Chapter Summaries

Minato returned to class after two months of studying under Jiraiya, while Konoha’s leaders prepared surprise attacks against Sunagakure and Kirigakure. At dawn, the two forces left the village under Hatake Sakumo’s command, with Hyuga Kumokawa joining the Sunagakure campaign.

• Minato returned to class, apologized to his friends for worrying them, and resumed training and studying with them.
• Tsunade returned to Konoha, and the village’s leaders decided to launch surprise attacks against Sunagakure and Kirigakure.
• Hyuga Kumokawa told Soji he would head to the front lines, keeping his personal reason for going to himself.
• Hatake Sakumo and Tsunade gathered a force to attack Sunagakure while Orochimaru and Jiraiya assembled another force to attack Kirigakure.
• Hatake Sakumo’s forces departed Konoha in separate directions, and Hyuga Kumokawa followed the group assigned to attack Sunagakure.

Hatake Sakumo and Tsunade led Konoha's forces in a surprise attack that devastated Sunagakure's puppet force in the Land of Rivers. They captured the survivors and took over the enemy camp while awaiting news from Orochimaru and Jiraiya.

• Hatake Sakumo received Jiraiya's report that Orochimaru and Jiraiya's teams were positioned at the Land of Tea border, then ordered an immediate attack on Sunagakure's force.
• Hatake Sakumo and Tsunade led two thousand Konoha ninja through the Land of Rivers and silently killed the enemy sentries.
• Konoha's forces attacked the sleeping puppet masters, while Hatake Sakumo destroyed the puppets and defeated the jonin who stayed behind to cover the retreat.
• A Nara Clan commander reported that Konoha had captured every fleeing Sunagakure ninja, leaving none of the three-thousand-strong force able to escape.
• Hatake Sakumo took over Sunagakure's camp, ordered the wounded treated and the fallen preserved, and prepared to report the victory to the Third Hokage.

Orochimaru and Jiraiya led Konoha’s forces in a surprise attack on Kirigakure’s camp in the Land of Tea, killing most of its shinobi before the survivors countered with the Hidden Mist Technique. Orochimaru and Jiraiya summoned Manda and Gamabunta to break the stalemate, and the giant summons joined the battle against Kirigakure.

• Orochimaru planned a stealth attack using venomous snakes to kill the watchmen, followed by Earth Style shinobi tunneling into the camp.
• Konoha’s Earth Style shinobi killed nearly 1,500 Kirigakure shinobi before the survivors noticed the attack and used the Hidden Mist Technique.
• Orochimaru repeatedly dispersed the mist with Wind Style, but the Kirigakure shinobi restored it, threatening Konoha’s advantage.
• Jiraiya ordered Konoha’s shinobi to withdraw and surround the battlefield while he and Orochimaru performed the Summoning Jutsu.
• Jiraiya persuaded Gamabunta to fight for Konoha, while Orochimaru promised Manda the Kirigakure shinobi as sacrifices.
• Manda attacked the mist ninja, and Gamabunta drew his blade and charged into battle with Jiraiya.

Orochimaru and Jiraiya led Konoha’s attack that annihilated the Kirigakure force in the Land of Tea with help from Manda and Gamabunta. After a hidden survivor killed the captured Mist jōnin and then himself, Orochimaru dismissed the failure to obtain intelligence and began arranging the aftermath.

• Orochimaru and Jiraiya used Manda and Gamabunta to crush the surrounded Kirigakure troops, then Jiraiya and Gamabunta unleashed Toad Oil Flame Bullet across the battlefield.
• Manda emerged from underground and confronted Gamabunta over the fire attack, but Jiraiya apologized and Orochimaru reassured Manda that he would summon him again.
• The Konoha Ninja found that fewer than ten Kirigakure survivors remained and prepared to capture the jōnin for interrogation.
• A badly burned Kirigakure ninja whom Konoha had believed dead killed the captured Mist jōnin, then stabbed himself with a Kunai before Jiraiya could stop him.
• Orochimaru excused his subordinates for missing the hidden survivor, ordered a battle report, and left Jiraiya to rest as dawn broke and the Konoha force completed its objective.

After Konoha’s surprise attacks crippled Sunagakure and Kirigakure, both villages debated how to respond while Konoha celebrated its strategic success. Genji began considering the need to choose a Fourth Mizukage as he worried the Third Mizukage’s policies would ruin Kirigakure.

