Chapter Summaries

Naruto went to the Ninja Hospital to treat Hinata and reflected on why he had also decided to help Rock Lee recover. After repairing Hinata’s heart, he left her needing a few more treatments and resolved that they would remain the best of friends.

• Naruto decided to help Rock Lee recover because he wanted fairness for him and hoped he would have a chance to shine.
• Naruto visited Hinata in the ICU Ward and found that Gentle Fist strikes had damaged her heart and impaired its blood supply.
• Hyuga Hiashi confronted Naruto, but Naruto began treating Hinata with the Mystical Palm Technique and asked Hiashi to stand guard.
• Naruto spent two hours repairing Hinata’s heart, then concluded that she would need several more treatments.
• Naruto gently stroked Hinata’s forehead and told her to stay strong, thinking that they would be the best of friends.

Naruto prepared a secret operation to repair Rock Lee’s shattered limbs using replacement bones he grew from Lee’s cells. With Hinata assisting through her Byakugan, Naruto began the surgery and removed Lee’s ruined right leg bone, leaving the operation at the point where he was ready to implant the new one.

• Naruto treated Hinata’s heart injury and told Hiashi to prepare Lotus Seed and Pig Heart Soup for her recovery.
• Over twenty days, Naruto cared for Hinata and grew replacement limb bones compatible with Rock Lee’s cells.
• Naruto prepared a concealed operating room in the abandoned Uchiha Dungeon and asked Guy to guard it while he operated on Lee with Hinata’s help.
• Naruto anesthetized Lee, linked his vision with Hinata’s Byakugan, and began removing bone fragments from Lee’s right leg.
• Naruto removed Lee’s shattered right leg bone and brought out a complete replacement bone he had grown for him.

Naruto spent the day replacing Rock Lee’s badly damaged bones, with Hinata assisting him until her chakra ran low and he replenished it with a Golden Card. While Naruto began the final operation, Sasuke returned and went to meet Shikamaru, intending to discuss Shikamaru’s relationship with Naruto.

• Naruto and Hinata replaced Rock Lee’s right leg bone, then his right arm bone, and began operating on his left leg.
• Hinata’s chakra ran low, so Naruto gave her a Golden Card that replenished it and let her continue assisting.
• After Naruto began the final operation on Rock Lee’s left arm, Sasuke returned and learned from Guy what had happened.
• Sasuke went to the Nara Residence and asked Shikamaru to meet him at Juxia Tower.
• Shikamaru agreed to go with Sasuke, expecting to discuss his ambiguous relationship with Naruto.

Sasuke took Shikamaru to dinner and revealed that Naruto had been Uchiha Sagen, leaving Shikamaru heartbroken and confused. Back at home, Sasuke cared for the exhausted Naruto after hearing Rock Lee’s surgery had gone well.

• Sasuke brought Shikamaru to Juxia Tower for dinner, then walked with him by the river and asked what he thought of Naruto.
• Shikamaru praised Naruto and nearly admitted that he liked him, but denied it when Sasuke asked directly.
• As they parted, Sasuke told Shikamaru that Naruto Uzumaki had been Uchiha Sagen, and Shikamaru broke down over the revelation.
• Sasuke privately reasoned that Shikamaru could comfort Naruto if Sasuke ever left Konoha, while touching the Cursed Seal of Heaven and thinking about revenge.
• Guy and Hinata told Sasuke that Rock Lee’s surgery had gone well and that Naruto had exhausted himself; Sasuke then washed Naruto’s feet as he slept.

Naruto collected his share of Juxia Tower’s profits, finished Rock Lee’s rehabilitation, and stopped Gaara from attacking Lee before Guy intervened. After returning home to share a quiet evening with Sasuke, Naruto woke to the day of the Chunin Ninja Exams finals.

• Naruto collected eighty-three million silver taels from Juxia Tower and left for the Ninja Hospital.
• Naruto found Gaara restraining Rock Lee with sand and warned him to stop, but Gaara threatened Naruto and sent sand toward him.
• Guy scattered Gaara’s sand and threatened to kill him if he attacked again, and Gaara left the hospital.
• Naruto completed Rock Lee’s final rehabilitation treatment and told him to return to training gradually.
• Naruto visited Hinata’s home, returned to Sasuke, and shared a meal and wine with him before the finals began the next morning.

