Chapter Summaries

Hinata, disguised as a Sand Ninja, intervened when Kin attacked Sakura and was about to cut off her hair. She and her two companions faced the Sound Ninja, while Sakura stood up and thanked them.

• Kin kicked Sakura into a tree, then grabbed her hair and slammed her to the ground as Dosu and Zaku moved toward Sasuke and Naruto.
• Sakura pulled out a Kunai and tried to cut off her hair, but a disguised Hinata caught her wrist and stopped her.
• Hinata insulted the Sound Ninja and blocked Kin when she attacked Sakura again, prompting Kin to retreat and regroup with Dosu and Zaku.
• Mizuki Rei and Kurama Mutsu joined Hinata, and the three confronted the Sound Ninja over their interference.
• Sakura recognized that the disguised Sand Ninja meant her no harm, stood up, and thanked them.

Hinata and the other Sand Ninja confronted the Sound Ninja while Sakura watched from safety. Mizuki Rei and Kurama Mutsu engaged the attackers, and Dosu countered their water technique as the fight continued.

• Hinata teased Sakura, who realized the Sand Ninja had come to help her and her companions.
• The Sound Ninja faced Hinata, Mizuki Rei, and Kurama Mutsu, growing nervous as they failed to find an opening.
• Hinata ordered the others to move as a leaf touched the ground, and the Sound Ninja charged.
• Mizuki Rei blocked the incoming weapons with Water Wall, then sent a Water Wave toward the Sound Ninja.
• Dosu slammed his hand against the ground and used Earth Wall to counter the advancing water.

Mizuki Rei and Kurama Mutsu confronted Dosu, Zaku, and Kin, but the three genin fled rather than fight. Kurama Mutsu caught up with Zaku and Kin and prepared to trap them.

• Mizuki Rei blocked the enemy’s Water Wave with an earth wall, then claimed he was out of Chakra and withdrew.
• Kurama Mutsu taunted the three genin, who charged her before splitting up and fleeing into the woods.
• Kurama Mutsu chased Zaku and Kin while Mizuki Rei pursued the one who ran left.
• Zaku and Kin discussed how powerful their pursuers were as they fled, unaware they were pawns in Orochimaru’s plans.
• Kurama Mutsu appeared ahead of Zaku and Kin, scattered leaves that made the surrounding space ripple, and threatened to let them run to their heart’s content.

Kurama Mutsu dragged Kin and Zaku back after trapping them in a terrifying Genjutsu, while Minazuki Hyō returned with Dosu. The three Sound ninja were left defeated and in a miserable state.

• Kurama Mutsu found Kin and Zaku frozen in Genjutsu and dragged them back toward the group.
• In the illusion, Kin and Zaku repeatedly encountered Kurama Mutsu until they broke down and begged her to stop.
• Kurama Mutsu mocked Zaku for running and told him he had made her lose face in front of Cold Lump and Shuoyue.
• Minazuki Hyō returned after striking down Dosu with a hand chop.
• Kurama Mutsu tossed Kin and Zaku onto the ground, and Hinata saw their tear- and snot-streaked faces.

Hinata and the Sand Ninja defeated the Sound Ninja, and Hinata left Sakura with the scrolls and a warning about her hair. After Sasuke woke, the curse mark surfaced briefly before fading, leaving him in pain and wary of its power.

• Xiao Huyi asked Sakura for the Heaven and Earth Scrolls, and Sakura let the Sand Ninja take them.
• Hinata warned Sakura not to cut her hair, then left with Minazuki Hyō and Kurama Mutsu.
• Sakura covered the unconscious Sound Ninja with leaves and returned to the tree hollow.
• Sasuke woke and screamed when memories of the fight returned to him.
• Black curse-mark patterns spread across Sasuke's face, then faded as he recognized the danger of the power they brought.

Sasuke suppressed his curse mark and reassured Sakura, while Naruto woke up. Kiba, Shino, and Hinata continued through the forest with Akamaru growing weaker, then discovered Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari confronting three Rain ninja.

