Chapter Summaries

Hinata stopped Kankuro from attacking Konohamaru and Hanabi, then faced Gaara when he arrived. After she gave Gaara her name, he reacted as if he were about to lose control, and Temari rushed him away.

• Kankuro threatened Konohamaru and Hanabi, but Hinata appeared and stopped his chakra with a touch.
• Hinata rebuked Kankuro for bullying children, and he set down his puppet as if preparing to fight.
• Gaara arrived and ordered Kankuro to stop, then apologized to Hinata on his teammate's behalf.
• Gaara asked Hinata's name, and when she introduced herself as Hinata Hyuga, he clutched his head as sand began to rise around him.
• Temari grabbed Gaara and hurried to take him to Baki, while Hinata insisted she had done nothing and Neji watched from beside a tree.

In the Land of Snow, Izumi reassured the Uchiha clan before deciding to stay behind and watch over them, then travel to Konoha alone. Meanwhile, Koyuki prepared to attend the Three-Village Joint Exams and keep Izumi in check, while Naruto remained unconscious as the Nine-Tails monitored his recovery.

• The Uchiha urged Izumi to remain in the Land of Snow, but she reassured them and stood by her decision to leave for a while.
• After the clan members left, Izumi told Sasuke she would stay several more days before going to Konoha on her own, and Sasuke accepted her choice.
• Sasuke left Izumi and silently entrusted the situation to the Land of Snow's Daimyo Mansion.
• Koyuki learned that she needed to reply to Konoha's invitation to the Three-Village Joint Exams and agreed to attend after Naruto told her to bring Izumi and prevent her from seeking revenge.
• The Nine-Tails watched Naruto, Kushina, and Minato sleeping amid the Ryūmyaku chakra and predicted they would wake in about half a day.

The Reincarnation Seal drew an unexpected flood of Ryūmyaku chakra into Naruto, Minato, and Kushina, leaving Minato and Kushina asleep as their chakra grew stronger. With the seal complete, the Nine-Tails took control of Naruto’s shadow clone and traveled to the Ryūmyaku Seal site to begin his own plan.

• During the Reincarnation Seal, Ryūmyaku chakra flooded into Naruto, Kushina, and Minato, strengthening Minato’s and Kushina’s chakra before the surge put them into a deep sleep.
• The Nine-Tails reassured Naruto that his parents were merely sleeping after taking in too much chakra, while considering that their chakra might develop into independent lifeforms.
• Naruto fell asleep from exhaustion, and the Nine-Tails used his chakra to create a shadow clone under his control.
• The Nine-Tails used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach the sand-covered ruins near Rōran.
• At the Ryūmyaku Seal site, the Nine-Tails sensed the calm chakra below and prepared to practice making hand seals and change his appearance.

Foreign ninja arrived in Konoha for the Three-Village Alliance Chunin Ninja Exams, where Orochimaru disguised as an Otogakure team leader noticed Konoha’s new Chakra Armor. At a meeting to confirm Konoha’s participants, Team 10 and Might Guy’s team were recommended, while Kurenai Yuhi’s team chose to wait.

• Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane observed foreign ninja arriving at Konoha’s gate and noted that even smaller villages had sent participants.
• Orochimaru, disguised as an Otogakure jonin, examined the Chakra Armor worn by Konoha’s gate guards and noticed other people using false identities.
• The Third began confirming Konoha’s exam participants, and Asuma Sarutobi recommended Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi.
• Might Guy recommended Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, and Tenten for the exams.
• Kurenai Yuhi told Asuma that Sakura and Shino wanted more time to train after the Land of Waves mission, while Kiba wanted to enter alone.

Naruto rushed to the meeting with Kakashi’s recommendation for Sasuke and Hinata, only to learn they had already been registered alongside Karin. Jiraiya then outlined the unusually large chunin exams and set a 99% elimination target for the first three rounds.

• Naruto arrived late and relayed Kakashi’s recommendation for Sasuke and Hinata to enter the chunin ninja Exam.
• The Third told Naruto that Kakashi had already registered Sasuke, Hinata, and Karin, and reminded Naruto that he was an examiner.
• Guy explained that Kakashi had left on another mission and trusted his students to manage without him.
• Jiraiya appeared to explain that the exams would have three rounds and aim to leave ten candidates for the final round.
• Jiraiya announced that the first three rounds would have a 99% elimination rate.

