Sakon is in pursuit. The team leads him into a trap of exploding notes set up by Akamaru. But Sakon is uninjured and shoots out a wire tying Akamaru to a tree. The note in front of Akamaru is about to explode. Kiba backtracks to save Akamaru but the note explodes. Sakon and Kiba and Akamaru fall off a cliff. Tayuya catches up to Naruto and Shikamaru. Shikamaru tells Naruto to take the barrel and go, but then Kimimaro comes at them from above and grabs the barrel from them.

Shikamaru apologizes to Naruto for not including another in his calculations. Kimimaro tells Tayuya she’s too late and that they used to be the Sound 5. Tayuya asks why is he here. Kimimaro says his body is broken and he’s using his willpower to move it. He touches the barrel and comments that he’s touching a part of Orochimaru’s dream. Shikamaru gets the feeling that he’s really strong. Naruto yells give back Sasuke and flies toward Kimimaro but Tayuya punches him back. Kimimaro says to Tayuya he’s not going to kill her here since they both have their duty, even though it’s too late that’s the container Orochimaru really wants so he (Sasuke) is to be the next container. Kimimaro leaves with the barrel.

Shikamaru tells Naruto his plan. Tayuya takes out a pipe and notes that Naruto’s only good move is kage bunshin and he’s a typical close combat moron and Shikamaru uses the shadow to bind the enemy’s movements at mid-range. Shikamaru and Naruto fly toward Tayuya. Shikamaru’s kunai and Tayuya’s pipe clash while Naruto flies past Tayuya rather than engaging her in combat. Shikamaru tries his shadow bind but Tayuya notices it and jumps out of the way. Shikamaru comments that technique is not the only weapon and taps his head with his finger. Naruto leaks orange chakra and starts to turn into the fox demon.

Meanwhile at Orochimaru’s abode, new Orochimaru in bandages comments that he’s surprised that Kimimaro was able to move and that Kabuto’s order seems cruel (what a sensitive guy!). Kabuto says he didn’t give him an order as he dislikes forcing people to do things, he moved on his own will for the person he worships. Orichimaru says Kabuto has a nasty personality. Kabuto responds that Kimimaro was perfect for Oro as they had the same ideals, and he was from a clan that possessed the most perfect and strongest body of all. Orochimaru says he wanted that body the most. Kabuto says if Kimimaro had not fallen ill, the Hokage assassination would have gone smoothly. Flashbacks to the Hokage sealing Orochimaru’s arms and Orochimaru bleeding in the shower.

Kimimaro stops and thinks he’s going to kill Tayuya when she gets back. Naruto catches up looking fox-like. Kimimaro says how should I kill you. He notes Naruto’s strange chakra. Naruto asks what does Orochimaru want with Sasuke. Kimimaro explains Orochimaru has completed the immortality technique to learn every technique to take over the world. Before his body rots he replaces it with a stronger body that acts as a container for his soul. Naruto says he won’t let that happens and does the seal for kage bunshin.

Tayuya taunts Shikamaru and says they have sacrificed a team member each time and asks how many people is he going to sacrifice for Sasuke. Shikamaru says it’s his first mission as squad leader and he doesn’t know whether his decisions are correct. He would stop the mission but no one in his squad would abandon a comrade. And a lazy cloud loving guy like him isn’t the type to give orders, the only thing he can do is trust them and he doesn’t believe they’re dead.

Kiba tries to attack Sakon but is somehow thrown back. Tayuya summons three hideous giants. Hundreds of Narutos surround Kimimaro.

Review:

Some more Shikamaru strategy, and three simultaneous matches to come!

Notes:

A spike of some sort drops down from Kimimaro’s right sleeve when he faces Naruto.

Thoughts:

Seems Kimimaro did not get along with the other Sound shinobis.

Is retrieving Sasuke worth sacrificing so many shinobis? Orochimaru with a sharingan can conceivably defeat all the kages and take over the shinobi countries, so Sasuke may not be worth it but stopping Orochimaru is.