Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Homura turned the Konoha-Kumogakure stalemate into a decisive victory by redirecting the Two-Tails Jinchuriki’s Tailed Beast Ball and controlling Matatabi against Kumogakure. The Fourth Raikage prepared to renew the war, but Dodai urged caution and brought up Abdō’s earlier warning about Konoha.

• Uchiha Homura led Konoha to push Kumogakure’s forces from the Land of Fire border into the central Land of Hot Water, where both sides later settled into a stalemate.
• Soji believed Uchiha Homura was concealing his Mangekyō Sharingan abilities and waiting for the right moment to defeat the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
• In March of Konoha’s Year 50, Uchiha Homura used Metsuke to redirect the Two-Tails Jinchuriki’s Tailed Beast Ball, then controlled the rampaging Matatabi and turned her against Kumogakure’s camp.
• Uchiha Homura killed the injured Two-Tails Jinchuriki, and Konoha routed Kumogakure’s forces, leaving fewer than five hundred of its three thousand troops to escape.
• The Fourth Raikage reorganized five thousand men and planned to lead another attack, but Dodai warned that further fighting would weaken Kumogakure and recalled Abdō’s earlier warning.

Dodai presented the Fourth Raikage with intelligence on Hyuga Soji and argued that his ordinary public life concealed formidable strength. The Fourth Raikage grew concerned that Soji might be a hidden Kage-level threat and asked Dodai for a contingency plan as Kumogakure weighed whether to continue the war.

• Dodai showed the Fourth Raikage files on Soji, whose uneventful life seemed to contradict Abdō’s claim that he had killed more than thirty Kumogakure ninja with a glance.
• Dodai argued that Abdō’s account might be partly true and that Soji could have used an unseen technique to kill the force while leaving Abdō dazed.
• Dodai pointed out that Soji had graduated near the top of his class and had powerful teammates and a legendary mentor, yet had remained obscure.
• Dodai cited Soji’s rare missions and his unexpected journey into the Land of Hot Water as further signs that he had been concealing his strength.
• The Fourth Raikage feared Soji might be another Kage-level fighter hidden by Konoha, and Dodai urged him to prepare a contingency plan.

Kumogakure planned to test Hyuga Soji by sending a delegation to Konoha, while Soji remained unaware and completed a devastating new Gentle Fist technique. After learning that Danzo and the former Root members had made their move, Soji suspected Danzo was reacting to Uchiha Homura’s recent success against Kumogakure.

• Dodai persuaded the Fourth Raikage to arrange a peace delegation to Konoha that would investigate Hyuga Soji, and the Raikage agreed to write to the Third Hokage.
• Soji’s hidden plans ensured that any investigation would reveal only the information he had chosen to expose, while he kept Ice Release, Shikotsumyaku, and Sage Jutsu tied to his Mizuki Ember identity.
• Soji completed a powerful new Gentle Fist technique, wrecking much of his courtyard during the test and deciding to test it outside Konoha next time.
• Hyuga Kiyoka rushed to the courtyard after sensing the disturbance, and Soji told her to have the servants clean up the damage.
• Hyuga Chizuru reported that Danzo and the former Root members had made their move, and Soji linked Danzo’s actions to Uchiha Homura’s recent victory and achievements.

Soji learned from Hyuga Chizuru that Danzo was preparing to leak Konoha’s front-line intelligence to Kumogakure to undermine Uchiha Homura’s success. Soji explained why the evidence could not yet implicate Danzo and warned Chizuru about the danger of acting prematurely, leaving Chizuru asking whether they would simply let the plot continue.

• Hyuga Chizuru reported that Danzo appeared to be betraying Konoha, and Soji correctly guessed that he intended to leak front-line intelligence to Kumogakure.
• Soji explained that Danzo wanted Konoha to lose because Uchiha Homura was leading the campaign against Kumogakure.
• Soji urged Chizuru to think independently and explained that the former Root members could not reliably testify against Danzo because Root had been abolished and they bore the Cursed Tongue Eradication Jutsu.
• Soji warned that accusing Danzo without catching him directly would let him evade punishment, become more vigilant, and target Chizuru.
• Chizuru thanked Soji for his guidance, then asked whether they would let Danzo and the former Root members proceed with the planned leak.

