Recaps

Jiraiya told Naruto and Kakashi that Mount Myōboku had no news of Hayashi, leaving them to wait for his return. In Ryūchi Cave, Hayashi remained absorbed in meditation until Tagorihime woke him because it was time to go back.

• Jiraiya explained that Mount Myōboku had not heard from Hayashi, and Naruto apologized for calling Jiraiya useless.
• Jiraiya took Naruto back to the forest for more training while Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke returned to the training ground.
• Tagorihime asked the White Snake Sage about Hayashi, and the Sage told her to leave him alone and send him back tomorrow.
• Hayashi tried to understand why sage energy vanished when it reached his tailbone, then continued meditating.
• Tagorihime woke Hayashi and told him that matters in his world were about to begin.

Hayashi finished recovering in Ryūchi Cave, received a new coat from Tagorihime, and headed back to Konoha. He arrived at the Chunin Exam arena just as the examiner declared that he would forfeit if he did not report within half an hour.

• Hayashi thanked Tagorihime for the coat and went to the hot springs to clean up before returning to Konoha.
• Gekko Hayate began the arena-battle examination while the Konoha Genin deliberately stayed silent when their names were called.
• Gekko Hayate warned Naruto Uzumaki and the other Konoha candidates that they would forfeit if they did not report within half an hour.
• Hayashi tore open a dark fissure at the arena and strode out in his new coat.
• Kakashi welcomed Hayashi and told him it was his turn.

Uzumaki Hayashi returned just in time for the Chunin Exam and officially joined the Konoha genin, reassuring Gekko Hayate and drawing the attention of the Third Hokage and the Kazekage. After the genin began drawing lots for their matches, Hayashi selected a slip and started to unfold it.

• Hayashi accepted the tachi Sasuke had kept for him and announced that he was officially joining the exam, leading the Konoha genin into the arena.
• Hayashi reported to Gekko Hayate, who scolded him for worrying Yugao and him before welcoming him back.
• The Third Hokage told the Kazekage that Hayashi was the genin he had the most confidence in, and the Kazekage watched Hayashi with interest.
• Gekko Hayate explained the match-drawing process and warned the genin that killing was forbidden.
• Hayashi reached into the box, drew a slip, and began to unfold it as the other genin anxiously wondered who would face him.

Uzumaki Hayashi drew Temari as his opponent, unsettling the Sunagakure team, while the other examinees discovered their matchups. Gekko Hayate opened the preliminary exam by announcing Sasuke Uchiha versus Akado Yoroi as the first match.

• Uzumaki Hayashi drew Temari's name, and Temari remembered his frightening power as Kankuro worried she might have to face him.
• Gaara urged Temari to test Hayashi, while she reluctantly agreed to try.
• Naruto Uzumaki drew Kiba, Sasuke Uchiha drew Akado Yoroi, and Sakura drew Ino.
• Gekko Hayate recorded the matchups and announced the start of the Chunin Preliminary Selection Exam.
• Gekko Hayate called Sasuke Uchiha and Akado Yoroi to begin the first match, and Hayashi encouraged Sasuke before leaving the ring.

Sasuke Uchiha fought Akado Yoroi in the exam arena after Yoroi taunted him as the Uchiha Clan’s last surviving orphan. Sasuke overwhelmed him with a powerful fire technique, but Yoroi survived and launched a chakra-coated attack at Sasuke from behind.

• Akado Yoroi taunted Sasuke Uchiha about being the Uchiha Clan’s last surviving orphan, and Hayashi asked Kakashi to watch for danger during the fight.
• Gekko Hayate started the match between Akado Yoroi and Sasuke Uchiha, then joined Hayashi and Kakashi in the stands.
• Akado Yoroi charged Sasuke with a chakra-coated kick, but Sasuke caught his ankle and hurled him into a wall.
• Sasuke said he hated being called the last surviving orphan and unleashed Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique at Akado Yoroi.
• Akado Yoroi emerged alive and struck at Sasuke from behind with a chakra-coated palm.

Sasuke defeated Akado Yoroi with a powerful taijutsu combo, earning Hayashi’s approval before the next match was announced. Hayashi entered the arena to face Temari of Sunagakure.

• Naruto warned Sasuke about Akado Yoroi, but Sasuke turned and struck Yoroi with a fast kick that drove him into the wall.
• Hayashi reminded Kakashi that Sasuke’s kick resembled the one Kakashi had used during Team 7’s training, and Sasuke launched into Hayashi’s signature charging attack.
• Sasuke used the Lion Combo to knock Yoroi into the ground, leaving him motionless as the crowd cheered.
• Sasuke returned to Team 7, asked for their opinions, and stood beside Hayashi after receiving his praise.
• Gekko Hayate announced Hayashi’s match against Temari, and Hayashi vaulted into the arena as the wind streamed through his crimson hair.

