Original subtitles

- So, the girl has bodyguards now.

I never imagined that the Hidden Leaf

would reach her so quickly.

- Even so, there's only four of them.

I say we get rid of them and take the forbidden jutsu

from the girl.

-Don't be so impatient.

- What's the plan going to be, then?

- That forbidden jujitsu is worth far more than money

to every one of us.

We cannot afford to fail.

During the last Great Ninja War, that jutsu

revealed its unbelievable power.

If we can just find a way to get our hands on it,

we could go from a little band of thieves

to powerful lords of our own domains.

- But the people from the Hidden Leaf,

could they have the forbidden jutsu?

-It's unlikely.

The previous Hokage and En no Gyoja

forged a secret treaty to protect it at all costs,

so the Leaf wouldn't keep it.

They're merely fulfilling their obligation

to keep the jutsu safe.

- Still, if they were entrusted to uphold that treaty,

then they must be very skilled.

Do we really want to mess with them?

-Yeah.

And they'll probably call reinforcements, too.

- Nango, Benten, are you planning on losing

the fight before it even begins?

- I always thought it was just your face,

but your head's got something wrong with it, too.

-What did you say?

- Just think about all the possibilities.

Use your head.

-Enough with the fighting.

We are a team.

Don't you forget that.

None of us are expendable.

It's been our unity and our combination jutsu that

have kept us alive through these difficult times.

-All right.

- There's no need to rush into anything.

I already know their destination.

They're headed to the hideaway of the Tsuchigumo clan,

and the best part is, once they drop the girl there,

they'll simply leave on their own.

-OK.

But won't there be trouble if they enter the village?

- Akaboshi, you still don't understand human nature.

To us, that forbidden jutsu is treasure beyond compare.

But to everyone else, it's nothing but a nuisance.

[theme music]

[crash]

- What the heck did you do that for?

-That's what I wanna ask you.

Just why are you guys following me?

-What do you mean?

We're here because we're your bodyguards.

- How many times do I need to say it?

I don't need any bodyguards.

I'm able to protect myself just fine.

So, all of you Hidden Leaf ninja can leave now.

NARUTO: Look, we can't just say, oh, OK, bye, and leave.

HOTARU: Why not?

Really.

Please.

I don't want you bothering me anymore.

NARUTO: It's not bothering.

It's called guarding.

YAMATO: Oh, well.

I guess we'd better just do as she says and leave.

-What?

How come?

-We have no choice.

- Just wait here a second, would ya?

-Are you sure?

the enemy could still be close by.

-Don't worry.

-Hm?

Hey!

OK, then.

I guess we're gonna get going now.

-Fine.

[scream]

-Get it off me!

Get it off me!

Get it off me!

-There.

It's gone.

-That... that was horrible.

What was it?

-A mountain leech.

There are actually a whole lot of them around here,

so they just come raining down on you all the time.

-Raining down?

NARUTO: Yep.

Well, see ya.

Be careful out here all by your...

What the heck you do that for?

-Please, Naruto.

Stay with me?

I could never touch anything as gross as that.

I can't.

It's simply impossible.

If it's going to rain leeches, can you

please stay and block them, Naruto?

- But you said you didn't need a bodyguard.

- Just until we get out of this forest.

-I don't know.

It's a tough call.

-Please, Naruto!

Please!

-I guess I could.

If you want.

- You know, now that I think about it,

I guess Utakata would probably still

be my bodyguard if all you Hidden Leaf guys hadn't

shown up and taken over for him.

-Utakata?

You mean the guy that does that weird bubble jutsu?

- He's the man that I consider my master.

I hope I can become as strong as he is.

Well, someday.

-Hm.

Your master, huh?

I'm not sure there's such a thing as a good master, really.

I mean, look at my master.

The guy's a perv and a scatterbrain.

And boy, does he get carried away.

Then again, when it comes to being a ninja, he's way strong.

And he's also dependable.

And above all, kind.

