Sasuke and Naruto’s fight progresses slowly as Sasuke continues to remember his childhood. In his memories, Sasuke learns the Fire Ball jutsu, but then feels the need to confirm everything else is okay, also. After doing this, in his own mind, he heads to school and decides that he will not lose to Itachi. In [...]

Naruto rises from the flames unharmed, and Sasuke begins to remember his childhood and his reasons for becoming obsessed with power. Sasuke’s childhood was spent living in his brother, Itachi’s, shadow. Being the prodigy of the clan, Itachi received all the attention from their father, leaving Sasuke to live his life trying to earn his [...]

Episode 127: Recognizing the potency of Gaara’s attack and the strength of his defenses, Kimimaro hardens a bone around his arm into the shape of a drill. With this, his strongest weapon, Kimimaro charges at Gaara, though Gaara’s final defense proves too much for it and it shatters. Calling upon the sand in the ground, [...]

Lee, not wanting help, tries to bypass Gaara and attack Kimimaro. Because Lee is still recovering from his operation, Gaara forces him to sit. Using his sand, Gaara tries to crush Kimimaro, though by activating his cursed seal Kimimaro survives the attack. Calling upon a greater amount of sand, Gaara tries to bury Kimimaro, though [...]

The arrival of the Sand ninja surprises the Konoha retrieval team and the Sound Four. Although the Konoha ninja ask their saviors to flee, each refuses, having been asked to come to help by Tsunade. Even receded from their cursed-seal state, Sakon and Ukon ridicule Kankuro and his puppet, but the latter is soon able [...]

In his drunken form, Lee’s movements are unpredictable and Kimimaro is left unable to dodge his attacks. As Lee begins gaining the advantage in the fight, Kimimaro is forced to use his more powerful abilities. Lee, however, begins to sober up, and reverts to his previous state, easily being outclassed by Kimimaro. Kimimaro prepares to [...]

As Naruto starts getting frustrated with his lack of progress, Sasuke’s cursed seal finally reaches it second level, allowing him to exit his coffin and go on ahead. Kimimaro prevents Naruto from going after him, though the arrival of the newly recovered Rock Lee forces him to let Naruto go. Lee and Kimimaro begin exchanging [...]

Despite Tayuya’s efforts, Shikamaru has devised a plan to defeat her creatures. Using a flash bang to lengthen the shadows in the area, Shikamaru captures the creatures and prepares to turn them against Tayuya. To prevent this, Tayuya calls off the creatures, making them disperse. Despite this, Tayuya is captured by Shikamaru’s shadow, forcing her [...]

Ukon separates from Kiba and rejoins with Sakon so that he can recover. Kiba finds Akamaru, and the two flee down river, hoping to escape the brothers. Naruto, meanwhile, is unable to make a dent in Kimimaro, and his shadow clones are still rapidly defeated before they can land a blow. Shikamaru, elsewhere, believes to [...]

As Tayuya guides her three beasts after Shikamaru, she activates the first level of her cursed seal to make controlling them easier. Naruto too begins his battle, creating a great deal of shadow clones with which to attack Kimimaro, though Kimimaro is able to defeat the clones by the dozens. As the fight between Kiba [...]