Chapter Summaries

Soseki discussed ways to achieve peace with Nagato and Konan, urging them to challenge the Shinobi World’s order rather than spread pain. After Soseki left, Yahiko awoke and decided to recruit him as the organization’s strategist.

• Nagato asked Soseki whether his idea of making people understand pain could bring peace, and Soseki described unified government and a common enemy as possible paths.
• Soseki distinguished a Revolutionary Army that openly challenged the existing order from a terrorist organization that inflicted pain on civilians, and warned Nagato that the path would bring infamy.
• Soseki advised Nagato and Konan not to let hatred blind them or make them pass on pain, then departed before Yahiko awoke.
• Yahiko woke and learned that Nagato and Konan had been saved and had discussed the Revolutionary Army with Soseki.
• Yahiko decided to make Soseki his strategist.

Obito learned that Yahiko survived after a mysterious masked man intervened, while Hanzo secretly planned to pursue Nagato's Rinnegan. Soseki set out for the Land of Demons to help Miroku, who faced a demon claiming they had once been one.

• Black Zetsu told Obito that Yahiko had survived because a masked man wearing a Death God Mask saved him, and Obito suspected the man was an Uzumaki survivor.
• Hanzo ordered his men to strengthen security, then privately decided to keep Nagato's Rinnegan secret and try to obtain it to defeat Shimizu Soseki.
• Yamakawa told Soseki that Miroku had foreseen a disaster in the Land of Demons and that rebels had attacked while her power weakened during childbirth.
• Soseki asked Minato for permission to leave immediately for the Land of Demons, and Minato agreed.
• Miroku confronted a black shadow that claimed they had originally been one and warned that Soseki might not arrive alive.

Soseki exposed Yamakawa’s attempt to kill him and the attendants, then destroyed the Deity’s stone statue army with his Shadow Clones. At the palace, Moryo took Miroku’s form and set out to meet Soseki.

• Yamakawa secretly detonated the bombs he had planted, but Soseki had moved them to the Deity’s stone statues, destroying the army instead.
• Yamakawa admitted he had acted to protect the Land of Demons, while Soseki revealed he had known Yamakawa was a spy.
• When the stone statues revived, Soseki created ten Shadow Clones, launched Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, and escaped with the others using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• The blast devastated the valley, and Moryo panicked after learning that his immortal army had been destroyed.
• Moryo transformed into a duplicate of Miroku and left the palace, eager to meet Soseki.

Soseki infiltrated the palace to rescue Miroku, who was trapped behind a barrier while a demon impersonated her. After “Miroku” guided him into the main hall, she proposed hiding together in her bed so they could follow the demon when it came at night.

• Soseki questioned Yamakawa about the demon, then killed him when he began describing the Priestess’s measurements.
• Soseki and the attendants reached the palace, where he sent a slug ahead and teleported inside with Flying Thunder God.
• The demon impersonating Miroku detected Soseki and watched him through a mirror while Miroku tried to break through a barrier in the side hall.
• A voice guided Soseki to the main hall, where “Miroku” claimed the demon left after controlling the palace guards and returned each night to attack the barrier.
• “Miroku” suggested that she and Soseki hide together in her bed until nightfall so they could follow the demon.

Miroku and Soseki accidentally helped Moryo break free from its seal, forcing them to decide how to stop the demon. After Miroku gave Soseki her power, Moryo emerged to find him calmly waiting.

• Miroku broke through the barrier and exposed Moryo disguised as her, and Soseki blasted the demon's shadow with a Sage Art: Ultimate Massive Rasenshuriken.
• Moryo revealed that the attack had destroyed only its escaped body, while the transmitted power had broken the seal holding its true body underground.
• Soseki sealed the abyss temporarily and urged Miroku to flee, but Miroku offered him her power so he could fight Moryo.
• Soseki accepted Miroku's power, and several minutes later Moryo broke through the barrier and emerged from the abyss.
• Moryo expected to find Soseki despairing, but Soseki greeted it calmly from a side hall.

Soseki gained immense soul power from Miroku and negotiated with Wu, offering to persuade the Priestess to willingly give up her power in exchange for knowledge about sages, Deities, and demons. Wu explained its ancient history and revealed that it had split into Chimei and Wu after attempting to merge with the Deity system, leaving Soseki wary of that power.

