Recaps

Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno hurried to meet Luo Mang, fearing he might be in danger, but found him safe near a battle. Luo Mang explained that he had provoked a group into attacking Gaara over fake scrolls, and the team discussed how to proceed.

• Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno agreed to head for the entrance Luo Mang had used and raced through the trees.
• Sasuke Uchiha heard fighting ahead, and the three stopped to investigate, worried Luo Mang might be caught in the battle.
• Luo Mang appeared beside them, startling Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki, then reassured the group that he was safe.
• Luo Mang explained that he had disguised wooden sticks as scrolls and stirred up the surrounding Ninja to attack Gaara and compete for them.
• Naruto Uzumaki suggested watching from hiding, and Sasuke Uchiha struck him for speaking too loudly.
• Luo Mang stopped their bickering and urged them to quietly discuss how to obtain the scrolls.

Tsunade approved of the group’s cautious plan to avoid the ongoing battle and prepare for a night ambush, while Jiraiya wished they would gather intelligence nearby. Luo Mang sent Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha to the river to find water, hoping Sasuke would encounter and rescue Karin.

• Tsunade approved Sakura Haruno and the others’ plan to leave the fighting and ambush their opponents at night, and considered teaching Sakura taijutsu.
• Jiraiya criticized the group for withdrawing instead of staying concealed and gathering intelligence.
• Luo Mang led the group through the forest and decided they should gather food and water before setting an ambush near monster beast habitats.
• Luo Mang wrote in the Diary that Sasuke Uchiha could find Karin by the river and rescue her from a bear.
• Luo Mang paired himself with Sakura Haruno to find food and sent Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha to the river for water, telling them to shout if they faced serious danger.

Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki rescued Karin from a Giant Bear near the river. Karin revealed that she had an Earth Scroll, leaving the teams with a possible reason to cooperate or compete.

• Sasuke Uchiha hurried toward the river, excited to meet Karin, while Naruto Uzumaki followed and noticed his unusual smile.
• Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki heard Karin calling for help and raced to the river, where a Giant Bear had cornered her.
• Naruto Uzumaki sent out shadow clones to draw the bear’s attention while Sasuke Uchiha crossed the river and defeated it with Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
• Naruto Uzumaki lamented that Sasuke Uchiha had burned the bear too badly to eat, and Karin thanked them for saving her.
• Sasuke Uchiha asked Karin whether she had a scroll, and she confirmed that she had an Earth Scroll.

Sasuke and Naruto rescued Karin, who explained that her teammates had abandoned her and revealed her bloodline ability to heal others through her chakra. After learning she did not want to return to Kusagakure, Sasuke let her join their team as support, while Jiraiya secretly hoped they would recruit her for Konoha.

• Karin thanked Sasuke and Naruto for saving her and gave them the Earth Scroll.
• Karin explained that her teammates had abandoned her, and Naruto and Sasuke urged her to withdraw rather than face the exams alone.
• Karin said she did not want to return to Kusagakure and revealed that people could recover by biting her.
• Karin told them her mother had been bitten to death by villagers who exploited the same ability, shocking Naruto and Sasuke.
• Jiraiya recognized Karin's red hair as a possible sign of Uzumaki heritage and secretly urged the boys to recruit her.
• Sasuke invited Karin to join their team as support, and she accepted while thanking him and Naruto.

As the sky darkened, Luo Mang and Sakura Haruno waited anxiously for Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki to return. Sasuke and Naruto rescued Karin, crossed the river with her and a hunted bear, and hurried toward the meeting spot.

• Luo Mang told Sakura Haruno to wait longer instead of searching for the missing Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki.
• Sasuke Uchiha read Luo Mang's worried Diary entry and urged Naruto Uzumaki to finish preparing the bear and head back.
• Sasuke Uchiha carried the injured Karin across the river while Naruto Uzumaki used his Shadow Clones to help them cross and clean the bear.
• Sasuke Uchiha took Karin by the hand and hurried toward the meeting spot, while Naruto Uzumaki carried the bear after them with his clones.

Luo Mang’s team welcomed Karin after rescuing her, and they prepared to search for the Earth Scroll he needed. Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Tsunade sensed Orochimaru nearby, and Jiraiya pursued him.

