Chapter Summaries

Soji returned to Konoha with Haku, Kimimaro, and Yota, and the Third Hokage approved his plans to house and train them. The Hokage also explained how he intended to raise Naruto, leaving Soji surprised that he had no plan to brand the boy as a fox demon.

• Soji brought Haku, Kimimaro, and Yota to the Hokage Building, where the Third Hokage welcomed them to Konoha.
• Soji told the Third Hokage that the children would live with him and train under him before entering the Ninja Academy as transfer students.
• The Third Hokage agreed to arrange identity documents and supported Soji's plans for the children.
• The Third Hokage asked Soji for advice about Naruto, who would soon turn three and begin living independently.
• The Third Hokage planned to hide Naruto's parentage, raise him as a war orphan, and encourage the children of Konoha leaders to befriend him.
• Soji was surprised that the Third Hokage had no intention of spreading rumors that Naruto was the Nine-Tails fox demon's incarnation.

Soji agreed with the Third Hokage’s plan to raise Naruto as a war orphan and watched Danzo prepare to spread rumors that Naruto was the Nine-Tails demon fox’s incarnation. Soji then used his Tenseigan to awaken Minato in an Ice Coffin, and Minato vanished using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

• Soji supported keeping Naruto’s identity as the Fourth Hokage’s son secret while ensuring he received support, and he resolved to protect him from Danzo.
• Soji enrolled Yota, Haku, and Kimimaro in the Ninja Academy, where Yota’s uncontrolled ability caused snow to fall during summer.
• Soji accepted favors and payments from department heads seeking jobs in the Ministry of Education, strengthening his influence and the Hyuga Clan’s standing.
• Danzo ordered a Root squad to spread the rumor that Naruto was the Nine-Tails demon fox’s incarnation after the Third Hokage released him.
• Soji watched Danzo through the Reincarnation Mirror, awakened Minato in an Ice Coffin with his Tenseigan, and saw Minato use the Flying Thunder God Technique to disappear.

Soji used Minato’s body as Night Duke to stop Danzo’s former Root squad from spreading rumors about Naruto, while Naruto enjoyed his first day living freely in Konoha. That night, Night Duke entered Naruto’s room and drew the attention of Minato, Kushina, and the Nine-Tails inside him.

• Soji controlled Minato as Night Duke, learned to use the Flying Thunder God Technique, and secretly prepared to protect Naruto from Danzo.
• On Naruto’s third birthday, Danzo’s former Root squad prepared to spread rumors that Naruto was a fox demon, but Night Duke tracked and killed them before they could act.
• Naruto spent his first day outside the Anbu happily meeting villagers, collecting gifts, and planning to make friends.
• Night Duke watched Naruto sleep and considered letting him meet Minato and Kushina once he had settled into his new life.
• Night Duke entered Naruto’s room to cover him after he kicked off his blanket, and Minato, Kushina, and the Nine-Tails noticed him and prepared to defend Naruto.

The Night Duke, controlled by Soji, secretly protected Naruto before confronting Danzo at the former Root base. He killed Squad B and the captains of Squads A and C, demonstrated the Flying Thunder God Technique, and left Danzo demanding to know who he was.

• The Night Duke quietly tucked Naruto into bed and wiped drool from his mouth before vanishing, leaving Minato and Kushina puzzled by his use of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Danzo demanded that the remaining Root squads find Squad B, whose members had disappeared without a trace.
• The Night Duke appeared in the former Root base and dropped seventeen corpses before Danzo, explaining that he had brought the dead back.
• The Night Duke killed the captains of Squads A and C with the Flying Thunder God Technique while the Root ninjas attacked him.
• Danzo recognized the technique, feared becoming its target, and asked the Night Duke who he was and why he opposed him.
• The Night Duke called himself the Night Duke and said Danzo kept running into his line of fire.

Soji weakened Danzo’s Root forces as Night Duke, then secretly planned to train Naruto’s fundamentals while protecting him from attention. Night Duke finally spoke to Naruto in his bedroom, frightening him awake and confirming he had been watching over him.

• Night Duke left Danzo’s base after killing the captains of Root Squads A and C, and Danzo blamed the attack on the Third Hokage.
• Soji monitored Danzo for three days, then stopped when Danzo made no further moves against Naruto.
• Soji decided to secretly train Naruto toward the standard of a Ninja Academy graduate and later approach him openly once villagers accepted him as a war orphan.
• Soji watched lonely Naruto return home and resolved to meet him in Night Duke’s appearance during the New Year.
• Night Duke placed a sound-blocking barrier around Naruto’s bedroom and woke him, causing Naruto to scream in fear.
• Night Duke told Naruto he was no ghost and admitted he had appeared in Naruto’s room a few days earlier.

