Naruto and Hinata

A small Naruto makes his way through Konoha under the cold stares of its people. Too broke to afford a bowl at Ramen Ichiraku and hungry, he hurries home, passing Sasuke along the way as nearby adults mutter about Naruto's supposed hand in the Fourth Hokage's death. He mopes alone at home, then heads into the forest to train. Still hungry, he forages mushrooms and pulls fish from a stream, and as he cooks them over a fire he is joined by Hiruzen, not knowing the man is the Third Hokage. Naruto shares his catch, and the two talk about the wider world. The next day he keeps turning over Hiruzen's words about how much bigger the world is than any single person.

Neji trains in taijutsu with his father Hizashi, who ends the session over the boy's protests. When Neji asks about his cousin, Hizashi describes a girl a year younger and begins explaining what being a Hyūga will demand of him. Neji then spars with Hinata, who admits she has no love for taijutsu, and he reminds her that as heiress she carries an important role of her own.

At Hizashi's funeral, Hinata aches for Neji. Drifting away from the gathering, she crosses paths with Naruto, who walks her home, and after he leaves, Hiashi arrives to start instructing her in the ways of the clan. A continuity slip shows Neji without the caged bird seal after Hinata's third birthday, though other sources place its application at that point. Counting the original series, this stands as the 700th episode of the Naruto anime.