Chapter Summaries

Danzo considered how to control Vegapunk without harming his intelligence, hoping to use the scientist to strengthen his bid for the Hokage position. After Fū Yamanaka said such control was impossible, Danzo decided to have the Yamanaka Clan read Vegapunk’s memories and damage his mind.

• Danzo resented Hiruzen Sarutobi’s verbal opposition to his plan, which he viewed as tacit approval that left him holding the blame.
• Danzo decided that controlling Vegapunk could help him openly pursue the Hokage position.
• Danzo summoned Fū Yamanaka and asked whether Vegapunk could be controlled without any harm to his intelligence.
• Fū said that such mind control was impossible and suggested using a Cursed Seal, but Danzo rejected the idea because of the political consequences.
• Danzo concluded that the Yamanaka Clan could read Vegapunk’s memories to obtain his technological knowledge while damaging his brain.

Vegapunk uncovered an assassination attempt by Kumogakure and Iwagakure and transformed the surviving attackers into powerful disposable weapons. As Hancock's party approached Konohagakure, Vegapunk prepared to give the village his modified Ninja and stir up conflict.

• Vegapunk used Brainwave reading to confirm that Kumogakure and Iwagakure had sent Ninja to assassinate him, while Mei Terumi and the others dealt with the attackers.
• Vegapunk took the surviving Ninja to his laboratory in Amenominaka Space to modify them, leaving Hancock, Mei Terumi, and Obito Uchiha to continue toward Konohagakure.
• Vegapunk installed Smart Combat Chips in the modified Ninja, boosting their strength while draining their life force and damaging their intelligence.
• Vegapunk prepared to present the modified Ninja as a gift to Konohagakure and hoped to throw the village and its rivals into chaos.

Vegapunk and his companions arrived at Konohagakure after Hancock used her Devil Fruit to humiliate Mei Terumi in the carriage. At the village entrance, Mei Terumi compared Konoha unfavorably with the modernized Sea Ninja Village, while Obito Uchiha silently confronted his complicated feelings about returning.

• Vegapunk emerged from a Space Gate into the carriage and found Hancock making Mei Terumi lick her toes.
• Hancock teased Vegapunk and explained that she had used her Devil Fruit ability on Mei Terumi, who recoiled in shame.
• Vegapunk, Hancock, Mei Terumi, and Obito Uchiha arrived at Konohagakure.
• Mei Terumi criticized Konoha's cramped, outdated layout and praised the prosperity of the rebuilt Sea Ninja Village.
• Obito Uchiha looked toward Konoha with conflicted feelings, but his disguise and conical hat kept the guards from recognizing him.

Vegapunk and his companions arrived in Konohagakure, where Kakashi guided them after the Third Hokage welcomed them. When mysterious ninjas approached their inn at night, Vegapunk took Hancock and Mei Terumi into Amenominaka and prepared to watch the intruders from safety.

• The Third Hokage welcomed Vegapunk to Konohagakure, then left Kakashi to guide him around the village.
• Kakashi briefly wondered why Vegapunk's coachman, Obito Uchiha, seemed familiar, while Obito silently resolved to return to the past.
• Vegapunk and his companions settled into a heavily watched inn, where a barrier concealed them from outside eyes.
• Vegapunk's Quantum Chip warned him that mysterious ninjas had appeared outside the inn, interrupting his time with Hancock and Mei Terumi.
• Vegapunk calmed Hancock and Mei Terumi, then had Hancock open a gate to Amenominaka as ten lifeless figures emerged.
• Vegapunk projected the scene outside and sat on the sofa, while Hancock and Mei Terumi joined him as he watched the ninjas.

Danzo sent nearly all of Root’s strongest fighters to attack Vegapunk at the inn, expecting to overcome his protectors and limited combat ability. Root’s team struggled to breach Vegapunk’s Barrier, while Obito withdrew into the Kamui Dimension and Vegapunk weakened the Barrier himself to help them along.

• Root surrounded the inn and prepared to attack Vegapunk, Hancock, Mei Terumi, and their other guard.
• Obito Uchiha sensed the intruders, withdrew his hand from his weapon, and took himself and his bed into the Kamui Dimension.
• Root’s Barrier and Sealing Technique specialists worked for more than ten minutes but made little progress against Vegapunk’s Barrier.
• Vegapunk watched the failed attempt from Amenominaka Space and dismissed the Root ninjas as fools.
• Vegapunk used his Electromagnetic Ability to weaken part of the Barrier so Root could make progress.

Vegapunk watched as his modified cyborgs fought off Danzo’s Root ninjas, while a disguised group carried him away. The Third Hokage saw the aftermath through his Crystal Ball and realized Root’s operation had been routed.

