Recaps

Naruto rescued Mayfly after she attacked her with a life-threatening ninjutsu, then suspected Obito Uchiha had controlled her. Unable to confront him without proof, Naruto baited the hidden Zetsu during training and summoned the three Snake Princesses.

• Naruto brought Mayfly to the hospital, where Yakushi Nonō saved her after her condition worsened.
• Naruto told Yakushi Nonō she suspected Mayfly had been controlled, while Karin and Kou checked that Naruto was safe and Koto returned her shoe.
• Naruto sent a transformed Shadow Clone into the emergency room to guard Mayfly from anyone who might try to silence her.
• Naruto concluded Obito Uchiha had likely used his Sharingan to control Mayfly and decided to wait until she could catch him in the act.
• The next day, Naruto trained near Zetsu's hiding place, nearly hitting him with a Rasengan and summoning Tagohime, Tagitsuhime, and Ichikishimahime.

Naruto decided to remove the seal containing the Nine-Tails, believing her body could withstand its chakra, and traveled far from Otogakure to do it. Just as she began to tear off the seal, Minato Namikaze appeared and stopped her.

• Naruto dreamed of killing Danzo, then told Yoru that she hated him because he had forced her to leave Konohagakure.
• Naruto asked the Nine-Tails about undoing its seal, and they agreed to do it somewhere far from other people the next day.
• Naruto left Otogakure with people she trusted and reached a distant empty plain to remove the seal.
• Naruto gripped the seal’s talisman, but Minato Namikaze appeared, pulled her away, and told her not to open it.
• Naruto recognized Minato, struggled against him, and punched him in the face.

Naruto broke the seal and freed the Nine-Tails, but faced painful memories of Konohagakure and her father Minato. Kushina appeared in their shared inner world, learned what Naruto had endured, and vanished after comforting her, leaving Naruto devastated.

• Naruto rejected Minato and asked him not to persuade her to return to Konohagakure, so he vanished after realizing how badly she had been treated.
• Naruto removed the seal and freed the Nine-Tails, transforming their inner world into a bright grassland.
• Kushina appeared, and Naruto embraced her before explaining everything she had suffered in Konohagakure.
• Kushina supported Naruto’s decision to leave and asked the Nine-Tails to care for her, which it promised to do.
• Kushina kissed Naruto’s forehead and disappeared, leaving Naruto crying and clutching her chest as the Nine-Tails tried to comfort her.

Naruto grieved with Nine-Tails, who took human form to comfort him as a mother. After Naruto entrusted her with his body while he slept, Nine-Tails explored Otogakure, enjoyed her first meal, and stopped a thief.

• Nine-Tails transformed into a red-haired woman resembling Kushina and embraced Naruto, who accepted her as his mother.
• Nine-Tails formed a kimono from Chakra after Naruto told her she needed clothes.
• Naruto fell asleep and trusted Nine-Tails to control his body while he rested.
• Nine-Tails met Karin, Yoru, Yakushi Nonō, and Kin Tsuchi, then explored the surroundings and nearly ate a poisonous mushroom.
• Nine-Tails ate every dish on an Otogakure restaurant's menu and left without paying.
• Nine-Tails tripped a thief with a Chakra rope and helped a female merchant recover her wallet.

Nine-Tails used her ability to uncover and capture a gang of thieves in Otogakure, then struggled to walk in her transformed body while Naruto helped her. After Naruto confirmed their bond and considered their newly available powers, she prepared to focus on training and left Otogakure in Qin’s care.

• Nine-Tails sensed the thieves’ ill intent and captured every member of the gang in Otogakure in less than half a day.
• Nine-Tails carried Yoru around Otogakure, and Yoru marveled at how effectively Nine-Tails’ ability exposed the thieves.
• Nine-Tails fell while trying to walk in her own body, so Naruto supported her through several laps in the inner world.
• Naruto and Nine-Tails decided not to test Sage Mode or Tailed Beast Transformation yet, since they wanted to keep those abilities secret from Uchiha Obito and Black Zetsu.
• Naruto reassured Yakushi Nonō and the others that she and Nine-Tails were family, then told Qin to manage Otogakure while she trained.

Naruto trained relentlessly for the Chunin Ninja Exams while helping Nine-Tails adjust to her human body. As winter arrived in Otogakure, Tayuya took her students to a barbecue, and Yoru told Naruto that her next challenge was gaining combat experience.

