Kakashi's and Guy's teams both figure out that their battles with the doppelgängers were set-up to delay them from coming to Gaara's rescue. Chiyo reveals that in attempts to control the power of the tailed beasts they were bound to human hosts called "Jinchūriki", and that the human host dies when the beast is extracted — increasing the urgency of saving Gaara. Kankuro is awake and joins a meeting of the Sand council where the history of the Sand village is explained. Both teams stop to rest since their battles have taken their tolls and in preparation for the battles to come. Akatsuki sends Zetsu to "dispose" of the doppelgängers corpses.

Team Guy and Team Kakashi both finish their breaks and go on towards the Akatsuki lair. Naruto shows intense passion and is in a hurry to reach Gaara. Chiyo notices this and Kakashi explains to her that Naruto is also a Jinchuriki and knows the pain Gaara has lived through. Chiyo explains that she was the ninja who sealed Shukaku in Gaara, in order to protect the Sand village. Meanwhile, Akatsuki has finished extracting Shukaku from Gaara, who dies wondering if he has become a person whom others need. Team Guy and Team Kakashi finally meet in front of the sealed entrance to the Akatsuki lair.

Team Guy and Team Kakashi find out there is a barrier protecting the Akatsuki hideout, being generated by 5 forbidden tags in the area. After preparations, Team Guy removes the tags and disables the barrier allowing Team Kakashi to enter the hideout. Meanwhile the Akatsuki members have ended the astral projection technique and left the hideout. Deidara and Sasori who were the only ones physically present, remain behind to take care of the intruders.

Team Guy fights with exact clones of themselves, a trap set off by their removal of the barrier tags. Deidara takes Gaara's body outside of the cavern, followed by Naruto and Kakashi. Chiyo and Sakura stay behind to fight Sasori.

Chiyo explains to Sakura that Sasori used to be one of the best puppeteers in Sunagakure, but he began experimenting with real people. Sakura learns that Sasori's true body is hiding within his favorite puppet, Hiruko, ensuring that he cannot be attacked while controlling it. The only way to defeat Sasori is to destroy his puppet. Using teamwork, Chiyo and Sakura are able to dodge Sasori's attacks and demolish the puppet, from which Sasori himself emerges. Just outside, Deidara begins telling Naruto and Kakashi how much stronger Sasori is compared to himself.

With his puppet destroyed, Sasori reveals himself to Chiyo and Sakura, looking no older than when he left his village twenty years ago. As a further bit of nostalgia, he produces a summoning scroll and calls forth the Third Kazekage, whom Sasori has made into a puppet. Using its weapons, which are even more dangerous than Hiruko's, Sasori is able to catch Sakura in a poison gas cloud. Meanwhile, Kankuro, Temari's team, and Ebizo make their way towards the Akatsuki hideout.