Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “The Bitter Pill and the Debt Collector”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hiruzen confronts Danzo over the Uchiha massacre, accusing him of repeatedly acting without authorization and creating a crisis for Konoha’s leadership.
• Hiruzen strips Danzo of his position as Hokage’s advisor, orders Root disbanded, and confines Danzo pending punishment.
• As Danzo leaves, a Root operative reveals himself to be Itachi in disguise. Itachi warns Danzo that he has witnessed Konoha’s crimes and will expose them to enemy nations if Sasuke is harmed. He also reveals that several Uchiha corpses are missing, presumably preventing Danzo from obtaining their Sharingan.
• Danzo realizes that his plans have failed. Instead of consolidating power by eliminating the Uchiha and taking control of their police force, he has lost his political position, Root, and the corpses he wanted.
• ANBU members collect the Uchiha dead over two days. Kakashi privately doubts the official story that Itachi acted alone and recognizes that Itachi must have been compelled by Konoha’s higher-ups.
• The remaining Uchiha survivors—fewer than one hundred—are scattered throughout Konoha. The Uchiha district is demolished, and even the clan’s ancestral graves are disturbed, erasing much of its history and status.
• Sasuke is placed in poor temporary housing and becomes a target of public hatred. Though adults spare him some direct violence because he is still a child, other children abuse him as “the murderer’s little brother.”
• Unlike Naruto, Sasuke retains his identity as the Uchiha clan head’s son and inherits Fugaku’s estate, leaving him financially secure despite his emotional devastation.
• Naruto visits Hiruzen and demands the portion of the Uchiha estate that belongs to him. Hiruzen is forced to confront Naruto’s growing power, his connection to the Hyuga, and the danger of provoking him.
• The chapter ends with Hiruzen reluctantly preparing to disclose the truth about Naruto’s inheritance and possibly his hidden identity as Minato’s son.

Character Developments

• Hiruzen Sarutobi: Tries to preserve his authority and distance himself from the massacre by punishing Danzo, but his complicity remains clear. He fears both Naruto’s power and the political consequences of revealing Naruto’s parentage.
• Danzo Shimura: Suffers a major political defeat. His ambition to exploit the Uchiha massacre for power collapses, and Itachi’s threat forces him to become more cautious.
• Itachi Uchiha: Demonstrates foresight, ruthlessness, and loyalty to Sasuke. By infiltrating Root and removing key corpses, he limits Danzo’s gains and establishes blackmail against Konoha’s leadership.
• Sasuke Uchiha: Is left traumatized, isolated, and consumed by hatred. His social position is destroyed, but his inheritance gives him material security that Naruto never had.
• Kakashi Hatake: Becomes increasingly disturbed by the moral cruelty of the mission and acknowledges that he never truly understood Itachi’s circumstances.
• Naruto: Acts assertively and politically, demanding his rightful property rather than passively accepting Konoha’s decisions. His strength and connections make even Hiruzen wary of confronting him.

Significant Themes

• Political hypocrisy and scapegoating: Hiruzen punishes Danzo publicly while remaining implicated in the same decision-making that caused the massacre.
• Power and accountability: Danzo’s plans show how the Uchiha tragedy is being exploited for political and military gain, while Itachi attempts to impose consequences through threats and evidence.
• Erasure of history: Demolishing the Uchiha district and disturbing ancestral graves symbolizes Konoha’s effort to erase the clan’s legacy and responsibility for its destruction.
• The burden placed on children: Sasuke inherits hatred and blame for crimes he did not commit, while Naruto is denied knowledge of his own heritage.
• Material wealth versus emotional isolation: Sasuke possesses money and status through his inheritance but is psychologically broken; Naruto lacks wealth and identity but has developed strength and influence.
• Truth versus official narratives: Konoha’s leaders conceal both the circumstances of the massacre and Naruto’s parentage, allowing them to protect their reputations at the expense of the victims.

Important Character Interactions

• Hiruzen and Danzo: Their confrontation exposes the fragile alliance between Konoha’s leaders. Hiruzen condemns Danzo’s methods while attempting to shield the village’s reputation.
• Itachi and Danzo: Itachi’s disguised warning reverses the power dynamic, making Danzo vulnerable to exposure and threatening his ability to harm Sasuke.
• Kakashi and the ANBU: Kakashi’s reaction reveals growing moral conflict within the shinobi forces and his sympathy for Itachi.
• Sasuke and Konoha’s children: Their hostility turns Sasuke into a living scapegoat for the massacre, deepening his isolation and hatred.
• Naruto and Hiruzen: Naruto’s demand for his inheritance places Hiruzen on the defensive. Their exchange highlights Naruto’s independence and the Hokage’s fear that Naruto may become uncontrollable if mistreated.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, gives Naruto a sealing scroll containing the Flying Thunder God technique left behind by Naruto’s father, the Fourth Hokage.
• Hiruzen explains that Naruto’s identity was hidden because revealing him as the Yellow Flash’s son would make him a target for enemy villages seeking revenge.
• Naruto rejects the justification and demands five million ryo in exchange for keeping his parentage secret. He threatens to publicly reveal his identity and demand compensation from those who mistreated him as a child.
• Although Hiruzen protests that he cannot afford such a large payment, Naruto pressures him until an ANBU delivers the money.
• Hiruzen then asks Naruto to serve Konoha because of his exceptional strength. Naruto refuses, declaring that he is retired, and leaves his forehead protector on the Hokage’s desk as a symbolic resignation.
• Naruto privately reasons that Konoha wants to exploit him as a Perfect Jinchuriki to handle threats from the Hidden Mist, Hidden Stone, and other hostile forces. He refuses to repair the political and military problems created by Konoha’s leadership.
• At home, Naruto reunites with Izumi Uchiha, gives her the money, and enjoys their affectionate domestic relationship.
• The chapter ends when the ring marked with the character “one” suddenly heats up, suggesting that an important summons, message, or supernatural event is about to occur.

Character Developments

• Naruto is portrayed as calculating, financially independent, and openly defiant toward Konoha’s leadership. He refuses to be manipulated by guilt or duty and formally abandons his shinobi obligations.
• His attitude reflects both confidence in his overwhelming abilities and resentment over the way Konoha concealed his heritage and mistreated him.
• Hiruzen is shown as politically weak and financially constrained. Though he attempts to justify hiding Naruto’s identity and recruit him for Konoha’s defense, Naruto exposes his dependence on threats and negotiation.
• Izumi Uchiha has become part of Naruto’s household after the Uchiha Clan’s collapse. Her affectionate reaction and willingness to accept Naruto’s financial support emphasize their close relationship.

Significant Themes

• Power versus obligation: Naruto rejects the idea that strength automatically creates a duty to serve the village.
• Political manipulation: Hiruzen attempts to use secrecy, guilt, and Konoha’s needs to control Naruto, but Naruto turns the situation into a financial negotiation.
• Compensation and resentment: Naruto treats his hidden identity and childhood suffering as debts Konoha must repay.
• Retirement and self-determination: Rather than remain a military asset, Naruto chooses personal freedom and independence.
• Institutional corruption and financial weakness: The chapter highlights Konoha’s limited resources, factional infighting, and reliance on powerful individuals to sustain the village.

Character Interactions

• Naruto and Hiruzen engage in a tense bargaining session, with Naruto dominating the conversation and forcing the Third Hokage to pay him.
• Their relationship is marked by distrust: Hiruzen views Naruto as a strategic asset, while Naruto sees Hiruzen as someone trying to exploit him.
• Naruto and Izumi interact warmly and playfully, contrasting with the hostile political exchange in the Hokage’s office.
• The unexplained reaction of Naruto’s ring introduces a new external connection or impending conflict at the chapter’s close.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Obito escorts Itachi to Akatsuki’s induction gathering, revealing that he operates under the name Tobi and pretends to be an incompetent trainee to conceal his identity as Madara Uchiha.
• Beneath the Gedo Statue, Pain uses the Phantom Body Technique to gather Akatsuki members through chakra projections.
• Itachi is introduced to the organization and unexpectedly encounters Orochimaru, who recognizes him as a Konoha ninja.
• Pain explains Akatsuki’s goal: overthrow the Five Great Nations and establish a single order of “true peace.” Itachi formally rejects Konoha by slashing the village symbol on his forehead protector.
• A mysterious new member appears, wearing a mask and possessing a Mangekyō Sharingan. He declares, “I am Madara Uchiha.”
• The claim throws the organization into confusion, especially Obito, who secretly knows that the real Madara is dead and believes he is the only person using that identity.
• Obito attempts to expose the newcomer as Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki, but Naruto dismisses the accusation. He claims the Nine-Tails is merely his summoning beast and explains away his survival after the Valley of the End through Izanagi.
• Orochimaru accepts Naruto’s story, while Obito becomes increasingly furious and helpless because he cannot publicly prove that Naruto is not Madara.
• Pain ends the dispute, officially welcomes Itachi and “Madara,” and assigns Naruto responsibility for capturing the Nine-Tails after Akatsuki members strengthen themselves.
• Pain gives Itachi the ring engraved with “Vermilion,” formally completing his entry into Akatsuki.

