Chapter Summaries

Madara embraced Izuna and worried that his younger brother’s discomfort with affection meant he had been alone for a long time. Izuna resolved to get used to Madara’s closeness, while Madara remained troubled by the past Izuna kept hidden and remembered to have him remove his eyes before bed.

• Madara held Izuna close, reflecting on how different this Izuna was from the younger brother he remembered and wondering why he was so unused to hugs.
• Madara told Izuna to rest and offered to have the Medical Corps check his sore muscles, leaving Izuna flustered by his gentle attention.
• Izuna retreated to his room and decided to accept Madara’s affection more naturally because he wanted to keep his older brother from being lonely.
• Madara sat alone beneath the eaves, troubled by Izuna’s habit of hiding his burdens and wondering when he would share his past.
• Madara remembered that Izuna needed to take his eyes out before sleeping.

Izuna used the public’s admiration of his victory over the Hyuga to propose offering the clan help rather than pressuring it. He outlined ways to address the Caged Bird Seal’s flaws and criticized the Hyuga’s reliance on close-range attacks, leaving Tobirama asking what better method Izuna had in mind.

• Izuna overheard Uchiha discussing his strength after his fight with the Hyuga and hurried to the Hokage Building with a plan.
• Izuna told Hashirama, Tobirama, and Madara that he wanted to visit the Hyuga Clan again to offer help, not interfere in its internal affairs.
• Izuna revealed that the Caged Bird Seal left Branch Family members with a one-degree blind spot at the back of the neck, startling the others with his knowledge.
• Izuna suggested addressing the seal’s blind spot and coercive functions while leaving any changes to the Hyuga Clan’s own specialists.
• Izuna argued that the Hyuga should rethink their reliance on close-range Gentle Fist and criticized Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm’s limitations.
• Tobirama asked whether Izuna had a better attack method, and Izuna confidently said that he did.

Izuna proposed teaching archery to the Hyuga through the Ninja Academy, and Hashirama and Tobirama persuaded him to teach there so the clans would trust the school and Uchiha Setsuna could later become its Kyudo instructor. Izuna agreed, and eager children rushed into the office to ask whether he would really teach.

• Izuna suggested using the Byakugan and bows for long-range combat, but Tobirama doubted the Hyuga could adopt archery quickly and Hashirama warned that sending Uchiha Setsuna would create political tensions.
• Izuna proposed using the Ninja Academy to train the Hyuga, and Hashirama explained that most major clans and many civilian families still hesitated to send their children there.
• Tobirama suggested Izuna become a teacher, and Hashirama argued that Izuna's popularity and reputation could draw students from the clans and make it possible for Setsuna to teach Kyudo.
• After considering Hashirama's appeal, Izuna reluctantly agreed to teach at the Academy.
• Senju Yūki burst into the office with Uchiha Hinata, Uchiha Takuma, Yamanaka Harukawa, Senju Ichiyo, and other children, excitedly asking whether Izuna was really going to teach.

On February tenth, Madara celebrated Izuna’s birthday with a homemade bowl of noodles and a pair of specially made tactical gloves. Izuna cherished the gifts and promised to worry Madara less.

• Izuna came home from the cold and found Madara waiting with hot noodles.
• Madara reminded Izuna that February tenth was his birthday, a date that also matched his birthday in his former life.
• Izuna ate the noodles and learned Madara had practiced making them with the Third Elder’s help.
• Madara gave Izuna tactical gloves embroidered with the Uchiha clan fan and a wish for good fortune in battle.
• Izuna tried on the gloves and celebrated their fit, while Madara asked him to do fewer things that made people worry.

Senju Yūki recalled how Izuna had drawn him into the play and encouraged him to consider what he truly wanted. After the Kyoto celebration, Izuna vanished, and Yūki learned the next day that he had smashed up an entire street.

• Yūki first met Izuna and reluctantly joined the play as Taira no Koremori.
• Izuna gave Yūki dango, persuaded him to call him Uncle Izuna, and brought him into the children's games.
• Izuna told Yūki that he resembled Koremori and asked him to think about what he truly wanted.
• At the Kyoto banquet, Yūki reflected on Izuna's question and noticed Izuna was missing.
• The Konoha group did not leave the next morning, and Yūki learned that Izuna had smashed up an entire street.

