Recaps

Hagoromo discovered that Uzumaki Masahiko had designed the altar to draw power from the sealed eye and decided to move the secret chamber to Sansan’s sacred land. He began preparing the sealing formula while Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata helped secure the area.

• Naruto recognized the altar’s runes from when his father sealed the Asura Chakra, and Hagoromo realized Uzumaki Masahiko had planned to harness the eye’s power.
• Hagoromo proposed moving the altar and secret chamber out of the Shinobi World, and Kenzaburo agreed to entrust them to him.
• Hagoromo summoned Sansan to guard Kenzaburo, and Sansan eagerly agreed after seeing the powerful eye.
• Hagoromo sent Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Kenzaburo out of the chamber, then created two Shadow Clones to help write the runes for the transfer.

Hagoromo completed the secret chamber’s transfer to Sansan and brought Kenzaburo back to Konoha for screening. There, Hiruzen told Hagoromo that a powerful noble had demanded Kenzaburo be handed over.

• Hagoromo activated the secret chamber and successfully transferred its power to Sansan, then warned him not to touch it until the seals could be checked.
• Sansan told Hagoromo that Fū’s soul body was showing fluctuations, and Hagoromo agreed to inspect it soon.
• Kenzaburo asked to speak with Karin, and Hagoromo said he would ask her after Kenzaburo passed Konoha’s screening.
• Hagoromo and his group returned to Konoha, where Kotetsu told Hagoromo to report directly to the Hokage Building.
• Hiruzen told Hagoromo that a high-ranking noble had asked Konoha to hand over Kenzaburo, claiming he was implicated in something.

Hagoromo persuaded Hiruzen Sarutobi to keep Kenzaburo in Konoha and investigate the organization connected to him, then learned that Kabuto Yakushi had been talking with his students. He decided to watch over Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata while considering how to use Kabuto as a whetstone for their training.

• Hagoromo told Hiruzen Sarutobi about Kenzaburo and the unusual ninja, and urged him to investigate their organization.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed not to hand Kenzaburo over and ordered classified S-rank research on the five unusual ninja.
• Ibiki brought Kenzaburo to the Hokage's Office, where Hagoromo left him with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Hagoromo met Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata, who told him Kabuto Yakushi had kept them talking at the mission hall.
• Hagoromo suspected Kabuto was gathering information or trying to gain the students' trust, and decided to keep watch over them.
• Hagoromo told Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata to rest before he arranged unusual training for them.

Hagoromo planned a new Realm of Reality training exercise for Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and the others, then worked with Sansan to redesign its sealing formula. He successfully created two separate training realms, leaving them ready for use.

• Hagoromo told Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata about training that would make them face their true selves, with Naruto and Sasuke hoping to advance their abilities.
• Hagoromo said Hinata, Shikamaru, and the others would also take part, and Naruto imagined showing off to Shikamaru and Choji.
• At the edge of Konoha's Forest of Death, Kabuto Yakushi sent intelligence to Orochimaru and considered preparing escape routes because he feared Hagoromo.
• In the Hazy Moon Sacred Land, Hagoromo's attempt to add a self-reflecting Genjutsu to his Realm of Reality sealing formula failed again.
• Sansan advised Hagoromo to split the training into two versions, one focused on facing inner darkness and the other on surpassing oneself and learning from one's abilities.
• Hagoromo wrote two new scrolls and activated them, successfully opening two different Realms of Reality.

Hagoromo brought Naruto and Sasuke to the Sacred Land to begin mirror training, with Hinata joining them to watch. After explaining the risks and giving them scrolls to exit the formation, he activated the Mirror Formation and sent the boys in to face their inner selves.

• Hagoromo took Naruto and Sasuke to the Sacred Land and later brought Hinata there with a summoning technique.
• Sansan explained that its two giant clones were sleeping to absorb Yokai Power and grow.
• Hagoromo warned the group about the Sacred Land's dangerous Natural Energy, then had Sansan hold it back.
• Hagoromo formed two mirror-like water spheres and gave Naruto and Sasuke scrolls they could use to leave the training.
• Hagoromo explained that the Mirror Formation would make each boy face his inner self, and Naruto and Sasuke encouraged each other before entering.