Character Developments

• Itachi remains outwardly calm and obedient, publicly abandoning Konoha while privately recognizing Naruto’s Mangekyō Sharingan as Shisui’s. He finds Obito’s predicament secretly amusing.
• Obito struggles to maintain his foolish Tobi persona while desperately trying to defend his own claim to the Madara identity. His frustration grows as every attempt to expose Naruto fails.
• Naruto displays confidence, theatricality, and psychological manipulation. By boldly claiming to be Madara, he exploits Akatsuki’s assumptions and leaves everyone uncertain of his true identity.
• Orochimaru becomes fascinated by the possibility that Madara is alive, showing his usual obsession with powerful and unusual abilities.
• Pain acts as the organization’s authority, accepting Naruto’s claim without resolving the truth and assigning roles according to Akatsuki’s objectives.

Significant Themes

• Identity and deception: Multiple characters conceal their names, faces, and motives, while Naruto weaponizes the legendary name of Madara.
• The power of reputation: Akatsuki members believe Naruto largely because his Mangekyō Sharingan and knowledge of the Nine-Tails match their image of Madara.
• Psychological manipulation and uncertainty: Naruto’s calm assertions destabilize Obito and reshape how the organization views him.
• Loyalty versus betrayal: Itachi’s slashed forehead protector symbolizes his public rejection of Konoha, even though his private motives remain hidden.
• Absurdity and irony: Obito knows the truth but is unable to reveal it because he is pretending to be “Tobi,” creating a humiliating reversal in which someone else steals his identity.

Character Interactions

• Obito and Itachi: Obito warns Itachi to treat him as an insignificant trainee, while Itachi questions his hidden identity and later quietly enjoys watching him suffer.
• Itachi and Orochimaru: Their reunion is tense, with Orochimaru mocking Itachi’s attitude toward villages and comrades.
• Naruto and Obito: Their exchange forms the chapter’s central conflict. Obito repeatedly challenges Naruto’s claim, while Naruto answers with increasingly ridiculous but plausible explanations.
• Naruto and Orochimaru: Orochimaru accepts Naruto’s claims and becomes intrigued by him, indirectly strengthening Naruto’s deception.
• Pain and the Akatsuki: Pain welcomes the new members, establishes Naruto’s role in capturing the Nine-Tails, and maintains control over the chaotic meeting.

Chapter Summary: “Colleagues in Public, Deadweight in Private”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter establishes Akatsuki during its early, weaker transitional period, before powerful members such as Deidara, Kisame, and Hidan joined.
• Pain assigns Itachi Uchiha to partner with Biwa Juzo, an aging and mediocre former Ninja Swordsman. Other pairings include Sasori with Orochimaru and Kakuzu with an unfortunate Jonin whom Kakuzu has already killed several teammates.
• Itachi’s strength is clarified: at thirteen, he is an elite Jonin rather than a true Shadow-level ninja. His Mangekyō Sharingan techniques—Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, and Susanoo—can temporarily produce Shadow-level power, but severely damage and exhaust him.
• Naruto’s connection to the Rinnegan has been cut off, and he now possesses an Akatsuki ring. His role is largely inactive for the moment: he will only be needed to seal the Nine-Tails after the other Tailed Beasts are captured.
• Naruto reflects on the hypocrisy of the great ninja villages, which publicly promote peace while secretly weakening one another and employing Akatsuki for deniable military operations.
• He spends the night with Izumi but deliberately avoids fully consummating the relationship. The next morning, Izumi leaves to help Hana Inuzuka at her veterinary clinic, a business Naruto established to support Hana’s dream.
• Naruto decides that protecting his comfortable life with Izumi and the others requires serious training. He plans to master the Eight Gates, Flying Thunder God, sealing techniques, chakra nature transformation, Rasenshuriken, and cooperation with the Nine-Tails.
• After dismissing the much younger Karin when she makes an inappropriate suggestion, Naruto summons a slug and asks to be reverse-summoned to Shikkotsu Forest to begin learning Sage Mode.

Character Developments

• Naruto: Becomes more focused and pragmatic. Although he enjoys his peaceful domestic life, he recognizes that his lack of mastery over his abilities leaves him vulnerable. He commits to intensive training and plans to develop several elite techniques.
• Itachi: His abilities and limitations are placed in perspective. He is exceptionally talented but still physically an elite Jonin, with the Mangekyō Sharingan serving as a powerful but costly trump card.
• Izumi: Her relationship with Naruto deepens. She is comfortable and affectionate with him but remains shy, and she actively helps Hana with the veterinary clinic.
• Hana: Her long-term goal of becoming a veterinarian is supported by Naruto, who provides her with a storefront and enables her to pursue that dream.
• Karin: Her childish infatuation with Naruto is shown through her embarrassment and inappropriate attempt to imitate the older girls. Naruto firmly sends her away because of her young age.
• Akatsuki members: The organization is portrayed as poorly assembled at this stage, with several weak or unstable members and dysfunctional partnerships.

Significant Themes

• Power versus mastery: Possessing powerful techniques or memories is not the same as being able to use them effectively. Naruto must train from the foundations rather than rely on knowledge alone.
• The cost of strength: Itachi’s Mangekyō techniques demonstrate that overwhelming power can severely damage the user, foreshadowing his later illness.
• Political hypocrisy: The ninja villages condemn or conceal certain actions publicly while using Akatsuki as mercenaries to carry out their own covert agendas.
• Domestic happiness versus danger: Naruto values his peaceful life with Izumi, Hana, and the others, but understands that the violent ninja world threatens that stability.
• Unequal maturity: The chapter contrasts the rapid physical and social maturity expected in the ninja world with Karin’s very young age, emphasizing the disturbing normalization of childhood exploitation in that society.

Character Interactions

• Pain assigns Itachi to work with Juzo, highlighting Akatsuki’s early organizational weakness.
• Naruto privately analyzes Akatsuki’s political role and dismisses its members as hypocrites.
• Naruto and Izumi share an intimate but restrained encounter, deepening their relationship.
• Izumi leaves Naruto to help Hana, linking their domestic circle and Hana’s veterinary ambitions.
• Naruto rebukes Karin for her inappropriate behavior, reinforcing the age difference and his protective boundaries toward her.
• Naruto contacts the slug at Shikkotsu Forest, beginning the next stage of his training through Sage Mode.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto arrives in Shikkotsu Forest after the little slug summons him through a cloud of white mist.
• He reflects on Katsuyu’s immense status and power. Unlike the other great summons, Katsuyu is a single ancient entity capable of splitting into countless bodies, healing entire armies, and containing an enormous amount of senjutsu chakra.
• Naruto realizes that, because of his enormous chakra reserves, he may be the first shinobi capable of summoning Katsuyu’s complete true body rather than only a fragment.
• He formally asks Katsuyu to begin teaching him Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode.
• Naruto explains his theory that this Sage Mode is based on an extraordinary amplification of Yang Release chakra. He connects it to Hashirama’s healing ability, Tsunade’s Yin Seal, Katsuyu’s regeneration and immortality, and the possibility of Naruto eventually developing Wood Release.
• Katsuyu immediately begins the training by splitting into two Naruto-sized clones, which wrap around him and directly channel natural energy into his body.
• The natural energy floods Naruto violently, nearly overwhelming and killing him. Katsuyu instructs him to combine his own chakra and natural energy at a two-to-one ratio.
• Unable to withstand the pressure, Naruto calls upon Kurama for help. His blue chakra, Kurama’s red chakra, and the surrounding natural energy begin mixing explosively.

2. Character Developments

• Naruto: Shows growing confidence in his unique chakra capacity and his suitability for learning Katsuyu’s Sage Mode. He also displays ambition, hoping to surpass the legendary Sannin in summoning power and eventually gain Wood Release. However, his confidence turns into panic when the training proves far more dangerous than expected.
• Katsuyu: Is established as an ancient, immensely powerful being and the true founder or central entity of Shikkotsu Forest. She treats Naruto with unusual reverence, calling him “Lord Naruto,” and begins training him immediately but without adequately warning him about the danger.
• Kurama: Though initially absent and apparently sulking, Kurama remains Naruto’s emergency support and is summoned when Naruto begins losing control.
• Hashirama and Tsunade: Neither appears directly, but their abilities are reinterpreted. Hashirama’s healing is presented as evidence of Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode, while Tsunade’s Yin Seal is portrayed as an inferior imitation of the same chakra principle.

3. Significant Themes

• Inherited power and reincarnation: Naruto’s identity as Asura’s reincarnation may explain both Katsuyu’s respect for him and his natural compatibility with Yang Release-based Sage Mode.
• The relationship between healing and Yang Release: The chapter reframes Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode as an amplification of life force and Yang Release rather than merely a regenerative technique.
• Power and danger: Naruto’s vast chakra reserves make him exceptionally suited for the technique, but the sheer intensity of Katsuyu’s natural energy shows that great power can also become lethal.
• Ancient strength versus modern understanding: Katsuyu’s age and forgotten knowledge suggest that Shikkotsu Forest preserves abilities that have never been fully explained or replicated by shinobi.
• Preparation versus overconfidence: Naruto assumes his chakra abundance will make training easy, only to discover that raw reserves do not automatically provide control or safety.

