Recaps

Naruto beat Konohamaru and Ebisu, then took Sasuke, Karin, and Sakura on a C-rank mission to protect Tazuna in the Land of Waves. The group set out under Naruto’s leadership, which left Tazuna stunned when Naruto revealed he was only a Genin.

• Naruto struck Konohamaru and used an Earth Spear to injure Ebisu after Ebisu tried to stop him.
• Kakashi watched Naruto leave and reflected on how differently the village treated him and Konohamaru before following Naruto.
• Sasuke trained alone, struggled with the gap between himself and Naruto, and resolved to grow stronger and avenge his family.
• Naruto arrived late to meet Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin, then asked Hiruzen Sarutobi for a C-rank mission and chose the long-term bridge-protection job in the Land of Waves.
• Tazuna arrived to meet the team, complained that his guards were children, and was shocked when Naruto said he was the Genin leading them.

Naruto revealed that Tazuna had concealed the danger in the Land of Waves mission and ordered his newly graduated students to destroy Gato's forces as combat training. The Demon Brothers ambushed the group, and Sasuke defended Tazuna with a Fireball Jutsu after Sakura fainted and Karin appeared to be cut in half.

• Tazuna complained that Naruto had assigned four young ninja to escort him, and Naruto revealed that the mission involved wiping out Gato's forces.
• Sakura questioned whether the team should withdraw, but Naruto insisted that Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin face the combat while he handled Jonin-level opponents.
• Naruto told the students that Tazuna's survival would affect their bonus points but not their final evaluation, and the group continued with Tazuna protected in their formation.
• Karin sensed a suspicious puddle, but the Demon Brothers burst out and appeared to slice her in two, causing Sakura to faint.
• Sasuke evaded the Demon Brothers, pinned their weapons with shuriken, and used a Fireball Jutsu when they lunged for Tazuna.

Sasuke killed the Demon Brothers with Fireball Jutsu after they ambushed Team 7, while Naruto mocked Sasuke and scolded Sakura and Karin for their reactions. The group survived the attack, but Naruto emphasized gathering information and using their abilities wisely as they continued protecting Tazuna.

• Sasuke burned the Demon Brothers to death with Fireball Jutsu, and Sakura fainted after seeing their charred bodies.
• Naruto teased Sasuke by repeatedly mentioning Itachi Uchiha, then woke Sakura and called Karin out of the bushes.
• Sakura discovered that Karin had used the Substitution Technique to escape the Demon Brothers’ attack.
• Naruto scolded Sakura for failing to recognize the substitution and criticized Sasuke for killing the attackers instead of questioning them.
• Naruto challenged Karin’s claim that she had hidden to preserve her strength, pointing out that she had mastered the Yin Seal and the Strength of a Hundred Technique.

Naruto’s Team 7 escorted Tazuna toward the Land of Waves, with Naruto dismissing Sakura’s combat value and treating the group’s lack of coordination as irrelevant. When Tazuna used his daughter and granddaughter to pressure the team into protecting him, Naruto promised to look after them if Tazuna died, leaving Tazuna bewildered.

• Naruto waved off Sakura’s hesitation and told Tazuna to keep moving, while Kakashi watched the squad’s lack of teamwork from hiding.
• Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Karin, and Tazuna reached a fogbound ferry landing and boarded a boat bound for the Land of Waves.
• Sasuke asked why the boatman was rowing instead of using the motor, and the boatman explained he feared Gato’s patrols.
• Tazuna described Gato’s control over the Land of Waves and admitted he had spent his entire family fortune hiring Konoha’s ninjas.
• Tazuna guilted the team with the fate of his daughter and granddaughter, and Naruto earnestly promised to care for them if Tazuna died.

Naruto explained how money and the noble class kept shinobi villages in check as the group traveled through the impoverished Land of Waves. He told Sakura to target Gato’s armed forces and hinted that Gato himself could become a source of income, then suddenly threw a kunai at an unseen presence.

• The boatman abandoned Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna at the dock, while Kakashi appeared in front of him and pretended he had been left behind.
• Sakura complained about the Land of Waves’ poverty, and Tazuna explained that Gato had killed everyone who helped build the bridge.
• Naruto explained how wealthy nobles influenced shinobi villages and why even powerful rogue groups avoided provoking the rich.
• Naruto told Sakura to wipe out Gato’s armed forces and suggested that Gato himself would be profitable to deal with.
• Naruto suddenly threw a kunai, and Sasuke and the other two took fighting stances.