Naruto painted Hokage Rock with adhesive-laced paint before the Chunin Exam finals to provoke a major reaction from Konoha and its visitors. The village leadership scrambled to restore the monument before the Daimyo and foreign Kage arrived, while Naruto and Sasuke prepared to head to the finals.

• Naruto returned from painting Hokage Rock and told Sasuke he had gone out on business, while Sasuke prepared breakfast and clothes for him.
• Naruto explained that he had painted the past Hokage’s faces with sticky paint to make an impression on the visiting Daimyo and earn negative emotion points.
• System notifications reported millions of negative emotion points from the Hokage ANBU and Konoha Council of Elders.
• Naruto explained to Sasuke why the finals were being held at the distant World's Number One Tower, and they prepared to leave before nine.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō learned about the vandalism and ordered ANBU and Chunin to restore Hokage Rock before the finals.

Hiruzen Sarutobi blamed Orochimaru for the defacement of Hokage Rock to shield Naruto from punishment, while Orochimaru ordered his subordinates to treat Naruto as his equal. Danzo then fueled the villagers’ anger against Naruto, leaving Konoha turning against him despite the Hokage’s notice.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi and the advisers decided to blame Orochimaru for the defacement and keep Naruto in the Chunin Exam finals, while Danzo objected to letting him go unpunished.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered an ANBU to announce Orochimaru’s responsibility and discourage villagers from blaming Naruto.
• Orochimaru read the Hokage’s letter, then ordered Kidomaru to tell Sakon and the others to obey Naruto as they would Orochimaru himself.
• Kidomaru reported that villagers were calling Naruto the Demon Fox and blaming him for defacing Hokage Rock, prompting Orochimaru to threaten him for speaking disrespectfully of Naruto.
• Villagers spread increasingly hostile rumors and demanded Naruto’s punishment, while Danzo secretly steered public opinion against him.

Naruto and Sasuke headed to the tournament finals after Naruto gained huge numbers of points from the villagers’ anger and shock. Kakashi found Naruto at the venue and pulled him aside to ask whether he had defaced Hokage Rock.

• Naruto received 150 million Shock Points and 100 million Negative Emotion Points from Konoha’s villagers.
• Naruto and Sasuke avoided the hostile villagers by traveling through the trees toward the finals venue.
• The villagers refused to believe Naruto might be a victim of Orochimaru’s plot, and Kakashi threatened to arrest those who continued causing trouble.
• Kakashi hurried to the finals venue, where Naruto and Sasuke arrived shortly before the matches began.
• Kakashi took Naruto into a grove and asked whether he had put makeup on Hokage Rock.

Kakashi confronted Naruto about vandalizing Hokage Rock, then helped him prepare an explanation for the Third Hokage. Naruto arrived at the chunin exam finals just as they began, where he faced Neji Hyuga in the first match.

• Kakashi questioned Naruto, who admitted he had defaced Hokage Rock to change how people viewed the Past Hokage and hoped to share a reward with Kakashi.
• Kakashi told Naruto what to say when the Third Hokage questioned him, and Naruto agreed to deny everything.
• At the finals venue, spectators criticized Naruto's absence, prompting Sasuke and Shikamaru to object while Neji dismissed the incident as Naruto's fate.
• The Fourth Kazekage arrived, and Hiruzen assured him that Naruto would not miss the finals.
• Naruto and Kakashi arrived at the venue on time, and Genma announced Naruto's first match against Neji.
• Rock Lee, Hinata, and Kiba cheered Naruto on as Genma began the match.

Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga began their Chunin Exams finals match, with Naruto surprising the spectators by matching Neji’s Gentle Fist in close combat. The fight remained even as Naruto teased Neji, and the chapter ended with both still exchanging blows.

• Genma Shiranui started the match, and Naruto promised Neji he would beat him while Neji insisted that Naruto’s defeat was predestined.
• Hyuga Hiashi told Hanabi Hyuga that Neji would defeat Naruto, but Naruto surprised him by creating five Shadow Clones.
• Naruto scattered his Shadow Clones around the arena, then threw a kunai and charged Neji.
• Neji intercepted Naruto’s kunai, and the two fought evenly in close combat, astonishing Rock Lee and Tenten.
• Naruto praised Neji’s palm defense while teasing him, and Neji called Naruto shameless as their exchange continued.

