Synopsis

Naruto, Sai, and Yamato arrived to rescue Hotaru and Utakata from the assailants, discovering them to be Anbu operatives from the Hidden Mist Village. Yamato sought to negotiate with the head of the Mist Anbu, Tsurugi, alone. Following their conversation, Tsurugi spoke privately with Utakata, attempting to persuade him to return to the Hidden Mist Village. Utakata refused, the memory of past suffering under his former master flooding back with painful clarity.