Ep 179: Natsuhiboshi: The Lullaby of Memories

Neji, Lee and Tenten arrive on the scene. Naruto explains the star was stolen by a shinobu who could fly with chakra. Neji uses his byakugan to see far away and sees the flying shinobi.

Back in Konoha Shizune and Tsunade discuss the meteorite. Tsunade says the first Hoshikage’s chakra strengthened from training near the star. Shizune notes that the training has been suspended for 10 years. Tsunade says the third Hoshikage forbade the training but after he died a year ago it was resumed. Rumors are that many people who trained near the star died.

Sumaru and Naruto report to Akahoshi about the theft and the use of the mysterious peacock technique, a secret technique of the village. Akahoshi tells Sumaru to leave the search for the star to the Konoha shinobi. Naruto asks about the injured but Sumaru rudely tells him it’s none of his concern. Neji thinks Akahoshi knows something. Neji plans to search around the village for a clue and tells Lee and Tenten to keep an eye on Akahoshi and for Narutot to find Sumaru.

Sumaru sings a lullaby and thinks of his mom and dad while looking at a pendant. Naruto catches up and they talk about the stars. Naruto points to a red star that Sumaru explains is Natsuhiboshi (Summer Fire Star). Naruto wants to visit the injured and has brought Konoha's special Amaguriya youkan (chocolate treat). Sumaru tells him they're by the training grounds and then he runs off on his own.

Naruto bangs on the door of the training building but no one answers. When he steps in tentacles of chakra grab him around the neck. The sick boy Mizura, who is lying on the ground, tells Hokuto to stop. Naruto pulls off the tentacles and they both fall to the ground. The girl lands on top of the youkan.

Akahoshi and his followers discuss the shinobi who could have stolen the star, the last shinobi to have fully mastered the star's powers. But Akahoshi knows his weakness.

Naruto shares the youkan with Hokuto who says that Zokutou told them they should sleep. The others didn't sustain any serious damage. Mizura starts to cough and Hokuto explains he's been sick when he started training with the star. Hokuto tells Naruto about Sumaru’s parents who were killed by foreign shinobi while guarding the star.

Lee and Tenten follow Akahoshi's men using a barrel as shadowing ninjutsu, but the two men disappear. Lee and Tenten come out from under the barrel and a volley of shuriken rains down on them. Tenten quickly whips out a scroll to summon her three stick nunchucks while Lee uses the barrel as a shield. They tell the men that they are Konoha ninja and apologize for following them. The men say they will retrieve the star themselves.

The young star shinobi and Sumaru link hands to form a ring to try to detect the star's chakra. Sumaru thinks he detects it and they capture the masked shinobi and bind him wirth chakra strings. Naruto catches up with Neji who detects the group and enormous chakra at Hell's Ravine.

The masked shinobi easily dissolves the rope and is about to attack Sumaru when Naruto and Neji arrive. He uses the mysterious peacock technique to defeat them and then grabs Sumaru and flies away. Neji thinks why would he want to take Sumaru if he already has the star?

Review: Lee and Tenten were amusing and the star’s mystery deepens.

Notes:
Hell's Ravine = valley with the poisonous gas

Thoughts:

Who is Zokutou?