Chapter Summaries

The second Chunin Exam began in the Forest of Death, where examinees had to reach a tower while avoiding twenty jonin. Shisui, Yakushi Kabuto, and Little Meow discussed whether to test their strength, and an unseen examinee discovered them.

• A flaxen-haired examiner announced the second exam before the written test results were publicly discussed, and Shisui and Yakushi Kabuto woke Little Meow to join them.
• Mubisen explained that examinees had to reach a tower in the Forest of Death without being caught by twenty jonin, then started the exam.
• Shisui and Yakushi Kabuto discussed how unusually difficult the exam was and whether to pass directly or test their strength.
• Little Meow offered to knock everyone down, while Shisui decided they should test their strength first.
• An examinee concealed in the foliage spotted the three and said, "Found you."

Shisui defeated a jonin using a strange ability that made attacks pass through him and let him strike from a distance. As the exam continued, Yakushi Kabuto stepped forward to face two more jonin while Shisui and Little Meow watched.

• Shisui sent Yakushi Kabuto and Little Meow away to pursue their own route and fought the attacking jonin alone.
• Shisui used his Sharingan and an unexplained ability to evade the jonin's attacks, then struck him down before using his Asauchi.
• Yakushi Kabuto and Little Meow rejoined Shisui, and Little Meow said their strength came from their training and prior Elite Jonin evaluations.
• In the conference room, Ōnoki called the Land of Rain extraordinary, Raikage A identified Yin-nature transformation as the basis of Shisui's technique, and Minato Namikaze said the exam had three rounds.
• Two jonin confronted Shisui's group, and Yakushi Kabuto stepped forward to fight them.

Yakushi Kabuto used soul control to turn an Akimichi ninja against his Nara Clan companion, helping eliminate three of the ten pursuing jonin. Shisui, Little Meow, and Kabuto reached the Center Tower, where they learned the next exam would be one-on-one battles, and Jin arrived as they prepared to rest.

• Yakushi Kabuto evaded the Nara and Akimichi ninjas, then controlled the Akimichi ninja's soul and made him fight his companion.
• The Akimichi ninja defeated the Nara ninja, bringing the number of pursuing jonin eliminated by the team to three.
• In the Observation Room, Jin explained that the Necromancer's Meditation Method could not fully access the Pure Land, while Tsunade and the others watched Kabuto's abilities.
• Shisui, Little Meow, and Yakushi Kabuto reached the Center Tower and learned that the next exam would be one-on-one battles.
• The bald ninja warned them that other examinees had matched their feat of defeating three jonin, and Little Meow rushed to Jin when he arrived.

Jin warned Shisui and Yakushi Kabuto that only a few Chunin Exam contestants were worth watching, and the two identified Mei Terumi, Darui, and Uchiha Itachi among the powerful arrivals. They discussed the rival villages’ strength and suspected Sunagakure was hiding something.

• Jin told Shisui and Yakushi Kabuto that only a few exam contestants could threaten them, and the remaining teams reached the Center Tower as the day ended.
• Mei Terumi and Darui arrived with their teams, and Uchiha Itachi led his teammates past them after Darui made way.
• Shisui recognized Itachi as a promising opponent, while Yakushi Kabuto identified Mei Terumi and Darui as powerful prodigies with rare abilities.
• Yakushi Kabuto said Iwagakure was nearing one hundred thousand active ninja and noted that Sunagakure had deployed fewer ninja than expected.
• Shisui suspected Sunagakure was plotting something, and he said he still cared about Konoha because he had come from there.

Sasori asked Jin whether he would stop him from attacking Konoha, and Jin promised to stay out of it while warning that Sasori underestimated Minato Namikaze. The third exam began, and Little Meow’s match against Mei Terumi ended with Little Meow transforming into a giant cat and attacking.

• Sasori asked Jin if Jin would kill him for making a move against Konoha, and Jin said Konoha’s affairs had nothing to do with him.
• Jin warned Sasori not to underestimate Minato Namikaze, but Sasori remained confident in his plan and left.
• Ibiki Morino began the third exam, explaining that winning a fight alone would not determine whether a contestant passed.
• A Kumogakure ninja defeated a Konoha ninja, and the matches continued.
• Little Meow was paired against Mei Terumi, who covered the arena in mist with her Water Release technique.
• Little Meow blew away the mist, transformed into a giant cat, and struck at Mei Terumi after Mei asked whether a Summoning Animal could take part.

Little Meow defeated Mei Terumi, and the tournament moved on to Yakushi Kabuto’s match against Darui. After exchanging Water, Lightning, and Storm Release attacks, Kabuto summoned eight corpse-like figures with his sword, leaving Darui wary of the apparent dead-controlling technique.

• Mei Terumi used water and lava attacks against Little Meow, but Little Meow overwhelmed her with powerful wind and frenzied claw strikes.
• Mei Terumi surrendered, and Jin wondered whether she had been hiding her strength as he examined her chakra.
• The tournament screen selected Yakushi Kabuto and Darui, who entered the arena and began their match.
• Darui attacked Kabuto with Water Release, lightning conducted through water, Black Panther, and Laser Circus, while Kabuto evaded and countered with Water String.
• Kabuto drew his sword, awakened Pilgrim Eight Rooms, and surrounded himself with eight corpse-like figures as Darui questioned whether he controlled the dead.

Yakushi Kabuto defeated Darui with the Necromancer's Meditation Method and won their match. The next bout paired Uchiha Shisui against Uchiha Itachi, who challenged Shisui over why he had left Konoha before they prepared to fight.

• Yakushi Kabuto used six corpse fighters to pressure Darui, then revealed two guards who could use ninjutsu and asked whether Darui could use Natural Energy.
• Yakushi Kabuto's Necromancer's Meditation Method overcame Darui's resistance, and Ibiki Morino declared Kabuto the winner.
• Shisui congratulated Kabuto and discussed the strength of the Land of Rain before the screen revealed his matchup against Itachi.
• Itachi confronted Shisui about leaving Konoha, and Shisui told him to look beyond the village and clan.
• Shisui and Itachi could not agree, so they prepared to fight.

Shisui and Itachi fought, with Shisui using layered illusions to expose Itachi’s loss of composure. Itachi awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, and the battle escalated as both fighters manifested skeletal giants before Shisui unleashed a crow technique.

• Shisui and Itachi traded close-range strikes and shuriken, with Itachi redirecting his shuriken using wires before Shisui countered.
• Itachi used the Sharingan and Great Fireball Technique, but Shisui revealed that his apparent body was a clone concealed by genjutsu.
• Shisui multiplied into sixteen figures and overwhelmed Itachi, who realized he had lost his calm.
• Itachi awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and used Amaterasu, but Shisui revealed his own Mangekyō Sharingan and an illusion saturating the field with Chakra.
• Itachi and Shisui’s orange-red and green skeletal giants clashed, and Shisui invoked “Dance in flocks, Black Crow.”

Shisui overwhelmed Itachi with Yin-nature crow attacks and phasing techniques, then prepared to end their fight before an enormous explosion interrupted them. Sasori revealed his plan to destroy Konoha, trapping the Center Tower and Forest of Death in a barrier that blocked Minato Namikaze’s spatial abilities.

• Shisui’s Yin-nature crows bypassed Itachi’s Amaterasu and Susanoo, while Shisui’s phasing techniques let him damage Itachi’s Susanoo.
• Shisui decided to end the fight after assessing Itachi’s growth, but a tremendous explosion from Konoha interrupted them.
• Minato Namikaze identified the explosion’s source as Konoha, and Sasori rose to confront the gathered Kage.
• Raikage A and Ōnoki left the viewing room, while Madara Uchiha vanished using a wood clone.
• Sasori’s Sunagakure ninja activated Sky Pillar Lockdown around the Forest of Death, fixing space and disabling Minato Namikaze’s spatial ability.
• Sasori declared that he intended to destroy Konoha for revenge over his parents’ deaths, while Minato Namikaze worried about Tsunade and Kushina in the village.

Kushina handled Konoha’s growing political workload until she learned that Rasa was heading for the Research and Development Department and went to confront him. Meanwhile, Tsunade encountered the newly empowered Uchiha Setsuna, who revealed that someone had broken him out of prison and given him a Dharma Body.

• Kushina struggled with the affairs of Konoha and half the Land of Fire while Minato coordinated with the other Kage.
• Fugaku Uchiha reported that Rasa was approaching Konoha’s Research and Development Department, and Kushina went to stop him.
• Rasa declared his intentions and fought Kushina after her chains disrupted his control of his gold dust.
• Tsunade spoke with Shizune about Konoha’s growth and Nawaki before meeting Uchiha Setsuna.
• Uchiha Setsuna told Tsunade that someone had freed him from prison, restored his youth, and given him immense power called a Dharma Body.

Uchiha Setsuna and two rejuvenated elders confronted Tsunade in Konoha, while Kushina fought Rasa outside the village. The elders and Setsuna drew Tsunade away from the village as Kushina overwhelmed Rasa with her sealing chains.