• Vegapunk’s Barrier broke, and Root ninjas stormed the inn, where his Cyborgs fought them off.
• Vegapunk watched two modified ninjas grow stronger by absorbing Natural Energy, though he knew they would eventually explode.
• The battle killed several Cyborgs and Root ninjas, including Torune Aburame, before Fū Yamanaka ordered Root to retreat.
• A tall modified ninja carried an unconscious figure posing as Vegapunk away with the other Cyborgs guarding them.
• The Third Hokage used his Crystal Ball and Telescope Technique, then saw that Root had been routed.

Konoha's pursuit of the ninjas who abducted Vegapunk was derailed when a powerful Modified Ninja attacked the village, forcing Hiruzen and Danzo to defend it. Vegapunk and Hancock watched from safety as the battle escalated, and Hiruzen began to suspect the attacker was drawing on Natural Energy.

• Hiruzen found Root's forces defeated, and Danzo identified the attackers as modified ninjas from Iwagakure and Kumogakure who had taken Vegapunk.
• Hiruzen ordered Anbu and Security Division ninjas to pursue the kidnappers, but Hokage Rock collapsed as another Modified Ninja began slaughtering Konoha's defenders.
• Hiruzen and the gathered ninjas blocked the attacker's Water Release with a combined Earth Release, but his rapid Lightning Release and sword killed several more ninjas.
• Hiruzen ordered Danzo and Root to help fight the Modified Ninja while Kakashi led the remaining Anbu in pursuit of Vegapunk's kidnappers.
• Vegapunk explained to Hancock that Konoha's leaders had been caught off guard, then considered notifying Obito Uchiha and wondered whether Hiruzen would sense the Modified Ninja's self-destruction risk.
• Hiruzen noticed the Modified Ninja's power growing and suspected the strange energy surrounding him might be senjutsu.

The Third Hokage and Danzo stopped a Modified Ninja from destroying Konoha, then pursued Vegapunk after he was carried away by enemy ninjas. Obito Uchiha replaced his Kamui eye with Vegapunk’s medicine-assisted eye transplant and erased Kakashi’s memory, leaving Kakashi to continue the pursuit unaware.

• The Third Hokage realized the Modified Ninja’s accumulated Natural Energy would make him explode, so he and Danzo trapped him and destroyed him with the Five Release Great Combo Technique.
• The Third Hokage ordered Konoha’s ninjas to pursue Vegapunk, while Kakashi tried unsuccessfully to slow the group carrying an unconscious Blond Boy.
• Obito Uchiha incapacitated Kakashi and transplanted his Kamui Sharingan into his own eye, giving Kakashi an ordinary Three-Tomoe Sharingan in return.
• Obito used Vegapunk’s invention to erase Kakashi’s memories, and Kakashi woke up and resumed chasing Vegapunk without noticing the surgery.
• Obito reflected that Vegapunk’s inventions were frighteningly effective and worried about the thing in his own head.

Vegapunk watched Konoha’s pursuit of its targets strain relations with Kumogakure and used a clone to enter the village. The Fourth Raikage offered the clone succession, but learned it was not the original Vegapunk and then surprised him by claiming extensive scientific expertise.

• Mei Terumi warned Vegapunk that Konoha would likely avoid open conflict, while Vegapunk said his aim was to provoke limited wars for experiments and technological progress.
• Konoha’s ninja pursued their targets into the Lightning Country and clashed with its forces before making contact with Kumogakure.
• The Fourth Raikage questioned Vegapunk about the deaths of Kumogakure ninja, and Vegapunk blamed a technique or medicine that burned their life force.
• The Fourth Raikage invited Vegapunk to join Kumogakure and offered to make him the Fifth Raikage, but Vegapunk revealed he was a clone.
• The Fourth Raikage doubted Vegapunk’s explanation, then claimed Kumogakure led the villages in technology and that he had studied advanced physics.

The Vegapunk Clone persuaded the Fourth Raikage to cultivate Current Drive, then spent six months preparing equipment and supplies as the Lightning Country advanced technologically. Meanwhile, Kumogakure and Iwagakure struck a tense technology-for-resources deal, and Konoha's leaders feared the growing threat while learning Iwagakure might target the clone.

• The Vegapunk Clone explained that Current Drive would first alter the brain's neural signals, and the Fourth Raikage agreed to begin there despite the risks.
• The Vegapunk Clone arranged equipment and medicines for the training, while his guidance helped Kumogakure and the Lightning Country make rapid technological progress over six months.
• Ōnoki deployed Iwagakure forces to the border after Kumogakure took the Vegapunk Clone, and Kumogakure agreed to share some technology in exchange for funds and minerals.
• Danzo told the Third Hokage that Kumogakure's strength had grown and that Iwagakure was investigating the clone, possibly intending to seize him.

