Chapter Summaries

Chiga brought the Third Kazekage’s Human Puppet to Tsunade’s command center as Konoha prepared for a decisive battle against Sunagakure and learned that the Fourth Kazekage would join the fighting. Tsunade summoned the Third Hokage for reinforcements, and Chiga delivered her letter to Hiruzen Sarutobi in Konoha.

• Chiga revealed that Sasori had turned the Third Kazekage into a Human Puppet, and Tsunade and Hatake Sakumo recognized its strategic value and risks.
• Tsunade considered Konoha’s troop shortage as Shikaku Nara reported that Sunagakure had nearly twice as many shinobi, then learned that Rasa was preparing to enter the battle.
• Tsunade ordered preparations for a decisive fight and wrote to the Third Hokage asking him to come to the front as reinforcements.
• Tsunade sent Chiga to Konoha with the letter, and he returned two days later and delivered it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Chiga returned to Konoha with Tsunade’s warning that Rasa might enter the battlefield, and Hiruzen Sarutobi prepared to consult the village’s leaders. Chiga visited Kushina and learned that her attempt to let Kurama out for fresh air had led her to fight Hiruzen and prompted the village’s tight security.

• Chiga delivered Tsunade’s scroll to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who learned that Rasa might join the battle and summoned a meeting of the Konoha Higher-Ups.
• Hiruzen gave Chiga an order to visit Kushina, whose home was under guard, and Chiga passed several ANBU inspections before reaching her.
• Kushina welcomed Chiga with lunch and explained that she had let Kurama out near the village while trying to test their growing trust.
• Kushina admitted that she had fought Hiruzen while pretending Kurama had taken control, and Hiruzen had beaten her after believing the Nine-Tails was loose.

Hiruzen Sarutobi prepared to lead troops against the Fourth Kazekage while the Land of Water threatened to open a third front, and Shimura Danzō pushed to send the Uchiha clan against the Mist Shinobi. The chapter ended with Uchiha Fugaku announcing the order at a clan meeting and the Uchiha objecting to being assigned to a battlefield where their abilities were disadvantaged.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura that he would lead five hundred ninjas to the Sand Ninja Front to confront the Fourth Kazekage.
• Shimura Danzō warned that the Land of Water might soon attack and opposed sending Orochimaru, arguing that Hiruzen Sarutobi should secure victory against the Sand Shinobi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi decided that Kushina Uzumaki would accompany him and asked Shimura Danzō to send Root forces to the Land of Water border.
• Shimura Danzō proposed using the Uchiha clan against the Mist Shinobi, and Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura supported the suggestion while Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated.
• Uchiha Fugaku called a clan meeting and announced that the village wanted one hundred Uchiha ninjas sent to defend the Eastern Land of Fire against the Land of Water.
• Uchiha clan members objected that Water Release and the Hidden Mist Technique gave the Mist Shinobi an advantage over them.

Uchiha Fugaku accepted the mission to send the Uchiha clan to the Land of Water front, hoping to gain influence in Konoha. Chiga learned that Shimura Danzō planned to weaken the clan and steal their Sharingan, so he arranged with Kushina to expose Root’s true size to the Third Hokage.

• Uchiha Fugaku persuaded the clan to treat the Land of Water mission as a chance to gain prestige and enter Konoha’s leadership.
• Chiga questioned Yume Ryoma, who confirmed that Shimura Danzō had arranged the deployment to weaken the Uchiha clan and obtain their Sharingan.
• Chiga decided not to warn Uchiha Fugaku and instead planned to reveal Root’s strength to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Chiga told Kushina that Root had about a thousand ninjas, far more than she had believed.
• Kushina agreed to cause a scene at Root Base by claiming Kurama had lost control, forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi to discover Root’s numbers.

Chiga challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi's decision to send Uchiha ninjas to the Land of Water Front, then helped expose the size of Shimura Danzō's hidden Root force. Hiruzen sent Root's ninjas to the front while keeping the Uchiha in Konoha, and three days later he arrived at the Sand Shinobi front with Kushina.

