Chapter Summaries

Neji Hyuga celebrated the completion of the windmill with Tenten and Rock Lee, then discussed Rock Lee’s progress and bought two Lesser Flesh-Repair Pills from Might Guy. After studying Guy’s Summoning Technique, Neji began researching Flying Thunder God as a future technique for Tenten.

• Tenten installed the windmill blade with Neji Hyuga’s help, and the windmill began generating electricity for the courtyard.
• Might Guy praised Neji’s Lesser Flesh-Repair Pills, explaining that one had saved a Jonin and that he had told the Hokage about them.
• Neji Hyuga told Might Guy about Rock Lee’s training progress, and Guy bought two pills for one million ryo before thanking Neji with Rock Lee.
• Neji explained that he wanted to develop combat techniques suited to Tenten, including researching Flying Thunder God.
• Might Guy demonstrated the Summoning Technique for Neji, who watched with his Byakugan and then sent Tenten and Guy back to the village while he began his research.

Neji Hyuga trained Takashi Hyuga and seventeen Branch Family members in the Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style, but berated them for practicing it too cautiously. After sensing two more arrivals, he ordered the group to bring them to him.

• Neji Hyuga watched Might Guy, Tenten, and Rock Lee leave, then waited in his courtyard while two concealed figures stayed hidden two kilometers away.
• Takashi Hyuga arrived with seventeen Branch Family members to train under Neji, and the group began practicing the Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style.
• Neji criticized the group’s rigid movements and instructed them to rotate their Chakra and body magnetic fields with overwhelming speed and force.
• Neji sensed two more arrivals and told the Branch Family members to bring them before him.

Neji Hyuga sent eighteen Hyuga Branch Family members to capture the Anbu and Root ninja who had discovered their secret gathering. Takashi's group captured the Anbu, while the Root members were defeated, leaving the captives to be brought before Neji.

• Takashi split the Hyuga Branch Family members into two groups to pursue the Anbu and the Root ninja.
• The Anbu realized Neji's gathering was unusual and fled to report to the Hokage, while the Root members sent a coded message toward Konoha by eagle.
• Second Great-Granduncle launched Kejiu into the air, and Kejiu's Tornado Blade destroyed the eagle and caught the message scroll.
• Nine Hyuga Branch Family members overwhelmed the two Root ninja before Kejiu landed.
• Takashi and seven Hyuga Branch Family members caught the fleeing Anbu, and one recognized Takashi as Hayate Gekko.

Takashi Hyuga’s group captured Anbu and Root ninjas sent to watch Neji Hyuga, exposing Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura’s interest in him. Neji ordered the Anbu released and told Hayate Gekko to bring Hiruzen to discuss matters with him.

• Hayate Gekko and another Anbu member tried to break through the Hyuga Branch Family but were immobilized and defeated with Magnetic Field Fist Style.
• Takashi Hyuga’s group joined his second great-uncle’s team and brought the captured Anbu and Root members to Neji Hyuga.
• Takashi’s second great-uncle explained the roles of Anbu and Root, then killed a Root ninja who challenged Neji.
• Neji asked Hayate Gekko what Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted, and Hayate said Hiruzen had ordered them to protect Neji.
• Neji told Hayate to ask Hiruzen to meet with him, ordered the Anbu sent back, and directed the Hyuga to deal with Root.

Hiruzen Sarutobi feared that Neji Hyuga’s influence over the Hyuga Branch Family could spark a clan crisis, especially alongside the Uchiha Clan’s growing tensions with Konoha. Danzo Shimura learned that Neji had killed two Root members and demanded that Hiruzen come negotiate with him.

• Hayate Gekko and another Anbu member reported to Hiruzen Sarutobi that Neji Hyuga had gathered eighteen Hyuga Branch Family members and wanted the Hokage to negotiate.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected that Neji might have solved the Caged Bird Seal and worried that the Hyuga Clan could split into conflict.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi dismissed Hayate Gekko and the other Anbu member, who returned to the Anbu base.
• Danzo Shimura’s informant slipped into the Root base and reported that Neji had killed two Root members while training the Hyuga Branch Family in a new taijutsu.
• Danzo Shimura learned that Neji had told Hiruzen Sarutobi to come negotiate with him.

