Recaps

Naruto and Team 7 escorted Tazuna safely to his home in the Land of Waves, where they shared a meal before Inari challenged their strength. Naruto let Inari go and urged him to train, leaving Inari to run away in anger.

• Kurama told Naruto that Haku had seemed intent on hurting him but showed no malice, and Naruto rejoined Kakashi's team.
• Team 7 crossed the river by boat without encountering an ambush and followed Tazuna to his home.
• Naruto asked Tazuna's family to prepare plenty of food, then devoured the seafood dinner before the others could eat much.
• Inari emerged from his room and shouted that Team 7 could not defeat Gato, so Naruto lifted him by the collar and asked if he thought they were weak.
• Naruto joked that he was a child too, set Inari down, and told him that training was the only way to gain a chance against the strong.
• Inari clenched his fists and ran out, and Tazuna explained that Inari had been this way since Gato killed his stepfather.

Naruto overheard two of Gato’s samurai plotting to kidnap Inari’s mother and followed them to Tazuna’s house. He rescued her by killing both men, leaving Inari stunned by Naruto’s strength.

• After dinner, Team 7 trained while Kakashi approached Inari, and Naruto believed action would help the troubled boy more than comforting words.
• The next morning, Naruto stayed behind to finish breakfast while Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura went with Tazuna to see the bridge.
• On his way to the bridge, Naruto overheard two samurai planning to kidnap Inari’s mother and followed them back to Tazuna’s house.
• The samurai tied up Inari’s mother, while Inari stayed behind crying instead of resisting.
• Naruto appeared with a wild boar, challenged the samurai, and killed the one-eyed man with a punch.
• Naruto killed the second samurai with a blow to the head and scattered the blood mist before it reached Inari’s mother.

Naruto killed the attackers threatening Inari and his mother, then left Inari to look after her. On the bridge, Zabuza and Haku confronted Kakashi’s team, where Sasuke suddenly used the Flying Thunder God Technique and left Kakashi wondering if Sasuke was his teacher’s child.

• Naruto gave the purple hat to Inari, then destroyed the headless warrior’s corpse after it frightened Inari’s mother.
• Naruto told Inari he was not yet worthy of training and used Instant Movement to head toward the bridge.
• Inari helped his mother up, and she asked him to prepare the wild boar for Naruto’s lunch.
• Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna found the bridge workers lying scattered across the bridge, then Zabuza and Haku appeared.
• Kakashi refused to hand Tazuna over, while Haku targeted Sasuke and Kakashi assigned Sakura to protect Tazuna.
• Sasuke used the Flying Thunder God Technique to kick Zabuza and Haku, leaving Kakashi to wonder if Sasuke was his teacher’s child.

Sasuke and Naruto defeated Zabuza and Haku during the mission to protect Tazuna, but Naruto spared Haku after learning he had never intended to kill him. After hearing Haku's story, Naruto ordered Sasuke to kill Zabuza, prompting Haku to intervene.

• Kakashi recognized Sasuke's Flying Thunder God Technique, while Sasuke challenged Zabuza and Haku to fight him together.
• Zabuza attacked Sasuke with Water Dragon Bullet Technique as Haku moved to strike Tazuna, but Naruto arrived and destroyed Haku's senbon.
• Naruto and Haku exchanged names, and Haku admitted he was a man before refusing to abandon Zabuza and trapping Naruto inside Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.
• Naruto transformed with his Indestructible Body, shattered the ice mirrors, and captured Haku, who asked to die after Sasuke defeated Zabuza.
• Naruto spared Haku because he had shown no killing intent, listened to Haku's story, and then ordered Sasuke to kill Zabuza.
• Haku used a water flicker to vanish as Sasuke struck at Zabuza.

Naruto and Sasuke defeated Zabuza and Haku, but Gato arrived and revealed that he planned to kill everyone on the bridge. Naruto killed Gato and his samurai, leaving Kakashi’s team, Zabuza, and Haku stunned.

