Naruto season 4

While Naruto Uzumaki battles Sasuke Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake learns of Sasuke's defection from Tsunade and is confronted by Sakura Haruno. After trying to calm Sakura down, Kakashi heads off to search for Sasuke and Naruto. Meanwhile, believing Naruto to be his closest friend, Sasuke prepares to kill him in hopes that Naruto's death would be an acceptable price for his Sharingan to evolve into a Mangekyo Sharingan. Naruto's Rasengan and Sasuke's Chidori clash, though neither is capable of overpowering the other. Activating his cursed seal in order to gain an advantage, Sasuke mercilessly beats Naruto but his Chidori nearly hits Naruto's heart. While Sasuke thinks the battle to be won, the Nine-Tails' chakra begins to envelop Naruto as his wounds are healed as he resolves to beat Sasuke to a bloodied pulp if that is what it will take to bring him home.

Naruto's newfound power overwhelms Sasuke as he yells at Naruto about not knowing how it feels to lose a family. But Naruto, having known the pain of not having a family, explains that he considers Sasuke as a brother. Sasuke puts on his headband while proclaiming that Naruto will not be able to hit it as he manages to fully develop his Sharingan and is now able to read Naruto's quick movements and counterattack, even when using Shadow-Clones. Sasuke manages to inflict numerous devastating and bone-crushing attacks on Naruto. It is not until Sasuke slams him from the sky all the way to the ground that Naruto is still and beaten. Needing more strength to fight, Naruto calls upon even more of the Nine-Tails' chakra as it covers his body. Due to the movement of the chakra cloak, Sasuke cannot read Naruto's movements. This shroud also acts as a shield, and Sasuke's attacks are quickly dispersed before reaching Naruto; the tangible chakra also acts as a potent weapon, negating the Sharingan's prediction abilities and allowing Naruto to attack from afar by extending the chakra into a claw-like attack. As the demon fox-form continues its ravaging onslaught, Sasuke is put on the defensive, forcing him to advance his Cursed Mark powers to its final level to compensate.

After activating Stage 2 of his Cursed Mark, Sasuke transforms into a winged equal to Naruto in power. Both remembering their time as teammates, Sasuke enlightens Naruto that they are in the "Final Valley" and mentions the irony of it as a fitting place to settle things between them once and for all. With Naruto and Sasuke at their peaks of power, the two prepare their final attacks: Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra infused Rasengan and Sasuke's Curse-Mark enhanced Chidori collide and forming a dome around the two before Sasuke stabs Naruto through the chest. With the last of his strength, Naruto leaves a deep scratch on Sasuke's headband. The dome disappears, and Sasuke stands over Naruto in victory. However, refusing to follow the same path as his brother (killing your best friend to unlock the Mangekyo Sharingan), and also remembering what Naruto means to him, Sasuke spares Naruto’s life and heads off to Orochimaru’s hideout. Kakashi arrives soon after to see a knocked-out and injured Naruto, carrying him away while unaware that a mysterious member of the Akatsuki had watched the entire fight unfold from underground.

Briefly coming to on Kakashi's back as the rest of the Sasuke Retrieval Team is brought back to the Hidden Leaf to make full recovery, Naruto learns that Sasuke escaped. Once fully recovered in his hospital bed, Naruto talks to Shikamaru Nara of how he failed to get Sasuke. Eavesdropping on them and reluctant to enter until Tsunade arrived to check up on Naruto, Sakura resolves to hide her sadness to cheer her team mate up as he apologizes to her for not keeping his promise. But Sakura tells him that they'll get Sasuke back together when another chance comes. Jiraiya offers Naruto a chance to leave with him for three years to train to defend himself against Orochimaru and the Akatsuki. Naruto rebukes his offer, saying that he needs to focus on saving his friend first. Though Jiraiya tries to convince him that Sasuke is beyond the point of return, Naruto refuses to accept it and vows to become strong enough to get Sasuke back. Though seeing the boy's intent foolish, Jiraiya decides to help Naruto and agrees to train him when he is ready. Elsewhere, as Sasuke arrives to Orochimaru's lair to become his apprentice, the Akatsuki assemble to discuss the new turn of events while their leader tells them that their mission is more vital.

