Pakkun finds the hideout of the Akatsuki. Team Kakashi and Temari prepare to set out to get Gaara back, but Temari is ordered to stay behind and help guard the village.

The new team Kakashi heads out for the Heaven and Earth bridge. Sai, Sakura, and Naruto come to blows after just 5 minutes on the same team due to Sai making fun of Sasuke. Therefore, Yamato decides they need to improve on teamwork and uses Mokuton to create a wooden cage threatening to lock the team up unless they behave. Given an ultimatum between being locked up or spending the night at a hot springs, the team chooses to visit the springs to improve team cohesion. Naruto still despises Sai despite this effort, and several insulting remarks from Sai worsen team relations.

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 rescues Sakura from certain death at Sasuke's hands and takes over the fight. After healing Karin, Sakura again decides to take on Sasuke, but her resolve fails her. Just as she comes close to death a second time, Naruto intervenes and saves her. After so long, the original Team 7 is reunited.

Tsunade talks to a council and informs about the Fourth Shinobi World War and warns others not to underestimate Akatsuki. Whereas in Land of Lightning a council is held about war, as Kisame spies on them. B paying no attention was bought in writing raps in his rhyme book. Later, Shizune informs Tsunade about Naruto's disappearance for which she ordered some shinobi to search for him. Naruto returns to Ramen Ichiraku. Two Konoha shinobi ask for his autograph, but he doesn't know how to respond. Three days later the Kage meet again to discuss how they should start pooling their resources. As the first matter of business, Naruto and Killer B are to be given constant protection. Tsunade objects since they would both be invaluable in the war with Akatsuki, but is forced to agree. Tsunade meets with A alone and asks him for a favour to let B teach Naruto how to control Nine-Tails. A says that the place where he is sending B and Naruto isn't just a hideout but a training ground. Tsunade returns to the village and informs Naruto that he's going on an S-rank misson to an island located in the Land of Lightning.

Making a stop at a nearby port to stock up on supplies, Naruto buys a rare mushroom from a vegetable merchant. But soon after they set sail for their next destination, Naruto and the other crewmembers find their ship infested with poisonous mushrooms.

As Team Asuma considers the impending war, they encounter Kosuke Maruboshi who reminds them of the time that they rescued him while they were still genin. With this, Kosuke retells the tale of the time their fathers saved him during the Invasion of Konoha with their Formation Ino–Shika–Chō. Somewhat rattled by this story, Kosuke reminds them that great shinobi weren't made in a day. As the team contemplates everything, they decide to perfect their own formation, insisting that they'd be fine because they were not alone.

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.

Guy arrives at the Waterfall of Truth to help Naruto with his training. Instead he encounters Kisame, who has infiltrated the island to locate Naruto and Killer Bee.

Part Two of the Four Week Long Special Project for the Broadcast's Tenth Anniversary - During the Chunin Exam, Sasuke witnesses Naruto’s growth as a shinobi.

Under the guidance of Killer Bee, Naruto enters the final stage of training to master the Tailed Beast Bomb, a Jinchuriki’s most powerful technique.