Recaps

Madara Uchiha killed the Fourth Mizukage Yagura after using Tsukuyomi to make him confront the atrocities committed under Obito’s genjutsu. Mei Terumi began purging Yagura’s followers, while Madara left Kirigakure to rebuild and honor its agreement with Konoha.

• Yagura attacked Madara with a Water Dragon Bullet, but Madara dodged and used Tsukuyomi to overwrite Obito’s genjutsu.
• Madara made Yagura witness the Bloody Mist’s atrocities, driving him into despair before he briefly found the resolve to atone.
• Madara cut off Yagura’s head, killing the Fourth Mizukage and causing the Three-Tails to die with him before it would be reborn.
• Ao and Mei Terumi arrived and saw Yagura’s corpse, and Mei ordered Kirigakure’s forces to eliminate every faction connected to him.
• Mei’s forces slaughtered the rebels around the lake as fighting spread through Kirigakure, and Madara departed after reminding Mei of their agreement.

Madara returned from Kirigakure and brought Zabuza and Haku into his service, while Konoha accepted Kirigakure’s alliance. At a village meeting, Hiruzen announced Konoha would host the Chunin Ninja Exams, and the rookie teams were recommended despite Iruka’s concerns.

• Madara returned to the Land of Waves, where Zabuza and Haku asked to serve under him, and he sent them to report to Ajin in Konoha.
• Kaito told Hiruzen that Kirigakure wanted an alliance, and Hiruzen approved the agreement.
• Madara returned to Konoha with Naruto and the others, and Hiruzen summoned the village’s ninja to announce Konoha would host the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Hiruzen asked the rookie teams’ Jōnin to recommend eligible Genin, and Itachi, Kurenai, and Asuma recommended their teams.
• Iruka objected that the nine Genin were too inexperienced, but Asuma rejected his concern and defended his team’s readiness.

Madara backed Itachi’s decision to let the rookie squad enter the Chunin Ninja Exams, then entered the Forest of Death to investigate the dead Kusagakure ninja and seek Orochimaru. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura passed their first fight but chose to keep looking for stronger opponents instead of heading straight to the tower.

• Madara declined to discuss Iruka’s objections, and the Third Hokage affirmed that he trusted Itachi’s judgment about the rookies taking the exams.
• Neji warned Tenten and Rock Lee not to underestimate Sasuke and Naruto because Madara was their instructor.
• Madara learned that Orochimaru had come to the village and entered the Forest of Death under the pretext of investigating three murdered Kusagakure ninja.
• Madara immobilized Anko with his killing intent, told her to search with her own people, and then disappeared into the forest.
• Naruto and Sasuke defeated three Amegakure ninja and took the Heaven and Earth Scrolls, while Sakura urged them to continue to the tower.
• Naruto told Sasuke he wanted to find and fight stronger opponents from other villages, and Sasuke was asked whether he felt the same.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura encountered Orochimaru disguised as a Kusagakure ninja, and Naruto and Sasuke fought together against him. They struck what appeared to be Orochimaru with kunai, but it turned out to be a substitute, and Orochimaru’s shuriken flew toward them.

• Sasuke and Naruto kept the team together when a gale tried to separate them.
• Orochimaru revealed himself in disguise and attacked the team with his killing intent, leaving Sakura frightened until Naruto encouraged her.
• Naruto and Sasuke fought Orochimaru, defeating his summoned python with a combined attack.
• Naruto and Sasuke used clones, shuriken, and wire to bind and stab Orochimaru, but their target turned out to be a substitute.
• Sasuke warned Naruto to get back as Orochimaru’s shuriken flew toward them.

Orochimaru attacked Sasuke and Naruto, sealed Naruto’s Nine-Tails power, and pushed Sasuke to awaken his two-tomoe Sharingan. Sasuke unleashed increasingly powerful fire techniques, ending with four fire dragons charging at Orochimaru.

• Sasuke shoved Naruto out of Orochimaru’s attack but was struck and kicked into a tree.
• Naruto’s anger awakened the Nine-Tails’ power, but Orochimaru defeated him and used the Five Elements Seal to suppress it.
• Sasuke’s Sharingan evolved to two tomoe, allowing him to dodge Orochimaru’s punch and land a counterattack.
• Sasuke trapped Orochimaru with shuriken wires and struck him with the Great Fireball and Dragon Fire techniques.
• Sasuke warned Sakura to stay back and launched the Dragon Flame Song Technique, sending four enormous fire dragons toward Orochimaru.

