Chapter Summaries

Hinata escaped Planetary Devastation with Kakashi and Inoichi Yamanaka, then arranged treatment for the wounded and wrote a lengthy mission report. The operation left Orochimaru likely to rejoin the Akatsuki, while Hinata and Black Zetsu’s plan succeeded, and Kakashi soon called for an immediate return to Konoha.

• Hinata flew Kakashi and Inoichi Yamanaka away from Planetary Devastation and escaped its weakening gravitational pull.
• Hinata concluded that the battle had made Orochimaru’s return to the Akatsuki likely and brought her and Black Zetsu closer to their goals.
• Hinata returned to the operation team and called for medical ninjas to treat Kakashi, Inoichi Yamanaka, and the other wounded.
• The Medical Division said Kakashi would recover soon but that Inoichi needed treatment from Tsunade back in Konoha.
• Hinata wrote a mission report of more than ten thousand words, then Kakashi called for the team to return to the village immediately.

After returning to Akatsuki, Orochimaru joined Sasori as his partner and learned that the organization considered Hinata its greatest threat. Pain ordered members to retreat if they encountered her without enough backup and said he would attack Konoha himself when Akatsuki's plan began in two years.

• Pain announced that Orochimaru had rejoined Akatsuki and assigned him to work with Sasori of the Red Sands.
• Orochimaru and Itachi Uchiha avoided discussing Sasuke, while Pain warned them that Akatsuki would hunt down any further traitors.
• White Zetsu explained how Hinata had defeated or driven off Akatsuki members, and Pain ordered everyone to retreat if they encountered her without at least four people.
• Pain said he would kill Hinata and capture Naruto Uzumaki's Nine-Tails when Akatsuki's plan began, after the Three-Tails revived in about two years.
• Orochimaru left the meeting to conduct experiments, and Pain concluded the gathering.

Pain asked Orochimaru to undo the Reaper Death Seal and summon the Fourth Hokage to obtain the other half of the Nine-Tails, promising Akatsuki would retrieve the Death God Mask. Orochimaru returned to his base eager to regain his hands, while Pain prepared to target Konoha and worried that events were slipping beyond his control.

• Pain asked Orochimaru to use Impure World Reincarnation to summon the Fourth Hokage and secure the half of the Nine-Tails sealed inside him.
• Orochimaru told Pain that undoing the Reaper Death Seal required the Death God Mask, which was kept in Konoha’s Uzumaki Clan Face-Offering Hall, and Zetsu agreed to obtain it.
• Pain assigned Zetsu the mission, while Zetsu secretly used the Spore Technique on Orochimaru and planned to cooperate with him without Nagato or Obito knowing.
• Pain told Konan that Hinata Hyuga’s strength worried him and vowed to descend on Konoha and kill her after collecting the Tailed Beasts.
• Orochimaru returned to his secret base, confirmed that Sasuke had awakened, and shut himself away, excited by the secrets he had uncovered and expecting Zetsu to visit.

After Inoichi survived surgery, Tsunade questioned Hinata about the Rinnegan and linked the recent battles to a hidden history of powerful enemies beyond the Ninja World. Tsunade began reviewing classified Senju records, while Hinata found their ancient accounts vague and speculative.

• Tsunade told Hinata and Ino that Inoichi was out of danger, then ordered Hinata to rewrite her mission report.
• Hinata briefed Tsunade on the mission, and they concluded that the Rinnegan's hidden user had likely been injured in the battle in the Land of Fire.
• Tsunade asked whether Hinata could escape a larger Planetary Devastation, and Hinata admitted she probably could not if she were too close.
• Tsunade reasoned that enemies from beyond the Ninja World and a hidden clan might be connected to Akatsuki's plan to gather the Tailed Beasts.
• Tsunade opened classified Senju records left by her grandfather, and Hinata began reading their uncertain accounts of the Sage of Six Paths' era.

Hinata used Tobirama Senju’s records to lead Tsunade toward the possibility that the Senju-Uchiha feud began with Asura and Indra, while concealing the truth about Kaguya Otsutsuki. At Orochimaru’s secret base, Black Zetsu arrived and acknowledged that Orochimaru had uncovered important secrets about the Sage of Six Paths.

