Tsunade suspects that Danzou is plotting something and orders an investigation of him. Team Kakashi, Chiriku and Sora notice the coffins moving on their own, but fail to intercept them. The coffins emerge on a cliff, where the leader of the enemy ninja orders his subordinates to deal with their foes. The ninjas turn the area into a maze of rocky canyons and pits, full of deadly traps. The team members are separated from each other, and begin facing off against the enemy. Yamato speculates that the ninja may have orchestrated the theft in order to target someone on his team.

Team Kakashi begins facing off against the enemy shinobi. Yamato eludes his opponent, Fudo, by faking his death. Sora, unwilling to look for Naruto, goes off on his own. Back in Konoha, Danzo reveals that he is aware that he is being watched by Tsunade's ANBU. Naruto fights Fūka, whose kiss is fatal and shows her ability to use earth, fire, water and lightning jutsus. Sai manages to escape from his attacker, Fuen, and later saves Sakura from an enormous spider, becoming injured in the process. Sora then hits upon the enemy leader, Furido, and it is revealed that he was the group's target.

As Naruto recovers from his injury, Kakashi prepares to tell him the grim news about his new technique. Meanwhile, Sasuke secretly trains and has an encounter with a strange young girl.

In Konoha, Tsunade discovers they have an enemy using Crystal Style. While on his mission with Team Kakashi, Naruto meets Yūkimaru once again and talks to him. Guren puts a gigantic Crystal Prison over the forest trapping Team Kurenai inside. Guren then prepares six Crystal Clones and attacks Team Kurenai with them. Hinata defeats one clone but is locked up in a Crystal Prison by another. Team Kakashi reaches the borders of the giant prison and Naruto uses his new Jutsu with Gamatatsu to bust a way in.

Guren is rendered unconscious and relives her past as Naruto is caught in an illusion about Sasuke. After Kakashi finds him, Teams Kakashi and Kurenai conclude the mist around them causes Genjutsu courtesy of the Three-Tails. After Guren wakes up, Yūkimaru suffers another fever and passes out. Tsunade hears of the Three-Tails and assmbles Shizune, Ino, Tenten and Lee to go and seal it before the Akatsuki do. Naruto and Sakura talk about the home that people should return to before Naruto heads off to find Yūkimaru.

Shizune, Ino, Lee and Tenten arrive and Kakashi, Shizune and Yamato discuss about a strategy to seal the Sanbi and rescue Yukimaru. Meanwhile, Kabuto and Rinji notice Guren's care for Yukimaru and become concerned.

After Shino finishes preparing his insects, he goes against Guren's crystal style. Elsewhere, while Shizune, Sakura, Ino and Hinata are bringing the sealing barrier to the Sanbi, they are being watched by Tobi and Rinji.

The Sealing Team prepared to start sealing the Three-Tails and tell Sai to take Yūkimaru somewhere safe, but he gets attacked by Kabuto's men. Kabuto meanwhile prepares his plans while Lee, Tenten, and Kiba are also attacked. Rinji finds his men and converts them back to his side, ordering them to attack the Sealing Team; they're stopped by Kakashi, Yamato and Shino. Rinji then makes Yūkimaru eat the pills to control the Three-Tails, which Naruto and Guren learn about.

Katsuyu arrives to help the sealing team with the sealing barrier. Naruto and Guren arrive to save Yukimaru from Rinji, but after Guren and Yukimaru have a brief discussion, Rinji reveals the truth about Guren to Yukimaru in hope that he'll make the Sanbi go wild. What will Yukimaru's reaction be when he discovers Guren killed his mother?

The sealing team continue their efforts to seal the Sanbi while Kakashi and the others face against a monster fused together by Kigiri, Nurari and Kihou. Kabuto reveals Orochimaru's plans involving the Sanbi and he and Naruto begin to fight. While protecting Yukimaru, Guren fights against the real Rinji, who has been resurrected by Kabuto. When Guren sacrifices her life to save Yukimaru, Yukimaru's powers go into full effect. Now, in order to protect Yukimaru, Naruto prepares to go against the rampaging Sanbi.

