Recaps

Naruto and Sasuke advanced their chakra training while Hagoromo left Konoha to deliver supplies and gather intelligence at the border outpost. There, Orochimaru ambushed him, and Hagoromo attacked with his strongest technique.

• Naruto explained that he had used his experience controlling five spinning tops to complete the first stage of chakra control, and Hagoromo moved him on to training with a rubber ball.
• Hagoromo assigned Sasuke a second stage of Fire Style Nature Transformation, then left Konoha after giving both students further instructions.
• Hagoromo traveled to the Land of Rice Fields and the Land of Fire border to check on the outpost and deliver supplies.
• Hagoromo found the outpost suspiciously quiet and sensed an ambush just before Orochimaru's snakes struck.
• Orochimaru recognized Hagoromo's connection to the old man and trapped him with killing intent, but Hagoromo broke free and charged at Orochimaru with a golden glow.

Hagoromo used a calculated fight against Orochimaru to create an opening and escape, while Orochimaru realized his opponent had never intended to fight him directly. Hagoromo reached a river and hid there to evade Orochimaru’s sensory abilities.

• Orochimaru attacked Hagoromo with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, but Hagoromo dodged, cut through the snakes with chakra-threaded shuriken, and counterattacked.
• Hagoromo shattered the ground with a chakra-enhanced strike, then used a Shadow Clone and a Rasengan to make Orochimaru retreat and expend chakra.
• Hagoromo used explosive tags and clones to distract Orochimaru, then escaped while Orochimaru defended against a second Rasengan.
• Orochimaru recognized that Hagoromo had used the fight to escape and wondered what changes had occurred in the village.
• Hagoromo reached a nearby river, soaked and exhausted, and hid from Orochimaru’s smell and heat sensing.

Hagoromo escaped a confrontation with Orochimaru and returned to Konoha to report the encounter to Hiruzen. Orochimaru headed for the Land of Rice Fields, while Hiruzen asked the exhausted Hagoromo to explain what had happened.

• Hagoromo used his knowledge of Orochimaru to disrupt his attacks, strike with a Rasengan, and escape using his remaining strength.
• Hagoromo concluded that Orochimaru was heading to the Land of Rice Fields and hurried back to Konoha to warn Hiruzen.
• Orochimaru arrived at the riverbank too late to catch Hagoromo, then left for the Land of Rice Fields.
• Hiruzen saw Hagoromo's battered condition and grew alarmed when Hagoromo said he had run into Senior Brother Orochimaru.
• A medical-nin examined Hagoromo and reported that he was exhausted from overusing Chakra, so Hiruzen asked him to recount the encounter.

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Hagoromo access to the Scroll of Seals and promised to recommend him for Jonin within a year. Meanwhile, Minato Namikaze found a powerful Chakra source hidden behind a barrier and decided to ask Naruto's master for help.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi admitted that Hagoromo had been sent on an Anbu mission without the required team support and led him to a sealed room.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi let Hagoromo study the Scroll of Seals for two hours, excluding certain forbidden techniques.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Hagoromo to qualify for Jonin within a year and promised to recommend him, with an assessment by three veteran Jonin.
• Hagoromo began studying the scroll's techniques and committing them to memory.
• Minato Namikaze sensed a Chakra fluctuation, found a brilliant Chakra mass behind a barrier in the sealing space, and decided to seek help from Naruto's master.

Hagoromo welcomed Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino into his home for breakfast, checked on his students’ training, and announced an afternoon match before school started. Naruto then told Hagoromo that his father wanted to speak with him, and Hagoromo agreed to visit that night.

• Naruto brought Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino to Hagoromo’s home, where they relaxed and helped prepare breakfast.
• Hagoromo checked Naruto’s and Choji’s training progress and reminded Naruto to listen to Shikamaru.
• Hagoromo told his students that school started the day after tomorrow and announced an afternoon match, with the winner getting half their semester assignments cut.
• Naruto told Hagoromo that his father wanted to talk with him, and Hagoromo agreed to visit Naruto’s house that night.

Hagoromo put Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino through a competition testing their endurance, Chakra control, Taijutsu, and ninja tool skills. He praised their progress but ended by warning them that carelessness in ninja combat could cost them their lives.