• Hinata read Tobirama Senju’s records about the Uchiha clan and explained that he had intended the Konoha Military Police Force to improve relations with them as well as contain the Mangekyō Sharingan’s risks.
• Hinata suggested to Tsunade and Shizune that the Senju and Uchiha descended from Asura and Indra, and Tsunade agreed that their inherited conflict could explain the clans’ long history of violence.
• Tsunade rejected Hinata’s implication that Madara Uchiha might still be alive, insisting that he had died at Hashirama Senju’s hands.
• Hinata denied having any clearer Hyuga Clan records, while Tsunade concluded that the cave genjutsu Jiraiya and Hinata had seen was likely a depiction of real history.
• Black Zetsu appeared at Orochimaru’s secret base, and Orochimaru eagerly awaited the secrets he might reveal.
• Black Zetsu praised Orochimaru for uncovering the Sage of Six Paths’ secrets through his own talent and research.

Black Zetsu approached Orochimaru to recruit him as a partner, offering the Rinnegan and ancient secrets in exchange for cooperation. Orochimaru accepted, intrigued by the promise of uncovering the Tailed Beasts’ secrets and attaining immortality.

• Orochimaru deduced that the Sharingan evolved into the Rinnegan and concluded that Madara Uchiha had survived his apparent death.
• Black Zetsu explained that Madara escaped death with Izanagi and revealed that Akatsuki’s leader possessed Madara’s former Rinnegan.
• Orochimaru inferred that Madara’s representative had his own agenda and asked what he would gain from cooperating.
• Black Zetsu offered Orochimaru the Rinnegan and secrets from before the Sage of Six Paths’ era, including knowledge about the Tailed Beasts.
• Orochimaru accepted Black Zetsu’s offer after hearing that the secrets could lead to immortality of body and soul.

After Konoha revealed Akatsuki’s threat to the other major Shinobi Villages, pressure on Konoha eased. At home, Hinata began studying Puppet Technique and successfully built a small puppet, inspiring her to pursue spacecraft research.

• The major Shinobi Villages learned about the Rinnegan and Impure World Reincarnation, and the Tsuchikage, the Raikage, and Sunagakure vowed to kill Orochimaru.
• Hyuga Hiashi regained his vigor, focused on work, and considered having another son, giving Hinata more freedom.
• Hinata dismantled Kankuro’s puppet car and began studying how puppets worked.
• Hinata assembled a small puppet and learned to control it with chakra threads.
• After making the puppet take a step, Hinata excitedly planned to research space stations and spaceships powered by chakra.

Hinata developed plans to study Puppet Technique and help the Hyuga Clan reach space, then resigned as Tsunade’s secretary to make time for her ambitions. Tsunade accepted her resignation, leaving Hinata’s path to becoming Hokage less likely.

• Hinata speculated that God Trees could produce Chakra Metal for spaceships and imagined the Hyuga Clan exploring space.
• Hinata planned to study Puppet Technique and eventually take over Sasori of the Red Sands’ research, while considering leaving her secretary job.
• Hinata wrote a resignation letter and brought it to Tsunade the next morning.
• Hinata explained that she needed more time to learn ninjutsu and gave Tsunade a development proposal for the village.
• Tsunade accepted Hinata’s resignation, and Shizune noted that Hinata seemed to be moving further from becoming Hokage.

Hinata resigned as Hokage secretary and realized that the Shinobi World was too small for her ambitions, while Tsunade worried about the dream driving her forward. At Hokage Rock, Hinata told Hyuga Hiashi that she intended to lead the Hyuga Clan into the unknown world of the Otsutsuki.

• Tsunade reflected on Hinata’s changing ambitions and worried about what her new dream might lead her to do.
• Hinata left the Hokage Building, bought food, and looked down over Konoha from Hokage Rock, deciding the Shinobi World was only the beginning of her journey.
• Hyuga Hiashi approached Hinata and asked what had changed after she resigned as Hokage secretary.
• Hinata asked Hiashi whether he had ever wanted to change the Hyuga Clan, and he said he had.
• Hinata explained that Urashiki Otsutsuki and the Sage of Six Paths’ family belonged to the Otsutsuki clan, from which the Hyuga descended.
• Hinata told Hiashi she would enter the unknown world as the head of the Hyuga Clan, keeping Hyuga separate from Otsutsuki.

Hinata told Hyuga Hiashi of her plans to pursue the Otsutsuki and universe, and he chose to let her lead a new Hyuga main house while the rest of the clan remained in Konoha. Later, Hinata helped Black Zetsu locate the real Death God Mask and continued training Hanabi, leaving her plans with Akatsuki moving forward.

