Chapter Summaries

The Third Hokage ordered Anbu to spread rumors linking Uchiha Fugaku to Advisor Danzo’s disappearance, hoping to curb Fugaku’s rising reputation. Uchiha Fugaku’s Military Police Force exposed and captured the disguised rumor-spreader, and similar operations were underway across Konoha.

• The Third Hokage, alarmed by Uchiha Fugaku’s growing popularity, ordered an Anbu operation to undermine him.
• An Anbu member disguised as a ninja told Oda Kaoru and Murakami Tsubasa that Fugaku may have caused Advisor Danzo’s disappearance in the Land of Rice.
• Two Uchiha Military Police Force members confronted the Anbu member and challenged him to show his forehead protector.
• The disguised Anbu member tried to flee when he could not produce identification, but the Military Police Force members stopped and captured him.
• Oda Kaoru and Murakami Tsubasa joined the capture, while Uchiha Fugaku’s patrols dealt with similar rumor-spreading incidents across Konoha.

The Third Hokage’s attempt to spread rumors through Anbu members failed when Uchiha Fugaku’s Military Police Force captured them. Fugaku refused to release the prisoners until the Third Hokage agreed to return the Uchiha Clan’s Sharingan, and Fugaku went to retrieve them himself.

• The Monkey Masked Anbu reported that the Uchiha Clan had arrested thirteen Anbu members caught spreading rumors.
• The Third Hokage went to the Military Police Force and found the captured Anbu injured in its interrogation room.
• Uchiha Fugaku refused to hand over the prisoners, claiming Anbu spies might silence them, and offered to let trusted Anbu interrogate them at the Military Police Force.
• The Third Hokage hinted that Fugaku could not remove the seals in the prisoners’ brains and offered compensation to secure their return.
• Uchiha Fugaku demanded the return of the Uchiha Clan’s Sharingan, and the Third Hokage agreed.
• Uchiha Fugaku insisted on retrieving the Sharingan himself, while the Third Hokage agreed angrily.

Uchiha Fugaku reclaimed thirty-five pairs of Sharingan from the Third Hokage and began the second phase of his plan to damage the Hokage’s reputation. As the truth spread through Konoha, Yamashiro Kage and his friends realized that the Third Hokage had likely ordered the Anbu to frame Fugaku.

• Uchiha Fugaku placed thirty-five pairs of Sharingan in a Sealing Scroll and returned to the Military Police Force.
• Uchiha Fugaku told Uchiha Yakumi to spread the true facts that the men who framed him were Anbu members, without directly accusing the Third Hokage.
• The Third Hokage ordered the Military Police Force members arrested, but the Monkey Masked Man explained that they had stated no falsehoods and had given no grounds for arrest.
• Military Police Force members spread the news across Konoha, prompting residents to infer that the Third Hokage had ordered the Anbu to frame Uchiha Fugaku.
• Yamashiro Kage, Gekko Kisuke, and Shiranui Shika discussed the news, and Yamashiro Kage realized that the Third Hokage had likely directed the Anbu’s actions.

Uchiha Fugaku negotiated with Hyuga Hiashi to publicize Hizashi Hyuga’s death in exchange for punishing those responsible, including Kumogakure’s Dodai. After Hiashi demanded Dodai’s death before the Hyuga Clan spoke out, Fugaku agreed and sent the Number One Spore Clone to assassinate him.

• Uchiha Fugaku visited Hyuga Hiashi and asked the Hyuga Clan to publicize how pressure from the Third Hokage's faction led to Hizashi Hyuga's death.
• Hyuga Hiashi hesitated until Uchiha Fugaku promised that those responsible in Konoha and Kumogakure would be punished.
• Hyuga Hiashi agreed to publicize the incident if Uchiha Fugaku first killed Dodai, whom the Hyuga Clan had identified as its orchestrator.
• Uchiha Fugaku obtained information about Dodai and decided to send the Number One Spore Clone to assassinate him in Kumogakure.

Number One Spore Clone disguised as Toroi assassinated Dodai in Kumogakure and escaped before the village discovered what happened. Several days later, Uchiha Fugaku told Hyuga Hiashi that he had fulfilled their deal, though he had never left Konoha.

• Number One Spore Clone disguised as Toroi delivered breakfast to Dodai and used Tsukuyomi when Dodai noticed something was wrong.
• Number One Spore Clone tortured Dodai in the illusion, killed him, sealed his body and useful scrolls, and escaped Kumogakure.
• Kumogakure discovered Dodai was missing, identified Toroi as a suspect, and issued a bounty after Number One Spore Clone had already changed his appearance and fled.
• Uchiha Fugaku met Hyuga Hiashi in a soundproofed room and said he had fulfilled their deal to kill Dodai.
• Hyuga Hiashi was astonished because Uchiha Fugaku had never left Konoha.