• Chiga questioned why the Uchiha clan had to fight at the Land of Water Front and warned that sending one hundred ninjas would cripple the Military Police Force.
• Chiga revealed that hundreds of Root Ninja had been at the base, and Kushina's rampage there exposed Root's attempt to capture her.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi discovered seven or eight hundred Root Ninja at the base and ordered them to the Land of Water Front, leaving the Uchiha in Konoha.
• Three days later, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at the Sand Shinobi front with five hundred ninjas and Kushina, prompting Tsunade to ask why Kushina had come.

Hiruzen Sarutobi convened the Konoha commanders to plan a surprise attack against the Sand Shinobi, while reconsidering Minato Namikaze as a candidate for Fourth Hokage. He allowed Kushina to join the operation on Chiga’s team, ordering Chiga to prioritize her safety.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi deferred to Tsunade as commander, prompting Chiga to suspect he wanted her to become Fourth Hokage.
• Tsunade and Hatake Sakumo argued over who should sit at the head of the conference table, until Hiruzen Sarutobi told Tsunade to take her place.
• Kushina’s bold attempt to sit in the commander’s seat reminded Hiruzen Sarutobi of Minato Namikaze, and he considered supporting Minato as a future Hokage candidate.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered a surprise attack on the Sand Shinobi and assigned Tsunade to heal the wounded, Hatake Sakumo to hold off Chiyo and Ebizo, and himself to face Rasa.
• Kushina asked to participate in the operation, and Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed on the condition that she join Chiga’s team and Chiga use the Flying Thunder God Technique to extract her if needed.

Konoha launched a surprise attack on the Sand Shinobi's second defensive line, and Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kushina led the charge against the Sand Shinobi base. After Kushina rejoined Chiga Team, Chiga asked her to stay with them so he could complete the Third Hokage's mission.

• Chiga's team cleared Sand Shinobi scouts and strongholds as Konoha's forces advanced toward the base.
• Kushina carried Chiga's message to Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Konoha reached the Sand Shinobi base at dawn.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi devastated the Sand Shinobi vanguard with Earth and Fire Release, while Kushina summoned more than a thousand Shadow Clones and charged into battle.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi killed more than a hundred Sand Shinobi with the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique, boosting Konoha's morale.
• Kushina fought her way back to Chiga Team, apologized for leaving them, and promised to stay by Chiga's side.

Hiruzen Sarutobi fought Fourth Kazekage, Chiyo, and Ebizo while Hatake Sakumo supported Konoha’s forces. As the Sand Shinobi began retreating, they released Shukaku, the One-Tail, whose arrival sent Konoha shinobi scrambling.

• Fourth Kazekage, Chiyo, and Ebizo arrived with Sand Shinobi reinforcements and challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi fought all three Sand leaders alone and sent Hatake Sakumo to support the other squads.
• Chiga stayed near Kushina, Shizune, Yuhi Kurenai, and Sarutobi Asuma while Kushina fought Sand Shinobi and returned boasting of her kills.
• The Sand Shinobi began retreating, and Kushina sensed Kurama reacting to the emergence of someone he disliked.
• The Sand Shinobi released Shukaku, the One-Tail, from a jar, and the beast’s tail and stomp sent Konoha shinobi flying.

Kushina released Kurama’s power to fight Shukaku after the Sand Shinobi’s Tailed Beast devastated Konoha’s forces. Kurama took control and badly wounded Shukaku with a Tailed Beast Ball, while Chiga wondered whether Kushina had trusted him too quickly.