• Naruto Uzumaki explained how the group had rescued Karin, and Luo Mang agreed to let her join as their sensory ninja.
• Karin thanked the group, and Sakura Haruno offered to treat her wounds.
• Naruto Uzumaki announced that the group had an Earth Scroll and would search for the one Luo Mang needed.
• The team began preparing their bear meat while Tsunade watched them reminisce about mission life.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade sensed Orochimaru in the trees, and Jiraiya chased after him.

Jūgo sent Orochimaru’s prisoners to Konoha as a distraction, then used his explosive ability to attack the village gates. As Konoha mobilized and Sunagakure’s shinobi questioned their next move, Jiraiya and Tsunade confronted Orochimaru in the Forest of Death.

• Jūgo told Orochimaru’s prisoners they could seek refuge in Konoha, and they ran to the village gates.
• The prisoners begged Konoha’s guards to take them in, but some suddenly exploded and injured the guards.
• Jūgo activated his ability, caused more prisoners to explode, and transformed with his Cursed Seal markings as Konoha reacted to the attack.
• Sunagakure’s shinobi saw the chaos and tried to contact the Kazekage, but received no answer.
• Orochimaru heard the explosions in the Forest of Death, where Jiraiya and Tsunade appeared and faced him.

Orochimaru summoned Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju to fight Jiraiya and Tsunade, then revealed Yamato as his Wood Release support. Jiraiya dismissed Yamato’s abilities as weak, while Orochimaru summoned Rashomon to protect him.

• Orochimaru asked whether Jiraiya and Tsunade had discovered him long ago, then summoned Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju with Impure World Reincarnation.
• Hashirama Senju greeted Tsunade, and Orochimaru expected the reunion to weaken her resolve.
• An Anbu-masked Yamato blocked Jiraiya’s Rasengan with Wood Release, surprising Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Hashirama Senju.
• Orochimaru celebrated Yamato’s apparent success and blamed Danzo for hiding the experiment from him.
• Yamato used Great Forest Technique and Wood Locking Wall, but Jiraiya tore through the wooden attacks and called his Wood Release Sprout Release.
• Orochimaru formed hand seals and summoned Rashomon to shield Yamato.

Danzo and Orochimaru attacked Jiraiya and Tsunade, and the fight exposed Danzo’s resentment toward Tobirama Senju and his desire to become Hokage. Jiraiya and Tsunade fought back, but Danzo and Orochimaru appeared to be stalling as they awaited the next stage of their plan.

• Danzo intervened with Wood Release, shocking Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, who realized Danzo had likely received Hashirama’s cells.
• Jiraiya accused Danzo of joining Orochimaru to attack the village, and Danzo admitted he wanted to reclaim what he believed should have been his, including the Hokage position.
• Jiraiya entered Sage Mode and summoned the Toad Couple while Tsunade activated her Hundred Healings markings.
• Jiraiya’s Sage Art: Goemon overwhelmed Hashirama’s weakened Wooden Shield, but Danzo used Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere to attack Jiraiya before Fukasaku destroyed the projectiles.
• Tsunade attacked Orochimaru, but Yamato’s Wood Release failed to stop her and Yamanaka Fū’s Mind Body Switch Technique only briefly slowed her down.
• Danzo and Orochimaru continued fighting instead of fleeing, while Jiraiya suspected they were stalling for time.

Luo Mang and his companions captured Kabuto Yakushi and the Three Sound Ninja after Luo Mang subdued them with genjutsu. He searched their memories and learned Orochimaru planned to capture Sasuke during the Chunin Exams and take over his body.

• Luo Mang’s group prepared to leave at night to find a team carrying an Earth Scroll, but Karin sensed Kabuto Yakushi and the Three Sound Ninja approaching.
• Luo Mang used his Mangekyo genjutsu to take control of all four attackers, and Naruto Uzumaki tied them to a tree.
• Luo Mang searched the captives’ memories with the Sharingan and discovered Orochimaru’s plan to capture Sasuke and take over his body during the Chunin Exams.
• Luo Mang learned that Kabuto and the Three Sound Ninja were meant to subdue Sasuke and take him to a cave while Orochimaru held off interference and Jūgo served as a decoy.

Luo Mang's team escaped an ambush, learned that an attack on Konoha was being planned, and hurried to the Tower with enough scrolls to pass the exam. On the way, they encountered Hinata Hyuga's team and Naruto Uzumaki gave them a spare Heaven Scroll so they could enter the Tower too.

