The Jet-Black Signal Fire

Anbu catch Danzō conferring with an Amegakure ninja in the forest and haul both back to Konohagakure in chains for Tsunade to question. At the hospital, Naruto reads to Sai, who repeats Sakura's counsel about gaining real experience, until Sai glances out the window and freezes at the sight of Danzō being escorted into the village. As Danzō and the spy Tatsuji are taken to a hidden meeting place, Tsunade summons Asuma and Yamato, and Sora, trailing Asuma, slips into the rafters to eavesdrop.

Pressed to explain himself, Danzō retorts that Tsunade is unfit as Hokage for not knowing Amegakure was never behind the recent attacks. Yamato recognises Tatsuji as an Anbu who vanished on a mission years earlier, and when Tsunade calls in Ibiki Morino to extract the truth, the elders Homura and Koharu reveal Tatsuji was Danzō's planted spy who reported to them as well. Seizing the moment to discredit Tsunade, Danzō raises the grave robberies near the Fire Temple and her open welcome of Sora despite the destructive power inside him. Koharu urges Sora be locked away, Danzō argues he should simply be eliminated, and neither realises the boy is listening overhead until Yūgao and another Anbu drag him down.

Sora erupts, blaming Tsunade and Konoha for wanting him dead and cursing himself for trusting Yamato and his team. He asks Asuma outright whether he killed Kazuma, and Asuma admits that he did. Sora's chakra warps his right arm into a monstrous limb and he strikes with the Beast Tearing Gale Palm, which Asuma blocks using his chakra blades. Their clash bursts through a wall and spills outside, sending a black plume of smoke into the sky that Naruto notices. When a Root-affiliated Anbu tries to kill Sora with shuriken, Naruto leaps into the path and is struck, and moments later Furido whisks Sora away before collapsing from the wounds in his back.

Recovering in the hospital, Naruto dreams of the Fire Temple monks failing to seal a tailed beast's chakra and glimpses the Nine-Tailed Fox before waking. Shikamaru, Chōji, and Kiba are assigned to track Sora down. Beyond the village, Furido explains that Kazuma, Sora's father, sought to unite the Fire Daimyō and the Hokage as one great king, a plan Asuma foiled by standing with his leader, and that Kazuma granted Sora his power. He offers Sora repeated chances to settle the score with Asuma in exchange for helping fulfil Kazuma's ambition.

Discharged and walking with Sakura, who marvels at his healing, Naruto senses Sora's malevolent chakra near Tsunade's office and races over. Sora launches a projectile at the Hokage, but Naruto bursts in and tackles Tsunade clear of it, saving her life before Sora leaps through the window to finish the job and is again blocked by Naruto. As Shizune and Anbu arrive, Sora flees with Naruto giving chase. In much of its localised release, the episode carries the shortened title "Jet-Black Signal Fire." The episode belongs to the anime-original Twelve Guardian Ninja arc and develops the rivalry between Danzō's Root and Tsunade's administration.