Recaps

Ayato returned to his family, guided Naruto and Sasuke, and accompanied Team 7 on its mission to the Land of Waves. After helping them survive the mission and confronting Gato’s forces, he returned to Konoha and confessed his love to Ino.

• The Third Hokage made Ayato a non-combat support instructor and gave him Naruto’s graduation gift, while Ayato returned home and reconciled with Sinai and Ino.
• Ayato tracked down Naruto after he stole the Sealing Scroll, helped expose Mizuki’s manipulation, and watched Naruto defeat Mizuki with the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
• Ayato attended the Academy’s team assignments, supported Ino as she joined Team 10, and began training new techniques while considering how to control his lingering killing intent.
• Ayato sparred with Sasuke, helped him awaken his Two-Tomoe Sharingan, and encouraged him to value Naruto and Sakura as teammates while offering to train him.
• Ayato arranged protective seals for Naruto and persuaded him to meet Kurama, then joined Team 7 on its mission to escort Tazuna to the Land of Waves.
• Ayato confronted White during Zabuza’s attack, learned the one-handed hand-seal method, and helped Team 7 reach the Land of Waves safely.
• Ayato and Kakashi trained Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, then Ayato negotiated with Zabuza and White to divide the valuables taken from Gato’s forces.
• Ayato praised Team 7 after they protected the bridge, returned to Konoha with Naruto, and confessed his love to Ino, who returned it.

Ayato intervened in Orochimaru’s attack on Konoha, helped save the Third Hokage, and led the village’s response to the crisis. After repelling Itachi and Kisame, he traveled to Mount Myōboku to begin learning Sage Mode and woke seven days later under the watch of the Three Great Sages.

• Ayato stopped Orochimaru from killing Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke during the Forest of Death, but Orochimaru left Sasuke with a cursed seal that Ayato suppressed.
• Ayato warned the Third Hokage about Orochimaru, then watched the Chunin Exams continue as Naruto defeated Neji and Sasuke faced Gaara.
• When Orochimaru launched the Konoha Crush, Ayato rescued civilians, entered the Four Violet Flames Formation, and persuaded the Third Hokage to let Orochimaru escape rather than sacrifice himself.
• Ayato treated the Third Hokage, helped seal the resurrected First and Second Hokage, and demanded concessions from Sunagakure after confronting Baki.
• Ayato spoke for the Third Hokage at a jonin meeting, rebuked Danzo, and proposed an alliance with Sunagakure against Otogakure.
• Itachi and Kisame entered Konoha and attacked Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Sasuke, but Ayato arrived and forced Itachi to use Susanoo before the pair escaped.
• Ayato treated Kakashi and Sasuke after Itachi’s Tsukuyomi injured them, while Kakashi began telling Sasuke about his past.
• Ayato went to Mount Myōboku to learn Sage Mode, absorbed Natural Energy without Toad Oil, and woke after seven days with the Three Great Sages beside him.

Ayato defeated Orochimaru’s forces, helped Tsunade become the Fifth Hokage, and continued shaping Konoha’s future. The arc ended with Ayato modifying Naruto’s seal so Kurama could share Naruto’s vision and sense danger.

• Ayato completed contracts with all Three Great Sage Areas, then used the ancient Natural Energy path to strengthen his abilities.
• Ayato led Sunagakure’s attack on Otogakure, burning most of the Sound ninja and killing the Sound Four with a Rasenshuriken.
• Ayato treated Tsunade after Orochimaru’s attack, then fought alongside Jiraiya and Naruto against Orochimaru, Kabuto Yakushi, Kimimaro, and Guren.
• Orochimaru escaped with Kabuto Yakushi and Guren, while Tsunade agreed to become Fifth Hokage after returning to Konoha with Ayato.
• Tsunade announced that Ayato could become Hokage when he asked or take over at eighteen, angering Danzo, who vowed to stop him.
• Ayato completed missions for Tsunade, helped secure ties with Snow Country, and arranged Medical Ninjutsu training for Hinata Hyuga, Haruno Sakura, and Yamanaka Ino.
• Naruto spoke to the Nine-Tails about wanting to help it while still pursuing his own life, and the Nine-Tails sensed the Fourth Hokage’s lingering aura.
• Ayato modified Naruto’s seal, giving Kurama access to Naruto’s vision and the ability to sense danger, though Kurama refused to promise it would warn Naruto.

Ayato completed his transformation into a true Sage while Sasuke built a team and Naruto helped defeat Mouryou. When Akatsuki captured Gaara, Ayato pursued them alone and battled Pain’s group, turning their ambush against them before the fight remained unresolved.

• Ayato found a hidden Natural Energy lake in the Land of Rivers, drew deeply from it, and later completed a Sage transformation under the watch of the Three Great Sages.
• Sasuke became an Anbu captain’s subordinate under the codename Eagle, awakened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan while rescuing his teammates, and accepted Jugo and Karin onto his team.
• Ayato helped Kurama Yakumo confront Idu and kill it, while Naruto and Jiraiya left Konoha for training and Naruto later joined the fight against Mouryou.
• Naruto and Shion combined their powers to destroy Mouryou, and Tsunade sent Kakashi’s and Guy’s teams to rescue Gaara after Akatsuki captured him.
• Ayato healed Kankuro, tracked Sasori’s scent, and entered the Akatsuki cave alone, where Pain trapped him with Itachi, Kisame, Kakuzu, and Hidan.
• Ayato fought the Akatsuki members with his increased strength, used Vacuum Cut and a Lightning Release Rasengan against Kisame and Itachi, and controlled Kisame with the Spirit Transformation Technique to wound Itachi.
• Itachi trapped Ayato in Tsukuyomi, but Ayato remained conscious and moved freely within the mental space, leading Itachi to withdraw as Ayato concluded that the Akatsuki’s ambush had failed.