Recaps

Five-year-old Naruto Uzumaki tried wearing a mask to make friends, but Konoha’s villagers recognized and rejected him, leaving him devastated. In the Back Mountain, the Body Tempering System showed him a path to friendship through strength and gained his agreement to learn the Unbreakable Body Tempering Method.

• Naruto wore a mask and went into Konoha hoping to make friends, but villagers recognized him and blamed him for the Fourth Hokage’s death.
• Naruto fled to the Back Mountain in tears, where the Body Tempering System spoke to him.
• The system showed Naruto visions of a powerful young man who gained friends by defeating opponents in friendly spars.
• Naruto concluded that only the strong deserved friends and said he would spar with anyone who refused him.
• Naruto agreed to follow the system’s guidance and learn the Unbreakable Body Tempering Method.

Naruto Uzumaki followed the system’s demanding physical training regimen, gradually building his strength and enduring the loneliness of his childhood. A year later, six-year-old Naruto was running with weights and using a strange breathing technique, having grown taller and found a more fulfilling routine.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi learned that Naruto was training on the Back Mountain and watched him through his crystal ball before returning his attention to the women's bathhouse.
• Naruto completed push-ups and a three-thousand-meter run, then ate meat to recover from his strenuous training.
• Naruto spent his days doing exercises and followed the system’s advice, but fell asleep before hearing its explanation of body tempering.
• Naruto trained day after day for a year, turning six and growing to one meter fifty.
• Naruto ran with weights on a mountain path while using a strange breathing technique, and his busy routine left him with less time to dwell on the villagers’ coldness.

After a year of strength training, Naruto learned that he still could not use the system’s harsh Tempering Method and was sent to buy medicinal herbs for the next stage of his foundation training. Unable to buy them because Konoha’s shopkeepers refused to serve him, Naruto received a copy of the Compendium of Materia Medica from the system so he could gather the herbs himself.

• The system told Naruto to stop strength-building training and explained that he was still too weak for the Tempering Method, then instructed him to begin a second stage of Foundation Establishment.
• Naruto went into Konoha with all his savings to buy medicine and endured villagers’ insults without confronting them.
• The system gave Naruto a prescription, but the pharmacy owner and other shopkeepers refused to sell him the listed herbs.
• Naruto returned home discouraged, and the system praised his perseverance and suggested that he gather the herbs himself.
• The system gave Naruto a copy of the Compendium of Materia Medica, and Naruto asked it to translate the title and author’s name.

Naruto memorized medicinal herbs, gathered them, and made an ointment before beginning the second stage of his Hardening foundation by whipping himself. Hiruzen Sarutobi watched through a crystal ball, puzzled by Naruto’s behavior, and called the Anbu Ninja back inside.

• Naruto studied the Compendium of Materia Medica, memorized the herbs marked by the system, and gathered them in the Back Mountain.
• Naruto prepared an ointment from the herbs, then followed the system’s instructions to strip to his underwear and lash himself with a Bamboo Whip.
• Two Anbu Ninja monitoring Naruto saw him whip himself, and one went to report the strange behavior to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi watched Naruto through a crystal ball and wondered why the six-year-old was beating himself.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi called the Anbu Ninja back inside, saying he had something good for him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi became curious about Naruto Uzumaki and considered meeting him early, while Naruto trained through painful self-whipping to strengthen his body and resolve. After a year of training through every season, seven-year-old Naruto met someone on the Back Mountain.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi wondered why Naruto was so spirited despite growing up rejected and decided he should meet him ahead of time.
• Naruto endured an hour of whipping and applied the system's painful ointment, which healed his surface wounds and strengthened his will.
• Naruto hunted and roasted a rabbit for lunch, then continued his training and soaked in a medicinal bath that night.
• Naruto trained through summer, autumn, winter, and spring, and another year passed.
• At seven years old, Naruto met someone on the Back Mountain.

