Chapter Summaries

After recovering from their battle, the Sound Four continued fleeing Konoha and learned that a group of young pursuers was closing in. Meanwhile, Orochimaru endured pain in a mysterious underground chamber.

• Tayuya urged the exhausted Sound Four to keep moving before Konoha's pursuers caught them.
• Kidomaru sensed more Konoha shinobi approaching and said they were likely young students who knew their young master.
• Tayuya suggested teaching the pursuers a lesson, but Jirobo argued that their quick, unharmed arrival showed they had skill.
• Jirobo hoisted the rune-covered wooden barrel onto his back, and the Sound Four resumed their escape.
• In an underground chamber in Otogakure, Orochimaru sat with his eyes shut, apparently enduring severe pain.

Orochimaru recovered from a painful episode while Kabuto Yakushi warned that the Sound Four were in danger as Konoha pursued them. Kimimaro offered to go support them despite his frail health, and Kabuto cautioned that the mission could worsen his condition.

• Kabuto Yakushi waited beside Orochimaru as Orochimaru endured severe pain and gradually regained enough strength to speak.
• Orochimaru asked whether Jirobo, Tayuya, Kidomaru, and Sajin & Suigetsu had returned, and Kabuto said there had been no news and Konoha was pursuing them.
• Kabuto warned that Konoha still had capable shinobi available and argued that the Sound Four might need support to complete their task.
• Kimimaro volunteered to go help the Sound Four, but Kabuto objected because Kimimaro's body remained frail after his recent treatment and battle with Rasa.
• Kimimaro ignored Kabuto and considered himself the only person in Otogakure qualified to provide support.

Kimimaro asked Orochimaru to let him pursue Sasuke Uchiha, believing his illness left him little time and wanting to make one final contribution. Orochimaru agreed, though he hoped Kimimaro would return safely, and Kimimaro left.

• Kimimaro recognized that Kabuto Yakushi wanted to replace him and that his illness was nearing its end.
• Kimimaro decided to seek Orochimaru's permission to go after Sasuke Uchiha, whom Orochimaru needed as a vessel.
• Orochimaru asked Kimimaro whether he understood he might never return.
• Kimimaro insisted on going, and Orochimaru gave his approval while wishing him safety.
• Kimimaro bowed and left, while Orochimaru murmured that it was a pity.

Konoha's rookie pursuit squad tracked the Sound Four with Akamaru, while Tayuya's group chose Jirobo to stay behind and delay them. Jirobo faced the rookies, and Naruto immediately tried to question him about Sasuke.

• Kiba used a scrap of cloth to help Akamaru pick up the Sound Four's scent, and Shikamaru warned the group to stay alert.
• Tayuya explained that the Sound Four needed to either leave someone behind or attack the scouts before escaping.
• Jirobo volunteered to hold off the pursuit squad and took the barrel from Kidomaru.
• The other three Sound Four members left, and the rookies soon confronted Jirobo.
• Jirobo began forming hand seals, but Naruto interrupted to ask what he had done to Sasuke.

Jirobo attacked Konoha’s young elites with a massive boulder, then tried to stall them as they regrouped. After the dust cleared, Naruto charged him before Shikamaru could stop him.

• Jirobo hurled a huge boulder at the group, and they dodged the attack.
• Hinata climbed up coughing as the boulder’s impact filled the area with dust.
• Jirobo began preparing another earth attack, but retreated when the group launched weapons at him.
• Jirobo chose to stall rather than attack again, and the dust cleared to reveal the disheveled but unharmed group.
• Naruto charged at Jirobo, and Shikamaru failed to stop him in time.

Jirobo retaliated against Naruto and watched as Naruto summoned a towering Stone Giant to attack Konoha’s young elites. The giant began sweeping across the battlefield while Jirobo observed from its shoulder.

• Naruto struck Jirobo in the chest, but Jirobo returned the blow and sent Naruto flying.
• Naruto summoned a Stone Giant with a summoning technique.
• The Stone Giant attacked Neji, Kiba Inuzuka, and Akamaru, forcing them to dodge.
• The Stone Giant shook the battlefield with its heavy movements as Jirobo watched from its shoulder.

Naruto summoned Gama Bunta to help fight Jirobo’s Stone Giant, and the toad quickly gained the upper hand. The chapter ended with Gama Bunta drawing his sword and displaying his skill.

• Naruto summoned Gama Bunta after struggling to evade the Stone Giant’s attacks.
• Gama Bunta agreed to help Naruto and challenged the Stone Giant.
• Shikamaru and the others moved away from the fight and watched as spectators.
• Gama Bunta overpowered the Stone Giant and drew his sword, wielding it with the grace of a swordsman.

