The Leaf ninja fail to capture Itachi and also lose track of Sasuke. Calling off their pursuit, the team is heading back to the village when an urgent assignment from Lady Tsunade comes in. The mission stems from a treaty between the Third Hokage and the En no Gyoja of the Tsuchigumo Clan...

Having arrived at the village, Hotaru parts with Naruto and his team. But the Magaki Troops are one step ahead and threaten Hotaru to hand over the forbidden jutsu. Utakata appears, and Shiranami recognizes him as a bounty listed in the Hidden Mist's bingo book...