Chapter Summaries

The elders mistook the black-cloaked figure at the Hyuga Shrine for the resurrected Hizashi and feared he had returned to avenge his death. They blamed Hiashi for Hizashi’s sacrifice and urged the figure to target Naruto, Hinata, and Hanabi instead of them.

• Hiashi entered the tea room with Neji behind him, carrying Hizashi’s sword and bearing the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead.
• The elders recognized the seal and sword, concluded that Hizashi had been revived with Impure World Reincarnation, and panicked.
• The Fifth Elder tearfully claimed the elders had been forced to arrange Hizashi’s death.
• The Third and Fourth Elders blamed Hiashi for deciding that Hizashi should die in his place during the Kumogakure incident.
• The elders urged the figure to seek revenge on Hiashi and target Naruto, Hinata, and Hanabi rather than kill them.

Hyashi revealed himself to the elders after they mistook him for Hizashi and exposed their schemes, then calmly faced their attempted attack. The chapter ended with Hiashi stabbing the Third Elder with the Great Sun Calamity Cutter.

• Neji watched as the elders blamed Hiashi and tried to implicate Naruto and his cousins.
• Hiashi revealed that he had been pretending to be Hizashi, and the elders realized he had heard their confessions.
• Hiashi asked whether the elders had anything else to say, but the Sixth Elder urged them to attack him together.
• The Third Elder launched an Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm and followed with a Gentle Fist strike, but Hiashi deflected both attacks.
• Hiashi drove the Great Sun Calamity Cutter into the Third Elder.

Hiashi killed the Third Elder, then recalled how the elders had once planned to sacrifice Hizashi to protect the clan and Konoha. He rejected the Sixth Elder’s plea for mercy and struck at him, leaving the other elders facing his unleashed vengeance.

• Hiashi stabbed the Third Elder three times, killing him in the tearoom.
• The Sixth Elder knelt and begged Hiashi to spare him by invoking their family ties and shared past.
• Hiashi remembered the elders deciding to blame Hizashi for killing Kumogakure’s envoy and hand him over to die.
• Hiashi recalled Hizashi choosing to die willingly in his brother’s place before succumbing to his injuries.
• Hiashi condemned the Sixth Elder for bringing up the past and swung the Great Sun Calamity Cutter at him.

Naruto found a red-haired girl from the Uzumaki Clan being abused by two Kusagakure genin and intervened. After knocking the boys unconscious, he introduced himself and asked the girl if she was also an Uzumaki.

• Naruto went to the Kusagakure genin quarters and spotted a red-haired girl being tormented by two boys.
• The boys revealed that the girl was an Uzumaki and threatened her for trying to escape.
• Naruto confronted the boys and used Lightning Release to knock them unconscious.
• Naruto gently introduced himself to the girl and asked whether she was a member of the Uzumaki Clan.

Naruto rescued Karin from the Kusagakure ninja who had abused her and promised that Konoha would be her home. As he led her toward the Sarutobi compound to arrange her residency, Kurama warned him that he had sensed Shukaku nearby.

• Karin recognized Naruto as an Uzumaki and felt hope when she sensed his warm chakra.
• Naruto took Karin's scarred hand without hesitation, acknowledged her suffering in Kusagakure, and helped her up.
• Naruto led Karin out of the Kusagakure quarters and promised that Konoha would be her home.
• Kurama alerted Naruto that he had sensed Shukaku's unstable, enraged chakra nearby.
• Naruto continued with Karin toward the Sarutobi compound, intending to arrange her residency.

Naruto brought Karin, an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan, to the Sarutobi residence to speak urgently with Hiruzen Sarutobi. Asuma and Hiruzen were both shaken by Karin’s resemblance, beside Naruto, to Kushina and Minato, and Hiruzen rose unsteadily after realizing the girl was real.