Gama Bunta defeated the Stone Giant, and Choji stayed behind to fight Jirobo so the others could continue pursuing Sasuke. As the Sound Four realized Konoha’s pursuers had caught up again, Kidomaru volunteered to hold them off.

• Gama Bunta sliced the Stone Giant in half, causing it to vanish, and Jirobo fell to the ground.
• Gama Bunta dismissed his summoning, and Choji caught Naruto as he fell.
• Choji told Shikamaru and the others to continue after Sasuke while he stayed to face Jirobo.
• Tayuya sensed Hinata and the others approaching and blamed Jirobo for failing to delay them.
• Kidomaru offered to stay behind and hold off the pursuers while Tayuya, Sakon, and Suigetsu continued onward.

Kidomaru stopped to confront the Konoha Rookie Assault Squad while Tayuya carried the barrel containing Sasuke onward. The rookies faced Kidomaru, who taunted them and called Naruto trash, leaving the confrontation poised to begin.

• Kidomaru handed Tayuya the barrel containing Sasuke and waited for the Konoha Rookie Assault Squad.
• Hinata realized the squad could have used the Byakugan to bypass Kidomaru, but kept her thoughts to herself.
• Kidomaru mocked the rookies for pursuing him and warned them about failing their mission.
• Naruto accused Kidomaru of attacking Konoha, causing the Third Hokage's death, and taking Sasuke.
• Kidomaru laughed at Naruto and called him trash.

Naruto prepared to fight Kidomaru, but Neji persuaded him to continue pursuing Sasuke while Neji stayed behind. Hinata also chose not to fight Kidomaru, leaving Neji to face him as the others moved on.

• Naruto tried to charge at Kidomaru, but Neji stopped him and urged him to focus on bringing Sasuke back.
• Neji agreed to stay behind and teach Kidomaru a lesson, while Shikamaru warned him that Kidomaru seemed strange.
• Kidomaru taunted the group and singled out Hinata, who realized he was looking down on her.
• Hinata decided to leave Kidomaru to Neji rather than waste time fighting him.

Neji stayed behind to fight Kidomaru while Hinata, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Naruto continued after the remaining Sound Ninja. The chapter ended as Neji prepared to attack and Shikamaru weighed the rookies’ apparent advantage against the two opponents ahead.

• Neji told the other rookies to go ahead and faced Kidomaru alone.
• Kidomaru recognized Neji’s Byakugan and chose to split the Konoha group up rather than stop the others.
• Neji took the Gentle Fist opening stance, and the second battle between the Konoha rookies and the Sound Ninja ambushers began.
• Hinata used her Byakugan to tell Kiba, Shikamaru, and Naruto that Tayuya and the brothers Sajin and Suigetsu were ahead.
• Shikamaru considered the group’s numerical advantage and their ability to detect surprises before confronting the two Sound Ninja.

Naruto and Hinata blocked Tayuya and Sakon & Ukon while Kiba Inuzuka and Shikamaru cut off their retreat. Tayuya tried to unsettle them by claiming Kidomaru was the strongest, but her words failed to cause panic.

• Naruto ordered the group to speed up and cut off their opponents, and Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata agreed.
• Naruto and Hinata blocked Tayuya and Sakon & Ukon as Kiba Inuzuka and Shikamaru sealed off their retreat.
• Ukon emerged from Sakon’s body and remarked that they were surrounded, while Tayuya told him to shut up.
• Tayuya asked what had happened to Kidomaru and warned that he should have been the strongest among them.
• Tayuya’s attempt to provoke the group failed to unsettle Hinata, Shikamaru, or Naruto.

Naruto rejected the Sound Four’s explanation and demanded Sasuke back, but Sakon said Sasuke had chosen to leave and was undergoing a dangerous transformation inside the barrel. Naruto charged at their enemies, forcing Shikamaru to organize the others into battle.

• Naruto dismissed Kiba’s concerns, trusted Neji, and demanded that Tayuya return Sasuke.
• Tayuya said Sasuke had left of his own accord, and Sakon explained that Sasuke was enduring the Heavenly Curse Mark’s transformation inside the barrel.
• Sakon taunted Naruto and challenged the group to defeat them if they wanted Sasuke back.
• Naruto charged at Sajin and Suigetsu after hearing about Sasuke’s peril.
• Shikamaru assigned himself to support Naruto and told the others to handle the remaining opponent together.

Naruto, Kiba, and Hinata fought the Sound Four, while Sajin & Suigetsu stalled until he could use his Curse Mark and Tayuya prepared to battle with her flute. Hinata became distracted by Tayuya’s music and considered taking her to become Dawn’s chief musician.

