Sasuke remembers the day that Itachi single-handedly wiped out the entire Uchiha clan as he desperately searches for Naruto. However, Itachi and Kisame have already found him.

Jiraiya and Naruto look on as Sasuke takes on Itachi alone. However, when the young ninja is severely outclassed, Jiraiya is forced to step in. Itachi and Kisame try to flee, but Jiraiya isn't about to let them get away so easily.

Now that Sasuke is in safe hands, Naruto and Jiraiya can continue their search for Tsunade. When they arrive at a city with a festival on the way, Jiraiya and Naruto have some fun, at least until Naruto puts a stain on a man's shirt. Jiraiya uses a new technique that easily defeats the man and offers to teach it to Naruto. What is this new technique and can Naruto master it?

Jiraiya gives Naruto the task of rotating the water in a balloon until it pops. Naruto is confident that he will accomplish this stage of the training by night, but soon learns it's not as easy as expected.

After passing stage one of the training, Naruto moves into stage two: power training. Jiraiya realizes that, like him, Naruto has a hard time concentrating, so he paints a spiral in the palm of Naruto's hand to help him to focus. With the aid of the spiral and a quick flashback to Iruka-sensei, Naruto completes stage two. Meanwhile, Tsunade's luck has become uncommonly good, which worries her. After being talked into sightseeing by her assistant, Tsunade meets Orochimaru...and she doesn't look at all pleased.

Naruto continues his training of the Rasengan, having mastered the stages of spin and power. The final stage proves to be the most difficult: control. Meanwhile, Orochimaru and Kabuto accost Tsunade and ask her to restore Orochimaru's arms. If she restores Orochimaru's arms, he promises to use his Rebirth of the Impure World kinjutsu to revive her lost lover and little brother.

Jiraiya and Naruto catch up to Tsunade, whereupon she learns that Konoha wants her to be the 5th Hokage. She refuses the title, angering Naruto, who mistakes her for being a weakling. Naruto learns first-hand how strong she really is. Naruto decides now is the time to try out the Rasengan, only he hasn't perfected it yet.

Naruto makes a bet with Tsunade, that if he can master the Rasengan in one week, she'll give him a necklace belonging the to the First Hokage. However, Shizune reveals some startling information. Everybody, except for Tsunade, who's worn that necklace has died the next day!

While Naruto continues to try and master the third step, Tsunade continues to think about Orochimaru's offer. Jiraiya tries to convince her by taking her out for a drink, only she slipped a paralyzing potion into his drink while he wasn't looking. Will Tsunade agree to Orochimaru's offer? And will Naruto master the Rasengan before the week is up?

Because Orochimaru lied to her about not attacking Konoha, Tsunade begins her onslaught against him and Kabuto. Kabuto eats a food pill and begins to attack Tsunade with his medical techniques but are they enough to defeat her? Will Jiraiya, Shizune and Naruto show up in time?

With Tsunade still paralized with fear and Naruto being a low level ninja, it is up to Shizune and Jiraiya to defeat Kabuto and Orochimaru. Orochimaru and Kabuto summon two giant snakes while Jiraiya summons Gamakichi, who does nothing. Naruto tries to help Jiraya, but he too only summons a small frog that also does nothing. Orochimaru and Kabuto attack and Shizune is easily defeated. Naruto tries Rasengan but fails. Can he master the technique before Kabuto does anything to Tsunade? How far will he go to master it?

Naruto finally lands a Rasengan into Kabuto's stomach, but not before Kabuto assures Naruto's certain death. Can Tsunade save him and protect him from Orochimaru?

With Tsunade in her current conidtion, and Jiraiya still under the effects of the drug, Tsunade and Jiraiya must work together to defeat Orochimaru. And with all three ninja having summoned their signature beasts, it's sure to be one heck of a battle!

The group are on their way back to Konoha when they stop at a town with hotsprings. Unknown to them they are being watched by men looking for Tsunade. Naruto's room gets raided and the necklace he was given goes missing with nothing but a ransom note left behind. What does it all mean? Can Naruto get the necklace back and why are they looking for Tsunade in the first place?

Naruto, Tsunade, and Shizune finally return to Konoha so Tsunade can take over and become Hokage. Konohamaru finds out that Tsunade is the Fifth but refuses to believe it. Naruto then takes Tsunade to the hospital so she can heal Sasuke, Kakashi, and Lee. She heals Sasuke and Kakashi just fine...However, her diagnosis of Rock Lee has heartbreaking consequences for him and his future.

Konohamaru locks himself in the office used by the 3rd to stop them from replacing his grandfather, the previous Hokage. Tsunade spends the day locked out of her office and researches a way to heal Rock Lee so he has a better chance of surviving the operation,

As Lee decides whether or not to go through with the operation, Gai decides to give him some motivation. Meanwhile, Tsunade frantically struggles to increase the operation's success rate.