• Nine-Tails scrubbed Naruto in the bath, kissed her, and admitted she wanted to be closer to her; Naruto hugged her, moved by her affection.
• Naruto focused on training and studying Yoru’s forbidden techniques while Kakuzu and Qin handled Otogakure’s affairs, and Nine-Tails gradually learned to walk normally.
• Tayuya took her students to a barbecue and ran into Kidomaru, Jirobo, and Ukon with their own students; she kicked Kidomaru after he teased her.
• Yoru told Naruto that she had taught her everything she could and that Naruto needed actual combat experience, then overheated in the hot spring.
• Naruto carried Yoru out of the hot spring, while Nine-Tails said she wanted to try soaking in it too.

Naruto and Nine-Tails built a snow sculpture that Hidan accidentally destroyed, prompting Naruto to chase him off. Meanwhile, Konoha invited Uba Village and Otogakure to its Chunin Ninja Exams; Shisui hesitated over accepting, while Naruto decided she would participate herself.

• Naruto and Nine-Tails dressed up and built a snow sculpture of Nine-Tails in the snow.
• Hidan fell onto the sculpture and smashed it, so Naruto chased him and attacked him with Rasengan.
• A Konoha messenger delivered Shisui Uchiha an invitation for Uba Village to join the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Shisui Uchiha asked Uba Village's influential figures for advice, but they all said they would follow his orders.
• Konoha also invited Otogakure to the exams, and Naruto told Yoru that she planned to participate herself.

C.C. prepared to enter Konoha for the Chunin Exams while teams from several villages set out, and Hinata resolved to grow strong enough to protect Hanabi from the Caged Bird Seal. The chapter ended with Hinata beginning her training in the dojo.

• Naruto used Shadow Clones and Transformation Jutsu to disguise herself and her clones before heading to Konoha, while Yoru asked to go with her and was warned the Hyuga clan might capture her.
• Shisui Uchiha agreed to send Sasuke Uchiha, Ling, and Xi to the exams under Mikoto Uchiha's leadership, and Sasuke joined after insisting.
• Baki led Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari toward Konoha as Sunagakure planned to unleash the One-Tail during the official matches.
• Kaede was denied permission to enter the exams and left the registration office after villagers mocked her as a monster.
• C.C. walked through Konoha with her transformed Shadow Clones and passed Hinata Hyuga and Sakura Haruno, prompting Hinata to sense something familiar.
• Hinata Hyuga resolved to protect Hanabi from the Caged Bird Seal, then went to the dojo to train and become stronger.

C.C passed the Chunin Exams’ Written Exam, killed Gekko Hayate after he caught her meeting with Kabuto Yakushi, and entered the Forest of Death with the Scroll of Heaven. The chapter ended as Gaara’s team confronted her for the scroll.

• Hinata Hyuga trained with her Gentle Fist and looked forward to fighting strong opponents in the Forest of Death.
• C.C used Nine-Tails to copy Sakura Haruno’s answers, while her Shadow Clones found another way to complete the Written Exam.
• C.C destroyed Gaara’s Sand Eye, then teased Gaara after the Written Exam; the One-Tail recognized Nine-Tails’ presence.
• Kabuto Yakushi gave C.C information and told her that Otogakure would establish an orphanage, and C.C agreed to help kill Danzo.
• Gekko Hayate saw C.C meeting with Kabuto, so C.C killed him; the Third Hokage investigated his death while Uzuki Yugao vowed revenge.
• C.C entered the Forest of Death with the Scroll of Heaven, where Gaara’s team confronted her and demanded it.

Hinata Hyuga and her teammates defeated Amegakure ninja, then clashed with Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro. Hinata knocked Gaara down but could not break through his sand armor, and Team 7 escaped under cover of Shino Aburame’s insects.

• C.C escaped Gaara’s sand attack, then found and took a Scroll of Earth from unconscious Amegakure ninja.
• Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame, and Sakura Haruno defeated a group of Amegakure ninja and found the Scroll of Heaven they needed.
• Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara attacked the three Konohagakure ninja, and Sakura Haruno injured Kankuro with a kunai after trapping him in genjutsu.
• Gaara crushed the unconscious Amegakure ninja with sand, shocking Sakura Haruno while Hinata Hyuga charged at him.
• Hinata Hyuga struck Gaara with Gentle Fist and knocked him down, but his sand armor protected him from serious damage.
• Shino Aburame covered the Sand ninja with insects, allowing Team 7 of Konohagakure to escape.

C.C. watched Sasuke Uchiha and Team 7 fight Gaara’s team, then revealed herself and left with the Heaven and Earth scrolls. After the Forest of Death exam ended, the Third Hokage added preliminary matches, and C.C. chose to compete.

• Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame, and Sasuke Uchiha helped Team 7 repel Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara, who then withdrew from the fight.
• C.C. revealed she already held the Scroll of Heaven and Scroll of Earth, then vanished after Hinata Hyuga fainted from embarrassment.
• Sasuke Uchiha’s group left, and Shino Aburame stayed behind to watch over his unconscious teammates.
• The Third Hokage added preliminary matches because too many examinees passed the Forest of Death exam.
• The remaining Amegakure and Takigakure ninja withdrew, while C.C. chose to compete.

C.C defeated Rock Lee in the Chunin Exam preliminaries, then confronted Gaara and Shukaku through their shared inner world. She and the Nine-Tails proposed joining forces against whoever possessed the Rinnegan, leaving Shukaku to consider their offer.

• C.C won her preliminary match by overwhelming Rock Lee with wind techniques and knocking him unconscious before he could use the Eight Inner Gates.
• The spectators and jonin reacted with shock to C.C's swift victory, while she teased Gaara after returning to the stands.
• Gaara, C.C, the Nine-Tails, and Shukaku appeared in a gloomy inner space, where C.C called Shukaku a little tanuki and the Nine-Tails revealed she was C.C's family.
• Shukaku explained to Gaara that he was the One-Tail, a Tailed Beast rather than a monster, and Gaara questioned what a Tailed Beast was.
• C.C told Shukaku that someone had the Rinnegan and could summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and the Nine-Tails proposed that they join forces rather than remain weapons in others' bodies.

C.C persuaded One-Tail to consider working with her and left Gaara’s inner world with Nine-Tails, then watched the Chunin Ninja Exams. Hinata Hyuga and Neji began their match, and Hinata revealed her powerful Lion Fist.

• C.C offered to work with One-Tail and told it to find her in Otogakure after the Chunin Ninja Exams if it could convince Gaara.
• C.C spoke with Mikoto Uchiha while the exam matches continued, and Xi won Uba Village’s civil-war match using crows.
• Sakura Haruno defeated Ino Yamanaka, then Hinata Hyuga and Neji entered the arena for their match.
• Neji used Rotation to repel Hinata’s attack and revealed that he had learned the Hyuga Clan’s secret technique himself.
• Hinata formed visible lion-shaped Chakra in her hands, shocking Neji and the Jonin instructors with her Lion Fist.

Hinata defeated Neji in the preliminaries, then C.C. dodged Kakashi’s questions about Rasengan. Choji and Kiba began their match, which ended in a foul-smelling mishap.

• Hinata broke Neji’s Rotation with Lion Fist, then defeated him after he lost his composure.
• Neji accepted his defeat and reflected on the different perspectives he and Hinata had seen.
• Hinata asked C.C. if they had met before, and C.C. denied knowing her while reminding her to treat her injured hand.
• Kakashi questioned C.C. about using Rasengan during her match with Rock Lee, but she pretended not to know what it was.
• Choji faced Kiba after Asuma promised an all-you-can-eat barbecue if Choji won.
• Choji became stuck in a wall with Human Bullet Tank, and Kiba and Akamaru accidentally struck his backside, leaving the arena silent.

Choji recovered from Kiba and Akamaru’s attack as the preliminary matches continued, and Sasuke surrendered to Gaara after testing the limits of his sand defense. After the matches, C.C left Konohagakure, while Naruto transformed into Orochimaru and met Kimimaro and Jugo, who had brought an unexpected guest.

• Kiba and Akamaru injured Choji, while Shino won his match after his opponent surrendered in fear of his insects.
• Gaara and Sasuke began their match, and Sasuke discovered that Gaara’s sand automatically protected him from attacks.
• Sasuke pierced Gaara’s sand defense with a fast strike, then surrendered after concluding he could not defeat him with his remaining Chakra.
• Gaara returned to the stands without attacking Sasuke, who told Mikoto that he had been unable to damage Gaara effectively.
• After the preliminary matches, C.C left a Shadow Clone in Konohagakure and departed the village.
• Naruto transformed into Orochimaru and met Kimimaro and Jugo, then demanded an explanation after seeing Yoru sitting on Jugo’s shoulders.

Gaara reassured Temari, Kankuro, and Baki that the Tailed Beast would not emerge while he slept. Meanwhile, Orochimaru’s group ambushed the Kazekage on his way to Konohagakure, and Yoru killed him; the group then set out to continue their plans as Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno grew closer on a walk.

