Jiraiya has completed his new novel, Make-out Tactics, much to Kakashi’s delight. But Jiraiya has also brought top-secret news that the Akatsuki is on the move. Naruto and Sakura team up and challenge Kakashi to a survival challenge to show off their progress. In the Village Hidden in the Sand, Gaara is now the Kazekage, and it turns out some members of the Akatsuki have infiltrated the village.

Naruto’s and Sakura’s combined skills force Kakashi to use his Sharingan right off the bat. Naruto masterfully unleashes his jutsu one after another. And Sakura, though trained primarily as a medic ninja, employs deadly techniques taught her by Tsunade herself. Just outside the Sand Village, Deidara of the Akatsuki begins a super-secret operation to sneak into the village, with Gaara as his target.

Gaara is quick to detect Deidara’s presence, and an aerial battle ensues with Deidara on his giant bird and Gaara atop sand. Sand jonin Yuri is actually an Akatsuki sleeper agent, and the Village Hidden in the Sand suffers great damage. Back at the Leaf Village, Naruto and Sakura continue their survival challenge and get a firsthand look at the amazing power of Kakashi the Copy Ninja. The battle is at a stalemate. Finally, the duo implement their ace in the hole.

Naruto and Sakura defeat Kakashi in the survival challenge. Tsunade assigns them to a three-man squad led by Kakashi, who tells them they are now his equals. In the Sand Village, Gaara and Deidara continue their fierce battle. As he watches the battle, Baki becomes concerned that Shukaku will materialize, but Kankuro scoffs at the idea. Kankuro is fully aware of the strong resolve that burns deep inside his younger brother.

In order to protect his village from Deidara’s explosive clay, Gaara uses his chakra to create a giant sand shield. Luckily, the village is saved, but at great cost. Gaara is left vulnerable to attack, and has nothing left to counter a barrage of Deidara’s traps. His Sand comrades’ attempts to help prove futile, and in the end, Gaara falls into Deidara’s hands.

Gaara, his strength completely exhausted, is whisked away by Deidara. Kankuro ignores Baki’s efforts to stop him and immediately sets out in pursuit with a platoon to rescue Gaara. But the Akatsuki has set up ingenious traps, and one by one, the Sand ninja fall. Kankuro’s determination pulls him through, and he alone catches up to the Akatsuki. Back at the Hidden Leaf Village, Naruto’s new squad welcomes the day of their first mission.

On her way to the Sand Village, Temari encounters Kakashi and his team. Kakashi admonishes Naruto when he tries to rush ahead, and Naruto explodes with anger toward the Akatsuki. As one who also houses a tailed beast inside his body, Naruto understands Gaara’s suffering and considers him a comrade. Meanwhile, Kankuro is rescued, but he is on the verge of death, having been infected with a mysterious poison. If no antidote is found, he has only a few days to live.

An urgent message from the Sand Village detailing the Akatsuki’s kidnapping of the Kazekage reaches the Hidden Leaf Village. Tsunade wastes no time in ordering Team Kakashi to the Sand Village. Meanwhile, Kankuro begins his battle against the Akatsuki. But one after another, his puppet tactics are easily countered. His opponent turns out to be the one who developed Kankuro’s puppet technique, the ingenious puppet master of the Sand, Sasori of the Red Sand.

The Sand ninja fight against time to treat Kankuro. Even the Sand’s poison expert, Granny Chiyo, is baffled. The only hope lies with the reinforcements sent by Tsunade. But Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi are delayed by a sandstorm. Back in the Hidden Leaf Village, Tsunade worries about Kakashi’s squad, and assuming the worst, she sends Guy and his squad, who have just returned from a mission. Meanwhile, the Akatsuki reach their hideout with Gaara and commence with the Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons.

Sakura treats a critically ill Kankuro. After extensive training she’s now a full-fledged Medic Ninja, and Sakura amazes everyone with her sure, steady hands. At first suspicious of their former enemies, the Leaf, Granny Chiyo is touched that Tsunade sent her own apprentice and impressed by Sakura’s determined efforts to help Kankuro. She realizes a new era has dawned. His life out of danger, Kankuro provides information about the Akatsuki. Kakashi immediately sends a ninja hound in pursuit.