• Naruto and Karin arrived at the Sarutobi residence late at night and Asuma opened the door.
• Asuma was struck by the resemblance between Naruto and Karin together and his memories of Minato and Kushina.
• Naruto told Asuma that Karin was an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan and asked to see Hiruzen urgently.
• Asuma led Naruto and Karin to Hiruzen’s study, where Hiruzen saw the red-haired girl and froze.
• Hiruzen rubbed his eyes, confirmed Karin was real, and rose unsteadily from his desk.

Naruto introduced Karin to Hiruzen Sarutobi as an Uzumaki Clan survivor, and Karin recounted the abuse she and her mother suffered in Kusagakure. Hiruzen declared Karin a Konoha villager, promised to protect her, and said he would deal with Kusagakure personally.

• Naruto brought Karin before Hiruzen Sarutobi and identified her as a survivor of the Uzumaki Clan.
• Karin told Hiruzen how Kusagakure exploited her mother for her healing abilities until she died.
• Karin described how Kusagakure imprisoned, abused, and used her as a living medical tool after her mother's death.
• Hiruzen slammed his fist on the desk and condemned Kusagakure's treatment of Karin, while Asuma demanded that Konoha act.
• Hiruzen declared Karin a villager of Konoha and promised to guarantee her safety and future.

Naruto persuaded Hiruzen Sarutobi to let Karin stay with him after she refused to be separated from him. At Naruto’s home, he comforted her through the night, and Karin finally fell asleep feeling safe.

• Karin clung to Naruto and refused Hiruzen Sarutobi’s plan to place her elsewhere, so Naruto offered to care for her at home.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed and learned that Konohamaru had inadvertently tipped Naruto off about Karin.
• Naruto brought Karin home, where they found Inoichi’s note saying he would be working late.
• Karin asked Naruto to sleep with her because she was afraid to be alone, and Naruto made a bed on the floor beside hers.
• Karin reached for Naruto’s hand in the dark, and he held it until she fell asleep.

Naruto woke beside Karin, but Inoichi misunderstood their clasped hands and confronted him before hearing Karin’s story. Hiashi and Neji returned early, and Hiashi asked Naruto to take Neji to find Hinata and Hanabi so he could speak privately with Inoichi.

• Inoichi saw Karin holding Naruto’s hand and angrily tried to pin Naruto down, but Naruto accidentally elbowed him into the doorframe.
• Naruto explained that Karin was an abused Uzumaki orphan staying temporarily with Third’s permission, and Inoichi apologized for his misunderstanding.
• Karin asked whether Inoichi was Naruto’s father, and Inoichi firmly denied it.
• Hiashi and Neji returned from their mission, and Naruto told Hiashi that Hinata and Hanabi were at the Yamanaka Clan’s place with Ino.
• Hiashi told Naruto to take Neji to find Hinata and Hanabi so he could discuss something privately with Inoichi.

Naruto brought Karin, a rescued Uzumaki orphan, to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, where Hinata and Ino reacted with jealousy before learning she was Naruto’s clanswoman. Watching them, Neji reflected on his new role as Hyuga Clan Heir and the responsibility Hiashi had entrusted to him to end the clan’s division between Main and Branch Families.

• Naruto, Neji, and Karin went to the Yamanaka Flower Shop and found Hinata, Hanabi, and Ino there.
• Ino and Hinata reacted uneasily to Karin clinging to Naruto until Naruto explained that he had rescued her from Kusagakure and that she belonged to the Uzumaki Clan.
• Rino welcomed Karin, while Hinata relaxed and Neji observed the girls’ reactions.
• Neji remembered Hiashi ordering him to kill the final elder involved in the conspiracy, and Neji recalled striking the elder down.
• Neji reflected that Hiashi had freed the Caged Bird Seal of its power over his fate and named him Hyuga Clan Heir, entrusting him with reforming the clan and protecting his cousins’ freedom.

Neji returned from Kirigakure with Hinata and Hanabi, revealing a new closeness with Hiashi as he brought them home. Naruto organized a strategy meeting for the joint Chunin Ninja Exams, while Third assessed the participating villages and worried that the Fourth Mizukage’s death could spark fresh turmoil.