• Hagoromo sent Shadow Clones to oversee the endurance race and watched Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino keep pace with Naruto and Sasuke by working together.
• Hagoromo tested the students' Chakra control by making them cross a violently churning river, and Naruto and Ino reached the opposite bank with strong scores.
• Naruto and the others completed an obstacle course involving moving posts, sand pits, and targets, then gathered before Hagoromo, who praised their performance.
• Ino asked why some wooden dummies had been filled with water, and Hagoromo explained that they could have contained Explosive Tags instead.
• Shikamaru admitted he had been careless, and Hagoromo urged the students to stay alert and understand the dangers of ninja combat.

After the training competition, Hagoromo took Naruto to his house and met Minato Namikaze inside Naruto’s sealed space. Minato explained that Asura’s Chakra body was lodged near Naruto’s heart and proposed a sealing procedure to safely draw it out, leaving Hagoromo to prepare the seal.

• Hagoromo announced that the disciples had earned a day off, and Naruto, Sasuke, and Ino celebrated the training results.
• Hagoromo took Naruto to his house and entered Naruto’s sealed space with him.
• Minato Namikaze told Hagoromo that he had found Asura’s Chakra body near Naruto’s heart.
• Minato Namikaze proposed using Yang Release Chakra and a blood-drawn sealing array to manifest the Chakra body as physical energy.
• Hagoromo agreed to draw the sealing array, and Minato Namikaze thanked him before taking responsibility for the rest of the procedure.

Hagoromo and Minato Namikaze used a sealing formula to draw Asura's Chakra out of Naruto and contain it, while Minato enlisted Kurama's help to reintegrate it safely. The chapter ended as Minato asked Kurama to wrap the Chakra in his own so Naruto's Chakra would not reject it.

• Hagoromo completed the blood runes on Naruto and created a barrier to block Chakra sensing while Minato prepared the seal from inside Naruto's sealing space.
• Minato activated the reversed Four Symbols Seal, found the dormant Chakra, and signaled Hagoromo to channel Yang Release Chakra into Naruto.
• Minato gathered the Yang Release Chakra into a temporary urn and brought Naruto's consciousness into the sealing space to meet Kurama.
• Minato used Chakra chains to pull Asura's Chakra from Naruto's heart and place it in the urn, prompting Kurama to warn that Naruto could die.
• Minato combined the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style with the Four Symbols Seal to divide Asura's Chakra into streams, then asked Kurama to wrap it in his Chakra.

Minato anchored Asura’s Chakra within Naruto using a sealing formula, creating a potential path for Naruto to access it in the future. Before withdrawing into the urn to recover, Minato gave Naruto a tomoe-shaped key for Hagoromo, who recognized that Minato had kept another contingency in reserve.

• Minato used the Nine-Tails’ Chakra to stabilize Asura’s Chakra and seal it at Naruto’s Eight Gates pressure points, including his heart.
• Hagoromo observed the seal’s markings and realized Minato had created a controllable Chakra circuit that Naruto might use to access Asura’s power if he became strong enough.
• Minato told the Nine-Tails to watch over Naruto, then walked with Naruto through the sealing space and listened as Naruto described recent events.
• Minato said he would need to stay in the urn to recover and gave Naruto a tomoe-shaped object to deliver to Hagoromo.
• Naruto emerged from the sealing space and handed the black tomoe-shaped object to Hagoromo, who sensed its aura and remarked on Minato’s foresight.

Naruto worried that Minato seemed weaker, and Hagoromo reassured him before studying Jiraiya’s hair techniques with Hiruzen Sarutobi. Hiruzen offered Hagoromo the chance to inherit Enma’s contract, but Hagoromo declined because his clan had its own demanding summoning contract; the chapter ended when Captain Kakashi arrived.

• Naruto told Hagoromo that Minato seemed weaker, and Hagoromo reassured him that Minato would recover after resting.
• Hagoromo visited Hiruzen Sarutobi to learn about techniques recorded in the Scroll of Seals and asked why Jiraiya’s Needle Jizo was included.
• Hiruzen explained how Jiraiya developed Needle Jizo and described its strengths, limitations, and demanding Chakra requirements.
• Hiruzen asked Hagoromo what he thought of Enma, but Hagoromo explained that his clan had a summoning contract requiring Jonin-level strength.
• Hiruzen said he would see whether Konohamaru could inherit Enma’s contract, and Hagoromo answered the door when someone knocked.
• Hagoromo opened the door and was surprised to find Captain Kakashi outside.

