Chapter Summaries

Sasuke fought Orochimaru, who drew his blood and marked him with a curse before escaping. Elsewhere, Gaara, Toneri, and Suigetsu joined Karin and Fū, then prepared to defend Karin when Orochimaru came for her.

• Sasuke attacked Orochimaru with a rapid combination of strikes and a Great Fireball, but Orochimaru shed a charred body and summoned a flood of snakes.
• The snakes engulfed Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto; Orochimaru drew Sasuke’s blood and inflicted a three-mark curse on his shoulder before fleeing.
• Anko and two other Konoha ninjas arrived, and Naruto escaped the python that had swallowed him by bursting it with shadow clones.
• In the Death Forest, Karin and Ryūshū encountered Gaara, Suigetsu, and Toneri, then joined them on the way to their rendezvous point.
• Karin’s group met Fū’s Hidden Waterfall Village team, and Fū revealed she had already given up her Earth Scroll.
• Orochimaru appeared and demanded Karin, but Fū, Suigetsu, Toneri, and Gaara stood in his way and prepared to fight.

Orochimaru attacked Karin, but Suigetsu, Gaara, and Toneri fought to protect her while Ryūshū helped her evade his grasp. Suigetsu transformed into a giant Water Giant and unleashed a barrage at Orochimaru, who escaped before Mitaraishi Anko and the others arrived.

• Orochimaru attacked the group, and Gaara, Suigetsu, and Toneri joined forces to defend Karin.
• Orochimaru evaded their attacks and tried to seize Karin, but Ryūshū pulled her away and Suigetsu cut apart the snakes pursuing her.
• Orochimaru kicked Suigetsu into the lake and knocked Toneri back, while Karin offered Toneri her healing ability.
• Orochimaru noticed Konoha's forces approaching and tried to leave, but Suigetsu rose from the lake as a giant Water Giant and fired a barrage of water bullets at him.
• Mitaraishi Anko and the others arrived, found Orochimaru gone, and stared in shock at Suigetsu's Water Giant.

After Orochimaru attacked Saga Uchiha and Karin Uzumaki in the Death Forest, Konoha and the other villages heightened security while the Navy sheltered Karin and Ryūshū. At the Hyuga compound, Hyuga Hiashi worried about Otsutsuki Toneri’s arrival and the Otsutsuki Clan’s history with the Hyuga Clan.

• Mitaraishi Anko learned that Orochimaru had targeted Karin, and Karin was bitten by a small snake as the group prepared to leave the Death Forest.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Uchiha Fugaku discussed Sasuke’s sealed Cursed Seal and ordered heightened security for the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Akatsuchi and Kitsuchi warned the Iwagakure participants to stay alert after Orochimaru’s appearance.
• Kakarot praised Gaara and his companions for protecting Karin and Ryūshū, then promised the Navy would shelter them.
• Hyuga Hiashi decided to contact Uchiha Yuan about Otsutsuki Toneri, while Hinata told Neji that Toneri could use the Vacuum Palm.

The third Chunin Exam began, and Gaara faced Rock Lee in the arena. Rock Lee removed his weights and unleashed his speed, sending Gaara flying with a powerful knee strike.

• Temari gave Gaara a box of his favorite treats, and he reassured her that they were delicious.
• Sasuke defeated Akado Yoroi while Toneri, Gaara, and the others watched the opening match.
• Gaara and Rock Lee began their match, but Gaara's sand blocked Lee's rapid attacks.
• Rock Lee removed his heavy training weights and declared that hard work had made him a genius.
• Rock Lee moved too quickly for Gaara to follow and struck him in the chest, sending him flying.