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After Itachi had killed everyone in his clan, Sasuke returned home to find everyone murdered. Itachi told Sasuke he was testing his powers, and then forced Sasuke to relive his parents and his clans murder over and over using the Tsukuyomi technique.

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After wiping out his clan, Itachi fled Leaf and joined the Akatsuki Organization. Several years later, Itachi returned with fellow member Hoshigaki Kisame. It was during this period it was revealed Akatsuki was seeking to obtain the Kyuubi demon from inside Naruto for their own ends. After returning to the village and making a play to capture Naruto, the two members fled after facing opposition from Jiraiya.

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When they were young, Madara and his younger brother Izuna competed against each other. Both possessed the Sharingan and attained Mangekyou through their rivalry. With their newfound power, they increased their clan's power and standing. Unfortunately, usage of Mangekyou leads one to blindness and Madara was the first to fall to this side effect. With his eyesight gone, Madara took Izuna's eyes in desperation. These new eyes allowed him to see once again and granted him "Eternal" Mangekyou.

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Madara's fame and powerful Sharingan eye chakra was even known to the Kyuubi. Kyuubi regarded this chakra from the cursed bloodline as even more ominous than his own. He would bear witness to this chakra again in the form of Uchiha Sasuke. Madara himself was said to have the ability to control the Bijuu. This ability was apparently similar to the one possessed by Shodai Hokage.

When he was young, Madara and his younger brother competed against each other. Both possessed the Sharingan and attained Mangekyou through their rivalry. With their newfound power, they increased their clan's power and standing. Unfortunately, usage of Mangekyou leads one to blindness and Madara was the first to fall to this side effect. With his eyesight gone, Madara took his brother's eyes in desperation. These new eyes allowed him to see once again and granted him "Eternal" Mangekyou. With these powerful eyes he met representatives of a nearby clan and helped found Konoha. This clan was lead by the man who would become Shodai Hokage. At some point the men had a falling out, and the two did battle at the Valley of the End. It is said the destruction was so great it tore the earth asunder, creating the very valley. Two gigantic statues were later erected on the spot in their honor.

Madara apparently fled, still alive. He would later use his bijuu abilities to secretly direct the Kyuubi to attack Konoha. Kyuubi was stopped and Madara remained underground. The group Akatsuki sought to capture the Bijuu for their own ends. It was revealed that their leader Pain, actually reported to Tobi, one of the new members of the group. There was apparently more to Tobi than meets the eye, as he revealed in an ominous voice that Uchiha's Sasuke's Sharingan was growing powerful. This was something he could recognize with his own Sharingan power, as Uchiha Madara. The exact nature of Tobi and Madara is still unknown.

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After Itachi had killed everyone in his clan, Sasuke returned home to find everyone murdered. Itachi told Sasuke he was testing his powers, and then forced Sasuke to relive his parents and his clans murder over and over using the Tsukuyomi technique.

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Though his friend has passed away, Obito is always in Kakashi's memory. Kakashi often visits the marker honoring Obito and the other fallen ninja to contemplate his place in the world and think about his past mistakes. These trips to visit the marker early in the morning are often why Kakashi is late to arrive at meetings.

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Sasuke's clan were wiped out by his older brother Itachi in a test of his own skills, and to help him attain the Mangekyou Sharingan Eye. Since this incident, Sasuke's life has been influenced towards revenge in almost every step he has taken.

When his brother returned to Konoha and mocked him and his development, Sasuke turned even more morose and focused on revenge. Sasuke had sworn to kill his brother and has hesitated to form friendships with anyone around him. This didn't stop Naruto though from viewing Sasuke as a brother. When Sasuke decided to leave Konoha behind and seek more power from Orochimaru, Naruto swore to stop him. The two engaged in combat and though Sasuke wanted to break any bonds they had, he chose not to kill Naruto.

