Chapter Summaries

Natsume comforted Mei Terumi, then arranged an S-rank mission for Team Nine to rescue villagers at Oxalis Gold Mountain from the Kurosuki Family. Before the team set out, he visited Yugito Nii in the Land of Waves and gave her a thorough cat massage.

• Natsume woke beside Mei Terumi, and she agreed to exchange her promised two and a half years for maid service.
• Natsume learned that Zabuza Momochi’s changed destiny had earned him seventy Destiny Points, then returned home and found Shizune working while Tsunade slept.
• Natsume assigned Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuga an S-rank mission to rescue villagers forced to mine gold by the Kurosuki Family, led by former Seven Ninja Swordsman Raiga Kurosuki.
• Kurenai Yuhi spoke with Natsume about becoming a team leader and fled after he teased her about her feelings for him.
• Natsume used the Flying Thunder God Technique to visit Yugito Nii, picked her up as the Black Cat, and massaged her until she lay limp on the sofa.

Natsume took Team Nine from Konoha toward the Land of Rivers on a mission to find Raiga Kurosuki and claim an ownerless gold mine. During the journey, he drew closer to Hinata and suggested that Mikoto have another child for the Uchiha Clan, leaving her pondering how Sasuke would address him.

• Natsume left Konoha with Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata, traveling on foot to train Team Nine and investigate Raiga Kurosuki.
• At their first camp, Hinata gave Natsume food prepared by her mother and said she wanted to learn cooking for him.
• Natsume left Naruto and Sasuke to guard the camp overnight while he returned to Konoha with Hinata.
• Natsume brought Hinata to Mikoto's home, where Mikoto served her a meal while Natsume asked about Izumi's progress toward awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Natsume suggested Mikoto have another child to strengthen the Uchiha Clan and reassured her that Sasuke would not discover the truth.
• After Hinata finished eating, Natsume left with her for the mission, and Mikoto wondered what Sasuke should call him given their relationship.

Natsume and his students entered the Land of Rivers, where they accepted Granny Sansho’s request to bring her son Rokusuke back from the Kurosuki Family. At Oxalis Gold Mountain, Raiga Kurosuki confronted the Konoha team.

• Hinata Hyuga trained late into the night, then returned to Konoha with Natsume to bathe before the team resumed its journey at dawn.
• In the Land of Rivers, Naruto Uzumaki defeated a group of bandits, and the team stopped at Granny Sansho’s restaurant for curry.
• Natsume gave the Destiny Curry to Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, while he and Hinata Hyuga ate ordinary curry.
• Natsume learned that Granny Sansho’s son, Rokusuke, had joined the Kurosuki Family and agreed to bring him back.
• At Oxalis Gold Mountain, Hinata Hyuga detected five approaching ninja, and Raiga Kurosuki appeared with four others to confront the team.

Sasuke Uchiha defeated Raiga Kurosuki after Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga helped separate Raiga from Ranmaru. Natsume took charge of the mine and arranged for Ranmaru to be brought back to Konoha, while Sasuke kept Raiga’s twin blades and Lightning Style techniques.

• Sasuke Uchiha fought Raiga Kurosuki, but Ranmaru’s abilities repeatedly disrupted his attacks.
• Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga helped Sasuke separate Raiga from Ranmaru, and Naruto captured Ranmaru.
• Sasuke Uchiha defeated Raiga with the Shackling Stakes Technique and took Lightning Blade: Fang.
• Natsume ordered Naruto to tie up Ranmaru, then sent the surviving Kurosuki Family members into custody and let Sasuke take Raiga’s Lightning Style techniques.
• Natsume arranged for Izumi Uchiha to take charge of Oxalis Gold Mountain and beat up Rokusuke.

Natsume returned to Konoha with his students, arranged for Uzuki Yugao to lead them, and took Ranmaru into his care. As winter arrived, he stayed home with pregnant Tsunade, who misunderstood his restraint and felt guilty.