Naruto continued tempering his body when Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared and accidentally caught his foot in Naruto’s boar trap. As Hiruzen helped Naruto apply ointment, they discussed their dreams, and Naruto said he planned to make lots of friends.

• Naruto used a Wooden Stick to temper his muscles while Hiruzen Sarutobi watched.
• Hiruzen stepped into Naruto’s boar trap, removed it, and stopped the bleeding.
• Two Anbu Ninjas spotted Hiruzen, but one insisted he was merely an ordinary old man.
• After Naruto finished training, he apologized to Hiruzen and let him apply ointment to his back.
• Hiruzen asked about Naruto’s dream, and Naruto said he wanted lots of friends and already had a plan.
• Hiruzen left for his official duties after telling Naruto to come find him if anything came up.

Naruto prepared for his first day at the Ninja Academy, reflecting on the family support he lacked as an orphan. Hiruzen Sarutobi surprised him by bringing a pink backpack and seeing him off, and Naruto set out determined to study hard.

• Naruto took a medicinal bath, read medical books, and went to sleep before his first day at the Ninja Academy.
• Naruto woke, ate breakfast, and left with only a notebook and pen, envying a neighbor whose family helped him prepare for school.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi greeted Naruto and gave him a pink backpack, then adjusted it until it fit.
• Naruto thanked Hiruzen, promised to study hard, and walked toward the Ninja Academy at sunrise.

Naruto began at the Ninja Academy, where Iruka noticed his isolation and decided to show him kindness. After class, Iruka invited Naruto to Ichiraku Ramen, and Naruto experienced the warmth of being treated to a meal for the first time.

• Naruto arrived at the Academy wearing the pink backpack the Third Hokage had given him, and the other students kept their distance.
• Umino Iruka recognized Naruto, resolved not to judge him for the Nine-Tails, and decided to pay special attention to him.
• Naruto listened to his classmates’ introductions, memorized their names, and gave only his own name when his turn came.
• After the first day’s activities ended, Umino Iruka called Naruto back and invited him to eat.
• Naruto asked for roasted rabbit, but Iruka took him to Ichiraku Ramen instead.
• As Iruka treated him to ramen, Naruto felt warmth and realized it was the first time anyone had treated him to a meal.

After dinner with Iruka, Naruto continued tempering his body and was summoned into the space inside himself, where he met the Nine-Tails sealed within him. He learned that the fox was connected to the villagers’ fear and hatred, then firmly introduced himself by name.

• Iruka treated Naruto to ramen, learned about his dream of making friends, and gained a little favorability toward him, though he had to put the bill on credit.
• Naruto went to the Back Mountain and continued tempering his muscles, nearing the end of that stage of Foundation Establishment.
• A voice summoned Naruto into the space behind the seal, where he saw the Nine-Tails and asked if it had called him.
• The Nine-Tails told Naruto that the Fourth Hokage had sealed it inside him, and Naruto connected its presence to the villagers’ rejection of him.
• Naruto asked the system why it had not told him about the Nine-Tails, and the system said the strengthening seal would eventually keep the fox trapped.
• Naruto told the Nine-Tails that his name was Naruto Uzumaki, not “hey.”

Naruto confronted the Nine-Tails, who tried to persuade him to stop training and use its power to kill those who despised him. After Naruto rejected its offer and its demand was insufficient, he proposed that it become his pet; the Nine-Tails refused, and Naruto returned to training in Back Mountain.

• The Nine-Tails apologized to Naruto for the suffering it caused and urged him to kill everyone who despised him, but Naruto insisted they would someday become his friends.
• The Nine-Tails asked Naruto to stop training, but he refused, and its killing intent failed to affect him.
• The Nine-Tails offered Naruto power greater than a Kage's, but Naruto showed it an image of far greater power and asked if it could provide the same.
• The Nine-Tails admitted it could not, and Naruto offered to let it become his pet and handle housework, but it angrily refused.
• Naruto returned to Back Mountain, applied ointment, and resumed training while the Nine-Tails remained trapped.