4. Character Interactions

• Naruto and Katsuyu establish a respectful but unusually intimate teacher-student relationship, with Katsuyu addressing him as “Lord Naruto.”
• Katsuyu physically initiates Naruto’s Sage Mode training by enveloping him with two of her clones and flooding him with natural energy.
• Naruto mentally begs Kurama to intervene when the training becomes unbearable, revealing his dependence on their partnership during moments of crisis.
• Naruto also imagines future encounters with Jiraiya and Orochimaru, fantasizing about overwhelming their summons with Katsuyu’s full gigantic form.

Chapter Summary: “The Price of Shikkotsu Forest, the Unexpected Triggering of Hemophobia”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During Naruto’s training in Shikkotsu Forest, Katsuyu begins channeling its powerful natural energy directly into him to help him learn Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode.
• The Nine-Tails, having abandoned its former contempt for Mount Myoboku and its toads, recognizes that Shikkotsu Forest’s natural energy is even more effective at suppressing tailed-beast chakra.
• Naruto realizes why Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode is so difficult to master: Katsuyu continuously pours natural energy into the user, requiring immense chakra reserves and precise control. Unlike Mount Myoboku Sage Mode, it cannot simply be stopped or safely rationed.
• Naruto’s Asura lineage and Yang Release abilities have not fully awakened, leaving him unable to balance the natural energy properly. The energy therefore runs wild through his body.
• He suffers the deadly side effects of failed Sage Mode training: his body swells, his veins bulge, his face turns purple, and Nine-Tails chakra erupts uncontrollably.
• Naruto understands that Hashirama Senju succeeded with this form because of his enormous chakra reserves, Sage Body, and exceptional Yang Release chakra. Tsunade, meanwhile, had been unable to master it because her body could not endure the intense Yang-attributed chakra, leading her to develop the Yin Seal instead.
• Just as Naruto is about to die from the uncontrolled natural energy, Tsunade appears in Shikkotsu Forest.
• Naruto instinctively lunges at and restrains her, hoping to release the overwhelming energy through physical exertion or contact.
• Tsunade begins overpowering him, but a burst vein causes blood to spill across her chest. Her severe hemophobia is immediately triggered, leaving her weak and terrified.

Character Developments

• Naruto: Gains a deeper understanding of the differences between the three sacred lands’ Sage Modes and the physical requirements of Shikkotsu Forest’s technique. His courage and desperation are emphasized as he risks death to master the power, but his lack of a fully awakened Asura Bloodline becomes a major limitation.
• Nine-Tails: Shows significant growth in perspective. It now respects Shikkotsu Forest and recognizes the true source of Hashirama’s ability to suppress it, correcting its former mistaken belief that Wood Release alone was responsible.
• Katsuyu: Is portrayed as apologetic but fundamentally unable to regulate the immense natural energy flowing through her. Her age and power make her a dangerous conduit, even though she is trying to help Naruto.
• Tsunade: Appears confident and powerful when she first encounters Naruto, but her hemophobia causes an abrupt reversal. Her weakness is exposed through an unexpected and almost comic trigger.

Significant Themes

• Power requires compatibility: Naruto’s chakra reserves and training are not enough; he lacks the biological and spiritual development needed to safely combine natural energy with his own chakra.
• The dangers of excessive power: Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode offers seemingly unlimited access to natural energy, but failure results in catastrophic physical consequences.
• Inherited potential and limitation: Hashirama’s success is linked to his unique body, chakra, and lineage, while Tsunade’s inability to master the technique leads her to create an alternative based on Yin Release.
• Revised understanding of the past: The Nine-Tails reinterprets Hashirama’s power, realizing that natural energy and Yang Release—not merely Wood Release—were responsible for suppressing it.
• Comedy amid danger: Naruto’s near-fatal training accident is undercut by Tsunade’s sudden collapse at the sight of blood, creating a humorous reversal of power.

Character Interactions

• Naruto and Katsuyu: Katsuyu explains the mechanics and risks of Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode while Naruto angrily struggles against the uncontrollable energy.
• Naruto and the Nine-Tails: Their relationship is indirectly shown to have improved, with the Nine-Tails now offering insight rather than sabotaging Naruto’s training.
• Naruto and Tsunade: Their first encounter is immediately physical and adversarial. Naruto restrains her in desperation, while Tsunade attempts to overpower him. Her hemophobia transforms the confrontation when Naruto’s blood splashes onto her, leaving her incapacitated.

Chapter Summary

Key plot events

Tsunade’s fear of blood is overwhelmed, causing her survival instincts to activate and leading her into a brutal battle with Naruto. The fight lasts over three days and devastates much of Shikkotsu Forest. Both use their strongest techniques, and Naruto forcibly breaks apart Tsunade’s Yin Seal. The collision between Naruto’s natural energy and the Yin Seal produces an unprecedented effect: Tsunade’s body is physically rejuvenated from the inside out, more than doubling her lifespan and restoring her appearance to that of a woman in her early twenties. By the fourth day, both fighters collapse from exhaustion.

Character developments

Tsunade initially intends only to evaluate Naruto as the newly emerged Shikkotsu Forest contractor, prepared to drive him away if she finds him unsuitable. However, Naruto’s decision to cultivate Sage Mode instead of merely signing the contract provokes her. During the battle, he inadvertently strikes at her deepest emotional weakness, causing her lethal resolve to waver when she sees his face. Although Naruto appears unconscious, he has regained control by the final day and deliberately continues fighting to absorb the benefits of the battle. Afterward, he feels uncertain about how to confront Tsunade.

Character interactions

Tsunade and Naruto engage in a savage, evenly matched confrontation, each forcing the other to exhaust their abilities. Their conflicting energies directly cause Tsunade’s rejuvenation. At the end, Tsunade hesitates to kill Naruto, silently struggles with her emotions, asks Katsuyu to reverse-summon her, and leaves. Naruto then reveals that he had been conscious all along.

Significant themes

The chapter explores the unpredictable consequences of combining opposing forms of energy, the physical and personal costs of power, and the connection between trauma and combat. Tsunade’s rejuvenation symbolizes an unexpected renewal of both body and life, while her hesitation reveals that emotional bonds remain stronger than her instinct for self-preservation. Naruto’s deliberate endurance also highlights his pragmatism and willingness to exploit danger for growth.

Chapter Summary: “Want Another Few Rounds”

• Aftermath of the fight: Naruto reflects on his recent battle with Tsunade. Although he initiated the confrontation and injured her badly, she had previously helped him, leaving him unsure how to repay her. He pretends to be dead until she leaves, then cleans himself up and changes clothes.
• Naruto awakens Wood Release: While examining the results of the battle, Naruto extends his hand and successfully causes a sapling to grow into a massive tree. He realizes that his Yang Release Chakra has finally been fully activated, granting him Wood Release.
• Discovery about Asura’s chakra: Naruto recalls his longstanding inability to use Wood Release despite being Asura’s reincarnation and possessing powerful chakra abilities. He concludes that neither he nor Tsunade previously had complete Asura Chakra. Hashirama’s inherited chakra had been divided between them: Tsunade carried a more yin-oriented portion, while Naruto possessed the yang-oriented half.
• The fight’s accidental effect: Their battle caused their yin and yang chakra to combine, forming a complete Asura Chakra Seed within Naruto. This explains his sudden access to Wood Release. Tsunade has also gained the foundation for using Wood Release and eventually cultivating Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode, although she has not yet realized it.
• Naruto’s new goal: Excited by this major power increase, Naruto views the Asura Chakra Seed as the greatest ability available beneath Six Paths power. He plans to refine it through chakra training until he can master Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode.
• Frustration and provocation: After several days, Naruto finds ordinary chakra refinement painfully slow compared with the rapid growth produced by fighting Tsunade. He jokingly wishes to exchange ten years of the Third Hokage’s lifespan for Tsunade to fight him several more times.
• Ending event: Immediately after Naruto says this, a patch of white mold appears nearby, signaling Tsunade’s strange return or another impending encounter.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Naruto becomes aware of the true source of his Wood Release and gains a clearer long-term path toward Sage Mode. His confidence and excitement increase, but he also remains impatient and willing to provoke dangerous situations for rapid advancement.
• Tsunade unknowingly benefits from her clash with Naruto, gaining the potential to use Wood Release and develop Sage Mode herself.
• Naruto and Tsunade’s relationship is marked by conflict, guilt, and mutual benefit: Naruto attacked her without sufficient reason, yet their fight ultimately empowered both of them. The ending strongly suggests another confrontation is about to begin.
• Major themes: inherited power and chakra lineage, the balance of yin and yang, unintended consequences, cultivation through conflict, and Naruto’s humorous willingness to exploit bizarre circumstances for personal growth.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto reflects on Stockholm Syndrome and realizes that Tsunade’s recent behavior fits its conditions: psychological vulnerability from hemophobia, fear of death during their battle, admiration for Naruto’s overwhelming strength, isolation afterward, and the influence of Asura Chakra.
• Unable to stop thinking about Naruto, Tsunade uses Katsuyu’s Reverse Summoning to return to him. She abandons her usual pride and approaches him with a pleading attitude.
• Naruto and Tsunade immediately resume intense, focused enhancement training, with Naruto’s fighting spirit greatly encouraged by her return.
• Meanwhile, Itachi adjusts to life in Akatsuki, discovering that the organization spends most of its time accepting ordinary mercenary missions rather than immediately pursuing world domination.
• Itachi and Biwa Juzo attend an Akatsuki meeting. Orochimaru suggests replacing Juzo as Itachi’s partner, while Sasori also complains about his own incompatible partnership with Orochimaru. Their arguments reveal tension and dissatisfaction among several members.
• Pain announces that Akatsuki has gained greater influence and wealth through its missions and is now preparing to enter its next phase: investigating and eventually capturing the nine Tailed Beasts.
• Orochimaru becomes interested because Danzo previously informed him that Konoha possesses a Perfect Jinchuriki, presumably Naruto.
• Pain assigns Juzo to a mission in the Land of Water, ending the meeting.
• Orochimaru regrets that “Madara Uchiha” did not appear. The chapter closes with the Third Hokage summoning Kakashi on the roof of the Hokage Building.