• Haku shielded Zabuza from Sasuke’s punch, suffered severe injuries, and apologized for failing him.
• Sasuke asked Naruto to judge his strength, and Naruto praised him while noting that he still needed to improve.
• Gato arrived with armed samurai, revealed his plan to kill Zabuza and everyone else, and ordered his men to attack Naruto.
• Naruto used Instant Movement and his fists to kill the two samurai who charged him.
• Naruto unleashed Ten Thousand Buddhas Ascension, wiping out Gato’s samurai group, then killed Gato after he begged for mercy.

Naruto defeated Gato and captured Zabuza and Haku, while Sasuke helped Tazuna and secured the prisoners. After bringing everyone to Tazuna’s home, Sasuke returned to the bridge and found Naruto missing.

• Sasuke cremated Gato and the two samurai, then scattered their ashes into the water.
• Kakashi and Sakura checked the workers while Naruto and Sasuke took the frightened Tazuna home.
• Haku tried to kill himself, but Naruto stopped him and declared Zabuza and Haku his prisoners.
• Naruto and Sasuke used their techniques to bring Zabuza, Haku, and Tazuna to Tazuna’s house, where Inari helped his grandfather rest.
• Zabuza asked about Sasuke’s Flying Thunder God, then provoked Sasuke and was beaten; Sasuke marked Zabuza and Haku before leaving.
• Sasuke returned to the bridge and asked Kakashi where Naruto had gone.

Naruto and Sasuke raced to loot Gato’s hideout, but Naruto took all the money and stored it in the Sealing Space, delighting the Nine-Tails. Back at Tazuna’s house, Haku asked Naruto to execute him because he believed he was no longer useful to Zabuza, leaving Naruto to confront Haku’s devotion and despair.

• Sasuke found Naruto at Gato’s hideout after Naruto had already taken all the money, then searched the place and came away empty-handed.
• Naruto refused to give Sasuke any money and stored the loot in the Sealing Space, where the Nine-Tails happily welcomed the household’s new wealth.
• Naruto returned to Tazuna’s house, checked on Inari and the recovering Zabuza, and rested in the courtyard.
• Haku approached Naruto and asked him to execute him, saying he had lost and was no longer useful to Zabuza.
• Haku admitted he wondered whether his life would have been different if he had met Naruto first, but said he remained devoted to Zabuza.

Naruto persuaded the injured Zabuza and Haku to join the household for dinner, then prepared to leave the Land of Waves after Team 7 collected its payment. Inari wanted to become a ninja, but after Tazuna refused, Naruto made him his friend in an alarming way.

• Naruto decided to try to change Haku’s outlook and believed he could reason with Zabuza.
• Sasuke, Kakashi, and Sakura returned, and Kakashi reported that Tazuna’s workers had recovered.
• Naruto sent Sasuke to invite Zabuza and Haku to dinner, and they obeyed and ate with the others.
• Team 7 collected its additional commission, and Tazuna thanked them as they prepared to leave.
• Tazuna refused Inari’s request to train as a ninja, so Naruto offered to be his friend instead.
• Naruto beat Inari until he was bruised and swollen, and Inari thanked him, believing Naruto had left a mark of strength on him.

Naruto returned to Konoha with Zabuza and Haku and went to his breeding farm, where Shikamaru helped a cow deliver a calf. After the weak calf stood and began nursing, Haku named it Mengmeng.

• Naruto said goodbye to Tazuna and Inari, then returned to Konoha with Team 7, Zabuza, and Haku.
• At Konoha's entrance, Naruto went to the breeding farm with Zabuza and Haku while Kakashi took Sasuke to hand in the mission.
• Kurama emerged from Naruto's backpack, and Naruto told him to arrange the day's meal after the goats ran away.
• Naruto noticed a cow struggling to give birth, and Shikamaru corrected the calf's position and delivered it.
• Naruto, Shikamaru, Haku, and Zabuza encouraged the weak calf until it stood and began nursing.
• Naruto asked Haku to name the calf, and Haku called it Mengmeng.

Naruto persuaded Haku and Zabuza to stay at the Breeding Farm, offering them a peaceful life and paid work. Haku suggested that living there might help Zabuza find a path back to Kirigakure, and Zabuza began considering Naruto’s strength.