Well, I guess you just can't judge a book by its cover.

And if I could, I wouldn't mind becoming a ninja like him

someday.

That's for sure.

- Seems to me that you like your master a lot not, Naruto.

- Who'd like an old pervert like him?

- Somehow, I must become as strong as Utakata.

Because if I can, I can master the jutsu

that grandfather left to me.

And then, perhaps I could even restore the Tsuchigumo clan

to greatness.

- For someone so young, you sure are

carrying a lot of responsibility.

Hey, so where do you think that master of yours

ran off to, anyway?

-Don't know.

And for some reason, every time I call him master,

he gets very upset with me.

NARUTO (VOICEOVER): Sai, what is it with all these leeches?

- You can stop with the leeches now.

- So, I guess the leeches aren't big enough, then.

That's not it.

OK.

-Enough is enough!

[screaming]

-What are you doing, stupid Sai?

Get a clue!

My gestures couldn't have been any clearer!

-Oh, boy.

- At last, I'm back to my vagabond lifestyle,

traveling the world.

She'll be OK.

That guy can protect her.

But that chakra... naw.

It couldn't be.

-You need immediate attention.

We'll take you to our fort.

- Looks like no one's coming after me.

And my wounds have healed.

So I guess it's time to leave.

- Please, you must accept me as your student.

-That fight.

After seeing you fight, I have great respect for you, master.

-Master?

-That's right.

Master Utakata.

-Don't ever call me that again.

-Huh?

But...

-Don't ever call me master!

-I...

- I have no intention of taking on a student.

-Utakata... you forget.

You owe me for my hospitality.

Do you think it's OK to just lounge around here

and get free room and board?

Well, fine!

What would you like for your free meal today, sir?

-That was a cheap shot.

I guess you're not afraid to hit where it hurts.

- Well, I had to get your attention.

Tonbee told me to say that if you

refused to take me as a student.

-So he was in on this too, huh?

Hotaru, the thing is you haven't had

any kind of training at all.

-I have.

I've received numerous ninjutsu lessons from Tonbee.

- Then why don't you go study with him?

-Because it's not enough.

That's why I'm asking you.

-OK.

Let's see you walk on that water over there.

-Walk on water?

Fine.

I will.

[scream]

UTAKATA (VOICEOVER): Good grief.

At this rate, I'll be long gone before she learns anything.

-Utakata!

Utakata!

Look!

I did it!

See?

- You... you've been practicing all night long?

-Yes.

Now will you make me your student?

-No.

Uh, that was just the first step.

The next is the jutsu.

Water Style, Raging Waves.

-Amazing.

- If you can't handle that jutsu, you can't be my student.

-It's a deal.

Water Style, Raging Waves.

Water Style, Raging Waves!

Nothing.

But why?

- I'm afraid that jutsu can only be

done if the wielder possesses water chakra.

Don't take it personally.

It's raining?

-Utakata, I got it.

-What are you doing?

-Please, watch this.

Water Style, Raging Waves!

I did it.

So you'll make me your student now, right?

-Well... I... I can't.

Not yet.

-Wait!

Utakata!

- I figured you'd come to see me sooner or later.

-You're damn right.

What were you thinking, putting that kid up to that?

She's out of her depth, and you know it.

- That's why I want to ask you a favor.

Would you consider staying here and acting as a guardian

to keep Lady Hotaru safe?

-Amazing.

You ask that is if it's no trouble at all.

- Lady Hotaru is a child of destiny.

Judging by the way you handled those men back there,

I can tell you're a man of extraordinary skills.

Above all, you're not greedy.

As you can see, I'm too old now to defend her.

But if she becomes your student, I

know her life will be safe in your hands.

So please, won't you do me this favor?

-I'm sorry, but I just can't.

As I'm sure you've noticed, there

are men who are pursuing me.

No matter where I go, death seems

to follow close at my heels.

How could you even think of leaving her with me?

-You may be right.

