Twelve Guardian Ninja (Arc)

The Twelve Guardian Ninja Arc is the first filler arc from Part II of the series, and spans from episodes 54 to 71 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime. The anime DVDs for this arc call it "Twelve Guardian Ninja". The arc expands upon the Twelve Guardian Ninja and Naruto's wind training through the introduction of a boy named Sora.

Summary
Naruto Uzumaki awakens from a nightmare, in which a monster attacks an unknown place. While Sai attempts to learn emotions by reading books at the library, Sakura Haruno sees him and realises his genuine attempt to make bonds, invites him to visit Kakashi Hatake in the hospital, with her and Naruto. In front of the hospital, Sai attempts to put his new knowledge to the test by making nicknames for Sakura and Naruto, which only causes Sakura to beat him up. When they meet Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura tell Kakashi of their previous mission and of Sasuke's strength. Kakashi states that he thought this would happen and that he has thought of a way to strengthen Naruto, in a short amount of time.

The next day Naruto and Kakashi meet on the training ground, and he explains that the method to speed up training his Naruto's Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, as what ever the clones learn, the original also learns. Kakashi states the purpose of this training is to create a new technique, using both Nature Transformation and Shape Transformation. Naruto learns that he has an affinity to wind, a good element for battle. Yamato realises that he will also be helping Naruto train. Naruto's first step of training is using only his chakra to cut a leaf. His clones had a varied result, looking for help Naruto looks for Asuma Sarutobi as Asuma also has a wind affinity. With Asuma's help all of Naruto's clones succeed in cutting their leaves.

Meanwhile, a mysterious group stands in front of a destroyed village. Naruto's team has a mission to stop the grave robbing of four bodies. On the way to the fire temple, Naruto accidentally stumbles into one of robbed graves. Naruto then meets a boy named Sora and they both think the other is the grave robber, causing a fight, with Sora having the advantage due to his wind techniques, and taijustu skills. They are eventually stopped, by Chiriku head monk and they arrive at the fire temple. At the temple, Naruto learns that Sora has suffered the same isolation due to his power like Naruto in his childhood, and that bodies being robbed are former Twelve Guardian Ninja, motivating Naruto further. Team Kakashi along with Chiriku and Sora find the four bodies, but are lead to a trap, separating them and pitting each member except Sakura and Chiriku against an opponent. Yamato is paired with Fudō, Sai with Fuen, Naruto with Fūka and Sora with Kazuma. While Yamato is able to escape, without harm, while the others are not so lucky, Sai also escaped but broke his arm in the process and Naruto and Sora were overpowered by their opponents. It was with his fight with one of the opponents that Sora discovered that he was the one being targeted and that the enemy are going to use the four corpses to 'save the Land of Fire'.

After hearing Naruto in trouble Sora rushes to his aid. He then is backed up by Yamato, Sakura and Sai when they arrive only to be trapped by Fudo and Fuen. The enemy team then retreat after Chiriku brought reinforcements with him. Back at the Fire Temple, Asuma requests the Sora to come with them back to Konoha to be used as Sai's replacement after he injured his arm. Chiriku agrees and both Team Kakashi and Team Asuma along with Sora return to Konoha. Naruto tries to show Sora Konoha but Sora doesn't want to be shown and goes his own way. He then insults Chōji and Kiba and gets in a brawl with them, leading Naruto and Lee to join in. After Asuma stopped the fight he and Sora had a brief discussion about Sora's father.

Elsewhere, Furido and his gang attack the Kohaku clan. While supervising the wind training between Naruto and Sora, Asuma notices that Sora, like Naruto, has powerful chakra. Meanwhile Yamato and Tsunade learn from Chriku that Sora was inadvertently responsible for an incident in which the Temple of Fire was damaged. Asuma then gives a gift to Sora and it is revealed that it is he who killed Sora's father Kazuma. Later Sora is confronted by Furido and tells him that Asuma was the one who killed his father. Naruto moves towards a furious Sora in the training grounds, who easily throws a chakra-powered kunai through a tree and destroys the stone behind it. Danzō is seen meeting a Rain ninja named Tatsuji. After being caught, he is then brought in for questioning. It is then revealed that the rain ninja was a double-agent working for Konoha gathering intel. While all this was happening Sora was secretly spying on them until being found out by the ANBU.

Sora is then turned in to Tsunade and furiously asks Asuma is he was the one who killed his father. Asuma regretfully agrees and Sora, in rage, attacks Asuma. However, his attack was stopped by the ANBU. Afterward, Naruto gets injured while shielding Sora from the attacks of an unknown ninja. Furido then approaches Sora, telling him to kill both Asuma and the Hokage to avenge his father.

Episodes