Chapter Summaries

Minato Namikaze’s team found Gaara inside a cave where Akatsuki was sealing the One-Tail, but Karin’s sensory probe alerted Nagato and revealed the group’s presence. As Minato approached the cave, he sensed unusual chakra signatures and noticed the two hidden lookouts’ chakra changing rapidly.

• You Long led Minato Namikaze and Team 7 to the cave where Sasori of the Red Sands and Deidara had disappeared, and Minato identified the barrier on its entrance.
• Karin sensed nine people inside the cave and two near the stream, but Nagato counterattacked her Mind’s Eye of the Kagura and injured her.
• Minato deduced that Gaara was still alive and that the sealing ritual was nearing completion, then went alone to inspect the boulder while ordering the others to stay back.
• Inside the cave, Nagato told Akatsuki that Konoha’s reinforcements had arrived, and Pain used Cloning Ninjutsu on the two lookouts to create defenders from their chakra.
• Minato sensed nine unusual chakra signatures behind the boulder and detected the chakra of the two people by the stream rapidly changing.

Minato Namikaze and his team confronted Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki near the cave where the Akatsuki extracted the One-Tail from Gaara. Sasuke attacked Itachi while Minato fought Kisame, and the chapter ended as Minato launched a Rasengan after using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

• Minato sensed Itachi and Kisame approaching, identified them, and warned his team that the Akatsuki members were there.
• Sasuke rushed Itachi with Soru, blocked his counterattack with Moonwalk, and struck him after Minato intercepted Kisame’s Samehada with Flying Thunder God.
• Sasuke pursued Itachi, demanded to know why he had left Konoha and joined Akatsuki, and injured him with the shockwave from a powerful punch.
• Naruto went after Sasuke while Minato stayed to fight Kisame, who tried to drain Minato’s Chakra with Samehada.
• Minato evaded Kisame’s attacks and threw a Kunai that cut across Kisame’s face, then launched a Rasengan using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Minato Namikaze overwhelmed Kisame with his speed and Rasengan, but Kisame used a water clone and Water Prison Technique to draw the Sand ninja away from Karin. As Kisame closed in on Karin, she recalled Kaze’s training and began releasing red Chakra, ready to fight back.

• Minato Namikaze struck Kisame with a Rasengan, tearing off his arm and sending him crashing into the ground.
• The Sand ninja recognized Kisame and marveled at Minato Namikaze’s speed, comparing him to the Yellow Flash.
• Kisame revealed that his apparent defeat was a water clone, then trapped Minato Namikaze in a Water Prison Technique.
• You Long and the Sand ninja rushed to rescue Minato Namikaze, leaving Karin exposed as Kisame’s real body emerged behind her.
• Kisame moved to seize Karin’s Chakra, while Minato Namikaze remained strangely calm inside the prison.
• Karin recalled Kaze’s advice about Observation Haki and began releasing red Chakra as Kisame charged.

Karin defeated Kisame with a single Ridge Palm, and Minato killed the wounded decoy before heading to stop the Akatsuki’s sealing ritual. Meanwhile, Naruto let Sasuke face Itachi alone, and the brothers prepared to fight.

• Karin used her Eight-Tails Chakra cloak and Ridge Palm to blast Kisame away, severely injuring him and astonishing You Long and the Sunagakure ninjas.
• Minato revealed that Kisame had trapped only his Shadow Clone, then killed Kisame; Kisame’s body transformed into another person after his death.
• Minato praised Karin, reassured her about Naruto and Sasuke, and went to the cave to interrupt the sealing ritual while Karin sensed for her companions.
• Sasuke caught up with Itachi and attacked him, but stopped Naruto from striking, asking to handle his brother himself.
• Naruto agreed to stand aside but warned Itachi not to harm Sasuke, while Sasuke faced Itachi with a powerful aura.

Itachi told Sasuke and Naruto that Kaze had used Kotoamatsukami to control the Third Hokage and the Fire Daimyo, and that Kiyoshi had killed the Daimyo to conceal it. Sasuke refused to accept Itachi’s claims without confronting Kaze and fought him, forcing Itachi to activate Susanoo as the battle continued.