• Luo Mang warned his team that infiltrators were plotting to attack Konoha and urged them to reach the Tower quickly with the four scrolls they had found.
• Luo Mang discovered that the captives' bodies had dissolved into bloody liquid, erasing evidence of their identities and methods.
• Luo Mang's team reached the Tower's vicinity before dawn and ran into Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyuga, who had been waiting to intercept injured teams.
• Kiba Inuzuka explained that his team had not gathered the scrolls they needed, and Naruto Uzumaki offered them a spare Heaven Scroll.
• Akamaru caught the scroll, and Kiba Inuzuka thanked Naruto Uzumaki for his generosity.

Hiruzen Sarutobi learned that the Kazekage had vanished just as Konoha came under attack, while reports placed a powerful battle in the Forest of Death. He suspected the missing Kazekage might be involved and fixed his attention on Baki.

• Baki burst into Hiruzen Sarutobi's office and reported that the Kazekage had gone missing.
• An injured Anbu reported that Konoha's entrance had been attacked by people in prison uniforms who exploded, and that Might Guy and others had gone to respond.
• The Anbu collapsed before finishing his report, and Baki explained that the Sand Village had agreed to the Konoha Crush Plan based on intelligence that Konoha was weakened.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned Baki about the Kazekage's disappearance and considered whether an unforeseen incident had occurred.
• Another Anbu reported powerful ninjutsu shock waves in the Forest of Death, and Hiruzen Sarutobi eyed Baki suspiciously.

Baki swore that Sunagakure had no part in the Kazekage’s disappearance, while Hiruzen Sarutobi weighed the possibility of a Sand Village conspiracy and sent him to reinforce the Forest of Death. Kakashi learned that Orochimaru had attacked, then set out with Baki’s group to investigate.

• Baki swore to Hiruzen Sarutobi that the Kazekage had said nothing before disappearing and that Sunagakure did not know what had happened.
• Hiruzen ordered Baki to reinforce the Forest of Death with Kakashi and asked the Kazekage to watch for Konoha’s missing Kazekage.
• Hiruzen wondered whether Sunagakure was behind the invasion and noticed that Shimura Danzō had not appeared, then decided to mobilize Anbu and Root forces.
• Kakashi learned that Orochimaru had come to Konoha and suspected that the attack might be tied to the events recorded in the Diary.
• Kakashi joined the Sand Village’s Elite Jonin and an Anbu escort, put on his old Anbu Mask, and headed into the Forest of Death.

Hinata Hyuga's team and three other teams passed the Forest of Death's second stage and gathered in the central Tower. Naruto Uzumaki pleaded with Iruka to let Karin live in Konoha, but a sudden tremor interrupted the discussion.

• Hinata Hyuga's team handed over its scrolls, and the judge confirmed that four teams had passed the second stage.
• Naruto Uzumaki asked Kiba Inuzuka to help him find an animal partner, and Kiba offered to introduce him to someone.
• Iruka congratulated his students and promised to treat them to ramen after the exam.
• Naruto Uzumaki introduced Karin to Iruka and asked him to let her live in Konoha, while Sakura Haruno supported the request.
• The ground began to shake, and Iruka ordered everyone to get to higher ground.

Luo Mang and the others watched Manda, Gamabunta, and Katsuyu battle in the Forest of Death, while Iruka went to report the threat to Konoha. After Luo Mang explained that Orochimaru planned to attack, a crowd of people arrived at the Tower.

• Luo Mang and the others reached the Tower and saw Manda, Gamabunta, and Katsuyu fighting in the Forest of Death.
• Iruka recognized the Summoning Beasts, realized Orochimaru might be involved, and left to report the situation.
• Naruto Uzumaki identified Gamabunta as his master's Summoning Beast and defended him when Kiba Inuzuka called the snake impressive for fighting two opponents.
• Luo Mang told the others that Orochimaru intended to attack Konoha and that he had learned this from a captured spy.
• A crowd of at least thirty people arrived at the Tower, though most had not obtained scrolls.

Teams fled the Forest of Death after two enormous Summoning Beasts began fighting, while Temari’s team and Tenten’s team submitted the scrolls they had collected. Temari thanked Luo Mang for drawing opponents away and began admiring him, provoking Hinata Hyuga and Sakura Haruno.

