Chapter Summaries

Bai Yue sent the young ninja teams into the Chunin Exam and escaped Might Guy’s emotional embrace with Flying Thunder God. Afterward, he stayed with Anko and Kakashi while the children found the real exam site, where Kabuto Yakushi made his entrance.

• Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino left for the exam hall after seeing Anko cling to Bai Yue, and Bai Yue sent Kiba, Shino, and Hinata in after them.
• Might Guy asked Bai Yue to make their disciples rivals, and Bai Yue agreed before teleporting away to avoid Guy’s tearful hug.
• Bai Yue urged Naruto, Sasuke, and the other children to hurry to the exam, then confirmed that Anko and Kurenai were both with him.
• Kakashi declined Bai Yue’s invitation to sit because he had patrol duty, while Might Guy waited for his students and agreed to go with Bai Yue and Anko.
• The Six Little Ones saw through the Genjutsu at the fake exam site and reached the real one, where Kabuto Yakushi appeared.

Bai Yue watched the first stage of the Chunin Exam and stopped a pursued spy from attacking him near the exam hall. After the Anbu arrived, Bai Yue identified her as Uzuki Yugao and sent Anko to her duties as chief examiner for the second stage.

• Kabuto Yakushi shared examinee information with Naruto, Rock Lee, Neji, and Sasuke, who asked about Gaara and Jonin.
• Bai Yue and Might Guy watched the exam hall while Bai Yue reassured Guy that his disciples could handle the first stage.
• A spy fleeing the Anbu attacked Bai Yue with Explosive Tags, but Bai Yue destroyed them and sealed the spy before the attack could disrupt the exam.
• An Anbu thanked Bai Yue, and Bai Yue recognized the female Anbu as Uzuki Yugao.
• Bai Yue teased Anko about her sweets and sent her off to carry out her duties as chief examiner for the second stage.

Bai Yue watched Orochimaru ambush Sasuke and Naruto in the Forest of Death, then arrived to protect them and Anko. He challenged Orochimaru to survive one strike, and his Sky God Strike carved a swath through the forest.

• Bai Yue stayed behind to monitor the Forest of Death while Might Guy trusted his students to handle the exam.
• Orochimaru, disguised as a Grass Shinobi, ambushed Sasuke and Naruto, but Anko arrived and recognized him.
• Bai Yue appeared, reassured Sakura that Sasuke and Naruto were fine, and blocked Anko from attacking Orochimaru.
• Bai Yue offered to let Orochimaru leave if he survived one move and warned him that he would use Sky God Strike.
• Bai Yue struck with Sky God Strike, cutting a small center part through the Forest of Death.

Bai Yue devastated Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, then left Sakura to protect the unconscious Sasuke and Naruto while he and Anko returned to Konoha. Orochimaru escaped, Anko went to report the invasion, and Bai Yue prepared to reward his disciples after hearing Hinata’s team had reached the Central Tower.

• Bai Yue struck Orochimaru with Sky God Strike, sealed Sasuke’s Curse Mark of Heaven, removed Naruto’s Five Elements Seal, and left Sakura to watch over them.
• Bai Yue took Anko away with Flying Thunder God after telling Sakura to keep his appearance secret; Sakura set traps around the unconscious Sasuke and Naruto.
• A tiny white snake escaped from Orochimaru’s remains, and the weakened Orochimaru hid underground while reflecting on Bai Yue’s strength and Konoha’s darkness.
• At home, Bai Yue told Anko to report Orochimaru’s invasion to the Hokage while concealing his role in defeating him.
• Hinata and her teammates reached the Central Tower on the first day, and Bai Yue greeted his disciples as he prepared to reward them.

Bai Yue reunited with his three disciples after they passed the Forest of Death trial, then intimidated Gaara’s instructor Baki when he objected to Bai Yue’s warning. Baki recognized Bai Yue as a threat greater than the One-Tail and worried that Sunagakure’s plan to attack Konoha would bring disaster.

• Bai Yue praised Kiba, Shino, and Hinata for reaching the Central Tower and invited them to eat barbecue.
• Bai Yue told his disciples to forfeit if they had to fight Gaara, prompting Baki to challenge him.
• Bai Yue pressured Baki into silence and left with his disciples, while Baki feared Bai Yue was more terrifying than the One-Tail.
• Baki warned Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara not to use lethal force against the Konoha trio, especially because Bai Yue might kill them.
• Baki decided to report Bai Yue to the Kazekage and worried that the Kazekage’s Konoha Collapse Plan would ruin Sunagakure.

