Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Senyo began Konoha’s Chunin Exam, where the candidates took a difficult written test before the afternoon field combat in the Forest of Death. Meanwhile, Sekishu Sarutobi and Zen Kong prepared to move against Naruto and the Hyuga guards, risking an early clash with the Uchiha.

• Senyo explained the Chunin Exam rules and started the written test, while the candidates used various abilities to cheat and more than thirty were eliminated.
• Senyo announced that the surviving candidates would take the afternoon exam in the Forest of Death.
• An Anbu told Sekishu Sarutobi and Zen Kong that Naruto would enter the Forest of Death and that they had identified the Hyuga monitoring him.
• Sekishu questioned whether the Nine-Tails could be imprisoned safely, and Zen Kong assured him that it could as long as its power was not abused.

Senyo announced the written-test scores, then sent the teams into the Forest of Death for the Chunin Exam’s second test. Meanwhile, Hiruko, Obito, Black Zetsu, and Moryo gathered outside the Uchiha Clan’s territory, where they believed Orochimaru and possibly Nagato and Konan were staying.

• Senyo revealed that Sasuke had scored zero after copying false answers, while Karin learned she had scored higher than him.
• Anko explained the Forest of Death test and distributed death consent forms and scrolls to the examinees.
• Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke planned to use Hinata’s Byakugan to search for scrolls and avoid Karin’s powerful team.
• Senyo told Kimimaro, Haku, Karin, and Gaara to collect an extra scroll because their team had four members.
• The examinees charged into the Forest of Death when the bell rang.
• Hiruko and Obito arrived outside the Uchiha Clan’s territory, while Moryo said the Miko was there and Black Zetsu wondered whether Nagato and Konan were inside.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata entered the Forest of Death cautiously while disguised Hyuga Anbu monitored Naruto. Meanwhile, Obito’s attempt to infiltrate the Uchiha compound triggered its defenses, and Hiruko’s public challenge drew Konoha’s attention as the Uchiha prepared to respond.

• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata entered the Forest of Death and began checking for natural dangers instead of searching for other teams.
• Four Hyuga Branch Family Anbu disguised as examiners monitored Naruto and stayed alert for an attack intended to draw them away from him.
• Obito appeared inside the Uchiha Clan Compound through Kamui, but Miroku’s detection array exposed him and triggered an alarm.
• Hiruko projected an enormous illusion above the compound and challenged Orochimaru, while Obito and Black Zetsu watched from hiding.
• The Third Hokage ordered his people to begin their operation early, and Senyo sent Itachi and Shisui to investigate the disturbance.
• Uchiha clan members gathered at the gate and threw shuriken at Hiruko’s projection.

Hiruko attacked the Uchiha Clan Compound to demonstrate the five Kekkei Genkai he had acquired through the Chimera Technique, but Senyo and Orochimaru confronted him. After Hiruko revealed Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo, Senyo weakened him with a formation and entered Sage Mode, leaving their fight about to escalate.

• Hiruko repelled the Uchiha clan members’ attacks with Steel Release, Dark Release, and Storm Release until Orochimaru and Senyo’s clone arrived.
• Hiruko boasted to Orochimaru about completing the Chimera Technique and used Swift Release to rush him, but Senyo kicked him away.
• Senyo struck Hiruko with Amaterasu, and Hiruko revealed Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo to shield himself from the flames.
• Senyo activated a formation that reduced Hiruko’s Chakra circulation, entered Sage Mode, and used Body Flicker to reach him.

Senyo overwhelmed Hiruko and fought Moryo when the demon intervened, while Miroku shielded the Uchiha Clan Compound. Obito pulled Moryo into the Kamui Dimension, and Hiruko fled after being brutally beaten.

• Senyo used Kotoamatsukami to disorient Hiruko, then battered him with Sage Chakra-enhanced punches despite Hiruko's Steel Release.
• Moryo attacked Senyo with corrosive energy, and Senyo recognized the demon possessing Yomi as Moryo.
• Hiruko tried to reclaim the advantage with Swift Release and Dark Release, but absorbing Senyo's senjutsu flames caused him to petrify and tear off an arm.
• Miroku arrived and blocked Moryo's attack on the Uchiha clansmen with a curtain of light.
• Senyo struck Moryo through Yomi's chest, but Obito seized Moryo and dragged him into the Kamui Dimension as Hiruko escaped.

Senyo drove off Moryo and Hiruko’s attack on the Uchiha Clan while the Third Hokage’s operation against Naruto began in the Forest of Death. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata spotted the pursuers and fled, but the Anbu caught up with them.

