Chapter Summaries

Sakura Haruno froze Kisame's massive water sphere and unleashed an enormous explosion by detonating the ice. The blast devastated the battlefield and drew the attention of distant observers, while Kisame's fate remained unclear.

• Sakura Haruno's powerful Ice Release froze Kisame's water sphere, trapping him and overturning his advantage.
• Kisame recognized that Sakura planned to blow up the ice sphere, while the White Zetsus realized it was too late to stop her.
• Sakura completed her Hand Seals and detonated the ice sphere, unleashing a vast blast that swept across the land.
• The White Zetsus burrowed underground to survive the blast, while Kisame's last visible move was to leap out behind a rising wall of water before the explosion swallowed him.
• Itachi turned toward the blast as a huge mushroom cloud rose, and Obito reacted to the explosion while studying intelligence on Sakura Haruno.
• In Konoha, a long-haired woman sensed something amiss and startled the baby in her arms; other nearby ninjas also looked toward the distant blast.

Sakura Haruno defeated Kisame with a massive Ice Release explosion, then faced White Zetsus who tried to rescue him. She found Kisame again and cut through the attackers, Samehada, and Kisame with her Super Water Gun Technique.

• Sakura Haruno detonated an enormous ice sphere, devastating the landscape and leaving Kisame gravely wounded with Samehada nearly drained.
• Sakura prepared to finish Kisame, but White Zetsus attacked from underground; she crushed the first attackers with Guarding Foot.
• More White Zetsus swarmed Sakura and moved Kisame while she fought through them with her water blade.
• Sakura used Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals to find Kisame and the White Zetsus trying to heal him.
• A White Zetsu wielding Samehada struck Sakura, but she countered with Super Water Gun Technique and sliced through Samehada, the White Zetsus, and Kisame.

Sakura Haruno wiped out the White Zetsu attackers, resisted their Spore Technique, and realized they had used it to cover their escape with Kisame and Samehada. After sensing Sasuke’s failed Super Electromagnetic Cannon and fading Chakra, she left the stolen remains behind and went to support him.

• Sakura Haruno killed the White Zetsu surrounding her, then questioned whether their physical bodies came from cloning technology.
• White Zetsu spores grew across Sakura’s body and tried to absorb her Chakra, but she froze and tore them off with Ice Release.
• Sakura realized the Spore Technique had distracted her while White Zetsu carried Kisame and Samehada’s remains underground.
• Sakura sensed Sasuke use the Super Electromagnetic Cannon and recognized that his Chakra had sharply diminished while Uchiha Itachi’s remained strong.
• Sakura abandoned her attempt to stop the White Zetsu and set off to support Sasuke.

Sakura Haruno arrived too late to stop Itachi from defeating Sasuke, then fought Itachi and damaged his Susanoo before Tsukuyomi struck her. The White Zetsus assumed Itachi had won, but Sakura remained conscious and had not fallen.

• Sakura Haruno reached the battlefield and caught Sasuke as he passed out after holding Itachi off.
• Itachi attacked Sakura with Susanoo, but she blocked its punch with an ice wall and recognized the technique.
• Sakura used Wind Blade Torrent to pierce Susanoo and cut Itachi’s hair before Tsukuyomi took effect.
• Sakura dropped to one knee as Itachi’s black tears of blood ran down his face, and the White Zetsus declared Itachi the winner.
• One White Zetsu noticed that Sakura had not fallen despite being struck by Tsukuyomi.

Sakura Haruno endured Itachi’s Tsukuyomi without showing pain, surprising him with her composure. She revealed that her past training had made her mental strength extraordinarily resilient, leaving the clash unresolved as she continued to withstand his attacks.

• Itachi trapped Sakura Haruno in his Tsukuyomi World and explained that he controlled its time and space.
• Itachi repeatedly stabbed Sakura, but she calmly endured the pain without screaming or changing her expression.
• Sakura told Itachi that the pain was trivial compared with what she had endured during her Ninjutsu development.
• Sakura’s repeated exposure to extreme pain had strengthened her mental power, allowing her to withstand Tsukuyomi’s mental attacks.