Jiraiya begins to worry about Naruto and Sakura's well-being. He then requests that Tsunade send the two on a mission with him. He finds Naruto, telling Sakura he is not going to stop her from going after Sasuke, but he is going with her, and tells them about the mission. They head off to the Land of Rice Fields to find the Hidden Sound Village, and hopefully Sasuke as well.

Naruto, Sakura, and Jiraiya end up in a town that is worse than the one out of which they were chased. Jiraiya heads off and leaves Naruto and Sakura to get food. Along the way, they find the female ninja that attacked them before. Because the ninja is injured, Naruto and Sakura fight some Sound ninja to save her. They then learn that her name is Sasame, and that she is looking for her cousin Arashi, who went with several members of their clan to join Orochimaru to revive the clan.

When Sasame drugs Naruto, Sakura and Jiraiya, she prepares to let them be given to Orochimaru in order for her to be led to Arashi. But, when she discovers that they were planning to be killed, she begs the ones about to do so to stop. Naruto reveals that he and the others faked being put to sleep, and attack. Kagerou attacks Naruto and Jiraiya with a powerful technique that shortens her life, then escapes with Jigumo and Kamikiri. When Jigumo and Kamikiri discover that they were being used by Orochimaru, they attack him, but are apparently killed.

Sasame leads Naruto, Jiraiya, and Sakura to Orochimaru's hideout. They send Sasame back to the village because of the danger level. Jiraiya summons Gamakichi to go in first and investigate. The four come to three tunnels. Jiraiya goes off to the right, Naruto and Sakura down the middle and Gamakichi down the left. Through the tunnels, they find several deadly booby-traps and dangers. Naruto easily falls for the first, but manages to rescue Sakura from the rest. It comes to the point where there is a trap-door in which Naruto saves Sakura from, falling into it himself. He tells her to go on without him. Sakura trusts him and leaves, Naruto ends up in a dark room with many bamboo sticks and struggles to get free. Meanwhile, as Sakura enters a large vacant room she battles Kabuto Yakushi and Orochimaru, who already have the upper hand.

In the room Naruto's in, he encounters Gamakichi, who seems to be of no use in his struggle, the room soon floods with water. Sakura attempts to battle Kabuto, telling him that she believes Naruto and herself will save Sasuke together. She soon loses focus when Kabuto begins harassing her with thoughts of Sasuke's inevitable death. He states that " Sasuke is already dead, and you two can meet with him in the afterlife." She begins sobbing and remains still as Kabuto is about to murder her. Naruto arrives in the nick of time to save Sakura, but she is still petrified in tears. Naruto tells her not to believe him, takes her away and a battle ensues. Naruto battles Kabuto viciously using Shadow-Clones, but Kabuto defeats them with a fire technique. Eventually, Naruto corners and defeats him with the Rasengan, injuring him badly. Although appeared defeated, Kabuto traps him in some chakra threads immune to normal blades that connect their hearts; if Kabuto's heart stops, so will Naruto's. He states that he is willing to sacrifice himself to please Orochimaru. Before Kabuto can crush his own heart, Sasame arrives and gives Sakura a tag to wrap on her kunai. Sakura cuts off Kabuto's threads and frees Naruto. Sasame reveals that the chakra threads are a special technique of the Fuma clan. A dying Kabuto's mask is removed and it is revealed that it was Kagerou all along. Orochimaru arrives and in turn removes his mask to reveal he is in fact Arashi. Arashi begins to Transform into a monster.