• Itachi told Sasuke that Kaze had used Sharingan Genjutsu to control the Third Hokage and the Fire Daimyo to become Hokage.
• Itachi claimed that Kiyoshi had killed the Daimyo to prevent the truth from being exposed and urged Sasuke to turn against Kaze.
• Naruto attacked Itachi, but Sasuke intercepted him and insisted that he would be the one to defeat his brother and bring him back to Konoha.
• Sasuke challenged Itachi over Akatsuki’s actions and struck at him, but Itachi evaded the attack with a Crow Shadow Clone.
• Sasuke split Itachi’s Great Fireball with a lightning-powered punch and charged through the flames.
• Itachi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo to block Sasuke’s lightning hand blade, startling both Sasuke and Naruto.

Sasuke fought Itachi’s Susanoo with Hell Stab, breaking its shield with a Two-Finger Thrust before Itachi struck him down and Susanoo regenerated. After Itachi explained that Sasuke had to destroy Susanoo and attack him at the same time, Sasuke prepared to attempt the One-Finger Nukite.

• Sasuke clashed with Itachi’s Susanoo using Hell Stab: Four-Finger Stab, and their attacks met in a draw.
• Sasuke’s Three-Finger Stab cracked Susanoo’s shield, but Itachi formed the armored Susanoo and drove Sasuke back with the Totsuka Blade.
• Sasuke attacked Susanoo from behind with Three-Finger Pierce, failed to damage it, and was slammed into a crater by its counterattack.
• Sasuke used Two-Finger Thrust to shatter Susanoo’s shield, but Itachi punched him away and Susanoo quickly repaired itself.
• Naruto caught the injured Sasuke, and Itachi explained that Sasuke had to strike him while destroying Susanoo.
• Sasuke realized he needed a decisive attack and prepared to use Hell Stab: One-Finger Thrust.

Sasuke used the One-Finger Nukite to destroy Itachi’s Susanoo, but discovered the opponent he had struck was an Akatsuki clone rather than his brother. As Team 7 gathered outside the cave, Minato began entering Sage Mode while Naruto’s punch only cracked the boulder sealing the entrance.

• Sasuke’s One-Finger Nukite shattered Itachi’s Susanoo, and Naruto protected Sasuke from the attack’s shockwave.
• Naruto and Sasuke found that the fallen Akatsuki member was an unknown man, not Itachi Uchiha.
• Itachi and Kisame returned to the cave and told Pain that their mission to delay Team 7 had failed.
• Pain urged Sasori and Deidara to retreat, while Minato began absorbing Natural Energy outside the cave.
• Naruto struck the boulder blocking the entrance, but his punch only left spiderweb-like cracks across it.

Naruto and the others broke into the cave where Akatsuki were extracting Shukaku from Gaara, but Deidara escaped with Gaara amid a cave collapse. Minato Namikaze stayed behind to face Sasori of the Red Sands while the others pursued Deidara.

• Naruto shattered the rock sealing the cave and discovered that Itachi and the other Akatsuki members inside were Cloning Ninjutsu phantoms.
• Sasuke learned that the Itachi he had defeated was a duplicate, while You Long attacked Pain and realized Sasori of the Red Sands and Deidara were physically present.
• Pain halted the sealing after most of Shukaku's Chakra had been extracted, and Deidara carried the unconscious Gaara away on a clay bird.
• Naruto pursued Deidara, but Deidara detonated clay bombs and caused the cave to collapse; Naruto survived, and Minato Namikaze protected Sasuke and Karin from the falling rocks.
• Sasori of the Red Sands remained unharmed behind his Iron Sand defense and revealed the Third Kazekage as a Human Puppet.
• Minato Namikaze told the others to pursue Deidara and chose to stay behind alone to fight Sasori of the Red Sands.

Karin revealed her Uzumaki healing ability and restored Naruto and Sasuke, who then pursued Deidara with her. Minato stayed behind to fight Sasori, who survived Minato’s Rasengan and counterattacked, leaving both fighters damaged as the battle continued.