Naruto completed the Five Spirit Sacred Blood baths and perfected the foundation of his Hardening training. Nine-Tails finally agreed to serve him while insisting it was not surrender, but Naruto left it trapped in the Sealing Space, where a massive hand reached in the next morning.

• The system prepared Naruto to bathe in the Five Spirit Sacred Blood and began with the Kirin's blood, which transformed his body.
• Naruto endured the Vermilion Bird and White Tiger baths, then completed all five sacred blood baths and perfected his training foundation.
• Naruto visited Nine-Tails, who called him over but refused to admit it was considering his request.
• Nine-Tails eventually agreed to wash Naruto's clothes, cook, and take care of him, while claiming it was acting out of kindness rather than surrender.
• Naruto vanished from the Sealing Space before Nine-Tails could get out, and the next morning a massive hand reached into the space, making it shake.

Naruto released the Nine-Tails on Back Mountain, where it captured two Anbu Ninja sent by the Third Hokage. After the Nine-Tails made them forget the encounter, Naruto asked for its name and learned it was Kurama.

• The Nine-Tails appeared beside Naruto on Back Mountain and accidentally struck two hidden Anbu Ninja with a boar trap.
• The Nine-Tails bound the Anbu Ninja and brought them to Naruto, and one revealed that the Third Hokage had sent them to watch over him.
• Naruto asked the Nine-Tails to erase the Anbu Ninja's memories, and it returned them to the tree after they forgot what had happened.
• Naruto told the Nine-Tails he knew the Anbu might be watching him but felt glad that someone cared about him.
• Naruto had the Nine-Tails shrink to cat size, teased it about its tail, and exchanged names with it: Naruto Uzumaki and Kurama.

After completing Foundation Establishment, Naruto received the Indestructible Body Tempering Method and learned he would need much more food to train. He planned to raise livestock in the Back Mountain, while the Nine-Tails cooked him a meal and received a book on cooking.

• Naruto received the Indestructible Body Tempering Method, along with the Body is Weapon and Thousand Jin Embrace techniques, from the system.
• The system explained that Naruto would need to eat an entire cow a day once he began training, so it gave him livestock-breeding books and suggested leasing part of the Back Mountain.
• Naruto went to the Nine-Tails for lunch and petted its head while it roasted chicken.
• Naruto criticized the plain roast chicken and ate three pieces before giving the Nine-Tails a book on cooking.

Naruto completed the Opening Stance of the Indestructible Body after a painful day of training, then persuaded Hiruzen Sarutobi to let him use the Back Mountain hill to raise cows and sheep. He returned home with the Nine-Tails, while keeping his plans to become a Hardening expert private.

• The Nine-Tails found a cookbook and eagerly studied its recipes, hoping to impress Naruto with its cooking.
• Naruto practiced the Indestructible Body's Opening Stance, endured severe pain, and completed all nine variations by sunset.
• Naruto cleaned up and visited Hiruzen Sarutobi, asking to use the Back Mountain hill to raise livestock.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed to Naruto's request after Naruto pleaded with him, then warned him about skipping the Ninja Academy.
• Naruto admitted he had been wrong but kept his Hardening ambitions secret, then returned home carrying the Nine-Tails.

Naruto trained his Indestructible Body by provoking cattle in the Back Mountain, while the system warned him that a dazed calf had nearly drawn him into the Evil Abyss. After the herd scattered, Nine-Tails prepared the unconscious cow for lunch, and Naruto went back to training.

• Naruto practiced the Indestructible Body by letting a herd of cattle charge into him, then spun until the cows became dizzy and fled.
• The system stopped Naruto from approaching a calf, explaining that Evil had used it as a medium to open a gate to the Evil Abyss.
• Naruto decided not to harm the calf and called Nine-Tails over to handle the unconscious yellow cow.
• Nine-Tails discovered the cow was still alive, struck it back down with his ladle, and began butchering it while Naruto left to train.
• Naruto went to the trees he had broken while practicing Thousand Jin Embrace.

