Recaps

Naruto reunited the Legendary Sannin, helped Orochimaru prepare for future threats, and rescued Karin Uzumaki and her mother. As tensions between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha worsened, Naruto arranged an Akatsuki assassination of Hiruzen Sarutobi and began gathering support for a change in leadership.

• Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade sparred with their summons and Sage Modes, ending the match after Tsunade stopped Orochimaru’s Eight-Headed Serpent Technique.
• Naruto agreed to Orochimaru’s experiments, learned about his past work with Shimura Danzō, and helped him return to the Akatsuki Organization with information about Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan.
• Naruto parted from Jiraiya and Tsunade, then rescued Karin Uzumaki and Linzi Uzumaki from Grass Ninjas and brought them to Tsunade for shelter.
• After learning that slander had renewed the Uchiha Clan’s rebellious anger, Naruto promised the clan that Tsunade Senju would become Hokage and proposed hiring the Akatsuki Organization to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Naruto stole nearly four billion ryō from casinos, paid Orochimaru to arrange the assassination, and Pain assigned Kakuzu, Hidan, and Sasori of the Red Sands to the mission.
• Naruto gave Orochimaru confidential patrol information and told Hyuga Hiashi about the Uchiha Clan’s three Mangekyō Sharingan users, his plan to deal with Shimura Danzō, and his choice of Tsunade as Hokage.
• Naruto told the Hyuga Clan to avoid fighting unless summoned, gave Hinata a Flying Thunder God Kunai, and left for Nara Shikamaru’s home.

Naruto helped orchestrate the deaths of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō, then guided Konoha toward Tsunade’s appointment as Fifth Hokage. With Tsunade in power, Naruto began reshaping village institutions and set out to train the Konoha 11.

• Naruto revealed his strength and political support to Nara Shikaku, who agreed to rally the clan heads behind Tsunade and keep Naruto’s plans secret.
• Sasori, Kakuzu, and Hidan attacked Konoha, and Hidan and Kakuzu killed Hiruzen Sarutobi while the Uchiha helped drive off Sasori.
• Naruto lured Shimura Danzō away from Konoha and killed him with a Tailed Beast Bomb after confronting him over his treatment of Naruto and the village.
• Konoha’s leaders appointed Kakashi Hatake Acting Fifth Hokage, and he recommended Tsunade Senju as Hiruzen’s successor.
• Tsunade returned to Konoha with Jiraiya and accepted the role of Fifth Hokage, while Naruto’s proposal led her to reorganize Root, establish the Leaf Division, and appoint Jiraiya as Ninja Academy principal.
• Jiraiya impersonated Hiruzen at the handover ceremony, and Tsunade accepted the Hokage hat as the Fifth Hokage.
• Tsunade ended the villagers’ open abuse of Naruto and quietly encouraged them to believe he was Minato Namikaze’s son.
• Naruto persuaded Jiraiya to let him skip classes and train his friends, and Jiraiya named the group the Konoha 11.

Naruto organized intensive training for Konoha’s young ninja, strengthened the village’s leaders with Naruto Cells, and brought Otsutsuki Toneri and the Tenseigan into Konoha’s orbit. Years of training transformed the group into formidable fighters, and the arc ended with Naruto discovering why Rock Lee could not use ninjutsu and offering to treat him.

• Naruto gathered his classmates and other young ninja for a training program, assigned them individual goals, and arranged for Sakura and Ino to study Medical Ninjutsu under Tsunade.
• Naruto treated the trainees and Akamaru, established daily training with Konoha’s senior ninja as instructors, and helped Orochimaru use Naruto Cells to strengthen the village’s leaders.
• Sasuke awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Naruto removed Neji’s Caged Bird seal, and Naruto, Orochimaru, and Uchiha Shisui traveled to the moon and defeated Otsutsuki Toneri’s forces.
• Naruto used Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami to bring Toneri under Konoha’s control, collected the moon’s Tenseigan and puppets, and awakened his own Tenseigan at Hamura Shrine.
• Naruto brought Toneri to Konoha, where he restored Byakugan for him and asked Hyuga Hiashi to accept him into the Hyuga Clan.
• Naruto continued training the young ninja, and after several years Hinata and Neji awakened the Tenseigan while Konoha’s leaders and trainees developed powerful new abilities.
• Naruto found that a nerve near Rock Lee’s brain caused his Chakra to dissipate when he tried to form ninjutsu, and said he could treat the condition.

Naruto guided the Konoha 11 through their graduation assessments, then led Team 7 on the Land of Waves mission and brought Zabuza and Haku to Konoha. As the Chunin Exams approached, Naruto helped Konohamaru and earned Iruka’s trust, while Team 7 entered the exam room.

• Naruto arranged a special graduation assessment for the Konoha 11, where Sasuke defeated Itachi and the teams faced their mentors in combat.
• Sakura, Kiba, and Shino passed their test against Tsunade, while Hinata and Neji earned Toneri’s recognition and Lee defeated Might Guy with his new technique.
• Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji defeated Kurenai, Asuma, and Kakashi, and the Konoha 11 received their headbands as genin.
• Naruto gained the Six Paths Body and tested his new Truth-Seeking Orbs before Team 7 accepted a mission to escort Tazuna to the Land of Waves.
• Team 7 defeated Zabuza and discovered that he and Haku had served Kabuto, after which Naruto invited them to Konoha and sent them to kill Gato.
• Tsunade accepted Zabuza and Haku into Konoha in return for payment, while Naruto befriended Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon and drove off Kankuro with Gaara’s intervention.
• Tsunade approved the teams’ Chunin Exam applications, and Iruka tested Naruto before trusting him and treating the team to ramen.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata entered the exam room after Neji exposed the genjutsu concealing it, while Sasuke intimidated the hostile examinees and Kabuto sat out.