Chapter Summaries

Chiyue, Hatake Sakumo, and Shikaku Nara planned a counterattack against Sunagakure while the Third Kazekage was missing and its forces were scattered. Chiyue then confronted Kurama over persuading Kushina to leave the village without permission.

• Kushina realized she had come to the front lines because Kurama had misled her, and learned Pakura was inside cleaning.
• Shikaku Nara and Hatake Sakumo discussed Sunagakure's search for the Third Kazekage and whether Konoha should attack.
• Chiyue supported an immediate counterattack, and Shikaku Nara proposed splitting Konoha's forces across two routes.
• Hatake Sakumo and Shikaku Nara agreed to organize the forces while Chiyue and Kushina led one front.
• Chiyue entered the Sealing Space with Kushina and accused Kurama of persuading her to leave the village without permission.

Chiyue confronted the Nine-Tails over helping Kushina leave Konoha, then pressed Pakura to decide whether to abandon Sunagakure. Pakura agreed to make her choice after Sunagakure was driven back into the Land of Wind, and Chiyue and Kushina were left together at the command center.

• Chiyue used his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to frighten the Nine-Tails, which recalled Uchiha Madara and cowered until Kushina asked him to stop.
• Chiyue warned Kushina not to leave recklessly again and told her to report any future plans to Tsunade.
• Chiyue called Pakura out of the lounge and demanded that she choose between submitting to him and remaining loyal to Sunagakure.
• Pakura refused to choose before the war ended, and Chiyue set Sunagakure's retreat into the Land of Wind as her deadline.
• Chiyue let Pakura leave the command center, and Kushina said she sympathized with her because Pakura reminded her of her own early days in Konoha.

Kushina and Chiyue led a smaller Konoha force toward Sunagakure while Hatake Sakumo attacked from the north, and Chiyue planned to use Kushina as the main assault force. Sunagakure discovered the southern attack, and Rasa went to meet it as Ebizo stayed to defend the camp.

• Kushina joined Chiyue and Pakura as Konoha prepared a counterattack against Sunagakure.
• Chiyue split the Konoha forces, sending the larger group with Hatake Sakumo and leading a few hundred ninja with Kushina and Pakura.
• Chiyue halted his force near Sunagakure's forward position and waited for Hatake Sakumo to draw Chiyo and the enemy's main forces north.
• Chiyo went to confront Hatake Sakumo while Ebizo remained with Rasa to stabilize Sunagakure's camp.
• An Anbu ninja reported enemy forces south of the camp, and Rasa stopped Ebizo from going out to face them himself.

With Sunagakure's senior leaders and strongest fighters gone, Rasa led its forces against Konoha. Chiyue revealed that his apparent recklessness was a plan to capture Rasa and pressure Sunagakure into withdrawing, then sent Kushina to face the approaching army alone.

• After the Third Kazekage died, Scorpion defected, Pakura was captured, and Chiyo left to confront Hatake Sakumo, Rasa went to lead Sunagakure's forces while Ebizo stayed to guard the camp.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi worried as Chiyue let Sunagakure's scouts observe Konoha's position and prepared for an open assault.
• Pakura realized Chiyue intended to target Rasa and use him to force Chiyo and Ebizo to withdraw Sunagakure's forces.
• Chiyue offered to spare Rasa and preserve Sunagakure's future if Pakura defected to Konoha.
• When Chiyue identified Rasa among the approaching forces, he sent Kushina charging toward the enemy army, prompting Hiruzen Sarutobi to ask whether they should help.

Kushina charged Sunagakure’s forces under the Nine-Tails’ guidance, revealing herself as Konoha’s Jinchuriki and catching Rasa off guard. As Chiyue and the others advanced behind her, Kushina met Rasa’s gold dust head-on.

• Chiyue reassured Hiruzen Sarutobi that Kushina could fight without being hidden away in the village.
• The Nine-Tails berated the frightened Kushina and urged her to use its Chakra.
• Kushina wrapped herself in the Tailed Beast cloak and charged Rasa’s forces alone.
• Rasa recognized Kushina as Konoha’s Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and ordered his ninja to spread out, fearing Konoha might unleash the Nine-Tails.
• The Nine-Tails cheered Kushina on as she faced Rasa’s sweeping gold dust, while Chiyue led the others forward.

