Chapter Summaries

Rock Lee defeated Kankuro after surviving poison and opening the fourth gate, while Sasori learned his puppet had been destroyed and changed course toward Konoha. The chapter ended with Naruto declaring Lee the winner and bringing Tsunade to treat the fallen fighters.

• Rock Lee chased Kankuro around the arena, unaware that poison from Kankuro's blade was taking effect.
• Kankuro trapped Rock Lee inside the Ibuse puppet and sent the Crow puppet's blades toward it.
• Rock Lee opened the fourth gate, broke out of Ibuse, and smashed the Crow puppet before Kankuro could be killed by another attack.
• Sasori learned that his remotely controlled puppet had been destroyed and ordered Deidara to head for Konoha immediately.
• Rock Lee asked whether he had won, and Naruto declared him the victor before bringing Tsunade to treat him and Kankuro.

Gaara attacked Rock Lee, then explained his outburst as worry over his injured brother Kankuro and apologized. After the arena was repaired, Naruto was assigned to referee the remaining matches, and Hinata prepared to face Karatachi Gui.

• Gaara sent a blade of sand at Rock Lee, but Gekko Hayate intercepted it before it could hit him.
• Gaara threatened Baki and the Konoha group before Temari calmed him, and Jiraiya stopped him from leaving without an explanation.
• Gaara apologized to Guy, Neji, and the others, while Baki and Temari also apologized and explained that Gaara had been upset about Kankuro.
• Tsunade took the badly injured Kankuro to the hospital, and Jiraiya appointed Naruto to help Gekko Hayate referee the remaining matches.
• After examiners repaired the arena, Karatachi Gui and Hinata entered for the next match, and Naruto wished Hinata good luck.

Hinata defeated Karatachi Gui with the Gentle Fist, but a strange chakra erupted from him after his chakra points were sealed. The Nine-Tails recognized it as Isobu’s chakra, revealing that Gui was the Three-Tails’ jinchūriki.

• Karatachi Gui attacked Hinata with Water Release, shuriken, and clones, but her Byakugan let her evade and counter his techniques.
• Jiraiya and the Third Hokage noted Gui’s strong fundamentals but questioned why he used only basic techniques.
• Hinata broke through Gui’s Water Formation Wall and struck all sixty-four of his chakra points with the Gentle Fist, sending him crashing to the ground.
• Gui struggled to rise and murmured about being the son of Karatachi Yagura before an unusual surge of chakra enveloped him in a dark tortoise shell.
• The Nine-Tails identified the chakra as Isobu’s, and Minato and Kushina realized Gui was the Three-Tails’ jinchūriki.

Hinata defeated Karatachi Gui after he unleashed Isobu’s chakra and attacked her with a powerful Water Dragon Bullet. As Gui lamented his lack of talent and his father’s neglect, Gaara began to struggle with Shukaku’s influence in the spectator section.

• Minato and the Nine-Tails realized that Isobu had willingly given Karatachi Gui some of its chakra and was not controlling him.
• Gaara became distressed in the Sunagakure spectator section, and Baki tried to soothe Shukaku before Gaara could go berserk.
• Karatachi Gui’s chakra surged, and he attacked Hinata with Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet.
• Hinata used Kakashi’s Lightning Blade to pierce Gui’s chakra cloak, strike his shoulder, and stop his jutsu.
• Isobu’s chakra faded as Hinata’s sealed Gui’s chakra points, and Gui wondered why his father ignored him despite all his efforts.

Hinata defeated Karatachi Gui, and Taki Metsu revealed his skill by beating Ino while secretly retrieving a damaged core. Afterward, Kabuto Yakushi and Tenten’s match ended quickly.

• Hinata defeated Karatachi Gui, who realized he had been used to draw attention away from Taki Metsu.
• Taki Metsu entered the arena to face Ino, while Naruto and the others cheered for her.
• Taki Metsu used a Water Formation Wall to hide himself as he retrieved a damaged core from Kankuro's Crow puppet debris.
• Ino’s Mind Body Switch Technique exposed four monsters in Taki Metsu’s mind, and she fled as he struck her with shuriken and won.
• Asuma told Ino that Taki Metsu had likely used a genjutsu, and Kabuto Yakushi’s match against Tenten ended quickly.

Kabuto noticed that the exam contestants were unusually strong and deliberately withdrew from the spotlight after Tenten defeated him. Once the Preliminaries ended, the Third Match lineup was announced, setting up several major rivalries for a month later.

