Recaps

Kazahana Koyuki discovered that her father’s treasure was a ground-heating device that brought spring to the Land of Snow, then reclaimed the country and became its queen. She was left facing a massive debt and no clear way to repay Naruto and his team for their mission.

• Kakashi identified the Hexagonal Crystal device as an unfinished system for heating the ground, and Koyuki realized it fulfilled her father’s promise of spring.
• Koyuki asked Naruto to let her buy the treasure, but Sasuke reminded her that she had already spent her savings on the mission.
• Hinata quietly filmed Naruto and Koyuki, while Sasuke urged her to be more proactive about her feelings for Naruto.
• Santarō Asama and the former retainers retook the Daimyo Mansion with little resistance, aided by the film crew’s enthusiastic antics.
• Koyuki learned that the treasury was empty and the country owed a huge amount to criminal organizations, leaving her unsure how to repay Naruto and his team.

Kazahana Koyuki took the throne of the Land of Snow, while Naruto and his companions prepared to return to Konoha. In Konoha, the Third Hokage learned that the Fourth Mizukage had returned and that Shisui Uchiha had been killed, leaving Konoha to plan a trip to retrieve his body.

• Sasuke told Kazahana Koyuki that Naruto had improved the Sealing Jutsu and offered to lend her money when she explained her difficulties.
• Kazahana Koyuki became Queen of the Land of Snow at a public ceremony, with Santarō Asama beside her and Naruto's group and the film crew in attendance.
• Naruto and his companions said they would leave after Sandayu finished his arrangements, while Kazahana Koyuki agreed to keep acting and accepted the Director's script.
• Kazahana Koyuki gave Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Kakashi a grand send-off, then went to the prison to face her uncle.
• The Third Hokage and Konoha's leaders discussed intelligence confirming that the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, had returned to Kirigakure and killed Shisui Uchiha, and they considered who would retrieve Shisui's body.

Team Kakashi returned to Konoha with Santarō Asama, and the Third Hokage praised Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata for completing a mission that could be upgraded to S-Rank. After reviewing Kakashi’s confidential report, Hiruzen prepared a special promotion for Naruto, but new intelligence about Kirigakure changed plans for Sasuke and the Chunin Ninja Exams.

• Kakashi brought Santarō Asama to the Hokage Building, where the Third Hokage arranged his lodging and future talks about an alliance with the Land of Snow.
• Hiruzen praised Team Kakashi and said the mission could be upgraded from A-Rank to S-Rank, with promotions to be considered after the village verified the details.
• Hiruzen dismissed Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata, then asked Kakashi to remain and submit his confidential report on Naruto’s performance.
• After reading Kakashi’s report, Hiruzen decided to arrange Naruto’s special promotion, while Kakashi recommended Sasuke and Hinata for the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Hiruzen told Kakashi that Hinata could participate but Sasuke could not, then showed him a report stating that Shisui Uchiha was dead and the Fourth Mizukage had returned.

The Third postponed sending Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuga to Kirigakure, then assigned Kakashi to retrieve Shisui Uchiha’s body and investigate the alliance. After reviewing Naruto’s mission report, Konoha promoted him to chunin, and Naruto accepted despite initially objecting to being singled out.

• The Third decided to keep Sasuke and Hinata out of the Kirigakure Chunin Exam and invite Kirigakure and Sunagakure to next year’s exam in Konoha.
• The Third ordered Kakashi to lead an Anbu squad to Kirigakure, recover Shisui Uchiha’s body, and check whether his agreements with Genji still stood.
• The Third and trusted Konoha ninja reviewed Team Kakashi’s report and reclassified Naruto’s Land of Snow mission as S-Rank.
• The Third announced Naruto’s special promotion to chunin, but Naruto refused because Sasuke, Hinata, and Kakashi had also contributed.
• The Third urged Naruto to pursue his dream of becoming Hokage, and Naruto accepted the promotion.

Kakashi and his Anbu team traveled to Kirigakure to retrieve Shisui Uchiha’s body while Mei Terumi warned him that Karatachi Yagura had returned and begun confining Genji and other officials. Karatachi Yagura met the Konoha delegation and led them to a hut where Shisui’s body lay.

