While Akatsuki discusses the true goals of their organization, Naruto continues his training. Meanwhile, Tsunade receives the tragic news.

As Naruto recovers from his injury, Kakashi prepares to tell him the grim news about his new technique. Meanwhile, Sasuke secretly trains and has an encounter with a strange young girl.

The sealing unit prepares the sealing barrier and the other two teams go into battle with Guren and her henchmen. Kakashi, Naruto and Sai stall Guren and Gozu while Shino prepares to go against Guren's crystal style. Meanwhile, Lee goes against Guren's other henchmen and gets trapped in their smokescreen. Can Lee find a way to defeat them?

Having become genin, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru are assigned to the future Third Hokage's platoon. Watching Sarutobi's space/time ninjutsu, Jiraiya becomes absorbed into learning it. One day, Jiraiya loses his way and stumbles upon Myouboku Mountain. There he meets the Great Toad Sage who predicted his arrival. See the origins of the Toad Sage Jiraiya!

Jiraiya realizes that the six Pains are all ninja he's met before. Putting various pieces of information together, Jiraiya figures out Pain's true identity, but Pain doesn't intend to allow Jiraiya to leave with that information alive. Elsewhere, the fated meeting between Itachi and Sasuke arrives, and Sasuke foresees Itachi's death.

As Pain tells Naruto about why he does what he does, Hinata appears on the scene and confesses her feelings to Naruto. In order to save him, she attacks Pain... Things are about to get messy and Naruto is about to go over the edge!

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.

During the two-and-a-half-year time period in which Naruto was training under Jiraiya, the latter decided that it was time for Naruto to learn how to repel genjutsu. During this training session, the two traveled to a village which Jiraiya had previously been associated with, but they discovered that something dark was amidst.

Naruto thinks back to the time when Team 7 was on a mission to capture a group of thieves who stole a golden statue. When making a move on the thieves, Naruto and Sasuke had managed to take back the statue but were separated from Sakura, who was captured. On top of that, the thieves' leader had used a special thread-like technique to bind one of Naruto's hands to one of Sasuke's. Literally stuck to each other, would Naruto and Sasuke be able to work together to save Sakura and keep the golden statue safe at the same time?

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.

Taking place in the aftermath of the Kage Summit, Team Kakashi is sent out on a mission by Tsunade to a location known as "The Hole" to investigate an incident where its people were killed.

The reborn Team Kakashi continues to investigate the recent attack by Kabuto and the reincarnated shinobi when Naruto gets swallowed by a giant snake, but manages to escape using shadow clones, and accidentally ingests snakes that were present in the pond which Kabuto uses to summon Hidan.

The legendary Ama no Hoko imbues the Nine Tails’ clone with enough power to destroy the world. Naruto is overcome by its immense power and lies unconscious.

Shikamaru, Choji, Neji, and Kiba find themselves up against some familiar faces from the past. The Sound Ninja Four have been brought back by Kabuto’s Reanimation Jutsu, and they are ready to seek vengeance.

The barrier is shattered, and Ten Tails appears! With unfathomable power in its attack, it sends shock waves through the air! Kurama takes the lead and tries to go on the offensive, but is helpless against Ten Tails' immense strength.

The Allied Shinobi Forces begin their onslaught against Obito and Madara. But Ten Tails suddenly transforms and hurls powerful Tailed Beast Bombs toward distant towns.

Naruto objects to Obito’s claim that he is the second Sage of Six Paths and declares that he is Obito Uchiha.

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

Lee challenges Shira to a battle between taijutsu users!

As Ino and her team head toward an oasis, they are attacked by a team of Sand Shinobi comprised of Ameno, Shishio, and Kouji.

Obito doesn’t understand Kakashi's way of thinking, but he finally learns why Kakashi put his mission first that time at Kannabi Bridge. Presently, Obito and Kakashi return together to confront Madara.

Tsunade continues to read Jiraiya’s novel. Chunin- and jonin-level ninja have gone missing, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato, orders a search mission with teams of genin led by Guy and Kurenai. Kakashi’s Team 7 is also dispatched, but the hero Naruto Uzumaki, despite being the Hokage’s son, has the misfortune of being labeled a loser.