Episode 101: In this episode based on a special omake, Naruto convinces Sasuke and Sakura Haruno to help him see what Kakashi's face looks like under his mask. Each one of their plans, such as buying him ramen to force him to remove his mask while he eats, fails in a comedic fashion. At the same time, they inadvertently and unknowingly thwart attempts by three ninja to kill Kakashi for goofy reasons. Finally, Kakashi agrees to take off his mask, revealing another slightly paler mask beneath it.
Episode 102: Team 7, without Kakashi, is given a mission to protect a young man, Idate, during his foot race against a rival clan that will settle the feud between the two. Idate, however, has a strong distaste for ninja. At the start of the race, he runs off in the wrong direction, confusing everyone.
Episode 103: Team 7 follows Idate to another port, which makes for a better starting point of the boating part of the race, due to the winds and the current. En route, they are attacked by the Rain ninja from the Chunin exam, who have been hired by the other clan. Team 7 defends Idate and tell him to swim for the shore, while they follow later. He does so, but is confronted by Aoi, an Amegakure ninja.
Episode 104: Aoi taunts Idate and attacks him. Team 7, who are still swimming for the island, are attacked underwater by the Rain ninja. Using the first step of training for the Rasengan, Naruto creates a huge whirlpool that saves them. They then try to rescue Idate, but prove to be no match for Aoi, who poisons them and leaves. Sakura gives them all medicine Tsunade had given her, and they seek shelter in a cave. Idate explains that he was once a Leaf ninja, but was tricked by Aoi into betraying the village after failing the Chunin Exam.
Episode 105: Fukusuke continues to celebrate with women and food when Aoi warns him that he might be celebrating prematurely. Naruto Uzumaki, carrying Idate, ascends the long flight of stairs to the Modoroki Shrine. Idate grabs the orb and heads out on his own two feet, but they are soon confronted by Aoi, waiting with Tobirama's sword of Raijin that he had Idate steal for him. Both Naruto's Rasengan and Sasuke's Chidori are repelled by the sword, though the latter is able to crack it slightly.
Episode 106: When Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno are defeated, it is up to Naruto to defeat Aoi so Idate can continue the race. After a few failed attacks, Naruto is finally able to defeat Aoi, which means Idate can continue the race. Though Fukusuke is already near the finish line, with determination and encouragement from Naruto, Idate manages to catch up and win the race, saving the Wasabi Clan.
Episode 107: As Shikamaru is officially promoted to Chunin while Lee accepts undergoing the operation, Sasuke is recuperating in the hospital after the injuries he received in the Land of Tea. Angry and jealous that Naruto has continued to get stronger while he is still not strong enough to defeat Itachi, he challenges Naruto to a fight when he and Sakura come to visit. Naruto accepts, and the two head to the roof. After exchanging several attacks, Naruto creates a Rasengan and Sasuke prepares his Chidori. The two rush towards each other, with Sakura screaming for them to stop.
Episode 108: As Naruto and Sasuke are about to clash, Kakashi Hatake appears and deflects them into different water towers. Sasuke finds Naruto's tower to be considerably worse off, and only comes to envy Naruto's strength more upon seeing the actual damage. Kakashi takes Sasuke aside and lectures him about not attacking friends. Sasuke said if anyone Kakashi cared about gets killed in front of him maybe he would think differently, Kakashi then tells him that he is too late to test it out, because they are all already dead. Kakashi tells Sasuke that Revenge will not truly bring happiness to him and is the wrong answer and leaves him, trusting he will not choose vengeance. Meanwhile, Sakura asks Naruto on a date that she had denied a long time ago when they were first assigned to Team 7. While Sasuke debates on whether to stay with the village or take revenge on Itachi, the Sound Four arrive and attack him.
Episode 109: Sasuke continues his battle with the Sound Four, but eventually becomes too injured, including being weakened by using the Curse Mark. The Sound Four tell stories of how Sasuke can become stronger if he would lend his power to Orochimaru. Sasuke, tired of playing ninja games, finally gives in, and goes to them. Sakura tries to stop him, but fails as Sasuke vanishes before she can persuade him more and he knocks Sakura unconscious after saying "Thank You".
Episode 110: When Sakura awakens, she informs Tsunade of Sasuke's defection. Unable to send higher ranking ninja after Sasuke, Tsunade orders Shikamaru Nara to assemble a team of genin under his lead to go after Sasuke. He selects Naruto, Neji Hyuga, Choji Akimichi, and Kiba Inuzuka, and quickly devises the optimal formation for the group. Before they leave, Sakura pleads to Naruto to make sure to bring Sasuke back. Naruto promises to do so, and the group sets out.
Episode 111: As the first step in gaining power, Sasuke's cursed seal must be advanced to its second state. For this to happen, the Sound Four seals Sasuke into a barrel and carry him from Konoha as his seal advances. They are confronted by two nearby Konoha ninja, Raido Namiashi and Genma Shiranui, but eventually defeat them thanks to their cursed seals. After carrying Sasuke for a ways, the Sound Four takes a break, giving the recently caught up retrieval team a chance to try a sneak attack. Their presence is detected, and the Sound Four attacks them before they can make a move.
