Chapter Summaries

Kushina toured a prosperous, technologically advanced Konoha with Anju, marveling at how ordinary people used new machines while dismissing their usefulness to ninjas. At the Uchiha residence, Mikoto asked Kushina to recommend Uchiha Izumi as a deputy for Itachi in the overburdened Military Police Force, leaving Itachi unaware of their plans.

• Kushina asked Anju about the crowds and new goods in Konoha, then inspected a gunpowder iron gun from Rōran and dismissed it as useless to ninjas.
• Anju showed Kushina an iron vehicle that ordinary people could operate, but Kushina remained unimpressed and wondered why the Military Police Force included so many Genin.
• Kushina visited Mikoto at the Uchiha residence, where Mikoto said Itachi had learned Sage Jutsu but was often away because the Military Police Force was too busy.
• Mikoto recommended Uchiha Izumi as a deputy for Itachi, and Kushina agreed to make the suggestion.
• Itachi Uchiha shivered in his office and wondered who was plotting against him.

Anju was freed from Kushina’s seal, and Naruto placed Isobu inside Kushina to replace the Tailed Beast she had lost. Anju, Naruto, and Kurama celebrated in the Death Forest, where Anju revealed he came from another world.

• Naruto asked Kushina to end her research and release Anju, but she initially refused.
• Anju disabled Kushina’s seal, and Minato took Kushina and Naruto to the Death Forest.
• Kushina released Anju while Naruto sealed Isobu into her body.
• Anju emerged in human form, and Kurama left Naruto’s body in the appearance of Hagoromo Otsutsuki.
• Minato returned Kushina home without Naruto, who stayed in the Death Forest with Anju and Kurama.
• As the three cooked wild boar, Kurama revealed that Anju was not from the future, and Anju said he came from another world.

Naruto and Anju returned to Konoha, where Anju learned he could lend his Tailed Beast Chakra to Naruto. Kushina summoned them to the Hokage Building to attend a video conference with the other Kage, and Anju joined as her adviser.

• Naruto and Anju walked through Konoha, drawing attention because of Anju's immense Chakra and Naruto's Bronze Fox Mask.
• Anju lent Naruto his Tailed Beast Chakra, surrounding him with a golden aura as they leaped toward the Hokage Building.
• Kushina confronted Naruto about staying out all night, and Naruto pretended he had been hurt when she left him behind.
• Kushina told Naruto and Anju to join her for a video conference with the Other Kage and asked Anju to serve as an adviser.
• Anju told Kushina that Natural Energy kept him from needing food, and she led him and Naruto to the Video Conference Room.

Kushina and the other Kage met to discuss peace, and Anju proposed a Joint Research Institute where the Five Great Nations would share technology and research results. The nations signed an armistice, leaving the Ninja World at peace under the new agreement.

• Zabuza Momochi and Ōnoki called for peace and discussed trade after the nations’ military-government integration.
• Anju pointed out that Konoha remained officially at war with the other nations and proposed a formal armistice.
• Anju proposed that all five nations establish a Joint Research Institute and share its results equally.
• Anju confirmed that Konoha would contribute its data, and Zabuza Momochi and Rasa agreed to the proposal.
• Ōnoki and Raikage A joined the agreement, and the Five Great Nations signed an armistice.

Anju proposed uniting the Ninja World through a Joint Research Institute and a shared ambition to explore space, then revealed that the Otsutsuki Clan would eventually threaten the world. Kushina agreed to help establish the institute, while Naruto resolved to find Ultraman and fight the aliens.

• Anju explained to Kushina that a common goal could unite the Ninja World and redirect its ambitions toward space.
• Anju revealed that Kaguya Otsutsuki had used the God Tree to absorb Natural Energy and create Chakra Fruit, then recounted her history and the birth of the Tailed Beasts.
• Anju warned that the Otsutsuki Clan would eventually come to the Ninja World to absorb its Natural Energy and destroy it.
• Naruto vowed to find Ultraman and defeat the Otsutsuki, encouraged by Anju's promise that Ultraman might help.
• Kushina questioned relying on Ultraman and asked Anju for his plan, then agreed to help establish the Joint Research Institute.

Kushina and Anju established the Five Great Nations’ Joint Research Institute in the Land of Fire, sharing Konoha’s advanced technology to draw the other villages into collaborative research. Anju set flying machines as the first project, hoping the institute’s benefits would encourage broader cooperation.