Soji intercepted Danzo’s former Root squad as it left Konoha to leak front-line intelligence to Kumogakure, hoping to spare any members who would abandon Danzo’s orders. The squad chose to attack him, and Soji prepared to meet their charge.

• Soji told Hyuga Chizuru to keep working in Anbu and explained that he intended to weaken Danzo by eliminating his remaining Root members.
• Soji learned that a former Root squad would leave Konoha in three days to reveal front-line intelligence to Kumogakure, and decided to stop them.
• Seventeen former Root members slipped out of Konoha, with Soji secretly following them.
• Soji blocked the squad in a forest and offered to spare them if they refused Danzo’s orders.
• The squad captain recognized Soji, declared loyalty to Danzo, and ordered the squad to kill him; Soji calmly waited as they charged.

Hyuga Soji killed the former Root squad members and used genjutsu alongside Byakugan Mind Reading to extract their knowledge of Danzo and Root from their captain. He left the captain pinned beneath Byakugan: Pressure and identified himself as the root hidden within Konoha.

• Soji used Dovanten to trap the former Root squad captain in an illusion, then killed the other sixteen former Root members with Byakugan: Pressure.
• Soji questioned the captain inside the illusion and used Byakugan Mind Reading to uncover his memories and obtain intelligence about Danzo and Root.
• After Soji released the genjutsu, the captain saw his dead subordinates, fled several meters, and asked Soji what had happened.
• Soji used Byakugan: Pressure to immobilize the captain and dismissed his doubts about Soji's identity.
• Soji told the captain that he was more like the root hidden within Konoha than Danzo and Root.

Soji used his Byakugan: pressure to kill the Root squad captain and the rest of Danzo's squad, who had planned to leak Konoha's frontline intelligence to Kumogakure. He erased the corpses with Ice Release and headed back to Konoha, while reflecting on the limits of his Sage Mode and his strength compared with the strongest shinobi.

• Soji intensified his Byakugan: pressure until the Root squad captain could no longer move, then mocked his loyalty to Danzo.
• Soji crushed the captain with a final step, killing him and completing his mission to stop the Root squad from leaking Konoha's intelligence.
• Soji checked the area for survivors and outsiders, then froze all the corpses with Ice Release.
• Soji used Ice Crystallization to turn the frozen bodies and blood into drifting crystalline particles, leaving no traces behind.
• Soji set off for Konoha and considered how his Sage Mode preparation and strength compared with Nagato, Hashirama Senju, and Madara Uchiha.

Soji returned to Konoha after killing Root’s Squad A, then planted the squad’s masks near the former Root base and detonated an Explosive Tag before going to sleep. Danzo discovered the masks and concluded that Hiruzen had destroyed the squad to warn him about his plans for the Uchiha Clan.

• Soji left the squad’s masks near the former Root base, planted an Explosive Tag, and returned home.
• Soji detonated the tag from home and went to bed, leaving Danzo and Root to deal with the aftermath.
• Danzo woke to the explosion and learned that Root members had found seventeen masks near the blast site.
• Danzo examined the bloodstained masks and confirmed they belonged to the Squad A he had sent to Kumogakure.
• Danzo blamed Hiruzen for the squad’s destruction and reaffirmed his determination to eliminate the Uchiha Clan and become Hokage.

After learning that Kumogakure’s envoy group was coming to Konoha, Soji warned Hiashi Hyuga and Hizashi Hyuga that it would target the Hyuga Clan. He began preparing to protect the clan and considered turning the impending crisis into an opportunity to strengthen it.

• Soji learned from Hyuga Chizuru that Kumogakure was sending an envoy group to Konoha to negotiate a peace agreement earlier than he expected.
• Soji recalled the envoy’s planned attempt to kidnap Hinata Hyuga and pressure Hiashi Hyuga, and resolved to prevent Hizashi Hyuga from dying in his brother’s place.
• Soji went to Hiashi Hyuga’s residence, where he found Hizashi Hyuga already reporting the envoy’s arrival to his brother.
• Soji told Hiashi Hyuga and Hizashi Hyuga that the envoy likely had ill intentions toward the Hyuga Clan, and Hiashi entrusted him with deciding how to respond.
• Soji explained that the envoy wanted the Byakugan and hinted that its second purpose could threaten the clan, then considered using the danger as an opportunity to take the Hyuga Clan to the next level.

Soji explained how the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group could provoke a crisis that would force Konoha to sacrifice Hyuga Hiashi, then reassured the Hyuga brothers that he had a solution. He outlined a defensive plan before proposing that the Hyuga Clan seize control of the Ministry of Education.

• Soji warned Hiashi and Hizashi that Cloud Hidden Envoy Group members might target Hinata and use any resulting death to pressure Konoha into sacrificing Hiashi.
• Soji argued that Hawk Faction members in Kumogakure might deliberately provoke renewed conflict, and Hiashi trusted Soji to handle the threat.
• Soji presented a defensive plan to strengthen patrols and enlist the Uchiha Clan’s Konoha Military Police Force, but Hiashi judged it exhausting and difficult to sustain.
• Soji asked whether the Hyuga Clan should advance its influence and proposed taking control of the Ministry of Education.

Soji persuaded Hiashi Hyuga to use the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group’s scheme as an opportunity to secure the Ministry of Education for the Hyuga Clan. The chapter ended with Hiashi agreeing to the plan and entrusting Hinata’s safety to Soji as they prepared for the envoys’ arrival.

• Hiashi Hyuga asked how the Hyuga Clan could obtain control of the Ministry of Education, and Soji said the clan needed a breakthrough to gain real power.
• Soji explained that the Hyuga Clan would thwart the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group’s attempt to drive a wedge between the clan and the Hokage, then seek the Ministry of Education as compensation for its supposed grievances.
• Soji revealed that he chose the overlooked Ministry of Education over the Medical Department because he expected education to become far more important during peacetime.
• Hizashi Hyuga worried that the plan could put Hinata in danger, and Soji solemnly promised to protect her.
• Hiashi Hyuga agreed to carry out Soji’s plan and quickly request the Ministry of Education from the Third Hokage once the opportunity arose.
• Soji left the Hyuga Clan Head’s residence while Hiashi and Hizashi prepared for the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group’s arrival.

Kumogakure sent Dodai and a twenty-four-member envoy group to Konoha to negotiate peace and investigate Hyuga Soji, while Killer B secretly joined them to perform a concert. The Fourth Raikage discovered Killer B had disappeared and raced to stop him, but Killer B had already entered the Land of Fire and was heading for Konoha.

• Dodai persuaded the Fourth Raikage to let him lead the envoy group to Konoha and confirm Abdō's report firsthand.
• Dodai departed with twenty-four members, including Abdō, while a hooded man at the rear of the group smiled strangely.
• A Kumogakure ninja told the Fourth Raikage that Killer B had left a letter and disappeared.
• The Fourth Raikage read Killer B's plan to hold a concert in Konoha and set out to catch him before he reached the Land of Fire.
• The Fourth Raikage arrived at the border too late and found that Killer B had already entered the Land of Fire with the envoy group.

The Fourth Raikage turned back from the Land of Fire after his guards stopped him from rushing to find Killer B. Meanwhile, Uchiha Homura escorted the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group toward Konoha, delaying their arrival to give the village more time to prepare for negotiations with Dodai.