• Gaara slept through the night and the following day, leaving Temari, Kankuro, and Baki exhausted from keeping watch; he told them he had reached an agreement with the Tailed Beast.
• Orochimaru’s group lay in wait for the Kazekage using information from Sasori, and Kimimaro and Jugo disabled his guards and restrained him.
• Orochimaru struck the Kazekage with the Grass Sword, but he reformed from gold dust; Yoru then used a snake and Grass Sword to pierce his heart and kill him.
• Orochimaru buried the gold dust and arranged the corpses before the group left for Konohagakure; Yoru asked to fight the Third Hokage with help from one of Naruto’s Shadow Clones, and Naruto agreed.
• Sakura Haruno invited Sasuke Uchiha for a walk, and after he offered to hold her hand, she happily accepted.

C.C’s disguised Shadow Clone encountered Hinata, ate ramen at Ichiraku, and joined the crowded arena as the Chunin Exam’s third stage began. Naruto learned Danzo’s location from Zetsu, then destroyed the Fourth Hokage’s statue’s eyes while Nine-Tails stopped him from injuring himself.

• C.C’s Shadow Clone met Hinata, who thought she recognized her, but C.C left before Hinata could confirm her suspicion.
• C.C ate seafood ramen at Ichiraku and later told Hinata her name before vanishing.
• Hidan posed for a photo shoot in Otogakure and left after the photographer finished.
• C.C stood in the packed arena as the third stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams began.
• Naruto sensed Zetsu approaching, attacked, and then learned Danzo’s location from him.
• Naruto destroyed both eyes of the Fourth Hokage’s statue, and Nine-Tails took control of his hands to stop him from hurting himself.

Naruto’s clones prepared the Konoha Crush Plan while C.C advanced after Naramaru forfeited, and Hinata Hyuga fought Gaara in the arena. As the One-Tail protected Gaara, Kabuto began a genjutsu that put much of the audience to sleep.

• Naruto revealed that C.C and the guards near the disguised Yoru were her Shadow Clones, while Kimimaro and Jugo prepared to help seal off Yoru’s fight with the Third Hokage.
• Naramaru forfeited his match against C.C, and C.C used Wind Style: Gale Palm to send a thrown can back into the face of an audience member.
• Hinata Hyuga dodged Gaara’s sand attacks, used Rotation to fend off a trap, and struck at Gaara with Lion Fist.
• The One-Tail took control of a tail to protect Gaara from Hinata’s attack, and Gaara apologized after sensing its concern for him.
• Kabuto cast a genjutsu that caused spectators and weaker ninja to fall asleep, while Kakashi and Might Guy recognized the illusion and began forming hand seals.

C.C., Naruto, and Orochimaru helped set the Konoha Crush Plan in motion as the Sand ninja attacked Konoha and Orochimaru revealed herself to the Third Hokage. Sasuke protected Sakura while Orochimaru summoned the First and Second Hokage to fight Sarutobi.

• C.C. created wandering-ninja Shadow Clones to disguise the operation, while Sasuke, Mikoto, Rei, and Xi broke free of a genjutsu and chose not to aid Konoha.
• Orochimaru revealed her disguise, captured the Third Hokage, and coordinated with the Sand ninja, who summoned a Three-Headed Serpent that smashed through Konoha's walls.
• Kimimaro and Jugo attacked the Anbu as Kakashi and Might Guy were held off by C.C.'s Shadow Clones, while Naruto joined them and formed the Four Violet Flames Formation.
• Sasuke rescued Sakura from two wandering-ninja Shadow Clones and carried her away at Kakashi's request.
• Orochimaru's attack on Sarutobi was exposed as a feint, and she summoned the First and Second Hokage with Impure World Reincarnation while the Third coffin was forced back underground.

Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation to summon the First and Second Hokage, while Gaara released Shukaku to attack Konohagakure. As Shukaku rampaged through the village and Choza Akimichi fought him, the First and Second Hokage continued attacking the Third Hokage.

• Orochimaru admitted he had summoned the First and Second Hokage and used prepared talismans to make their bodies resemble the living.
• Gaara asked Shukaku to help complete his mission, then released the One-Tail in the arena as Temari, Kankuro, and Baki retreated.
• Shukaku attacked Konohagakure, destroying buildings and scattering the ninja who tried to stop him.
• Choza Akimichi used Super Expansion Jutsu to grow to Shukaku's size and struck him, but Shukaku knocked Choza flying with a Chakra wind sphere.
• The First and Second Hokage pursued the Third Hokage, who countered them with Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet.

Orochimaru and Yoru fought the Third Hokage while Yoru controlled the First Hokage and Second Hokage, but the Third Hokage turned the battle around with the Reaper Death Seal. Yoru let him proceed, knowing the technique would kill him as well.