Character Developments

• Tsunade: Her mental state has deteriorated after her battle with Naruto. Fear, trauma, admiration, and the effects of Asura Chakra have caused her to become emotionally dependent on him. She returns voluntarily and shows unusual humility and vulnerability.
• Naruto: His power and psychological influence over Tsunade become increasingly apparent. Her return invigorates him and strengthens his motivation for further training.
• Itachi: He begins adapting to Akatsuki but remains skeptical of its grand ambitions, recognizing the contrast between Pain’s promises and the organization’s mundane mercenary work.
• Biwa Juzo: He has developed a working partnership with Itachi and strongly objects when Orochimaru suggests taking Itachi as a partner.
• Orochimaru: He remains opportunistic and fascinated by powerful bloodlines and abilities, particularly Itachi’s Mangekyo Sharingan and the possibility of acquiring Naruto as a Jinchuriki.
• Pain: He reveals that Akatsuki’s early missions were primarily preparation. His true strategic goal is to seize the Tailed Beasts as weapons for world conquest.
• Sasori: He is dissatisfied with Orochimaru because Orochimaru lacks an interest in art and supports changing partners.

Significant Themes

• Psychological manipulation and dependency: Tsunade’s attachment to Naruto is framed through Stockholm Syndrome, showing how fear, helplessness, trauma, and intermittent rewards can distort a victim’s emotions.
• Power and worship: Naruto’s overwhelming strength causes both submission and admiration, blurring the line between fear and devotion.
• The gap between ideals and reality: Akatsuki claims it will rule the world, but in practice it initially functions as a struggling mercenary organization completing trivial jobs.
• Preparation for larger conflict: The organization’s financial and reputational growth sets the stage for its transition toward targeting the Tailed Beasts.
• Partnership and compatibility: The disputes over Akatsuki pairings highlight how personal compatibility affects teamwork within the organization.

Character Interactions

• Naruto and Tsunade reunite without words and immediately begin specialized training.
• Itachi questions Juzo about Akatsuki’s supposed world-conquering ambitions, prompting Juzo’s humorous explanation that they must first build resources and strength.
• Orochimaru tries to recruit Itachi away from Juzo, provoking Juzo’s anger and Sasori’s agreement.
• Pain asserts authority over the bickering members and announces Akatsuki’s Tailed Beast strategy.
• Orochimaru privately connects Pain’s plan to Danzo’s information about Naruto, suggesting Naruto may soon become a target.
• The final interaction sets up the next scene: Hiruzen calls Kakashi to him for an undisclosed matter.

Chapter Summary: The Hokage’s Calculations, Kakashi’s Silence

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hiruzen Sarutobi summons Kakashi and informs him that his nearly ten-year career in the ANBU is over. With Root and ANBU operations integrated and the Konoha Military Police Force brought under Hokage control, Kakashi’s role as ANBU commander is no longer necessary.
• Hiruzen removes Kakashi’s mask and claims that Minato originally placed Kakashi in the ANBU to help heal the emotional wounds caused by his father’s death and the losses of Obito and Rin. However, Kakashi’s time under Hiruzen only deepened his emotional isolation.
• Kakashi initially believes he is finally being allowed to retire and feels relieved after years of carrying out Konoha’s darkest missions.
• Instead, Hiruzen assigns him to become a Jonin instructor. Kakashi is shocked at the idea of training inexperienced children after spending years as an elite assassin and ANBU commander.
• Hiruzen explains that Konoha is politically and militarily weakened. The upcoming Joint Chunin Exams are expected to test Konoha’s strength, and poor results could cost the village influence, clients, alliances, and possibly even trigger war.
• Naruto Uzumaki is viewed as Konoha’s strongest potential representative. Though still officially a Genin and no longer interested in becoming a ninja, he has rapidly advanced his abilities through Sage Mode training in Shikkotsu Forest.
• Kakashi is ordered to train the current generation of graduates, then eventually use his connection to Minato—and his relationship with Naruto’s younger sister, Karin—to persuade Naruto to return to the shinobi system.
• Hiruzen also expects Kakashi to monitor Naruto and restrain the Nine-Tails if necessary, exploiting Kakashi’s status as Minato’s student and one of the few people capable of dealing with Naruto’s power.
• Hiruzen leaves before Kakashi can meaningfully object, leaving Kakashi alone and visibly disturbed on the rooftop.

Character Developments

• Kakashi: His years in the ANBU have made him emotionally hardened, cynical, and disillusioned with Konoha’s leadership. He feels no anger at losing his command and even welcomes the possibility of retirement, but Hiruzen’s hidden motives and new assignment disgust him. His guilt over failing to care for Naruto also resurfaces.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi: He is portrayed as calculating and politically pragmatic. He uses emotional language about Kakashi’s trauma while primarily treating him as a useful tool. Once Kakashi’s institutional role is no longer needed, Hiruzen redirects him toward the village’s strategic priorities.
• Naruto: Although absent from the chapter, he is established as exceptionally powerful, independent, and unwilling to return to the ninja path after the Itachi incident. His Sage Mode training makes him Konoha’s most valuable potential asset.
• Minato: His past intentions toward Kakashi are contrasted with Hiruzen’s treatment. Minato wanted to heal Kakashi through companionship, while Hiruzen exploited Kakashi’s abilities for political and military purposes.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and expendability: Kakashi is treated as a tool whose value depends on Konoha’s current needs. Once his political usefulness as ANBU commander ends, he is immediately reassigned.
• The contrast between ideals and reality: Minato’s attempt to save Kakashi emotionally is undermined by the village’s continued use of him for covert violence.
• The corrupting nature of power: Kakashi’s proximity to the Hokage and the ANBU has cast him into deeper darkness rather than healing him.
• Konoha’s decline: The village’s weakening military reputation, shortage of capable young ninja, and dependence on Naruto reveal its increasingly fragile position among the allied nations.
• Guilt and responsibility: Kakashi’s failure to look after Naruto weighs on him, allowing Hiruzen to manipulate his sense of duty.
• Silence as resistance and resignation: Kakashi says little throughout the meeting, but his internal reactions reveal anger, disgust, and resignation toward the leadership he serves.

Character Interactions

• Hiruzen dominates the conversation, presenting Kakashi’s removal from the ANBU as both a personal intervention and a political necessity.
• Kakashi remains formally obedient, answering briefly and kneeling throughout, but his silence conceals growing distrust and resentment.
• Hiruzen deliberately invokes Minato, Naruto, Karin, and the Nine-Tails to pressure Kakashi into accepting the assignment.
• The meeting ends without genuine agreement: Hiruzen imposes the decision, while Kakashi is left alone, silently confronting the realization that he has not been freed from Konoha’s machinery—only given a new role within it.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kakashi encounters Might Guy, Anko, and Kurenai at a newly opened dango shop owned by Izumi Uchiha.
• Naruto is unexpectedly working outside the shop, handing out flyers in a way that has turned him into an idol-like attraction for young girls. He reveals that he invested in the shop for Izumi, jokingly calling it “my wife’s” business.
• Kakashi notices how much Naruto has changed. Naruto’s identity as the Fourth Hokage’s son remains secret, but the villagers no longer mistreat him as the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki. His popularity and appearance have made him widely admired.
• Kakashi suggests that Naruto become his student and perhaps one day pursue the position of Hokage. Naruto dismisses the idea as boring and says it is too early.
• Three years have passed since the Uchiha massacre, leaving one year before Sasuke and his classmates graduate from the Academy.
• Sasuke has stabilized his One-Tomoe Sharingan much earlier than in the original timeline due to harsh training and pressure from surviving Uchiha members. His strength and reputation have increased, but so has his arrogance.
• Despite his pride, Sasuke still enjoys games introduced by Naruto and reluctantly reveals that he remains a child beneath his gifted exterior.
• Kakashi meets his newly assigned three-man Genin team at a training ground. The students are talented but arrogant and immediately interrupt his introduction.
• Kakashi gives them the bell test, explaining that only two bells are available and one student will fail and repeat the Academy year.
• Rather than cooperate or challenge Kakashi together, the three Genin turn on one another, deciding to eliminate one teammate first.
• Their lack of teamwork reminds Kakashi of Obito’s death and enrages him. He declares that all three have failed.
• The chapter ends with an unseen observer clapping and sarcastically invoking the Will of Fire, setting up a confrontation or critique of Kakashi’s judgment.

