing that he will once again break a promise, Obito uses the last of his power to bring Sasuke and Sakura back, but the thought of his inability to protect Rin nags at him as he loses consciousness.

Recalling the time when he shared Naruto’s desire to become Hokage, Obito opens up to Naruto about his dreams.

Chakra—whose energy connects this world to those beyond—allows Obito to leave Rin's side for a moment and appear in Kakashi’s inner psyche. Obito gives him his Magekyo Sharingan and leaves with a parting wish that Kakashi become the Sixth Hokage.

Naruto and Sasuke have both become such high-level shinobi that each knows exactly what the other is thinking just by exchanging attacks. Despite knowing how Naruto feels, Sasuke is determined to cut him down.

Naruto and Sasuke have both become such high-level shinobi that each knows exactly what the other is thinking just by exchanging attacks. Despite knowing how Naruto feels, Sasuke is determined to cut him down.