Recaps

Shihōin Naraku strengthened his position in the ANBU and Medical Department while Konoha’s leaders considered him and Kakashi Hatake as candidates for Fifth Hokage. After being assigned to watch Naruto Uzumaki, Naraku challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi’s treatment of him and began bonding with him.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi appointed Shihōin Naraku deputy director of the Medical Department and deputy commander of the ANBU, and Naraku gained powers and rewards through his Promotion System.
• Naraku led an ANBU attack on the Sunagakure–Iwagakure supply exchange, killed the fleeing Iwagakure leader, and escaped with valuable supplies and gold dust.
• Naraku freed Yamanaka Tsuki and other former Root members from their seals, recruited them into the ANBU, and secured funding to improve the unit.
• Naraku proposed reforms to the Medical Emergency Response Unit, and Hiruzen approved them while worrying that Naraku had become a strong Hokage candidate.
• Naraku confronted Shimura Danzō after Danzō tried to reclaim Yamanaka Tsuki, and Danzō revealed that Hiruzen was considering Naraku and Kakashi Hatake for Fifth Hokage.
• Hiruzen assigned Naraku and Kakashi to guard Naruto, and Naraku objected when he saw Naruto’s poor living conditions and learned Hiruzen considered them necessary.
• Naraku found Naruto struggling to light a fire, cooked his fish, and joined him for a meal with Kakashi, then boasted that he could defeat Hiruzen.

Shihōin Naraku helped Naruto Uzumaki build confidence and trained him before defeating Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy in a destructive spar. During a later mission, Naraku fought Obito Uchiha, who escaped with Zetsu after Naraku cut him down.

• Naruto Uzumaki regained his confidence, practiced tree climbing under Kakashi Hatake’s guidance, and eventually mastered the exercise while continuing to struggle with the Clone Technique.
• Shihōin Naraku became Head of Konoha's Medical Department, used his system draws to obtain Kurikara and other abilities, and trained in Sun Breathing as Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha grew closer through practice and sparring.
• Shihōin Naraku and Kakashi Hatake fought at Training Ground 19, where Might Guy joined in and the battle destroyed the grounds before Naraku defeated Guy and knocked Kakashi unconscious.
• The Katsuyu Sage treated Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy, and Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Naraku to pay for the damage and take missions after Kakashi stabilized.
• On a mission in the Land of Hot Water, Shihōin Naraku uncovered White Zetsu and fought Obito Uchiha, cutting off Obito’s arm and resisting his genjutsu with Kurikara.
• Obito Uchiha escaped underground with White Zetsu and Black Zetsu after Zetsu suppressed the flames, while Naraku found his two ANBU subordinates alive but drained of chakra.

Shihōin Naraku guided Naruto Uzumaki’s graduation, tested the Konoha genin with Conqueror’s Haki, and killed Kisame Hoshigaki while driving Uchiha Itachi to seek Akatsuki reinforcements. As preparations for the Chunin Ninja Exams advanced, Naraku strengthened his body and Kurikara, leaving him immune to genjutsu.

• Black Zetsu brought the injured Obito Uchiha to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, while Shihōin Naraku reported a Wood Release attack to Hiruzen Sarutobi and drew suspicion toward Shimura Danzō.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi promoted Shihōin Naraku to Anbu Commander and assigned him to arrange Naruto Uzumaki’s learning of the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, which Naruto used to graduate.
• Shihōin Naraku trained and then used Conqueror’s Haki to knock out most of the Konoha 12 during a test, while Sasuke Uchiha awakened a one-tomoe Sharingan.
• At the Ninja Cat Clan’s castle, Shihōin Naraku fought Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki, survived Amaterasu, and later killed Kisame with Getsuga Tenshō.
• Nagato ordered Akatsuki members to support Itachi and planned to confront Naraku, while Hiruzen Sarutobi revealed Itachi’s secret role as a Konoha spy and put Naraku in charge of Chunin Exam preparations.
• Obito Uchiha and Zetsu recruited Zabuza Momochi and Haku into Akatsuki, while villagers in the Land of Waves pooled their money to send Tazuna to Konoha for a mission.
• Shihōin Harumoto returned and took over as Chunin Exam director, then agreed to build confidential ties with smaller clans as Naraku considered a future Hokage candidacy.
• Shihōin Naraku used his third ten-pull to gain new powers, absorbed his remaining chakra, fused Conqueror’s Haki, and had Kurikara devour Shusui and Tenken, raising his mental strength to EX and granting him immunity to genjutsu.

Shihōin Naraku protected Naruto Uzumaki during the Land of Waves mission, uncovered Shimura Danzō’s experiments, and helped prepare Konoha for Orochimaru’s attack. As the Chunin Exams became an invasion, Naraku killed Danzō and crushed the Sand assault, while Hiruzen Sarutobi continued battling Orochimaru and Konoha’s defenders regrouped at the exam venue.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Shihōin Naraku to protect Naruto Uzumaki on Team 7’s Land of Waves mission, where the team later helped complete the Great Naruto Bridge.
• Shihōin Naraku discovered Orochimaru’s return and Shimura Danzō’s hidden Wood Release laboratory, then brought evidence of the experiments to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Naruto Uzumaki and the other genin completed the Chunin Exams preliminaries, while Shihōin Naraku blocked Orochimaru from following Kakashi Hatake and warned Sasuke Uchiha not to use his Sharingan.
• The Chunin Exams matches began with Naruto Uzumaki defeating Neji Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha injuring Gaara, before Sand shinobi and Sound Ninja launched their attack on Konoha.
• Shihōin Naraku infiltrated Root’s base and killed Shimura Danzō, resisting his genjutsu and repeated Izanagi revivals before interrupting Danzō’s Reverse Four Symbols Seal.
• Shihōin Naraku destroyed giant snakes at the East Gate and led the defense against Sunagakure’s assault at the South Gate, killing many attackers and ordering Konoha’s reinforcements to pursue the survivors.
• Shihōin Naraku sensed the battle near the exam venue and left Yamanaka Tsuki in charge of the South Gate, while Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Orochimaru and Kakashi Hatake fought Kabuto Yakushi.
• Konoha troops joined the fighting at the exam venue after Kabuto Yakushi fled, and a shinobi reported that Shihōin Naraku had defeated more than a hundred Sand shinobi.