Recaps

Minazuki Kei trained in secret through a fragile peace in Kirigakure, then applied for early graduation as political tensions and the prospect of another war loomed. His graduation assessment began with Heiji Kaguya attacking him, and Kei wounded Heiji with an Ice Release technique.

• Kei trained his Ice Release and prepared for another war while growing up in the Yuki Clan and deciding to enter the Ninja Academy at five.
• After the Second Shinobi World War ended, Kei enrolled in the academy, where he concealed much of his talent and assessed his classmates, including Mei Terumi.
• Aoki died amid a power struggle, and Karatachi Yagura became Fourth Mizukage with Genji’s support, restoring temporary calm in Kirigakure.
• Kei applied for early graduation in winter of Konoha Year 40, and Mei challenged him to prove himself in a fair match.
• Kei joined 316 other candidates for the January graduation exam, where Koshimizu Tsuki sent groups into the forest for individual missions.
• Heiji Kaguya attacked Kei as soon as they entered the examination grounds, while the other candidates fled.
• Kei froze Heiji’s bone weapon and tried to restrain him with ice pillars, but Heiji shattered them with Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets.
• Kei bound Heiji’s feet and struck with the Flying Swallow Snow Storm Technique, drawing blood despite Heiji blocking most of the needles with Dance of the Willow.

Kei completed the assessment, graduated, and celebrated with the Minazuki family before being assigned to Team 7 with Mei Terumi and Kisame Hoshigaki under Ao. As the team prepared for its first mission, Genji rebuffed Ao’s visit and Kei focused on becoming stronger.

• Kei defeated Kisame Hoshigaki, accepted Ranne’s mission item, and escorted the injured Minazuki Ranne toward the exam exit.
• Mei Terumi challenged Kei, and Kei won by trapping her with shuriken threads before freeing her and acknowledging her skill.
• Kei completed the assessment, received his Kirigakure forehead protector, and returned to celebrate his graduation with Kiko Minazuki, Ayumi Minazuki, and Hisashi.
• Kei encouraged Takahiro to prove himself to Kiko by mastering Ice Release so he could seek permission to enter the Ninja Academy.
• At the graduation ceremony, Minato assigned Kei, Mei Terumi, and Kisame Hoshigaki to Team 7, and Ao introduced himself as their Jonin instructor.
• Ao instructed Team 7 to meet at the village gate the next morning for its first mission, while Kei reflected on his new teammates and prepared to return to the Yuki Clan compound.
• Genji rebuffed Ao’s brief visit and reprimanded Abe for questioning his decision, while Kei focused on preparing for his first team mission.

Kei and Team 7 uncovered Matou’s alliance with Cloud Ninja while investigating a string of murders on Kujiraai Island, and Kei nearly died defeating Hato. After returning to Kirigakure, Kei learned his team assignment had drawn unusual attention as the village prepared for a possible Cloud Ninja threat.

• Ao led Kei, Mei Terumi, and Kisame Hoshigaki to Kujiraai Island on a C-rank investigation, where Shinji Akita and Man briefed them on the murders and the massacre of the Yamamoto family.
• Ao split the team to investigate the killings, but Cloud Ninja ambushed Kei and Mei Terumi, who defeated their attackers and learned that Matou planned to reclaim the Land of Whales with Kumogakure’s help.
• Kei and Mei Terumi found Ao surrounded by Hato and Cloud Ninja after Shinji Akita and his guards had been killed, then fought alongside Ao against the attackers.
• Kei killed the Cloud Ninja Genin and battled Hato, surviving a near-fatal sword strike before overwhelming him with Ice Release.
• Mei Terumi carried the unconscious Kei to safety, and Kisame later told him that Matou had been captured and the mission completed.
• After recovering and returning to Kirigakure, Kei met Minazuki Shun, who revealed that someone outside the Yuki Clan had arranged Team 7 and urged Kei to remember his identity as a Yuki.
• Ao reported the Cloud Ninja threat to Karatachi Yagura, who ordered frontier reinforcements and summoned senior leaders, while Kei watched for signs of mobilization.
• Ao gathered Kei, Mei Terumi, and Kisame after their rest and led Team 7 out of Kirigakure.

Ao led Team 7 to Konoha for the Chunin Ninja Exams as the villages assessed one another amid rising tensions. Kei, Mei Terumi, and Kisame passed the first exam and entered the Forest of Death, where their assigned task set them against other teams.

• Team 7 completed a string of missions, and Kei defeated Kisame in a spar by trapping him with Ice Release.
• Yagura ordered Ao to lead Kirigakure’s delegation to Konoha, where Team 7 would compete and Ao would assess the other villages.
• Ao led twenty-one Kirigakure Genin to Konoha, and Kei and Mei Terumi toured the village while the other delegations arrived.
• Kei, Mei Terumi, and Kisame joined the first exam, passed the written test, and advanced to the Forest of Death.
• Orochimaru set the second exam’s rules, and Kei’s team entered the forest and defeated a Sand Ninja squad seeking their code.
• Kei, Mei Terumi, and Kisame found their team’s box and learned they had to seize six forehead protectors from other villages.
• Mei Terumi found Genma Shiranui, Namiashi Raidō, and Aoba Yamashiro fighting Baki and two Sand Ninja, and Kei’s team joined the battle.
• Kei, Mei Terumi, and Kisame attacked the six Genin with their combined jutsu, and Kei cleaved apart Baki’s Wind Blade.