Over the next few years Sasuke enhanced his skills and pestered Orochimaru to train him further. He joined Kabuto and Orochimaru as they moved to new hideouts to avoid detection. Naruto and Sakura never gave up on getting Sasuke to return to Konoha, and they will do anything to get him back...

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Shisui possessed the ability to enter into the minds of others and implant false thoughts to control them. This helped him gain a reputation among other villages. At some point Shisui battled with ninja from Hidden Mist. Mist ninja Ao was able to witness Shisui in action during this time.

Some time later, both Itachi and Shisui were to meet at an Uchiha clan meeting, but both men did not arrive. When the Konoha Police Corps found Shisui's body, they began to investigate his death. A suicide note was found with Shisui's body. Though it was in Shisui’s handwriting, anyone utilizing the Sharingan could have copied and mimicked his writing style. In the note Shisui said he was tired of his Uchiha duties and that the clan had no future. The police found it hard to believe Shisui would suddenly give everything up and kill himself, they suspected that Itachi may have been involved. When Itachi was confronted by the police about his whereabouts, he grew angry at their accusations and their doubts so he began to attack the police. Itachi's father reprimanded his son and the matter was considered dropped.

Itachi later wiped out the other members of his clan and told Sasuke he had killed his best friend Shisui to test his capacity and gain the Mangekyou Sharingan. To get this new Sharingan variation, he claimed one had to kill their best friend. At some point after his death, Shisui's remains were taken and used by ANBU Root leader Danzou. Shisui's right arm and eye were implanted into Danzou for his own purposes. When Danzou was later selected for the Sixth Hokage position, he traveled to the Iron Country for a Kage Summit. On the way there he was attacked, so he removed his bandages and used Shisui’s eye and arm to defend himself. Later when Mifune, the Kage Summit moderator, suggested that Danzou lead a Five Great Shinobi Country alliance, the other Kage were surprised. Shaken by the strange feelings, Mizukage entourage member Ao used his Byakugan to look at Danzou. He then revealed to the gathered attendants that Danzou had portions of Shisui in his body.

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Udon and his friends Konohamaru and Moegi became Genin during the two and half year timeskip in the series. They served as a team under the leadership of Jounin sensei Ebisu.

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Ukon was granted a cursed seal by Orochimaru that allows him to gain more power for a period of time. The incarnation of Sound ninja Sakon that first appears in the series is actually a combination of two individuals, the brothers Sakon and Ukon. Together Ukon shares the body of Sakon, at any point Ukon can split off his brother and become his own individual. When Ukon goes to his level 2 cursed seal form, his can manipulate his body down to the molecular level and insert himself into an opponent. He uses this cell form as an assassination technique to kill the person from within their own body.

When the Four Sounds were going to deliver Sasuke to Orochimaru, the five Leaf Genin led by Shikamaru followed in pursuit. Sakon and Ukon individually fought against Kiba and Akamaru, he had seriously injured Kiba and was going for the kill when Kankurou of Hidden Sand showed up to lend Kiba support. Kankurou used Karasu and his new puppet Kuroari to capture and apparently kill the combined Sakon and Ukon.

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Iruka doubts the rookie Genin are prepared to particpate in the Chunin exam, so he gives each a pre-test to determine if their skills are advanced enough. All pass his test, with some reluctance he agrees they are ready for the exam.

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Utakata was captured by Akatsuki. Two of the unseen captured Jinchuuriki's were outcasts, who were abandoned by their village when Akatsuki came to capture them. The Rokubi was removed from his body, resulting in his death.

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Koharu was a Genin teammate of Sarutobi (the Third Hokage) and Homura under their Jounin master the Second Hokage. Later when the Fifth Hokage is to be chosen, she and Homura convene a council of Fire country feudal lords to pick the new Kage.

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Yuugao was the girlfriend of the Leaf ninja Gekkou Hayate. When Hayate was killed, she and her fellow ANBU teamed swore to get vengeance for his death. After the Leaf invasion was over, she brought flowers to the marker honoring Hayate and the other ninja killed in battle. From her manner of speech towards Hatake Kakashi, it also appears she was a junior ANBU member while Kakashi served in the group.

