Chapter Summaries

Yūske warned Nara Shikamaru and Nara Haruna that war with Sunagakure might be imminent, then revealed that he and Tsunade planned to marry. The next morning, they told Yūske’s parents and began planning a wedding at the Senju Clan Compound.

• Yūske told Nara Shikamaru and Nara Haruna that he suspected someone would poison the Third Kazekage and that war might soon follow.
• Nara Shikamaru asked whether Yūske could recall his spy, but Yūske explained that contact had been lost and said he planned to guard the Land of Wind border himself.
• Yūske told the Nara family that he and Tsunade were getting married, and Nara Shikamaru pledged to support Yūske’s bid to become Fourth Hokage after the war.
• The next morning, Yūske and Tsunade told Yūske’s parents about their marriage plans, and his parents welcomed the news.
• Yūske proposed buying half of the Senju Clan Compound and holding the wedding there, while his parents discussed the venue, food, date, and guest list.

Yūske and Tsunade told Hiruzen Sarutobi they planned to marry and asked him to officiate and choose a date. After he agreed and assigned them wartime duties, they began inviting friends to a dinner at the Senju Clan Compound.

• Yūske and Tsunade announced their marriage plans to Hiruzen Sarutobi and asked him to officiate and select a suitable date.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi promised to arrange a grand wedding and asked Yūske to review documents while Tsunade prepared the Medical Department for war.
• Yūske and Tsunade decided to invite friends to help plan the wedding and share dinner that evening.
• Yūske and Tsunade visited Hiashi Hyuga and Hizashi Hyuga, invited them to dinner, and agreed they could invite Reon and Hiroya as well.

Yūske announced his engagement to Tsunade and gathered friends to plan their wedding at the Senju Clan Compound. He then offered Orochimaru resources and a place to pursue his research, leaving their cooperation tied to Yūske becoming the Fourth Hokage after the Third Shinobi World War.

• Yūske announced that he and Tsunade were getting married, and their friends congratulated them and began discussing the wedding venue.
• Yūske spoke with Uchiha Fugaku about Itachi Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha, saying he wanted to meet Shisui.
• Yūske thanked Orochimaru for helping him and offered to support his research, including work involving forbidden techniques.
• Orochimaru admitted he pursued immortality and said he would consider leaving Danzo if Yūske could provide better equipment and experimental subjects.
• Yūske offered Orochimaru spatial scrolls and access to ninjas from secret technique clans and Bloodline Families, proposing that their cooperation begin when he became Fourth Hokage after the war.

Konoha celebrated the announcement that Watanabe Yūske and Senju Tsunade would marry in twenty days, while Yūske struggled with the village’s paperwork. Tsunade and the others heard Aburame Shiho recount Yūske’s exploits in the Land of Water, and the Third Hokage’s order ensured Yūske would keep handling the documents alone.

• News spread across Konoha and beyond that Watanabe Yūske and Senju Tsunade would marry at the Senju Clan Grounds in twenty days.
• Yūske summoned Aburame Shiho to help with paperwork, but learned Tsunade had taken her away and Haku had gone to watch the excitement on leave.
• Yūske reviewed complaints about village affairs, approved a market investigation, and recommended the Barbie Q Barbecue restaurant for tourism promotion.
• Yūske ate with Tama, scolded him about his studies, and ordered him back to guard duty while he took a nap.
• Tsunade and the others listened as Aburame Shiho described Yūske’s Land of Water exploits and learned the Third Hokage had forbidden them from helping him with paperwork.

Yūske and Tsunade prepared for their wedding while discussing their hopes for peace and a family. Twenty days later, they married at the Senju Clan Compound and rode through Konoha as villagers celebrated and blessed them.

• Yūske returned exhausted from work, and Tsunade teased him about becoming Hokage before they discussed Minato and Kushina serving as best man and bridesmaid.
• Tsunade hoped they could spend more time together after the wedding and proposed having a son to carry on the Senju Clan; Yūske agreed.
• Twenty days later, Yūske set out with his wedding party and arrived at the Senju Clan Compound, where he waited for Tsunade.
• Tsunade emerged in a white-and-gold wedding gown, and Yūske took her hand as Minato Namikaze and Kushina followed as best man and bridesmaid.
• Yūske and Tsunade rode together through Konoha, where the residents celebrated their marriage and offered them blessings.
• The wedding procession returned to the Senju Clan Compound, where their relatives and friends welcomed the newlyweds.