• Minato explained why Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin should pursue Deidara while he held Sasori back, and Karin healed Naruto’s burned leg and restored much of Sasuke’s strength by letting them bite her wrists.
• Sasori recognized Karin as a survivor of the Uzumaki Clan and fired poisoned needles at her, but Minato intercepted them before Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin left to chase Deidara.
• Minato sent You Long and the other sand ninja after the pursuing trio, then told Sasori he intended to defeat him rather than sacrifice himself.
• Sasori believed his poison had paralyzed Minato and approached to remove his mask, but Minato revealed the deception by striking Sasori with a Rasengan.
• The Third Kazekage’s blade cut Minato’s face and severed his arm as the Rasengan smashed Sasori’s puppet body apart, but Sasori reassembled himself and attacked Minato with poison needles.
• Sasori replaced his damaged body parts and praised Minato’s resolve, but Minato spoke again and called Sasori insane.

Minato Namikaze revealed his Impure World Reincarnation body and fought Sasori of the Red Sands, whose poison and attacks could not stop him. After Sasori's Regeneration Core was damaged, Minato disabled the Third Kazekage and began dismantling the puppet as Sasori's Chakra threads arrived.

• Sasori of the Red Sands recognized Minato Namikaze as Konoha's Fourth Hokage after Minato's mask was cut away and his body regenerated.
• Minato Namikaze spotted Sasori of the Red Sands's Regeneration Core and evaded the Third Kazekage's Thousand Hands Manipulation and poison gas.
• Minato Namikaze used Flying Thunder God and Rasengan to attack Sasori of the Red Sands, but Sasori pierced him with a steel cable and struck him with the Third Kazekage.
• The Third Kazekage's Iron Sand blocked Minato Namikaze's Rasengan, and the blast damaged Sasori of the Red Sands and his Regeneration Core while breaking the steel cable.
• Minato Namikaze teleported to the Third Kazekage, destroyed its joints, and began dismantling it before Sasori of the Red Sands's Chakra threads reached them.

Minato Namikaze trapped Sasori of the Red Sands with the Flying Thunder God Technique and shattered his body with a Sage Art: Massive Rasengan. Sasori transferred his Regeneration Core into the Third Kazekage and prepared his Performance of a Hundred Puppets, but Minato struck the core and destroyed it.

• Sasori of the Red Sands trapped Minato Namikaze inside an Iron Sand Barrier and attacked him with spikes.
• Minato Namikaze used Flying Thunder God marks on unconscious sand ninja to teleport behind Sasori and smash him with a Sage Art: Massive Rasengan.
• Sasori transferred his Regeneration Core into the Third Kazekage and summoned the scroll containing the Performance of a Hundred Puppets.
• Minato Namikaze used a Flying Thunder God formula hidden on the Third Kazekage's sleeve to reach Sasori and strike his Regeneration Core with a Rasengan.
• Minato Namikaze retrieved the puppet scroll and pierced Sasori's Regeneration Core with a Kunai, destroying it.

Minato Namikaze killed Sasori of the Red Sands and recovered the Third Kazekage puppet and the scroll containing the Performance of a Hundred Puppets at Kaze’s order. As Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin pursued Deidara, Kaze revealed that Lightning Release countered his explosive clay, and Sasuke’s attack disabled Deidara’s clay sparrows.

• Minato Namikaze confirmed Sasori of the Red Sands was dead, then told Kaze that Gaara had survived but that most of Shukaku’s Chakra had been extracted.
• Kaze ordered Minato Namikaze to recover Sasori of the Red Sands’ puppets, and Minato sealed the Third Kazekage puppet and took the scroll containing the Performance of a Hundred Puppets.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin pursued Deidara through the air while You Long and the Sand Ninja struggled to follow them on the ground.
• Deidara released clay sparrows to attack the pursuers, but Kaze called Sasuke and explained that Lightning Release could prevent Deidara from detonating his clay.
• Sasuke activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode and charged at the clay sparrows, which failed to explode and fell powerless.

Sasuke and Naruto used Kaze’s intelligence about Deidara’s lightning weakness to defeat him and recover Gaara. They headed back to support Minato, while the Sand Ninja and You Long watched in shock at how quickly the Konoha Genin had won.