Jiraiya led the planning meeting for the Chunin Ninja Exams, awkwardly retreating from his claim that ninety-nine percent of candidates should be eliminated before pushing for much harder tests. After the public arrangements were settled, he warned the chief examiners that the Akatsuki might use the exams to attack Konoha.

• Jiraiya proposed a ninety-nine percent elimination rate, but Ebisu pointed out that fewer than three hundred candidates would leave too few for the final matches.
• Jiraiya clarified that he only meant to raise the standards, then praised Ebisu for preparing the first exam questions.
• Jiraiya reviewed Ibiki's first-stage rules and added measures to make the exams harder, while Naruto wondered about the examiners' awkward laughter.
• Jiraiya concluded the planning meeting and asked Anko whether the second exam arena was ready to eliminate candidates.
• Jiraiya warned Anko and the other chief examiners that the Akatsuki might exploit the exams to attack Konoha and urged them not to underestimate its members.

Jiraiya, the Third, and the exam organizers prepared to use the unusually difficult Chunin Ninja Exams to draw out infiltrators, while Naruto stayed away from fellow candidates to avoid a conflict of interest. Naruto then used the Reincarnation Seal to contain Neji’s Caged Bird Seal without harming his Byakugan, leaving Neji free of the mark.

• The Third backed Jiraiya and Kakashi’s plan to turn the three-village Chunin Ninja Exams into bait for infiltrators, despite the risk to the candidates.
• Naruto returned to the Hyuga compound and asked Hiashi to tell Hinata he would keep his distance during the exam, then requested Neji’s presence.
• Naruto told Neji he would release the Caged Bird Seal and explained that he would seal it inside Neji rather than destroy it.
• Naruto covered Neji’s forehead mark with the Reincarnation Seal and contained the Caged Bird Seal without damaging Neji’s Byakugan.
• Neji opened his eyes to his restored, unobstructed Byakugan and looked out at a world without cages.

Sasuke, Hinata, and Karin arrived at the Ninja Academy for the Chunin Exams, where Karin learned how Konoha’s academy system differed from her own harsh upbringing. They entered the building and heard shouting in the corridor outside the exam rooms.

• Sasuke waited outside the academy and noticed Genin leaving before the exams had started.
• Karin arrived with Hinata, and Hinata explained that the Konoha Ninja Academy trained children before they became Genin.
• Hinata told Karin that Second Hokage Tobirama Senju had established the academy system, and Karin reflected on the treatment she had endured in Kusagakure.
• Sasuke checked his recommendation letter, while Karin and Hinata checked their admission passes.
• Sasuke led Hinata and Karin into the academy, where they heard shouts from the corridor outside the classrooms.

Sasuke, Karin, and Hinata encountered Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane blocking the exam entrance with a Genjutsu Barrier that weakened examinees’ will to fight. Sasuke dispelled it and led his teammates toward the exam hall, while a Kirigakure team watched them with interest.

• Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane challenged examinees at the stairs, attacking a Kusagakure Genin and taking his Forehead Protector.
• Sasuke and Hinata recognized that a Genjutsu Barrier was amplifying the examinees’ fear and discouragement.
• Sasuke used Release to dispel the barrier, prompting the Kusagakure Genin to demand his Forehead Protector back.
• Sasuke led Karin and Hinata toward the exam hall and told Karin to stay close to one of them.
• A pink-eyed Kirigakure boy and his masked teammate watched Sasuke, then decided to head inside.

Sasuke and his companions arrived at the Chunin Ninja Exams and reunited with their Konoha classmates, while Karin met Ino and the others. Kabuto Yakushi tried to warn them against attracting attention and hint at his exam experience, but Shikamaru ended the conversation before Kabuto could draw them in.

• Sasuke, Hinata, and Karin entered the crowded exam classroom and greeted Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee.
• Ino greeted Sasuke enthusiastically, introduced herself to Karin as president of Sasuke's fan club, and joined Shikamaru and Choji in meeting her.
• Neji challenged Shikamaru's confidence as a new graduate, and Shikamaru explained that their teacher had insisted they were ready for the exams.
• Kabuto Yakushi approached the group and advised them to avoid drawing attention, but Neji calmly said others would have to tolerate their reunion.
• Shikamaru asked about Kabuto's exam experience, then dismissed the topic after learning Kabuto had taken the exams four times, leaving Kabuto unable to continue his approach.

