The Targeted Tailed Beast
So this is the legendary sandstorm of the Land of Wind!
I'd heard rumors, but this is mind-blowing!
Postponing the Second Exam was wise.
Yes, one careless move and you're dead.
Are you from the Hidden Leaf?
We have a letter from Lady Hokage to Lord Kazekage.
It's very urgent.
We'll deliver it to him.
Our instructions are to deliver it to him in person.
Will you please let us through?
No.
The Second Exam is under the Sand's jurisdiction.
That's unfortunate.
Well, since they won't let us through, should we return to the Leaf Village?
Yeah, I guess we should.
That's really bad acting, you two.
Well, so long!
What?!
Don't let them get away!
I can't take it anymore!
Hang in there!
Do you want to rot in the desert?!
But…
Don't get flustered!
I'm Kankuro, a Hidden Sand proctor.
I'm going to get you out of here.
You came personally to rescue us, Sir Kankuro?!
Follow me!
I'll take to you the shelter.
– Yes, sir! – Yes, sir!
I can't walk…any further.
Listen to me!
Think of this as part of the Second Exam and get through it!
Lady Proctor!
If you end up whining over a mere sandstorm,
you'll never make it as a Sand chunin!
Talk about exceeding one's expectations…
I've never seen a sandstorm this massive.
I can barely breathe…
Leave it to me! I'll stop it.
Third Gate, Gate of Life…Open!
All right, follow me!
Okay, let's go.
Yes.
Hey, stop moving around!
Sorry! But staying still is so stifling…
Instead of getting buried by the sand like this,
maybe we should make a run for it…
Wait…
Byakugan!
I broke through!
The sandstorm should subside in about an hour.
That's when we'll move.
I understand.
We just have to endure a little bit more.
I have a report on the situation for Lord Kazekage.
You may enter.
Excuse me, my lord.
We've received status reports on the sandstorm from the teams.
Nearly all exam participants have been evacuated to the shelter.
Lord Kazekage?
What is this?!
What's wrong?!
Are you men blind?!
A-A Sand Clone!
Where is Lord Kazekage?!
Thank you very much!
If you thank anyone,
it should be Foo of the Hidden Waterfall…
– Y-Yes! – Y-Yes!
Now go!
The Second Exam will probably resume shortly.
Y-Yes!
What?!
An enemy?!
Where's it coming from…?
We chose the wrong route.
We can't see what's happening on higher ground from here.
That sound gives me the creeps.
We should high tail it out of here.
Yeah, but let's proceed with caution.
Power of Dharma: Silhouette.
The tempo's changed. Let's hurry.
Yes.
What is this?
Huh?! The shadows…!
What are these things?
Sand Clone!
Lord Gaara, what's going on?!
Their target is me.
There's no need for you to get involved.
It's our duty as Sand Shinobi to fight when our Kazekage is threatened!
Return to the Second Exam.
That is your duty as Sand Shinobi!
Dharma Sealing Jutsu:
Sen no Rikyu!
Get down!
I'm losing…my power…
The chain!
Let's pull out the chain!
– R-Right! – R-Right!
Go! I can do this alone…
But…
I order you as the Kazekage to withdraw immediately!
And not a word of this to anyone, understood?
W-What'll we do?
How should I know?!
Let's go to the central tower and get help!
But…Lord Kazekage swore us to secrecy!
You fool! His life is in danger!
Resistance is useless.
This is the sealing jutsu passed on to me by Priest Bunpuku!
Now, I can extract Shukaku from Gaara.
Yukata! Are you all right?
I-I…can't move anymore.
Matsuri! Yukata can't go on!
What do we do?
Mikoshi, take care of Yukata!
I'm going to inform headquarters about Lord Gaara!
But, by yourself?!
Watch Yukata! I'm going!
Matsuri…
I wonder if I'm going to make a hundred friends...?
She is so impulsive!
She's abandoning the Chunin Exams? What is she up to?!
Foo…
We finally caught up…
Where are you going, Foo?!
Are you going back for the Second Exam?
I just can't figure her out!
– Hey! – Wait!
The friend I just made is in trouble!
Friend?
Don't tell me you're going to help?!
Of course!
Come back, Foo!
Damn it!
Never mind the Second Exam already!
We just have to get her back safely!
Y-Yeah…
Hey! Let us pass!
We have a letter for Lord Kazekage from Lady Hokage!
We'll take it!
That won't do!
We must deliver it directly to Lord Kazekage.
I explained that's not possible!
He's not here!
Not here either!
Something's up.
Yeah… The Kazekage isn't here.
What in the world?! The Kazekage....?
This chain…
is extracting my chakra…
That's...!
There's no mistake. That's Tailed Beast chakra!
If left alone, his Tailed Beast will be extracted…and he'll die!
Foo!
Stay away! This has nothing to do with you.
It does have something to do with me!
You know about me…don't you?
Yes. You're a Jinchuriki too.
That's why I can feel your pain too.
And you taught me that friends understand each other's pain.
Stop it…!
It's sucking out my power…
Are you all right?!
So there's another one…
How interesting…
Not even Lord Bunpuku ever sealed two Tailed Beasts at once.
This is the perfect opportunity to test the power of the Dharma Seal.
Foo! Be careful!
Foo!
I-I'm sorry…
I think I failed…
Dharma Sealing Jutsu: Sen no Rikyu!
If the sandstorm continued any longer,
this would have become our grave.
You never know what will happen next.
That's the Demon Desert!
Let's get this Second Exam over with.
Right! The central tower isn't far from here.
All right! Let's go!
What's the matter?
Did you forget something?
Yeah…
There's something we need to do before we head for the central tower.
Yes.
There's someone I want to settle things with too.
Do you have someone like that too?
No, it's nothing like that.
Is there something the matter with them?
We have two scrolls.
Actually…
– What?! – What?!
They're both "Heaven" scrolls.
How could you?!
Why did you keep something so important a secret?!
I didn't intend to keep it a secret.
It's just that things happened and I didn't have a chance to tell you.
That's a really bad excuse…
Well, we'll just have to recoup and obtain an "Earth" scroll somehow.
Byakugan!
Over that way!
Please wait!
Oh, come on!
H-Hey! You're going to take a scroll from someone
who's ready to drop from exhaustion?!
We can't do something so cowardly!
Don't jump to conclusions!
We can't ignore someone in distress.
That's right!
Neji would never stoop to such a dirty trick.
Of course not! The thought never crossed my mind…
Did something happen?
It's Lord Kazekage!
Someone is attacking Lord Gaara!
Gaara?!
Just a little longer.
No one will come to help us.
Negative thoughts aren't good!
No matter how long we wait,
reinforcements from the Sand won't come!
Again with those negative thoughts!
Would you still say that if you knew
that the one attacking us is from the Sand?
Are you serious?!
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "Neji's Judgment"
But I'm sure someone will come to save us!
IN NARUTO'S FOOTSTEPS ~ THE PATH TRAVELED NEJI'S JUDGMENT
Tune in again!