• Soseki absorbed the soul essence accumulated by the Priestess lineage and felt his strength rise to a level that could rival Madara and Hashirama at the Valley of the End.
• Soseki questioned Wu about Zero-Tail, and Wu explained that Anmu had carved a zero into its head to curry favor with the Sage of Six Paths, who instead beat it half to death.
• Soseki proposed peaceful coexistence and offered to persuade the Priestess to willingly give up her power if Wu shared what it knew about sages, Deities, and demons.
• Wu explained that sages used natural energy, Deities had powerful souls, and demons possessed endlessly regenerating bodies.
• Wu revealed that it had split into Chimei and Wu after trying to merge with the Deity system, and that Chimei later became a Priestess and sealed Wu away.

Soseki outsmarted Moryo and fought it while learning about its powers. After trapping the demon in a genjutsu, he planned to seal it in Dream World as a world boss and use it as a renewable power source.

• Soseki revealed that he had taken the Priestess's soul power for himself, enraging Moryo.
• Soseki and Moryo traded attacks as Moryo multiplied its body, hardened its tentacles, and transformed into a giant nine-tailed fox.
• Moryo pursued Soseki, hoping to reclaim its power and use Chakra to balance its body and mind.
• Soseki trapped Moryo in a powerful genjutsu after deciding he had gathered enough information.
• Soseki considered sealing Moryo inside Dream World as a world boss so its power could be weakened and replenished.

Five months after the war, Soseki trained with Guy and explored ways to improve physical energy, then worked with Orochimaru to study demonic flesh and strengthen his body. Kabuto announced that Kushina had gone into labor, and Soseki left the laboratory to answer the Hokage’s summons.

• Soseki and Guy raced through the village, then discussed their training and Soseki’s efforts to develop physical-energy methods for people with poor ninja aptitude.
• Soseki asked Guy to report any changes from using physical energy to nourish his body.
• In the laboratory, Orochimaru said Soseki’s body had undergone beneficial genetic changes while they studied demonic flesh.
• Kabuto told Soseki that the Hokage was looking for him because Kushina had gone into labor.

As Kushina prepared to give birth, Danzo warned Minato that the Nine-Tails might escape and accused the Uchiha of posing a threat. Obito revealed that he had fed Danzo the warning to unsettle Minato, then waited for the delivery to begin while Soseki entered the room.

• Minato waited anxiously outside the delivery room as others reassured him about Kushina's health.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu warned Minato that childbirth could weaken Kushina's seal and let the Nine-Tails run wild.
• Danzo accused the Uchiha of potentially controlling the Nine-Tails, but Minato defended Fugaku and told Danzo to stop.
• Obito told Black Zetsu that he had leaked the warning to Danzo to make Minato unfit to remain Hokage, and said he would act when the delivery began.
• Soseki arrived to help with Kushina's delivery, and Obito noted that Minato was now occupied inside the delivery room.

Obito summoned Kurama into the Leaf Village and controlled him with the Mangekyō Sharingan, forcing Minato to fight the rampaging beast while Kushina endured childbirth without her Tailed Beast. Soseki stayed to protect Kushina and sent Katsuyu’s slugs to aid the village, while Minato faced Obito after fleeing outside the village.

• Obito summoned Kurama in the central district, then used the Mangekyō Sharingan to control him and unleash his rampage.
• Kushina realized Kurama had been summoned away, and Soseki urged Biwako to finish the delivery while he stayed to protect Kushina.
• Soseki summoned Katsuyu and sent her small slugs with Anbu shinobi to treat the injured across the village.
• Minato dodged Kurama’s attacks, redirected a Tailed Beast Bomb, and suspected the masked attacker was connected to the Uchiha.
• Obito attacked Minato from behind, and Minato escaped outside the village with Flying Thunder God before Obito followed through a spatial vortex.

As the Nine-Tails rampaged through the Leaf Village, Minato confronted the masked man and deduced that he had controlled the Mizukage. Danzo organized Root to rescue civilians and publicize its efforts, while the Third Hokage and the Uchiha prepared to respond; Guy and Kakashi proposed reaching the Nine-Tails through their shared card games.

