Recaps

Naruto manipulated events to bring Tsunade back to Konoha, protect Sasuke, and draw Itachi toward the village while confronting Orochimaru and the Sound Four. Tsunade accepted the Hokage position, Itachi agreed to return to Konoha, and Naruto suspected Tobi was Obito after he escaped with Kisame.

• Naruto won Tsunade’s money at the Tanzaku Street casino, offered her the casino if she became Hokage, and left after she refused.
• Naruto used Shisui Uchiha’s eye to show Danzo an illusion of Konoha prospering without him, then confronted Itachi and Kisame after they arrived to take Sasuke.
• Naruto’s plans forced Itachi to reveal his concern for Sasuke, while Naruto and Jiraiya drove Itachi and Kisame away and Naruto fabricated a story blaming Danzo for the Uchiha Clan massacre.
• Naruto fought Orochimaru and Kabuto, wounded Kabuto, and brought Shizune and Hinata back to Konoha before demanding that Tsunade become Hokage.
• The Sound Four took Itachi, disguised as Sasuke, out of Konoha, and Naruto and Hinata pursued them, defeating Jirobo and Tayuya as Zabuza killed Kidomaru.
• Naruto and Hinata helped Itachi defeat Kimimaro, and Itachi handed Naruto Shisui’s left eye before Naruto took Kimimaro to Konoha.
• Naruto used Itachi to confront Orochimaru and cast Kotoamatsukami on him, while Itachi agreed to return to Konoha and Naruto’s scheme helped Tsunade overcome her hemophobia and accept the Hokage position.
• Kisame attacked Konoha, but Naruto, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Itachi fought him until Tobi arrived and escaped with him using space-time ninjutsu, leading Naruto to suspect Tobi was Obito.

Naruto gathered allies, confronted Orochimaru, and worked to secure Shukaku while protecting the Sand Village from Akatsuki. Shukaku agreed to become Naruto’s tailed beast, and Naruto returned to Konoha with him as Tsunade confronted him about his missions.

• Naruto returned to Konoha after three years of training, earned promotion to Jonin, and recruited Yamato to help him find Orochimaru.
• Naruto found Orochimaru, revealed that Kotoamatsukami had altered his will, and persuaded him to help remove Neji’s Caged Bird Seal, though the procedure only weakened it.
• Naruto brought Gaara to Konoha, then returned with him to the Sand Village when Deidara and Sasori attacked, helping Gaara and their allies defend the village.
• Naruto brought Gaara and his allies to release Shukaku, convinced Itachi to help him protect the tailed beasts, and restrained Shukaku with Adamantine Sealing Chains.
• Naruto used Shukaku as bait against Kakuzu and Hidan, repeatedly teleporting the beast away and returning it until Shukaku finally fought back.
• Naruto asked Shukaku to become his companion and promised to protect him, and Shukaku agreed while insisting Naruto call him big brother.
• Naruto returned to Konoha with Shukaku, where Tsunade scolded him for neglecting missions and Naruto told her he had helped save the Sand Village.

Naruto led Akatsuki to attack the Hidden Cloud Village, then secured an alliance with the wounded village while advancing his own plans for the tailed beasts. Back in Konoha, he framed Danzo as Akatsuki’s founder and left Itachi poised to take control of Root.

• Naruto left Konoha with Hinata and Karin, fought off Sai, Torune Aburame, and Fu Yamanaka, and continued toward the Hidden Cloud Village with his allies.
• Naruto challenged the Fourth Raikage, won permission for his group to enter the village, and positioned the Hidden Cloud as a target for Akatsuki.
• Pain and the other Akatsuki attacked the Hidden Cloud Village, and Naruto secretly joined Pain after absorbing the wounded One-Tail Shukaku.
• Naruto evacuated Itachi, Sasuke, Yugito Nii, and other wounded fighters before Pain destroyed the Hidden Cloud Village with Almighty Push.
• Naruto arranged for Karin to heal the Raikage and the injured, then secured the Raikage’s agreement to ally with Konoha against Akatsuki.
• Obito ordered Nagato to gather all the tailed beasts for Naruto, while Naruto returned to Konoha and told the Raikage and Tsunade that Danzo had founded Akatsuki.
• Naruto used a forged bounty notice to portray Danzo as a Konoha traitor, and Itachi gave Tsunade intelligence on Akatsuki and Obito.
• Naruto recommended that Itachi take over Root, and Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane approved.

Naruto infiltrated Akatsuki, freed and recruited several Tailed Beasts, and helped expose Obito’s control of the Hidden Mist Village. He then traveled to Hidden Rock Village to warn Onoki about Akatsuki, but learned that Han was being denied recognition and left after confronting Onoki.

• Itachi became Root's leader and declined Kakashi's offer, while Naruto visited Gaara, revealed Shukaku, and took him back to Sand Village before failing to awaken Kimimaro with the combined chakra.
• Naruto joined Akatsuki under a month-long challenge to absorb the Four-Tails, then staged a series of escapes with Gaara and Roshi that ended with Naruto persuading Son Goku to leave Akatsuki and join him.
• Naruto showed Obito that he controlled several Tailed Beasts, received the Three-Tails, and recruited Isobu after Shukaku and Son Goku helped persuade it.
• Naruto helped Sasuke approach Yugito Nii, then explained his aim of gaining the jinchuriki's willing cooperation as Yugito warned Gaara that Konoha planned to attack Sand Village.
• Naruto explained Shukaku's resentment to Gaara, then entered the Hidden Mist Village with Zabuza, Hinata, and Haku and helped Terumi Mei and Ao discover that Obito controlled Yagura.
• Naruto, Zabuza, Kakashi, and Terumi Mei fought Obito, who escaped through Kamui after Kakashi damaged his mask, and Naruto left Zabuza and Haku in the village to help restore order.
• Naruto and Sasuke used Torune's modified insect swarm to capture Yugito, then Naruto joined Jiraiya and Torune on a journey to Hidden Rock Village to find Han.
• Naruto warned Onoki that Akatsuki had attacked Roshi and urged him to protect Han, but Onoki dismissed the danger and insulted the jinchuriki, so Naruto challenged him and teleported away after Onoki attacked.