• Kushina stopped Chiga from entering Sage Mode and decided to use Kurama’s power against Shukaku, then sent Chiga and the other shinobi away from the battlefield.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi sensed Kushina’s Nine-Tails Chakra while the Fourth Kazekage and his allies kept him from reaching the battle; Chiyo accused him of bringing overwhelming forces against the Sand Shinobi.
• Kushina transformed using Kurama’s Chakra, but Shukaku’s Drilling Air Bullets repeatedly struck her and forced the shinobi to retreat farther away.
• Kushina loosened Kurama’s seal and entrusted him with control, allowing him to fire a Tailed Beast Ball that blasted away half of Shukaku’s body.
• Kurama and Shukaku traded insults after the attack, while Chiga watched Kushina with concern and wondered whether she had trusted Kurama too quickly.

Chiga watched the Nine-Tails defeat Shukaku while fending off Chiyo, who had broken away from her battle to attack him. Chiyo offered a secret alliance against the Land of Earth in exchange for keeping the Third Kazekage’s death hidden, and the chapter ended with the Nine-Tails victorious as Konoha’s shinobi remained unsure whether Kushina controlled it.

• The Nine-Tails overwhelmed Shukaku, while Chiga sent Asuma and the other shinobi back to the Command Post and watched the battle.
• Chiyo attacked Chiga with her ten puppets, but she withdrew when he reminded her that Sunagakure’s forces were losing and preparing to retreat.
• Chiga summoned the Third Kazekage’s Human Puppet, and Chiyo recognized it as Sasori of the Red Sands’ work and offered to ally Sunagakure with Konoha against the Land of Earth if Konoha concealed the Third Kazekage’s death.
• Chiga guessed that Chiyo planned to use One’s Own Life Reincarnation to revive Sasori of the Red Sands, and Chiyo left after telling him to deliver her proposal to the Third Hokage.
• The Nine-Tails tore apart Shukaku, which let its body collapse into sand, then roared in triumph as the shinobi kept their distance.

Kushina and the Nine-Tails helped Konoha defeat Shukaku, forcing the Sand Shinobi to retreat while Hiruzen chose not to pursue them. At the Command Post, Kushina explained that she and Kurama had become friends, then blamed the Nine-Tails’ bashfulness for an earlier incident she did not want to discuss.

• The Nine-Tails stopped its attack on Chiga and faded away after helping Konoha win the battle.
• The Fourth Kazekage ordered the Sand Shinobi to retreat, and they sealed Shukaku into a Sand Gourd before withdrawing.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi declined to pursue the Sand Shinobi, explaining to Kushina that he needed to preserve forces for the front in the Land of Earth.
• At the Command Post, Hiruzen asked Hatake Sakumo to recount the battle and questioned Kushina about borrowing Kurama’s Chakra.
• Kushina told Hiruzen that she treated Kurama as a friend and claimed he had been in control during the earlier incident because he was bashful.

Kushina learned that revealing her jinchuriki identity had made her a target, so Hiruzen kept her in the village while she built trust with Kurama. Chiga’s account of Chiyo’s offer led Konoha and the Land of Wind toward an alliance, but their ceasefire talks ended in a tense standoff over Sand Shinobi forces in the Land of Rivers.

• Kushina described her improving relationship with Kurama, but Hiruzen refused to let her leave the village and increased her ANBU protection after Chiga warned that her identity was now widely known.
• Hiruzen agreed to let Chiga return with Kushina, then heard Chiga recount Chiyo’s offer to persuade the Fourth Kazekage to attack the Land of Earth if Konoha concealed the truth about the Third Kazekage’s death.
• Hiruzen and Hatake Sakumo met Chiyo, and she promised to persuade the Fourth Kazekage after Hiruzen agreed to keep the truth secret.
• Three days later, the Fourth Kazekage invited Hiruzen to discuss a ceasefire and alliance against the Land of Earth, and the two Kage began negotiations at the Land of Fire border.
• Hiruzen demanded that the Sand Shinobi withdraw to Fallen Leaf City and limit their forces in the Land of Rivers to three hundred; the Fourth Kazekage refused, and the two sides prepared for a possible fight.