• Neji told Hanabi and the others that Hiashi had returned early and asked him to bring Hinata and Hanabi home, addressing Hiashi as “Uncle” for the first time.
• Rino sent Hinata and Hanabi to pack, while Naruto invited Ino, Neji, and their friends to discuss tactics for the joint Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Neji agreed to join the meeting after taking Hinata and Hanabi home, and Naruto suggested they meet at Yakiniku Q.
• Third reviewed the exam roster, noting that Ōnoki had declined Iwagakure’s invitation and that Kusagakure had effectively lost a team.
• Third considered the possibility that the Fourth Mizukage had been assassinated and feared Kirigakure might blame Konoha, as Sunagakure had after the Third Kazekage’s disappearance.

The Konoha 12 gathered at Yakiniku Q to welcome Karin and discuss strategy for the upcoming Chunin Ninja Exams. After the meal, Shikamaru warned Ino to make an effort if she truly wanted to pursue Naruto.

• Naruto brought Karin to the Konoha 12’s first gathering with everyone present, and the group warmly congratulated them on finding a clanmate.
• Shino and Shikamaru urged the others to conserve strength and coordinate against competitors from other villages, especially Sunagakure and Amegakure.
• Naruto asked Ino to use her Mind Transmission Technique to create a communication network and offered to supply chakra for it.
• After the meal, Shikamaru watched Naruto and Karin leave together, then told Ino she should try harder if she wanted to pursue Naruto.
• Choji reassured Ino that he and Shikamaru would support her as members of Ino-Shika-Cho.

Kakashi told Team 7 that he and Hanare would marry next month, then explained the Chunin Ninja Exams as the team arrived at the Ninja Academy. Naruto recognized the entrance trick and headed upstairs while one of his Shadow Clones searched Konoha’s sewers for Root’s base.

• Kakashi announced that he and Hanare would marry next month, crediting Naruto with helping them submit their marriage application.
• Kakashi explained the Chunin Ninja Exams, and Team 7 arrived at the Ninja Academy.
• Naruto recognized the Not-Here Technique at the fake Room 301 and led Team 7 upstairs without revealing Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki’s identities.
• Naruto glanced at Sakura with a trace of regret, and Sakura noticed his attention and wondered why he had looked at her.
• Naruto’s Shadow Clone, disguised as Menma, searched the sewers with the Mind’s Eye of the Kagura to locate the Root Base.

Naruto guided Konoha's Genin through his theory that the first Chunin Exam round would test intelligence gathering rather than academic knowledge. As the group prepared to enter the exam hall, Kabuto observed Naruto's growing influence and planned to report what he had seen to Orochimaru.

• Naruto used Ino's Mind Transmission Technique to ask Hinata and Neji to scout the exam hall with their Byakugan.
• Neji and Hinata found a classroom-like setup, and Neji reported that the first round appeared to be a written exam, alarming Rock Lee, Kiba, and Choji.
• Naruto argued that the exam would test intelligence gathering and adaptability, then outlined likely team and individual rounds that would follow.
• Naruto advised his companions to watch the examiners and other candidates, and to use any means that would not get them disqualified.
• Kabuto watched Naruto lead the group and decided to send his observations to Orochimaru after the first exam.

Naruto reassured Hinata before the Chunin Ninja Exams' written stage began, while Neji interrupted their close conversation and Ibiki laid out the rules. Naruto then identified a likely planted candidate whose answers the Konoha team could copy, and Neji confirmed the first answers appeared correct.

• Naruto encouraged Hinata and asked her to cook for him if they both passed the exams, and she shyly agreed.
• Neji struck Naruto's shoulder, warned him and Hinata to mind themselves, and returned to his seat after Ibiki ordered him to.
• Ibiki explained the written exam's scoring rules, team penalties, and one-hour time limit before starting the test.
• Naruto used Ino's Mind Transmission Technique to tell the team that a candidate was answering unusually quickly and might be planted among them.
• Neji used his Byakugan to check the candidate's answers and reported that the first two appeared correct.

During the first exam, Konoha's candidates used a variety of techniques to gather answers, while Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura answered the questions on their own. Naruto's Shadow Clone located a suspected Root Base beneath Konoha, leaving Naruto ready for Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan.

