Neji's Judgment
I'll give this to you, so please, help me!
Don't worry about that!
Can you just show us the way?
Yes!
Over there.
Byakugan!
Found them!
What are you planning to do?!
We can't ignore them.
But that could mean defaulting on the Chunin Exams.
I-I'm sorry.
It's not your fault. It's my decision to take action.
R-Right.
You're right, Tenten.
This could mean a default on the Chunin Exams.
But in a situation like this, he wouldn't…
Naruto wouldn't hesitate for a moment to act.
Yes, I'm sure he wouldn't.
You're right!
Naruto would scold us if we ignored someone in need
in order to pass the Second Exam.
Naruto and Gaara both challenged their destinies
and overcame hardship.
They wouldn't turn their backs and say it's someone else's problem.
Damn it… I told you not to come.
How can I stay away?!
If your friend was here, I'm sure he'd come to save you.
Friend?!
Yeah, that's because he's a fool…
Ninja Art: Cocoon…
What is that?
This is…?
My power. But it isn't enough to break this chakra chain.
So, I'm going to try to buy us some time.
This is…!
The flow in the chakra chain is becoming sluggish…
That cocoon has the power to suppress the absorption of chakra?
What did you do?
I made a cocoon with my Chakra Threads.
My cocoon is a complicated tangle of
super-fine Chakra Threads.
And it weakened its absorption, just as I thought.
It didn't stop it.
The rate of chakra being sucked out has definitely slowed down,
and lessened the pain…
But eventually, our Tailed Beasts will be extracted…
and we'll die.
Negative thoughts aren't good.
I'm sure someone will come to save us!
How can you be so positive?
Someone once praised me that I was born special.
No one will come to help us.
Don't say such things!
Hey! Is someone out there?!
Your voice won't travel through this cocoon.
Oops! Darn it.
All right then…
I'll just pull this out with brute strength.
We'll have to wait to be rescued, after all.
No matter how long we wait,
no one from the Sand will come to our aid.
Again with those negative thoughts!
Would you still say that if you knew
the person attacking us is from the Sand?
Are you serious?!
How futile.
All you did was throw away any way of escape.
Just how long do you think you'll last in there?
In the past, the only way I could relate to others
was with hate and a desire to kill.
Now that I am the Kazekage,
some believe that I will rule through fear,
and are trying to eliminate me.
That can't be helped.
I'm the one who brought it on.
If I have any regrets, it's only that I wish people knew
how much I was trying to change.
That friend of yours taught you, right?
That you can share and understand the pain,
suffering and happiness of others!
Yes, that's right.
But it's difficult for a Jinchuriki.
That's not true! I'm sure it'll all work out.
Even a Jinchuriki can make a hundred friends.
I just know it! The Village Chief told me so.
They're alike, after all.
Judging by the panic within the Hidden Sand,
we can assume they don't have Gaara under their protection.
Yes. This is just as we feared.
He set himself up as bait to lure out
the faction planning the coup d'état.
In the worst case, it's possible he's already been assassinated.
The Leaf has close ties to him.
If something like that happens,
it would greatly affect our future relationship.
We can't allow him to be assassinated.
As long as we don't know who the coup d'état faction is,
we can't go to the Sand to request assistance.
We'll just have to do something ourselves.
That being said, we don't know where he went.
We have no clues at all.
What's that?
Ah, they're genin of the Hidden Sand!
The sound of a lute?!
What is that?!
It looks like a giant cocoon!
And who is that man?
You're exam participants from the Hidden Waterfall!
Yes…
We're looking for Foo. She wandered off.
Foo wandered off?
What?!
Chakra is being extracted from Gaara and Foo.
What's wrong, Neji?!
What is in that cocoon?!
Two Jinchuriki.
One of them is Lord Gaara…
But who's the other one?
From the Hidden Waterfall…
It's your teammate.
Are you fine with this happening? At this rate, they'll both die.
It's probably the Sealing Jutsu of that lute-playing priest.
He's extracting Tailed Beast Chakra,
and ultimately, the Beasts themselves.
If the Tailed Beast is extracted, Lord Gaara will die!
Please help him!
And what do you intend to do?
Are you going to abandon your teammate?
Let's call a truce, and fight together!
