Jiraiya Shinobi Handbook: The Tale of Naruto the Hero

Running from episode 432 to 450, this stretch of Naruto: Shippūden belongs entirely to the anime and slots into the larger timeframe of the Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes events. The premise is fiction layered upon fiction. Trapped by the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Tsunade drifts into sleep and imagines herself handed Jiraiya's latest manuscript, then begins to read. Within those chapters lies a reworked ninja world in which several of the true storyline's tragedies simply never happened, letting familiar faces play out very different lives.

In the dreamed story, Naruto is raised with both parents alive and the fox's power split between himself and Kushina, while a peaceful settlement between Minato and Hiruzen keeps the Uchiha loyal, so Itachi and Sasuke never turn against the village. Rookie squads are sent to trace veteran shinobi who have gone missing, and the trail exposes an Akatsuki formed from Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko. A masked Byakugan wielder lures Neji away and stages an elaborate test of the young genin, later unmasking as a reincarnated Hizashi Hyūga who wants to learn whether his death altered how the Leaf runs its affairs. The opening half ends in grief when a blast appears to kill Yahiko, leaving Nagato certain the village is responsible.

Years pass, and envy pushes this Sasuke to quit his team for the Military Police, then to chase Orochimaru's strength after Danzō steers him toward it. Naruto and Shikamaru sneak out to bring him home, opposed by Root agents under orders to kill anyone who interferes. Sasuke accepts the Cursed Seal, clashes with Naruto, and vanishes with Orochimaru. Adopting the Pain persona, Nagato then seals the entire village away to avenge Yahiko, and Kushina meets her son inside his mind to pass him her half of the fox so he can finally master its chakra. Naruto talks Nagato down, and the imprisoned villagers are freed.

The finale draws every strand together. Backed by Minato, a reformed Nagato, and shinobi from the allied nations, Naruto and his friends corner both Sasuke and the puppet master Sasori, and the estranged pair settle their quarrel through a last exchange that closes in acknowledgement and friendship, capped by a group photograph of the young ninja. Half-awake, Tsunade praises the tale's happy ending, only to discover the man at her side is Dan rather than Jiraiya. Walking the halls, she glimpses loved ones she has lost and flares up at Jiraiya over a book meant for Nawaki. None of it is real. Tsunade remains held fast by the Infinite Tsukuyomi, every ounce of that comfort a fabrication.