Character Developments

• Naruto: Has become confident, socially accepted, and physically mature. He is entrepreneurial and playful, investing in Izumi’s dango shop and manipulating his popularity for entertainment. Although he rejects Kakashi’s offer, he appears thoughtful afterward, suggesting the idea may have affected him.
• Kakashi: Remains protective of Naruto because of his guilt and connection to Minato, Kushina, and Obito. He is also deeply concerned with teamwork and reacts harshly when his students repeat the failures that contributed to Obito’s death.
• Izumi Uchiha: Is presented as a graceful, mature young woman and a surviving member of the Uchiha clan. She appears embarrassed but affectionate toward Naruto’s teasing and is actively rebuilding her life through the dango shop.
• Sasuke: His early Sharingan awakening has accelerated his development and inflated his ego. However, his willingness to participate in childish games shows that he still retains some normal childhood innocence.
• The three Genin: They are introduced as talented but self-important. Their immediate willingness to betray one another exposes their immaturity and lack of genuine teamwork.

Significant Themes

• Changing destiny: Naruto and Sasuke are developing along paths different from the original timeline. Naruto is socially accepted and commercially successful, while Sasuke awakens his Sharingan early and grows stronger sooner.
• Identity and public perception: Naruto’s concealed heritage and changing appearance allow him to escape the stigma once attached to the Nine-Tails. The chapter emphasizes how reputation can change when prejudice is removed.
• Teamwork versus individual ambition: The Genin fail because they view one another as rivals rather than teammates. Kakashi’s test reinforces that cooperation matters more than individual talent.
• Trauma and guilt: Kakashi’s memories of Obito influence his harsh reaction to the Genin. Their behavior reminds him of the consequences of failing to work together.
• Childhood beneath expectations: Sasuke’s childish enjoyment of games contrasts with his intimidating reputation, showing that talent, trauma, and social expectations have not erased his youth.
• The Will of Fire: The closing sarcasm questions whether the village’s ideal of unity and mutual protection is truly reflected in its students and leadership.

Important Character Interactions

• Kakashi and Naruto exchange friendly banter, with Kakashi offering Naruto a place on his future team and Naruto playfully rejecting it.
• Naruto and Izumi display a close, teasing relationship, with Naruto publicly calling her his wife and Izumi scolding him while continuing to promote the shop.
• Naruto’s influence on Sasuke appears indirectly through the games he introduced, helping preserve Sasuke’s childish side.
• Kakashi’s first interaction with his Genin team quickly becomes confrontational, as their arrogance clashes with his expectations.
• The chapter closes with an unknown character mocking Kakashi’s decision, suggesting that Kakashi’s approach—and perhaps the village’s understanding of teamwork—will soon be challenged.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• Naruto approaches Kakashi after Kakashi has knocked out three newly graduated Genin for refusing to prioritize their comrades.
• He criticizes Konoha’s ideology of valuing mission results over loyalty and teamwork, arguing that the village has become a system for molding children into disposable tools.
• Naruto declares that he intends to remove the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, from power and destroy his reputation.
• Kakashi warns him that Hiruzen commands overwhelming resources, including ANBU forces, powerful clans, and the Sealing Division.
• Naruto reveals his extraordinary strength by using Wood Release to create a large villa, shocking Kakashi. He explains that his abilities come from his vast chakra reserves, Uzumaki heritage, Asura’s chakra, Sage training, and access to the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Naruto says he could kill Hiruzen easily but wants to punish him for the suffering he endured rather than grant him a simple death.
• He reveals that he was responsible for manipulating events surrounding the Uchiha Clan Massacre, despite being only eight years old at the time.
• Naruto outlines a future “script” in which Hiruzen is forced to destroy his own Sarutobi Clan, becomes branded a rogue ninja, infiltrates a mercenary organization, and is ultimately killed by his son Asuma in a dramatic father-son confrontation.

Character developments

• Naruto is portrayed as calculating, powerful, vindictive, and politically ambitious. He has moved beyond merely resenting Konoha and now intends to orchestrate Hiruzen’s downfall through elaborate schemes.
• His immense growth is emphasized: he possesses Sage Mode, Wood Release, enormous chakra reserves, Asura’s chakra, Uzumaki vitality, and controlled access to the Nine-Tails.
• Kakashi is shown as morally conflicted but still cautious. He recognizes the flaws in Konoha’s system yet is alarmed by Naruto’s willingness to manipulate and destroy the village’s leadership.
• Kakashi’s shock at Naruto’s Wood Release and his knowledge of the Uchiha massacre reveals that he had greatly underestimated Naruto.

Significant themes

• Results versus morality: The chapter challenges the idea that ninja should care only about mission success, arguing that such thinking destroys loyalty and compassion.
• Institutional corruption: Konoha is depicted as a village that has abandoned its original purpose of protecting its people and instead treats children as tools.
• Revenge and justice: Naruto sees Hiruzen’s death as insufficient punishment and seeks to make him suffer publicly and personally.
• Political manipulation: Naruto treats major tragedies and clan conflicts as pieces in a carefully written “script.”
• The distortion of heroism: Naruto rejects the idea that Hiruzen should die as a respected hero, wanting his legacy permanently disgraced instead.

Character interactions

• Naruto taunts Kakashi over his apparent belief in results and process, using the failed Genin test as evidence of Konoha’s hypocrisy.
• Kakashi attempts to warn Naruto about Hiruzen’s political and military power, but Naruto responds with confidence and reveals that he possesses more than enough strength to challenge the Hokage.
• Naruto’s revelation about the Uchiha massacre shifts the exchange from ideological debate to genuine fear and suspicion for Kakashi.
• Their conversation establishes a tense relationship: Kakashi recognizes Naruto’s grievances and perhaps some of his criticisms, but is disturbed by Naruto’s ruthless plans and growing influence.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto confronts Kakashi after the failed Genin test and demands that he eventually retake control of the ANBU. He cryptically orders Kakashi to launch a coup against the “Konoha F4” and destroy them, framing this as repayment for the Fourth Hokage and a way to end Konoha’s corruption.
• Naruto leaves Kakashi with the three failed Genin, prompting Kakashi to angrily send them back to the Academy to repeat their studies.
• A crow carrying one of Shisui’s scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan lands on Naruto’s shoulder. The eye had been entrusted to Naruto by Itachi, who now sincerely believes in Naruto’s plan to destroy the existing shinobi order and create peace.
• The chapter explains that Naruto’s influence over Itachi was achieved through long-term subconscious manipulation, reinforced by Pain’s accounts of the ninja villages’ crimes.
• Naruto removes the Sharingan from the crow and transplants it into his own eye socket, replacing his other eye as well. Thanks to his awakened Asura Chakra, the transplant integrates instantly and allows him to use abilities such as Susanoo without the usual strain.
• After examining himself in a Water Mirror, Naruto discovers that the transplanted Sharingan have become completely black, apparently blending with his own bloodline.
• Naruto encounters Might Guy training Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee. Guy easily defeats the three young taijutsu specialists during their graduation test.
• The three recognize Naruto. Tenten greets him warmly, Neji treats him with respect, and Lee is stunned by Naruto’s enormous size and maturity despite being only eleven.

Character Developments

• Naruto: Becomes increasingly manipulative and politically ambitious. He is actively reshaping powerful figures such as Itachi and Kakashi to support his plan for world change. His Asura Chakra continues to evolve, granting him exceptional physical abilities and enabling the seamless transplantation of Sharingan.
• Kakashi: Is shocked and disturbed by Naruto’s extreme proposal but is reminded of his debt to the Fourth Hokage. His failure as an instructor is emphasized when he dismisses the three Genin and sends them back to the Academy.
• Itachi: Has fully accepted Naruto’s ideology, believing that destroying the current shinobi system is necessary for genuine peace. His trust in Naruto is so complete that he gives up Shisui’s eye without recognizing how deeply Naruto’s subconscious conditioning has influenced him.
• Tenten: Has grown close to Naruto through her family’s weapons business. She continues to seek his guidance, and her Treasure Bag and summoning abilities have advanced because of his instruction.
• Neji, Lee, and Tenten: Despite their considerable talent, they are completely outclassed by Might Guy, revealing how far they still have to develop.
• Might Guy: Remains an exceptionally demanding instructor, pushing his students without favoritism and casually overwhelming all three during their graduation test.

Significant Themes

• Subconscious manipulation and ideological control: Naruto’s influence over Itachi demonstrates how beliefs can be gradually reshaped until manipulation feels like personal conviction.
• Rebellion against corrupt institutions: Naruto’s demand that Kakashi overthrow Konoha’s leadership reinforces his goal of dismantling the existing political order.
• Power through biological and spiritual transformation: Naruto’s Asura Chakra allows him to merge foreign ocular powers with his own body, suggesting that his abilities are advancing beyond normal shinobi limits.
• The cost of peace: The chapter presents Naruto’s pursuit of stability as morally disturbing, relying on coups, slaughter, coercion, and the destruction of established systems.
• Generational disparity: Naruto’s extraordinary size, maturity, and power make him appear almost unrelated to his peers, emphasizing how far he has surpassed ordinary children.

