Recaps

The Akatsuki’s assault on Konoha forced Shinji to reveal his strength as he defeated Raiga Kurosuki and drove Hiruko away. The attack left the villages with missing Jinchuriki and led Hiruko to begin transforming Ranmaru into a weapon against Shinji.

• The Five Kage challenged Konoha over its ties to Akatsuki, and Tsunade agreed to fund half the Allied Shinobi Forces’ expenses and share Konoha’s intelligence.
• Hiruko, Shinnō, Scorpion, and Moryo attacked Konoha, while Sasuke chose to help defend Naruto and Neji fought Shinnō to protect Hiashi.
• Hiruko trapped Kakashi in a genjutsu and later used Susanoo against Naruto, Sasuke, Yakumo, and Kakashi, while Shinji entered the battle to aid them.
• Shinji defeated Raiga Kurosuki and shattered Hiruko’s Susanoo, but let Hiruko escape with Ranmaru.
• Konoha mourned its dead, the Five Kage learned that Utakata was missing, and Shinji declined an ANBU promotion while accepting greater access to Konoha’s archives.
• Hiruko took Ranmaru into his laboratory and implanted a Demon Seed, secretly using Aya to absorb Ranmaru’s hatred and nourish his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Shinji advanced his plans for the Rinnegan and oversaw the awakening of the Tenseigan in Neji and Kimimaro, while the Five Great Shinobi Villages prepared a major Chunin Exam as Akatsuki threats mounted. Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo joined Kusagakure’s delegation, but Orochimaru infiltrated it, and Sasuke confronted Darui in Konoha.

• Shinji removed the Rinnegan and Red Dragon Eyes from Susanoo, allowing his Yin and Yang Release Chakra to begin merging as he pursued the Rinnegan.
• Shinji trained Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo, discovered Chiyo’s Ketsuryūgan could detonate blood, and graduated both into Breaking Dawn as J and K.
• H awakened the Tenseigan through Neji and Kimimaro’s Fusion State, but the unstable eyes went dormant when the two separated.
• The Five Kage arranged for underage Jinchuriki to gather in Konoha and established an unusually large Chunin Exam, while villages prepared their candidates.
• Orochimaru sent the Sound Four to the exam, and Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo joined Kusagakure’s delegation after killing a camp of rogue ninja.
• Orochimaru killed a Kusagakure Genin and disguised himself as Shinji Kotera, but Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo sensed the imposture.
• Kakashi warned Sasuke to conserve his remaining Dojutsu, and Sasuke challenged Darui after learning Darui had defeated Naruto.

As rival villages’ fighters repeatedly challenged Konoha’s weakened young ninja, Shinji refused to enter the exams on the village’s terms. After the Third accepted Shinji’s demands, Shinji defeated the Sound Ninja and stopped Kidomaru, leaving the challengers subdued before the exams.

• Sasuke challenged Darui after Darui refused to apologize to Naruto, but Gaara intervened when Darui nearly struck Sasuke down.
• Shinji refused Kakashi’s invitation to enter the exams, while an impostor using Shinji Kotera’s name provoked Sasuke and Shinji Kotera defeated him and several Konoha ninja.
• Shinji rejected the Third’s offer of an ANBU captaincy without the right to choose his subordinates, then sent Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo to challenge Konoha’s exam participants.
• Chiyo defeated Kiba, Shino, Choji, Hinata, and finally Yakumo, while Shinji secretly replenished Chiyo’s chakra and Konoha’s leaders worried about the village’s reputation.
• Shinji knocked out Zaku, Kidō Maru, and Dosu, then concluded that Konoha had few available fighters as the Sound Ninja prepared to provoke another challenge.
• Kidomaru challenged Konoha at the hospital, and Naruto accepted before battling him in the woods as the Third agreed to Shinji’s demands.
• Shinji defeated Sakon Ukon, Tayuya, and Jirobo, then rescued Naruto from Kidomaru and knocked Kidomaru unconscious.
• Shinji returned Kidomaru to the Sound Ninja and warned them not to challenge anyone before the exams, and they agreed.

Akatsuki launched its operation while the Chunin Ninja Exams proceeded as a trap for the organization. In the Forest of Death, Orochimaru revealed himself and summoned the First and Second Hokage, leaving Shinji and the others trapped inside Haku’s shelter as the First Hokage’s forest closed in.

• Ranmaru completed his fusion ritual, joined Akatsuki under Deva Path’s direction, and learned the organization planned to exploit the Five Great Shinobi Villages’ response to a suspected Jinchuriki in the Land of Demons.
• The Five Kage secretly sent an elite force toward the Land of Demons while Akatsuki mobilized, and Shinji noticed that clones of the Kage remained in Konoha as the Chunin Ninja Exams began.
• Shinji, Haku, and Karin entered the Forest of Death, where Sasuke fought the Sound Four and Orochimaru’s disguised Shinji Kotera attacked Kurotsuchi and searched for Sasuke.
• Sasuke activated his Cursed Seal and fought the Sound Four, while Shinji secretly extracted some of Sasuke’s Cursed Seal Chakra and began studying its Natural Energy.
• Orochimaru confronted Sasuke in disguise, but Shinji stopped their fight and took on Orochimaru himself as Kakashi’s squad and other exam teams watched.
• Orochimaru summoned the First and Second Hokage with Impure World Reincarnation, and Shinji fought them as the Second Hokage trapped Darui and Ringo Ameyuri in darkness.
• Shinji saved Darui and Ringo Ameyuri, but Orochimaru used the First Hokage’s Wood Release to drive Kakashi’s group back and pursue Naruto and Sasuke.
• Haku shielded Naruto, Sasuke, Shinji, Ryūsetsuna, Chiyo, and the others inside a hollow ice structure as the First Hokage’s forest tightened around them and cracks formed.