Chapter Summaries

Minato, Soji, and Homura joined Naruto and Sara after defeating Mukade, but Mukade survived by using the Dragon Vein’s power and transformed into a giant puppet centipede. The three seniors battered him again, leaving Naruto impressed but frustrated that he could not contribute.

• Minato and Soji praised Naruto for protecting Sara and fighting Mukade’s puppet troops, while Homura destroyed the frozen puppets in irritation.
• Mukade emerged alive from Minato’s Rasengan and offered the Konoha ninjas a chance to leave, but Minato, Naruto, Soji, Homura, and Sara refused to back down.
• Mukade transformed into a giant puppet centipede and attacked the group, but Soji blocked him with an Ice Crystal Barrier.
• Homura attacked the centipede with flaming shuriken, causing explosions and making Mukade scream, though he soon recovered.
• Mukade tried to get around the ice wall, but Minato struck his exposed head with a Rasengan and blew it apart.
• Naruto watched the seniors overwhelm Mukade and reflected that their strength left him with little chance to participate in the mission.

Soji, Minato, Uchiha Homura, and Naruto fought Mukade while Queen Sara freed the imprisoned Rōran citizens and set out to seal the Dragon Vein. Mukade absorbed the remaining puppets to become a giant, Dragon Vein-powered Centipede Demon, and the others prepared to hold him off until Sara could cut off his power.

• Minato warned that Mukade might still be alive, and Soji killed him again after he regenerated.
• Minato realized Mukade's power came from the Dragon Vein, and Sara agreed to lead the citizens away and seal it.
• Naruto struck Mukade with a Rasengan while Sara freed the prisoners, who followed her out of the dangerous chamber.
• Mukade absorbed Rōran's remaining puppets and transformed into a seventy-to-eighty-meter giant, regenerating even after Uchiha Homura's fire attack.
• Soji told Uchiha Homura to conserve Chakra and stall Mukade until Sara severed the Dragon Vein connection.
• Naruto summoned countless Shadow Clones, and he, Soji, Minato, and Uchiha Homura prepared to fight Mukade together.

Soji, Minato, Homura, and Naruto struggled to contain Mukade as the Dragon Vein repeatedly revived and strengthened his Puppet Centipede. They decided to use a sealing technique, while Minato learned that Naruto was his son and that he would seal the Nine-Tails inside him in a future that might be only five years away.

• Soji and the others repeatedly attacked Mukade, but Dragon Vein Chakra revived the Puppet Centipede and passed through Soji’s ice defenses.
• Minato told Soji, Homura, and Naruto to stop killing Mukade and focus on restraining him, while Naruto’s Shadow Clones kept the Puppet Centipede occupied.
• Mukade unleashed a hurricane of sand, rocks, and debris, destroying most of Naruto’s clones before Soji shielded the others with an Ice Crystal Barrier.
• Soji asked Minato how they could restrain Mukade, and Minato proposed using a Sealing Technique.
• Naruto told Minato that he would seal the Nine-Tails inside him as the Fourth Hokage, revealing that Naruto was his child and that Minato’s death might be five years away.
• Soji and Homura comforted Minato and urged him to focus on Mukade, and Minato resolved to deal with the immediate threat first.

Soji, Minato, Uchiha Homura, and Naruto battled Mukade’s Puppet Centipede, first pinning it down before Naruto’s impulsiveness let it escape underground. Soji used his newly mastered Ice Wings to catch Mukade, but the fight resumed near the Dragon Vein sealing site, where Mukade remained desperate to reach Queen Sara.

• Soji and the others blocked Mukade’s attacks until Uchiha Homura severed the Puppet Centipede’s left limbs and Soji pinned it to the ground with Ice Spears.
• Mukade burrowed away with its remaining right forelimb, and Naruto pursued it with Shadow Clones, but Mukade’s purple electricity struck him.
• Minato struck the Puppet Centipede with a Rasengan to free Naruto, killing Mukade and allowing him to revive and flee again.
• Soji revealed his Ice Wings, flew ahead, and slammed Mukade’s head into the ground without killing him.
• Naruto used Shadow Clones to surround Mukade as Minato, Uchiha Homura, and Soji caught up, while Mukade tried to break through and reach Queen Sara.

Soji used his Ice Release Gentle Fist—Yin-Yang Two Forms to seal Mukade inside the Puppet Centipede and cut him off from the Dragon Vein’s power. Naruto attacked the weakened puppet but was struck by its tail, leaving the group to continue extracting Mukade.