• Naruto named the newborn calf Mengmeng, and seeing it struggle to survive made Haku’s desire to live grow.
• Naruto offered Haku a peaceful home at the Breeding Farm, paid work, and protection from Kirigakure’s ANBU; Haku agreed and asked Naruto to persuade Zabuza.
• Zabuza nervously confessed the details of his mission, but Naruto said he would spare him and ordered him to help manage the farm with Haku.
• Zabuza resisted the job until Naruto clenched his fists, then claimed he was happy to stay and look after the animals.
• Haku told Zabuza that the farm might be an opportunity to return to Kirigakure and overthrow the Fourth Mizukage, and Zabuza said Naruto was stronger than Karatachi.

Naruto brought Kurama to check on the Breeding Farm, where Shikamaru had become devoted to caring for the animals. Meanwhile, Sasuke told Kakashi that Naruto had taught him Flying Thunder God and Rasengan, leading Kakashi to reveal that the Fourth Hokage had been his teacher.

• Haku suggested that Zabuza earn Naruto's help against Yagura by diligently caring for the Breeding Farm, and Zabuza agreed.
• Naruto visited the farm with Kurama and found Shikamaru happily tending to the pigs and other animals.
• Shikamaru said he would train the two new employees, then left to bathe the cows.
• Kakashi sent Sakura home with her mission money and asked Sasuke who had taught him Flying Thunder God and Rasengan.
• Sasuke said Naruto had taught him the techniques and revealed that Naruto's parents were the Fourth Hokage and Kushina.
• Kakashi admitted that he had already known and told Sasuke that the Fourth Hokage had once been his teacher.

Shikamaru trained Zabuza and Haku for work at Naruto’s Breeding Farm, while Naruto recognized Shikamaru’s management talent and appointed him director. The chapter ended with Shikamaru eagerly beginning his first inspection as director as Naruto prepared to focus on cultivation.

• Shikamaru assigned Haku animal-care and singing duties and Zabuza strenuous chores, then gave them books to study for a test in three days.
• Zabuza struggled with a manure-handling question and chose the wrong answer, while Haku explained that he should inspect the manure for signs of illness.
• Shikamaru told Naruto he enjoyed managing the Breeding Farm, whose livestock had grown healthier and more numerous under his care.
• Naruto hired Shikamaru as Breeding Farm director with a high salary and year-end dividends, intending to free time for his cultivation.
• Shikamaru accepted the promotion and immediately began inspecting the Breeding Farm.

After returning from the Land of Waves, Naruto visited Hinata and Hanabi at the Hyuga Clan and invited them to dinner. Hanabi delighted in the conch shells he brought, while Naruto and Hinata quietly reunited, and the three left together for his home.

• Naruto returned home, left Kurama cooking in the kitchen, and went to visit the Hyuga Clan as promised.
• Hinata rushed to meet Naruto, while Neji panicked at the news and fled using the Body Flicker Technique.
• Hanabi ran to Naruto with Longxue, and Naruto welcomed her before greeting Hinata.
• Naruto praised Hinata's training and gave Hanabi a box of conch shells from the Land of Waves.
• Hinata and Hanabi changed clothes, then took Naruto's hands and went with him to dinner.

Naruto met Kakashi, who confessed his guilt over neglecting him and asked for forgiveness. Naruto welcomed Kakashi back, and the chapter ended with Naruto sharing Minato’s advice: “Free your hands, and you'll be stronger!”

• Naruto noticed Kakashi waiting near the Breeding Farm and approached him with Hinata and Hanabi.
• Hinata tripped and interrupted Naruto and Kakashi just as they were about to speak, then left with Hanabi.
• Kakashi admitted that grief over Minato and Kushina’s deaths had led him to neglect Naruto and asked Naruto to forgive him.
• Naruto embraced Kakashi and welcomed him back, letting Kakashi’s guilt finally ease.
• Naruto told Kakashi that Minato had considered him strong, then relayed Kushina’s words: “Free your hands, and you'll be stronger!”

Kakashi learned more about Naruto’s childhood and dream of making friends, then asked to become Naruto’s friend. Their spar ended with Naruto overwhelming Kakashi and insisting that friendship required completing the process.

