Ep 26. Puppet Fight: 10 vs 100!

Naruto Shippuden season 1 episode 26, titled "Puppet Fight: 10 vs 100!", takes place in the midst of the search for Sasuke, as Naruto and his team continue their journey to find the rogue ninja. As they travel through the forests of the Land of Fire, they come across a group of mysterious puppeteers led by Sasori of the Red Sand, a former member of the Akatsuki and powerful puppet user.

The episode begins with a group of ten ninja from the Hidden Sand Village led by Kankuro, a puppet user himself, arriving at the scene to assist Naruto and his team in their fight against Sasori and his puppets. Sasori, whose specialty is puppets, has created an army of 100 powerful and deadly puppets to fight against the combined forces of the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand Villages.

The battle begins as Kankuro and his team launch a counter-attack against Sasori's puppets. Kankuro's puppets are equipped with various weapons and abilities, and he quickly gains the upper hand against the enemy forces. However, Sasori has a few tricks up his sleeve, and he proves to be a formidable opponent, using his own puppet, Hiruko, to capture Kankuro's own puppet and take control of his chakra strings.

Meanwhile, Naruto and his team are engaged in their own battles against the enemy puppets, with Naruto using his newly acquired Rasengan technique to take down several of the puppets. Sakura, who has been studying under the tutelage of Tsunade, is also able to hold her own against Sasori's puppets, using her medical skills to analyze and exploit their weaknesses.

As the battle intensifies, it becomes apparent that Sasori has been toying with them the entire time, holding back his full power until he feels it is necessary. One by one, the enemy puppets begin to self-destruct, taking out the Hidden Sand Village ninja along with them. Finally, Sasori reveals his own puppet, a giant scorpion, and enters the battle himself.

The battle between Sasori and Kankuro intensifies as the two puppet users continue to clash. Kankuro is able to destroy the scorpion puppet, but Sasori has one more trick up his sleeve. He reveals that he has turned himself into a puppet, replacing his own body with mechanical weapons and gadgets.

The episode ends with the battle still raging on, as Naruto and his team are left to face off against Sasori and his final form. With their backs against the wall, it remains to be seen if they will be able to emerge victorious against one of the most powerful puppet users in the world.