Pakkun finds the hideout of the Akatsuki. Team Kakashi and Temari prepare to set out to get Gaara back, but Temari is ordered to stay behind and help guard the village. Granny Chiyo volunteers to take Temari’s place. Along the way to the Akatsuki hideout, Chiyo shocks Naruto and Sakura with the story of the Biju or Tailed Beasts. Meanwhile, Pakkun meets up with Team Guy. Since they are closest, they follow Pakkun toward the Akatsuki hideout. However, their movements have already been noticed by the enemy.

Team Kakashi encounter Itachi Uchiha, who had dealt them a bitter defeat in the past. Kakashi warns everyone not to look into Itachi’s Sharingan Eyes. Kakashi prepares to battle Itachi alone and tells Naruto to cover him from the back. At the same time, Guy and his team begin battling their bitter rival Kisame. Determined to pay back Guy for a past defeat, Kisame releases a powerful chakra to overwhelm the Leaf ninja. Soon, his jutsu has Neji, Lee and Tenten locked in a water prison.

Guy sorely regrets his blunder as his three pupils are imprisoned by the Water Prison. Determined to stop Kisame, Guy challenges him using the nunchaku, his favorite weapon. It’s super taijutsu versus super-human strength. Without oxygen, Tenten is weakening fast, and in order to put a quick end to the battle, Guy prepares to use a forbidden secret jutsu. Meanwhile, Naruto falls under Itachi’s genjutsu, and all the anti-genjutsu training he underwent with Jiraiya races through Naruto’s mind.

Granny Chiyo and Sakura rescue Naruto from Itachi’s genjutsu. Without a moment’s delay, Kakashi begins a counterattack. A high-level ninja battle ensues, and Kakashi exhibits his genius ninja prowess by seeing through every subtle tactic. Meanwhile, Guy is having a hard time against Kisame but manages to take him down with a powerful jutsu known as the Asakujaku. The strength of the Hidden Leaf ninja should have successfully crushed their archrivals, but…

Their vanquished foes, Kisame and Itachi, turn out to be doppelgangers whose appearance and powers were copied with the Impersonation Jutsu. Chiyo and Kakashi realize that the attack was just a diversion, and that the Akatsuki have already begun the process of extracting the Tailed Beast from Gaara. Granny Chiyo explains to Naruto and Sakura the connection between the Tailed Beast and the Jinchûriki, the host body. The shocking disclosure hits home, and Sakura realizes that Naruto faces the same fate and s

Teams Kakashi and Guy take a short rest. Granny Chiyo watches Naruto dozing off and is reminded of Sasori as a child. The pursuit resumes, and when Chiyo wonders why Naruto puts such effort into rescuing Gaara, Kakashi explains that Naruto is also a Jinchûriki. Although it was to protect her village, Chiyo regrets that she was the one who sealed Shukaku, the Sand Spirit, inside Gaara and resolves to change. Just then, the Akatsuki complete the Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons, and Gaara is engulfed by a

Teams Kakashi and Guy reach the Akatsuki hideout. They hurry to infiltrate but are thwarted by a five-seal barrier. The only way to break the barrier is to remove all five seals at once. Negi uses his Byakugan to locate the seals, and with superb teamwork, the Hidden Leaf ninja destroy the barrier. But the Akatsuki is already aware of their presence. Naruto confronts a shocking sight inside the cave… And an unfathomable trap is waiting for Team Guy!

Breaking the five-seal barrier set off a trap, which now has Team Guy battling amazingly accurate copies of themselves. Back at the Akatsuki hideout, Deidara and Sasori struggle to take the Nine-Tail Jinchûriki. As Deidara carries off Gaara, an angry Naruto goes after him. Forced to follow, Kakashi warns Granny Chiyo and Sakura to not do anything rash.