Hiruzen Sarutobi negotiated a ceasefire and alliance between Konoha and the Sand Shinobi, then returned to Konoha with Chiga, Kushina, and Tsunade. Chiga settled back in and learned that Minato had returned from the Rock Shinobi Front, where the conflict had eased after Iwagakure came under pressure from three sides.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi used news of Rock Shinobi forces near the Land of Wind to secure the capital of the Land of Rivers and a limit of three hundred Konoha shinobi in the territory.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Fourth Kazekage signed a ceasefire and alliance, and Chiga unsealed the emaciated Pakura as a prisoner returned to the Sand Shinobi.
• A week later, Hiruzen Sarutobi led the wounded back to Konoha, while most of Konoha's army left the Sand Ninja Front to reinforce other battlefields.
• Chiga celebrated his return with Kushina, Tsunade, and Shizune, then said he would resume intensive training for his team.
• Kushina explained that Minato had returned because the Rock Shinobi Front had turned defensive and his students, Obito and Rin, were taking the Chunin Exams.

Chiga urged Tsunade to become Hokage and treat the Uchiha fairly, but she revealed that she planned to leave Konoha and take Misa with her. Before departing, Tsunade left Shizune in Chiga’s care, threatened to return as Hokage, and asked Kushina for another loan.

• Kushina asked Chiga to check on Mikoto, and Chiga revealed that he and Kushina had stopped the Uchiha clan’s hundred ninja from being sent to die at the Land of Water Front.
• Tsunade recognized the village leadership’s scheme against the Uchiha, and Chiga urged her to become Hokage and back the clan.
• Tsunade said she planned to leave Konoha; Shizune asked to go with her, but Tsunade refused and said she would take her disciple Misa instead to protect Kushina and prevent the village from using Misa as a backup Jinchuriki.
• Tsunade left Shizune in Chiga’s care, and Chiga plucked out a strand of Shizune’s hair to provoke her and Tsunade.
• Tsunade threatened to return as Hokage and play the Uchiha clan to death, then asked Kushina to lend her more money.

Kushina Uzumaki’s rising bounty and Chiga’s reputation drew the attention of Uchiha Madara, who postponed his attempt to kill Chiga while focusing on his plans for Nagato and the Rinnegan. Chiga was assigned to train a group of young shinobi, then encountered Jiraiya, who revealed that he was being considered for Hokage.

• Kushina Uzumaki’s bounty rose above one hundred million ryo, while Chiga’s reached fifty million and he gained the title Konoha Phantom Crow.
• Uchiha Madara blamed White Zetsu for a failed attempt on Chiga, then decided to postpone further attacks and focus on Nagato and the Rinnegan.
• Chiga agreed to enter Sarutobi Asuma, Yuhi Kurenai, and Shizune in the Chunin Exams, then left Kakashi to train them and Uchiha Obito and Rin Nohara.
• Chiga woke to find Jiraiya peeping at women near the Uchiha compound and sent crows to peck him.
• Jiraiya told Chiga that he was going to become Hokage, and Chiga inferred that he had not agreed to the offer.
• Chiga claimed he knew what color underwear Tsunade was wearing and told Jiraiya that she was wearing none.

Jiraiya told Chiga that Minato had a chance of becoming the Fourth Hokage, then tried to impress him with Sage Mode. After Chiga revealed his own perfected Sage Mode, he asked Jiraiya to find an unclaimed mystic realm suitable for his growing flock of crows.

• Jiraiya recounted rejecting Hiruzen's offer to become the Fourth Hokage and recommending Minato instead.
• Jiraiya offered to teach Chiga about Sage Mode, but Chiga demonstrated that he had already mastered it.
• Jiraiya asked Chiga how he had achieved his Sage Mode and offered Minato's developing ninjutsu in exchange for the knowledge.
• Chiga asked Jiraiya to consult Mount Myōboku's Great Toad Sage about finding an unclaimed, resource-rich forest mystic realm for his crows.
• Jiraiya agreed to ask, and Chiga began explaining how his Sage Mode worked.