• Senyo dismissed the Third Hokage and returned to the Uchiha Clan grounds after Orochimaru inspected Hiruko’s petrified arm.
• The Third Hokage learned that Miroku was alive and hidden with the Uchiha Clan, while Shisui watched him in disguise beside Itachi.
• Hyuga Clan members held off Anbu in the Forest of Death as Sekishu Sarutobi and Zen Kong set out to intercept Naruto.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata ate beside a stream before Hinata spotted powerful Chakra signatures approaching and led them to flee.
• The Anbu changed course and caught up with the trio, so Sasuke fired a distress Signal Flare.

Fugaku rescued the Hyuga clan members while Gaara, Kimimaro, Haku, and Karin rushed to help Naruto after Sasuke sent up a distress signal. Zen Kong and Sekishu attacked Naruto for the Nine-Tails, and Naruto used Kurama’s chakra to create a mass of Shadow Clones, leaving the fight unresolved as Sekishu cut through them.

• Fugaku attacked the Anbu surrounding the Hyuga clan members, and the Hyuga joined him as the Anbu fled.
• Haku recognized Sasuke’s Signal Flare, and Gaara led the team toward Naruto after realizing someone was targeting him.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata refused to abandon one another when Zen Kong and Sekishu confronted them.
• Naruto called on Kurama for help, and Kurama lent him enough chakra to create hundreds or thousands of Shadow Clones.
• Naruto’s clones swarmed Sekishu as Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata tried to escape, but Sekishu burned through the crowd and struck at their apparent escapees.

Senyo confronted Jiraiya and hundreds of Anbu after Sasuke’s distress signal revealed that Naruto was in danger. He fought through their attempt to stop him, overwhelming Jiraiya and the Anbu, and demanded to know if they would keep blocking his way.

• Senyo led Kakashi and Anko out of the tower, where Jiraiya and more than a hundred Anbu surrounded them; Kakashi and Anko retreated inside as Senyo faced the attackers alone.
• Senyo accused Jiraiya of betraying the village and charged him, using Fire Release and a crow substitution to break through the Anbu’s defenses.
• Senyo killed and incapacitated Anbu as he fought through the crowd, then entered Sage Mode when Jiraiya confronted him with Fukasaku and Shima.
• Senyo used Amaterasu to force Shima to flee and burned Jiraiya with Sage Art: Fire Release: Hōzuki Lantern.
• Senyo challenged Jiraiya and the remaining Anbu to stop him, while the shaken Anbu backed away.

Sekishu and Zen Kong’s forces overwhelmed Naruto’s group, breaking through Karin’s formations and forcing the students to flee and fight back. As Zen Kong advanced, Kimimaro unleashed the Dance of the Willow to stop him.

• Sekishu’s team defeated Hinata and injured Sasuke, but Haku and Gaara helped Naruto’s group escape.
• Naruto’s group used Haku’s Ice Mirrors and Karin’s formations to evade the pursuing Sarutobi Clan members.
• Zen Kong destroyed Karin’s formation flags, dispelled the mist, and knocked Karin unconscious as Naruto’s group fled.
• Kimimaro, Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, and Haku stayed behind to face Zen Kong while Naruto’s Shadow Clone carried Hinata away.
• Zen Kong disrupted Haku’s and Gaara’s attacks and kept advancing despite Kimimaro’s bone-blade strikes.
• Kimimaro grew bones across his body and began the Dance of the Willow against Zen Kong.

Zen Kong and Senyo’s coordinated plan overwhelmed Naruto’s group while Senyo kept Jiraiya occupied and slaughtered the Anbu. After the retreat signal, Jiraiya withdrew, leaving the outcome of the battle uncertain.

• Zen Kong sealed Kimimaro’s, Naruto’s, and the approaching allies’ Chakra, then bound Naruto with Canaan Holy Seal.
• Senyo entered Naruto’s consciousness and told Kurama to begin the Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell plan, which made Naruto’s Chakra Cloak surge as Naruto fell unconscious.
• Zen Kong signaled Sekishu, who fired a retreat flare, while Senyo continued killing Anbu to weaken Sarutobi Hiruzen’s forces.
• Jiraiya endured Senyo’s attacks for nearly ten minutes, then used Frog Song and Swamp of the Underworld before releasing Sage Mode and ordering a retreat.
• Jiraiya fled as an explosion erupted behind him, uncertain how the battle would end.

After Senyo found Naruto had been taken, he pursued Zen Kong while his allies treated their injuries and waited for him to return. Inside Naruto’s mental space, Kurama created a fake Nine-Tails to deceive those seeking to extract him, and signaled Zen Kong that the plan was ready.