Soji, disguised as Night Duke, convinced Naruto that his parents had asked him to teach him and began tutoring him in ninjutsu. Naruto quickly learned to sense Chakra, while Minato and Kushina decided to watch the mysterious tutor for now.

• Soji told Naruto that his parents had been weak nobodies and promised to teach him ninjutsu in exchange for keeping their meetings secret.
• Minato and Kushina discussed whether to stop Naruto from learning from Night Duke, then chose to observe him because he did not seem hostile.
• Soji consulted Ninja Academy teachers about how to teach theory before returning to Naruto for their first lesson.
• Night Duke explained Chakra to Naruto and taught him how to sense it.
• Naruto sensed Chakra within minutes, impressing Soji with his aptitude.

Soji endured the challenge of teaching Naruto, eventually using Ichiraku Ramen and steady care to motivate him and earn his trust. More than a month later, Naruto had become more serious about learning and no longer felt as lonely as the year drew to a close.

• Naruto struggled through his first lessons with the Night Duke, and Soji left him homework before escaping at eight o'clock.
• Naruto's nightmares and poor performance made Minato and Kushina feel sympathy for the mysterious teacher, while Soji took a day off to recover.
• Soji resumed the nightly lessons, and Naruto began slacking off with long bathroom breaks after realizing the Night Duke would not hurt him.
• Soji used a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen to motivate Naruto to memorize his lesson, then continued rewarding him with ramen and home-cooked meals.
• Minato and Kushina came to trust the Night Duke, and Naruto grew more serious about studying and less envious of children with families caring for them.
• More than a month passed, and Naruto settled into days of playing and evenings of lessons as the year neared its end.

During a Hyuga clan meeting, Soji considered Neji’s future and tested the boy’s ambitions before deciding to guide him. After Hinata wandered out of the clan residence, Soji, Hiashi, Hizashi, and Neji set off through snowy Konoha to find her.

• The Hyuga clan discussed Gentle Fist reforms, the clan’s influence over the Ministry of Education, and the approaching Caged Bird branding of Branch House children.
• Hinata left the courtyard alone after failing to join the other children, while two guards followed at a distance.
• Neji told Soji that he wanted to become the strongest and protect the Hyuga Clan, earning Soji’s promise of guidance if he faced difficulties in training.
• Hiashi learned that Hinata had left the residence, and Soji suggested they walk through the village to search for her.
• Soji agreed to let Neji join the search, and the three adults and Neji headed into snowy Konoha.

Soji, Hiashi, and Hizashi watched as Hinata was bullied in a park, while Naruto stepped in and was beaten by the older boys. When one of them kicked Hinata, Neji lost control and awakened his Byakugan at age four.

• Soji and the Hyuga brothers found Hinata sitting alone in a park and watched three boys pelt her with snowballs and trip her.
• The boys mocked Hinata for her Byakugan and repeatedly shoved her into the snow as she tried to escape.
• Naruto arrived and challenged the boys, but they knocked him down and beat him while Hinata tried to help.
• When a boy shoved Hinata down and kicked her arm, Neji erupted in anger and awakened his Byakugan.

After four-year-old Neji awakened the Byakugan, Soji decided to make him heir to the Main House's third branch, giving him access to its resources without abolishing the Caged Bird system. The chapter ended with Neji defeating the boys who had bullied Naruto and Hinata, while Hinata thanked him and remembered Naruto’s courage.

• Neji awakened the Byakugan at age four, astonishing Hiashi, Hizashi, and Soji.
• Soji decided Neji’s talent deserved a place in the Main House and named him heir to the third branch, while promising not to abolish the clan system before he could revise the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
• Hizashi initially refused to accept a position taken from Soji’s future child, but Soji explained that no one would dare place the curse mark on his own children.
• Hizashi accepted Soji’s plan and entrusted Neji’s future to him.
• Neji returned to the park and defeated the three boys who had bullied Naruto and Hinata.
• Hinata thanked Neji and recalled Naruto’s brave attempt to protect her, though she still did not know his name.

Naruto made his first true friends after helping Hinata and Neji, then worked hard to prepare for a year-end theory exam so he could begin ninjutsu training. At the Hyuga Clan meeting, Soji made Neji heir to the Third Branch of the Main House, becoming his godfather and gaining authority over his upbringing.