Naruto practiced Thousand Jin Embrace until he could snap a cedar tree, then trained the technique on nimble goats. After eating Kurama’s cooking and encouraging the cattle to breed, Naruto decided that Sasuke would be his first friend once his Indestructible Body reached beginner level.

• Naruto snapped a cedar tree with Thousand Jin Embrace and decided to practice on goats as moving targets.
• Naruto ate a large meal prepared by Kurama and sincerely apologized for doubting Kurama’s cooking.
• Naruto showed the bulls an illustrated book to encourage the cattle herd to reproduce.
• Naruto continued toward his training ground after the system asked who he would choose as his first friend.
• Naruto settled on Sasuke as the first classmate he would befriend after reaching beginner level in Indestructible Body.

Naruto trained, considered how to conceal the Nine-Tails and appear ordinary, then returned home with the fox. Iruka confronted him about skipping class, but Naruto persuaded him to discuss it over ramen.

• Naruto practiced the extreme flexibility techniques in Body is Weapon and continued training his Indestructible Body.
• Naruto decided to ask the system to restore his seal and place a fake Nine-Tails inside it so he would seem normal to others.
• Naruto arrived home with the Nine-Tails and found Iruka waiting to confront him about missing class.
• Naruto offered to treat Iruka to ramen, and Iruka agreed to talk with him at Ichiraku Ramen.
• Naruto ordered beef ramen from Teuchi Otsutsuki, and Iruka agreed to wait until after their meal to speak.

Naruto agreed to attend school after Iruka reminded him that graduation required more than taijutsu. He then practiced his Thousand Jin Embrace on a goat until Kurama decided to cook it, leaving Naruto satisfied with his plan.

• Naruto ate ramen with Iruka, who asked why he had skipped class and warned him that he needed to study to graduate.
• Naruto showed off his muscles, and Iruka explained the skills and subjects tested for graduation.
• Naruto agreed to attend school for a few days and train after class.
• Naruto repeatedly tried and failed to grab a goat, which kicked him in the face each time.
• Naruto told Kurama that the goat had internal injuries, and Kurama carried it toward the kitchen to cook it.

Naruto attended class with a bruised face, received ointment from Iruka, and decided with Kurama to raise pigs because pork prices had risen. Kurama fenced off a large plot and planned how to profit from the pigs, while Naruto focused on training so he could make friends.

• Naruto ate the Spicy Lamb Trotters Kurama cooked and went to school as promised.
• Naruto sat near Sasuke, Sakura Haruno, and Ino Yamanaka, then listened inattentively during Iruka's lesson.
• Iruka stopped Naruto after school, asked about his bruised face, and gave him ointment; Naruto jokingly asked Iruka to buy him ramen next time.
• Naruto saw that pork prices had risen again and proposed raising pigs with Kurama after returning to Back Mountain.
• Kurama fenced off a plot a kilometer across and planned to fatten one batch of pigs before reducing feed for the next.
• Naruto began training, intent on getting stronger so he could make friends.

Hinata Hyuga watched Naruto Uzumaki return to class with a bruised, swollen face and worried about approaching him. Remembering how he had helped her when they were children, she remained anxious about his injury and her feelings for him.

• Hinata Hyuga waited for Naruto Uzumaki to arrive, then saw his injured face and worried as he returned to his seat.
• During class, Hinata remembered how three years earlier her father, Hyuga Hiashi, had disappointed her over her Gentle Fist training and she had run away crying.
• A young Naruto helped Hinata up after she fell, while other children mocked him as the Nine-Tails brat.
• Hinata remembered recognizing Naruto at the Ninja Academy and worrying when he stopped attending school the next day.
• After Naruto returned to school a few days earlier, Hinata saw his bruised face and grew worried again.