• Kakashi asked Naruto about the Nine-Tails seal, and Naruto concealed the system while reassuring him that he was safe.
• Naruto told Kakashi that his dream was to make everyone in Konoha, and eventually the whole world, his friend.
• Kakashi promised to support Naruto’s dream and asked to become his friend, which Naruto happily accepted.
• Naruto challenged Kakashi to spar and dodged his Great Fireball Jutsu before resisting his Double Suicide Decapitation Technique.
• Naruto smashed through Kakashi’s earth defenses, moved behind him, and trapped him in a powerful embrace.
• Kakashi admitted defeat, but Naruto said the friendship process was not finished; three minutes later, Kakashi was bruised and resentful.

After Naruto and Kakashi made peace, Naruto hosted a banquet for his friends and welcomed Haku as a friend. The chapter ended with Haku planning to ask Zabuza to become Naruto’s friend too, while Zabuza felt an unexplained chill at home.

• Kakashi examined his bruised face and Sharingan, then accepted Naruto’s invitation to dinner after their friendly spar.
• Naruto and Sasuke invited their friends to a banquet, where Kakashi repeatedly introduced himself because no one recognized him through his injuries.
• Naruto’s friends, Iruka, Zabuza, and Haku enjoyed the feast prepared by Kurama, and Naruto hoped to make all of Konoha his friends.
• After the guests left, Haku told Naruto he was ready to become his friend, and Naruto gladly accepted.
• Haku said he would ask Zabuza to become Naruto’s friend the next day, while Zabuza felt a chill as he prepared to study.

Naruto treated making friends as sparring, leaving Haku and Sasuke bruised while Haku urged Zabuza to befriend him. Zabuza was beaten by Sasuke on his nighttime walk and returned home suspecting Haku had hidden the truth about Naruto’s friendship-making.

• Naruto beat Haku in a spar, declared them friends, and Haku left with his face swollen.
• Haku decided to conceal Naruto’s way of making friends and urged Zabuza to befriend Naruto for help against Kirigakure.
• Naruto found Sasuke and beat him in a spar, believing their friendship had grown stronger.
• Sasuke challenged Zabuza during his walk and beat him before leaving in high spirits.
• Zabuza returned home with a swollen face, while Haku mistook it as a sign he had met Naruto.

Naruto and Sasuke returned to their training after breakfast while Shikamaru taught Zabuza and Haku at the Breeding Farm. Kakashi brought Might Guy to meet Naruto, who impressed Guy with his Taijutsu; Guy asked Naruto to become his student, prompting Kakashi to object.

• Naruto, Sasuke, and the Nine-Tails ate breakfast and went to the Back Mountain Breeding Farm, where Shikamaru was teaching Zabuza and Haku.
• Naruto asked Zabuza about looking for him, but Zabuza denied it and avoided becoming his friend after suspecting Naruto had caused Haku's injury.
• Naruto trained beneath the waterfall while Kakashi visited Might Guy and asked him to guide Naruto in Taijutsu.
• Kakashi and Might Guy found Naruto training, and Guy watched him perform powerful forms in the water.
• Might Guy touched Naruto's upper body and asked him to become his student, while Kakashi protested that he had only asked Guy to give Naruto guidance.

Naruto accepted Might Guy’s offer to spar and tested the strength of his Taijutsu against Guy’s. Guy opened three of the Eight Gates as their clash tore through the riverbank and forest, and the fight continued with both men exhilarated.

• Might Guy offered to teach Naruto Taijutsu, and Naruto asked whether Guy was stronger than Kakashi.
• Naruto challenged Guy to a friendly spar, and Kakashi cleared the area to let them fight.
• Naruto and Guy collided fists, and Guy took Naruto’s powerful punch without injury.
• Naruto increased his strength as they exchanged blows, and Guy opened three gates.
• Naruto and Guy fought from the riverbank through the waterfall and into the forest, flattening trees as Kakashi watched.

Naruto and Guy sparred, and Naruto overwhelmed Guy while admiring his toughness. After Naruto sought him out for more than five hundred spars over five days, Guy tried to hide from him and begged to be spared.

• Naruto fought Guy through the day, eventually exhausting him and pummeling him with over a hundred punches before they shared lunch and sparred again.
• Naruto visited Guy that evening and continued challenging him repeatedly over the next five days, sparring with him more than five hundred times.
• On the sixth morning, Guy saw how badly Naruto had swollen him with beatings and muttered, "This isn't my youth," before sneaking out through the back door.
• Naruto tracked Guy to a breakfast shop, found him hiding under a table, and invited him to spar after their meal.
• Guy fell to his knees and begged Naruto to spare him, admitting that this was not the youth he wanted.

