Tenten's Troubles

Team Ajisai finds itself cornered by Team Komugi, who demand a fight over their scroll, but Ajisai and her comrades slip away rather than waste effort on a lesser team. That night Ajisai remembers Konan's orders sending them into the Chunin Exams to seize a particular jinchuriki, Fu, if they can, and to gather intelligence on capable ninja from rival villages. Elsewhere, Team Guy settles in to cook as dusk falls. When Lee praises Tenten's knack for sealing away supplies, the backhanded compliment stings, and she storms off.

Tenten stews over the memory of Might Guy offering the same well-meaning praise, which only sharpened her wish to wield a special technique all her own instead of being valued for storage. The following day the Amegakure and Konohagakure teams meet at desert ruins and skirmish briefly. The Ame group bolts again, but Neji's Byakugan keeps them in sight and forces them to keep fighting. In the clash, Tenten and Ajisai plunge deep beneath the ruins, and with the battle put on hold, both teams split off to dig for their buried members. Tenten regains consciousness underground and, unaware that Ajisai only feigns unconsciousness while waiting to catch her off guard, steps toward the enemy kunoichi to offer her water.

Team Ajisai evades Team Komugi, and Ajisai recalls Konan's mission to capture the jinchuriki Fu and spy on strong shinobi during the Chunin Exams. A stray compliment from Lee about her sealing skill drives home Tenten's longing for a technique of her own. The Amegakure and Konoha teams clash at the desert ruins, Neji's Byakugan pins the fleeing enemy, and a collapse buries Tenten and Ajisai together underground, where Ajisai lies in wait to ambush Tenten.

This is the 404th episode of Naruto: Shippuden, part of the filler arc In Naruto's Footsteps: The Friends' Paths. It aired in Japan on 19 March 2015 and in English on 10 October 2017. The opening theme is Silhouette and the ending theme is Spinning World.