Recaps

Naruto joined Team 7, helped the team complete its mission in the Land of Waves, and formed a bond with Sasuke through training and battle. Back in Konoha, Team 7 passed the first Chunin Exam, where Naruto’s dealings with Zabuza and Haku resurfaced.

• Naruto accidentally kissed Sasuke at the Academy, then tricked Sasuke into drinking expired milk as revenge.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura passed Kakashi’s bell test after Naruto convinced Sakura that Sasuke wanted her attention and the three fought together.
• Team 7 escorted Tazuna to the Land of Waves, where Naruto exposed Tazuna’s lie about the mission and helped the team confront Zabuza Momochi and Haku.
• Naruto trained with Sasuke in chakra control and the Shadow Clone Technique, then arranged for Haku to escape and fight Sasuke.
• Naruto protected Sasuke from Haku’s attacks, and Sasuke awakened his Sharingan while Naruto survived through the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Naruto helped Haku free Zabuza and directed him toward Kado, who was killed by Zabuza and Haku before Team 7 returned to Konoha.
• Kakashi recommended Team 7 for the Chunin Exams, and Naruto helped Hinata and unnerved the other examinees during Morino Ibiki’s written test.
• After Team 7 passed the written exam, Naruto met disguised Hidden Rain Village ninja in a forest, where Zabuza and Haku confronted him over Kado’s property.

Naruto outmaneuvers Orochimaru during the Chunin Exams, protects his friends, and begins training with Jiraiya while building a new family with Haku, Zabuza, and Karin. The arc ends with Naruto arriving to rescue Karin after Hidden Grass Village ninja abduct her.

• Naruto persuaded Zabuza Momochi and Haku to help him expose corruption in Konoha, then entered the Forest of Death with Sasuke and Sakura.
• Orochimaru attacked Naruto’s team, but Naruto fought back, traded Sasuke to Orochimaru for Karin, and later found Sasuke marked with two dangerous seals.
• Naruto rescued Hinata from Gaara and used a trick with the Earth Scroll to drive Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro away.
• Naruto summoned Iruka to take Sasuke to Kakashi, and the Third Hokage changed the third exam into a three-person team melee.
• Naruto recruited Jiraiya as his teacher, learned the Summoning Technique, and summoned five toads above Konoha Village.
• Naruto promised Karin that Konoha would be her home and family, while urging Haku to prepare to fight Danzo Shimura.
• Hidden Grass Village ninja abducted Karin and forced her to heal their wounded, but Naruto arrived at the estate and told her he would handle the rest.

Naruto protected Karin, helped Sasuke and Hinata grow stronger, and led Team 7 through a chaotic team melee that escalated into Gaara’s transformation and the invasion of Konoha. He then isolated Danzo and Root against Shukaku, while the battle ended with a Tailed Beast Ball flattening Konoha’s southwestern corner.

• Naruto rescued Karin from the Hidden Grass Village ninja, helped her stand up to the Chunin, and brought her to Sasuke so she could replenish his chakra as he trained for the final exam.
• Naruto faced Hinata in the team melee, revealed that he had deliberately become last place for her, and teamed with her to defeat Neji after using clones and transformations to expose weaknesses in Neji’s defense.
• Naruto and Hinata overcame Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji, with Hinata using Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation to protect Naruto and knock Choji’s Human Bullet Tank away.
• Naruto helped Team 7 fight Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, but Gaara and Sasuke’s escalating battle led to Gaara partially transforming into Shukaku and the Fourth Kazekage beginning the Konoha Crush Plan.
• Orochimaru revealed his disguise and trapped the Third Hokage in the Four Violet Flame Formation as Sound and Sand forces attacked Konoha, while Naruto summoned Gamabunta to fight Shukaku.
• Naruto took Hinata and Gamabunta toward Root, then urged Danzo and Root to face Shukaku while secretly preventing reinforcements from reaching them.
• Danzo used Izanagi to survive Shukaku’s attacks, while Naruto and Hinata watched for a chance to sever his arm and Naruto’s clone redirected Konoha reinforcements toward civilian protection.
• Shukaku fired a Tailed Beast Ball that flattened Konoha’s southwestern corner as Naruto carried Hinata away, and Zabuza Momochi and Haku watched the explosion from the mountains.

Naruto defeated Danzo, uncovered his parents’ hidden estate and the Flying Thunder God Technique, then left Konoha with Hinata and Jiraiya to find Tsunade. Along the way, Naruto trained Hinata and Sasuke, had Shisui’s Sharingan transplanted, and began learning the Rasengan.

• Naruto and his allies crippled Danzo while the Third Hokage sacrificed himself to seal Orochimaru’s hands and the First and Second Hokage’s souls.
• Naruto learned that Danzo had withheld the location of his parents’ inheritance, then found the Uzumaki estate and recovered the Flying Thunder God and Adamantine Sealing Chains scrolls along with the Third Hokage’s letter.
• Naruto protected Karin from Hidden Grass Village ninja, claimed the estate as his base, and persuaded Jiraiya to let Hinata join the journey to find Tsunade.
• Naruto mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique and used it with Hinata to defeat pursuing Hidden Grass Village ninja, then trained with her in Shukuba Town.
• Naruto drew Sasuke into the journey by claiming he had seen Itachi, while Hinata learned the Shadow Clone Technique and received a Flying Thunder God mark.
• Sasuke’s Genjutsu caused Post Town residents to pursue Jiraiya, while Naruto returned to Konoha and arranged for Kabuto to transplant Danzo’s Sharingan into him.
• Naruto left with Hinata, Karin, Haku, and Zabuza, then reunited with Jiraiya and Sasuke at Tanzaku Street, where Jiraiya began teaching them the Rasengan.