At last, the showdown between the old woman and her grandson begins. Sakura is confused by Sasori’s strange appearance, and Granny Chiyo explains that this is Hiruko, the body that Sasori uses for self-defense. In order to defeat the real Sasori inside the body, this Hiruko must first be destroyed. But Hiruko’s poison is extremely lethal, and even a scratch means certain death. Only his own grandmother can read through Sasori’s complex traps. On the other hand, Sakura is the one who must deliver the f

Granny Chiyo and Sakura manage to expose Sasori, who amazingly looks no older than he did twenty years earlier. Chiyo is even more shocked at the second puppet that Sasori produces. It is the human puppet of the Third Kazekage, the strongest ninja in Sand history. Sasori, it turns out, was the mastermind behind the Kazekage’s disappearance ten years earlier. Chiyo is outraged that her own grandson would attack a Kazekage. Meanwhile in the Sand Village, a team of ninja led by Kankuro and Temari are heading

Sakura is caught by Sasori’s tactic and surrounded by a poison cloud. But she uses a Paper Bomb to blow herself free from the poisonous fumes. Her fervent resolve to risk injury to capture Sasori and force him to give up information about Orochimaru resonates in Granny Chiyo’s heart. In order to protect Sakura from Sasori’s attack, she summons two fateful puppets expressly for this battle. Meanwhile, Naruto and Kakashi are in hot pursuit of Deidara!

The greatest advantage of the puppets created from humans is that one can take over the jutsu that the human used while alive. Hence, the puppet of the Third Kazekage has the special ability to convert chakra into magnetic power. Chiyo and Sakura take cover, and Sasori wastes no time unleashing a ruthless attack. Chiyo fights back to protect Sakura, but in an instant the Father and Mother puppets are sealed by the Iron Sand. As Sasori rushes in for the final blow, Sakura makes a decision.

Sakura counters the Iron Sand attack of the Third Kazekage puppet with superhuman strength. She learned from Tsunade that the most important skill of a Medic Ninja is the ability to evade an attack. She quickly begins to read Sasori’s attack patterns. Sasori decides that he is wasting time, and prepared to exhaust his chakra, he uses his Iron Sand: Unleashed! jutsu, which spreads over a vast area to capture the target. The Iron Sand attack permeates space, and inevitably, Sakura sustains a hand injury and

Sakura destroys the Third Kazekage puppet thanks to a secret antidote she had taken. Sakuro explains to a surprised Granny Chiyo that this antidote converts the poison into harmless protein and is effective for about three minutes. Chiyo and Sakura resolve to bring Sasori down within that time limit. Sasori has no choice but to acknowledge Sakura’s true power and unleash his trump card. At the same time, Naruto and Kakashi plan a strategy to capture Deidara.

Sakura and Granny Chiyo are engaged in a fierce battle with Sasori, who is able turn himself into a human puppet. They somehow bring Sasori down within the time limit, but he ends up reviving. Chiyo summons puppets with a technique she had banned herself from using, Secret White Move: Chikamtasu’s Ten Puppets. To counter that, Sasori resorts to his Secret Red move Performance of a Hundred Puppets. Sakura’s antidote has worn off, but she joins Granny Chiyo, and the two attack for a final decisive battle!

Although stung with poison herself, Granny Chiyo uses the last of the antidote on Sakura. Mocking the tender scene between Granny Chiyo and Sakura, Sasori attempts to end Granny Chiyo's life. Right at that moment, Granny Chiyo fights back and successfully defeats Sasori. But Sakura has been struck in a vital spot and is on the brink of death. Ironically, the only thing that can save Sakura, is a jutsu that Granny Chiyo once created for Sasori.

Team Guy senses the result of the Sakura and Granny Chiyo’s desperate struggle while still in battle with his deadly copy. Although Guy’s team members are showing fatigue, their copies remain strong! Lee's plan to turn the tide sets fire to the team members' fighting spirit! Meanwhile, Naruto goes after Deidara, who has seized Gaara. Even as they are in hot pursuit, preparations for Kakashi's new technique are underway!

Sakura hurries to get to Naruto with Granny Chiyo, who is suffering from the poison. The members of Team Guy rush to assist Team Kakashi. Meanwhile, with all preparations complete, Kakashi reveals his Mangekyo Sharingan. This powerful jutsu transports whatever the eye can see into another dimension. Catching Deidara in an unguarded moment, Naruto is finally able to rescue Gaara. But seeing Gaara's current state enrages Naruto.

Naruto loses all reason to anger and is gradually taken over by the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit. Having been forewarned by Jiraiya, Kakashi narrowly manages to suppress the Nine-Tailed Fox. Deidara, spying on them, finds out about Sasori's defeat when Sakura and Granny Chiyo appear. Just then, Team Guy arrives, and he is trapped. Cornered and no longer able to work his jutsu, Deidara attempts to blow himself up along with the Leaf ninja!

