Recaps

Naruto led Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin through the Land of Waves mission, where they encountered Zabuza, Akatsuki, and the harsh realities of shinobi life. Back in Konoha, Naruto entered the Chunin Exams with Sasuke and Karin and let Orochimaru mark Sasuke with a Curse Mark.

• Naruto chose Tazuna’s bridge-protection mission and led his team to the Land of Waves, where Sasuke defeated the Demon Brothers and Zabuza ambushed them.
• Naruto’s team clashed with Zabuza and Hidan as Naruto argued with Akatsuki over its plans, while Sasuke confronted Itachi and awakened a two-tomoe Sharingan.
• Naruto trained Sasuke and Karin, then returned to Konoha and criticized Hiruzen for misrepresenting the mission before accepting the Chunin Exams qualification scroll.
• Naruto registered Sasuke and Karin for the Chunin Exams, confronted Kankuro over Konohamaru, and befriended Gaara and his siblings.
• Naruto disrupted the exam hall with an Earth-Style Wall, and Ibiki’s proctors passed the remaining candidates after the written test.
• Naruto sent Sasuke and Karin to take down other squads, ambushed Amegakure Genin, and told White Zetsu to pursue his plans for One’s Own Life Reincarnation.
• Sasuke fought Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, but Naruto refused to intervene and allowed Orochimaru to implant a Curse Mark on him.

Naruto manipulated the Chunin Exams into chaos, helped trigger the destruction of the Sarutobi Clan, and led a coup against Hiruzen Sarutobi as Orochimaru invaded Konoha. The invasion stalled as Naruto subdued Gaara and Tobirama confronted Hiruzen over Konoha’s past.

• Naruto revived Sasuke with Yang Release Chakra, explained how the Curse Mark drew in natural energy, and watched Sasuke test its power.
• Naruto sealed off the approaches to Central Tower with Shadow Clones, keeping most examinees from qualifying until the surviving teams agreed to choose seven to advance.
• Naruto offered Orochimaru two White Zetsu as sacrifices, while the exam’s remaining candidates qualified or forfeited and Naruto met Itachi to discuss the Sarutobi Clan and their deal.
• Naruto brought Asuma and four Akatsuki members into the Sarutobi Clan Grounds, where they massacred the clan and escaped Konoha on Itachi’s Susanoo.
• Naruto rescued Sasuke from ANBU and convinced him that Konoha’s leaders and Itachi were threats, prompting Sasuke to awaken his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and vow revenge on Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō.
• Naruto challenged Hiruzen at the Jonin assembly, presented evidence of his abuses, declared he would found a nation, and launched a coup with Tsunade and several clans supporting him.
• Orochimaru began the invasion of Konoha, where Naruto entered the barrier trapping Gaara and subdued Shukaku before revealing that Gaara’s mother’s will had protected him.
• Orochimaru summoned Hashirama and Tobirama, and Naruto told Tobirama that Konoha had helped destroy the Land of Whirlpools, and Tobirama confronted Hiruzen, who fled before warning him that Tsunade planned to attack the Daimyo.

Naruto destroyed Konoha, took control of the reanimated Hokage, and founded Akatsuki Village as a neutral mercenary power while declaring war on Sunagakure. As the village drew merchants and foreign attention, Naruto set plans in motion against the Sand and began a mission involving Kazahana Koyuki in the Land of Snow.

• Naruto defeated Orochimaru’s reanimated Hokage, seized control of Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, and used Black Zetsu to send Hiruzen Sarutobi’s soul toward the Pure Land.
• Naruto named the new village Akatsuki, made Tsunade Fifth Hokage, and turned Konoha’s ruins into a paid adventure attraction that drew merchants and foreign visitors.
• Naruto established Akatsuki Village as neutral, declared war on Sunagakure, and demonstrated Pain’s power with Shinra Tensei before the Akatsuki members slaughtered the captured Sand force.
• Orochimaru told Sasuke that Naruto had known about the Uchiha massacre and let the clan die to strengthen his position, then offered to train him.
• Naruto set a three-month goal to erase Sunagakure, ordered Pain to suspend the tailed-beast sealing plan, and began preparing a campaign with Sasori and Nara Shikaku.
• Naruto told Kakashi that Obito had released the Nine-Tails, then left with Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji to protect Kazahana Koyuki.
• Naruto brought Koyuki aboard a ship for a mission against Kazahana Dōtō, and fought off Fubuki and Mizore when the Snow Ninja attacked for Koyuki’s Hexagonal Crystal.

Naruto conquered the Land of Snow, destroyed Sunagakure, and pursued Sasuke before traveling through the Dragon Vein into the past. There, he became Konoha’s Fourth Hokage and launched a war to bring the ninja world under his rule, leaving his allies alarmed by his plans to eliminate the other villages.

• Naruto defeated Nadare Rōga and Kazahana Dōtō, claimed the Land of Snow for Akatsuki Village, and later learned that Sasuke had defected.
• Pain and Akatsuki’s forces invaded and devastated Sunagakure, while Naruto confronted Itachi, took his eyes, and persuaded Sasuke to follow him into the Dragon Vein.
• Naruto arrived thirty years in the past, met Sara and Mito, joined the Senju Clan, and killed Danzo after defeating Root’s ambush.
• Naruto won Konoha’s Hokage election, declared war on the Ninja World, and led Konoha’s forces into the Land of Rain with Orochimaru as commander.
• Naruto removed Nagato’s Rinnegan and transplanted it into himself, then sheltered Konan and attacked Hidden Stone Village, defeating Ōnoki and forcing its ninja to surrender.
• Naruto rescued Tsunade from Hanzō, exposed Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shinnosuke Sarutobi as responsible for sending Hanzō against Konoha, and ordered the Sannin toward the Land of Whirlpools while declaring that only Konoha would remain.