• After returning to the Hokage's Office, Natsume told Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuga they could take missions under another leader, then arranged for Uzuki Yugao to lead them.
• Natsume traded with Orochimaru for Human Regeneration Technology and Uzuki Yugao's release from his service.
• Natsume erased Ranmaru's memories of Raiga Kurosuki's death and arranged for him to attend the Ninja Academy and stay at the Orphanage.
• Natsume spent the winter at home with pregnant Tsunade, watching a drama and feeding her grapes.
• Tsunade kissed Natsume, mistook his teasing for proof that he was restraining himself, and felt touched and guilty before Shizune entered.

Natsume had Kaguya Ōtsutsuki erase Ido’s consciousness and turn it into a controllable substitute, freeing Yakumo Kurama from her condition. As winter and the New Year Festival arrived, Natsume approved Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari’s trip home and began visiting people for the holiday.

• Tsunade questioned Shizune about her feelings for Natsume, and Shizune blushed when Tsunade guessed the truth; later, Shizune used Transformation Jutsu to enter the bath with Natsume.
• Kurenai Yuhi brought Yakumo Kurama to Natsume because Yakumo was suffering from mental problems, and Natsume took her to the Land of Snow to meet Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
• Kaguya Ōtsutsuki entered Yakumo’s mental world, destroyed Ido’s true form, and erased its consciousness, leaving it as a puppet Yakumo could control.
• Yakumo awoke recovered, thanked Natsume, and returned to the Hokage’s Office with him and Kurenai Yuhi.
• Kakashi Hatake asked Natsume to approve two weeks of leave for Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari to return to Sunagakure, and Natsume agreed.
• When the New Year Festival arrived, Natsume began visiting Uzumaki Ena, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, Mikoto Uchiha, Mei Terumi, and Tsunade.

Natsume visited his loved ones for the New Year festival, and he and Mikoto Uchiha discussed how to awaken Sasuke Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan. He returned home to spend the evening with Tsunade, who named their unborn daughter Chika.

• Natsume woke Tsunade, shared breakfast with her and Shizune, and kissed Shizune before leaving for the New Year festival.
• Natsume visited Uzumaki Ena and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, then rested with Mikoto Uchiha and discussed ways to emotionally stimulate Sasuke Uchiha into awakening his eyes.
• Natsume suggested that having another child could surprise Sasuke and strengthen the Uchiha Clan, and Mikoto agreed to try for a baby with him.
• Natsume returned home with takoyaki and learned that Shizune had taken a mission so he and Tsunade could spend the festival alone.
• Natsume and Tsunade discussed their unborn daughter, and Tsunade suggested the name Chika.

Natsume spent the New Year with Tsunade, then visited Mei Terumi and teased Kurenai Yuhi at work. The chapter ended with Mikoto Uchiha telling Natsume she was pregnant, and hearing his plan to use Yakumo Kurama’s Genjutsu and his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to tell Sasuke.

• Tsunade and Natsume watched New Year fireworks together after choosing the name Chika for their child.
• Kurenai Yuhi gave Natsume a report from Konoha Hospital, and he ordered her to have Kabuto handle requests to teach the White Zetsu Cells technique.
• Natsume visited Mei Terumi, who massaged him while he teased her, and later returned to find Kurenai asleep and massaged her feet.
• Natsume gave Shizune a teddy bear, then Mikoto Uchiha told him she was pregnant and said she had chosen this willingly.
• Natsume proposed using Yakumo Kurama’s Genjutsu and his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to let Sasuke experience the pregnancy news in a Genjutsu.

After returning from a mission, Sasuke Uchiha learned that Mikoto Uchiha was pregnant with Natsume’s child and struggled to accept the news. A staged genjutsu showing Itachi Uchiha killing Mikoto and the unborn baby awakened Sasuke’s Mangekyō Sharingan, and he learned that he really would have a little sister.