• Kushina opened the Joint Research Institute with Konoha’s technology and tools, astonishing the visiting researchers from the other villages.
• Anju told the research team leaders that the institute would not restrict technology or its spread, and Hayakawa Megumi explained that nations would benefit by developing new technology together.
• Anju assigned the teams to develop flying machines that could replace the Zero-Tails-dependent Sky Fortress.
• Kushina questioned why the institute was sharing flight technology, and Anju explained that making flight widely available would encourage people to look outward.

Obito and Nagato worried that Konoha’s Joint Research Institute might threaten their plans, while Konan persuaded Nagato to let Akatsuki Village join its research. Nagato sent Orochimaru and Hiruko to participate, but Hiruko refused.

• Obito questioned Black Zetsu about the Joint Research Institute and ordered him to keep watching it rather than attack.
• Nagato worried about Konoha’s growing power, and Konan told him Konoha had invited Akatsuki Village to send researchers.
• Nagato read Konoha’s agreement and realized Akatsuki Village could gain access to technology by contributing researchers.
• Nagato and Konan decided to send Orochimaru and Hiruko, who had been draining the organization’s funds, to the institute.
• Orochimaru agreed to go in disguise, but Hiruko refused because he feared being discovered and attacked.

Hayakawa Megumi welcomed the Land of Akatsuki and Land of Waterfall research teams to Konoha’s Joint Research Institute, where disguised Orochimaru marveled at the shared research. Meanwhile, Anju and Kushina tested sorrow, anger, and joy as Emotional Energy, but Isobu’s absorption triggered a dangerous feedback that left Kushina drained and showed they needed to address Isobu’s interference.

• Hayakawa Megumi welcomed the Land of Akatsuki and Land of Waterfall researchers and explained the institute’s rules and shared research.
• Orochimaru, disguised as a researcher, joined with Yakushi Kabuto and was astonished by the institute’s collaborative work on the Sky Fortress.
• Anju began helping Kushina study sorrow, anger, and joy as forms of Emotional Energy with the aid of his tails.
• Kushina struggled to control the Emotional Energy, and Anju’s attempt to absorb it did not stop the rampage.
• Anju realized Isobu was absorbing Emotional Energy inside Kushina and drew out her Chakra and the energy to stop the feedback.
• Anju told Kushina they needed to speak with Isobu, while Kushina was left exhausted and low on Chakra.

Anju and Kushina tried to continue researching how to separate and control Emotional Energy despite Isobu absorbing some of it. Meanwhile, Nagato welcomed the technological gains the Land of Akatsuki had made through the Joint Research Institute, while Konan remained suspicious of Konoha’s motives.

• Anju asked Isobu to help with Kushina’s ninjutsu research, but Isobu refused, and Kushina chose not to seal him completely.
• After Kushina and Anju left, Isobu revealed that he and Kushina had privately agreed he would neither interfere with nor help her research.
• Kushina suggested sealing Isobu away, but Anju refused and instead proposed concentrating one emotion in his tails for her to sense.
• Anju exposed Kushina to Joy Emotional Energy, and when she lost control laughing, he reduced the energy until she could sense it while biting his tail.
• Nagato praised the Joint Research Institute’s technologies and told Orochimaru to research more, while Konan questioned Konoha’s reasons for establishing the institute.

Kushina developed arrays that harnessed Joy Emotional Energy, while the Joint Research Institute advanced its flying warships. Anju then injected Kushina with Anger Emotion for research, and she left furious after he mistakenly kept restraining her even when the emotion had been absorbed, before agreeing to test sorrow next.

• Kushina showed Anju the Joy Emotional Energy array patterns she had developed and created arrays that enhanced allies or overwhelmed enemies with joy.
• Kushina submitted her new arrays to the research institute, while the institute completed a Sky Warship and began developing a Sky Battleship.
• Kushina and Anju discussed the warships’ progress and agreed to research another emotion.
• Anju injected Kushina with Anger Emotion and repeatedly restrained her to absorb it, mistaking her genuine protests for effects of the emotion.
• Kushina left in anger, then returned to explain that the Anger Emotion had made her emotions unstable and asked Anju to test sorrow instead.

The Joint Research Institute shared advances in Chakra storage, Natural Energy absorption and compression, and Sky Battleship systems, with Konoha unveiling a way to produce Natural Energy from fossil fuels. Nagato and Konan reviewed the research materials and wondered why Konoha was developing technology for even higher altitudes, while Konan sensed that the Ninja World’s peace felt unreal.