Madara Uchiha intervened when Orochimaru tried to recruit Sasuke and confronted him in the Forest of Death. Orochimaru withdrew to protect his plans, and Madara removed the Five Elements Seal from Naruto.

• Orochimaru praised Sasuke’s talent, defeated his Dragon Flame Song with an Earth-Style Wall, and offered to give him power if he followed him.
• Orochimaru attacked Sasuke, but Madara appeared and blocked him after watching Sasuke and Naruto fight.
• Orochimaru offered Madara a place as his subordinate, while Madara countered by telling him to return to Konoha and serve under him.
• Orochimaru decided to retreat before Anko and Konoha’s ANBU arrived, and disappeared from Madara’s sight.
• Sakura brought the unconscious Naruto to Madara, who removed Orochimaru’s Five Elements Seal from Naruto’s abdomen.

After Madara left Team 7 to fend for themselves, Sakura moved the unconscious Naruto and Sasuke to a cave and kept watch over them. Three Sound Ninja followed her trail, and one confronted her outside the cave, demanding Sasuke.

• Madara left Sakura to protect the unconscious Naruto and Sasuke on her own.
• Sakura hid Sasuke in a pit, carried Naruto to a cave, then returned for Sasuke and brought him there too.
• Sakura stayed awake in the dark to guard her teammates despite her exhaustion.
• Dosu Kinata, Zaku Abumi, and Kin Tsuchi found the battle site and followed Sakura's trail toward the cave.
• An unknown voice ordered Sakura out of the cave and demanded that she call Sasuke out.

Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten arrived in time to save Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto from Dosu's Sound Ninja team. After the Sound Ninja retreated, Sasuke told his friends about Orochimaru's attack and how his brother had saved them.

• Dosu, Zaku, and Kin confronted Sakura, and Zaku threatened to kill her because she knew about Orochimaru.
• Neji used Eight Trigrams: Rotation to knock the Sound Ninja Trio away and ordered them to leave.
• Neji stopped Zaku's Air Cannon by striking the chakra points in his arm, and Dosu led Kin and Zaku in retreat.
• Sakura thanked Neji, and Naruto and Sasuke woke up as Rock Lee and Tenten stood with their team.
• Sasuke explained that Orochimaru had nearly killed him and Naruto, and that his brother had arrived to save them.

Neji’s team joined Sasuke’s team after confirming they had the scrolls needed to pass the second exam, and both teams reached the Central Tower. At the Third Exam briefing, the Third Hokage explained that the exams were also a contest of national prestige and influence, leaving the young ninja to face the true stakes of the competition.

• Neji confirmed that Sasuke’s team had collected the Heaven and Earth Scrolls, and the two teams traveled together to the Central Tower.
• Madara praised Sakura for protecting her teammates, and Sakura resolved to become stronger.
• The twenty-one genin who passed gathered in the Arena, where Anko congratulated them and the Third Hokage introduced the Third Exam.
• The Third Hokage explained that the Chunin Exams had originated as a way for allied countries to compete without going to war.
• The Third Hokage told the genin that their battles would demonstrate their villages’ strength and affect national prestige and mission commissions.

Sasuke Uchiha defeated Aka Tō in the first preliminary match, while several other contestants advanced and Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka drew. The chapter left off as Naruto was matched against Kiba Inuzuka for the seventh bout.

• Kabuto Yakushi withdrew from the preliminaries, and the electronic bulletin matched Sasuke Uchiha against Aka Tō for the first fight.
• Sasuke used his Sharingan, taijutsu, and shuriken to defeat Aka Tō without difficulty, drawing the attention of Gaara and Orochimaru.
• Shino Aburame defeated Zaku, and Kankuro defeated Misumi Tsurugi in the next two matches.
• Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka drew and were both eliminated, while Temari defeated Tenten.
• Naruto was matched against Kiba Inuzuka in the seventh match, and both contestants were eager to fight.