Tsunade and Yūske celebrated their wedding with family and friends, ending the day with a private banquet and a fireworks display. After the guests left, Yūske explained that he had offered Orochimaru a laboratory to draw him away from Danzo, and the newlyweds were left alone together.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi officiated as Tsunade and Yūske completed their wedding ceremony at the Senju Clan Compound.
• Yūske's parents watched the ceremony with tears and joy before the guests joined the newlyweds for the evening banquet.
• Jiraiya jokingly challenged Yūske, but Minato Namikaze warned him that the guests were ready to intervene, so Jiraiya drank to make amends.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru surprised the guests with a fireworks display, and Orochimaru told Yūske to check a special gift later.
• Yūske told Tsunade he had promised Orochimaru a laboratory so he would stop serving Danzo, and the pair joked about Yūske becoming the Hokage's man.
• The guests departed, leaving Tsunade and Yūske alone after their wedding celebration.

After their wedding, Yūske and Tsunade opened their gifts and discussed the Land of Fire daimyo’s support for Yūske. Meanwhile, Sasori of the Red Sands poisoned the Third Kazekage in his office, and the Kazekage quietly died.

• Yūske and Tsunade woke after their wedding, shared breakfast with Yūske’s parents, and began opening their wedding gifts.
• Yūske and Tsunade read the daimyo’s letter promising financial support to Konoha in Yūske’s name, and Tsunade urged him to accept it.
• Sasori of the Red Sands visited the Third Kazekage with a lubricant for his puppet arm.
• The Third Kazekage allowed Sasori of the Red Sands to apply the lubricant, unaware that poison gas had entered his body.
• The Third Kazekage died without realizing he had been poisoned.

Sunagakure’s leaders discovered that the Third Kazekage had vanished and placed the village under Level One alert while investigating. When Sasori of the Red Sands was also reported missing, Chiyo and the others sent trusted ninja to search for both of them.

• The First Elder announced a Level One alert and told Sunagakure’s departments to seal the village and investigate after the Third Kazekage was attacked.
• The First Elder privately revealed to Chiyo, Ebizo, and Bunpuku that the Third Kazekage had disappeared.
• Chiyo and Ebizo interrogated the ninja who had been on duty, but their accounts offered no clear leads.
• Chiyo urged the leaders to search for the Third Kazekage, and Bunpuku proposed secretly sending trusted subordinates beyond the village.
• Chiyo learned that her grandson Sasori of the Red Sands had disappeared at the same time as the Third Kazekage.
• Sunagakure’s leaders dispatched ninja to search likely routes, especially near the borders of the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth.

After receiving reports of Sunagakure’s unusual mobilization and the suspected assassination of the Third Kazekage, Yūske convinced Hiruzen Sarutobi that war was imminent and called a meeting. He declared the Third Shinobi World War was about to begin and issued initial preparations for Konoha.

• Yūske brought Hiruzen Sarutobi intelligence about Sunagakure’s mobilization and argued that Sasori of the Red Sands may have assassinated the Third Kazekage.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi authorized Yūske to organize a mobilization meeting as his first battle.
• Yūske opened the meeting by announcing that the Third Shinobi World War was about to begin and distributed intelligence documents to the attendees.
• Shimura Danzō backed Yūske, while Nara Shikamaru asked what Konoha should do next.
• Yūske ordered level-two war readiness, reduced ordinary missions, and directed Uchiha Fugaku and the Inuzuka Clan Head to expand joint patrols.
• Yūske ordered Akimichi Chōji to accelerate production of Military Rations Pills and secret medicinal pills.

Yūske organized Konoha’s war preparations, assigned logistics and finance duties, and planned to guard the Land of Wind border against Sunagakure. He explained why he expected Chiyo to provoke a wider war, then continued coordinating preparations from his office.

• Yūske assigned Mitokado Homura to coordinate supplies and told Utatane Koharu to prepare a list of funding needs, promising to seek money from the Daimyo.
• Yūske announced he would take twenty Jonin and two hundred Chunin to the Land of Wind border, ordered forces elsewhere to retreat if outmatched, and asked Luzhen to tally Konoha’s available troops.
• Yūske assured Hiruzen Sarutobi that war was certain and could involve multiple fronts, and Hiruzen urged Yūske, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade to defend Konoha together.
• Yūske predicted that Chiyo would blame Konoha for the Third Kazekage’s disappearance and use a border attack to give Iwagakure and Kumogakure a reason to join the conflict.
• After the meeting, Tsunade went to the Medical Department while Yūske reviewed reports and intelligence with Nara Haruna and others.