Uchiha Fugaku proved his deal with Hyuga Hiashi by producing Dodai’s corpse, then gained Hiashi’s support against the Third Hokage’s faction. Back at the Uchiha Clan, Fugaku outlined a plan to disguise someone as Uchiha Shisui and withdraw him from the Anbu to preserve the clan’s deterrence.

• Uchiha Fugaku presented Dodai’s corpse, and Hyuga Hiashi confirmed it was likely genuine and celebrated avenging his younger brother.
• Uchiha Fugaku told Hyuga Hiashi that someone else had carried out the assassination, and Hiashi assumed Uchiha Shisui had acted on Fugaku’s orders.
• Hyuga Hiashi reaffirmed his promise to support the Uchiha Clan and kept Dodai’s corpse to persuade the Hyuga elders.
• Uchiha Fugaku convened a clan meeting and proposed disguising someone as Uchiha Shisui to maintain the Uchiha Clan’s image of having two Kage-level ninja.
• Uchiha Fugaku said he would take the disguised Shisui to leave the Anbu, expecting the Third Hokage to accept the withdrawal once he believed Shisui was alive.

The Third Hokage welcomed Shisui back, but Shisui rejected his attempts to win him over and announced that he was leaving the Anbu. Uchiha Fugaku arrived to support Shisui, and the two left the office while the furious Hokage smashed objects.

• The Third Hokage learned that Shisui had returned and eagerly summoned him to the office.
• Shisui told the Third Hokage that Fugaku had imprisoned him after a failed mission and applied to leave the Anbu.
• The Third Hokage tried to persuade Shisui to stay, but Shisui rejected his appeals and accused him of hypocrisy.
• Uchiha Fugaku entered and declared that Shisui would leave the Anbu whether the Hokage agreed or not.
• Fugaku and Shisui left together as the Third Hokage smashed objects in his office.

News that the Third Hokage had forced the Hyuga Clan to answer to Kumogakure and that Hizashi Hyuga had died spread through Konoha, further damaging the Hokage’s reputation. Hiashi Hyuga refused to silence his clansmen and demanded justice, while Uchiha Fugaku gained Dodai’s Lava Release and tested its powerful defenses.

• Villagers discussed reports that the Third Hokage had pressured the Hyuga Clan after Hizashi Hyuga’s death, and some linked the incident to his earlier framing of Uchiha Fugaku.
• The Third Hokage raged over the Hyuga Clan spreading the story and summoned Hiashi Hyuga to his office.
• Hiashi Hyuga refused the Hokage’s order to stop the reports and declared that he wanted justice for what had happened to his younger brother.
• After Hiashi left, the Third Hokage vowed to make both the Uchiha Clan and Hyuga Clan pay for opposing him.
• Uchiha Fugaku unsealed Dodai’s corpse, used Corpse Melting to acquire the Kekkei Genkai, and tested Lava Release: Protective Sphere against his Wind Release: Vacuum Blade.
• Uchiha Fugaku found that his blade barely scratched the sphere, revealing the ninjutsu’s formidable defense.

Uchiha Fugaku tested the defensive power of Dodai’s Kekkei Genkai before Uchiha Obito infiltrated Konoha’s High-Security Prison to free Orochimaru. Orochimaru followed Obito through Kamui, suspecting that the man claiming to be Uchiha Madara had been defeated by Fugaku.

• Uchiha Fugaku used successive forms of Susanoo to crush Dodai’s defensive sphere and praised the Kekkei Genkai’s strength.
• Uchiha Obito appeared in Orochimaru’s high-security cell using Space-Time Ninjutsu.
• Uchiha Obito claimed he had founded the Akatsuki Organization, given Pain the Rinnegan, and was Uchiha Madara.
• Orochimaru questioned Obito’s identity and suggested he wanted to see him fight Uchiha Fugaku.
• Uchiha Obito avoided discussing Fugaku and opened a Kamui vortex, and Orochimaru followed him out of the prison.

After Orochimaru escaped Konoha Prison without leaving a trace, Uchiha Fugaku suggested that someone had let him go and fueled suspicion that the Third Hokage was responsible. Seeing the Third Hokage’s reputation weaken, Fugaku decided to expose how Naruto Uzumaki had been mistreated, hoping to force the Hokage from office.

• Konoha discovered Orochimaru’s escape and launched a manhunt, but found no trace of him or whoever had helped him.
• The clan heads investigated the undamaged prison, and Nara Shikaku speculated that the Wood Style Ninja had rescued Orochimaru using spatial abilities.
• Uchiha Fugaku proposed that someone had opened the prison for Orochimaru and pointed to a rumor that the Third Hokage had previously let Orochimaru defect.
• The Third Hokage denied the accusation, but Fugaku’s remarks deepened the clan heads’ suspicions and further damaged the Hokage’s public image.
• Fugaku considered exposing Konoha’s White Fang’s death but rejected it for lack of evidence, then decided to reveal the Third Hokage’s role in Naruto Uzumaki’s mistreatment.