If we act now, we can save them…
Please…
Save Foo.
All right.
I see!
From what I gather, the priest's back is vulnerable.
This is what I've come up with.
We'll divide into two teams…
An attack and a rescue team.
The attack team will sneak in close and attack from behind…
The rescue team will seize the opportunity and rescue the two.
Lee, Matsuri and the two from the Hidden Waterfall
will attack the lute-playing priest!
– Understood. – Understood.
Right! We'll pulverize him!
I'd like to be on the rescue team!
No, I need Tenten for the rescue.
The two of us will go.
Okay!
Scatter!
Shuriken Shadow Clone!
Water Style: Water Shuriken!
Deadly Shell Meteorite!
Leaf Hurricane!
Dharma Barrier: Celestial Pillars!
What is that?!
Some defensive jutsu?!
No, that's not the only thing.
Let's use caution!
Tenten, I need a Chakra Sword.
Got it!
SWORD
Aim for a section of the cocoon!
Right here!
Damn it! We can't get close to him!
It's an impregnable barrier!
At this rate, we're not helping Lord Kazekage at all.
No, this is sufficient.
What?
Just drawing his attention away will make Neji's job easier.
That is what we are here to do.
Neji, are you all right?!
Are you two okay?
See!
Someone came to help, after all!
I gave strict orders not to tell anyone…
Don't be angry with your subordinates.
They were worried sick about you.
I figured as much…
This chain has penetrated your Chakra Points.
And they are causing direct damage to the Chakra Network.
They're controlling the flow of chakra
through the Chakra Points and
siphoning away your Tailed Beast Chakra.
Yeah…
Eventually, the Tailed Beast Chakra will be weakened enough
and he'll extract the Beast itself.
Can you please help?
Tailed Beast or whatever, chakra is chakra.
If we plug the Chakra Point that's being used to siphon the Tailed Beast Chakra,
we may be able to stop the flow.
Is that possible?
Yeah… It'll be tricky, but it's worth a try.
Please do.
Here it is!
Gentle Fist: Chakra Point Needle!
What happened?
The Tailed Beast Chakra is so powerful that it repelled me.
I didn't think it would be this strong!
That time…
The force of the Nine Tails Chakra inside Naruto was unbelievable…
So I guess Gaara and Foo's Tailed Beast Chakra
are just as powerful as Naruto's.
Please don't give up! We're counting on you!
Yeah, I know. I'll try again!
All right, the flow stopped!
You're next, Foo!
Okay!
What?!
The chakra flow has stopped?!
Why?!
Why isn't the Tailed Beast Chakra flowing in?!
The lute-playing priest is acting strange…
Yes, something must have happened.
Did the Leaf's Byakugan user do something?
Well, the enemy definitely looks flustered.
What's happening?
It looks like it's alive!
That's creepy!
Be careful!
Unless I do something,
the chain will continue searching for Tailed Beast Chakra!
It will find the chakra that it has already stored up in me…
and start siphoning that Tailed Beast Chakra…
until it destroys itself.
The barrier's been broken!
May I ask you, not to kill him?
Yes, I understand.
Neji…
I see…
It's the same theory as earlier.
The Chakra Points are closed.
There are more Chakra Points here though…
Everyone, please stand back!
We can still save him.
Let's take him to the Medical Team.
Yes, understood!
You have my thanks, Neji.
Imagine, being rescued by you.
Is everyone all right?!
Yes, we're okay now.
Lord Gaara!
Thank goodness you're safe!
Matsuri performed admirably too.
Over there!
It seems like they don't need our help, after all!
Yes, I guess we were a little too late.
I'm Foo of the Hidden Waterfall!
I'm trying to make one hundred friends!
So please, be Foo's friend!
O-Okay, okay!
I get it, just let go of my hand.
Neji! You're so lucky!
Woohoo! Woohoo!
Friends! Friends!
There was a time I felt the wounds
that I inflicted on my people would never heal.
I thought I should just disappear from the Sand Village.
But I found there were people who,
without any prejudice, accepted my feelings.
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "Hopes Entrusted to the Future."
It is a youthful power, one that supports the future.
IN NARUTO'S FOOTSTEPS ~ THE PATH TRAVELED HOPES ENTRUSTED TO THE FUTURE
Tune in again!