Chapter Summaries

Nagato defeated Shimura Danzō’s ambush, severed his right arm, and spared him when Hiruzen Sarutobi approached. Yahiko concealed the incident from Hiruzen, and the team continued their examination with the conflict unresolved.

• Shimura Danzō used Izanagi to survive Nagato’s attack and tried to seize his Rinnegan, but Nagato restrained him.
• Nagato’s laser cannon destroyed Danzō’s right arm, while Shinra Tensei drove back the Root Ninjas attempting to rescue him.
• Nagato sensed Hiruzen Sarutobi approaching, stopped short of killing Danzō, punched him, and threw him back to his Root Ninjas.
• Danzō ordered a retreat, and the Root Ninjas erased evidence before fleeing the Forest of Death with him.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived and asked what had happened, and Yahiko claimed they had only fought an ordinary battle.
• Hiruzen accepted Yahiko’s answer and told the Kirigakure team to continue their examination.

After the Joint Chunin Exams’ second stage ended, Seiji prepared to help the Hyuga Branch Family escape Konoha and sent Black Zetsu to investigate the One-Tails’ jinchuriki. Seiji arrived outside Konoha the day before the third exam, where the other village leaders waited to greet him.

• Yahiko Squad and Mei Terumi Squad passed the second exam after defeating rival teams, and Kirigakure’s two squads left their opponents with hidden injuries.
• Seiji told Ken that Otsutsuki Tenshin had reached an agreement with Hyuga Mukai, and he planned to remove the Branch Family’s Caged Bird Seals and help them flee using White Zetsu clones.
• Black Zetsu told Seiji that Yugito Nii was the Two-Tails’ jinchuriki, then accepted orders to investigate the One-Tails’ jinchuriki, Bunbuku.
• Otsutsuki Tenshin met Seiji outside Konoha, and Seiji used a spatial vortex to arrive there without exposing his ability to Konoha’s sensory barrier.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Kazekage Iron Sand, Third Raikage A, and Ōnoki waited at Konoha’s gates to welcome Seiji.

Seiji attended the Kage gathering and the Joint Chunin Exams, where Nagato was matched against Uzumaki Kana and advanced after she forfeited. Meanwhile, Shimura Danzō prepared an ambush to seize the Uzumaki clansmen and Byakugan on Kirigakure’s journey home, convinced he could hold Seiji back.

• Seiji greeted the other Kage at Konoha, and Ōnoki mocked his age and manners, souring their first meeting.
• The Five Kage attended the third round of the Joint Chunin Exams, where Shikaku Nara announced one-on-one matches for the thirty examinees.
• The first match paired Nagato with Uzumaki Kana, and Kana forfeited so Nagato could advance.
• Shimura Danzō recalled Root Ninja and planned to ambush Kirigakure’s group on its way home, targeting Nagato’s Rinnegan, the other Uzumaki clansman, and the Byakugan.
• Danzō planned to use more than a hundred Root Ninja and his own Izanagi to hold Seiji back, confident his attack could not fail.

The final opening-round match of the Joint Chunin Exams began with Konoha's Might Duy facing Kirigakure's Mei Terumi. After Hiruzen Sarutobi arranged for Duy to enter the exams, Duy resolved to defend Konoha's honor, and the chapter ended as Mei dodged the weights he threw at her.

• The crowd reacted with disbelief when the notorious Eternal Genin, Might Duy, entered the arena to face Mei Terumi.
• The narration explained that Hiruzen Sarutobi had discovered Duy's mastery of the Eight Inner Gates and arranged for him to pass the first two exam stages.
• Seiji recognized Duy's potential and suspected Hiruzen had manipulated the exams, while noting that Mei was Kirigakure's ace.
• Duy recalled Hiruzen's trust and resolved to give everything to win for Konoha despite his self-imposed restriction on using the Eight Inner Gates.
• Shikaku Nara started the match, and Duy retreated, removed the weights from his legs, and hurled them at Mei, who dodged aside.

Mei Terumi fought Might Duy in the Joint Chunin Exams, revealing her Six-Tails power and two Kekkei Genkai. The other Kage recognized her as a major threat and considered arranging her assassination.

• Might Duy removed his weights and attacked Mei Terumi, who caught his arm and countered with a Boil Release punch.
• Might Duy opened the Third Gate and clashed with Mei Terumi, who activated the Six-Tails’ Tailed Beast Cloak.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi challenged Seiji over sending a Jinchuriki to the exams, and Seiji defended Mei Terumi’s eligibility as a genuine genin.
• Mei Terumi used Lava Release against Might Duy, then unleashed her corrosive Boil Release mist.
• The watching Kage recognized Mei Terumi as a Jinchuriki with two Kekkei Genkai and secretly considered finding a chance to kill her.

