Naruto Kai

Naruto is a ninja-in-training with a need for attention, a knack for mischief and, sealed within him, a strange, formidable power. His antics amuse his instructor Kakashi and irritate his teammates, intense Sasuke and witty Sakura, but Naruto is serious about becoming the greatest ninja in the village of Konohagakure! Believe it!

Kakashi advises the three to start focusing on the team's well-being instead of their own, and in doing so they are able to pass the test. As one of the team's first missions, they are assigned to escort a man named Tazuna to the Land of Waves. Along the way, the group is attacked by Zabuza Momochi, an assassin sent to kill Tazuna. Kakashi, with the help of Naruto, Sasuke, and his own Sharingan eye, is able to defeat Zabuza. Before he can finish Zabuza off, however, a masked boy named Haku arrives to take him away. In preparation for another of Zabuza's attacks, Kakashi decides to train Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.

In an effort to get stronger, Naruto trains harder than Sasuke and Sakura. Though he catches up to both in terms of talent, exerting the extra effort leaves him fatigued. To allow him a chance to regain his energy, the rest of Team 7 goes on to escort Tazuna without him. Soon afterwards, however, they are attacked again by Zabuza and a masked Haku. Using his new training, Sasuke does battle with Haku and proves to be an equal match, forcing Haku to trap him in a prison of ice. Naruto quickly arrives to help and joins Sasuke in the fight, though both are soon overpowered. As Haku makes to finish Naruto off, Sasuke uses himself as a shield to block the attack and appears to be killed. Naruto, in his anger, taps into the dormant powers of the demon fox sealed within him.

With the demon fox's power Naruto is easily able to defeat Haku. When Haku's mask breaks away, however, Naruto is unable to bring himself to kill the young boy beneath the mask. Elsewhere, Kakashi and Zabuza do battle. As Kakashi is about to kill Zabuza with his Lightning Blade, Haku takes the attack, saving Zabuza at the cost of his own life. Despite this turn of events Kakashi is still able to disable Zabuza, prompting the arrival of Zabuza's employer, Gato. When Gato orders his own personal army of thugs to kill Zabuza along with Tazuna and Team 7, Zabuza uses the last of his strength to kill Gato, avenging Haku's death before dying himself. With their mission complete, Team 7 and a revived Sasuke return to Konoha. Soon after returning home, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are entered into the Chunin Exams, a chance for them to rise up the ninja ranks and test their abilities.

Prior to the start of the exam, Team 7 has a chance to mingle with their former classmates and fellow rookie ninja: the members of Team 8 and Team 10. Once the first phase of the exam begins, it is revealed that all of those wishing to advance in rank must first complete a written test. The test's questions, however, prove too difficult for almost all present, and it soon becomes apparent that the true objective of the first phase is to cheat without getting caught. Unaware that this is the test's true purpose, Naruto insists on continuing. Through his willingness to face the unknown, he is allowed to continue on to the second phase with the rest of the examinees who were not caught.

For the second phase of the exams, the remaining teams of three must survive the Forest of Death and arrive at its center in five days' time. Soon after they enter the forest Team 7 is attacked by Orochimaru. Naruto engages him in battle, though is quickly defeated. Sasuke, inspired by Naruto's determination, continues the battle in Naruto's place. Before escaping, Orochimaru brands Sasuke with a cursed seal, knocking him out. Sakura, the only conscious member of the team, is forced to look after her teammates and defend them from the attacks of Orochimaru's followers. As she is about to be defeated Team 10 arrives to help, allowing Sakura to return to attending to Naruto and Sasuke as the others deal with her attackers.

Team 10 and Orochimaru's forces do battle, though their progress is slow in either side claiming victory. Just as additional reinforcements begin to arrive to help Team 10, Sasuke finally awakens, the cursed seal given to him by Orochimaru fueling him with power. With his new strength Sasuke is able to make quick work of their opponents, forcing them to flee. Although the battle is won, Team 7 needs three days to recover. As they make way for the forest's center on the final day they are briefly impeded by a group of stragglers, though ultimately claim victory and complete the second phase.

Seven teams of three pass the second phase, far too many aspiring ninja to advance to the final rounds. To reduce the number of participants ten preliminary matches are held, with the winner of each match advancing to the finals. After the first few matches, where Sasuke is able to claim victory, Sakura is pit against her rival and childhood friend Ino Yamanaka. While neither is fond of fighting the other, both do their best to be worthy opponents. Although Sakura is able to avoid Ino's attacks for much of the match's duration, Ino is eventually able to restrain her. Using one of her family's signature abilities Ino takes control of Sakura's mind, intending to force Sakura to forfeit the match.

