Chapter Summaries

Kimimaro’s group hurried toward the tower after receiving a mission from Aizen, while Kidomaru warned them not to act rashly if they encountered Naruto or an Uchiha boy. Inside the tower, Kurotsuchi discussed the other villages’ teams and wondered why Gaara had not arrived.

• Kimimaro declared that the group should end their game and head to the tower to carry out Lord Aizen’s mission.
• Kidomaru told Sakon and the others that Aizen was gentle, then ordered them to follow Kimimaro and report any sighting of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki or the Uchiha boy.
• As the third day of the Forest of Death exam neared its end, most examinees approached the tower while two teams from Iwagakure and Kumogakure waited inside.
• Kurotsuchi remarked that Konoha was more comfortable than Iwagakure and said the Chunin Exams were a contest of influence between villages.
• Kurotsuchi identified Gaara as the Kazekage’s son and doubted that his late arrival meant he was merely overhyped.

Gaara's team arrived at the tower, while Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura defeated a Kirigakure team in the Forest of Death. A proctor revealed that nearly forty examinees may have been deliberately killed, leaving Naruto demanding to know who was responsible.

• Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro arrived at the tower, where Kurotsuchi warned her teammates not to underestimate their opponents.
• Sasuke defeated three Kirigakure ninja, and Sakura and Naruto joined him as the team forced their opponents to surrender.
• Sasuke made the Kirigakure ninja open their scroll, which summoned a Konoha proctor through a Space-Time Ninjutsu placed on it by the Fifth Hokage.
• The proctor told Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura that nearly forty examinees may have been deliberately killed during the exam.
• Naruto asked the proctor who had carried out the killings.

Naruto’s team linked the suspicious killings in the exam grounds to the person Sasuke had encountered, while Shikamaru briefed Konoha’s leaders on the attackers’ likely motives. The leaders blamed Orochimaru, unaware that Starrk and a mysterious girl were watching from above and discussing him.

• Naruto and Sakura recognized that the suspicious people might be the ones Sasuke had encountered, and Sasuke agreed that he suspected the same person.
• Naruto’s team told the proctor they might have encountered a highly suspicious individual, and the proctor reacted with alarm.
• Shikamaru told Konoha’s leaders that the attackers seemed intent on killing rather than merely disrupting the exam, and they let his team enter the tower despite his earlier withdrawal.
• Konoha’s leaders learned from Ibiki Morino that Anko had revealed information about Orochimaru’s activities and ordered it sent to the Anbu.
• A girl asked Starrk whether he was finished, and Starrk heard from a wolf-like phantom before wondering whether Orochimaru was under Lord Aizen.

Starrk and Lilynette discussed the intelligence they had gathered about the ninja and worried that their tactical skill could make them dangerous despite their physical weakness. They decided to meet another observer near Death Tower, where the blindfolded figure recognized Starrk.

• Lilynette urged Starrk to learn about the ninja so they would not be defeated as they had been by the Death Gods.
• Starrk warned Lilynette that the ninja showed considerable strategic intelligence, citing the boy they had been observing.
• Lilynette suggested destroying the area, but Starrk said Aizen would have acted himself if that were his intention.
• Starrk decided to meet the figure who had arrived near Death Tower, and he and Lilynette vanished from the sky.
• The blindfolded figure sensed Starrk behind him and coldly asked why he had come.

Starrk and Kaname Tosen discussed the ninja teams they were observing in the Forest of Death, including a boy carrying a monster within him. In the Land of Lightning, the Raikage prepared to travel to Konoha for the Chunin Exams and ordered Killer B to make arrangements and contact the Tsuchikage.

• Starrk and Lilynette emerged from the shadows, and Starrk told Kaname Tosen that the ninja team he and Lilynette had observed had reached its destination.
• Kaname Tosen said he had followed a boy with a monster inside him because he wanted to see how the child would act as a ninja despite his pain and despair.
• Killer B questioned why the Raikage had agreed to visit Konoha, and the Raikage struck him for rapping in Kumogakure.
• The Raikage explained that he had promised to attend the Chunin Exams and suspected the Kazekage had arranged the invitation with the Fifth Hokage.
• The Raikage ordered Killer B to prepare for their departure to Konoha and have Darui ask the Tsuchikage whether he knew anything about the situation.