• The Third Kazekage demanded an immediate counterattack, but Chiyo and Ebizo persuaded him that Sunagakure lacked the strength to fight Konoha and should wait for Iwagakure and Kumogakure to act.
• The Third Mizukage reviewed the destruction of Kirigakure’s 2,500 assassins and agreed with Genji that the village could not afford to start a war with Konoha.
• The Third Mizukage proposed intensifying the Blood Mist policy and training a Seven Ninja Swordsmen force capable of hunting Kage, while Genji silently withheld his objections.
• Genji left the Mizukage Building resolved to find a qualified Fourth Mizukage before the Third Mizukage ruined Kirigakure.
• Hatake Sakumo and Orochimaru reported their successful attacks to the Third Hokage, and Konoha’s leaders celebrated having reduced their opponents to Iwagakure and Kumogakure.

After learning that Konoha had crippled Sunagakure and Kirigakure, Ōnoki and the Third Raikage decided to direct their villages’ militant factions toward war with Konoha. Kumogakure agreed to join Iwagakure’s attack in five days, and Han prepared to make up for Roshi’s absence.

• Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure to attack Konoha’s border in five days and sent an envoy to notify the Third Raikage.
• Ōnoki learned that Roshi had gone to the Land of Iron and ordered Han to take his place with the main force.
• The Third Raikage received Ōnoki’s letter and asked Dodai whether Kumogakure should join the attack.
• Dodai argued that the war would now serve to redirect Kumogakure’s internal tensions rather than win territory.
• The Third Raikage agreed to attack alongside Iwagakure, and the envoy carried Kumogakure’s answer back to Ōnoki.

Two years into the Second Ninja World War, Konoha’s forces remained locked in a defensive stalemate while eight-year-old Hyuga Soji trained at the Ninja Academy and with his friends. As Hyuga Kumokawa returned to the front, Soji continued preparing for the future and discovered that Minato Namikaze’s growth was supported by Jiraiya’s training guidance.

• Konoha held its borders against Kumogakure and Iwagakure for two years, rotating commanders and troops while the war stayed limited to the front lines.
• Hyuga Kumokawa returned to the battlefield despite his clan’s concerns, and Soji promised to take care of himself at home.
• Soji recalled that he had mastered the Gentle Fist’s Sixty-Four Palms and was learning Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, while Konoha’s strong position meant he would remain at the Academy.
• Soji and his talented classmates skipped lessons using Shadow Clones to train and spar, with Soji and Minato Namikaze generally defeating the others.
• Soji saw a giant frog deliver Minato a scroll containing Jiraiya’s training advice and goals, then became even more determined to train hard.
• Soji continued sparring with Uchiha Homura, whom he regularly beat, as his peaceful Academy life carried on during the war.

Uchiha Homura challenged Hyuga Soji, hoping to prove himself after years of falling behind. Soji defeated him, and Homura began to stir after seemingly passing out.

• Soji and Homura used Shadow Clones to skip class and went to their usual training area, where Homura formally challenged Soji.
• Soji easily dodged Homura's shuriken and caught his kunai strike before throwing and kicking him into a tree.
• Homura used the Great Fireball Technique, but Soji evaded it with Body Flicker and secretly substituted a Shadow Clone while Homura's view was blocked.
• Soji struck Homura from behind and knocked him to the ground, leaving him unable to move as he recalled the pressure and frustration of being surpassed.
• Soji wondered whether he had hit Homura too hard, then noticed Homura's body twitch.

Uchiha Homura awakened his Sharingan during his fight with Hyuga Soji and briefly gained the upper hand. Soji activated his Byakugan, defeated Homura, put out a fire, and continued training while he waited for Homura to wake up.

• Uchiha Homura awakened his one-tomoe Sharingan, recovered some strength, and challenged Soji to keep fighting.
• Homura used his increased speed and a Great Fireball Technique to surprise Soji and leave a shoeprint on his arms.
• Soji apologized for his earlier arrogance, activated his Byakugan, and struck Homura despite Homura seeing the attack coming.
• Soji explained that Homura's body could not keep up with what his Sharingan saw, then knocked him unconscious with a punch to an abdominal acupoint.
• Soji put out the burning tree and trained by himself while waiting for Homura to wake up.

After awakening his Sharingan but losing his spar with Soji, Uchiha Homura asked for training advice and learned to practice defending without relying on his eyes. Homura agreed to try Soji’s method, but Soji immediately began pelting him with stones, leaving their training session full of cries of pain.

