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Akatsuki, Action Begins
Picking up immediately where the last episode left off, Tsunade wishes
to see Naruto’s development and tells him that he’ll be facing off
against an opponent. The door opens and in step Temari and Shikamaru,
but neither of them is Naruto’s opponent.
Instead,
Tsunade points Naruto outside, where Kakashi is seen sitting and
reading Icha Icha Violence. Naruto presents Kakashi with a gift that
literally makes him look on in awe: Icha Icha Tactics- the first new
book in the Icha Icha Paradise series in three years, and it hasn’t
even been released yet! Of course Naruto is still young and in his
prime, so he is unable to understand exactly how ‘good’ Jiraiya’s work
is.
Turns out that Kakashi is both Naruto and Sakura’s opponent,
and based on how the two fare against their sensei, Tsunade can decide
what to do with them. They’ll meet up later since Kakashi decides to
give Naruto some time to recover after his long trip, even though he’s
not really that tired. Like that, Kakashi’s gone, though everyone knows
it’s probably to begin reading that book.
Sometime later,
Naruto, Sakura, Temari, and Shikamaru are walking down the streets of
Konoha when Naruto pops the question as to whether or not Temari and
Shikamaru are dating, but that’s not the reason. The Chuunin Exams are
starting soon and they’re helping with the preparations. Shikamaru then
gives Naruto a bit of bad news: out of everyone in their age group,
Naruto’s the only one who hasn’t become a Chuunin, while Temari,
Kankurou, and Neji have all become jounin.
And then there’s Gaara, who became Kazekage.
Despite this minor setback, Naruto’s determination does not falter.
Jiraiya
finds and begins to converse with Kakashi, who is still engrossed in
Icha Icha Tactics. Just as Jiraiya promised long ago, Naruto is back in
Kakashi’s care, but he also tells Kakashi that “They’re starting to
move.”
At a council meeting in Sunagakure, news circulates
around the members about Akatsuki. Just as Jiraiya had explained to
Kakashi long ago in episode 82, a Suna member explains that Akatsuki is
an organization made up of about ten shinobi, all of whom are S-ranked
criminals in the bingo book. Among those members is Uchiha Itachi, who
is known for killing the entire Uchiha Clan (save for Sasuke),
Hoshikagi Kisame, one of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shu (Seven
Swordsmen of the Mist) and known as the monster of Kirigakure no Kaijin
(Hidden Mist Village), and of course, Orochimaru, who had assassinated
the previous Kazekage and planned to destroy Konoha. He, however, is no
longer a member.
All Jiraiya knows is that the organization is
interested in the Kyuubi within Naruto. He’s given out information to
the head of security in other countries.
As a Suna member
tells the council, Akatsuki members are identified by their black capes
that have red clouds on them. Said council member, known as Yuura,
suddenly gets a terrible migraine and the seal deep within his mind
suddenly shatters. He shakes it off as nothing, as not to raise
suspicion.
Further away, but closing in on Suna, are two members
of Akatsuki: Sasori and Deidara. They know of Orochimaru giving away
information about their organization, but Sasori could not even predict
what would happen after he used that jutsu on him. He asks Deidara (the
blonde with the bag) if he’ll be all right with just the bag he’s
carrying, since their opponent is a Jinchuuriki (Power of Human
Sacrifice: a host for the tailed demons). Deidara is not worried, since
all of his techniques are works. He opens the bag and his hand, which
has a mouth in the center of the palm, digs down and grabs a handful of
clay.
Later in Konoha, Naruto and Sakura are…again waiting for
Kakashi, who soon shows up with a very flimsy excuse not unlike any of
the others he used to give. They return to the exact training spot that
they were at so long ago, back when Team 7 consisted of three members
and Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were just about to go through the bell
test for the first time. They all begin to reminisce about when Team 7
was a three man squad- Sakura thinks back to the night Sasuke left
Konoha for good in the company of the Sound Four and how she begged and
pleaded Sasuke, only to have him give her his last cryptic words before
knocking her out, which were “Sakura…thank you.” Naruto remembers his
confrontation with Sasuke when the two finally met at the Valley of the
End after Sasuke had partially released his curse seal.
Back to
reality, Naruto and Sakura go into a temporary depression mode, which
tells Kakashi that Sasuke’s name is still taboo amongst his squad, but
their motivation soon returns. The rules are, for the most part,
exactly the same as they were before: anything goes so long as they are
able to get the bells, to which Naruto and Sakura each remember since
they finish Kakashi’s sentence for him. Surprisingly, Kakashi puts away
his book, but he assures Naruto and Sakura that he feels that this time
around he should be serious- he lifts his headband and reveals the
Sharingan.
In Suna, Deidara and Sasori have come within view of
the ANBU. Yuura, who is conveniently the captain, is warned of the
incoming Akatsuki members, but he assures the guard that everything
will be over soon.
By the time Sasori and Deidara arrive, all of
the Suna guards save for Yuura have been killed. When Sasori asks if
Yuura remembers him, he responds with an enthusiastic “Yes, sir!
Sasori-sama!”
Elsewhere, the battle for the bells begins.
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