Chapter Summaries

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.

Sasuke fought Gaara until Gaara unleashed Shukaku, then defeated them with his newly devised Lightning Release: Kirin. As Gaara lay defeated and asked to die, Sasuke told him that Naruto carried the Nine-Tailed Fox, stirring his curiosity about Naruto.

• Sasuke bound Gaara and attacked him with bandages and Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Technique, but Gaara broke free and unleashed a sandstorm.
• Gaara transformed into Shukaku by using the Feigning Sleep Technique, while Naruto stayed behind with the captured Kankuro and Temari to watch the fight.
• Sasuke summoned natural lightning and struck Shukaku with Lightning Release: Kirin, injuring Gaara and bringing him down.
• Sasuke caught Gaara as he fell, and Gaara asked him to kill him.
• Sasuke told Gaara that Naruto carried the Nine-Tailed Fox, prompting Gaara to wonder about Naruto.

Sasuke defeated Gaara, who learned that Naruto was also a jinchūriki, while Madara subdued the invasion and arrived as the Third Hokage sealed Orochimaru’s hands and died. After the village’s leaders began arranging the transition, Madara caught up with Orochimaru and killed the Sound Four.

• Sasuke returned to Naruto with Gaara defeated, and Naruto told Gaara that the Nine-Tailed Fox was inside him.
• Madara appeared at the Arena rooftop as the Third Hokage used the Reaper Death Seal, sealing the First Hokage’s soul and most of the Second Hokage’s soul.
• The Third Hokage sealed Orochimaru’s hands with his remaining strength and died, while Orochimaru escaped with his subordinates.
• Madara ordered Raido to help reassure the village, and Uchiha Fugaku asked Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu to take charge.
• Madara caught up with Orochimaru in the forest and killed the Sound Four.

Madara confronted Orochimaru after killing his followers and offered to spare him in exchange for Hashirama Cells and his service. Orochimaru hesitated over Madara’s plans for a new order, but Madara revealed he knew the locations of Orochimaru’s hideouts and declared that Orochimaru would be his subordinate.

• Madara emerged from the forest and asked Orochimaru for the Hashirama Cells he had cultivated in Danzo’s body.
• Madara offered to let Orochimaru go and recruit him to help build a new order after the deaths of the Third Hokage and Danzo.
• Orochimaru questioned why the Fifth Hokage designated by the Third Hokage would work with him, and Madara said he wanted a world where people could live peaceful lives.
• Orochimaru challenged Madara’s confidence and implied he could still escape.
• Madara revealed that he knew about the Akatsuki and Orochimaru’s hideouts, then showed him a map marked with their locations.
• Madara told Orochimaru that they would not be partners and that Orochimaru would be his subordinate.

Madara forced Orochimaru to surrender Hashirama Cells and placed a Cursed Seal on him, then returned to Konoha as the village considered him for Fifth Hokage. Several prominent ninja and clan leaders supported Madara, but the vote remained underway.

• Madara threatened Orochimaru with his intelligence on Orochimaru's bases and overwhelming power, forcing him to agree to provide Hashirama Cells and help rebuild Konoha.
• Madara placed a Cursed Seal on Orochimaru and demanded the Hashirama Cells within three days, while making clear he would not bring Orochimaru back to Konoha.
• Madara returned to Konoha, where Fugaku, Hayato, and Guy welcomed him; Madara reported that Orochimaru had escaped and his barrier-maintaining ninja had been killed.
• Mitokado Homura asked whether the Third Hokage had named Uchiha Itachi as Fifth Hokage, and Raido confirmed it.
• Uchiha Ajin, Hayato Hyuga, Asuma Sarutobi, Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara, and Chōza Akimichi raised their hands in support of Madara becoming Hokage.

As Konoha’s Jōnin and Senior Advisors moved toward making Madara Uchiha the Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya objected and nominated Tsunade instead. Madara rejected the proposal and insisted that the Third Hokage had entrusted the position to him, leaving the meeting divided but with most still at his side.

• Might Guy, Kakashi, and many neutral Jōnin supported Madara becoming Hokage, and the Senior Advisors named him acting village leader pending the Daimyo’s approval.
• Jiraiya arrived and objected, arguing that Madara was too young and recommending Tsunade for the Fifth Hokage position.
• Ajin challenged Jiraiya’s nomination, and Jiraiya named Tsunade as Konoha’s finest medical ninja.
• Jiraiya proposed that Madara serve as acting Hokage until Tsunade returned, but Madara refused to accept anyone else as Fifth Hokage.
• Uchiha Fugaku, Inoichi Yamanaka, Guy, and the Sarutobi Clan stood with Madara, while Shikaku Nara and others remained neutral.