Before she can be forced to surrender, Sakura is able to expel Ino from her mind. With both tired out from the ordeal, the match culminates in a double knock out, after which the two begin to rekindle their friendship. Naruto proves more fortunate in his own match, outsmarting his opponent, Team 8 member Kiba Inuzaka, to the surprise of the onlookers. Naruto's success motivates Kiba's teammate Hinata Hyuga to do her best in the match against her cousin, Neji Hyuga. Neji, a stronger fighter who hates Hinata's family and is fatalistic, shows her no mercy during their fight. The match concludes with Hinata being left in critical condition and Neji showing no remorse for his treatment of one of his relatives. Naruto, enraged by Neji's actions and outlook, swears upon Hinata's spilled blood that he will defeat Neji in the final matches.

As one of the last matches, Rock Lee is pit against Gaara. With his superior speed and strength Lee attempts to claim a quick victory, but is unable to fully bypass Gaara's superior defenses. After being left tired out from relentless assault, Lee is left unable to move and is left at Gaara's mercy. After his body is broken by Gaara's attacks and Gaara makes to finish him off, Gaara is declared the victor to prevent further damage to Lee. The preliminaries draw to a close and the finalists are assigned opponents for the finals in a month's time, leaving them plenty of time to recuperate and train. Naruto, eager to get ready for his match against Neji Hyuga, approaches Kakashi to help him train. Kakashi, having already decided to train Sasuke, encourages Naruto to find an alternative, which he does in the form of Jiraiya.

Soon after Jiraiya starts to train Naruto, he realizes that Naruto is the container of the demon fox. Rather than give him the usual training regiment of preserving his strength, Jiraiya trains him to take advantage of the fox's power. Meanwhile, rumors of an impending invasion of Konoha by the villages of Otogakure and Sunagakure begin to spread, causing the Konoha ninja to begin preparing for the worst. For Naruto, his training consists of being taught how to summon toads to his side during battle. Although he struggles to get the hang of it at first, he is eventually able to take full advantage of the demon fox and summon a toad. Naruto recovers from his training and, on the day of the finals, heads to the location of the final matches.

In the first match of the finals, Naruto gets to fight Neji Hyuga. With Neji being more naturally skilled than he is, Naruto is forced to call upon the dormant powers of the demon fox to get an even footing. The two ultimately clash, and after the smoke clears Neji appears to be the victor. Before he can be declared the winner, however, Naruto manages a successful sneak attack, which knocks Neji out and lets Naruto claim victory. For the next match, Shikamaru Nara fights Temari. Shikamaru uses his shadow to try to trap her, and although Temari tries to stay out of his shadow's range he is able to catch her. Though poised to win his match, Shikamaru forfeits instead due to the amount of energy wasted in trying to catch Temari.

Sasuke begins his match with Gaara by trying, like Rock Lee, to bypass his defenses. When he too proves unsuccessful, he readies an attack taught to him by Kakashi: Chidori. Just as he use it to break through Gaara's defenses, the invasion of Konoha starts, ending the finals. Orochimaru, the mastermind behind the invasion, takes the Third Hokage, Konoha's leader, hostage and the two begin to fight. As invading forces pour into Konoha, Sasuke pursues a fleeing Gaara. Not wanting Sasuke to get too far away, but not able to follow him personally, Kakashi sends Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru to stop him.

Orochimaru, a former student of the Third Hokage that is eager to kill his old master, resurrects the First and Second Hokage, the Third's former teachers, to fight him. Needing to get rid of the two if he is to defeat Orochimaru, the Third seals away their souls. The Third attempts to seal Orochimaru's soul as well, but is stabbed in the back before he can complete the sealing. Elsewhere, Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru discover that they are being followed by some of Konoha's invaders, and Shikamaru opts to stay behind to stall them. Using the strength left over from his fight with Temari he buys them the necessary time.

Sasuke catches up with Gaara, just in time to witness the beginnings of Gaara's transformation. As he begins to assume a monstrous form, Gaara is given enough speed and strength to overcome Sasuke's Chidori. As Gaara is about to finish him off, Naruto arrives to fight save him and fight in his place. After Naruto taps into the power of the demon fox sealed within him, Gaara completes his transformation becoming a life-size replica of Shukaku, the beast sealed within him. To compete with this giant form, Naruto summons the biggest toad he can muster. The toad clashes with Shukaku and Naruto, hoping to end the battle quickly, tries to bring Gaara to his senses.

