Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Itachi left Sasuke and went to confront Sarutobi Hiruzen after the Hokage threatened Sasuke through Anbu. At the Chunin Exam hall, Yuhi Kurenai saw the masked Shisui with Xuanyu and reacted strongly to his presence.

• Kisame urged Uchiha Itachi to act against those threatening him, but Itachi left to visit Sarutobi Hiruzen, while Sasuke briefly wondered if he had seen his brother and then continued toward the exam.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya realized Sarutobi Hiruzen had used Sasuke to control Itachi, and they left; Anbu followed Sasuke under orders to kill him if Itachi behaved unusually.
• Uchiha Xuan Yu watched Itachi and the Anbu, reflecting that Itachi had lost his decisiveness, and continued toward the Chunin Exam hall.
• Hinata and Shino Aburame greeted Xuanyu at the exam hall, while Hua Yu remained focused on him.
• Yuhi Kurenai approached Xuanyu and froze when she saw the masked Shisui; Xuanyu broke the moment and Kurenai explained that she would referee the Second Stage and believed the Konoha higher-ups had separated her from Xuanyu to stop her investigating the disappearances.

Xuan Yu discussed the Konoha Higher-Ups’ crimes and the Uchiha Police Force’s intentions with Yuhi Kurenai while Naruto watched from a distance. As the Chunin Exams approached, Naruto and the Nine-Tails argued about Sakura and love, and Kakashi arrived as Sasuke showed up late.

• Xuan Yu told Yuhi Kurenai that the Uchiha Police Force would protect Konoha’s villagers and stop evil from spreading, while she understood he planned to move against the Sarutobi Clan and Danzo’s Root.
• Naruto avoided greeting Xuan Yu because he feared Sarutobi Hiruzen’s watchers would grow suspicious, while the Nine-Tails sensed that Xuan Yu had become terrifyingly powerful.
• Sakura asked Naruto whether Sasuke had arrived, and Naruto complained that she defended Sasuke while treating him differently from everyone else.
• The Nine-Tails told Naruto to give up on Sakura, but Naruto argued that it did not understand love because it had never been in love.
• Kakashi arrived to encourage Naruto and Sakura for the Chunin Exams, and Naruto pointed out that Sasuke was still late as Sasuke arrived in the distance.

Kakashi confronted the Anbu ninja secretly watching Sasuke and learned that Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had ordered the surveillance because Uchiha Itachi had returned to Konoha. Kakashi refused to accept Sasuke being used to restrain Itachi, leaving the standoff unresolved.

• Sasuke arrived as Kakashi noticed several Anbu ninja watching him with killing intent.
• Kakashi challenged the Anbu for monitoring his student, while Naruto learned from the Nine-Tails that they were targeting Sasuke and intended to kill him.
• Kakashi sent Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura to join Yuhi Kurenai and Uchiha Xuan Yu, but two more Anbu followed Sasuke.
• The lead Anbu told Kakashi that Sarutobi Hiruzen had ordered Sasuke's surveillance to restrict Uchiha Itachi, who had returned to the village.
• Kakashi rejected the Anbu's justification and demanded that they leave Sasuke alone.

Kakashi confronted the Anbu who were monitoring Sasuke and warned him that Sasuke was in danger. At the Chunin Exam gathering, Xuanyu’s pressure shocked Darui and the other Cloud ninjas as they watched him head inside.

• Kakashi revealed his Sharingan and forced the Anbu squad monitoring Sasuke to leave, warning them not to touch his disciple.
• Kakashi told Sasuke to be cautious around masked people, while Sakura worried that the Anbu had targeted him.
• Might Guy arrived with Rock Lee, Neji, and Tenten, and the examinees began entering the school grounds.
• Darui recognized Xuanyu and recalled how Xuanyu had defeated Killer B, while Samui, Omoi, and Karui doubted his strength.
• Xuanyu turned toward the Cloud ninjas and unleashed an invisible pressure that frightened them before he calmly headed to the examination grounds.

The Cloud ninja feared Xuanyu after he silently warned them not to reveal his strength, while the other teams entered the Chunin Exams. Sasuke sensed that the Anbu were targeting him, and Kakashi confirmed they intended to kill him, leaving Sasuke asking why.

