Their Backs
Not yet... I don't have enough chakra yet…
Wake up, Choji!
Choji!
What will you do next,
my dear puppet?
He's not your puppet!
He's my friend!
What are you doing?
Get out of Choji!
You're the one who's getting out!
I-I won't lose!
There's no way the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Transfer Jutsu will be defeated!
Ino?!
Sister!
Lady Saya!
My jutsu…
My jutsu was undone! No!
It wasn't undone...
I didn't lose!
I didn't…!
There's no way I'd lose!
Ino!
You did it!
Ino! Sakura!
A puppet…?!
It can't be!
Over here! Lady Sana!
Mamushi, you're alive?
Damned right I am!
What about…Elder Sister?
Lady Saya!
Elder Sister, you're all right!
I'm okay…
But my doll is broken.
I can't believe your jutsu was defeated…Lady Saya.
What?!
I did not lose! I didn't!
I did not lose!
I don't care about the Chunin Exams anymore.
Revenge! We're getting revenge!
Lady Saya…
But how…?
I'm going to turn them into puppets
and make them clean toilets for ten years…!
As expected, Sister!
That's so depraved!
Those three from the Hidden Leaf…
I'm going to get that blonde Sensory-type!
You know what to do, right, Sana?
Of course, Sister.
Choji and Ino have used up their chakra due to all these battles.
Their strength and willpower are at their limits!
When the enemy attacks again, it'll be up to me…!
Back then…
all I ever did was have Sasuke and Naruto protect me.
Now, I should be able to protect them.
Like Sasuke… and Naruto did back then!
All right, today we're going to step up our training much more.
It will be like an experiment…
I don't even know what might happen.
Are you prepared?
Y-Yeah!
Let's just do it!
Good.
Come on out, Gerotora!
I have a bad feeling about this…
Anytime you summon me, it means you…
That's right. I want you to loosen the Nine-Tails' seal just a little.
Well, let me just start off by saying, I'm opposed to this.
The Nine Tails cannot be controlled by mere humans.
That's why I've taken the time to make sure.
With all the training he's put in, I know that Naruto can maintain
his own psyche up to a two-tail transformation.
We need to know how much farther is possible.
Can you handle it, kid?
Opening the seal means that
the Nine Tails influence will grow stronger.
Can you say for sure that
he won't take you over and run amok?
Well, I…
Well, if worse comes to worst,
I, Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, will stop him even if it kills me.
Pervy Sage…
Besides, I have faith that Naruto will master this jutsu.
As did the Fourth Hokage who sealed the Nine Tails in Naruto.
Yeah!
All right then, let's begin.
Right!
Here we go!
Two tails in an instant…
Hey, there's the third tail!
Now, Naruto!
Suppress your chakra now!
Suppress yourself!
I got that!
What is this irritating feeling?
It's bitter and hateful…
It feels like my insides are turning black!
I'll cooperate with you.
Y-You are…?
Don't hold back.
You want power, don't you?
Cut it out!
You know it's pretty pathetic…
The guy you're trying to bring back left the village...
He forgot about you long ago…
and he's teamed up with a better partner.
Shut up and go back!
Idiot… If anyone goes back… it's you!
It was a reckless idea, after all.
Such a pity.
Gerotora, stay back!
I'll stop Naruto.
Where am I?
You're awake...
Pervy Sage!
What happened?!
Isn't it obvious?
You went on a rampage,
so I held you down and this is the result.
It's just some broken ribs and what not…
I did that…?
It's not your fault. I made the wrong call.
I underestimated some things.
Pervy Sage… I…
Don't apologize.
Sometimes, training goes wrong. It's normal.
But…!
He provoked me and I gave in!
So?
Was Gerotora right?
Will you give up because it's impossible?
I held onto my consciousness up to three tails.
But I felt this immense power…
And I realized that this jutsu is absolutely necessary.
Even if it's impossible for me now,
I'll never give up!
I won't betray the faith
you and the Fourth Hokage put into me, Pervy Sage!
I always knew it couldn't be dealt with in a straightforward manner...
We just have to figure out some other way.
I know that Naruto is somewhere training hard right now…!
And I…can't waste my time feeling sorry for myself!
Sand Storm Jutsu!
Well, Elder Sister… I leave the rest up to you.
We're counting on you, Lady Saya.
Cursed Sand Puppet Jutsu!
Why did a sand storm suddenly start up only around us?
This is unnatural!
We have to consider this some kind of attack!
It's them…
Haven't they learned their lesson?
They plan to limit our vision, then attack!
They do have the ground advantage.