Uzumaki Hayashi provoked Temari into overcoming her hesitation before their Chunin Exam match. Temari declared her attraction to him, and Gekko Hayate started the fight as Hayashi charged.

• Temari agreed to enter the arena after Kankuro urged her to keep their strength hidden for a later plan.
• Hayashi taunted Temari, then drew his wind-infused tachi and challenged her to show her strength.
• Temari overcame her fear, opened her giant fan, and admitted she might fall for Hayashi if she lived in Sunagakure.
• Gekko Hayate began the match, and Hayashi charged at Temari as a crimson afterimage.

Temari challenged Uzumaki Hayashi with increasingly powerful Wind Release attacks, but Hayashi countered with Pressure Damage and defeated her. Temari surrendered and withdrew from the Chunin Ninja Exams.

• Temari attacked Hayashi with Wind Release: Sickle Weasel, but he cut through the storm with his blade.
• Temari unleashed Wind Release: Great Sickle Weasel, a vortex filled with sharp wind blades.
• Hayashi used Wind Release: Pressure Damage, whose compressed wind masses exploded inside the vortex and erased it.
• Hayashi placed his Tachi at Temari's throat, leaving her unable to move.
• Temari admitted defeat and announced that she was withdrawing from the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Uzumaki Hayashi defeated Temari, and the crowd celebrated his victory. Gekko Hayate announced the next match: Hinata Hyuga versus Neji Hyuga.

• Temari surrendered, and Hayashi carefully sheathed his blade before helping her stand.
• Temari praised Hayashi and wished him luck as she left the arena.
• Gekko Hayate raised Hayashi's arm and announced him as the winner, drawing cheers from the crowd and his companions.
• Hayashi returned to the stands, where his companions gathered around him.
• Gekko Hayate announced the next match between Hinata Hyuga and Neji Hyuga.

Neji Hyuga and Hinata faced each other in the Chunin Exam arena, with their family history casting a shadow over the match. After Naruto encouraged Hinata, Neji activated his Byakugan and stared her down with cold resolve.

• Might Guy and Rock Lee loudly encouraged Neji before he descended to the arena, while Tenten tried to stop their embarrassing display.
• Hayashi urged Naruto to cheer Hinata on, and Naruto called out encouragement that made Hinata blush before she walked to the arena.
• Neji impatiently questioned Hinata as she approached, while Naruto compared Neji's manner to Sasuke's and Sasuke warned Naruto to prepare for a possible fight against him.
• Hinata faced Neji, who addressed her as Lady Hinata before Gekko Hayate ordered the match to begin.
• Neji took his Gentle Fist stance and activated his Byakugan, frightening Hinata with his icy, resolute expression.

Hinata drew strength from Naruto and Hayashi’s support and stood against Neji in their Chunin Exam match. After they began fighting with the Gentle Fist, Hinata spotted a weakness in Neji’s guard and launched a powerful palm thrust at his left chest.

• Neji used Hinata’s gaze and posture to claim he could see her fear and that she could never change, then prepared to attack.
• Naruto shouted encouragement to Hinata, and Hayashi smiled supportively at her from the stands.
• Hinata chose not to forfeit, activated her Byakugan, and challenged Neji to settle their differences.
• Hinata and Neji exchanged rapid Gentle Fist attacks while both used their Byakugan to track the other’s chakra.
• Hinata noticed sluggish chakra on the left side of Neji’s chest and drove a forceful palm strike toward the opening.

Hinata fought Neji in the arena, but his Byakugan and Gentle Fist overwhelmed her and left her badly injured. After Neji told her she could not win, Hinata stood back up and prepared to face him again.

• Hinata struck Neji with the Gentle Fist, but he recovered without showing any effect, and Kakashi explained how the Hyuga technique damaged internal organs.
• Neji landed a powerful strike to Hinata's chest, causing her to stagger and cough up blood.
• Neji paralyzed Hinata's arm by striking its chakra points and revealed the red marks left by his precise attacks.
• Neji addressed Hayashi while boasting that no one would escape his sight, then struck Hinata again and told her to surrender.
• Hinata refused to give up, rose to her feet, and challenged Neji to settle the fight.

Hinata refused to stay down and charged Neji, who answered with the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms and nearly delivered a fatal final strike. An unidentified person stopped Neji and condemned him for taking his anger out on someone who admired him.

