Chapter Summaries

Jiraiya taught Naruto the Summoning Jutsu, and Naruto formed a contract with the toads of Mount Myōboku. At the Chunin Exams arena, Sasuke was absent, and Naruto was called to fight Temari first.

• Jiraiya demonstrated the Summoning Jutsu and instructed Naruto to sign the toad contract.
• Naruto summoned Gamakichi, who greeted him and accepted him as his contractor.
• Jiraiya had Naruto summon different toads and learn about their abilities.
• The Chunin Exams finalists gathered in the arena, but Sasuke did not appear.
• The Fourth Kazekage questioned Sasuke's absence, and Hiruzen Sarutobi sent a Konoha ninja to look for him.
• An unnamed jonin announced Naruto Uzumaki versus Temari as the first match.

Naruto defeated Temari decisively in the first match of the Chunin Exam finals. As Shikamaru and Shino began the next match, Asuma admitted Naruto had a better chance of winning a direct fight against him.

• Temari opened the match with her Three-Star Fan, but Naruto dodged her first attack and struck her with a punch.
• Temari unleashed the Great Sickle Weasel, while Naruto blocked it with Kusabimaru and a shadow clone caught her by surprise.
• The proctor declared Naruto the winner after he placed his blade at Temari's neck.
• Shikamaru and Shino began their match, each avoiding the other's technique as Shikamaru extended his shadow and Shino released his Kikaichū.
• Asuma told Kurenai that he might lose to Naruto in a direct fight, estimating his odds at four to six.

Naruto traced a hostile gaze to a disguised ANBU in the stands, but chose not to expose him as he weighed his estrangement from Konoha. Meanwhile, Shino Aburame won his match after Shikamaru surrendered, leaving Naruto to anticipate trouble at the Chunin Exams.

• Naruto sent a Shadow Clone to the lounge and followed the hostile gaze toward Section B.
• Naruto identified the source as an ANBU ninja hostile toward Konoha's shinobi, but decided not to expose him.
• Naruto reflected that learning his origins had erased his sense of debt to Konoha and watched the Fourth Kazekage seated beside the Third Hokage.
• Shikamaru and Shino became trapped in a stalemate, with Shino's Kikaichū surrounding Shikamaru while Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique restrained Shino.
• Shikamaru surrendered, claiming he was out of chakra, and Shino Aburame was declared the winner.

Gaara faced Sasuke in the final match of the preliminaries after the audience waited anxiously for Sasuke to arrive. As Sasuke attacked at startling speed, Rock Lee questioned whether hard work could ever measure up to genius.

• Temari and Kankuro reflected on Gaara’s planned role in the Konoha Crush Plan and feared that he would die during the invasion.
• The audience waited past Sasuke’s scheduled arrival, and the chief examiner gave them ten more minutes.
• Kakashi arrived with Sasuke just before the deadline, and the crowd erupted at their dramatic entrance.
• The chief examiner started the match, and Sasuke vanished before striking Gaara’s sand defense several times.
• Rock Lee watched Sasuke’s speed and wondered whether hard work mattered beside a genius’s talent.

Sasuke pierced Gaara’s sand defense, but Gaara began transforming as the Chunin Exam turned into a coordinated attack by Sunagakure and Otogakure. Naruto killed Kabuto Yakushi after extracting a possible seal-release sequence, then considered using the invasion as an opportunity.

• Naruto explained to Shikamaru that Gaara’s sand defended him automatically, while Sasuke attacked Gaara with Chidori and drew blood.
• Gaara transformed into a monstrous, sand-clawed form, and an ANBU-disguised shinobi used the Temple of Nirvana Technique to put much of the audience to sleep.
• Kurenai and Asuma confronted the disguised shinobi and several attackers, identifying their headbands as belonging to Sunagakure and Otogakure.
• Naruto ambushed the disguised shinobi, recognized him as Kabuto Yakushi, and listened as Kabuto offered information about Konoha’s defenses.
• Naruto killed Kabuto after having him repeat the intelligence-room seal sequence three times, then looked toward the Hokage Office and considered his next move.

