Chapter Summaries

Hiruzen questioned Kakashi about his three-tomoe Sharingan and sent Tsunade to examine him. Meanwhile, Hagoromo explained Naruto and Sasuke’s difficult illusion training before Shisui summoned him to Hiruzen.

• Kakashi revealed that his Sharingan had three tomoe, prompting Hiruzen to ask Tsunade to examine him.
• Hiruzen and Fugaku wondered whether Kakashi’s constitution let him advance his Sharingan, then decided to wait for Tsunade’s findings.
• Naruto and Sasuke told Hagoromo that the illusionary opponent had overwhelmed them, and Hagoromo said the opponent had only sixty percent of Guy’s strength.
• Hagoromo told Naruto and Sasuke to rest after their training and said Neji could explain Guy’s strength and training in the coming days.
• Shisui used the Body Flicker Technique to summon Hagoromo to Hiruzen, and Hagoromo left Naruto and Sasuke to rest.

Hagoromo used Yin Release to compare the chakra in Fugaku’s and Kakashi’s Mangekyo Sharingan, confirming their connection while easing the strain on their eyes. The test left the others stunned when Hagoromo asked whether Kakashi’s transplanted Sharingan consumed at least forty percent of his chakra.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Hagoromo to test Fugaku’s suspicion by comparing the Yin Release chakra in Fugaku’s and Kakashi’s eyes.
• Hagoromo placed Yin Curse Talismans over their eyes and used Yin Release to examine both Mangekyo Sharingan.
• Hagoromo found that their eyes contained matching Yin Release chakra, and his chakra eased the burden on Kakashi’s eye while helping protect Fugaku’s right eye from blindness.
• Fugaku thanked Hagoromo and promised compensation, while Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered everyone to keep the examination secret.
• Hagoromo asked Kakashi whether his transplanted Sharingan had consumed nearly forty percent or more of his chakra, shocking everyone present.

Hagoromo learned that Kakashi’s Sharingan had become a Mangekyo with a possible space-time ability and discussed using it against the masked man. After Kakashi left, Hagoromo asked Tsunade to help him develop a way to restrict the eye’s Chakra drain.

• Kakashi told Hagoromo that his Sharingan’s Chakra drain had gradually risen from under ten percent to around forty percent.
• Hagoromo told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Kakashi’s Sharingan was a Mangekyo and proposed using Kakashi to pursue the masked man if he tried to escape.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed that Kakashi should face the matter himself, trusting him to act as a Konoha Ninja.
• Tsunade left the office, and Hagoromo followed her to ask for help sealing Kakashi’s Sharingan.
• Hagoromo explained that he needed Tsunade’s medical skills to work with his idea.

Hagoromo prepared a risky procedure to alter Kakashi’s Sharingan and persuaded Tsunade to help perform it. He presented the plan to the Konoha Medical Department, where Kakashi would have to decide whether to accept the operation.

• Hagoromo asked Tsunade to perform cellular-level surgery, but she initially refused because she was afraid of blood; Jiraiya persuaded her to face that fear using the Mirage Vapor Pearl.
• Naruto and Sasuke reviewed their battle in the illusion, and both sensed Tsunade’s intimidating strength when she emerged.
• Hagoromo told Jiraiya he had worked out a procedure using the Uzumaki scrolls and was ready to make arrangements with Tsunade.
• At the Konoha Medical Department, Hagoromo explained that his procedure could make Kakashi’s Sharingan unstable and had only about a fifty percent chance of success.
• Hagoromo said he had invited Kakashi and his master so Kakashi could choose for himself, while Tsunade complained that overcoming her fear had been for nothing.

Hagoromo, Tsunade, and Inoichi successfully sealed Kakashi’s Sharingan behind a chakra-controlled valve, freeing him from its constant drain. Kakashi recovered in the hospital, while Hagoromo looked ahead to dealing with the still-living Obito and the threat of Black Zetsu.

• Kakashi agreed to the operation after Hagoromo assured him it would not harm his eye.
• Tsunade, Hagoromo, and Inoichi began the procedure, and Kakashi dreamed of seeing his father before waking in the hospital.
• Hagoromo told Kakashi the operation had succeeded and explained the hand seals for opening and closing the Sharingan’s seal.
• Kakashi saw that his left eye had returned to black and realized the Sharingan no longer drained his chakra.
• Hagoromo left Kakashi to recover and returned to the Hokage’s Office as Hiruzen prepared to act on the report that Obito was alive.
• Hagoromo worried that Black Zetsu might disrupt the Shinobi World if they failed to control him before the war.