• The First Hokage used Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence to bind the Third Hokage, who summoned Enma and had him transform into the Adamantine Staff.
• Orochimaru and the First Hokage and Second Hokage attacked the Third Hokage together, but Enma helped him hold them off and he recognized that Yoru was controlling the reanimated Hokage.
• Yoru’s Transformation Jutsu wore off, revealing her childlike form with Byakugan eyes and Shikotsumyaku, and she told the Third Hokage that her body was a vessel made from four people’s genes.
• The Third Hokage detonated Explosive Tags on the First Hokage and Second Hokage, but they regenerated as the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique plunged the area into darkness.
• The Third Hokage used Shadow Clones to perform the Reaper Death Seal, and the Death spirit began pulling the First Hokage’s and Second Hokage’s souls from their bodies.

The Third Hokage sealed the First and Second Hokage as the One-Tail rampaged through Konohagakure. Naruto attacked Danzo at his hideout, killed Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, and pursued Danzo after he escaped with Izanagi.

• The Third Hokage used the Reaper Death Seal to seal the First and Second Hokage, while Yoru chose not to fight him.
• Hinata Hyuga used Rotation to repel the sand ninja, and a sealing squad tried to restrain the One-Tail.
• The One-Tail deflected its wind attack after a Chakra blade struck its shoulder, causing the wind ball to knock down the Three-Headed Serpent.
• Naruto killed the Root ninja guarding Danzo, then entered the room and killed Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
• Naruto decapitated Danzo with a Nine-Tails Chakra tail, but Danzo escaped using Izanagi, so she chased him.
• Naruto's Rasenshuriken vanished without hurting Danzo, and she countered his Wind Release attacks with Finger Bullet Barrage as he fought back.

Naruto killed Danzo and watched the One-Tail rampage, while Yoru and Naruto confronted the Third Hokage inside the Four Violet Flames Formation. After the One-Tail broke free of Yamato’s Wood Release, Kashi identified Gaara as its core and planned to expose him so the sealing squad could act.

• Naruto crushed Danzo with a Wind Release Rasengan, killed him beyond recovery, and celebrated through tears as the Nine-Tails comforted her.
• The little hamster kicked Enma away, then transformed back into Naruto after Yoru coughed up bloody bone fragments to provoke her.
• Naruto attacked the Third Hokage and declared that she wanted Konohagakure to feel the pain it had inflicted on her.
• The Four Violet Flames Formation fell, and the One-Tail broke free of Yamato’s Wood Release restraints.
• Kashi rescued Yamato, identified Gaara inside the One-Tail, and said the shinobi needed to expose him for the sealing squad.

Might Guy opened six of the Eight Inner Gates and battered One-Tail until Gaara was exposed, but the tailed beast escaped the sealing squad and recovered. Jiraiya and Gamabunta joined the fight as the Third Hokage died, and Gamabunta asked Jiraiya how they could subdue One-Tail.

• Might Guy opened the Third through Sixth Gates and smashed apart much of One-Tail's body, revealing Gaara inside.
• The sealing squad tried to capture Gaara, but One-Tail used a sand decoy and began recovering while Might Guy collapsed from exhaustion.
• Jiraiya arrived atop Gamabunta, while Naruto learned that Orochimaru had retreated and sent Kimimaro and Jugo away with Yoru.
• The Third Hokage recognized that Naruto had used a Shadow Clone, then died after entrusting the fight to Jiraiya.
• Jiraiya and Gamabunta attacked One-Tail with burning toad oil, but One-Tail struck Gamabunta with a Tailed Beast Ball.
• Gamabunta got back up and warned Jiraiya that he could not take many more hits, asking if Jiraiya had a way to subdue One-Tail.

Jiraiya summoned Gama Bunta to hold off the Nine-Tails while Naruto confronted Hinata Hyuga and explained her revenge against Konohagakure. Naruto left Hinata with questions about the village’s treatment of her, and a Shadow Clone began reading the Scroll of Seals.

• Jiraiya prepared to summon the two sages, while Gama Bunta attacked the Nine-Tails and countered its Tailed Beast Ball.
• Naruto met Hinata Hyuga and admitted that the Sand Ninja were pawns she had used to make Konohagakure feel her pain.
• Hinata fought Naruto, wounded her with Twin Lion Fists, and apologized when Naruto let the attack land.
• Naruto recovered quickly, told Hinata that Konohagakure had hated and mistreated her, then vanished.
• Naruto's Shadow Clone reached the Scroll of Seals, picked it up, and began reading its techniques.