• Sasuke brought the curse mark under control, stood up, and told Sakura he was fine.
• Naruto opened his eyes and called out to Sakura, who turned to him with a smile.
• Kiba, Shino, and Hinata agreed to head for the Central Tower because Akamaru was deteriorating and the area was dangerous.
• Hinata spotted six people ahead, and Shino confirmed that they were positioned in the team's path.
• Kiba, Shino, and Hinata reached a clearing and watched three Rain ninja taunt Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari.

Gaara slaughtered three Rain ninja who surrendered their scrolls, showing Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame the full brutality of his sand techniques. The two hidden spectators watched in shock as Gaara continued on with the scrolls.

• Gaara blocked a Rain ninja's Rain Shower Thousand Needles with his sand and dismissed the attack as weak.
• Gaara trapped the Rain ninja with Sand Binding Coffin and crushed him with Sandstorm Funeral.
• One of the remaining Rain ninja offered their scrolls and begged Gaara to let them go.
• Gaara bound both remaining Rain ninja in sand and killed them with Sandstorm Funeral.
• Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame watched from the grass in shock as Akamaru barked.

Hinata and her teammates survived an encounter with Gaara and reached the Central Tower, where they waited out the remaining days of the exam. Hinata later tried to fulfill her promise to eat snake meat, and Anko Mitarashi came across them as they struggled through it.

• Gaara prepared to attack Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hinata, but Temari stopped him before he could strike.
• Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hinata took another route to the Central Tower, arriving after Gaara's group.
• At the tower, Hinata noticed that Anko Mitarashi seemed withdrawn and guessed that she had encountered Orochimaru again.
• Hinata sneaked out to catch snakes, and Kiba Inuzuka helped roast them so the three could keep their promise to eat snake meat.
• Anko Mitarashi passed by and saw Hinata, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame unhappily eating the snake meat.

Hinata watched Anko cope with her painful memories of Orochimaru by eating roasted snake, then welcomed Kurenai and other familiar teams to the Central Tower. Orochimaru summoned Dosu, Zaku, and Kin and asked Dosu to explain what had happened during the exam.

• Anko burst into Hinata's room, ate the last roasted snake, and left after Hinata finished hers alongside her.
• Kiba and Shino offered Hinata their uneaten snake meat, but she declined by saying she had treated everyone.
• By the fourth day, Neji's team and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had arrived at the Central Tower, along with their Guiding Jonin.
• Kurenai arrived with Asuma, encouraged Hinata's team, and then disappeared into the tower again.
• Orochimaru met with Dosu, Zaku, and Kin, and asked Dosu to recount what had happened.

Orochimaru questioned Dosu, Kin, and Zaku about their failed mission and suspected the mysterious Sand Ninja might belong to another force. Meanwhile, Naruto’s team reached the Central Tower on the fourth night, surprising the people there.

• Dosu, Kin, and Zaku told Orochimaru how the mission had gone, and he recognized that Kin and Zaku had been caught in a powerful Genjutsu.
• Orochimaru warned the three Sound Ninja to prove their worth in the third round before leaving them under his killing intent.
• Zaku blamed the Sand Ninja for ruining their mission, while Dosu and Kin privately reflected on what they had learned.
• Orochimaru considered whether the three mysterious Sand Ninja were hidden Sand Village assets or members of another force.
• Naruto’s team arrived at the Central Tower on the fourth night, astonishing those already there.

Mizuki Rei, Kurama Mutsu, and Hinata arrived at the Central Tower after spending much of the exam leisurely in the wilderness. Sakura ran into them there, determined to speak with the team that had saved her, while Naruto and Sasuke followed.

