Recaps

Lin Mo’s broadcasts showed the shinobi world Naruto’s battles and the histories of Hashirama, Madara, and Minato, prompting villages and Akatsuki to change their plans. As the Chunin Exams unfolded in Konoha, Orochimaru’s invasion plot advanced and Chiyo and Sakura fought Sasori.

• Lin Mo bound the Dimensional Inventory System and broadcast Naruto’s future battle with Pain to the shinobi world, where Naruto defeated Pain’s forces and persuaded Nagato to revive Konoha’s dead.
• The Heavenly Screen showed Hashirama and Madara’s battle and Minato’s duel with A and Killer B, stirring memories and resolve in Naruto, the village leaders, and others who watched.
• Hiruzen proceeded with the Chunin Exams as teams from other villages arrived, while Mei Terumi and Mifune began addressing changes in their own villages and traditions.
• Orochimaru killed Rasa, disguised himself as the Kazekage, and brought Sunagakure’s invasion plan closer, while Akatsuki chose to wait and let the nations weaken one another.
• Naruto and the other Genin passed the written test and the Forest of Death, while Fū escaped Takigakure to seek Naruto and village leaders considered the exams’ consequences.
• Chiyo guided Sakura through her fight with Sasori, who revealed his human-puppet body and deployed the Third Kazekage puppet.
• After Sasori poisoned Sakura and shattered Chiyo’s Father and Mother puppets, Chiyo controlled Sakura as a puppet, enabling her to evade Iron Sand and smash Sasori’s body.

After Sasori’s death and the revelations on the Heavenly Screen, Konoha faces Orochimaru’s invasion, the Third Hokage’s death, and the struggle to recover. Tsunade takes charge as Sunagakure’s delegation arrives, while Akatsuki prepares to pursue the Tailed Beasts.

• Granny Chiyo and Sakura defeated Sasori, and Chiyo used her life-transfer technique to save Sakura before mourning Sasori’s death.
• The Chunin Exam preliminaries concluded, while Karin sought refuge in Konoha and Hiruzen refused Danzo’s demand to hand her over to Root.
• Itachi used Izanami to trap Kabuto and freed him from the Impure World Reincarnation, then told Sasuke that he would always love him as he faded away.
• Kakashi and Team 7 helped Koyuki reclaim the Land of Snow, while Orochimaru and Danzo prepared to strike during Konoha’s Chunin Exams.
• Orochimaru attacked the exams disguised as the Kazekage, and the Third Hokage died sealing the First and Second Hokage and disabling Orochimaru’s hands.
• Tsunade returned to Konoha, treated the wounded, and became the village’s new leader as its people began rebuilding and Sasuke resolved to seek power from Orochimaru.
• Granny Chiyo led a Sunagakure delegation to Konoha to negotiate Gaara’s return, while Tsunade rejected Danzo’s call for punishment and prepared for talks.
• Obito urged Pain to pursue the Six-Tails Jinchūriki and wait for the Three-Tails’ rebirth, and Pain declared his plan to gather the Tailed Beasts and impose peace through pain.

The Five Kage battled Madara, then began forging an alliance as Sasuke escaped to join Orochimaru. The arc left the nations investigating the Masked Man while Danzo marked Sasuke for assassination and turned to Orochimaru.

• The Five Kage fought Madara, but he defeated them, freed himself from Impure World Reincarnation, and escaped the caster’s control.
• Tsunade and Chiyo negotiated Konoha and Sunagakure’s alliance, while Gaara returned home to a changed welcome and ordered joint training against Susanoo.
• Mei Terumi negotiated Kirigakure’s cooperation with Tsunade, and the Five Kage arranged a summit as Pain and Obito chose to let it proceed.
• During the Land of Snow trip, Kimimaro and the Sound Four tried to take Sasuke to Orochimaru, but Sasuke escaped the Konoha group and followed Kimimaro away.
• Naruto’s team failed to recover Sasuke, who reached Orochimaru’s base and accepted the power Orochimaru promised, while Naruto agreed to train with Jiraiya.
• At the summit, Tsunade proposed joint forces and intelligence sharing, and Mei told the Kage that a masked Sharingan user had controlled Yagura.
• Pain delayed Akatsuki’s missions while Obito pursued the Eye of the Moon Plan, and Danzo designated Sasuke an S-rank missing-nin before ordering Hinoe to offer Orochimaru research data for Sasuke’s head.

Jiraiya took Naruto and Karin on a journey while the villages prepared for rising threats and Sasuke grew stronger under Orochimaru. The Heavenly Screen showed Naruto and Sasuke’s future battle, which ended with Naruto reaching Sasuke and bringing him back from the brink of hatred.

• Jiraiya left Konoha with Naruto and Karin, while Sakura vowed to grow stronger and Danzo secretly sent Root agents after them.
• Hiashi named Hinata the Hyuga heir and began training her and Hanabi in the clan’s secret teachings as the Five Kage prepared for coming changes.
• Orochimaru gave Sasuke a new Sage Cursed Seal, while he and Kabuto experimented on Kimimaro and explored Natural Energy.
• The villages formed a joint intelligence network and sent shinobi to monitor Amegakure, as Pain ordered Akatsuki to keep its plans moving.
• The Heavenly Screen showed Sasuke controlling the Tailed Beasts and declaring his plan to kill the Five Kage and remake the Shinobi World, prompting Konoha to mobilize and Tsunade to reject Danzo’s demand to assassinate him.
• Naruto and Sasuke’s displayed battle escalated into clashes between their strongest techniques, while villages and shinobi watched and reacted to their power.
• Kurama gave Naruto his remaining Chakra before the two attacks collided and devastated the Valley of the End.
• Sasuke woke beside the injured Naruto, learned that Naruto had fought because he cared about his pain, and slipped into unconsciousness after Naruto welcomed him back.