Recaps

In Konoha year 51, Hiruzen Sarutobi closed the orphanage and sent three-year-old Naruto to live alone in an apartment, believing he needed to learn independence. As Naruto cried in isolation, the Nine-Tails mocked his situation, while a figure in the Pure Land sensed a summons and began drifting toward him.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Naruto the orphanage had closed and persuaded him that he had to live independently.
• Hiruzen sent Hare to escort Naruto to his new apartment and promised to visit with his monthly allowance.
• Hare explained the apartment to Naruto and left him alone, while Uzuki Yugao watched him cry from outside.
• Naruto stared at the empty room and wondered why he had no parents and why Grandpa Director had left him as scarlet chakra seeped through his seal.
• The Nine-Tails laughed at Naruto's loneliness, then stopped leaking chakra and waited for another chance.
• A figure sleeping in the Pure Land sensed a summons and drifted toward Naruto.

Little Naruto struggled with his new life and fell asleep missing the orphanage, while Hashirama Senju appeared inside his sealed space with a mission to help him grow. After learning Naruto was only three and seeing the Nine-Tails’ memories, Hashirama’s expression darkened.

• Little Naruto made instant noodles, ate until he was half full, and cried himself to sleep while promising to protect Grandpa Director.
• Hashirama Senju appeared in the sealed space, startling the Nine-Tails, and read a mission to help Naruto Uzumaki grow in exchange for peace in the Shinobi World and resurrection.
• Hashirama decided to stay and see what kind of person Naruto became, then learned that the child was only three years old and already a Jinchūriki.
• The Nine-Tails offered to show Hashirama what had happened using chakra that had seeped outside the seal, and Hashirama warned him not to harm Naruto.
• Hashirama received the Nine-Tails’ information, and his expression darkened.

Naruto met Hashirama in a dream, where Hashirama became his teacher and Kurama revealed his name. After waking, Naruto ate a chakra-grown fruit and wandered beyond the orphanage, while the Third Hokage arrived at his apartment and learned where he had gone.

• Hashirama comforted Naruto in his dream, promised to teach him to become Hokage, and introduced him to the Nine-Tails.
• Kurama angrily revealed that his name was Kurama, surprising Hashirama before Naruto woke.
• Hashirama grew a fruit with chakra for Naruto, who ate it and left his apartment to explore East Street.
• Naruto rested beneath a tree and watched a pink-haired girl and a blonde girl playing nearby.
• The Third Hokage visited Naruto's apartment with money and books, learned Naruto was on East Street with Fox following him, and left instructions for Yugao.

Naruto gained strength from a mysterious screen and impressed Hashirama by learning to extract chakra from his vague instructions. Hashirama celebrated Naruto’s progress and imagined proving Tobirama and Madara wrong.

• Naruto tapped one of two identical buttons on a blue screen, grew stronger, and dented a tree with his fist.
• Uzuki Yugao told Naruto that the Third Hokage had left him 2,000 ryo and books, then hurried away.
• Hashirama summoned Naruto into the transformed Sealing Space and began teaching him to extract chakra.
• Hashirama’s chakra surge blew Naruto into a tree, but Naruto got up and tried the exercise again.
• Naruto formed a thin layer of chakra around himself, and Hashirama celebrated his success.

Danzo ordered Tenzo to begin a plan, and Root operatives spread rumors that Naruto was the Nine-Tailed Fox transformed into a child. Inside the seal, Naruto played with Hashirama and Kurama, while Kurama found himself growing more receptive to Naruto.

• Danzo told Tenzo to begin the plan, and Tenzo obeyed despite thinking of Yukimi and Kakashi.
• Root operatives spread rumors in Konoha that the Nine-Tailed Fox had become a yellow-haired boy with whisker marks.
• Sakura's parents warned her to avoid the boy, and Sakura feared that the Naruto she had seen might be the demon fox.
• Naruto beat Hashirama and Kurama at rock, paper, scissors, then petted a small portion of Kurama's chakra that seeped through the seal.
• Hashirama coaxed Naruto into saying he liked his teacher best, and Naruto left the seal space to sleep.