Kushina broke free from Rasa’s Gold Dust and overwhelmed the Sand Village forces with her Nine-Tails Cloak and Adamantine Sealing Chains. The battle continued as Konoha’s main force watched and considered whether to help.

• Rasa buried Kushina in Gold Dust and tried to crush her, but she burst free in a beam of light and charged at him.
• Sand Village ninja rushed to protect Rasa, and Kushina skewered several with her Adamantine Sealing Chains.
• Rasa defended against Kushina’s attack with a Gold Dust wall, but her punch shattered it and sent him flying.
• Sand Village ninja swarmed Kushina with kunai and ninjutsu, but she dodged their attacks and badly injured many of them.
• Konoha’s main force stopped, and one ninja asked whether they should help Kushina.

Chiyue let Kushina gain battlefield experience while she overwhelmed Rasa and the Sand Village ninja, then sent Manda to help by killing and eating the enemy. As Kushina and Manda rampaged, Chiyue refused Hiruzen Sarutobi’s request to intervene, and Rasa remained unable to stop Kushina.

• Chiyue explained that Kushina needed combat experience and dismissed concerns about her safety as she pursued the wounded Rasa.
• Chiyue summoned Manda and ordered it to help Kushina and eat the defeated Sand Village ninja.
• Sand Village jonin organized a response and called for reinforcements, but Kushina and Manda killed or scattered the attackers.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi worried that Kushina might be injured and provoke the Nine-Tails, but Chiyue ordered him to obey and keep watching.
• Rasa struggled against Kushina’s Tailed Beast cloak and found that his Magnet Release: Gold Dust could not stop her.

Ebizo led Sunagakure reinforcements toward Rasa while Hatake Sakumo continued holding Chiyo back. As Kushina tired during her fight with Rasa, the Nine-Tails took control and appeared as a massive golden fox, leaving both armies stunned.

• Ebizo learned Rasa was in danger and led Sand Village ninja to rescue him.
• Hatake Sakumo repelled Chiyo's Puppet Force and kept her pinned down despite being wounded by poisoned puppets.
• Rasa used Magnet Release to send waves of golden sand at Kushina, wearing her down and preventing her from reaching him.
• Kushina admitted she was tired and let the Nine-Tails take over the fight.
• The Nine-Tails transformed into a huge golden fox, frightening both armies and prompting Manda to return to Ryūchi Cave.
• Chiyue told the Konoha ninja to wait rather than approach the Nine-Tails.

Kushina let the Nine-Tails take over, and it overwhelmed Rasa and the Sunagakure forces while Chiyue insisted that Rasa be spared. The Nine-Tails knocked Rasa unconscious and attacked Ebizo’s reinforcements with a Tailed Beast Ball.

• Chiyue explained to Hiruzen Sarutobi that Kushina would soon become a perfect Jinchuriki once the Nine-Tails let go of its emotional baggage.
• The Nine-Tails shattered Rasa’s golden sand and toyed with him, while Chiyue ordered it to spare his life.
• The Nine-Tails vented its frustration by striking Sand Village ninja and leaving Rasa badly injured.
• Ebizo arrived with reinforcements as the Nine-Tails knocked Rasa unconscious.
• The Nine-Tails fired a Tailed Beast Ball at Ebizo and the Sand Village reinforcements, killing many ninja.

Kushina struggled with the destruction caused by the Nine-Tails, but Chiyue comforted her and reminded Konoha’s ninjas that her power protected them. After Hiruzen Sarutobi rallied the troops, they cheered for Kushina and celebrated their victory over Sunagakure.

• The Nine-Tails reflected on the devastation at the Valley of the End and realized White’s slumber was nearing its end.
• Chiyue comforted Kushina, told her she had done nothing wrong, and predicted that Sunagakure would soon surrender or retreat.
• Chiyue handed the captured Rasa to Hiruzen Sarutobi and rebuked Konoha’s ninjas for fearing Kushina and the Nine-Tails.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi announced their victory, and the Konoha ninjas replaced their fear with cheers and praise for Kushina.
• Kushina became emotional at her companions’ recognition, while the Nine-Tails secretly enjoyed the praise and the gathered ninjas laughed together.