Hagoromo checked Naruto and his disciples’ training, while Naruto quietly worried about Minato’s absence. Sansan then reported a hidden observer near the Land of Waterfalls, leaving Hagoromo to suspect someone was gathering information about the Seven-Tails.

• Naruto told Hagoromo nothing was wrong, though he had noticed Minato was often absent and Kurama would not explain why.
• Naruto reported finding all of Hagoromo’s disguised Chakra marks and said Minato had given him an inscription formula to practice.
• Hagoromo checked the disciples’ training, then gave Karin basic Water Release and Earth Release Ninjutsu scrolls after she demonstrated her progress.
• Sansan told Hagoromo that someone had quietly watched the Land of Waterfalls and vanished before Sansan could pursue them.
• Hagoromo suspected the hidden observer was Black Zetsu, possibly gathering information about the Seven-Tails.

Hagoromo and Sansan discussed Sansan’s reaction to absorbing the Four-Tails’ Chakra and whether he might absorb more if Takigakure captured the Seven-Tails. Back at the training ground, Hagoromo explained Might Guy’s Taijutsu-focused path to his disciples, who then joked together as Naruto challenged Sasuke to a match.

• Sansan told Hagoromo that absorbing the Four-Tails’ Chakra had deepened his Divinity and let him create two clones, and he asked to absorb more Chakra if the Seven-Tails was captured.
• Hagoromo deferred deciding until the situation developed, and Sansan agreed to watch Takigakure.
• Hagoromo returned to find Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, and the others discussing Might Guy’s training.
• Hagoromo explained that Might Guy could barely use Ninjutsu and had built his strength through Taijutsu and perseverance.
• Naruto challenged Sasuke to a match, but Sasuke refused, making the others laugh.

Naruto used Shadow Clones linked through the Mind’s Eye of the Kagura to extend his sensory range while searching for Chakra marks, and Hagoromo explained the risks and purpose of the exercise. After noticing Naruto struggled to draw Minato’s complicated marking pattern, Hagoromo suggested a simpler spiral, which Naruto carved into wood.

• Naruto sent two Shadow Clones searching for Chakra marks and discovered their linked sensing expanded his range.
• Hagoromo explained how Naruto’s Shadow Clones worked as sensory extensions and warned him not to use more than ten because the accumulated strain could be dangerous.
• Hagoromo clarified that Naruto was meant to walk around and find someone else’s hidden Chakra marks to train his sensing.
• Hagoromo asked Naruto to demonstrate Minato’s marking pattern, recognized it as Sword of Shinobi Love, and suggested drawing a simpler spiral instead.
• Naruto recalled the Rasengan’s shape transformation and carved a spiral mark into the wood with Chakra.

Hagoromo helped Naruto master the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the success triggered Minato Namikaze’s fading spiritual imprint to appear in the Sealing Space. Minato told Hagoromo that his imprint would disappear now that Naruto had learned the technique, leaving Hagoromo to hear his final instructions.

• Hagoromo detected that Naruto was 95 percent of the way to learning the Flying Thunder God Technique and tested him with a marked piece of wood.
• Naruto instinctively teleported to the mark with a Rasengan and learned the Flying Thunder God Technique at entry level.
• Naruto told Hagoromo that his father needed to speak with him urgently, so Hagoromo took Naruto home and put him to sleep.
• Hagoromo entered the Sealing Space, where Minato explained that his spiritual imprint would disappear now that Naruto had learned the technique.
• Minato said he had used what remained of his imprint to help Naruto progress, and Hagoromo asked whether he had any final instructions.

Minato said goodbye to Naruto and disappeared after encouraging him to pursue his dream of becoming Hokage. Naruto broke down in tears, and Hagoromo comforted him until he fell asleep.

• Minato asked Hagoromo not to use the key to open the Nine-Tails’ seal unless necessary, and Hagoromo agreed.
• Minato told Naruto he was proud of his growth, urged him to face future difficulties, and revealed that Naruto’s mother had also dreamed of becoming Hokage.
• Minato faded away as Naruto promised to grow stronger and shouted, “Dad! Goodbye!”
• Kurama pushed Naruto’s consciousness out of the Sealing Space, while he refused the Eight-Tails’ suggestion that he exploit Naruto’s grief.
• Hagoromo told Naruto he could cry, held him as he wept, and waited beside his bed after Naruto fell asleep.