• Kakashi identified the dead attackers as the Third Hokage’s direct subordinates, and Anko reconsidered her aimless life after seeing Konoha’s power struggle laid bare.
• Senyo reached his allies, learned Zen Kong had taken Naruto, and left Karin, Haku, and Kimimaro to treat the injured as he gave chase.
• Haku and Karin set Hinata’s broken leg and used Water of Life to wake her, while Gaara worried about Senyo and Sasuke brooded over his defeat and Naruto’s capture.
• Zen Kong carried the unconscious Naruto into the forest while Kurama prepared to let him extract the Nine-Tails.
• Kurama created a fake Nine-Tails containing forty percent of his Chakra and sent a signal to Zen Kong that everything was ready.

Zen Kong extracted the real Nine-Tails from Naruto and secretly transferred fake Nine-Tails Chakra to Sekishu, leaving Naruto alive with a small amount of Chakra. Senyo caught Naruto and concealed the deception, while Naruto learned the Nine-Tails had been taken by the Third Hokage and worried about Kurama.

• Zen Kong removed the real Nine-Tails from Naruto, gave Sekishu fake Nine-Tails Chakra, and restored a small amount of Chakra to Naruto.
• Senyo attacked Zen Kong’s group, who escaped after Zen Kong sent Naruto toward him; Senyo caught Naruto and found him alive.
• Senyo brought Naruto to Karin, who gave him Water of Life, and Naruto awoke to find that most of the Nine-Tails was gone.
• Senyo told Naruto that the Third Hokage’s people had extracted the Nine-Tails, then sent both groups to rest and said he would determine their scores.
• Uchiha examiners, Kakashi, and Anko collected the bodies near the tower, while the next team entered and discovered the bloodshed and corpses.

After the Forest of Death incident, Sota Hyuga prepared to launch the New Bud Plan while the Third Hokage’s covert mission reached its payment stage. Kakuzu received the huge payment, but the chapter left the money being counted and the Uchiha response unresolved.

• The rescued Hyuga Branch Family members told Sota that Naruto had not been seized and that the Third Hokage’s men had died near the tower.
• Sota learned that the Remnant Plan was about 60% complete and ordered preparations to launch the New Bud Plan after he returned from visiting the Uchiha.
• Sekishu Sarutobi and Zen Kong escaped Konoha’s territory and met Kakuzu in the wilderness to await the Third Hokage’s payment.
• Jiraiya arrived with a massive money scroll, but abandoned the idea of attacking after Sekishu signaled that Zen Kong could hold back Uchiha Senyo.
• Zen Kong let Kakuzu accept the payment, and Kakuzu used Earth Grudge Fear threads to count the mountain of banknotes at once.

Jiraiya saw Sekishu briefly use the Nine-Tails' chakra, while Zen Kong and Kakuzu completed their deal and departed. Back in the Uchiha compound, Senyo planned to seek the Fifth Hokage’s position and realized Torifu Akimichi could help forcibly remove Sarutobi Hiruzen; Sota Hyuga arrived as another potential ally.

• Jiraiya examined Sekishu’s seal, and Sekishu activated a Tailed Beast Cloak before losing control as the Nine-Tails’ will overwhelmed him.
• Kakuzu finished counting the payment, stored the cash in a scroll, and left with Zen Kong.
• Senyo told the Uchiha elders he would demand the selection of the Fifth Hokage at a high-level meeting the next day.
• Orochimaru reminded Senyo that Torifu Akimichi was a Council Elder, giving Senyo a second vote to forcibly remove the Third Hokage.
• A clansman announced that Sota Hyuga had requested an audience, and Senyo welcomed the arrival as another helping hand.

Sota learned that the Third Hokage had taken the Nine-Tails and that Senyo planned to force him from office, then called a full Hyuga clan assembly. The gathered clan members’ stark differences left Hiashi thinking that the Main Family needed to be disciplined.

• Sota asked Senyo whether Naruto was still the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Senyo explained that the Third Hokage had taken the Nine-Tails after colluding with Master Zen Kong.
• Senyo told Sota he would convene a high-level meeting to forcibly remove the Third Hokage, and Sota offered the Hyuga Clan’s support and promising juniors.
• Sota returned to the Hyuga compound and ordered a full clan assembly, which Hiashi agreed to attend.
• Sota and Hiashi gathered the eligible Main Family and branch family members, who stood in visibly separate groups.
• Hiashi observed the branch family’s sharp, battle-hardened bearing and the Main Family’s listlessness, and concluded that the Main Family needed to be put in order.