• Kabuto recognized that Orochimaru's plan had changed and intended to stay unnoticed, but Tenten defeated him and left him badly injured.
• Shirakumo trapped Choji with Earth Release and won the final preliminary match, while Naruto watched and asked Kurama whether he recognized Shirakumo.
• The Third Hokage and Jiraiya explained the upcoming Third Match and announced the draw for the matches one month later.
• Neji was thrilled to draw Sasuke as his opponent, while Tenten worried that Temari's Wind Release would counter her ninja tools.
• Kakuzu drew Rock Lee, Hinata drew Gaara, and Karin drew Shirakumo, prompting the contestants to consider their upcoming opponents.

After the Exam, Naruto and his companions went to visit Rock Lee while Gaara went with Temari to see Kankuro. Elsewhere, Itachi reported that Sasori’s infiltration had failed, and Pain considered Orochimaru’s plan to lure Jiraiya away from Konoha.

• Gekko Hayate explained that five contestants would advance from one-on-one matches to a five-way battle, while examiners could also promote candidates based on their performance.
• Gaara agreed to go with Temari to visit Kankuro, and Naruto noted that Gaara’s unusual behavior and murderous intent had caused no trouble.
• Minato asked Naruto to tell Jiraiya how to activate the formulas Naruto had planted on the candidates, and Naruto joined his companions as they went to check on Rock Lee.
• A crow delivered Itachi’s report that Sasori’s infiltration had failed, and Itachi told Kisame to report that the identity for their impersonation was ready.
• Konan brought an Amegakure ninja to Pain with Orochimaru’s message, but a sealing jutsu erupted from the ninja and Pain blasted him away with Shinra Tensei.
• Pain identified the trap as Orochimaru’s warning and considered luring Jiraiya away from Konoha within the coming month.

Konan agreed to handle Jiraiya while Pain postponed acting, and news spread that Konoha planned an alliance among three major shinobi villages. As people and factions reacted to the announcement, a Konoha operative reported that the rumors had reached a small village; the chapter ended with Naruto and his friends gathering at a barbecue restaurant.

• Konan told Pain she would arrange the others’ work and handle Jiraiya, and Pain agreed to wait.
• Kazahana Koyuki learned Uchiha Izumi had left the Land of Snow and resisted traveling to Konoha, but Sandayu insisted they honor the invitation.
• Rumors spread that Konoha would hold a joint Chunin Exam and announce an alliance among three major shinobi villages, prompting factions to head toward Konoha.
• A small-village leader sent an operative to investigate the alliance rumors, while a Konoha undercover ninja reported that the village had been informed.
• Naruto lamented that Ichiraku Ramen lost the group’s restaurant vote, while Shikamaru noticed Rock Lee eagerly waiting for something besides the meat.

Naruto gathered the exam participants to celebrate Rock Lee’s release from the hospital, and they discussed how they would prepare for the upcoming matches. The gathering ended with the group discovering that Konoha’s villagers saw the Chunin Exams as a public demonstration of the village’s strength, a change Naruto knew Jiraiya had arranged.

• Rock Lee complained about missing the rest of the Preliminaries, and Tenten reminded him that the gathering celebrated his release from the hospital.
• Naruto toasted Lee and everyone who had reached the third round, while Shikamaru asked Neji and Sasuke about their plans for the remaining month.
• Neji and Sasuke played down the need for special training, and their posturing led Rock Lee to doubt his own plan to train with Might Guy.
• Hinata said she would do special training with Naruto, and the others dropped their objections when they saw how happy she was.
• The owner recognized the guests as Chunin Exam contestants, and the customers praised them as representatives of Konoha.
• Shikamaru wondered why the exams seemed to have become more than a selection test, while Naruto understood that Jiraiya had arranged the village publicity.

After Rock Lee went berserk from liquor-filled chocolate at the barbecue restaurant, Neji gained access to the Hyuga Clan’s secret archive, and Sasuke asked Kakashi for more training after facing Orochimaru. Sasuke then entered Kakashi’s home and froze at the sight of unexpected visitors.

• The barbecue restaurant owner gave the group liquor-filled chocolates, and Rock Lee suddenly became wild and had to be restrained.
• Naruto and Hinata took Rock Lee home while Shikamaru stayed behind to deal with the restaurant’s wreckage.
• Neji visited Hyuga Hiashi, who confirmed the Caged Bird Seal had been removed and opened the clan’s secret archive to him.
• Sasuke told Kakashi that he wanted to become stronger after realizing Orochimaru had not fought at full strength, and Kakashi agreed to discuss special training.
• Sasuke entered Kakashi’s home and was startled to find other people there.