Naruto takes on Arashi, but gets trapped and beaten easily. Sakura thinks he's dead and Naruto ends up blowing his sneak attack cover to protect her, getting pierced by the spine. Naruto tries his attack again, but his injury causes a problem. Naruto gets trapped in an attack that will crush him if he doesn't get out. Sasame attacks Arashi and manages to set him free for a second. However, it doesn't last long and he soon tries to kill Sasame. Sakura jumps in the way and says she will give her life to protect her friends. Naruto tells her she can't die and Arashi tries to finish Naruto off. Sasame causes enough of a distraction for Naruto to break free. The attack caused by Naruto frees Arashi, and Arashi protects Sasame from the monster that was part of his body. The place begins to collapse and Jiraiya arrives. Arashi throws them out and tells them he can't leave since he is a puppet. He tells Naruto that Sasuke is alive and they all leave, leaving Arashi behind. The Fuma Clan promises to rebuild their town and everyone heads back to Konoha. Considering herself to have been of little use, Sakura asks to become Tsunade's pupil and learn to become a medical ninja. She also meets Naruto in the hospital and thanks him, insisting that next time, she would help him save Sasuke.

With the events of the Rice Field Country behind them, everyone prepares for their training. But, a new threat soon arises. Mizuki is back, and he is planning to break out of Konoha's Correctional Facility along with the help of Fujin and Raijin, the Legendary Stupid Brothers (changed to the Famous Idiot Brothers in the dub). However, this time Orochimaru may be pulling the strings. Asuma and Kurenai are sent to interrogate Mizuki, but they run into trouble on the way. Naruto shows up and find the two jonin injured and defeated.

Shizune and her team encounter Mizuki, but all of them are defeated. When Tonton comes back to warn Tsunade, Naruto takes the initiative to find Shizune with Tonton's help. Kakashi arrives and finds out the situation. Unfortunately, he has another mission. So, he summons Pakkun who will guide Iruka to Naruto. Iruka eventually catches up to Naruto and Pakkun sends Tonton back to the village. Pakkun leads them and they soon find Shizune. They chase after Mizuki, when they soon fall into a trap. Iruka reveals that Shizune is not Shizune, but actually Mizuki. Mizuki attacks Iruka while Naruto deals with Fujin and Raijin. Naruto soon finds that his attacks are ineffective.

Naruto is having trouble with the two brothers, and Iruka is having his share of difficulties with Mizuki. Iruka struggles to try to get the old Mizuki back, but Mizuki explains the only reason he was ever nice to Iruka was because he wanted to be the Hokage's favorite too. He wanted Iruka to be miserable, and not to have everyone else be so kind to Iruka and not himself. Iruka and Mizuki then prepare to fight again. Meanwhile, after many shadow clone attacks, Naruto finally has a chance to use Rasengan. The brothers accidentally destroy their lunch and make Naruto's attack hit his shadow clones. As they prepare to kill him, Shikamaru, Choji and Ino come to the rescue.

Team 10 tells Naruto that they will take care of the brothers, and use their combined skills to immobilize them. Naruto leaves to catch up to Iruka, who is fighting Mizuki in a building used to test academy instructors. It is revealed that Iruka and Mizuki are childhood friends, although Mizuki only hoped to get close to the Hokage. Mizuki reveals that he has become stronger and learned new techniques while in prison, and destroys the building they are in.

Naruto, Iruka, and Pakkun meet up with Mizuki's fiancée Tsubaki, and she has come to offer help to the three, feeling responsible for not having stopped him earlier. Meanwhile, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji are having trouble holding the two brothers off, and they know that they can't defeat them, so they are stalling for time. Meanwhile, Tsunade discovers a startling secret about Mizuki and Orochimaru, and leaves to intervene. Naruto, Iruka, Pakkun, and Tsubaki finally reach Mizuki, but it is too late, he has already completed the formula he was making. Now that he has drunk it, he turns into a new monstrous form. And, Naruto has recognized Mizuki's transformation as one nearly identical to that of Orochimaru's Cursed Seal.