Naruto headbutts Gaara, causing the Shukaku form to recede. The two have one final exchange of blows and Naruto is able to claim victory while also redeeming Gaara. Meanwhile, the Third Hokage realizes that he lacks the strength needed to fully seal Orochimaru's soul. Doing what little he can he seals Orochimaru's arms instead, ending the invasion at the cost of his life. Orochimaru and the invaders flee, and Konoha begins to rebuild. Jiraiya, with Naruto's assistance, sets out to find a new Hokage, hoping that his old teammate, Tsunade, will take the job. As they leave, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki infiltrate Konoha and are engaged in battle by Konoha's elite ninja. The two prove too much for Konoha's forces, and even Kakashi is left beaten after fighting the two. Before they leave Kakashi is able to learn that they are members of Akatsuki who seek to capture Naruto for the demon fox sealed within him. Sasuke learns of this and, having a prior desire to kill his brother, Itachi, races out to find Naruto before they do.

Once finding Naruto, Itachi and Kisame try to take him with them. Before they can do so, however, Sasuke arrives, ready to kill Itachi for murdering their family years earlier. Despite Sasuke's efforts, Itachi is more than capable of dealing with him, and it is not until the arrival of Jiraiya that they are driven off. Sasuke is sent back to Konoha to recover, and Naruto and Jiraiya continue their search. As they travel from town to town trying to locate Tsunade, Jiraiya begins teaching Naruto how to use the Rasengan. As Naruto slowly progresses through the learning stages, Orochimaru, in need of a way to heal his arms if he is to attack Konoha again, also sets out to find Tsunade, her medical expertise being the only thing that can help him.

Orochimaru tracks down Tsunade and makes her an offer: heal his arms and in exchange he will revive her dead brother and lover. He gives her a week to consider it and leaves. Soon afterwards Jiraiya and Naruto find her and offer her the title of Hokage. She turns down the offer, instead choosing to insult the former Hokage. Naruto, enraged, attacks her with an incomplete Rasengan. Intrigued by his progress, Tsunade makes a bet with him: that he cannot perfect the Rasengan in a week. Naruto, determined to prove her wrong, accepts and dedicates his time to completing the attack. Once the week is up and he appears to have been unsuccessful, Tsunade, disappointed in his progress, goes to meet Orochimaru.

Tsunade meets with Orochimaru, though rather than heal him she tries to kill him. Unwilling to see her loved ones if it would mean the destruction of Konoha, Tsunade is drawn into battle with Orochimaru's assistant, Kabuto Yakushi. Kabuto is eventually able to immobilize her, forcing the newly arrived Jiraiya and Naruto to defend her; Jiraiya battling Orochimaru and Naruto fighting Kabuto. Although Kabuto appears in control of the battle, Naruto is able to deliver a perfected Rasengan to his stomach in an attempt to protect Tsunade. Inspired by Naruto's winning of their bet, Tsunade overcomes her restraints and joins Jiraiya in attacking Orochimaru. Unable to do combat with both of them, Orochimaru escapes with Kabuto. Once Naruto recovers, Tsunade decides to accept the title of Hokage, and returns with him and Jiraiya to Konoha.

Upon returning, Tsunade tends to a number of injuries that have yet to be fully healed. Rock Lee, his injuries from his fight with Gaara too severe to be healed by regular medics, proves her most difficult case. After inspecting the damage to his body Tsunade advises that he give up his life as a ninja, though Lee insists taking the operation. Meanwhile, Sasuke, angry with himself for being so easily defeated by Itachi, begins to search earnestly for any means to get stronger. In doing so he forces Naruto to fight him, though his spirits are only dampened further when Naruto's Rasengan proves stronger than his Chidori. To draw Sasuke further down the path of vengeance, Orochimaru sends his Sound Four to confront Sasuke and show him the strength that can be gained by joining them.

Sasuke decides to go to Orochimaru in order to get stronger, and accompanies the Sound Four back to his lair after coldly rejecting Sakura, who tried to bring him back. Upon learning of Sasuke's defection, Naruto accompanies Shikamaru in assembling a team to retrieve him, and the two gather Neji, Kiba, and Choji Akimichi to their cause. The team pursues the Sound Four until they are trapped by Sound Four member Jirobo, who distracts them while the rest of the Sound Four goes on ahead. Choji is able to free the team from Jirobo, and begins to do battle with him while the others continue their pursuit. Choji and Jirobo have a battle of strengths, with Choji eventually beating Jirobo to death.

