Chapter Summaries

Minato confirmed that Sunagakure and Iwagakure had stopped fighting and learned that Li Yao had ordered the ceasefire as the Fourth Tsuchikage. After returning to Konoha to report, Minato could not find the Third Hokage and became uneasy when Biwako and the Anbu made him wait outside the Anbu base.

• Minato investigated the Land of Wind and Land of Earth and confirmed that Sunagakure and Iwagakure had ceased hostilities, with Iwagakure sending a delegation to negotiate.
• Minato learned that Danzo had returned to Konoha, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return there himself.
• Minato searched for the Third Hokage at the Hokage Building and the Sarutobi Clan compound but could not find him.
• Biwako told Minato that the Third Hokage had spent several nights interrogating an important prisoner at the Anbu base and took him there.
• An Anbu guard stopped Minato at the entrance and told him to wait while Biwako went inside to speak with Hiruzen, leaving Minato suspicious.

Li Yao delayed Minato’s attempt to report intelligence while preparing a cruel punishment for the Third Hokage. Minato left without discovering the danger, and the three Sewer Rats reached the Hokage as Li Yao carried out his revenge.

• Biwako told Li Yao that Minato had come to report important intelligence, but Li Yao sent him away until the next day.
• Minato noticed his unease but found no signs of altered Chakra in Biwako or the Anbu ninja, so he left the base.
• Minato returned home, found Kushina apparently asleep, and went to his nearby house without waking her.
• Li Yao and Biwako set up glass tubing between the bound Third Hokage and a cage containing three hungry Sewer Rats.
• Li Yao used fireballs to drive the rats through the tubing, and they reached the Third Hokage as he struggled in terror.

Li Yao tortured Third Hokage through the night, then returned to Kushina’s bed while disguised as Minato. As the real Minato woke and headed home with roses, Li Yao and Kushina were together, setting up a confrontation that Minato did not yet know awaited him.

• Li Yao healed Third Hokage after making three rats crawl through his body, then continued torturing him with snakes, worms, and ants in the secret chamber.
• Li Yao used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Kushina’s bed while Minato was still asleep nearby, and Kushina mistook him for Minato.
• Li Yao revealed his real face to Kushina, but she showed no recognition and remained absorbed in her feelings for Minato.
• Minato woke, decided to visit Kushina before seeing Third Hokage, and bought her fiery roses as a surprise.

Li Yao used a Shadow Clone and concealed himself while Kushina mistook him for Minato, setting up a shocking scene for Minato when he came home. Seeing Kushina ignore him and focus on Li Yao, Minato collapsed under the emotional blow, and Li Yao realized Minato’s soul was beginning to fail.

• Li Yao followed Minato with a Shadow Clone while suppressing his Chakra, then waited at Minato and Kushina’s home with Kushina mistaking him for Minato.
• Minato tried to use the Flying Thunder God Technique after his hand passed through the door, but his Chakra would not circulate, so he went through the door instead.
• Minato entered the bedroom and saw Kushina focused on Li Yao, who told her she had heard no knock.
• Minato charged at Li Yao, but his punch passed through Li Yao’s head, and Kushina continued to mistake Li Yao for Minato.
• Minato spat blood and relived memories of his relationship with Kushina as his vitality faded, shocking Li Yao, who sensed Minato’s soul beginning to collapse.

After Minato’s soul collapsed, Li Yao reconsidered how to ensure Naruto was born and concluded Kushina’s bloodline was what mattered. Meanwhile, Shigan led Kaitō and the Big Wave Secretary toward Kumogakure while the Fourth Raikage pursued them, furious at their taunts.

• Li Yao watched Minato die after Minato’s soul collapsed, then worried that Naruto could no longer be born.
• Li Yao concluded that Kushina’s Uzumaki bloodline could produce Naruto regardless of Minato and decided to continue with his plans.
• Shigan flew toward Kumogakure with Kaitō and the Big Wave Secretary while the Fourth Raikage chased them.
• Kaitō wanted to turn back and fight the Fourth Raikage, but Shigan told her to wait until they reached Kumogakure.
• The Fourth Raikage failed to catch Shigan and continued taunting him as they neared the village.

The Fourth Raikage pursued the Fourth Tsuchikage toward Kumogakure and arranged an ambush with Killer B’s complete Eight-Tails transformation at Sky Peak Canyon. Li Yao’s clone heard their plans and confidently approached the attack, leaving the chapter as Killer B formed a massive Tailed Beast Bomb.