• Minato realized the masked man had targeted him, inferred that he controlled other Kage, and declared that the Leaf Village would survive with Soseki and the Third Hokage defending it.
• Danzo rejected hiding underground or fighting the Nine-Tails for glory and ordered Root to rescue civilians while identifying themselves.
• The Third Hokage summoned Elephant, ordered him to protect noncombatants and alert Minato, Soseki, Orochimaru, and others, then prepared to suppress the Nine-Tails.
• Fugaku decided the Uchiha must join the fight to avoid being blamed, while Mikoto volunteered to help rescue people and left Sasuke in Itachi's care.
• Shinku ordered Guy and Kakashi to the assembly hall, but they argued that their card-playing memories might help free the Nine-Tails from control.

The Nine-Tails devastated the Leaf Village with ninjutsu while the Third Hokage and other ninja struggled to stop it. As casualties mounted, Soseki arrived on Hokage Rock and announced that his rain could heal the wounded.

• The Third Hokage summoned Enma and fought the Nine-Tails, but its ninjutsu, clones, and strength overwhelmed him and left him unable to stand.
• Asuma, Mizuki, Guy, and Kakashi tried to rescue the Third Hokage and distract the Nine-Tails, but their efforts only made it more violent.
• Kurenai Yuhi, badly injured after trying to break the Nine-Tails' Genjutsu, urged Kurenai to hold on and said Soseki would save the village.
• Iruka found his mother injured by falling rocks, while the nearby Lady Slugs were too busy or exhausted to help her.
• Soseki appeared atop Hokage Rock as healing rain began to fall and told the wounded to let the raindrops touch their injuries.

Soseki arrived at the Leaf Village and used his new Rain of Serenity technique to heal the wounded before unveiling Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands. He subdued the Nine-Tails, while Minato continued fighting Obito outside the village.

• Soseki’s Rain of Serenity healed the battlefield, and Iruka, Kurenai Yuhi, Kurenai, and the villagers celebrated his arrival.
• Soseki left a Shadow Clone to maintain the healing rain, then summoned True Several Thousand Hands to confront the Nine-Tails.
• The Third Hokage, Tsunade, Danzo, Mizuki, and others reacted with astonishment as they recognized Soseki’s immense Wood Release power.
• Minato and Obito noticed Soseki’s Wood Release while continuing their fight outside the village, and Obito insisted his plan could still succeed if he captured Minato.
• Soseki’s wooden statue absorbed the Nine-Tails’ Shadow Clones, blocked its Tailed Beast Bomb, and pinned down its true body, prompting the villagers to celebrate his victory.

Soseki freed Kurama from the Sharingan’s control, helped rebuild the Leaf Village with Wood Release, and proposed splitting the Nine-Tails to protect Naruto. Kushina agreed to let Kurama become Naruto’s Jinchuriki, and Kurama accepted the plan to atone for the destruction.

• Soseki broke the Sharingan’s control over Kurama, who realized it had been forced to attack the Leaf Village and suspected its controller was not Madara.
• Soseki’s Shadow Clone used Wood Release to transform the remains of the giant statue into new houses, earning cheers from the villagers.
• At the hospital, Soseki warned Minato that the attacker might target Naruto, and suggested making the tailed beast inside Naruto his protector.
• Minato worried that Kushina could die if Kurama was removed from her, but Kushina insisted she was willing to let Naruto become the Jinchuriki.
• Soseki proposed splitting Kurama into Yin and Yang halves, and Kurama agreed to the plan, claiming it was to atone for its rampage.

Danzo tried to turn the Leaf Village against Minato, but the villagers instead praised Soseki as a potential Hokage. Meanwhile, Minato and the Third Hokage investigated the masked man’s identity before Danzo entered their meeting.

• Danzo learned that Root had swayed public opinion and left the underground facility expecting support.
• Righteous bystanders blamed Minato for failing to protect the village, but the crowd rallied behind Soseki as a stronger and more responsible Hokage candidate.
• Soseki asked Danzo to speak privately, while Danzo reacted angrily to Soseki’s popularity.
• Minato told the Third Hokage he might step down to protect Naruto, but insisted Danzo would not become Hokage.
• Minato and the Third Hokage considered whether the masked man was Uchiha Madara or the missing Uchiha Kagami, then Danzo entered the meeting.

Minato stepped down as Hokage, and Soseki supported Danzo’s succession to protect Minato’s family and the Uchiha from being blamed for the Nine-Tails disaster. Soseki and Minato agreed to leave Leaf Village temporarily under the cover of a secret mission, though Soseki hinted he had another reason for accepting it.