Once the retrieval team catches up with the Sound Four, Kidomaru uses his web to trap them. Neji frees the team from the bindings and sends the others after the remaining Sound Four members. Kidomaru attacks Neji from afar, slowly studying his actions to devise a way to defeat him. Using the silk he produces to create a bow and arrow, Kidomaru begins firing shots at a blindspot in Neji's defenses, eventually succeeding in hitting his target. Neji, however, is able to survive the attack, and uses the arrow that pierced him to kill Kidomaru. Elsewhere, Orochimaru earnestly awaits Sasuke's arrival, planning to take Sasuke's body for himself to regain the use of his arms. Although he puts it off for as long as he can, Orochimaru is forced to take a different body, planning to instead take Sasuke's body at a later date.

After the remaining portion of the retrieval team catches up with the Sound Four again, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kiba split up to fight the remaining Sound Four members individually. Kiba battles with Sakon and Ukon while Shikamaru fights Tayuya. The Sound Four members overwhelm the Konoha ninja, and they are left on the verge of defeat. Meanwhile, Kimimaro, a former member of the Sound Four sent to continue the task of bringing Sasuke to Orochimaru, is forced to fight Naruto. Despite Naruto's best efforts, Kimimaro is able to buy enough time for Sasuke to continue on his own.

Determined to go after Sasuke, Naruto contemplates how to defeat Kimimaro. Rock Lee, having recovered from his surgery, soon arrives to fight Kimimaro in his place, allowing Naruto to continue on. Despite briefly gaining the upperhand, Lee, like Kiba and Shikamaru, is forced onto the defensive, and it is not until the arrival of Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro that they are all saved. Temari crushes Tayuya under a pile of debris and Kankuro kills Sakon and Ukon with a barrage of weapons. Gaara proves to have a more difficult fight, as Kimimaro is continually able to recover from his attacks. As Kimimaro is about to kill Gaara and Lee via a sneak attack, he dies of the illness that forced him to leave the Sound Four. Their battles won, the Konoha ninja return home with their saviors, just as Naruto catches up with Sasuke and the Valley of the End, a landmark where the First Hokage similarly fought Sasuke's ancestor Madara.

Naruto tries to reason with Sasuke, though Sasuke is uninterested in returning to Konoha. As the two start to fight Sasuke remembers why he became so determined to gain power and kill Itachi. Sasuke spent his childhood trying to win his family's recognition, though their interest was always focused on Itachi and his prodigious skills. Just when Itachi began to distance himself from the clan and Sasuke started to enjoy his family's attention, he returned home one day to find that Itachi had killed their entire family. Deciding to spare Sasuke, Itachi gave him words of advice: in order to become strong enough to kill him and avenge the clan, Sasuke need only strive for power. To help Sasuke down this path, Itachi told Sasuke how to gain the Uchiha clan's most powerful ability, the Mangekyo Sharingan: simply kill your closest friend. Having since come to find Naruto to be his closest friend, Sasuke prepares do just that, finding the loss of Naruto to be an adequate payment for the strength needed to kill Itachi.

Naruto and Sasuke prove equally matched. In attempts to gain victory, each calls upon their unique strengths: Naruto and the demon fox's power, Sasuke and his cursed seal's reserves. Naruto and Sasuke fuel their sources of strength into their Rasengan and Chidori, respectively, and attack one another. Once the energy created by the clash dissipates, Sasuke stands over a defeated Naruto, though his injuries leave him little better off. Although he contemplates killing Naruto he eventually decides against it, realizing that that is what Itachi would want. Deciding to get power in his own way, Sasuke goes to Orochimaru, ready for whatever is necessary to get stronger. Kakashi arrives to retrieve Naruto and take him back to Konoha, where he, like the rest of the retrieval team, are healed.

As Naruto recovers from his injuries, he and Sakura vow to bring Sasuke back together. To prepare for their next encounter with Sasuke, Sakura becomes Tsunade's apprentice, while Naruto leaves with Jiraiya to train under him for two-and-a-half years.

While Naruto is off training Kakashi's story is told. During the Third Great Ninja War, Kakashi, along with his teammate Obito Uchiha, went to rescue their teammate Rin Nohara from the enemy. They were attacked by enemy ninja, who proceeded to permanently scar Kakashi's eye and crush Obito under a boulder. As his dying act, Obito gives his Sharingan to Kakashi, who woefully leaves with Rin and is rescued by their sensei, the future Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze.