Chapter Summaries

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.

Naruto trained his Vibration Force and spent three days improving his skills while Sasuke was absent. When Sasuke returned to school, Naruto greeted him and commented on his healed face and rare smile, while their classmates eagerly surrounded him.

• Kurama wrote recipes while Naruto held and stroked him, then Naruto went outside to train his Indestructible Body and Vibration Force.
• Naruto practiced Vibration Force by punching a hole in a tree, then learned Sasuke had taken three days off from school.
• Naruto spent the next three days training on the Back Mountain and managing his cattle and sheep, while the bulls fled when he called Kurama over to inspect them.
• Naruto returned to school and met Sasuke at the gates, where he teased him about his healed face and told him to smile more often.
• Sasuke entered the classroom and was immediately surrounded by classmates, while Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka stood beside him and told him what had happened during his absence.

Naruto and Sasuke went into the woods for their third fight, each determined to win and Naruto hoping to earn Sasuke’s friendship. Naruto revealed his immense strength and began tearing down the trees Sasuke used to evade him.

• Sasuke rejected Sakura Haruno’s invitation to go home together, and Naruto noticed Sasuke’s fighting spirit.
• Naruto bumped into Hinata Hyuga, who was too nervous to answer his apology and blushed after he left.
• Naruto and Sasuke noticed Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka following them, so they slipped into the woods to fight alone.
• Sasuke challenged Naruto, who again asked Sasuke to become his friend; Sasuke said they could discuss it after the fight.
• Naruto activated Indestructible Body, charged at Sasuke, and snapped apart two trees while Sasuke leaped away.

Naruto overpowered Sasuke in a spar, revealing that his unusual strength, resilience, and ability to sense Sasuke’s real body came from a technique he called Hardening. Sasuke ended the fight exhausted and bruised, while Naruto returned to his normal form and explained what he had been using.

• Sasuke used fire techniques and substitution to evade Naruto, but Naruto swept away the flames and pursued him with astonishing speed.
• Naruto saw through Sasuke’s clones by sensing blood and vitality, then explained why the illusions could not fool him.
• Sasuke chose to fight Naruto at close range, but Naruto’s strength and vibrating muscles overwhelmed him.
• Naruto pinned Sasuke against a tree and continued sparring until Sasuke ran out of strength.
• Sasuke asked what kind of Taijutsu Naruto had used, and Naruto declared that it was Hardening.

After Naruto defeated Sasuke, Sasuke honored his promise and agreed to become his friend. Naruto took him to his Back Mountain Breeding Farm, where he showed off his livestock and prepared to demonstrate his cooking.

• Sasuke accepted Naruto's friendship, reasoning that he had to keep his promise after losing their fight.
• Naruto invited Sasuke to a meal, and Sasuke agreed after Naruto gave him a threatening look.
• Naruto and Sasuke walked to the Back Mountain Breeding Farm, where Nine-Tails pretended to be a pet in front of Sasuke.
• Naruto showed Sasuke his pigs and explained how he judged their health by their manure.
• Naruto and Sasuke saw the bulls mate and the sheep flee from Naruto before heading to the wooden cabin to cook.

Naruto brought Sasuke to his cabin, then went out to catch a goat and prepare dinner. Sasuke discovered that the fox could talk, but Naruto dismissed his claim before serving Sasuke a feast of lamb dishes.

• Naruto told Sasuke to rest at the cabin while he went to find ingredients, then chased down and captured a goat.
• Sasuke tried to pet the Nine-Tails, which startled him by speaking before pretending to be an ordinary fox again.
• Naruto returned with the goat and denied that the Nine-Tails could talk, saying Sasuke must have been hallucinating.
• Naruto boiled eggs for Sasuke to press against his sore face, then finished cooking.
• Naruto served Sasuke a table full of lamb dishes, and Sasuke began eating.

Naruto and Sasuke shared a lamb feast, and Sasuke praised Naruto’s cooking while telling him about his brother Itachi. After Naruto and Sasuke went for a walk, Itachi was still waiting outside the Uchiha Clan Grounds for Sasuke to come home.

• Sasuke enjoyed Naruto’s lamb stew and praised it as being as good as Itachi’s cooking.
• Sasuke told Naruto that Itachi often cooked for him and promised to introduce Naruto to his brother.
• Naruto served Sasuke lamb soup, a trotter, and a leg, explaining that the sheep came from his Breeding Farm.
• Itachi prepared a table of dishes for Sasuke, then waited for him on a streetlamp outside the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
• Sasuke became too full to eat more, so Naruto devoured the remaining lamb before taking Sasuke for a walk.
• The Nine-Tails put on an apron, complained that Naruto had left no food, and washed the dishes.

Naruto took Sasuke for a walk and trained with him, encouraging him to work hard. Sasuke hurried home worried that Itachi was waiting for him, only to find his brother sitting beneath the streetlamp because his feet had gone numb.

• Nine-Tails smelled lamb in the pot and figured Naruto had left it a meal.
• Naruto showed Sasuke the farm animals before bringing him to his training spot and urging him to seize every moment and grow stronger.
• Naruto practiced the Indestructible Body while Sasuke trained Fire Release, producing a pile of charcoal.
• Sasuke remembered that Itachi might be waiting at home, said goodbye to Naruto, and hurried toward the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
• Sasuke found Itachi sitting on the ground and apologizingly asked if he had been waiting; Itachi reassured him, then admitted his feet had gone numb.

Itachi and Sasuke spent a joyful afternoon playing in a dandelion meadow, where Sasuke told his brother he had befriended Naruto Uzumaki. The chapter ended with Sasuke asking Itachi to make extra bento for Naruto, and Itachi agreed to help his brother return Naruto’s kindness.