Hiruzen discovered that rumors had exposed Naruto as the Nine-Tailed Fox’s Jinchūriki, confronted Danzo over the leak, and blocked his plan to turn Naruto into a weapon. Meanwhile, Danzo plotted to use Kinoe, and Naruto noticed that his whiskers had disappeared after Kurama withdrew his chakra.

• Hiruzen used his crystal ball to watch Naruto and overheard women discussing Naruto’s identity and planning to capture him.
• Hiruzen ordered the ANBU to suppress the rumors and summon Danzo, but the gag order only convinced more villagers that the rumors were true.
• Hiruzen confronted Danzo and a captured Root operative, rejected Danzo’s plan to weaponize Naruto, and cut Root’s budget by thirty percent.
• Hiruzen had Kakashi release Tenzo and ordered Kakashi to prepare for a mission outside the village.
• Danzo, furious that Hiruzen was Hokage, ordered his subordinates to give Kinoe an important mission when he returned.
• Naruto woke with more chakra than the night before and discovered his whiskers had vanished after Kurama withdrew the chakra that had seeped out.

After Naruto lost his whiskers, Hashirama encouraged him to exercise, but villagers recognized him as the Nine-Tailed Fox and attacked him. Uzuki Yugao intervened, while Hashirama was left confronting the villagers’ hatred and the leaked information about Naruto’s identity.

• Naruto noticed his whiskers had disappeared, and Hashirama reassured him before growing fruit for Naruto and Kurama.
• Naruto went running on East Street, where villagers identified him as the Nine-Tailed Fox and threw rotten food at him.
• A civilian man punched Naruto, and Fox watched from a tree without intervening because of Danzo's orders.
• Uzuki Yugao arrived to protect Naruto, and ANBU arrested several villagers for spreading classified information and beating a child.
• Naruto cried and headed toward the mountain as Hashirama questioned why the villagers knew his identity and Kurama taunted him.

Little Naruto learned that Kurama had killed people while under a villain’s control and vowed to reveal the truth. After Uzuki Yugao brought him home and cooked him fish, Naruto thanked her and hoped she would visit again, while Hashirama prepared to teach him.

• Naruto asked Kurama whether he was the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and learned that a villain had controlled him three years earlier, leading to the deaths of Naruto’s parents and many others.
• Naruto accepted Kurama’s explanation and vowed to find the villain and clear Kurama’s name, then took a side path back to stay safe.
• Uzuki Yugao carried the exhausted Naruto home, cleared away his instant noodle trash, and cooked him boneless grilled fish.
• Naruto thanked Yugao and offered her a hundred-ryo note, but she declined it, patted his hair, and left as he called for her to visit again.
• Hashirama praised Yugao’s kindness to Kurama and remembered Mito before turning his attention to what he would teach Naruto that night.

With the Third away, Yugao was assigned to watch Naruto, who continued to face the villagers' hatred and loneliness. Naruto rescued Hinata Hyuga from bullies, made his first friend, and gave her his gloves as winter arrived.

• The Third left the village for a meeting after asking Yugao to look after Naruto and telling her to stay out of sight.
• Danzo celebrated the Third's departure, while Orochimaru secretly considered betraying both Danzo and his former teacher.
• Naruto struggled with the villagers' hostility and, after spotting Sasuke with his older brother, felt lonely again; Hashirama and Kurama helped him find nightly entertainment by riding a wood-encased Nine-Tails.
• On a winter day, Naruto found three boys bullying Hinata Hyuga and drove them away with his fists.
• Naruto helped Hinata up, learned she was not afraid of him, and exchanged names with her; they became friends.
• Naruto gave Hinata his gloves to keep her warm and walked her home after they exchanged addresses.

Naruto brought Hinata home after finding her lost, but the Hyuga household separated them and punished Hinata for leaving the ceremony. Back at home, Naruto told Hashirama about his new friend, and Hashirama agreed that the Hyuga clan’s Main Family and Branch Family system should not exist.

• Naruto accompanied Hinata to the Hyuga Clan Compound, where Hyuga Tōru separated them and ushered her inside despite Naruto’s protest.
• Hinata called goodbye to Naruto, and Hyuga Hiashi questioned her before restricting her to the compound for a month.
• Naruto returned home, thanked the Anbu monitor for the food, washed his dishes, and brought the books from the Third into the Sealing Space.
• Naruto told Hashirama and the Nine-Tails about Hinata and the dirty looks he received from the Hyuga clan.
• Hashirama explained the Hyuga clan’s Main Family and Branch Family system, agreed it should end, and began a lesson on the Force Application Method.

