Chapter Summaries

Tsunade sent Naruto and Shikamaru to retrieve Sasuke after he defected from Konoha, and the two began assembling a Genin team. They recruited Choji and split up to find Kiba and Neji or Hinata before setting out.

• Four members of Orochimaru's squad discussed taking a boy to him and left their hiding place.
• Tsunade told Naruto and Shikamaru that Sasuke had left Konoha with an Otogakure squad and ordered them to bring him back.
• Naruto questioned why Genin were being sent, and Tsunade explained that the available Jonin and Chunin were away or occupied and Jiraiya had disappeared.
• Shikamaru chose Kiba as tracker and considered Neji or Hinata as scout, then used his potato chips to lure Choji into joining them.
• Naruto ran off to find Kiba while Shikamaru was left to recruit Neji or Hinata.

Naruto assembled a team to pursue Sasuke after he defected to seek Orochimaru, then set out from Konoha with Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, and Choji. The next day, Neji spotted the Otogakure team and found Sasuke inside a coffin, his appearance altered.

• Naruto recruited Kiba for the mission to bring Sasuke back and packed his supplies.
• Naruto met Yugito on the way to the North Gate and explained Sasuke's defection to her.
• Shikamaru assigned the team their positions, and the group prepared to leave the village as Sakura pleaded with them to bring Sasuke back.
• Yugito caught up with Naruto, exchanged farewells and kisses with him, and watched the team depart.
• Kiba tracked the Otogakure team, and Shikamaru decided the group would keep moving before making camp for the night.
• Neji spotted the Otogakure team the next day and saw Sasuke inside a coffin with longer hair and strange markings on his body.

Naruto and the Konoha team pursued the Otogakure squad carrying Sasuke, but their fight split the group apart. After Naruto and Shikamaru recovered the coffin, Kimimaro appeared and took it back toward Otogakure.

• Kiba's sneeze exposed the Konoha team's ambush, and Jirobo trapped them inside an Earth Release dome while the others carried Sasuke away.
• Shikamaru devised a plan that let Choji break through the dome, and Choji stayed behind to fight Jirobo.
• Kidomaru trapped Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto, and Neji with Chakra Threads, but Neji escaped and stayed behind to face him.
• Shikamaru used the Shadow Imitation Technique to make Tayuya attack Sakon, allowing Naruto and Shikamaru to recover Sasuke's coffin.
• Kiba stayed behind to fight Sakon while Tayuya pursued Naruto and Shikamaru, then Kimimaro appeared and carried the coffin toward Otogakure.

Naruto pursued Kimimaro to stop him from taking Sasuke to Orochimaru, learning that Orochimaru planned to use Sasuke as a vessel. After Lee arrived to take over the fight, Naruto raced after Sasuke.

• Naruto confronted Kimimaro and learned that Orochimaru intended to erase Sasuke’s consciousness and use his body as a vessel.
• Naruto attacked Kimimaro with Wind Release techniques, but Kimimaro’s bone armor blocked his strikes.
• Sasuke emerged from the coffin transformed and continued toward Orochimaru without responding to Naruto.
• Naruto and his Shadow Clones knocked Kimimaro down, but Kimimaro recovered and resumed close combat.
• Rock Lee arrived and told Naruto to leave Kimimaro to him and catch up with Sasuke.
• Naruto urged Lee to come back alive, then rushed after Sasuke.

Naruto caught up with Sasuke at the Valley of the End and fought to stop him from joining Orochimaru. After Sasuke seemingly defeated him with Chidori, Naruto drew on the Nine-Tails' chakra and rose again, leaving Sasuke barely able to block his first attack.

• Naruto confronted Sasuke at the Valley of the End, but Sasuke refused to return to Konoha and activated his Cursed Seal.
• Naruto and Sasuke clashed with their enhanced abilities, and Sasuke drove Naruto down to the foot of the waterfall.
• Sasuke used Chidori against Naruto's Rasengan, then struck Naruto through the chest from behind and walked away believing he had won.
• The Nine-Tails flooded Naruto with chakra, healing his wound and surrounding him with a crimson Demon Fox Cloak.
• Naruto charged Sasuke with newly heightened speed, and Sasuke barely blocked the blow.

Naruto overwhelmed Sasuke at the Valley of the End after both fighters unleashed their transformed powers. The fight ended with Naruto knocking Sasuke unconscious and deactivating his Cursed Seal.

• Naruto's Demon Fox Cloak chakra fists cornered Sasuke and battered him into the rock wall.
• Sasuke activated the Cursed Seal's second state and fought Naruto with claw-like wings and a black-and-silver Chidori.
• Naruto dodged Sasuke's attack, formed a second tail, and became so fast that Sasuke could not follow his movements.
• Naruto struck Sasuke repeatedly and drove him into the rock wall at the foot of Madara's statue.
• Naruto slammed Sasuke into the ground with a massive chakra arm, deactivating the Cursed Seal and knocking him unconscious.

Naruto regained control after fighting Sasuke, but Kabuto intercepted him and overwhelmed him while he was exhausted. Sasuke then struck Naruto with Chidori and ordered Kabuto to throw him into the river, leaving Naruto unconscious as the current carried him away.

• Naruto recovered from the Nine-Tails' influence and tried to carry Sasuke away, but Kabuto arrived and blocked him.
• Kabuto explained that Orochimaru had sent him as insurance and attacked the exhausted Naruto.
• Kabuto beat Naruto until Sasuke awoke and approached them with his uninjured hand gathering Chidori.
• Sasuke drove Chidori into Naruto's chest and ordered Kabuto to throw him into the river.
• Kabuto tossed Naruto's limp body into the current below the waterfall.

Kakashi and Pakkun found the aftermath of Naruto’s battle with Sasuke and traced Naruto’s blood to the river, but rain erased the trail before they could find him. Kakashi returned to Konoha with Naruto’s bloodied Chunin Vest, leaving Tsunade and Yugito convinced that Naruto had been killed.

• Kakashi and Pakkun examined the valley and determined Naruto had defeated Sasuke with the Nine-Tails’ chakra before Kabuto attacked him.
• Kakashi and Pakkun followed Naruto’s blood trail to the river, where it ended, then searched downstream until rain erased all trace of him.
• The battered retrieval team returned to Konoha without Naruto, and Shikamaru waited at the hospital while Choji and Neji underwent surgery.
• Tsunade told Shikamaru that Choji and Neji would recover, then went to her office.
• Kakashi showed Tsunade Naruto’s torn, blood-soaked Chunin Vest and said the wounds were made by Chidori.
• Yugito saw the vest, mourned Naruto, and ran from the office, vowing to kill Sasuke.

After Naruto was presumed dead, Jiraiya revealed to Tsunade that he was alive and planned to take him away for training. The chapter ended with Jiraiya leaving Konoha with Naruto under the Sannin’s freedom to come and go.

• Zetsu reported to the Akatsuki that Sasuke and Kabuto had killed Naruto, and the leader ordered Zetsu to search for him and capture him only if he was alone and unconscious.
• Tsunade called off the search for Naruto after the teams found no trace of him.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Naruto was safe and had survived his injuries, revealing that he was still alive.
• Jiraiya explained that he was taking Naruto away to train and that the Sannin and their students could enter and leave Konoha freely.
• Jiraiya said goodbye to Tsunade and left with Naruto, planning to return after training him.

Naruto woke on Mount Myōboku after the toads saved him from his fatal injuries, and Jiraiya began planning years of training there. Naruto learned that Jiraiya knew the truth about his parents and agreed to train until he was strong enough to hear it.

• Jiraiya's Shadow Clone disappeared after speaking with Tsunade, who realized he had taken Naruto to Mount Myōboku.
• Naruto woke in a hut on Mount Myōboku, where Sage Fukasaku explained that Jiraiya and the toads had used Reverse Summoning to save him.
• Jiraiya told Naruto they would stay on Mount Myōboku for several years to train in sealing, complete the Rasengan, and learn Senjutsu.
• Naruto worried that Yugito and his friends believed he was dead, and Jiraiya told him to write Yugito a letter.
• Jiraiya promised to reveal everything about Naruto's parents after he completed his training, and Naruto began studying the books Jiraiya had brought.