Após treinar com Jiraiya por mais de dois anos, Naruto retorna à Aldeia da Folha, onde logo reencontra Sakura e Konohamaru.

Kakashi testa Naruto e Sakura para avaliar o progresso deles. Enquanto isso, a Akatsuki chega à Aldeia da Areia para capturar o Jinchuriki.

Enquanto Naruto e Sakura demonstram suas novas habilidades, Deidara ataca a Aldeia da Areia e é confrontado por Gaara.

Naruto e Sakura se esforçam para passar no teste de Kakashi. Deidara e Gaara disputam uma batalha aérea.

Naruto and Sakura defeat Kakashi in the survival challenge. Tsunade assigns them to a three-man squad led by Kakashi, who tells them they are now his equals.

In order to protect his village from Deidara’s explosive clay, Gaara uses his chakra to create a giant sand shield.

Gaara, his strength completely exhausted, is whisked away by Deidara. Kankuro ignores Baki’s efforts to stop him and immediately sets out in pursuit with a platoon to rescue Gaara.

An urgent message from the Sand Village detailing the Akatsuki’s kidnapping of the Kazekage reaches the Hidden Leaf Village. Tsunade wastes no time in ordering Team Kakashi to the Sand Village.

On her way to the Sand Village, Temari encounters Kakashi and his team. Kakashi admonishes Naruto when he tries to rush ahead…

The Sand ninja fight against time to treat Kankuro. Even the Sand’s poison expert, Granny Chiyo, is baffled. The only hope lies with the reinforcements sent by Tsunade.

Sakura treats a critically ill Kankuro. After extensive training she’s now a full-fledged Medic Ninja, and Sakura amazes everyone with her sure, steady hands.

Pakkun finds the hideout of the Akatsuki. Team Kakashi and Temari prepare to set out to get Gaara back, but Temari is ordered to stay behind and help guard the village.

Guy prepares to use a forbidden secret jutsu. Meanwhile, Naruto falls under Itachi’s genjutsu, and all the anti-genjutsu training he underwent with Jiraiya races through Naruto’s mind.

Granny Chiyo and Sakura rescue Naruto from Itachi’s genjutsu. Without a moment’s delay, Kakashi begins a counterattack.

Chiyo and Kakashi realize that the attack was just a diversion, and that the Akatsuki have already begun the process of extracting the Tailed Beast from Gaara.

Teams Kakashi and Guy take a short rest. Granny Chiyo watches Naruto dozing off and is reminded of Sasori as a child. The pursuit resumes, and when Chiyo wonders why Naruto puts such effort into...

Teams Kakashi and Guy reach the Akatsuki hideout. They hurry to infiltrate but are thwarted by a five-seal barrier. The only way to break the barrier is to remove all five seals at once.

Breaking the five-seal barrier set off a trap, which now has Team Guy battling amazingly accurate copies of themselves. Back at the Akatsuki hideout, Deidara and Sasori struggle to take the Nine-Tail Jinchûriki.

At last, the showdown between the old woman and her grandson begins. Sakura is confused by Sasori’s strange appearance, and Granny Chiyo explains that this is Hiruko…

Granny Chiyo and Sakura manage to expose Sasori, who amazingly looks no older than he did twenty years earlier.

Sakura is caught by Sasori’s tactic and surrounded by a poison cloud.

Chiyo and Sakura take cover, and Sasori wastes no time unleashing a ruthless attack.

Sakura counters the Iron Sand attack of the Third Kazekage puppet with superhuman strength.

Sakura destroys the Third Kazekage puppet thanks to a secret antidote she had taken.

Sakura and Granny Chiyo are engaged in a fierce battle with Sasori, who is able turn himself into a human puppet. They somehow bring Sasori down within the time limit, but he ends up reviving.

Although stung with poison herself, Granny Chiyo uses the last of the antidote on Sakura. Mocking the tender scene between Granny Chiyo and Sakura, Sasori attempts to end Granny Chiyo's life.

Team Guy senses the result of the Sakura and Granny Chiyo’s desperate struggle while still in battle with his deadly copy. Although Guy’s team members are showing fatigue, their copies remain strong!

Sakura hurries to get to Naruto with Granny Chiyo, who is suffering from the poison. The members of Team Guy rush to assist Team Kakashi. Meanwhile, with all preparations complete, Kakashi reveals his Mangekyo Sharingan.

Naruto loses all reason to anger and is gradually taken over by the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit. Having been forewarned by Jiraiya, Kakashi narrowly manages to suppress the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Relying on Naruto's power, Granny Chiyo performs the Transmigration Jutsu on Gaara.

Gaara and his rescuers make a triumphant return to the Hidden Sand Village.