Chapter Summaries

Third Raikage A, Hanzo of the Salamander, Dada, and Yotsuki Ki wreaked havoc inside Iwagakure’s twenty-thousand-strong camp, forcing Ōnoki to fight while struggling to command his troops. The account ended by describing the four-man squad’s victory and the legend they became: the Four Heroes of Mount Tenmok.

• Third Raikage A smashed through Iwagakure’s gates, and Hanzo of the Salamander joined him, spreading poison through the camp with Salamander Ibuse.
• Ōnoki tried to stop A and Hanzo, but Dada repeatedly interrupted his commands until he landed and organized Iwagakure’s forces.
• Dada and Hanzo unleashed water and lightning attacks across the camp, while Hanzo used clones to hunt Iwagakure shinobi in the flood.
• Ōnoki attacked Dada, but A engaged Ōnoki, leaving Dada and Yotsuki Ki free to continue fighting the Iwagakure forces.
• Hanzo sent Salamander Ibuse underground and released more poison, while Dada and Yotsuki Ki continued their assault.
• The chapter recounted that Kumogakure’s forces defeated Iwagakure and Konohagakure at Mount Tenmok, and that A, Hanzo, Yotsuki Ki, and Yotsuki Dana became known as the Four Heroes of Mount Tenmok.

Kumogakure’s victories forced Konohagakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure to retreat, bringing the Second Shinobi World War to a temporary halt. The villages began peace negotiations while secretly searching for ways to counter Kumogakure, which had emerged as the strongest ninja village.

• The Third Kazekage learned that Konohagakure and Iwagakure had been defeated, then ordered Sunagakure to retreat from the Land of Rain.
• Shimura Danzō learned of Konohagakure’s defeat and saw an opportunity to undermine Hiruzen Sarutobi, while continuing to consider implanting a Sharingan in the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Nagato’s teacher gave him money to send to his parents and announced that they would travel to the Land of Soup as the war neared its end.
• Kumogakure’s western and southern forces received news of victory but continued their planned marches, while Hiruzen Sarutobi and Ōnoki recognized they could not defeat Kumogakure in another frontal battle.
• Konohagakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure began withdrawing, and the Five Great Villages sent envoys to negotiate peace while secretly studying Kumogakure’s strength.

The Third Raikage arranged Six-Party Talks in the Land of Iron, where the Five Kage and Hanzo gathered to negotiate the end of the Second Shinobi World War. He opened the talks by proposing that Amegakure be recognized as a victor and elevated to the rank of a Great Village, leaving Hanzo stunned and awaiting the other Kage’s responses.

• The Third Raikage secured agreement to hold Six-Party Talks with Hanzo attending as Amegakure’s representative, while Karatachi Yagura became the Fourth Mizukage and chose to join the negotiations.
• The Third Raikage, Dada, and Yotsuki Ki traveled to the Land of Iron, where Mifune escorted them around the capital before the other Kage arrived.
• Hanzo arrived at the meeting venue and took the seat reserved for the sixth participant, joining Hiruzen Sarutobi, Wumingsha, Ōnoki, Karatachi Yagura, and the Third Raikage.
• Ōnoki mocked Hanzo’s unfamiliarity with the summit, but the Third Raikage rebuked Ōnoki and then proposed recognizing Amegakure as equal to the Five Great Villages and naming Hanzo the Amekage.

At the Six-Party Talks, the Third Raikage forced the other villages to recognize Amegakure as an equal Great Village and Hanzo as its Amekage, while securing reparations and favorable agreements for Kumogakure and Amegakure. The Second Shinobi World War officially ended, and Kumogakure began sweeping reforms.

• The Third Raikage confronted Ōnoki and Hiruzen Sarutobi over recognizing Hanzo of the Salamander as Amekage and threatened to resume the war if the villages refused.
• The Kage approved Amegakure's new status, with Sunagakure abstaining and Karatachi Yagura voting in favor, and Dada presented Hanzo with an Amekage's hat and cape.
• Kumogakure and the Rain Ninja demanded reparations from the other four parties, with Iwagakure and Konohagakure assigned the heaviest payments.
• The villages agreed not to interfere with Kumogakure's and Amegakure's activities or with their citizens' cooperation with them.
• At the end of Year 40 of Konohagakure, the Six-Party Talks ended the war's formal settlement, and the nations withdrew their forces.
• Hanzo prepared to make Amegakure a true Great Ninja Village, while Kumogakure began sweeping reforms.

After Kumogakure celebrated its heroes’ return, Dada and the Third Raikage began implementing sweeping reforms to ninja training and village finances. The Third Raikage transferred part of the Yotsuki Clan’s Blacksmith Shop Plan to village control, then reminded Dada that his engagement was approaching.