Sakura Haruno resisted Itachi’s Tsukuyomi, and two other versions of herself appeared within the illusion to help free her. With Itachi’s attack halted, Sakura pressed him to pass information to Konoha as its spy.

• Itachi failed to break Sakura’s mental defenses and raised his blade to test whether she could withstand pain.
• Two other Sakura Harunos appeared, struck Itachi, and freed the Sakura bound to the frame.
• The two newcomers joined Sakura, who explained that Tsukuyomi had trapped only one of her soul cores.
• Itachi pointed out that Sakura remained inside his Tsukuyomi World and prepared to attack again, but stopped when Sakura challenged him.
• Sakura reminded Itachi that he had created a space beyond the plant man’s surveillance to pass information to Konoha, and asked whether he still intended to serve as its spy.

Sakura Haruno confronted Uchiha Itachi in Tsukuyomi and confirmed that he was still a Konoha spy. Itachi secretly implanted a message for the Third Hokage in her, and they began planning how to make their encounter look convincing after Tsukuyomi ended.

• Sakura told Itachi that she knew he was Konoha's spy and was qualified to receive his intelligence.
• Itachi admitted that he was working undercover for the Third Hokage and explained that Akatsuki surveillance had prevented him from contacting the village.
• Itachi summoned a crow with one-handed hand seals and made it enter Sakura, planting a Genjutsu that would activate when she met the Third Hokage.
• Sakura asked what they would do in the real world, and she and Itachi agreed that retreating without fighting would look suspicious.

Sakura used medical ninjutsu to hide her and Itachi’s injuries, then warned him that his health was failing and urged him to seek treatment. Itachi ended the Tsukuyomi after warning Sakura that Danzo had Root ninja watching her, leaving the White Zetsus believing he had been bested.

• Sakura punched Itachi and used Yang Release medical ninjutsu to make them appear gravely injured to the White Zetsus.
• Sakura diagnosed Itachi’s deteriorating health and urged him to get treatment, but he asked her not to tell Sasuke and said he would handle their conflict himself.
• Itachi said he was glad Sasuke had comrades like Sakura, then prepared to end the Tsukuyomi.
• As the Tsukuyomi collapsed, Itachi warned Sakura that Danzo had Root ninja watching her.
• Sakura returned to the real world and pretended to be badly hurt alongside Itachi, while the White Zetsus argued over whether she had broken the Tsukuyomi.
• The White Zetsus stopped arguing and decided to leave as Itachi prepared to retreat.

Sakura Haruno failed to stop Uchiha Itachi from taking Fū, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, because Sasuke was unconscious and needed her protection. After Itachi left, Sakura destroyed the White Zetsu who had stayed behind and found two dead Root ninja, leaving her to question Danzo’s target.

• Uchiha Itachi pointed out that Sakura could not pursue him while carrying the unconscious Sasuke, then escaped with White Zetsu and Fū.
• Sakura’s Ice Clone detonated among the White Zetsu, killing the group except for one badly injured survivor, whom Sakura finished off.
• Sakura carried Sasuke to the two Root ninja Itachi had killed and wondered whether Danzo had targeted her, Sasuke, or Fū.

Sakura Haruno examined two Root operatives killed in the cavern and concluded that Danzo had likely sent them after Fū, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki. She reflected on Konoha’s reliance on Danzo’s covert operations, while Danzo learned that Sakura and Uchiha Itachi had ended their battle and left in separate directions, thwarting his plan to capture them all.

• Sakura Haruno summoned an Ice Clone, which examined the corpses and found signs that the two young Root operatives had died under powerful Genjutsu.
• Sakura Haruno suspected the operatives had been sent to seize Fū and condemned Konoha’s willingness to tolerate Danzo and Root’s crimes.
• Shimura Danzō asked a Root sensory ninja about the battle and learned that Uchiha Itachi and the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki were retreating.
• The sensory ninja reported that Sakura Haruno had taken Sasuke in the opposite direction instead of pursuing them.
• Shimura Danzō angrily blamed Sakura Haruno’s compassion and lamented that his plan to capture Sakura, Sasuke, Itachi, and the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki had failed.

