The Jet-Black Signal Fire

Synopsis
Danzō is caught by the Anbu meeting with an Amegakure ninja in the woods. Both of them are chained and brought back to Konohagakure in order to be interrogated by Tsunade. At the Konoha Hospital, Naruto visits Sai, reading his books while Sai repeats Sakura's advice about gaining real-life experiences. Looking out the window, Sai is stunned when he spots Danzō being detained and brought into the village. As Danzō and the spy, Tatsuji, are brought into a secret meeting place, Tsunade summons Asuma and Yamato to the meeting as well. Sora, who was tailing Asuma, follows him to the meeting and hides in the rafters.

Tsunade asks Danzō to explain himself, asking why he would meet with an Ame-nin when tensions are so high after Amegakure was suspected of being responsible for attacking numerous villages. Danzō states that Tsunade is incompetent as Hokage if she did not even know that Amegakure were not the culprits. Yamato reveals that he recognises Tatsuji as a member of the Anbu that went missing on a mission years ago. Tsunade moves on to Tatsuji, bringing in Ibiki Morino to torture him until he gave up information. However, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, the village elders and members of the Konoha Council, state that Tatsuji was a spy sent by Danzō into Amegakure and that he was not only reporting information back to him, but to them as well. In an attempt to make Tsunade look inept, Danzō takes the opportunity to discuss the grave robberies near the Fire Temple and how Tsunade welcomed Sora to the village with open arms, despite Sora possessing a dangerous power that nearly destroyed the temple. When Koharu states that Sora should be kept under lock and key, Danzō states the best thing to do would be to eliminate him, unaware that Sora himself is eavesdropping from the rafters. However, Yūgao Uzuki and another Anbu member locate him and bring him down to Tsunade's attention.

Sora vehemently protests against his capture, blaming Tsunade and Konoha for wanting to kill him due to the power he possesses within him and citing his own fault for trusting Yamato, his team, and the village itself. He then asks Asuma if he had killed Kazume, and Asuma bluntly reveals that he did. Manifesting his chakra and transforming his right hand into a monstrous limb, Sora knocks out the Anbu members holding him and attempts to attack Asuma, who blocks the former's Beast Tearing Gale Palm with his chakra blades. Their bout destroys the wall, and the fight continues outside. The destruction of the wall sends a plume of smoke into the sky, which Naruto notices. Asuma manages to kick Sora into a wall, but when Sora attempts to get back up and attack again, his arm transforms back into normal. An Anbu member decides to take the opportunity to kill Sora with shuriken, but Naruto leaps in front of its path. When Sora blames Naruto for butting in, Naruto recalls Sora having his back in the cave, and repeats Sora's words. Asuma notices that the Anbu member who tried to kill Sora is from Root, but before anybody is able to interfere, Sora is whisked away by Furido. Naruto then faints from having shuriken embedded in his back.

In the hospital, Naruto has a nightmare about the monks of the Fire Temple attempting to seal a tailed beast's chakra, although to no avail. As the jinchūriki in his dream destroys the Iron Walls of the temple, he seems a glimpse of the Nine-Tailed Fox; Naruto then wakes up. Meanwhile, Shikamaru, Chōji and Kiba are tasked with locating Sora. On the outskirts of the village, Furido explains to Sora that the Land of Fire could not have two great kings, equal with power; hence, Kazuma, Sora's father, attempted to unite both great kings, the Fire Daimyō and Konoha's Hokage. However, his plan was failed by Asuma, who stood with his Hokage. Furido explains that Kazuma's ultimate goal was for the welfare of the Land of Fire, and that it was he who bestowed Sora's power to him. He asks Sora to help him fulfill Kazuma's wish, and in doing so, he would grant Sora as many opportunities as possible for settling the score with Asuma.

Discharged from the hospital, Naruto goes on a walk with Sakura, with the latter expressing her marvel over Naruto's healing abilities. As the two split up, Naruto senses Sora's negative emotions and malevolent chakra. He senses Sora near Tsunade's office, and heads in that direction. In her office, Tsunade puts down a pen and prepares to sit back and relax as a projectile is headed her way. Before she can be killed, Naruto barges into her office and tackles her, saving her life. Sora jumps in through the window and attempts to use his monstrous arm to finish the job, but is impeded by Naruto. As Shizune and two Anbu members enter the room, Sora flees through the open window with Naruto in pursuit.

Trivia

 * In most media, this episode is simply titled "Jet-Black Signal Fire".

Credits
de:Episode: Das pechschwarze Signalfeuer