Jiraiya Shinobi Handbook: The Tale of Naruto the Hero

is an arc of the Naruto: Shippūden anime. It covers episodes 432 to current. This arc focuses on a novel written by Jiraiya in Tsunade's Infinite Tsukuyomi dream, in which key aspects of Naruto's life are different. It take place early in-between the Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes arc.

Summary
Naruto lives in Konohagakure and is a member of Team Kakashi. His parents did not die during the Nine-Tails' Attack on Konoha, in which the half of the Nine-Tails was sealed into him while the other half is sealed within his mother. The villagers dislike Naruto, but show him some respect as he is the Fourth Hokage's son. People often accuse Naruto of favouritism due to this, which angers him. The Uchiha Clan Downfall also never happened, so Itachi never defected the village, and Sasuke never grew to hate him. Naruto begins to learn how to use the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Team Kakashi, Team Kurenai, Team Asuma, and Team Guy are given a mission to find experienced shinobi who have gone missing, under the assumption that as they're recent Academy graduates, they won't be targeted by whoever is behind the abductions. During the mission, the jōnin leaders are kidnapped. Akatsuki is revealed to be behind the abductions, and Team Asuma briefly battles Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato. The Konoha genin discover an abandoned village. In the village, Teams Kakashi and Guy briefly see their kidnapped allies, Naruto and Neji give chase, and end up meeting a masked man who possesses the Byakugan. Team Jiraiya goes down a sinkhole to rescue two children, who came back to the village, and end up fighting a couple of creatures in an underground lair.

Team Asuma aids Team Jiraiya in rescuing the children from the underground creatures. Chōji is attacked by one of them, and is saved by Nagato. The two teams return the children to their mother. Team Jiraiya thanks Team Asuma for coming to their aid, and surmises they also share some of Jiraiya's values. Team Jiraiya asks them to join, but Team Asuma refuses, wanting to find Asuma. Shikamaru deduces Team Jiraiya does not want them dead, and is following orders from someone else. They prepare to fight again, but Team Jiraiya leaves just before they're joined by Team Kurenai. Shikamaru does not tell them about Team Jiraiya, and decides they need to both report to Konohagakure and regroup with Teams Kakashi and Guy. Lee and Sasuke discuss about returning to the village or keep looking from their vanished team-mates and sensei. The masked man takes Naruto and Neji through a gate, where they are shown images from the Hyūga Affair. The three discuss the events witnessed, and the masked man asks Neji to join him and force change in Konohagakure. Elsewhere, Jiraiya finds one of Orochimaru's compounds.

Being asked, Neji questions the masked man's motives. He says that by changing how a village such as Konohagakure operates, the other hidden villages will follow, changing the world for the better. The masked man requests Neji to see what he means. Neji agrees to hear him out, and when Naruto tries to interfere, the masked man paralyses him. Neji promises to return to Naruto once he has seen what the masked man wants, and the two depart. Jiraiya ventures into Orochimaru's hideout, and comes across a bandaged individual. Team Jiraiya reports to the masked man about the incident with the children, including how the Konoha genin eventually helped them, despite the directives of their mission. The masked man ponders about it, and instructs them to resume surveillance. Neji asks if the Konoha genin are his team-mates, which the masked man confirms, and asks Neji if he wants to see if they can change the future of shinobi. Naruto tries in vain to access the Nine-Tails' chakra. Sasuke and Sakura discuss the mission's situation. Lee and Tenten search for Neji and Guy, which Kiba smells from a distance. Hinata spots Neji and the masked man observing Sasuke and Sakura, as well as Sasori. Sasuke detects Sasori's presence and attacks, and Sasori begins to fight the two. Teams Asuma and Kurenai head out towards Sasuke and Sakura. Lee and Tenten are attacked with explosive tags, directing them towards the same location. Sasori lands a hit on Sasuke, poisoning him. The Nine-Tails tries to convince Naruto to open the seal so it can use its chakra to aid Naruto. Jiraiya suddenly appears to Naruto.