Naruto faced Kiba and Akamaru in the Arena and showed that his taijutsu was far stronger than Kiba expected. After Kiba and Akamaru teamed up with their Beast-Man Clone and Fang Over Fang, Naruto used the Kage Clone Technique to create four copies of himself, leaving the match poised to continue.

• Naruto argued with Kiba about Akamaru joining the match, while Madara reflected on Konoha's unequal access to clan techniques.
• Kiba attacked with the Four Legs Technique, but Naruto blocked him and sent him flying with a spinning kick.
• Kiba used a Smoke Bomb and attacked with Akamaru, but Naruto fought them off by perception and knocked Akamaru away.
• Kiba fed Akamaru a Soldier Pill and used Beast-Man Clone, then the pair attacked Naruto together.
• Kiba and Akamaru launched Fang Over Fang, but Naruto climbed the Arena wall with chakra and created four clones using the Kage Clone Technique.

Naruto defeated Kiba in the Chunin Exams, and Neji faced Hinata as Hayato arrived to watch. The Third Hokage realized Madara had revealed the truth about Hizashi’s death to Neji and Hayato, leaving the Hyuga branch-family youths free of their hatred and perhaps able to challenge the Caged Bird Seal.

• Naruto used Shadow Clones and Taijutsu to defeat Kiba and Akamaru without being injured.
• Hayato arrived at the arena and encouraged Naruto, while Kurenai worried he might stop her from protecting Hinata.
• Neji offered Hinata the chance to withdraw before their match began.
• The Third Hokage recalled telling Madara that Hizashi had died in Hiashi’s place and warning him about Danzo’s plan to exploit Neji and Hayato.
• The Third Hokage concluded Madara had ignored his advice and likely told Neji and Hayato the truth, freeing them from their hatred of the Main Family.

Neji defeated Hinata, and Lee lost to Gaara after Guy intervened to save him from the jinchūriki’s lethal sand. After the preliminary matches ended, Madara learned that Jiraiya had returned to the village and went to meet him.

• Hinata refused Neji’s suggestion to withdraw, but Neji knocked her unconscious and won their match.
• Hayato warned Guy that Gaara was Sunagakure’s jinchūriki and that Lee faced a dangerous opponent.
• Lee removed his weights and opened the Eight Gates, but Gaara still overwhelmed him, so Guy ended the match before Lee could be killed.
• Choji lost his match against Dosu, bringing the preliminary rounds to a close.
• A Uchiha ninja told Madara that Jiraiya had returned to the village, and Madara left to meet him.

Jiraiya returned to Konoha and asked Madara to let him teach Naruto, but Madara challenged his strength and knowledge before agreeing. Jiraiya ended the meeting by preparing to prove his teaching abilities.

• Jiraiya met Madara on a rooftop and asked him to hand Naruto over for training.
• Jiraiya summoned a toad to intimidate Madara, but Madara's killing intent and the hidden ANBU stopped him from attacking.
• Jiraiya explained that he wanted to protect Naruto from the Akatsuki, and Madara revealed that he already knew about the organization and its plans for the tailed beasts.
• Jiraiya cited his experience teaching the Fourth Hokage, and Madara said he could teach Naruto if he first proved what he could teach him.
• Jiraiya sighed and pulled out a scroll to demonstrate his abilities.

Madara watched the Chunin Ninja Exams begin after giving Jiraiya one month to improve Naruto, while he and Fugaku prepared for a possible Sunagakure threat. Naruto and Neji began the first match, and Naruto opened with a Shadow Clone attack as Madara questioned whether Jiraiya had improved Naruto’s speed.

• Madara gave Jiraiya one month to teach Naruto and left him to earn Naruto’s trust.
• Madara noticed many Sunagakure ninja among the spectators and told Fugaku to guard the Konoha Gate while he attended the matches.
• Madara greeted Guy, Kakashi, and Sasuke at the arena, where Sasuke showed his excitement at seeing his brother.
• Gekko Hayate began the first official match between Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga.
• Naruto used shuriken to distract Neji, then sent four Shadow Clones charging at him.
• Madara frowned at Naruto’s unchanged speed while Rock Lee praised his taijutsu.

Naruto and Neji escalated their Chunin Exam battle, with Neji countering Naruto’s shadow clones using Hyuga techniques. Naruto then unveiled the Rasengan he had learned during a month of training, and it collided with Neji’s Rotation in a huge explosion.