• Soji distracted Mukade with a Shadow Clone while hiding his real body above the Puppet Centipede.
• Soji trapped the Puppet Centipede between rotating black and white yin-yang formations and sealed Mukade in its chest.
• Soji explained to Minato, Uchiha Homura, and Naruto that Mukade had lost access to the Dragon Vein’s power and could be pulled from the puppet.
• Naruto rushed the Puppet Centipede, but its tail swept him away before he could reach Mukade.

Soji explained that Mukade had lost his connection to the Dragon Vein but remained a powerful opponent, then withdrew so Naruto and Minato could fight him. After Minato lent Naruto Chakra, their Rasengan resonated and merged into the strongest Taiji Rasengan.

• Soji explained that his Yin-Yang Two Forms seal had severed Mukade's connection to the Dragon Vein without removing his stored Chakra or combat strength.
• Mukade attacked Soji, but Soji dodged, and Naruto destroyed Mukade's left forelimb with a Rasengan before Soji left the fight to him.
• Mukade regenerated his forelimb, struck Naruto into a wall, and Minato rescued him before warning him not to underestimate Mukade.
• Soji stopped Uchiha Homura from joining the battle, while Naruto admitted that his Chakra was nearly exhausted.
• Minato infused Naruto's palm with Chakra and formed another Rasengan; their blue and green Rasengan resonated and merged into the Taiji Rasengan.

Naruto defeated Mukade with the Taiji Rasengan, and Queen Sara chose not to kill him despite his crimes. After Sara renewed her oath to Rōran, Mukade died, leaving the battle over and the people ready to follow their queen.

• Minato’s attacks weakened Centipede Demon, and Naruto pierced its body with the Taiji Rasengan, leaving Mukade’s core intact.
• Soji removed Mukade from the Puppet Centipede, and Minato brought him to Queen Sara after she severed the Dragon Vein.
• Sara confronted Mukade but stabbed the ground beside him instead of killing him, then comforted by Naruto, renewed her oath to lead Rōran.
• Rōran’s people reaffirmed their trust in Sara, while Naruto told Mukade that he had failed because he never understood people’s feelings.
• Mukade died with his eyes open, bringing the battle to an end.

Naruto learned that sealing the Dragon Vein was necessary for him to return to his own time, while Queen Sara agreed to seal it for Rōran’s safety. After Yamato and Kakashi arrived, the group began answering Naruto’s questions, and Minato explained that their Rasengan resonated because their chakra natures were similar.

• Naruto regretted not asking Mukade how to return to his time, and Minato identified sealing the Dragon Vein as the other condition.
• Queen Sara decided that Rōran would stop using the Dragon Vein, both to help Naruto return and to protect her people from its dangers.
• Naruto agreed to stay with Minato a little longer before sealing the Dragon Vein, and Yamato and Kakashi arrived with urgent news.
• Soji organized a roundtable so Naruto could ask questions, and Naruto asked Minato why their Rasengan had merged against the Centipede Demon.
• Minato said chakra with similar natures resonated when close, leaving Naruto confused about why their chakra was similar.

Naruto learned that Minato was his father and confronted him about the pain of growing up as the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki. After Minato explained his likely reasons, Naruto accepted his father’s choice and left their reunion proud of his family.

• Soji revealed that Naruto and Minato’s similar chakra natures indicated they were blood relatives, and Minato confirmed that he was Naruto’s father.
• Naruto broke down and confronted Minato about sealing the Nine-Tails inside him and the hatred he faced as a child; Minato comforted him, and Yamato explained that Konoha’s leadership had likely hidden the truth.
• Naruto asked about his mother, so Uchiha Homura used the Transformation Jutsu to show him Kushina’s appearance, while Soji’s teasing nearly provoked Homura into a fight.
• Naruto asked why Minato had sealed the Nine-Tails inside him, and Minato said it had likely been because the beast belonged to Kushina, his previous jinchūriki.
• Naruto forgave Minato, proudly declared that he would become Hokage, and said he had no more questions.

Yamato, Naruto, Sara, and Kakashi asked questions about the future and learned that their timeline was only one possible future, so events in this world could change without affecting their own. The chapter left Minato determined to uncover who caused the Nine-Tails’ attack and prevent his and Kushina’s deaths.

• Yamato asked whether learning about the future would change his timeline, and Soji and Minato explained that it would not.
• Yamato revealed that Minato’s mission team differed from the records he knew, and Naruto wondered whether his future self in this world might have a happier life.
• Yamato and Naruto asked Minato for autographs, and Minato promised to give them each one before they returned to their worlds.
• Sara asked about Rōran’s future, and Yamato told her its people would form a traveling merchant caravan under her leadership after the Dragon Vein was sealed.
• Kakashi asked how Minato died, and Yamato said Minato died sealing the Nine-Tails; Minato then resolved to investigate the cause of the beast’s rampage and change the future.

Yamato revealed that Itachi Uchiha would massacre the Uchiha Clan, leaving Uchiha Homura shaken but determined to change the future. Soji kept Obito Uchiha's and Madara Uchiha's involvement secret while the group prepared to hear further questions from Minato and Soji.

• Kakashi asked Yamato how he would obtain a Sharingan and suspected Obito Uchiha, but could not believe Obito would awaken it.
• Yamato told Uchiha Homura that Itachi Uchiha would massacre the Uchiha Clan in Year 55 of Konoha, and Homura struggled to accept that his young nephew would be responsible.
• Naruto revealed that Sasuke Uchiha had survived, was Itachi's younger brother, and had left Konoha seeking revenge; Homura realized Sasuke was his nephew.
• Soji and Minato urged Homura to educate Itachi properly, and Homura vowed to protect the Uchiha Clan, Itachi, and Sasuke.
• Soji decided to keep Obito Uchiha's involvement in the future tragedies hidden and resolved not to expose himself to Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu before awakening the Tenseigan.
• Homura said he had no further questions, and the group turned to Minato and Soji.

Minato sealed the Dragon Vein and sent Naruto and Yamato back to their original timeline after Naruto shared an emotional farewell with his father. Back home, Naruto visited Hyuga Soji, but this timeline’s Soji knew nothing of the abilities Naruto described and sent him away.

• Soji and Minato said they had no more questions for Naruto, and Minato asked to speak with his son before sending him home.
• After talking until dawn, Minato led Naruto, Yamato, and the others to the Dragon Vein, where Sara kept its power under control while he sealed it.
• The seal triggered the return of Naruto and Yamato, and Naruto hugged Minato goodbye while Yamato punched Kakashi before they vanished.
• Naruto returned to his timeline, reported to Tsunade, and visited Hyuga Soji to ask about the skills and experiences of the Soji he had met.
• Hyuga Soji, confused and offended by Naruto’s questions, had him escorted out and blacklisted him, leaving Naruto wondering why the two Soji were different.

After Naruto returned to his own time, Minato and Soji added a second seal to protect the Dragon Vein from Mukade. As the group returned to Konoha, Minato decided to seal Kakashi’s memories of the Rōran mission for twenty years to protect him from danger and pressure.

• Minato chose not to seal the adults’ memories after Naruto returned to his own time.
• Soji placed his Two Forms Sealing over Minato’s seal on the Dragon Vein, creating a backup that Mukade would have to break first.
• Minato and the others bid farewell to Queen Sara and set off for Konoha.
• On the way back, Minato knocked Kakashi unconscious and asked Soji and Uchiha Homura whether Kakashi’s memories of the mission should be sealed.
• Soji, Uchiha Homura, and Minato agreed that Minato would seal Kakashi’s memories of the Rōran mission for twenty years.

After returning from the Ancient Kingdom of Roran, Soji settled back into life in Konoha while secretly making routine flights as Mizuki Ember and developing his Yin Release. By March of Year 44, he had begun trying to fuse Yin-natured Chakra into Ice Release so its cold might harm opponents’ souls.

• Kakashi asked why he had forgotten the mission, and Minato, Soji, and Uchiha Homura claimed they had all lost their memories to avoid suspicion.
• Minato told the Third Hokage that his Sealing Technique had sealed their memories, and the Third Hokage accepted the explanation and let the group go.
• Uchiha Homura and Kakashi left, while the Third Hokage kept Minato behind; Soji returned home and resumed his quiet life in the Hyuga Main Family.
• As the war intensified, Soji periodically flew over the Land of Fire as Mizuki Ember while Konoha concentrated on its conflict with Kirigakure.
• Soji tested his affinities and found that his Yin Release was exceptionally strong, while his Yang Release was too weak for him to use effectively.
• After studying Yin Release techniques and considering how Yang Release enhanced Wood Release, Soji began training to combine Yin-natured Chakra with Ice Release.

Soji tried to strengthen his Ice Release by infusing it with Yin Release, but every technique lost control and nearly harmed him. By evening, he realized the experiments had left him with an abnormal, persistent chill and suspected his soul had been frostbitten.