• Wounded examinees rushed into the Tower, saying two enormous Summoning Beasts were fighting in the Forest of Death.
• Temari submitted two scrolls for her team, and the judge confirmed that Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara had passed.
• The judge directed Temari’s team upstairs to rest and avoid conflict with examinees who lacked scrolls.
• Tenten, Neji Hyuga, and Rock Lee arrived with their scrolls and passed the check.
• Temari thanked Luo Mang for drawing opponents away, and Hinata Hyuga and Sakura Haruno glared at her as she grew bashful around him.

After the second stage was voided due to an infiltration and attack, Hiruzen Sarutobi advanced all remaining participants and announced the third stage’s preliminaries. Gekko Hayate explained that individual bouts would begin immediately, and many contestants withdrew before the random draw.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi blamed infiltrators from other villages for the incident, voided the second-stage results, and declared everyone present had passed.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi explained that the exams determined village prestige and affected how nations and villages shared resources.
• Gekko Hayate took over and announced that the third stage would begin with immediate preliminaries to reduce the number of contestants.
• A masked participant from Amegakure withdrew, and Gekko Hayate clarified that the preliminaries would be individual bouts.
• More contestants withdrew until only around twenty remained, while Luo Mang noticed several familiar Jonin were absent.
• Gekko Hayate ordered the remaining participants to prepare for a random draw and wait on either side.

Sasuke Uchiha and Rock Lee began their match, which was briefly interrupted by Might Guy’s unexpected entrance. As the fight resumed, Sasuke spotted a possible way to defeat Rock Lee using genjutsu.

• Sasuke Uchiha taunted Naruto Uzumaki before entering the arena to face Rock Lee.
• Rock Lee attacked Sasuke with Konoha Whirlwind, and the two traded blows while Sasuke formed Chidori.
• Hyuga Hiashi arrived and privately asked Hiruzen Sarutobi to speak with him, while Hinata Hyuga grew frightened at his presence.
• Might Guy arrived with Kakashi and Xiri Hong, interrupted the match, then told Rock Lee and Sasuke to continue.
• Sasuke Uchiha remembered that Might Guy was vulnerable to genjutsu and began planning how to use that weakness against Rock Lee.

Hiruzen Sarutobi learned that Orochimaru and Danzo had led the invasion and ordered Hyuga Hiashi to conceal the truth and blame Jūgo. After Hiashi reported evidence of two Wood Release users, Jiraiya and Tsunade received a summons to the Hokage Building while recovering from their fight.

• Hyuga Hiashi told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Orochimaru and Danzo had orchestrated the invasion, but they had escaped while two subordinates were captured.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Hyuga Hiashi to cover up the truth and pin the blame on Jūgo to avoid exposing Konoha's internal betrayal.
• Hyuga Hiashi reported traces of Wood Release and two distinct chakra signatures at the scene, shocking Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Hyuga Hiashi to handle the Sand Village's affairs before discussing the Wood Release evidence with Jiraiya and Tsunade.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade rested in the woods after their failed pursuit, and an Anbu member summoned them to the Hokage Building.
• Jiraiya told the Anbu member they would return after treating their injuries.

After Sasuke defeated Rock Lee with genjutsu, Lee struggled with his loss while Might Guy reassured him. Luo Mang began a video of Lee fighting Gaara, and Sasuke watched with growing interest as Lee prepared to remove his leg weights.

• Gekko Hayate declared Sasuke Uchiha the winner, and Rock Lee pounded the ground in frustration over losing to genjutsu again.
• Might Guy comforted Lee and reminded him that he had overcome repeated losses to Kakashi Hatate.
• Luo Mang noted that Lee had avoided revealing his full strength or suffering serious injuries, which caught Kakashi Hatate and Sasuke Uchiha's attention.
• In the video, Rock Lee attacked Gaara, but Gaara's sand blocked his taijutsu and forced him to evade waves of sand.
• Might Guy permitted Lee to remove his leg weights, and Lee began peeling back his leg warmers to take them off.
• Sasuke questioned whether the weights would make Lee stronger and continued watching, intrigued by Gaara and eager to judge Lee's full strength.

Kakashi watched the Chunin Exam match between Rock Lee and Gaara as Lee pushed past his limits to challenge Gaara’s sand defenses. After Lee opened the Fourth Gate, he finally broke through Gaara’s Sand Armor, leaving the match’s outcome uncertain.

