Chapter Summaries

Izumi Uchiha and Shisui fought the Stone Statue Legion attacking the Land of Snow while Kakashi’s group encountered another legion in Demon Country and continued toward the Priestess. Kakashi then spotted a massive Fire Release battle near the Land of Snow’s border, but could not see who was fighting.

• Izumi ordered two Military Police Force members to evacuate nearby residents after the Stone Statue Legion appeared, then used Sage-enhanced Fire Release to destroy many soldiers while Shisui confirmed their cores could be erased.
• Kakashi, Might Guy, Neji, and their companions found hundreds of Stone Statue Soldiers in Demon Country, whose bodies resisted most attacks and quickly restored themselves.
• Kakashi led the group past the Stone Statue Legion and through the Land of Ghosts toward Demon Country, planning to meet the Priestess and find the Yomi Sect.
• Kakashi spotted Stone Statue Soldiers advancing toward the Land of Snow and saw the sky glowing orange-red from a large-scale fire, but could not determine what was happening.

Kakashi's Leaf team and Darui's Cloud team broke through the Stone Statue Soldiers and reached the barrier around the Priestess Shrine, while Neji showed signs of being influenced by the monster's Chakra. Inside the shrine, Menma met Miroku and Shion, learned that Miroku's death could free the monster, and received the Priestess's ancient witchcraft inheritance in exchange for protecting Shion and Demon Country.

• Kakashi led the Leaf team through the Stone Statue Soldiers with Chidori while Yamato protected their route, and Darui's Cloud squad helped clear the enemies with a Water and Lightning combination.
• Neji and two Cloud shinobi nearly fought over their villages' past conflict, but Darui and Kakashi accepted a temporary truce because the monster was approaching.
• Kakashi's group found the shrine surrounded by Stone Statue Soldiers, and Neji could find no opening through their ranks as the team considered forcing a way in.
• Menma entered the empty Priestess Shrine and met Miroku and her daughter Shion, sensing that Miroku was transferring her power to Shion and nearing death.
• Miroku told Menma that his fate had been obscured by a red moon and warned that her death might release the monster, asking him to protect Shion in return for Demon Country's submission and the Priestess's inheritance.
• Menma received the witchcraft scroll and learned that its three branches were God Aversion, God Prayer, and God Judgment.

Menma learned how shamanic Wish Power and Monster were connected, then agreed to protect Shion and deal with Monster while insisting Miroku tell her daughter the truth herself. Meanwhile, Orochimaru, Yomi, and Yakushi Kabuto reached Monster’s sealed soul, where Monster spoke to them from beyond the gate.

• Menma learned from Miroku that shamans gathered Wish Power and that Monster was the separated bearer of the priestesses’ evil thoughts.
• Menma rejected Miroku’s plan to keep Shion’s power suppressed indefinitely and told her to explain the matter to Shion herself when she grew up.
• Miroku gave Menma a Kagura Bell to suppress Shion’s power and a scroll of the priestess lineage’s Sealing Techniques as payment.
• Orochimaru, Yomi, and Yakushi Kabuto reached the altar where Monster’s soul was sealed, and Orochimaru found that the Four Symbols Sealing Technique had no effect on the gate.
• Yomi explained that Monster could only be sealed by a priestess, and Monster spoke from behind the gate, acknowledging Yomi’s capable helpers.

Yomi joined forces with Monster and let it enter his body to gain power, but Monster tried to take control. Yakushi Kabuto resisted Monster’s spiritual corruption and used Orochimaru’s improved Heavenly Cursed Seal to help Yomi suppress it, leaving Yomi’s fate uncertain.

• Yomi opened his chest and invited Monster’s soul into his body so they could retrieve Monster’s body from Swamp Country.
• Monster broke free of the stone door’s seal and poured its malice into Yomi, transforming him and overwhelming Orochimaru with darkness.
• Monster tried to seize Yomi’s body and spread its darkness across Demon Country, but Yakushi Kabuto resisted by using Sage Chakra to cut off its path to his mind.
• Monster turned Orochimaru against Yakushi Kabuto, but the improved Heavenly Cursed Seal activated on Orochimaru and Yomi, isolating and suppressing Monster’s power.
• Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto watched as Yomi gradually subdued Monster, while Orochimaru said they still had to see whether Yomi could keep it contained.

Yomi absorbed Monster’s soul and raised an immortal army while Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto pursued their separate goals. At the shrine, Kabuto confronted Kakashi, Darui, and the disguised Fourth Raikage, who demanded to know where the Priestess had gone.

