Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Cheng and his companions escaped an enemy illusion by using his Double Shadow Clone, then reached the exam destination. Iruka announced that Team 7 had passed the second examination, but said he had one more thing to tell them.

• Uchiha Cheng and the others struggled against enemies whose clones they could not destroy, and Kabuto suggested finding their real bodies.
• Uchiha Cheng discovered that Orochimaru's Cursed Seal prevented him from fully using his Sharingan, then decided to try his Double Shadow Clone.
• Uchiha Cheng's Double Shadow Clone knocked down the enemy illusion, allowing him to lead the group out of the encirclement.
• Uchiha Cheng and his companions packed up and continued to their destination, where Iruka appeared and reassured them he was not there to take their lives or scrolls.
• Iruka announced that every member of Team 7 had passed the second examination and said he had one more thing to tell them.

Anko reported that Orochimaru had entered the second exam and confronted Uchiha Cheng, while the Hokage decided to hold one-on-one preliminary matches because many candidates passed. As the candidates prepared to continue, Uchiha Cheng and his companions learned Xiao Zhang planned to withdraw, and Xiao Zhang explained that he always withdrew before the third exam and had been doing missions since before entering the Ninja Academy.

• Iruka warned the successful candidates to treat future exams cautiously, noting that injuries and deaths had occurred during the second exam.
• Anko told the Hokage that Orochimaru had entered the exam and confronted Uchiha Cheng, who had resisted him and passed safely.
• The Hokage decided that the second exam would continue and that one-on-one preliminary matches would be held before the third exam.
• Anko questioned the extra matches, but Iruka explained that Uchiha Cheng and the others were determined to persist after working hard for their chance.
• Uchiha Cheng and his companions found Xiao Zhang preparing to withdraw, and Xiao Zhang said he always withdrew before the third exam and had started doing missions before the Ninja Academy.

Xiao Zhang withdrew from the exam despite his friends’ attempts to persuade him, and Team 7 prepared for the preliminary round. Uchiha Cheng faced the formidable Akagaki Guy while unable to use his Chakra, leaving him under pressure as the match continued.

• Xiao Zhang refused to reconsider withdrawing from the exam, so Uchiha Cheng and the others accepted his decision.
• Iruka-sensei announced that the first preliminary round would begin the next day, and Team 7 urged one another to rest and prepare.
• Uchiha Cheng learned that Akagaki Guy was his opponent, and his friends worried about the dangerous matchup and Orochimaru’s influence on him.
• Uchiha Cheng entered the match unable to fully use his Chakra, while Akagaki Guy used a power that absorbed Chakra from his body.
• Uchiha Cheng realized he had to change his fighting method as Second Pillar and the others watched him weaken.

Uchiha Cheng won his second exam fight despite Orochimaru’s Cursed Seal, then Kakashi removed the seal before confronting Orochimaru. Cheng returned to the arena, where he and his companions watched Shino fight Zaku and discovered Zaku had secretly healed his broken arm.

• Uchiha Cheng compressed the Cursed Seal’s power and used his own techniques to defeat his opponent, earning a place in the third exam.
• Uchiha Cheng told Kakashi-sensei that Orochimaru had placed the Cursed Seal on him, and Kakashi removed it in his secret room over the course of a night.
• Orochimaru appeared after the seal’s removal, and Kakashi took him outside to fight after he provoked him.
• Uchiha Cheng returned to the arena and joined Naruto and Second Pillar in watching Shino fight Zaku.
• Uchiha Cheng and the others saw Zaku reveal that his broken right hand had healed, though it still had problems and did not turn the battle in his favor.

Shino used his hidden strategy to defeat Zaku, and the next preliminary match began between Kankuro and Tsurugi Misumi. The two traded attacks while Uchiha Cheng watched closely, leaving the outcome undecided.

• Second Pillar, Minato Namikaze, Naruto, and Uchiha Cheng watched as Shino's insects sealed Zaku's hand vents and left him unable to attack.
• Shino defeated Zaku, ending their match.
• Minato Namikaze and Uchiha Cheng identified the next match as Kankuro against Tsurugi Misumi.
• Kankuro said he would end the fight quickly, and Tsurugi Misumi immediately attacked him with his sword.
• Kankuro and Tsurugi Misumi began an even struggle as Naruto asked Uchiha Cheng to guess the winner, but Uchiha Cheng kept watching the match.

