Per wiki policy, Spoilers Off applies here and all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned.
- Iruka helping Naruto deal with his grief and guilt over Sasuke's death by making him realise that Sasuke's death wasn't meaningless, showing that whenenever Naruto is in trouble, he can always rely on his surrogate father/brother.
- Ino slaps Sakura, steals her forehead protector, insults her and tells her she's not worthy of being a ninja for letting Sasuke die until Sakura is driven into a fury that leads her to beat Ino into the ground, reclaim her protector and furiously declare that she won't give up that easily- just as Ino had intended.
- Keiji helps Naruto and Sakura reconcile with each other, with Naruto promising Sakura that the three of them (and even Sasuke) will always be teammates and Sakura giving Naruto a quick but heartfelt hug which shocks him.
- Naruto gives Hinata the one thing she needs to be strong- the knowledge that someone truly believes in her and will always believe in her. Hinata is so moved that she cries into Naruto's chest.
- At the end of the chapter, Naruto agrees to let Hinata keep the forehead protector he loaned her, while he keeps hers instead, noting that in a way it's like they'll always be together. Then he takes her out to lunch. Of course, the significance of this totally eludes him, but it's still adorable.
- One word lightens up one of the darkest moments of the series: "SAKURA!"
- The reunion between Sakura and her father in the infirmiry of the Fortress when each of them feared the other was dead.
- Additionally, the implication that Ino went out of her way to save Kizashi and look for Sakura's mother as well during the fall of Konoha.
- Even more so when she finds her mother imprisoned in the Sound base and rescues her.
- When Naruto saves Hinata from her imprisonment deep in the bowels of Orochimaru's base.“I kept our promise, Naruto-kun,” she whispered. “I didn’t give up.”
- The night before his duel with Gaara, Naruto is sitting alone, fretting. Hinata joins him and he talks about what's worrying him- not only is he afraid of Gaara, he's worried that everyone considers him capable of fighting him because they believe he's a monster too. Hinata reassures him that's not the case and that he can do it, but when Naruto remains doubtful, gives him a "good luck charm"- a soft kiss on the cheek that leaves him speechless.
- When the Kyuubi takes over Naruto's body during the battle, this is what allows him to come back from the edge, as the kiss allows him to hear Hinata's voice when his consciousness has been suppressed by the Kyuubi, waking him up again.
- When the Kyuubi is about to kill Gaara, Temari leaps in to attack it to protect her little brother, despite knowing the fox will rip her apart. It smashes her to the ground with one blow, shattering her arm, but she has the strength to crawl on top of Gaara's fallen body in a desperate attempt to at least shield him with her own before she passes out. Kankuro jumps in to protect both of them, but the Kyuubi destroys Karasu in a single blow- and Kankuro stands his ground, willing to fight to the death anyway, even though he has no chance.
- After Naruto regains control, he points out this to Gaara:Naruto: I thought you said you were alone, that you always have been and always will be? You don't look so alone from where I'm standing.
- After Naruto regains control, he points out this to Gaara:
- In chapter 11, Tenten volunteers to let Hinata stay with Team 7 in Keiji's place instead of her (Keiji is studying under Guy for a while to improve his taijutsu) because she can tell that Hinata has feelings for Naruto. This is despite the fact that she's absolutely exhausted from repeated trips between the Fortress and Suna, and Guy had originally assigned her to Team 7 in order to give her an extra day or two of rest.It was tough being a good kohai sometimes, but it was worth it.
- Naruto agreeing to become Gaara's first-ever friend.
- Naruto and Hinata confessing their love for each other in chapter 12.