After losing his chance to capture the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, Danzo decided to target Sakura Haruno for her Ice Release and Sasuke Uchiha for his Sharingan. He led Root into the cave where Sakura was waiting, while Ryūichi sensed something was wrong but stayed silent.

• Danzo concluded that Sakura had let Itachi leave because she knew his identity, then ordered Root to watch Sakura and Sasuke.
• Believing Sakura was weakened after two battles, Danzo set out to claim her Ice Release and Sasuke's Sharingan instead of the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki.
• Sakura searched the battlefield, realized Root had come for the Jinchūriki, and discovered Danzo approaching the cave.
• Danzo's sensory ninja Ryūichi confirmed Sakura was inside, and Danzo ordered him to stay outside and rest.
• Danzo entered the cave with his Root vanguard as Ryūichi felt a foreboding sensation but did not call him back.

Sakura Haruno confronted Shimura Danzō in a cave, where he accused her of betraying Konoha and tried to force her into Root. When Danzō revealed he had mistaken her apparent exhaustion for weakness, Sakura released the Yin Seal and showed that her fighting strength remained intact.

• Sakura Haruno threatened Shimura Danzō and challenged his accusation that she had let Uchiha Itachi go.
• Danzō accused Sakura of conspiring with outside enemies, and Sakura countered that he had watched her fight the Akatsuki without helping.
• Danzō claimed Sakura was nearly depleted after two battles and demanded that she join Root as his subordinate.
• Sakura questioned why Danzō assumed she had fought Itachi and exhausted her chakra despite knowing about her Yin Seal.
• Sakura released the Yin Seal, unleashing a vast surge of chakra that shocked the Root ninja and revealed her strength was undiminished.

Sakura Haruno confronted Shimura Danzō and Root after revealing that her Yin Seal still held immense Chakra. When Danzō hesitated, Sakura tried to leave, but Terai attacked her and Danzō ordered Root to strike; Sakura activated her techniques and vanished from sight.

• Sakura Haruno revealed her overwhelming Chakra and dismissed Shimura Danzō's mistaken estimate of her reserves.
• Sakura told Root to get out of her way and walked toward the cave entrance with Sasuke on her back while Danzō hesitated.
• Terai lost his temper and attacked Sakura, who struck him with Monstrous Strength Technique: Star Cannon Hammer and left him half-dead.
• Shimura Danzō ordered Root to attack Sakura while she stood surrounded.
• Sakura activated Yin Seal: Stage Three and Cherry Blossom Impact: Stage Three, then vanished from Danzō's sight.

Sakura Haruno used her Ice Body Flicker Technique to slaughter Shimura Danzō’s Root operatives after Danzō ordered them to attack. With Root defeated in two seconds, Sakura confronted Danzō, who admitted they had underestimated her but insisted the battle had only begun.

• Shimura Danzō ordered Root to attack Sakura Haruno, confident that timing, terrain, and numbers favored his side.
• Sakura vanished with her Ice Body Flicker Technique and killed Yamanaka Fū, Torune, Terai, and the other Root operatives in rapid succession.
• Sai surrendered when Sakura stopped her punch at his nose, but Sakura struck him in the stomach and knocked him down.
• Sakura defeated Root in two seconds, leaving Shimura Danzō as the only enemy still standing.
• Shimura Danzō realized Sakura had used Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals to move through the cave at extraordinary speed.
• Sakura pointed her bloodstained ice blade at Shimura Danzō, who admitted Root had underestimated her and declared that the battle had only begun.

Sakura Haruno rejected Shimura Danzō’s accusation that she had betrayed Konoha and threatened to kill him. With his Root subordinates defeated, Danzo prepared to use his hidden abilities to capture her and make her his subordinate.

