Chapter Summaries

Hatake Sakumo faced a trial over the rumors that he had abandoned a mission, while Hiruzen planned to restore Danzo to power and resolve Sakumo’s case. In the Land of Whirlpools, Xun Uzumaki mourned that Sakumo could not be recruited and explained that he had proposed to Mikoto Uchiha to preserve peace after Boss Madara mistook his comment about her future child for flirting.

• Hatake Sakumo told Danzo that he loved Konoha, and Danzo escorted him to his trial while denying responsibility for the rumors.
• Hiruzen watched Danzo leave and decided to restore his position as Root’s leader and resolve Sakumo’s case if Sakumo confessed his guilt.
• Xun Uzumaki read that Sakumo could not be recruited and reflected on Kakashi’s belief that his father had done the right thing.
• Xun considered Obito’s life in the Land of Whirlpools and the academy’s psychological evaluations for Uchiha students.
• Xun explained that he proposed to Mikoto Uchiha after Boss Madara mistook his remark about her future child awakening the Mangekyo for flirtation.

Xun Uzumaki left Kushina upset after failing to answer her expectations, while the Land of Whirlpools prepared a major land-reclamation project tied to his upcoming marriage. In Konoha, Kakashi discovered Hatake Sakumo in his room amid the smell of blood.

• Xun Uzumaki apologized to Kushina but did not follow her when she angrily left.
• Hatake Sakumo walked through Konoha with Kakashi and reflected on the condemnation he had faced, while Kakashi believed in his father.
• Ri Uzumaki told the Infrastructure Team captains to gather the ninja for a land-reclamation project east of the Land of Whirlpools.
• The captains teased Ri Uzumaki about Xun Uzumaki's wedding, and Ri agreed to treat them to drinks.
• After hearing a loud noise, Kakashi found no answer from Hatake Sakumo's room, smelled blood, and rushed inside calling for his father.

After Hatake Sakumo’s suicide, Hiruzen Sarutobi tried to contain the fallout while Kakashi grieved, and Madara Uchiha reflected on the truth about Zetsu and his plans. Jiraiya accepted that Shusen Senju would not return to Konoha, then slipped away from their drink so Shusen would pay the bill.

• Villagers and shinobi learned that Hatake Sakumo had committed suicide, and rumors linked his final night to Shimura Danzō.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi regretted how far he and Danzo had gone, visited Kakashi at Sakumo’s grave, and decided it was time to deal with Danzo.
• Ōnoki mocked Konoha’s leaders and hoped their actions would make Iwagakure the strongest village.
• Madara Uchiha concluded that Zetsu had manipulated him and thought about seeing Hashirama and meeting his granddaughter Mikoto Uchiha.
• Jiraiya learned that Shusen Senju would not return to Konoha and agreed to keep his survival secret from Tsunade.
• Jiraiya told the bartender to charge Shusen for their drinks, then escaped through the back door.

Xun Uzumaki oversaw the start of the Land of Whirlpools' land reclamation project, while preparing to leave after sensing White Zetsu's arrival. Qian Luo and Kiko discussed their son Sasori joining the Mechanical Forces and hoped he would remain safe.

• Xun Uzumaki reminded Ri Uzumaki to protect the environment during the reclamation work, and Ri left decisions about Kushina to his son.
• Qian Luo explained that his reclamation machines were easy to operate but required more Chakra than the available ninja could supply.
• Xun Uzumaki praised Qian Luo's machinery, then left using the Flying Thunder God after sensing White Zetsu nearby.
• Kiko brought Qian Luo fish soup and told him that Sasori had chosen to join the Mechanical Forces.
• Qian Luo and Kiko accepted that Sasori considered Sunagakure a foreign place and hoped he would stay safe.

Xun Uzumaki waited for Hiruko and offered him a place in the Land of Whirlpools, while Black Zetsu attempted to take Madara away. The chapter left Madara confronting Zetsu over whether he had deceived him, and Hiruko hearing Xun’s offer to become the Land of Whirlpools’ future biologist.

• Xun Uzumaki learned that Hiruko had appeared and waited for a chance to recruit him.
• Black Zetsu and White Zetsu decided to take Madara away while Xun Uzumaki was gone.
• Hiruko, wounded and bitter over Konoha’s treatment, vowed to use the Chimera Technique to surpass Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
• Xun Uzumaki approached Hiruko and offered him the chance to become the Land of Whirlpools’ future biologist.
• Madara confronted Zetsu and asked whether they had been deceiving him, then shouted, “Genjutsu.”

Xun Uzumaki dealt with the aftermath of Zetsu’s escape, while Madara and Tobi made plans to rebuild their demolished home. Jiraiya arrived to ask about the blast, and Xun prepared to tell him a story.