After Izuna wrecked a street in Kyoto, Yūki and the others helped repair it, and Yūki realized he had begun to share Izuna’s sense of responsibility. On the journey back, Yūki resolved to find a way to overcome his fear and become useful before the pressure broke him.

• Ichiyo told Yūki that Izuna had wrecked a street, and Hashirama led the group to help repair it.
• Yūki saw the extensive damage and began moving rubble alongside the adults and children.
• A civilian boy questioned why a Ninja would do manual labor, and Yūki explained that those who break things should fix them.
• Yūki recalled Izuna helping others and recognized that Izuna’s example had shaped his own sense of responsibility.
• Three days later, Yūki reflected on his fear and resolved to find a way to become useful rather than end up like Koremori.

Yūki went with his friends to find Izuna at the Hokage Building, where they encountered children from several clans and an ordinary merchant family. Watching them play together, he saw how much the village had changed and was left feeling that their unity was a wonderful sight.

• Yūki lost his nerve when Izuna hurried down a side road, but Hinata, Takuma, Harukawa, and Ichiyo caught up and agreed to look for him together.
• Rokuhiko told the children that Izuna was at the Hokage Building and encouraged them to go there.
• Takuma and Ichiyo watched the building’s windows for Izuna, while more children arrived, eager to see the hero who had defeated the Hyuga Clan.
• Yūki reflected on the lingering hostility between the Senju and Uchiha and noticed that the children from different clans were now playing together freely.
• The children chased, teased, and wrestled with one another while sharing sunflower seeds, and Yūki watched with happiness.

Yūki and the other children marched into the Hokage Building to catch Izuna and overheard Hashirama persuading him to teach at the Ninja Academy. After Izuna agreed, the children eagerly promised to attend, leaving him flustered but willing to think about teaching.

• Yūki reflected on how children from different clans now played together before Takuma gathered everyone to plan how to catch Izuna.
• Ichiyo convinced the children to use Yūki's status as Hashirama's son to enter the Hokage Building, and the guards let them pass.
• At the Hokage's Office door, Yūki and the children overheard Hashirama explain that Izuna could encourage the Hyuga Clan to send their children to the Ninja Academy.
• Izuna agreed to teach at the Ninja Academy, and Yūki burst into the office to ask if it was true.
• The children enthusiastically promised to attend, while Tobirama teased Izuna and Izuna blushed before saying he would think about it.

Izuna proposed using safe Genjutsu-simulated Ranking Matches to attract visitors to the amusement park and train Ninja Academy students, with quarterly tournaments offering rewards. Tobirama suggested allowing Ninja from other countries to compete, and Izuna realized the plan resembled an early version of the Chunin Ninja Exams.

• Hashirama and Tobirama asked Izuna to explain Ranking Matches, and he described Genjutsu-simulated duels with restricted techniques that could not injure participants.
• Izuna proposed bringing Ranking Matches to the amusement park and using them at the Ninja Academy to rank students, select elites for his instruction, and expose weaknesses for other teachers to address.
• Izuna suggested the matches could test the Hyuga children and challenge their attachment to old rules, while Tobirama raised the danger of participants using real Ninjutsu and Izuna explained the disqualification penalty.
• After Hashirama suggested Ninjutsu and money as prizes, Izuna proposed quarterly tournaments with rewards for top competitors, funded in part by ticket sales.
• Tobirama suggested opening the tournament to Ninja from other countries, and Izuna recognized the idea as resembling the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Izuna accidentally volunteered to plan the ranking tournament, then left the office to buy lunch. Afterward, Hashirama, Madara, and Tobirama discussed the limits of Izuna’s sensory ability, and Hashirama offered to test it.

• Izuna realized he had turned his spiteful remarks into a detailed ranking tournament plan and complained about being made responsible for carrying it out.
• Izuna left to buy udon for Tobirama, a mushroom rice bowl for Hashirama, and inari sushi with char siu for Madara.
• After Izuna left, Tobirama questioned why Izuna had not sensed the children outside the office despite his ability to detect threats and dodge attacks.
• Madara refused to test Izuna himself because he did not want to damage their hard-won peace or make Izuna feel doubted.
• Hashirama asked Madara to trust him and said he would check Izuna’s sensory ability without making him sad.

Hashirama, Madara, and Tobirama secretly followed Izuna to test his perception, but Izuna spotted them and mistook their actions for an attempt to slack off. After Tobirama claimed Hashirama wanted to spar, Izuna agreed to fight him outside the village, where Madara hoped to learn why Izuna relied only on Taijutsu.

