The Past

The Past is the eleventh Chapter of Season One, as well as of the series as a whole.

Plot
Gaara greets Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi and introduces himself to Matt. Team Kakashi collects the Hidden Sand's participants for the Chunin Exams before departing. As they travel back through the Land of Fire to the coast, Kakashi tells Matt about the last time the Chunin Exams were held: The Hidden Sand conspired to destroy the Hidden Leaf, with Gaara as their central weapon. This is the reason for their current mission, as the Hidden Leaf wishes to vet every candidate in order to avoid any future incidents. Back in the Hidden Leaf, Tsunade and Shizune discuss sending Matt out into the open. Shizune asks Tsunade if it is a good idea, and Tsunade says that it is not. Upon being asked why she did it, Tsunade replies that she hopes seeing the Shinobi World will convince Matt to want to stay.

Meanwhile, Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi meet at a bar and discuss Matt. Kurenai asks if Asuma has talked to him at all, and Asuma says he has not. Kurenai says that Kakashi claimed Matt was adjusting well, but has no idea what he is. She states that he is now as effective as any Genin. Asuma is amused at this, discussing how Matt learned in weeks what takes a normal Shinobi years. After six days of travel, Team Kakashi reaches the Land of Fire's coast. In that time, Matt has mastered the Fire Style: Dragon Darts and has moved onto the Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu. However, he has had no luck with the new technique, being on a higher scale than anything he has attempted thus far. At the coast, Team Kakashi takes a boat to the Land of Water, where they travel to the Village Hidden in the Mist.

Once there, they meet the Mizukage Mei Terumi. She provides Kakashi with her Village's participants, and invites them inside. Kakashi declines, seemingly offending the Mizukage. As they leave the Village, Kakashi states that Mei just wanted to gain intel on the Hidden Leaf's participants. Once they are away from the Village, Team Kakashi is attacked by Meizu and Gozu. They assault Kakashi, while a clone of each of them attacks Naruto, Sakura, and Matt, surrounding them all.