• Xun Uzumaki reassured Madara that Zetsu would not cause trouble and learned that Madara wanted to move to his former house at the academy.
• Tobi returned, and Madara admitted he had demolished the villa; Tobi immediately praised him rather than getting angry.
• Mikoto Uchiha offered Madara and Tobi a place to stay, but Madara chose the academy house and warned Xun not to bully Mikoto.
• Tobi asked for compensation and a rebuilding discount, and Xun directed him to the Infrastructure Department while asking him to tell Zetsu that they could work together.
• Jiraiya met Xun and asked what had caused the blast, and Xun began preparing to explain.

Black Zetsu and White Zetsu decided to wait for Xun Uzumaki to die rather than risk confronting him, while Xun and Jiraiya discussed the Goddess Alliance and arranged to auction a legendary bladed tool. Jiraiya told Xun that the Great Toad Sage had invited him to Mount Myōboku, then sheepishly asked Xun to pull some strings.

• Black Zetsu learned that Xun Uzumaki knew about his plan and decided to wait until Xun died before acting.
• Xun told Jiraiya that the Goddess Alliance was collecting legendary bladed tools to summon or open something, and the two agreed they had to stop them.
• Xun arranged to send Joy of Fire to the Land of Iron for auction and suggested holding a Five Kage Summit.
• Jiraiya told Xun that the Great Toad Sage had invited him to Mount Myōboku the next day, and Xun accepted.
• Jiraiya stopped Xun as he was leaving and whispered that he wanted Xun to pull some strings.

Xun Uzumaki arranged work for Jiraiya and assigned Kakuzu to auction Joy of Fire at the Five Kage Summit. Meanwhile, Hiruko began his five-year research term in the Land of Whirlpools, and Jiraiya prepared to bring Xun to Mount Myōboku, where Fukasaku planned to serve them bugs.

• Xun Uzumaki promised Jiraiya he would help him secure a teaching position at the academy, while deciding to ask the Clan Head for special treatment.
• Hiruko arrived at the Research Institute, reviewed projects including new crop varieties and life potion enhancement, and resolved to endure five years while refining his Chimera Technique.
• Xun Uzumaki told Kakuzu to auction Joy of Fire to the highest bidder at the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron.
• Jiraiya visited Fukasaku and Shima at Mount Myōboku and said he would bring Xun Uzumaki the next day.
• Fukasaku told Shima to prepare more bugs for their guests, believing they would enjoy Mount Myōboku's authentic cuisine.

Tobi struggled to arrange a loan and reconstruction discount after Madara destroyed his home, receiving only one percent off from Kakuzu’s Finance Department. Meanwhile, Xun Uzumaki teased Jiraiya with a supposed ancient dating manual, which turned out to begin with a mocking line about simps.

• Tobi applied for a reconstruction loan and discount, but the Finance Department required proof of Xun’s promise and had no precedent for the request.
• Tobi waited all afternoon and received a notice granting him only one percent off, then learned Xun had been taken away by a white-haired young man.
• Tobi accepted the loan and discount, lamented his lack of savings and sleeping at the daycare center, and decided to teach the children to draw poop.
• Jiraiya mocked Xun about his marriage, then became eager to borrow the Land of Whirlpools’ supposed thousand-year dating manual.
• Xun gave Jiraiya the manual, whose first page read, “Simps end up with nothing. —Xun Uzumaki.”

Xun Uzumaki and Jiraiya arrived at Mount Myōboku, where the Great Toad Sage ordered Lord Shifuku to let Xun attempt the mountain’s trial without requiring a contract. After sightseeing and discussing Jiraiya’s book, Xun met Shima and Lord Shifuku, who remained puzzled by the Great Toad Sage’s treatment of him.

• Lord Shifuku told the Great Toad Sage that Xun Uzumaki had arrived, and Gamamaru ordered him to send Xun to Mount Myōboku’s trial while saying he was not ready to meet him.
• Jiraiya eagerly read Xun’s book and imagined it would help him win Tsunade’s affection.
• Xun admired Mount Myōboku’s scenery and privately considered turning it into a tourist attraction for the Land of Whirlpools.
• Jiraiya and Xun went to meet Lord Shifuku, where Shima greeted them and identified Xun as the boy mentioned by the Great Toad Sage.
• Lord Shifuku returned, still wondering why the Great Toad Sage had singled out Xun and avoided meeting him.

Xun Uzumaki revealed that he had mastered Sage Jutsu from all three great sacred lands, leaving Fukasaku and Shima astonished. The chapter ended with Jiraiya sulking after Fukasaku repeatedly kicked him away.