Naruto relentlessly sparred with Guy for five days until the exhausted Guy arranged for Rock Lee to take his place. As Guy brought Lee to meet Naruto, Neji intervened, suspecting that Lee was being sent to get beaten up.

• Naruto encouraged Guy to face difficulties, but Guy begged him for a day of rest after five days without sleep and constant sparring.
• Guy offered to introduce Naruto to his student Rock Lee, and Naruto agreed to meet him after finishing their noodles.
• Guy went to find Rock Lee, who was training, and invited him to experience youth.
• Neji Hyuga appeared and warned Rock Lee not to go, having guessed that Guy was sending him to face Naruto.
• Guy and Rock Lee asked Neji why he was trying to stop them.

Might Guy brought Rock Lee to meet Naruto for a taijutsu spar, and Naruto and Rock Lee quickly bonded over their dedication to training. After Naruto defeated him, Rock Lee agreed to become Naruto’s friend, and they promised to spar often.

• Neji warned Rock Lee not to go with Might Guy, but Rock Lee left with his teacher to meet Naruto.
• Might Guy introduced Rock Lee to Naruto, and the two shared their determination to follow the path of taijutsu.
• Might Guy left Naruto and Rock Lee to spar, and Rock Lee challenged Naruto to defeat him before they could be friends.
• Naruto defeated Rock Lee after half an hour of sparring, and Rock Lee happily agreed to become his friend.
• Naruto and Rock Lee agreed to spar often so they could keep improving.

Naruto befriended Rock Lee, learned how much Lee admired Might Guy, and agreed to visit Neji with him the next morning. Lee brought Naruto to their training ground before dawn, where Neji arrived and froze upon seeing them together.

• Naruto reassured Rock Lee that they would have become friends even without Might Guy, and Lee offered to introduce him to Tenten while noting that Naruto already knew Neji.
• Lee told Naruto how Might Guy had supported him when classmates mocked his poor Genjutsu and Ninjutsu, and the two sparred for another half hour.
• Lee invited Naruto to meet him at four in the morning so he could take him to Neji, but decided not to tell Neji about the visit.
• Lee found Naruto already waiting before dawn and led him to the training ground, where they trained separately until Neji arrived.
• Neji Hyuga saw Naruto and Lee training together and froze.

Neji was cornered into a friendly spar with Naruto, then Naruto reunited with Team 7 for Kakashi's announcement that they would take the Chunin Exams in a month. Naruto was excited that the exam would bring many potential friends to Konoha.

• Rock Lee brought Naruto to Neji, who tried to leave but gave in and sparred with him.
• Naruto defeated Neji, helped him sit on clean grass, and then sparred with Rock Lee before returning to train.
• Naruto and Sasuke met Sakura at Team 7's usual meeting place after training.
• Kakashi arrived an hour late and announced that he had entered Team 7 in the Chunin Exams, scheduled for one month later.
• Naruto focused on the visitors from other hidden villages and looked forward to making friends.

Naruto learned the other villages would attend the Chunin Exams and eagerly anticipated sparring with their genin, while Kakashi encouraged Team 7 and Naruto pressured Sakura into a spar to prove their friendship. At the Breeding Farm, Haku urged Zabuza to keep his promise to befriend Naruto, and Zabuza finally agreed to seek him out after work.

• Naruto celebrated the news that genin from other hidden villages would come to Konoha, and Kakashi encouraged Team 7 while reminding Sakura to work hard for the Chunin Exams.
• Naruto insisted that he and Sakura needed to maintain their friendship by sparring, leaving Sakura bruised before he and Sasuke returned to training.
• Naruto saw Zabuza working at the Breeding Farm and decided to take the initiative to become friends with him.
• Haku reminded Zabuza that he had promised to befriend Naruto, and Zabuza admitted he had delayed because he feared being beaten and humiliated.
• Zabuza told Haku he would find Naruto after finishing work, then mistook Naruto's approaching footsteps for Haku.