Naruto confronted a hostile mirror image that embodied the anger and loneliness he had buried from his childhood. He accepted those painful memories, reached out to the shadow with compassion, and apologized that the warmth he found after becoming Sawada Hagoromo’s disciple had not reached it sooner.

• Naruto entered the lake’s center, where his reflection rose as a shadow and attacked him with a cold Rasengan.
• The shadow accused Naruto of smiling to hide that he was a despised monster and claimed Sawada Hagoromo had chosen him only because of the Nine-Tails.
• The shadow forced Naruto to relive villagers’ contempt and his lonely childhood, leaving him on his knees in tears.
• Naruto admitted that he had once been angry and hateful, but said he had healed after becoming Hagoromo-sensei’s disciple.
• Naruto explained that the shadow had withdrawn after he found warmth in his sensei, friends, and old man, then apologized for leaving its pain unaddressed.

Naruto accepted and reunited with his dark self, then Sasuke entered the lake’s black void and confronted his own reflection. The reflection exposed Sasuke’s deep need to catch up to and earn recognition from Itachi, leaving Sasuke facing the truth of his pursuit.

• Naruto told his dark self that he accepted him and no longer needed to dwell in painful memories.
• Naruto apologized and embraced his dark self, who dispersed into light and merged back into him.
• Sasuke reached the lake’s center, where the surroundings twisted into a silent black void and his reflection appeared.
• Sasuke’s reflection challenged him about Itachi’s choices and the resentment beneath Sasuke’s loyalty.
• Sasuke declared that he wanted to become strong enough to stand beside and surpass Itachi, while his reflection called him a pursuer seeking Itachi’s recognition.

Sasuke defeated his mirror after awakening the perfect Three-Tomoe Sharingan and briefly activating Mark Type Three. He rejoined Naruto and the others, and Hagoromo postponed the sacred land trial until the next day.

• Mirror Sasuke trapped Sasuke in successive Genjutsu, but Hagoromo's voice helped Sasuke hold on to himself and awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in both eyes.
• Sasuke used his new ocular power to activate Mark Type Three for an instant, then trapped Mirror Sasuke in Genjutsu and defeated him with the Lightning Blade.
• Before disappearing, Mirror Sasuke urged Sasuke to accept every part of himself, and Sasuke said he would forge his own path and stand beside Itachi.
• Sasuke emerged from the sealing formation, thanked Hagoromo, and traded remarks with Naruto.
• Hagoromo postponed the trial until tomorrow, assigned Hinata mirror training, and took everyone away for a celebratory meal.
• Sansan arrived too late to join them, then used his contract to travel to Hagoromo's location.

Hagoromo used the evolution scrolls to bind Sansan’s two sleeping clones exclusively to Naruto and Sasuke, then sent them with Sansan to begin their next trial. Hinata prepared for a separate trial against her mirror image, while Naruto and Sasuke entered a strange forest.

• Hagoromo used the Summoning Beast Evolution Scrolls to accelerate Sansan’s clones’ growth and make each one exclusive to Naruto or Sasuke.
• Naruto and Sasuke returned to the Sacred Land, sensed their connection to the clones, and learned their summoning beasts’ future growth depended on them.
• Hagoromo explained Hinata’s trial would pit her against a mirror image with all her talents and promised to stop the formation if she could no longer fight.
• Hinata entered the sealing formation for her trial, while Sansan led Naruto and Sasuke into the forest for their own training.
• Naruto felt watched in the forest, and Sansan explained that the Ancient Tree Bell Tone punished impure thoughts with deafness and prevented those affected from leaving.

Naruto and Sasuke passed Sansan’s river trial for Hazy Moon Sage Mode, though Sansan tricked Sasuke into thinking the water contained people who had failed. Back at Hagoromo’s training ground, Hinata failed to overcome the version of herself she longed to become, and Naruto told Hagoromo what Sansan had done.

• Sansan told Naruto and Sasuke to drink from the river and face their painful memories, but they passed without difficulty.
• Sansan claimed failed students became stone statues submerged in the river, prompting Sasuke to vomit and threaten him.
• Naruto realized Sansan had never said anyone had actually failed, and Sasuke drank from the river again before following Sansan.
• Hinata failed to defeat the composed version of herself and took a break while Hagoromo explained the purpose of the training.
• Naruto told Hagoromo about Sansan’s trick, and Hagoromo recognized the cat’s familiar nasty sense of humor.