• The Fourth Raikage's guards blocked him from entering the Land of Fire, and he vented his anger on a stone pillar before agreeing to return and wait for Killer B and Dodai.
• Uchiha Homura received the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group at the border and recognized Dodai as its representative.
• Dodai abandoned his plan to cause trouble along the route after realizing Uchiha Homura would detect any schemes, and he kept the Hawk Faction members unaware of the group's true purpose.
• Uchiha Homura sent word to the Third Hokage that Dodai was leading the envoy group and urged Konoha's negotiators to prepare.
• Uchiha Homura delayed the envoy group with a rest stop and detours, then brought them to Konoha on the evening of the third day.

Uchiha Homura escorted the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group into Konoha after delaying their arrival, while Dodai secretly used the detour to learn a route back to Kumogakure. Dodai then discovered that Killer B had secretly joined the envoy and ordered him to stay hidden in Konoha, leaving Dodai scrambling to protect the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Uchiha Homura brought the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group through Konoha's gates and handed them over to a ninja sent by the Third Hokage.
• Dodai believed he had outmaneuvered Uchiha Homura by learning the route to the Land of Hot Water, but he was stunned when Killer B revealed himself at dinner.
• Dodai ordered the envoy members to conceal Killer B's identity, then took him aside to learn how he had sneaked into the group.
• Killer B explained that he had knocked out an envoy member, taken his place, and hidden him in a wardrobe, forcing Dodai to abandon plans to send him back immediately.
• Dodai warned Killer B to avoid public places and stay in his room until the group left Konoha, but Killer B complained that he wanted to hold a concert.

Soji prepared the Hyuga Clan to exploit the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group’s planned kidnapping of Hinata, while Konoha and Kumogakure’s peace negotiations remained deadlocked. He left Hiashi and Hizashi ready to expose the incident and use public opinion to secure the Ministry of Education for the Hyuga Clan.

• Soji learned that Dodai and the secretly arrived Killer B were among the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group, and prepared to make the group target Hinata if they did not act on their own.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi held firm against Kumogakure’s demands, while Shikaku Nara and Dodai traded verbal traps in prolonged negotiations.
• Soji and Uchiha Homura listened to the talks, but struggled to follow the negotiators’ exchanges and soon stopped attending.
• Soji, Hiashi, and Hizashi discovered that Cloud Hidden Envoy Group members had been scouting the Hyuga compound, and Soji predicted they would act within three days.
• Soji promised to protect Hinata, told Hiashi to prepare to appeal to the Third Lord, and tasked Hizashi with stirring public opinion after the kidnapping was exposed.
• Hiashi and Hizashi accepted Soji’s plan, hoping it would win the Hyuga Clan the Ministry of Education and eventually help abolish the Caged Bird and Main House-Branch House system.

Dodai sent Rabiru to kidnap Hinata Hyuga and die at the Hyuga Clan’s hands, hoping to gain leverage over Konoha. Soji caught Rabiru after his plan unraveled, and prepared to force the kidnapping to continue.

• Dodai persuaded Rabiru to infiltrate the Hyuga Clan and stage a kidnapping, while Abdō warned that the scheme could make Kumogakure a sinner and spark another war.
• Abdō left the envoy group’s quarters, and Killer B silently formed an idea of his own.
• Two nights later, Rabiru sneaked into the Hyuga Clan compound and took the sleeping Hinata Hyuga from her room, but no one pursued him.
• When Rabiru panicked at the lack of a response and threw Hinata Hyuga away, Soji appeared and caught her.
• Soji confronted Rabiru, determined to make him carry out the kidnapping despite his attempt to abandon it.

Soji protected the sleeping Hinata while confronting Rabiru, a Kumogakure infiltrator who wanted to die at the hands of a Hyuga. Soji repeatedly thwarted Rabiru’s attempts and revealed that he could read his thoughts, leaving Rabiru shaken and doubting whether the Hyuga had uncovered his faction’s plot.