Kakashi reported on the search for the Masked Man and a new ninja village in the Land of Rice Fields, prompting Hiruzen to order the Anbu to withdraw. Afterward, Hagoromo learned he would become head of the teaching staff and encouraged Kakashi to reconnect with Naruto.

• Kakashi reported that the Anbu had found no trace of the Masked Man and that a new ninja village was being established in the Land of Rice Fields.
• Hagoromo told Hiruzen and Kakashi that he had encountered Orochimaru and suspected Orochimaru was connected to the new village.
• Hiruzen ordered Kakashi to withdraw the Anbu from reconnaissance in the Land of Rice Fields, then said he planned to remove Kakashi from the Anbu soon.
• Hiruzen told Hagoromo that he would become head of the teaching staff when the new term started.
• Kakashi asked Hagoromo how Naruto was doing, and Hagoromo encouraged Kakashi to visit him; Kakashi murmured, “Nii-san...” as he left.

Hagoromo received chakra and technique rewards for his disciples’ holiday training, then prepared for the new school term. At the Academy gates, Naruto reunited with his friends while Hinata arrived with her father and Neji.

• The system awarded Hagoromo chakra and techniques based on Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino’s training evaluations.
• Hagoromo studied the rewarded techniques and considered how the disciples could combine them, then went to bed before the new term.
• Naruto met Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji at the Academy gates, where Choji gave him a lunch box and they wondered where Sasuke was.
• Uchiha Fugaku arrived with Sasuke, greeted the children warmly, and left after telling Sasuke to get along with his friends.
• Hinata arrived with Hyuga Hiashi, while Neji went into the Academy ahead of her alone.

Hiruzen Sarutobi appointed Sawada Hagoromo head of the teaching staff and Iruka deputy head, and Hagoromo noticed Mizuki among the new trainee teachers. Hagoromo returned to class, welcomed his students back, and reminded them they had only five years until graduation.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi announced Sawada Hagoromo and Iruka's appointments at the teachers' meeting.
• Hagoromo recognized Mizuki, who glared at Iruka and later tried to publicly challenge Hagoromo's teaching experience.
• Hagoromo dismissed Mizuki's behavior and left with Iruka, who said he had not expected Mizuki to act that way.
• Hagoromo told Iruka to focus on the students, then went to his classroom after they parted ways.
• Hagoromo welcomed his students back from the holiday and told them to settle down because they had only five years left until graduation.

After class, Naruto brought Hinata along with his friends for lunch, where his praise left her flustered and Ino guessed Hinata had feelings for him. Meanwhile, Hagoromo was summoned to the Hokage Building by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

• Hagoromo finished teaching and received the proficient Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld technique as his lesson reward.
• Naruto invited Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, and Sasuke to leave with him, then took Hinata by the hand and asked why she had not visited the training ground.
• Hinata offered Naruto her lunch, and Ino led the group to the school gate, where Ino's mother had brought food for them.
• Naruto, Choji, and Hinata ate most of the food, and Naruto praised Hinata as someone who could become an amazing ninja.
• Ino watched Hinata react to Naruto's praise and realized that Hinata liked him.
• An Anbu messenger told Hagoromo that Hiruzen Sarutobi had summoned him to the Hokage Building.

Hagoromo met Jiraiya in Hiruzen Sarutobi’s office, where Jiraiya questioned him about Orochimaru’s actions. Hiruzen ordered Jiraiya and Kakashi to gather intelligence before acting, determined not to repeat his past mistakes.

• Hagoromo entered the Hokage’s office and met Jiraiya, who greeted him as a junior apprentice brother.
• Jiraiya questioned Hagoromo about his encounter with Orochimaru while Hiruzen Sarutobi listened.
• Jiraiya proposed capturing Orochimaru, but Hiruzen insisted that Jiraiya and Kakashi investigate first and report back before taking action.
• Hiruzen asked Jiraiya to leave a Mount Myōboku messenger toad in the village and told him that Hagoromo could take him to see Naruto.