Naruto used Shadow Clones and Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere to exploit Neji’s combat habits and wound him. Neji unleashed Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, while Naruto secretly activated his Sharingan to study the technique and collapsed after the final strikes.

• Neji claimed Naruto’s chakra points were disabled, but Naruto revealed that his five Shadow Clones were preparing a counterattack.
• Naruto and his clones struck Neji with Vacuum Spheres, and Naruto explained that he had noticed Neji’s weakness during his fight with Hinata.
• Neji decided to use Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms after Naruto’s coordinated attacks left him wounded and cornered.
• Naruto activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan beneath his colored contacts and tracked Neji’s strikes as the technique began.
• Neji completed all sixty-four strikes, and Naruto collapsed while privately enjoying the tingling sensation.

Neji used Rotation to withstand Naruto’s shadow clones’ combined attacks, then destroyed all five clones with shuriken. Naruto, still standing despite his sealed chakra points, began forming hand seals as crimson chakra emerged around him.

• Neji prepared to end the fight, but Genma Shiranui pointed out that Naruto’s five shadow clones could still fight.
• Naruto’s clones attacked Neji from multiple directions with wind and fire jutsu and cloned shuriken, and Neji blocked the barrage with Rotation.
• Naruto’s clones launched repeated barrages, forcing Neji to use Rotation again and again as the spectators watched.
• Neji used the smoke as cover to throw fifteen shuriken and destroy all five shadow clones.
• Neji declared that Naruto could no longer use ninjutsu, but Naruto formed hand seals and began to radiate crimson chakra.

Naruto defeated Neji and urged him to reject the fate imposed on him. As the next match between Sasuke and Gaara began, Naruto and the others watched from the stands.

• Naruto struck Neji down after Neji used Rotation, then told him he could break free of fate by refusing to submit to it.
• Genma Shiranui declared Naruto the winner, and Tenten and Rock Lee went to look after Neji.
• Naruto passed Hyuga Hiashi, accepted his praise, and joined Sasuke before Sasuke's match against Gaara.
• Sasuke vaulted into the arena as Sakura and Ino cheered, while Naruto and Shikamaru watched from the stands.
• Genma Shiranui signaled the start of Sasuke and Gaara's fight.

Sasuke used Rock Lee’s taijutsu to overwhelm Gaara, whose sand defenses kept him from being seriously injured. As Gaara’s emotions grew unstable and his Absolute Defense emerged, Kakashi remained confident that Sasuke had another way to win.

• Genma Shiranui began the match between Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara, and Gaara’s sand automatically blocked Sasuke’s kunai.
• Sasuke copied Rock Lee’s taijutsu, found a gap in Gaara’s defense, and struck him with a punch and then a kick.
• Gaara’s sand shielded him from Sasuke’s attacks while his anger intensified and he sent a giant sand hand after Sasuke.
• Temari worried that Gaara would lose control and awaken the terrifying creature inside him, while Kankuro feared their plan would fail.
• Kakashi told Guy that he had trained Sasuke in Rock Lee’s fighting style, and he stayed confident as Gaara brought out his Absolute Defense.

Sasuke pierced Gaara’s Absolute Defense with Chidori, wounding him and provoking the monster within him. As Gaara began to lose control, the Sand shinobi intervened, and Baki attacked Sasuke while ordering Temari to take Gaara away.

• Guy doubted Sasuke could defeat Gaara, but Kakashi remained confident as Sasuke prepared to fight again.
• Sasuke used his Sharingan and Chidori to breach Gaara’s Absolute Defense and wound his shoulder.
• Gaara’s sand trapped Sasuke’s arm, but Sasuke activated Chidori again and pulled free from a monstrous tentacle.
• Gaara’s defense crumbled, and Temari and Kankuro rushed into the arena as he began to go berserk.
• Baki entered the arena and threw a kunai at Sasuke, but Genma Shiranui blocked it.
• Baki ordered Temari to take Gaara away, but Gaara refused and vowed to kill Sasuke.

As the Sand shinobi fled under cover of a village-wide genjutsu, Sasuke pursued Gaara while Kakashi sent Sakura to assemble support. Naruto led a six-person team after Sasuke and secretly warned Orochimaru not to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi, leaving the confrontation between teacher and student underway atop the tower.