Character Interactions

• Naruto and Kakashi clash over Konoha’s future, with Naruto issuing a cryptic revolutionary command before disappearing.
• Naruto’s relationship with Itachi is revealed indirectly through the Sharingan, showing Itachi’s complete faith in him.
• Naruto meets Guy during the training of Neji, Tenten, and Lee. Guy greets him casually, while the younger ninja react with admiration, confusion, and respect.
• Tenten’s familiarity with Naruto contrasts with Neji’s formal deference and Lee’s astonishment, establishing Naruto’s unusual position among the next generation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto mocks Tenten, Neji, and Rock Lee after finding them covered in soot. Tenten reaffirms her ambition to become a female ninja like Tsunade.
• Naruto travels to Shikkotsu Forest, where he battles Tsunade in an intense Wood Release training match.
• Tsunade uses the Wood Human Technique and the Sage Art: Kakuan Entering Society Hands, techniques designed to restrain powerful chakra sources and Tailed Beasts.
• Naruto counters with the Many Hands Technique enhanced by his Mangekyō Sharingan and Armored Susanoo, creating a “Susanoo-Clad Buddha.” He overwhelms Tsunade’s attacks and captures her.
• Naruto uses the Ranking Technique to conceal himself and Tsunade while they engage in an implied sexual encounter. Afterwards, Tsunade is portrayed as emotionally submissive and deeply attached to him.
• Naruto tells Tsunade that Kakashi has been removed from the ANBU and that his larger plan can now begin. He promises to restore the Senju Clan’s status, repay Nawaki’s death, and eventually make Tsunade Hokage.
• Naruto argues that Tsunade’s main weakness compared with Hashirama is her smaller chakra reserves. He says they must train harder so she can reach her grandfather’s level.
• Meanwhile, Kakashi continues eliminating students from his training process.
• Might Guy recruits Tenten, Neji, and Rock Lee into Naruto’s group of junior disciples. Although they become eligible for the Chunin Exams after eight missions, all three decline to participate, believing they are not yet strong enough.
• Their refusal disrupts Hiruzen Sarutobi’s political plans, especially his intention to use Neji to improve Konoha’s reputation.
• Hiruzen is already under pressure because Konoha’s weak performance has embarrassed the daimyo of the Land of Fire. The daimyo threatens to reduce Konoha’s military budget unless the village successfully organizes a major joint Chunin Exam the following year.
• While reviewing the upcoming graduates—including Sasuke Uchiha—Hiruzen orders someone to summon Kakashi.

Character Developments

• Naruto is portrayed as overwhelmingly powerful, combining Wood Release, the Mangekyō Sharingan, and Susanoo. He is also manipulating events within Konoha and preparing a long-term political plan centered on Tsunade’s eventual return as Hokage.
• Tsunade remains formidable and capable of using advanced Sage and Wood Release techniques, but she is repeatedly shown as emotionally dependent on Naruto. Her resistance in public contrasts with her submissiveness toward him.
• Tenten, Neji, and Rock Lee become Naruto’s junior disciples. Their decision to postpone the Chunin Exams reflects both their humility and their awareness of Naruto’s exceptional standards.
• Hiruzen becomes increasingly frustrated and politically vulnerable. His plans for the Chunin Exams and Konoha’s prestige are undermined by Naruto’s influence over the younger generation.
• Kakashi has been removed from the ANBU, marking a change in his position and suggesting that he will soon become involved in Naruto’s next stage of planning.
• Might Guy acts as an enthusiastic recruiter and mentor, bringing three promising young ninjas into Naruto’s orbit.

Significant Themes

• Power and influence: Naruto’s strength extends beyond combat into the training, careers, and political futures of other characters.
• Political control and succession: Naruto intends to install Tsunade as Hokage and reshape Konoha through her, while Hiruzen struggles to preserve his authority.
• Legacy and family debt: Tsunade’s Senju heritage, Hashirama’s legacy, and Nawaki’s death motivate Naruto’s promise to restore the clan’s honor.
• Training and standards: Naruto’s disciples refuse premature advancement, emphasizing preparation and genuine strength over political expediency.
• Public image versus private relationships: Tsunade is a powerful leader in public but submissive and emotionally dependent around Naruto, creating a sharp contrast in her behavior.
• Institutional decline: Konoha’s poor performance in the Chunin Exams and the daimyo’s threat reveal weakening confidence in the village’s military system.

Important Character Interactions

• Naruto teases Tenten about becoming his secretary, while she insists on pursuing the path of a ninja.
• Naruto and Tsunade clash in a destructive training battle, with Naruto ultimately overpowering and capturing her.
• After the battle, Naruto reassures Tsunade that she remains especially important to him and promises to make her Hokage.
• Naruto’s influence encourages Tenten, Neji, and Lee to delay their Chunin Exam participation.
• Hiruzen reacts angrily to their refusal because it undermines his plan to use the exam to restore Konoha’s reputation.
• The chapter ends with Hiruzen summoning Kakashi, implying that Kakashi will be central to the political or strategic developments to come.

Chapter Summary: The Children Who Were Rejected

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hiruzen Sarutobi asks Kakashi whether Naruto has agreed to participate in upcoming missions, particularly the Chunin Exams. Naruto has refused, despite Hiruzen’s desire to use him as Konoha’s powerful Perfect Jinchuriki.
• Hiruzen plans to personally persuade Naruto, believing Naruto’s abilities would be a valuable battlefield asset and deterrent.
• Hiruzen reflects bitterly on Kakashi’s ideals. He considers Kakashi too influenced by Minato and Obito’s belief that comrades should come before missions, opposing Hiruzen’s conviction that missions and obedience are the foundation of being a ninja.
• Hiruzen recalls trying to reshape Kakashi through ANBU service into an emotionless, obedient weapon. However, Kakashi retained his loyalty to his comrades, leading Hiruzen to remove him as an ANBU captain and distrust his political reliability.
• After meeting Hiruzen, Kakashi encounters Might Guy, Kurenai, and Asuma at a dango shop. Kakashi recognizes Asuma as one of the people involved in Naruto’s mysterious plan but chooses not to warn him, uncertain how to respond and unwilling to interfere.
• Kakashi remembers Naruto’s Wood Release and Perfect Jinchuriki abilities, realizing that Hiruzen may have underestimated the danger and power of the person he is trying to manipulate.
• At Minato’s stone monument, Kakashi questions whether he has failed Minato’s ideals.
• Kakashi then encounters the former students he rejected during his team evaluations. The first group, now academy teaching assistants, demonstrates proper manners and teaches younger children discipline and respect.
• The triplets from the second failed test also approach Kakashi. They thank him for rejecting them, explaining that the exercise forced them to recognize their own desires, stop depending entirely on their eldest brother, and communicate honestly.
• These encounters make Kakashi realize that his tests were not merely about teamwork or passing missions; they helped the children mature and understand Minato’s ideals.
• Kakashi regains his conviction just as Hiruzen arrives at the dango shop, apparently beginning his own attempt to reach Naruto or execute another part of his plan.

Character Developments

• Hiruzen Sarutobi: Revealed as politically calculating and deeply committed to mission-first ideology. He views Naruto primarily as a strategic weapon and sees Kakashi’s loyalty to comrades as a dangerous weakness.
• Kakashi Hatake: Struggles with guilt and uncertainty over whether he has betrayed Minato’s teachings. The former students’ gratitude restores his confidence and helps him understand the true value of his ideals.
• Naruto Uzumaki: Though absent, Naruto’s influence dominates the chapter. His refusal to serve Hiruzen’s purposes and his possession of Wood Release and Perfect Jinchuriki control suggest he is becoming an exceptionally powerful and independent force.
• Former students: The rejected Genin have matured significantly. They now show responsibility, self-awareness, communication, and a willingness to guide others.
• Asuma, Kurenai, and Guy: Appear briefly as Kakashi’s fellow Jonin, with Asuma implied to be connected to Naruto’s larger plan.

Significant Themes

• Comrades versus missions: The chapter contrasts Minato and Kakashi’s belief that comrades matter more than missions with Hiruzen’s belief that missions justify all sacrifices.
• The consequences of rejection: Kakashi’s failed tests ultimately become transformative experiences, forcing the students to confront their weaknesses and grow.
• Moral and political manipulation: Hiruzen’s desire to control Naruto demonstrates how leaders can treat individuals as weapons rather than people.
• Legacy and ideals: Kakashi’s meeting with his former students helps him understand that Minato’s teachings are not naïve; they can produce stronger, more mature ninja.
• Growth through failure: Being denied advancement initially humiliates the students, but the experience leads them toward independence and self-reflection.

Character Interactions

• Hiruzen and Kakashi: Their conversation exposes their ideological conflict. Hiruzen sees Kakashi as stubborn and misguided, while Kakashi quietly refuses to help exploit Naruto.
• Kakashi and Naruto: Although Naruto does not appear, Kakashi is clearly loyal to him and remains impressed—and perhaps concerned—by Naruto’s growing power and plans.
• Kakashi and the former students: Their encounters reverse the expected dynamic: the students express gratitude, while Kakashi is the one emotionally shaken and enlightened by their growth.
• Kakashi and Minato’s memory: Kakashi symbolically consults Minato at the monument, ultimately interpreting his students’ development as proof that Minato’s philosophy was correct.
• Hiruzen and the dango shop: Hiruzen’s arrival at the end suggests that his attempt to influence events is about to intersect with Kakashi, Naruto’s plan, and the people involved in it.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hiruzen Sarutobi unexpectedly visits a gathering where Kurenai, Might Guy, Asuma, and Izumi Uchiha are present.
• Hiruzen indirectly raises Konoha’s worsening political and military situation, mentioning the fallout from Itachi’s actions and the danger posed by other villages.
• He reveals his real purpose: persuading Naruto to participate in the upcoming Joint Chunin Exams. Hiruzen believes Naruto’s presence is essential to preserving Konoha’s peace and deterring its enemies.
• Izumi understands the request but refuses to decide for Naruto, insisting that Naruto must choose for himself.
• Kurenai learns that Naruto is exceptionally powerful and unusually talented, having graduated from the Ninja Academy after only one year like Itachi.
• Might Guy jokingly blames Naruto’s friends and comfortable lifestyle for preventing him from pursuing a normal ninja career.
• Naruto arrives and challenges Guy’s accusation. Hiruzen directly asks him to take the Chunin Exams.
• Naruto agrees, but refuses to return to the role of an ordinary Genin. Instead, he demands that Hiruzen assign him two people so he can participate as their instructor.