Hiruzen Sarutobi decided the Chunin Exam would continue while Konoha searched for Orochimaru. Meanwhile, Temari approached Bai Yue for grilled meat, and her brothers’ tense relationship briefly eased when she coaxed Gaara into taking some.

• Anko reported Orochimaru’s return and his possible interest in Sasuke Uchiha, while concealing Bai Yue’s entry into the Forest of Death.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered the Chunin Exam to proceed and sent Anbu and Root to search for Orochimaru.
• Bai Yue grilled meat with Hinata, the two little ones, and Kiba Inuzuka while Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara watched nearby.
• Temari asked Bai Yue for grilled meat for her brothers, and he gave her a large bundle of skewers without charge.
• Temari offered Gaara a portion, and he accepted it after she placed it in his hand, causing his killing intent toward Kankuro to subside.

Bai Yue gave Gekko Hayate barbecue seasoning and warned Kiba Inuzuka not to judge people by appearances before returning to Kurenai Yuhi. The next morning, he prepared to visit the Central Tower, where the exhausted Ino-Shika-Cho team arrived and spotted him.

• Gekko Hayate introduced himself as the third-stage Chunin Exam examiner and asked Bai Yue for barbecue seasoning, which Bai Yue gave him.
• Bai Yue rebuked Kiba Inuzuka for calling Hayate unbelievable and reminded him not to judge people by appearances.
• Bai Yue left the Central Tower and spent the night with Kurenai Yuhi.
• The next morning, Kurenai prepared breakfast and packed lunch for Hinata and the others as Bai Yue planned to return to the Central Tower.
• The Ino-Shika-Cho team reached the Central Tower after evading pursuers, and Shikamaru spotted Bai Yue there.

Bai Yue checked on the young ninja teams after their trial, then left to wander the streets and amuse himself by teasing the Nine-Tails. The Nine-Tails asked to have its consciousness transferred into a body, and the pair set off on another street adventure.

• Bai Yue invited Team Ten and the other young ninjas to rest and share what they had learned from the trial.
• Kiba Inuzuka asked whether the Sand Ninja carrying a gourd was the strongest, and Bai Yue smacked him for boasting about someone else's strength.
• Bai Yue left the group after reminding the young ninjas not to slack off and rubbing Hinata's head.
• Bai Yue joked with the Nine-Tails about Konohamaru and Naruto as he wandered through the streets.
• Bai Yue transferred the Nine-Tails's consciousness into a body, and the pair embarked on another street-wrecking adventure.

Bai Yue watched Sasuke face Dosu Zaku in the Chunin Exam finals, while remembering Karin Uzumaki and considering capturing Dosu Zaku for study. Sasuke won after using Bai Yue’s Exploding Palm, leaving him eager to learn more of Bai Yue’s techniques.

• Bai Yue noticed a Grass Shinobi and remembered Karin Uzumaki, whom he hoped to bring back to Kushina.
• Dosu Zaku overwhelmed Sasuke with sound-based Ninjutsu, while Sasuke’s sealed Curse Mark remained inactive.
• Sasuke ruptured his damaged eardrums, awakened his Double Tomoe Sharingan, and dodged Dosu Zaku’s attacks.
• Sasuke struck Dosu Zaku with Exploding Palm, mangling his arm and astonishing himself with the technique’s power.
• Dosu Zaku surrendered, and Xu Nan declared Sasuke the winner before announcing Shino Aburame versus Zaku Abumi.
• Sasuke ignored Naruto’s congratulations and looked to Bai Yue, wondering what his stronger techniques could do.

Bai Yue encouraged Hinata to fight Akado Yoroi without holding back, and she won with a decisive display of strength. The next match was set to be Naruto versus Neji.

• Sasuke asked Bai Yue to teach him, and Bai Yue told him to apologize to Kakashi and call him Brother.
• Bai Yue arranged for Team 7 and Team 8 to operate together while the matches continued.
• Bai Yue healed Tenten, then urged Hinata to show her abilities.
• Hinata used Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists to defeat Akado Yoroi, who was secretly a spy for Orochimaru.
• Xu Nan announced Naruto versus Neji as the next match.