• Uchiha Setsuna appeared in a massive Eye Dharma Body and confronted Tsunade, who planned to capture him and learn how he had advanced so quickly.
• Two rejuvenated elders revealed themselves as Setsuna’s allies, and each summoned a Dharma Body to help hold Tsunade back.
• An explosion sent Rasa flying out of Konoha, and Setsuna’s group chose to fight Tsunade outside rather than destroy the village.
• Kushina pursued Rasa with her Adamantine Chains and forced him to defend himself with his Gold Man Dharma Body and Gold Dust.
• Rasa trapped Kushina’s chains in a Gold Dust Cube, but she broke through and continued attacking as he unleashed Gold Dust Great Burial.

Kushina defeated and captured Rasa, while Shisui escaped with Itachi and Kabuto as Minato Namikaze faced Sasori’s two Dharma Bodies. The chapter ended with Minato’s Super Great Ball Rasengan exploding against the sand defense protecting Hiruko.

• Kushina used the Death Sealing Barrier to cut apart Rasa’s golden giant and capture him with black chains.
• Shisui sealed Itachi’s Chakra, carried him away, and fled with Yakushi Kabuto as the battle raged around the Center Tower.
• Shisui asked Kabuto who would win, and Kabuto judged that Sasori had the advantage while Itachi insisted Minato Namikaze would prevail.
• Minato Namikaze confronted Sasori’s newly revealed wooden Dharma Body, Hiruko, and launched a Super Great Ball Rasengan.
• The Four-Armed Dharma Body shielded Hiruko with Sand Body Protection, and Minato’s Rasengan exploded against the sand defense.

Minato Namikaze fought to escape Sasori’s battlefield while Jin observed the unusual paths Sasori and others had forged. In Konoha, Tsunade defeated Uchiha Setsuna and pressed her attack against the remaining two Dharma Bodies, who fought for Sasori to stay alive.

• Bunpuku’s Dust Sand World and Hiruko’s scorpion-tail strike knocked Minato Namikaze’s Divine Dharma Body back to the ground before he could escape.
• Jin explained how Sasori’s three Chakra-powered pseudo-Dharma Bodies could absorb Natural Energy and restrain Tsunade, though they would eventually tire.
• Tsunade hurled the Dog Person Dharma Body into the Swarm Dharma Body, endured Amaterasu and the insects’ attacks, and struck down Uchiha Setsuna’s Eye Dharma Body with a Three-Color Haki-enhanced punch.
• The Swarm Dharma Body revealed that its fighters served Sasori because he had restored their youth and could keep them alive; Tsunade then charged the two remaining Dharma Bodies.

Tsunade defeated Sasori’s Dog Person and Swarm Dharma Bodies, but Madara Uchiha took the unconscious fighters away. As Kushina and Tsunade returned to defend Konoha, Minato Namikaze unleashed a powerful Rasengan against Sasori’s remaining defenses and reached Hiruko.

• Tsunade punched through the Dog Person and Swarm Dharma Bodies, defeating their fighters.
• Madara Uchiha appeared and took three unconscious people away despite Tsunade’s attempt to stop him.
• Kushina captured Rasa and flew with Tsunade toward Konoha, where Sunagakure ninja were looting and fighting.
• Pakura realized Rasa had failed and slipped away into the darkness while Minato Namikaze faced Sasori’s two coordinated Dharma Bodies.
• Minato Namikaze formed a white Rasengan, destroyed Sasori’s Sand Kingdom and Sand Body Protection techniques, and pressed the attack against Hiruko.

Minato Namikaze defeated Sasori’s attack on Konoha but spared him after apologizing for his parents’ deaths and accepting compensation. As Kushina guarded the captured Sunagakure Ninja and Fugaku Uchiha went to investigate an explosion, Pakura appeared and attacked the Anbu.

• Tsunade arrived and struck Minato Namikaze, who took her blow to protect Sasori and urged him not to create more hatred.
• Minato Namikaze apologized to Sasori for his parents’ deaths, and Sasori surrendered a scroll containing the Chakra Body Advancement Theory before escaping.
• Kushina left Fugaku Uchiha to guard the captured Sunagakure Ninja while she went to check on Minato.
• Fugaku Uchiha went to investigate a distant explosion, leaving the Anbu to watch the prisoners.
• Pakura approached the Anbu, revealed her Scorch Release, and hurled a massive fireball at them.

Rasa and Pakura freed the Sunagakure Ninja and escaped before Fugaku could stop them, while Uchiha Jin fought Tsunade and proved far stronger. After Jin left, Konoha’s battle ended, and Shisui released Uchiha Itachi before departing with Jin and Yakushi Kabuto.

