Recaps

Hongshi joined Team 7, shaped the Land of Waves conflict, and formed Team 13 before the Chunin Exams brought him face-to-face with Orochimaru. The exams continued after Hongshi protected Team 7 and taught them to control their cursed seals, while the others headed for the tower and his real body slept.

• Hongshi entered the Naruto world with powerful new abilities, helped Naruto obtain the Scroll of Seals, and became a genin alongside him after they defeated Mizuki and Tetsukado.
• Hongshi joined Team 7, helped Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura pass Kakashi’s bell test, and trained them before escorting Tazuna to the Land of Waves.
• Hongshi stopped Zabuza and Haku, used Mental World to make them serve him, and later sealed thermonuclear life-forms inside Haku and Kamiaka Hieimon.
• Hongshi’s intervention shaped the bridge battle and its aftermath, and Haku reunited with Hieimon in disguise before joining Hongshi’s new Team 13.
• Hongshi and Yuhan encountered Gaara’s team, and Konoha’s rookie genin entered the Chunin Exams after Naruto declared his intention to compete.
• Hongshi survived the first exam and confronted Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, where Orochimaru cursed Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke before Hongshi copied his memories and let him escape.
• Hongshi suppressed the three youths’ cursed seals and helped them defeat Sound Ninja, then taught them to control the seals as they left for the tower with Yuhan and Hieimon.

Hongshi and his allies fought through the Land of Snow conflict, returned to Konoha, and prepared for the Chunin Exams as Orochimaru’s invasion unfolded. Sakura developed Wood Release and helped stop Gaara, but Orochimaru trapped Hiruzen, Hongshi, and Neji inside the Four Violet Flames Formation and began an Impure World Reincarnation.

• Hongshi qualified Hinata for the third exam by pretending to lose their preliminary match, while Yuhan defeated Rock Lee and Neji defeated Gaara before Hongshi healed the badly wounded Neji.
• Hiruzen assigned Team 13 and Team Guy an escort mission, and Hongshi secretly defeated and sealed the Three-Tails before pretending to be Tobi in front of Mei Terumi and her companions.
• Team 13 and Team Guy traveled to the Land of Snow, where Zabuza’s pirates captured Kazahana Koyuki and the rebels fought Kazahana Dōtō’s forces, and Sandayu died protecting Koyuki.
• Hongshi and his allies helped defeat Dōtō and his armored forces, and Koyuki activated her father’s geothermal heater, transforming the Land of Snow into the Land of Spring.
• Hongshi created the Nuclear Ninja Village and appointed Kakuhei as its First Nuclear Shadow, while Orochimaru’s plans to attack Konoha during the exams came to light.
• Sakura defeated Sasuke with Wood Release, and the exam’s attack began as Orochimaru’s allies infiltrated the arena, Tayuya abducted Yuhan, and Sakon and Ukon carried Hongshi away.
• Hongshi taught Sakura to develop Wood Release, and after consulting the First’s scroll and training, Sakura mastered the technique and combined it with Genjutsu to defeat Gaara and Temari.
• Orochimaru revealed that he had killed the Kazekage, then trapped Hiruzen, Hongshi, and Neji inside the Four Violet Flames Formation as Hiruzen prepared to face him and Orochimaru began Impure World Reincarnation.

Hongshi stopped Orochimaru’s invasion, drew Itachi into his plans, and helped establish the Nuclear Ninja Village while the Akatsuki began pursuing Naruto. The arc left Naruto with Hinata in Women Town as Hongshi struggled to pay for buns, while Jiraiya and Tsunade’s paths toward a reunion remained ahead.

• Orochimaru summoned the First and Second Hokage and Hizashi as Gaara transformed into Shukaku, but Sakura, Naruto, Lee, Tenten, and Shikamaru worked together to wake Gaara and stop the beast.
• Hiruzen and Hongshi fought Orochimaru and the reanimated Hokage, while Neji learned that Hizashi had willingly died to protect the Hyuga Clan and Konoha.
• Hongshi extracted Hashirama’s and Tobirama’s souls, placing Hashirama inside Sakura and Tobirama inside Neji before Orochimaru summoned the Third Raikage.
• Konoha repelled the invasion, but Itachi and Kisame captured Yuhan until Hongshi killed Kisame and persuaded Itachi to work with him to protect Sasuke.
• Hongshi helped create the Nuclear Ninja Village, strengthened its young fighters, and gave Rock Lee a chakra-absorbing body made from Kisame, Samehada, and First’s flesh.
• Itachi and Kisame pursued Naruto, and Sasuke challenged Itachi before Jiraiya, Naruto, and Sasuke escaped their attack with help from summoned toads.
• Hongshi brought Itachi and Kisame to the village, where Itachi awakened the Rinnegan and learned that the Uchiha Clan’s fate was settled.
• Hongshi met Naruto and Hinata in Women Town and pressured Naruto to spend the day with her, but Hinata left with Naruto while Hongshi discovered he could not afford the vendor’s buns.

Tsunade accepted the role of Fifth Hokage as Konoha faced threats from Orochimaru and the conflict over Kusagakure. Sasuke left for Otogakure, while Konoha prepared a major assault and Hongshi set out with his own team.

• Hongshi and Hinata investigated the Land of Grass border, where Hinata defeated concealed Kusagakure Chunin and learned their village had been attacked after its Kusakage was assassinated.
• Tsunade overcame her fear of blood and agreed to protect Konoha, while Jiraiya and Tsunade fought Orochimaru and his summoned enemies with help from Naruto, Hinata, and Hongshi.
• Tobirama urged Tsunade to restore Konoha’s strength and ordered an offensive to retake Kusagakure, while Jiraiya arranged for Hongshi to sign a Mount Myōboku summoning contract.
• Tsunade became Fifth Hokage, healed Sasuke, and took Ino as her student after learning Hongshi had sealed Dan’s soul inside her.
• Sasuke fought Naruto on the hospital rooftop, then left Konoha and joined Orochimaru’s group, who prepared him to undergo the Cursed Seal’s transformation.
• Tsunade appointed Shikamaru to command an attack on Otogakure and authorized Hongshi to take Tayuya, whom he renamed Gyokucha after absorbing her Cursed Seal and healing her.
• After Orochimaru abducted Sasuke, Kakashi and Guy pursued him with Sakura, Naruto, Lee, and Tenten, while Hongshi traveled with Hanabi, Hayate, and Kosuke.
• Tsunade and Shikamaru sent two hundred ninja toward Otogakure, Jiraiya gathered elite Jonin for a secret mission to reclaim Kusagakure, and Zetsu watched the disguised Jonin depart.