• Soji told Rabiru that the Hyuga Clan had noticed the Kumogakure envoy group’s suspicious activity weeks earlier, while keeping Hinata asleep and safe in his arms.
• Rabiru tried to provoke Soji into killing him, but Soji read his intentions and tripped him repeatedly without letting Hinata stir.
• Soji mocked Rabiru’s failed attacks and his loyalty to Kumogakure, while Rabiru became increasingly frustrated that he could not die as planned.
• Soji stopped a seemingly fatal kick just before it struck Rabiru, then asked whether Rabiru wanted to die specifically at a Hyuga’s hands.
• Soji said he could see the thoughts in Rabiru’s heart, leaving Rabiru afraid that the Hyuga had deduced the Hawk Faction’s scheme.

Soji used his second-stage Byakugan and Void Mirror to control Rabiru, ensuring the Cloud Hidden Envoy Group would not detect the manipulation. He planned to use Rabiru to help the Hyuga Clan obtain the Ministry of Education and give Konoha leverage over Kumogakure, while also considering a future return to Kirigakure to save the Kaguya and Yuki clans.

• Rabiru challenged Soji and tried to back away, insisting Soji would have to let him leave.
• Soji activated Void Mirror with his second-stage Byakugan and took control of Rabiru.
• Soji explained that Void Mirror could make its victims appear normal, making Rabiru's control difficult to detect.
• Soji planned to use Rabiru's actions to help the Hyuga Clan gain the Ministry of Education and secure benefits for Konoha in negotiations with Kumogakure.
• Soji recalled his ties to the Kaguya and Yuki clans and resolved to return to Kirigakure after the peace agreement to save them from their original fates.
• Soji resented Karatachi Yagura's distrust and considered Kisame Hoshigaki among the Kirigakure people he might recruit.

Soji’s plan to use Rabiru’s disappearance against the Hyuga Clan reached its staged reveal during peace negotiations between Konoha and Kumogakure. Dodai urged his subordinate Dai to announce the supposed incident, but Dai’s panicked reluctance hinted that events had gone wrong, while Hyuga Hiashi remained confident.

• Soji used the Void Mirror to control Rabiru and returned Hinata to him, expecting Hizashi to turn public opinion in their favor the next day.
• Dodai prepared to accuse the Hyuga Clan of abducting Rabiru and planned to use the claim to pressure Konoha during negotiations with Shikaku Nara.
• The Third Hokage and Hyuga Hiashi arrived to observe the negotiations, and Dodai and Hiashi exchanged wary glances as they passed one another.
• Dai burst into the negotiation hall at Dodai’s expected cue, but repeatedly tried to avoid reporting the matter in front of everyone.
• Dodai insisted that Dai speak openly, while Hiashi smiled faintly, suggesting that Dodai was awaiting bad news.

Dai revealed that Rabiru had kidnapped Hyuga Hiashi’s daughter and was covered in Explosive Tags, putting Kumogakure’s envoy under threat of arrest and forcing the Third Hokage to demand an explanation. Dodai persuaded Konoha to let Kumogakure prove its innocence by finding Rabiru, but Dai then revealed that Rabiru had taken the girl to a restaurant on a busy Konoha street.

• Dai told Dodai that Rabiru had kidnapped the Hyuga Clan Head’s daughter and covered himself in Explosive Tags.
• Dodai’s reaction exposed the crisis to the negotiation hall, and Hyuga Hiashi demanded that the Third Hokage rescue his daughter and hold Kumogakure accountable.
• The Third Hokage had Konoha Ninja surround the Kumogakure envoy and demanded an explanation, while Dodai denied that Kumogakure was responsible.
• Dodai asked Konoha to let Kumogakure prove its innocence by finding Rabiru, and the Third Hokage agreed while warning that renewed hostilities could follow.
• Dodai asked Dai where Rabiru had gone, and Dai said he had seen Rabiru carry the girl into a restaurant beside a busy Konoha street.