• Naruto Uzumaki invited his teammates and Uzuki Yugao to Ichiraku Ramen, but they declined and went their separate ways.
• Sasuke Uchiha returned home, absorbed Wu’s power in his sealing space, and joined Mikoto Uchiha for dinner.
• Mikoto Uchiha told Sasuke Uchiha that she was pregnant with Natsume’s child, and Sasuke Uchiha said he would accept the baby.
• Natsume and Mikoto Uchiha used a genjutsu in which Itachi Uchiha appeared to kill Mikoto and the unborn child, driving Sasuke Uchiha to awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Sasuke Uchiha learned the names and powers of his new dōjutsu, Tatekoto and Magatsuhi, and Mikoto Uchiha confirmed that he really would have a younger sister.

After Sasuke Uchiha awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, Natsume warned him about its risks and promised to help him find Itachi Uchiha. Later, Natsume arranged with Kabuto Yakushi to use Impure World Reincarnation on Rin Nohara and the Third Raikage, then welcomed his newborn daughter with Tsunade.

• Natsume warned Sasuke Uchiha that overusing his Mangekyō Sharingan could make him lose his vision, and Sasuke asked where Itachi Uchiha was.
• Natsume told Sasuke that Itachi had joined a mysterious organization and promised to take him after they found a lead.
• Natsume asked Kabuto Yakushi to perform Impure World Reincarnation on Rin Nohara and the Third Raikage, planning to use White Zetsu as a sacrifice.
• A week later, Tsunade gave birth to a daughter, and Shizune told Natsume that both mother and child were safe.
• Natsume visited Tsunade and their newborn daughter, admiring her appearance and wondering whether she had inherited his abilities.

Natsume used Impure World Reincarnation to bring Rin Nohara back temporarily and sent Kakashi Hatake to meet her, earning Destiny Points. He planned a mission involving the Third Raikage and Sasuke Uchiha, then visited Mikoto Uchiha and offered Yugito Nii a chance to return to Kumogakure.

• Kabuto Yakushi’s first attempt to resurrect a White Zetsu failed, so Natsume found living White Zetsu for a second attempt that successfully brought back Rin Nohara.
• Rin asked to see Kakashi Hatake, and Natsume summoned him to the laboratory building; the Sacred Ring of Destiny awarded Natsume sixty Destiny Points after Kakashi’s destiny changed.
• Natsume planned to take Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka on a mission involving the Third Raikage and found intelligence about the missing-nin Suigetsu’s plans against Takigakure.
• Natsume visited Mikoto Uchiha and told her he planned to take Sasuke Uchiha on a dangerous mission, then offered Yugito Nii a visit to Kumogakure if she behaved.
• Natsume fell asleep on the sofa with Yugito Nii in his arms and woke the next day to Mikoto Uchiha leaning over him.

Natsume took Yugito Nii to Kumogakure, removed a piece of the Third Raikage’s preserved body, and returned home after sharing a late-night meal with her. He used the remains to revive the Third Raikage, who began recruiting Suigetsu for a plan to take over Takigakure, while Natsume prepared a temporary mission squad with Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Ino Yamanaka.

• Natsume asked Yugito Nii to lead him to Kumogakure’s memorial monument, where he took a piece of the Third Raikage’s body and restored the grave.
• Natsume and Yugito Nii ate dorayaki and drank milk at an izakaya before he left her in the Land of Waves and returned to Konoha.
• Natsume came home to Tsunade and their sleeping daughter, Chika, and spent the night with Tsunade.
• The revived Third Raikage demonstrated his strength to Suigetsu and offered to help him take control of Takigakure in exchange for Hero’s Water.
• Natsume gathered Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Ino Yamanaka in the Hokage’s Office to form a temporary mission squad.