Relying on Naruto's power, Granny Chiyo performs the Transmigration Jutsu on Gaara. Sakura is saddened when she realizes the cost of this jutsu. But in a firm voice Granny Chiyo passes on wisdom to these young ninja. When Gaara finally awakens, he finds himself surrounded by Naruto and the others and by a crowd of Sand ninja who had come after him. In the commotion following Gaara's resurrection, Granny Chiyo breathes her last. Realizing the truth behind the Transmigration Jutsu, everyone pays their respect

Gaara and his rescuers make a triumphant return to the Hidden Sand Village. After paying their respects at Granny Chiyo's grave, Naruto and the Leaf ninja reluctantly take their leave. Naruto shakes Gaara's hand in parting. Elsewhere, an injured Deidara appears before Zetsu and his subordinate Tobi. He has been in hiding after destroying a clone in a diversionary tactic. Back in the Hidden Leaf Village, someone tries to sneak a mysterious boy named Sai onto Kakashi's team!

Everyone has returned to the Hidden Leaf Village. Kakashi is hospitalized for a week due to the strain caused by his Mangekyo Sharingan. But he is scheduled to meet with Orochimaru's contact in four days' time. Despite Shizune's pleas to send another team, Tsunade declares that she will send Team Kakashi to do the job. Hearing this, Naruto hurries back to the village in search of reinforcements for the team, but is attacked on the way by the mysterious Sai!

After attacking Naruto, Sai predicts that they will meet again soon, then vanishes. Tsunade meets with the village elders, Homura and Koharu, who feel that Naruto, as a Jinchuuriki, should not be sent on missions involving the Akatsuki. Tsunade refuses to comply. In return for accepting her unreasonable refusal, the elders demand that she add a ninja recommended by Danzo to Kakashi's team.

Naruto is enraged when he discovers that Sai attacked him in order to test his strength. Sakura pulls them apart, but tensions are running high between the members of Team Kakashi. Tsunade, Jiraiya, Yamato, and Shizune gather in Kakashi's hospital room. Jiraiya reports on Naruto's reckless behavior to alert Yamato. Meanwhile, Sai receives a mysterious envelope from a Foundation operative. What secret mission has Sai been assigned by Danzo? With speculation running rampant, the time for Team Kakashi's depart

The new Team Kakashi heads for Tenchikyo. To Naruto, Sai is just temporarily filling in for Sasuke. When Sai shows his contempt for Sasuke, the antagonism comes to a head. Yamato steps in to settle everyone down. To everyone's astonishment, Yamato uses the Wood-Style ninjutsu that only the First Hokage was said to know. Ignoring Sakura's reaction, Yamato decides they will stay overnight at a hot-spring inn in order to try to improve the rocky relations among his team members.

Sakura comes across Sai working on an abstract painting. He tells her that he's unable to give it a title. Bothered by his manner, Sakura finds an unusual picture book among Sai's things. As the group later hurries toward Tenchikyo they are on guard against a possible ambush by the Akatsuki. Yamato is aware of the difficulty of the goal of this mission, which is to take Sasori’s spy into custody, so he pairs everyone up in the event that a battle begins.

In preparation for Tenchikyo, Yamato conducts a half-day simulation in order to get a grasp on the fighting skills and jutsu of Team Kakashi. Sai abandons Naruto to conclude the simulated mission successfully. Naruto is angered, and a conflict seems inevitable, but Naruto declares that “If it will help to save Sasuke, I will team up with Sai.” Sakura understands Naruto's strong feelings about Sasuke, but Sai suddenly blurts out, “I have no emotions.”

The day for capturing the spy is finally here. Just as planned, Yamato takes on Sasori's likeness and waits until the Akatsuki spy appears. The spy turns out to be none other than Kabuto. Naruto and his group can't hide their astonishment, but suddenly, who should appear but Orochimaru himself. The situation quickly changes, and Team Kakashi find themselves in an unexpected and dangerous predicament.

Faced with Orochimaru, his sworn enemy, Naruto suddenly releases the power of his Nine-Tailed Fox. When Yamato sees Naruto's fourth tail appear, he recalls Jiraiya's tale of how he nearly lost his life to the transformed Naruto. Yamato has been ordered to suppress the Nine-Tail chakra that would adversely affect Naruto's body. Then, the secret of Yamato's Wood-Style ninjutsu becomes apparent.