Chapter Summaries

Hayashi followed Sakura and the others when Gaara confronted Sasuke, threatened him and Naruto, and turned his murderous attention on Hayashi. As Gaara’s killing intent surged through the street, Hayashi activated his own Killing Intent ability.

• Gaara approached Sasuke, identified him as the Uchiha survivor, and vowed to kill him.
• Naruto shoved Gaara after he insulted their teammates, prompting Gaara to threaten Naruto and Sasuke while Temari and Kankuro tried to restrain him.
• Hayashi stepped forward and asked Gaara to take back his threat against their comrades, drawing Gaara’s focus.
• Gaara unleashed his murderous menace at Hayashi, but Hayashi’s squad stood their ground.
• Hayashi activated [Killing Intent] as Gaara’s pressure rushed toward him.

Hayashi clashed with Gaara’s killing intent in the street until Kakashi arrived and stopped the confrontation. After Gaara and his team left, Hayashi asked Kakashi to take him to the Third Hokage, while Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were sent home.

• Hayashi’s purple killing intent met Gaara’s blood-red force and pinned it in place while Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura watched from behind him.
• Kakashi sensed Hayashi’s killing intent and hurried to the street as Baki arrived to apologize for his students and challenge Hayashi’s actions.
• Kakashi identified Hayashi as his genin student, and Baki apologized before leading Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro away.
• Naruto and Sakura checked on Hayashi, while Sasuke judged Gaara to be powerful and Hayashi suspected the Sand team planned to act later.
• Hayashi asked Kakashi to take him to the Third Hokage, and Kakashi agreed after sensing a tailed beast’s presence in Gaara.
• Kakashi told Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to go home, then took Hayashi across the rooftops toward the Hokage Building.

After warning the Third Hokage about Gaara’s unstable behavior, Hayashi met the apparent Kazekage and suspected he was Orochimaru in disguise. Kakashi left to patrol, and Hayashi headed home, where he sensed the same sinister chakra waiting in a familiar alley.

• Kakashi reported the clash with Sunagakure’s team, and Hayashi warned the Third Hokage that Gaara seemed unable to control his violent impulses.
• The Third Hokage questioned Hayashi about his strength and said he expected him to become a Chunin.
• A figure posing as the Kazekage arrived, scrutinized Hayashi with concealed greed, and discussed the upcoming exams with the Third Hokage.
• Kakashi left to patrol the village perimeter, and Hayashi walked home alone while thinking about the written exam.
• Hayashi reached a familiar alley and sensed the same cold, sinister chakra lurking there.

Hayashi encountered the disguised Orochimaru, who expressed interest in him and said the One-Tail jinchūriki wanted to meet him. He arrived at the Chunin Exams with Team 7, saw through the entrance genjutsu, and entered the exam room, where Gaara stared at him.

• Hayashi recognized the Kazekage as a sinister intruder, sensed a fleeting feeling of nostalgia from him, and heard that the jinchūriki wanted to meet him.
• Kakashi arrived at Hayashi's home with Team 7, and they headed to the Ninja Academy for the exams.
• Hayashi learned that Zabuza and Haku had been ordered to patrol the village to protect him.
• At the Academy, Sasuke and Sakura identified the genjutsu concealing the false room 301 entrance, and the chunin revealed the real exam room was upstairs.
• Hayashi met up with the other Konoha genin and led them into the exam room, where Gaara watched him intently.

Hayashi approached Kabuto Yakushi, whose ninja cards revealed information about the candidates and branded Lin the favorite after publicizing his reported victory over a powerful opponent. As the exam hall reacted to Lin's reputation, Ibiki Morino arrived and began the first test.

• Gaara glanced at Hayashi but turned away without approaching him.
• Kabuto Yakushi read Sasuke's and Naruto's ninja cards, noting Sasuke's abilities and Naruto's enormous chakra reserves but limited techniques.
• Kabuto displayed Hayashi's card and announced that Lin was the hottest favorite to win after defeating an elite jonin in a head-on fight.
• Sakura confirmed to Ino that Lin had defeated an enemy stronger than a jonin, while the other Konoha candidates reacted to the news.
• Ibiki Morino entered the exam hall, introduced himself as chief examiner, and announced that the first test was beginning.

Hayashi copied Sakura’s answers during the first Chunin Exam round and watched Naruto’s defiance convince the remaining candidates to stay. After Ibiki declared them passed and Anko announced the second round, Lin realized Kabuto and his teammates had disappeared, suggesting they had never come to take the exam.