- Besides, the bond between master and student

is nothing to put your faith in.

Master!

What are you trying to do to me?

Master?

No!

[scream] I guess I dozed off there for a bit.

Hm?

-What do you think?

Could we really become lords of our own domains?

-Of course we could.

Isn't that right, Akaboshi?

-That's right.

So even if we just sold that jutsu,

we'd still have enough money to live the rest of our lives

in leisure.

-What?

What's wrong?

-Be on guard.

There's somebody nearby.

-There!

What was that?

-There!

-What is going on here?

[laughter]

-Who the hell are you?

- Doesn't look to me like he's one of the Hidden Leaf's

reinforcements.

- Maybe this guy's after the jutsu.

-Hm.

Sinceyou know about the forbidden jutsu,

that means you must be the band of thieves

who infiltrated the fort.

Makes me wonder, is that jutsu really so impressive?

'Cause if so, maybe I do want it for myself.

- I suppose you think we're just going to let you take it?

-So what do we do about him?

-Idiot.

Kill him.

After him!

What is this slime?

-I can't see!

-Spread out!

We'll surround him.

UTAKATA (VOICEOVER): This chakra flow...

their movements have suddenly become much faster.

Barrier jutsu?

-Let's go.

-Shin!

-Fu!

-Jin!

-Rai!

UTAKATA (VOICEOVER): That's just great.

-It's over.

Just how long do you intend to follow me?

-What are you talking about?

You told us to stay till we got through the forest.

-Yes, I did say that, but.

NARUTO (VOICEOVER): The thing is,

the only thing between the fort and the hideaway

is this forest.

-You're still here?

- Well, it looks like we'll complete our assignment

without incident.

-Huh?

Whoa.

The village is right there.

So weird.

There's no one here.

Hey!

Hello?

Anyone here?

-Look sharp.

-Got it.

-Hey!

Lady Hotaru's back!

Doesn't anyone want to come out and see her?

Huh?

Hm.

Wait, I know what we can do.

-Wait.

Naruto!

Oh, boy.

[ringing]

-Emergency!

A big fire!

Emergency!

[ringing]

-Ah-ha!

So you were here!

-What is she doing here?

-I don't know about this.

[whispering]

- Sorry if I scared everyone, but since all you guys

were hiding away, I had to do something pretty drastic

to get you to come out and welcome Lady Hotaru back

to the village.

Sorry about that.

[whispering]

-What?

What's the problem?

-Ah.

Hotaru.

HOTARU: Uncle.

- Thank you for bringing her here.

I'm the one responsible for the welfare of this village.

Lord En no Gyoja instructed me on what

to do if Hotaru were to come here.

Your job is done.

You can leave the rest to us.

-Very well.

Then we'll be on our way.

-Stay a moment, if you would.

We haven't had a chance to thank you properly.

YAMATO: We appreciate your thoughtfulness,

but we left the teammate at Mt.

Katsuragi, and would like to get back to her.

-Very well.

Although that is unfortunate.

-Come on.

Let's not keep Sakura waiting.

-Oh.

OK.

-Naruto?

-I...

-You'll be fine.

-Thank you.

-What's the matter, Naruto?

- Sorry, Captain Yamato, but I think

you better go on ahead without me.

'Cause I've gotta go back to that village.

-Go back?

- Something about that place bugs me.

I can't stop thinking about the way

those villagers looked at her.

-Naruto!

Wait!

NARUTO (VOICEOVER): I can't leave her there alone.

[theme music]

NARUTO: What do you mean Hotaru is gone?

Where did she go?

YAMATO: Naruto.

Don't.

NARUTO: But something might have happened to one of their own.

Why aren't they looking for her?

YAMATO: There's no point in arguing.

In any case, finding her is our top priority now.

Sai.

SAI: Understood.

I'll scout the area right away.

NARUTO: Next time on Naruto Shippuden,

The Successor's Wish.

Just hold on.

We'll find you.