Hiruzen took Tenzo from Danzo’s Root and assigned him to Kakashi, while Kumogakure’s delegation arrived to negotiate after the war. The visitors secretly planned to abduct Hinata and steal the Byakugan as she trained with Neji, unaware she had been targeted.

• Hiruzen brought Tenzo to Root, declared that he would serve under the Hokage, and stopped Danzo from activating the sealing technique on him.
• Tenzo left his Kō mask at Root, and Kakashi accepted Hiruzen’s order to mentor him in the ANBU.
• Hiruzen sent Kakashi to escort Tenzo back to the ANBU before joining the meeting with Kumogakure’s delegation.
• Kumogakure’s captain instructed his team to obtain Konoha’s Byakugan, and the delegation secured five additional days in the village.
• Karato found no surveillance, and the Kumogakure shinobi planned to target the Hyuga Main Family and abduct Hinata; meanwhile, Neji helped Hinata up during their training, and she insisted on continuing.

Naruto sneaked into the Hyuga compound at night to visit Hinata, but learned that a Kumo ninja had kidnapped her and chased after them. Hiashi also discovered the abduction and rushed toward his daughter, noticing Naruto approaching the kidnapper.

• Naruto decided to sneak out at night to see Hinata, with Kurama and Hashirama helping him evade notice and find his way into the Hyuga compound.
• Kurama sensed an unfamiliar, agitated person nearby, and Hashirama realized that Hinata had been kidnapped.
• Hashirama directed Naruto toward the Kumo ninja, and Naruto threw off his cardboard disguise and ran after him.
• Hinata woke tied up in the kidnapper's grasp and struggled, afraid she would never see her family or Naruto again.
• Hiashi found Hinata's broken window, used his Byakugan to locate her outside the compound, and recognized the kidnapper as a Kumo ninja.
• Hiashi spotted Naruto's familiar chakra approaching the kidnapper as he raced to rescue Hinata.

Little Naruto rescued Hinata from a Cloud ninja with Kurama’s chakra, then collapsed as Hiashi arrived. Kurama and Hashirama contained the chakra leak, and Naruto was left to recover until their horse race the next day.

• Kurama agreed to lend Naruto his chakra after Hashirama asked him to help save Hinata.
• Little Naruto found the Cloud ninja carrying Hinata and knocked away a kunai that badly cut his hand.
• Kurama’s chakra healed Naruto’s hand and formed a faint Tailed Beast Cloak, and Naruto pierced the Cloud ninja with chakra claws.
• Naruto caught Hinata when the injured Cloud ninja let her go, then told her to run.
• Hiashi killed the dying Cloud ninja and checked on Naruto, who had fainted as Kurama and Hashirama stopped the chakra flow.

After Naruto survived an attempted kidnapping by a Cloud Ninja, Hiashi and Sarutobi discussed how Konoha should respond without provoking a war. Hiashi proposed presenting the incident as a Kumogakure provocation and using Naruto’s controlled Nine-Tails power as a warning, and Sarutobi agreed.

• Hiashi, Hinata, and Sarutobi rushed to the hospital, where the doctor clarified that Naruto was alive and his wound had nearly healed on its own.
• The doctor revealed that the Cloud Ninja had been pierced through, while Naruto slept and recovered in the next bed.
• Sarutobi and Hiashi discussed the Cloud Ninja’s attempt to steal the Hyuga Byakugan and Konoha’s need to avoid starting a war.
• Hiashi suggested calling the incident a Kumogakure provocation and claiming Naruto had accidentally injured the Cloud Ninja during Nine-Tails training.
• Sarutobi approved Hiashi’s plan to warn Kumogakure that Naruto’s Nine-Tails power remained under control.

Hiruzen and Hiashi concealed Konoha’s role in Mēidémìngzǐ’s death, forcing the Cloud delegation to accept the loss and finish the peace agreement. Back at home, Hinata awakened her Byakugan while training with Neji, then fainted.

