Recaps

Hayashi brought Zabuza and Haku into a staged fight with Team 7, then used Gato’s betrayal to persuade them to join his cause. The group returned to Konoha with Zabuza and Haku, where Hayashi was summoned to face the Third Hokage.

• Kakashi trained Naruto and Sasuke in chakra control and jutsu while Hayashi recovered, and Lin’s killing intent led him to meet Haku, whom he recognized as an Ice Release user.
• Hayashi arranged a meeting with Zabuza and proposed a staged confrontation with Gato, while Zabuza agreed to train Team 7 and use Wolf Fang Avalanche.
• Gato’s thugs failed to stop construction of Tazuna’s bridge, and the next day Zabuza and Haku confronted Team 7 there as Hayashi and Zabuza carried out their plan.
• Haku trapped Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura in his ice mirrors, but Naruto and Sasuke fought back, and Naruto unleashed the Nine-Tails’ chakra after seeing Hayashi fall.
• Gato arrived with armed men and revealed he would not pay Zabuza, so Hayashi stopped Naruto and Sasuke and stood with Zabuza against Gato.
• Zabuza killed Gato’s men, and Hayashi rejected Gato’s bribes and killed him before asking Zabuza and Haku to join him in building a shinobi world where Haku would not be used as a tool.
• Hayashi and Kakashi returned to Konoha with Zabuza and Haku, and Hayate and Yugao welcomed Hayashi home before Hayate told him the Third had summoned him.

Hayashi brought Zabuza and Haku into Konoha, prepared for the Chunin Exams, and helped Team 7 through the first test. In the Forest of Death, Orochimaru confronted Hayashi, Sasuke, and Sakura as Naruto remained trapped inside a snake.

• Hayashi convinced the Third Hokage to let Zabuza and Haku stay in Konoha, and the Third arranged for Zabuza to guard Hayashi through paid missions.
• Danzō approached Hayashi, who refused his offer, while Jiraiya received the Third Hokage’s letter and returned to Konoha to investigate Hayashi’s Sage Mode.
• Hayashi joined Team 7 and Zabuza and Haku on missions and training, while Kakashi began teaching Sasuke lightning-release chakra transformation and Hayashi started Naruto’s Rasengan training.
• Gaara threatened Sasuke and Naruto in the village, but Hayashi’s killing intent met Gaara’s, and Kakashi and Baki ended the confrontation.
• Hayashi and Team 7 entered the Chunin Exams, passed Ibiki’s written test, and prepared for Anko’s Forest of Death round.
• Team 7 entered the forest with a Heaven scroll, where Hayashi exposed a disguised impostor and told Sasuke and Sakura that the real Naruto was trapped inside a snake.
• Orochimaru confronted Hayashi, Sasuke, and Sakura in disguise, and Sasuke awakened two Tomoe as Hayashi charged Orochimaru with his Tachi.

Hayashi helped Naruto and the others survive Orochimaru’s attack, then recovered while Jiraiya prepared to train him and Naruto. A summoning scroll sent Hayashi to Ryūchi Cave, where the White Snake Sage began testing his flawed Sage Mode and left his return to Konoha uncertain.

• Hayashi and Sasuke fought Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, and Naruto and the others joined them as Orochimaru overwhelmed the group.
• Hayashi entered Sage Mode, wounded Orochimaru, and froze him between a giant ice whale and an ice wolf before Jiraiya arrived and Orochimaru escaped.
• Jiraiya carried Hayashi back to Konoha, where the Third Hokage ordered the encounter kept secret and medical ninjas treated Hayashi.
• Hayashi recovered at home, reassured Kakashi and his caretakers, and learned that Jiraiya would train him and Naruto.
• Jiraiya took Naruto and Hayashi to practice Water Walking and gave them summoning scrolls, but Hayashi vanished after using his.
• Hayashi arrived in Ryūchi Cave, fought Tagorihime with Sage Mode, and was admitted to meet the White Snake Sage.
• The White Snake Sage told Hayashi his Sage Mode was flawed and he could not leave yet, then bit his arm.

Hayashi mastered Sage Mode, defeated the three Ryūchi Cave princesses, and signed a contract with Ichikishimahime while continuing to balance his energy. In Konoha, his message reassured his friends, Naruto began learning the Rasengan, and the group waited for Hayashi to return before the Chunin Ninja Exams.

• The White Snake Sage used venom to force Hayashi to master his Sage Mode, and memories of his friends helped him regain control and awaken with new power.
• Hayashi asked the White Snake Sage for a contract with Tagorihime and faced Tagitsuhime, Ichikishimahime, and Tagorihime in a canyon trial.
• Hayashi defeated Tagitsuhime but treated her kindly, and the White Snake Sage ultimately chose Ichikishimahime to contract with him.
• Hayashi signed the contract and continued balancing his Senjutsu energy, while Jiraiya received a scroll bearing the name Dragon Princess Hayashi.
• Jiraiya brought Hayashi’s message to Konoha, reassuring Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi, and the Third Hokage that he was safe and would return for the exams.
• Jiraiya began teaching Naruto the Rasengan, and Naruto used Hayashi’s advice to complete the first stage of its training.
• Sasuke and Sakura resolved to work hard together, while Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime investigated Manda’s warning about prey from Konoha.
• With the Chunin Ninja Exams scheduled for the next day, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi urged Jiraiya to remind Hayashi to return.