• Kakashi studied Gaara’s sand abilities while watching the match video.
• Rock Lee dropped his training weights and used his speed and Taijutsu to overwhelm Gaara’s sand defense.
• Gaara’s Sand Armor resisted Lee’s attacks, and Gaara struck Lee into a wall after Lee’s Lotus attempt hit a decoy.
• Might Guy refused to call off the match, telling Kakashi that he did not understand what Rock Lee wanted.
• Rock Lee opened the Third and Fourth Gates, then launched Gaara into the air and shattered his Sand Armor.

Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka began their match after watching a video of Rock Lee losing to Gaara, which left Sasuke Uchiha and others shaken. Sakura showed off her Academy techniques as she tried to prove she was no longer dead weight, while Ino searched for a way to overcome her.

• The video showed Gaara using Sand Coffin to crush Rock Lee, and Luo Mang reflected that Lee had escaped serious injury and still had a future.
• Sasuke Uchiha and Kakashi reacted to Rock Lee’s speed and willingness to risk his life with the Eight Gates.
• Sakura Haruno prepared to face Ino Yamanaka, while Hinata watched her and Luo Mang wished her luck.
• Sakura and Ino traded taunts before charging into a close-range fight, where Sakura’s training gave her a slight advantage.
• Ino realized she could not win a battle of attrition after her earlier fight, while Sakura hoped to show Luo Mang and the others that she could fight alongside them.
• Sakura used Clone Technique, and Ino responded with Mind Body Switch Technique.

Ino Yamanaka lost to Sakura Haruno after mistaking her clone for the real one, then praised Sakura’s progress. At the Hokage Building, Jiraiya and Tsunade told Hiruzen Sarutobi how Orochimaru and Shimura Danzō escaped, leaving Hiruzen to confront questions about Danzo’s Sharingan.

• Ino Yamanaka used the Mind Body Switch Technique on Sakura Haruno’s clone and conceded defeat when it vanished.
• Ino Yamanaka praised Sakura Haruno’s growth, and Sakura helped her up as the two made peace after their match.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade met with Hiruzen Sarutobi and reported that Orochimaru, Shimura Danzō, and Danzo’s bodyguards had fought them.
• Jiraiya told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Danzo, a bodyguard, and Hashirama Senju had used Wood Release.
• Tsunade demanded to know why Shimura Danzō had multiple Sharingan and a Mangekyō Sharingan, while Jiraiya explained that Danzo and Orochimaru had escaped.
• The Konoha Crush Plan ended without Sasuke Uchiha being captured.

Naruto Uzumaki fought Kiba Inuzuka in the arena, using clones and a Rasengan to counter Kiba’s pill-enhanced attacks. The chapter ended immediately after Naruto’s Rasengan struck Kiba.

• Sakura Haruno congratulated Luo Mang after her victory, then encouraged Naruto Uzumaki before his match against Kiba Inuzuka was announced.
• Kiba Inuzuka used the Four Legs Technique and smoke bombs to attack Naruto Uzumaki, but Naruto tricked him with a clone transformed into a dog.
• Kiba Inuzuka gave Akamaru a Soldier Pill, and the two used Beast Mimicry to boost their strength and attack Naruto.
• Naruto Uzumaki used shadow clones to buy time and formed a Rasengan with two clones.
• Naruto Uzumaki charged at Kiba Inuzuka with the Rasengan, and their collision caused a powerful blast of wind.

Naruto Uzumaki defeated Kiba Inuzuka, then the next match pitted Hinata Hyuga against Neji Hyuga. Neji began taunting Hinata and told her she should give up being a ninja and stay home to support her husband and raise children.

• Naruto Uzumaki won his match against Kiba Inuzuka, who checked that Akamaru had only fainted and vowed to beat Naruto next time.
• Sakura Haruno gave Naruto healing ointment, and Sasuke Uchiha asked about the Rasengan that Naruto had used.
• The match display selected Hinata Hyuga versus Neji Hyuga, and Luo Mang encouraged Hinata to be brave while Naruto Uzumaki and Karin wished her luck.
• Kurenai Yuhi urged Hinata to face the match, and Gekko Hayate started the fight after both Hyuga agreed to compete.
• Neji Hyuga mocked Hinata's lack of confidence and told her that being a ninja did not suit her, suggesting she stay home to support her husband and raise children.