Cursed Seal Counterattack

The Orochimaru Search Team cannot find Naruto or Guren near the lake, which troubles Yūkimaru, so he sets off with Sai. Kakashi, Shino, and Yamato ready themselves against the newly roused Three-Tailed Turtle, while Shizune, Ino, Sakura, and Hinata raise a Four-Corner Sealing Barrier behind them to bind the tailed beast once more. Powered up by their cursed seals, Team Guren swiftly dispatch Lee, Tenten, Kiba, and Akamaru, then turn on Sai. Sai is beaten but manages a Super Beast Imitating Drawing to send Kakashi a warning.

Having recovered Yūkimaru, the team declare to Rinji that they no longer need to follow him and intend to go their own way. The cursed seal's after-effects soon cripple them, however, forcing them to beg Rinji for Kabuto's counteracting pills. Once they pledge loyalty to Orochimaru, they move to confront the Konoha shinobi, and Rinji pressures Yūkimaru into activating his Three-Tails Chakra: Release again.

Sensing the incoming enemies, Yamato throws up a Wood Release wall to shield the sealing group while contending with Kihō, who blinds him in a Smoke Dragon. Kakashi tangles with Kigiri and his smoke clones, and Shino's insects are shrugged off by Nurari's Viscous Water Mass. Meanwhile Akamaru locates Sai, and Naruto and Guren wake to realize they have escaped the beast's belly, only to spot a beam of chakra shooting skyward that tells them Yūkimaru is wielding his power once more.

The Konoha squads erect a Four-Corner Sealing Barrier to bind the reawakened Three-Tails. Team Guren, weakened by cursed-seal side effects, swear loyalty to Orochimaru in exchange for Kabuto's suppressant pills. Rinji forces Yūkimaru to channel the Three-Tails' chakra again as the two sides clash.

The episode is a Shippūden installment within the Three-Tails' Appearance Arc, also titled Counterattack of the Curse Mark. Its opening theme is Light of a Firefly and the ending theme is Deep Breath. It aired in Japan on May 14, 2009, and in English on January 24, 2012.