• The Fourth Raikage abandoned the aerial pursuit when his Chakra began to run low and continued after the Earth Style Clone—Shigan with his guards on the ground.
• The Fourth Raikage learned that Killer B was preparing for complete Tailed Beast Transformation and ordered him to ambush the Fourth Tsuchikage near Sky Peak Canyon.
• Li Yao’s clone overheard the plan and believed its imagined mass would let it survive even a complete Ten-Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb.
• The Earth Style Clone—Shigan reached Sky Peak Canyon at noon while the Fourth Raikage and his guards followed using clones.
• Killer B transformed into the Eight-Tails, and he and Gyūki condensed a massive Tailed Beast Bomb aimed at the approaching clone.

The Earth Style Clone—Shigan faced the Eight-Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb without dodging and survived its explosion unharmed. Killer B, the Eight-Tails, and the Fourth Raikage were left shocked as they approached the blast site.

• The Earth Style Clone—Shigan made his body incredibly dense as the Eight-Tails fired a Tailed Beast Bomb at him.
• The bomb exploded on contact, and the shockwave flattened and hurled the Eight-Tails while devastating the mountains and damaging Kumogakure.
• The Fourth Raikage believed the Fourth Tsuchikage had been killed and rushed toward the explosion’s center.
• Killer B and the Eight-Tails headed to inspect the blast site, expecting to find Shigan dead or gravely injured.
• The Earth Style Clone—Shigan flew out of the mushroom cloud completely unharmed, stunning Killer B and the Eight-Tails.

The Earth Style Clone—Shigan survived the Eight-Tails' maximum-output Tailed Beast Bomb without a scratch, leaving Killer B and the Fourth Raikage unsure how to fight him. The Fourth Raikage attacked with One-Finger Nukite, but the strike rebounded and badly injured him, while Shigan remained unharmed.

• The Eight-Tails and Killer B realized Shigan had emerged from the Tailed Beast Bomb explosion at full strength, and Killer B refused to retreat with the village behind him.
• The Fourth Raikage learned from his Chakra-sensing guard that Shigan was alive and confronting Killer B, then rushed to help with his guards.
• Shigan landed before Killer B, and the Fourth Raikage moved in front of his brother as the group prepared for battle.
• The Fourth Raikage charged Shigan with One-Finger Nukite, but his finger and forearm shattered when the attack struck Shigan's eye.
• Shigan casually knocked the Fourth Raikage away, and Killer B was sent flying when he tried to catch his brother.
• The Fourth Raikage pushed aside a guard offering treatment and stared at Shigan, realizing that his Nukite had struck the Tsuchikage's eyeball.

The Earth Style Clone—Shigan single-handedly slaughtered Kumogakure’s forces, shrugging off attacks and crushing their Sealing Chains. After more than a thousand ninja died without exhausting his Chakra, he seized the Fourth Raikage by the neck and kicked Killer B away.

• The Fourth Raikage and Killer B committed to fighting the Earth Style Clone—Shigan while reinforcements arrived, and ordered the other ninja to support them and bring Sealing Chains.
• More than ten thousand Kumogakure ninja attacked, but Shigan dodged them and killed many with his fists and kicks.
• Shigan crushed the Sealing Chains, and after ten minutes more than a thousand Kumogakure ninja had died while his Chakra remained strong.
• Shigan charged the Fourth Raikage, blocked Killer B’s blade with a layer of wind, and grabbed the Fourth Raikage by the neck.
• Shigan kicked Killer B through the ranks, killing several ninja before he came to a stop.

Earth Style Clone—Shigan forced Kumogakure to accept an armistice with Iwagakure after overpowering the Fourth Raikage and Killer B. The Fourth Raikage ordered his forces to withdraw and vowed that Kumogakure would someday avenge the humiliation.

• Earth Style Clone—Shigan seized the Fourth Raikage and revealed that he had come to propose an armistice, while Kumogakure’s ninja protested the deaths he had caused.
• Killer B supported stopping the battle, and the Fourth Raikage ordered his ninja to stand down as they recognized Shigan’s overwhelming strength.
• Earth Style Clone—Shigan warned that he would attack Kumogakure again if it continued invading the Land of Earth, then flew away without waiting for the agreement to be signed.
• The Fourth Raikage burned the document, ordered the front lines to end the war and withdraw, and told Killer B that Kumogakure would repay the humiliation someday.