• Hayashi used the Mind's Eye of the Kagura to copy Sakura’s answers while other candidates cheated with their own abilities.
• Ibiki announced a final question with a lifelong ban for wrong answers, prompting several candidates and their teammates to withdraw.
• Naruto refused to quit and declared that he would become Hokage even if he remained a Genin for life.
• Ibiki revealed that there was no tenth question and passed everyone who remained in the room.
• Mitaraishi Anko arrived and ordered the candidates to meet at the Forty-Fourth Training Ground for the second round.
• Hayashi noticed that Kabuto and his teammates had vanished and suspected they had never intended to take the exam.

After passing the first Chunin Exam, Hayashi and his companions left the venue while Shikamaru arranged for Shino, Kiba, and Hinata to keep an eye on Lin. Kakashi warned Lin to protect Naruto the next day, leaving Lin to weigh whether to intervene when Snake Auntie targeted Sasuke with a Cursed Seal.

• Naruto bragged that his intuition had helped him pass the written exam, while Sakura and Sasuke teased him as Hayashi laughed along.
• Shikamaru explained to Ino and Choji that Naruto’s outburst had exposed the bluff in the final question and helped everyone pass.
• Shikamaru told Shino to secretly place bugs on Hayashi the next day, and Shino began discussing the plan with Kiba and Hinata.
• Kakashi met the four outside the exam venue and treated them to dinner after hearing that the exam had gone well.
• After dinner, Kakashi privately told Lin to watch Naruto the next day and, if necessary, bind him with chains and flee.
• Walking home, Lin considered whether to stop Snake Auntie from placing Sasuke’s Cursed Seal or keep his Sage Mode hidden for a later fight.

Hayashi and the other candidates gathered outside the Forest of Death for the second Chunin exam, where a confrontation with the Otogakure trio drew the Konoha candidates together to protect him. Anko arrived, stopped the brewing fight, and led everyone toward the forest to explain the rules.

• Hayashi arrived at the Forest of Death with Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, noticed Shino's Kikaichū on his shoulder, and waited for Anko.
• Zaku Abumi threatened Hayashi, but Sasuke grabbed Zaku's wrist and warned him not to move again.
• Kin cautioned Hayashi to watch himself in the forest, prompting Naruto and the Konoha candidates to surround the Otogakure trio.
• Dosu pulled Zaku and Kin away after Anko appeared on the wall and threatened to eliminate anyone who fought outside the forest.
• Anko announced the start of the second exam and led the candidates toward the opening gates of the Forest of Death.

Anko explained the Forest of Death’s lethal rules, and Team 7 entered with a Heaven scroll. After a snake swallowed Naruto, an impostor returned in his form, but Hayashi exposed and cut it down; the real Naruto remained inside the snake as a sinister chakra presence stirred deeper in the forest.

• Anko had the examinees sign death waivers and explained that they had five days to obtain the opposite scroll and reach the central tower, with killing allowed.
• Team 7 drew a Heaven scroll and entered the forest, where Sasuke assigned positions and proposed a password in case they became separated.
• A snake swallowed Naruto while he was away from the group, and Hayashi detected the change but waited to act.
• A fake Naruto returned and failed Sasuke’s password test, while Hayashi recognized its wrong chakra and sliced through its disguise.
• Hayashi told Sasuke and Sakura that the real Naruto was still inside the snake, then sensed a sinister chakra watching from deep in the forest.

Orochimaru confronted Hayashi, Sasuke, and Sakura, using his killing intent to immobilize Sasuke and Sakura while Hayashi fought back. After Sasuke freed himself and rescued Sakura from Orochimaru’s Kunai, the three prepared for a fierce battle as Hayashi charged at Orochimaru.

• Orochimaru appeared in a Grass Ninja disguise, swallowed an Earth Scroll, and challenged the trio to kill him for it.
• Orochimaru’s killing intent overwhelmed Sasuke and Sakura, but Hayashi countered it with his own purple killing intent.
• Orochimaru focused his killing intent on Hayashi and threw two Kunai toward Sasuke and Sakura.
• Sasuke stabbed his thigh to break free, awakened two Tomoe, and pulled Sakura out of the Kunai’s path.
• Hayashi charged at Orochimaru with his Tachi as Sasuke and Sakura stood beside him.