• Hiruzen presented Mēidémìngzǐ’s corpse, and Hiashi claimed the palm mark on his face came from Hyuga treatment.
• Danzo pressured the Cloud delegation to retrieve their dead man and conclude their visit, and they agreed to finish the final portion of the agreement.
• The Cloud delegation completed the handover that afternoon, bringing the Third Shinobi World War to an end.
• Hinata trained to become stronger while Neji encouraged her and promised to protect her.
• Hinata’s Byakugan fully awakened, but she immediately lost consciousness, so Neji carried her to her room.

Hinata awakened a mysterious Hamura Template that would make her stronger by eating, while Naruto woke after saving a friend and learned that Kurama had helped heal him. The chapter ended with Hashirama and Kurama preparing their horse race inside Naruto's sealing space.

• Hinata accepted a forced screen prompt that added the Hamura Template and told her to keep the screen secret and eat plenty to grow stronger.
• Hinata woke at the Hyuga Estate feeling stronger and went to find Neji for a spar.
• Hashirama sensed an unfamiliar presence in the sealing space, but Kurama convinced him he had imagined it.
• Naruto woke in his apartment and learned from Kurama that he had truly saved his friend and that his injuries had healed.
• Kurama told Naruto his body was strong enough to begin Taijutsu training with Hashirama.
• Hashirama prepared a wooden racetrack, and Kurama accused him of making his own track over a hundred meters shorter.

Naruto’s whiskers returned after excess Nine-Tails Chakra remained in his body, and Kurama told him the villagers’ prejudice would not change either way. After frightening villagers during his walk, Naruto found Sakura and Ino on the mountain and went over to them.

• Naruto made egg fried rice with Kurama’s instructions and discovered that his whiskers had grown back.
• Kurama explained that the villagers already saw Naruto as the Nine-Tailed Fox, and Hashirama reassured Naruto that the whiskers were normal.
• Naruto went outside and frightened several villagers with Kurama’s help, while Hashirama reflected that Naruto had already tried to communicate with them.
• Naruto spotted Sakura and Ino on the snowy mountain, recognized Sakura, and walked toward them.

After hearing Sakura spread a rumor that Naruto was the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, Naruto gave up on befriending the girls and sought comfort from Kurama and Hashirama. His spirits recovered, and grass sprouted beneath his feet, revealing that he had awakened Wood Release.

• Sakura told Ino that Naruto was the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox disguised as a boy, and Ino said she would ask her father about it.
• Naruto overheard the girls discussing him, left without speaking to them, and went to a frozen stream.
• Naruto asked Kurama whether he would ever find friends, and Hashirama encouraged him by reminding him that he had already befriended Hinata and would attend the Ninja Academy.
• Naruto cheered himself up by declaring he would become Hokage, and grass began sprouting beneath his feet as he laughed.
• Kurama recognized the growth as Wood Release and suggested that Hashirama's chakra had influenced Naruto through the seal space.
• Hashirama accepted the explanation and congratulated himself for Naruto's apparent awakening of Wood Release.

Little Naruto awakened Wood Release and discussed using it to retaliate against villagers who insulted him, while Hashirama tried to comfort him. Hinata’s awakening left her ravenous and strengthened, and Hiashi reflected on the Caged Bird Seal before Neji left to visit his father.

• Little Naruto discovered grass growing beneath his feet, and Hashirama explained that he had awakened Wood Release.
• Little Naruto said he would use Wood Release to block the doorways of villagers who bad-mouthed him, and Hashirama put off discussing the idea.
• Little Naruto comforted Hashirama by saying he was going to become Hokage, while Kurama teased Hashirama.
• Hinata ate far more than usual after awakening her eyes, and Hiashi stopped her when she became overwhelmed and fainted.
• Hiashi found that Hinata was healthy and had increased chakra, then reflected on Neji’s Caged Bird Seal and saw Neji off.

Naruto attempted Water Walking training on a freezing river after Hashirama encouraged him, but he fell in and was rescued by Uzuki Yugao. She took him to a bathhouse, where Might Guy agreed to bathe him, leaving Naruto frightened by Guy’s appearance and protesting that he wanted to bathe with Yugao.