The battle for the Sanbi comes to an end as neither the Konoha ninja nor Orochimaru are successful at obtaining it. Tsunade classifies the mission of catching the Sanbi as a failure, for it is too dangerous to accomplish. As Naruto and the others prepare to return home, Yukimaru goes missing. Unbeknownst to everyone, Akatsuki lies in wait, and they have their own plans for the Sanbi.

Over ten years ago, the Five Great Nations’ were in the midst of the Third Great Ninja War. Future Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze assigns young Kakashi, Obito of the Uchiha clan, and Rin, on a mission to Kannabi Bridge...

Obito ignores Kakashi’s order to continue with the mission and leaves to save Rin, who was kidnapped by the Rock ninja. But the enemies detect Obito’s arrival and defeat him. Kakashi arrives at the last minute and saves Obito…

Sasuke's Sharingan proves to be superior against Deidara's explosives. Deidara creates one of his finest works, the C4 Karura, in order to take him down. What will Sasuke do now?

Having become genin, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru are assigned to the future Third Hokage's platoon. Watching Sarutobi's space/time ninjutsu, Jiraiya becomes absorbed into learning it. One day, Jiraiya loses his way and stumbles upon Myouboku Mountain. There he meets the Great Toad Sage who predicted his arrival. See the origins of the Toad Sage Jiraiya!

In the Rain Country, Jiraiya decides to take care of three young orphans for a while. Yahiko, a spunky young boy, wants Jiraiya to train him, Konan, and Nagato to be shinobi, but it's not until he sees a strange phenomenon in Nagato that he decides to do so. What is the secret behind Nagato's Rinnengan eyes? What will become of these three children?

Jiraiya realizes that the six Pains are all ninja he's met before. Putting various pieces of information together, Jiraiya figures out Pain's true identity, but Pain doesn't intend to allow Jiraiya to leave with that information alive. Elsewhere, the fated meeting between Itachi and Sasuke arrives, and Sasuke foresees Itachi's death.

After failing to bring back Sasuke, the Leaf ninja start heading back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Tsunade, however, sends Katsuyu to inform them that the barrier of Mount Katsunagi of the Tsuchigumo Clan, which holds a powerful forbidden jutsu, is broken. While Kakashi and Team 8 head back to the Leaf Village, Team 7, lead by Yamato, must check out what events are taking place.

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, left behind his legacy before he passed away. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke attempt to find Minato's legacy before the other shinobi teams can get to it.

Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji continue to search for the Fourth Hokage's Legacy while chasing off some unexpected visitors.

Kakashi has a flashback back when he was assigned to be the sensei of Team 7. In a bid to know his students, Naruto, Sasuke & Sakura, better, Kakashi spies on them and to see how they would all get along as a group. Angered by Sakura's talk about calling Naruto a brat and that he has no family to tell him right or wrong, Sasuke tells Sakura she is annoying. Realizing Sakura's sadness, Naruto goes to battle Sasuke, but gets defeated. It then goes back to the present and Kakashi claims that it is up to him to stop Sasuke.

During the two-and-a-half-year time period in which Naruto was training under Jiraiya, the latter decided that it was time for Naruto to learn how to repel genjutsu. During this training session, the two traveled to a village which Jiraiya had previously been associated with, but they discovered that something dark was amidst.

After having discovered that the village was under the control of rebels from the Hidden Rain Village, led by Hanzo, Naruto and Jiraiya decided to take action to help save the women and children taken hostage and free the village from the Rain's tyrannical control.

Tsunade sends out Naruto under the guise of a top-secret mission to keep him hidden away from the Akatsuki. Unfortunately, Naruto, Yamato, Gai, and Aoba are stuck at the pier due to a report of a monster attacking ships.

Shikamaru begins to feel the pressure of shouldering the lives of his friends in the upcoming Fourth Shinobi World War. To help ease his mind, Shikaku sends his son along with Tenten on a mission to Mokuzu Island to replenish supplies.