• Uchiha Homura woke after Soji knocked him out, and the two performed the Hand Seal of Reconciliation.
• Soji demonstrated catching pebbles with his eyes closed and advised Homura to train his body's memory by practicing without sight.
• Soji explained that he had spent more than half a year training with servants throwing stones at him, and Homura agreed to learn the method.
• Soji urged Homura to train his Sharingan and genjutsu, then declined to share uncertain ideas from his past life.
• Soji began throwing stones at Homura under the pretext of training, and Homura cried out in pain.

After the Land of Whirlpools fell to a joint attack by the four great ninja villages, Konoha’s leaders learned of the Uzumaki Clan’s destruction and debated how to respond. The Third Hokage ordered an all-out counterattack to keep the enemy occupied and help Danzo destroy the invading force.

• Uchiha Homura attended class covered in bandages, while Soji denied knowing why he was dressed that way.
• Soji learned that the Land of Whirlpools had fallen and reflected that he had no intention or power to change its fate.
• The Third Hokage and the council learned that the four great ninja villages had destroyed the Land of Whirlpools and that Ashina Uzumaki had entrusted the surviving little girl and the clan’s Sealing Techniques to Danzo.
• The Third Hokage refused to recall Danzo and ordered him to pursue the joint ninja force without restraint.
• The Third Hokage directed Hatake Sakumo, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya to attack the four great nations at the front lines so they could not reinforce the fleeing enemy.

After Konoha defeated the invading forces in the Land of Whirlpools, Kushina Uzumaki joined Minato Namikaze’s class, where her red hair drew attention and Minato was immediately smitten. The day ended with Soji, Minato, and Uchiha Homura secretly witnessing Kushina beat up the classmates who had teased her.

• Danzo wiped out the allied forces in the Land of Whirlpools and returned to Konoha with its treasures and the surviving Kushina Uzumaki.
• Soji urged Minato Namikaze to befriend the new transfer student, while Uchiha Homura questioned Soji’s unusual interest in her arrival.
• Kushina Uzumaki introduced herself to the class and declared that she would become the first female Hokage, prompting laughter from her classmates.
• Minato Namikaze watched Kushina throughout the day but hesitated to approach her as other students mocked her red hair and called her “Tomato.”
• Soji, Minato, and Uchiha Homura followed Kushina into an alley after school and saw her beat up the students who had teased her.

Soji discovered that Kushina Uzumaki had been kidnapped by Kumogakure shinobi and pursued the kidnappers with Minato. The two fought the enemy shinobi blocking their way, and Soji launched a second attack as the injured man underestimated them again.

• Soji used his Byakugan to spot three shinobi kidnapping Kushina Uzumaki, then pursued them with Minato while Uchiha Homura went to alert the academy and Hokage.
• Soji and Minato caught up with the Kumogakure shinobi left behind to stop them and learned that he was a spy from another hidden village.
• Minato used the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu while Soji drew the enemy's attention, and their teamwork badly wounded the elite shinobi.
• The Kumogakure shinobi vowed to kill Soji and Minato, but again dismissed their tactics as childish.
• Soji charged with the Gentle Fist technique while Minato prepared to cover him, and the enemy moved to attack Minato.

Soji and Minato pursued the shinobi who had kidnapped Kushina Uzumaki while Uchiha Homura alerted the Third Hokage and joined an Anbu squad. Kushina secretly left clues with her red hair, and Soji realized the kidnappers had misled their pursuit, so he and Minato turned back.

• Soji used the Gentle Fist to defeat the injured Cloud Hidden Elite Shinobi, then continued after the remaining kidnappers with Minato.
• Uchiha Homura told Teacher Kimura that Kushina Uzumaki had been kidnapped, and they informed the Third Hokage.
• The Third Hokage sent an Anbu squad after the kidnappers, and Uchiha Homura guided them to Soji and Minato's marker and the defeated shinobi.
• Kushina woke while being carried by two Kumogakure shinobi, overheard their plans, and dropped strands of her red hair along the route as clues.
• Soji concluded the kidnappers had used a Shadow Clone to mislead them, and he and Minato turned back to search for Kushina.

Hyuga Soji and Minato Namikaze followed the red-hair clues Kushina Uzumaki left behind and ambushed the Cloud Hidden kidnappers near the Land of Fire border. Minato rescued Kushina, who warmed to him after he praised her hair, while the two kidnappers remained to be dealt with.

• Soji and Minato joined the search for Kushina with Uchiha Homura and the Anbu squad, then found red hair that Kushina had left as a trail.
• Soji and Minato followed the clues through the night and chose to ambush the kidnappers near the border rather than attack them head-on.
• The kidnappers fell into Soji and Minato's trap, and Minato caught Kushina after she was thrown aside.
• Minato reassured Kushina and told her he liked her red hair, changing her feelings about it and making her more affectionate toward him.
• Soji interrupted Minato and Kushina's gaze and reminded them that the two kidnappers were still ahead.

Soji and Minato fought the Cloud Hidden Elite Shinobi who had kidnapped Kushina Uzumaki, defeating both men with the help of Minato’s Summoning Beast, Iron Wall Toad. Afterward, Soji resolved to do everything he could to keep his friends alive, even if that meant changing the future he remembered.

• Minato left Kushina Uzumaki on a tree branch and summoned Iron Wall Toad to help fight the Cloud Hidden Elite Shinobi.
• Soji engaged the hooded ninja, who appeared to kill him with a kunai after Soji fell for his Substitution Technique.
• Minato and Iron Wall Toad shattered Scarface’s Earth Release barrier, and Minato beat him unconscious.
• Soji revealed that he had also used the Substitution Technique, then struck the hooded ninja with Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms until he passed out.
• Soji saw Minato chatting with Kushina Uzumaki and realized that Minato and his other friends could die if the future remained unchanged.
• Soji swore to do everything possible to save his friends, accepting that his actions might alter the future.

Soji and Minato returned to Konoha with Kushina after defeating the Kumogakure kidnappers, then received a summons from the Third Hokage. After learning their opponents had been Kumogakure jonin, the Hokage rewarded both boys with the chance to learn one ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals after they graduated.

• Soji, Minato, and Kushina met Uchiha Homura and Konoha Anbu, who took the captured Kumogakure ninja and the group back to Konoha.
• Soji returned home, slept after the exhausting night, and later went with an Anbu ninja to the Hokage's office.
• The Third Hokage told Soji and Minato that the surviving kidnappers were jonin from Kumogakure.
• Soji and Minato learned that the Third Hokage would record a great merit for each of them and let them choose one ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals after graduation.
• Soji and Minato thanked the Third Hokage and left the office happily.

Minato brought Kushina to meet his friends at their secret training spot, where they welcomed her and learned more about her past. As the group grew closer, Kushina's fierce temper became clear, and their friendship with her and Minato deepened.

• Minato asked Soji, Homura, Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza to skip class and train, then introduced them to Kushina.
• Soji and the others welcomed Kushina, who explained that Kumogakure ninja had tracked and kidnapped her before Minato and Soji rescued her.
• The friends discussed Minato and Soji defeating three spies, then spent the day getting to know one another instead of training hard.
• Kushina gained the nickname Blood Red Pepper after fighting classmates, and she beat Homura senseless when he used it to taunt her.
• Over time, the group became close, and their friends teased Minato and Kushina about their growing affection for each other.

Soji and his classmates completed their Ninja Academy graduation exams and became Konoha genin. The Third Hokage assigned Soji, Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, and Uchiha Homura to one team, ordering the three boys to protect Kushina and keep the reason secret.

• Soji, Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, Uchiha Homura, and the rest of the class passed the written and Three Body Technique exams and received their Konoha forehead protectors.
• Teacher Kimura announced most team assignments, including Team Eight with Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Choza Akimichi, but left the four top students unassigned.
• The Third Hokage entered the classroom and announced that Soji, Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, and Uchiha Homura would form a four-person team.
• The Third Hokage ordered Soji, Minato Namikaze, and Uchiha Homura to protect Kushina Uzumaki, even at the cost of their lives or a mission, and told all four to keep the matter secret.

Soji and Minato chose forbidden techniques from the Scroll of Seals, and their newly formed four-person squad waited hours for its mentor teacher. Jiraiya finally arrived, leaving the team surprised to see who would train them.

• Soji, Minato, Kushina Uzumaki, and Uchiha Homura celebrated their squad assignment over barbecue and agreed to trust one another.
• Soji trained for three days, then went with Minato to choose a technique from the Scroll of Seals; Soji selected Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, while Minato chose Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Soji memorized the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu’s instructions but could not test it because he lacked a living sacrifice and the required body tissue, then returned the scroll to Anbu three days later.
• The students nicknamed Soji’s four-person squad the Genius Squad, and Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Choza Akimichi left with their Jonin mentor.
• Soji, Minato, Kushina Uzumaki, and Uchiha Homura waited from morning until early afternoon for their mentor teacher and worried that none would come.
• Jiraiya arrived at the classroom, and the four students recognized him as their sensei.