Recaps

After Naruto graduated, Jiraiya claimed him as his student instead of letting him join Kakashi’s team. At Training Ground Two, Jiraiya discovered that Naruto could use shadow clones’ memories to accelerate his training and began teaching him taijutsu.

• Naruto defeated Mizuki with a swarm of shadow clones, and Iruka gave him his forehead protector.
• Jiraiya decided to train his godson Naruto, while Hiruzen discussed Naruto’s potential and Kakashi’s wish to teach him.
• Iruka assigned the graduating students to teams, but told Naruto to go to the Hokage Tower for his arrangements.
• Jiraiya announced that Naruto would be his student and took him to Training Ground Two to begin training.
• Naruto fought five shadow clones, realized his taijutsu was poor, and discovered that he retained the clones’ memories.
• Jiraiya explained the risks and benefits of shadow-clone training, then ordered Naruto to make fifty clones while he taught him taijutsu.

Naruto trained with Jiraiya, learned to summon toads, and made strong progress toward mastering the Rasengan. When Jiraiya left on another assignment, Naruto joined Team 7 for its first C-rank mission, where their client Tazuna doubted the young ninja.

• Naruto signed Jiraiya’s summoning scroll and learned to summon Gamakichi and Gamatatsu before surviving Gamabunta’s test and later summoning giant toads without the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Jiraiya taught Naruto the three stages of the Rasengan, and Naruto completed the first two while training with Team 9, Guy, and Lee.
• Jiraiya left for several weeks and told Naruto to find a squad for C-rank missions while continuing his Rasengan practice.
• Naruto went to the Hokage Tower, where Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned him to assist Team 7 on a C-rank mission.
• Sakura objected to Naruto joining Team 7, but Hiruzen defended him and summoned their client, Mr. Tazuna.
• Tazuna entered the Hokage’s office and disparaged Team 7 and Naruto as children.

Naruto and Team 7 escorted Tazuna to the Land of Waves, where they uncovered the mission’s true danger and chose to continue protecting him. After Zabuza trapped Kakashi in a water prison, Naruto used a clever clone strategy to free his teacher and turn the fight around.

• Naruto met Team 7 at the west gate, and the group set out with Tazuna for the Land of Waves.
• Naruto and the others defeated the Demon Brothers, and Kakashi learned that Tazuna had concealed the mission’s danger; Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai agreed to continue.
• Naruto noticed suspicious mist on the way to Tazuna’s home, and Zabuza ambushed the group and trapped Kakashi in a water prison.
• Naruto and Sasuke stayed to help Kakashi, while Naruto created shadow clones to battle Zabuza’s water clones.
• Naruto used clones disguised as rocks to reach Zabuza’s real body and force him to release Kakashi.

Kakashi defeated Zabuza, but Naruto and Kakashi suspected the masked hunter-nin had faked Zabuza’s death. As the group prepared for Zabuza’s return, Kakashi began training them and chose Naruto to accompany him to protect Tazuna.

• Kakashi overwhelmed Zabuza with the Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique, but a masked hunter-nin struck Zabuza with silver needles and carried him away.
• Kakashi collapsed from chakra exhaustion, so Naruto and the others carried him to Tazuna’s home, where Tsunami welcomed them.
• The next morning, Naruto and Kakashi concluded that Zabuza was likely still alive, and Kakashi announced that he would face Zabuza while the genin fought the fake hunter-nin.
• Kakashi began teaching the genin to climb trees without using their hands, but Naruto demonstrated that he had already mastered the exercise.
• Kakashi chose Naruto to accompany him to protect Tazuna, and Naruto asked to bring a water balloon to keep practicing.

Naruto trained in Wind Release under Kakashi and confronted a boy who mocked the ninja’s chances against Gato, revealing Naruto’s painful childhood. The next morning, Naruto met Haku in the forest without realizing he was Zabuza’s companion, while Haku hoped they would not have to fight.

• Kakashi taught Naruto Wind Release: Gale Palm after discovering Naruto’s wind chakra nature, and Naruto mastered the jutsu while training with shadow clones.
• At Tazuna’s house, Naruto argued with the boy who insulted the ninja and described the abuse and hardship he had endured growing up.
• Kakashi confirmed that Naruto’s account was true, leaving the others stunned.
• The next morning, Naruto met Haku gathering herbs and spoke with him about protecting loved ones and becoming stronger.
• Haku revealed that he was a boy, and Naruto left to return to his teammates while Haku privately hoped he would not have to fight him.

