Over there, huh...
Any closer and I'll be noticed...
Big Sister...
Are you taking those with you?
Fate must have meant for this to happen...
Nothing will serve me better than these
if I'm gonna fight against him...
I've lived too long a life...
The Retired Granny's Determination
So...that's where his hideout is.
Most likely.
Gaara's scent was also coming from that same place.
I see.
I have one more favor to ask you.
Huh?
Hey, are you awake, Naruto?
Huh? Pakkun...
Okay, Pakkun, I'm counting on you.
See you around then, Naruto!
Kakashi Sensei!
Could it be that you've found the Akatsuki's hideout?
Yeah... We're heading out immediately.
What, Gaara's whereabouts have been--?!
Yes ma'am! His whereabouts have just been located.
The Leaf are preparing to depart immediately!
Understood! Gather our skilled men immediately!
I will be heading out as well!
Yes, ma'am!
Temari...
Kankuro, don't be so reckless!
You need to stay in bed and take it easy!
I will get Gaara back, no matter what!
All right, as soon as the Sand is ready,
we'll join them for Gaara's rescue.
Got it?
Sorry to have kept you waiting!
Temari!
Everyone's here...
All right! Then let's head out!
Wait!
Temari... You and the others stay here in the village and patrol the border.
What do you mean by that?!
That's an order from...above.
Huh...?
Their reasoning is...
if it becomes widely known that the Kazekage is absent,
there's no telling when other villages will attack our village...
I can't believe this...
That's all the more reason that
we have to get Gaara back as soon as possible!
These Leaf people came all this way
for the very purpose of going to Gaara's aid!
Gaara is our Kazekage, right?!
What's the point if we, the Sand people, don't go to save him!
But...
I'm going.
The only Sand Shinobi you need is me!
Granny Chiyo!
But that's...
I am already retired, you know...
I can do whatever I like.
You really shouldn't overdo it...!
Don't you dare treat me like an old woman!
She jumped!
Wha--?!
I haven't doted on my dear grandchild for a while, after all...
All right, we'll head out.
Sorry... I will try to convince the higher-ups...
We'll follow behind later, no matter what!
Gaara will be long rescued by that time!
See you later!
Damn! If only I were physically fit.
There'd be no stopping me from going...!
Hey, we're going a little too fast!
We haven't stopped running since we left!
Let's take a little break!
Tenten, you need more training!
Lee! In front of you!
Wait, Guy!
Pakkun!
Naruto!
Can I ask you something?
Since when have you been targeted by the Akatsuki?
I don't know...
There was that one time when two people from the Akatsuki
came to the Leaf Village in order to make contact with Naruto.
But that was three years ago...
and they've just started making a move now.
I don't know why.
Why did they wait three years?
It could be that it's not because they didn't want to,
but because they couldn't.
Because Lord Jiraiya was always hanging close to Naruto...
No...
Based on information I acquired, there apparently is another reason.
Another...reason?
There's quite a bit of preparation involved
if one's gonna draw out the Tailed Beast that's sealed within people.
They encountered difficulties with that.
What's this "Tailed Beast" that you were talking about?
What?!
You're Tsunade's disciple and you don't even know that?!
The Leaf Village had a Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit...
The Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit is
treated as top secret amongst the Leaf Village...
Well, that's not surprising, I guess...
A Tailed Beast refers to Beast Spirits with tails.
Long, long ago, the Sand had a One-Tail.
That's the Shukaku sealed within Gaara.
One-Tail?
Do you mean that there are other beasts
besides the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit?
That's right...
There are a total of nine tailed beasts in this world...
Tailed beasts have special characteristics.
Each of them have a different number of tails.
The One-Tailed has one tail. The Two-Tailed has two.
And up to the Nine-Tailed as the name suggests,
each name represents the number of tails the beast has.
The Tailed beasts have immense Chakra
and in the world of Ninja,
they were used for military purposes by Hidden Villages around the world.
They competed to get their hands on them.
But no one was able to control that power
which surpassed human intelligence.
I don't know why the Akatsuki is after it,
but that power is too dangerous...
But in this new peaceful age, the Tailed beasts apparently...
still exist, having scattered all around the world...
Kakashi directed us, the Eight Ninja Hounds,
to fan out in every direction
to follow the Akatsuki Organization's scent.
While we were doing that, we realized that
those guys were headed towards the Land of Rivers
which is situated between the Leaf and Sand.
The Land of Rivers...?
That's right.
In other words,
you guys are closest to the Akatsuki at this point in time.
You, who were heading from the Leaf to the Sand Village.
I see...
Follow me... I'll explain the details as we run.
All right! Let's go, everybody!
Huh? Already?
An enemy is nearing this hideout.
An enemy, you said?
And a highly skilled one at that.
His name is...Might Guy.
Who's that?
A Leaf Jonin Ninja who uses Taijutsu.
He's one clever operator. Don't underestimate him.
Ah...that freak beast, huh...
We will use that Jutsu...
In that case, I'll go...
I was getting irritated for not having any luck finding a Jinchuriki.
No, I'll go...
I have something of a personal quarrel with him, you see...
You're right. That Jutsu is more suited to someone like you.
Among the Akatsuki,
you are more heavily loaded with Chakra, Kisame.
Yes...
Even so, I'll take 30% of your Chakra.
Well, well, well...
It looks like I'll finally be able to get pay back
for that kick he gave me...
Severe Leaf Hurricane!
Who the heck is he?
The Noble Blue Beast of the Leaf Village... Mighty Guy.
What's up?!
Someone's coming!
Byakugan!
Behind us!
You...
Do you know him, Guy Sensei?!
Who are you?
Another guest...
It's a little noisy this time, isn't it, Deidara!
Well, the Jinchuriki was stronger than the other two...
I told you at the start, didn't I?
Your Jutsu wasn't suited for covert operations.
I'd say your traps were pretty loud too, weren't they?
What!
Stop fighting amongst yourselves!
Concentrate on the Jutsu!
Now then... who should I send this time...
This time it's my turn, without any doubt.
Another Leaf Shinobi...
Damn!
In that case, it's decided...
Everybody, halt!
Who is that?
Out of the blue, huh...
That guy...those eyes...
You're...
This guy...has a ridiculous amount of Chakra.
I've never seen anyone besides Naruto with that amount of Chakra.
That much...?
Are you really saying you don't remember...?
Don't tell me you're...!
It appears that you've remembered...
Have we met before?
It looks like the freak beast's intelligence
is at the level of a beast too...
Well...I'll make you remember soon...
Itachi...Uchiha!
Th-That guy is...
That guy is...Itachi...Uchiha!
Guy Sensei, what is that?!
Lee, that is what we've been waiting for!
Then that is what all the surfers long for,
the legendary big wave that arrives only once every few years...?!
Big Thursday! Go, Lee!
Now is your chance to conquer that big wave
and become a man!
Yes, sir!
Please watch Guy Sensei, I'll prove to you my fighting spirit!
Will you two stop talking like that already?!
Next time: "A Meeting With Destiny"