Li Yao brought the remaining shinobi villages under his control and revealed to the Third Hokage that Minato was dead and that he had taken Minato’s place. He began a new plan to ruin the Third Hokage’s reputation by using genjutsu to make him continue the war against widespread opposition.

• Killer B vowed to train harder after witnessing the Fourth Tsuchikage’s strength, while Kaitō and Big Wave Secretary marveled at Earth Style Clone Shigan’s survival of the Tailed Beast Bomb.
• The elders of Iwagakure signed a ceasefire with Li Yao’s Wind Style Clone, leaving Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure under Li Yao’s control.
• Li Yao told the Third Hokage that Minato was dead and transformed into Minato with the Perfect Transformation Jutsu, convincing the Third Hokage that Minato had been killed.
• Li Yao said he would change the Third Hokage’s torture by destroying his reputation, then sealed the Third Hokage’s memories again.
• Li Yao transformed into Minato and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to join Kushina, while planning to make the Third Hokage prolong the war and take the blame for its casualties.

Orochimaru learned that the Third Hokage had ordered a major offensive against Sunagakure and used genjutsu to discover the political crisis behind the command. Convinced the Third Hokage was trying to preserve his position against Sakumo, Orochimaru refused to expand the war and hid his forces in the Land of Rivers.

• Orochimaru questioned the Anbu messenger about the order to invade the Land of Wind, but the messenger said he knew nothing.
• Orochimaru sensed that something had happened in Konoha and used genjutsu to force the Anbu ninja to recount recent village events.
• Orochimaru concluded that the Third Hokage had recalled Sakumo and Tsunade and escalated the war to protect his position from Sakumo becoming the next Hokage.
• Orochimaru judged that the Third Hokage’s schemes would fail against Sakumo’s strength and ordered Konoha Ninja units in the Land of Rivers to hide underground until the conflict was resolved.

Li Yao continued manipulating Kushina’s desires while disguised as Minato, then learned that the Third Hokage had received Orochimaru’s report about Pakura’s Puppet Heart. The Third Hokage recognized the threat posed by Sunagakure but, under Li Yao’s influence, resolved to continue the war to keep his position.

• Kushina asked Li Yao to transform back into his original body, and he suggested continuing their roleplay whenever she wanted.
• The Third Hokage read Orochimaru’s report that Pakura had a Puppet Heart imprinted directly onto her body.
• The Third Hokage concluded that Sunagakure might be able to give multiple powerful ninja limitless Chakra, including the Fourth Kazekage.
• The Third Hokage considered a ceasefire but decided the war had to continue because he feared losing the Hokage position.
• Li Yao’s transformed Chakra influenced the Third Hokage’s mind and intensified his desire to remain in power.

The Third Hokage sent orders to reinforce Orochimaru against the Sand Ninja, while Li Yao left to take control of Kumogakure. Outside Konoha, Li Yao’s Shadow Clone intercepted Danzo and froze him and his Root guards in place.

• The Third Hokage ordered Orochimaru to hold the Sand Ninja and sent Fugaku Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha to support him.
• The Third Hokage decided that weakening the Uchiha Clan mattered more to him than allowing it to rise in power.
• Li Yao shared lunch with Kushina, then set out for Kumogakure to make the Fourth Raikage his clone.
• Danzo hurried toward Konoha with twenty Root ninjas, hoping to meet Hiruzen and discuss Li Yao.
• Li Yao Shadow Clone appeared on the road, seized Danzo, and froze him and the Root ninjas in place.

Li Yao defeated Danzo, took his Mangekyō Sharingan, and discovered that its power opened a Mirror Space for storing objects. He planned to have a future Fourth Raikage clone study how to expand the ability.

• Li Yao used black spheres to erase Danzo's twenty elite subordinates, then dug the Mangekyō Sharingan from Danzo's right eye.
• Li Yao sent Danzo into the interstitial space and released control of his body, allowing Danzo to flee toward Konoha.
• Li Yao's Shadow Clone delivered Danzo's Mangekyō Sharingan to his main body, who replaced his own eye and learned its space-related ability.
• Li Yao opened the Mirror Space and tested it, finding that it could store living and inanimate objects but lacked air and could be broken by Chakra or high-energy ninjutsu.
• Li Yao planned to have a Fourth Raikage clone implant the Mangekyō Sharingan and investigate ways to expand the Mirror Space.

Li Yao toured Kumogakure and infiltrated its advanced research facility, where he learned that its researchers were trying to study the Chakra from his Earth Style Clone, Shigan. He then reached the laboratory being used as the Fourth Raikage’s training room.