After mirror training exposed Hinata’s insecurities, Naruto helped her understand that the reflection showed the strong person she could become. Hinata regained her resolve to keep training and catch up to Naruto.

• Hagoromo scolded Sansan for joking around and called Naruto and Sasuke over to discuss Sage Mode.
• Hinata brooded over losing to her mirror self and the reflection’s words about her weakness.
• Naruto approached Hinata and listened as she apologized for still feeling useless.
• Naruto shared his early training struggles and reminded Hinata that knowing her weaknesses showed her where to improve.
• Naruto explained that Hinata’s strong mirror self was already part of her, and encouraged her to learn from losing and keep getting back up.
• Hinata regained her determination to keep training and walk alongside Naruto.

Hagoromo taught Naruto and Sasuke how to sense Natural Energy and explained the risks and benefits of Senjutsu. Naruto and Sasuke began training under his Shadow Clones, while Hagoromo left with Hinata to let her retry the mirror trial.

• Sasuke used his Sharingan to observe the Natural Energy around Hagoromo, then sensed it after closing his eyes and following Hagoromo's guidance.
• Hagoromo explained how to balance physical, spiritual, and Natural Energy, warning Naruto and Sasuke that losing control could cause yokai transformation.
• Hagoromo's Shadow Clones struck Naruto and Sasuke when their faces began changing, interrupting their transformation before it progressed.
• Sansan demonstrated a half-human, half-yokai form, and Naruto and Sasuke rejected the idea of looking like it.
• Hagoromo described how Senjutsu would strengthen their techniques, including letting Naruto throw his Rasenshuriken, and Naruto resolved to master it.
• Hagoromo left Shadow Clones to supervise Naruto and Sasuke and went with Hinata, who wanted to retry the mirror trial.

Tenzo recruited Hagoromo to help build an enormous venue for the Chunin Ninja Exams after being exhausted by two days of construction. Hagoromo used Shadow Clones and Earth Release to raise the venue’s outer wall, leaving Tenzo and the department ninja stunned.

• Tenzo arrived at Hagoromo’s home and dragged him away to help expand the Chunin Exam venue.
• Hagoromo and Tenzo reached the construction site and learned the Hokage had ordered an even larger venue because daimyo would attend.
• Hagoromo checked the final plans and confirmed that Earth Release could be used to build the venue’s outer wall.
• Hagoromo summoned dozens of Shadow Clones, who raised a huge circular earthen wall around the site.
• Hagoromo finished the wall with some Chakra remaining while Tenzo and the department ninja stared in disbelief.

Hagoromo used Earth Release to build a massive wall and reassured Tenzo, who thanked him for rescuing him from the exhausting work. After meeting Might Guy’s team, Hagoromo took Neji with him to begin a new trial ahead of the Chunin Exams.

• Hagoromo raised the Ten-Thousand-Mile Earth Style Wall, and Tenzo tearfully thanked him for helping finish the venue.
• Kakashi teased Tenzo into agreeing to treat both him and Hagoromo, while Tenzo protested that Kakashi had no part in it.
• Might Guy returned with Neji, Rock Lee, and Mu San, and told Hagoromo that all three would take the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Hagoromo asked Neji to meet him the next day for a trial, then left with him while Might Guy handled the mission handover.
• Neji told Hagoromo that he had not encountered anyone strange and had rarely used his Byakugan on missions.

As the Chunin Ninja Exams approached, Hagoromo prepared Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata to register as a team. When Naruto boasted that he would thrash their opponents, the trio faced the watching foreign ninja without backing down.

• Hagoromo gave Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata their exam forms and led them toward the Hokage Building to submit them.
• Naruto assured Sasuke that his extra lessons had prepared him for the written test.
• The trio saw Konoha crowded with foreign ninja candidates under increased security patrols.
• Naruto loudly declared that he was ready to thrash the other candidates, drawing the crowd's attention.
• Sasuke and Hinata stood beside Naruto as he and Sasuke released waves of pressure toward the onlookers.

Naruto and Sasuke intimidated the gathered Genin with their auras as Hagoromo led them through Konoha, while Gaara and Karui showed hostility toward them. The group continued toward the Hokage Building, where Ino caught up with them and Asuma spoke with Hagoromo.