Konohamaru is eager to fight alongside his senior ninja in the coming war, but his young age prevents him from being assigned to the battlefield.

As the Leaf ninja’s ship heads toward their final stop for supplies before entering the Land of Lightning, Yamato warns the crew to stay alert for enemies who could mimic both the appearance and chakra of their closest allies.

With Killer Bee as his new master, Naruto begins his training to control the power of a Tailed Beast. In order to do so, one must fight the Tailed Beast head on and absorb its chakra, converting it into one’s own power.

Sixteen years ago, Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and his wife Kushina are expecting their first child, much to the delight of the young couple.

Minato is forced to use his Flying Raijin jutsu and leave his wife Kushina behind to save their newborn son, Naruto, from a masked assailant.

The Nine Tails, having been released from Madara's control, continues to wreck havoc in the city. The Third Hokage summons the Monkey King Enma and drives the Nine Tails away from the city. Minato then returns to the city and with the help of the toad Gamabunta is able to restrain the Nine Tails long enough for him to teleport it along with his family to the outskirts of the village. Kushina binds the Nine Tails and as Minato prepares to do the Reaper Death Seal to seal away half of the Nine Tails Chakra and seal the rest inside Naruto using the Eight Trigrams Seal. He also seals a bit of Kushina's chakra to help Naruto tame the Nine Tails. All of this is witnessed by the Third Hokage and a few other ninja.

Part One of the Four Week Long Special Project for the Broadcast's Tenth Anniversary - A look back into the early years when Naruto and Sasuke first met.

Part Two of the Four Week Long Special Project for the Broadcast's Tenth Anniversary - During the Chunin Exam, Sasuke witnesses Naruto’s growth as a shinobi.

Part Three of the Four Week Long Special Project for the Broadcast's Tenth Anniversary - Sasuke’s defeat to Gaara, and later Itachi, forces him to realize that he is not strong enough to get revenge against his older brother.

Kakashi assigns Sai to take over for the Sealing Corps, who are recovering from sealing the reanimated shinobi. But Sai is not sure if he can handle the responsibility. Soon afterwards, the Third Company is attacked by Jinin Akebino.

Still coping with the loss of her loved ones, Tsunade indulges in gambling and drinking. Around the same time, the Raikage Ay and his men are on a mission to steal a scroll from a certain village.

The Raikage Ay and his team suffer critical injuries during an enemy attack. Unwilling to sacrifice any more of his men, Ay seeks medical help from Tsunade, who just happens to be in the area.

Gaara and Ohnoki manage to overcome the Second Mizukage’s mirage attack. Having taken an interest in Gaara, the Second Mizukage decides to further test the young Kage’s skills.

Naruto and Killer Bee face off against the masked man originally thought to be Madara Uchiha, in addition to the reanimated Jinchuriki. Naruto is shocked when he recognizes one of the Jinchuriki.

After the end of the Third Great Ninja War, the Leaf Village is divided over who should become the next Hokage.

Kakashi becomes part of the ANBU Black Ops, an elite team of shinobi who are under the direct command of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

At the Foundation, Kakashi meets a boy who uses Wood Style, a jutsu that only First Hokage Hashirama was capable of using. Kakashi goes to Third Hokage Hiruzen’s library to seek answers and discovers records regarding Hashirama’s cells.

Kakashi desperately tries to reach out to Obito, but his words fall on deaf ears. Obito instead accuses Kakashi of being trash, which angers Naruto, forcing him to step in and defend his Sensei.

Naruto objects to Obito’s claim that he is the second Sage of Six Paths and declares that he is Obito Uchiha.

Pressed by Naruto, Obito remembers the time he, Kakashi, and Rin teamed up for the Chunin Exam and when he promised Rin that he would become Hokage.

The story travels back to the time after Sasuke's defection from the Leaf and before Naruto's return from his two-year training journey with Jiraiya.

The Hidden Leaf begin preparing for the Chunin Exams. Ino and Choji ask Sakura to join their three-man team as a stand-in for Shikamaru, who is already a chunin.

