Asuma’s team reaches the bounty station and ambushes Hidan. Izumo and Kotetsu attack Hidan, but are unable to kill him despite stabbing his vital organs. Asuma tells his teammates that if they retreat they will be killed and Konoha will be endangered. Shikamaru realizes that Asuma is considering sacrificing himself to help defeat the enemy, based on what he knows of Asuma's shogi strategy. Asuma begins fighting Hidan, while Shikamaru distracts him by forcing him to dodge Shadow Sewing. Hidan cuts Asuma on the cheek and steps into a circle of blood as Asuma uses a jutsu to engulf Hidan in a cloud of ash. Asuma then sets the cloud ablaze, supposedly killing Hidan.

Guren tries to attack Naruto within the Three-Tails, but, in her weakened state, is unable to do so and passes out. Meanwhile, Kakashi tells Sakura and Ino to heal Yūkimaru while he, Shizune, Kiba, Sai, and Hinata search for Naruto. Naruto and Guren soon encounter a horde of mini Three-Tails that try to attack them, but they evade them and begin to argue about Yūkimaru. While Yūkimaru awakens, Naruto summons a bunch of Shadow Clones to look for a way out of the beast's stomach. Elsewhere, Kabuto gives Curse Marks to Rinji's men.

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio is ordered by Shikaku to take down the reanimated Asuma. Remembering Asuma’s final words, Shikamaru and Ino are determined to stop their former teacher.