Recaps

Xia Mu used his Senju bloodline and the Infinite Gravity Training Room to develop powerful techniques, build friendships, and create the popular Ninja Kill card game. The arc left him stronger and established as Tenten’s boyfriend, while Hiruzen sought to protect and guide him and Danzō shifted his ambitions toward the Hokage position.

• Xia Mu enhanced his Senju bloodline, joined the Ninja Academy, and befriended Shino Aburame, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi.
• Xia Mu and his friends defended Naruto from older students, after which Xia Mu began developing combat techniques in his Special Laboratory State.
• Xia Mu befriended Tenten, helped her discover her talent for Space-Time Ninjutsu, and designed tools for her family’s shop.
• Xia Mu developed the Four Demon Technique, Water Style: Boiling Torrent, and a Chakra-based Six Styles, then taught techniques to Shino and Tenten.
• Xia Mu and Tenten confessed their feelings and became a couple, while Xia Mu defeated Sasuke in sparring and introduced his friends to Ninja Kill.
• Ninja Kill spread through the Academy and village, and Hiruzen used the game’s cards to pressure Danzō to disband Root.
• Tenten graduated and joined Team Three under Might Guy, who agreed to train her in the Eight Gates and assess Xia Mu’s suitability.
• Xia Mu defeated Sasuke with one-handed Water and Earth techniques, and Hiruzen decided to find him an instructor and guard against Danzō recruiting him.

Xia Mu grew stronger, led Team 9 through missions, and helped his friends prepare for the Chunin Exams. When Orochimaru attacked the exam, Xia Mu and Tenten fought him before he escaped, and afterward Xia Mu encouraged Neji to seek freedom from the Caged Bird Seal.

• Xia Mu trained in the Eight Gates, learned Hatake Kenjutsu from Kakashi, and joined Team 9 under Aoba Yamashiro.
• Xia Mu led Team 9 on missions, where the team fought bandits, encountered an Otogakure spy, and learned that Orochimaru threatened Konoha.
• Xia Mu and Tenten sparred with Might Guy’s team, and Xia Mu challenged Team 7 over its handling of the Land of Waves mission.
• Xia Mu registered Team 9 for the Chunin Exams and helped Tatsuya Yamashiro and Megumi Kato pass the written test.
• Xia Mu recognized Orochimaru disguised as a Kusagakure ninja and fought him alongside Tenten, while Anko Mitarashi and other candidates faced the Sannin’s attack.
• Orochimaru escaped after Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived, canceled the exams, and arranged medical care for the injured candidates.
• Megumi Kato signed Kakashi’s ninja hound contract, while Xia Mu sought instruction in the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Neji told Xia Mu about the Caged Bird Seal, and Xia Mu urged him to seek Byakugan evolution and find a path toward freedom.

Xia Mu helped defend Konoha from Orochimaru’s invasion, then trained, earned promotion, and developed chakra batteries. Tsunade sent him to investigate the Land of Sound, where he uncovered Orochimaru’s experimental bases as Konoha prepared to strike.

• Xia Mu and his allies confronted Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, and Xia Mu drove him away after defeating him with the Sixth Gate.
• Xia Mu defeated Gaara in the Chunin Exam finals, then fought the transformed Shukaku during Orochimaru’s invasion and helped repel the attackers.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi died after Orochimaru escaped, and Xia Mu later helped defend Naruto from Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Xia Mu advised Sasuke on training and developed chakra batteries, which Tsunade agreed to produce in exchange for techniques and knowledge.
• Tsunade became Hokage, promoted Xia Mu to jonin and several finalists to chunin, and accepted Megumi Kato as her disciple.
• At the Konoha 11’s promotion celebration, Tsunade gave Tenten the Mutual Multiplication Explosive Tag Technique and assigned Xia Mu to investigate Orochimaru in the Land of Sound.
• Xia Mu found and reported ten experimental bases in the Land of Sound, while Tsunade prepared Konoha to strike Orochimaru.

Xia Mu helped Konoha defeat the Sound Four and the Immortal Duo, then strengthened his abilities while investigating Akatsuki and improving the village’s teams. The stretch ended with Xia Mu and Kakashi secretly guarding Fū during the Chunin Exams and watching a group sent to gather information on the Jinchuriki.

• Xia Mu’s intelligence helped Kakashi, Sasuke, Shino, Might Guy, Tenten, and Neji defeat the Sound Four, while Kimimaro died after using his bone techniques to protect Orochimaru’s mission.
• Tsunade upgraded Xia Mu’s investigation missions, and Xia Mu learned Sage Mode, created Storm Release, and later developed Wood Release and Magnet Release.
• Xia Mu and Konoha’s teams defeated Hidan and Kakuzu, recovered their Akatsuki rings, and returned Kakuzu’s corpse to Tsunade.
• Xia Mu investigated Deidara and Sasori, located them in the Land of Rain, and escaped after Pain detected and destroyed his disguised Shadow Clone.
• Xia Mu organized mock exams to expose teamwork problems among the genin, and Tsunade promoted Tenten to Special Jonin.
• During the Chunin Exams, Xia Mu recognized Fū as the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, so Tsunade sent Xia Mu and Kakashi to protect her on the route toward Sunagakure.
• Xia Mu and Kakashi followed Fū’s team and Naruto’s team in secret, then overheard Shisui and the Amegakure girls say they had been sent to investigate the Jinchuriki.