• Naruto overwhelmed Neji with hundreds of shadow clones, but Neji used Eight Trigrams Palms: Heavenly Spin to repel them and their shuriken.
• Neji used Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm to destroy Naruto’s clones from a distance and sent Naruto flying.
• Naruto abandoned his numbers strategy and warned Gekko Hayate that he was about to get serious.
• Naruto formed five Rasengans with his shadow clones and attacked Neji from five directions.
• Neji met the Rasengans with Rotation, and the techniques collided in a tremendous explosion.

Neji overwhelmed Naruto with a new, unpredictable fighting style, but Naruto drew on the Nine-Tailed Fox’s chakra to heal and power up. The fight continued with Naruto landing his first hit on Neji.

• Neji rose after surviving Naruto’s Rasengan and switched to a new fighting style that quickly battered Naruto and pinned him with shuriken.
• Neji urged Naruto to surrender, but Naruto refused because he had promised to meet Sasuke in the finals.
• Naruto called on the Nine-Tailed Fox’s chakra, which healed his wounds and forced open his sealed acupoints.
• Neji tried to strike Naruto’s acupoints again, but Naruto’s arm moved freely and his punch sent Neji flying.

Naruto defeated Neji by drawing on the Nine-Tails’ power, then Sasuke began his match against Gaara. Sasuke’s speed and strength impressed the crowd, while Kakashi said Sasuke had not come close to showing his full abilities.

• Naruto overwhelmed Neji with Nine-Tails chakra and won their match, then helped him to his feet.
• Neji warned Naruto that Gaara had a power inside him like the Nine-Tailed Fox, and Naruto admitted he might still not be able to defeat Sasuke.
• The Fourth Kazekage considered Neji a possible body to take if he could not get Sasuke’s.
• Sasuke entered the arena to face Gaara after Naruto urged him to win so Naruto could fight him in the finals.
• Sasuke dodged Gaara’s sand, moved at Rock Lee’s speed, and cracked Gaara’s Sand Armor with a punch.
• Kakashi told Guy that Sasuke had not used his full strength and was far more talented than Kakashi had been at the same age.

Sasuke overwhelmed Gaara in their match just as Kabuto and the Otogakure ninja launched a surprise attack on Konoha. The Third Hokage was trapped inside a barrier with the Fourth Kazekage, and he named Itachi as his successor before the barrier sealed.

• Sasuke used his speed and strength to strip away Gaara's Sand Armor, beat him bloody, and knock out one of his teeth.
• As Gaara's monstrous arm lashed out, Kabuto and the Otogakure ninja put the spectators under Genjutsu and began their attack on Konoha.
• Madara sent Naruto and Neji to help Sasuke while Konoha's preparations protected the allied nobles from the upheaval.
• The Fourth Kazekage took the Third Hokage hostage as four Sound Ninja raised a Purple Barrier around the rooftop.
• The Third Hokage threw a Kunai at Madara, told Raido to obey Itachi if he died, and recognized Itachi as the Fifth Hokage before the barrier closed.

The Third Hokage refused Madara Uchiha’s help and confronted Orochimaru inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, revealing that he knew Orochimaru’s identity and intended to sacrifice himself for Konoha. After Madara left to deal with the invasion, Hiruzen Sarutobi launched a fierce attack that kept Orochimaru on the defensive.

• The Third Hokage returned Madara Uchiha’s Flying Thunder God kunai, choosing to face Orochimaru alone while Madara went to handle the invasion.
• The Third Hokage exposed Orochimaru’s disguise as the Fourth Kazekage and acknowledged Madara Uchiha as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage.
• Orochimaru revealed his true appearance and questioned whether Madara could win the great clans’ approval as Hokage.
• The Third Hokage cast aside his hat and robe, then attacked Orochimaru with Fire Release and Earth Release techniques.
• The Third Hokage summoned Monkey King Enma and used the Adamantine Staff to strike Orochimaru, leaving him unable to find an opening to fight back.

Orochimaru summoned the First and Second Hokage to fight the Third Hokage, while Madara Uchiha killed Danzo and struck down a Sunagakure squad. Madara learned who was leading Sunagakure’s forces before leaving the surviving Konoha shinobi impressed by his speed and strength.