• Hashirama encouraged Naruto to try Water Walking, and Naruto fell straight through the river’s surface.
• Uzuki Yugao pulled the freezing Naruto from the river and asked how he had learned the training method.
• Naruto claimed he had seen a ninja spearing fish on the water, so Yugao carried him to a bathhouse.
• Yugao asked Might Guy to take Naruto for a bath, and Naruto mistook Guy for a kappa.
• Naruto said he wanted to bathe with Yugao, then faked a sneeze and went into the men’s baths with Guy while Yugao paid the owner.

Naruto accompanied Might Guy to the bathhouse, where teasing him about his size left Guy upset before Naruto helped restore his confidence. Guy then grabbed Naruto for an intense bath scrub, and the chapter ended with Naruto realizing Guy planned to scrub his front next.

• Naruto watched Might Guy show off his muscles, then accidentally saw his exposed body and called it an acorn.
• Might Guy became despondent until Naruto tried to comfort him, accidentally worsening the insult by comparing their sizes.
• Naruto reassured Might Guy that he would grow bigger, reviving Guy's youthful determination.
• Might Guy seized Naruto and used the Eight Gates to scrub grime from his back as Naruto struggled and imagined getting revenge.
• Might Guy announced that he would scrub Naruto's front next, leaving Naruto horrified.

After Naruto escaped Guy’s vigorous bath scrubbing, Yugao took him home, where Hiruzen asked about his fall into the river and gave her a chakra-control book for Naruto. The book was annotated by Tobirama Senju, and its partly erased final line began with the word “Evil.”

• Naruto clung to Yugao after Guy scrubbed him, and Yugao refused Guy’s offer to train him.
• Yugao took Naruto home and reassured him that Guy would not bathe him again.
• Hiruzen visited Yugao and heard her account of Naruto falling into the river while watching a white-haired ninja spear fish.
• Hiruzen gave Yugao a book on fine chakra control for Naruto and offered to help bathe him next time.
• Yugao saw that Tobirama Senju had annotated the book and noticed a partly erased line beginning with “Evil.”

Naruto received Tobirama’s annotated chakra-training book and brought it to Hashirama, who explained its censored passage with a dubious story. Hashirama then chose tree climbing as Naruto’s next chakra-control exercise, raising a tree taller than the Nine-Tails.

• Yugao gave Naruto the book and told him Grandpa Third would bathe him from then on, while Naruto resolved to give the precious volume to Hashirama for safekeeping.
• Hashirama excitedly opened Tobirama’s book and claimed its blacked-out passage said evil people could not read it, then spun a story about Tobirama believing ninjas were evil.
• Naruto accepted Hashirama’s explanation and studied the book’s advice on controlling chakra through climbing practice.
• Hashirama raised a towering tree taller than the Nine-Tails and told Naruto to climb it before resuming water-walking training.
• Naruto agreed to try, while Kurama watched, convinced Hashirama had hoodwinked him.

Hashirama’s training caused Naruto to relive a terrifying fall, but he recovered by morning and went to the park, where he met young Sasuke. Naruto claimed the swing and boasted that he was the Nine-Tailed Fox, leaving Sasuke unimpressed and Kurama suspicious of Hashirama’s influence.

• Naruto fell from a tree during Hashirama’s chakra-control training and left the Sealing Space when the impact overwhelmed him.
• Hashirama blamed Tobirama’s training instructions and decided to give Naruto basic lessons or choose a lower branch the next night.
• Naruto woke from a nightmare, recovered, and headed to the park, where he found Sasuke alone on a swing.
• Naruto wrote his name on the swing and announced that he would become Hokage, while Sasuke insisted his brother should have the title.
• Naruto called himself the mighty demon fox who ate people, prompting Kurama to accuse Hashirama of teaching him those words.

Little Naruto and little Sasuke fought over the park swing, with Naruto challenging Sasuke to a duel and making him his underling. After Sasuke’s Great Fireball Technique fizzled, he accepted Naruto as boss for now, and Naruto took him fishing.

• Hashirama decided Naruto should befriend Sasuke, whom he mistakenly connected to Madara’s return.
• Naruto and Sasuke challenged each other to a duel over the swing, each demanding the other become his underling if they lost.
• Naruto repeatedly dodged and restrained Sasuke, who insisted the first attempts did not count.
• Sasuke tried the Great Fireball Technique, but the fireball fell short and left him coughing.
• Sasuke accepted Naruto as boss for now, and Naruto took him fishing in the mountains behind the village.