The Third Hokage and Danzo considered joining Iwagakure’s operation to rescue Vegapunk’s clone, while Danzo sought to rebuild Root. In Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage tested Vegapunk’s Current Drive training machine and experienced greatly enhanced reflexes.

• The Third Hokage and Danzo discussed the other villages’ lack of urgency over Vegapunk’s clone, then received Iwagakure’s invitation to help rescue him.
• Danzo urged Konoha to join the operation and asked the Third Hokage for Root recruits, including Kakashi Hatake, but was told to negotiate with the clans himself.
• The Fourth Raikage began training in Vegapunk’s machine while Killer B joked about its dangers.
• The machine safely enhanced the Fourth Raikage’s perception and reflexes before automatically ending his session.
• Vegapunk examined the training data and adjusted the machine, while the Fourth Raikage teased Killer B about becoming its next test subject.

Kakashi and Kitsuchi planned a joint operation to capture Vegapunk, while Vegapunk identified Konoha spy Yakushi Nonō at his research base and ordered Pakura to capture her. Pakura exposed Nonō’s identity, and Nonō attacked her with hidden Senbon.

• Kakashi briefed Kitsuchi on a plan to strike when Vegapunk inspected high-precision instruments, despite Kumogakure’s elite guards and Yugito protecting him.
• Vegapunk recognized Yakushi Nonō’s alias, Amane Murasaki, from her résumé and told Pakura to capture her.
• Pakura confronted Nonō at the research base and revealed that she knew her as Konoha’s Wandering Miko.
• Nonō asked how she had been exposed, then suddenly launched two Senbon at Pakura’s eyes.

Yakushi Nonō was captured by Pakura and became Vegapunk’s test subject for his experimental mind-reading nanomachines. Meanwhile, Vegapunk’s clone traveled from Kumogakure with a guard team, but an ambush derailed their Cloud Railcar and left them facing enemy ninja.

• Pakura knocked out Yakushi Nonō and brought her to Vegapunk’s laboratory.
• Vegapunk explained that he planned to inject Nonō with mind-reading nanomachines and use her as an experimental assistant and test subject.
• Vegapunk’s clone told the Fourth Raikage he would leave Kumogakure to inspect custom electron microscopes, and the Raikage assigned Darui, Yugito, and C to protect him.
• Vegapunk’s group boarded a Cloud Railcar, and they discussed the railway’s usefulness and vulnerability to attack.
• C sensed an ambush, and an explosion sent the Cloud Railcar crashing to the ground.
• Vegapunk, Darui, Yugito, and C escaped the wreckage and faced the group of ninja responsible for the attack.

Kitsuchi, Kakashi, and their forces attacked Kumogakure’s group, where Darui’s Chakra Armor and Yugito’s battle with Kitsuchi held them off. The Third Tsuchikage ambushed the battlefield from above, killing Darui and devastating the Konoha forces.

• Darui and C used Chakra Armor to fight Kitsuchi and Kakashi, and Kakashi identified the armor as an imitation of Susanoo.
• Darui’s laser whip clashed with Kakashi’s Raikiri, while Kitsuchi summoned a stone giant to battle Yugito in her Two-Tails form.
• Yugito and C expected the Fourth Raikage to arrive as the battle’s enormous Chakra signals alerted Kumogakure.
• C sensed a powerful Chakra attack from the sky, and a pillar of light struck the battlefield.
• The Third Tsuchikage’s attack gravely wounded Kakashi, killed most of the Konoha ninja, and disintegrated Darui.

The Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki attacked the Konoha and Kumogakure forces to seize Vegapunk, but the Fourth Raikage A arrived and turned the battle against Iwagakure. The chapter ended with A threatening to kill Kitsuchi unless Ōnoki came down to face him.

• Ōnoki admitted he had attacked the Konoha Ninja and then targeted Vegapunk, while Kakashi revealed that he had already sent word to Konoha.
• Yugito transformed into the Two-Tails Matatabi and fought Ōnoki, but his Dust Release destroyed part of her tail.
• A arrived using the Heavenly Transfer Technique, dodged Ōnoki’s Dust Release, and revealed that Current Drive had greatly improved his speed and reflexes.
• After seeing Darui’s body, A attacked Ōnoki, then used his speed to kill a dozen Iwagakure Ninja on the ground.
• A confronted Kitsuchi and threatened to snap his neck to lure Ōnoki down, but Ōnoki stayed in the air.

Kumogakure and Iwagakure failed to capture Vegapunk after Konoha rescued him, prompting the Fourth Raikage to declare war on both villages. Back in Konoha, Kakashi brought the Vegapunk Clone home, while the original Vegapunk continued testing his control over Yakushi Nonō.