• Danzo challenged Minato’s fitness to be Hokage, and Minato announced he would step down.
• Minato nominated Soseki as the next Hokage, but Soseki instead supported Danzo, who left with Homura and Koharu after the decision was settled.
• Soseki explained that his agreement with Danzo would keep him from targeting Minato and Kushina over the disaster and prevent the Uchiha from being blamed as a clan.
• Soseki told the Third Hokage and Minato that he had agreed to leave Leaf Village temporarily, and Minato accepted so Naruto could grow up away from the hostility.
• Soseki said Danzo would describe their departure as a secret mission and revealed that the mission was another reason he had agreed to leave.

Soseki and Minato convinced the Third Hokage to investigate a dangerous organization in secret and warn other villages without revealing that their Kage might be controlled. As Minato prepared to leave Leaf Village, Soseki reflected on how the departure would advance his plans for the village and the wider Shinobi World.

• Soseki told the Third Hokage and Minato that he had sensed the same hidden enemy behind the Hozuki Castle ambush and the Nine-Tails attack, and Minato warned that the masked man had hinted other Kage might be controlled.
• Soseki persuaded them to investigate secretly and issue a cautious warning about threats to the Hokage, rather than risk provoking other villages with unconfirmed claims about their leaders.
• Kushina tried to stop Minato from leaving Leaf Village because she feared for him and Soseki, but Minato said he was leaving for Naruto's sake and reassured her that he would return.
• Soseki concluded that his departure would strengthen his image as a tragic hero and make the Uchiha see him as their potential savior, while Danzo's actions would help him undermine the village's authority.
• Soseki decided that the groundwork in Leaf Village was nearly complete and began considering the next stage of his plans for the Shinobi World.

After Soseki left the village to grow stronger, his friends and the major clans reflected on his sacrifices and resolved to support him. Mizuki vowed to protect Soseki’s influence in the village until he returned.

• Fugaku felt ashamed that Soseki had given up the Hokage position for his sake, and urged Itachi to protect the people he loved, inspiring Itachi to become a man like Lord Soseki.
• Hiashi and Hizashi were relieved that the Uchiha had not fallen, and Hizashi resolved to raise Neji to fulfill his dream of changing the world.
• At Konoha’s gates, Soseki comforted his friends, exchanged farewells with them, and left to become stronger before the Otsutsuki descended.
• After Soseki departed, Mizuki explained that he would remain in the village to prevent Danzo from erasing Soseki’s influence, and the others agreed to help.

News of Shimizu Soseki’s Wood Release and his defeat of the Nine-Tails shocked the other hidden villages, while the Leaf Village’s decision to replace Minato with Danzō as Hokage left them puzzled. The chapter ends with Yagura ordering Kirigakure into complete isolation as its leaders feared Soseki’s response.

• In Kumogakure, Dodai reported that Soseki had used Wood Release to subdue the Nine-Tails, and A responded with excitement about facing such a powerful opponent.
• A chunin announced that Minato had resigned and Danzō would become Hokage, while Soseki and Minato were assigned a classified mission; A wondered why the Leaf was weakening itself.
• In Iwagakure, Ōnoki and his people reacted with alarm to Soseki’s strength and speculated that the Leaf’s leadership change might relate to the warning about a hidden attacker.
• In Sunagakure, Rasa said his spy admired Soseki and despised Danzō, and warned that public support for Soseki could make any mistake by Danzō disastrous.
• In Kirigakure, Yagura rebuked his people for mocking Soseki and ordered the village to enter complete isolation.

Obito decided to avoid Senior and infiltrate the Akatsuki to steer it toward his plan. In Takigakure, pressure to execute Kakuzu pushed Suien to visit him secretly, where Kakuzu learned that Shimizu Soseki had defeated the Nine-Tails with Wood Release.

• Obito asked Black Zetsu to compare Senior's strength with Madara's and chose to avoid Senior rather than scheme against him.
• Obito learned that Yahiko distrusted them and proposed joining the Akatsuki to hollow it out from within.
• Shibuya and Canger discussed pressure from other villages to execute Kakuzu, and they agreed to give him three days to reveal Earth Grudge Fear.
• Suien secretly visited Kakuzu and told him other villages were demanding his execution.
• Suien told Kakuzu that Shimizu Soseki had defeated the Nine-Tails with Wood Release, and Kakuzu recalled that Wood Release had defeated him.