Recaps

Hinata established Dawn’s base in the Land of Birds, avoided a clash with Itachi and Kisame, and returned to Konoha before the Chunin Exams. Naruto defeated Dosu with the Nine-Tails’ Chakra, and Shikamaru’s match against Temari began.

• Mizuki Rei recruited Ryu into Dawn, and Hinata later welcomed Liu as a peripheral member and assigned him the Land of Birds base.
• Hinata’s group reached the hidden base with Fan’s help, and Hinata left Liu and Ryu in charge before heading toward the Land of Rain.
• Hinata’s group encountered Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, but both sides passed without fighting.
• Hinata returned to Konoha, reported to Hyuga Hiashi, and met Iruka after his hospital discharge before joining him for ramen.
• At the third-round Chunin Exams, the matchups were drawn and Naruto faced Dosu in the opening match.
• Dosu’s attacks injured Naruto, but the Nine-Tails’ Chakra surged, allowing Naruto to overpower Dosu and win before collapsing.
• Hinata collected her winnings and bet them on Temari, while Shikamaru reluctantly entered the arena to face her.
• Temari kept her distance and attacked with her Three-Star Fan, while Shikamaru recognized that avoiding her attacks was draining his stamina.

The Chunin Exam matches ended with Hinata defeating Sakura and Sasuke confronting Gaara, whose unstable power erupted. Sand Ninja then launched the Konoha Crush Plan, while Orochimaru revealed himself and trapped Hiruzen Sarutobi in a barrier.

• Shikamaru outmaneuvered Temari with his Shadow Imitation Technique but surrendered, and Temari was declared the winner.
• Shino defeated Kankuro after the puppet master conceded, then Hinata faced Sakura in the next match.
• Hinata activated her Byakugan and pressured Sakura, but Sakura used the Hell Viewing Technique before conceding the match to Hinata.
• Sasuke arrived and fought Gaara, breaking through his sand defenses with Chidori and piercing his right chest.
• Gaara’s body began to mutate as his Tailed Beast Chakra ran wild, but Baki, Temari, and Kankuro reached him and fled with him after the Konoha Crush Plan began.
• Sand Ninja infiltrated Konoha as Orochimaru revealed himself to Hiruzen Sarutobi and took him to a rooftop.
• Orochimaru’s subordinates raised the Four Violet Flames Formation around him and Hiruzen Sarutobi, who prepared to fight.

Sakura, Hinata, and Shikamaru pursued Sasuke as he chased Gaara, while Hiruzen and Orochimaru began their fight in Konoha. Hinata revealed her power to battle Shukaku, and the arc ended with her Stone Giant exchanging attacks with the tailed beast.

• Kakashi sent Sakura, Hinata, and Shikamaru after Sasuke while he and Might Guy held off the attackers, and Shino left to pursue Kankuro.
• Hiruzen confronted Orochimaru, who revealed his youthful face and declared he would kill his former teacher.
• Shikamaru stayed behind to mislead the pursuers while Temari and Kankuro carried the injured Gaara through the forest.
• Shino took Kankuro on so Sasuke could continue after Gaara, while Temari urged Gaara onward until Sasuke caught up with them.
• Sasuke fought the transforming Gaara, but Sakura stepped in front of him and Gaara struck her aside as he became Shukaku.
• Hinata moved Sakura and Sasuke to safety, revealed her blue-eyed power, and used Planet-Devastator and Burning Silence against Shukaku.
• Temari encountered Kurama Mutsu, who overwhelmed her with elemental attacks, finished her painting, and carried the unconscious Temari away.
• Hinata summoned Hamura's Statue and awakened it as the Stone Giant, which countered Shukaku's Tailed Beast Bomb before grappling with him as the battle continued.

Hinata defeated Shukaku and returned to Konoha as the invasion ended, while Hiruzen Sarutobi died sealing Orochimaru’s jutsu. As the village mourned and questioned Hinata about the battle, she reunited with her family and began planning her next steps.

• Hinata restrained Shukaku’s tail, struck him with a barrage of haloed shuriken, and woke Gaara, causing Shukaku to weaken and dissolve into quicksand.
• Hinata erased Gaara’s memories of her, sealed Shukaku’s Chakra, and accepted the demon’s suggestion to kill Gaara before Kurama Mutsu arrived with Temari.
• Konoha’s forces counterattacked the Sand and Sound Ninja, while Hiruzen Sarutobi used the Reaper Death Seal to seal Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and part of Orochimaru’s soul before dying.
• Orochimaru’s followers retreated, the Sand Ninja surrendered, and Konoha’s rescuers found Hinata, Sasuke, and Sakura unconscious while Tai brought back Gaara and Temari.
• Jiraiya refused the Fifth Hokage position and agreed to find Tsunade Senju, while Naruto learned of Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death and vowed to defeat Orochimaru.
• Hinata recovered in the hospital, received a Character Generator use and Reward Points from the System, and answered Kakashi’s questions about the Stone Giant that fought Gaara’s monster.
• Toyo Hyuga told Hiashi Hyuga that Hinata had returned, and Hinata arrived home to share a meal with Hiashi and Hanabi.
• Hinata planned to meet Mizuki Rei and Kurama Mutsu and send them away from Konoha, while villagers gathered at the Memorial Stone to honor Hiruzen Sarutobi and the war dead.