• Hinata explained her plans to release Kaguya and take the Hyuga Clan into the universe, while Hyuga Hiashi warned that he would stop her if she harmed the world.
• Hyuga Hiashi refused to move the whole clan into an uncertain future but agreed to establish a separate Hyuga main house led by Hinata.
• Hinata left Hiashi to consider the clan’s future and returned home to study Sealing Jutsu and Puppet Technique while Hanabi trained.
• Black Zetsu told Hinata that the Fourth Raikage had led Cloud Ninja to hunt Orochimaru and asked for help finding the Uzumaki Clan’s Death God Mask.
• Hinata used her Byakugan to discover that Danzo had hidden the real mask on a Root Ninja and agreed to let Black Zetsu handle the matter.
• Hinata praised Hanabi for learning to condense meridians and began teaching her the Gentle Fist Technique - Kidney Blow to use against Konohamaru.

Hinata taught Hanabi Gentle Fist strikes aimed at the kidneys and bladder, then sent her to test them on Hyuga Hiashi. Hiashi forbade Hanabi from using the moves on village companions, while Hinata left plotting to undermine his authority.

• Hinata taught Hanabi to target opponents' kidneys and bladder, claiming the moves had made Kakashi and Asuma unwilling to fight her again.
• Hinata urged Hanabi to spar with Hyuga Hiashi, and Hanabi eagerly went to find him.
• Hanabi struck at Hiashi's vital areas during their spar, startling him and convincing her that Hinata's moves were powerful.
• Hiashi told Hanabi not to use the moves on village companions, and Hanabi concluded they were forbidden techniques meant for enemies.
• Hinata watched the spar and left, planning to join forces with Hanabi to seize power from Hiashi.

Hinata considered how to evolve beyond the limits of shinobi strength by consuming more advanced sources of nourishment, such as the creatures of the Three Great Sage Regions or chakra-based pills. She tested a Soldier Pill and tried nourishing a potted plant with Natural Energy, but neither attempt revealed how to achieve lasting growth, leaving her wondering what was missing.

• Hinata reasoned that life could evolve by consuming more advanced nourishment and considered eating powerful toads and snakes from the Three Great Sage Regions.
• Hinata recalled that the Tenseigan could absorb chakra and wondered whether chakra, Natural Energy, and herbs could be refined into pills that increased strength.
• Hinata swallowed a Soldier Pill and used her Byakugan to observe how its nutrients restored energy without permanently improving her body.
• Hinata compressed Natural Energy around a potted plant and examined it, but it showed no sign of becoming extraordinary.
• Hinata wondered what was missing from her attempts to find a way to evolve her strength.

Hinata analyzed how Natural Energy affected living beings and theorized that it needed to be filtered before vitality could absorb it safely. She failed to test her ideas on a plant and left searching for the knowledge and methods needed to develop a safe way to use Natural Energy.

• Hinata reconsidered Sage Mode, Jugo's transformations, and the Ten-Tails, concluding that Natural Energy must be balanced with vitality and filtered before it can be absorbed.
• Hinata wondered whether the God Tree and the Three Great Sage Regions could filter Natural Energy, and considered making chakra-and-herb pills to strengthen vitality.
• Hinata infused a potted plant with Yin Release energy and gathered Natural Energy around it, but the plant did not change.
• Hinata tried using her own chakra instead, but the experiment failed because the energy did not belong to the plant.
• Hinata considered using herself as a God Tree with the power of the Nine Tailed Beasts, but recognized that she lacked filtration and a safe method for absorbing Natural Energy.

Hinata explored scientific ways to filter or purify Natural Energy while learning that the dispute over Impure World Reincarnation had brought the Shinobi World to the brink of war. At a Hyuga Clan meeting, Hizashi argued that the clan should avoid taking sides, leaving Hinata's choice central to Konoha's future.

• Hinata wrote down ideas for filtering or heating Natural Energy, encouraged herself with chicken soup, and studied herbalism.
• Hinata learned that the Fourth Raikage was hunting Orochimaru and that the major villages were pressuring Konoha over Impure World Reincarnation.
• Shimura Danzō visited the Hyuga Clan twice and pursued Hyuga Hiashi as Konoha faced the threat of a united attack.
• Hyuga Hiashi gathered the clan's leaders and asked them to speak their minds about the crisis.
• Hizashi told Hyuga Hiashi that the branch family favored letting Konoha decide, warning that the Hyuga Clan could face the same opposition if Konoha ruled the Shinobi World.

Hyuga Hiashi delayed choosing whether the Hyuga Clan should seek leadership or maintain balance until the Akatsuki crisis was resolved. He considered how Hinata’s plans and power could shape the clan’s future, while Hinata remained uninterested in ruling the Shinobi World.