Jiraiya returned to Konoha and helped Kakashi begin to let go of the past before the two left on a mission together. Hiruzen assigned Hagoromo a mission as well, and Hagoromo left a Shadow Clone to teach at the Ninja Academy and gave Shikamaru scrolls for his friends.

• Jiraiya declined Hagoromo’s invitation to leave and stayed in Konoha, where Hiruzen had Kakashi step down as Anbu Captain to accompany him.
• Jiraiya told Kakashi that he belonged where people missed him, and Kakashi agreed to follow him out of the village.
• Hiruzen arrived at Hokage Rock, called Hagoromo over, and ordered him to use a Shadow Clone for teaching while he went on a mission.
• Hagoromo told Shikamaru to arrange daily training for Naruto and the others, handed him three scrolls for Ino and the others, and dispelled his Shadow Clone.

Hagoromo completed a mission to eliminate a rogue ninja selling Chakra Metal, then discussed the unresolved supply network and Orochimaru’s disappearance with Hiruzen Sarutobi. After Hiruzen ordered him to rest, Hagoromo returned to the training ground to see his students.

• Hagoromo killed a rogue ninja in the Land of Fire, sealed the man’s head in a scroll, and returned to Konoha.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi reviewed Hagoromo’s report and agreed that the Chakra Metal investigation needed to look beyond the Land of Fire.
• Hagoromo asked about Jiraiya’s search for Orochimaru, and Hiruzen said Jiraiya had found no trace of him in Otogakure.
• Hiruzen told Hagoromo to submit the recovered head to the Intelligence Division and take a break from missions.
• Hagoromo changed out of his Anbu gear and went to the training ground, where Naruto, Shikamaru, and Hinata were resting.

Sasuke challenged Naruto to test his progress, and Hagoromo agreed to supervise their match with extra exercises for the loser. Naruto defeated Sasuke with a Shadow Clone feint and a surprise kick, leaving Sasuke promising to do better next time.

• Sasuke asked Naruto to fight, and their taunts escalated until Shikamaru tried to stop them.
• Hagoromo arrived, approved the challenge, and set sixty extra daily exercises for the loser that week.
• Sasuke opened with a fast kick, but Naruto blocked it, counterattacked, and forced Sasuke back.
• Sasuke used the Great Fireball Technique, but Naruto’s Wind Release neutralized it.
• Naruto tricked Sasuke with a Shadow Clone and struck him from behind, prompting Hagoromo to declare Naruto the winner.
• Sasuke admitted defeat, blamed his guard being down, and said the next match might go differently.

Hagoromo trained Naruto on the final stage of the Rasengan and played Shogi with Shikamaru, who told him a teacher had been approaching Naruto. Hagoromo recognized the teacher as Mizuki and left the matter to Shikamaru.

• Hagoromo praised Naruto’s tactics and corrected Sasuke’s mistakes, assigning Sasuke sixty extra questions each day after his loss.
• Hagoromo invited Hinata to train with Naruto and the others, then sent his students to practice with Shadow Clones.
• Naruto failed to complete the third stage of the Rasengan, so Hagoromo advised him to practice its rotation and compression in a stream.
• Hagoromo played Shogi with Shikamaru and easily countered his tactics until Shikamaru surrendered.
• Shikamaru told Hagoromo that a teacher had been getting close to Naruto, and Hagoromo identified the man as Mizuki and trusted Shikamaru to handle him.

Hagoromo pushed Shikamaru and Sasuke to grow through training, and Sasuke’s outlook improved enough to earn him Chidori. At the Academy, Hagoromo approved adding practical combat to the first-year midterms.

• Hagoromo told Shikamaru to treat his upcoming encounter with Mizuki as a test and urged him to recognize the need for strength alongside intelligence.
• Hagoromo reassured Sasuke about his talent, encouraged him to improve alongside Naruto, and promised to teach him a powerful Ninjutsu if he performed well.
• Sasuke’s outlook changed somewhat, and Hagoromo received Lightning Release: Chidori at mastery as a reward.
• Hagoromo met Iruka at the Academy and decided first-year students would take practical combat tests as well as written assessments.
• Hagoromo told Iruka to include ninja tool throwing and sparring in the practical test.

Hagoromo learned that Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru had defeated Mizuki after he attacked them at the Ninja Academy. After confirming his disciples were safe, Hagoromo helped Shikamaru reflect on the failed plan, and Shikamaru asked him for proper training.