• Sasuke massaged Itachi’s numb feet, and the brothers walked home together.
• Sasuke suggested they run through the dandelion meadow, and he and Itachi played there while recalling their childhood.
• Sasuke told Itachi that he had become friends with Naruto Uzumaki, who was both his opponent and a talented cook.
• Itachi said he was happy Sasuke had made a friend and agreed that he would like to meet Naruto.
• After they returned home, Sasuke asked Itachi to make an extra-large bento for Naruto, who ate about as much as ten Sasuke.

Naruto went to school hoping to make more friends, while Sasuke kept the contents of his enormous schoolbag a secret. After school, Sasuke revealed that he had brought Naruto a lunchbox, while Nine-Tails waited at home with a goat meal prepared.

• Naruto practiced the Indestructible Body, then headed to school and decided Choji Akimichi would be his second friend.
• Naruto met Sasuke at the school gate, but Sasuke refused to reveal what was in his heavy schoolbag.
• Sakura Haruno and Ino watched Naruto and Sasuke enter class together and each felt urgency.
• Nine-Tails completed its morning chores at the Breeding Farm, selected a goat, and cooked mutton for Naruto.
• After school, Sasuke led Naruto to a grassy spot by a river and revealed that he had packed him a lunchbox.

Sasuke brought Naruto a feast prepared by his brother, while Ino and Sakura watched from hiding before leaving to eat. The Nine-Tails reflected on how it had come to enjoy life with Naruto, and Naruto returned late and apologized to Kurama.

• Sasuke laid out a dozen lunch boxes of food made by his brother, and Naruto eagerly praised the meal.
• Naruto asked which dishes Sasuke had cooked, and Sasuke admitted he had not made anything himself.
• Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno spied on Sasuke and Naruto eating, then left to get food after their stomachs growled.
• The Nine-Tails waited for Naruto, remembered its past and its growing fondness for their life together, and heard him return.
• Naruto saw the untouched food, picked up Kurama, and apologized for coming back late.

Itachi prepared more than a dozen lunchboxes for Sasuke to share with Naruto, then secretly watched the boys eat together at the river. After Sasuke praised Naruto’s reaction to the food, he asked Itachi to teach him how to cook.

• Itachi woke before dawn and prepared breakfast and a large batch of lunchboxes for Sasuke to take to Naruto.
• Itachi told Mikoto that Sasuke’s new friend was Naruto Uzumaki, and Fugaku and Mikoto reflected on Naruto’s connection to Kushina and Minato.
• Fugaku reassured Mikoto that Sasuke’s friendship with Naruto would not cause the same concern as Itachi befriending him.
• Itachi left work at noon and secretly watched Sasuke and Naruto share the lunchboxes by a river, where Naruto ate more than a dozen of them.
• Sasuke thanked Itachi for the food and asked him to teach him how to cook.

Naruto reached the beginner stage of the Indestructible Body and tested its resistance to weapons in a battle with Sasuke. He and Sasuke parted after Naruto demonstrated his new strength, while hidden Anbu remained unaware of the change.

• Naruto sensed that he might advance his Indestructible Body and skipped school to practice at the Back Mountain.
• Naruto completed the final movement of the technique, grew to two meters tall, and received confirmation that he had entered the beginner stage.
• Naruto asked Sasuke to stab him, then challenged him to a battle between ninjas.
• Sasuke threw darts at Naruto, who proved his body could withstand the weapons without injury.
• Naruto explained that his training was called Hardening, returned to his normal height, and spoke with Sasuke while hidden Anbu watched unnoticed.

Naruto learned four new techniques from the system to strengthen his body, offense, and movement. The chapter ended with Konoha’s leaders secretly watching Naruto during a school assessment to judge his progress and temperament.

• Sasuke told Naruto he had learned the Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu, and Naruto suggested using the resulting charcoal to roast lamb.
• Sasuke proposed asking his brother to teach him Shadow Clone Jutsu so a disguised clone could attend class in Naruto’s place.
• The system warned Naruto about two bodily weak points and taught him Hundred Refinements of the Perfect Anus, Shrink Yang into Abdomen, Ascension Fist, and Heaven Treading Steps.
• Sasuke returned with news that the school would hold a progress assessment the next day, and Naruto went to class for it.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō watched Naruto’s class through a crystal ball, hoping to assess his abilities and temperament.

Naruto failed the academy assessment, drawing Danzō’s criticism, but afterward he challenged Choji to a spar to become friends. Choji lost and agreed that Naruto only needed to give him tasty food to be his friend.

• Hiruzen rejected Danzō’s proposal to take Naruto into Root and said he would let Minato’s son live peacefully as long as he did not harm the village.
• Iruka and Mizuki held an assessment in which the students demonstrated the Substitution Technique, Clone Technique, and Transformation Jutsu for the Third Hokage to observe.
• Sasuke performed the techniques flawlessly, while Naruto failed all three and had not yet refined any Chakra.
• After school, Naruto asked Choji to be friends, but insisted they spar first.
• Choji agreed to spar, lost to Naruto, and told him that tasty food would have been enough to make them friends.

Naruto made Choji Akimichi his friend over a beating and a meal of grilled lamb skewers, then arranged to meet Choji’s best friend, Shikamaru Nara. Choji brought Shikamaru to Naruto, who insisted they complete a procedure before they could count as friends.

• Naruto asked Choji Akimichi to become his friend, and Choji agreed after being beaten.
• Naruto took Choji to the Breeding Farm on Back Mountain, where they grilled and ate lamb skewers together.
• Choji told Naruto about his best friend Shikamaru Nara and arranged for them to meet.
• The next day, Naruto parted from Sasuke, who said Itachi was teaching him the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
• Choji brought Shikamaru to meet Naruto, and Naruto told Shikamaru they had to complete a procedure before becoming friends.