• Sakura Haruno’s attack left most of Danzo’s Root ninja dead or incapacitated, with Sai among the least injured.
• Danzo accused Sakura Haruno of plotting to betray Konoha and ordered her to hand over Sasuke and submit to punishment.
• Sakura Haruno dismissed Danzo’s accusation and threatened to kill him, making clear that his words would not shake her.
• Danzo accepted that he would have to fight and gathered chakra, confident that his remaining techniques would let him subdue Sakura Haruno.

Sakura Haruno used her Ice Body Flicker Technique to stop Shimura Danzō from completing the seals for Izanagi and severed both his hands. Danzō then revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan and activated Kotoamatsukami, while a panting voice spoke from behind him.

• Shimura Danzō began forming the seals for Izanagi as Sakura Haruno charged at him with her Ice Body Flicker Technique.
• Sakura slashed Danzō’s hands, interrupting his attempt to complete the seals and escape her attacks.
• Sakura cut off both of Danzō’s hands before he could form Izanagi’s second seal.
• Danzō uncovered his right eye, revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, and used Kotoamatsukami.
• A panting voice spoke from behind Danzō, saying, “Hah, that was close...”

Sakura Haruno defeated Shimura Danzō after dodging his Kotoamatsukami and took Shisui’s Sharingan from him. She left Danzō unconscious and wondered what to do with the dangerous eye.

• Shimura Danzō realized Sakura Haruno had dodged Kotoamatsukami and guessed that Uchiha Itachi had revealed his secret.
• Sakura Haruno restrained Danzō and said she would take Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Sakura Haruno gouged out Danzō’s right eye, then knocked him unconscious with a hand chop.
• Sakura Haruno confirmed everyone in the cave was unconscious and wondered whether she should keep or use Shisui’s Sharingan.

Sakura Haruno kept Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan after defeating Danzo and his Root forces, then left the cave with Sasuke. When Sasuke woke at their camp, he asked whether Sakura had beaten Itachi.

• Sakura Haruno decided to keep Shisui’s Sharingan in a bottle because she saw little use in its abilities and had no better person to give it to.
• Sakura emerged from the cave carrying Sasuke and frightened the Root sensory ninja Ryūichi, who let her pass after she overwhelmed him with her presence.
• Sasuke woke near sunset in a field tent, dressed, and went outside to find Sakura trying to repair a sandal with a glue-like Ninjutsu.
• Sasuke asked Sakura whether she had beaten Itachi.

Sakura withheld details about Uchiha Itachi from Sasuke, prompting an argument that ended with both apologizing. Sasuke then asked how Sakura had fought Itachi and how far he still lagged behind him.

• Sakura told Sasuke that she and Itachi had fought to a standstill, but Sasuke recognized that she was hiding something.
• Sasuke demanded the truth about Itachi and grabbed Sakura's wrist in anger; Sakura reminded him that she had risked her life to protect him.
• Sasuke let go and apologized, while Sakura explained that she could not reveal certain things because she was not allowed to.
• Sasuke vowed to uncover the hidden truth, and Sakura reflected on why she had agreed to cooperate with Itachi.
• Sakura's repaired sandal split again when she used the Body Flicker Technique, and Sasuke teased her about her footwear.
• Sasuke asked Sakura to describe her fight with Itachi, including how she handled Susanoo and Tsukuyomi, and to tell him how far behind Itachi he was.

Sakura explained Itachi’s strength and abilities to Sasuke, who accepted the warning without abandoning his resolve to become stronger and learn the truth. Sakura and Sasuke rested at camp, then returned to Konoha two days later after their mission to find the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki failed.

• Sakura told Sasuke that Itachi was among the strongest Kage-level ninja and explained how Susanoo, Tsukuyomi, and Amaterasu could be countered.
• Sakura admitted she expected to defeat Itachi in a fight but considered his combat talent greater than her own.
• Sasuke said he understood and remained committed to becoming stronger, then offered to take the first watch so Sakura could rest.
• Sasuke asked Sakura for her shoes after learning that the mission to find the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki had failed.
• Sakura and Sasuke returned to Konoha two days later.