• Hashirama prepared to ambush Izuna, but Izuna sensed him from fifty meters away and located Hashirama, Madara, and Tobirama on his System Map.
• Izuna called out the three hidden men, who emerged awkwardly from their hiding places.
• Izuna assumed the men had followed him to avoid work, and Tobirama said Hashirama had wanted to spar.
• Izuna accepted Hashirama's invitation to fight, while Madara insisted they go outside the village.
• Madara recalled that Izuna had relied on Taijutsu in his recent fights and wanted to discover why; Hashirama warned Izuna not to hold back.

Hashirama and Izuna fought fiercely on the Naka River, with Izuna matching Hashirama using Senju-style Taijutsu and Monster Strength. When Hashirama asked why Izuna had not used his Sharingan, Izuna said he could not activate it and blamed Tobirama’s work on his eye, leaving Tobirama anguished and unable to reveal the truth.

• Hashirama and Izuna traveled to the upper Naka River and began a serious sparring match.
• Izuna used Senju-style Taijutsu and Monster Strength to trade powerful blows with Hashirama, impressing him and Madara.
• Hashirama used Wood Release and Water Release, but Izuna countered with a Great Fireball and attacked through the steam.
• Hashirama struck Izuna’s shoulder and asked why he had not used his Sharingan.
• Izuna said he could not activate his Sharingan and suggested Tobirama had made his left eye improperly.
• Tobirama silently suffered as he remembered the other Tobirama’s devotion to Izuna, while Madara watched him coldly.

Hashirama tried to stop sparring with Izuna by trapping him, but Izuna smashed through his Wood Release techniques and forced him to give up. The fight ended with Hashirama claiming he was too hungry to continue, while Madara watched from a distance.

• Hashirama sent vines and a Deep Forest Emergence technique at Izuna, but Izuna dodged and burst through the trees to attack him.
• Izuna destroyed Hashirama's Wood Human Technique and battered the Hōbi shield with his punches.
• Hashirama summoned a Wood Dragon, but Izuna used the forest to evade it, tangled it among the trees, and smashed its head.
• Hashirama called off the fight and admitted defeat, then claimed he needed food to replenish his energy.
• Izuna questioned Hashirama's age and excuse as Hashirama sat down to eat.

Hashirama learned how Izuna’s perception worked and saw how much Izuna cared about Tobirama. He brought Tobirama the udon Izuna had requested, and Tobirama ate it while insisting Izuna was meddlesome.

• Hashirama asked Izuna about his perception, and Izuna explained that he sensed attacks in advance and could actively search a wider area.
• Hashirama praised Izuna’s ability, and Madara affectionately agreed before the brothers went to eat tempura.
• Izuna told Hashirama to make sure Tobirama ate, so Hashirama took udon to Tobirama’s lab.
• Tobirama refused Hashirama’s attempt to comfort him and said he still disliked the Uchiha.
• Hashirama explained that Izuna had asked him to bring the udon and watch him eat, and Tobirama silently finished the meal, calling Izuna meddlesome.

The four great nations sent envoys to investigate the Land of Fire’s agreement granting Konoha a Special Administrative Region, while their Daimyo and Ninja weighed its implications. Izuna spotted the delegations approaching and began preparing for their visit and Hashirama’s inauguration.

• The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning angrily condemned Yuan Yusheng’s agreement, while his messenger privately praised the decision to treat Ninja as people.
• The Daimyo of the Land of Wind ordered an envoy to investigate, and the Daimyo of the Land of Water also sent one to the Land of Fire.
• Mū sent his thirteen-year-old disciple Ōnoki with the Land of Earth’s envoy to observe Konoha and report back.
• Three days later, envoys and Ninja guards from all four great nations set out toward the Capital of the Land of Fire.
• A week later, Izuna used his map to find the approaching delegations, including Ōnoki, and anticipated that they would soon visit Konoha.
• Izuna realized he would have to help prepare for the visitors and Hashirama’s inauguration, then looked forward to hearing the speech he had written read aloud.

Mito reported that her research into sealing Black Zetsu had made little progress, while Izuna revealed that envoys from the Four Great Nations would arrive soon for Konoha’s inauguration. The chapter ended with Hashirama eagerly agreeing to memorize Izuna’s carefully written inauguration speech.

