Chapter Summaries

Hyuga Mirai arranged for Sasori to produce thousands of tools to restrain captives, while Tsunade prepared Konoha for the Chunin Exams and faced pressure to bring the village into the Federation. Yuhi Kurenai secretly tracked Tsunade using trigger-based genjutsu, and Hyuga Mirai left Tsunade with six months to make progress on the merger.

• Hyuga Mirai asked Sasori to produce five thousand Chakra-sealing chains and tools that restricted Taijutsu strength, and Sasori told him to secure Pakura's support.
• Tsunade returned to Konoha with Yuhi Kurenai and Hyuga Tokuma, ordered them to keep the Four Nations Alliance secret, and asked Kurenai to lead a team of newly graduated Genin in the Chunin Exams.
• Yuhi Kurenai visited the Kurama Clan and Ninja Academy, then used her trigger-based genjutsu on Civilians to track Tsunade's movements.
• Hyuga Mirai told Tsunade she had a little over half a year to persuade Konoha to join the Federation, then refused to share his shochu and food with her.

Tsunade resolved to consolidate her authority as Hokage, while Hyuga Mirai was ambushed by Yuhi Kurenai in the Forest of Death. After Kurenai uncovered part of his secret, Mirai took her away from Konoha and decided to keep her by his side.

• Tsunade reflected on her work and planned to bring the Anbu under her control, make Sarutobi Hiruzen retire, and win over more village factions.
• Hyuga Mirai found Senbon marking a path through an illusion in the Forest of Death and realized Yuhi Kurenai had set a trap for him.
• Yuhi Kurenai attacked Mirai using an illusion, the Eight Gates, and the Strength of a Hundred Seal, but he disrupted her nervous system, cut off her Chakra, and sealed her.
• Kurenai questioned Mirai about his influence over Tsunade and the Land of Fire, then refused to reveal how she had learned his secret.
• Mirai carried Kurenai away by air, saying he would keep her by his side, while Tsunade headed to the Hokage's Office to work.

Pakura prepared the Federation for a coming war with the Four Great Ninja Villages while planning to resign as Kazekage afterward. Meanwhile, Hyuga Mirai took Yuhi Kurenai to the Culinary God Tournament, where she struggled with her lingering feelings for him.

• Naruto complained about studying Ninja World history, and Kushina scolded him before leaving to meet Mikoto.
• Pakura held a high-level meeting, reviewed the Federation’s affairs, and ordered Ninja brigades and Military Police squads to deploy across three districts.
• Pakura told Uchiha Tekka and the other remaining officials that the Four Nations had allied against the Federation, prompting them to begin secret preparations.
• Pakura decided to leave the Mecha-Puppet Force in reserve and considered handing the Chunin Exams to Hyuga Mirai before resigning after the war.
• Hyuga Mirai brought Yuhi Kurenai to Hot Spring Country for the Culinary God Tournament, and she ate grilled squid while recalling her feelings and reminding herself that he had betrayed the team and village.

Hyuga Mirai persuaded Yuhi Kurenai to join his cause during their trip to Hot Spring Country, and she returned to Konoha aligned with him and Tsunade. Tsunade gave Kurenai new responsibilities and asked her to sound out Hyuga Kiyomi, while Sarutobi Hiruzen received a message from one of Danzo’s masked Ninja at the Land of Fire Daimyo Manor.

• Hyuga Mirai offered Yuhi Kurenai a vision of a peaceful Ninja World and persuaded her to join him, then they toured the Culinary God Tournament and sampled its food.
• Yuhi Kurenai returned to Konoha, where Kamizuki Izumo and Kotetsu Hagane brought her to Tsunade after Anko reported her disappearance.
• Yuhi Kurenai told Tsunade that Hyuga Kiyomi had discovered Tsunade’s identity in Rain Country, and Tsunade asked Kurenai to sound Kiyomi out.
• Tsunade granted Yuhi Kurenai authority to command Anbu and assigned her to lead the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho while helping win over clans and civilian Ninja.
• At the Land of Fire Daimyo Manor, a masked Ninja told Sarutobi Hiruzen that Danzo had an important matter to discuss, and Hiruzen changed direction to meet him.

Danzo used Kotoamatsukami to persuade Hiruzen Sarutobi that he was still devoted to Konoha, then convinced him to oppose Tsunade by claiming her Wood Release and control of the Curse Mark were suspicious. After arranging an alliance and exchanging Kabuki for funding and support, Hiruzen returned to Konoha while Hyuga Mirai prepared to go back to Rōran for further experiments.

• Danzo warned Hiruzen Sarutobi that Tsunade was endangering the Sarutobi Clan and revealed that Kabuki possessed Wood Release.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned how Tsunade had gained Wood Release and control over the Curse Mark, then asked Danzo what to do.
• Danzo urged Hiruzen Sarutobi to recruit the Ninja Clans and gather evidence against Tsunade, and Hiruzen agreed to provide support in exchange for Kabuki.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi took Kabuki to Konoha after Danzo secured funding, a border outpost, and further support for Root.
• Hyuga Mirai returned to the Federation, learned that Uzumaki Naruto and Sasuke wanted to discuss class assignments, and advised Sasuke to consider joining the Military Police Force.
• Hyuga Mirai agreed to discuss dinner with Naruto and Sasuke's families later, then prepared to return to Rōran for another experiment.

Hyuga Mirai absorbed the Ten-Tails and gained Six Paths-level power, though Kaguya’s Consciousness prevented him from fully mastering his new abilities. He warned Ayaka’s and Rin’s Tailed Beasts to behave, then planned to examine his body and remove Kaguya’s influence as Yuhi Kurenai arrived at Kiyomi’s courtyard in Konoha.

• Hyuga Mirai used his Truth-Seeking Orbs to bind and absorb the Ten-Tails, transforming into a Six Paths-like form.
• Hyuga Mirai heard Kaguya’s Consciousness trying to entice him to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, then found he could not yet use the Rinne Sharingan or Kekkei Mōra.
• Hyuga Mirai lifted the seals on Kurama and Isobu and warned both Tailed Beasts not to trouble Ayaka or Rin.
• Ayaka celebrated her closeness to Hyuga Mirai by teasing Kurama, while Isobu greeted Rin and chose not to take over her body.
• Hyuga Mirai planned to examine his body and erase Kaguya’s Consciousness with Yin-Yang Release.
• Yuhi Kurenai went to Kiyomi’s courtyard in the Hyuga compound and called out to her.

Yuhi Kurenai visited Hyuga Kiyomi, probed her feelings about Hyuga Mirai, and told her Tsunade might ask her to lead a new Ninja team. Tsunade began arranging team assignments and consolidating support in Konoha, while graduation results in the Saudi Federation left Naruto’s academic ranking low and Kushina furious.

• Yuhi Kurenai visited Hyuga Kiyomi and learned she still refused to give up on Hyuga Mirai despite pressure from the Hyuga Clan to marry and continue its bloodline.
• Yuhi Kurenai told Hyuga Kiyomi that Tsunade might ask her to become a Jonin team leader, potentially leading a team with Inuzuka, Aburame, and other students.
• Tsunade negotiated with Orochimaru over Yakushi Kabuto and summoned Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza to discuss Yuhi Kurenai leading the Ino-Shika-Cho students.
• Nara Shikaku accepted Tsunade’s proposed assignment, and he and the other clan leaders agreed to prepare their children for graduation and harder training.
• Tsunade considered placing Haruno Sakura, Shino Aburame, and Inuzuka Kiba together if Sakura impressed Shizune, with Hyuga Kiyomi potentially teaching Sakura medical ninjutsu and taijutsu.
• In the Saudi Federation, Second Pillar ranked fourth overall and third in practical combat, while Naruto ranked thirty-ninth; Kushina scolded Naruto over his poor cultural-subject results.

The Federation Ninja Academy assigned its top graduates to mission squads, and Uchiha Mikoto became the team-leading Jonin for Sasuke’s squad. After the students departed, Hyuga Mirai arranged to leave the Rōran Research base and had Nohara Rin assigned to the Federation Hospital.

• The Academy teacher announced the remaining graduates’ assignments, and Naruto and Sasuke discussed their future competition and the need to improve their studies.
• Uchiha Mikoto told Hyuga Mirai she had become a team-leading Jonin so she could guide Sasuke, then invited him to dinner and planned to ask for help with Sasuke’s Chakra.
• Uchiha Mikoto arrived to lead Class Ten, surprising Sasuke, Naruto, Yoko Nakamura, and Miu Imai before taking her squad away.
• Uchiha Mikoto planned to train her squad while they patrolled the Rain Country border and learned about the Federation’s policies and departments.
• After the last students left, Hyuga Mirai learned that another clone would take over his Academy duties and decided to leave Rōran more often as its Dragon Vein Energy dwindled.
• Hyuga Mirai told Ayaka Uzumaki to have Nohara Rin work at the Federation Hospital with Kushina.