Kankuro defeated Tsurugi Misumi, and Sakura prepared to face Ino in the next exam match. Sakura and Ino fought as former childhood friends and rivals, but the outcome remained uncertain.

• Tsurugi Misumi discovered that he had been restraining Kankuro's puppet, and Kankuro turned the fight around to win.
• Minato Namikaze celebrated winning his bet with Uchiha Cheng, and the group watched Sakura get announced as the next contestant against Ino.
• Uchiha Cheng, Naruto, and Second Pillar encouraged Sakura before she went to the platform and promised to fight Ino without holding back.
• Sakura and Ino acknowledged their rivalry and began an intense battle while Uchiha Cheng, Second Pillar, and the others cheered from below.
• Ino reconsidered her strategy after Sakura claimed she had improved by training with Uchiha Cheng and the others, while Sakura began to regret provoking her.

Ino sought a way to make Sakura withdraw without hurting her, while Uchiha Cheng watched another match before facing Fang in the arena. Fang quickly knocked Uchiha Cheng down and mocked him, but Naruto’s support helped Uchiha Cheng rise and prepare to fight back.

• Ino planned to use the Mind Body Switch Technique to reach Sakura’s mind and persuade her to withdraw from their match.
• Uchiha Cheng, Naruto, and Second Pillar watched Tenten fight Xiao Ming, whose unusual move brought the match to an abrupt end.
• Uchiha Cheng learned that he would face Fang and received encouragement from Naruto despite the crowd’s doubts.
• Fang knocked Uchiha Cheng down with one blow and mocked him as spectators urged Uchiha Cheng to concede.
• Naruto defended Uchiha Cheng, who got back to his feet and claimed that his fall had only been a test of Fang’s abilities.

Uchiha Cheng struggled against Kiba, who repeatedly used smoke bombs to attack him while the spectators could not see the fight. Encouraged by Naruto, Second Pillar, and Sakura, Uchiha Cheng refused to give up and transformed into Kiba to confuse his opponent and create a chance to counterattack.

• Kiba enraged by Uchiha Cheng's taunts and threw a Smoke Bomb, hiding their fight from the spectators.
• Naruto defended Uchiha Cheng from the crowd and urged him to stand up after Kiba and Akamaru knocked him down.
• Second Pillar and Sakura encouraged Uchiha Cheng, who rose and vowed to keep fighting.
• Kiba used another Smoke Bomb and continued attacking Uchiha Cheng, who could not locate him.
• Second Pillar, Sasuke, and Sakura sensed that Uchiha Cheng's chakra was changing but decided not to interfere.
• Uchiha Cheng transformed into Kiba to confuse him and create an opening for a counterattack.

Uchiha Cheng defeated Kiba after Kiba transformed to conceal himself, then joined the others in watching Hyuga Neji face Hyuga Hinata. The chapter left the outcome of the Hyuga match unresolved as the two cousins began their fierce fight.

• Kiba wondered why two versions of himself had appeared and shouted for Uchiha Cheng, unaware that Cheng had already used the confusion to defeat him.
• Naruto and Sakura celebrated Uchiha Cheng's victory, and a man who had criticized him apologized to Naruto.
• Naruto congratulated the injured Uchiha Cheng, who thanked him for helping him hold on.
• Second Pillar explained to Sakura that Neji and Hinata's families had a deep-running feud, while Uchiha Cheng suggested the examiners might have arranged their match to ease tensions.
• Neji and Hinata began fighting, and the spectators watched as Neji showed no sign of sparing his cousin.

Hinata faced Neji in their match as he tried to unsettle her with insults and threats. Uchiha Cheng, Naruto, and the others encouraged her to regain her confidence, but as the fight continued, Neji struck her with Pressure Point Strike.

• Neji taunted Hinata and demanded that she surrender, while Hinata said she did not want to treat him as an enemy.
• Uchiha Cheng and Naruto condemned Neji's behavior, and Uchiha Cheng called out to encourage Hinata.
• Naruto and the others joined Uchiha Cheng in cheering Hinata on, helping her regain her resolve to face Neji.
• Hinata told Neji she was ready to fight properly, and the two resumed their match.
• As the battle entered its latter half, Neji struck Hinata with Pressure Point Strike.

