Having recognized that Tsunade’s healing jutsu was filled with killing intent, Kabuto realized that she had no intention of helping Orochimaru. With Tsunade being the only person who can heal Orochimaru, they decide to take her by force, and Kabuto and Tsunade begin to fight. Although Tsunade has far more battle experience than Kabuto, he [...]

As the week goes by, Naruto continues his training, though he is unable to properly mix spinning and power and has varying results. Tsunade watches Naruto’s progress from the background, noting how similar he is to both her dead brother and lover. Once a week goes by, Naruto appears to have been unsuccessful and lays [...]

Recognizing the danger the attack imposes, Tsunade forces it into the ground, where the minor damage it inflicts indicates that it is not yet complete. Despite this, Tsunade offers Naruto a proposition: if he can master the technique in one week, she’ll give him her necklace, something worth an immense amount of money. If he [...]

While Tsunade has dinner that night, Jiraiya and Naruto arrive at the same bar. Suspicious of Jiraiya’s reason for looking for her, Tsunade asks what he wants, to which he replies that Konoha wants her to be the new Hokage. She rejects the offer, saying anyone who would willingly take the title is a fool. [...]

Naruto is tasked with combining the spinning and the power developed in the previous steps, something that Jiraiya cannot help him with. As he attempts to do both, Orochimaru asks Tsunade to heal his arms, as the Third’s seal on them is causing him excruciating pain and making them unusable, leaving him unable to use [...]

Naruto soon discovers that popping the balloon is easier if he uses both of his hands, and progresses to the second step. The second step involves Naruto popping a rubber ball, something that will require much more power. After Naruto struggles with this step, Jiraiya helps him by drawing a leaf on his palm to [...]

Soon after his training begins, Naruto finds himself unable to make any progress. After asking Jiraiya for tips, Naruto decides he’ll master the jutsu in three days. Jiraiya doubts the likelihood that Naruto will live up this promise, explaining that the technique’s creator, the Fourth Hokage, took three years to develop the Rasengan in its [...]

Naruto enjoys a day out on the town while Jiraiya does some investigating into Tsunade’s whereabouts. When Jiraiya ends up using his time - and Naruto’s money - to enjoy sake and women, he starts teaching Naruto the Rasengan. To begin learning the technique, Naruto must pop a water-filled balloon held in the palm of [...]

Although Jiraiya prepares to fight the two Akatsuki members, Sasuke proclaims that he will kill Itachi. Itachi brutally beats and berates his brother, even using Tsukuyomi. Sasuke falls unconscious, and Jiraiya uses the ensuing chaos to prepare a powerful technique, forcing the Akatsuki team to flee. Might Guy arrives and takes Sasuke back to Konoha. [...]

As Kisame and Itachi contemplate how best to carry Naruto, Sasuke arrives and attacks Itachi with his Chidori. Uninterested in their quarrel, Itachi effortlessly stops the attack. Naruto attempts to summon a toad, but Kisame absorbs his chakra before he can do so and proceeds to attack. Jiraiya arrives to block the attack.