After Sunagakure suffered a crushing defeat and Rasa was captured, Chiyo asked Konoha for peace talks. Chiyue agreed to consider negotiations and sent word to Tsunade, leaving the next decision to the village.

• Chiyue's victory reached Konoha's rear, and Shikaku Nara celebrated while Hatake Sakumo withdrew his forces.
• Chiyo learned that more than a thousand Sunagakure ninja had died and Rasa had been captured, then sent Ebizo to rest as she took charge.
• After spending the night in silence, Chiyo arrived at Konoha's position and requested an end to the war and peace talks.
• Chiyue told Hatake Sakumo and Shikaku Nara that Chiyo had likely given up because she could not bear further losses or risk Rasa's treatment.
• Chiyue agreed that peace talks were necessary, but said Konoha should first notify Tsunade and await the village's response.

After the Third Hokage returned to Konoha, Tsunade confronted him and the Elder Council over Kushina’s deployment, missing medical-supply funds, and covert placements in the Anbu. The Third Hokage realized Danzo might have diverted the money, and Tsunade’s accusations left him demanding an explanation.

• The Third Hokage returned to Konoha after securing support from the daimyo, and Tsunade transferred authority back to him.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura confronted the Third Hokage over Tsunade secretly sending Kushina to the front lines.
• Tsunade defended Kushina’s deployment and demanded that the elders explain where the Finance Department’s funds had gone.
• The Third Hokage found that approved medical-supply purchases had no matching warehouse records and suspected Danzo had siphoned off the money.
• Tsunade accused the Elder Council of placing its people in Naruto’s Anbu, and the Third Hokage demanded to know what was happening.

Tsunade confronted Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura with evidence that Danzo had used Anbu for covert personal schemes, prompting the Third Hokage to question whether Danzo had been spying on him. The chapter ended with Konoha learning that Sunagakure had suffered a major defeat and was ready to negotiate peace, as the Third Hokage asked who should handle the talks.

• Tsunade presented documents exposing sinister missions carried out by Anbu operatives whom Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had helped place there.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura blamed Danzo, and the Third Hokage questioned whether Danzo had planted Anbu to spy on him.
• An Intelligence Department ninja delivered a coded report from the front lines, and Tsunade read it before passing it to the Third Hokage.
• The Third Hokage announced that Sunagakure had suffered heavy losses, Rasa had been captured, and the village wanted peace talks.
• Tsunade celebrated the news that Chiyue and Kushina had helped defeat Sunagakure, and the Third Hokage asked who should negotiate peace.

The Third Hokage decided to travel to the front lines to negotiate peace with Chiyo, leaving Tsunade in charge of Konoha. Before departing, he and Tsunade discussed the ongoing war with Kirigakure and its suspiciously relentless attacks.

• Tsunade refused to handle the peace talks, and the Third Hokage chose to negotiate with Chiyo himself.
• The Third Hokage said Tsunade would manage the village while he was away, implicitly recognizing her as a candidate to lead Konoha.
• Tsunade reported that Kirigakure kept attacking despite its supply lines being disrupted and its village facing internal turmoil.
• The Third Hokage agreed that Kirigakure's behavior was suspicious and urged Tsunade to investigate a possible way to break the stalemate.
• The Third Hokage prepared to leave immediately with a few guards, while Tsunade stayed behind to handle the village's affairs.

The Third Hokage warned Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura to stop aiding Danzo as he prepared to step down, while news of Sunagakure's peace talks and Konoha's battlefield achievements spread through the village and camp. Iwagakure's growing activity then raised fears that Konoha might soon face another war even as its conflict with Kirigakure continued.

• The Third Hokage told Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura that he would take responsibility for the matter and warned them not to trouble Tsunade or assist Danzo again.
• Tsunade publicized Sunagakure's request for peace talks and listed Konoha's battlefield contributions, including Yagami Chiyue's role in defeating the Third Kazekage.
• Jiraiya teased Orochimaru about Chiyue's success, while Orochimaru continued to worry about Kirigakure's suspicious willingness to suffer heavy losses.
• Minato resolved to work harder, and Nawaki regretted not leaving with Chiyue to earn recognition.
• Tsunade grew concerned as Iwagakure's ninja became more active, raising the possibility that Iwagakure would declare war while Konoha was still fighting Kirigakure.