Naruto infiltrated Konoha’s intelligence archive during the invasion and found only limited-value records. After Kakashi tasked Naruto and Shikamaru with joining Sasuke to confront Gaara, Shikamaru assembled a team and rejected the injured Sakura’s request to come along.

• Naruto and Shikamaru fought off Otogakure and Sunagakure ninja until Naruto used Ashina Cross to escape with Shikamaru.
• Kabuto Yakushi revived and resolved to leave before anyone found him, while considering further body modifications.
• Naruto entered the Hokage Office’s basement, knocked out its guards, and searched Konoha’s forty-eighth-year intelligence scrolls.
• Kakashi gave Naruto and Shikamaru an A-rank mission to catch up with Sasuke and fight Gaara, sending Pakku to guide them.
• Shikamaru gathered Lee, Neji, Kiba, Shino, Naruto, and Ino for the mission, but refused Sakura’s request to join because she was injured and too weak.

Sasuke and his allies pursued Gaara’s team, captured Temari, and then confronted the colossal One-Tail. As Naruto’s Shadow Clone faced the beast, Kurama lent him chakra and called their connection Ninshu.

• Sasuke fought Kankuro until Shino and Neji arrived, then followed Naruto and the others after Gaara’s team.
• Shikamaru assigned Naruto and himself to defeat Temari while Sasuke, Kiba, and Lee targeted Gaara, but Sasuke insisted on facing Gaara alone.
• Temari hid the injured Gaara and fought the pursuers, but Naruto, Kiba, and Lee overwhelmed her, and Naruto knocked her unconscious.
• Naruto and his allies secured Temari, then saw Gaara transform into the enormous One-Tail, leaving them facing a vast power gap.
• Kurama explained that chakra was inherently connected and lent chakra to Naruto’s Shadow Clone, naming their connection Ninshu.

Naruto fought the awakened Shukaku while wrapped in Kurama’s chakra, and the battle forced his companions to flee. Shukaku gathered chakra for another attack as Naruto’s condition remained uncertain.

• Naruto sent Kiba and Rock Lee away from the fight, gave Shikamaru some of his chakra, and formed a three-tailed cloak with Kurama’s chakra.
• Naruto attacked Shukaku with his Heart Piercing Style, while Gaara used the Feigning Sleep Technique to let Shukaku take control.
• Shukaku unleashed a powerful wind attack that swept away trees and injured Sasuke, forcing Shikamaru and the others to retreat.
• Shukaku trapped Naruto in sand, but Naruto burst free, landed on Shukaku, and severed one of his hind legs.
• Shukaku struck Naruto into the ground with his tail and began gathering chakra in his mouth, prompting Shikamaru to urge the others to run.

Naruto fought Shukaku and survived their Tailed Beast Bomb collision, then spoke with the exhausted Gaara about changing how others saw him. Naruto invited Gaara to join his planned Jinchuriki organization, which he named Dragonborn.

• Kurama took control of Naruto, swallowed a Tailed Beast Bomb, and fired it at Shukaku's attack, creating a massive explosion that knocked Kiba unconscious.
• Naruto dug himself out of the dirt and learned from Kurama that Shukaku had run out of chakra and returned to his Jinchuriki.
• Naruto found the exhausted Gaara and discussed their experiences as Jinchuriki and how Gaara could change his circumstances.
• Gaara said he wanted people to see him as a person rather than a monster and to get along with them normally.
• Naruto invited Gaara to join an organization of Jinchuriki who would help one another, and named it Dragonborn.

Naruto spoke with Shukaku about freeing the tailed beasts and considered how their bonds with Jinchuriki could help establish Dragonborn. After the battle, he and Kakashi reunited the injured Konoha team and led them back toward the village.

• Naruto asked Shukaku about freeing the tailed beasts, and Shukaku showed interest while Kurama praised Naruto.
• Naruto told Gaara to speak more with Shukaku and vanished when Temari and Kankuro approached.
• Gaara thanked Temari and Kankuro, who told him they were family.
• Naruto rescued Shikamaru and found Kiba, Lee, and Sasuke, using his newfound ability to sense chakra.
• Kakashi confirmed the crisis in the village was over, praised the team, and apologized to Naruto for misjudging him.
• Kakashi carried Sasuke as the group slowly headed back to Konoha.

