As Naruto starts the second stage of his wind chakra nature training, Tsunade sends out the Niju Shotai, twenty teams composed of four ninja each, to deal with and exterminate the Akatsuki members in their territory. Shikamaru leaves with Asuma, Izumo and Kotetsu, whereas Ino and Choji leave with Raido and Aoba. That night, Sakura Haruno cries over her picture of Team 7, and Naruto, after witnessing a shooting star, manages to clear the second stage of his training but subsequently collapses from hunger and exhaustion almost immediately afterward.