Chapter Summaries

Sasuke experimented with Hero’s Water and Yamato’s cells while considering a plan to create an artificial Ten-Tails. At a Team 7 gathering, Kakashi gave Sasuke a Sharingan training scroll and revealed that his Mangekyō had awakened long ago, leaving Sasuke to reassure him that he would never seek power by destroying what he valued.

• Sasuke connected Hoshigakure’s Meteorite to Yin Release and decided to investigate it as part of a possible Artificial Ten-Tails Plan.
• Sasuke tested Hero’s Water with Yamato’s cells and observed the cells violently devour the water.
• Sasuke attended Team 7’s gathering, where Kakashi praised the team and announced the coming Chunin Exams.
• Kakashi privately gave Sasuke a scroll of Sharingan insights and revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Sasuke explained that Kakashi’s Mangekyō had likely awakened through grief and promised he would never destroy what mattered to gain power.

Sasuke sensed Shimura Danzō watching him and used a Shadow Clone to avoid being exposed to Kotoamatsukami. Danzō approached the clone and offered to help him grow stronger, but Sasuke refused, leaving him with a plan to kill Danzō now that he had seen him clearly.

• Sasuke sensed Danzō observing him and replaced himself with a Shadow Clone inside a clothing store.
• The Shadow Clone met Danzō on the way to the Uchiha Clan Compound and challenged his claims of goodwill toward the Uchiha.
• Danzō said he knew Sasuke had encountered Uchiha Itachi and offered to help him become stronger if he joined his ranks.
• The Shadow Clone refused Danzō’s offer, saying changes to his duties had to follow the Third Hokage’s decision.
• After Danzō left, the Shadow Clone realized that seeing Danzō’s face and build gave Sasuke the beginnings of a plan to kill him.

Naruto intervened when disguised proctors Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane attacked Rock Lee, then demonstrated his Taijutsu and argued with Hyuga Neji about the strengths of different styles. The encounter ended with Naruto challenging Rock Lee over why he had tolerated insults against Taijutsu.

• Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura spotted a crowd on the second floor and realized the proctors had misled other exam candidates with Genjutsu.
• Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane knocked Rock Lee down and mocked his inability to use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu.
• Naruto caught Izumo’s punch and struck his arms, leaving them numb and forcing Izumo and Kotetsu to withdraw.
• Naruto explained to Hyuga Neji and Rock Lee that Strong Fist could strike acupuncture points, while Neji maintained that Gentle Fist used that skill best.
• Naruto observed Rock Lee’s hands and bandages, then asked why he had let the proctors insult Taijutsu.

Rock Lee challenged Sasuke after Naruto urged him to face opponents without hiding his strength, but Sasuke's blunt words briefly shook Lee before he regained his resolve. As Team 7 headed to the Chunin Exam, Sasuke explained that Lee's team trained under Might Guy and gave Guy the nickname “One-for-One” to match Kakashi's “Fifty-Fifty.”

• Naruto told Rock Lee that a Taijutsu ninja should face opponents boldly instead of concealing his strength, and Lee took the advice to heart.
• Rock Lee introduced himself to Naruto and challenged Sasuke, claiming he was Konoha's strongest genin and could prove hard work surpassed talent.
• Sasuke said talented people worked hard too, leaving Rock Lee dejected until Lee decided he would simply work a hundred or a thousand times harder.
• Rock Lee planned to run one hundred laps as punishment, but Tenten stopped him and Neji urged the team to continue to the Chunin Exams.
• On the way to the first exam, Sasuke told Naruto and Sakura that Rock Lee, Tenten, and Neji were Might Guy's students and called Guy “One-for-One” to match Kakashi's “Fifty-Fifty.”

Team 7 reunited with their classmates as the Chunin Exams began, and Sakura quickly finished the written test, only to notice Naruto struggling with it. The chapter left the first exam underway, with Sakura realizing the questions were not easy for everyone.

• Sakura and Ino traded insults while Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru’s teams gathered in the examination room.
• Inuzuka Kiba challenged Naruto and warned Team 7 not to underestimate the other examinees.
• Sakura watched the Rain Ninja and wondered whether they were connected to the enemies who had attacked before.
• Sasuke exchanged greetings with Yakushi Kabuto, checked the Kusagakure group for Orochimaru, and noticed a red-haired girl with glasses.
• Morino Ibiki announced himself as the proctor and began explaining the written exam rules.
• Sakura finished the test in under ten minutes, then saw Naruto sweating over his unanswered paper and froze in disbelief.