News spread through Konoha that Naruto Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage’s orphan and had been mistreated, leading villagers to suspect the Third Hokage. The Third Hokage blamed Uchiha Fugaku and ordered the Anbu to suppress the rumor, but many people defied the order and kept spreading it.

• A scar-faced ninja told a mustached ninja that Clan Head Fugaku had revealed Naruto Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage’s orphan, and they suspected the Third Hokage had ordered Naruto’s mistreatment.
• News of Naruto’s parentage spread through Konoha, and many ninjas reacted with shock and anger.
• An Anbu Ninja told the Third Hokage that rumors about Naruto were spreading, and the Third Hokage learned Uchiha Fugaku had started them.
• The Third Hokage ordered the Anbu to seal off the news and warn everyone not to spread it further.
• Anbu Ninjas went through Konoha to enforce the order, but many people, including former subordinates of the Fourth Hokage, defied them and continued spreading the news.

The Third Hokage struggled to contain the news that Naruto Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage's orphan, while Uchiha Fugaku used the scandal to weaken his rival and pursue the Hokage position. Fugaku sent Uchiha Moru to seek the Daimyo's help in removing the Third Hokage and supporting Fugaku's ascension.

• The Third Hokage realized the news had spread too widely to suppress and that his dwindling forces could not challenge the Uchiha Clan.
• At Naka Shrine, Uchiha Fugaku and the clan leaders celebrated as public calls for the Third Hokage to resign began to emerge.
• Uchiha Fugaku told Uchiha Moru to visit the Iwai Family and other allied families to enlist their influence with the Daimyo.
• Uchiha Fugaku explained that the Daimyo resented the Third Hokage and might dismiss him if given a chance to act.
• Uchiha Fugaku instructed Uchiha Moru to seek the Daimyo's support for his Hokage bid by promising not to interfere in the Land of Fire's political affairs.

Uchiha Fugaku and more than ten clan heads forced the Third Hokage to convene a village meeting about Naruto Uzumaki’s treatment. The Third Hokage admitted Naruto was the Fourth Hokage’s son and claimed he had spread the Fox Demon rumor to protect Naruto’s identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, but Fugaku challenged that explanation.

• Uchiha Fugaku and more than ten clan heads requested a village meeting, citing the rule that required one when over ten clan heads submitted a joint request.
• The Third Hokage reluctantly agreed to hold the meeting the following morning.
• A civilian Elite Jonin and other civilian ninja questioned whether Naruto Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage’s orphan and angrily challenged the Third Hokage over Naruto’s treatment.
• The Third Hokage confirmed Naruto was the Fourth Hokage’s son and revealed that Naruto was also Konoha’s Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• The Third Hokage said he had spread the Fox Demon rumor to conceal Naruto’s identity and protect him, but Uchiha Fugaku said that his actions could not be called protection.

Uchiha Fugaku exposed how the Third Hokage had mistreated Naruto Uzumaki, prompting former allies of the Fourth Hokage and other ninja to condemn him. Before the Third Hokage could calm the meeting, the Daimyo’s envoys stripped him of the Hokage position and appointed Uchiha Fugaku as interim Hokage.

• Uchiha Fugaku challenged the Third Hokage over spreading Naruto Uzumaki’s Fox Demon identity and the poor treatment Naruto had endured.
• Uchiha Fugaku revealed that Naruto had been left without adequate food or clothing, abused by his nanny, and made to live alone from age five.
• The Fourth Hokage’s former subordinates and other ninja questioned the Third Hokage, who admitted his arrangements for Naruto had been inappropriate.
• The Daimyo’s envoys announced that Hiruzen Sarutobi was stripped of the Hokage position and that Uchiha Fugaku would serve as interim Hokage.

The Daimyo’s envoys ordered the Third Hokage to step down, and Uchiha Fugaku challenged him to obey. The meeting erupted into a clash between their supporters, and Fugaku drove the Third Hokage out through the wall as their fight began.

• The Third Hokage rejected the Daimyo’s authority, and Uchiha Fugaku accused him of defying the Daimyo’s orders.
• The Third Hokage ordered the meeting’s ninjas to capture Fugaku, while Fugaku announced that he would act as Hokage and called for the Third Hokage’s arrest.
• The gathered ninjas divided into factions, with the Hyuga and Hatake clan heads and other supporters joining Fugaku while the Ino-Shika-Cho clans stayed neutral.
• Fugaku revealed that the Anbu had been intercepted by someone disguised as Uchiha Shisui and that the streets around the Hokage Building were sealed.
• Fugaku attacked the Third Hokage with Susanoo, but the Third Hokage blocked the blow with the Adamantine Staff and was thrown through the meeting room wall.
• Fugaku used the Body Flicker Technique to pursue the Third Hokage outside the Hokage Building.