• Mito told Hashirama and Madara that her sealing research needed more information about Black Zetsu, and Madara agreed to ask about arranging a confrontation.
• Izuna returned with dumplings and warned that envoys from the Four Great Nations would reach Konoha in about a week, including Ōnoki, Mū’s disciple.
• Izuna assigned Mito to watch the Barrier Team and Tobirama to coordinate discreet security with the Anbu.
• Izuna gave Hashirama a speech for the inauguration ceremony, and Hashirama decided to memorize every word after reading it.
• Tobirama doubted Hashirama could remember the speech, so Izuna threatened to put sugar in his food if he refused to learn it.

Mito rejected the Uzumaki faction’s suggestion that Konoha seek greater political power, believing it would threaten Hashirama’s goal of peace and the progress Izuna had helped build. Sōsuke resolved to confront the clan members who had approached her and send them away before the Land of Fire delegation arrived.

• Mito learned that Uzumaki clan members had returned to persuade her to influence Hashirama over the Special Administrative Region.
• Sōsuke explained that the faction wanted Konoha to seek greater autonomy and a formal political position, possibly replacing the Daimyo.
• Mito argued that pursuing the Daimyo’s position would undermine Hashirama’s purpose in founding Konoha, and recalled how Izuna had helped children from rival clans get along.
• Sōsuke admitted he had failed to stop his clan members from bypassing him and decided to confront them himself.
• Mito agreed to let Sōsuke handle the visitors before the Land of Fire delegation arrived.

Sōsuke blocked the Land of Whirlpools’ envoys from seeing Mito and arranged for them to meet Hashirama instead. After hearing their ambitions for Konoha, Hashirama chose to focus on the upcoming delegations, inauguration, Ninja Theme Park, and Izuna’s secret opening performance.

• Sōsuke refused Quhai and Wataru’s request to see Mito, then used Adamantine Sealing Chains to stop Wataru from forcing his way through.
• Quhai accepted Sōsuke’s offer to arrange a meeting with Hashirama, while Hideki confronted Sōsuke outside and struggled to understand how he had changed.
• Gensei called Sōsuke ungrateful, but Hideki stayed behind, wondering whether Konoha had changed his childhood friend.
• Sōsuke went to the Hokage Building and found Izuna presenting plans for a surprise opening performance for the arriving delegations.
• Sōsuke told Hashirama that the envoys wanted Konoha to push for even greater power, possibly the Daimyo’s position.
• Hashirama said the envoys did not understand Konoha’s purpose and asked Sōsuke to arrange their meeting.

Izuna noticed the Uchiha clan acting strangely toward him, while Madara knew their reaction came from a story Izuna had told that hinted at an unfamiliar Sharingan awakening. The brothers spent an ordinary evening together at home, ending with Madara falling asleep in Izuna’s lap as Izuna read.

• Izuna asked Madara why Hikaku and the other Uchiha had been avoiding him and treating him like a rarity, but Madara refused to explain.
• Madara remembered that the clan had discussed Izuna’s example of a child awakening the Sharingan from joy, and that the elders had privately questioned Madara about Izuna.
• The brothers stopped for oden, went home, hugged, and teased each other about whether their daily embraces were normal for brothers.
• Madara made noodles for Izuna, then Izuna washed the bowls and prepared to read while Madara agreed to attend the rehearsal the next day.
• Madara lay down in Izuna’s lap, and Izuna continued reading the Local Gazetteer until he realized Madara had fallen asleep.

Izuna quietly cared for Madara after he pretended to sleep, while Madara remembered how Hashirama had overcome the other clans’ fear and apathy to make Konoha their home. Madara reflected on the Uzumaki Clan’s recent demands and the sacrifices they failed to understand.

• Izuna moved Madara from his lap to the bed, tucked him in, and wished him good night.
• Madara revealed to himself that he had stayed awake while Izuna carried and cared for him, and felt happy to be looked after.
• Madara remembered how his intimidation had silenced Konoha’s other clans, leaving the Senju and Uchiha to build the village largely alone.
• Hashirama visited the clans and knelt before them, begging them to think of Konoha as home, while Mito stayed beside him.
• The clans began contributing to Konoha’s construction and services after Hashirama’s appeal, and he explained to Madara that they had needed a reason to believe in the village.
• Madara recalled Hashirama’s words as he considered the Uzumaki Clan’s demands and scoffed at their failure to understand how Konoha had been built.