Naruto and his team encountered Zabuza Momochi during their assessment, but Naruto easily stopped and disarmed him. After Zabuza fled to retrieve his sword, Naruto revealed he was the assessment’s target and showed Sasuke and Sakura just how strong Karin was.

• Naruto identified a Snow Rabbit as a substitute and spotted Zabuza Momochi hiding nearby.
• Zabuza attacked with the Kubikiribōchō, but Naruto stopped the blade with one hand and threw it back coated in wind-nature chakra.
• Zabuza dodged his flying sword and fled, while Naruto urged the team onward so they could cook the rabbit.
• Naruto told Sasuke and Sakura that Zabuza was their assessment’s boss and said Karin would help them face him.
• Karin smashed a huge crater into the ground when Naruto asked her to dig a pit for beggar’s rabbit.

Naruto had Sasuke practice precise Fireball Jutsu by roasting a rabbit, then Zabuza Momochi attacked the group with Hidden Mist Jutsu. Naruto responded by blanketing the battlefield in even thicker fog, leaving Zabuza Momochi unable to see.

• Karin's strength and sealing abilities impressed Sasuke after she created a huge crater and sealed Amaterasu in a scroll.
• Naruto had Sasuke use controlled Fireball Jutsu to roast a mud-wrapped rabbit, and Sasuke exhausted his chakra before Naruto pulled out the cooked meal.
• Zabuza Momochi appeared at the riverbank and cast Hidden Mist Jutsu while Naruto explained his identity and warned Sasuke and the others to be careful.
• Naruto copied Zabuza Momochi's Hidden Mist Jutsu with his Sharingan and, annoyed by the thin fog, cast his own mist that blinded everyone, including Zabuza Momochi.

Zabuza used the Mist Hiding Technique to attack Sasuke and the others, but Karin sensed his movements and guided Sasuke’s shuriken through the fog. Zabuza blasted the mist away around himself and located their position, leaving Karin fearing he would reach them.

• Zabuza covered the area in dense fog and tried to locate Sasuke and the others by sound.
• Karin used the Mind's Eye of the Kagura to call out Zabuza’s movements while Sasuke threw shuriken at him.
• Sasuke and Karin’s attacks forced Zabuza to dodge through the fog as Sakura watched.
• Zabuza used Chakra Burst to clear the fog around himself and spot where the attacks came from.
• Zabuza charged toward Sasuke and the others, and Karin warned that he had found their position.

Naruto watched Zabuza fight Karin and the others, then discussed recruiting Zabuza and securing Akatsuki’s finances with Itachi and Kisame. As Naruto argued for controlling Gato’s wealth, Hidan appeared and attacked him, demanding that he worship Lord Jashin.

• Zabuza’s killing intent terrified Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin, but Karin disrupted his attack with her Heaven-Hunting Kick.
• Naruto watched from a tree while Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki appeared and questioned Zabuza’s value to Akatsuki.
• Naruto argued that Akatsuki should expand its funding by taking control of Gato, a powerful shipping tycoon.
• Itachi explained that Nagato sought to deter war with an ultimate weapon, while Naruto argued that lasting peace required greater control.
• Hidan attacked Naruto with his Crescent Scythe and challenged him to worship Lord Jashin.

Naruto brought Itachi and Kisame to the forest, where Hidan and Kakuzu revealed themselves and Sasuke attacked Itachi. Itachi struck Sasuke with Tsukuyomi, while Hidan began fighting Zabuza as Kakashi arrived; Itachi and Kisame then left, with the confrontation still underway.

• Naruto kicked Hidan into Zabuza Momochi, who decapitated him, but Kakuzu stitched Hidan's head back onto his body.
• Naruto's Wind Release cleared the mist, exposing the groups gathered in the forest, and Kakuzu warned Hidan not to reveal Naruto's background.
• Sasuke saw Itachi Uchiha and charged him, but Itachi seized him and trapped him in Tsukuyomi Space.
• Kakashi caught the unconscious Sasuke after a kunai made Itachi release him.
• Hidan charged Zabuza Momochi to recruit him for Akatsuki, while Itachi and Kisame departed for their mission.

After Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki left, Naruto dismissed Kakashi’s concerns and slapped Sasuke awake from Itachi’s genjutsu. Sasuke awakened a two-tomoe Sharingan in both eyes and, encouraged by Naruto, turned his attention to watching the battle ahead.

• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki left, and Kakashi urged Naruto to suspend the mission because the gathered rogue ninja were too dangerous.
• Naruto told Kakashi that the Akatsuki members were focused on money, criticized Konoha’s weakness, and said the Chunin Ninja Exams would expose its problems.
• Naruto slapped Sasuke awake, and Sasuke opened his eyes with a two-tomoe Sharingan in both eyes.
• Sasuke despaired that he still could not match Itachi, but Naruto showed him his new Sharingan in a mirror and encouraged him.
• Naruto told Sasuke to watch the fight between an elite jonin and a jonin so he could learn to copy taijutsu.

Zabuza Momochi fought Hidan while Kakuzu tried to recruit him and revealed that Gato was their target. As Naruto demonstrated how hand signs worked and watched Hidan survive Zabuza's Water Dragon Bullet, he suspected Hidan's immortality came from experiments based on Tobirama Senju's Impure World Reincarnation research.

• Zabuza Momochi clashed with Hidan, while Kakuzu told Zabuza that Akatsuki wanted to recruit him and was targeting Gato.
• Zabuza Momochi used the Water Dragon Bullet Technique against Hidan, and Sasuke watched him weave its many hand signs.
• Naruto cast the same technique with almost no hand signs and explained to Sasuke that signs only helped control chakra.
• Sasuke resolved to awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan so he could copy more ninjutsu and defeat his rival.
• Hidan took Zabuza's water dragon attack without showing pain, prompting Naruto to theorize that Hidan's ritual was a crude derivative of Impure World Reincarnation research.

Zabuza fought Hidan and Kakuzu, but Haku’s attempt to fake Zabuza’s death was exposed when Hidan tasted his blood. As Naruto’s group left, Hidan began a Jashin ritual that wounded Zabuza from afar.

• Zabuza unleashed the Great Waterfall Technique, but Kakuzu countered with a powerful fire attack that blasted Zabuza and Naruto raised an earth wall to shield his group.
• Kakuzu offered Zabuza a place in the Akatsuki, but Haku struck Zabuza in the neck with needles and pretended he was dead.
• Hidan tasted Zabuza’s blood and discovered he was alive, so Haku carried the injured Zabuza away while Zabuza pulled the needle from his neck.
• Naruto led his group away as Hidan drew a sacrificial formation and stabbed his own thigh, causing a matching wound to appear on Zabuza.

After defeating Zabuza Momochi, Naruto rejected the idea that repairing the bridge would save the Land of Waves and began training the others as they crossed the sea. He left Sakura to return to Konoha with Kakashi and continued Karin’s combat training, while Sasuke struggled with jealousy.

• Naruto told Karin that repairing the bridge would not free the Land of Waves and argued that stronger people would keep making the rules.
• Naruto walked across the ocean and told Sasuke and the others to return to the mainland by controlling chakra beneath their feet.
• Naruto assigned Karin to practice her combat skills against his Shadow Clone, shocking Sasuke with how much she had learned.
• Naruto told Sakura she could not work as a ninja and ordered Kakashi to take her back to Konoha.
• Naruto’s Shadow Clone invited Karin to try to touch it and dispel it.

Naruto returned to Konoha with Sasuke and Karin after training them in the Land of Waves, where they learned of Haku and Zabuza’s deaths. He confronted Hiruzen over the village’s mistakes and received a list of assignments required to qualify for the Chunin Exams, promising a surprise.

• Sasuke and Karin worked together to defeat Naruto’s Shadow Clone after weeks of training, and Naruto scolded them for celebrating their hard-won victory.
• Naruto learned from Tazuna that Haku and Zabuza had died after Kakuzu killed Haku and Hidan killed Kakuzu.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin headed back to Konoha, and Naruto challenged Kakashi over the shinobi code and the idea that people were tools.
• After two days, Naruto gave Hiruzen the mission report and criticized Konoha for misrepresenting the mission’s circumstances.
• Hiruzen raised Naruto’s mission rank and offered seven odd jobs as the qualification requirement for the Chunin Exams, while explaining that Sakura would become a Ninja Academy instructor.
• Naruto accepted the scroll and told Hiruzen that the Chunin Exams would bring a very nice surprise.

