pariahs

While their village is attacked and the third hokage is imprisoned, Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru are out on a mission to find Sasuke and the Sand genin.

Naruto faces off against Kimimaro, a mysterious foe with ties to the Sound Ninja Four, as he tries to get to Sasuke before Orochimaru can make him a part of his master plan.

Tsunade and his team are sent out to hunt down Sasuke, who has joined forces with a new set of teammates.

Even though Naruto is beginning to feel sympathy for Gaara, he still prepares for a fight against him.

Ninja trainee Sasuke, suffering the effects of a curse placed on him by Drochimaru, enters the first match of the Journeyman Ninja Selection Exams over the protests of his friend and classmate Sakura, and finds himself facing one of the formidable Sound Ninja spies.

Naruto sets off with Shikamaru to save Sasuke--who is trapped in the Darkness under the control of Orochimaru--leaving Neji to face Kidomaru alone.

Naruto continues to train under Jiraiya; and Orochimaru devises a plan which involves a legendary kunoichi.

Sasuke finally arrives at the Forest of Death to compete against Gaara in the Chunin finals, but having to wait has heightened Gaara's bloodlust and weakened his grip on his already fragile sanity.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura face Orochimaru's Sound Ninja in the forest of death even as Sasuke is trying to fight off the influence of Orochimaru's curse. Then, the three ninja trainees advance to the third round of the Journeyman Ninja Selection Exams, fighting against their classmates, including the Sound Ninja spies.

Deidara's Ultimate Art faces off against the all-powerful new Sasuke; and inside the Land of Rain lies a secret of the Akatsuki that questions the leadership of Pain.