• The Third Raikage, Hanzo, and the returning war heroes received a grand welcome in Kumogakure, while Yotsuki Dana became famous as the Cloud Noble Son.
• Dada, the Third Raikage, Dodai, and Yotsuki Clan elders prepared reforms that created advanced training and separate Research Ninja and Combat Ninja paths.
• The Third Raikage persuaded the Yotsuki Clan’s elders and factions to transfer management rights and part ownership of the Blacksmith Shop Plan to Kumogakure.
• The Third Raikage allocated shares in the Blacksmith Shop Plan to village clans and outstanding non-clan ninja in exchange for support for reforms and future taxation.
• The Third Raikage told Dada that Kumogakure would change and teased him about his approaching engagement.

Dada arranged the opening of Kumogakure’s mission office in the Land of Soup as the village continued its secretive reforms. Meanwhile, Kakuzu discovered three lucrative bounty notices targeting Yotsuki Dana and decided to pursue him.

• The shinobi clans accepted shares in the United Steel Company, and the Third Raikage and Dada discussed the smooth deal and Kitano Izumi’s shares.
• Dada left Kumogakure to attend the opening of its new office in the Land of Soup, where local clients could post missions for Cloud Ninja.
• Kakuzu killed Kumakura Taizo at a gambling den and collected his 140,000-ryo bounty from the Underground Exchange.
• Kakuzu presented a scroll and bounty notice for Miura Misuzu, then asked the manager about new commissions.
• The manager showed Kakuzu three anonymous bounty notices offering 50 million ryo in total for Yotsuki Dana, and Kakuzu decided to take the job.

Natsu and Nagato competed over a village mission to clear wild boars, then headed to the mountain together. Before they could begin, Dada destroyed the hillside with a rainbow blast, and Kakuzu nervously faced Dada’s question about a reward.

• Natsu arrived at the village chief’s house to claim the wild-boar mission, but learned Nagato had already been promised it.
• Natsu persuaded the village chief to send her and Nagato together, splitting the fifty-thousand-ryo reward.
• On the way to the mountain, Nagato said he knew thirty ninjutsu, while Natsu showed off her kunai thrust and claimed she would protect him.
• Natsu and Nagato reached the boars’ hillside, where a rainbow streak struck and shattered the entire hill.
• Kakuzu looked at the destroyed hillside as Dada asked what reward he had mentioned.

Dada tested a long-range Explosive Tag Delivery Pod in the Land of Soup and was confronted by the bounty hunter Kakuzu. Dada and his ten subordinates revealed themselves as the Strongest Mercenary Organization and prepared to attack him.

• Dada traveled to the Land of Soup with forty shinobi to establish Kumogakure's office and test a new Explosive Tag Delivery Pod.
• Dada used the Summoning Jutsu to send a delivery pod to a nearby mountaintop, where it destroyed the summit in a massive explosion.
• Kakuzu approached Dada, revealed his fifty-million-ryo bounty, and demanded his head.
• Dada recognized Kakuzu as the rogue shinobi who had once attempted to assassinate the First Hokage and mocked his decision to attack directly.
• Dada's ten subordinates returned, donned masks identifying them as the Strongest Mercenary Organization, and prepared a barrier formation to beat Kakuzu.

Dada defeated Kakuzu and forced him to trade the secrets of Earth Grudge Fear for fifty million ryo, then offered him two lucrative missions. After Natsu and Nagato watched the battle from hiding, Dada’s subordinates captured them.

• Dada led his subordinates in overwhelming Kakuzu, leaving him battered in a crater with his arms removed.
• Natsu and Nagato watched the fight from behind a boulder and reacted as Dada’s group defeated Kakuzu.
• Dada revived Kakuzu with a Healing Tag and offered him fifty million ryo for Earth Grudge Fear’s cultivation method and experience.
• Kakuzu accepted the deal and began writing with his borrowed arms.
• Dada offered Kakuzu one hundred million ryo to obtain Takigakure’s Seven-Tails and another one hundred million for Iwagakure’s Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique.
• Dada’s subordinates brought in Natsu and Nagato, who claimed they had only been hunting wild boars.

Dada’s Bandit Group encountered Nagato and Natsu while secretly dealing with White Zetsu, and Dada captured the strange figure before questioning the pair. Momoko arrived to rescue Natsu and revealed that Natsu’s fiancé was Yotsuki Dana, leaving the Bandit Group stunned and Kakuzu laughing.