Hinata continued fighting Neji after Neji sealed his Chakra, but he was ultimately defeated. Uchiha Cheng resolved to defeat Neji someday, and Rock Lee's match against Gaara began.

• Neji taunted Hinata after sealing his Chakra, while Hinata insisted he would keep fighting with support from his friends.
• Uchiha Cheng, Second Pillar, and Naruto encouraged Hinata as he struggled to continue the match.
• Hinata repeatedly got back up despite Neji's attacks, but exhaustion and their strength gap led to Hinata's defeat.
• Naruto comforted Hinata, and Uchiha Cheng grew angry at Neji and vowed to defeat him someday.
• Rock Lee and Gaara's match began, and Naruto, Second Pillar, and Uchiha Cheng discussed how quickly the matches were proceeding.

Rock Lee struggled to break through Gaara’s sand defense until Uchiha Cheng noticed the weights on his legs and told him to remove them. With his speed increased, Rock Lee began landing attacks on Gaara, but Gaara started to stir, leaving the match’s outcome uncertain.

• Rock Lee attacked Gaara directly, but Gaara’s sand barrier blocked every strike and counterattacked.
• Uchiha Cheng noticed the weights on Rock Lee’s legs and urged him to take them off.
• Rock Lee removed the weights, thanked Uchiha Cheng, and resumed the match at much greater speed.
• Rock Lee’s attacks outpaced Gaara’s sand defense, making him the only one able to hit Gaara.
• Gaara began to stir, and Uchiha Cheng and Second Pillar warned Rock Lee not to assume he had won.

Rock Lee’s fight with Gaara turned against him after Gaara dodged his finishing attack and trapped him in sand. Though Rock Lee recovered and gained a burst of speed, he opened the Fifth Gate despite his exhausted, overloaded body, leaving Uchiha Cheng, Second Pillar, and Naruto alarmed.

• Uchiha Cheng, Second Pillar, and Naruto warned Rock Lee that Gaara’s state had changed and urged him to end the fight quickly.
• Rock Lee launched a powerful attack, but Gaara dodged it, counterattacked, and surrounded Rock Lee with sand.
• Gaara’s attacks overwhelmed the exhausted Rock Lee, while Uchiha Cheng, Second Pillar, and Naruto worried that he might lose.
• Rock Lee suddenly recovered and moved much faster, surprising the spectators and his friends.
• Rock Lee opened his Fifth Gate, the Gate of Limit, to attack Gaara, and Uchiha Cheng, Second Pillar, and Naruto feared the strain could endanger his life.

Uchiha Cheng intervened to stop Gaara from killing Rock Lee, though Lee still lost their match. After the preliminary matches ended, the chief examiner announced that nine candidates had advanced to the third exam.

• Uchiha Cheng shouted at Rock Lee to stop pushing his strained body, but Lee continued attacking Gaara.
• Gaara destroyed the tissues in Lee's left arm and left leg, then prepared to kill him.
• Uchiha Cheng entered the arena and persuaded Gaara to stop, but Rock Lee still lost the match.
• Choji lost to Dosu in the next match, and the preliminary round ended.
• The chief examiner announced that nine candidates qualified for the third exam: five from Hidden Leaf Village, three Sand Ninja, and one Sound Ninja.

Uchiha Cheng and Naruto tried to visit the injured Second Pillar but were stopped outside his hospital room, where Kabuto had secretly entered. Kakashi-sensei then found Uchiha Cheng and named Ebisu as the powerful teacher he had arranged for him, leaving Uchiha Cheng appalled.

• The Hokage announced that the final third exam’s opponents and match order would be determined by drawing lots, and Uchiha Cheng learned he would face someone he had encountered before.
• Second Pillar said he would face Gaara, while Naruto said he would face Shino; Shikamaru’s matches were against Dosu and Temari.
• Second Pillar injured himself during training and was admitted to the hospital, where Kabuto secretly slipped into his room as Uchiha Cheng and Naruto were blocked from visiting him.
• Uchiha Cheng and Naruto tried repeatedly to get past the guards, but every attempt failed.
• Kakashi-sensei arrived and told Uchiha Cheng he had found him a teacher named Ebisu.
• Uchiha Cheng reacted with dismay to Ebisu’s name, while Naruto praised the supposed opportunity.