• Ino used the Mind Body Switch Technique to copy a candidate's answers, but failed to take control of Naruto before helping Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi.
• Akamaru helped Kiba Inuzuka find answers, Shino's bugs spied on another candidate, and Neji Hyuga used his Byakugan to read a test.
• Sasuke Uchiha used his Sharingan to copy Ino's writing movements, while Tenten used mirrors and Chakra Threads to pass answers to Rock Lee.
• Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Hyuga, and Sakura Haruno calmly answered the questions without using any special methods.
• Naruto's Shadow Clone, disguised as Menma, found a suspected Root Base beneath Konoha and dispelled itself, sending its memories to Naruto.
• Naruto realized the search was complete and waited for Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan to begin.

Ibiki Morino announced that examinees who refused the tenth question would fail alongside their teammates, while anyone who answered incorrectly would be barred from future Chunin Exams. As the room filled with fear, Naruto comforted Hinata, and Ibiki noticed their quiet exchange.

• Ibiki Morino announced that refusing the tenth question meant an immediate failure for the examinee and both teammates, while answering incorrectly meant a permanent ban from the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• The examinees were overwhelmed by the choice and its consequences, and many began to tremble or lose hope.
• Naruto took Hinata's hand and reassured her that he was there, easing her fear.
• Ibiki noticed Naruto comforting Hinata and privately speculated about Naruto's romantic interests.
• The examinees mistook Ibiki's barely restrained smile for a sinister grin, and some began to crumble under the pressure.

Ibiki Morino ended the first Chunin Exam after revealing that it tested candidates’ resolve, and all who remained passed. Naruto and Hinata celebrated together as the surviving candidates recovered from the ordeal.

• Candidate 50 gave up on the tenth question, and Ibiki disqualified him along with teammates 130 and 111.
• More candidates surrendered under pressure, leaving their teams to be eliminated until 78 candidates remained.
• Ibiki consulted the proctors, judged that the remaining candidates had proved their resolve, and announced that they had all passed the first exam.
• Ibiki laughed as he explained that the test had been a psychological trial of willpower as well as knowledge and intelligence gathering.
• Naruto let go of Hinata’s hand, and the two shared a relieved, happy moment after passing.

Mitaraishi Anko made a dramatic entrance to announce the second exam, which would eliminate more than half the candidates. After getting the exam details and preparing his teammates for a night in the Forest of Death, Naruto returned home and found a woman in a blue-green cloak holding Big Yellow; she greeted him as Mr. Yōya.

• Mitaraishi Anko burst into the examination room, announced herself as the second-round examiner, and told the candidates to ask their instructors for the exam's time and location.
• Mitaraishi Anko warned that she would reduce the seventy-eight candidates to fewer than half in the next round, then departed through the broken window.
• Naruto learned the second exam's schedule from Kakashi and told his teammates to prepare for a night in the Forest of Death with extra food and water.
• Naruto returned home cautiously and found Karin standing beside the sofa while an unfamiliar woman in a blue-green cloak stroked Big Yellow.
• The woman turned to Naruto, welcomed him home, and addressed him as Mr. Yōya.

Kazahana Koyuki visited Naruto to seek Konoha’s help protecting the Land of Snow after its ninja forces were gone. She proposed that Naruto become the Land of Snow’s daimyo and teased him about bringing Karin as another wife.

• Naruto recognized Kazahana Koyuki, the Land of Snow’s daimyo, and welcomed his old acquaintance into his home.
• Kazahana Koyuki claimed the Land of Fire’s daimyo had agreed to take Naruto as her retainer, but Naruto pointed out that the Third Hokage had refused.
• Karin blocked Kazahana Koyuki from approaching Naruto, and Koyuki agreed to keep her distance.
• Kazahana Koyuki explained that she wanted a long-term alliance with Konoha to protect the Land of Snow, which had no ninja left.
• Kazahana Koyuki offered to hand Naruto the daimyo position and teased that he could bring Karin as another wife, making Karin blush.