Sand Jonin Fugi sneaks into the Demon Desert and creates a massive sandstorm in order to assassinate Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage.

Gaara heads out to rescue Matsuri and the others but is attacked by a mysterious priest who binds him with a Chakra Chain to capture his Tailed Beast.

Neji and the team come across Matsuri collapsed in the desert and find out that Gaara is in danger. Meanwhile, the chains of a mysterious priest bind Gaara and Foo.

Gaara meets with Fugi, the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on his life. He confides that perhaps, after all the fear and pain he has wrought upon the Sand, he has no right to be their leader.

With the exception of Naruto’s Team 7, which is protected by the Susano’o, all other shinobi have been swept into a dream world by the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Even the Hokage, Tsunade, has fallen into a dream state. She awakens to find herself in the Leaf Village, where she discovers Jiraiya's final book, entitled "Jiraiya Ninja Scrolls," and begins to read...

Tsunade continues to read Jiraiya’s novel. Chunin- and jonin-level ninja have gone missing, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato, orders a search mission with teams of genin led by Guy and Kurenai. Kakashi’s Team 7 is also dispatched, but the hero Naruto Uzumaki, despite being the Hokage’s son, has the misfortune of being labeled a loser.

Tsunade continues to read Jiraiya’s novel. Chunin- and jonin-level ninja have gone missing, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato, orders a search mission with teams of genin led by Guy and Kurenai. Kakashi’s Team 7 is also dispatched, but the hero Naruto Uzumaki, despite being the Hokage’s son, has the misfortune of being labeled a loser.

Team Jiraiya, Shikamaru, and his Leaf teammates are lured into a mysterious village during their battle. A couple children from the village get caught in the crossfire and fall into a cave-in. Yahiko’s team rushes to the rescue, but Shikamaru doesn’t budge. Meanwhile, Naruto and Neji’s teams rendezvous, but a mysterious voice addresses them out of nowhere!

The Masked Man shows Neji and Naruto images of past incidents that occurred in the Leaf Village. Meanwhile, Shikamaru and friends join up with Team Jiraiya to rescue the children. After fighting side by side with the Leaf, Yahiko and the others seem to have a change of heart.

The Masked Man is satisfied that the Hidden Leaf Genin chose the importance of life over their mission, but orders his team to continue their surveillance. Meanwhile, Naruto is frustrated at his inabilities, and recalls why his father Minato sealed the Nine Tails inside of him.

Sasuke and Sakura join up with the others, but the Puppet User appears and blocks their path back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Sasuke wants to bring down the puppets and rush back to report to the Fourth Hokage, but Shikamaru and the others insist on staying and rescuing the jonin.

Jiraiya weakens the seal on the Nine Tails in order to help Naruto learn how to control the Tailed Beast's power. Jiraiya recalls the words spoken to him years ago by the Great Lord Elder. He told Jiraiya that he would have a student, and that his guidance would decide whether the student would save the Ninja World or destroy it.

Naruto joins up with the rest of his comrades, and together they overcome the puppet attack. The masked man witnesses this and is convinced there is a future for the young shinobi. He promises to release the kidnapped jonin and begins to explain the truth, and the situation behind his motives.

The Anbu who attack Naruto and Shikamaru are agents sent by Danzo, who had promised Orochimaru that he would deliver Sasuke safely to him. Luckily, Neji, Lee and Tenten rush to their aid in the nick of time! Meanwhile, Hiruko reveals the truth behind the incident involving Hizashi

Sasuke has left with Orochimaru, but Naruto is not about to give up. Determined to bring Sasuke back, he returns to the village with Shikamaru and the others. Meanwhile, Yahiko appears in the village, calling himself “Pain" and seeking revenge for the Hidden Leaf’s betrayal.

Several months after Pain’s attack, Jiraiya arrives with intel regarding the Akatsuki, who are attacking shinobi villages and kidnapping their Kage and jonin. He also reveals that Sasuke is working with them. Naruto is determined to bring his friend and comrade Sasuke back, once and for all!