Naruto escaped the giant snake by filling its stomach with shadow clones, then joined Shikamaru’s group as they rushed to find Hayashi. Meanwhile, Hayashi’s attack failed to stop Orochimaru, who revealed a new body and prepared to strike with a Long Sword.

• Orochimaru praised Sasuke’s instincts as Sasuke charged him.
• Naruto used Wind Release and countless Shadow Clones to burst the giant snake from within and escape.
• Shikamaru and Shino told Naruto that Shino’s kikaichū had been crushed by a powerful aura near Hayashi, so the group hurried toward him.
• Orochimaru evaded Hayashi’s tachi strike, attacked him from above, and forced him to drop the weapon.
• Hayashi hit Orochimaru with Vacuum Sphere, but Orochimaru emerged unharmed from his own mouth and recognized the technique as one associated with someone he disliked.
• Orochimaru drew a Long Sword as Hayashi’s pupils contracted.

Hayashi, Sasuke, and Sakura fought Orochimaru in the forest, but Orochimaru outmaneuvered them with a substitution and stabbed Hayashi while he shielded Sasuke. Sasuke cried out in anguish as Shikamaru and the others heard him and realized Hayashi was in danger.

• Hayashi clashed swords with Orochimaru and summoned four snow wolves, which Orochimaru destroyed with his techniques.
• Sakura joined Hayashi, gave Sasuke a ration pill and bandages, and urged him to stop staring and help.
• Sasuke attacked Orochimaru with wire-linked shuriken while Hayashi engaged him with his sword.
• Sasuke bound Orochimaru with steel wires and scorched him with the Dragon Fire Technique, but the flames consumed only an empty husk.
• Hayashi stopped Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword with his hand as it threatened Sasuke, and the blade pierced his shoulder.
• Sasuke screamed Hayashi's name, and Shikamaru and the others stopped when they heard the cry and feared something had happened to Hayashi.

Hayashi was badly wounded protecting Sasuke from Orochimaru, and Sasuke awakened his three-tomoe Sharingan before fighting Orochimaru. Just as Orochimaru moved to place a cursed seal on Sasuke, Naruto and the others arrived, and Naruto charged at Orochimaru in fury.

• Orochimaru pulled the Kusanagi Sword from Hayashi's shoulder and taunted Sasuke about his weakness.
• Sasuke awakened his third tomoe while watching Hayashi suffer, then attacked Orochimaru with his newly strengthened Sharingan.
• Sasuke wounded Orochimaru and launched a series of attacks, but Orochimaru struck him into the trees with his tail.
• Orochimaru approached the injured Sasuke and stretched his neck to bite him, but a barrage of shuriken interrupted the attack.
• Naruto, Shikamaru, and Ino arrived, saw Hayashi's injuries, and Naruto charged at Orochimaru in anger.

Naruto and Sasuke attacked Orochimaru together, but he shed his pierced body and continued fighting. Shikamaru, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata joined the battle to protect their injured comrade, surrounding Orochimaru with kikaichū.

• Naruto transformed with the Nine-Tails’ chakra and attacked Orochimaru, landing a hit with Wind Release: Gale Palm.
• Sakura treated Hayashi’s wounds while his Uzumaki Clan vitality began healing him.
• Orochimaru grabbed Naruto and reached to disrupt his seal with the Five Elements Seal, but Sasuke struck him from behind with Chidori.
• Orochimaru shed his pierced body, then taunted Naruto and Sasuke as they stood together against him.
• Shikamaru, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata joined the fight, and Shino’s kikaichū swarmed across the clearing.

Orochimaru overwhelmed the young ninjas while moving to attack Sasuke, until the recovering Uzumaki Hayashi intervened and rallied them. Hayashi held Orochimaru back with his killing intent and awakened a wind-nature transformation in his blade.

• Shino, Kiba, Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Naruto, and Sasuke attacked Orochimaru, but his snakes defeated their techniques and left them exhausted.
• Orochimaru released his killing intent, immobilized the group, and stretched his neck toward Sasuke as Naruto cried for help.
• Uzumaki Hayashi appeared and kicked Orochimaru away from Sasuke, then challenged Naruto to choose how they would proceed.
• Hayashi attacked Orochimaru with his sword and urged Naruto and the others to trust him and fight for Konoha.
• Hayashi activated his killing intent to counter Orochimaru's pressure, rallied the group, and infused his blade with wind chakra.

Hayashi and the Konoha genin coordinated a series of attacks that forced Orochimaru to defend himself with Rashomon. Hayashi’s blade cracked the gate but failed to break through, and Orochimaru began gathering chakra for a serious counterattack.