• Naruto and Sasuke released their auras, causing many Genin to reconsider challenging them as Hagoromo led the group away.
• Gaara demanded blood and left the alley, so Temari and Kankuro followed him.
• Karui recognized Hagoromo and threatened to fight his disciples, while Omoi tried to stop her.
• The gathered ninja dispersed to report what they had seen, and the Konoha Military Police Force signaled for Anbu to handle the situation.
• Naruto and Sasuke agreed to stay alert during the exams after Hagoromo warned them to be cautious.
• Ino caught up with the group near the Hokage Building, and Asuma teased Hagoromo about Naruto and Sasuke's behavior.

Naruto and his friends compared their mission records and vowed not to tarnish Hagoromo's reputation during the Chunin Exams. At Konoha's gate, Jiraiya and Tsunade welcomed the visiting Kage as their delegations arrived.

• Naruto bragged to Shikamaru that his squad had completed an A-rank mission, while Shikamaru said his team had celebrated taking on a B-rank mission.
• Shikamaru urged the others to do their best so they would not tarnish their teacher's reputation, and Sasuke and Naruto declared they would take first place and prove their strength.
• Tsunade complained about having to welcome the visiting Kage, while Jiraiya explained that Konoha needed prominent representatives for the occasion.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade formally welcomed the four visiting Kage at the Konoha Gate and directed them to the guesthouse.
• Fourth Raikage A entered ahead of the others with Killer B and C, while the Fourth Tsuchikage and Fourth Kazekage followed their guides inside.
• Mei Terumi exchanged a curious look with Tsunade, who met her gaze.

Mei Terumi explored Konoha with Tsunade to learn about the village’s lively atmosphere, while Hagoromo and Hiruzen discussed the newly appointed Tsuchikage’s suspicious appearance. The chapter ended with Hiruzen agreeing that Kitsuchi might have been replaced and suggesting they investigate at the banquet.

• Mei Terumi admired Konoha’s bustling streets, and Tsunade offered to show her around the village.
• Mei sent Ao and the other Kirigakure ninja ahead, then walked through Konoha with Tsunade.
• Hagoromo told Hiruzen that Naruto and the others had registered for the Chunin Ninja Exams, and Hiruzen invited him to the evening banquet.
• Shisui reported that Tsunade was showing Mei around, and Hiruzen told the Anbu not to be overly tense.
• Hiruzen told Hagoromo that Kitsuchi had appeared in the Land of Fire wrapped in bandages and had ignored the Raikage’s taunts.
• Hagoromo wondered if someone had taken Kitsuchi’s place, and Hiruzen agreed they should look into it that night.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hagoromo urged the visiting Kage to unite against the Akatsuki while Kitsuchi challenged Konoha over its treatment of Iwagakure’s Jinchūriki. The Kage received Konoha’s Akatsuki intelligence, leaving their decision on an alliance open.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked the Kage to set aside their rivalries and warned that the Akatsuki threatened every village.
• Kitsuchi accused Konoha of capturing Iwagakure’s Four-Tails and detaining its Five-Tails Jinchūriki, but Hagoromo defended Konoha and Mei Terumi and Raikage A backed him.
• Hagoromo told Kitsuchi that the recovered Five-Tails Jinchūriki could return to Iwagakure, provided the village paid Tsunade’s medical bill.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi warned that the Akatsuki would collect the Tailed Beasts while the villages fought among themselves.
• Shisui distributed Konoha’s latest Akatsuki intelligence, and Kitsuchi read the scroll as the Kage considered whether to join forces.

Konoha and the other villages discussed a joint operation against the Akatsuki, while Hiruzen Sarutobi planned to use the Chunin Ninja Exams to demonstrate Konoha’s strength. Two days later, Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and their friends gathered at the Ninja Academy as the exams began, with Shikamaru warning Naruto to stay close to Sasuke and Hinata.

• Mei Terumi supported Hiruzen Sarutobi’s joint-defense proposal, and Raikage A and Kitsuchi ended their quarrel so the village leaders could begin talks.
• Rasa agreed unconditionally to Konoha’s proposals, while Hagoromo warned Hiruzen Sarutobi that the operation against the Akatsuki might be difficult.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi said Itachi’s intelligence suggested the Akatsuki was about to act and that Konoha should lead after demonstrating its strength in the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Hagoromo confirmed that the person at the meeting was Kitsuchi, though he still sensed something unusual about him.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata met Shikamaru and their friends at the Ninja Academy, where Kabuto Yakushi greeted Naruto and Sasuke cautioned Shikamaru that he seemed suspicious.
• Shikamaru told Naruto to stay close to Sasuke and Hinata, and the examinees were called inside.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata began the Chunin Exam’s written test, where cheating cost points and could eliminate an entire squad. As Naruto worked through questions taught by Hagoromo, an examinee beside him was caught cheating and protested his expulsion.