• Natsu claimed she and Nagato had only come to hunt wild boars, while Nagato identified the masked mercenaries as the legendary Bandit Group.
• Dada hurled a Lightning Release: Great Lightning Spear past Natsu, destroying a tree and striking a hidden White Zetsu nearby.
• A subordinate confirmed the strange corpse, and Dada sealed White Zetsu’s body before asking Natsu and Nagato who they were.
• Momoko climbed the mountain and tried to scare the Bandit Group into releasing Natsu with boasts about the village chief and the Kitano Trading Company.
• Momoko announced that Natsu’s fiancé was Yotsuki Dana, the Shinobi World’s strongest super-big Supernova, and the Bandit Group turned toward Dada as Kakuzu laughed.

Natsu and Momoko were captured by Dada, who revealed that he was Yotsuki Dana and confronted Natsu about fleeing her arranged marriage. In Konohagakure, Hiruzen Sarutobi resigned as Third Hokage and nominated Hatake Sakumo to become the Fourth, shocking Shimura Danzō.

• Dada ordered his subordinates to capture Natsu and the person on the cliff, and Momoko was caught after running only a few meters.
• Momoko identified Natsu as Princess Natsu, and Dada removed his mask and revealed himself as Yotsuki Dana.
• Konohagakure's people blamed Hiruzen Sarutobi for the war's losses, while Shimura Danzō tried unsuccessfully to win support from the clans.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Konohagakure's leaders and announced that he would resign and that they would select a Fourth Hokage.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi nominated Hatake Sakumo, and Shimura Danzō realized he had been outmaneuvered.

Hatake Sakumo accepted the position of Fourth Hokage after Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped down, and Konohagakure celebrated his inauguration. As the new Hokage took office, Jiraiya and Tsunade left the village separately, with Tsunade setting out to repay a debt.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi persuaded Hatake Sakumo to become Fourth Hokage, and the village's leaders approved the succession.
• Orochimaru met with Jiraiya and Tsunade, who both struggled with the aftermath of the war and their losses.
• Konohagakure's jōnin confidence vote passed for Hatake Sakumo, and Hiruzen Sarutobi gave him the Hokage hat.
• Hatake Sakumo told young Kakashi he would become Hokage, then paid respects to his late wife before his inauguration.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi announced Hatake Sakumo as Fourth Hokage, while Shimura Danzō watched angrily from the shadows.
• Jiraiya invited Tsunade to travel with him, but she declined and left to repay a debt as Jiraiya departed alone.

After finding Natsu, Dada offered to keep her engagement from forcing her back to Asuka City, and she asked him not to inform the Daimyo yet. The chapter ended with Dada agreeing to her request for now, while Nambu Maki tensed behind him.

• The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning ordered Oosawa Takeo and Furuya Jun'en to find Natsu and bring her back within a month.
• Natsu soaked in a hot spring with Momoko and thought about her awkward first encounter with Dada, admitting to herself that he was handsome.
• Natsu and Momoko were brought to Dada's room, where they met Kitano Izumi and shared a meal with Dada and Nambu Maki.
• Dada learned Natsu's full name and said he would inform the Daimyo unless she objected to their engagement or wanted to travel elsewhere.
• Natsu asked Dada not to inform Asuka City yet because she did not want to return, and Dada agreed for now.

Dada’s new Kumogakure office thrived, and after learning of Hatake Sakumo’s appointment as Fourth Hokage, he agreed to accompany Natsu on a C-rank bear-hunting mission. As Natsu searched the mountain using wilderness skills taught by her maternal grandfather, she offered to tell Dada a story about her past.

• Dada welcomed merchants and nobles to the Land of Soup office, which quickly filled with commissions, and began considering offices in other lands.
• Dada learned that Hatake Sakumo had become Konohagakure’s Fourth Hokage and Hiruzen Sarutobi had become an elder advisor.
• Natsu asked to take a mission, and Dada accepted a C-rank bear-hunting job in his own name so they could do it together.
• Dada and Natsu traveled on foot to the mountain, where Natsu asked to conduct the search and battle on her own.
• Natsu explained that her maternal grandfather had taught her about bears and offered to tell Dada a story, since they were engaged.

Natsu told Dada how her mother Fuyu and grandfather the old hunter shaped her life, and why she had fled Asuka City to control her own fate. After Dada encouraged her not to give up following her first failed attempt to defeat a bear, Natsu agreed to keep working toward her goal, and Dada decided to help her.

• Natsu recounted how Fuyu returned to the mountains with her as a baby, died soon afterward, and left the old hunter to raise Natsu until she was taken to Asuka City at seven.
• Natsu explained that she had secretly learned chakra techniques and kunai skills before escaping Asuka City, hoping to live independently rather than become a political tool.
• Natsu fought a brown bear with her kunai and chakra, but Dada struck it with lightning when it tried to ambush her after appearing defeated.
• At Paradise Hot Spring, Natsu agreed to return to Asuka City with the samurai who had come to retrieve her.
• Dada told Natsu that Fuyu and the old hunter had done nothing wrong, and urged Natsu to keep trying instead of treating her first setback as failure; Natsu agreed.
• Dada told Nambu Maki he was glad to understand Natsu better and wrote a chakra-extraction and basic-ninjutsu guide that he could use to help her.