After their mission, Naruto persuades Sakura and Sasuke to help him unmask their sensei, Kakashi. However, Squad 7 soon finds out that this is easier said than done...

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke find out their newest mission will be without Kakashi who has responsibilities elsewhere. Tsunade sends them to the Tea Country to protect someone, but the details are vague at best. Along the way they meet Idate Morino who causes the group a lot of trouble, especially when they discover who they have to protect!

The trio continue to follow Idate while fending off attacks by three Shinobi sent to kill him. They find out later just how important winning this race is to the Wasabi clan's future...

While the Shinobi that is working for Wasarabi begins to beat up Idate, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura finally reach the same island. However, some old enemies appear to get in their way once again! Will they manage to find Idate and rescue him before its too late?

With Naruto's help, Idate reaches the Modoroki Shrine... But just as he's about to cross the bridge, an old nemesis stands in his way.

Now that Sasuke and Sakura are trapped at the bottom of a cliff, it's up the Number One Knucklehead Ninja to defeat the malevolent Aoi and help Idate cross the finish line.

Hospital bound and feeling his pride shattered, Sasuke finds there is only way to redeem himself: Battle Naruto! Meanwhile, the Ino-Shika-Cho Squad sit down for some barbeque to celebrate a special occasion!

As their rivalry reaches a fever pitch, Kakashi-sensei breaks up the battle and sends Naruto and Sasuke to their corners. Meanwhile, Four Sound ninja enter the Hidden Leaf Village with only one thing on their mind... Sasuke!

Sasuke takes on all four Sound Ninja, but soon learns it's going to take more than Chidori to defeat them!

Now that word of Sasuke's departure has spread to the Fifth Hokage, she calls upon the newest Chunin, Shikamaru, to put together a squad to bring Sasuke back to the village.

The Sound Ninja have Sasuke in their clutches and it's up to the Hidden Leaf Village's top Shinobi to stop them.

As Shikamaru and the rest of the squad move in, Jirobo, one of the Sound Ninja, traps them within an Earth Dome Prison and sucks up their chakra!

Upon breaking free from the Earth Dome Prison, The Sasuke Retrieval Squad realize they don't have enough chakra to take on Jirobo... but Choji's got another idea up his sleeve.

With his life on the line against the Sound Ninja Jirobo, Choji looks back on the seeds of his friendship with Shikamaru. Can he defeat his fearsome opponent without any Chakra?

Hot on Sasuke's trail, Shikamaru and his squad get caught up in a web of unparalled chakra when they tangle with the six-armed Kidomaru!

While Naruto and the others go after Sasuke and the other Sound Ninja, Neji is locked in a desperate no-holds-barred battle with Kidomaru.

Neji's on the run from Kidomaru's bow and arrow attacks. Will Neji make it out alive or will his new-found enemy hit his blindspot dead on?

In pursuit of the Sound Ninja, Naruto, Kiba and Shikamaru strike at dawn to retrieve Sasuke and bring him back to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Naruto, Kiba and Shikamaru intercept Sasuke from the Sound Ninja Four, but little do they know that another ninja from the Sound Village has been dispatched to grab Sasuke as well.

Faced against the vicious twin duo of Sakon and Ukon, Kiba and Akamaru team up to take them out, using their most powerful jutsu.

With the Sasuke retrieval squad now split into individual battles, it's up to Naruto, Kiba and Shikamaru to stop the sound ninja. But little do they realize that there's more to their opponents than their basic techniques.

Shikamaru's got his hands full with Tayuya and her melodic attacks. Can he stop her and put an end to her malevolent flute playing?

Naruto's Shadow Clones are no match for Kimimaro's attacks. But when an old bushy-browed buddy from the Leaf Village shows up, all bets are off!

Rock Lee's back and he's full of a special medicine that has Kimimaro on the run! Can he take out the fifth Sound Ninja?

Down for the count and at the mercy of the Sound Ninja, Kiba, Shikamaru and Rock Lee get help from an unlikely bunch of new allies.

Itching to fight and with a sense of guilt from the past, Gaara tells Rock Lee to stand down and let him take on Kimimaro. Meanwhile, Naruto continues on his quest to catch the runaway Sasuke.

As Gaara demonstrates he has more than enough backbone to take on Kimimaro, Orochimaru recollects on how he brought him as a young man into the Sound Village.

Finally catching up to Sasuke, Naruto does all he can to keep him from going to Orochimaru. Does he have enough strength to stop him or is Sasuke gone for good?

Naruto and Sasuke face off in battle as we get a glimpse into Sasuke's past where his achievements were ignored by his father and his brother Itachi's behavior began to take a turn for the worst.

As Sasuke squares off against Naruto, he reflects on his past when he was neglected by both his stern father and Itachi, his brooding older brother.

While Naruto is busy underwater, Sasuke remembers the fateful day in which his clan was killed. He remembers why Itachi spared his life, and why Itachi did what what he did. Now, in order to gain the same power as his brother, he must kill his closest friend...Naruto!