Chapter Summaries

Uzumaki Ryunosuke arrived to serve as chief examiner for the Chunin Exams’ first stage, despite doubting he was suited to the role. He introduced himself to the candidates by unleashing his Nine-Tails chakra, leaving many of them terrified.

• Uzumaki Ryunosuke entered the exam building with Ibiki Morino, who praised him and received Ryunosuke’s promise to let him conduct the exam as he saw fit.
• Ryunosuke greeted Kakashi, confirmed Naruto and Sasuke had arrived, and heard Naruto confidently proclaim he would not lose.
• Ryunosuke entered the examination hall and introduced himself as the chief examiner, drawing disbelief from many foreign candidates.
• Ryunosuke released a torrent of crimson chakra that formed a fox behind him, making many Genin collapse in fear.
• Ryunosuke identified himself as Uzumaki Ryunosuke and warned the candidates to stay calm.

Zhang Miao used his killing intent to silence the examinees before Ibiki Morino began explaining the first stage of the Chunin exam. The written test started with a strange offer from Zhang Miao, while Ibiki laid out the scoring and cheating penalties.

• Zhang Miao intimidated the examinees, warned them against further rudeness, and left the exam to Ibiki Morino.
• Ibiki Morino introduced the rules against unauthorized fighting and killing, then announced the written exam.
• Zhang Miao offered to answer the test himself, saying teams whose answers matched his would pass, and began drawing on his paper.
• Ibiki Morino explained that the exam had ten questions, deducted points for wrong answers, and judged results by each team's combined score.
• Ibiki Morino warned that each detected or suspected cheating offense would cost two points.

Ibiki Morino began the first Chunin exam, where the difficult questions and strict rules forced examinees to gather answers without being caught cheating. As proctors expelled many teams, Naruto remained unable to solve the test and gave up on copying Hinata, while Zhang Miao continued drawing.

• Ibiki Morino announced that a zero would fail an entire team, then began the one-hour exam.
• Sakura worried that Naruto could not answer the difficult questions, while Sasuke realized the test was really about gathering intelligence without being caught.
• Sasuke and many other examinees turned their attention to Zhang Miao, who kept drawing pig heads and saw that Naruto was completely lost.
• Izumo Kamizuki expelled an examinee and his teammates after the examinee was caught cheating five times, and the proctors soon removed nearly one-third of the room.
• A proctor warned the remaining examinees that the elite Chunin could detect every movement, prompting Naruto to abandon his plan to copy Hinata while pretending he had never intended to cheat.

Ibiki Morino added a high-stakes choice to the written exam, forcing candidates to decide whether to risk the tenth question or withdraw. Naruto refused to give up, inspiring the others, and Ryunosuke declared that everyone who remained had passed the first exam.

• Ibiki Morino announced that candidates who refused the tenth question would eliminate their entire teams, while those who answered incorrectly would lose the right to take future Chunin exams.
• Kiba Inuzuka challenged the new rules, and Zhang Miao backed Ibiki's authority as chief examiner Ryunosuke's representative.
• Several candidates withdrew with their teammates, while Naruto hesitated before declaring that he would take the question and never abandon his ninja way.
• Naruto's resolve inspired the remaining candidates, and Zhang Miao told Ibiki to announce the results.
• Ibiki Morino revealed that everyone who had stayed had passed the first exam.

Ibiki Morino explained that the first exam tested the examinees’ intelligence gathering and willingness to face danger, and all who stayed passed. Mitaraishi Anko announced the second exam, while Ibiki noticed Naruto Uzumaki had passed despite submitting a blank paper.

• Ibiki Morino revealed that cheating on the first nine questions had tested the examinees’ intelligence-gathering skills, and that their choice to attempt the tenth question had determined whether they passed.
• Ibiki Morino explained that Chunin squad leaders needed the courage to accept dangerous missions, then declared the first stage over.
• Naruto cheered, and Zhang Miao told Ibiki Morino to leave the rest to the other examiners.
• Mitaraishi Anko burst into the examination room and announced that the second exam would begin the next day.
• Ibiki Morino collected the test papers, found Naruto Uzumaki’s completely blank sheet, and remarked that he had passed the exam without answering a question.

Zhang Miao brought Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to Kakashi’s home, where the group ate and discussed their relationships. After Kakashi explained the next exam’s meeting details, Zhang Miao warned Sakura about a dangerous infiltrator and gave her a scroll to use if she encountered him.

• Zhang Miao brought Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to Kakashi’s home, where Sakura learned from Sasuke about Zhang Miao’s reputation and accomplishments.
• Zhang Miao and Kakashi discussed the fried fish and agreed to go fishing together the next day.
• Zhang Miao told Sakura to call him big brother and teased Naruto about Sakura, prompting her to knock Naruto to the floor.
• Kakashi told Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura where and when to gather for the next exam.
• Zhang Miao gave Sakura a scroll and warned her to open it if she encountered a dangerous, disgusting-looking man with a very long tongue.

Zhang Miao identified Orochimaru as the dangerous figure threatening the Chunin Exams and alerted Kakashi, who rushed to warn the Hokage. Meanwhile, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura entered the Forest of Death, where Orochimaru attacked them in disguise and overwhelmed Sasuke and Sakura with his killing intent.

• Zhang Miao explained that Orochimaru was his target because he suspected Orochimaru wanted Sasuke, and he noticed sand in Kakashi's hallway.
• Zhang Miao confirmed Orochimaru's identity to Kakashi while they fished, prompting Kakashi to leave and notify the Hokage.
• Mitaraishi Anko began the second exam, sending the thirteen teams from each side into the Forest of Death to obtain opposing scrolls and reach the central tower.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were attacked after their first battle; a giant snake swallowed Naruto, while a Grass ninja woman confronted Sasuke and Sakura.
• The woman revealed an Earth scroll and displayed terrifying killing intent, leaving Sasuke and Sakura unable to fight as Sasuke realized they had to flee.

Sasuke and Sakura struggled to escape the Grass Ninja woman, who revealed herself after attacking them through a giant snake. Naruto arrived to help, but Sasuke tried to save his team by offering her the Book of Heaven, leaving the woman to consider the scroll.

• The Grass Ninja woman’s killing intent froze Sakura and Sasuke, but Sasuke stabbed his thigh to regain movement and fled with Sakura.
• Sasuke and Sakura hid, then Sasuke killed a giant snake that lunged at them; the Grass Ninja woman crawled out of its neck and attacked.
• Naruto arrived and stopped the woman with thrown kunai and Shuriken, then challenged her despite Sasuke warning him to run.
• Sasuke offered the woman his Book of Heaven scroll, and Naruto objected as Sasuke threw it toward her.

Naruto recognized that Sasuke was the real Sasuke and fought to protect him from the snake-like woman, who revealed herself as a dangerous opponent. Sakura opened the scroll Ryunosuke had given them, summoning Zhang Miao, who confronted the woman and called her Snake Uncle.

• Sasuke tried to hand the Book of Heaven to the snake-like woman, but Naruto snatched it and punched Sasuke, accusing him of being a fake.
• The woman summoned a giant snake, and Naruto revealed scarlet, beast-like eyes before attacking it and shielding Sasuke from its charge.
• Naruto reminded Sasuke of the words Sasuke had once used to encourage him, and the woman captured Naruto with her tongue.
• Sasuke told Sakura to open the scroll Ryunosuke had given them for someone with a long tongue, and Sakura summoned Zhang Miao.
• Zhang Miao appeared through black flames and confronted the woman, calling her Snake Uncle.

Zhang Miao confronted Orochimaru, who had captured Naruto, and rescued his little brother before their fight escalated atop Orochimaru’s giant snake. Zhang Miao gained the upper hand with the Flying Thunder God Technique and swordsmanship, but Orochimaru tried to bite him, prompting Zhang Miao to retaliate by spitting at him.

• Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura learned that the woman atop the giant snake was Orochimaru and that he knew Zhang Miao.
• When Orochimaru refused to release Naruto, Zhang Miao used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach him, cut the tongue binding Naruto, and kick Naruto to safety.
• Orochimaru’s giant snake threw Zhang Miao off its back and attacked, but Zhang Miao teleported back and fought Orochimaru with kunai.
• Zhang Miao used his swordsmanship to suppress Orochimaru, who twisted the snake and tried to bite him.
• Zhang Miao grabbed Orochimaru by the neck and repeatedly spat at him.

Zhang Miao provoked Orochimaru, stole his Kusanagi Sword, and fought back with a substitution and a sword strike. Orochimaru survived by reconnecting his body and summoned a giant snake as he prepared to escalate the fight.

• Zhang Miao spat in Orochimaru’s face, dodged his Kusanagi Sword attack, and stole the weapon from his mouth.
• Orochimaru escaped Zhang Miao’s attempt to spit into his mouth, then attacked him with Shadow Many Snake Hands.
• Zhang Miao used the Substitution Technique to leave behind a carved statue of Hiruzen Sarutobi and taunted Orochimaru.
• Zhang Miao cut Orochimaru in half with One-Cut Severance, but Orochimaru reconnected his body with snakes.
• Orochimaru summoned a giant snake after Zhang Miao claimed he was fighting at less than twenty percent of his strength.

Zhang Miao summoned the Nine-Tails to face Orochimaru and Giant Snake, then stopped Orochimaru from escaping with his Thousand Years of Death technique. Orochimaru vanished in flames, leaving a threat behind, while Naruto wondered why Zhang Miao knew Kakashi-sensei's move.

• Orochimaru summoned Giant Snake, which demanded two hundred people as sacrifices and mocked Zhang Miao's group.
• Zhang Miao summoned the Nine-Tails, whose appearance frightened Orochimaru and Giant Snake.
• Giant Snake agreed to hold off the Nine-Tails while Orochimaru prepared to flee.
• Orochimaru knocked away Zhang Miao's Flying Thunder God Kunai and began burning away in flames.
• Zhang Miao appeared atop Giant Snake and used Thousand Years of Death on Orochimaru, who disappeared while threatening him.
• Sasuke and Sakura stared in disbelief, while Naruto wondered why Zhang Miao knew Kakashi-sensei's move.

After driving Orochimaru away, Zhang Miao negotiated a Ryūchi Cave summoning contract and gave it to Sasuke as a graduation gift. Naruto asked for Nine-Tails as his Summoning Beast, but Zhang Miao refused him.

• Naruto remembered Kakashi using Thousand Years of Death and learned from Sasuke and Sakura that Zhang Miao had taught Kakashi the move.
• Zhang Miao sensed that Orochimaru had left, then threatened Giant Snake into offering a Ryūchi Cave summoning contract.
• Zhang Miao accepted the contract and gave the scroll to Sasuke as a graduation gift.
• Naruto asked Zhang Miao to give him Nine-Tails as a Summoning Beast, but Zhang Miao told him it was out of the question.

Zhang Miao gave Sasuke the Ryūchi Cave summoning contract, arguing that Sasuke could handle the cunning snakes better than Naruto. After warning Sasuke that Orochimaru might use the contract to summon him, Zhang Miao gave him a written plan and left him to consider his choices.

• Naruto hoped to contract with Nine-Tails, but Zhang Miao rejected the idea, and Sasuke offered to give Naruto the Ryūchi Cave scroll instead.
• Zhang Miao insisted Sasuke was better suited to control the snake clan, and Sasuke signed the Ryūchi Cave summoning scroll.
• Giant Snake objected to Sasuke becoming a contractor, but Zhang Miao threatened him with Nine-Tails, forcing him to flee.
• Zhang Miao warned Sasuke that Orochimaru could use their shared contract to summon him and offered him two ways to respond.
• Sasuke chose to read the written explanation of Zhang Miao's second option.

Sasuke chose to pursue revenge by bargaining with Orochimaru, and he immediately demonstrated his talent by summoning a powerful python. After Anko reported Orochimaru’s appearance to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the exams continued on Zhang Miao’s advice.

• Sasuke accepted the plan to use Orochimaru’s desire for his body as a path to strength, declaring that everything he had was for revenge.
• Sasuke performed the Summoning Jutsu on his first attempt and summoned a large gray python.
• Zhang Miao told Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke to continue the exam, and the three headed toward the center of the Forest of Death.
• Anko emerged after Zhang Miao called her out, and he told her to report Orochimaru’s appearance to the Third Elder while insisting the exams must continue.
• Anko reported the encounter to Hiruzen Sarutobi and proposed suspending the exams, but Hiruzen decided they would go on.

The Chunin Ninja Exams continued through their individual battles, including Naruto’s unlikely victory over Kiba Inuzuka and Neji Hyuga’s brutal fight with Hinata. As Neji rushed to attack the battered Hinata, a masked figure intervened, leaving Neji stunned by the person before him.

• Mitaraishi Anko resumed the second stage, which ended with seven teams and twenty-one candidates remaining, and Hiruzen Sarutobi announced individual battles.
• Kabuto Yakushi withdrew, while Sasuke Uchiha, Shino Aburame, Kankuro, and Naruto won their matches; Naruto defeated Kiba Inuzuka after his fart stunned Kiba’s heightened sense of smell.
• Hinata began fighting Neji Hyuga after Naruto encouraged her, but Neji’s Gentle Fist repeatedly injured her.
• Hinata refused to give up and confronted Neji about his pain over the Hyuga Main Family and Branch Family, enraging him.
• A masked figure stepped between Neji and Hinata, and Neji froze in disbelief at the sight of the figure.

Zhang Miao stopped Neji from attacking Hinata, revealed that he was Naruto’s twin and a legendary S-rank ninja, then treated Hinata’s injuries. He confronted Neji about nearly killing her and ended the exchange with his Thousand Years of Death technique.

• Zhang Miao explained that he was Naruto’s twin, and Kakashi told the others that Ryunosuke had been an S-rank ninja ten years earlier and was known as Konoha’s Number One Genius.
• Zhang Miao caught Hinata when she collapsed and used the Mystical Palm Technique to stabilize her injuries.
• Kurenai called over the medical team, who carried Hinata away for recovery.
• Zhang Miao asked Neji whether he had intended to kill Hinata, and Neji lowered his head and began to apologize.
• Zhang Miao said Neji did not need to apologize, then used Leaf Secret Taijutsu Ultimate Art—Thousand Years of Death on him.

Zhang Miao used Thousand Years of Death on Neji Hyuga after Neji insulted Naruto, then Hizashi Hyuga revealed himself to Hyuga Hiashi and explained why he had chosen death. Neji went to apologize to Hinata, while Hizashi returned to the arena worried Zhang Miao might retaliate; the next match was announced as Gaara versus Rock Lee.

• Zhang Miao used Thousand Years of Death on Neji Hyuga after Neji called Naruto dead weight, and Hizashi Hyuga apologized on Neji's behalf.
• Hizashi Hyuga removed his mask and revealed himself to Hyuga Hiashi, who asked him to return to the Hyuga Clan.
• Hizashi explained that he had chosen death to protect his brother, his child, and Konoha, and showed that his Caged Bird mark was gone.
• Hizashi told Neji not to let fate bind him and sent him to apologize to Hinata for injuring her.
• Fugaku Uchiha warned Hizashi that Zhang Miao might hold a grudge, and the next match was announced as Gaara versus Rock Lee.

Rock Lee fought Gaara in the ninth match of the Chunin Exams, using his taijutsu against Gaara’s automatic sand defense. After Might Guy gave him permission to remove his lead weights, Lee unleashed his speed and overwhelmed Gaara’s Sand of Protection.

• Gaara used a special Body Flicker Technique to enter the arena, and Rock Lee joined him for the ninth match.
• Lee attacked Gaara with Leaf Whirlwind, but Gaara’s Sand of Protection blocked his strikes and tried to seize him.
• Might Guy told Sakura that Lee could use neither ninjutsu nor genjutsu and had trained solely in taijutsu.
• Might Guy permitted Lee to remove his lead weights, and the weights crashed into the arena with a tremendous boom.
• Lee charged at Gaara at blinding speed and battered the Sand of Protection while Gaara looked astonished.

Rock Lee broke through Gaara’s defenses and struck him with the Front Lotus, but Gaara escaped the impact using a sand shell and counterattacked. As Lee was badly injured and overwhelmed, Zhang Miao anticipated that he would need to use the Eight Inner Gates, while Gaara grew more violent because he wanted to impress his big brother.

• Rock Lee broke through Gaara’s Sand Shield and struck his face, but Gaara’s Sand Armor protected him from injury.
• Rock Lee used the Front Lotus to slam Gaara into the arena floor, leaving a crater and an apparently defeated sand shell.
• Gaara revealed that he had escaped the impact, then suppressed the injured Rock Lee as his movements slowed.
• Zhang Miao recognized Gaara’s escape technique and expected Rock Lee to use the Eight Inner Gates.
• Gaara watched Zhang Miao’s reaction and intensified his attack, determined not to embarrass himself in front of his big brother.