Naruto signed up Sasuke and Karin for the Chunin Ninja Exams and revealed that he would compete as well. At a meeting of Konoha’s active-duty ninjas, Hiruzen Sarutobi announced that the exams would begin in seven days and asked the rookie instructors whom they would recommend.

• Naruto finished the team’s final D-rank mission, told Sasuke and Karin to meet him at the Ninja Academy gates, and left to register them for the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Iruka Umino objected to Naruto’s decision to sign up Sasuke and Karin and urged him to let Sakura return to the team.
• Third backed Naruto’s authority to submit the exam application and revealed that Naruto would compete too.
• Naruto and Iruka followed Third into a meeting with Konoha’s active-duty ninjas, where Asuma and Kurenai asked about the exams.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi announced that the Chunin Selection Exams would begin on July 1, seven days later, and called on the instructors to name their recommended Genin.

Naruto recommended his rookies for the Chunin Exams and intimidated the Hokage and the other ninja with his overwhelming chakra. After leaving the meeting, he encountered Kankuro, Temari, and Konohamaru in Konoha and warned Kankuro against starting trouble.

• Asuma and Kurenai recommended their teams for the Chunin Exams, while Naruto said he would take his own three rookies.
• Iruka objected to the rookies entering, but Naruto unleashed his chakra, sensed Hiruzen Sarutobi's malice, and announced he would take them to the exam in seven days.
• Naruto left to notify Sasuke and Karin and thought about the arriving ninja, Orochimaru, and the upcoming exam stages.
• Naruto encountered Kankuro holding Konohamaru by the collar and refused to defend Konohamaru, telling Kankuro he disliked the boy too.
• Naruto quickly moved beside Temari, flirted with her, then vanished and warned Kankuro that fighting Konohamaru would cause trouble because he was Hiruzen Sarutobi's grandson.

Naruto stopped Kankuro from attacking Konohamaru, then befriended Gaara by quieting Shukaku and inviting the Sand siblings to barbecue. The siblings left Konoha bewildered, while Naruto joked with Choza about his many little brothers-in-law.

• Naruto subdued Kankuro before he could release Crow, and Gaara arrived to scold his siblings and apologize to Naruto.
• Naruto put an arm around Gaara, which silenced Shukaku; Karura sensed Naruto meant no harm and sent Gaara a friendly feeling.
• Naruto took Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro to an Akimichi Clan barbecue restaurant and chatted with Gaara over the meal.
• Naruto escorted the Sand siblings out and told Gaara to come to him if he needed help in Konoha.
• Choza asked which family's daughter Naruto was pursuing, and Naruto defended his intentions before Choza said his family had no daughters.

Naruto prepared for the Chunin Ninja Exams, intervened when the gatekeepers attacked Tenten, and entered the exam hall with Sasuke and Karin. He left the other examinees stunned by setting up snacks and tables to play Gouji while waiting for the exam to begin.

• Naruto remembered he had forgotten to meet Sasuke at the Ninja Academy and handed him an application form for the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• On exam day, Naruto stopped Izumo Kamizuki from slapping Tenten and knocked both gatekeepers into a classroom.
• Naruto teased Tenten, while Karin exposed his identical declarations of love to her and other women.
• Rock Lee greeted Naruto as his senior brother, and Neji addressed him respectfully before the group submitted their applications.
• Naruto used a sealing scroll to produce snacks, drinks, tables, and chairs in the exam hall, then invited Sasuke to play Gouji.

Naruto’s card game in the Chunin Exams hall drew in the examinees, until three Sound Ninja attacked his group and he stopped them with an Earth-Style Wall. The examiners rushed to intervene as everyone reeled at Naruto’s effortless ninjutsu.

• Sasuke, Kiba, Naruto, and the others played cards in the exam hall, drawing irritated stares from the arriving examinees.
• Gaara confronted the Hidden Sand Genin who had joined the games, then sat down without punishing them.
• Three Sound Ninja charged at Naruto’s group, and one of the Konoha Genin stepped forward to face them.
• Naruto snapped his fingers and raised an Earth-Style Wall that sent the Sound Ninja crashing into it.
• The examinees and Yakushi Kabuto stared in shock at Naruto’s B-rank technique, while Ibiki Morino hurried to stop the disturbance.