• Sakura waited at the Central Tower until Naruto and Sasuke joined her, and Naruto's blunt remarks earned him a punch from Sakura.
• Shadow Hinata watched Naruto and Sakura before leaving and wondered when the original Hinata would arrive so they could switch identities.
• With two hours left in the exam, Mizuki Rei, Kurama Mutsu, and Hinata reached the Central Tower after fishing, barbecuing, and hunting in the Forest of Death.
• Ebisu briefly explained the tower's procedures to the three before vanishing in a puff of smoke.
• Sakura approached the three with Naruto and Sasuke behind her, and Kurama Mutsu asked what she wanted as Sakura began to speak.

Hinata met Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, accepted their offer of help as a favor to be called in later, and wished them luck in the Chunin Exams. Nearby, Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi discussed the three visitors and decided to investigate them while preparing for the next round.

• Sakura thanked Hinata, Minazuki Hyō, and Kurama Mutsu for helping her, and Naruto and Sasuke offered their assistance in return.
• Hinata said the group had acted for their own reasons, then accepted a favor from Naruto and wished the team luck in the Chunin Exams.
• Hinata waved as she led Minazuki Hyō and Kurama Mutsu away, while Naruto and Sakura waved back.
• Dosu told Orochimaru that Hinata and her companions were the people he had seen, and Orochimaru said they had noticed him.
• Kabuto Yakushi told Orochimaru that the visitors were likely an unknown organization and probably would not disrupt their plan.
• Orochimaru ordered Kabuto Yakushi to investigate the three visitors while they waited for the preliminary round.

After the second Chunin Exam ended, the remaining teams gathered to hear Hiruzen Sarutobi speak before Gekko Hayate announced preliminary matches for the final test. The chapter ended with the examinees accepting the challenge and preparing for one-on-one bouts.

• Orochimaru vanished into the wall after telling Kabuto to use the turmoil around Konoha to his advantage, and Kabuto welcomed the prospect of livelier Chunin Exams.
• Hinata reviewed the memories of his Shadow Clone, created a disguised clone, and returned to the resting area with Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame.
• At three in the afternoon, the second test ended with eight teams passing: two Sand Ninja teams, one hundred million Sound Ninja teams, and five Konoha teams.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived and delivered a long speech before Gekko Hayate interrupted him and took over as examiner for the third test.
• Gekko Hayate announced one-on-one preliminary matches to eliminate contestants before the official third test, and the examinees fell silent after he said only the strong would have no objections.

Gekko Hayate announced that the preliminaries would test individual combat ability, and several candidates withdrew, including Kabuto Yakushi and three Sand Ninja. As the three left, Gaara warned Kankuro that they were no simple people.

• Gekko Hayate said opponents might include teammates and asked whether anyone wished to withdraw without affecting the rest of their team.
• Sakura considered withdrawing, but Kabuto Yakushi raised his hand first and said he lacked confidence in the next test.
• Anko Mitarashi said Kabuto had taken the exam six times and withdrawn each time; after he left, three Sand Ninja also withdrew, citing their lack of strength.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Anko Mitarashi to investigate the three Sand Ninja more thoroughly, while Orochimaru watched them leave with interest.
• Gaara told Kankuro to shut up and warned him that the three departing Sand Ninja were no simple people.
• Gekko Hayate asked again whether anyone else wanted to withdraw, and Sakura had forgotten that she had been considering it.

The Chunin Exam preliminary matches began, and Sasuke defeated Akado Tō despite Orochimaru intensifying the pain of his Curse Mark. Kakashi appeared afterward, believing the mark should be sealed rather than merely suppressed.

• Sakura started to report Sasuke's Curse Mark, but Sasuke stopped her and asked her not to interfere.
• Gekko Hayate explained the one-on-one match rules, and the screen selected Sasuke versus Akado Tō.
• Kakashi warned Sasuke not to use the Sharingan and revealed that he knew about the Curse Mark.
• Orochimaru secretly triggered Sasuke's Curse Mark during the match, leaving Sasuke in pain and fighting at reduced strength.
• Sasuke copied Rock Lee's movements and defeated Akado Tō with Lion Combo.
• Gekko Hayate declared Sasuke the winner, and Kakashi entered the arena to address the Curse Mark.