• Naruto, Shikamaru, Hinata, Ino, and Sasuke arrived at their assigned exam classrooms, and Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata entered room 4-5.
• Yoshino Koshū explained the written exam’s scoring rules and warned that five cheating penalties would eliminate an examinee and their teammates.
• Naruto recognized the test questions, including one about sealing runes that his father had taught him, while Sasuke began answering his paper.
• A proctor ordered the examinee beside Naruto and his teammates to leave, and Yoshino Koshū punched the examinee and pulled him forward.
• The examinee denied cheating, but Naruto counted that he had peeked at Naruto’s paper three times and used wire to pass answers to his teammate twice.

Naruto exposed a cheating candidate, finished his exam, and went to sleep, while Sasuke used Genjutsu to take down several candidates. After the exam ended, Naruto left with Sasuke and Hinata, confident he had scored at least ninety points.

• Naruto pointed out that a candidate was cheating, and the candidate admitted it and left the classroom.
• With thirty minutes remaining, Naruto folded his nearly completed exam paper and went to sleep, drawing other candidates' attention toward Sasuke and Hinata.
• Sasuke formed Hand Seals beneath his desk and used Genjutsu to make several candidates collapse.
• Yoshino Koshū called out candidates targeting Hinata, and they left the classroom in groups of three.
• When time was called, Naruto woke up and left with Sasuke and Hinata, inviting them to Ichiraku Ramen.
• Naruto claimed he had earned at least ninety points, and Sasuke believed him because Hagoromo-sensei had given him extra lessons.

Naruto and his friends learned that they had all passed the written exam and headed to the Forest of Death for the second round. Kakashi Hatake appeared as the chief examiner, injured a complaining Genin, and ordered the Genin’s teammates to remove him from the exam.

• Sasuke used his Sharingan to check the results and told the group that they had all passed.
• Sasuke revealed that Naruto had scored ninety, matching Naruto’s prediction.
• The group learned that the second exam would take place on the outskirts of the Forest of Death and went there.
• Shikamaru noticed that fewer examinees seemed to have been eliminated than in previous years.
• After the examinees waited nearly half an hour, Kakashi Hatake appeared and kicked a complaining Genin into the ground.
• Kakashi identified himself as the chief examiner and disqualified the injured Genin.

Kakashi laid out the deadly rules of the second exam, which required teams to obtain two different scrolls and reach the Central Tower within five days. Shikamaru planned for the teams to split up at first and meet at the tower on the fourth day if they still lacked the scrolls they needed.

• Naruto realized Kakashi's unusual harshness likely served a hidden purpose and chose not to interfere.
• Kakashi required the Genin to sign consent forms acknowledging that they could be injured or killed during the exam.
• Kakashi explained that each team would receive one scroll and had to obtain another before reaching the Central Tower within five days.
• Shikamaru advised the teams to split up rather than draw attention by hunting together.
• Shikamaru proposed that the teams meet at the Central Tower on the fourth day if they had not yet obtained the required scrolls, and Hinata explained the plan to Naruto.

Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Ino began the second exam while trying to hide their plans from watching squads. Kakashi revealed that the exam had become a contest between the Five Great Nations for command of the operation against the Akatsuki, and he could only hope the young ninjas understood the danger.

• Shikamaru told Sasuke and Hinata to call for help if anything went wrong, then the squads split up to collect their scrolls.
• Hinata and Ino collected their scroll while Sasuke used his Sharingan to inspect other squads’ scrolls, and Hinata spotted a sand-made eyeball watching them.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata pretended to enter one gate before racing toward a different entrance when the exam began.
• Temari restrained Gaara from pursuing Naruto and Sasuke, and Gaara headed deeper into the exam grounds to kill other squads instead.
• Kakashi sent the examiners into the grounds and revealed that the Five Great Nations had made the exam a wager for control of the operation against the Akatsuki.