• Hayashi ordered Naruto, Shino, Hinata, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Ino, and Sakura to use their abilities against Orochimaru.
• Naruto’s clones and Shino’s insects pressured Orochimaru as Shikamaru’s shadow briefly slowed him, allowing Choji and Naruto to knock him through a tree.
• Sasuke spotted Orochimaru’s relocation, and Hayashi waited with his blade as Orochimaru landed; Ino then used the Mind Body Switch Technique to freeze him for an instant.
• Kiba attacked Orochimaru’s legs with Fang Over Fang, while Sakura threw explosive-tagged kunai at the snakes and Ino collapsed from the strain.
• Orochimaru summoned Rashomon to block Hayashi’s slash; the blow cracked and drove the gate backward but did not cut through it.
• Orochimaru stood behind Rashomon and began gathering chakra, saying he would get serious.

Hayashi awakened Ryūchi Cave’s Sage Mode and fought Orochimaru, splitting Rashomon and wounding him badly, but Orochimaru became determined to stay. As Jiraiya sensed the surge of natural energy, he rushed toward the Forest of Death.

• Shikamaru told Hayashi to escape and bring help, while Shino used his kikaichū to shield him.
• Hayashi transformed into Sage Mode and charged Orochimaru, cutting Rashomon in half with his senjutsu-charged blade.
• Hayashi dodged Orochimaru’s snakes and counterattacked, leaving a deep wound across Orochimaru’s waist.
• Hayashi questioned why Orochimaru was so hard to kill, but Orochimaru said he no longer wanted to leave.
• Jiraiya sensed powerful natural energy near the Forest of Death and hurried there.

Hayashi used Sage Mode to overwhelm Orochimaru with enhanced techniques and summoned a gigantic ice whale. After Orochimaru's Triple Rashomon stopped its charge, Hayashi revived the fallen whale with Inorganic Reincarnation and sent an icy beam at Orochimaru.

• Hayashi broke Orochimaru's snake cage, blocked his wind and sword attacks, and crushed his sword-bearing snakes with Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation.
• Hayashi wounded Orochimaru with Vacuum Sphere and Swallow Snowstorm, while Orochimaru realized Sage Mode had transformed Hayashi's abilities.
• Hayashi unleashed Sage Art: Ice Release: One-Horned White Whale, freezing the clearing and sending the enormous whale crashing through Orochimaru's Triple Rashomon gates.
• Hayashi used Inorganic Reincarnation to revive the fallen whale, which soared over the Forest of Death and fired an icy beam at Orochimaru.

Hayashi cornered Orochimaru with his icy summons, but his Sage Mode was nearing its limit. Jiraiya arrived at the battlefield just as both sides faced an uncertain next move.

• Orochimaru summoned a giant snake to shield himself from the Unicorn Whale’s icy blast, and the attack froze the snake to death.
• Hayashi launched another blast of cold light and created a giant ice wolf to attack Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru blocked the wolf with his Kusanagi Sword but was driven back by the whale’s second icy blast.
• Kiba, Ino, Shino, Naruto, and Sasuke watched as Hayashi trapped Orochimaru between the wolf and the whale.
• Hayashi struggled to maintain Sage Mode while Orochimaru weighed whether to use his forbidden technique.
• Jiraiya emerged from the trees, surveyed the frozen battlefield, and asked what had happened.

Jiraiya arrived in the Forest of Death, rescued the unconscious Hayashi, and forced Orochimaru to flee after destroying his shed-skin decoy. As Jiraiya carried Hayashi back toward the village, he learned the boy had nearly killed Orochimaru and worried about how the Third Hokage would react to his condition.

• Jiraiya caught Hayashi as he fell, then took the boy's sword and handed it to Sasuke.
• Jiraiya recognized Orochimaru beneath his disguise but pretended to mistake him for a Kusagakure prodigy.
• Orochimaru sent a small snake away and left a shed-skin decoy behind; Jiraiya destroyed it with a giant Rasengan, but Orochimaru escaped.
• Jiraiya noticed Hayashi still had a dragon horn and purple markings, and that natural energy overflowed from his unconscious body.
• Shikamaru told Jiraiya how Hayashi exposed Orochimaru's disguise and fought him to protect the group.
• Jiraiya carried Hayashi back toward the village and worried that the Third Hokage might go berserk when he saw the boy.