• Xun Uzumaki told Fukasaku, Shima, and Jiraiya that he already knew Mount Myōboku's Sage Jutsu.
• Xun Uzumaki demonstrated perfect Sage Jutsu, and Fukasaku recognized it as Mount Myōboku's technique.
• Xun Uzumaki demonstrated Ryūchi Cave's Sage Jutsu and said he had cooked the snake he encountered while fishing.
• Xun Uzumaki demonstrated Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Jutsu and explained that he had made fish soup instead of eating the slug.
• Fukasaku kicked Jiraiya away repeatedly, and Jiraiya ended up squatting desolately and drawing circles.

Xun Uzumaki stunned Jiraiya and Mount Myōboku’s sages by revealing that he had mastered three perfect Sage Modes, then left before dinner. Meanwhile, Tobi agreed to rebuild his home as a modern house after hearing it could raise the property’s value tenfold, hoping to give Madara a comfortable retirement.

• Fukasaku and Shima gaped at Xun Uzumaki’s three perfect Sage Modes, and Fukasaku struggled to decide what Mount Myōboku could teach him.
• Xun Uzumaki declined dinner, and Jiraiya hurried them away from Mount Myōboku using Reverse Summoning Jutsu.
• Fukasaku planned to ask Xun Uzumaki about forming a contract with Mount Myōboku, while Shima went to find more bugs.
• Xun Uzumaki tried to console the dejected Jiraiya by boasting about his own looks, strength, and wealth, prompting Jiraiya to leave in annoyance.
• Tobi balked at the Infrastructure Team’s renovation quote until its captain said a modern rebuild could raise the property’s value tenfold.
• Tobi ordered the Infrastructure Team to build the modern house so Madara could live comfortably.

Xun Uzumaki inspected the Land of Whirlpools’ successful land reclamation project and saw Roshi working with Son Goku’s Chakra. Qian Luo then revealed that he had successfully developed a mobile phone, leaving Xun to consider the signal towers needed to support it.

• Xun Uzumaki toured the reclamation project and learned that his father, Lord Ri, had gone out to sea to operate equipment.
• Xun Uzumaki spotted Roshi reclaiming land with the Four-Tails’ Chakra and regretted that he could not stockpile more of it.
• Roshi and Son Goku discussed whether Iwagakure could adopt the Land of Whirlpools’ system, then returned to work.
• Qian Luo told Xun Uzumaki that the hover balance vehicle was ready for mass production.
• Qian Luo showed Xun Uzumaki a working mobile phone that encoded numbers as Chakra-based 0s and 1s and used signal towers to connect calls.
• Xun Uzumaki realized the Land of Whirlpools would need to build base stations for the mobile phone network.

Obito graduated from the academy and helped an elderly man cross the street, while Xun Uzumaki outlined plans for the Land of Whirlpools and warned its leaders that another war was coming. The Land of Whirlpools began preparing to defend itself, with the timing of the conflict depending on Black Zetsu.

• Obito received his graduation declaration form, encouraged himself to keep training, and offered to push an elderly man across the street.
• Xun Uzumaki presented plans for eastern sea reclamation and nationwide communications coverage, and Ri Uzumaki agreed to have the Infrastructure Team assist.
• Xun Uzumaki warned that war was approaching and pointed out that Kakuzu was absent because he had gone on a mission with Jiraiya before heading toward the Land of Iron.
• Xun Uzumaki explained that the Land of Whirlpools needed to muddy the waters to buy time and estimated that war could begin within three months to two years, depending on Black Zetsu.
• Xun Uzumaki ordered preparations for war and told the leaders that the Land of Whirlpools could not afford to lose.

Black Zetsu ordered White Zetsu to gather money and investigate the major shinobi villages, while Jiraiya returned to Konoha with news about the Legendary Ninja Swords. He met Tsunade and praised how much the Land of Whirlpools had changed, leaving her skeptical and asking where Orochimaru was.

• Black Zetsu learned that the White Zetsu clones had not gathered enough funds, so he sent them to pick flowers and investigate the major shinobi villages.
• Jiraiya returned to Konoha, and Hiruzen Sarutobi asked what he had discovered in the Land of Whirlpools.
• Jiraiya told Hiruzen Sarutobi that he had important news about the Legendary Ninja Swords: Fire of Delight.
• Tsunade considered leaving Konoha with Shizune, but Jiraiya met her and invited her to drink with him and Orochimaru.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade that the Land of Whirlpools had grown wealthy and might surpass Konoha, and she doubted him before asking about Orochimaru.