Naruto rescued Tsunami and Inari from Gato’s thugs, then raced to the bridge, where Sasuke and Sai were trapped by Haku’s ice mirrors and Kakashi fought Zabuza. Naruto’s Nine-Tails chakra overwhelmed Haku, but he stopped when he recognized the masked ninja as the kind young man he had met in the forest, leaving Haku asking to be killed.

• Naruto used Shadow Clones to defeat Gato’s thugs, free Tsunami and Inari, and learn that Zabuza had supposedly killed Tazuna.
• At the mist-covered bridge, Sasuke fought Haku while Kakashi engaged Zabuza, and Haku trapped Sasuke inside Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.
• Sai entered the ice cage to help Sasuke, but Haku’s needles overwhelmed him as Sasuke awakened his Sharingan.
• Naruto reached the bridge, saw Sai down and Sasuke trapped, and erupted into a powerful red-chakra transformation.
• Naruto shattered Haku’s ice mirrors and mask, then stopped his attack after recognizing Haku as the person he had met in the forest.
• Haku explained that Zabuza had given his life meaning and asked Naruto to kill him after failing as Zabuza’s tool.

Naruto and Team 7 completed their mission in the Land of Waves after Zabuza and Haku died, and Naruto later began training with Jiraiya for the Chunin Ninja Exams. The chapter ended with Naruto using a Shadow Clone to master the Rasengan’s rotation and form a perfect one.

• Haku sacrificed himself to save Zabuza, and Naruto condemned Zabuza for treating him like a disposable tool.
• Zabuza admitted that Haku was like a son to him, killed Gato, and died beside Haku; Inari and the villagers then stood against the remaining thugs with Naruto’s help.
• The villagers named the completed bridge Naruto Bridge, and Kakashi reported Team 7’s successful A-rank mission to the Hokage.
• Jiraiya explained how Naruto’s emotions had drawn out the Nine-Tails’ chakra and promised to train him for the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Jiraiya signed Naruto up to compete alone, and Naruto used a Shadow Clone to handle the Rasengan’s rotation while he controlled its power and stability, creating a perfect Rasengan.

Naruto trained with Jiraiya and the Toad Elders to recognize and break genjutsu before the Chunin Exams. The day before the exams, he confronted Kankuro after Kankuro grabbed Konohamaru, then faced a red-haired boy’s killing intent.

• Naruto celebrated learning the Rasengan with Jiraiya, who planned to teach him how to recognize and break genjutsu.
• Jiraiya summoned Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima to train Naruto, and Naruto practiced breaking their genjutsu with Shadow Clones.
• After a week, Naruto could detect and dispel most genjutsu, and learned to use a small amount of nine-tails chakra against illusions he could not otherwise break.
• Naruto recognized Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon hiding inside a rock, then joked with them and Sakura.
• Kankuro grabbed Konohamaru, so Naruto mocked him and seized his arm until he released the boy.
• A red-haired boy with dark circles appeared behind Kankuro and the blond girl, and his killing intent froze them as he stared at Naruto.

Naruto encountered Gaara and his siblings before the Chunin Exams, then witnessed Rock Lee defeat Sasuke and fell under Guy’s genjutsu with Team 7. At the examination room, Naruto revealed he had entered the exams without a team, and a silver-haired boy warned Kiba not to provoke him.

• Naruto met Gaara, who apologized for Kankuro’s behavior and said he looked forward to fighting Naruto.
• Naruto saw Sasuke challenge Rock Lee, warned Sasuke that Lee was strong, and watched Lee defeat him.
• Guy stopped Lee from using his final move, then Team 7 fell under the Demon Beach Sunset genjutsu.
• Naruto reached the examination room and told the other genin that the Pervy Sage had persuaded the Hokage to let him enter alone.
• Kiba said he wanted to fight Naruto, and a silver-haired boy with glasses warned him to keep quiet; Naruto asked who he was.

Naruto and the other rookies took the first Chunin Exam, where Naruto used a summoned toad to obtain the answers and recognized the purpose of the final question. After Ibiki announced that everyone who remained had passed, Mitaraishi Anko burst in to introduce the second exam.