Dada trained with Lightning Release and discovered that an ordinary katana could not withstand the Chakra needed to imitate Konoha's White Fang's blade. After Tsunade traded the Yin Seal training method for a meeting with Dan, Dada led her to a Kumogakure laboratory and revealed that he was Yotsuki Dana.

• Dada infused a katana with Lightning Release Chakra, but the blade overheated and warped under the strain.
• A subordinate told Dada that someone had contacted the Bandit Group through the Underground Exchange, and Dada went there disguised.
• Tsunade revealed herself and asked Dada to take her to Dan, offering him the Yin Seal training method.
• Dada accepted Tsunade's scroll and led her toward Kumogakure, where she began to suspect his destination.
• At a Kumogakure laboratory, Dada released his Transformation Jutsu and revealed that he was Yotsuki Dana.

Tsunade was forced to surrender to Dada’s demands and help with research after seeing Dan Katō alive but comatose. Dada learned the Yin Seal and contracted with Shikkotsu Forest, but his attempt to summon Katsuyu unexpectedly transported him away.

• Dada brought Tsunade to the laboratory, where Jishi explained that Dan Katō’s injuries had been healed but he remained unconscious.
• Dada threatened Tsunade and Kunugi Mokume, then had Anzai Mamoru seal Tsunade’s Chakra and ordered her to cooperate with the research.
• Dada studied the Yin Seal scroll and created a blue Lightning Chakra seal on his collarbone.
• Dada examined the Shikkotsu Forest Contract Scroll, signed his name, and successfully became a contractor.
• Dada attempted to summon Katsuyu, but he vanished instead of summoning her.

Yotsuki Dana was transported to Shikkotsu Forest after signing its Summoning Contract and learned that Sage Katsuyu had chosen him to fulfill her wish to see the Shinobi World. Meanwhile, Third Raikage A discovered Dana was missing and decided to send a force to respond to Danzo’s secret proposal.

• Yotsuki Dana found himself in Shikkotsu Forest, where his escape techniques and attempts to contact Ryūchi Cave failed.
• Dana met Sage Katsuyu, who explained that a prophecy had led her to choose him as her contractor.
• Sage Katsuyu told Dana that her wish was to leave Shikkotsu Forest and see the Shinobi World again.
• Third Raikage A learned that Dana had disappeared from Training Ground No. 7 and found his name on the Shikkotsu Forest contract scroll.
• Third Raikage A ordered others to test whether they could sign the contract, then decided to send a powerful force in response to Danzo’s secret letter.

Dada learned how Sage Mode worked from Sage Katsuyu and asked whether Lightning Release Chakra could replace neutral Chakra in its cultivation. In Konoha, Mito Uzumaki helped seal the Nine-Tails into Kushina, while unseen observers prepared to act and Minato worried about Kushina.

• Dada asked Sage Katsuyu about Small Katsuyu, then requested Sage Mode training and learned about its risks and cultivation method.
• Dada asked Sage Katsuyu what would happen if he used Lightning Release Chakra instead of neutral Chakra to cultivate Sage Mode.
• Hatake Sakumo went to the Senju residence after learning that Hiruzen Sarutobi had summoned him about Mito Uzumaki.
• Mito Uzumaki told Kushina that she would become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and urged her to find love and happiness.
• Mito helped Konoha seal the Nine-Tails into Kushina, while eyes in the shadows made preparations.
• Minato Namikaze wondered why Kushina had been taken away and feared something bad had happened.

Konoha’s leaders proceeded with Kushina’s succession as Jinchuriki while Danzo secretly considered a scheme involving Kumogakure, his resentment toward Hatake Sakumo growing. In Kumogakure, Killer B trained in Multi-Sword Style, and Uzumaki Hirohiko suggested a new way to use a sword held in his mouth.

• Konoha’s leaders avoided discussing the Sharingan as a way to control a Jinchuriki and proceeded with Kushina’s succession after Mito Uzumaki’s death.
• Danzo deciphered a confidential letter from Kumogakure, weighed the proposed transaction, and wrote a reply while brooding over Hatake Sakumo becoming Hokage.
• Killer B practiced Three-Sword Style at the Ninja Academy and accidentally sent a sword flying toward the crowd.
• Uzumaki Hirohiko caught Killer B’s sword, warned him about his dangerous technique, and suggested holding the sword upright in his mouth to thrust with it.
• Killer B enthusiastically accepted Hirohiko’s idea for his Multi-Sword Style.