Naruto struggled with grief over Minato’s disappearance, so Shikamaru and their classmates took him out of the Ninja Academy to keep him company. Hagoromo then met with representatives from Kumogakure and Kirigakure, who sought intelligence-sharing and a coordinated alliance against Akatsuki.

• Choji, Sasuke, and the others worried about Naruto’s subdued mood, while Hinata said Hagoromo had asked them to spend time with him.
• Shikamaru invited Naruto to skip class, and Sasuke, Hinata, Ino, Karin, Choji, and Shikamaru left the Ninja Academy with him.
• Hagoromo watched the students go before Shisui told him that Hiruzen had summoned him because delegations from Kumogakure and Kirigakure had arrived.
• Hiruzen assigned Shikaku and Hagoromo to discuss Akatsuki with Samui, Darui, Ao, and another Kirigakure Jonin.
• Samui proposed intelligence-sharing and a coordinated response, while Ao called for an alliance to eliminate Akatsuki and prevent Kirigakure from being manipulated again.

Shikaku shared Konoha’s intelligence on the Akatsuki with Kumogakure and Kirigakure, then pressed Ao to reveal details about the Fourth Mizukage’s control. The villages agreed they needed to find the person behind it, while Shikaku disclosed that the Nine-Tails had also been controlled when it attacked Konoha.

• Samui asked whether Kumogakure had lost personnel and whether Konoha’s spy had learned specific information about the Akatsuki.
• Shikaku gave Samui and Ao Konoha’s report on Akatsuki members, but said Konoha knew nothing about the three most elusive figures.
• Samui asked about the Akatsuki’s ultimate goal, and Shikaku said it captured Tailed Beasts before asking Kirigakure to share its information.
• Ao described the cold, malicious Chakra of the person who controlled the Fourth Mizukage and said the Mizukage broke free only shortly before dying.
• Ao revealed that Mei Terumi wanted to identify the controller, while Kirigakure hoped to cooperate with Konoha and Kumogakure to find him.
• Shikaku said Konoha regretted what happened to the Fourth Mizukage and revealed that the Nine-Tails had been controlled during its attack on Konoha ten years earlier.

Konoha, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure agreed to establish a joint intelligence network and form mixed teams to counter the Akatsuki. After the meeting, Hagoromo revealed to Jiraiya that the Akatsuki had been founded by the three disciples Jiraiya taught in the Land of Rain.

• Shikaku outlined key questions about the Akatsuki, and Darui and Ao agreed to Konoha's proposal for a joint intelligence network and rapid-response mechanism.
• Shikaku proposed mixed teams of elite shinobi to intercept the Akatsuki, while each village would protect its own Jinchūriki and search its archives for records about gathering the Tailed Beasts.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi named Jiraiya, Shikaku, Hagoromo, Kakashi, Guy, and Shizune as Konoha's main members of the joint teams and told them to prepare.
• Jiraiya asked Hiruzen Sarutobi why he had been kept from leaving the village, and Hagoromo urged him to examine the intelligence scroll.
• Hagoromo told Jiraiya that the Akatsuki had been founded by the three disciples Jiraiya had taught during the Second Shinobi World War, leaving Jiraiya stunned.

Jiraiya wanted to confront his former disciples, but Hiruzen and Hagoromo persuaded him to join the mission against Akatsuki instead. In Kirigakure, Mei Terumi agreed to contribute to the operation while worrying over the condition of one of the proposed candidates.

• Jiraiya asked Hiruzen to let him find Nagato and his former disciples, but Hagoromo warned that confronting Akatsuki would likely lead to a fight and endanger Konoha.
• Hiruzen urged Jiraiya to set aside his grief and help Konoha plan around Akatsuki’s strength; Jiraiya accepted a place in the mission but not command.
• Jiraiya resumed teasing Hagoromo before Hiruzen sent him away and asked Hagoromo to sign documents.
• Mei Terumi heard Ao’s report in Kirigakure and discussed joining Konoha’s operation with Genji, who insisted she remain in the village.
• Mei considered sending Gonbei and Ringo Ameyuri, but questioned whether Ameyuri’s poor health would let her endure a long mission.

Mei Terumi agreed that Kirigakure had to protect its standing among the Great Shinobi Villages, despite her concern for Ringo Ameyuri. At the academy, Karin defeated Kiba after trapping him in a Water Prison Technique, and Hagoromo declared her the winner.