Character Developments

• Hiruzen Sarutobi: Reveals his concern over Konoha’s declining strength and political vulnerability. Though he attempts to manipulate the conversation indirectly, he is forced to speak plainly when Izumi fails to respond as expected.
• Izumi Uchiha: Remains detached from Konoha’s political troubles because Naruto has deliberately shielded her and the other women from them. She demonstrates loyalty to Naruto by refusing to make decisions on his behalf.
• Naruto: Confirms his independence and confidence. He accepts the exam only on his own terms, seeking an instructor’s role rather than submitting to the normal Genin system.
• Might Guy: Continues to regard Naruto as his “greatest disciple” and praises his extraordinary early achievements, while humorously lamenting Naruto’s lack of interest in conventional ninja training.
• Kurenai Yuhi: Learns that Naruto is far more powerful and accomplished than she realized. She becomes visibly attracted to him despite knowing he already has a romantic partner.
• Asuma Sarutobi: Remains openly antagonistic toward his father and jealous of Naruto, particularly because Kurenai is fascinated by Naruto rather than him. His strained relationship with Hiruzen is further highlighted.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and responsibility: Hiruzen tries to recruit Naruto by appealing to Konoha’s vulnerability, showing how powerful individuals are expected to shoulder the village’s burdens.
• Individual autonomy: Izumi and Naruto both emphasize that Naruto’s choices belong to him, not to Hiruzen or the village.
• Power outside traditional systems: Naruto has outgrown the standard Genin structure, suggesting that official ranks no longer reflect his actual strength or status.
• The consequences of Konoha’s internal failures: Itachi’s fate and the Uchiha Clan’s destruction have weakened Konoha’s reputation and invited threats from rival villages.
• Romantic rivalry and attraction: Kurenai’s immediate fascination with Naruto creates tension with Asuma, who has long harbored feelings for her.

Character Interactions

• Hiruzen and Izumi clash subtly: he expects concern about Konoha, while she responds practically and refuses to act as Naruto’s representative.
• Asuma mocks Hiruzen’s indirect speaking style, deepening their father-son antagonism.
• Guy praises Naruto, while Naruto humorously objects to Guy’s exaggerated criticism.
• Kurenai reacts strongly to Naruto’s appearance and reputation, while Asuma watches resentfully.
• Naruto concludes the chapter by turning Hiruzen’s request into his own proposal: he will take the Chunin Exams only if he can enter as the instructor of two assigned candidates.

Chapter Summary: “I, Naruto, Slacking Off Fair and Square”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto rejects the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi’s plan for him to simply participate in the Chunin Exams as a member of a prearranged team.
• Instead, he proposes becoming a Genin supervisor himself while still remaining a Genin, leading a rookie team and taking the exams alongside them.
• Hiruzen initially objects because supervisors are normally experienced Jonin, and Naruto has completed no missions. He also worries about allowing a Jinchuriki such as Naruto to operate independently.
• Naruto insists that he wants to qualify properly rather than receive special treatment, declaring that he wants to “slack off fair and square.” He threatens to abandon the ninja path entirely if Hiruzen refuses.
• Hiruzen eventually approves Naruto as a temporary Genin supervisor, planning to remove him from the position after the Chunin Exams.
• Hiruzen gives Naruto his forehead protector. Naruto refuses to wear it on his head and instead ties it around his waist.
• Naruto is ordered to select three rookie Genin from an Academy classroom the next morning. Hiruzen begins assembling possible candidates, including Yuta Hanayama, Sho Imai, Runa Kosakai, and Haruno Sakura.

Character Developments

• Naruto displays confidence, defiance, and a strong desire to avoid being controlled or given an artificial advantage. His “fair and square” attitude is deliberately contradictory, since he is demanding an unprecedented position, but it reflects his insistence on choosing his own path.
• He also demonstrates overwhelming chakra and combat pressure when Asuma confronts him, revealing that his casual attitude hides immense power.
• Hiruzen is shown as politically pragmatic but increasingly exasperated by Naruto’s behavior. He compromises by granting Naruto the temporary position while planning to limit its long-term consequences.
• Kurenai becomes flustered when Naruto feeds her dango in front of everyone, unexpectedly participating before realizing how forward the action was.
• Asuma is portrayed as insecure and immature. He resents Naruto’s treatment of Kurenai and objects to Naruto supervising Genin, but immediately backs down when confronted with Naruto’s strength.
• Might Guy enthusiastically accepts Naruto as a fellow supervisor and treats the situation as a friendly competition.

Significant Themes

• Independence versus authority: Naruto refuses to follow Hiruzen’s convenient arrangement and forces the Hokage to acknowledge his chosen solution.
• Merit and legitimacy: Naruto insists on earning the right to participate through missions rather than accepting a fabricated shortcut, even though his proposed role itself breaks tradition.
• Strength versus experience: Hiruzen emphasizes that supervising Genin requires judgment and mission experience, not merely power. Naruto’s appointment challenges that institutional belief.
• Comedy through irreverence: Naruto undercuts the seriousness of ninja ranks, village traditions, and even the symbolic forehead protector with his casual and provocative behavior.
• Power and intimidation: Naruto’s brief confrontation with Asuma establishes that his apparent laziness should not be mistaken for weakness.

Character Interactions

• Naruto and Hiruzen: Their central argument drives the chapter. Hiruzen tries to manage Naruto, while Naruto uses stubbornness, sarcasm, and the threat of quitting to obtain permission on his own terms.
• Naruto and Kurenai: Naruto boldly feeds her dango, embarrassing her and provoking Asuma’s jealousy.
• Naruto and Asuma: Asuma challenges Naruto verbally and nearly draws his weapon, but Naruto’s chakra pressure overwhelms him. Naruto then insults Asuma’s dependence on his father’s approval.
• Naruto and Might Guy: Guy welcomes Naruto as a colleague and proposes a playful rivalry between their future students.
• Hiruzen and Asuma: Their strained father-son dynamic is highlighted through Asuma’s desire for recognition and Hiruzen’s frustration with his son’s immaturity.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto reviews the registration forms for his assigned students: Sakura, Sasuke, and Karin.
• He is surprised by the students’ stated dreams, especially Sasuke’s seemingly unusual desire to “train, take walks, and play Guojji.” Naruto interprets this as evidence that Sasuke’s hatred and desire for revenge are less deeply rooted than he pretends.
• Naruto realizes that Sakura was nearly excluded from the team because Karin filled the final available slot. He also recognizes that the team arrangement was designed around Naruto’s status as a jinchūriki: Kakashi was meant to train Sasuke to awaken his Sharingan and suppress the Nine-Tails, while Karin could potentially replace Naruto as jinchūriki.
• Naruto discovers that the graduating students have been divided into specialized teams based on their clan abilities. The Ino–Shika–Chō trio is assigned to Asuma, partly because Hiruzen wants to strengthen his relationship with their influential clans.
• Asuma arrives to collect Shikamaru, Chōji, and Ino, but they are uncomfortable because of their clans’ strained relationship with the Sarutobi family.
• Naruto unexpectedly announces that he is there to act as a teacher and enters the classroom.
• Sasuke immediately attacks Naruto, demanding that Naruto return his father’s eyes. Karin restrains Sasuke with Adamantine Sealing Chains.
• Naruto reveals that he—not Kakashi—is the team’s supervising jōnin and threatens to send Sasuke back to the Academy if he attacks him again. Everyone is left shocked.

Character Developments

• Naruto: Shows greater awareness of the political motives behind team assignments and of Sasuke’s psychological state. He also takes on the unexpected role of supervising jōnin, displaying confidence and authority.
• Sasuke: His outward hatred remains intense, but Naruto’s analysis suggests that his revenge is partly a forced identity rather than an all-consuming emotion. He nevertheless reacts violently upon seeing Naruto and accuses him of possessing his father’s eyes.
• Karin: Demonstrates fierce loyalty toward Naruto and confidently restrains Sasuke with her sealing chains. Her attachment to Naruto is clear from both her dream and her actions.
• Sakura: Is relieved to have been accepted onto the team and fears that Sasuke’s confrontation with Naruto could cause her to lose her place.
• Shikamaru, Chōji, and Ino: Become uneasy upon learning that Asuma will lead them, knowing the political tension between their clans and the Sarutobi family.
• Asuma: Acts as the supervising jōnin for the Ino–Shika–Chō team, apparently as part of Hiruzen’s effort to cultivate influence with their clans.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and team formation: The village’s team assignments are not based solely on combat compatibility; they are shaped by clan influence, jinchūriki containment, and village politics.
• Hidden identities and emotional repression: Sasuke’s public image as a revenge-driven survivor may conceal a weaker and more conflicted hatred. His stated dream hints at a more ordinary side beneath his facade.
• Control versus freedom: Naruto recognizes that the village has carefully planned the roles of Sasuke, Karin, and himself, while his unexpected position as teacher disrupts those plans.
• Loyalty and attachment: Karin’s immediate defense of Naruto contrasts with Sasuke’s hostile dependence on his family legacy and Naruto’s complicated connection to both of them.
• Unexpected role reversal: Naruto, originally expected to be a student under Kakashi, suddenly becomes the authority figure responsible for guiding the others.