Naruto struggled with the written exam until Sakura secretly helped him through a Water Doll, and the examinees then headed to the Forest of Death. Sasuke recognized Orochimaru in disguise and planned to let him become a target for a later hunt.

• Naruto failed to solve the exam questions and refused Hinata’s offer to show him her answers, believing it was a trick.
• Sakura sent a Water Doll to guide Naruto’s pen as it filled in his test paper.
• Mitarashi Anko led the examinees to the Forest of Death as evening approached.
• Orochimaru, disguised as a Kusagakure genin, watched Sasuke and coveted him.
• Sasuke recognized Orochimaru and planned to wait until he was weakened before killing him and taking his research and resources.
• Sasuke entered the Forest of Death with Sakura and Naruto while considering their contest a matter of who would be prey and who would be hunter.

Team 7 encountered Rain Ninja and then faced a dangerous Kusagakure ninja who revealed himself to be Orochimaru. The chapter ended as Orochimaru challenged them to take his Earth Scroll by fighting for their lives.

• Sasuke returned to Naruto and Sakura after rescuing Karin, and Team 7 stopped by the river to prepare food.
• Three Rain Ninja spotted Team 7, but their captain recognized them and ordered his squad to retreat.
• Sakura sensed danger as the forest fell silent, and a giant snake burst from the ground to attack Team 7.
• Sasuke killed the snake with Futsu-no-Mitama and lightning, while a Kusagakure ninja appeared and praised him as Second Pillar.
• Orochimaru revealed he held the Earth Scroll, swallowed it, and unleashed his killing intent as he challenged Team 7.

Orochimaru attacked Team 7 during the Chunin Exams, testing Sasuke while Naruto and Sakura fought back. As Orochimaru prepared to strike Naruto, Sakura launched a powerful Water Dragon Bullet and Sasuke trapped Orochimaru with his newly revealed Three Tomoe Sharingan.

• Orochimaru sensed Sakura and Naruto's resilience and attacked Naruto with venomous snakes, but Sakura severed the snakes' heads with a shuriken.
• Sakura identified Orochimaru and questioned his infiltration of the Chunin Exams, while he rushed toward her and Sasuke.
• Naruto intercepted Orochimaru, knocked him into a crater, and then dodged the Kusanagi Sword after Orochimaru escaped using a mud clone.
• Orochimaru dismissed Naruto's Taijutsu and prepared to deliver a killing blow as Naruto readied the Konoha Dragon God.
• Sakura sent a powerful Water Dragon Bullet at Orochimaru, and Sasuke immobilized him with his revealed Three Tomoe Sharingan.

Sasuke and Sakura caught Orochimaru off guard with Genjutsu and a Water Dragon Bullet, but he emerged largely unharmed and turned his attention to Naruto and Sakura. Naruto attacked with Shadow Clones and Konoha Dragon God, while Orochimaru blocked the assault and spotted the technique’s weakness.

• Sasuke briefly trapped Orochimaru with Shackling Stakes, giving Sakura’s Water Dragon Bullet time to strike him.
• Orochimaru emerged from the water with his face split open, revealed his true appearance, and said Sasuke’s Genjutsu excited him.
• Orochimaru dismissed Naruto and Sakura as targets he would deal with first, angering Naruto.
• Naruto summoned nearly a hundred Shadow Clones and sent them at Orochimaru with Konoha Multiple Great Whirlwind.
• Orochimaru summoned Rashomon to block Naruto’s attack, but Naruto transformed the slowing hurricane into a wind dragon that smashed through the gate.
• Orochimaru extended a sword toward the wind dragon’s eye after noticing the opening Naruto had not yet perfected.

Sasuke intervened to save Naruto and fought Orochimaru, who used sound-based techniques to immobilize him and trap him in a genjutsu. Orochimaru then stretched his neck toward Sasuke’s shoulder to bite him.

• Orochimaru pierced the Wind Dragon’s eye and sent his blade toward Naruto, but Sasuke appeared and attacked him with a lightning-wreathed sword.
• Orochimaru fought Sasuke with his Kusanagi Sword and Wind Release, relying on his combat experience and snake-like sensory abilities to counter Sasuke’s Sharingan.
• Sakura held back from joining the fight because Sasuke and Orochimaru were moving too quickly for her Water Severing Wave to hit safely, while Naruto urged her to act.
• Orochimaru struck his sword to unleash Sound Resonance Piercing, slowing Sasuke’s movements, then trapped him with the sound-based genjutsu Psychedelic Sound Chains.
• Orochimaru stretched his neck toward Sasuke and opened his mouth to bite his shoulder.