Danzo Shimura led Root ninjas to Neji Hyuga’s courtyard to seize the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill formula, but Neji’s Black Little Buffalo ambushed them. The buffalo killed a Chunin and a Jonin before Neji came out to greet it.

• Danzo Shimura selected ten Root members and led them through a secret passage toward Neji Hyuga’s courtyard.
• Kyuya Hyuga spotted Danzo’s group and hurried to warn the others.
• Two Root ninjas entered the courtyard, where the Black Little Buffalo impaled the Chunin and chased down the Jonin.
• The buffalo killed the Jonin with its horns and bounced back toward Neji with both bodies hanging from them.
• Neji Hyuga walked out and remarked that the Hyuga Clan members trained worse than the buffalo.

Neji Hyuga confronted Danzo Shimura after Little Buffalo killed two Root ninjas, and Danzo ordered his men to seize him. Neji demonstrated his Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style against the attackers, then emerged from their flames gathering fire at his fingertip.

• Little Buffalo discarded the two Root ninjas it had killed and returned proudly to Neji Hyuga.
• Danzo Shimura accused Neji Hyuga of killing Anbu and ordered him to come to Root, while Neji recognized that Danzo was seeking to take him by force.
• Neji Hyuga told the eighteen Hyuga Branch Family ninjas to watch his technique and tore a Jonin in half with a high-speed strike.
• Neji Hyuga unleashed a mental attack that caused three Chunin and one Jonin to suffer exploding eyes.
• Root ninjas trapped Neji Hyuga with fire and an Earth Release: Iron Prison, but he walked through the flames and drew them to his fingertip.

Neji Hyuga effortlessly wiped out Danzo Shimura’s Root squad and stopped the Hyuga Branch Family ninjas from attacking Danzo. As Danzo revealed Shisui Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan to control Neji, Neji exposed his knowledge of Danzo’s Hashirama cells and Sharingan-filled arm, leaving Danzo furious and shocked.

• Neji Hyuga killed the remaining Root ninjas with the Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style, leaving Danzo Shimura’s squad destroyed.
• Danzo Shimura threatened to report Neji to Hiashi, while eighteen Hyuga Branch Family ninjas surrounded Danzo.
• Neji ordered the Hyuga ninjas to stand down because he wanted to keep Danzo as a subordinate.
• Danzo removed the bandages over his right eye and prepared to use Shisui Uchiha’s Kotoamatsukami on Neji.
• Neji warned Danzo not to use the Hashirama Senju cells and Sharingan in his arm, revealing that he knew Danzo’s secrets.
• Danzo roared at Neji and tried to submit him beneath the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Neji Hyuga exposed Danzo Shimura’s secrets and defeated him after resisting Kotoamatsukami. He left Danzo alive and restored his damaged body, while Danzo sat shaken and unable to face him.

• Danzo Shimura used Shisui Uchiha’s Kotoamatsukami on Neji Hyuga, but Neji redirected its influence and recovered his normal thoughts.
• Neji Hyuga crossed the distance too quickly for Danzo Shimura to react and struck him across the face, then stomped on his chest.
• Neji Hyuga removed Shisui Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan from Danzo Shimura’s eye socket and examined it with his Byakugan.
• Danzo Shimura tore away his arm’s bandages to use Hashirama Senju’s cells, but Neji Hyuga returned the eye, stabilized him, and gave him a Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill.
• Neji Hyuga charged Danzo Shimura five hundred thousand ryo for the pill and walked back to his courtyard, leaving Danzo shaken and unwilling to fight.

Neji Hyuga trained Tenten in water walking while researching Chakra and teaching her a progressive Flying Thunder God method. They decided to make her Little Buffalo a summoning beast, while Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Hiashi Hyuga.

• Takashi's great-uncle reminded Danzo Shimura that he owed Neji Hyuga five hundred thousand ryo as Danzo left the Hyuga courtyard.
• Neji Hyuga took Tenten to practice water walking and continued studying Chakra and space-time techniques.
• Neji Hyuga told Tenten he would teach her a progressive Flying Thunder God training method and take her to buy summoning contracts.
• Neji Hyuga suggested that Tenten make her Little Buffalo her summoning beast, and she eagerly agreed.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Hiashi Hyuga in the Hyuga Clan's territory.

Hyuga Branch Family members feared Hiruzen Sarutobi had come to help Hiashi Hyuga punish Neji Hyuga, but their leaders urged caution and secrecy. At Hiashi’s residence, Hiruzen arrived as Hiashi received him, and the chapter recounted the clans’ grievances against Hiruzen before the Hokage began to speak.

• Hyuga Branch Family members alerted Takashi Hyuga and Second Elder after seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi enter Hiashi Hyuga’s residence.
• Takashi Hyuga and Second Elder told the branch family to stay discreet, protect themselves, and avoid becoming a burden to Neji Hyuga.
• Hiashi Hyuga received Hiruzen Sarutobi with formal tea ceremony etiquette and asked why he had come.
• The chapter recounted the clans’ grievances against Hiruzen Sarutobi, including his treatment of Sakumo Hatake, his return as Hokage, and the Hyuga Clan’s sacrifice of Hizashi Hyuga.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi addressed Hiashi Hyuga, beginning with, “Hiashi...”

Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned Hiashi Hyuga about Neji’s welfare and learned that Neji had moved out of the Hyuga compound, though he did not reveal what he knew about Neji’s influence among the Branch Family. After Hiruzen left, Hiashi ordered Takashi Hyuga to summon Neji.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi reminded Hiashi Hyuga of his long service as Hokage before asking why Neji looked so thin.
• Hiashi told Hiruzen that Neji refused his help, rejected food and money, and had moved out of the Hyuga compound.
• Hiruzen realized Hiashi did not know that Neji had gathered at least eighteen Branch Family ninja, but kept that information to himself.
• Hiashi grew resentful of Neji and felt his guilt over Hizashi’s death fading as he defended the Main Family’s authority.
• After Hiruzen left without learning anything about the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill, Hiashi ordered Takashi Hyuga to tell Neji to come see him.

Kabuto Yakushi investigated Root's deserted base and learned that Danzo Shimura had been badly injured and was undergoing surgery. He disguised himself as a medical ninja to sabotage Danzo's treatment, but Danzo's Mangekyō Sharingan exposed him, forcing Kabuto to destroy the treatment room and flee.

• Kabuto Yakushi infiltrated Root's largely unguarded base after noticing that its members had disappeared.
• Kabuto overheard Root chunin say that Danzo Shimura was injured and that they were operating on him because the Jonin were gone.
• Kabuto recalled how Danzo had engineered Yakushi Nonō's death and resolved to make Danzo's situation worse.
• Kabuto disguised himself as a medical ninja and entered Danzo's treatment room to interfere with his care.
• Danzo's Mangekyō Sharingan saw through Kabuto, who used Earth Release to destroy the room and damage Root's base before escaping.

Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Neji Hyuga to investigate the Hyuga Clan conflict and obtain the Flesh-Repair Pill formula. Neji rejected his indirect approaches and called for Takashi to explain why Branch Family members followed him.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Neji Hyuga and asked about his life outside the Hyuga compound, but Neji told him to state his purpose directly.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked where Neji got the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill, and Neji said he had developed several types himself and listed their prices and effects.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi proposed testing the pills and having Neji supply them to Konoha in exchange for a pill department under Konoha Hospital.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi offered to protect the Branch Family members following Neji from the Main Family's Caged Bird Seal if Neji revealed the pill formula.
• Neji said Hiruzen did not understand why the Branch Family members followed him and called Takashi out.

Neji Hyuga challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi to test Takashi Hyuga’s new martial art, offering the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill formula in exchange for the match. After Hiruzen agreed and sent a Shadow Clone to fight Takashi, the battle ended and left Hiruzen visibly shocked.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi warned Neji Hyuga against forming a faction and implied that he should surrender the Flesh-Repair Pill formula for the Hokage’s protection.
• Neji Hyuga proposed a match between Hiruzen’s Shadow Clone and Takashi Hyuga, offering the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill formula if Hiruzen judged his new martial art inferior to the Main Family’s techniques.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted the wager and demanded that Neji promise not to wager or reveal the formula again.
• Neji Hyuga sent Takashi outside to fight Hiruzen’s Shadow Clone while he and Hiruzen drank tea in the courtyard.
• The battle ended after two and a half minutes, and Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Neji in shock.

Neji Hyuga’s Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style shocked Hiruzen Sarutobi, who wondered whether Neji posed a threat to Konoha and the Hyuga Clan. Neji revealed that after graduating from the Ninja Academy, he intended to conquer every country and unite the world under one ruler.