Mizuki is determined to make Naruto and Iruka suffer, and it appears like he has the upper edge with his improved strength and speed. Meanwhile, Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru are at their limits, and now Fujin and Raijin are free. That is until Tsunade shows up and defeats them both easily. Fujin and Raijin surrender and agree to return peacefully to the institution. Mizuki on the other hand has converted all of his speed to power and prepares to finish Naruto off. But, Iruka thinks up a plan and traps Mizuki, giving Naruto the chance to use the Rasengan on him. Mizuki reverts to his original form, badly damaged when Tsunade shows up and explains everything about the potion Mizuki took. Mizuki will no longer be able to fight as a shinobi. Iruka offers to treat everyone at the ramen bar, and thinks about how Naruto saved his life the same way he had saved Naruto before.

Naruto is frustrated by Mizuki's inability to lead him to Sasuke or Orochimaru, and begins pestering Tsunade to allow him to look for him. Hinata sympathizes with Naruto, and suggests trying to find a way to help him. Shino realizes that a Bikochu, a very rare insect, could track down Sasuke if it smelled his scent. As Kurenai Yuhi is being hospitalized for injuries suffered during the prison break, Shino is tasked with leading Team 8 to find the Bikochu, and Naruto joins as the fourth member. It is also revealed that Hinata is practicing a new defensive technique, and has nearly mastered it.

The original members of Team 8 realize that they are being followed by hostile bug-users (Kamizuru Clan), but decide not to engage them or tell Naruto about the enemy's presence, for fear of endangering the Bikochu. Hinata begins to worry that she is hindering her group, but eventually manages to locate the Bikochu with her Byakugan, allowing Naruto to capture it. Before Team 8 can leave the forest, however, Hinata is attacked and abducted by the bug users, who demand the Bikochu in return for her safety.

It is revealed that the bug users who kidnapped Hinata are part of a clan that was an old rival of the Aburame clan. It seeks to recover a scroll using the Bikochu in order to restore its former glory. Hinata's companions hide the Bikochu and attempt to rescue her, but are lured into a trap. Hinata attempts to escape, but is swept down a river while stuck in a cocoon.

Hinata's companions are captured by the Kamizuru Clan, who attempt to search for the Bikochu, Hinata successfully escapes, and destroys all of the rival bug users' insects with her new technique and forces them away, saving her companions. While trying to retrieve Sasuke's forehead protector, Naruto accidentally farts on the Bikochu, causing it to memorise his scent instead of Sasuke's. Although the mission fails to find a way of locating Sasuke, Hinata appears more confident, and her father seems to respect her more.

When Naruto saves three guys, he is dragged into yet another mission. However, unlike the last two this is one he does not wish to partake in. However, when Guy reveals information that the leader of the Kurosuki Family, Raiga, is connected with the Seven Swordsman of the Mist, Naruto decides to change his mind, since Zabuza Momochi and Kisame Hoshigaki of Akatsuki were each a part of the group. Lee concludes that as Kisame is Itachi's partner, finding Itachi may bring them closer to Sasuke. With Neji, Lee, and Tenten as his allies, the group goes on their new mission.

Out to try and save Roukusuke, Naruto and the others ambush members of the Kurosuki Family and save an old man. They soon hear the funeral bell and go and save Roukusuke. However, Rock Lee meets an old friend among the group, and Lee must now convince Karashi to return to his old way of life. Their time together is cut short, as Raiga watches from the sidelines. Naruto and his team pursue Raiga into a thick fog, and find that Raiga is able to conceal himself from even the Byakugan.

With Neji unable to see through the mist, the group loses the advantage of his eyesight. He is tricked into thinking that random objects are real people by a mysterious jutsu. Rock Lee manages to hold Raiga off by fighting while still unconscious. When a mysterious case is knocked off of Raiga's back, Raiga becomes weaker and is eventually defeated by Naruto. When the gang opens the case, they discover a young boy named Ranmaru, who has been riding on Raiga's back the entire time. Ranmaru reveals that Raiga cared for him, and that he helps Raiga fight by serving as his "eyes".