Naruto used his newly developed Genjutsu: Heart-Revealing Technique to bring Hinata into his Inner World so she could meet his parents. He explained how the genjutsu worked and warned that he had to stay with her as her senses sank deeper into it.

• Naruto reassured a nervous Hinata that they were alone and prepared to use his new genjutsu.
• Naruto touched Hinata's forehead and guided her through a dark imagined tunnel while she followed his chakra.
• Naruto told Hinata to open her eyes after the technique succeeded, revealing his warm, white Inner World.
• Hinata recognized the space as Naruto's Inner World and asked about meeting his parents.
• Naruto conjured a red scarf to show Hinata that he could create objects in his Inner World.
• Naruto warned Hinata that the genjutsu could blur reality and said he needed to remain with her throughout it.

Naruto introduced Hinata to Kurama, who recalled memories of family life with a future Hinata and welcomed her into Naruto’s life. The scenery in Naruto’s Inner Space then revealed Minato and Kushina, and Kushina warmly greeted Hinata as Naruto’s girlfriend.

• Hinata asked Naruto about making things appear, and Kurama appeared to greet her while remembering his future life with Hinata, Boruto, and Himawari.
• Kurama told Hinata to take good care of Naruto, then disappeared so the couple could reunite with Naruto’s parents.
• Naruto’s Inner Space revealed Minato and Kushina, and Kushina eagerly hugged Hinata until Minato reminded her to ease up.
• Kushina introduced herself and Minato as Naruto’s parents and called Hinata Naruto’s girlfriend, making Hinata blush intensely.

Hinata formally met Naruto's parents, and Kushina welcomed her as family. Naruto laid out his plans for meeting Jiraiya and Hinata's family, while his parents encouraged him to handle his responsibilities and keep training; the chapter ended with the four of them sharing a family conversation in Minato and Kushina's old home.

• Hinata learned that Minato was the Fourth Hokage and spoke with him and Kushina.
• Kushina took Hinata aside, offered advice about Naruto, and told her to call her Mom.
• Naruto told Minato he planned to find Jiraiya, deliver the Sealing Formulas, speak with Hinata's family about an engagement, and address Neji's seal and the Hyuga family issue.
• Minato reminded Naruto to train and pursue his goal of becoming Hokage, and Naruto promised to become the greatest Hokage.
• Kushina transformed their surroundings into her and Minato's old home and gathered the family to talk.
• The Nine-Tails watched the happy family in Naruto's Inner World, smiling without realizing it.

Naruto and Hinata visited Jiraiya after becoming engaged, but their meeting began with an embarrassing discovery at the women's bathhouse. After Naruto demonstrated his sealing formula, Jiraiya offered to teach them the Summoning Technique.

• Naruto left the Hyuga estate after Hiashi agreed to his engagement with Hinata, and Hinata joined him to seek out Jiraiya.
• Naruto and Hinata teleported behind the women's bathhouse and caught Jiraiya peeping; Hinata covered Naruto's eyes and pulled him away.
• Naruto mocked Jiraiya as the Pervy Sage, and Jiraiya defended his writing before the group moved to a secluded training ground.
• Naruto demonstrated his Sealing Jutsu, and Jiraiya deduced that its activation range ended at the village's limits.
• Jiraiya offered to repay Naruto by teaching him and Hinata, then proposed the Summoning Technique.

Jiraiya taught Naruto and Hinata the Summoning Technique and had them sign Mount Myōboku’s toad pact. Naruto was reverse-summoned to Mount Myōboku, where the Great Toad Sage greeted him as Kurama.

• Jiraiya explained the Summoning Technique and helped Naruto and Hinata sign the Mount Myōboku toad pact Scroll.
• Jiraiya taught Hinata how to prepare her chakra and told Naruto to try the summoning seals.
• Naruto performed the Summoning Technique and vanished from Jiraiya and Hinata’s sight.
• Naruto appeared above Mount Myōboku, where Gamabunta offered to take him to the Great Toad Sage.
• The Great Toad Sage awakened, recognized Naruto, and greeted him as Kurama.

Naruto met the Great Toad Sage at Mount Myōboku, where Kurama revealed his own Sage Fox Mode and the toads examined it. Gamamaru shared a fragment of a future in which Kurama was absent, leaving Minato and Kushina quietly concerned as Fukasaku was told to teach Naruto the toads’ senjutsu.

• Jiraiya realized Naruto had been summoned to Mount Myōboku and took Hinata there with him.
• Kurama manifested a tiny chakra form and spoke with Gamamaru, who asked about the new senjutsu tradition.
• Naruto activated Sage Fox Mode, astonishing Fukasaku and Shima because he showed no visible absorption of natural energy.
• Jiraiya and Hinata arrived and waited while Naruto spoke with the toads.
• Gamamaru said he had seen a future in which Kurama was nowhere to be found, alarming Naruto before Kurama reassured him it was only a dream fragment.
• Gamamaru instructed Fukasaku to teach Naruto Mount Myōboku’s senjutsu.

Gamamaru arranged for Naruto and Hinata to train at Mount Myōboku, then revealed to Jiraiya a Prophecy in which Naruto said he and the Nine-Tails would inevitably fight. The chapter left Jiraiya uncertain about what the vision meant, as Gamamaru clarified that he did not mean the Nine-Tails would necessarily be Naruto’s enemy.

• Gamamaru told Shima to train Hinata at Mount Myōboku and sent Fukasaku to begin Naruto’s training.
• The Nine-Tails remained hidden while Gamamaru and Jiraiya pretended to sleep, then woke Jiraiya by knocking him off the floor.
• Gamamaru explained that Hinata was Hamura’s descendant and that the Nine-Tails’ power had helped awaken her bloodline.
• After the Nine-Tails left, Gamamaru told Jiraiya that he had dreamed Naruto say he and the Nine-Tails would inevitably fight, though Naruto needed power first.
• Jiraiya questioned whether the Nine-Tails might become an enemy, but Gamamaru said that was not what he meant.

Naruto and Hinata began training in toad Senjutsu at Mount Myōboku while events unfolded across Konoha and the surrounding villages. Jiraiya returned with news that Konan was searching for him, and the joint Chunin Exams’ third exam drew near.

• Naruto and Hinata chose to train at Mount Myōboku, where the Nine-Tails assured Naruto that Hinata’s Tenseigan would be safe and offered to teach Kushina and Minato a Jutsu.
• Temari took Gaara to visit Kankuro again, while she and Baki wondered whether Gaara’s behavior had changed because of Shukaku.
• Rock Lee completed his recovery training with Neji under Might Guy, who then called Tenten over to train.
• Kabuto followed Shirakumo while looking for a chance to carry out Orochimaru’s orders, and Kakashi provided cover at a secluded training site.
• The Third and Tsunade discussed a report about Konan searching for Jiraiya with a group of women, and Jiraiya returned and identified her as an Akatsuki member.
• Jiraiya said Konan’s search presented a useful opportunity to discuss something as the third exam of the joint Chunin Exams approached.

Konoha escorted the disguised Fourth Kazekage and the Fourth Mizukage toward the village under restrictions on their armed escorts, as dignitaries arrived for the Three-Village Joint Chunin Exams. The Third Hokage watched the guests gather and noted that the exams would begin the next day.

• Hyuga Hiashi met the disguised Orochimaru at the Fire-Wind border and explained that the Mizukage had requested limits on the Kazekage's armed escort; Orochimaru agreed to bring only selected companions.
• Kakashi Hatake told Karatachi Yagura at the Fire-Water border that the Kazekage had agreed to the same escort restrictions, and Yagura chose Ao and another ninja to accompany him.
• Ao questioned Kakashi about Sasuke Uchiha and the recent attack on Yagura, while Kakashi said Konoha was concerned for its ally's safety.
• Izumo Kamizuki identified arriving dignitaries at Konoha's gate as the village secured their routes and guarded the event.
• The Third Hokage watched the arriving guests and reflected that the exams would begin the next day.

As Konoha hosted the third round of the Three-Village Joint Chunin Exams, the visiting dignitaries and spectators gathered while Gaara left the hospital after ordering Baki to protect the unconscious Kankuro. At Mount Myōboku, Hinata returned to Konoha without Naruto, who remained in meditation after grasping an unknown state.

• Kazahana Koyuki praised Konoha’s lavish viewing stand as Kurenai Yuhi welcomed her, while Asuma Sarutobi attended the Land of Fire officials.
• Sakura, Shino, and Kiba joined Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji among the spectators and discussed how dangerous the earlier exam rounds had been.
• Temari warned Gaara that it was nearly time to leave, and Gaara ordered Baki to stay behind and protect the unconscious Kankuro.
• Hinata said goodbye to Minato and Kushina at Mount Myōboku and returned to Konoha while Naruto continued meditating.
• Naruto had mastered most of Mount Myōboku’s senjutsu and remained in an unexplained state that the toad sages did not understand.