Might Duy opened the Sixth Gate and battled Mei Terumi, who used partial Tailed Beast Transformation and corrosive acid to counter his attacks. As the acid mist began to clear, Might Duy launched his Morning Peacock toward her.

• Might Duy abandoned his planned close-range attack after seeing Mei Terumi’s acid mist corrode the air, and both fighters resolved to end the battle quickly.
• Might Duy opened the Sixth Gate of View and struck with a flame shockwave, but Mei Terumi’s concentrated acid corroded it away.
• Mei Terumi entered partial Tailed Beast Transformation, prompting the spectators to recognize her as a Jinchuriki and question Kirigakure’s decision to enter her in the Chunin Exams.
• Ōnoki praised the fighters as Genin with pointed sarcasm, and Seiji and Hiruzen Sarutobi returned the political courtesy by praising Iwagakure’s Genin.
• Might Duy repeatedly attacked from different directions while Mei Terumi tracked him and fired acid, gradually dispersing the mist around her.
• Might Duy halted, leaped into the air, and unleashed a rapid barrage of punches with Morning Peacock.

Mei Terumi overwhelmed Might Duy with her partial Six-Tails transformation and Boil Release, but Duy survived her punch and opened the Seventh Gate of Wonder. The chapter ended as his blue chakra erupted around him, setting up the next stage of their fight.

• Might Duy unleashed Morning Peacock, filling the sky with flaming shockwaves that Mei Terumi charged through in her partial Tailed Beast Transformation.
• Mei Terumi used Boil Release to enhance her strength, while Ōnoki and the other Kage wondered how much of her Tailed Beast's power she could control.
• Mei Terumi reached Might Duy and struck him with a powerful punch, hurling him into the arena wall.
• Might Duy endured his injuries and opened the Seventh Gate of Wonder, releasing a powerful blue chakra aura.

Might Duy unleashed Daytime Tiger against Mei Terumi, who countered with a Tailed Beast Ball, while Hiruzen Sarutobi protected the spectators with a barrier. The attacks collided in a huge explosion that sent both fighters flying backward.

• Might Duy opened the Seventh Gate and attacked Mei Terumi with Daytime Tiger.
• Mei Terumi evaded Might Duy’s punch and launched a Tailed Beast Ball at him.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi created three Shadow Clones and raised the Four Violet Flames Formation around the spectator stands.
• Daytime Tiger and the Tailed Beast Ball collided, producing a blinding explosion that hurled Might Duy and Mei Terumi backward.

Mei Terumi defeated Might Duy after his exhausted body could no longer withstand her attacks, deciding the battle in her favor. Meanwhile, Hyuga Mukai and twenty-one other Hyuga Branch Family members had their Caged Bird Seals removed with Seiji’s help.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi’s Four Violet Flames Formation broke after shielding the spectator stands from the explosion’s aftershocks.
• Mei Terumi sensed Might Duy through the smoke and attacked him while he struggled to endure the Seventh Gate’s strain.
• Mei Terumi struck Might Duy with a Boil Release-enhanced Super Strength Fist, sending him into the arena wall, which collapsed on him.
• Might Duy lost consciousness beneath the rubble, ending the battle with Mei Terumi as the victor.
• Seiji’s Shadow Clone removed the Caged Bird Seals from Hyuga Mukai and twenty-one other Hyuga Branch Family members.

Seiji arranged for twenty-two Hyuga Branch Family members to escape Konoha with White Zetsu's help and join Kirigakure. The evacuees reached Ken's ANBU squad safely, while the White Zetsu returned to Rōran to continue searching for Madara Uchiha.

• Seiji's Shadow Clone removed the Caged Bird Seal from twenty-two Hyuga Branch Family members, then dispersed.
• Twenty-two White Zetsu Clones impersonated the departing Hyuga members in Konoha while other clones smuggled the real group past the village barrier toward the eastern coast.
• Ken recognized the White Zetsu as Seiji's allies and received the Hyuga Branch Family members from them.
• The White Zetsu Clones returned to Rōran to search for Madara Uchiha, leaving the evacuees in Kirigakure ANBU's care.
• Konoha's Byakugan and other sensory methods could not detect the White Zetsu impersonators, helping conceal the evacuation.