• Hagoromo received system rewards after Naruto used Rasengan, Sasuke awakened the Sharingan, and Shikamaru learned that plans needed strength to back them up.
• Hagoromo told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Mizuki had attacked Naruto and Sasuke and had been defeated, then accompanied him to the Ninja Academy.
• Hagoromo checked Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru on the rooftop, while Hiruzen ordered Mizuki handed over to the intelligence department.
• Hagoromo found Shikamaru at the training ground and reassured him that even a careful plan depended on how people responded in the moment.
• Shikamaru asked Hagoromo to train him properly, then went to rejoin Naruto and the others.

After Sasuke awakened his One-Tomoe Sharingan while protecting Naruto, Hagoromo explained how the eyes worked and teased the boys into renewing their rivalry. He then announced a practical combat test for the next day, and Naruto and Sasuke both expected to face each other.

• Shikamaru asked Sasuke how he had controlled Mizuki, and Sasuke revealed his newly awakened Sharingan.
• Hagoromo said Sasuke’s eyes had awakened because Naruto had been in danger, prompting Naruto to embrace Sasuke and Sasuke to angrily push him away.
• Hagoromo explained that the One-Tomoe Sharingan could perceive details and read an opponent’s movements, leaving Naruto worried Sasuke might beat him.
• Hagoromo announced that the next day’s midterm exam would include assigned practical combat matches graded by several teachers.
• Naruto predicted he would face Sasuke and take first place, while Sasuke boasted that he had improved and challenged Naruto to try.

The first-year class completed its midterm assessments, with Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha tying for first place overall. Worried about his weak assignment scores, Naruto asked Hagoromo to teach him the Body Flicker Technique to improve his speed.

• Sasuke Uchiha earned eight points for shuriken throwing from Hagoromo, while Iruka and another teacher gave him ten.
• Naruto Uzumaki scored seven points from Hagoromo and nine from the other teachers for kunai throwing, then told Sasuke he had lost that round.
• Hagoromo announced that the class ranked first among the first years and explained that Naruto and Sasuke had tied because Naruto's assignment scores were weak.
• Hagoromo warned the class that lower scores on the next final could lead to repeating the year or receiving a large bundle of assignments, alarming Naruto.
• Naruto asked Hagoromo to teach him Sasuke's Body Flicker Technique, and Hagoromo agreed.

Hagoromo taught his students about Body Flicker Techniques and demonstrated his own technique, Flash Step. He explained how it could be used more efficiently with advanced wind Nature Transformation, leaving Sasuke envious of how well suited it was to Naruto.

• Hagoromo explained the differences between Body Flicker Techniques and the Substitution Technique, then described the four categories of Body Flicker.
• Hagoromo explained that Shisui’s technique combined Taijutsu, the Clone Technique, and Genjutsu to confuse and attack opponents.
• Hagoromo demonstrated Flash Step, and Hinata used her Byakugan to observe chakra being compressed and released through his soles.
• Sasuke calculated that Hagoromo’s full-power technique could strain the user’s meridians and consume substantial chakra, while Hinata warned of the risk of damage.
• Hagoromo explained that Flash Step could be used more safely with pauses, and that mastering the second stage of wind Nature Transformation could halve its chakra cost; Shikamaru watched Sasuke grow envious.

Hagoromo tested the strength of Needle Jizo while Kakashi accompanied Jiraiya on a mission and was left alone with Icha Icha Paradise. Orochimaru attacked Kakashi at their lodging, but Kakashi escaped his snake trap with Lightning Release and struck him with Lightning Blade before Orochimaru transformed into snakes.

• Hagoromo tested Needle Jizo against Ninjutsu and a thrown rock, then reflected on how quickly he was learning techniques.
• Hagoromo told Shikamaru and the others to improve their physiques before learning the Body Flicker Technique.
• Jiraiya left Kakashi at their lodging, tossing him a copy of Icha Icha Paradise to pass the time.
• Kakashi read the book, struggled to put it down, and eventually picked it up again as evening fell.
• Orochimaru trapped Kakashi with giant snakes, but Kakashi used lightning to break free and attacked him with Lightning Blade.
• Orochimaru turned into a mass of snakes, and Kakashi countered with Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.