Uchiha Cheng reluctantly agreed to train under Ebisu, but arranged a challenge so he could earn Kakashi's guidance by defeating him. Jiraiya defeated Ebisu, yet refused Cheng's request to become his student.

• Naruto urged Uchiha Cheng to accept Ebisu as his personal coach, and Cheng agreed for Kakashi's sake while making clear he disliked Ebisu.
• Ebisu proposed that Kakashi would guide Cheng if Cheng could escape his grasp, and Cheng resolved to train hard and defeat him.
• Jiraiya appeared, and Cheng persuaded him to fight Ebisu by claiming Ebisu had boasted that no one could match him.
• Jiraiya knocked Ebisu unconscious, and Uchiha Cheng immediately asked Jiraiya to train him.
• Jiraiya refused to take Cheng as a disciple, saying he preferred women to men.

Uchiha Cheng tried to recruit Jiraiya as his mentor and persuaded Naruto to use the Seduction Technique to win him over. When Naruto spotted Jiraiya watching women at the river, Uchiha Cheng urged Naruto to act, leaving Naruto uneasy.

• Jiraiya refused Uchiha Cheng's request to become his disciple, so Uchiha Cheng asked Naruto to help persuade him.
• Naruto agreed to use the Seduction Technique, and the next morning he visited Uchiha Cheng with news of something strange he had seen.
• Naruto told Uchiha Cheng that Jiraiya was watching women playing in the river and drooling.
• Uchiha Cheng took Naruto to the river and encouraged him to use the Seduction Technique on Jiraiya, but Naruto felt uncomfortable being pushed forward.

Jiraiya agreed to train Uchiha Cheng and Naruto, preparing tailored methods and offering Uchiha Cheng his Summoning Technique. Sakura and Ino went to visit Sasuke, only to learn he had already left the hospital to train with Kakashi.

• Minato Namikaze asked Uchiha Cheng to protect him if Jiraiya did anything improper, but Jiraiya readily agreed to take him and Naruto as disciples.
• Jiraiya told Uchiha Cheng and Naruto that he had prepared training methods suited to their Chakra traits and would teach them everything he knew.
• Jiraiya planned to take Uchiha Cheng and Naruto to train in the deep mountains and offered to teach Uchiha Cheng his Summoning Technique.
• Sakura and Ino bought flowers and went to visit Sasuke, but found that he had left the hospital.
• Sakura and Ino asked Uchiha Cheng about Sasuke, and he explained that Sasuke had gone to train with Kakashi after secretly leaving the ward.

Uchiha Cheng struggled to improve at the Summoning Technique, so Naruto and Jiraiya tried to build his confidence by arranging things he enjoyed. After a hot-spring visit and plans to eat ramen, Jiraiya urged Naruto to hug Sakura.

• Sakura and Ino visited Rock Lee, found him doing push-ups in the courtyard, and quietly watched him train.
• Uchiha Cheng and Naruto continued their grueling training, but Jiraiya noticed Cheng had made no progress with the Summoning Technique.
• Naruto concluded that Cheng’s lack of confidence was holding him back and persuaded Jiraiya to improve Cheng’s mood.
• Jiraiya took Uchiha Cheng and Naruto to soak in hot springs, and Cheng happily agreed to eat ramen afterward.
• Jiraiya told Naruto to go hug Sakura, but Naruto said he could not do it.

Jiraiya pushed Naruto and Uchiha Cheng off a cliff to force them to unleash their power, and Uchiha Cheng summoned a Great Toad while falling. The Great Toad mocked Uchiha Cheng, but after their quarrel and a failed sneak attack, it realized Uchiha Cheng was stronger.

• Jiraiya pushed Naruto and Uchiha Cheng off the cliff, forcing them into mortal danger.
• Uchiha Cheng released his Chakra and summoned a Great Toad, which was astonished to have been summoned by him.
• The Great Toad mocked Uchiha Cheng, and Naruto joined in before reassuring him.
• Uchiha Cheng insisted the Great Toad was his summon and warned it not to challenge him.
• The Great Toad secretly attacked Uchiha Cheng, but Uchiha Cheng knocked it down, leaving it to recognize that it was no match for him.