What?!
They broke the barrier. They're not bad.
Guren...
Huh? H-Hey!
Kakashi Sensei!
Humph! Back up, huh?
Is everybody all right?
Naruto, what was that...?
That was Collaboration Ninjutsu with a toad. We learned it from Pervy Sage.
Oh...!
Now! It's my turn! You! There's nowhere to escape!
Here comes that really loud guy!
Hinata!
You! What did you do to Hinata?!
What are you going to do, Kakashi Sensei?!
We can't attack them recklessly since Hinata has been taken hostage.
Besides, any small shock will cause that crystal to shatter.
What a mess.
- Sai, wait for your chance... - You realize your situation,
- to attack from the sky. - so just return to the Leaf!
Right!
- Gamatatsu, can you do that once more? - If you go back, I'll let this kid go.
Yeah...just one more time...
I must control my Wind Chakra so Hinata won't get hurt.
Freeze!
- Now, Gamatatsu! - Stop, Naruto!
Wind Style: Toad Water Pistol!
What?!
My Crystal Style can crystallize all materials.
You need ten more years of experience before you can challenge me.
Crystal Style: Burst Crystal Falling Dragon.
Gamatatsu, run away!
Is everyone safe?
- Yes! - Yes!
Damn it! What was that?!
She crystallized your Jutsu and turned it into her own Jutsu.
Listen, Naruto! I'll get her attention.
You protect Hinata, then pull out from the battle!
- What?! - Hinata's life is the top priority right now.
Right.
It's useless to hide. Don't forget I have a hostage!
They seem to have given up.
Let Hinata go. Take me as your hostage instead.
What?!
That's wishful thinking!
Now, Naruto!
Gamatatsu!
I won't let you get away!
Damn it! My clothes are so filthy now.
Guren!
- Are you all right? - Yeah...
I'm relieved.
I must say, they ran away rather quickly. Rinji, don't lose track of them!
All right.
The Target Appears
All right, Gamatatsu, you can bring Hinata out now.
Gamatatsu! Gently, gently!
Gently, gently.
Good! Just like that, slowly, slowly.
Oh!
A fly!
Hinata!
You fool! What are you doing, idiot?!
Huh?!
No! Stop! Please stop!
Hinata!
It...stopped...
Damn! We're too late...
Pakkun!
They finished analyzing Shino's Parasitic Insect.
It appears the enemy's Jutsu was definitely the Crystal Style.
Just as we suspected...
And the analyst confirmed
that several materials from the crystal encased the Parasitic Insect.
It was true what she said about it crystallizing all materials.
Sai's Super Beast Scroll was also crystallized. It's a troublesome Jutsu.
Not only the Jutsu itself, but also its effects.
- So, that means... - Right...
They said that even the biological fluid of the Parasitic Insect was crystallized.
What?! Then...
And Hinata? Is Hinata all right, Kakashi Sensei?
Y-Yeah...
We should take her to the village immediately.
I know! Grandma Tsunade! Grandma will help her.
Calm down, Naruto!
Hinata!
Sakura...!
Don't worry! She's alive.
- Are you sure? - What a relief!
Wow, that scared me...
Idiot! How can you be so distracted by a mere fly?!
Wha--?
What's the matter, Shino?
I was thinking about my Parasitic Insects...
After it was defeated by the Crystal Style Jutsu,
the insect shattered in my hand.
And yet, Hinata survived...
True. When we first encountered the Crystal Style, it shattered.
I wonder what the insect that survived and Hinata have in common?
I...
Oh, don't move so soon.
When I received the Jutsu...
I released my Chakra from my Chakra Points all at once,
to make a thin film in which to cover myself.
I see. That's why, even her Crystal Style failed to crystallize Chakra.
Although you faced the unexpected, you did a great job, Hinata.
Right...
Only a Hyuga family member could pull that off. Hinata, you're awesome!
I'm glad you're okay.
Sorry you had to worry about me, Naruto...
You don't need to apologize.
Naruto...
Well, Senpai, what are we going to do now?
Well... Let's see...
I-I'm all right.
Don't force yourself just yet.
I think we were lucky because Hinata was the only victim of the Crystal Style...
We don't have any countermeasures against the Crystal Style at this point,
so retreating is the best option for now.
But then, they'll get away!
Right. Unless we stay on the look out, we'll lose them.
It was so much trouble finding them.
I'm afraid that if we let them go now, we'll never find them again...
Then here's the plan.
We have enough members, so let's split into two groups.
Sai and Sakura, you two stand by here to wait for Hinata's recovery.
- Right! - Right!
The others will track them.
But as they move, they're erasing their scent.
It's impossible to track them, even for Akamaru.
It looks like they're extremely cautious.
Then how can we find someone that seems so impossible to track?
We can use their monitoring bats.
However, if we get too close to a bat, they'll find us first.
So we should be very careful from this point on.
I see...
It's a pain, but we don't have a choice...
I have something to add.
We also should be careful about the Crystal Style barrier which Naruto just broke.
Even if you find them, don't attack. After all, our goal is to investigate them.
- Understood! - Understood!