Yūsuke prepared to leave for the Land of Wind as war loomed, while Hiruzen Sarutobi asked him to search for his missing son, Shinnosuke. After revealing that Kakuzu was likely responsible for Shinnosuke’s disappearance, Yūsuke spent a private farewell with Tsunade before his departure the next day.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi briefed Yūsuke and the others on their duties and asked Yūsuke to prioritize his safety while commanding the Land of Wind front.
• Yūsuke shared intelligence that Amegakure was prepared to join the war and agreed to search for clues about Shinnosuke.
• At the Senju Clan Compound, Yūsuke told the group that Kakuzu was likely behind Shinnosuke’s disappearance and was currently very powerful.
• Orochimaru and Jiraiya left, and Yūsuke reassured Tsunade that their separation would only last a few years.
• Yūsuke told Tsunade he would leave the next day, and the two shared an affectionate moment.

Yūske took command of the border outpost, imposed combat readiness, and began organizing its personnel with help from Aburame Shiho and Shikaku Nara. In Sunagakure, Chiyo blamed the Third Kazekage’s disappearance on Konoha and secured support for an attack, leaving Rasa and Pakura to be called in to take on major responsibilities.

• Yūske arrived at the outpost, addressed its personnel, and ordered everyone to enter Level Two combat readiness the following day.
• Yūske hosted a campfire meal, while Aburame Shiho and Shikaku Nara agreed to help organize the troops.
• Chiyo learned from Ebizo that rumors about the Third Kazekage’s disappearance had spread and that Rasa and Pakura were demanding answers.
• Chiyo presented Ōnoki’s proposal to ally against Konoha and argued that Sunagakure should blame Konoha for the Kazekage’s disappearance.
• The Elder Council voted to attack Konoha, and Chiyo decided to lead Sunagakure while Bunpuku guarded the village.

Yūske met Rasa’s Sunagakure advance force in the Land of Rivers and defeated it with his overwhelming thread abilities. Rasa escaped after revealing that Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure had secretly agreed to attack Konoha together.

• Yūske learned that a large Sunagakure force was approaching and led most of his troops out to confront it.
• Rasa accused Konoha of assassinating the Third Kazekage and attacked Yūske with Magnet Release: Gold Dust.
• Yūske used his threads to protect his soldiers, transform the battlefield, and strike at the Sunagakure forces.
• Yūske ordered his troops to withdraw before unleashing Raging Waves White String, forcing Rasa’s forces to flee and killing some of them.
• Rasa told Yūske that Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure had secretly agreed to attack Konoha, and Yūske let him go.

Yūske sent Hiruzen Sarutobi urgent intelligence that Sunagakure had allied with Iwagakure and Kumogakure to invade the Land of Fire from three directions, prompting Konoha to mobilize for war. After the armies departed, Shinku joined Yūske in the Land of Rivers, where they prepared to fight Sunagakure.

• Yūske explained to Shikaku Nara why he had released Rasa, then sent an urgent letter to Hiruzen Sarutobi with the Contact Ape.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi announced that war had begun and told Konoha that Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure planned a three-way invasion.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shinku to lead forces to the three fronts as Konoha prepared supplies and troops.
• Konoha's army set out the next morning, and Hiruzen Sarutobi put Shimura Danzō in charge of intelligence while worrying that Kirigakure might join the war.
• Shinku arrived at Yūske's Land of Rivers camp with three thousand ninja and supplies for two months, and Yūske vowed to end the war quickly.

Yūske organized Konoha’s camp defenses and assigned Minato to Kurenai’s combat unit while monitoring Hatake Sakumo’s absence and the search for the Three-Tails. In Sunagakure’s camp, Chiyo and the other leaders assessed Yūske’s abilities and prepared to share intelligence and convene a meeting.

• Yūske assigned patrol, combat, medical, and defensive duties, then asked whether Hatake Sakumo had returned from the Land of Lightning; Kurenai Yūhi said there had been no news.
• Yūske declined Uchiha Fugaku’s offer to use his ability and told Minato Namikaze to join Kurenai’s combat unit, praising his progress with the Flying Thunder God Technique and promising to teach him a hand-signless ninjutsu.
• Aburame Shiho massaged Yūske as they discussed the search for the Three-Tails, which Ryū and the others were pursuing cautiously inside the Land of Water.
• Rasa informed Chiyo and Pakura that Yūske’s ability could alter the environment and weaken Rasa’s power, while Chiyo warned that his string manipulation threatened Sunagakure’s Puppet forces.
• Chiyo ordered her assistant to send intelligence about Yūske’s abilities to Iwagakure and Kumogakure and instructed the Staff Department to convene a meeting.