• Xuanyu's intimidating glare frightened Samui, Darui, Omoi, and Karui, who understood it as a warning to keep quiet about his strength.
• Samui told the Cloud team to avoid provoking Xuanyu, then Darui led them into the exam hall.
• Orochimaru watched the scene and entered the exam hall with his subordinates; Kurotsuchi, Chōjūrō, and Gaara arrived with their teams and gave them instructions.
• Kakashi noticed Sasuke had not entered the exam hall, and Sasuke asked whether the Anbu had come for him.
• Kakashi confirmed the Anbu intended to kill Sasuke, who asked why they wanted him dead.

Sasuke learned that Sarutobi Hiruzen had ordered the Anbu to monitor and potentially use him to threaten his returned brother, Uchiha Itachi. When Sasuke became determined to confront Itachi, Uchiha Shisui challenged his resolve and revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Sasuke suspected Sarutobi Hiruzen had ordered the Anbu to watch him, and Kakashi confirmed the Hokage was responsible.
• Kakashi told Sasuke that Uchiha Itachi had returned to Konoha and that the Hokage might use Sasuke's life to threaten him.
• Sasuke grew furious and demanded to know where Itachi was so he could kill him.
• Uchiha Shisui rebuked Sasuke for being too weak to face Itachi and said Sasuke wanted revenge to ease his guilt toward the clan.
• Sasuke insisted he would kill Itachi or die trying, and Uchiha Shisui activated his Mangekyō Sharingan before meeting Sasuke's gaze.

Uchiha Shisui used his Mangekyō Sharingan to trap Sasuke in a terrifying genjutsu while Kakashi and the others watched. Shisui then entered Naruto’s Mental Space, where he appeared before Naruto and the Nine-Tails.

• Shisui caught Sasuke in a Mangekyō Sharingan genjutsu that left him conscious but unable to move or escape.
• Kakashi recognized Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan, while Yuhi Kurenai studied his genjutsu and Might Guy wondered whether closing his eyes would protect him.
• Sakura tried to reach Sasuke, but Kakashi stopped her and said Shisui was guiding him.
• The Nine-Tails sensed Shisui’s powerful Doujutsu and feared being controlled again.
• Shisui’s spiritual form appeared in Naruto’s Mental Space, surprising Naruto and putting the Nine-Tails on guard.

Shisui entered Naruto's Spiritual World and frightened the Nine-Tails with his powerful spiritual energy. After Shisui released Sasuke from a Genjutsu, he condemned Sasuke's weakness and urged him to grow stronger for the Uchiha Clan.

• Shisui appeared in Naruto's Spiritual World, where the Nine-Tails cautiously avoided his gaze to evade Genjutsu.
• Shisui told Naruto that he had only wanted to see the sealing place, then left after encouraging Naruto and the Nine-Tails to grow strong together.
• Naruto noticed that Kurama had feared Shisui, but Kurama made excuses before sending Naruto out of the Seal Space.
• Shisui ended the Genjutsu, and Sasuke collapsed while Sakura tried to support him.
• Shisui told Sasuke he was too weak to kill Itachi and urged him to become stronger and contribute to the Uchiha Clan, calling him undeserving of being an Uchiha clansman.

Sakura insulted Uchiha Xuan Yu in front of his followers, prompting Hanayu to seize and punish her. Sakura continued to defy Hanayu while Naruto chose not to intervene.

• Sasuke fixated on Shisui's claim that he was unworthy of being an Uchiha, and Sakura blamed Shisui for upsetting him.
• Sakura defended Sasuke and called Xuan Yu useless, angering Hanayu, Senju Hashirama, Zhong Kui, and Shisui.
• Hanayu warned Sakura to take back her words, but Sakura continued insulting Xuan Yu despite Kakashi's attempt to stop her.
• Hanayu grabbed Sakura by the throat and lifted her, leaving Sakura unable to resist.
• Naruto heeded Kurama's warning and stayed back, while Sakura continued to call Xuan Yu trash as Hanayu held her aloft.

Sakura continued insulting Xuanyu and provoked Hua Yu until she nearly killed her. Sasuke pleaded for Sakura, acknowledged his own failings, and resolved to grow stronger for the Uchiha Clan; Hua Yu released Sakura, who was left facing Sasuke’s demand for an apology.