Sasuke countered Orochimaru’s attack with Lightning Armor and a powerful lightning strike, but Orochimaru survived by shedding his charred body. Orochimaru tried to recruit Sasuke and praised Sakura’s talent before Naruto demanded to know why he was being ignored.

• Sasuke covered himself in Lightning Armor, paralyzed Orochimaru when he bit him, and struck him with a lightning chain.
• Naruto and Sakura joined Sasuke, who warned them to stay alert as Orochimaru’s charred body moved.
• Orochimaru emerged unharmed from his ruined body using the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique.
• Orochimaru praised Sasuke’s mastery of the Lightning Blade Technique and admitted he had come partly to recruit him.
• Sakura defended Sasuke and rejected Orochimaru’s offer, while Orochimaru said she was talented enough to have been his disciple.
• Naruto complained that Orochimaru was trying to tempt Sasuke and Sakura while ignoring him.

Team 7 escaped an encounter with Orochimaru, who later confronted his former student Anko and threatened Konoha if she canceled the Chunin Ninja Exams. As a weakened Anko struggled through the Forest of Death, a tiger attacked her, but Sasuke intervened and killed it with a sword.

• Orochimaru departed after testing Sasuke, and Team 7 continued through the Forest of Death.
• Anko arrived at the battlefield, recognized Orochimaru's traces, and pursued him.
• Orochimaru told Anko he had come because of Sasuke's talent, taunted her, and threatened Konoha if she canceled the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• After Orochimaru vanished, Anko tried to reach the Third Hokage but encountered a tiger while weakened by her Cursed Seal.
• Sasuke killed the tiger with a thrown longsword as it lunged at Anko.

Team 7 passed the second stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams in one day and waited for the other teams before entering the preliminaries. Orochimaru attended in disguise, and the chapter ended with Kakashi warning Team 7 about him as Naruto questioned Kakashi’s rivalry with Might Guy.

• Sasuke relieved Anko’s pain with Medical Ninjutsu, and Anko regained the ability to refine chakra before leaving to report to the Third Hokage.
• Team 7 defeated an ambush near the Central Tower, collected the Heaven and Earth Scrolls, and passed the second stage on the first day.
• Five days later, seven teams entered the third exam preliminaries, where Orochimaru watched Sasuke while disguised as an Otogakure Jonin.
• Might Guy praised Team 7 and challenged Kakashi, who ignored his declaration and went to congratulate his students.
• Kakashi warned Team 7 that Orochimaru was dangerous and said Konoha would protect them, while Sasuke doubted the village’s preparations.
• Naruto boasted that he would beat Orochimaru and then asked Kakashi why he was evenly matched with Might Guy, whom he called “Thick Brows-sensei.”

The examinees gathered for the Chunin Exam preliminary matches after the Third Hokage gave a lengthy explanation of the rules. Sasuke and several others won their first matches, and Rock Lee and Uzumaki Naruto were named as the next opponents.

• Naruto and Sakura discussed Kakashi and Might Guy, prompting Kakashi to redirect Team 7's attention to the upcoming matches.
• Anko welcomed the examinees, and the Third Hokage delivered a long speech about the Chunin Exam before Gekko Hayate took over as referee.
• Yakushi Kabuto withdrew, while the other examinees chose to continue.
• Sasuke defeated Akado Yoroi with a Genjutsu, and Yamanaka Ino admired him while Nara Shikamaru worried about the strength gap.
• Aburame Shino defeated Zaku Abumi after Zaku severely injured himself, and Kankuro defeated Tsurugi Misumi.
• Gekko Hayate announced that Rock Lee would face Uzumaki Naruto in the next match.

Naruto and Rock Lee fought an intense Taijutsu match, which Naruto won after Lee conceded. Sakura saved Ino from Gaara, and the remaining preliminaries ended with the finals schedule announced.

• Naruto and Rock Lee exchanged powerful Taijutsu attacks, and Lee opened four of the Eight Inner Gates before Naruto stopped him from risking further injury.
• Naruto and Lee unleashed their final techniques; Lee conceded while Naruto supported him, and the preliminary matches continued.
• Sakura defeated Kiba, while Gaara overwhelmed Ino and tried to crush her until Sakura intervened and drove off his attack.
• Hinata continued fighting Neji despite his brutal attacks, and Naruto challenged Neji after stepping in to save her.
• The final matchups were drawn, including Gaara versus Sakura and the final bout between Second Pillar and Uzumaki Naruto.