• Kabuto shared information about Rock Lee, Gaara, and Naruto, and Naruto noticed how a Sound Ninja used his gauntlet to attack Kabuto.
• Ibiki started the first exam and told the Genin they had one hour to answer ten questions while avoiding detection for cheating.
• Naruto summoned a small toad to retrieve the answers, then completed the exam and waited for the final question.
• Naruto accepted Ibiki's challenge, showing he understood that the final question tested whether candidates would risk failure to continue.
• Ibiki announced that everyone still in the room had passed, and Mitaraishi Anko burst through the window as the second exam's proctor.

Naruto entered the Forest of Death for the second stage of the Chunin Exams and was targeted by an Iwagakure team because he resembled the Fourth Hokage. After his clones were attacked, he faced the three Genin and prepared to fight.

• Anko threatened the exam candidates at the Forest of Death, and Naruto traded teasing remarks with her before heading to Entrance Twenty-Seven.
• Naruto remembered Jiraiya’s warning that he might need to kill during the exam, especially because Iwagakure ninja hated the Fourth Hokage and Naruto resembled him.
• When the exam began, Naruto sent shadow clones in different directions and ran deeper into the forest.
• After one clone was defeated by the Iwagakure team, Naruto waited for its pursuers and challenged the three Genin to surrender their scroll or fight.
• The Iwagakure Genin attacked with Earth Release techniques, and Naruto used a clone to escape the stone spikes before charging them with six shadow clones.

Naruto defeated three Iwagakure ninja to obtain the scrolls, then intervened when Orochimaru attacked Anko and Sasuke during the Forest of Death exam. After reaching the Tower, he reunited with Iruka and later attended the third exam’s preliminaries, where Sasuke was matched against Akado Yoroi.

• Naruto used a Wind Release-assisted kunai to kill the tall Iwagakure ninja, then defeated the remaining two and took their Earth Release scroll.
• Naruto sensed powerful chakra, found Orochimaru confronting Anko, and drew on the Nine-Tails’ chakra to protect her.
• Naruto and Anko fought Orochimaru until Naruto struck him with a Rasengan, but Orochimaru recovered and escaped when the Third Hokage and Anbu arrived.
• Naruto reached the Tower with both scrolls and was welcomed by Iruka; he later returned with Anko to report the encounter to the Hokage.
• At the third exam’s closing ceremony, Kabuto and Sai withdrew, and Gekko Hayate announced the preliminary matchups.
• Sasuke Uchiha and Akado Yoroi remained on the floor for the first preliminary match.

Sasuke defeated Akado Yoroi despite Orochimaru’s Cursed Seal interrupting his fight, and Kakashi took him away to treat it. The preliminary matches continued, ending with Temari’s overwhelming victory over Tenten and Naruto wishing for a giant fan like hers.

• Sasuke fought Akado Yoroi, whose chakra-draining technique weakened him until the Cursed Seal’s pain interrupted his attempt to use a fireball.
• Sasuke recovered and defeated Akado Yoroi with the Lion Combo, after which Kakashi took him away to stabilize the Cursed Seal.
• Shino defeated Zaku by blocking the tubes in his arms with insects and then cutting off his airways.
• Kankuro defeated Misumi using a puppet, while Sakura and Ino knocked each other unconscious and drew their match.
• Temari overwhelmed Tenten with Wind Release attacks from her folding fan, and Naruto said he wanted a giant fan too.

Naruto faced Kiba in the Chunin Exam preliminaries after Jiraiya and Kakashi predicted he would win. Kiba struck Naruto with Fang Over Fang, and the chapter ended with Kiba emerging from the dust and asking the examiner to declare the match.

• Shikamaru defeated Kin by linking his shadow to her Chakra Threads and forcing her to knock herself unconscious.
• Naruto and Kiba were announced as the next opponents, and Kurenai doubted Naruto could win until Jiraiya and Kakashi defended his abilities.
• Naruto took a Toad Style Taijutsu stance, and Guy explained that Naruto had also learned Strong Fist while training with Rock Lee.
• Kiba charged Naruto, but Naruto sidestepped him, caught his fist, and used his momentum to kick him away.
• Kiba used Man-Beast Clone to transform Akamaru into his copy, and the two attacked Naruto together.
• Kiba and Akamaru hit Naruto with Fang Over Fang, leaving a crater before Kiba asked the examiner to announce the result.

Naruto Uzumaki defeated Kiba and vowed to prove Neji Hyuga wrong about fate. Gaara defeated Rock Lee, Dosu defeated Choji, and the chapter ended with the finalists and matchups set for the tournament finals.