Chiga exchanged Sage Mode insights with Jiraiya and learned that the Land of Earth was struggling against the Land of Wind in the Land of Rain. Suspecting Uchiha Madara was behind threats to him, Chiga decided to investigate the Land of Rain, while Jiraiya recommended Minato as a candidate for Fourth Hokage and returned to the front lines.

• Chiga and Jiraiya shared advice about their different Sage Modes, and Chiga asked why Jiraiya had left the front lines.
• Jiraiya explained that the Land of Earth was tied up fighting the Land of Wind in the Land of Rain, prompting Chiga to think about Jiraiya's former disciples and Uchiha Madara's plans.
• Chiga asked Jiraiya about the Akatsuki, learned Jiraiya knew nothing about it, and decided to go to the Land of Rain himself.
• Jiraiya met Minato and Kushina in Konoha, revealed that he had refused the position of Fourth Hokage, and said he had recommended Minato instead.
• Jiraiya left Konoha for the front lines, and Kushina pulled Chiga away to get ramen while Minato went to check on Obito and the others.

At a ramen shop, Kushina resolved to support Minato’s path to becoming Hokage by trying to make Chiga the Fifth Hokage, but Chiga rejected the ambition. Chiga then visited Fugaku and Mikoto, where Mikoto teased him about bringing a gift for her unborn son.

• Kushina told Chiga that she planned to reconcile with Kurama and go to the front line to help make him the Fifth Hokage.
• Chiga insisted he had no interest in becoming Hokage, and Kushina teased him for being a genuine slacker.
• Chiga joked that Kushina could pass her ambitions to her future son, making her blush as she told him to pay for the ramen.
• Chiga brought fruit to Fugaku and Mikoto on Kushina’s behalf and explained that Kushina could not visit because of her status as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Mikoto asked Chiga whether he had brought a gift for her future nephew, and Chiga was startled that she knew the baby was a boy.

Chiga visits Fugaku and Mikoto, gives them a bizarre child-rearing book for their unborn son Itachi, and learns that Fugaku intends to seek battlefield honors. Later, Hiruzen assigns Chiga a secret solo mission after revealing that Mist Shinobi are hunting Hyuga clan members on the Land of Water Front.

• Fugaku tells Chiga that his unborn son will be named Itachi, and Chiga gives Mikoto a book advocating harsh discipline that earns him negative emotions and a talent reward.
• Chiga learns Fugaku plans to lead the Uchiha to the front lines to pursue Hokage ambitions, then tells him Minato has been recommended as the next Hokage and suggests the Uchiha support the Land of Earth Front instead.
• Half a month later, Tsunade and Misa leave Konoha secretly, the Chunin Exams conclude, and Minato takes Kakashi and the others to the Land of Earth Front with one hundred Uchiha ninja.
• Hiruzen tells Chiga that he will join the Land of Water Front in three days and take orders from Orochimaru, then reveals a secret S-rank solo mission.
• Hiruzen explains that thirty Hyuga clan members have gone missing on the Land of Water Front and that Mist Shinobi are deliberately hunting them.

Chiga accepted Hiruzen Sarutobi’s secret mission to investigate the disappearance of thirty Hyuga corpses, then negotiated political concessions for the Uchiha clan. Before leaving for the Land of Water Front, he asked Kushina to help take Orochimaru’s personal research equipment and warned her that people were watching her.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Chiga to secretly find out who had taken thirty Hyuga corpses and report only to him, while Chiga suspected Orochimaru.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi praised the Uchiha clan for sending shinobi to the Land of Earth Front and proposed that other clans join the understaffed Konoha Military Police Force; Chiga agreed to discuss forming an additional unit with Uchiha Fugaku.
• Chiga told Sarutobi Asuma and the other two members of his squad that they would leave for the Land of Water Front in three days.
• Chiga told Kushina he would be serving under Orochimaru and asked her to help acquire the personal research equipment listed on his inventory; Kushina agreed while complaining that he was making her share the blame.
• Chiga warned Kushina that people had been watching her in Konoha, and she told him to be careful around Orochimaru at the front.