Episode 112: Although the Sound Four's attack seems to force the retrieval team on the defensive, Shikamaru intended to be caught and uses the opportunity to capture the Sound Four with his shadow. They manage to escape, and Jirobo captures the retrieval team in a dome of rocks. As the other Sound Four members go on ahead, Jirobo absorbs the Konoha ninja's chakra. Before their chakra is completely absorbed, Choji manages to break out of the dome, freeing the team.
Episode 113: Freed, Choji volunteers to stay behind and deal with Jirobo to give the rest of the team a chance to catch up to the other Sound Four members. As the team goes on, Choji eats the first of the Akimichi's Three Colored Pills, increasing his strength. Doing so proves enough to overpower Jirobo, forcing him to advance his cursed seal to its first level. With Jirobo now having the upper hand, Choji takes the second Akimichi pill.
Episode 114: With the second pill in his system, Choji uses the Multi-Size Technique to dramatically increase his size and fall upon Jirobo. To escape the crushing effects of Choji's increased bulk, Jirobo advances to level 2 of his cursed seal, enabling him to lift Choji and toss him aside. Outmatched, Choji considers taking the last pill. While all of the pills he has taken thus far have been harmful to him, the third almost guarantees death to the user. Thinking of Shikamaru Nara , Choji takes the pill, allowing him to easily overpower and kill Jirobo. His battle won, Choji begins to follow his friends' path, though falls unconscious before making it very far.
Episode 115: When the retrieval team catches up with the Sound Four, they are quickly caught in Kidomaru's webs. As Kidomaru is about to finish off Naruto, Neji frees himself from the webbings and saves the rest of the team. Because only his Gentle Fist style can break Kidomaru's chakra-infused webbing, Neji decides to deal with him himself, instructs the others to go on without him, and begins to fight Kidomaru.Kidomaru finds out how Neji can cut his webbings.Although Kidomaru soon believes himself to have the advantage, Neji readies his Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms to prove him wrong.
Episode 116: Kidomaru manages to shield himself from the attack, and flees to the safety of the neighboring trees. Deciding to attack Neji from a distance, Kidomaru advances his seal to its first level and sends multiple spiders to attack Neji. Neji is able to repel them all, though Kidomaru notices a delayed reaction in some of Neji's blocks. He theorizes that Neji's defenses has a blind spot, and attacks him further from this blind spot. His theory is proven correct as Neji is unable to block the attack. Believing himself to have found Neji's weakness, Kidomaru prepares to finish the battle.
Episode 117: After advancing his cursed seal to its second state and creating a bow and arrow with his webs, Kidomaru begins taking shots at Neji's blind spot. Neji is able to block the attacks enough to keep them from hitting vital areas, though is still left heavily damaged with each of Kidomaru's attacks. Ready to finish the battle, Kidomaru prepares his most deadly arrow for use, and fires it at Neji. Neji takes the arrow full force, though already knowing of his blind spot moves at the last second to keep the arrow from piercing his heart. With Kidomaru's arrow connected to him by a web, Neji sends his chakra into the web, paralyzing Kidomaru. As Kidomaru lies helpless, Neji approaches him and deals a finishing blow. His injuries too severe, Neji collapses, leaving the retrieval of Sasuke up to the others.
Episode 118: Orochimaru, his body left useless after his failed invasion of Konoha, anxiously waits for Sasuke so that he can switch to Sasuke's body. Although he puts it off for as long as he can, hoping that the Sound Four will arrive in time, his body brings him too much pain and he is forced to switch to the body of one of his prisoners. Elsewhere, the retrieval team catches up with the Sound Four and tries to get Sasuke back.
Episode 119: Soon after the battle begins, Kiba and his dog, Akamaru, fall off a cliff with Sakon. Shikamaru engages Tayuya while Naruto goes after Kimimaro, who is carrying Sasuke's coffin. Desperate to get Sasuke back, Naruto begins tapping into the demon fox's chakra to engage Kimimaro. As the battle between Shikamaru and Tayuya begins, Tayuya summons three creatures to help her in combat. With Kiba and Sakon's battle already underway elsewhere, Sakon's brother, Ukon reveals himself to help Sakon fight.
Episode 120: 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 and Akamaru vs. Sakon and Ukon rages on, Ukon pushes his cursed seal into its second level. Recognizing the huge increase in strength that this allows the brothers, Kiba and Akamaru combine to become a giant double-headed wolf. The combined beast charges towards Sakon and Ukon, though the brothers are able to block the attack. As the wolf transformation disperses, Akamaru is attacked and left heavily injured, and Ukon merges himself with Kiba's body. Needing to get rid of Ukon to save Akamaru, Kiba stabs himself in the stomach, causing him and Ukon to start coughing up blood.
Rating: 9/10(Average)
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