Episode Summaries

Sakura is asked by her mother to bring a bag of dumplings over to Ino's house. She decides to bring some for Sasuke, and ponders whether to bring some for Naruto as well. She then remembers when Naruto attempted to convince Kakashi to teach him the Chidori, following the end of the Konoha Crush. She had thanked Sasuke for saving her from Gaara, but he tells her that it was Naruto who saved her. Although Sakura initially believes that Sasuke is being modest, Sasuke adamantly states that it was Naruto, who showed newfound strength, who had saved her. Remembering this, Sakura decides to bring Naruto some dumplings as well.

Naruto and Jiraiya are on their way to another town, as Naruto begins to wonder what kind of technique Jiraiya will teach him next. Naruto wonders why Jiraiya chose him to be his pupil, and Jiraiya mentions that Naruto reminds him of the Fourth Hokage, who he reveals was his student. Naruto is surprised, and asks who trained Jiraiya, to which Jiraiya states that his sensei was none other than the Third Hokage. Jiraiya asks whether Kakashi had done the bell test with Naruto, and Naruto admits that he was tied to a stump. Jiraiya laughs as he fondly remembers the same bell test being administered to him; while Orochimaru and Tsunade got the bells, Jiraiya was tied to a stump as well. Unbeknownst to Naruto or Jiraiya, they are being followed by Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, both of whom decide not to engage in a fight against a legendary Sannin.

Back in Konoha, Sasuke is training by himself in the woods, attempting to destroy rocks using his Chidori. He remembers Naruto's fight against Gaara, and muses how Naruto is getting stronger everyday. Wanting to be stronger as well, he goes off to find Kakashi. Following their fight, Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai take an unconscious Kakashi home to rest, where they decided that Sasuke should not know of Itachi's return. They stop discussing Itachi when Guy notices someone outside; Sasuke enters the room looking for Kakashi, only to be shocked that Kakashi is bedridden and that there are three jonin the in room. Aoba then barges in and loudly asks whether it's true that Itachi has returned and is after Naruto. Determined to protect Naruto from Itachi as well as kill Itachi for murdering the Uchiha clan, Sasuke rushes out to find Naruto, only to discover that Naruto had already left the village with Jiraiya.

In another town, Naruto sits in a hotel room training by himself while Jiraiya is out on a date with Emi, an attractive woman he had just met. Sasuke arrives in the town as well, visiting every single inn and hotel asking if a blond kid his age and an old man with white hair reside there. One such innkeeper tells Sasuke that there is such people in a room down the hall; Sasuke rushes down and knocks on the door. In his room, Naruto hears knocking on the door and believes it is Jiraiya. Sasuke's door opens to reveal another blond haired boy with an old white haired man, while Naruto opens his door to face none other than Itachi himself.