Chiyue took Kushina and Pakura away before the Third Hokage arrived for peace talks, using a supposed secret order from Tsunade as cover. Shikaku Nara stayed behind to manage the fallout, while Chiyue reassured Kushina that Shikaku would be fine.

• Chiyue learned that the Third Hokage was coming to the front lines and decided to take Kushina and Pakura away before he could confront them.
• Chiyue claimed Tsunade had secretly ordered him to bring Kushina and Pakura back to Konoha, and Shikaku Nara realized the order was an excuse.
• Chiyue and the others packed and left by a route that avoided the rest of the camp.
• Hatake Sakumo refused to clean up the situation and said he would watch Rasa instead, leaving Shikaku Nara to handle the Third Hokage’s arrival.
• Kushina worried that Shikaku Nara would be punished, but Chiyue assured her that Shikaku had no reason to oppose their departure.

Chiyue brought Kushina and Pakura back to Konoha while the Third Hokage arrived at the front-line camp and arranged peace talks with Chiyo. The Third Hokage prepared to negotiate with Sunagakure, while Pakura entered Konoha without official identification under Chiyue’s protection.

• The Third Hokage arrived at the camp and learned from Shikaku Nara that Chiyue had already taken Kushina and Pakura back to Konoha.
• The Third Hokage arranged peace talks with Chiyo for the following morning, and Chiyo and Ebizo considered how to reduce Sunagakure’s war reparations.
• Chiyue, Kushina, and Pakura reached Konoha, where a gate registrar objected that Pakura lacked Konoha identification.
• Chiyue told the registrar to let Pakura enter and said the Hokage’s Office would handle her identification the next day.

Chiyue brought Pakura into Konoha without registering her, prompting Tsunade to reprimand the Anbu for monitoring them and failing their other assignments. After Pakura spent the night at Chiyue’s home, he took her to the Hokage Office Building to obtain her ninja papers.

• Chiyue ignored the registrar’s objections and brought Pakura and Kushina away without registering Pakura.
• An Anbu ninja reported Chiyue’s actions to Tsunade, who ordered the Anbu to stop monitoring Pakura and warned their captains against unauthorized deployments.
• Pakura and Kushina soaked in a hot spring, where Pakura questioned Chiyue’s strained relationship with Konoha’s higher-ups.
• Kushina went home, and Chiyue told Pakura to stay in a guest room and use the clothes he provided.
• The next morning, Chiyue took Pakura to the Hokage Office Building to get her ninja identification papers.

Chiyue brought Pakura to Tsunade and arranged for her Konoha ninja identification papers, while they discussed Sunagakure’s losses and the coming peace negotiations. Tsunade praised Chiyue’s achievements and looked forward to competing with Orochimaru for the Fourth Hokage candidacy.

• Chiyue and Pakura entered the Hokage's Office, where Tsunade scolded Chiyue for leaving camp without authorization.
• Chiyue asked Tsunade to arrange Pakura’s ninja identification papers and discussed the front lines and Sunagakure’s peace negotiations with her.
• Tsunade ordered an Anbu ninja to escort Pakura and have her papers ready within an hour, after Pakura pledged loyalty to Konoha.
• Tsunade drank alcohol at her desk, then praised Chiyue for Sunagakure’s heavy losses and boasted about competing with Orochimaru for the Fourth Hokage candidacy.
• Chiyue told Tsunade that Sunagakure had lost the Third Kazekage, Pakura, and Scorpion, and that the village would face harsh demands from the Daimyo of the Land of Wind.

Chiyue left Pakura in Tsunade’s care, then brought her to meet Kakashi and told her to test the young genius by beating him up. Pakura struck Kakashi with a pebble outside the ninja academy, leaving him searching for his attacker.

• Chiyue told Tsunade that Pakura could serve as her guard or stay with him, then left for the Hot Pot restaurant.
• Tsunade admitted she did not yet trust Pakura and sent her to find Chiyue, who took her to eat and showed her around Konoha.
• Chiyue brought Pakura to the ninja academy and explained that he had been asked to take Kakashi as his disciple.
• Kakashi refused invitations from Asuma and Rin Nohara and prepared to go home.
• Pakura threw a pebble at Kakashi, hitting his forehead before he could react.