Character Interactions

• Naruto privately evaluates the personalities and motives revealed by the students’ registration forms.
• Asuma formally summons Shikamaru, Chōji, and Ino, creating visible discomfort because of their clans’ relationship with the Sarutobi family.
• Shikamaru questions Naruto’s presence, only to learn that Naruto is now acting as a teacher.
• Sasuke attacks Naruto over his father’s eyes, while Karin protects Naruto and mocks Sasuke’s strength.
• Sakura anxiously tries to prevent the confrontation from jeopardizing her newly secured position.
• Naruto ends the chaos by asserting his authority and revealing himself as the team’s supervising jōnin, shocking everyone present.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sasuke is shocked to discover that Naruto has been assigned as the team’s supervising Genin, despite still holding only Genin rank. Naruto explains that the supervising position is not restricted to Jonin.
• Kurenai arrives and clarifies that she is the team’s actual supervising Jonin. Naruto was personally appointed by the Third Hokage as an additional supervising Genin because his abilities greatly exceed those of newly graduated ninja.
• Naruto jokes with Hinata about arranging a future “social gathering,” embarrassing her, while Kiba mocks Sasuke for becoming Naruto’s student and being placed beneath him in seniority.
• Sasuke angrily resists Naruto’s control, insisting that he must personally kill Itachi to avenge the Uchiha massacre. Naruto easily restrains him.
• Once the others leave, Naruto activates his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and overwhelms Sasuke with killing intent, exposing how inadequate Sasuke currently is compared with the strength required to defeat Itachi.
• Naruto reveals that Sasuke’s father entrusted him with the Sharingan before his death, asking Naruto to help Sasuke obtain revenge. This explains why Naruto possesses the eyes and why he returned to ninja duty.
• Sasuke is deeply shaken but begins to accept that his father may have deliberately trusted Naruto to guide him. Naruto then takes him to complete the assessment procedures.
• Separately, Kakashi meets Yamato at the Memorial Stone. Yamato respectfully asks about Kakashi’s possible return to ANBU, but Kakashi declines for now because he is occupied with secretly monitoring Naruto.

Character Developments

• Naruto: Demonstrates overwhelming power, authority, and emotional distance. He is no longer the immature or lovesick figure Sakura remembers; he is a highly capable, respected shinobi entrusted with Sasuke’s future. His possession of the Sharingan and connection to Sasuke’s father reveal a deeper history.
• Sasuke: His confidence and defiance collapse when confronted with Naruto’s killing intent. His hatred remains focused on Itachi, but Naruto’s revelation forces him to question his assumptions about his father, the Sharingan, and his own place beneath Naruto.
• Sakura: Views Naruto with admiration and awe but is confused by his unusual position and uncertain career path. She recognizes that he has changed dramatically from the person she once knew.
• Hinata: Remains shy and affectionate toward Naruto, becoming flustered by his teasing reference to a possible marriage alliance.
• Kiba: Treats Naruto as a future brother-in-law and openly ridicules Sasuke, creating additional tension between himself and Sasuke.
• Kurenai: Establishes herself as the team’s formal Jonin leader and supports Naruto’s authority, confirming that his appointment comes directly from the Hokage.
• Kakashi: Continues to operate independently as a Genin supervisor while secretly watching Naruto. His restrained but caring exchange with Yamato shows that he remains respected by former ANBU comrades.
• Yamato: Still regards Kakashi as a mentor and senior, despite now holding Kakashi’s former ANBU position.

Significant Themes

• Power versus rank: Naruto remains officially a Genin, yet his abilities and influence far exceed those of many Jonin, challenging the usual connection between title and competence.
• Inherited revenge and responsibility: Sasuke’s revenge is no longer solely his own pursuit; his father has entrusted it to Naruto, creating a bond of obligation between them.
• Truth behind appearances: Naruto’s quiet years and low rank conceal extraordinary strength and a significant role in the Uchiha tragedy.
• Legacy and mentorship: Fugaku’s decision to entrust Naruto with his eyes, and Kakashi’s influence over Yamato, emphasize how older generations pass on duties, knowledge, and emotional burdens.
• Inferiority and rivalry: Sasuke’s lifelong desire to surpass Naruto is exposed as largely one-sided, deepening his frustration and insecurity.
• Hidden surveillance and political maneuvering: Kakashi’s secret monitoring of Naruto suggests that Naruto’s unusual power and history may be viewed with caution by Konoha’s leadership.

Character Interactions

• Naruto physically restrains and verbally challenges Sasuke, establishing a dominant mentor-student relationship.
• Kurenai validates Naruto’s authority while taking responsibility as the team’s official Jonin supervisor.
• Naruto playfully teases Hinata, strengthening their romantic undertones.
• Kiba humiliates Sasuke by joking about his connection to Naruto and his reduced seniority.
• Naruto’s revelation about Fugaku transforms his relationship with Sasuke from simple supervision into one tied to Sasuke’s family legacy and revenge.
• Kakashi and Yamato share a respectful mentor-and-disciple exchange, showing their continuing bond despite Kakashi’s withdrawal from ANBU.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto’s new students—Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin—finish introducing themselves. Sakura’s romantic thoughts, once focused on Sasuke, are now directed toward Naruto.
• Naruto introduces himself with an outrageous declaration: he wants to provide a warm home for every girl he likes and eventually unify the ninja world.
• He dismisses the usual Jonin assessment exercise, casually approving all three students and instructing them to meet at the Hokage Building for missions.
• Naruto demonstrates overwhelming speed by using the Body Flicker Technique so effectively that even Sasuke’s Sharingan cannot track him. He briefly reappears to scold Karin for her inappropriate thoughts before disappearing again.
• While walking through Konoha, Naruto evaluates Sasuke’s abilities and reflects on how much weaker and less exceptional Sasuke currently is compared with Itachi.
• Naruto considers ways to accelerate Sasuke’s development and awaken his Sharingan, including involving Itachi, but rejects the possibility of making any compromising deal.
• Konohamaru challenges Naruto in the street, believing that defeating him will help him become Hokage. Encouraged by Ebisu’s status-based assumptions, Konohamaru insults Naruto.
• Naruto immediately slaps Konohamaru, ignores him afterward, and continues thinking about Sasuke’s growth.

2. Character Developments

• Naruto: Establishes himself as an extremely powerful, irreverent, and unconventional instructor. He is confident enough to skip standard procedures and casually overpower others, yet he also shows concern about Sasuke’s future and the burdens surrounding the Uchiha clan.
• Sasuke: Appears considerably weaker than Naruto expected and remains troubled by the gap between himself and Itachi. His reaction to Naruto’s romantic declaration also highlights his dry, skeptical personality.
• Sakura: Her attraction to Naruto becomes more obvious. Naruto’s promise to give his chosen girls a home makes her hope she might be included.
• Karin: Easily flustered by Naruto’s bold words and still prone to inappropriate or obsessive thoughts. Naruto treats her teasingly but also admonishes her.
• Konohamaru: Displays arrogance, entitlement, and insecurity stemming from being the Hokage’s grandson. He wants to prove himself by defeating Naruto.
• Ebisu: Reinforces Konohamaru’s sense of privilege by emphasizing his noble status rather than restraining his behavior.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and talent: The chapter contrasts Naruto’s exceptional abilities with Sasuke’s comparatively slow progress and Itachi’s extraordinary natural talent.
• Fate and unfair burdens: Sasuke’s future is portrayed as especially tragic, requiring help from Kakashi, Itachi, and Orochimaru simply to approach greater strength.
• Privilege versus merit: Konohamaru expects special treatment because of his family, but Naruto immediately rejects that entitlement.
• Unconventional mentorship: Naruto ignores traditional evaluations and teaches—or fails to teach—in his own careless, domineering way.
• Romance and possessiveness: Naruto’s “Sea King” declaration affects Sakura and Karin, while his desire to provide homes for multiple women reveals his unusual romantic ambitions.
• Transmigration and self-awareness: Naruto compares his position with Sasuke’s and recognizes how fortunate he is to possess superior advantages in the Naruto world.

4. Character Interactions

• Naruto provokes strong romantic reactions from Sakura and Karin through his bold self-introduction.
• Sasuke questions Naruto’s decision to skip the assessment, showing his more serious and rule-conscious nature.
• Naruto effortlessly outpaces Sasuke’s Sharingan and lightly smacks Karin for her errant thoughts, establishing a teasing but dominant dynamic.
• Naruto mentally compares Sasuke with Itachi and considers manipulating circumstances to strengthen Sasuke sooner.
• Konohamaru confronts Naruto with Ebisu’s support, but Naruto responds with a single slap, humiliating both Konohamaru’s arrogance and Ebisu’s assumption that Naruto will fear the Hokage’s grandson.