• Yomi, Orochimaru, and Yakushi Kabuto found the shrine empty and learned that the Priestess had left for Swamp Country.
• Yomi summoned an army of immortal Stone Statue Soldiers, then left with Orochimaru to pursue the Priestess while assigning the Yomi Sect Four to Kabuto.
• Kakashi, Darui, and their companions confronted Kabuto at the shrine, and the Yomi Sect Four attacked when a Cloud ninja charged.
• The Fourth Raikage revealed his strength and pressed Kabuto with a lightning-charged attack, but Kabuto blocked him with Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation.
• Kabuto identified the disguised Fourth Raikage, who demanded that Kabuto reveal where he had taken the Priestess.

Yakushi Kabuto trapped the Fourth Raikage in a vast Earth Release maze and wore him down with relentless attacks. Outside the maze, a disguised figure using Yamato’s appearance killed a Cloud ninja, revealed powerful Wood Release, and attacked Kakashi’s group, leaving both villages stunned.

• Yakushi Kabuto used Sage Art and Earth Release to confine the Fourth Raikage in a maze, where stone spikes and walls depleted his strength and Chakra.
• The Fourth Raikage tried to break through with Hell Stab, but Kabuto’s repeated attacks wore him down and a rock serpent struck him hard enough to make him cough blood.
• Outside the maze, a Cloud ninja rushed toward it and was killed by wooden spikes emerging from the apparent Yamato.
• Darui confronted the apparent Yamato, who unleashed immense Chakra and formed a towering Wood Human with countless arms.
• Kakashi questioned whether Yamato had betrayed the Leaf Village, and the Wood Human swung its arms down at Kakashi and the others.

Kakashi, Darui, and Might Guy fought the impostor controlling Yamato’s body and a massive Wood Golem. Guy unleashed the seventh gate and used Evening Elephant against the enemy’s Five Release technique, leaving Kakashi wondering how powerful the final gate would be.

• Darui and Kakashi were shocked when the enemy revealed a towering Wood Golem, while Kakashi realized Yamato had apparently betrayed Konoha.
• Kakashi, Darui, and their allies attacked as Might Guy opened the seventh gate and blocked the Wood Golem’s blows.
• The enemy said Yamato had died and that his body was now an empty shell under the enemy’s control.
• Might Guy swallowed an Akimichi pill, intensified his power, and launched Evening Elephant at the Wood Golem.
• The enemy unleashed a combined Five Release technique, and Guy countered with repeated air-cannon punches that confined the resulting explosion.
• Darui and Kakashi watched Guy’s body begin to break down, and Kakashi wondered about the power of the Eight Gates’ final gate.

Yi Wenren used the first subscribers’ enormous iris flower profits to recruit another wave of investors and spread the craze through the Land of Waves. As the trade reached the nobles, Shimizu Hong San was blacklisted by Yi Wenren, and even his own family chose the iris flower business over him.

• Yi Wenren displayed the first subscribers’ profits, paid them their shares, and persuaded them to sign up for the second phase.
• Yi Wenren offered hundreds of new subscription slots, and the crowd eagerly signed contracts before returning to spread the iris flower trade.
• Merchants and nobles grew envious of the participants’ wealth and sought to join the expanding trade.
• Shimizu Hong San learned that Yi Wenren had forbidden anyone from making him a downline and threatened his family against trading iris flowers.
• Shimizu Hong San’s family revealed they had already signed contracts, rejected his threat, and left to sell iris flowers.
• Shimizu Hong San collapsed in anger and vowed to stop the merchants from succeeding.

Yakushi Kabuto drove the Fourth Raikage deeper into a sealed labyrinth while Might Guy fought “Yamato” with the Eight Gates and began to falter. Kakashi and Darui prepared to channel lightning from the storm clouds into a stronger attack.

• Yakushi Kabuto used Sage Art: Dog Feeding Life to knock the Fourth Raikage back into the labyrinth and taunted him with the fate of his father.
• Might Guy used relentless punches to contain the blast from the Asura Path’s self-destruction, then attacked “Yamato” with Morning Peacock.
• As Guy’s strength declined, he considered opening the Gate of Death, but “Yamato” claimed destroying the body he was using would not matter.
• Kakashi realized Darui’s Storm Release could guide lightning from the clouds and revealed his own Purple Lightning.
• Kakashi and Darui decided to combine Purple Lightning and Storm Release with natural lightning, and Darui began Storm Release: Thunder Cloud Cavity Wave.

Kakashi and Darui unleashed a massive Lightning Release attack against Yamato, who answered with Wood Release as the battlefield was swallowed by destruction. In the Land of Waves, nobles plotted to seize Yi Wenren’s business, while Chino reunited with her father, Oyakishiro Honoo.