Minato Namikaze and Shibi Aburame fought a Sunagakure puppet squad in the forest, using the Flying Thunder God Technique and insects to kill the puppet masters. They returned to camp after the enemy sacrificed one of their own with poisonous gas, leaving six Konoha companions dead.

• Minato Namikaze’s squad was ambushed by poisoned senbon from Sunagakure puppet masters, and one Konoha Chunin died.
• Kyoya Hyuga used his Byakugan to locate four enemies, while Shibi Aburame released insects to cover Minato Namikaze.
• Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to kill one puppet master, and Shibi’s insects disabled the puppets and drained the enemies’ chakra.
• Minato killed a second puppet master as the remaining enemies tried to retreat, while another puppet master sacrificed himself with poisonous gas.
• Minato Namikaze and Shibi Aburame escaped the gas and returned to camp after six companions died in the battle.

Yūske punished Minato Namikaze and Shibi Aburame for a costly patrol failure, then taught Minato how to develop the Rasengan. Their training was interrupted when Kurenai Yūhi sent word that something major had happened.

• Minato Namikaze and Shibi Aburame reported their patrol’s losses, and Yūske assigned them a month of patrol duty to reflect on their mistakes.
• After nearly three months of war, Yūske took Minato into the forest and demonstrated the Rasengan by smashing a massive tree.
• Yūske explained the Rasengan’s principles, and Minato began training while Yūske watched over him.
• Kurenai Yūhi arrived with an urgent message, and Yūske left Minato to continue training alone.

Yūske learned that Hatake Sakumo had abandoned a mission to save captured teammates and was facing condemnation and a smear campaign in the village. As Kurenai Yūhi and Fugaku worked to contain the fallout, Yūske prepared the camp to launch an assault on Sunagakure’s position in the Land of Rivers.

• Aburame Shiho showed Yūske intelligence that Hatake Sakumo had surrendered confidential documents to Kumogakure in exchange for captured teammates, then returned to the village amid a spreading war and public condemnation.
• Kurenai Yūhi arrived, and Yūske warned that public opinion could be deadly and suspected Shimura Danzō’s people had spread the news.
• Yūske told Kurenai Yūhi and Fugaku to return secretly to the village and control public opinion, while he prepared to attack Sunagakure’s camp in the Land of Rivers.
• Yūske ordered Aburame Shiho to summon the department heads for a meeting, and the camp began preparing for its first large-scale confrontation.
• Yūske relied on Shikaku Nara, whose tactical work had earned him a leading role in the staff department, as the camp’s senior personnel supported the planned assault.

Uchiha Madara learned that the Third Great War had begun and ordered Tobi to approach Uchiha Fugaku, who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. He also directed Tobi to keep Nagato from Hanzo and deepen Nagato’s despair, while Yahiko organized Akatsuki to protect Amegakure from the war.

• White Zetsu reported that Konoha was fighting on three fronts, and Uchiha Madara dismissed Hashirama’s attempt to bring lasting peace.
• Tobi told Uchiha Madara that Uchiha Fugaku had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, and Madara ordered him to see if Fugaku could become his replacement.
• Tobi reported that Nagato had trained under Jiraiya and was founding Akatsuki, while Hanzo had taken an interest in him.
• Uchiha Madara ordered Tobi to keep Hanzo from taking Nagato under his wing and to make Nagato experience betrayal, hatred, and the deaths of his companions.
• Yahiko assigned tasks to Akatsuki’s members as they worked to keep Amegakure from being affected by the war.

Yūske led 500 Konoha ninja in a midnight raid on Sunagakure’s camp, but a patrol detected them and the battle began before they could strike unseen. After both sides unleashed attacks and Chiyo confronted him, Yūske vanished and reappeared inside the camp.

• Yūske assembled 500 ninja and led them toward Sunagakure’s camp while other squads launched distractions.
• Yūske’s forces located the camp, but a Sunagakure sensory ninja spotted the approaching Konoha squads and raised the alarm.
• Yūske ordered his main force to attack Sunagakure’s camp as the guards gathered to defend it.
• Rasa formed a Gold Dust Shield, Chiyo ordered a counterattack, and Konoha and Sunagakure exchanged ninjutsu and close-combat assaults.
• Yūske fired String Spears toward the camp, and Chiyo recognized him and confronted him.
• Yūske vanished from midair and reappeared inside Sunagakure’s camp.