• Hinata rose despite her injuries and told Neji that the Forest of Death had taught her to believe in herself with other people's guidance.
• Neji struck Hinata with a palm attack, then declared that he would show her the technique he had learned and unleashed the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
• Hyuga Hiashi recognized the technique and wondered how Neji had learned it, since he had never taught it to him.
• Neji prepared a final strike aimed at destroying the chakra pathways around Hinata's heart, recalling his father Hizashi as he attacked.
• An unidentified person seized Neji's arm and drained away his strength before the strike could land, then called him disgraceful for venting his anger on Hinata.

Uzumaki Hayashi stopped Neji from attacking Hinata and let Neji bite his arm while reminding him of their earlier conversation. Neji broke down sobbing, but Gekko Hayate and Kakashi viewed the scene with killing intent, leaving Guy facing an apparent threat.

• Guy restrained Neji while a female ninja, Kakashi, and Gekko Hayate moved to stop him, and Hayashi shielded Hinata.
• Neji tried to bite Guy, but Hayashi put his arm in the way and let Neji bite him.
• Hayashi reminded Neji that they shared a tragic fate and told him it was all right to hurt him.
• Hayashi urged Neji to follow his own path, and Neji fell to his knees, clung to him, and sobbed.
• Kakashi and Gekko Hayate turned on Guy and Neji with killing intent as Hayate reached for his Ninja Blade.

Uzumaki Hayashi stopped Neji from hurting Hinata, but Neji bit Hayashi’s hand before the fight ended. The Third Hokage cleared the arena, Neji and Hinata were taken for treatment, and the worried Konoha shinobi gathered around Hayashi.

• Sasuke charged into the arena with Chidori, but Enma caught his wrist and stopped him.
• The Third ordered ANBU to evacuate the spectators, while Asuma restrained Shikamaru from attacking Neji.
• Neji apologized to Hinata and Hayashi before passing out, and Kurenai carried the unconscious Hinata to the medical department.
• The Third allowed Might Guy to take Neji for treatment, and Guy thanked Hayashi before leaving with Lee and Tenten.
• Gekko Hayate embraced Hayashi as Kakashi examined his bitten hand, and medical ninja rushed to treat him.

Hayashi recovered from his fight-related bite wound while his friends and Kakashi worried over him. Gekko Hayate asked the Third for permission to have Hayashi patrol with him, but the Third told him to ask Hayashi directly.

• Sakura, Ino, Sasuke, Naruto, and Choji confronted Hayashi about frightening them, and Choji eased tensions by sharing a chip.
• The medics treated Hayashi's bite wound, and the Third decided it did not require the Mystical Palm Technique.
• Hayashi comforted the guilt-ridden Kakashi and encouraged him to leave with everyone.
• Gekko Hayate confirmed that Hayashi had passed the preliminary round and asked to have him patrol together for a while.
• The Third told Gekko Hayate to ask Hayashi himself, prompting Sakura and the others to laugh.

After protecting his comrades, Uzumaki Hayashi accepted a patrol assignment with Gekko Hayate and received senbei and an A-rank mission reward from the Third Hokage. Hayashi worried about facing Yugao at home as he and Hayate approached their house, while Hayate apologized for failing to stop what had happened.

• Hayashi eagerly accepted the patrol assignment, and the Third Hokage counted it as an A-rank mission and gave him a packet of senbei.
• Kakashi sent the group away from Hayashi because of his minor injury, and Hayate escorted him home.
• Naruto speculated about why Hayashi dreaded going home, then Kakashi grabbed him and ordered him to train.
• Hayashi nervously imagined ways to avoid Yugao, while Hayate apologized for not stopping what had happened.
• Hayashi told Hayate that he had chosen to do some things himself as they neared their warmly lit home.

Hayashi returned home with an injured arm, and Uzuki Yugao scolded him and Gekko Hayate for what had happened. After Hayashi promised to take better care of himself, the three prepared to share a meal.

• Hayashi and Gekko Hayate returned home to find Uzuki Yugao cooking pork bone soup.
• Uzuki Yugao saw Hayashi's injured arm, and Gekko Hayate explained how Hayashi had offered it to help someone in pain.
• Uzuki Yugao made Gekko Hayate kneel and Hayashi face the wall, then scolded them over Hayashi's injury.
• Hayashi promised to look after himself next time, and Uzuki Yugao's anger softened.
• Uzuki Yugao called Hayashi and Gekko Hayate to carry the food as they prepared to eat together.

Uzumaki Hayashi spent the morning with Uzuki Yugao, who braided his hair before leaving for patrol. He discovered that the Third had secretly given him a scroll containing the Five Release: Great Combo Technique, asked his system to analyze it, and then set off to visit Zabuza and the others.

• Uzuki Yugao cooked breakfast, told Hayashi she had patrol duty, and braided his hair into a side braid before leaving.
• Hayashi opened the package the Third had given him and found a scroll for the Five Release: Great Combo Technique alongside a small bag of Senbei.
• Hayashi read the scroll and found instructions for training fire, lightning, and earth chakra natures, as well as a handwritten message from the Third.
• Hayashi asked his system to analyze the technique, then decided to visit Zabuza and the others to earn affection points.
• Hayashi flickered out of his home, leaving it empty.