During the battle against Hiruko, the masked man prevents Neji from coming to Sasuke and Sakura's aid, assuring him he won't let them be killed, insisting Neji watch the battle to witness their true selves. The masked men reminds Sasori of the mission, and Sasori begins attacking Sakura, who manages to dodge his attacks and land one of her own, causing Sasori to retreat. She proceeds to treat Sasuke, removing the poison in his system. The masked man tells Neji there is more to come. Jiraiya clears Naruto's blocked tenketsu. Naruto asks him why he's there, and he explains he's searching for someone, and when he heard of what was happening, he had Minato transport him there using the sealing formula incorporated in Naruto's seal. Jiraiya tells Naruto to try summoning a toad, but it fails. Jiraiya recalls Naruto's training, and Naruto recalls training with Minato. Jiraiya offers to weaken the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style a bit. Lee and Tenten stop running, Tenten noticing they're no longer under attack. They're met by teams Asuma and Kurenai. The two update them on what has happened with Neji and Naruto. Kiba smells Sasuke and Sakura nearby, and Hinata spots Sasori near them. While Sakura heals him, Sasuke thinks back to his childhood. Sasuke looked forward spending time with Itachi, but Itachi was summoned by Minato, so he suggests Sasuke spend time with their father, who compares him unfavourably to Itachi when he tries the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique for the first time. Sasuke detects Sasori, who approaches them again and brings out his hundred puppets. The other genin reach the two, and the masked man retreats with Neji. Sasuke intends on getting reinforcements from Konoha. Team Jiraiya watches from afar, discussing the situation. Jiraiya weakens Naruto's seal, causing him to develop four tails.

He then battles the four-tailed Naruto, who destroys his Chakra-Suppressing Seal. He manages to immobilise Naruto. Jiraiya thinks back to Gamamaru's prophecy. Sasuke thinks back to being unfavorably compared to Itachi by their father and begins fighting Sasori's puppets. The other genin join the fight to protect Sasuke. Team Jiraiya observes the fight. The masked man and Neji debate on the genin's motivation to fight. Sasori reveals spare puppets. Naruto thinks back to his Rasengan training with Minato, and manages to suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra. Jiraiya retreats, and sends Naruto to help his team-mates. Naruto manages to use the Rasengan, and uses it and several clones to dispatch Sasori's puppets, causing him to retreat. The genin congratulate Naruto, and decide to look for their kidnapped team leaders. Neji asks the masked man if his test has yielded the results he expected, and surprises him by calling him father.

Neji asks about the kidnapped shinobi, and the masked man tells him Team Jiraiya will take him there. The masked man leaves Neji to reunite with his comrades. The Konoha genin join as one team, and discuss how to find the kidnapped shinobi. They're joined by Neji. The masked man appears to Team Jiraiya, Hidan, Kakuzu, and Sasori, telling them the test is over. Hidan, Kakuzu, and Sasori leave, while the others are instructed to take the evacuated villagers back to their homes, as well as one other thing. Neji finishes explaining the nature of the experiment they participated in. Konan creates paper butterflies to lead the genin to the captured shinobi, and leaves with her team. The genin find the captured shinobi and release them. Kurenai asks them about the recent events, and the masked man arrives, offering to explain it himself. He removes his mask and bandages, revealing himself as a reincarnated Hizashi Hyūga. Neji explains the Hyūga Affair, and Hizashi explains how he was reincarnated by a bandaged man, and orchestrated the incident to ascertain if his death had effects on how Konohagakure handles its affairs. Hizashi and Neji discuss Neji's motivations, and how there were changed after fighting Naruto. Neji's words allow Hizashi to let go of his attachments, and his soul is released. Yahiko sets off to the village to return Komichi his teddy bear Kenta. An explosion suddenly wipes out the village, and Nagato spots Kenta damaged, and grows furious, believing Yahiko to have been killed.

After retrieving their team leaders, the genin teams return to the village and Minato decides not to punish them for disobeying orders because their actions resulted in the mission's success. After being scolded by his father and having a talk with his brother about the relation between the Uchiha and the village, Sasuke starts training with Kakashi to learn the Chidori. At the same time, Naruto undergoes training with Jiraiya and Minato to enhance the Rasengan.

Episodes