• Neji thanked Naruto for protecting Hinata, and the three children talked until they became friends.
• Naruto told the Night Duke an embellished version of the fight, then learned he would need to pass a year-end exam before starting ninjutsu training.
• Naruto studied seriously through New Year's Day while Hinata turned three and the Branch House children approached the age for receiving the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
• Soji declared that Neji would become heir to the Third Branch of the Main House, and the Main House members accepted his decision.
• Hizashi was moved by Neji's new position, while Soji became Neji's godfather with authority to guide his life.

Soji balanced teaching Neji, his three disciples, and Naruto, then gave Naruto a year-end theory exam. After grading Naruto’s paper, Soji found he had scored 97, while Minato and Kushina suspected the mysterious Night Duke was Soji.

• Soji trained Neji alongside Yota, Kimimaro, and Haku, and the four children became friends and rivals.
• The Night Duke gave Naruto his year-end exam and left him anxious by delaying the results until the next day.
• Soji told the children they had a new rival, and they vowed to defeat him.
• Soji graded Naruto’s test and found that he had scored 97 out of 100.
• Naruto worried all night about failing, while Minato and Kushina wondered whether the Night Duke was Soji.

Soji, disguised as the Night Duke and wearing Minato's face, began Naruto's basic training after Naruto passed his theory test. When Nine-Tails reacted to Minato's appearance, Soji suppressed it with his Tenseigan, while Minato and Kushina realized the mysterious teacher was Soji, not Minato.

• Naruto scored 97 on his test, and Soji explained that he would begin physical and ninja-tool training before learning ninjutsu.
• Soji demonstrated the Shadow Clone and Transformation Jutsu, then took Naruto to a training ground and revealed his true face.
• Naruto recognized the Night Duke's face as Minato's and began his first basic training session with renewed confidence.
• Nine-Tails recognized Minato's face, erupted through the seal, and caused Naruto to show signs of its influence.
• Soji used his Tenseigan to force Nine-Tails back down, and Nine-Tails decided to avoid provoking him.
• Minato and Kushina watched the encounter and concluded that the mysterious man was Soji, despite his resemblance to Minato.

Minato and Kushina realized that Soji was using Minato’s body as the Night Duke to train Naruto, and Naruto learned that his teacher was the Fourth Hokage. As Soji settled into his routine and strengthened the Land of Snow, Kirigakure’s Bloody Mist Policy intensified, leaving the Hozuki Clan vulnerable and Kisame positioned for a possible move into Akatsuki.

• Minato and Kushina accepted that Soji was controlling Minato’s body as the Night Duke and felt grateful that he was helping raise Naruto.
• After training Naruto, the Night Duke admitted that he was the Fourth Hokage and gave Naruto a false explanation for his survival, then made him promise to keep the secret.
• Naruto excitedly agreed to keep the Night Duke’s identity secret, while Minato and Kushina entrusted him to Soji.
• Soji continued working in Konoha, studying the Caged Bird Curse Mark and his black Chakra prayer beads, while the Land of Snow’s strength and technology advanced.
• Kirigakure’s Bloody Mist Policy grew harsher under Karatachi Yagura, placing the Hozuki Clan under threat and driving some ninja to consider defecting.
• Kisame Hoshigaki told Soji that he had earned Karatachi Yagura’s trust and become deputy director of Anbu; Soji expected Kisame might be recommended to Akatsuki.

Soji witnessed the Uchiha Police Force mistreating civilians and used his Reincarnation Mirror to track how their harsh enforcement was turning the village against the Uchiha Clan. He planned to let the resentment grow until Danzo made a move, then use the conflict to reform the clan, while keeping his plans hidden from Uchiha Homura for now.

• Soji saw Uchiha Police Force members overturn an old man's pastry stall and threaten him, prompting nearby civilians to resent the force.
• Soji concluded that the Uchiha Clan's arrogance had grown after Shisui Uchiha awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, while Fugaku Uchiha and the clan's other leaders failed to rein it in.
• Soji decided to let the clan's unpopularity worsen so Danzo would be tempted to act, and planned to work with Fugaku Uchiha against him while warning or eliminating the clan's most radical members.
• Soji began monitoring the Uchiha Police Force with the Reincarnation Mirror and saw its harsh enforcement alienate civilians, shinobi, and smaller clans.
• Soji chose not to warn Uchiha Homura, intending to stage a falling-out with him later and use Danzo's defeat to help reform the Uchiha Clan.

Itachi Uchiha graduated from the Ninja Academy and, after meeting the new criteria, was promoted directly to Chunin by Principal Soji. The chapter ended with Soji planning the next stages of training for his students, including teaching Naruto basic ninjutsu before he entered the Academy.

• Soji repeatedly used the Reincarnation Mirror to catch Itachi Uchiha skipping class and bring him back to the Ninja Academy.
• At Itachi Uchiha's graduation ceremony, Soji promoted him to Chunin with the Third Hokage's approval, making him the Academy's first student to graduate with that rank.
• Itachi Uchiha became the class representative and gave a speech, while Fugaku Uchiha, Mikoto Uchiha, and Uchiha Sasuke celebrated his achievement.
• Soji declined to train Uchiha Sasuke, deciding instead to let the Uchiha Clan teach him and to have him compete with the Konoha 12 Genin later.
• Soji planned for Haku, Kimimaro, and Yota to graduate as Genin and take the Chunin Exams with the original Konoha 12, while he prepared to teach Naruto basic ninjutsu.

Soji visited Fugaku Uchiha and warned him that the Uchiha Police Force’s growing arrogance could undo the clan’s progress with Konoha. He proposed using the situation to purge the clan’s extremists and set a trap, leaving Fugaku eager to learn whom the trap would target.

• Soji arrived at Fugaku Uchiha’s home and found Uchiha Homura spending time with his nephews, Itachi and Sasuke.
• Fugaku returned exhausted from managing tensions involving the Uchiha Clan and joined Soji and Homura in the council hall.
• Soji warned Fugaku that the Uchiha Police Force’s heavy-handed enforcement could damage the clan’s relationship with Konoha and erase its gains after Nine-Tails Night.
• Fugaku explained the clan’s recent arrogance to Homura, who became angry and vowed to discipline those responsible.
• Soji said the turmoil offered a chance to purge unstable Uchiha and set a trap, prompting Fugaku to ask whom he planned to target.

Soji proposed using Shisui to infiltrate Danzo’s circle and turn the Uchiha clan’s extremists against their enemy. Fugaku and Homura agreed to the plan, which ended with Soji suggesting genjutsu—and possibly Kotoamatsukami—to make Shisui’s surrender seem genuine.

• Soji wrote Danzo’s name, and Fugaku Uchiha and Uchiha Homura agreed that the clan wanted to bring him down.
• Soji suggested making the Uchiha extremists and Danzo collide so the clan could resolve both problems at once.
• Soji proposed sending Shisui to the Third Hokage, expecting Danzo to approach him because of his ties to Kagami Uchiha.
• Fugaku worried Danzo would see through Shisui’s false surrender and take his Mangekyo Sharingan.
• Soji proposed using genjutsu to make Shisui sincerely believe he had surrendered, then removing the suggestion when the trap was sprung.

Soji explained his plan to use Shisui Uchiha and the Uchiha Clan's extremists to bring down Danzo, and Fugaku Uchiha agreed to carry it out. After the arrangements were settled, Soji raised another matter with Fugaku, leaving its subject unrevealed.

• Soji told Fugaku Uchiha to send the clan's extremists on missions where Danzo's forces could eliminate them, while Shisui Uchiha secretly reported their activities to build Danzo's trust.
• Fugaku Uchiha agreed to the plan, and Uchiha Homura volunteered to persuade Shisui Uchiha to join them.
• Soji warned Fugaku Uchiha to keep Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan ability secret and have him use it on himself as a safeguard.
• Soji implied that Shisui Uchiha's ability could make Fugaku Uchiha distrust him, but he declined to name it; Fugaku Uchiha agreed to ask Shisui directly.
• Soji said the plan would take two years to unfold, then told Fugaku Uchiha he wanted to discuss another matter.

Soji proposed that the Hyuga Clan trade for one squad in the Konoha Police Force by giving the Uchiha Clan the Ninja Academy principal position, with Shisui Uchiha as his chosen candidate. Fugaku considered the offer, which Soji also intended to use to draw Danzo into their trap sooner.

• Soji explained that he wanted the Hyuga Clan to take one squad in the Konoha Police Force, and Fugaku said the Uchiha would need fair compensation.
• Soji offered the Ninja Academy principal position in exchange, shocking Fugaku and Uchiha Homura with how valuable the position had become.
• Soji set a condition that he would choose the Uchiha principal, then named Shisui Uchiha.
• Uchiha Homura questioned whether fourteen-year-old Shisui was old enough, but Soji defended his ability and explained that his new status would help lure Danzo into their plan.
• Fugaku considered the deal and finally looked at Soji with a resolute expression.