• Orochimaru escaped the Third Hokage’s attack and used Impure World Reincarnation to summon Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.
• Orochimaru placed control talismans inside the First and Second Hokage, reassuring himself that their help would secure his victory.
• Madara Uchiha killed Danzo, cut away the rampaging Hashirama cells from his corpse, and ordered Konoha’s guards to preserve the body.
• Madara used his Sharingan to learn that Gaara’s team’s Instructing Jōnin was leading Sunagakure’s forces, then killed the informant.
• Madara killed ten Sunagakure shinobi in an instant, leaving the Konoha defenders amazed by what they believed was the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Hayato Hyuga fought Baki in Konoha's Arena while Sasuke and Naruto pursued Gaara. Madara ordered Hayato to capture Baki alive, and Hayato crippled Baki's hand-sealing ability as the fight continued.

• Madara killed ten invading Sand Ninja and used his village-wide sensory network to track the attackers.
• Hayato intercepted Baki's shuriken, rescued Gekko Hayate, and sent Sasuke and Naruto after Gaara.
• Madara told Inoichi to instruct Hayato to seal Baki's acupoints and send Gaara intelligence to Sasuke and Naruto.
• Hayato identified Baki as a key planner of the invasion, saw through his Wind Blade with the Byakugan, and counterattacked.
• Hayato struck a Tenketsu with Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, impairing Baki's hand seals, then split Baki's Air Cannon with a single sweep.

Hayato used his refined Gentle Fist techniques to defeat Baki while Madara revealed his Flying Thunder God by swiftly eliminating the invaders in the Arena. The chapter ended with Kakashi explaining how Hayato sealed Baki’s chakra from a distance.

• Baki pierced a sealed acupoint to restore his chakra and attacked Hayato with Wind Release, but Hayato’s spinning Small Rotation Shield deflected the assault.
• Baki targeted the spectators, but Kakashi and Might Guy blocked his Wind Blade with an Earth-Style Wall and joined Neji on the platform.
• Hayato learned that Madara had defeated nearly one hundred invaders using Flying Thunder God, which Madara was now revealing to Konoha.
• Hayato charged Baki and used Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm to block his Wind Blades before sealing his chakra with a distant Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
• Kakashi told Guy that Hayato had formed an invisible stream of chakra from his fingers to strike Baki from five meters away.

Naruto and Sasuke intercepted Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro on Konoha’s outskirts, and Gaara’s hatred pushed him to unleash the One-Tail’s power. Sasuke took Gaara away from the village to fight him, while Naruto stayed behind to face Temari and Kankuro.

• Naruto and Sasuke blocked Temari and Kankuro as they escorted Gaara through the woods outside Konoha.
• Gaara ordered Temari and Kankuro away and declared that he would kill Sasuke, then his sand armor cracked as his killing intent surged.
• Sasuke and Naruto agreed to split the opponents, with Sasuke taking Gaara and Naruto handling Temari and Kankuro.
• Gaara transformed partially into the One-Tail and charged Sasuke and Naruto, destroying trees with a powerful blow.
• Sasuke outpaced Gaara, bound him with wired shuriken, and carried him toward the outskirts to keep the battle away from Konoha.

Naruto confronted Temari and Kankuro while Sasuke battled Gaara, whose Tailed Beast Transformation kept advancing despite Sasuke’s attacks. Sasuke continued fighting to stop Gaara before he could threaten the people Sasuke cared about, and ended the chapter pursuing him into the sky.

• Naruto mocked Temari and Kankuro, then dodged Kankuro’s Poison Needles and sent Shadow Clones to attack them.
• Gaara tore through his bindings and attacked Sasuke, who dodged his strikes and used explosive tags to destroy his transformed arm.
• Sasuke used Chidori to sever Gaara’s transformed arm and cut off his gourd, but Gaara regenerated and his transformation continued.
• Gaara said he wanted to take everything from Sasuke, prompting Sasuke to attack him with a punch, the Great Fireball Technique, and kunai.
• Gaara laughed through his injuries and urged Sasuke to keep attacking, so Sasuke launched him into the sky and followed, wondering whether knocking him unconscious would stop the transformation.