With Raiga seemingly dead, the gang heads back to find Karashi waiting for them. It turns out to be a trap as the Kurosuki Family ambushes them. Luckily, Naruto fools them not once, but twice, with his clones. With the enemies defeated, the villagers focus their anger on Karashi. Rock Lee intercepts them and says that Karashi is still young and weak, and that it is partially his fault Karashi joined the Kurosuki Family. Lee begs them to let him return to his mother, promising to punish Karashi himself if he should fall from grace. The villagers agree and the group heads back, but not before picking up Ranmaru. They head back to the Curry of Life shop for a meal, where Naruto tries to retrieve information from Ranmaru. Ranmaru has Karashi take him to the canyon where Raiga fell, and uses his own chakra to revive him.

Raiga awakes to find Ranmaru unconscious. Tenten has no choice but to engage Raiga by herself, but is eventually defeated. Raiga then demands that Karashi turn over Lee, Neji and Naruto to him, threatening to kill him and his mother. Karashi tricks the group into going to Raiga, and attempts to escape with his mother. Tenten returns with Ranmaru, insisting that he live because it is a choice his and Raiga's victims did not have, and has Sanshou make the Curry of Life for him. Elsewhere, Naruto, Lee and Neji are faring badly against Raiga, who is using a thunderstorm to increase his power, but Sanshou heads out to provide curry for them.

Naruto Uzumaki, Rock Lee and Neji Hyuga continue their fight against Raiga Kurosuki, with Raiga utilizing a local thunderstorm to provide him with a practically infinite source of lightning to use. Raiga manages to knock all of them out with his electricity, but Sanshou, Tenten, Karashi and Ranmaru give them the Curry of Life, but accidentally intoxicate Lee in the process. Ranmaru returns to Raiga, telling him the four are dead, and with his viewpoint of the world changed by the Konoha ninja, attempts to lead Raiga off a cliff. This fails when a drunken Lee attacks Raiga, who angrily dispatches him. Ranmaru attempts to get Raiga to stop the battle, but Raiga attacks him, accusing him of abandoning him. Naruto returns, though and defeats Raiga by punching him off a ledge, from which Raiga commits suicide by using lightning to incinerate his body. Ranmaru begins training alongside Karashi as an apprentice at the curry shop, and Naruto's team returns to Konoha.

Each of Konoha's Genin have been assigned to lead a squad of three academy students in a survival exercise. Naruto Uzumaki is teamed up with Konohamaru and his two friends. The three find out that Naruto's leadership, navigation, and foraging skills leave much to be desired and they end up lost in the mountains during a thunderstorm. They learn to pull their strengths to survive the mountains long enough for help to arrive. Then they blame Naruto for getting them into the disaster.

Naruto, Hinata and Kiba accept what they believe will be an easy mission to catch a crook. Upon arriving at the thief's last known location, however, they learn that another bounty hunter is pursuing the thief and that the thief is a skilled ninja. The bounty hunter is wounded in the battle, and Naruto's group take him to safety, but discover that he, too, is a wanted criminal.

The bounty hunter reveals that he was framed for murdering a family and that the thief that he and Naruto's group is hunting is the culprit; he wants to capture him to clear his name. The four locate the thief in a nearby city, in the process of attempting to steal a valuable bell. After the bounty hunter captures the thief, he is captured himself, and his innocence is revealed. Despite this, Naruto's group fails the mission because they did not capture the thief.

Two outsiders, Mondai and Potcha, come to infiltrate the village and gather its secrets by disguising themselves as Might Guy and Rock Lee, while the real Guy and Lee are out on a mission. They are oblivious to the fact that their disguises are fooling nobody, except for Naruto. Tsunade, Sakura, and Tenten string them along by giving them outrageous missions, preventing them from learning anything. The real Lee and Guy return to kick their impostors off into the distance, and discover that Naruto never realized the truth.

