Ep 105: Almost to the Goal! A Thunder Roaring Big Battle

Summary:

The rain has let up. Aoi suggests to Fukusuke to finish the race. Naruto and Idate arrive at the Modoroki Shrine. They have to go up a long flight of stairs called the "Heart-Breaking Stone Steps" Naruto runs up the stairs with Idate still on his back. Sakura and Sasuke are exhausted and stop at the bottom of the stairs. Idate flashback to three years ago, chuunin exam 10th question: Ibiki says it is a competition among the three man teams, the three will compete for the best answer and one person will fail and remain a genin forever. They have the chance to leave now and retake the exam in a few months. A few leave, and Ibiki fails all that stay! Idate still doesn't understand why. They arrive at the top. Idate gets off and can run by himself now. He picks up the tiger jewel.

Fukusuke arrives at a rope bridge. O'uzu Island lies on the other side. Aoi tells him that Idate reached the shrine. Fukusuke insults Aoi who then threatens to kill him. Idate arrives at the bridge while Fukusuke is about half way, but Aoi uses the Raijin sword on him. Naruto arrives and throws mudballs which Aoi blocks with his umbrella. Naruto does kage bunshin and his clones help him with the rasengan. His clones then attack Aoi who easily destroys them with the Raijin sword, but they allow Naruto to get in close with his rasengan. The Raijin and rasengan clash but Naruto is forced back. Aoi takes out his umbrella and uses Ninpou Jouro senbon (sprinkling needles). He says the sword cuts through anything including a clump of chakra.

Idate flashback: Idate follows Aoi to the Hidden Village of Rain. But Idate is captured by the Anbu. Ibiki tells him to return to the village and turn himself in, but Idate shakes his head. Suddenly, the other two Anbu are each taken out with a senbon to the neck. Lots of rain shinobis surround them. Aoi says they need a jounin to make out what is written in the scroll of forbidden techniques. Ibiki is tied to a chair and being tortured with the Raijin sword. Aoi threatens to kill Idate if Ibiki doesn't cooperate. Idate freaks out and quits being a ninja and pleads for his life. Ibiki says that kind of threat has no effect on him. Aoi gets mad and comes too close to Ibiki who is then able to trip Aoi and headbutt him. Aoi crashes into an urn of oil. Ibiki is able to loosen the ropes, then takes out a blade from his sandal heel and cuts Idate free. He tells him to leave, then spits out something that sets fire to the oil. Idate runs away and sees the whole hut go up in flames.

Aoi gives Idate a long lecture, and is about to kill him, when his sword is blocked by kunai. Sasuke and Sakura finally arrive. Sasuke turns on his sharingan and channels the chidori. They clash but Sasuke is thrown back. Sasuke comes at him again with just his kunai. Aoi taunts him and says that only the weakest Uchiha survived. Sasuke is thrown back again. Idate tells Sakura to run but she insists on staying to protect him. Aoi notes that only an injured cute rabbit (Idate) and an excellent student remain. Sasuke gets up and starts his chidori while demanding that Aoi take back his words. The chidori appears to cause a small crack in the sword but it fails and Sasuke writhes in pains as the sword's energy surrounds him. He is thrown onto the bridge. Sakura runs to him. Aoi cuts a rope and Sasuke and Sakura fall into the abyss.

Review:

Lots of inconsistencies and poor use of the rasengan and chidori. But interesting to see how Ibiki got his scars.

Notes:

Idate's 10th question is a competition among teammates to see if you would sacrifice a teammate, while Naruto's 10th question was an individual choice to possibly sacrifice yourself for your teammates.

Thoughts:

Aoi says they need a jounin to make out what is written in the scroll of forbidden techniques but Naruto was able to read it on his own so maybe this is a different one as it is much smaller.

Did Ibiki's headbutt cause Aoi's scar?

Aoi calls Sakura an excellent student but how does he know about her?

How can there be a crack in the Raijin sword when it seems to like a lightsaber, nonphysical?