Hyuga Mirai reunited Nohara Rin with Kushina and rejected Kushina’s impulse to plead for Uchiha Obito, while planning to take the Tailed Beasts from Akatsuki after they were gathered. In Rain Country, Konan questioned Nagato about breaking the treaty with the Saudi Federation, but accepted that Akatsuki would pursue its plan for lasting peace.

• Kushina excitedly reunited with Nohara Rin and brought her to Hyuga Mirai’s home, where Mirai told Rin to work at the Federation Hospital and wear a mask.
• Hyuga Mirai told Kushina that Akatsuki would be discarded after capturing the Tailed Beasts and challenged her to consider Obito’s victims before pleading for him.
• Hyuga Mirai used a Chakra Thread to make Kushina leave; outside, Kushina apologized to Rin and decided Obito’s actions could not be forgiven.
• Rain Country’s civilians grew more prosperous through trade and jobs provided by the Yasunori Trading Company, while Amegakure’s tax revenue increased.
• Konan asked Nagato whether Akatsuki would break its treaty with the Saudi Federation, and Nagato said they would wait until capturing the One-Tail and Nine-Tails before moving against it.
• Konan accepted Nagato’s belief that Akatsuki’s plan was necessary to bring lasting peace across the Ninja World.

Tsunade reorganized Konoha’s forces and assigned newly graduated students to Jonin teams, preparing them to take the Chunin Exams within months. The chapter ended as the new squad leaders sent their students racing to distant training grounds for their first tests.

• Tsunade and Yakushi Kabuto reduced the Anbu to forty members, expanded Kimimaro’s Root, and reassigned most Anbu personnel away from Konoha.
• Tsunade summoned Jonin to assign squads for the graduates and announced that Konoha teams would participate in the Chunin Exams in four months, despite Iruka’s objections.
• Tsunade assigned Yuhi Kurenai to lead Team 8 with Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akimichi Choji, and Hyuga Kiyomi to lead Team 9 with Inuzuka Kiba, Shino Aburame, and Haruno Sakura.
• At the Ninja Academy, Kurenai ordered Team 8 to reach Training Ground 3 within two minutes, while Kiyomi gave Team 9 the same deadline for the farther Training Ground 4.
• Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji rushed out of the classroom, and Kiba, Shino, and Sakura followed to race toward their assigned training grounds.

Konoha’s Genin endured intensified training while Pakura traveled to meet the other Kage, and Hyuga Mirai reviewed a low-cost armor redesign for the Saudi Federation’s planned aerial combat force. Meanwhile, Uchiha Mikoto’s team set out for Amegakure, where she planned to seek a poison centipede for Yoko Nakamura.

• Yuhi Kurenai and Hyuga Kiyomi put their Genin teams through grueling training, while Yamanaka Inoichi refused Ino’s request to replace her instructor.
• Pakura agreed to attend the Five Kage meeting in Hot Spring Country and left with Baki and Anbu, while Hyuga Mirai stayed in the Saudi Federation.
• Sasori showed Hyuga Mirai a modified armor suit costing seven hundred thousand ryo, and Hyuga Mirai approved it as a practical basis for a three-hundred-suit aerial combat force.
• Sasori showed Hyuga Mirai his nearly completed nineteen-part modular puppet and discussed the challenges of coordinating its abilities and incorporating Natural Energy.
• Uchiha Mikoto led Yoko Nakamura, Second Pillar, and Miu Imai toward Amegakure, promising to ask about the Poison Centipede Yoko wanted.

Terumi Mei faced a severe supply crisis in Kirigakure after Kaido Shipping’s control of the sea routes left the Land of Water dependent on the merchant association. She traveled to the Land of Waves to negotiate with Gato, hoping to restore shipments before the dispute escalated into war.