• Naruto fought Sajin & Suigetsu, who dodged his attacks and waited for his strength to recover enough to activate his Curse Mark.
• Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata confronted Tayuya, who set down her barrel and drew her flute as her weapon.
• Kiba Inuzuka told Hinata and Akamaru to attack, and Hinata took her Gentle Fist stance.
• Hinata launched an Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, but Tayuya evaded it by leaping onto a tree branch.
• Tayuya played a rhythmic melody on her flute, and Hinata considered taking her to Dawn as its chief musician.

Tayuya trapped Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata in her Dream Sound Lock Genjutsu after playing her flute. Kiba recognized the illusion but struggled against its decaying force, hoping Hinata’s Byakugan would protect her.

• Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata listened to Tayuya’s flute music and fell under her Genjutsu.
• Tayuya opened her eyes and saw both Konoha ninjas beneath the tree with their eyes shut.
• Kiba awoke in an illusion of skull-covered ground beneath a blood-red sky.
• Kiba resisted the Genjutsu’s decaying force with his Chakra and hoped Hinata’s Byakugan could shield her.

Tayuya’s Genjutsu trapped Kiba Inuzuka, but Hinata remained unaffected and bewildered Tayuya with her apparent enjoyment of the technique. Tayuya realized Genjutsu would not work on Hinata and stopped questioning her.

• Kiba Inuzuka decided to stay in Tayuya’s Genjutsu rather than risk breaking free while weakened.
• Tayuya turned away, convinced her Genjutsu had incapacitated both Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata.
• Hinata stretched and spoke as though she had enjoyed listening to Tayuya’s technique, leaving Tayuya stunned.
• Tayuya confirmed that her Genjutsu still affected Kiba Inuzuka and asked Hinata why it had failed on her.
• Hinata claimed she had listened too seriously to Tayuya’s performance, and Tayuya gave up questioning her.

Shikamaru recognized that Sakon & Suigetsu were hiding their weakness and used the Shadow Imitation Technique to immobilize them. Naruto continued attacking as Shikamaru explained how the Nara Clan’s support abilities let them catch enemies off guard.

• Shikamaru noticed Sakon & Suigetsu were acting strangely and suspected Sakon was weaker than he appeared.
• Shikamaru warned Naruto, who intensified his attacks against Sakon.
• Shikamaru used the Shadow Imitation Technique to connect to Sakon & Suigetsu and restrain them.
• Shikamaru explained that the Nara Clan excelled at supporting teammates and catching enemies off guard.

A newcomer disrupted Naruto’s attack, allowing Sakon to escape a nearly fatal hit, while Tayuya retrieved the barrel containing Sasuke. The sides faced off again, and Kimimaro called Tayuya, Sakon, and Ukon trash, provoking them.

• Ukon prepared to act as Naruto formed a Rasengan and charged at Sakon.
• A kimono-clad newcomer made Shikamaru retreat and knocked Naruto’s arm aside, redirecting the Rasengan into a tree.
• Tayuya grabbed the barrel containing Sasuke while Hinata freed Kiba from the Genjutsu and went to join Shikamaru.
• The two sides resumed their standoff, with Ukon making the confrontation four against four.
• Kimimaro called Tayuya, Sakon, and Ukon trash, and their expressions changed in anger.

After twelve hours in the wooden barrel, Sasuke emerged safely and realized where he was. Tayuya and Sajin & Suigetsu felt jealous once they recovered from their relief, while Kimimaro no longer viewed Sasuke as a threat to Orochimaru’s attention.

• The man returned to the tree trunk with the wooden barrel and asked Tayuya and Sajin & Suigetsu how long Sasuke had been inside.
• Tayuya said that about twelve hours had passed.
• The barrel’s lid fell away, and Sasuke climbed out, dazed and asking whether they had reached Otogakure.
• Sasuke looked around, understood the situation, and relieved everyone by emerging safe and sound.
• Tayuya and Sajin & Suigetsu grew jealous again, while Kimimaro did not see Sasuke as a threat as he once had.

Sasuke refused Naruto’s pleas and left to join Lord Orochimaru, while Kimimaro stayed behind to hold off the others. The standoff continued as Kimimaro learned that Jirobo and Kidomaru were expected to return soon.

• Kimimaro urged Sasuke to go to Lord Orochimaru, and Naruto pleaded with Sasuke to return to Konoha.
• Sasuke rejected Naruto’s appeals, told Kimimaro to hold the others back, and left as Naruto chased after him.
• Kimimaro stopped Tayuya and Sajin & Suigetsu from pursuing Sasuke, saying Sasuke should make his final choice.
• Shikamaru urged Kiba Inuzuka to focus on the three opponents, and Kimimaro asked where Jirobo and Kidomaru were.
• Tayuya and Sajin said Jirobo and Kidomaru should return soon.