Kabuto tried to assess Sasuke for Orochimaru while Sasuke and the others discussed the Chunin Exam candidates, including Kirigakure's Karatachi Yagura. Ibiki began the first-stage exam with a show of force, and Hinata noticed Naruto was missing.

• Kabuto left after considering how to approach Sasuke and carry out Orochimaru's orders to judge Sasuke as a potential vessel.
• Neji pointed out several candidates he considered formidable, while Hinata advised Karin to focus on keeping up with Sasuke rather than worrying about his feelings.
• Karatachi Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage's son, entered with his teammates, drawing wary attention from the other candidates.
• In the proctors' room, Jiraiya told Ibiki to intimidate the candidates, and Ibiki explained the plan to Naruto before giving him a chance to demonstrate his abilities.
• Ibiki and the other proctors appeared before the candidates, and Ibiki declared that breaking exam-room discipline would mean immediate elimination.
• Hinata looked over the proctors and realized Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

Naruto Uzumaki silenced the candidates by knocking out two Amegakure Genin, then joined Ibiki as a mysterious examiner while the First Exam rules were explained. The surviving Rain ninja was allowed to take the test alone, and Jiraiya laughed at Naruto’s performance from the Proctoring Room.

• Naruto knocked out an Amegakure Genin for interrupting Ibiki and persuaded Ibiki to add a rule against talking during his explanation.
• Naruto kicked the Genin’s teammate into a wall after he tried to protest, leaving the third teammate too frightened to speak.
• Naruto joined the examiners as Ibiki continued explaining the written test rules, making the candidates wary of breaking them.
• Ibiki allowed the last Amegakure Genin to take the exam as a one-person team after Naruto showed no interest in the matter.
• Jiraiya laughed at Naruto’s act from the Proctoring Room.

Naruto supervised the first written exam, whose impossible opening question led candidates to realize that they were expected to cheat without being caught. As Gaara and Karatachi Gui prepared their methods, Naruto called out the gourd-carrying candidate.

• Naruto kept the candidates orderly during their minute of free discussion, while Kankuro, Temari, Gaara, Kabuto, and others reacted to his presence.
• Sasuke, Hinata, Neji, and their friends discussed Naruto's role as a proctor, and Karin revealed that he had been a chunin for a long time.
• The candidates were assigned to random classrooms, and Sasuke found himself in a room supervised by Naruto.
• The first question demanded detailed policies for a struggling small nation, leaving the candidates unable to answer it.
• Sasuke and Gaara realized the exam tested whether candidates could gather information by cheating, while Karatachi Gui used water droplets to spy on answers.
• Naruto confronted the candidate with a gourd on his back and accused him of cheating.

Naruto caught and penalized examinees who cheated during the first question, making the room increasingly tense. As Ibiki announced that time was nearly up, Minato suspected two Amegakure examinees might be Akatsuki operatives, while the Nine-Tails worried that a seal was blocking contact with the One-Tail.

• Naruto shattered Gaara's sand eye and deducted five points from him for cheating.
• Naruto caught other examinees cheating and imposed penalties, including taking nine points from a Kusagakure ninja and six from Karatachi Gui.
• Naruto returned to his stool and kept up his intimidating act while Minato noted that two Amegakure examinees seemed suspicious and might be Akatsuki operatives.
• The Nine-Tails told Kushina he was fine, though he was frustrated that a complex seal prevented him from contacting the One-Tail.
• Ibiki Morino announced that the first-question papers would be collected in one minute and the second question would follow.

Ibiki’s exam used timed questions, immediate grading, and cheating penalties to test the candidates’ intelligence-gathering under pressure. Sasuke began to infer the test’s purpose as Naruto moved between exam rooms, catching candidates who tried to cheat.

• Ibiki announced that candidates whose scores reached zero would be eliminated, making the exam’s psychological pressure clear to Sasuke and the others.
• Shikamaru reasoned through the exam’s rules and room assignments while Neji used his Byakugan to copy answers to the cipher question.
• Candidates in the First Exam Arena struggled with the cipher, and Ibiki announced that only ten had answered the first question correctly before eliminating a Kusagakure ninja.
• Sasuke suspected the exam was testing intelligence gathering and noticed that Naruto had left the First Exam Arena.
• Candidates in the First Exam Arena began cheating after Naruto departed, but Naruto appeared outside the window and eliminated five of them.

