'Naruto Shippuden' episodes 492, 493 spoilers: Intense Shikamaru–Gengo battle to conclude current arc; Naruto–Hinata wedding arc to follow

The battle between Shikamaru and Gengo comes to a head in the next episode of "Naruto Shippuden." But how can a shadow manipulator hope to fight after his sly enemy lures him into a room completely steeped in darkness?

Despite all of his best efforts and purportedly wise arguments about the mistreatment of shinobis following the end of the Great War, Gengo still failed to turn Shikamaru into one of his brainwashed pawns. With reinforcements coming in, as well as Shikamaru coming close to figuring out just what makes Gengo's words so powerful, this troublesome mission is finally about to end.

Titled "Dawn," the upcoming episode will feature the long overdue battle between the charismatic leader of the Land of Silence and the strategic genius of Konoha. However, it seems that Gengo himself has one more major trick up his sleeves.

In the trailer for the next episode, Gengo tells Shikamaru that he has deployed his Enlightened Ones to all the Hidden villages and that there is nothing that Shikamaru can do to stop the impending chaos. Whether this is true or whether it is just the empty bluffing of a cornered man remains to be seen. Will Shikamaru be rattled by this threat, so much so that his own life is put at risk? Or will he trust his own comrades enough to know that they will be able to handle things from their end?

The upcoming episode 493 will mark the end of Shikamaru's arc, and it will pave the way to the next one based on the light novel, "Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day for a Wedding." This novel, written by Shou Hinata, will feature the much-awaited marriage of Konoha's future Hokage, Naruto, and his lady love, Hinata. Will the preparations run smoothly, or will there be some unforeseen bumps along the way that could potentially put the wedding on hold, or worse, stop it completely? What nostalgia-inducing memories will be shown, and how many more beautiful memories are about to be made?

"Naruto Shippuden" episode 493 airs on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m. JST on T.V. Tokyo, while the next arc begins with episode 494 that airs in the following week, on Feb. 16.