• Kakashi learned from Darui’s Storm Release and joined him in creating a lightning storm above Yamato’s battlefield.
• Guy opened his restraints and struck Yamato through the Wood Golem, leaving him airborne and exposed.
• Kakashi and Darui unleashed their combined Thunder Welcome technique, but Yamato shattered his prosthetic arm and countered with Wood Release: Crucifixion Hell.
• The resulting clash unleashed a destructive storm that swept Kakashi, Darui, Neji, and the others away.
• Land of Waves nobles plotted to use Bounty Ninja against Yi Wenren so they could seize his iris flower trade and wealth.
• Oyakishiro Honoo visited Chino at the construction site, and she greeted him as her father.

Oyakishiro Honoo sent Chino and Kazegokoro to protect Yi Wenren from the ninjas targeting his iris flower business. After Chino confronted their accomplices and discovered one woman could wield Tailed Beast-like Chakra, a powerful Gale Release attack struck her and its user arrived beside Chino.

• Oyakishiro Honoo disguised himself and brought Chino and Kazegokoro to meet Yi Wenren, who asked for more iris flowers and learned that enemies had followed him.
• Chino killed the fat ninja and, after Kazegokoro questioned the captured skinny ninja, killed him as well.
• Chino and Kazegokoro tracked the other enemies to a residence, where Chino used a wounded accomplice as a human bomb to blast open the hideout.
• Chino fought the surviving woman with her Ketsuryūgan and a blood dragon, then suspected the woman had taken a drug that let her use Tailed Beast Chakra.
• A scorching Gale Release attack sent the woman flying, and its user raced over to Chino.

Menma and Shion entered the Volcano Shrine to confront Monster, and Menma repelled and captured the purple-black mist that tried to attack him. The Yomi Sect Four’s surviving members then confronted them with corrupted shinobi and launched a combined assault, leaving Menma and Shion surrounded by earth, fire, and wind.

• Menma and Shion descended toward the Ancestral Hall, while Miroku considered the risks of Shion merging with Monster and Menma reflected on his plans for Land of Snow.
• Purple-black mist tried to possess Menma, but his Natural Energy repelled it and he trapped it until it dispersed.
• Three surviving members of the Yomi Sect—Kusa, Setsuna, and Shizuku—appeared with shinobi corrupted by Monster’s power.
• Kusa, Setsuna, and Shizuku swallowed the fluid of Purple Serpents and transformed after absorbing their Chakra.
• The three Yomi Sect members attacked Menma and Shion with Earth Release, Fire Release, and Wind Release, setting the ground around them ablaze.

Menma defeated Yomi’s followers and reached Monster in the volcanic cavern, where he confronted the demon alongside Miroku. Yomi then unleashed Monster but tried to trap its soul and merge with it, provoking Monster’s furious protest.

• Menma emerged unharmed from the attackers’ fire and shattered Setsuna’s attack before sending him crashing into the mountainside.
• Menma used his power to swallow Shizuku and Kusa into darkness, then continued through the cave with Shion.
• Menma and Shion reached the lava cavern, where Miroku appeared and Monster questioned why she continued to defend humanity.
• Menma interrupted Monster and revealed that he knew Yomi was involved, then demanded that Yomi bring Orochimaru out.
• Yomi opened his chest and awakened Monster, but as the demon’s shadow surged toward the lava, Yomi tried to trap its soul and merge with it.

Menma battled Yomi and Monster after Yomi fused with the demon, using Susanoo to wound them and protect Shion. When Monster unleashed its fundamental darkness, Menma let it engulf him and began devouring its power, emerging as a purple-black, dragon-scaled humanoid.

• Yomi broke Monster free from the sealing gate by fusing with it, and Menma explained that Yomi had become a Moryo Jinchuriki.
• Menma stopped Miroku from attempting another seal and sent her spirit into his mental space while he prepared to fight alongside Shion.
• Menma revealed his Shadow Clone had been fighting Monster, then summoned his Fourth Form Susanoo and slashed Monster with its soul-burning crimson-gold blade.
• Menma realized that Monster's deepest darkness was difficult to defeat with ocular power alone, left Susanoo, and allowed the darkness to consume him.
• Menma began devouring Monster's darkness, then seized one of its tentacles and dragged its true body out of the lava while transforming into a purple-black, dragon-scaled creature with wings.

Menma used his dark-red power to severely wound Monster, then helped Shion awaken her Priestess power and combine it with his darkness to seal Monster in its Alternate Space. As Monster and Yomi were pulled toward the seal, Monster accepted defeat while berating Yomi for panicking.

• Monster was shocked that Menma could absorb its darkness, but Menma attacked and wounded it with a dark-red Chakra sword.
• Menma told Shion to take out the Kagura Bell and said they would work together to seal Monster.
• Shion awakened the Priestess's holy power, and Menma held her hand to stabilize her with his darkness.
• Menma and Shion fused their opposing powers to form a sealing technique and open the entrance to Monster's Alternate Space.
• Monster and Yomi were pulled toward the Alternate Space, where Monster accepted defeat and rebuked Yomi for his fear.