• Mei Terumi told Kakashi that Karatachi Yagura had placed Genji and several senior officials under house arrest after returning to Kirigakure.
• Mei Terumi expected Kakashi to talk with her after their discussion, but he enthusiastically brought up a possible Icha Icha Paradise movie, angering her.
• Kakashi and his Anbu team approached Kirigakure through a chakra-sensing mist barrier that Kakashi suspected Karatachi Yagura had arranged.
• Mei Terumi revealed that she had followed Kakashi’s team, and Karatachi Yagura emerged from the mist to greet the Konoha visitors.
• Karatachi Yagura led Kakashi and the Anbu to a secluded hut, where they saw Shisui Uchiha’s pale body.

Kakashi examined Shisui Uchiha’s body and heard Karatachi Yagura explain that Shisui had saved him from the Akatsuki, who sought to collect the tailed beasts. Kakashi retrieved Shisui’s remains and left to report the information to Konoha, without meeting Genji.

• Kakashi’s Anbu confirmed that the corpse was Shisui Uchiha and that his Sharingan were intact.
• Karatachi Yagura said Shisui had rescued him from the Akatsuki, but died when a seal activated after he left the organization.
• Karatachi Yagura revealed that the Akatsuki wanted to collect all the tailed beasts and said Kirigakure would hunt them.
• Karatachi Yagura identified Uchiha Itachi and Juzo Biwa as Akatsuki members and described the masked leader who attacked him.
• Karatachi Yagura rejected Kakashi’s request to meet Genji, and Kakashi took Shisui’s remains back to report to Konoha.

Karatachi Yagura sent Mei Terumi away from Kirigakure and secretly questioned Juzo Biwa about his failed assassination mission. After confirming Itachi’s account and killing Juzo, Yagura planned a purge that would send many others in the village to their deaths.

• Karatachi Yagura questioned Mei Terumi’s suitability as a future Mizukage, ordered her to investigate Konoha’s Chunin Ninja Exam delegation, and told her to monitor Shisui Uchiha’s burial.
• Karatachi Yagura traveled alone through his sensory mist to the prison where Juzo Biwa was held.
• Juzo Biwa told Karatachi Yagura that Mei Terumi had defeated him after Kakashi Hatake intervened, while Itachi completed the assassination mission despite serious injuries.
• Karatachi Yagura confirmed that Juzo’s account matched Itachi’s report and learned that Juzo had revealed nothing about his Akatsuki identity.
• Karatachi Yagura killed Juzo Biwa with a blood-red tail and declared that many people in Kirigakure would soon die.

Mei Terumi joined Kakashi on the way to Konoha, while Karatachi Yagura survived an assassination attempt in Kirigakure and Zabuza escaped with Haku. Zabuza and Haku fled the village, unaware that their escape would change an event destined to shake the Shinobi World.

• Mei Terumi told Kakashi that Karatachi Yagura had exiled her on a mission to Konoha and ordered her to watch Shisui Uchiha's funeral.
• Kakashi suspected there might be a hidden reason for Karatachi Yagura's interest in the funeral, then set off for Konoha with Mei Terumi.
• Karatachi Yagura discovered an intruder in the mist and struck him with a Tailed Beast Bomb, destroying the death row prison and breaking Zabuza Momochi's sword.
• Karatachi Yagura accused Zabuza Momochi of joining the Akatsuki and attempting to assassinate him, then ordered Kirigakure to kill Zabuza on sight.
• Haku escaped Kirigakure carrying the unconscious, gravely wounded Zabuza Momochi, whose failed coup had been supported by senior officials.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata finished a dull D-rank mission before Naruto was summoned with Konoha’s chunin and jonin to the Memorial Stone. Kakashi withheld the classified intelligence they had discussed, leaving Naruto to experience the same rank-based dismissal he had used against Sasuke.

• Sasuke deliberately released the captured cat after Naruto bragged about his chunin rank, but Hinata caught it and completed the mission.
• An Anbu summoned all chunin and higher-ranked Ninja in the village to the Memorial Stone on the Hokage’s orders.
• Naruto arrived and overheard Konoha’s jonin discussing decoded intelligence that identified Uchiha Itachi, Orochimaru, and Madara Uchiha as connected to Akatsuki.
• The jonin said the intelligence also confirmed that Kirigakure’s undercover agent had been killed by a lethal sealing command around his heart.
• Kakashi reunited with Naruto but refused to reveal the classified discussion because Naruto lacked jonin clearance.

At Shisui Uchiha’s memorial, Hiruzen cleared his name and honored him as a hero. After Kurama and Minato suspected Shisui might be connected to the Akatsuki, Naruto found a way to approach the coffin by offering flowers on Sasuke’s behalf.