Don't worry!
I'll send you whatever images I can grab.
Ino!
Are you okay?
You've been in full Sensory Perception mode for an awfully long while.
I can still handle this…
My Cursed Sand Puppet Jutsu…
will bring forth many, many more.
That blonde Sensory-type is near exhaustion
from using so much chakra to ward off my jutsu…
And now, all these Cursed Puppets…
Using Sensory Perception on this many has to be quite a burden.
Mamushi…
Roger!
Take over, Sana.
Yes, Elder Sister.
Sand Cloak Jutsu!
Ino!
Don't push yourself so hard anymore!
But…
If each of us can guard our own line of sight,
we'll manage somehow!
All right.
I'll use Mind Transmission Jutsu to connect what we each see.
That'll take some of the burden off of me.
It's working!
Ino! These guys are pretty weak.
Yes… This'll work!
Keep on coming at me!
I'll kick your butts!
Choji!
Sakura!
Ino!
It's fine. The poison will start spreading soon…
And you won't be able to move!
Choji! Ino!
This…is nothing.
Yeah! I'll pulverize them all
before the poison starts spreading throughout my body!
I'm still the one being protected…
I can't let this happen…
After all, I changed!
I must hurry with my chakra…
Like that time…
We have to treat him quickly or he'll die!
We must hurry and get Lady Tsunade…
Take him to the ICU immediately!
Right!
I can't allow you to do any surgery
or go out into the battlefront!
But… If we wait for Lady Tsunade, the patient will die…
SURGERY IN PROGRESS I just have to do it!
This is…?!
Sakura's feelings are flooding into me
through the Mind Transmission Jutsu…?!
There's only me. Just me…
This is the time for chakra control…
It's no good. I don't have enough chakra…
Sasuke… Naruto…
I…
I'm still depending on those two… even at a time like this.
No more saying, "I can't."
Unless I do it, this man will die.
I need more chakra…
More…
I must do it… With my own strength…
With my own willpower!
It's slight, but I feel my chakra replenishing…
I can do it!
I will save this man!
You're going to take the Chunin Exams?
Are you serious?
Please…
I already told you I can't authorize it.
The dam to reserve chakra from the 100 Healings Jutsu…
and the dam to store chakra I normally use…
I was able to control both of these dams
and successfully performed surgery.
I want to see how far I can go.
I want to push myself as far as I can by participating in the Exams.
I'm still a novice…
yet Choji and Ino asked me to join them.
They asked me to take the Chunin Exams with them.
I want to honor their trust in me!
Please!
AUTHORIZED
Take this with you.
Thank you very much!
However…
Whatever happens at the Chunin Exams will be your sole responsibility.
Understood?
Yes!
I see…
You were under that kind of pressure,
yet you came just for us…
We didn't know…
and we made you come…
You're wrong!
I didn't do this for you!
I did it for me… Me alone.
I've always just looked at
Naruto and Sasuke's backs from behind.
I'm challenging myself this time.
Ino… Choji…
Thank you for believing in me.
Thank you for asking me to join you…
Thank you so much.
Elder Sister, the fatso and the blonde can't move anymore.
Big forehead will soon…
Big forehead's chakra has suddenly spiked!
I have enough chakra now!
I will protect Choji and Ino, no matter what!
I'll end this…
in one sweep!
Cha!
I didn't lose! I didn't!
I did not lose!
Elder Sister!
We lost… We totally lost!
Mamushi! You will clean toilets for a hundred years!
How do you feel?
I extracted the poison,
so the numbness should wear off soon.
Th-Thanks.
No, I owe you two an apology…
You saw it through the Mind Transmission, didn't you?
I put you in danger because of my own motives…
You sure did.
Kidding…
I'm glad we asked you to join us!
Ino…
Yeah, I'm glad we asked you to join!
I feel like the three of us can beat anyone.
You guys...
Thank you!
What? Hey, you two!
Okay, let's head for the central tower.
We're almost at the finish line of the Second Exam!
Choji, Ino… Seriously, thank you.
Did you just say a massive sandstorm's appeared?
It's obstructing our long-range sensors?
Who would do this, and why?
Besides that, we have to come up
with safety measures for the exam participants first.
We'll lead all the participants into shelters.
I leave the Kazekage to you,
because it seems like he's going to take matters into his own hands...
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "The Hidden Plot Set Into Motion"
Make sure he does not set foot outside.
IN NARUTO'S FOOTSTEPS ~ THE PATH TRAVELED THE HIDDEN PLOT SET INTO MOTION
Tune in again!