Recaps

Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha helped defeat Haku and Zabuza’s forces at the Bridge of Hope, while Naruto reunited with Miyuki Uzumaki and chose to stay in Konoha. After returning, Naruto confronted Minato Namikaze about his childhood, as Chiyu and Orochimaru began plotting to draw Sunagakure into an attack on Konoha.

• Zabuza and Haku attacked Kakashi’s team at the bridge, where Haku fought Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha while Zabuza battled Kakashi.
• Naruto Uzumaki drew on the Nine-Tails’ Chakra to defeat Haku, but Gato arrived with armed men before Kakashi could finish the fight.
• Chiyu and the Sound group intervened, Kimimaro Kaguya defeated Gato’s men, and Miyuki Uzumaki reunited with Naruto and treated Haku.
• Naruto chose to return to Konoha rather than join the Sound Seven, while Chiyu arranged for Kakashi to investigate Jigen and the masked Uchiha.
• After Kakashi’s team completed the mission and returned to Konoha, Naruto confronted Minato Namikaze about sealing the Nine-Tails inside him and the hatred he had endured.
• Minato explained that he had chosen Naruto as the Nine-Tails’ host, revealed that Miyuki was alive, and offered to guide Naruto’s training, while Naruto concealed his resentment.
• Chiyu, Orochimaru, and Kabuto Yakushi traveled to the Land of Wind and proposed that Rasa join them in attacking Konoha during the Joint Chunin Exams.
• Rasa set out to meet Chiyu and Orochimaru, who planned to use the meeting to test their strength and expose Konoha’s past to Minato.

Orochimaru seized control of Sunagakure and joined Chiyu’s plan to disrupt Konoha as the Chunin Exams began. After the preliminary rounds set the final matchups, Orochimaru prepared to leave Konoha while Jiraiya discovered that Minato still did not know the truth.

• Orochimaru killed Rasa, disguised himself as him, and persuaded Sunagakure’s leaders to join the invasion of Konoha.
• Chiyu learned that Orochimaru had taken over Sunagakure, prepared for Neji’s possible departure, and later led the Sound Seven into Konoha.
• Minato offered Naruto the Rasengan, Flying Thunder God Technique, and Mount Myōboku’s summoning contract, and Naruto agreed to learn them while continuing his own training.
• Danzo ordered Root to prepare an assassination of Minato during the coming disruption, relying on Umaru’s Magnet Release to interfere with Minato’s Flying Thunder God Kunai.
• The Chunin Exams began, and Sōshi’s team attacked rival candidates while Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura fought them in the Forest of Death before other Konoha teams arrived and drove them off.
• Sōshi’s group continued eliminating candidates near the tower, but Hiruzen intervened and arranged an additional round that left Sōshi, Kimimaro, and their remaining teammates with final-round opponents.
• Hiruzen announced the final matches for one month later, including Sōshi against Neji, Kimimaro against Rock Lee, and Naruto against Shino.
• Orochimaru planned to leave Konoha disguised as Rasa, while Jiraiya learned from Hiruzen’s arrival that Minato still remained unaware of the truth.

As the Chunin Exams began, Chiyu helped Sasuke pursue power and set events in motion while Orochimaru and the Sand invaded Konoha. The arc ended with Minato learning how Konoha had treated Naruto and Miyuki, rejecting Chiyu’s call to destroy the village, and fighting him.

• Hiruzen refused to tell Minato the truth about Naruto, while Chiyu and Orochimaru watched and Chiyu predicted that Naruto would bring change.
• Chiyu accepted Sasuke’s offer of service, gave him the Cursed Seal, and arranged for Kakashi to train him in Thunder Breathing.
• At the Chunin Exams, Neji defeated Sōshi, Kimimaro defeated Rock Lee, and Naruto defeated Shino as Chiyu prepared the invasion.
• Chiyu cast the Temple of Nirvana Technique, Orochimaru trapped Hiruzen in the Four Violet Flames Formation, and the Sand attacked as Gaara transformed into Shukaku.
• Orochimaru summoned Hashirama and Tobirama to condemn Hiruzen, while Danzo sent Root to assassinate Minato.
• Neji led fourteen Branch Family members out of Konoha after Hiashi’s Caged Bird Seal failed, and his group left for the Hidden Sound Village.
• Root ambushed Minato as he fought Shukaku, but Minato killed most of the attackers before Chiyu killed Umaru and revealed himself.
• Chiyu showed Minato the truth about Naruto and Miyuki, and Minato rejected Chiyu’s plan to destroy Konoha before the two clashed.

Minato Namikaze seized control of Konoha and forced Sunagakure into submission, while Naruto Uzumaki rejected his father and Sasuke Uchiha renewed his resolve to kill Itachi Uchiha. Chiyu confronted Jigen, lost their test battle, and learned that Ōtsutsuki Isshiki had survived inside Jigen through Karma.

• Jiraiya defeated Shukaku and rescued Gaara as Orochimaru and Chiyu attacked Konoha, where Hiruzen Sarutobi died sealing Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.
• Minato Namikaze took power in Konoha, executed the village’s advisors, and declared war on Sunagakure, while Naruto Uzumaki rejected his father and blamed Jiraiya for his failures.
• Minato Namikaze forced Sunagakure to surrender, placed it under Konoha’s control, and took most of Shukaku’s power from Gaara.
• Kakashi Hatake stayed in Konoha to protect Naruto Uzumaki, while Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki attacked the village and fought Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi.
• After Itachi Uchiha defeated Sasuke Uchiha with Tsukuyomi, Naruto urged Sasuke to train, and Sasuke resolved to leave Konoha for the Hidden Sound Village.
• Chiyu learned that Shin had escaped with cloning research materials and traveled to Kusagakure, where he confronted Sasori and learned Akatsuki had captured the Five-Tails.
• Jigen appeared, proposed cooperating with Chiyu, and fought him, overpowering him with abilities that shrank attacks and absorbed Chakra.
• Jigen ended the battle and explained that he needed someone to carry out certain tasks, as the story revealed Ōtsutsuki Isshiki had survived inside Jigen through Karma.