• Hiruzen announced that Konoha would revoke the orders branding Shisui a rogue ninja and restore his honor.
• Kurama recognized Shisui’s portrait as possibly matching an Akatsuki member he had encountered, and Minato urged Naruto to leave a Flying Thunder God mark on him.
• Naruto realized the funeral was nearly over and struggled to find a chance to touch Shisui or his coffin.
• Naruto volunteered to offer flowers on Sasuke’s behalf, explaining that Sasuke was Shisui’s surviving Uchiha relative.

Naruto honored Shisui Uchiha at his funeral, then learned that Mei Terumi would remain in Konoha under Kakashi’s supervision. Kakashi arranged a long investigation outside the village for Team 7 to gather intelligence on the Akatsuki and search for someone.

• Naruto placed flowers for Shisui, secretly marked his body with Flying Thunder God, and thanked him before the funeral ended.
• Kakashi comforted Naruto after the ceremony, but Mei Terumi arrived and explained that she planned to stay in Konoha until the Chunin Exams.
• Mei told Kakashi she would accompany him when he left the village, leaving him responsible for supervising her.
• Kakashi explained to Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata that Team 7 had been assigned a special operation outside the village lasting at least half a year.
• Kakashi said Team 7 would travel with Mei to investigate the Akatsuki and search for someone.

Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, Kakashi, and Mei Terumi celebrated their reunion at Ichiraku Ramen, where Mei discovered the team’s enormous appetites and Kakashi paid the bill. Afterward, Naruto and Sasuke turned their walk home into a race, leaving Hinata watching them go.

• Naruto recommended ramen to Mei Terumi and nearly ordered everything on the menu before she stopped him.
• Mei Terumi watched Hinata eat five bowls while Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi ate their usual portions, then thanked Teuchi for the meal.
• Kakashi told Naruto and the others they would part ways and advised Mei Terumi to return to her inn while he prepared materials for her.
• Naruto and Sasuke escorted Hinata to the Hyuga Clan before walking home together.
• Naruto and Sasuke raced around Konoha and back to their homes, with Naruto arriving first and Sasuke privately recording his 198th loss.

Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to examine Shisui Uchiha’s corpse and confirmed that Shisui was dead, though Minato found the activated seal on his heart mysterious. Days later, Shisui revived through Izanagi, but Madara Uchiha’s blackness took control of him, unaware that Naruto had marked his heel.

• Naruto teleported into Shisui Uchiha’s coffin and examined his body, finding an activated seal on his heart.
• Naruto returned to his room after confirming Shisui was dead, and Minato and Kurama discussed the seal’s unknown purpose.
• Minato hoped Jiraiya could release Kushina’s chakra so she might help understand the seal.
• Several days later, Shisui’s heart beat again, and Izanagi revived him.
• Madara Uchiha’s blackness controlled Shisui and ordered him to carry out his mission against Konoha and the Shinobi World.
• Shisui failed to notice the Flying Thunder God mark Naruto had placed on his heel.

Naruto coached Konohamaru on the Shadow Clone Technique and asked about Hanabi Hyuga amid Hinata’s family troubles. Kakashi informed Naruto and Sasuke that Team 7 would leave on a mission the day after tomorrow, while Sasuke helped Konohamaru practice.

• Naruto criticized Konohamaru’s failed Shadow Clone attempt but encouraged him to keep practicing.
• Naruto asked Konohamaru about Hanabi Hyuga and reflected on Hinata’s family dispute over the Hyuga Clan succession.
• Kakashi told Naruto and Sasuke that Team 7 would meet at the village gates at six in the morning the day after tomorrow for a mission.
• Naruto left to tell Hinata about the mission, and Sasuke warned Konohamaru to rest before demonstrating the Shadow Clone Technique.
• Konohamaru said Naruto’s teaching was easier to understand, and Sasuke threw a shuriken off target.

Naruto arrived at the Hyuga Clan head’s study to tell Hinata about an upcoming mission and was unexpectedly invited into a family discussion. After Hiashi sent a hurt Hanabi away, he asked Naruto when he planned to marry Hinata.

• Naruto appeared in Hiashi’s study and told Hinata to meet Kakashi-sensei at the village gate at six the morning after tomorrow for a mission.
• Hiashi invited Naruto to sit with Hinata and said they were all family, leaving Naruto, Hinata, and Hanabi bewildered.
• Hiashi told Hanabi to return to her room, and she ran off in hurt silence, thinking she was being treated as an outsider.
• Hiashi asked Naruto what he thought about the Hyuga Clan’s future, then asked when he would marry Hinata.