Natsume led Sasuke Uchiha, Ino Yamanaka, and Sakura Haruno to Takigakure to stop rogue ninja Suigetsu, who had joined forces with the Third Raikage. When the battle began, Sasuke Uchiha attacked Suigetsu but was intercepted and injured by the Third Raikage.

• Natsume and his three students traveled to Takigakure after learning that Suigetsu planned to attack the village with an unknown organization.
• Shibuki welcomed the Konoha team alongside Fuu, Kegon, and Wolf Demon, then led them through the waterfall into Takigakure.
• Suigetsu arrived outside the village with the Third Raikage and a group of wandering ninja, intending to kill Shibuki and take control of Takigakure.
• After Suigetsu demanded that Shibuki come out, Natsume led the team to confront him while Fuu stayed behind to guard the village.
• Sasuke Uchiha cut through the enemy's thrown weapons and charged Suigetsu, but the Third Raikage blocked his strike and broke his arm with a kick.

Sasuke Uchiha challenged the Third Raikage and was badly injured, but Natsume captured Suigetsu and his forces with Wood Style. Natsume secured Hero's Water from Shibuki and began studying it, while the Third Raikage remained at large.

• Sasuke Uchiha fought the Third Raikage, but his attacks failed and the Third Raikage struck him hard enough to leave him unable to fight.
• Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka treated Sasuke Uchiha while Suigetsu ordered his forces to attack Shibuki and the others.
• Natsume used Wood Style to stop the attack and capture Suigetsu and the other ninjas, while the Third Raikage escaped.
• Natsume sent Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha to Konoha Hospital, then stayed with Ino Yamanaka as Shibuki's shinobi imprisoned the captives.
• Natsume asked Shibuki for Hero's Water, and Shibuki gave him a bottle from the ancient tree that produced it.
• Natsume gained 130 Destiny Points and began studying Hero's Water, concluding that it increased Chakra by consuming life force.

Natsume returned to Konoha with Ino Yamanaka and proposed Kabuto Yakushi as the leader of her future team. He then set out with Kaguya Ōtsutsuki to Ryūchi Cave to arrange Sage Mode training for Kabuto Yakushi, planning to visit Myōboku Mountain afterward.

• Natsume and Ino Yamanaka left Takigakure after learning that Fuu was the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Natsume praised Ino Yamanaka's progress in Medical Ninjutsu and suggested Kabuto Yakushi as the leader of her future team with Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi.
• Natsume returned to Konoha with Ino Yamanaka, praised her to Misa Yamanaka, and then encountered Kakashi Hatake bringing food to Rin.
• Natsume told Kabuto Yakushi that he could learn Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode and offered to bring the snakes to Konoha, but Kabuto declined to accompany him.
• Natsume went to the Land of Snow and invited Kaguya Ōtsutsuki to Ryūchi Cave before their planned trip to Myōboku Mountain.

Natsume and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki traveled to Ryūchi Cave to meet the White Snake Sage and seek cooperation. After Kaguya easily subdued the Three Great Snake Princesses, the White Snake Sage appeared and recognized her with fear.

• Natsume summoned Katsuyu and asked it to take him to Ryūchi Cave, then followed it there with Kaguya Ōtsutsuki using a Flying Thunder God Kunai.
• Katsuyu explained that visitors had to pass the Three Great Snake Princesses’ trials to meet the White Snake Sage, then left Natsume and Kaguya at Ryūchi Cave’s outskirts.
• Kaguya Ōtsutsuki killed the attacking snakes, and Tagitsuhime confronted the pair before Kaguya seized her and released her at Natsume’s request.
• Tagitsuhime led Natsume and Kaguya to the temple, where Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime tried to test them, but Kaguya quickly overpowered both Snake Princesses.
• The White Snake Sage appeared, ordered the Snake Princesses to be quiet, and stared at Kaguya Ōtsutsuki in shock as she asked who she was.

