Recaps

Kitahara Kaede stopped Gaara’s rampage and the Chunin Exams’ battles revealed Gaara’s growth as Kazekage before Akatsuki captured him. As Kaede’s diary exposed the Hyuga Clan’s Ōtsutsuki ancestry and the Byakugan’s evolution, Neji gained hope while readers learned Otsutsuki Toneri intended to destroy the Earth Shinobi World.

• Kitahara Kaede subdued Shukaku inside Gaara’s Mental World, and the Third Hokage later appointed him to examine the third round of the Chunin Exams.
• Kimimaro Kaguya fought Rock Lee and Gaara, then died when his Kekkei Genkai Disease flared up during their battle.
• Deidara attacked Sunagakure, and Gaara protected the village with a massive sand shield before Deidara captured him.
• Kitahara Kaede prepared to use Impure World Reincarnation and continued training as Hyuga Keiko defeated Hyuga Neji with the Inch Punch.
• Hyuga Neji read Kitahara Kaede’s diary and learned about the Hyuga Clan’s Ōtsutsuki ancestry, the Tenseigan, and his own death in the future’s fragments.
• Minato Namikaze and other readers speculated about the Hyuga Clan’s history and the Caged Bird seal as Neji saw the Tenseigan and hoped the Byakugan could evolve.
• Kitahara Kaede’s diary revealed that Otsutsuki Toneri planned to destroy the Earth Shinobi World, leading readers to fear the moon’s approach could cause a world-ending collision.

Naruto defeated Toneri and persuaded him to protect Earth, while the Chunin Exams began and Orochimaru placed a Cursed Seal on Sasuke before Kitahara Kaede drove him away. A later vision showed Sasuke’s battle with Deidara ending in a massive explosion, though Sasuke escaped badly wounded.

• Toneri abducted Hanabi and Hinata, then attacked Earth with the moon, but Naruto defeated him and restored Hanabi’s eyes while Toneri chose to guard Earth.
• The group discussed the Ōtsutsuki Clan’s dwindling numbers and speculated that Hagoromo and Hamura might still be alive through Karma.
• Pain ordered Kakuzu and Hidan to seek a chance to capture a Jinchuriki during the Chunin Exams, while the candidates learned of Kitahara Kaede’s reputation.
• The Third Hokage sent Kitahara Kaede and other ninja to search the Forest of Death for Orochimaru, who was disguised as a Kusagakure shinobi.
• Orochimaru placed a Cursed Seal on Sasuke and offered him power, but Kitahara Kaede fought him, forced him to flee, and suppressed Anko’s Cursed Seal.
• A vision showed Sasuke fighting Deidara, escaping his explosive techniques with Lightning Release and Genjutsu before Deidara detonated himself.
• Sasuke escaped Deidara’s ten-kilometer blast with space-time ninjutsu, but told Suigetsu that he had been badly wounded.

The Chunin Exams advanced toward their final matches as the diary revealed future events involving Neji, Sasuke, and Orochimaru. A video of Sasuke attacking the Five Kage Summit exposed Danzō’s crimes and Obito Uchiha’s plan to gather the Tailed Beasts and revive the Ten-Tails.

• Kitahara Kaede oversaw the preliminary Chunin Exam fights as Second Pillar defeated Akado Yoroi, Neji defeated Hinata, and Gaara defeated Rock Lee, while Kakashi sealed Second Pillar’s Cursed Seal and confronted Orochimaru.
• Neji read the Diary’s prediction that he would die protecting Hinata, but rejected the future after recalling his father’s death for the Main Family.
• The Five Kage gathered to discuss Akatsuki, its capture of Jinchuriki, and the villages’ past use of the group, then agreed to form the Allied Shinobi Forces against Uchiha Madara.
• Ao exposed Shimura Danzō’s stolen Sharingan and use of Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami, while White Zetsu revealed Sasuke’s presence at the summit.
• Sasuke and Team Taka fought the Raikage and his guards, and Sasuke battled the Kage before escaping with Karin after Obito Uchiha took them into the Kamui Dimension.
• Obito Uchiha revealed his Eye of the Moon Plan and said he had sent Sasuke against the Five Kage to strengthen his dojutsu and weaken them.
• Obito Uchiha explained that the Ten-Tails was formed from all nine Tailed Beasts, leading Jiraiya to understand Akatsuki’s goal as the observers questioned his account of the Sage of Six Paths.

Obito revealed his Infinite Tsukuyomi plan and declared war after the Five Kage rejected it, while Kitahara Kaede awakened a Mangekyō Sharingan and gained new power. The diary exposed Obito’s identity and his conflict with Konan, then began showing the Kannabi Bridge mission and the choices that shaped his bond with Kakashi.

• Obito Uchiha explained that he would become the Ten-Tails’ Jinchuriki and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi, but the Five Kage rejected his plan and he declared the Fourth Shinobi World War.
• Kitahara Kaede gained High-Quality Pure Yin Release Chakra, awakened a Mangekyō Sharingan with a Time-Stasis Room ability, and developed a powerful golden Susanoo.
• Obito Uchiha’s visit to Nohara Rin’s grave led Kitahara Kaede to suspect his presence, while Hatake Kakashi and others learned that Uchiha Tobi was Obito.
• The diary showed Obito meeting Kabuto and later confronting Konan, who fought to protect Nagato’s body and oppose Obito’s Eye of the Moon Plan.
• Konan used six hundred billion Exploding Tags against Obito, but he survived with Izanagi, killed her, and took Nagato’s body into the Kamui Dimension.
• Jiraiya vowed to teach Naruto so he could save Nagato and Konan, while Minato Namikaze planned to interfere with Uchiha Madara and Obito’s schemes and strengthen himself.
• The diary showed young Obito arriving late to the Kannabi Bridge mission, where Minato rescued Kakashi after he charged into battle with his unfinished Chidori.
• After Rin was captured, young Kakashi chose to continue the mission while Obito chose to rescue her, declaring that he would break the rules rather than abandon his companions.