• Li Yao toured Kumogakure with Tsunade and the other women, observing the village’s mountain setting and precautions against another attack.
• Li Yao entered a hidden research base by passing through its sealed entrance with his interstitial space ability.
• Li Yao overheard a supervisor and a researcher failing to detect Chakra in powdered Sealing Chains used against Shigan.
• Li Yao realized Kumogakure had hoped to study Shigan’s defensive ninjutsu, but its chains had collected none of his Chakra.
• Li Yao decided to support Kumogakure’s Techno-Ninjutsu research after turning the Fourth Raikage into a clone, then entered the Raikage’s laboratory.

Li Yao watched the Fourth Raikage undergo dangerous electrical training to accelerate his body's adaptation to lightning and achieve the Complete Lightning Release Chakra Mode. The Fourth Raikage continued enduring the current, determined to gain the strength to protect Kumogakure from the Fourth Tsuchikage.

• Li Yao observed the Fourth Raikage wired into a chamber while a researcher monitored his body and controlled the electrical current.
• The Fourth Raikage ordered the researcher to increase the current despite the danger to his heart and blood vessels.
• Li Yao marveled at Kumogakure's Chakra-based brain-computer interaction and chose to watch the training without revealing himself.
• The Fourth Raikage endured the escalating current, driven by his need to withstand the Fourth Tsuchikage and protect Kumogakure.
• The Fourth Raikage relied on electrical stimulation of his Acupoint Spaces to hasten his body's adaptation to lightning and pursue the Complete Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

Li Yao observed the Fourth Raikage risk his life to accelerate his Lightning Release Chakra Mode training with electrical stimulation and black nutrient fluid. The experiment succeeded, advancing the Raikage’s adaptation to lightning by two stages and giving Kumogakure hope of challenging the Fourth Tsuchikage.

• Li Yao realized the electrical needles were stimulating the Fourth Raikage’s Acupoint Spaces and feared that opening them all would kill him.
• The Fourth Raikage endured the dangerous stimulation, then was submerged in black nutrient fluid that repaired his damaged cells by consuming his life potential.
• The Fourth Raikage activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode and discovered that the session had advanced his adaptation to lightning by two stages.
• The old man in the white coat celebrated the Fourth Raikage’s progress and the hope it offered Kumogakure against the Fourth Tsuchikage.

Li Yao figured out how the Fourth Raikage’s training accelerated his cells’ adaptation to lightning, then used his own methods to train far more rapidly. By the end of the night, Li Yao had reached the Third Raikage’s half-flesh, half-energy transformation.

• Li Yao realized that the Fourth Raikage’s needles stimulated Acupoint Spaces, whose energy restrained the current and released life potential to help cells adapt to lightning and repair themselves.
• The Fourth Raikage pushed to continue training, but mental exhaustion made him collapse into sleep, and the old man in the white coat stopped him from continuing.
• Li Yao concluded that complete Lightning Release Chakra Mode would transform the body fully into energy and began training in his Kamui Space.
• Li Yao used Lightning Release currents and Acupoint Space Chakra to accelerate his cellular transformation without the Fourth Raikage’s device.
• After training through the night, Li Yao’s cells reached the Third Raikage’s half-flesh, half-energy state.

Li Yao’s plan to create a Fourth Raikage clone succeeded after the Raikage died during electric-current training, and Li Yao brought Kirigakure under his control by killing Yagura and installing a manipulated new Mizukage. Back in Konoha, he watched clan leaders and Tsunade confront Hiruzen Sarutobi and demand his death to appease the four great hidden villages.

• The Fourth Raikage’s soul tore during his second electric-current training session, and Li Yao used a Shadow Clone to possess him and create a Fourth Raikage clone.
• Li Yao killed Yagura, then used Kotoamatsukami to help a young man from the Suigetsu Clan become the Fifth Mizukage and marry Mei Terumi, bringing Kirigakure under his control along with Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure.
• After a month of traveling and training, Li Yao returned to Konoha as clan representatives, Tsunade, and his Lightning Style Clone demanded that Hiruzen Sarutobi die.
• Hiruzen tried to persuade the assembled leaders that surrendering him would leave Konoha vulnerable, but Tsunade accused him of never caring about Konoha or the Land of Fire.
• Hiruzen claimed Tsunade had betrayed Tobirama’s wishes, and Tsunade clenched her fists, ready to attack him.