Menma drained Monster’s power and forced it back through the stone gate, where it warned that humanity’s violence would eventually bring it back. After escaping the collapsing underground space with Shion, Menma faced Miroku’s concern that Monster’s remaining darkness could corrupt him.

• Yomi tried to make Monster and Menma die together, but Menma drained Yomi’s power and prevented it from choosing its own death.
• Miroku appeared and told Monster she had believed someone would come to change the future, then looked toward Menma and Shion.
• Monster warned Menma that humanity would summon it again by repeating its violence, then released its grip and fell into the Alternate Space.
• Miroku said goodbye as the stone gate closed, and the underground space collapsed around Menma and Shion.
• Menma carried Shion out as lava erupted and the mountain range collapsed, then reappeared with her on the ruins.
• Miroku asked Menma whether he could withstand the corruption of the darkness he had obtained from Monster.

Menma persuaded Miroku to remain in Demon Country and raise Shion while he set out to establish a new Sacred Ground and investigate events in the Land of Snow. Meanwhile, Neji’s group was ambushed at sea, and Leaf Village’s leaders responded to the deaths of two Kage and other crises by planning a Joint Chunin Exams and discussing how to use Itachi against Akatsuki.

• Menma told Miroku to stay in Demon Country and watch Shion grow up, then left a Wood Clone and flew off to return to the Land of Snow.
• Neji’s battered group approached the Land of Fire, where five civilians suddenly attacked; they knocked out Rock Lee and Tenten before surrounding Neji with chakra-independent Taijutsu.
• Neji fought the five attackers but was overwhelmed, while Kakashi and Might Guy remained unconscious and gravely wounded aboard the boat.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura reviewed reports of the Fourth Raikage’s death, Sunagakure’s losses, and Yamato’s betrayal.
• Hiruzen proposed that Leaf Village host a Joint Chunin Exams to bring the villages together and discuss their conflicts, and Danzo agreed to have Shikaku oversee it.
• Danzo argued that Leaf Village should use Itachi Uchiha as a tool against Akatsuki, which he believed was targeting the Tailed Beasts.

Naruto and Sasuke discussed their training, Naruto's past, and their expected genin team as they headed to the graduation exam. After passing, they learned that Haruno Sakura would join them, leaving Sasuke frustrated by Naruto's welcoming response.

• Sasuke questioned why they had to take the genin exam in person, and Naruto guessed that Sasuke had discovered something troubling at Naka Shrine.
• Naruto recalled Menma's advice about being true to oneself and accepting who remained by one's side.
• Naruto told Sasuke that Haruno Sakura would likely be their third teammate, and they learned Kakashi was unconscious in Konoha Hospital.
• Naruto passed the Three Body Technique exam and received his Konoha Headband from Iruka.
• Iruka announced that Haruno Sakura, Sasuke Uchiha, and Naruto Uzumaki were assigned to the same squad.
• Sakura excitedly hugged Sasuke's arm, and Naruto welcomed her by claiming Sasuke had looked forward to her joining them.

Tsunade arrived as Team 7’s jonin instructor and replaced the traditional Bell Test with an arm-wrestling challenge. Sasuke faced her, but Tsunade’s overwhelming strength had him struggling as Sakura and Naruto watched.

• Tsunade arrived late with Shizune and led Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke to the outskirts of the Death Forest.
• Tsunade introduced herself as Team 7’s instructor and had Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke introduce themselves.
• Tsunade rejected the Bell Test and challenged the team to beat her at arm wrestling to pass.
• Sasuke accepted the challenge while Naruto pulled Sakura away from the contest.
• Sasuke and Tsunade unleashed powerful Chakra that cracked the ground, but Tsunade’s strength began to overpower him.

Sasuke won Tsunade’s arm-wrestling challenge by using his speed to turn the match around, and Tsunade dismissed the team until the next day. In the Land of Snow, Menma prepared to experiment on Neji Hyuga’s Caged Bird seal, seeking a way to free Hinata and Neji from its control.

• Sasuke surged back at the last moment and defeated Tsunade in their arm-wrestling match, earning her approval.
• Naruto teased Tsunade about gambling and drinking, then left to train; Sasuke declined Sakura’s invitation to eat and left as well.
• Menma reviewed the damage from Monster’s attack and learned that the Leaf Village would host joint Chunin Exams in a month.
• Menma identified the Hyuga Clan’s Caged Bird seal as a remaining obstacle and prepared to study how to break it using Neji as a test subject.
• Menma injected Neji with a Natural Energy potion to sustain him while Menma drained his Chakra and began the dangerous experiment.