Rasa prepared Sunagakure to travel to Konoha as an ally, while Mei Terumi decided to attend the Kage gathering despite her attraction to the Fifth Hokage and Zabuza’s objections. In the Chunin Exam, Naruto’s team neared the tower and found a frightened girl hiding behind a tree.

• Rasa told Sunagakure’s leaders that their understanding with Konoha meant their alliance with Iwagakure was over, and hinted that Chidong’s death was connected to the decision.
• After the meeting, Rasa remembered Chidong’s instructions and regretted failing to protect Karura.
• Mei Terumi agreed to travel to Konoha and spoke openly about admiring the Fifth Hokage, while Ao and Zabuza challenged her attitude toward Konoha.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura continued toward the tower in the Forest of Death after speaking with the examiner.
• Naruto sensed someone hiding nearby and found a frightened, elf-like girl behind a tree.

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke found a frightened Mist Ninja named Suigetsu in the forest and promised not to attack her. After learning that her companions were gone, they invited her to travel with them to the tower, and she introduced herself as Kagami Hana Suigetsu.

• Naruto found Suigetsu hiding behind a tree and startled her by approaching with a kunai.
• Sakura reassured Suigetsu that she and her teammates would not attack her, and Suigetsu revealed her name.
• Sakura asked whether Suigetsu planned to continue the exam, and Suigetsu said she wanted to watch the other examinees for her former companions.
• Naruto invited Suigetsu to join them on their way to the tower, and Sakura supported the offer while Sasuke raised no objection.
• Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke introduced themselves, and Suigetsu gave her full name as Kagami Hana Suigetsu.

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke escorted Suigetsu through the Forest of Death toward the tower. Suigetsu said she only wanted to observe the next exam, while her cryptic remarks about her former companions and a hidden signal hinted at an unseen connection.

• Naruto led the group through thorny bushes to avoid possible ambushes near the tower.
• Sasuke asked Suigetsu whether she intended to participate in the next exam, and she said she only wanted to look.
• Suigetsu thanked Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke for caring about her and began to relax around them.
• When Suigetsu started to describe her former companions, she left her thought unfinished, and Sakura watched her thoughtfully.
• Sasuke urged the group to continue toward the tower, and Suigetsu secretly smiled and waved toward a distant direction.

Aizen summoned the reanimated Earth Core Detachment and sent them toward Suigetsu, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura in the Forest of Death. Naruto and Sasuke went to investigate the approaching threat, leaving Sakura and Suigetsu hidden in the bushes.

• Aizen used Impure World Reincarnation to summon several corpses, then sent them falling into the Forest of Death.
• The reanimated Earth Core Detachment landed in the forest and rushed toward Naruto and his companions.
• Naruto and Sasuke sensed someone approaching while clearing a path through the bushes with Sakura and Suigetsu.
• Naruto told Sakura and Suigetsu to hide, and Sasuke warned that the approaching ninjas might be the group he had encountered before.
• Naruto and Sasuke hurried through the treetops toward the sound, leaving Sakura and Suigetsu behind in the bushes.

Naruto and Sasuke investigated the disturbance in the Forest of Death and found a strange, disciplined ninja unit that Kyoka Suigetsu controlled. After the unit spotted them, they fled, but the Earth Core Detachment pursued them under Kyoka Suigetsu’s command.

• Sakura and Kyoka Suigetsu hid in the bushes while Naruto and Sasuke cautiously approached the clearing.
• Sasuke warned Naruto that their enemies might detect them even if they stayed hidden, so they switched to hand signals and watched the clearing.
• Kyoka Suigetsu observed Naruto and Sasuke and decided to test them rather than kill them outright because Lord Aizen was interested in them.
• Naruto and Sasuke saw the Earth Core Detachment standing silently in the clearing, and its members turned their lifeless eyes toward their hiding place.
• Naruto and Sasuke fled in the opposite direction from Sakura, while Kyoka Suigetsu made the Earth Core Detachment pursue them.

Captain Yan Shou and the Earth Core Detachment, resurrected through Impure World Reincarnation, encountered Naruto and Sasuke in Konoha’s examination grounds and realized eighteen years had passed since their deaths. Yan Shou warned the boys that they might be forced to attack them, then asked who the current Tsuchikage was.