• Orochimaru presented a Chakra Storage Stone, and Hayakawa Megumi said Iwagakure could address its fragility as researchers considered its storage capacity.
• Sen Rota reported that the Land of Wind had developed a machine to absorb Natural Energy but could not store it.
• Kusa Munemori revealed the Land of Water’s Natural Energy compression device and improved battleship engines, while the Land of Lightning and Land of Earth reported advances involving cannon energy and Dragon Scale Stones.
• Hayakawa Megumi presented Konoha’s improved Sky Battleship blueprints, Chakra-conversion device, Chakra-preserving plant fibers, and fossil-fuel converter that produced Natural Energy, prompting the teams to share their research.
• Nagato and Konan examined the research materials, speculated about Konoha’s plans for high-altitude flight, and discussed Konan’s unease about the Ninja World’s peace.

Obito and Black Zetsu investigated the Joint Research Institute and debated whether its director could be the Nine-Tails, while Kushina and Anju faced a rush of Konoha researchers seeking to join. The Five Kage approved Anju’s plan to expand the institute’s dormitories to accommodate more newcomers.

• Obito rejected Black Zetsu’s suggestion to destroy the Joint Research Institute and decided to investigate whether Kushina still contained the Nine-Tails.
• Kushina praised the institute’s rapid progress, while Anju predicted that Konoha’s holdout researchers would eventually want to join.
• More than a hundred Konoha technical personnel arrived at Kushina’s residence and asked to enter the Joint Research Institute after seeing its technical summary.
• Kushina explained that the institute could accept only twenty or thirty newcomers at a time, so she called a video conference with the Five Great Nations.
• Anju proposed replacing the dormitories with a taller building, and the Five Kage agreed to the expansion plan.

Obito appeared over Konoha, then abducted Anju into the Kamui Dimension to question him about the Joint Research Institute. Anju resisted Obito’s genjutsu and revealed that Madara and Black Zetsu had deceived him before Obito sent him back to Konoha.

• Obito appeared on the Konoha Stone Faces, sensed Konoha’s prosperity, and returned to the Kamui Dimension.
• Naruto and Anju sensed a malicious presence and met on the Uzumaki Residence roof, but the presence vanished before they could find it.
• Obito seized Anju and brought him to the Kamui Dimension, where Anju revealed his Nine-Tails form and resisted Obito’s attempt to control him.
• Obito questioned Anju about the Joint Research Institute, and Anju said he was developing technology to return home and warned that the Ninja World would face an invasion.
• Anju told Obito that Madara had arranged Rin’s death and that Black Zetsu was manipulating Madara, but Obito expelled him before he could explain Black Zetsu’s goal.
• Anju returned to Konoha in Nine-Tails form, then concealed himself as Naruto calmed the gathered Konoha Ninja.

Obito grew suspicious after Anju warned him about Black Zetsu and decided to pursue Impure World Reincarnation to advance the Eye of the Moon Plan. After striking a deal with Hiruko for the jutsu, Obito ordered Black Zetsu to collect the ashes of every generation of Jinchuriki.

• Obito returned to the Land of Akatsuki determined to convince Nagato to gather the Tailed Beasts and asked Black Zetsu to find Hiruko.
• Naruto helped Anju explain to Kushina that Obito had questioned him about the Joint Research Institute and that Anju had warned Obito about Black Zetsu's plan to revive Kaguya Otsutsuki.
• Kushina and Anju postponed their ninjutsu experiment, while Naruto took Hinata to rest.
• Konoha sent its researchers to the Joint Research Institute with more than twenty Jonin and a Shadow Clone of Naruto as protection.
• Obito traded a pair of Three Tomoe Sharingan and Wood Release cells to Hiruko for Hiruko's research materials and Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation.
• Obito ordered Black Zetsu to gather ashes from every generation of Jinchuriki.

Hayakawa Megumi introduced the Joint Research Institute’s new Cosmic Battleship project, and Naruto’s Shadow Clone demonstrated simulated space to the researchers. The nations recognized Konoha’s interest in reaching other planets, while the researchers began selecting topics for the work ahead.

• Hayakawa Megumi announced that researchers would begin the Cosmic Battleship project while the Sky Battleship was being built.
• Researchers from several nations questioned the unfamiliar concepts of space, and Yakushi Kabuto asked Hayakawa Megumi to explain them through an example.
• Naruto’s Shadow Clone sealed the meeting hall, removed most of its air, and canceled gravity to simulate conditions in space.
• Naruto’s Shadow Clone explained that space exploration could uncover more Dragon Scale Stone and prepare the planet to defend itself from extraterrestrials.
• Orochimaru connected space travel to gaining energy and protecting the planet, then the researchers began choosing research topics.
• Nagato and other nations concluded that Konoha was targeting other planets.