Uchiha Fugaku overwhelmed the Third Hokage and avoided his Reaper Death Seal by using a Shadow Clone and the Mayfly Technique. The Third Hokage was left unable to strike Fugaku and faced the end of their battle.

• Uchiha Fugaku shattered the Third Hokage’s composite ninjutsu, struck him down, and broke through the Adamantine Sealing Prison, leaving the Third Hokage injured.
• The Third Hokage, realizing he was outmatched, used the Reaper Death Seal to try to take Uchiha Fugaku down with him.
• Uchiha Fugaku escaped the Reaper’s invisible hand by replacing himself with a Shadow Clone and fleeing beyond its range with the Mayfly Technique.
• The Third Hokage mistook another Shadow Clone for Uchiha Fugaku, and the clone told him Fugaku already understood the Reaper Death Seal.

Uchiha Fugaku defeated the Third Hokage, who died after using the Reaper Death Seal, and took up the role of Acting Hokage. With most of the opposing Clan Heads surrendering, Fugaku moved to consolidate control of the village.

• The Third Hokage used the Reaper Death Seal against Uchiha Fugaku but died after Fugaku's Shadow Clones thwarted him.
• The allied and neutral Clan Heads arrived, and Yamanaka Inoichi confirmed that the Third Hokage had no fatal external injuries and appeared to have died from the Reaper Death Seal.
• Uchiha Fugaku asked whether anyone objected to his temporary appointment as Hokage, and the Clan Heads accepted him as Acting Hokage.
• After seeing the Third Hokage's corpse, most captured Clan Heads abandoned resistance, while the Sarutobi, Mito, Utatane, and Shimura Clan Heads accused Fugaku of killing him.
• Fugaku repeated that the Third Hokage had died from the Forbidden Jutsu, and Yamanaka Inoichi supported his account; Fugaku then offered to forgive the other Clan Heads if they abandoned their former allegiance, and they submitted to him.

Uchiha Fugaku took control of the Anbu after defeating the Third Hokage’s remaining supporters and became acting Hokage. He then moved to secure the Fifth Hokage election by blocking information about the Third Hokage’s death and preventing Jiraiya and Tsunade from returning to Konoha.

• Uchiha Fugaku offered the Anbu a choice between submitting to him and resisting, and sent those who refused to Konoha Prison.
• Fugaku thanked the Daimyo’s Envoys for their help, then met with the Uchiha clan’s senior ninja at Naka Shrine.
• Fugaku warned the clan that Jiraiya and Tsunade could compete with him for Hokage because of their standing in the village.
• Fugaku ordered the village’s communication channels blocked and mission acceptance suspended so news would not reach Jiraiya and Tsunade.
• The village announced that the Third Hokage had died of illness, scheduled his funeral for three days later, and set the Fifth Hokage election for one week later.

Jiraiya returned to Konoha and investigated the Third Hokage’s death, then learned how Naruto Uzumaki had been treated. After Jiraiya agreed not to run for Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Fugaku allowed him to take Naruto away from the village for a few years.

• Jiraiya confronted Uchiha Fugaku about the Third Hokage’s death and examined the body, confirming it showed signs of the Reaper Death Seal’s effects.
• Uchiha Fugaku explained the accusations against the Third Hokage, including his mistreatment of Naruto Uzumaki to control the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Jiraiya questioned Naruto Uzumaki about his childhood and grew furious as he heard what the boy had endured.
• Jiraiya agreed not to run for Fifth Hokage and asked to take Naruto Uzumaki out of the village to care for and train him.
• Uchiha Fugaku agreed to Jiraiya’s request.

After the Third Hokage's funeral, Uchiha Fugaku won the election for Fifth Hokage and received the villagers' enthusiastic support. The chapter ended with Fugaku celebrating the Uchiha Clan's long-awaited place at the head of Konoha.

• Jiraiya secretly attended the Third Hokage's funeral, then left Konoha with Naruto Uzumaki.
• Uchiha Fugaku held an anonymous election for Fifth Hokage, and the candidates received votes for Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Fugaku.
• Nara Shikaku and Hatake Nobuhiro announced Fugaku's victory with eighteen votes, ahead of Tsunade's twelve and Jiraiya's nine.
• Fugaku put on the Hokage Robe and went to the Hokage Building rooftop, where villagers cheered his election.
• The Uchiha Clan elders celebrated their first Hokage, while Uchiha Mikoto confirmed to Second Pillar that Fugaku had become Hokage.