Madara secured the Fifth Hokage position after Jiraiya’s attempt to put Tsunade forward lost the support of Konoha’s clans and leaders. In private, Madara challenged Jiraiya’s claim to authority and demanded that he either recognize Madara as Hokage or face being declared a missing-nin.

• Shikaku Nara, Choza, and several previously neutral Jōnin sided with Madara after he insisted on becoming Hokage.
• The Senior Advisors confirmed that Uchiha Itachi would be the Fifth Hokage, and the others left the conference room.
• Jiraiya privately questioned whether Madara could protect Naruto and Konoha from the Akatsuki without his help.
• Madara argued that Jiraiya and Tsunade had neglected their duties by remaining outside the village while he worked for Konoha.
• Madara offered Jiraiya the choice of recognizing him as Hokage and training Naruto or being declared a missing-nin alongside Tsunade.

Madara Uchiha appointed Jiraiya to bring Tsunade back to Konoha, then presented Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji with evidence that Orochimaru had deceived Sunagakure into attacking. After Raido revealed Konoha’s casualties, Madara asked the three young ninja how Sunagakure’s representatives should be dealt with.

• Jiraiya accepted Madara as Hokage, and Madara ordered him to recruit Tsunade to lead Konoha’s medical department.
• Jiraiya asked to take Naruto along, and Madara agreed after requiring Naruto to remain in Konoha for three days.
• Madara gathered Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Jiraiya, and Sunagakure’s representatives and gave them intelligence about Orochimaru’s attack plans and the Fourth Kazekage’s death.
• Baki and the others learned that Orochimaru had killed the Fourth Kazekage and tricked Sunagakure into joining the attack.
• Raido reported Konoha’s dead, wounded, and destroyed homes, and Madara asked Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji how to deal with Sunagakure’s representatives.

Madara used a genjutsu to teach Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji the cost of war and why Sunagakure had to answer for its attack on Konoha. The three agreed Sunagakure should be punished without its people being slaughtered, and Madara brought out an alliance treaty for the village to sign.

• Baki tried to take responsibility for the attack, but Raido revealed that the Fourth Kazekage had also supported the plan to attack Konoha.
• Madara cast a genjutsu showing Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji Konoha's destruction and the deaths of people they loved; Jiraiya restrained Naruto when the Nine-Tails' power surged.
• Madara explained that forgiving Sunagakure outright would dishonor those killed and encourage further attacks, and Sasuke and Neji agreed that the village had to pay.
• Naruto grieved over the deaths shown in the genjutsu, then told Gaara that friendship did not erase Sunagakure's responsibility; Gaara accepted the punishment.
• Madara had Raido produce the Second Alliance Treaty with Sunagakure for the village to sign.

Madara secured Sunagakure’s renewed alliance with Konoha on generous terms, while Orochimaru sent him Hashirama cells and agreed to his plans. Madara transplanted and assimilated the cells, strengthening his body and healing damage to his eyes, but he did not awaken the Rinnegan.

• Madara and Baki finalized an alliance agreement that kept Sunagakure independent while requiring it to acknowledge Konoha’s leadership, and Shikaku left to inform the Land of Fire’s Daimyo.
• Orochimaru told Kabuto to send the Hashirama cells to the Fifth Hokage and to confirm his agreement with Madara’s subsequent plans.
• Uchiha Ajin delivered the Hashirama cells to Madara, who checked them for tampering and found them pure.
• Madara transplanted the Hashirama cells into Uchiha Itachi’s body and assimilated them within half a day.
• Madara felt his strength and chakra increase as the cells repaired damage to his Mangekyō Sharingan, but his eyes did not evolve into the Rinnegan.

Madara Uchiha took office as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage and immediately moved to abolish the Hyuga Clan’s Caged Bird Seal. When Hyuga elders opposed him, Madara asserted his authority and challenged their claim that the seal could protect the Byakugan.

• Shikaku returned with the Hokage’s appointment letter, and Madara Uchiha was formally inaugurated as the Fifth Hokage.
• Madara turned to Hayato Hyuga and Neji, then asked Hyuga Hiashi to explain their agreement to abolish the Caged Bird Seal.
• Hiashi told the gathered ninja that the seal shackled the branch family and should be destroyed in their generation.
• Hyuga Iwame and other elders objected, arguing that the seal protected the Byakugan from being stolen.
• Madara cited Ao of Kirigakure’s stolen Byakugan and questioned whether the Hyuga Clan could protect its eyes without Konoha.
• Madara overwhelmed Iwame with his chakra and warned him that disrespecting the Fifth Hokage meant making an enemy of Konoha.