Naruto used Shadow Clones and clever transformations to keep Neji guessing, while Neji responded with a modified Rotation that cleared the arena. Neji then found Naruto’s real body and launched Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

• Naruto opened the fight by summoning more than a hundred Shadow Clones, but Neji quickly destroyed dozens with Gentle Fist strikes.
• Neji mistook a transformed Shadow Clone for Naruto’s real body and struck it with Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
• Naruto revealed that his Shadow Clones could withstand multiple hits, and Neji continued fighting the clones without finding the real Naruto.
• Bai Yue explained Naruto’s Shadow Clone tactics to Might Guy and discussed teaching Sasuke and Sakura the ordinary Shadow Clone technique.
• Neji unleashed Bai Yue’s modified Revolving Heaven: Torrent, scattering the remaining Shadow Clones and exposing Naruto’s real body.
• Neji struck Naruto several times and prepared to hit him with Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

Naruto awakened his one-tail Tailed Beast transformation during his fight with Neji, recovering from Neji’s strikes and breaking through his sealed Chakra points. Neji answered with Twin Lion Fists: Thunderclap, and their clash left the onlookers stunned as the battle continued.

• Neji knocked Naruto down with Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, but Naruto repeatedly stood back up and refused to admit defeat.
• Nine-Tails spoke to Naruto about his father, distracting him long enough for Neji to land another barrage of punches.
• Naruto’s red-and-black Chakra emerged, alarming the gathered ninja, while Bai Yue argued with the Yang Nine-Tails about its sudden appearance.
• Naruto retained his reason in the one-tail transformation, recovered rapidly, and scattered the Chakra Neji had sealed inside him.
• Neji launched Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists: Thunderclap, and he and Naruto met in a fierce Taijutsu clash as Sasuke watched with growing ambition.

Naruto drew on more of the Nine-Tails’ chakra during his fight with Neji, shocking Kakashi as he transformed into a seven-tailed form while remaining conscious. Neji unleashed his Lightning Beast Rampage but surrendered, and Naruto won the match as the Tailed Beast Shroud faded away.

• Orochimaru watched Baiyue and Neji’s fight and reconsidered his plans after Baiyue noticed him.
• Naruto asked the Nine-Tails for more chakra, and his transformation advanced to five tails as he struck Neji.
• Kakashi urged Baiyue to stop the match, but Baiyue and Might Guy chose to watch Neji’s limits while Xu Nan waited for orders.
• Neji used Lightning Beast Rampage to detonate two Chakra lions, but Naruto emerged with seven tails.
• Neji surrendered, Gekko Hayate declared Naruto the winner, and Naruto’s Tailed Beast Shroud disappeared.

Naruto defeated Neji, and Bai Yue advised him to move forward freely rather than worry about the Nine-Tails’ power. The next match began as Sakura faced Ino.

• Neji blamed his loss on underestimating Naruto, then returned to the stands and apologized to Bai Yue and Guy.
• Temari and Kankuro feared Naruto’s strength, while Gaara vowed to kill him and Kin despaired at the competitors’ power.
• Guy hugged Neji until he passed out, while Naruto celebrated his victory and boasted to Sasuke.
• Kakashi warned Naruto about the Nine-Tails, but Bai Yue cut him off and told Naruto not to wear himself down from within.
• Brother Xu announced Shikamaru’s victory and called Sakura and Ino to the arena for their match.

Ino and Sakura made up after Ino said she no longer liked Sasuke, then Rock Lee fought Gaara in the Chunin Exam. Lee’s speed overwhelmed Gaara’s sand defense, but Gaara countered his Front Lotus, and Lee opened the Eight Gates as Bai Yue explained the technique’s power and deadly final cost.

• Ino told Sakura she no longer liked Sasuke, and the two made up while Gekko Hayate declared their match a double elimination.
• Gaara and Rock Lee began their match, and Lee removed his leg weights to attack faster than Gaara’s sand could fully defend.
• Rock Lee struck Gaara and then attempted the Front Lotus, but Gaara turned into sand and struck Lee with a giant sand palm.
• Might Guy revealed that he had taught Rock Lee the first six gates, and Lee began opening the Eight Gates.
• Bai Yue explained that the Eight Gates could let a Genin fight a Kage-level opponent, but opening the eighth gate meant death, prompting Sasuke’s interest.

