"To Each His Own Path"
Captain Todoroki is LEGIT SHOOK at seeing his long dead brother brought back to life. It is Akio. Monju is surprised that Naruto and Todoroki got out of his net but he laughs and says he eats nets like that for breakfast and then takes his teeth to this dome of wire! Go ahead, you can chew on that all day!
Oh snap! Naruto is still determined to save his buddy Gantetsu but it is a waste. Monju turns the net around and uses it to ensnare Naruto, who vows to get out of this. Not alive you won't as Monju tightens the net. Sakura and Lee are shook and even Todoroki looks worried.
Fear not, it was a shadow clone! Naruto's punch sends Monju flying. He uses his wires to catch him and propel him towards Naruto. Naruto looks shook...but no he was faking, he summons two shadow clones to grab the wires, suspending Monju's forward movement and...
That's gotta hurt. But what's in the sky? Is it a bird? A plane? No, it's the asshole leader of the Ninja Dropouts gliding down on his umbrella who asks for pardon for dropping in. Monju tells him the kid in the wires knows where the treasure is and before Lee can knock him senseless with a kick Shura has grabbed him and flies away, thanking his fallen comrade and laughing.
Gantetsu calls out for Akio as Naruto uses his teeth to break the wire around Gantetsu and Todoroki wants to know if he heard him right, was that his long lost brother Akio? He heard right, he is your younger brother. No, that's a lie, he died in that FLASHBACK we've seen no less than five times. You should know, it was you who killed him! The kids stand up for Gantetsu and that he saved Akio. Five years ago he woke up to the evil that is the Ninja Dropouts when he found himself carrying Todoroki. Gantetsu was holding his mouth so he wouldn't inhale the smoke and he thought by saving the boy he could make amends for what they had done...but it wasn't enough. There were always more young victims so he came up with his plan to destroy the Ninja Dropouts. The kids gather around him, worried about the man as Sakura narrates that he saved the kids from villages all around here and took care of them with the treasure he stole from the gang.
Todoroki has broken down! He found his brother only to lose him again. None of the rest have any words for him and the wind howls in rage as he calls out his brother's name. Gantetsu gets up and starts walking away when Todoroki stops him. Gantetsu knows where they have gone and will get him back. Todoroki disagrees saying he'll get him back, not you. Your only job is to show them the way. Naruto tells him to remember that Gantetsu saved your brother's life and raised the rest of these kids. Todoroki doesn't understand why he should be grateful to him, it is his group's fault after all, they killed his parents! He's right, my guilt can't be easily washed away and he can do whatever he wants after they get Akio back. Naruto and Lee volunteer to go with and Naruto asks good girl Sakura to take care of the kids. Leave it to me!
They are running as the sun sets and Naruto asks the captain if he's alright. He's lived with the knowledge that his brother was dead for five years hating that man (we get the gif again) he can't change the way he feels, it's too late. Naruto says the important thing is saving your brother and the captain agrees, he won't fail this time! Akio meanwhile is being beaten in the hall of the Ninja Dropouts. Shura wants to know where Gantetsu hid the loot! Akio will never tell. Aren't you the little tough guy? Naruto and the gang reach the hideout at night, it's as big as a village. Gantetsu is sure he's in the big one and Todoroki unsheathes his sword and goes running in with Gantetsu right behind. Naruto is angry, he's the one that supposed to run headlong into danger and him and Lee follow after. Todoroki trips the wire that sets the alarm off, a bunch of jangling wooden slats on a wire and a bunch of Ninja Dropout flunkies come rushing out of the double doors. Todoroki slashes the first two, Naruto takes a few down easily, Gantetsu slams the one with a pipe in the face and grabs the weapon, kicking a sword brandishing foe to his side and decking another foe with his free hand. Lee Leaf Hurricane's two more and tells them to leave the rest of the grunts to him. Gantetsu leads them to the cellar but Naruto stops Todoroki from running ahead saying he's a fully trained ninja and anything could be waiting for them. Gantetsu volunteers to take the lead.
As they descend into the basement Akio is clearly seen through the dim laying face down on the floor. Todoroki goes running off screaming his brother's name but Gantetsu shoulder blocks him to the floor. Todoroki rises enraged but Gantetsu tells him to stay back as a cage descends to the floor, separating Gantetsu and Akio. Naruto asks if the former prisoner is alright and the captain is worried about his brother when a voice from the dark starts laughing about how his trap only caught one rat. Unfortunately for them he's figured out another way to get the treasure and he sets the building on fire with his umbrella! This is his own house! Gantetsu tells Naruto to go get him and begins bending the bars, claiming them to be nothing. Naruto runs off leaving them in Todoroki's care. Todoroki...doesn't do well in fire. Shura jumps to the railing and flies off, telling him until we meet again. Naruto has a plan though and makes shadow clones.
Gantetsu is bending the bars and they do start to give. Todoroki is still freaking out about the fire as Gantetsu finishes and tells the captain to take his brother...who is paralyzed by fear as a beam falls in front of the opening. Naruto meanwhile is chasing after Shura by bouncing off of shadow clones. Ninja Art Blood Rain seemingly puts a stop to this but the real one is still going with a Rasengan. He'll pay for what he has done starting right now. Right in the gut a few hundred feet in the air.
Naruto gets to float down on his own swank magic ninja umbrella. Gantetsu meanwhile clasps his hand over Akio once again and Todoroki finally understands he was trying to save Akio all those years ago. He grabs the keepsake off of his sword and stabs himself in the leg to snap him out of it before using his sword to break the fallen beam. He asks Gantetsu for his brother and he gives him to them as they run out. Akio wakes up and is glad to see his brother again, who he always knew would come for him some day.
Gantetsu, Lee, Akio, and Todoroki are watching the mansion burn. The captain says that is the end of the Ninja Dropouts and Lee says good riddence. He also wonders whatever happened to Naruto? Look out below! Don't give up! Don't despair! Naruto Uzumaki at your service...as he loses grip on the umbrella. The next day they return to Sakura and the kids who are glad to see Akio. Akio says he is fine but the kids are worried about his wounds and Naruto says that Sakura should take a look, which she does. Gantetsu asks her to treat Akio first and then asks Todoroki to take him to the capital. In his heart he can never forgive the man but it's true that he saved his brother so he is going to report that there was a rescue report during which all the Ninja Dropouts and the Prisoner were killed. The kids cheer as Todoroki goes to sit next to his brother and asks if he is going to stay with Gantetsu and the rest. He wasn't much of a big brother and asks him to be a better one than he was before giving him the fish...a gift he had brought home for him five years ago. He thanks him. Todoroki tells the Leaf Ninja that they should be off and the kids and Gantetsu wave goodbye to them.
Naruto brings up one thing they forgot...how will they get out of here without Gantetsu? Todoroki says they can't go back, Sakura thinks this looks familiar and Lee needs something to eat as Naruto cries out for help!
NEXT EPISODE: "Vanished Memories"
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