• Sakura kept insulting Xuanyu, prompting Shisui to warn Kakashi about his student’s behavior.
• The Nine-Tails told Naruto that Hua Yu might lose control if Sakura continued provoking her, but Sakura refused to stop.
• Hua Yu tightened her grip on Sakura’s throat, and Sakura realized Hua Yu truly intended to kill her.
• Sasuke stepped forward to plead for Sakura, apologized on her behalf, and vowed to become stronger and serve the Uchiha Clan.
• Shisui reminded Hua Yu that Xuanyu would not want a death, so Hua Yu threw Sakura aside.
• Sasuke stood between Sakura and the Uchiha group and demanded that Sakura apologize.

Sakura apologized to Xuanyu after Sasuke and Kakashi pressed her, though she remained unconvinced and sarcastic. After Sasuke led her and the others to the examination classroom, Kakashi suggested that he and the group find a quiet place to wait, hoping to learn the masked Uchiha’s identity.

• Sasuke and Kakashi told Sakura to apologize, and she apologized to Xuanyu while sarcastically calling him the Uchiha Clan’s strongest genius.
• Hua Yu, Shisui, Hashira, and Zhong Kui agreed earnestly that Xuanyu was the Uchiha Clan’s strongest genius, frustrating Sakura.
• Kakashi urged Sakura to hurry to the exam, and Sasuke took her by the hand and led her toward the examination classroom.
• Hashira and Zhong Kui questioned whether Sakura should be let go, while Kakashi defended her as a child misled by village rumors.
• Kakashi suggested finding somewhere quiet to wait, and Shisui agreed after Hua Yu nodded, revealing to Kakashi that she held authority over the group.
• Sakura and the others entered the examination classroom.

Hinata offered to help Xuanyu cheat on the exam, but he asked her to help Shino instead, who planned to use his insects to scout the test. Darui arrived and sat beside Xuanyu, whose casual touch left him too intimidated to resist, as Gaara and Naruto entered before the exam began.

• Hinata offered to help Xuanyu cheat, but he said he knew the material and asked her to help Shino avoid elimination.
• Shino told Hinata to leave insects on his test paper so he could use them to scout the exam, and Hinata eagerly agreed.
• Darui entered with Omoi and Karui, sat beside Xuanyu, and nervously exchanged greetings with him.
• Xuanyu patted Darui's shoulder, suppressing the Chakra he had raised in fear, and told him to take the exam properly.
• Xuanyu greeted Gaara when he entered, Naruto greeted Gaara, and Sakura passed Xuanyu with an angry look.

Xuanyu and Sasuke entered the Chunin Exam under close surveillance, as Sarutobi Hiruzen’s proctors targeted them and allowed cheating as part of the test. The first exam began with an examiner seated beside Xuanyu and an armed Anbu watching Sasuke.

• Xuanyu reacted angrily to Sakura insulting him, while Naruto tried to calm him and defend her.
• Sasuke arrived and waited quietly; Xuanyu spoke with Gaara and asked him to help Naruto during the exam.
• The examiners handed out difficult papers and hinted that the candidates should cheat.
• A proctor sat beside Xuanyu, intending to catch him cheating and eliminate him on Sarutobi Hiruzen’s orders.
• An armed Anbu sat beside Sasuke to monitor him and threaten Itachi, and the proctor announced the one-hour exam had begun.

As the Chunin Exam’s written test began, Xuanyu slept while contestants used a variety of methods to copy answers. Naruto struggled with the questions and hesitated to cheat, until the Nine-Tails offered to help him.

• Xuanyu lay down to sleep, and the ninja assigned to monitor him assumed he had given up.
• Darui, Omoi, and Karui copied answers from other examinees, while Omoi’s first attempt to copy Hinata was detected and disrupted.
• Sasuke used his Two Tomoe to find answers, Sakura worked through the test herself, and Gaara used sand to copy answers and pass them to Kankuro and Temari.
• Shino Aburame used an insect’s compound eyes to copy answers, while the proctor eliminated three teams after catching cheating.
• Naruto worried that cheating would get his teammates eliminated, and the Nine-Tails offered to help him.

Naruto struggled with the test until Gaara secretly sent him answers through the sand, while Xuanyu woke and answered every question correctly under a proctor’s watch. The proctor was left stunned when Xuanyu asked how he had done.

• Naruto rejected Kurama’s offer to help because it required loosening the seal, recognizing that Kurama wanted to escape.
• Gaara formed answers from sand on Naruto’s desk, and Naruto copied them onto his test.
• Sasuke noticed Gaara helping Naruto and realized Xuanyu had arranged it.
• Xuanyu woke, picked up his pen, and rapidly answered the test while the proctor watched him.
• The proctor checked Xuanyu’s paper and found every answer correct, and Xuanyu asked, “Teacher, how did I do?”