• Kaze called Sasuke through a Den Den Mushi and warned him that Deidara’s Explosive Clay was weak against lightning.
• Sasuke and Naruto raced to attack Deidara, who created a Clay Owl and tried to use it to stop them.
• Sasuke neutralized the Clay Owl with lightning, and Naruto overwhelmed Deidara with a barrage of punches before capturing him unconscious.
• Sasuke disabled Deidara’s giant clay bird and caught Gaara as he fell from its tail.
• Naruto and Sasuke set off to support Minato, while Karin sensed that only Minato’s Chakra remained at the cave.
• You Long and the Sand Ninja watched the battle and marveled that Naruto and Sasuke had defeated Deidara in less than a minute.

After Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin rescued Gaara and defeated Deidara, they reunited with Minato Namikaze, who had defeated Sasori of the Red Sands. Minato concealed his recovery of valuable puppets, while White Zetsu and Nagato learned that Akatsuki had lost another member.

• You Long followed Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin back to the cave, worrying that Konoha’s strength could threaten Sunagakure.
• Naruto delivered the unconscious Deidara to Minato Namikaze, while Sasuke returned Gaara to the group.
• Minato Namikaze showed You Long Sasori of the Red Sands’ remains and explained that Sasori had turned himself into a Human Puppet.
• You Long searched the ruins for the Third Kazekage’s Human Puppet, but Minato Namikaze claimed it had been destroyed during the battle and refused to let Karin heal the Sunagakure ninjas.
• You Long carried Gaara and the unconscious Sand Ninjas back toward Sunagakure as Minato Namikaze and Team 7 followed, unaware that White Zetsu had witnessed the battle and left to inform Obito.
• Nagato learned that Sasori of the Red Sands had been killed by Konoha and suspected that Deidara had also been defeated and captured.

After Akatsuki suffered heavy losses and Gaara returned to Sunagakure with most of Shukaku extracted, Minato Namikaze negotiated with Rasa over Deidara. Minato connected Rasa to Kaze with a Den Den Mushi, leaving Rasa stunned by the device and Kaze’s inventions.

• White Zetsu reported that Sasori of the Red Sands had been killed, Deidara had been defeated, and Gaara had been rescued, prompting Black Zetsu to urge Obito to revive Madara Uchiha.
• You Long told Baki that Akatsuki had extracted ninety percent of Shukaku from Gaara, and Baki reassured him before thanking Minato Namikaze’s group for their help.
• Rasa met Minato Namikaze in his hospital room, regretted refusing Kaze’s railway proposal, and asked how Konoha planned to handle Deidara.
• Minato Namikaze and Rasa disagreed over Deidara’s fate, so Minato offered Rasa the chance to speak directly with Kaze.
• Minato used a Den Den Mushi to contact Kaze, and Rasa stared in amazement as the device spoke and introduced Kaze as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage.

Kaze used a Den Den Mushi call to pressure Rasa into letting Konoha take Deidara, arguing that Akatsuki threatened the entire shinobi world and that Sunagakure could not afford another war. Konoha reinforcements led by Hizashi arrived to collect Deidara, while Kaze went to negotiate with the Land of Lightning’s Daimyo.

• Minato Namikaze gave Rasa the Den Den Mushi, and Kaze confirmed that he had ordered Deidara taken to Konoha so they could extract Akatsuki intelligence.
• Rasa demanded that Sunagakure be allowed to deal with Deidara and offered to stay out of Konoha’s war with the Land of Lightning, but Kaze rejected the bargain and reminded him of Sunagakure’s weakness and the coming Chunin Exams.
• Kaze told Rasa that reinforcements were already on their way to take Deidara, then ended the call and prepared to negotiate with the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning.
• Hizashi Hyuga arrived in Sunagakure with twelve Anbu, tasked with supporting Minato’s group, retrieving Deidara, and surveying the village with his Byakugan.
• Baki reported Hizashi’s arrival to Rasa, who concluded that Kaze had anticipated Sunagakure’s possible intervention and was determined to secure Deidara.
• Kaze, the Land of Lightning’s Daimyo, and Kumogakure’s Elder gathered in the Land of Iron for negotiations, and the latter two concealed their hatred toward Kaze.