Xun Uzumaki planted a ninja sword near Sunagakure, while Konoha debated how to handle the auction for Joy of Fire and sent Jiraiya and Tsunade to negotiate. The chapter ended as a violent tremor struck Sunagakure and its residents looked up in alarm.

• Xun Uzumaki placed Wind Sand near Sunagakure and planned to return for it in a few days.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Konoha's senior officials discussed whether to bid for Joy of Fire and considered trading Frostmourne for it.
• Utatane Koharu proposed having Kirigakure obtain Joy of Fire, with Konoha offering it a low-interest loan, but Hiruzen Sarutobi rejected starting a war.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Jiraiya and Tsunade to handle the mission and warned that the funds should not be given to Tsunade.
• A violent tremor shook Sunagakure, and its residents looked up in alarm.

Xun Uzumaki unleashed a massive chakra-powered sandstorm toward Sunagakure, prompting the Kazekage to order evacuations and prepare the village for war. In Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Jiraiya and Tsunade to travel to the Land of Iron, and the chapter ended as a blond young man entered and greeted Jiraiya as his sensei.

• Xun Uzumaki created a vast sandstorm and anticipated that it would draw attention and help Black Zetsu.
• Cang Xiang warned the Kazekage, who ordered the villagers evacuated, the ninja prepared for defense, and scouts sent to find the storm's source.
• Chiyo and Ebizo chose to stay retired and fish rather than respond to Sunagakure's alarm.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Jiraiya and Tsunade to represent Konoha at the gathering in the Land of Iron, despite Jiraiya's reluctance and Tsunade's hemophobia.
• A blond young man entered Hiruzen's office and greeted Jiraiya as his sensei.

The Kazekage studied a Legendary Ninja Sword and planned to attend the upcoming auction, while Xun Uzumaki oversaw Hiruko’s experiments with genetically modified crops in the Land of Whirlpools. At the Land of Iron gathering, the Third Raikage criticized Konoha’s delegation, and Jiraiya discovered that a book’s advice about Tsunade had been misleading.

• The Kazekage examined the Legendary Ninja Sword, learned that its era had vanished from historical records, and decided to attend the auction in hopes of discovering how to awaken its Sword Spirit.
• Xun Uzumaki questioned Hiruko about genetically modified corn, learning that it could cause health problems for ordinary people but served as useful nutrition for ninja.
• Xun Uzumaki planned to sell the corn to nobles through Gato and considered granting Land of Whirlpools nationality to some commoners.
• In early winter of Konoha Year 40, the Third Raikage mocked Konoha for sending Tsunade and Jiraiya rather than a village leader to the Land of Iron gathering.
• Tsunade walked away from the Raikage, while Jiraiya explained that the Hokage was busy and reflected that a book had falsely led him to expect Tsunade to seek him out.

Xun Uzumaki worried that Kakuzu might face too many Kage, then prepared to continue his scheme. As the Land of Whirlpools welcomed winter, Sunagakure guarded its ninja sword and the auction in the Land of Iron began.

• Xun Uzumaki hoped Kakuzu would remember to sell the ninja swords and decided to finish the rest of his act.
• Two civilians in the Land of Whirlpools discussed winter preparations, the expensive first fish, and the town's New Year celebrations.
• A Sand Ninja commander ordered his team to guard Sunagakure's ninja sword while the Kazekage was away, and a mysterious voice interrupted them.
• In the Land of Iron, Mifune accepted the ninja sword from the Land of Whirlpools' Minister of Finance and opened the auction to the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

The Third Mizukage bid one hundred billion for Joy of Fire, while Jiraiya, Tsunade, the Raikage, and the Tsuchikage weighed the consequences of the auction. The Raikage and Tsuchikage resolved to cooperate to keep Konoha from obtaining the sword, and Tsunade left for the casinos.

• The Third Kazekage watched the bidding and wondered who had forged the Legendary Ninja Swords, while Sunagakure stayed out of the contest.
• The Third Mizukage bid one hundred billion for Joy of Fire, believing the Land of Water would have to cover the cost or face war.
• Jiraiya marveled at the Mizukage's audacity and considered borrowing money from his teacher, while Tsunade suspected Konoha had funded the bids by reclaiming clan lands.
• Tsunade left the auction to gamble, and Jiraiya considered taking her to the Land of Whirlpools after the bidding ended.
• The Raikage and Tsuchikage suspected Konoha and Kirigakure had allied, then agreed to cooperate and keep Konoha from obtaining Joy of Fire.
• The Raikage and Tsuchikage decided they would seal away any sword they won and blamed Shin Uchiha and the Goddess Alliance for their villages' missing swords.