• Yan Shou recognized that he and the Iwagakure ninja around him had been revived by Impure World Reincarnation and wondered why they had returned.
• The Earth Core Detachment surrounded Naruto and Sasuke in the forest, but its members hesitated instead of attacking.
• Yan Shou asked what year it was, and Sasuke told him it was Konoha Year 61, prompting the Iwagakure ninja to realize eighteen years had passed.
• Yan Shou warned Naruto and Sasuke that the detachment might attack against its will and hoped they would survive.
• Yan Shou asked Naruto and Sasuke who the current Tsuchikage was, leaving them confused about the Iwagakure ninja’s intentions.

Sasuke and Naruto learned that Ōnoki was still Tsuchikage, prompting the Rock Ninja to react with relief before Yan Shou suddenly struck them. As they realized the Rock Ninja might be controlled, the pair faced an earth-style attack and a barrage of rock spears.

• Sasuke told the Rock Ninja that Ōnoki was still the current Tsuchikage, and they reacted with relief and gratitude.
• Yan Shou suddenly punched Sasuke and Naruto, sending them crashing into trees, while Kyoka Suigetsu watched and said they needed to be pushed into a desperate situation.
• Sasuke warned Naruto that Yan Shou had seemed to caution them during the attack and suspected the Rock Ninja were being controlled.
• A Rock Ninja used the Falling Earthstone Technique, forcing Sasuke and Naruto to dodge the collapsing ground.
• An elderly Rock Ninja warned that he specialized in the Rock Hidden Piercing Way, and sharp rock spears flew toward Sasuke and Naruto.

Naruto and Sasuke narrowly survived a deadly stone-spear attack, and Naruto revealed his Tailed Beast Cloak to fight back. A hidden observer praised Sasuke’s thirst for power and mentioned Aizen’s plans, while Yan Shou ordered the dead Rock Ninja to protect the Konoha children rather than be used by their attacker.

• Sasuke used his Sharingan to dodge the stone spears and pulled Naruto clear with a kunai.
• Naruto activated the Tailed Beast Cloak and told Sasuke he would handle the Rock Ninja, while Sasuke warned they needed to alert the others.
• An unseen woman watched Sasuke and Naruto, speculated that Sasuke might fall into depravity, and said Aizen had sent Kidomaru to approach him.
• The woman disappeared, and the Rock Ninja began moving as Yan Shou led others toward the scene.
• Yan Shou silenced the Rock Ninja and ordered them to protect Naruto and Sasuke instead of letting the attacker use them.

Naruto and Sasuke fought Iwagakure ninja who were being controlled by Impure World Reincarnation, and Yan Shou warned them to escape his devastating magma technique. After they survived the eruption, the Rock Ninja launched another coordinated assault, and Sasuke charged forward to hold them off while Naruto escaped.

• The Iwagakure ninja attacked Naruto and Sasuke with Earth Release techniques, and Naruto intercepted their earthen spears with his Tailed Beast Chakra.
• Yan Shou unleashed Ground-Shaking Magma and urgently warned Naruto and Sasuke to leave the ground.
• Sasuke pulled Naruto onto a high tree branch just before magma erupted and turned the surrounding forest into a sea of fire.
• The controlled Rock Ninja attacked again with a rock serpent and heated stones as the tree beneath Naruto and Sasuke began to burn.
• Sasuke leaped forward to hold off the attackers and ordered Naruto to escape.

Sasuke destroyed the lava serpent’s head with Lightning Style but was left exhausted as burning rocks kept falling toward him and Naruto. Naruto refused to abandon Sasuke and summoned a huge number of chakra-cloaked Shadow Clones, each forming a Rasengan, leaving the Rock Ninja stunned.

• Sasuke charged the lava serpent and used Chidori Sharp Strike to turn its head into white rocks that sank into the lava.
• Yan Shou warned the Rock Ninja that Sasuke’s youth and limited chakra could prevent him from sustaining his attack.
• As scorching rocks fell toward the exhausted Sasuke, Naruto returned to his side and refused to leave him behind.
• Naruto showed Sasuke a specially made triple-pronged Kunai and said his technique could help them escape.
• Naruto used Shadow Clone Technique to cover the tree trunk with chakra-cloaked clones, each forming a Rasengan as the Rock Ninja watched in shock.

