Those Suffering

Tsunade studies the injury to Rock Lee's back and locates splinters of bone buried in his spine. She alone has the skill to attempt their removal, yet a failed operation would cost Lee his life, and with her chances sitting at only half she counsels him to abandon his ambition of remaining a ninja. Lee takes the verdict quietly and walks away, leaving Might Guy crushed by the decision.

Over a shared meal, Chōji lays claim to the final bite, insisting it is always the tastiest. Asuma needles him to put in more effort and earn a chūnin promotion the way Shikamaru did, which only sours the boy's mood. Still worn down from his clash with Itachi, Sasuke broods over his own helplessness and how thoroughly Naruto has outgrown him. Far from Konoha, Orochimaru dispatches his Sound Four toward the village.

Tsunade finds bone fragments in Lee's spine and gives his surgery a fifty percent survival rate, prompting Lee to accept giving up his ninja dream. Asuma pushes Chōji to train harder toward chūnin rank. Sasuke reflects on being surpassed by Naruto. Orochimaru sends the Sound Four to Konoha.

Part of the Sasuke Recovery Mission storyline, the chapter appeared in the twentieth volume and reached Japan on June 30, 2003, under the Viz title Anguish. The lunch scene with Team 10 was later folded into episode 107 of the anime, since filler episodes had aired ahead of it.