Hinata Hyuga followed Naruto after school, but Iruka gave Naruto medicine before she could offer hers. Later, Iruka held a Transformation Jutsu test, where Naruto failed to transform and was told to wait in the office after school.

• Hinata Hyuga declined her desk mate’s invitation and followed Naruto with a bottle of medicine.
• Iruka caught Naruto when he stumbled, then gave him medicine of his own, leaving Hinata unsure what to do with hers.
• Hinata watched Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno argue and wished she could be as bold as they were.
• Iruka tested the students’ Transformation Jutsu; Sasuke Uchiha impressed him, while Sakura Haruno’s transformation drew a comment about her forehead.
• Naruto Uzumaki remained unchanged during his test and joked that he had transformed into himself, so Iruka ordered him to wait in the office after school.

Naruto tried to befriend Sasuke by challenging him, then beat him up when Sasuke refused. Sasuke headed home bruised and told Itachi what had happened.

• Iruka scolded Naruto after school and decided to discuss Naruto's problems with the Third Hokage.
• Naruto asked Sasuke to be friends and challenged him to a spar, but Sasuke refused both times.
• Naruto grabbed Sasuke and beat him until his face was bruised, then left after declaring they would be friends someday.
• Sasuke worried that Itachi would see his injuries and headed toward the Uchiha clan compound.
• Itachi met Sasuke on a streetlamp, asked how he was injured, and learned that Naruto had beaten him after Sasuke rejected his offer of friendship.

Naruto reflected on his progress and learned from the system that ninjas were high-attack, low-defense assassins. The next day, he and Sasuke met again after school for another sparring match, though Sasuke still refused to be his friend.

• Naruto decided to keep trying to befriend Sasuke and listened as the system explained ninjas' strengths and weaknesses.
• Naruto checked the pigs and cattle at the Back Mountain before beginning his daily training.
• Sasuke challenged Naruto to meet at their usual sparring place after school, while his classmates worried over his bandaged face.
• Sasuke struggled to focus in class as he remembered Naruto's Thousand Jin Embrace and vowed to defeat him.
• Naruto and Sasuke met after school, and Naruto asked again if Sasuke would be his friend; Sasuke refused.

Naruto defeated Sasuke in another spar and insisted they were friends, while Sasuke vowed to beat him someday. Sasuke returned home with fresh injuries, and Itachi and Mikoto comforted him as Itachi offered to cook his favorite foods.

• Naruto pinned Sasuke after catching him with a fast move, then asked again if Sasuke would be his friend.
• Sasuke refused but admitted his loss and promised to defeat Naruto someday; Naruto left, encouraged by the system to keep pursuing their friendship.
• Sasuke saw Itachi on a streetlamp, and Itachi reacted to his injuries with murderous intent before Sasuke stopped him and insisted on defeating Naruto himself.
• Itachi agreed not to interfere, and Sasuke asked him to cook for him.
• Mikoto treated Sasuke's worsening injuries, while Sasuke and Itachi claimed he had fallen; Itachi then went to make Sasuke's favorite dishes.

Itachi comforted Sasuke after his defeats and began training him to improve his speed. Meanwhile, Naruto continued raising livestock and training at Back Mountain while Kurama handled the chores and started writing its own cookbook.

• Itachi invited Sasuke and Mikoto to dinner, then joined them for a family walk in the garden.
• Sasuke asked Itachi to train him, explained how a classmate had beaten him twice with Taijutsu, and agreed to work on his speed.
• Naruto checked his livestock at Back Mountain and used his magic treasure to make a lazy bull keep working; he noted that the herd had gained three calves.
• Kurama washed Naruto's clothes and cooked while Naruto trained, estimating that his Indestructible Body would reach beginner level in about ten days.
• After dinner, Kurama began drafting an original cookbook, and Naruto praised the idea while asking why it was kneeling.