Naruto and Hinata learned how Hyuga traditions and the Caged Bird Seal could threaten their relationship and the clan, and Naruto vowed to break those rules. After Hiashi explained that he was delaying the clan’s decision until Naruto had the power to change things, Hinata confessed that she liked Naruto and kissed him.

• Hiashi discussed the Hyuga succession and warned that removing the Caged Bird Seal could provoke conflict between the Main and Branch Families.
• Naruto vowed to destroy the clan’s oppressive rules, and Hinata promised to stand beside him.
• Hiashi explained that he was delaying the clan’s decisions until Naruto gained enough influence to change the situation, and asked when Naruto planned to marry Hinata.
• Naruto and Hinata realized Hiashi had mistaken their childhood training sessions for a romantic relationship, and Hiashi hurried away to comfort Hanabi.
• Hinata kissed Naruto and told him she liked him.

Naruto sensed a faint malicious presence at the Training Ground, but he and Sasuke found no trace of the watcher. In the Hokage Office, Danzo persuaded Hiruzen to lead an expedition against Orochimaru’s nearby base, leaving the village in the elders’ hands.

• Konohamaru told Naruto he had arranged a match with Hanabi Hyuga, and Naruto teased him before becoming distracted by thoughts of Hinata.
• Naruto sensed faint malice near the Training Ground, and Kurama confirmed someone had been there before quickly leaving.
• Sasuke used his Sharingan to search for the watcher, but he found nothing, and Naruto wondered whether the malice had been aimed at Sasuke or Konohamaru.
• Danzo presented intelligence locating Orochimaru’s secret base within the Land of Fire, and Hiruzen questioned the report before recognizing its detail.
• Danzo, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu argued that Hiruzen should personally lead the mission, and Hiruzen agreed to leave the next day.

Mei Terumi joined Kakashi, Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke as they left Konoha, though she was surprised by the team’s leisurely preparations and Kakashi’s lateness. Kakashi redirected their mission to Orochimaru’s Secret Base, while Danzo learned that the Third had already left Konoha and decided he had only until nightfall to act.

• Mei arrived at Konoha’s gates early, where Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane told her Kakashi had not arrived yet.
• Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke gathered at the gates and shared a relaxed breakfast before Kakashi showed up an hour late.
• Kakashi explained that the team had grown used to his delays and changed their destination to a location in the Land of Fire.
• Kakashi pointed out Orochimaru’s Secret Base as their first stop, saying they would arrive the next day.
• Danzo confirmed that the Third had left Konoha with jonin and Anbu, then concluded he had only that night to act.

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s team captured a Root lookout and prevented Danzo from receiving intelligence as they returned to Konoha. That night, Danzo exhumed Shisui Uchiha’s coffin and sealed it in a scroll, and Hiruzen set out to confront him.

• Hyuga Hiashi, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Shikaku Nara subdued a Root scout, and Hiruzen ordered them to stop the other lookouts from reporting back.
• Hiashi stayed close to Hiruzen to guard against Danzo using Shisui Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Danzo ordered his subordinates to dig up Shisui’s coffin at the Memorial Stone and seal it into a scroll.
• Hiruzen observed Danzo’s actions with the Telescope Technique and summoned two Konoha advisers.
• Hiruzen changed into his battle gear and set out with the advisers to see what Danzo intended to do.

Shisui Uchiha attacked Danzo in his secret base, taking back his stolen Sharingan before using Kotoamatsukami to leave Danzo disoriented and destroy the room. The Third Hokage and his allies arrived to find Danzo injured and claiming he had been framed, while Shisui escaped and turned his attention to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Danzo opened the sealed coffin expecting Shisui's body, but found it empty and realized someone had breached his secret base.
• Shisui Uchiha appeared behind Danzo, gouged out his right eye, and was cut in half by Danzo's Wind Release: Vacuum Wave.
• Shisui used Izanagi to restore himself and his recovered eye, then used Kotoamatsukami on Danzo before leaving through the Secret Passage.
• Yamanaka Fū and Torune Aburame encountered the Third Hokage's group, and Torune led them to Danzo's room.
• The Third Hokage and the others found Danzo holding a kunai in his wounded eye; Danzo accused them of framing him and admitted he had wanted to study Shisui's body.
• At Naka Shrine, Shisui recovered from using Izanagi and Kotoamatsukami, then set his next target as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Kakashi and Mei Terumi investigated a hidden cave that turned out to be a trapped base belonging to Orochimaru. Kakashi sent Naruto back to Konoha with the news using Flying Thunder God, then waited for him to rejoin the group.