The preliminary matches continued as Shino defeated Zaku and Kankuro beat Tsukikabuto, before Sakura and Ino began their long-awaited fight. Sakura and Ino traded insults and opened the match by punching each other in the face, while Hinata wondered how her influence had changed Sakura’s path.

• Shino defeated Zaku after Zaku’s arm cannon clogged and exploded, and Dosu vowed to avenge him.
• Shino returned to the stands and warned that Zaku’s strange attacks could have threatened someone else.
• Kankuro defeated Tsukikabuto while Naruto complained that the match was unfairly two against one.
• Ino and Sakura exchanged taunts about Sasuke and their rivalry before Gekko Hayate started their match.
• Sakura and Ino rushed forward and punched each other in the face, while Hinata reflected that Sakura had not cut her hair because of her influence.

Sakura defeated Ino in their Chunin Exam match after resisting Ino’s Mind Transfer Jutsu and overpowering her. Ino was left dazed by the unexpected loss as Sakura came over to her.

• Ino used Mind Transfer Jutsu to take control of Sakura’s body, but Naruto’s shouting helped Sakura regain control and force Ino out.
• Sakura grabbed the weakened Ino and hurled her across the arena, prompting Asuma to catch Ino and concede the match.
• Gekko Hayate declared Haruno Sakura the winner, and Naruto and Kakashi praised her.
• Asuma told Shikamaru that unforeseen accidents could overturn even careful predictions.
• Ino rested by a pillar, stunned by her loss, and Sakura slapped her shoulder, making her grimace in pain.

The preliminaries continued as Temari defeated Tenten, Shikamaru beat Kin, and Naruto defeated Kiba in a bizarre match-ending moment. The screen then paired Hinata against Neji, drawing stunned reactions from the spectators and the young ninjas’ guiding jonin.

• Sakura and Ino traded insults over Sasuke while Shikamaru, Asuma, and Choji watched awkwardly.
• Temari countered Tenten’s weapons and defeated her with Wind Style: Sickle Weasel.
• Shikamaru caught Kin off guard with his Shadow Imitation Technique and won their match.
• Naruto battered his way through the fight with Kiba and won after ending it with a fart.
• Hinata and Shino checked on the injured Kiba before the screen announced Hinata versus Neji, startling the spectators and guiding jonin.

Hinata faced Neji in the Chunin Exams, while the spectators debated Neji’s talent and the Hyuga clan’s Main and Branch Family conflict. Neji kept taunting Hinata after the match began, leaving her increasingly furious as the crowd watched their confrontation like a family drama.

• The rookies praised the Hyuga clan, while Rock Lee and Kakashi said Neji was exceptionally talented and likely to win.
• Shino told Kurenai Yuhi that he believed Hinata was stronger than she seemed, easing Kurenai’s worries about her match.
• Neji accused Hinata of being timid and weak, and claimed she should have stayed home under the Branch Family’s protection.
• Gekko Hayate started the match, but Neji continued talking instead of attacking, and Hinata grew impatient.
• The spectators became absorbed in the Hyuga family dispute, while Hinata glared at Neji and angrily resented the crowd’s attention.

Hinata endured Neji’s accusations before they began their Gentle Fist match, where she calmly defended against his attacks and then struck him hard enough to send him flying. The spectators were shocked by Neji’s injury, and Kakashi recognized that Hinata had targeted his internal organs through a nerve center.

• Neji finished venting his resentment and asked Hinata if she would give up, but she insisted on fighting.
• Neji and Hinata took their opening stances as Naruto asked Rock Lee to explain the Gentle Fist.
• Hinata blocked Neji’s rapid attacks while he grew tired and began targeting his strikes more carefully.
• Hinata evaded a palm strike and hit Neji in the side of the chest, sending him several meters back as he spat blood.
• Rock Lee and Might Guy stared in disbelief, while Kakashi explained how the Gentle Fist could injure internal organs through acupuncture points.