• Genji told Mei Terumi that Kirigakure could not show weakness during the alliance, and she reluctantly agreed that the village had no other candidates.
• Hagoromo announced Karin Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka as the next competitors, and Kiba smugly expected an easy fight.
• Karin rushed Kiba and nearly overwhelmed him with her strength, but Kiba countered with the Four Legs Technique.
• Karin used Water Release: Water Whip to keep Kiba at bay, then trapped him in a Water Prison Technique when he charged.
• Hagoromo declared Karin the winner while Kiba struggled inside the water prison.

After Sakura asked Hagoromo to take her as a disciple, he suggested that she pursue medical ninjutsu and offered to introduce her to Tsunade if she learned a basic healing technique within three days. Sakura accepted the challenge and left eager to begin.

• Naruto bragged to Sasuke about winning their match while Ino, Hinata, and Karin noticed Sakura watching them.
• Ino brought Sakura to Hagoromo's office, where Sakura asked him to make her his disciple.
• Hagoromo asked Sakura to consider her talents and suggested that her strong chakra control and grasp of the basics suited medical ninjutsu.
• Hagoromo explained the medical-nin system, and Sakura decided she wanted to become a medical-nin.
• Hagoromo told Sakura to learn a basic healing technique from Shizune and Hinata within three days, promising to introduce her to Tsunade if she succeeded.

Hagoromo helped Sakura understand how to use Medical Ninjutsu by replacing a patient's failing vital functions with carefully controlled Chakra. After repeated failures, Sakura revived a fish and passed the training.

• Sakura felt discouraged by her lack of progress and worried that she had no talent for Medical Ninjutsu.
• Hagoromo took Sakura to the river and explained that she needed to use Chakra to take over the fish's failing heart rather than simply trying to heal it.
• Hagoromo taught Sakura to focus completely and release her Chakra gently, while Sakura repeatedly injured or failed to revive the fish.
• Sakura followed Hagoromo's guidance, synchronized her Chakra with the fish, and made its gills begin moving again.
• Hagoromo sent water over the fish, which began swimming, and told Sakura she had passed.

Hagoromo brought Sakura to meet Tsunade, who recognized Sakura’s talent for Medical Ninjutsu and agreed to teach her on one condition. Hagoromo accepted the task of training Shizune before their upcoming operation against the Akatsuki.

• Hagoromo asked Tsunade to consider teaching Sakura, and Tsunade questioned why he would not teach her himself.
• Hagoromo explained that Sakura had learned Medical Ninjutsu only three days earlier and mastered basic practice in thirteen hours.
• Tsunade tested Sakura with an injured fish and praised her talent and Chakra control.
• Tsunade agreed to teach Sakura if Hagoromo trained Shizune to improve her ability to fight and protect herself.
• Hagoromo accepted, and Shizune agreed to train with him before the mission.

Hagoromo began training Shizune in the Crescent Moon Breathing Method and watched his students practice. Meanwhile, Tsunade judged Sakura’s medical talent to be exceptional and considered her a potential successor to her signature techniques.

• Hagoromo learned that Shizune had water and earth chakra natures but had never trained in Nature Transformation, so he taught her the Crescent Moon Breathing Method.
• Ino asked Hagoromo about Sakura, and he confirmed that Tsunade had taken Sakura on as a student for now.
• Naruto, Sasuke, Ino, Shikamaru, Hinata, and the others trained at the ground while Shizune watched and reflected on how Tsunade’s unsettled life had limited her own training.
• Shizune decided she needed to keep a closer eye on Tsunade, who sneezed while relaxing in the courtyard with Jiraiya.
• Tsunade told Jiraiya that Sakura’s talent for medical techniques surpassed Shizune’s and that Sakura might inherit her Monster Strength and Strength of a Hundred Technique.

Jiraiya and Tsunade discussed Naruto, the prophecy, and Tsunade’s plans to train Sakura. In the Land of Rice Fields, Orochimaru learned that Tsunade had returned to Konoha, while Kimimaro continued to serve him despite his worsening illness.

• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Hagoromo had become Naruto’s disciple, and Tsunade teased Jiraiya about missing his chance to take Naruto as his own.
• Tsunade asked Jiraiya whether he would keep searching for the Child of the Prophecy, but he kept the matter secret and she went to teach Sakura.
• Orochimaru learned that the Fifth Mizukage and Kumogakure had sent teams to Konoha, then urged Itachi to investigate the Akatsuki while he watched from afar.
• Kimimaro defeated the test subjects in the basement and knelt before Orochimaru, who praised his strength and asked about his health.
• Orochimaru told Kimimaro to care for his body because it belonged to him, then lamented that Kabuto could not treat Kimimaro’s bloodline disease and wondered about Hagoromo.