• Naruto Uzumaki recovered from Kiba's attack, defeated him with a pepper-smoke explosive tag and a shadow-clone barrage, and was declared the winner.
• Neji Hyuga defeated Hinata Hyuga, and Naruto challenged Neji's belief that a person's fate could not be changed.
• Gaara defeated Rock Lee after Guy allowed Lee to remove his weights and use the Lotus, then crushed Lee with sand until Guy intervened.
• Dosu knocked Choji unconscious with sound waves and won the final preliminary match.
• Naruto Uzumaki drew Neji Hyuga as his first finals opponent, while Sasuke Uchiha was paired with Gaara, Shino Aburame with Kankuro, and Temari with Dosu; the finalists left to prepare.

Naruto used Shadow Clones and Wind Release attacks to keep Neji from controlling the fight, while Neji defended with Gentle Fist and Rotation. Neji lost patience, left an opening, and fell after Naruto struck him with an Air Bullet.

• Neji urged Naruto to surrender, but Naruto rejected fate and began the match with Shadow Clones and Wind Release attacks.
• Naruto's Air Bullet barrage kept Neji on the defensive until Neji used Rotation to block a powerful Great Breakthrough.
• Naruto and Neji traded blows as Naruto's clones and ranged attacks offset Neji's taijutsu advantage.
• Neji focused on Naruto's Shadow Clones, giving Naruto an opening to strike him in the back with an Air Bullet.
• Neji dispelled the remaining clones, staggered forward, and crashed to the ground.

Naruto stood up after Neji’s Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms and revealed that he understood what it meant to have his life controlled by a seal. He used Nine-Tails chakra to break free, then charged Neji with a Rasengan as the spectators recognized the legendary technique created by the Fourth Hokage.

• Neji explained the Branch Family’s fate and struck Naruto with Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
• Naruto revealed the Eight Trigrams Seal on his abdomen and released Nine-Tails chakra, breaking Neji’s chakra-point seals.
• Naruto drew on a smaller amount of Nine-Tails chakra and used Dispel to increase his speed, forcing Neji to defend with Rotation.
• Naruto and a Shadow Clone formed a Rasengan, which Asuma identified as the legendary ninjutsu created by the Fourth Hokage.

Naruto defeated Neji and urged him not to give up, while Sasuke’s delayed match was postponed and the tournament continued. Shikamaru trapped Temari but withdrew before forcing her to surrender.

• Naruto broke through Neji’s Rotation with a Rasengan, defeated him, and encouraged him to overcome what was holding him back.
• The referee declared Naruto the winner, and the spectators cheered as Naruto celebrated with them.
• The Hokage postponed Sasuke’s match against Gaara until the end of the round instead of disqualifying him.
• Kankuro withdrew from his scheduled match against Shina Aburame.
• Shikamaru trapped Temari with the Shadow Imitation Technique, then withdrew instead of making her surrender.

Sasuke arrived just in time to face Gaara and pierced his sand sphere with a lightning attack. Before the match could continue, Sunagakure and Otogakure ninja launched an invasion, and Gaara's siblings fled with him.

• Kakashi brought Sasuke to the arena moments before Genma would have disqualified him, and Sasuke began his match against Gaara.
• Sasuke's speed failed to penetrate Gaara's sand defense, so Gaara sealed himself inside a sand sphere and dismissed Sasuke as unworthy.
• Sasuke dodged the sphere's spikes and pierced it with lightning, wounding Gaara and drawing an ominous eye from inside.
• The audience fell asleep as Sunagakure and Otogakure ninja attacked, while Gaara's siblings carried him out of the Stadium.
• Genma deflected kunai and ordered Sasuke to pursue the fleeing Sunagakure Genin, declaring the Chunin Ninja Exams over and calling the attack an invasion.

Naruto led Shino, Shikamaru, and Sakura out of the stadium to help Sasuke pursue the Sunagakure genin, while the Third Hokage faced Orochimaru and the reanimated First and Second Hokage. Gaara continued ahead to confront Sasuke as Kankuro and Temari split off to intercept Naruto’s squad.

• Naruto recognized that the stadium attack had begun and led Shino, Shikamaru, and Sakura toward Sasuke with Pakkun’s help.
• Naruto warned Kakashi that Gaara was the same kind of person he was before leading the squad away.
• The Third Hokage confronted Orochimaru, who summoned the First and Second Hokage with Impure World Reincarnation.
• The Third Hokage summoned Enma, and Hashirama attacked him with a Wood Dragon.
• Temari suggested splitting up to evade the pursuing groups, and Gaara went on ahead to face Sasuke while Kankuro and Temari prepared to stop Naruto’s squad.

Naruto reached Sasuke and Gaara, fought Gaara after rescuing Sasuke, and summoned Gamabunta when Gaara transformed into Shukaku. Gamabunta agreed to help Naruto fight the tailed beast, demanding extra sake in return.

• Shino stayed behind to fight the puppeteer while Shikamaru trapped Temari, allowing Naruto, Sakura, and Pakkun to continue toward Sasuke and Gaara.
• Naruto rescued Sasuke from Gaara’s sand attack and recognized Orochimaru’s Cursed Seal spreading across Sasuke’s body.
• Naruto attacked Gaara, broke through his sand armor with an Explosive Tag, and battered him with Shadow Clones.
• Gaara used the Feigning Sleep Technique and transformed into Shukaku, who declared he would destroy everything.
• Naruto summoned Gamabunta, who charged Shukaku and agreed to help in exchange for extra sake.

Naruto and Gamabunta struggled to reach Gaara and wake him, while Shikamaru and Sakura urged Sasuke to leave the battlefield. Hiruzen used the Reaper Death Seal to take Orochimaru’s arms and force his retreat, and Naruto prepared a new plan against Shukaku.

• Gamabunta and Naruto tried to coordinate a combination attack, but Shukaku knocked them away and Gamabunta told Naruto to wake Gaara.
• Shikamaru and Sakura tried to lead Sasuke away from the battle, but Sasuke insisted on watching Naruto until Pakkun’s orders convinced him to leave.
• Hiruzen summoned the Shinigami and used the Reaper Death Seal to bind the First and Second Hokage and seize Orochimaru’s soul.
• Hiruzen sealed Orochimaru’s arms, then collapsed as the Sound Ninja rescued their master and retreated.
• Gamabunta told Naruto to use the Transformation Technique to give him claws, and Naruto announced that he had a plan.

Naruto defeated Shukaku and reached Gaara by offering him friendship, ending the threat to Konoha. After the Third Hokage’s funeral, Jiraiya rejected the elders’ offer to become Fifth Hokage and pointed to another candidate who had been away from the village for years.

• Naruto used a Rasengan to wake Gaara and force Shukaku back into his seal, then offered Gaara his friendship.
• Gaara accepted Naruto as a friend, and Naruto reminded him that Temari and Kankuro cared about him.
• Temari and Kankuro arrived, and the siblings withdrew from Konoha with Gaara after he apologized to them.
• Naruto mourned the Third Hokage at his funeral and later returned home to sleep.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura asked Jiraiya to become Fifth Hokage, but he refused and said another woman was born to lead Konoha.

Jiraiya encouraged Naruto to recover from the Third Hokage’s death and took him on a mission to find Tsunade. While training, Naruto met Yugito Nii, a Kumogakure Chunin, and learned she was visiting the Land of Fire.

• Jiraiya persuaded Naruto to honor his teacher by growing stronger and protecting the people he cared about.
• Jiraiya told Naruto to pack for a month-long trip to find the next Hokage, and Naruto headed home.
• Naruto trained his Rasengan and managed to keep it stable for about twenty-five seconds.
• Yugito introduced herself to Naruto and explained that she had approached because she was curious about his training.
• Naruto introduced himself and asked Yugito why she was in the Land of Fire.

Naruto and Yugito discussed their shared lives as jinchūriki, and Yugito began falling for him after he complimented her eyes and touched her forehead. The two parted with Naruto unaware of her feelings.

• Yugito explained that she had come to deliver a letter to the Hokage, but could not enter Konoha until a new Hokage took office.
• Naruto told Yugito that Jiraiya had sent information to the Raikage and complained about Jiraiya's perverted research habits.
• Naruto spoke warmly of Jiraiya as the closest thing he had to a father and credited him with teaching Naruto never to give up.
• Yugito revealed that she was the Two-Tails jinchūriki, and Naruto recognized that they both carried a burden few could understand.
• Naruto called Yugito's slit-pupil eyes beautiful and pressed his forehead to hers to check whether she had a fever, leaving her flustered and secretly convinced she had fallen for him.
• Yugito claimed that Two-Tails had been talking to her, and Naruto compared it to his own frustration with Nine-Tails.