Xuanyu completed the written exam without cheating, frustrating Kabuto and Ibiki’s efforts to eliminate him. Ibiki introduced a tenth question as the exam continued, while Kabuto resumed watching Xuanyu.

• Xuanyu finished every exam question correctly in minutes, and Kabuto could not find evidence that he had cheated.
• Kabuto and Ibiki suspected the exam questions had been leaked and planned to investigate the people involved.
• Kabuto asked Ibiki to share responsibility for failing to eliminate Xuanyu, but Ibiki said the exam was not over.
• Ibiki returned to the exam hall, introduced himself, and announced that the test had ten questions rather than nine.
• The examinees reacted with confusion, and Kabuto sat beside Xuanyu to watch him again.

Ibiki announced a high-stakes tenth question that could permanently bar examinees who answered incorrectly from taking the Chunin Exams again. After one Konoha examinee objected and chose to withdraw, his two teammates withdrew with him, while the remaining candidates stayed.

• Ibiki warned that anyone who answered the tenth question incorrectly would be eliminated with their teammates and could never take the Chunin Exams again.
• Ibiki said the question was new and glanced at Xuanyu, who dismissed the implication that he had obtained the exam questions in advance.
• A Konoha examinee challenged Ibiki’s rule, explaining that he and his teammates could not risk their futures on one unknown question.
• Ibiki told the examinee he could withdraw and return for a later exam, but anyone who stayed would have to answer the question.
• The examinee withdrew, and his two teammates joined him; Ibiki ordered all three to leave the exam hall and looked down on their decision.

As Ibiki pressured the remaining candidates to withdraw, Xuanyu dismissed his judgment and the exam hall grew quieter as several commoner ninja left. Naruto decided to stay after Kurama reasoned that Konoha would not let everyone fail, while Sakura considered withdrawing for her team until Sasuke signaled her to trust Naruto.

• Xuanyu privately rejected Ibiki's contempt for the candidates who withdrew, and more commoner ninja left the exam hall.
• Naruto worried about the final question, but Kurama reasoned that an impossibly hard question would make everyone fail, which Konoha's leaders would not allow.
• Naruto took Gaara's reassuring smile as a promise of further help and decided not to withdraw.
• Sakura feared Naruto would fail and considered withdrawing on behalf of Team 7 to protect their future chances.
• Sasuke signaled Sakura not to withdraw because he had seen Gaara give Naruto correct answers and trusted Naruto to continue.

During the Chunin Exam, Ibiki tried to intimidate Xuan Yu and catch him cheating, but Xuan Yu correctly answered a question Ibiki had devised himself. Ibiki declared the remaining candidates had passed, leaving one contestant questioning whether he had been messing with them.

• Sakura reluctantly decided to trust Naruto to get their team through the exam and warned him she would not forgive him if he failed.
• Ibiki gave the candidates the written questions and watched Xuan Yu closely, hoping to catch him cheating.
• Xuan Yu told Ibiki he disliked being watched, then began writing his answers while Darui observed the exchange.
• Ibiki was stunned when Xuan Yu correctly answered a question he had just invented, and he and Kabuto reconsidered their suspicion that Xuan Yu had cheated.
• Ibiki offered the candidates another chance to withdraw, then announced that they had passed the exam.
• A displeased contestant stood and asked Ibiki whether he had just been messing with them.

Karui challenged Ibiki’s Chunin Exam and condemned its final question, while Xuan Yu stirred up the examinees by arguing that it unfairly drove away those who took their ninja paths seriously. Gaara, his siblings, and Darui joined the protest, leaving Ibiki facing growing opposition in the exam hall.

• Karui questioned how Konoha conducted the Chunin Exams, and Ibiki explained that the first nine questions tested intelligence gathering while the tenth tested resolve and trust in companions.
• Several examinees criticized Ibiki’s final question, and Xuan Yu argued that it had made serious candidates withdraw without testing anyone else.
• Ibiki threatened to cancel everyone’s results if they kept making noise, but Gaara stood up and said the exam was meaningless under an examiner like him.
• Kankuro and Temari joined Gaara in rejecting the exam, forcing Ibiki to consider the diplomatic consequences of confronting the Land of Wind team.
• Xuan Yu urged Darui to speak up, and Darui joined the criticism, saying the Land of Lightning’s ninjas had no reason to take such a childish exam.