Naruto, Neji, and Tenten are sent by Tsunade to the Land of Birds to investigate reports of a ghost, Noroimusha, terrorizing the local population. Upon arriving, they learn that the daimyō has died, and that his son, the successor, cares little about his duties due to the recent death of his sister. Later that evening, the Konoha ninja encounter Noroimusha and give chase. After cornering it, however, an examination by Neji's Byakugan makes the group realize that the armor the Noroimusha is wearing is empty.

The episode starts with the group talking at Mousou's house. After that they discuss that Koumei, the village strategist and the son's potential rival for succession, may be behind the Noroimusha. To prove this, they try to visit the new feudal lord Sagi at a lake where he holds his lost memories of his sister Toki. The group protects the feudal lord from assassins, and pursues the Noroimusha to its meeting with Koumei, where after it is defeated, it is revealed that it and the previous Noroimusha were two different individuals. The group finds evidence that indicates that Koumei may have been behind the second Noroimusha's appearance, and Koumei is arrested.

The episode starts with Mousou stating the mission is over. Naruto, however, is skeptical, and investigates where he and his companions fought the Noroimusha. He finds a secret passage to the feudal lord's mansion, but is caught. When Chishima goes to warn Mousou about Naruto investigating, he accidentally sees Mousou meeting with Watari ninja. Chishima tries to escape to inform the others about this development, but is pursued and injured by the Watari ninja. The Noroimusha arrives in Naruto's cell, and he is sentenced to death.

The episode starts with Neji, Tenten, and Kakashi staring at a grave. As they head back they throw off a pursuer with a replacement, but are being shadowed by another. Koumei is about to be forced to commit seppuku, but the Noroimusha saves him. Shortly afterwards, it is revealed that Naruto disguised himself as the Noroimusha. Kakashi fights Nagare, who uses moves copied from other ninja. Naruto, Neji and Tenten discover that the true identity of the Noroimusha is the feudal lord himself, who seeks to kill Mousou to avenge his father.

The episode begins with a flashback that reveals that Sagi, not Toki, died, and that Toki took on her brother's identity to avenge his death. Toki assumes the identity of the Noroimusha, and attempts to attack Mousou, but is subdued by Mousou's imitation ninjutsu. Mousou's Watari ninjas and Naruto's group join the battle. While his companions fight the Watari ninja, Naruto pursues Mousou and is caught in a genjutsu.

Mousou reveals himself to be Hoki the migrating ninja, who plans to travel and collect as many jutsus as possible. He seemingly kills Chishima and knocks Naruto underwater. Naruto awakens when Sagi's ghost asks him to save Toki from her desire for revenge and defeat Mousou. Naruto rises from the water and punches Hoki, then tells Toki that he has seen Sagi. Naruto then fights against and defeats Hoki. Chishima turns out to have survived Hoki's attack. Toki apologizes to her subjects for deceiving them, but asks them to allow her to remain ruler in order to restore the Bird Country. After the group leaves, Neji tells Naruto that the first Cursed Warrior they encountered was a real ghost, much to his horror.

This episode pays tribute to cooking-themed anime series such as Chūka Ichiban and Yakitate!! Japan. Naruto, Chouji and Sakura volunteer to help Teuchi, whose daughter Ayame was kidnapped by a band of cooking ninja. To save her they must come up with the ultimate ramen recipe. Teuchi tries to teach them how to cook, and the three take advantage of their ninja techniques to make the perfect bowl of ramen. When they rescue Ayame, she has grown fat due to being unable to resist the cooking ninjas' food. To bring her to her regular self, she eats Teuchi's diet ramen that appears to be designed to make people lose weight from eating it. The episode ends by showing almost every single female ninja in the show lined up for ramen. However, in the end it shows Teuchi eating the diet ramen and losing too much weight.