Naruto enforced strict anti-cheating rules in the exam rooms, eliminating many examinees while Shikamaru deduced the test’s purpose. The chapter ended with Shikamaru raising his hand to ask to use the restroom as Naruto doubled back during the seventh question.

• Izumo Kamizuki threatened an examinee who argued against his cheating penalties, and the examinee was forced to leave with the other people Naruto had caught.
• Naruto entered the Second Exam Arena, where Shikamaru confirmed his theory and withdrew his Shadow Imitation Technique from an examiner.
• Naruto caught and eliminated thirty examinees for cheating during the fourth question, while Hinata answered another question correctly.
• Naruto, Minato, and Kushina discussed removing weaker candidates before the dangerous second exam, and the fifth and sixth questions proceeded mostly with blank answers.
• Naruto left when the seventh question began, then doubled back as Shikamaru raised his hand to ask to use the restroom.

Naruto caught cheating candidates in the Third Exam Arena while Shikamaru secretly passed information to his teammates during bathroom trips. As the exam narrowed to fewer than thirty teams, Ibiki announced a final question that could permanently bar wrong answers from future Chunin Exams.

• Naruto identified cheaters including Neji, Ino, and Kankuro, deducting points and eliminating candidates.
• Shikamaru used two escorted bathroom trips to pass a message to Ino and hoped Choji would receive it too.
• Jiraiya watched Shikamaru’s actions through a crystal ball and praised his cleverness.
• After the ninth question, Ibiki announced that candidates could withdraw before the tenth question or risk remaining Genin forever if they answered it incorrectly.

Ibiki revealed that the first exam tested candidates’ ability to survive uncertainty, not their intelligence or cheating skills. The candidates who stayed passed, and the story left them gathered in the First Exam Arena, learning that the scores and tenth question had been a ruse.

• Ibiki explained that Chunin selected in the unprecedented three-village exam would receive privileges to take missions across allied nations.
• Candidates began withdrawing under pressure after planted examiners led the wave, leaving fewer than twenty teams.
• Ibiki announced that everyone who remained had passed, while Karin was confused because she had never answered the tenth question.
• Temari asked what the exam had tested, and Shikamaru realized there had never been a tenth question.
• Ibiki explained that the test was about survival: candidates had to recognize that the rules were incomplete and avoid acting until they knew the truth.
• Ibiki revealed that the examiners’ point deductions were not a real grading system and that he had decided who could continue based on their conduct.

Naruto helped Ibiki pressure the candidates into passing the first exam, and Anko announced the second exam would begin the next day. Shikamaru told Shikaku that the test seemed unusually difficult and questioned its real purpose, leaving his suspicions unresolved.

• Ibiki revealed that the first exam’s scores did not matter and explained that it tested candidates’ judgment under pressure, while Naruto congratulated those who passed.
• Jiraiya praised Naruto’s work, then privately asked whether Minato was inside him.
• Anko arrived, counted fifty-eight surviving candidates, and told them to learn the next exam’s assembly details from their Jonin instructors.
• Sasuke and Rock Lee said they had not been caught cheating, while Choji explained that Shikamaru had advised their group to answer honestly in Naruto’s exam room.
• Shikamaru told Shikaku he suspected the first exam was far harder than previous exams and described using the Shadow Imitation Technique to make a proctor give misleading answers.

Shikamaru explained his deductions about the exam’s rules to Shikaku, who warned him to stay alive and revealed that Konoha’s Third had pushed for cross-village missions. Meanwhile, Kabuto reported the first exam to Orochimaru, who discussed the eliminated Kusagakure candidates, an Amegakure candidate, and Sasuke Uchiha.

• Shikamaru told Shikaku that the rules were designed to eliminate candidates and pressure them into helping their teammates, with restroom trips offering a way to communicate.
• Shikaku warned Shikamaru to be careful and survive, then confirmed Konoha had proposed authorizing Chunin to take missions across village borders.
• After Shikamaru went to bed, Shikaku reflected that his son’s restroom trip had helped his teammates but also alerted people lurking in the shadows.
• Kabuto entered an inn unnoticed and reported the first exam to Orochimaru, who had been examining the Chakra Armor.
• Orochimaru learned that all Kusagakure candidates had been eliminated and that one Amegakure candidate had passed, whom he believed was being watched as bait.
• Orochimaru asked Kabuto about Sasuke Uchiha, and Kabuto said they had barely spoken.