• Uchiha Mikoto explained to Sasuke, Yoko Nakamura, and Miu Imai that Federation ranks required political and departmental assessments, then briefed them on their mission in the Rain Country.
• Terumi Mei learned that only three shops in Kirigakure could still supply goods, and Genji advised her to negotiate with Kaido Shipping while preparing to summon Utakata as a deterrent.
• Terumi Mei ordered the Anbu to handle Utakata’s matter and left Kirigakure with Ao, Chojuro, and six Anbu to meet Gato.
• Ao warned Terumi Mei that Kaido Shipping was unlikely to accept peace talks, but she said war would damage Kirigakure’s standing before the Four-Nation Alliance meeting.
• Ao identified the group to a Kaido Shipping patrol boat, and the patrol let Terumi Mei’s party proceed to meet a representative.

Terumi Mei negotiated with Gato for supplies and learned he would provide them only if Kirigakure killed people on his list, including Land of Water ministers. Later, Kushina proposed a political marriage as a way to make Konoha’s ninja clans submit to Tsunade, just as Ayaka Uzumaki approached with tea.

• Terumi Mei met Gato in the Land of Waves and learned Kirigakure’s previous assassination attempt had killed a stand-in.
• Gato offered Kirigakure unrestricted supplies in exchange for killing people on his list, and Haku threatened Ao and the others with Ice Release when Ao protested.
• Terumi Mei left without accepting Gato’s terms, sent her thoughts to Genji, and warned him to investigate spies within Kirigakure.
• In the Hot Spring Country, Terumi Mei met Tsunade at an Izakaya, and the two began drinking and talking before the Five Kage meeting.
• Hyuga Mirai reviewed Tsunade’s notes about getting Konoha’s ninja clans to submit, and Kushina suggested a political marriage involving him.
• Ayaka Uzumaki approached Kushina from behind with tea as Kushina began explaining her idea.

Hyuga Mirai considered how the Saudi Federation could consolidate the ninja world while Kushina persuaded Ayaka Uzumaki to pursue him sooner. The Five Kage finalized a joint Chunin Exam’s first two stages and began discussing a third round in the Saudi Federation.

• Hyuga Mirai rejected Kushina’s ideas and discussed using battlefield traps to capture ninja clans resistant to the Saudi Federation; Kushina left, and Ayaka Uzumaki bound and dragged her to a room.
• Kushina argued that Ayaka Uzumaki should not wait years to marry Hyuga Mirai, and Ayaka became persuaded and asked Kushina to continue.
• The Five Kage agreed that the joint Chunin Exam would maintain a high difficulty despite the larger number of participants.
• Raikage A proposed a first exam in Kumogakure that required Genin to gather intelligence along the route, with examiners from other villages involved.
• Tsunade proposed a second exam in the Land of Fire requiring squads to collect three types of scrolls and reach a rendezvous point within five days; she also ordered Anbu supervision and warned that harming civilians would cost offenders their ninja status.
• Pakura suggested that the third round be held in the Saudi Federation and test the contestants’ strength to determine the final rankings.

The Five Kage finalized the Chunin Exams and secretly planned to use the third round as cover for an attack on the Saudi Federation. As the villages prepared and genin trained, Kirigakure struggled to secure military supplies without alerting its daimyo.

• Pakura secured permission for Whirlpool Commerce to film and broadcast the exams, while the Four Kage agreed to attack the Saudi Federation during the third match and keep their genin inside its borders as a diversion.
• Pakura returned to the Saudi Federation, where Yasunori Shin identified a venue and the Federation's team-leading jonin began registering teams for the three exams.
• Second Pillar asked Uchiha Mikoto for stricter training because he believed Naruto and Gaara were stronger than him without Bloodline Ninja Tools.
• Whirlpool Commerce installed Cameras in Kumogakure and expanded its surveillance along the route from Hot Spring Country, while the major villages secretly increased military preparations.
• The Saudi Federation's weapons trade had supplied faulty shuriken and kunai to other villages, profiting from their purchases of supplies from Earth Country and the Land of Lightning.
• Terumi Mei and Genji discussed Kirigakure's supply shortage and agreed to use Anbu to obtain supplies covertly, with Kaido Shipping serving as a cover.

The villages sent their teams toward the Five Nations Chunin Exams, while Akatsuki planned to use the gathering to capture several Tailed Beasts and provoke a war against the Saudi Federation. Orochimaru also prepared Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata to compete, leaving Akatsuki's hunt for the missing Three-Tails unresolved.