After the war, Naruto returned home and absorbed the strain from a Shadow Clone whose battles and Tailed Beast Bomb had been powered by Kurama. Kurama urged Naruto to train harder, revealed his Uzumaki heritage and explained Ninshu, leaving Naruto intrigued by the idea of using Kurama to relay messages and supply chakra to his clones.

• Naruto returned to his home after seeing Kakashi take the others to the hospital, and his Shadow Clone reported that the intelligence it found was not what he wanted.
• Naruto absorbed the Shadow Clone's accumulated strain and learned that Kurama's chakra had greatly increased the burden on his body.
• Naruto complained to Kurama about his interference, and Kurama criticized Naruto's physical condition and urged him to train more intensely.
• Kurama told Naruto that his mother belonged to the Uzumaki Clan, and Naruto realized he had never known his surname came from a prominent clan.
• Naruto asked Kurama about communicating with his Shadow Clones, and Kurama explained Ninshu and its history as a means of connecting people through chakra.
• Naruto considered using Kurama as a relay for information and chakra, while Kurama grew wary of Naruto's pleased expression.

After the Third Hokage died, Naruto was confined under the new leadership and escaped Konoha. Three days later, he was in the capital of the Land of Wind, enjoying the freedom to travel and deciding to visit Gaara.

• Naruto attended the memorial service for Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other ninja who died in the war.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu confined Naruto and assigned ANBU to monitor him.
• Naruto used a Shadow Clone and Transformation Jutsu to evade the ANBU and leave Konoha.
• Three days later, Naruto explored the capital of the Land of Wind and bought Four-Joy Meatballs.
• Naruto told Kurama he planned to visit Gaara and invited him to see the world together.

Naruto left Konoha after sending farewell letters to his companions, beginning life as a rogue ninja in the Land of Wind. Shikamaru confirmed Naruto’s departure to Konoha’s elders, who assigned Root to retrieve the Nine-Tails while Danzō was asked to spare Naruto’s life if possible.

• Jiraiya visited Naruto, offered to take him outside, and watched him say goodbye before closing the door.
• Naruto sent farewell letters to his companions, and Shikamaru rushed out after reading his letter.
• Naruto vanished from the cliff above Hokage Rock and woke in an inn in the Land of Wind, where Kurama acknowledged his new life as a rogue ninja.
• Shikamaru returned to Naruto’s empty home and told Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō what he knew about Naruto’s departure.
• Mitokado Homura ordered increased surveillance of the Uchiha Clan, while Danzō assigned Root to bring Naruto back and agreed to spare his life if possible.

Shikamaru questioned Shikaku about Naruto and learned how Konoha had concealed Naruto’s identity and taken the Fourth Hokage’s assets. Meanwhile, Naruto traveled toward Sunagakure with a merchant caravan and learned how ninja villages managed bandit threats to preserve mission work; the caravan was expected to arrive the next day.

• Shikamaru asked Shikaku who Naruto was, and Shikaku explained that Naruto was the Fourth Hokage’s child and the hero who contained the Nine-Tails.
• Shikaku told Shikamaru that Konoha had reclaimed the Fourth Hokage’s home and used his and his wife’s assets to cover the village deficit.
• Naruto traveled through the Land of Wind with He Yan’s caravan and listened to the merchant describe the nations he had visited.
• A youth warned He Yan that wandering ninja were causing trouble ahead, and the Sunagakure ninja negotiated with them before the caravan continued.
• He Yan explained that ninja villages tolerated bandits to maintain demand for missions, and Naruto asked how soon they would reach Sunagakure.

Naruto arrived in Sunagakure with He Yan’s caravan and searched for Gaara while exploring the village. His Mind's Eye of the Kagura detected an unusual chakra signature, but Naruto chose not to investigate and settled at an inn before the caravan’s departure in two days.