• The Fourth Raikage killed Kitsuchi, then Yugito attacked him under Sharingan control before he defeated her Two-Tails form.
• The Fourth Raikage shattered Shisui Uchiha’s Susanoo, but Konoha’s Root Ninja used a Flying Thunder God Formation to evacuate Vegapunk and the surviving Konoha Ninja.
• The Fourth Raikage learned that Konoha and Iwagakure had taken Vegapunk and declared immediate war on both villages after Killer B arrived.
• Kakashi returned to Konoha with Shisui and the Vegapunk Clone, who identified the dead Root Ninja as expendable materials for the transportation technique.
• The Vegapunk Clone explained that his feelings were cold, while Shisui considered using Kotoamatsukami on him but could not risk his injured eyes.
• Vegapunk praised Yakushi Nonō’s brainwave-reading system, and Nonō obediently acted as his maid after the nanomachines had conditioned her compliance.

Vegapunk sent Obito Uchiha through a space-time gate to a parallel world several years in the past. Obito arrived in Konohagakure during the Third Shinobi World War, before the Kannabi Bridge Battle, and realized he still had time to save Rin.

• Vegapunk completed his preparations and explained the risks and limits of the space-time experiment to Obito Uchiha.
• Vegapunk placed a diamond-shaped data mark on Obito Uchiha’s hand and opened a space-time gate with the Quantum Brain.
• Obito Uchiha entered the gate, used Kamui to avoid dangerous space-time currents, and emerged in a past version of Konohagakure.
• Obito Uchiha put two Uchiha Military Police members under Genjutsu and learned that the Kannabi Bridge Battle had not yet occurred.

After Kumogakure declared war, the Fourth Raikage used Vegapunk’s Current Drive to devastate Konoha’s outposts and approach the village. Konoha’s leaders questioned Vegapunk about the Raikage’s power and sought his technical help, learning that Current Drive was too demanding for most Ninja to master.

• The Fourth Raikage crossed the Land of Fire alone, destroyed seventeen or eighteen Konoha outposts, and killed hundreds of Ninja before stopping near Konohagakure.
• The Third Hokage convened Konoha’s leaders as roughly three thousand Kumogakure Ninja crossed the border, and Hyuga Hiashi warned that Konoha could barely track the Fourth Raikage’s speed.
• Danzo proposed taking Vegapunk into Root and exploiting him, but the Third Hokage rejected the idea and summoned Vegapunk to the meeting.
• Vegapunk agreed to provide technical assistance while criticizing Konoha’s internal problems and revealing that Kumogakure had offered to make him the Fifth Raikage.
• Vegapunk confirmed that the Fourth Raikage’s Current Drive had increased his neural reflex speed more than tenfold and explained that its training requirements made it unsuitable for widespread use.

Vegapunk explained why Current Drive made the Fourth Raikage so dangerous and proposed modifying Hiruzen Sarutobi to strengthen him for the coming battle. He gathered Root’s research materials and promised to complete the experiment by noon the next day, leaving Hiruzen to face the Raikage at Konoha’s gates.

• Vegapunk explained that Kakashi had barely reached the minimum threshold for training Current Drive and warned that the Fourth Raikage could become far stronger if he mastered its flight-enabling second half.
• Vegapunk identified the Raikage’s imperfect control of his speed as a weakness, but Kakashi and the other ninja doubted that ordinary fighters or traps could exploit it.
• Vegapunk proposed enhancing Hiruzen Sarutobi through bodily modification, citing his rare Chakra affinity for all seven attributes and asking whether Hiruzen had heard of Kekkei Mōra.
• Vegapunk criticized Root’s damp, underground laboratory, then found its research equipment and materials adequate for his experiment.
• Vegapunk promised to complete Hiruzen’s modification by noon the next day, and Hiruzen agreed to test his new strength against the Fourth Raikage.

Vegapunk gave the Third Hokage a modified, low-power Rinnegan that let him control gravity and anti-gravity. The Third Hokage used the ability to defeat the Fourth Raikage, who escaped badly injured.

• The Third Hokage emerged from Root's Laboratory younger and with a replicated Rinnegan embedded in his chest.
• Vegapunk explained that the Third Hokage's fused Chakra natures granted him control over gravity and anti-gravity, an ability that could counter speed-based fighters.
• The Fourth Raikage charged the Third Hokage outside Konoha, but gravity made him stumble and anti-gravity lifted him into the air.
• The Fourth Raikage tried to use Wind Release to escape, but the Third Hokage's Adamantine Staff seized him and struck him into the ground.
• The Fourth Raikage escaped the anti-gravity field with broken bones and retreated from the battle.