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This red-haired kunoichi was the mother of Uzumaki Naruto. When she was young she was a talkative tom boy. When she grew up her beauty, personality and Ninjutsu became known to many. It was this very personality and Ninjutsu skill which she would pass on to Naruto. When she was young, she was brought to Konoha to be the next Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Having a similar strong chakra like the existing Kyuubi Jinchuuriki Uzumaki Mito, Kushina was viewed as the ideal replacement. Kushina felt a crushing loneliness associated with bearing that burden, but Mito helped console her by stating she should fill her heart with love. If she would do that, she would live a happy life.

During this time her classmates at the Academy made fun of her striking long, red hair. She would have none of such talk, and mercilessly beat them down. This gave her the nickname "Red Hot-Blooded Habanero". When ninja from Hidden Cloud attempted to abduct her, no tracking ninja from Konoha were able to locate her. One ninja did however, young classmate Namikaze Minato. Easily finding the strands of hair Kushina was leaving behind, he revealed it was easy to find such a lovely marker. From that day Kushina was proud of her hair and had fallen in love. With Minato's love, Kushina was able to fill her heart with love as Mito directed, and live a happy life in Konoha. She would later marry Minato and become pregnant with his child.

When Jiraiya visited the couple during the pregnancy, he allowed Minato to read one of his latest books, a semi-biographical account of Jiraiya's own life. The character in the story was known for his drive and determination. For that reason Minato asked Jiraiya if he would mind if he named his own son "Naruto" after the character in the story. Kushina offered her approval of the name choice. Jiraiya was embarrassed and honored. During this time, the seal holding the Kyuubi within Kushina began to weaken. This was a known side-effect for pregnancy Jinchuuriki mothers. So as done with Mito before her, Sandaime Hokage directed his wife Biwako and ANBU guards to help protect Kushina as she gave birth outside of the village.

Behind a barrier in a cave, Kushina was able to give birth as Minato worked on strengthening the Bijuu seal. The proud parents welcomed Naruto into the world and then set about fully setting the Kyuubi seal. Unfortunately at that same moment, a masked man entered the cave, having killed the ANBU and Biwako. Taking Naruto hostage, he directed Minato to step away from Kushina so he could have the Kyuubi for his own ends. Kushina would later perish, but because she added her chakra to the Kyuubi seal on Naruto, she was able to later speak with him as he worked on taming the Kyuubi once and for all.

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Whirling Tides maintained close ties with Leaf. To that end, Mito married Senju Hashirama, the Shodai Hokage. When Shodai fought Uchiha Madara in battle, Mito came to her husband's aid, sealing the Kyuubi within herself. She became the first Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and would remain in Konoha throughout her life. During this time she became pregnant. Because childbirth is a time when a Bijuu seal is weak for a pregnant Jinchuuriki, she gave birth in secret outside of Konoha behind a barrier. The seal nearly failed but the Kyuubi was not released. Though her husband would die, she would continue living in the village. Later in her life, a new host was selected to replace her.

Uzumaki Kushina hailed from the same clan and had similar abilities, so she was brought to Konoha to be the next Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Mito helped comfort Kushina by telling her that the loneliness of being a host could be combatted by filling ones heart with love. Her life then ended as the Kyuubi was removed from her body and placed inside Kushina.

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Though he did not have many friends early in life, Naruto gained many in his development as a ninja. His teammates Sakura and Kakashi still remain close to Naruto and he has grown close to the other ninja who he became Genin with. Naruto was a boy without clear direction until the Sannin Jiraiya entered his life to help him control the Kyuubi to his own needs. With that help, Naruto has been able to push his power to new heights, of recent though this power has potentially gotten the better of him.

Naruto has remained a Genin due to his travels outside of Konoha with Jiraiya. His friends have advanced while he has remained stuck. Do not let this fool you though. While his rank may be low, his skill level remains high and his drive to one day become Hokage still remains strong.