Summoning Jutsu!
Oh, long time no see.
We don't have much time to get nostalgic.
We've got a mission.
That I see over there is the Village of Artisans, isn't it?
Yeah. It's a village of professionals who develop Ninja tools.
The exceptional Ninja tools they develop are also
supplied to us in the Five Great Nations...
But there's been a strange rumor recently.
A strange rumor?
Something about them developing the ultimate weapon
and attempting to antagonize the Five Great Nations.
In other words, we should search the village and...
verify whether or not there is that ultimate weapon, right?
That's about the size of it.
Piece of cake.
Fly into the wavy and twisted sky, into your hands
The distance created between us became too big,
because we were always together
Your honest reply, "See you..."
coming from that brash mouth makes it sadder.
If you are in an unfamiliar town, crying
Then I want to deliver you a smile, even if I'm not by your side
Fly into the wavy and twisted sky, into your hands
I can feel it so close,
Our two hearts
Hey! Something strange is going on.
What is it?!
There's not a soul in the village!
I also found something terrible on top of that.
What?!
It's that.
The coffin of Seimei, the founder of the Village of Artisans.
Even his body is...
This is serious.
The artisans abandoned their village. Where in the world did they go?
The Targeted Shukaku
I'm hungry, I'm hungry!
Maybe I'll treat myself and have two eggs in my ramen today.
Huh?
What's going on there?!
Did I keep you waiting by any chance?
Not really. I just got here a bit before.
That's good... Then, here.
I made sure to hand it to you.
Yeah, yeah. What a pain.
Just a minute!
What're you guys doing...
all in secret in a place like this without even asking me?!
- Naruto? - Huh?
You're terrible, just terrible, Sakura!
Here you won't even go out on a date with me at all!
Why're you talking gibberish all of a sudden?
Ouch ouch ouch ouch...
An errand for the Old Lady?
Yes. It seems a new poison was discovered or something.
I delivered a list of research medicinal substance
for Shikamaru's father to prepare.
Oh, that's it?!
Jeez, you jump to conclusions.
Oh, come to think of it,
an update report from Temari has been delivered to Lady Tsunade.
An update report?
So? What exactly?
I heard that the Village Hidden in the Sand started Ninja education,
imitating the curriculum program of the Leaf's.
It seems that Temari and her brothers are working as instructors.
Instructors?!
Is that harsh woman fit to be something like an instructor...?
Really? That Gaara, huh?
This is hands on training.
Choose from among these a Ninja tool that suits you.
What is it?
Do w e absolutely have to choose?!
What do you mean?
We'll end up hurting the other person if we use a weapon.
We might kill them.
A weapon is...
No, never mind...
A mission isn't a game.
If you were to enter a field of battle with that frame of mind, you'd die.
I I'm sorry.
You got Gaara angry because you ask stupid questions.
You are in trouble.
The three of us will conduct hands on training.
Gather in the respective class of your choice.
Gaara, put a smile on!
They'll get scared and nobody will choose you with that sulky look.
My dad said that Gaara was the Sand's ultimate weapon.
Yeah. He's so powerful that the village would be destroyed, if he got mad.
He's scary, so let's not bother.
All right, I'm with Temari.
I'll be with Kankuro!
- Me too! - Me too!
Please be my teacher.
Earlier, he was trying to teach me something...
Excuse me... Please be my teacher.
Are you okay with me?
Please teach me!
This is cool.
That's too big!
I'll take this.
What's your name?
I'm Matsuri.
Matsuri, choose a weapon.
What's the matter?
Come at me with that weapon with the intent to kill me.
Yes, sir...
They say an ogre with Iron Club is invincible. But you are no ogre.
Yes, sir. Please tell me what I should choose.
The weapon called the Rope Javelin.
Rope Javelin...
The sharp blade on the end of the rope
is to keep an enemy out of one's reach, rather than for attack.
And you seal off an enemy's movement with the rope.
Practice until you can control it as a part of your body.
Yes, sir!
Damn. Who are you guys?!
Is this all the Sand Village Shinobi have?
Wait.
Leave this guy alive. We can use him to draw that one out.
Hang in there! What is it?! What happened?
Take me to Gaara... Quickly.
What's the matter?
My mother and father were hit with countless weapons right in front of me.
So I...
For what purpose do you hold a weapon?
He...
What are...
...these two to you?!
Th These guys are...
...my friends!
Try laying so much as another finger on them!
I'll clobber you!
He said that to me.
That's what we're after: Gaara.
Gaara, we were just coming to get you.
The patrol Ninja was attacked by somebody.
Guys calling themselves The Four Celestials
brandishing strange weapons, said to tell Gaara that...
"We declare a challengerto you, the ultimate weapon.
"If you don't accept the challenge,
"we will take away one person close to you every day...
"and they shall pay the price for you."
You there.
Are you Gaara's student?
You shall be the first sacrifice.
What's this Rope Javelin?!
Wait!
The enemy went northeast...
Matsuri has become a first sacrifice...
But the real target of the guys who call themselves the Four Celestials is...
you, Gaara.
Yeah...
This must be brought to a Jonin Council at once...
In the northeastern direction
where the ones who call themselves the Four Celestials left,
there is the Village Hidden in the Leaves of the Land of Fire,
with the Land of Rivers sandwiched between.
Therefore, w e will be requesting the assistance of the Leaf...
Temari, Kankuro, Gaara.
Form a unit and prepare for pursuit immediately.
Hold it.
The enemy is after Gaara.
That would be like walking right into a trap they laid.
That's right. Why won't you send a party?!
It might be a diversionary tactic by the enemy.
The village will become shorthanded if we send out pursuers.
Then you at least could come with us, right, Baki?!
Most likely, the enemy is after Shukaku.
Gaara is the Sand's ultimate weapon.
If we know that...
But it's also a dangerous double-edged sword to the village.
If they would do us the favor facing each other and perishing...
Then at least I should go with them.
No. You have a different mission.
Just send those three!
Hey, how about it?!
I've been given a different mission, you see...
Go. She's your student, right?
Let's go, Kankuro.
Will it be okay with her?!
She's just a kid.
Will he come?!
If he doesn't come, we'll just sacrifice those close to him one after another.
That is...?
It's a message from the Sand Village!
Gaara? Why?
Who knows? The goal is a challenge to Gaara.
The hostage is a Ninja school student.
The enemy is escaping in the direction of the Land of Fire from the Land of Rivers.
Gaara, Temari and Kankuro are chasing after them.
At this point, that's all we know.
You want me to set up an operation to stop the overconfident jerks
who challenged Gaara just with that information?
Yeah. We're on friendly terms with the Sand Village, so.
Just a minute.
They came during the Sasuke incident with much less information than now.
Things are more bothersome than that time!
Our range would widen significantly if we ambushed them
instead of pursuing them.
There's also the incident in question in the Village of Artisans,
and the Jonin and Chunin are all away...
- Shizune... - Yes, ma'am!
Those are the only Genin we can use now.
Take the Genin you want to use
and leave the village within thirty minutes!
Sakura's name isn't on here.
Yeah. She's doing Medical Ninjutsu training now, so.
I'll accept the mission. But I have one condition.
Please let me borrow Sakura.
Sakura?
It's almost time! Is this everyone, Shikamaru?!
One person still hasn't come.
Could that be...?
Sorry to keep you waiting!
I can't do a mission hungry. So I stopped by Ichiraku for a bit.
What?! That's not fair just you getting to eat! I'll also...
All right! Now we've got all our members together! We're off!
Huh? What? This is it?!
I'd heard this was an operation with a mobilization
of the Genin remaining in the village!
This is everyone, I tell you!
That's messed up!
Setting aside Sakura who's training,
there should still be Shino, Neji and Hinata!
No mistake. It's weird Akamaru and I being the only Ninja
with search ability.
So is this team a go for it super attack type?
Yeah. I name us Team Return the Favor.
What lame naming!
The guys from the Sand Village helped us during the Sasuke incident!
In a manner, this operation will be returning the favor from that time!
All right! Guys, let's make sure to return the favor from that time.
You're not the leader!
Shikamaru the Chunin is the leader of this platoon, right?!
That's right...
Jeez, then let's settle on a strategy and get going as soon as possible.
Are we going in one line as we did for the Sasuke incident?
There's no doubting the conditions are similar to the Sasuke incident.
However, the strategies for pursuit and ambush are completely different!
We can't follow them with Byakugan or by using Akamaru's nose.
No mistake about that.
It's unconventional, but since these are all the people we've got,
we'll act in groups of two basis as Two Man Cells.
Solo action is prohibited no matter what the case!
We owe a debt to the Ninja in the Sand Village.
However, although this is to repay a debt, no way will we produce casualties!
Yeah, I got it.
- Follow me, Ino. - Right!
Choji, you go with Kiba...
I'm counting on you, Choji, Akamaru.
Right...
Lee, you're with Naruto...
Right. Please refrain from selfish actions.
You don't need to remind me like that.
Also, the four people Naruto mentioned earlier have left before us.
Four people, do you mean Shino, Neji, Hinata and Sakura?
Yeah. The four will be going their separate ways
and won't take part in future battles!
Why not?!
Isn't that an incredible waste of battle strength?!
In place of that, we get a wider range of search action...
And we'll have them focus on medical action in the case of battle starting.
I have been entrusted with your lives and this is my strategy!
All right, just wait, Gaara!
I'll make sure to return the favor!
The Key to the rusted heart's door
Will always be smiling right near by
Even if rains of spears were to fall, I will run through it
Because I want to find the joy without a shape
This big dream of mine that cannot be translated to words,
I will make it come true, even if it were to deepen my wounds
We stand here today because of what we believed through,
That is why I will continue running forward, never looking away
Even if I'm told that there is no bright future
I'll change it right away, lighting it with all my feeling
The wind is probably testing our hearts
In my heart, I gently grasped my hands
You are probably searching for the answer to your tears
Your dream is always waiting near by, with the answers in its hands
The Key to the rusted heart's door
Will always be smiling right near by