• Hinata detected a concealed cave but found no human chakra signatures inside, so Kakashi and Mei Terumi entered to investigate.
• Sasuke and Hinata sensed danger as Kakashi and Mei fled the cave, and Mei's Water Dragon Bullet and Kakashi's Earth-Style Wall shielded the group from an explosion.
• Kakashi identified the trap as a Reverse Summoning Technique involving snakes carrying technique formulas and concluded that the cave had been deliberately destroyed as an escape passage.
• Kakashi asked Naruto to use a Flying Thunder God Mark to return to Konoha and tell the Hokage that Orochimaru's base had been found and was a trap.
• Kakashi told Mei and the others that Naruto had gone to relieve himself, then Naruto returned to the group later.

Shikaku Nara learned that Danzo would be imprisoned for his crimes, then tried to put the case out of his mind by drinking with Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka. He returned home drunk, where Shikamaru Nara and Yoshino Nara recognized that something serious was troubling him.

• The Third Hokage ordered Danzo stripped of his authority and sent to Prison after the charges against him were confirmed.
• Shikaku Nara told Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka that Danzo would likely remain imprisoned for life, while they questioned whether his punishment was lenient.
• Shikaku Nara and his friends changed the subject to their children and Konoha's future, and Shikaku drank more sake.
• Yoshino Nara scolded Shikaku when he came home drunk, then prepared sobering soup while Shikamaru Nara helped his father to bed.
• Shikamaru Nara found Shikaku asleep before he could drink the soup, and Yoshino Nara decided to make him porridge in the morning because he must have faced something troubling.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi arrived in Yugakure, where Kakashi searched for a white-haired man while Naruto and Sasuke relaxed in the Hot Springs. Sasuke asked Naruto to help him find his surviving clansmen, and Naruto reassured him that the mission gave them room to investigate.

• Naruto eagerly dragged Sasuke to the Hot Springs while Kakashi asked the innkeeper about a white-haired man in a photograph.
• The innkeeper identified the man as a regular from Konoha who often caused complaints near the women's Hot Springs, but said she had not seen him that year.
• Kakashi questioned the innkeeper about other places the man visited and went to investigate them.
• Sasuke asked Naruto whether they would find his clansmen, and Naruto said they could travel to the Land of Wind and investigate during their flexible mission.
• Naruto explained that the missing Flying Thunder God marks on Izumi's clothes and shuriken did not necessarily mean something had happened to her.
• Sasuke wondered how he would face his clansmen if they found them, and Naruto had no answer.

Minato explained the Flying Thunder God Technique’s limitations, and he and Kurama discussed the Uchiha survivors and warned Naruto not to let Sasuke seek them out alone. Naruto’s evening at the Hot Spring ended with Hinata calling to him, while Kakashi encountered Mei Terumi, who asked him to talk elsewhere.

• Minato explained three ways a Flying Thunder God Mark could become unusable, then discussed with Kurama how the Uchiha might have exploited the Ryūmyaku Chakra.
• Kurama warned Naruto not to let Sasuke search for his clan alone because it could be dangerous.
• Naruto remembered Minato and Kurama’s discussion while soaking with Sasuke, who left after Naruto teased him about drinking milk.
• Naruto spoke with Kurama about sharing his senses at the Hot Spring, then heard Hinata call to him from the women’s bath.
• Kakashi returned to the inn and found Mei Terumi waiting; she told him the baths were off-limits and asked him to talk elsewhere.

Naruto mistook Hinata’s nervousness at the Hot Spring for signs that an enemy was threatening her. After teleporting into her pool and realizing what he had done, he froze as other guests arrived.

• Hinata told Naruto she would find a way to resolve the issue involving her and Hanabi, but her uneasy voice made him suspect she was in danger.
• Naruto asked Kurama to investigate, and Minato realized Naruto himself was probably the cause of the problem.
• When Hinata hesitated to answer his questions, Naruto used Flying Thunder God to appear in her Hot Spring pool, ready to fight an enemy.
• Naruto found no enemy, and Hinata fainted from embarrassment when he reached out to help her.
• Naruto realized the awkward situation as two middle-aged women entered the Hot Spring.