Rock Lee lost to Gaara after opening the Five Gates, and Bai Yue treated his devastating injuries while the next preliminary match began. Kiba defeated Choji, leaving nine contestants to advance, as Bai Yue asked Might Guy to answer a question before formally treating Rock Lee.

• Rock Lee used the Reverse Lotus on Gaara, but Gaara survived and crushed Rock Lee’s arm and leg with Sand Binding Burial before Might Guy rescued his disciple.
• Bai Yue sealed Rock Lee’s injuries with Chakra Needles and told Might Guy he could restore him, but required an honest answer before treatment.
• Kiba Inuzuka and Choji Akimichi fought after Asuma promised Choji barbecue, and Kiba won.
• Gaara, Naruto, Sasuke, Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata, Temari, Kankuro, and Shikamaru advanced.
• Bai Yue sent the others to the Hot Pot Restaurant and asked Might Guy to answer a question honestly before treating Rock Lee.

Bai Yue treated Rock Lee’s severe injuries with his Byakugan and a Golden Light Orb, healing him in less than a minute. He left with Lee to rejoin the others, while Might Guy stayed behind to keep watch.

• Bai Yue teased Might Guy about whether Rock Lee was his child, and Guy insisted he was still a virgin.
• Bai Yue warned that delays could worsen Lee’s aftereffects, so Might Guy laid him down and ran off to guard the area.
• Bai Yue used his Byakugan and a Golden Light Orb to heal Rock Lee’s injuries, and Lee stood up fully recovered.
• Bai Yue took Lee back to the group, where Kakashi marveled at the speed of the treatment and Bai Yue described his harsh training methods.
• Bai Yue claimed that his disciples could train more leisurely if they had even half his talent, leaving Kakashi speechless.

Naruto asked Bai Yue about his strength, but Bai Yue kept it secret and treated the group to an extravagant hot pot meal. Later, as the six young ninjas struggled through training, Bai Yue decided to teach them more powerful techniques ahead of a battle in a month.

• Naruto asked Bai Yue how strong he was, but Bai Yue only said they might find out in the future.
• Bai Yue took the group to a hot pot restaurant, ordered ten servings of every ingredient, and later welcomed Might Guy when he arrived to check on Rock Lee.
• Bai Yue resumed training the Six Little Ones by the Naka River, leaving Naruto and the others exhausted.
• Naruto asked Bai Yue to teach him a powerful technique, and Bai Yue agreed that the group needed to improve their offensive power before the battle a month later.
• Bai Yue told Kakashi to teach Sasuke Chidori, then summoned Shadow Clones to teach suitable techniques to the others.

Bai Yue directed Naruto toward Jiraiya to learn a technique suited to him, then began assessing Sakura’s abilities and outlining her training options. He told Sakura she was a genius and especially suited to Medical Ninjutsu, but had not yet explained her second path.

• Bai Yue stopped his Shadow Clone from teaching Sakura and sent it off with Shino while he kept Sakura for himself.
• Bai Yue told Naruto that he could not yet teach him Lightning Beast Rampage and sent him to the Konoha Hot Spring to find Jiraiya.
• Bai Yue promised Naruto that Jiraiya would teach him and said he would teach Naruto himself if Jiraiya refused.
• Bai Yue assessed Sakura’s lack of a special bloodline and said her strong Chakra control suited her to becoming a Medical Ninja.
• Bai Yue called Sakura a genius, and Sakura focused on the praise rather than the rest of his explanation.

Bai Yue encouraged Sakura to pursue greater strength through her dual personality and showed Sasuke several Chidori variations while emphasizing combat wisdom. At the hot springs, Naruto attacked Jiraiya, was mistaken for the peeping culprit, and was beaten before the furious women emerged.

• Bai Yue told Sakura she could catch up to Naruto and Sasuke, then offered to strengthen or erase her second personality.
• Bai Yue's Shadow Clones taught Kiba and Shino while another demonstrated Chidori variations to Sasuke and Kakashi.
• Bai Yue's advice led Sasuke to begin training in Chidori and its fundamentals.
• Naruto found Jiraiya peeping over the hot-springs wall and sent him flying with Thousand Years of Death.
• Jiraiya kicked Naruto into the women's bath, where the women beat him before he ran out and charged at Jiraiya.
• Jiraiya beat Naruto until the furious women rushed out of the bathhouse.