Hayashi returned to Konoha and reunited with Zabuza and Haku, who had mistaken his dramatic entrance for a serious mission. He led them to Ichiraku Ramen for the important matter of eating, and Zabuza followed, promising to eat Hayashi out of house and home.

• Zabuza sneezed so violently that he dropped his Kubikiribōchō, while Haku mistook his trembling for an enemy attack.
• Hayashi appeared in a tree, and Zabuza welcomed him back and noticed the bandage on his arm.
• Hayashi told Zabuza and Haku that he had made it to the exam and had come for something of unparalleled importance.
• Hayashi revealed that the important matter was eating at Ichiraku Ramen.
• Zabuza followed Hayashi inside and declared that he and Haku would eat him out of house and home.

Hayashi, Zabuza, and Haku ate ramen at Ichiraku, where Zabuza devoured ten bowls. As they left, Hayashi sensed Gekko Hayate’s chakra surging urgently and sprinted off, telling Zabuza and Haku that something serious was happening.

• Teuchi served ramen to Hayashi, Zabuza, and Haku, and gave Hayashi extra pork slices.
• Zabuza and Haku tried the ramen, and Zabuza kept ordering bowls until he had eaten ten.
• Teuchi said some ninja ate a dozen bowls or more and mentioned a super big eater he had not seen in a long time.
• As the three left Ichiraku in the evening, Zabuza joked that he would eat even more next time.
• Hayashi sensed Gekko Hayate’s chakra shifting rapidly, leaped onto a fence, and sprinted away.
• Zabuza and Haku followed Hayashi, who warned them that something serious was happening.

Gekko Hayate finished an ANBU patrol, spoke with Tanabe about Hayashi, and went to the market to buy vegetables for home. On the way back, he followed a concealed stranger and discovered they were heading to the Kazekage's loft.

• Gekko Hayate led an ANBU squad back to Konoha after checking the forest perimeter barrier.
• Tanabe asked Gekko Hayate how Hayashi was doing, and Hayate said his student had made it to the Finals.
• A vegetable vendor recognized Gekko Hayate as Hayashi's teacher and gave him a bag of vegetables, which Hayate paid for secretly.
• Gekko Hayate noticed a cloaked stranger moving through quiet alleys and followed them.
• The stranger checked for pursuers and approached the Kazekage's loft.

Gekko Hayate overheard Baki planning to assassinate Uzumaki Hayashi and was discovered while spying outside the Kazekage Tower. After surviving Baki’s wind attacks, Hayate struck from behind, leaving the fight’s outcome unresolved.

• Gekko Hayate overheard Baki and another ninja discuss their plan and the possibility of assassinating Uzumaki Hayashi.
• Hayate made a noise against the wall, and Baki attacked him with wind blades as he tried to escape and warn Lord Third.
• Baki cornered Hayate and wounded his arm with Wind Release: Wind Blade, which shredded Hayate’s clones.
• Hayate used a substitution to evade Baki’s finishing attack and slashed at him from behind.

Gekko Hayate fought Baki but was wounded and forced to flee. Hayashi and Zabuza intercepted Baki, and Hayashi prepared to fight, asking why a corpse was talking.

• Baki wounded Gekko Hayate with a blade, then attacked him with sand-laced wind and wind blades.
• Gekko Hayate used a burst of dust to escape the sand wind, but Baki pursued him and struck his back with another wind blade.
• At the alley's entrance, Zabuza pulled the injured Hayate behind him while Haku bandaged his wounds.
• Hayashi arrived, formed a Tachi from ice, and confronted Baki alongside Zabuza.
• Baki dismissed the two sword-wielding ninja, and Hayashi asked Zabuza why a corpse was talking.

Zabuza fought Baki while Hayashi watched, and Baki’s wind armor kept him from being decisively wounded. After Baki sprang back to attack Hayashi, Hayashi blocked the strike and prepared to confront him in his transformed state.

• Zabuza charged Baki with the Kubikiribōchō, forcing Baki to evade with wind techniques.
• Baki’s wind blades cut Zabuza, but Zabuza’s bloodied sword struck Baki and sent him crashing into a wall.
• Zabuza told Hayashi that a layer of chakra protected Baki like padded armor, while Haku warned Zabuza not to get hurt.
• Baki burst from the rubble and launched two wind blades at Hayashi, who blocked them with a Water Formation Wall.
• Hayashi gathered natural energy, grew a dragon horn, and declared that Baki was too weak for him to use his full strength.