Recaps

Hinata escaped the collapsing cavern and concealed key details about the incident, while Sasuke left Konoha for Orochimaru. Shikamaru led a team to retrieve Sasuke, and the pursuit ended with Jirobo separating from the Sound Four to face them.

• Hinata rescued Winter Rain from the collapsing cavern, and Heyan and Gaara escaped as well before Gaara learned that Sunagakure’s leaders had blocked reinforcements.
• Hinata and Heyan reported the incident to Tsunade, who classified it as an A-rank mission and decided not to investigate further.
• Hinata saw Sasuke leave Konoha and let him go, then carried the unconscious Sakura to an inn.
• Sakura reported Sasuke’s defection, and Tsunade ordered Shikamaru and Hinata to lead a retrieval team.
• Shikamaru gathered Naruto, Choji, Kiba, and Neji and pursued the Sound Four, who defeated Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro before continuing with Sasuke in a barrel.
• Orochimaru approved Kimimaro’s decision to support the Sound Four despite Kabuto’s concerns about his frail health.
• Jirobo stayed behind with Sasuke’s barrel to stall the pursuing team, and Naruto charged him after the group dodged Jirobo’s boulder.

The Konoha rookies fought the Sound Ninja while pursuing Sasuke, who emerged from the barrel and chose to continue to Orochimaru. Hinata faced Kimimaro and pushed him to use his remaining strength, leaving him collapsed after invoking Bracken Dance.

• Naruto summoned Gama Bunta to defeat Jirobo’s Stone Giant, then Choji stayed behind to fight Jirobo while the others pursued Sasuke.
• Neji stayed to face Kidomaru as Naruto, Hinata, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shikamaru caught up with Tayuya, Sakon, and Suigetsu.
• Tayuya’s flute Genjutsu trapped Kiba, but Hinata resisted it, while Shikamaru restrained Sakon and Suigetsu with the Shadow Imitation Technique.
• Kimimaro arrived as Sasuke emerged safely from the barrel, then Sasuke rejected Naruto’s plea and continued toward Lord Orochimaru.
• Kimimaro faced Hinata, who fought with the Gentle Fist and later unleashed concealed Chakra, but chose not to use the Tenseigan.
• Hinata’s Mountain-Toppling Eight Trigrams Empty Palm battered Kimimaro, but his bone attacks forced her to defend and eventually withdraw from their clash.
• Kimimaro took Hinata’s apology as mockery and gathered his remaining strength as Shikamaru and Kiba fought on, expecting Hinata to help them.
• Black Chakra enveloped Kimimaro before dispersing, and he invoked Shikotsumyaku Ultimate Art, Bracken Dance, then collapsed.

Hinata helped her friends return safely to Konoha after the battle, while Sasuke joined Orochimaru and drew attention to the Hyuga Clan. As the wounded recovered and Hinata spent time with Hanabi, Naruto’s friends brought him back to the hospital and Konohamaru caught Hanabi’s interest.

• Hinata escaped Kimimaro’s bone forest, defeated Tayuya with Explosive Tags, and joined Kakashi’s group after he ordered her and Shikamaru to return to Konoha.
• Hinata and Shikamaru found Neji and the dead Kidomaru, then helped bring Neji, Kiba, and Choji back toward Konoha for treatment.
• Tsunade treated the wounded and questioned Hinata, Shikamaru, and Kiba about the mission, but trusted them despite doubts about Hinata’s account of her strength.
• Sasuke reached Orochimaru’s base and agreed to undergo tests, while Orochimaru ordered Kabuto to investigate Hinata and the Hyuga Clan.
• Hinata visited Naruto with her friends, and Hyuga Hiashi announced that he would leave Konoha for the Land of Rivers before departing the next day.
• Hinata and Hanabi spent a day exploring Konoha, bought flowers from Ino, and found Naruto after he had escaped from the hospital.
• Jiraiya sent Naruto back to bed, and Hinata, Ino, and Hanabi accompanied him to the hospital, where Hinata handed him over to Sakura.
• Konohamaru introduced himself to Hanabi and talked about becoming Hokage, while Hinata grew jealous and Hanabi asked her to bring him along next time.

When Hanabi was abducted by the Hundred Slaughter Hunting Group, Hinata rescued her and captured one of the attackers. The Hyuga Clan began investigating the attack, while Hinata mobilized Dawn to destroy the group’s branches.

• Hinata left Hanabi with Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon while she attended a mission briefing, then returned to find Hanabi missing.
• Hanabi discovered four hunters outside the Konoha Maru Corps hideout and fought them after they revealed they wanted her Byakugan.
• As the hunters prepared to capture Hanabi, she moved to destroy her own eyes rather than let them be taken, but Hinata arrived and stopped her.
• Hinata knocked out the four hunters, captured Passerby A, and learned that Moegi and Udon had gone to seek help.
• Anbu took the attackers for interrogation, and Tsunade promised an investigation as the Hyuga Clan united to oppose threats to the Byakugan.
• Hinata introduced Winter Rain, codenamed Ethereal, to Dawn and ordered her and Mizuki Rei to eliminate branches of the Hundred Slaughter Hunting Group.
• The next morning, a Hyuga Clan member told Hinata and Hanabi that the clan elders had taken over the investigation.