Recaps

After Naruto’s promotion, Konoha investigated Shisui’s death and Danzo’s attempt to seize his body, while Shisui revived under Madara Uchiha’s control. Team 7 set out to investigate Orochimaru’s base, and Naruto’s concern for Hinata and Sasuke’s missing clan followed them on the road.

• Koyuki became Queen of the Land of Snow, and Naruto accepted a special promotion to chunin after the Third Hokage reclassified Team Kakashi’s mission as S-Rank.
• Kakashi recovered Shisui Uchiha’s body from Karatachi Yagura, who revealed the Akatsuki’s plans, while Yagura killed Juzo Biwa and Zabuza Momochi escaped Kirigakure with Haku.
• Naruto secretly marked Shisui’s body at the funeral, and Shisui later revived through Izanagi before Madara Uchiha’s blackness took control of him.
• Hiashi discussed the Hyuga Clan’s succession with Naruto and Hinata, who vowed to challenge the clan’s oppressive rules before Hinata confessed her feelings to Naruto.
• Danzo tried to take Shisui’s body from his coffin, but the revived Shisui attacked him and used Kotoamatsukami before escaping, after which the Third Hokage imprisoned Danzo.
• Team 7 and Mei Terumi found Orochimaru’s destroyed secret base, and Kakashi sent Naruto to warn Konoha that the site was a trap.
• Naruto and Sasuke discussed searching for Sasuke’s clansmen as the team continued its mission, while Kakashi investigated a white-haired man and Naruto’s attempt to check on Hinata ended with her fainting in embarrassment.

Naruto confessed his feelings to Hinata, and the team captured Hidan while Kakashi uncovered more about the Akatsuki and received intelligence from Itachi. Naruto then led a mission into the Land of Wind, where the search turned toward Sara and the lost kingdom of Rōran.

• Naruto told Hinata he loved her and wanted them to become a family, and they kissed.
• Kakashi’s team confronted Kakuzu and Hidan near a Bounty Station, and Naruto helped capture Hidan while Kakashi and Mei Terumi defeated Kakuzu.
• Hidan’s interrogation revealed his identity as the serial killer from the Land of Hot Water, while the Akatsuki learned of his capture and planned to attack Konoha during the joint Chunin exams.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi rescued Karin from Grass Ninja in the Land of Whirlpools, and Naruto found the Uzumaki Clan Shrine and learned the cost of releasing the Reaper Death Seal.
• The Third Hokage assigned Naruto to lead Sasuke, Hinata, and Mei Terumi into the Land of Wind to search for the Akatsuki.
• Itachi told Kakashi that the Akatsuki sought the tailed beasts, revealed members including Pain, the Fourth Mizukage, Orochimaru, Shisui, and Obito, and left Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami crow with him.
• Naruto’s team found no sign of the Akatsuki in the Land of Wind, then met Sara and her daughter Rōran at a market and learned Sara had been the last queen of Rōran.

Team 7 rushed to the Land of Waves, where Naruto defeated Zabuza and Mei took him and Haku into custody while Sasuke killed Gato. Back in Konoha, Kakashi met Minato inside Naruto’s Inner Space, and Naruto became trapped in Kakashi’s memories with Kurama.

• Sara told Naruto that the Leader of the Uchiha had restored her memories, then returned his broken Chakra Blade and agreed to request a meeting with him and Sasuke.
• Kakashi met Jiraiya in Yugakure, told him he suspected Minato was alive, and let him remove a dormant seal from his forehead.
• Sakura brought word that Kurenai Yuhi, Shino, and Kiba were in danger, so Team 7 and Mei Terumi rushed to the Land of Waves and split up to find them.
• Naruto and Hinata found Kiba and Akamaru, while Sasuke, Mei, and Naruto protected Sakura and brought her back to Konoha for treatment.
• Naruto reached Kurenai and defeated Zabuza in a fight, but Mei trapped Zabuza and Haku and took them away after explaining her plan against the Fourth Mizukage.
• Sasuke exposed Gato’s plans and killed him, while Tazuna chose to use Gato’s wealth to rebuild the Land of Waves and named the bridge Konoha Bridge.
• Naruto returned Kakashi to Konoha, and Kakashi later used his Sharingan to meet Minato inside Naruto’s Inner Space.
• Kurama appeared in Kakashi’s Inner World, then discovered Naruto had entered Kakashi’s memories and vowed to protect him from suffering.

Shisui used Kotoamatsukami to control Naruto and Konoha’s Anbu, but Naruto and the village contained the crisis while investigating ways to counter the technique. Hinata awakened a mysterious power, Tsunade arrived to help treat the victims, and Naruto and Sasuke left for the Land of Wind to meet Uchiha Izumi.

• Karin mistook Sasuke’s money and a room key for a betrothal gift, while Minato told Kakashi about the Ōtsutsuki Clan and his plan to strengthen the shinobi world.
• Kakashi learned that Danzo had hidden Shisui’s body, and Naruto sensed it inside Konoha before finding Shisui among hostile Anbu.
• Shisui used Kotoamatsukami to control Naruto and the Anbu, but the Nine-Tails trapped Shisui’s consciousness and turned it to stone.
• Black Zetsu restored Shisui, while Naruto and his allies subdued the controlled Anbu and the Third Hokage organized the search for Shisui.
• Gekko Hayate thanked Naruto for saving Uzuki Yugao, and Naruto continued allowing Kotoamatsukami to affect him so Minato and the Nine-Tails could study it.
• Hinata’s eyes changed after natural-energy training, and Kurama suggested she might have awakened the Tenseigan, and Naruto stayed with her at the Hyuga compound as the village investigated ways to overcome Kotoamatsukami.
• Tsunade arrived in Konoha, examined Yamato, and proposed temporarily erasing the controlled Anbu’s memories, and the Third told her Naruto had left the village.
• In the Land of Wind, Sara told Naruto and Sasuke that Uchiha Izumi had agreed to meet them in ancient Rōran.