• Soji infused Yin Release into Ice Release—Ice Tomb, which turned its frost inward and nearly encased him before he dispelled it.
• Soji confirmed that Ice Release worked normally without Yin Release, then repeatedly tested the combination and found that every infused technique went out of control.
• Soji continued training through the afternoon, narrowly avoiding his own ice attacks, but made no progress before his Chakra was nearly exhausted.
• Soji began feeling unusually cold and kept adding layers of clothing, even though it was already spring.
• A household servant told Soji that the weather felt normal, and Soji used the Byakugan to confirm that the other servants were dressed lightly.
• Soji concluded that Yin-infused Ice Release had frostbitten his soul, causing his persistent chill.

After injuring his soul while trying to fuse Yin Release with Ice Release, Soji spent half a month resting, but his recovery remained slow. Minato visited and learned what had happened, while Soji reaffirmed his determination to grow stronger after he healed.

• Soji stopped training and rested in warm clothes and sunlight as the chill from his soul frostbite slowly eased.
• Soji estimated that full recovery would take at least half a year, and Konoha Hospital’s Medical Ninjas had been unable to treat his soul injury.
• Minato visited Soji and was startled to find him bundled up beside a heater in late March.
• Soji explained that his Ice Release had gone out of control while he tried to infuse it with Yin Release, injuring his soul.
• Minato warned Soji about the risks, but accepted his determination to keep pursuing the technique and change the future.

Minato told Soji that Tsunade had left the battlefield and asked him to help defeat Kirigakure using his Mizuki Ember identity. Soji agreed to help after finding Tsunade to heal his Soul Frostbite, then contacted Orochimaru for information about her whereabouts.

• Minato told Soji that Tsunade's hemophobia had forced her to leave the battlefield and that he was heading to Kirigakure.
• Minato asked Soji to coordinate with him as Mizuki Ember to help wipe out Kirigakure's active forces, and Soji agreed to join once he had recovered.
• Soji asked Minato to have the Anbu locate Tsunade so she could treat his Soul Frostbite, and Minato promised to send him information.
• After Minato left, Soji summoned a little black snake and asked Orochimaru where Tsunade was.
• Soji covered himself with the blanket again and returned to resting while he waited for news from Minato and Orochimaru.

Soji learned that Tsunade was staying in a southern gambling town and left Konoha to seek treatment for his Soul Frostbite. After fighting bandits along the way, he reached the town’s mountain road and captured one bandit who claimed to know Tsunade.

• Minato told Soji that Jiraiya had heard Tsunade was in a gambling town, and Soji combined that with Orochimaru’s information to identify a town in the south.
• Soji told Hyuga Ryusuke he was leaving to seek treatment, disguised himself, and departed Konoha without Branch House servants.
• Soji traveled south over three days, defeating rogue ninja, thieves, and bandits he encountered on the roads.
• A group of bandits stopped Soji near the gambling town, and he asked whether they knew Tsunade.
• Soji used Rain Ice Technique to kill the bandits except for one, who said Tsunade might be the legendary big spender.

Soji learned that Tsunade was in Gambling City’s North District and made his way there after killing the bandits and rogue ninja who threatened him. He found Tsunade gambling with Shizune, and after Tsunade lost again, she sensed someone following her and demanded they reveal themselves.

• Soji questioned a bandit, learned Tsunade often visited Gambling City’s North District, and let him go before a little black snake killed him.
• Soji killed a group of rogue ninja on the road and entered Gambling City.
• Soji found Tsunade gambling with Shizune and watched her lose repeatedly, including a dice game she had expected to win.
• Tsunade paid her opponent, left the gambling house with Shizune, and stopped in a deserted alley after sensing someone following them.
• Tsunade turned toward their pursuer and ordered them to come out.

Soji revealed himself to Tsunade and asked her to treat his Soul Frostbite, which she confirmed could be cured with medicine and her full effort. Tsunade agreed to help, but required Soji to spend the next three days helping her win money at the casino.

• Soji revealed his identity to Tsunade and explained that he had followed her to seek treatment for his condition.
• Tsunade took Soji and Shizune to an expensive inn and made Soji pay for their rooms and meal.
• Soji told Tsunade that a failed ninjutsu experiment had left his soul frostbitten, and she examined him with Medical Ninjutsu.
• Tsunade confirmed that Soji had Soul Frostbite and said treatment would require medicine and her full effort.
• Tsunade agreed to treat Soji on the condition that he help her win money at the casino for three days.