Kushina completed her sorrow and fear emotional energy research and began mastering anger while confronting her feelings for Anju. After Anju admitted he had liked her, Naruto accepted the possibility of their relationship, leaving Anju worried about Minato's reaction.

• Kushina developed the Sorrow-Neglecting Battle Array and the Transform Sorrow into Anger Array, then quickly researched fear and created two fear techniques.
• While working on anger emotional energy, Kushina asked Anju what he thought of her as a person, mother, and wife, and admitted she felt she could not leave him.
• Kushina asked whether Anju had ever liked her, and Anju admitted that he had; Kushina accepted his answer and resumed restoring her Chakra.
• Anju asked Naruto for his thoughts, and Naruto said Anju should agree to Kushina's interest and that he was counting on him.
• Kurama teased Anju about falling for a human, while Anju wondered how Minato Namikaze would react.

Anju told Minato Namikaze that he loved Kushina, and Minato accepted their relationship before releasing his obsession and disappearing. Kushina grieved and tried to prepare another Impure World Reincarnation, but Anju stopped her and explained why Minato had vanished.

• Naruto introduced Anju to Minato Namikaze, who said he was glad Kushina had found someone to rely on and recognized Anju’s feelings for her.
• Minato Namikaze gave Naruto a scroll of his knowledge and told Anju to understand and tolerate Kushina.
• Minato Namikaze realized that his home, including his family, was his true obsession, then released the Impure World Reincarnation and disappeared.
• Kushina arrived, learned Minato had vanished, and left sadly after Anju explained that his obsession was gone.
• Kushina began making Impure World Reincarnation talismans, but Anju stopped her and said Minato had let go of his obsession after hearing that Anju loved her.

Kushina handed the Person in the Painting ninjutsu to the Joint Research Institute to help develop the Cosmic Battleship, while Anju defended sharing the powerful technique with other nations. The chapter left their colleagues eager to master it as Anju hoped cooperation would bring peace to the Ninja World.

• Hayakawa Megumi announced that the Sky Battleship was complete and that researchers would begin experiments aboard it while advancing the Cosmic Battleship project.
• Kushina delivered a scroll containing the Person in the Painting ninjutsu and explained that it could enable long-distance transfers when combined with Flying Thunder God Formation technology.
• Anju revealed that Kushina was his wife, and Kushina openly acknowledged their relationship before they left the conference hall.
• Researchers summarized the Cosmic Battleship's requirements, including capacity, firepower, defenses, repairs, propulsion, and the ability to carry Sky Battleships.
• In Anju's office, Kushina questioned why he had shared the ninjutsu, and Anju said he wanted allied nations to cooperate rather than be suppressed.

Obito used Sharingan Genjutsu to control Konan and make her urge Nagato to withdraw from the Joint Research Institute, but Nagato rejected her proposal and remained committed to cooperation. Konan then arranged to visit the institute, leaving Nagato unaware of Obito’s plan to make him remember the world’s cruelty.

• Nagato and Konan discussed Konoha’s Person in the Painting Ninjutsu and the Flying Thunder God techniques Nagato had mastered.
• Konan urged Nagato to cut ties with the Joint Research Institute, citing Konoha’s role in destroying their home, and Nagato grew suspicious of her behavior.
• Nagato secretly followed Konan and saw her working normally, while Black Zetsu and Obito discussed Obito’s genjutsu control of her and their plan to turn Nagato against Konoha.
• Black Zetsu told Obito he had found ashes from several former Jinchuriki, and Obito said they needed the Rinnegan to use the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and extract the stored Tailed Beast Chakra.
• Nagato prepared a scroll offering Chakra Black Receiver technology to the Joint Research Institute, but Konan asked to visit it with researchers, and Nagato agreed to go after improving the scroll.

Obito destroyed the Joint Research Institute with a massive barrage of Exploding Tags, then used Konan’s death to provoke Nagato. Nagato arrived at the ruins after learning Konan had been killed, while Obito had secretly sent her reincarnated body into the Kamui Dimension.

• Obito dismissed Black Zetsu’s concerns and watched as Konan’s attack set off at least ten thousand Exploding Tags inside the Joint Research Institute.
• Hayakawa Megumi ordered the researchers to evacuate, but the institute’s sealing array failed and the building collapsed.
• Obito used Impure World Reincarnation to revive Konan, then sent her body into the Kamui Dimension with Kamui.
• Hayakawa Megumi and Yakushi Kabuto found Konan’s corpse beneath the rubble, prompting Yakushi Kabuto to bar access until the Daimyo arrived.
• Orochimaru informed Nagato of Konan’s death, and Nagato teleported to the Joint Research Institute in a rage.