Kaze demanded that the Land of Lightning surrender unconditionally and become Lightning City, warning Yururu and Baiyun that resistance would bring Konoha's military judgment. When Baiyun argued that other nations would rally to stop Konoha, Kaze revealed that Sunagakure had come under attack by Akatsuki.

• Kaze entered the meeting with Daimyo Yururu, Kumogakure Elder Baiyun, and General Mifune, then explained that he had spoken with Kazekage Rasa through a Den Den Mushi.
• Kaze challenged Baiyun's authority and used Baiyun's comparison between Daimyo and Hokage to dismiss Yururu as a powerless puppet.
• Kaze demanded the Land of Lightning's unconditional surrender, the disbandment of its armed forces, and its conversion into Lightning City under Konoha's protection.
• Kaze warned Yururu and Baiyun that surrender would let them keep their wealth and live peacefully, while war would make them face judgment as war criminals.
• Baiyun insisted that other nations and villages would unite against Konoha if it tried to annex the Land of Lightning, and Yururu echoed his warning.
• Kaze laughed at Baiyun's confidence and revealed that Kazekage Rasa had told him Sunagakure was under attack by Akatsuki.

Kaze used Sunagakure’s crisis, Mifune’s support for his vision of peace, and Konoha’s military readiness to pressure the Land of Lightning into surrender. He ended the chapter demanding an answer as his countdown reached one, while Yururu and Baiyun remained too shaken to respond.

• Kaze told Yururu and Baiyun that Akatsuki had attacked Sunagakure and that its Kazekage and Jinchuriki were in trouble.
• Baiyun tried to persuade Mifune to join the Land of Lightning, but Mifune reaffirmed the Land of Iron’s neutrality and declared that he believed in Kaze’s vision of peace.
• Yururu called Mifune a madman, but Mifune said he would accept losing his title if Kaze’s peaceful world came to pass.
• Kaze contacted Uchiha Kiyoshi, who reported that Konoha’s forces had reached the Land of Lightning’s border and were ready to attack.
• Kaze offered Yururu and Baiyun unconditional surrender or a clash with Konoha, then began a countdown as the two men faltered.

Daimyo Yururu rejected Kaze’s demand for the Land of Lightning’s unconditional surrender, so Kaze ordered Uchiha Kiyoshi to begin the invasion. Kiyoshi’s forces crossed the border and swiftly defeated the first Cloud Ninja squads as they advanced toward the Raikage Building.

• Yururu refused to surrender, and Kaze informed Uchiha Kiyoshi that negotiations had failed and ordered him to attack.
• Baiyun tried to stop the invasion by offering Konoha money, Turtle Island, and Cloud-Hidden Valley, but Kaze rejected every offer.
• Uchiha Kiyoshi rallied his forces at the border and signaled the attack with a Great Fireball, prompting the Konoha ninja to advance.
• Kiyoshi used his Sharingan and killing intent to defeat two Cloud Ninja Chunin, then killed six Genin with vines created through the Mori Mori no Mi.
• Kiyoshi ordered his troops to continue toward the Raikage Building and resolved to win the invasion for the Fifth Hokage.

Uchiha Kiyoshi led Konoha’s invasion of the Land of Lightning and crushed a samurai force blocking his advance. As the Konoha Ninja continued toward Kumogakure, the dying Joyru watched them march on.

• Dozens of Uchiha Clan jonin opened the war with Great Fireball Technique as Konoha Ninja crossed the border and attacked.
• Uchiha Kiyoshi charged ahead toward Kumogakure, where Joyru and more than a hundred samurai moved to stop him.
• Joyru rejected Uchiha Kiyoshi’s offer to surrender, and the two fought while Kiyoshi used Rampant Growth to ensnare the samurai.
• Uchiha Kiyoshi wounded Joyru with a kunai and restrained him with vines as the Konoha Ninja defeated the samurai force.
• The Konoha Ninja suffered no casualties and continued their advance toward Kumogakure while Joyru watched helplessly.