Naruto’s display of strength wrecked the exam room, and Ibiki moved the first test to a spare classroom where the proctors tolerated Naruto openly cuddling Hinata. After Ibiki announced the remaining examinees had passed, Anko arrived, promised a brutal second stage, and dismissed everyone without explaining its details.

• Ibiki found the ruined exam room and ordered the Genin to move to the spare classroom.
• Naruto pulled Hinata onto his lap during the written test, while proctors ignored him and eliminated teams caught cheating.
• Ibiki’s proctors weeded out many examinees, mostly Konoha ninjas, before announcing that the remaining candidates had passed.
• Anko arrived after failing to find the new exam room and argued with Ibiki about Naruto’s destruction of the classroom.
• Anko threatened to reduce the candidates to fewer than half in the second stage, postponed the details until the next day, and dismissed everyone.

Naruto entered the Forest of Death with Sasuke and Karin, ordering each of them to defeat two squads while he monitored the entire forest. After capturing three Amegakure Genin, he received intelligence from White Zetsu about Akatsuki and gave orders concerning the Tailed Beasts, Indra’s reincarnation, Mukade, and Granny Chiyo’s forbidden technique.

• Naruto told Sasuke and Karin to split up and each wipe out two ninja squads, and they left in separate directions.
• Naruto spread his Mind’s Eye of the Kagura across the forest and sensed the teams, including Gaara’s squad and Orochimaru’s Kusagakure squad.
• Naruto ambushed three Amegakure Genin who had set a trap for him and knocked them unconscious.
• White Zetsu emerged beside the Genin and told Naruto that Gato had funded much of Akatsuki and that Pain planned to focus on finding the Tailed Beasts.
• Naruto told White Zetsu to prioritize provoking Indra’s reincarnation, watch Mukade, and locate Granny Chiyo so they could obtain One’s Own Life Reincarnation.

Naruto planned to use White Zetsu and One's Own Life Reincarnation as a safeguard if the Nine-Tails was extracted, while preparing to pressure Sunagakure for the forbidden technique. Meanwhile, Orochimaru attacked Sasuke, who countered his assault with a Rasengan.

• Naruto explained to White Zetsu that he wanted One's Own Life Reincarnation and planned to use the White Zetsu army as sacrifices if necessary.
• White Zetsu said the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans were ready, then left after Naruto told him to wait for orders.
• Naruto found the Earth Scroll on a dead Amegakure ninja and hurried toward the commotion near Sasuke.
• Sasuke saw through Naruto's disguise and stabbed the transformed Kusagakure examinee, then faced Orochimaru's attacks and summoned snakes.
• Sasuke resisted Orochimaru's killing intent, tracked his speed with the Sharingan, and struck at him with a Rasengan.

Sasuke used Naruto’s Rasengan-based training to defeat Orochimaru briefly, but Orochimaru immobilized him and revealed his interest in taking Sasuke’s body. Naruto watched from a tree and declined to intervene, while Orochimaru questioned him about Konoha’s current state.

• Sasuke struck Orochimaru with a Rasengan and sent him crashing through several trees.
• Orochimaru shed his damaged body, praised Sasuke’s Sharingan, and immobilized him with a jutsu.
• Orochimaru noticed Naruto watching from a tree as he cracked sunflower seeds, and Naruto told Sasuke to call him Sensei before refusing to join the fight.
• Orochimaru asked Naruto what he thought of Konoha as it was, while Naruto reflected on Orochimaru’s departure and the politics behind his rejection as Hokage.

Naruto let Orochimaru pursue his plan against Hiruzen Sarutobi, then revealed his Akatsuki identity and Mangekyo Sharingan. He also allowed Orochimaru to implant a Curse Mark on Sasuke, leaving Sasuke in agony and bewildered by the revelations.

• Naruto told Orochimaru to proceed with his plan to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi and even suggested wiping out the Sarutobi Clan.
• Orochimaru threatened to expose Naruto's resentment toward the Hokage, and Naruto revealed a ring identifying him as Madara Uchiha and displayed his Mangekyo Sharingan.
• Orochimaru recognized Naruto as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and Akatsuki's number two, then realized he could not defeat him while his soul was damaged.
• Naruto dismissed Sasuke's prospects under Orochimaru and allowed Orochimaru to implant a Curse Mark on him.
• Sasuke was overcome by burning pain as Naruto and Orochimaru watched.