Natsume forced Ryūchi Cave to cooperate with Konoha by having Kaguya Ōtsutsuki overpower the White Snake Sage, then took the Three Great Snake Princesses to Konoha to train shinobi in Sage Mode. He and Kaguya headed for Myōboku Mountain, where the Great Toad Sage recognized the danger and ordered Sage Fukasaku to flee.

• Natsume demanded that Ryūchi Cave provide summoning beasts and Sage Mode training for Konoha, but the White Snake Sage and the Three Great Snake Princesses resisted.
• Kaguya Ōtsutsuki injured the White Snake Sage with Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack, forcing Ryūchi Cave to accept Natsume's terms.
• Natsume arranged for the Three Great Snake Princesses to stay in Konoha and teach Sage Mode, then had the White Snake Sage guide him and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki toward Myōboku Mountain.
• Natsume told the White Snake Sage that he intended to kill everyone at Myōboku Mountain and fulfill the Great Toad Sage's prophecy of its destruction.
• The Great Toad Sage woke from a nightmare and ordered Sage Fukasaku to evacuate with Sage Shima and the other toads.
• A messenger brought the Great Toad Sage portraits of Natsume and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, and he urgently ordered Sage Fukasaku to leave.

Natsume and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki confronted the Great Toad Sage at Myōboku Mountain, where Natsume revealed himself as the one destined to destroy it. After receiving Kaguya’s Chakra, Natsume fought the Great Toad Sage and gained the upper hand.

• The Great Toad Sage sent Sage Fukasaku away with the Talisman of the Sage, but a space seal trapped him on Myōboku Mountain.
• Natsume, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, and the White Snake Sage reached the temple, and Kaguya lent Natsume her Chakra after he kissed her.
• The Great Toad Sage confronted the visitors and claimed that Natsume was the Child of Prophecy destined to defeat Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
• Natsume revealed that he was the one who would destroy Myōboku Mountain and attacked the Great Toad Sage with Sage techniques.
• The Great Toad Sage fought back, but Natsume pierced its shoulder with Water Severing Wave and then struck its tongue with wooden spikes.

Natsume defeated and killed the Great Toad Sage and the toads of Myōboku Mountain, then handed the ruined sage land to the White Snake Sage to bring under Ryūchi Cave’s control for Konoha. He and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki returned to the Land of Snow, while one orange toad escaped the battlefield to seek Jiraiya.

• The Great Toad Sage and Myōboku Mountain’s toads attacked Natsume, but he summoned the Thousand-Armed Kannon and crushed the Rock Dwelling Great Toad and the other attackers.
• The Great Toad Sage trapped Natsume with a sound-based Genjutsu and launched its final assault, but Natsume overwhelmed it and killed it.
• Natsume asked the White Snake Sage to check for survivors and take control of the toads outside Myōboku Mountain, then collected the sage land’s Toad Oil and crystal ball.
• Natsume gave Myōboku Mountain to the White Snake Sage, warned her to control her snakes, and returned to the Land of Snow with Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
• After Natsume and Kaguya left, an orange toad escaped from beneath the battlefield and set off to find Jiraiya.

Jiraiya learned that Natsume had destroyed Myōboku Mountain and struggled with whether to seek revenge, while Hiruzen Sarutobi warned him against acting rashly. After returning to Konoha from time with Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, Natsume resumed his duties and began selecting shinobi for contracts with Ryūchi Cave.

• Gamaken told Jiraiya that Natsume had destroyed Myōboku Mountain and that he was the only surviving toad.
• Jiraiya brought Gamaken to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who confirmed Natsume could not be removed as Hokage and urged Jiraiya not to act recklessly.
• Jiraiya acknowledged that revenge was not currently possible and agreed with Gamaken to consider their next steps carefully.
• Natsume left Kaguya Ōtsutsuki in the Land of Snow and returned to Konoha, where Kurenai Yuhi massaged him in the Hokage's Office.
• Natsume reviewed the accumulated documents and began choosing shinobi to sign contracts with Ryūchi Cave.