• Hizashi Hyuga argued that the Hyuga Clan should preserve a balance of power, while an elder urged it to become the leader of a new order.
• Hyuga Hiashi asked Hinata for her view, and she said she was not interested in the debate.
• Hyuga Hiashi postponed the clan’s decision until after the Akatsuki crisis and barred clansmen from publicly discussing the issue.
• Hyuga Hiashi privately asked Hinata what she would do if her plan failed, and she said she might retire somewhere quiet.
• Hinata returned to her room, reflected on the upheaval among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and resumed reading.

Tsunade and Danzo argued over whether Konoha should use force to unify the Shinobi World, while the other major villages began preparing to unite against Konoha. Tsunade remained troubled by the risks of war and the possibility that a unified Shinobi World would become a dictatorship.

• Tsunade and Danzo clashed over whether compromise or force could prevent future wars, with Danzo proposing to perfect the Impure World Reincarnation and use Hinata's power to reclaim the Tailed Beasts.
• Danzo called for a Jonin meeting so Konoha's ninja could vote, and Tsunade agreed.
• The other Shinobi Villages recognized Konoha's growing threat from Hinata and the Impure World Reincarnation, and the four major villages began moving toward an alliance.
• The Fourth Raikage returned to Kumogakure, Chiyo and Ebizo took charge of Sunagakure, and Kirigakure and Iwagakure discreetly approached each other.
• Tsunade went to the Hokage Building rooftop and worried that unification might lead to dictatorship and that Konoha could be defeated if she chose war.

Hinata worried that her growing reputation had made Konoha the target of the other villages as tensions threatened to turn into war. At a Jonin meeting, the village prepared to vote on whether to pursue war or peace, and Hinata supported Tsunade despite finding Danzo’s proposal persuasive.

• Hinata, Shikamaru, and Ino discussed the growing threat of war while visiting the injured Choji, who had been hurt in a mission where Asuma’s team fought Kumogakure ninja.
• Hinata suggested that Kirigakure might side with Konoha because Akatsuki had harmed both villages, and Shikamaru reasoned that Sunagakure might follow.
• Hinata attended a Jonin meeting where Tsunade and Danzo argued over whether Konoha should choose peace or unify the Shinobi World through war.
• Hinata judged Danzo’s proposal more reliable but supported Tsunade because it better served the Hyuga Clan’s interests.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura invited the Jonin to share their views before the formal vote on the village’s future.

At a Konoha meeting, Shikaku argued that the village should avoid war and keep developing peacefully, and the Jonin overwhelmingly supported Tsunade’s position against Danzo. Afterward, Danzo tried to persuade Hinata to back his plans, but she refused and left with Hyuga Hiashi.

• Shikaku argued that Konoha could prevent war and benefit more from continued peaceful development, and most Jonin agreed with him and opposed Danzo.
• Hinata told Tsunade that she agreed with Shikaku, and Danzo left before the vote.
• Tsunade announced that Konoha would discuss peaceful ways to resolve the conflict with the other major villages, including addressing concerns about Impure World Reincarnation.
• Danzo confronted Hinata and Hyuga Hiashi on their way home and argued that the Shinobi World needed unified command to avoid future disasters.
• Hinata acknowledged Danzo’s reasoning but said she would not support him, and Danzo left.
• Hinata told Hyuga Hiashi that Danzo’s appearance made her unwilling to agree with him, and Hiashi took her home.

Hinata questioned her growing distance from Konoha and focused on researching how Natural Energy worked beyond Sage Mode. She decided to ask Hyuga Hiashi to help with experiments, but froze outside his bedroom when she heard sounds from within.

• Hinata reflected that she no longer felt closely connected to Konoha and would help the village only when needed.
• Hinata reconsidered her theories about Natural Energy, Sage Mode, imbalance, and the possible role of filtration.
• Hinata concluded that Sage Mode was only a way to use Natural Energy and decided to seek Hyuga Hiashi's help with experiments.
• Hinata reached Hyuga Hiashi's bedroom and stopped before knocking when she heard sounds inside.

Hinata woke Hiashi early to ask for help testing whether people could absorb Natural Energy, hoping to uncover the source of immortality and the limits of Sage Chakra. Hiashi listened to her theory and began to understand what she wanted to investigate.

• Hinata went to Hiashi's bedroom before dawn and asked him to help with a training problem, alarming him when she mentioned her training.
• Hiashi took Hinata to the Training Room, where she explained her theory that Natural Energy sustained the God Tree and the Three Great Sage Regions.
• Hinata admitted she needed to use someone as a test subject because her own constitution had changed after absorbing Otsutsuki chakra.
• Hiashi considered Hinata's proposal and suggested she wanted to test whether Sage Chakra could be absorbed and used by the human body.