• Takashi Hyuga fought Hiruzen Sarutobi’s Shadow Clone, wounded it severely, and forced it to dispel, though he lost the battle.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi received the clone’s memories and recognized the Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style as a powerful new system that could surpass the Hyuga Clan’s Gentle Fist Eight Trigrams.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi worried that Neji Hyuga could escape the Caged Bird Seal’s control and eventually take over the Hyuga Clan.
• Neji Hyuga asked Hiruzen Sarutobi to compare his fist style with the Hyuga Main Family’s inherited technique, prompting Hiruzen to consider whether to cooperate with or kill him.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Neji Hyuga about his future ambitions, and Neji said he planned to conquer every country, unite the world under one ruler, and let Hiruzen govern it if he was still Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi grew wary of Neji Hyuga’s power and ambitions, then realized Neji knew Madara Uchiha was still alive. The chapter ended with Hiruzen demanding to know how Neji had learned it.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi compared Neji Hyuga’s ambition and bearing to Madara Uchiha and considered killing him without endangering Konoha.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi concluded that Neji Hyuga had created a path beyond the Shinobi World’s established systems and could become more dangerous than Madara Uchiha.
• Neji Hyuga rejected the comparison, criticizing Madara Uchiha’s Eye of the Moon Plan and Infinite Tsukuyomi.
• Neji Hyuga referred to Madara Uchiha as currently hiding in an underground cave, startling Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled Madara Uchiha’s possible connection to the Nine-Tails attack and asked Neji Hyuga how he knew Madara was alive.

Neji Hyuga told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Uchiha Madara had not controlled the Nine-Tails and named Uchiha Obito as the person behind the attack. Hiruzen recognized Obito as his former student’s presumed-dead teammate and ended the chapter asking why Obito had tried to kill Minato Namikaze and Kushina.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked whether Uchiha Madara had controlled the Nine-Tails, and Neji Hyuga demanded one million ryo per question.
• Neji revealed that Uchiha Obito had controlled the Nine-Tails, leaving Hiruzen stunned because Obito had supposedly died in battle.
• Hiruzen recalled that Obito’s body had never been recovered and reasoned that Uchiha Madara might have taken him in as a successor.
• Hiruzen asked Neji why Obito had wanted to kill his teacher, the Fourth Hokage, and Kushina.

Neji Hyuga told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Madara Uchiha had manipulated Obito and planned to use the Eye of the Moon to end war by trapping the world in an illusion. Neji rejected Hiruzen’s suspicion that he intended to harm Konoha, dismissed him as too bound to his office to understand change, and left their relationship as one of transactions.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked why Obito Uchiha killed Minato Namikaze and Kushina, and Neji Hyuga explained Obito’s grief over Rin Nohara and his manipulation by Madara Uchiha.
• Hiruzen asked what Madara wanted, and Neji described the Eye of the Moon Plan to gather the tailed beasts, become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, and cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
• Neji argued that Madara’s plan could end the Shinobi World’s cycle of wars, while Hiruzen insisted that peace imposed through genjutsu was false.
• Neji told Hiruzen that his own more advanced knowledge would make Madara’s plan fail, prompting Hiruzen to threaten him if he endangered Konoha.
• Neji rejected Hiruzen’s threat, called him too attached to the Hokage position to contribute to the Shinobi World, and set prices for future answers and Flesh-Repair Pills.

Neji Hyuga clashed with Hiruzen Sarutobi over information about Madara Uchiha, then turned his attention to training Takashi Hyuga and preparing plans for governing a unified Shinobi World. The story left off six years later, as the Ninja Academy graduation arrived.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi restrained his anger at Neji Hyuga, promised payment for truthful answers, and asked where Madara Uchiha was.
• Neji Hyuga told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Madara Uchiha was at Mountains' Graveyard, then decided he would not save Hiruzen during the future Konoha Crush Plan.
• Neji Hyuga healed Takashi Hyuga with a Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill and encouraged him to train until he could defeat Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Neji Hyuga refused Hiashi Hyuga's request to meet and ordered Takashi Hyuga to deliver his plans for grassroots administration to Akatsuki in Amegakure.
• Neji Hyuga ordered the gathering and education of orphans as future administrators, then six years passed and Ninja Academy graduation arrived.