• Baki blocked Genma Shiranui’s attempt to stop Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara from escaping, while Genma sent Sasuke after them.
• Naruto and Shikamaru pretended to be unconscious under the genjutsu as Kakashi and Guy fought attackers and Kakashi tasked Sakura with finding Sasuke backup.
• Sakura awakened Shikamaru and Naruto, and Naruto chose Rock Lee, Tenten, and Hinata to join the pursuit team.
• Naruto’s team followed Pakkun’s trail after Sasuke, while Naruto paused to contact Orochimaru with a warning not to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Orochimaru confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi atop the tower as the Four Violet Flames Formation rose around them.

Naruto and Hinata continued after Sasuke while Shikamaru, Rock Lee, Sakura, and Tenten stayed behind to face nine pursuing Sound Jonin. Hinata found Sasuke battling Temari, and as Naruto’s group approached, Sasuke launched a feint to get past her Wind Release.

• Pakkun warned Naruto’s group that nine Sound Jonin were closing in, and Hinata confirmed they were pursuing them.
• Shikamaru, Rock Lee, Tenten, and Sakura volunteered to hold off the Jonin while Naruto, Hinata, and Pakkun continued after Sasuke.
• The four stayed behind to plan their defense, while Pakkun later confirmed that the pursuers had stopped to fight them.
• Hinata spotted Sasuke battling Temari alone, and Naruto’s group hurried toward them while Gaara and Kankuro continued toward the border.
• Sasuke used a Shadow Clone as a diversion and charged at Temari, who noticed a dark figure rushing toward her from a nearby tree.

Sasuke defeated Temari and pursued Gaara with Naruto, Hinata, and Pakkun, while Naruto secretly warned Temari not to fight again. Gaara awoke to face Sasuke, and a Chidori strike triggered his partial Shukaku transformation, which sent Sasuke crashing into a tree.

• Temari struck Sasuke’s Shadow Clone with her Great Sickle Weasel Jutsu, but the real Sasuke ambushed her with Chidori and left her badly injured.
• Naruto urged Sasuke to pursue Gaara, then used a Yamanaka Secret Technique to warn Temari against a fatal counterattack before he, Hinata, and Pakkun continued after them.
• Temari swallowed a Soldier Pill, dressed her wound, and planned to keep Gaara calm in case he summoned Shukaku.
• Sasuke caught up with Kankuro carrying Gaara, and Gaara awoke and told Kankuro to leave Sasuke to him.
• Sasuke pierced Gaara with Chidori, but Gaara’s partially transformed body struck Sasuke into a tree.

Gaara’s transformation overwhelmed Sasuke until Naruto arrived and joined him in fighting back. Gaara escalated his transformation again, and after Sasuke shoved Naruto out of danger, Gaara trapped Sasuke in a Sand Burial.

• Gaara’s half-Shukaku form battered Sasuke, whose repeated use of Chidori and Sharingan left him exhausted and exposed to Gaara’s next attack.
• Naruto arrived, kicked Gaara away, and carried Sasuke to safety as Gaara became enraged by seeing Naruto protect him.
• Naruto told Hinata to leave Kankuro alone and watch for reinforcements while Gaara’s sand formed a larger tail.
• Naruto and Sasuke struck Gaara with Rasengan and Chidori, blasting apart his sand arm and tail, but Gaara covered more of his body with sand and transformed further.
• Gaara rushed at them, and Sasuke shoved Naruto out of the way before Gaara captured him and crushed him with Sand Burial.

Naruto protected Sasuke from Gaara, then overwhelmed him with shadow clones as Gaara’s transformation neared completion. Gaara fully transformed into Shukaku, and Naruto summoned a giant toad to face him.

• Naruto realized Sasuke had survived Gaara’s Sand Burial by using a substitute, then embraced him in relief.
• Gaara attacked Naruto and Sasuke with Sandstorm Shuriken, wounding Naruto; Naruto told Sasuke to retreat to Hinata and Pakkun.
• Naruto surrounded Gaara with over a thousand shadow clones and battered him until Gaara’s Shukaku Transformation completed.
• Shukaku emerged and wiped out Naruto’s shadow clones, while Kankuro and Temari fled and Sasuke tried to reach Naruto.
• Naruto used the Summoning Technique and called forth a giant toad, appearing atop its head as Sasuke watched.