Naruto and his Shadow Clones shattered the falling fragments and charged the Rock Ninja, but the Earth Core Detachment mysteriously crumbled into yellow earth before they could explain what was happening. Naruto and Sasuke were left confused as something rushed toward them, while Kyoka Suigetsu left the unconscious Sakura in the forest.

• Naruto's Shadow Clones destroyed the falling fragments with their Rasengan and prepared to attack the Rock Ninja.
• Naruto's clones hurled one another toward the Rock Ninja, who praised his courage and watched for a chance to help him.
• A Rock Ninja turned into yellow earth, and Yan Shou and the rest of the Earth Core Detachment began crumbling away before they could finish warning Naruto.
• The final Rock Ninja urged someone to tell Lord Tsuchikage that it was that man, then vanished, leaving Naruto and Sasuke bewildered.
• Urgent sounds came from the forest as Naruto and Sasuke looked on, while Kyoka Suigetsu left the unconscious Sakura and disappeared among the trees.

Anbu ninjas arrived at the devastated battlefield and found Naruto and Sasuke alive. Naruto and Sasuke described a unit of nearly twenty Iwa ninjas that had attacked them and then vanished, leaving White Tiger with a possible lead: the name Blue.

• White Tiger and the other Anbu ninjas searched the battle-scarred forest and were astonished to find Naruto and Sasuke alive.
• White Tiger asked Naruto why he was at the battlefield, and Naruto reported that an Iwa ninja unit of nearly twenty people had attacked them.
• White Tiger questioned whether Naruto and Sasuke had been fooled by genjutsu, but Sasuke pointed out that the destruction around them was real.
• Naruto explained that the Iwa ninjas had suddenly turned into sand and dirt and disappeared, while Sasuke said they seemed to be controlled.
• Naruto told White Tiger that the last ninja had shouted the name Blue before vanishing.

Naruto and Sasuke learned that the Mist Ninja girl Kyoka Suigetsu shared her name with Sosuke Aizen’s former blade, deepening suspicions about the Rock Ninja’s remarks. The chapter left them wondering whether the girl and the enemy connected to the Rock Ninja were tied to Aizen.

• White Tiger checked Sakura and confirmed she had only fallen unconscious, while Naruto blamed himself for leaving her alone.
• Naruto told White Tiger that he and Sasuke had encountered the Mist Ninja Kyoka Suigetsu and fought the Rock Ninja.
• White Tiger revealed that Sosuke Aizen, the former Fourth Hokage and master of Las Noches, had wielded a blade named Kyoka Suigetsu.
• White Tiger reminded Naruto and Sasuke that the Rock Ninja had mentioned Aizen before vanishing, leading them to suspect the name referred to Sosuke Aizen.

White Tiger explained that Sakura had temporarily lost her memories of meeting Kyoka Suigetsu, then warned Naruto to abandon the Chunin Exams because strange events seemed to be converging around him. When Naruto recognized White Tiger’s voice, the masked man began revealing his identity.

• Naruto and Sasuke reacted with disbelief and fear when White Tiger mentioned that Aizen might appear again, though White Tiger suggested Aizen had been dead for years.
• Sakura woke up and told Naruto she could not remember encountering Suigetsu.
• White Tiger said Suigetsu had likely sealed Sakura’s memories of their meeting, and that she might only be temporarily unable to recall them.
• Sasuke and Naruto questioned whether the Kyoka Suigetsu they met was connected to Aizen, and White Tiger urged Naruto to quit the Chunin Exams.
• Naruto recognized White Tiger’s voice, and White Tiger said he had watched Naruto grow up before removing his mask.

Kabuto revealed his identity to Naruto and warned him that the Chunin Exams could become an attack on Konoha, urging him to withdraw. Naruto chose to continue with Sasuke and Sakura, while a separate scene showed Suigetsu approaching a tall figure in the sky.

• Kabuto removed his mask and reunited with Naruto, who was delighted to see him.
• Kabuto warned Naruto that the Five Kage’s arrival could provide an opportunity to attack Konoha and urged him to leave the exams to protect himself and the village.
• Sasuke argued that Naruto should continue relying on his own strength, and Naruto agreed to stay in the Chunin Exams.
• Kabuto accepted Naruto’s decision, promised to support him, and warned the team that their opponents would remain unknown until the final moment.
• Suigetsu strolled through the sky toward a tall figure, who remarked that she seemed satisfied with her outing.