• Naruto entered Sunagakure with He Yan’s caravan, then parted ways with He Yan and returned the borrowed ostrich.
• Naruto spoke with Kurama in the Mental Space and decided to look for Gaara at his own pace while exploring the village.
• Naruto used his Mind's Eye of the Kagura to search Sunagakure but found no familiar chakra signature.
• Naruto detected a strange chakra approaching and saw a gaunt shinobi pass by, but chose not to interfere.
• Naruto found an inn and planned to leave with He Yan’s caravan in two days.

Naruto disguised himself as a short, deep-voiced client and hired Gaara’s squad to escort him, then revealed his identity after leaving Sunagakure. Gaara stood between Naruto and his wary siblings as the chapter ended.

• Naruto failed to find Gaara and decided to hire his squad as bodyguards.
• Naruto paid Sunagakure’s high fee and learned Gaara’s squad could start the following day because they were on a mission.
• Naruto spent his free day visiting the sand baths before Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara arrived to escort him.
• Temari sensed that Naruto’s disguised appearance seemed familiar as the group left Sunagakure.
• Gaara asked why Naruto had come to see him, and Naruto revealed that he had met Gaara a month earlier and had spared Temari in that battle.
• Temari and Kankuro readied their weapons, but Gaara stepped in front of them.

Naruto visited Gaara in the desert and found him calmer after making peace with Shukaku, then set out toward Rōran. In Konoha, Fifth Hokage Tsunade reviewed the circumstances of Naruto’s defection and ordered Jiraiya to handle the matter.

• Naruto reassured Temari and Kankuro that he no longer had a conflict with them and had come to see his friend Gaara.
• Gaara told Naruto that he and Shukaku had talked, and Naruto noticed that Gaara’s chakra had become warmer and brighter.
• Naruto asked about Rōran and decided to travel there at his own pace.
• Tsunade reviewed the detailed file on Naruto and angrily blamed Konoha’s elders for their schemes.
• Tsunade ordered Jiraiya to handle Naruto’s case, then reflected on the discrimination Naruto and Kushina had endured.

Sasuke left Konoha with the Sound Four, while Naruto traveled with Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara toward Rōran. A message revealed that Sasuke had defected toward the Land of Wind, prompting Sunagakure to consider Konoha’s request for help.

• Sasuke ignored Sakura’s pleas, knocked her unconscious, and met the Sound Four at Konoha’s wall.
• The Sound Four told Sasuke that Orochimaru had assigned them to serve him, and they left Konoha together before dawn.
• Naruto, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara camped near the Rōran Ruins to avoid arriving at night and being mistaken for invaders.
• Kankuro received a secret message reporting that Sasuke had defected toward the Land of Wind and that Konoha had requested Sunagakure’s assistance.
• Temari ended their mission and prepared the group to move on.

Naruto investigated his inexplicable worry about Sasuke and went to the Valley of the End, where he sensed Sasuke approaching. Meanwhile, Neji struggled against Kidomaru’s spider-thread assault as his chakra ran out.

• Naruto asked Kurama whether his soul had been altered, and Kurama suggested that powerful chakra might persist beyond death.
• Naruto decided to find Sasuke and vanished toward the Valley of the End, despite claiming he wanted to cut ties cleanly.
• At the Valley of the End, Naruto sensed Sasuke’s changed chakra approaching and prepared to confront whatever was drawing him in.
• Kidomaru wore down Neji with chakra-filled webs and prepared a final attack while Neji’s chakra neared depletion.
• Kidomaru launched hardened spider threads at Neji from every direction.

Naruto intervened across the battlefields, helping defeat the Sound Four and treating the exhausted Konoha shinobi. He left Shikamaru reassured after the two former friends briefly caught up.

• Choji used the Red Chili Pill to defeat Jirobo, then collapsed from its life-draining effects.
• Naruto appeared behind Tayuya and knocked her unconscious after Shikamaru ran out of chakra.
• Naruto dispersed Kidomaru's spider silk with his chakra and struck him down while Neji watched.
• Naruto gave Choji chakra and waited for Kankuro to arrive so he could take Choji back to Konoha.
• Kiba found the two enemies dead, while Naruto's Shadow Clone withdrew after Gaara took over his fight.
• Naruto replenished Shikamaru's chakra, and the two former friends shared a brief conversation.