Sota told the Hyuga clan that the Third Hokage had taken the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and that Uchiha Senyo planned to remove him from office. The branch family then launched its New Bud Plan, killing the Main Family Elders and leaving Hiashi as the sole surviving leader.

• Sota revealed that the Third Hokage had colluded with Master Zen Kong, taken the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and would face a removal effort led by Uchiha Senyo.
• Sota, Hayato, Shigeto, and Shuchi ambushed Hiashi and the Main Family Elders during the assembly.
• Hayato killed himself with Explosive Tags to destroy Great Elder Zongzhao, while Shigeto and Second Elder Kenpei killed each other.
• Shuchi ambushed and killed Third Elder Kyuzo, then fired a green Signal Flare to summon the New Bud Plan participants.
• The branch family attacked the Main Family, and Hiashi was left as the only surviving Main Family leader.

Sota and Shuchi led the Branch Family in a rebellion against Hiashi and the Main Family, fighting to end the Hyuga clan’s Main Family and Branch Family system. Hiashi and Sota died in an explosion, leaving the Main Family defeated and the Branch Family uprising victorious.

• Sota and Shuchi attacked Hiashi together while the Branch Family fought the Main Family, and Hiashi used Rotation to repel Sota.
• Ao Hyuga’s attack disrupted the Main Family’s formation, allowing Branch Family members to kill two more defenders as others returned armed with kunai and Explosive Tags.
• Kanade Hyuga activated Caged Bird against Shuchi, but Shuchi endured the pain, charged Hiashi, and exploded after Hiashi struck him with Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm.
• The explosion severely wounded Hiashi and Sota, and Hiashi began activating Caged Bird as Sota struggled toward him.
• Sota triggered the Explosive Tags on his body and pinned Hiashi beneath him; Caged Bird killed Sota, then the explosion killed them both.

Uchiha Kiyohiko discovered that the Hyuga Clan was fighting among itself and alerted Senyo, who entered the compound after learning the lockdown had been planned by Sota. Senyo read Sota’s letter explaining the Branch Family’s successful coup and accepted Ao Hyuga as Sota’s successor, while Hinata and Hanabi remained under house arrest.

• Kiyohiko saw the Hyuga Clan’s signal flare, found members fighting inside the compound, and hurried back to report to Senyo.
• Senyo went to the Hyuga compound, where guards let him in but turned Itachi away; Senyo privately sent Itachi to monitor the Sarutobi Clan.
• Senyo found the compound strewn with casualties and learned from Sota’s letter that the Branch Family had overthrown the Main Family and that Sota expected to die.
• Senyo asked which of Sota’s named successors had survived, and Hyuga Asahi and Ao Hyuga identified themselves.
• Ao Hyuga agreed to succeed Sota, and Senyo learned that Hinata and Hanabi were confined to their rooms.

After the Hyuga coup left both the main family and branch family with heavy losses, Senyo arranged for the branch family to blame the attack on Obito, Zetsu, Hiruko, and Moryo. He told Hinata and Hanabi that Hiashi was dead, and left the compound carrying the two girls after they fainted at the sight of his remains.

• Senyo found Sota, Hiashi, and several Hyuga Main Family elders dead, then told Ao that Konoha would not interfere in the clan's internal conflict.
• Senyo advised Ao to blame the massacre on Obito, Zetsu, Hiruko, and Moryo, and suggested the branch family could trade the main family's Byakugan to Orochimaru.
• Ao said Hinata and Hanabi knew only that intruders had attacked, so Senyo asked for them to be brought over and told them Hiashi was dead.
• Hinata uncovered Hiashi's remains and fainted, while Hanabi also collapsed after seeing them.
• Senyo carried Hinata and Hanabi away, telling Ao to restore the clan's work and arrange patrols, and mentioned that Neji was at the Chunin Exam venue.

Senyo brought Hinata and Hanabi to live with Karin after the Hyuga Branch Family overthrew the Main Family. Ao organized the Branch Family after the bloody revolt and prepared to bring its scattered members home.

• Senyo placed Hinata and Hanabi in a room beside Karin’s and asked Karin to look after them once they woke.
• Senyo told Karin that the Hyuga Branch Family had rebelled and that Hinata and Hanabi were the only surviving members of the Main Family he had taken away.
• After Senyo left, the Hyuga Branch Family finished handling the scene and reported that thirty-three Main Family members and forty-four Branch Family members had died.
• Ao ordered the three surviving Main Family youths executed and their Byakugan preserved.
• Ao sent orders for Branch Family members to return, recalled clan members from their missions, and arranged for Neji to be brought back after the exam.