Anko Mitarashi is dispatched to the Land of the Sea with Naruto, Shino, and Ino to investigate the nature of the "Kaima" monster. Upon arriving, Anko recalls her time with Orochimaru in this area, and her Cursed Seal begins to resonate and cause her pain. At the docks, the group sees Yoroi Akado and Misumi Tsurugi accosting a young girl. Naruto chases them away, but does not recognize them. When the group sets off to one of the islands, Yoroi and Misumi attack, and Naruto nearly drowns until he is saved by the girl he saw earlier.

Naruto awakens in the girl's hut, where she identifies herself as Isaribi. Upon thanking her, Naruto realizes that she is being ostracized by the local residents, and he angrily chases away the children that have arrived to torment her. Meanwhile, Orochimaru is meeting with Amachi, a scientist conducting experiments under his direction. Sasuke Uchiha is also present, and ends their conversation when it's directed towards him. The remaining members of Team Anko have arrived at the island, where they are briefed on the payment schedule that they have to defend, and they locate the Demon of the Ocean (Kaima) in the meantime. However, Naruto arrives, and identifies the Kaima as Isaribi. The arrival of Yoroi enables Isaribi to escape, and the two escape. Anko attempts to pursue but is paralyzed by pain from her cursed seal. Anko falls unconscious from the pain caused by the Cursed Seal.

While in the beach, Anko, still unconscious, is being tended by Ino. Meanwhile, Naruto explains his encounter with Isaribi earlier. The episode continues back into Anko's sudden remembrance of her memories. She sees Orochimaru approaching her, telling her that the Hokage knows about their experiments. Shino, Naruto and Ino decided to continue their original mission: To protect the official payments and capture the Kaima (Isaribi). The group heads to Demon Island (Kikaijima), an island located in the Land of the Sea where supposedly the Kaima resides. Anko awakes and explains that the Kaima (Demon of the Ocean) is a human who has undergone physical transmutations. While they are talking, Yoroi and Isaribi head underwater to Orochimaru's lair. Inside, Isaribi passes on the information relating to the official payments and asks when she will return to normal. Yoroi tells her that she is a prototype and when he is done collecting information from her, he would change her back. He also sends her to dispatch Naruto and the rest of the group who has just arrived on the shore. Shino, Naruto and Ino find themselves in an experimental laboratory with many creatures contained in test pillars. Isaribi approaches from behind and triggers a trapdoor. The three genin fall through the trapdoor and Anko appears behind Isaribi with a kunai at her throat. Isaribi gets away and leaves Anko locked in the room facing three large lion-like animal mutations. Anko makes quick work of the three, only leaving the curse mark to pain her. The rest of the team faces Yoroi Akado, who is working for the enemy. Shino takes up the challenge while Naruto and Ino continue running to catch up with Anko. Anko, Naruto and Ino find themselves facing Amachi and Isaribi. Amachi and Isaribi run off just while Misumi Tsurugi comes to face them. Ino uses her mind manipulation jutsu to restrain him. Shino's opponent disappears as the island begins to collapse. Isaribi, Amachi and Yoroi escape on a ship, leaving Team Anko to die in the collapsing building. Naruto frantically searches for an exit.

Anko rescues the team by summoning a giant snake, which takes the team in its mouth and breaks through the wall. Team Anko quickly pursues the enemy. After encountering Amachi, Naruto is caught in his attack and is able to use the demon fox's chakra to free himself.

The demon fox within Naruto helps him beat Amachi. Although Amachi is quickly defeated and captured, the Sea Boss attacks Naruto. Naruto summons Gamabunta and defeats the monster by evaporating its nucleus, then gets beat up by Gama-sama (Gamabunta is a freshwater creature who is extremely uncomfortable in a saltwater environment). Isaribi realized what Naruto said was right and that he did understand her because Naruto was also treated as a monster and with his help, Isaribi was able to overcome her anger. Afterward, Isaribi decided to go to Konoha in the hopes that Tsunade can cure her.