The second round of the Joint Chunin Exams began, with Kirigakure dominating the remaining field as its contestants won their matches. Kisame Hoshigaki defeated Yahiko, leaving eight contestants, four of them from Kirigakure, to advance.

• The second-round draw paired Yahiko against Kisame Hoshigaki, while Konan received a bye.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi decided not to interfere with the draw again, wary that the other village Kage would suspect Konoha of rigging it.
• Kisame Hoshigaki kept Yahiko at a distance and drained his Chakra in a Water Release duel, defeating him.
• Kirigakure's other contestants won their matches, leaving eight contestants, half of them from Kirigakure.

The third round of the Joint Chunin Exams began with Kisame Hoshigaki defeating Iwagakure’s Kari in under a minute. Kari’s loss left Ōnoki furious and Iwagakure eliminated, while Seiji watched with a faint smile.

• The chapter described Kari as an Iwagakure demolition-unit ninja with Explosion Release, and Yoichi Kurama as a frail Konoha genjutsu specialist whose Kekkei Genkai could approach Yin Release.
• The chapter explained that Toroi had trained Magnet Release under Third Raikage A, while Baki was a capable Wind Release Genin without a Kekkei Genkai.
• After a half-hour rest, Kisame Hoshigaki faced Kari in the first match of the third round.
• Kisame used Water Release to trap Kari in a water prison and knock him unconscious with a Water Burst before Kari could escape or use Explosion Release.
• Ōnoki reacted angrily to Kari’s defeat, which eliminated Iwagakure from the exams, as Seiji watched with a faint smile.

The third-round matches ended with Mei Terumi, Nagato, and Toroi advancing, while Baki narrowly survived Toroi’s attack. Meanwhile, Jian successfully evacuated the Hyuga Branch Family to the coast, where they prepared to join Hidden Mist Village’s Otsutsuki Clan and begin new lives.

• Mei Terumi awakened from Yoichi Kurama’s genjutsu with Saiken’s help, and Yoichi admitted defeat.
• Konan voluntarily yielded to Nagato, sending him into the next round.
• Toroi defeated Baki with Magnet Release: Diamond Shuriken, and Shikaku Nara pulled the weapon away before it could kill Baki.
• Jian led two Anbu squads and the Hyuga Branch Family past Konoha’s border defenses to the eastern coast, where he summoned their ship.
• The Hyuga Branch Family agreed to take the Otsutsuki surname in Hidden Mist Village, and Seiji planned to use Sanzu Amado’s research to strengthen their bloodline and awaken Byakugan: Pressure.

The final rounds of the Joint Chunin Exams narrowed the field to Nagato and Mei Terumi, who began a fierce battle after Hiruzen Sarutobi replaced Shikaku Nara as chief examiner. Nagato absorbed Mei’s corrosive attack and summoned a creature as he launched his counterattack.

• Nagato defeated Toroi by repelling his attack, pulling him close with Banshō Ten'in, and knocking him unconscious with Shinra Tensei.
• Mei Terumi won her spar against Kisame Hoshigaki, setting up the final match between her and Nagato.
• An Anbu ninja informed Shikaku Nara of something, and Hiruzen Sarutobi took over as chief examiner for the final match.
• Mei entered a half-Tailed Beast Transformation and attacked Nagato, who repelled her with Shinra Tensei and pinned two of her Chakra tails with black rods.
• Mei fired Lava Release: Incinerating Sticky Acid, but Nagato absorbed its Chakra with Sealing Technique Absorption Seal.
• Nagato summoned a creature as he began his counterattack against Mei.

Mei Terumi fought Nagato in the final round of the Joint Chunin Exams, but his Six Paths abilities overcame her strongest attack and she conceded. The exams ended with Kirigakure triumphant and Konoha’s weakness exposed to the other villages.

• Nagato summoned a giant rhinoceros and used Strange Arm Missiles to blast Mei Terumi through the air.
• A concealed giant chameleon bound Mei Terumi, but she changed her Tailed Beast Cloak and broke free with corrosive chakra.
• Mei Terumi charged Nagato and struck him with Boil Release: Super Strength Unmatched, but he resisted her attack with Shinra Tensei.
• Nagato absorbed Mei Terumi’s Tailed Beast Chakra and blocked her punch with mechanical armor, so she conceded.
• The Joint Chunin Exams ended with Kirigakure making a strong showing while Konoha’s weakness became apparent to the other villages.