Then we're going home.
We'll see you the next time we need your help.
I'm going home too, Kakashi.
Good work today, Pakkun.
- See you! - Good bye!
Then let's go, everyone!
Guren!
Is everything all right?
I ran into someone I know.
What?
Who was that?
The man with the headband.
Headband?
Could it be the guy we just met?
How do you know about him?
Well... That's right!
When I went out with Kabuto the other day, I met him.
The man said he has a place to return to.
And he asked me to return with him, but I didn't.
Because I thought that was not the kind of place where I could return to.
Was that just coincidence?
I think so. Because there's no way they saw us and this kid together.
Well, what should we do, Guren?
There can only be one answer.
Good boy, thanks for coming back.
It's not them to whom you return, but to me.
Yeah.
But if he's your friend, I want to say hello to him.
Where did you see him?
Are you going to track them?
Yes.
Once I decide to go after something, I stick with it.
That's the way I do things.
Guren, that's a bad habit.
Kabuto!
- It's easy for you to go overboard. -What?!
I hope you have some remorse.
Based on the story I just heard,
I think you were very lucky that they didn't take Yuukimaru away.
If you lose Yuukimaru...
Guren, you'll lose credibility with Lord Orochimaru.
Sorry, but you guys must stay here
and watch out for the guys from the Hidden Leaf.
We don't want any distractions.
What?! We can't come with you?!
Rinji, this time just follow what Kabuto says!
All right. If you say so, Guren...
Sorry...
Let's go.
From now on, the fewer people, the better.
Is there something that you don't want us to see?
Well, there's something you don't see very often.
Just wait until you see it.
What's the matter?
Kabuto... I have a bad feeling...
When I took the medicine, my head really hurt.
Don't worry. Nothing will go wrong.
When something happens, Guren will protect you.
- Really? - Y-Yeah. That's true.
Damn it! We shouldn't have taken our eyes off them, even for a moment!
We have to start tracking them all over again!
Because of the bats, we can't move freely!
We have no choice. Shall we try it the risky way?
Shino, do you have an idea?
Let's change our way of thinking.
Not wanting the bats to find us is a problem.
But if we assume the bats will find us, we can take advantage of them.
Huh? What does that mean?
The supersonic waves of the bats won't work far away.
When the bats sense our presence, how do they report it to the enemy?
Oh, I get it now!
Now that you mention it, you're right.
Good work figuring it out, Shino.
H-Hold on! Does everyone understand?
Who doesn't understand? We're all Chunin and Jonin.
Oops! There's one Genin.
You, are you trying to pick a fight?! Fine! I understand, too!
Really?
Let's get back to what we were talking about.
So, what should we do?
Let's try it!
Naruto, make three Shadow Clones,
line them up ten meters away from each other
and have them run around the grounds!
But if I do that...
Hurry up!
I know!
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
But won't the bats' radar detect us if I do this?!
- That's what we want! - What?
I found them! That must be it!
Because there's no reason for the bats to be flying around
during the daytime without a good reason.
All right! Let's go, everyone!
By the way, why are we following the bats?
Duh! See, you don't understand, do you?!
Those bats will return to their hideout to let them know they've found us!
Um...?
That means, if we follow them, we'll find where the enemy is hiding.
Oh, I get it!
Good grief! You're still no good.
Humph! Stop being so bossy, just because you're a Chunin!
Take this!
That stinks!
Heh, heh! Look at yourself!
Every time I come to this place, I feel really weird...
What are you going to do here?
Well... I'll perform a little test.
With him and...Guren.
Here, put this on.
If you give him that much medicine...!
Huh?
Are you trying to disrupt Lord Orochimaru's plan?
I really must have you for this mission.
In fact, you're the only one who can do it.
Only me?
Then perhaps, I may want to reconsider...
who is the best suited to become my vessel.
Don't worry. Let's start something fun.
This medicine is different from what you took before.
This medicine won't bring you any suffering.
You can't go back until you take this.
Guren, it's your turn.
Stop being so bossy all the time!
Crystal Style: Jade Crystal Hexagonal Column!
Oh!
What? What is going to happen?
What is this...?
Be careful! It's coming!
It's coming?
The test was successful!
It'll appear!
What will appear?!
A Tailed Beast.
Tailed Beast...?
This is the Three-Tailed Beast.
What's that feeling...?
What's the matter, Shino?
My insects...feel a weird Chakra.
Weird Chakra?
They've never felt so much Chakra before.
It looks like Akamaru feels the same thing as your insects!
What's going on over there?!
Let's hurry, we'll go straight through!
Next Time: "The Rampaging Tailed Beast"
Wh-What're these? Cancer cells?
- Ah! Sorry. - What...?!
- Ahem! I put on some weight. - I gained weight, too.
My weight hasn't changed much...
Why are you comparing them?
Shino?
Oh! Hey, you still have your clothes on...
It doesn't matter how heavy my clothes are...
because I can control my weight, depending on how many insects I have.
Wow, it's so convenient.
56.6 kg... Not bad for today.
- You don't need... - a scale!
To be continued