Naruto is ordered to show a spoiled rich kid named Kunihisa a typical day in the life of a ninja. The kid has an annoying habit of continually flaunting his wealth to get whatever he wants. Trouble arises when kidnappers attempt to abduct the kid for ransom, and Kunihisa, out of money, is unable to summon his bodyguards, who have been paid off by the kidnappers. Naruto helps him to escape, and teaches him that there are more important things in life than money.

Naruto, Hinata and Kiba are given a mission to find some treasure, and are told that if they fail to find it, they will be returned to the academy, due to Naruto's poor performance on his missions with Kiba and Hinata. They set out to find it, but Naruto and Kiba's arguments prevent them from cooperating. They are ambushed and trapped by three people who then copy their identities, smell, and thoughts and learn that the person who requested the mission is their leader.

Working together, the group escapes from the cave-in with the treasure, but learn that Hinata injured her leg. After realizing that Naruto and Kiba argue too often while Hinata worries for the others too much, they head into town to stop their copies. The group outwits and defeats their copies except Naruto, who uses demon fox chakra fueled shadow clones to defeat his copy, because his copy was running up a huge debt under his name, and ate all his food (including some ramen he was saving for a special occasion). Naruto's copy also accidentally bumped into Sakura, who was walking out of the library with an extremely tall stack of books. The copy then ridicules Sakura for being such a klutz, which angers her and leads her to unknowingly punch the real Naruto. Naruto, Kiba & Hinata learn that the mission was a test to see if they could work together as a team, and that they passed it. Tsunade becomes upset when the "treasure" turns out to be a bill for services rendered.

Naruto finds Jiraiya with two women in a town and Jiraiya makes excuses and puts off his training to write his Icha Icha script. Naruto eventually decides to ghostwrite it. Naruto gets the manuscript for Icha Icha Tactics (English version, "Make Out Tactics") mixed up with a peace treaty between the Fang and Claw countries. The two must chase down the courier ninja before he delivers the wrong package and incites war. Unfortunately, the courier is absolutely committed to his duty and will stop at nothing to complete his delivery, no matter what the consequences may be. The wrong package eventually gets delivered but peace is still made between the two countries, as the recipient was a fan of Icha Icha and happily interpreted the document as a peace offering.

Tenten, Neji, and Rock Lee are assigned to a mission to protect the star belonging to the Hidden Village of Star. When Naruto hears of the star's special chakra enhancing power he decides he too must go along because of his assumption that Orochimaru may be involved. Naruto manages to convince Tsunade to allow him to join Team Guy's mission by bribing her with an expensive treat. Naruto and Team Guy encounter Sumaru of the Hidden Village of Star, who guides them past the poison gasses that surround the Village after demonstrating techniques with strange purple chakra. The Konoha genin meet with the substitute Hoshikage, Akahoshi, who explains Hidden Star's desire to become one of the Five main Hidden Villages. Sumaru expresses his desire to become the first true Hoshikage of Hidden Star, which intrigues Naruto who rushes off after Sumaru in the direction of the place where the village's star is held. Naruto and Sumaru see someone fleeing from the building containing the star and Naruto runs off in pursuit. Sumaru discovers that the star has been stolen and chases after the thief. The thief manages to escape from Naruto, and it is revealed that they were using techniques exclusive to those who had star training, meaning they were once a member of the Star village.

With the star stolen, the group has no leads on the mysterious thief who can use chakra to fly. Naruto learns that Sumaru's parents died defending the star from foreign ninja. Tenten and Lee attempt to track two of Akahoshi's men, but are discovered and find no answers. Sumaru and some of his friends find a masked ninja and restrain him, but he renders them unconscious and kidnaps Sumaru.