• Fugaku Uchiha realized he had been lured away as Rasa and Pakura freed the restrained Sunagakure Ninja and escaped with them in gold dust.
• Minato Namikaze asked Uchiha Jin to leave, but Tsunade challenged him to a fight.
• Jin blocked Tsunade’s punch and struck her with a blow formed from darkness, sending her flying and leaving her bloodied.
• Jin vanished with Little Meow, and Tsunade told Minato Namikaze that Konoha’s battle was finally over.
• Shisui released Uchiha Itachi, who vowed to defeat him next time, before Jin arrived and said they should go.

After Sunagakure’s attack on Konoha, Minato Namikaze decided to demand compensation and learned how Sasori used the Dragon Vein to power Chakra Dharma Bodies. Sasori surrendered the Kazekage title to Rasa but kept control of the Dragon Vein, and Minato Namikaze arrived during Rasa’s succession ceremony.

• Fugaku Uchiha apologized to Minato Namikaze for failing to prevent Sasori and the Sunagakure Ninja from escaping, and Minato Namikaze decided to pressure Sunagakure for compensation.
• Minato Namikaze and Tsunade examined Sasori’s scroll and learned that Chakra Dharma Bodies used human souls, machinery, and vast amounts of Chakra.
• Sasori watched the Dragon Vein being mined as Rasa confronted him over the failed attack and said he could no longer remain Kazekage.
• Sasori gave Rasa the Kazekage hat but claimed the Dragon Vein territory for himself, then revealed powerful hidden puppets that forced Rasa to leave.
• Rasa became the Fifth Kazekage in a ceremony completed by the Third Kazekage, but Minato Namikaze’s arrival interrupted his speech.

Kakashi and Rin read about Minato’s victory over Rasa while reflecting on their new lives in the Land of Rain. Jin learned Orochimaru had found a way to restore souls, and Madara welcomed Uchiha Setsuna and two other old ninjas into a new era.

• Kakashi bought a newspaper reporting that Konoha’s Fourth Hokage had defeated the Fifth Kazekage and secured compensation from Sunagakure.
• Kakashi and Rin discussed Obito, who Kakashi believed was still imprisoned in Konoha, and reflected on how their companions and family were alive.
• Jin and Sakumo discussed Sasori, the risk of conflict, and whether the Land of Rain should pursue the Dragon Vein in the Land of Wind.
• Jin said the ninja world had reached a bottleneck and that they needed to visit the Pure Land.
• Orochimaru told Jin he had found a way to restore souls, prompting Jin to plan a visit to the lonely dead.
• Madara Uchiha greeted Uchiha Setsuna and two other ninjas in the Land of Water, and Setsuna apologized for the Uchiha Clan’s past abandonment of Madara.

Jin entered the Pure Land, discovered that it held immense amounts of Chakra, and confronted the Sage of Six Paths. The Sage revealed that the Ōtsutsuki Clan would eventually return to plant another Chakra Fruit and destroy the world.

• Jin explored the Pure Land and found that its souls were made entirely of Chakra, while the world itself contained an overwhelming amount of it.
• Jin encountered Hashirama Senju and tried to absorb his soul, but the Sage of Six Paths appeared and stopped him.
• Jin accused the Sage of Six Paths of hypocrisy and challenged his claim that his actions had been for the world's sake.
• The Sage of Six Paths recounted Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's arrival, the birth of Chakra, and his conflict with his mother.
• The Sage of Six Paths warned Jin that the Ōtsutsuki Clan would return to plant another Chakra Fruit and destroy the world.

The Sage of Six Paths confessed that he had engineered conflict and built the Pure Land to prepare the Shinobi World for the Ōtsutsuki Clan. When Jin rejected his plea to protect the world, the two fought in the Pure Land, where Jin proved able to challenge him.

• The Sage of Six Paths explained that he had created ninjutsu, founded the ninja, and fueled conflict to strengthen the Shinobi World against the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
• The Sage of Six Paths revealed that the Pure Land preserved souls at their peak and that Uchiha Jin's arrival had obscured his visions of the future and given him new hope.
• Jin asked what it mattered to him if the Ōtsutsuki destroyed the world, and the Sage of Six Paths raised his Shakujō to defend the Pure Land.
• The Sage of Six Paths attacked with Wind Release, but Jin countered with Wind Extreme, shattering the space around them.
• The Sage of Six Paths unleashed Lightning Release as Jin used Dark Extreme: Zanjutsu; the Sage cut the slash apart with the Sword of Nunoboko, and the two attacks shook the Pure Land.