"Genjutsu or Reality?"
Someone who sounds suspiciously like Yakumo is using a paint spreader on an almost complete canvas and saying the names of the handsigns. Bet this isn't significant. Naruto is carrying her through the foggy woods thinking there's no way the third ordered the death of her parents. That would explain why Kurenai is acting so weird though, nah that's crazy. Sakura is supporting Kurenai and asks her if she's ok. She's feeling much better and thanks Sakura for all her work. Team Eight are bringing up the rear. Kiba asks who Mumrah-Sensei is covering for? Hinata thinks it's the third but then Shino wants to know what her mission was. Naruto stops upon seeing the Leaf Village from a distance.
Bawh Gawd! The Hidden Leaf Village is destroyed! It looks like a warzone out there. Kurenai orders Hinata to take a look. She turns on her Byakugan and sees...no one. They're all gone. Naruto asks what the hell is going on here? Meanwhile the paint spreader is now using black to cover up the ruined hospital. Hmm... Kurenai asks if Kiba and Hinata are picking anything up. Nothing. Sakura says they should bring the wounded to the hospital first and that they can look around this hellscape later.
Nope I still don't get it. Sakura wants them to hurry. She lays them both in beds next to each other. Kurenai tells Sakura not to worry about her and to look after Yakumo. Naruto is worried as well, Yakumo is unconscious. Her vital signs are dropping. Sakura and Naruto go to look for medication. Kiba doesn't smell any blood and Shino wants to search the village. Their former teacher tells them to act like a team and no matter what they find out there she wants them back in 30 minutes. Kiba laughs and says it's good to be getting orders from her again.
Naruto is in a bit of a daze as they wander the halls and Sakura tells him to snap out of it. He's just worried about Kurenai. Sakura says that's why they are looking but Naruto doesn't think that's the problem. She came here to eliminate Yakumo, he says. Eliminate? Oh sorry, I just spaced out there for a second. Sakura shrugs...as they see a shadowy figure run across a nearby branching hallway. Naurto didn't see it but he rushes forward to the hallway branch and three shuriken come close to striking him!
It's Unkai! Naruto tells Sakura to watch the wounded as he goes after the man. Naruto tries to use his Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu...it doesn't take. Unkai comes up behind him ready to take his throat before Naruto mule kicks him in the balls and Judo throws him to the ground with an elbow shiver to the throat. He clearly remembers the basics of CQC. They both fall through the roof of the nearby building though. Unkai wants to talk this over but Naruto brings up that he attacked him at the villa. He reintroduces himself as Unkai of the Kurama clan. Naruto wants to know why her own clan would be after her and throws his kunai, which Unkai deflects. Naruto draws another but Unkai continues saying if he doesn't listen to him everyone will die.
I still don't get it as clearly not Yakumo decides to level the building in the painting. Team eight is in fact standing outside of it and the place starts shaking. Kiba wonders what that smell is and Hinata uses her Byakugan. Shino's insects are also telling him something. He tells Kiba to lock Akamaru's muzzle and for Hinata to stop using her jutsu. None of this is real, this is one giant jutsu. Unkai also tells this to Naruto. Naruto doesn't believe it. Unkai says all of this is possible if her latent powers have awakened. Kiba asks if everything here is a genjutsu. Shino says that heightened senses are a disadvantage here as in the end if your brain thinks it's real, it is real. Insects though have minimal senses and react on instinct. Too dumb to be fooled. Unkai tells Naruto that Yakumo will often call down lightning or set fires in her genjutsu (FORSHADOWING) and humans often perceive those to be real. Our brains turn against our bodies and think the damage is real. So you mean grandma's mansion, that was Yakumo's powers?!? She could easily kill anyone she chose to. Naruto is LEGIT SHOOK. Hinata asks if these tremors are genjutsu and Shino tells her to just wait as the mansion collapses...
and a giant snake appears! More genjutsu. Shino thinks it can't harm us though, that would be unthinkable...impossible! Sakura is checking on the patients when she opens the door and...
Sakura is shook, legitimately. Kurenai wakes up and looks for Yakumo who isn't there. She can hear her voice though coming from the door. Kurenai opens it and sees something shocking. Naruto doesn't believe Unkai but he says this happens every few generations or so. Most terrifying of all though is that the girl doesn't control this power; it's ruled by her unconscious mind! Naruto brushes his brow, it's getting hot in here. The room next to them is on fire. Naruto drops his knife and goes over to the door, whatever is behind there can't be good. Unkai tells him not to open it but Naruto kicks the door down and oh my...
It's a volcano! You don't see that everyday (They're playing the Orochimaru music during all of this) Unkai tells him it's not real but your body will burn up, thus is the power of Yakumo. Naruto puts it together saying this is why the Third and Kurenai wanted Yakumo killed. Unkai though says no, they didn't want that at all! They wanted to kill the monster inside her! She was growing stronger day by day and out of that power a true monster was born and if left unchecked will Absorb Yakumo's mind into her own. The two agreed that the only way to keep her safe was to trap the monster inside of her. Naruto knowing something of what this feels like grabs his own stomach and repeats what he said. That's what's going on. Naruto's wallet falls into the volcano and he tries going after it but Unkai stops him. Naruto asks if there is anyway out of this. If you seal off your five senses you will escape this world of illusion.
So he puts the boy into a blood choke, telling him to attack Yakumo. He then jumps into the lava. Naruto wakes up after falling out of a tree. He notices the burnt body of Unkai. He's glad Naruto made it out safely but his arm is all burnt and he's smoking. He says that the second they left the villa they've been trapped in the genjutsu and he notices the limp form of Team Eight and Sakura, waking them all up. He tells Sakura that old man Unkai is wounded. He saved them all, says Naruto. Not true, says Unkai, Yakumo doesn't care about you. She's after Mummrah the Everliving!
Wait, where is she now then? Why in her crazy artist's loft/pocket dimension! Kurenai is in the doorway looking at all of this, including the painting of her being stabbed by the sword of light. The door closes behind her and vanishes. Kurenai asks Yakumo what she is doing. Yakumo asks her what she thinks of her work but all Kurenai cares about is the safety of the others. She let them go, she's not in a hurry for revenge against the Leaf. Kurenai tells her to leave the village out of this and to take it out on her instead.
"You're not fooling anyone!" As she erases Kurenai's feet. She could let her live or kill her in a heartbeat. She wants the truth, her father and mother were eliminated, right? Then her clan, right? No. The third wouldn't order such a mission. Yakumo wants to know why she continues to lie as she takes out her knees. Kurenai starts misting up telling the girl that if killing her will end your suffering then go ahead. So long as this deep hatred can be put to rest. Yakumo tells her to save her crocodile tears! Guy is doing push ups near the tied up Kurama clan members when he hears a rustle in the leaves, it's the three missing ninja. They were caught in the Genjutsu. Naruto and Team Eight arrive and Guy is impressed with their speed, wanting to know where the calvary is. No time to explain. Sakura comes walking up with Unkai. Guy wants an explanation but Sakura just wants him to shut up and help. The kids enter the mansion, Hinata starts her Byakugan as Yakumo in her dream loft curses their arrival. Kiba runs off after Hinata tells them they are in the room in the middle.
Naruto runs after as Yakumo starts her next painting. Kiba bursts into flames so the episode ends happily.
NEXT EPISODE: "The Supposed Sealed Ability"
BONUS:
