Chapter Summaries

After Naruto befriended Gaara and left him a marked Three-Pronged Kunai, Gaara cautiously accepted his siblings’ concern. Rasa ordered Gaara to recover and return to Konoha for the planned invasion, while Gaara privately trusted that Naruto would make the plan fail.

• Naruto told Gaara that Shukaku would no longer fight him for control, gave him a marked Three-Pronged Kunai, and advised him to train taijutsu and notice others’ care.
• Temari and Kankuro arrived with Sand ninja, and Gaara told them he was fine and had driven off the Masked Man.
• Naruto watched Gaara respond to his siblings, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave.
• Gaara reported that Shukaku would recover within a month and a half, and Rasa ordered him to rest before returning to Konoha with Baki.
• After Rasa left for a secret meeting with the leader of Otogakure, Gaara thought the Konoha trip would let him see Naruto again and that the invasion plan was destined to fail.

Naruto continued training while Sasuke discovered that Naruto had awakened Magnet Release and learned to fly with the Anti-Gravity Magnetic Field Technique. In the Sealing Space, Naruto persuaded Kurama to study writing, leaving him eager to create a novel.

• Sasuke saw Naruto flying with the Anti-Gravity Magnetic Field Technique and learned Naruto was using a weak Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai rather than Lightning Release.
• Naruto left Sasuke to study and continued physical training while his Shadow Clones carved tiny characters to improve his chakra control.
• Kurama complained that Shukaku had not answered his call, and Naruto urged him to stop spending all his time watching shows and playing games.
• Naruto tried to persuade Kurama to study accounting and law, but Kurama refused to take on government work.
• Naruto convinced Kurama to try writing by praising the possibility of becoming a celebrated author, and Kurama began studying how to write novels.

Naruto gathered Team 7 for daily study sessions until the Chunin Exam approached, when Jiraiya arrived with news of Tsunade and took Naruto and Sakura on a search mission. Before leaving Konoha, Naruto met Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro and gave them vouchers for his hot spring hotel.

• Naruto brought Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi into the Sealing Space, and the five established the Team 7 Study Group as a daily routine.
• Jiraiya returned with news of Tsunade and asked Naruto and Sakura to travel with him, but Naruto kicked him for taking so long to find her.
• Jiraiya gave Naruto his latest book, and Naruto criticized it before showing him Kurama's fantasy novel, which left Jiraiya eager to read more.
• Naruto shared writing advice with Jiraiya through a Chakra link, and Jiraiya stopped pestering him about meeting Kurama.
• Naruto met Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro in Konoha, gave them hot spring hotel vouchers, and said he was leaving the village for a mission.

Naruto declined Kakashi’s proposed mission to escort Kazahana Koyuki, judging the Land of Snow too poor and remote to be worth pursuing. Instead, he gave Kakashi a hot pot restaurant business plan and persuaded Jiraiya to invest before the group set out to find Tsunade.

• Naruto said goodbye to Sasuke and Kakashi as he, Sakura, and Jiraiya prepared to leave Konoha.
• Kakashi told Naruto that Team 7 had been offered one million ryō to escort actress Fujikaze Yukie to the Land of Snow, where Kazahana Koyuki planned to restore her country.
• Naruto rejected the mission, arguing that the Land of Snow had little value and that Koyuki’s film earnings could exceed the country’s income.
• Naruto gave Kakashi a hot pot restaurant recipe and business plan, offering to take twenty percent in technical shares and advising him to rent storefronts.
• Naruto invited Jiraiya to invest in Kakashi’s restaurant venture, and Jiraiya agreed to discuss the amount with Kakashi.
• After Kakashi and Jiraiya negotiated for more than half an hour, the group set out to find Tsunade.

On the journey to find Tsunade, Naruto confronted Jiraiya about his resentment toward Sarutobi Hiruzen and his decision to let the coming conflict unfold. That night, Naruto secretly returned to the Death Forest in disguise and sensed Karin nearby.

• Naruto accused Jiraiya of resenting Sarutobi Hiruzen and explained why he believed Jiraiya had chosen to leave Konoha at this moment.
• Jiraiya admitted nothing, but Naruto said Orochimaru would fail and that Sarutobi Hiruzen would die only by Naruto's hand.
• Jiraiya and Naruto agreed to enjoy their trip and let events unfold, while Sakura remained unaware of their conversation.
• The group reached Maple Leaf City, where Jiraiya treated Naruto and Sakura to a lavish beef dinner.
• After Sakura fell asleep and Jiraiya went out, Naruto disguised himself as Menma Namikaze and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach the Death Forest.
• Naruto sensed Karin's strong life force and Chakra and flew toward her.

Naruto found Karin being abused and exploited by her Kusagakure teammates, protected her, and brought her to safety after she killed them. As Naruto resolved to change the world, a massive Kirin began forming over his training area.

• Naruto approached Karin and the two Kusagakure genin, restrained the genin with air chains, and revealed his identity to her.
• Naruto learned how Kusagakure had exploited Karin and comforted her, then gave her a kunai and told her he would protect her.
• Karin killed the two restrained genin and collapsed in tears; Naruto restored her strength and healed her bite marks with Yang Release Chakra.
• Naruto destroyed the bodies, took Karin to the Heavens and Earth Hot Spring Hotel, and arranged for her to eat and rest.
• Naruto resolved to change a world that kept producing tragedies like theirs, then saw a massive Kirin forming amid dark clouds above his training area.

Sasuke continued training alone beneath the waterfall when Orochimaru found him and offered to help him gain power and take revenge on Itachi. Sasuke rejected the offer and attacked Orochimaru, determined to prove his strength by defeating the S-rank rogue ninja.

• Sasuke spent the night training and using his Shadow Clones’ memories to study the mathematics and physics behind the Electromagnetic Cannon Technique.
• Orochimaru tracked Sasuke to the wilderness using intelligence gathered by Yakushi Kabuto and approached him openly.
• Orochimaru introduced himself and invited Sasuke to join him, promising greater power and help with Itachi.
• Sasuke rejected Orochimaru’s offer, declared that he would kill Itachi himself, and attacked Orochimaru with the Dragon Flame Song Technique.

Sasuke battled Orochimaru, using their sword fight to improve before striking him with Kirin. After surviving Orochimaru’s ambush, Sasuke revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan and killed him with Infinite Izanagi, then called to Naruto for Chakra.

• Sasuke unleashed a barrage of Fire Release attacks, then fought Orochimaru with swords and copied his movements with the Sharingan.
• As their duel continued, Sasuke adapted to Orochimaru’s combat style and eventually matched him blow for blow.
• Sasuke summoned three Kirin strikes, which smashed through Orochimaru’s defenses and left him apparently charred.
• Orochimaru emerged behind Sasuke and stabbed at him, but Sasuke’s purple Rib Cage Skeleton Armor blocked the strike.
• Sasuke revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, grabbed Orochimaru, and used Infinite Izanagi to kill him.
• Sasuke remained alive and called to Naruto to give him Chakra.

After Sasuke defeated Orochimaru, Naruto treated his injuries and explained that Orochimaru could survive by transferring his soul through curse marks. Naruto and Sasuke then tracked Yakushi Kabuto as he began reviving Orochimaru through Tayuya.

• Sasuke grew overconfident after defeating Orochimaru, so Naruto beat him up before treating his injuries and replenishing his chakra.
• Sasuke reflected that losing his composure had made him act recklessly, and Naruto revealed that Orochimaru was not truly dead.
• Naruto explained Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation and curse-mark resurrection, while Sasuke wondered why his Sebun'arōbukku had not erased every fragment of Orochimaru's soul.
• Naruto stopped Sasuke from destroying Orochimaru's body, intending to preserve Orochimaru's usefulness.
• Naruto sensed Yakushi Kabuto release Tayuya's Heavenly Curse Mark, causing her to transform into Orochimaru.
• Naruto took Sasuke to Kabuto and Tayuya with Flying Thunder God.

Naruto and Sasuke confronted Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto at a secret underground base, where Naruto demanded Orochimaru’s techniques. Orochimaru handed over Impure World Reincarnation and, after Naruto demonstrated his overwhelming power, asked what Naruto would offer in exchange for Living Corpse Reincarnation.

• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring Sasuke to Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto’s underground base.
• Naruto revealed that he had marked Yakushi Kabuto during his hotel visit and gave Orochimaru and Kabuto VIP cards for the Heavens and Earth Hot Spring Hotel.
• Naruto asked Orochimaru to teach him Impure World Reincarnation, and Orochimaru gave him a scroll containing the technique and its release method.
• Naruto requested Orochimaru’s Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, but Orochimaru grew angry at the demand.
• Naruto entered Sage Mode and Kurama Mode and unleashed Adamantine Sealing Chains, making Orochimaru recognize the vast difference in their power.
• Orochimaru asked Naruto what he would offer in exchange for the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique.

Naruto traded Orochimaru detailed biomedical knowledge for the Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique. After receiving the technique, Naruto examined how it let Orochimaru occupy another person’s body and what limitations it carried.

• Naruto bumped fists with Orochimaru and transmitted the table of contents of a biomedical textbook, leaving Orochimaru absorbed in the knowledge.
• Sasuke and Naruto discussed Orochimaru’s reaction while Yakushi Kabuto stood guard and wondered what Naruto had shown him.
• After more than half an hour, Orochimaru asked Naruto for the textbook’s detailed contents and offered to reveal Living Corpse Reincarnation in return.
• Naruto bumped fists with Orochimaru again, received Living Corpse Reincarnation, and sent him the full biomedical knowledge.
• Naruto studied the technique and learned it combined the Eight Branches Technique and Spirit Transformation Technique to let Orochimaru take over a compatible body.

Naruto considered using Living Corpse Reincarnation to move into a genetically enhanced Clone Body, but decided the idea could wait. After judging Orochimaru’s technique a poor backup plan, Naruto kept Orochimaru alive under strict surveillance and began planning how to use him.

• Naruto imagined creating a Clone Body with several Kekkei Genkai and later reincarnating into it, then set the idea aside as a future project.
• Naruto told Sasuke that Living Corpse Reincarnation was only a last-resort backup, and Sasuke asked whether Orochimaru still had value to them.
• Naruto wondered why his eyes had not awakened despite absorbing Sasuke’s Pupil Power and Kurama’s Yin Release Chakra.
• Orochimaru thanked Naruto for the knowledge he had received and revealed his Konoha Crush Plan, offering his forces to help Naruto take revenge on Konoha.
• Naruto rejected Orochimaru’s offer to act for him, ordered him to submit a roster of his forces and personnel, and placed him under surveillance.
• Naruto marked Orochimaru with a Flying Thunder God Seal and used a Modified Eight Trigrams Sealing on his Eight-Headed Serpent body.

After Rasa’s death threw Sunagakure into confusion and the Konoha Crush Plan was canceled, Naruto and Sasuke took over Orochimaru’s assets and forces. Naruto explained how peace could benefit Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto’s research, then asked Orochimaru for the Eight-Tails tissue he had cultivated.

• Sunagakure’s ninja discovered that Fourth Kazekage Rasa had been dead for over a month, leaving the village unsure who canceled the attack plan or whether Rasa had authorized it.
• Naruto and Sasuke toured Orochimaru’s bases and took possession of his research, specimens, ninja, and other assets.
• Sasuke said Orochimaru’s resources could serve as a foundation for pursuing world peace, and Naruto agreed that they still needed a stronger and more legitimate base.
• Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto became interested when Naruto explained that peace would bring more state funding and resources for experiments.
• Naruto asked Orochimaru to hand over the cultivated Eight-Tails body tissue he had cloned.

Naruto absorbed Eight-Tails chakra from Gyuki’s horn with Kurama’s help, gaining a limited substitute ability, and confirmed Sasuke’s guess that Gaara was the One-Tail Jinchuriki. After resuming his journey with Jiraiya and Sakura, Naruto sensed Tsunade’s immense chakra in Yanbo Town, bringing the search to its destination.

• Naruto brought Sasuke to the Valley of the End and used Kurama to absorb the Eight-Tails chakra stored in Gyuki’s horn.
• Naruto gained the Eight-Tails’ Octopus Leg Substitute ability, which he could use only once every half month, and explained that Sasuke would need the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan or sealing techniques to handle Tailed Beast chakra.
• Sasuke deduced that Gaara was the One-Tail Jinchuriki, and Naruto confirmed it before sending Sasuke home and returning to the inn.
• Naruto and Jiraiya slept late, prompting Sakura to kick open their door; the three resumed traveling after lunch.
• Four days later, Jiraiya led Naruto and Sakura into Yanbo Town, where Naruto sensed an enormous chakra reaction and recognized that they had found Tsunade.

Naruto found Tsunade and Shizune gambling in a Seaside Town and teased Jiraiya about his feelings for Tsunade. After demonstrating his supposed seduction technique on a stranger, Naruto encouraged Jiraiya to approach Tsunade, and Jiraiya finally strode toward her.

• Naruto, Jiraiya, and Sakura found Tsunade gambling at a casino, with Shizune beside her.
• Naruto teased Jiraiya for never pursuing Tsunade and claimed a confident approach could win her over.
• Naruto used a Wall Slam on a girl in sunglasses and secretly paid her one million ryo to play along as he kissed her forehead.
• Jiraiya and Sakura were convinced by Naruto's demonstration, and Naruto urged Jiraiya not to leave himself with regrets.
• Jiraiya gathered his courage and strode toward Tsunade after Naruto encouraged him with talk of their future wedding banquet.

Jiraiya confessed to Tsunade and proposed marriage, but she noticed the scent of powder on him and attacked him before he could kiss her. Jiraiya was blasted into the distance with several broken bones, leaving Naruto to conclude that their next chance would have to come while Tsunade treated his injuries.

• Sakura nervously asked Naruto whether Jiraiya could win Tsunade over, and Naruto said he probably could.
• Jiraiya overcame his nerves, approached Tsunade, and told her he had missed her and wanted to marry her.
• Tsunade was moved by Jiraiya's sincerity and hesitated over whether to accept his proposal.
• Jiraiya took Tsunade's silence as agreement and pulled her into an embrace, but she smelled powder on him and realized he had been drinking with women.
• Tsunade struck Jiraiya with Heavenly Foot of Pain and Super Strength Fist, sending him flying and breaking seven bones.
• Naruto gloated over Jiraiya's defeat and said the next plan was to let their feelings grow while Tsunade cared for his injuries.

Naruto brought the badly injured Jiraiya back to Tsunade after their failed romantic encounter and encouraged him to keep trying with her. Tsunade warmed to Naruto after learning he was Minato Namikaze’s son, and Naruto handed Jiraiya over for treatment.

• Naruto found the unconscious Jiraiya outside Yanbo Town and used a little Yang Release Chakra to wake him before carrying him back without healing his injuries.
• Jiraiya accused Naruto of setting him up, then regretted not bathing after drinking and asked whether he might have won Tsunade’s heart otherwise.
• Naruto suggested Jiraiya could still rebuild his relationship with Tsunade while she treated him, and questioned whether her hemophobia was as insurmountable as it seemed.
• Naruto and Jiraiya returned to find Tsunade angry, Shizune arranging casino compensation, and Sakura struggling to handle a girl asking about Naruto.
• Naruto introduced himself to Tsunade as Jiraiya’s disciple and Minato Namikaze’s son, then asked her to treat Jiraiya’s serious injuries.

Naruto’s staged encounter with Jiraiya led him to discover that the sunglasses-wearing woman was Kazahana Koyuki, the actress he had been asked to escort. After helping her evade the crowd, Naruto exposed her attempt to seek protection and agreed to deal with the men following her.

• Tsunade carried the barely conscious Jiraiya away for treatment while he secretly gave Naruto a thumbs-up.
• Fujikaze Yukie introduced herself to Naruto and claimed he had to take responsibility for their staged performance.
• Sakura’s shout revealed Yukie’s identity to the crowd, so Naruto used optical invisibility and airflow to whisk her and Sakura away.
• Naruto offered Yukie the promised performance fee and explained that their earlier interaction had only been acting.
• Yukie cried and asked for help, and Naruto agreed to protect her before bringing two men who had been watching her into the alley.

Naruto rescued Kazahana Koyuki from agents sent by her uncle, Kazahana Dōtō, then offered her paid protection and other services. Koyuki followed Naruto to hire him, realizing money could help her escape her uncle’s threat and eventually restore her country.

• Naruto threw down two men pursuing Kazahana Koyuki, then used Genjutsu to learn that they were agents of Kazahana Dōtō who had discovered her identity.
• Naruto sent the agents to one of Orochimaru's Experiment Bases and advised Koyuki to hire Konoha ninjas for protection and help reclaiming her country.
• Naruto left with Sakura, but Koyuki followed and begged him to protect her from her uncle’s men.
• Naruto flew Sakura and Koyuki to the Inn where Tsunade was staying, then showed Koyuki a scroll listing security, assassination, and nation-restoration services with their prices.
• Koyuki realized her savings could afford Naruto’s protection and looked at him with interest.

Naruto turned Kazahana Koyuki’s security request into a lucrative contract, offering her a team of powerful ninja and assigning her a Shadow Clone of himself. The Sannin reunited unexpectedly, and Jiraiya invited Orochimaru to return to Konoha, but Orochimaru suggested they share a drink instead.

• Kazahana Koyuki signed Naruto’s security contract and paid him a ten-million-ryo deposit.
• Naruto summoned Kakashi, Sasuke, and Orochimaru, then introduced them and Tsunade and Jiraiya as powerful bodyguards.
• Kazahana Koyuki chose Naruto as her bodyguard, so he placed Shadow Clones inside a seal on her earring to protect her.
• Kakashi and Sasuke learned how Naruto had turned the short-term mission into a long-term contract and were stunned by his business skills.
• Jiraiya questioned Orochimaru’s presence, while Tsunade guarded Jiraiya and Orochimaru said he was not hostile.
• Jiraiya urged Orochimaru to return to Konoha, but Orochimaru dismissed the idea and proposed that they have a drink together.