Episode Summaries

Kokuyō wants Shizuka to be his wife in order to rule the Nadeshiko Village. He attempts to defeat her with a puppet, but she destroys it with her Nadeshiko-Style Hardliner Revolving Cut. The battle is witnessed by Naruto, who in turn is noticed by Shizuka's attendant, Tokiwa. She observes Naruto's forehead protector, identifying him as a Konoha-nin, and asks whether he has heard of the legendary sannin Jiraiya and whether Jiraiya had any pupils. Naruto notifies her of Jiraiya's fate as well as the fact that he is Jiraiya's student, only to be stunned by Tokiwa's statement that he must duel and marry Shizuka. She explains that the village is matrilineal and that the law dictates that the kunoichi must marry the man who defeats them in order to have a suitable husband.

Naruto returns to Guy, Aoba, and Yamato, who tell him not to get involved in the village's affairs as they only came to restock on their supplies. Later that night, Naruto spots Tokiwa waiting outside the house they are dwelling in and she tells him how the villager's former leader fought Jiraiya for his hand in marriage. However, Jiraiya stopped the fight and promised that their two students would continue the fight in the future. Tokiwa also explains that once, Shizuka had a lover named Sagiri, although Sagiri was a mere tradesman who the village did not believe was worthy to be the husband of the village's leader. When Sagiri was mysteriously killed in an accident believed to be perpetrated by the village elders, Shizuka locked away her heart and decided never to love again.

The next morning, the four Konoha shinobi set out towards the Land of Lightning, unaware that the Naruto on board is a mere shadow clone. Naruto hangs back to talk to Shizuka, but Shizuka only wishes to fight. Tokiwa sets the stage with her Earth Release: Iron Fist Prison to create an arena for their fight. Using her Nadeshiko-Style Deep Crimson Dance Performance, Shizuka throws several kunai at Naruto, who evades them all. Praising his agility, she ups the ante with her Dance Performance: Second Step, launching a barrage of kunai towards him. Naruto creates multiple shadow clones to dodge the kunai, but Shizuka uses her Violent Whirlwind to dispel all of the clones. Seeing only one Naruto left, she rushes at him with her Nadeshiko-Style Hardliner Gale Fist, only for it to be none other than a shadow clone; the real Naruto sneaks up on her from behind and declares the match over.

Shizuka asks Naruto why he did not simply defeat her and he responds that he does not wish to marry her. At that moment, Kokuyō arrives and declares that he would marry her. Using his Hundred Puppet Soul Binding, he takes control of Shizuka's body in an attempt to force her to marry him. Enraged, Naruto cuts the chakra threads with his kunai and strikes him in the torso with his Rasengan, sending him flying away. Shizuka questions Naruto for saving her instead of defeating her, and he reiterates that he does not wish to marry her, adding that he believes one should be in love before getting married. He reveals to her that he is in love with a girl named Sakura, who in turn is in love with someone named Sasuke. Despite the love being one-sided, he tells her that he enjoys the beautiful smile on her face whenever she was near Sasuke and that he would never try to interfere in her love for him since all he wishes is for her to be happy. Shizuka is reminded of her lover, Sagiri, who had said the same thing. Just then, Yamato arrives, intent on punishing Naruto for tricking him with a shadow clone once again.

As they set off towards the Land of Lightning once more, Shizuka remembers her predecessor mentioning how Jiraiya had revealed to her about his one-sided love for Tsunade, and how Tsunade had suffered so much heartbreak that she had closed her heart off. Jiraiya, knowing that she would be the only one to truly hold his heart, decided to fill her presence with love in an attempt just to make her happy, uninterested in any reward. Smiling, Shizuka thinks back upon Naruto who sails away.