Naruto and Sasuke learned their assignments for intensive training before the Chunin Exams, while Sasuke arranged a huge delivery of memorial flowers and discovered that Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune were connected to Danzō. The next morning, Kakashi began teaching Naruto the Eight Inner Gates, leaving Naruto preparing to learn the technique.

• Kakashi assigned Naruto and Sakura to train with him while Sasuke chose to study on his own before the Chunin Exams.
• Sasuke ordered 1,754 bouquets of white chrysanthemums for the Uchiha Clan Compound and recognized the flower shop owner as Yamanaka Fu and his watcher as Aburame Torune.
• Sasuke followed Aburame Torune to a shop in western Konoha after Torune left the Uchiha Clan Compound.
• Kakashi began training Naruto and Sakura at Training Ground 3, assigning Sakura to his Shadow Clone.
• Kakashi explained the Eight Inner Gates to Naruto and said he could teach the technique, though he could open only two gates himself.

Kakashi explained Gaara’s One-Tail Jinchuriki abilities and the strengths and weaknesses of his sand to Sakura. He decided to teach her Earth Release over the next fifteen days so she could prepare for their final match.

• Sakura identified Gaara as the One-Tail Jinchuriki after Ino described the monster she saw inside him.
• Kakashi warned Sakura that Gaara’s vast chakra and control over sand could make the finals arena difficult for her Water Release.
• Kakashi explained how Gaara controlled sand as a weapon and how Earth Release could counter Sakura’s Water Release advantage.
• Kakashi offered to teach Sakura Earth Release techniques during the fifteen days before the finals, and Sakura thanked him.

Sakura began fifteen days of Earth Release training with Kakashi, who arranged for a more experienced junior to teach her afterward. Meanwhile, Sasuke visited his family’s graves before beginning the transplant of Fugaku’s Mangekyō Sharingan, which fused with his right eye and formed a new pattern.

• Sakura asked Kakashi about the fifteen-day training period, and he explained that his junior would teach her for the next fifteen days.
• Kakashi taught Sakura Earth Release principles while she took notes and asked questions.
• Sasuke honored the Uchiha dead, including Mikoto and Fugaku, at the cemetery.
• Sasuke began transplanting Fugaku’s Mangekyō Sharingan with help from two Shadow Clones.
• Fugaku’s eye fused with Sasuke’s right eye, changing its Mangekyō pattern, and Sasuke told the clones to continue with the left eye.

Jiraiya returned to Konoha, warned Kakashi that Akatsuki was targeting the Tailed Beasts, and agreed to train Naruto after Kakashi finished his Eight Inner Gates training. Jiraiya gave Kakashi a first draft of his next book before they parted.

• Kakashi met Jiraiya on the street and learned that he had returned to Konoha partly because of Naruto.
• Jiraiya explained that Akatsuki had recruited dangerous rogue ninja and was gathering information on Jinchuriki, making Naruto a certain future target.
• Kakashi described his students' encounter with Rain Ninja in Takigakure, and Jiraiya said he had been advised to focus on finding the Child of Prophecy rather than infiltrating Amegakure.
• Kakashi agreed to leave Naruto's training to Jiraiya after Naruto completed his Eight Inner Gates training in a few days.
• Jiraiya gave Kakashi the first draft of Icha Icha Paradise, and Kakashi accepted it eagerly.

Sasuke’s fused Mangekyo continued evolving toward the Eternal Mangekyo as he prepared for the coming final battle. In Konoha, Sakura met Yamato, her new teacher, and learned that he could teach her Earth Release techniques used by the First Hokage.

• Sasuke endured his seventh bout of Fetal Movement and estimated that his eyes would evolve into the Eternal Mangekyo within about ten days.
• Sakura’s parents discussed her training and worried over her wild behavior and future prospects.
• Sakura hurried to Training Ground 3 and met Yamato, who thanked her class for saving his life.
• Sakura demonstrated Water Release techniques, and Yamato recognized them as techniques of the Second Hokage.
• Yamato told Sakura he had learned the First Hokage’s early Earth Release techniques, and Sakura eagerly imagined inheriting the legacy of every Hokage.