Nagato of Kirigakure won the third round of the Joint Chunin Exams, leaving the five Kage with sharply different reactions. Hiruzen Sarutobi delivered a speech calling for peace, but Seiji believed another Great Shinobi War was inevitable while the shinobi world remained divided.

• Shikaku Nara announced Nagato of Kirigakure as the final winner of the third round, and the five Kage stood to watch him receive the crowd’s cheers.
• Ōnoki brooded over Iwagakure’s poor showing, while Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly hid his disappointment behind a smile.
• Third Raikage A applauded Nagato, and Third Kazekage Iron Sand accepted Sunagakure’s results as better than expected.
• Seiji smiled proudly at his disciple and silently mocked Ōnoki, deciding that the truth of Iwagakure’s weakness spoke for itself.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi thanked the visiting Kage and nobles and expressed hope that peace would continue.
• Seiji dismissed Hiruzen Sarutobi’s appeal, reasoning that competition for the Land of Fire’s resources made a Great Shinobi War inevitable while the shinobi world remained divided.

After the Joint Chunin Exams, Seiji left Konoha with the Kirigakure group but diverted to Rōran after White Zetsu found Madara Uchiha’s hiding place. Otsutsuki Tenshin continued toward the village with the others, unaware that over a hundred Root Ninja led by Shimura Danzō were waiting ahead.

• Seiji toured Konoha with the Kirigakure group before the visitors began leaving the next morning.
• Seiji decided not to confront Hiruzen Sarutobi about Shimura Danzō’s attack on Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan, and planned to leave revenge to his disciples.
• Seiji stopped on the road out of Konoha when White Zetsu emerged and reported finding Madara Uchiha’s hidden location in Rōran.
• Seiji told Otsutsuki Tenshin to lead the group home, then used White Zetsu’s chakra connection and Takamagahara to travel to Madara’s location.
• Otsutsuki Tenshin led the others onward, where more than a hundred Root Ninja under Shimura Danzō were waiting.

Seiji found Madara Uchiha’s underground hideout beneath Roran and broke through the barrier concealing him. Madara confronted Seiji, confident that the Dragon Vein’s power had given him Sage Jutsu strength, and prepared to fight again.

• White Zetsu led Seiji to a remote desert location at the edge of Roran, where Seiji used his Jōgan to spot Madara Uchiha’s underground chamber and the Dragon Vein.
• Seiji dismissed White Zetsu and used Earth Release to descend underground toward Madara Uchiha’s hiding place.
• Seiji shattered Madara Uchiha’s barrier, waking Madara and disturbing the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path as it absorbed the Dragon Vein’s Chakra.
• Seiji emerged through the dust and taunted Madara Uchiha, who demanded to know how Seiji had found him.
• Madara Uchiha declared that the Dragon Vein had given him Sage Jutsu power and faced Seiji with confidence, eager to avenge his previous defeat.

Madara Uchiha revealed that he had entered Sage Mode and challenged Seiji, confident that senjutsu and Wood Release would let him reclaim his lost dignity. After absorbing Madara’s Great Fireball, Seiji followed him to the surface, where Madara unleashed Sage Art: Wood Release: Tree World Descent.

• Madara Uchiha sent away the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and attacked Seiji with a Sage Art: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
• Seiji used the Tenseigan’s Sealing Technique Absorption Seal to absorb the fireball, while Madara explained that it had been a test.
• Madara Uchiha used White Zetsu Tobi to reach the surface and revealed that he had entered Sage Mode with abundant Sage Chakra.
• Seiji used Takamagahara to return to the surface after Madara challenged him to fight there.
• Madara Uchiha unleashed Sage Art: Wood Release: Tree World Descent, and Seiji assessed that the physical trees could not be neutralized simply by absorbing their chakra.

Seiji countered Madara Uchiha’s Wood and Fire Release with his newly developed Ice Release Sage Art, freezing the battlefield and trapping Madara’s Susanoo. Madara’s forest was immobilized, leaving him in a worsening predicament.

• Seiji used Sage Art: Lava Release: Dissolving Apparition Technique to corrode Madara Uchiha’s forest, and the two techniques stalemated.
• Madara Uchiha unleashed Sage Art: Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, then used Susanoo and Sage Art: Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation to attack Seiji.
• Seiji cast Sage Art: Ice Release: Eternal Frozen Domain, creating a vast field of ice and snow across the desert.
• Seiji’s freezing snow encased Madara Uchiha’s fourth-stage Susanoo and halted the forest’s growth.
• The ice spread across nearly ten kilometers, freezing the forest and trapping Madara Uchiha inside the ice sculpture.