"Breaking the Crystal Release" (晶遁崩し, Shōton Kuzushi) is episode 104 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime.
Synopsis[]
Tobi and Deidara part ways after the latter becomes infuriated towards the former. Concurrently, Kakashi and Naruto fight with Guren while Sai deals with Gozu. Incensed at Naruto's words regarding her treatment of Yūkimaru, Guren decides not to hold back and push herself to her limits, knocking Naruto out of the way and going up against Kakashi and his Lightning Cutter, although she manages to wound Kakashi with her crystal thorns.
Lee and Tenten berate Kiba for exaggerating Team Guren's prowess, with Lee hoping that the Crystal Release user would be much more powerful. However, Yamato tells him that he would not be fighting Guren, as he is assigning him and Tenten to protect the sealing team while he, Kiba and Akamaru provide backup for Kakashi's team. Sai manages to use his Ink Flush to create a nest of snakes to bind Gozu, keeping him out of the battle. Guren attempts to finish off the wounded Kakashi but the latter is saved by the arrival of Shino, whose bugs have developed a resilience towards Guren's crystal. Guren proceeds to encase all of the bugs individually, but is shocked when the bugs manage to free themselves. In the meantime, Naruto creates shadow clones and has each of them prepare a Rasengan; he then rushes towards Guren with his Ultra-Many Spiralling Serial Spheres technique. In order to protect herself, Guren uses her Crystal Release: Crystal Encampment Wall technique, which sends out a wave of chakra which turns into a nigh-impenetrable crystal wall capable of self-regeneration.
Tobi happens upon the lake and witness Shizune's team attempting to use the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier in order to seal away the Three-Tails. He proudly exclaims that he has found the Three-Tails before remembering that Deidara is not with him, and spots Rinji, who is spying on the sealing team from afar. Wanting to interfere with their plans, Rinji runs towards them as they are incapable of defending themselves, only to be repelled by the arrival of Lee and Tenten, with the former striking him with Leaf Whirlwind. Not wanting to fight two foes at once, Rinji disappears. Kabuto, who is witnessing the event, decides that he cannot allow the shinobi of Konoha to seal away the Three-Tails and decides to use Yūkimaru once more to control the tailed beast.
Gozu notices Guren's technique and realises that she is in trouble. Using his mud body, he escapes from Sai's binds and leaves Sai covered in mud. Kakashi instructs Shino to direct all of his bugs in one spot in order to create a weak spot, and attempts to strike at the spot with his Lightning Cutter, only for the attack to be blocked by Gozu. Using his mud, he pushes Guren to safety and destroys Shino's bugs while Kakashi seemingly kills him with his Lightning Cutter.
As Guren comes to, she wonders why Gozu would have risked his life to save her until she is wrought with a flashback of murdering Yūkimaru's mother. Wondering if it is true or not, she arrives at her hideout and is about to approach Yūkimaru when she is found by Kabuto, who tells her that she is to help him use Yūkimaru to control the Three-Tails; if she does not comply, he would break the boy's heart by revealing the truth about his mother's demise. With her doubt being confirmed, Guren reluctantly agrees, and the three take off towards the lake; Kabuto recalls Orochimaru's words to him regarding Guren - Orochimaru had told him in advance that Guren would bond with Yūkimaru due to her involvement in his mother's death, and that there would come a time when she would betray them, at which point Kabuto was to step in and prevent it. Kabuto smiles to himself as he remarks that the time has finally come.
Trivia[]
- When Deidara and Tobi split-up from each other, Tobi's eye can briefly be seen in this episode.