• Naruto promised Kushina that he would win, while Kushina and his teammates warned him to follow Mie's arrangements; Sasuke, Gaara, and the other participants said goodbye to their families and mentors.
• Baki led twelve Saudi Federation teams aboard an Anti-gravity Airship toward Hot Spring Country, while Tsunade sent Konoha's twenty teams on a demanding journey to the border under Hyuga Kiyomi's leadership.
• Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and smaller villages dispatched their teams, while Nagato and Obito planned to capture the Four-, Five-, and Six-Tails in the first exam and other Tailed Beasts in the second.
• Black Zetsu, Nagato, and Obito remained frustrated that White Zetsu could not locate the Three-Tails, and Black Zetsu considered reviving Madara if Akatsuki's plans failed.
• Orochimaru assigned Guren to lead an Otogakure team and selected Neji, Hinata, and another Curse Mark-adapted ninja to compete; he told Neji and Hinata their Byakugan experiments would continue after the exam.

Konoha's Genin gathered at the border of Hot Spring Country and began investigating after suspecting the early meeting was part of the first exam. Once the villages assembled and the proctors departed for the Land of Lightning, Naruto ran into Sakura and Kiba as the exam was about to begin.

• Shikamaru recognized that Kiyomi had likely brought the teams early for a reason and persuaded Sakura and Kiba's teams to share intelligence.
• Kurenai asked Kiyomi whether she would accept a personal sacrifice for Konoha, but Kiyomi dismissed the question as ridiculous.
• The Saudi Federation arrived aboard an Anti-gravity Airship, and Mie instructed Naruto and Kamikawa to gather intelligence before any warning was issued.
• Mabui confirmed the exam procedures with Baki, and Samui led the village proctors toward the designated site in the Land of Lightning.
• Naruto encountered Sakura and Kiba while gathering information.

Naruto reunited with his former Konoha classmates during the first exam, then Hyuga Kiyomi attacked Hyuga Neji and Hinata when the Otogakure team gathered. Mabui warned Kiyomi and began the exam, leaving the confrontation unresolved as the Genin assembled.

• Naruto rebuffed Kiba’s questions about leaving Konoha and joined Yamai Mie to continue gathering intelligence, while Sakura asked about Sasuke.
• Second Pillar’s team nearly clashed with Ino’s group, and Hyuga Neji chose to wait rather than gather information with Tayuya.
• After the signal summoned nearly four hundred Genin, Hyuga Kiyomi charged the Otogakure team, struck Neji, and fought Hinata, who managed to bruise her arm with an invisible attack.
• Mabui warned Kiyomi that Kumogakure could penalize Konoha if she attacked again, and Kiyomi agreed not to make another move during the exam.
• Mabui announced the start of the first exam.

The first Chunin Exam tested teams’ intelligence gathering and judgment as they traveled through the Land of Lightning to Kumogakure. Mabui eliminated every team that followed the misleading instructions at the announced site, leaving the surviving teams to proceed toward the next exam location.

• Mabui began the exam, and the Genin split into three routes toward Kumogakure while gathering information and avoiding proctor patrols.
• Second Pillar’s team defeated a Kumo-nin ambush, while Naruto’s team and other Genin also gathered intelligence through battles and tactical retreats.
• Surveillance showed teams attacking proctors, and the exam continued as participants were eliminated across the Land of Lightning.
• Second Pillar’s team reached Kumogakure first, then ignored the waiting area and searched for Cloud-Lightning Gorge based on their intelligence.
• Mabui announced that only fifty-five teams had passed and disqualified every team that had waited at the designated site.

Hyuga Mirai and Tsunade discussed how to integrate Konoha into the Saudi Federation, while the Federation prepared its forces to capture the allied invasion troops. Mirai finalized the battle plan with Pakura, then returned home to find Kushina and Ayaka watching the first exam footage.

• Tsunade proposed integrating Konoha through exchanges between ranks and marriage alliances, and Mirai teased her into realizing she had implied she was willing to marry him.
• Pakura praised Mirai’s influence and argued that he should lead the Federation after Konoha joined, while he postponed the decision and considered the administrative restructuring it would require.
• Mirai and Pakura divided the coming battle: Mirai and Tsunade would capture five thousand troops, while Pakura would lead the Federation’s forces against three thousand Kumo-nin and Kirigakure ninja.
• Mirai returned home and found Kushina and Ayaka watching a recording of the first exam; Kushina admitted she had told Tsunade about the marriage idea, then complained that she would be alone after Naruto married.