Recaps

Karin joined Konoha as Naruto, Sasuke, and the others prepared for the Chunin Ninja Exams. At the arena, Neji and Sakura won their matches, Shikamaru forfeited, and Naruto began his fight against Kankuro.

• Karin asked Hiruzen Sarutobi to join Konoha, passed his written test, and was welcomed into the village with a room shared with Sasuke Uchiha.
• Jiraiya trained Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, while Kakashi Hatake brought Karin to the Academy for further study and testing.
• Sakura Haruno told Tsunade she loved Luo Mang, and later kissed Luo Mang, and Hinata Hyuga also accepted that Luo Mang might have other partners, while Hanabi Hyuga declared that she liked him.
• Luo Mang sparred with Tenten, gave her advice, and later encountered Konan, who was secretly watching him and reading his Diary.
• The Chunin Ninja Exams began with Neji Hyuga defeating Choji Akimichi, then Shino Aburame advanced after Shikamaru Nara forfeited.
• Sakura Haruno defeated Temari with her Monster Strength, while Hiruzen Sarutobi told the Daimyo he planned to step down and proposed Tsunade as his successor.
• Naruto Uzumaki entered the arena to face Kankuro, declared he would become Hokage, and opened the match with the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Hinata Hyuga won the special arena challenge and became the top-ranked Chunin Exam participant, while Luo Mang’s relationships and the Hokage succession vote unfolded around her. As the story shifted to threats beyond Konoha, Luo Mang warned diary readers about Obito Uchiha and the coming war, ending with a video of Kakashi confronting Obito in the Kamui Dimension.

• Naruto Uzumaki defeated Kankuro, then Gaara forfeited his match against Sasuke Uchiha, prompting Hiruzen Sarutobi to announce a special challenge for Hinata Hyuga.
• Hinata Hyuga defeated Kankuro and Sasuke Uchiha with her evolved Byakugan, then took first place in the exams as Hiruzen Sarutobi promoted the four highest-ranked students to Chunin.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi announced his retirement and proposed a village vote between Tsunade and Jiraiya for the next Hokage, while Luo Mang’s friends gathered after the exams.
• Hyuga Hiashi stopped Hinata Hyuga from meeting Luo Mang and pressed her to yield to Hanabi Hyuga, but Hinata said she had never wanted to lead the clan and had agreed with Hanabi to share time with him.
• Hinata Hyuga explained her new eye abilities to Luo Mang, showed him a flying Paper Crane that could scout and carry messages, and told him she and Hanabi had divided their visits between Saturdays and Sundays.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi received letters from Shimura Danzō, the Fourth Raikage, and Eye Shadow Village, while Jiraiya and Kakashi Hatake heard Sunagakure’s offer of medicinal ingredients and specialized poisons.
• Luo Mang wrote in his Diary about the diverging future and warned its readers that Obito Uchiha would start the Fourth Shinobi World War, prompting Kakashi Hatake to resolve to meet Obito.
• The Diary revealed Obito Uchiha’s plan to create a dream world for Rin Nohara, then showed a video of Kakashi confronting Obito in the Kamui Dimension.

Luo Mang protected Hinata Hyuga from a catastrophe as Shimura Danzō, Orochimaru, and the Cloud fighters converged around Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death. After the mountain and nearby terrain vanished, Luo Mang and Hinata remained safe in his pocket world while Hyuga Hiashi continued searching for them.

• Kakashi Hatake confronted Obito Uchiha over his role in the Fourth Shinobi World War, while Luo Mang dealt with Hanabi Hyuga’s accusations and Sakura Haruno’s visit.
• Kakashi Hatake sent Luo Mang’s team on a bandit stronghold mission that ended in a chaotic fight and a reprimand for Luo Mang’s caution and Naruto Uzumaki’s shouting.
• Hinata Hyuga told Luo Mang that Hyuga Hiashi opposed their relationship, and they spent the night together before Luo Mang witnessed Shimura Danzō attack Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• The Fourth Raikage and Killer B killed Hiruzen Sarutobi, but Luo Mang’s Repulsive Force erased them before Orochimaru, Shimura Danzō, and Uchiha Itachi could attack.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade fought Orochimaru and Shimura Danzō, while Luo Mang made Danzō disappear and later recorded Uchiha Itachi in his Diary.
• Uchiha Itachi discovered Orochimaru’s modified Four Symbols Seal trap and warned Obito Uchiha, who escaped with him into the Kamui Dimension as the seal engulfed the mountain.
• Luo Mang took Hinata Hyuga into his pocket world, where they stayed safe after the mountain and surrounding terrain vanished, while Hyuga Hiashi searched for them.

After Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death, Tsunade prepared Konoha for a possible war with Kumogakure while building ties with Iwagakure and Sunagakure. She arranged for Luo Mang to travel to Iwagakure as an exchange student, leaving him to consider how Hinata Hyuga would react.

• Luo Mang returned to Konoha with Hinata Hyuga, while Jiraiya and other Diary holders learned of Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death and the deaths of the Fourth Raikage and Killer B.
• Tsunade took charge after Hiruzen’s funeral, exposed a Cloud Shadow Village agent urging immediate war, and told Konoha’s Jonin she would seek justice with allies and careful preparation.
• Ōnoki revealed that Iwagakure’s Jinchūriki had disappeared and sought an alliance with Konoha, bringing Kurotsuchi to the village as part of his delegation.
• Kurotsuchi repeatedly pursued Luo Mang, while Ōnoki and Tsunade discussed an alliance and an exchange program between their villages.
• Tsunade told Ōnoki that the Fourth Raikage and Killer B were dead, and Ōnoki agreed to return to discuss their plans and proposed an exchange program that could include Sunagakure.
• Temari agreed to lead Sunagakure’s exchange students to Iwagakure after seeing villagers work to restore their damaged home.
• Tsunade ordered Luo Mang to go alone to Iwagakure as an exchange student, and Kakashi Hatake told him he would leave in six days despite Sakura Haruno and others asking to join.