Chapter Summaries

Masahiko examined Kimimaro and Karin, then began training the three children as a team. After pausing their training to heal Zabuza, he learned that a battle in the Land of Rain had left Ibuse dead and Hanzō missing, and decided to investigate Akatsuki himself.

• Masahiko examined Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku, found no sign of a curse, and took a bone to study.
• Masahiko discovered Karin's healing ability and assigned her to train with Kimimaro and Haku toward becoming Genin.
• Masahiko suspended training to treat Zabuza, who had been severely injured while trying to reclaim Kubikiribōchō.
• A Patrol Team member reported that Ibuse had died and Hanzō had been missing for three days after a battle in the Land of Rain.
• Masahiko concluded that Akatsuki had fought Hanzō and decided to go to the Land of Rain himself.

Masahiko disguised himself as Hanzō and returned to the Land of Rain, planning to draw Akatsuki into the open. Yahiko and his companions realized the returned Hanzō was an impostor and set out to kill him.

• Masahiko traveled to the Land of Rain in disguise as Hanzō, hoping Akatsuki would investigate his return.
• Masahiko convinced three Land of Rain ninjas that he was their leader and brought them along as his guards.
• Jiraiya, Kagami, and Shikaku Nara learned that Hanzō had returned and agreed to wait and watch.
• Ōnoki ordered Kitsuchi to contact Hanzō and ask about the ninja who had fought him.
• Yahiko, Obito, Rin, and Ringo Ameyuri concluded that the Hanzō they had killed was real and the returned Hanzō was a fake.
• Yahiko led the group toward the Land of Rain's center to confront the impostor.

Masahiko impersonated Hanzō and was mistaken for the enemy who had killed the real Hanzō. He fought Yahiko, Ringo Ameyuri, Rin, and Obito, then ended up buried in a crater and wished to be left alone.

• Masahiko, disguised as Hanzō, led Rain ninja through the central district and dismissed an Iwagakure ninja who asked about the earlier attackers.
• Yahiko, Ringo Ameyuri, and Rin attacked Masahiko while Obito prepared to ambush him, believing he was impersonating Hanzō.
• Masahiko realized the four had killed the real Hanzō and learned that Rin and Obito had grown much stronger.
• Masahiko fought Yahiko, Ringo Ameyuri, and Rin, knocking Yahiko and Ringo into a building before Obito revealed his space-time ability.
• Rin struck Masahiko with a powerful kick that smashed the ground and left him lying in a crater, where he asked for peace and quiet.

Yahiko declared that he would lead the Land of Rain after Hanzō’s death, but Masahiko revealed himself and attacked Yahiko’s group. The fight left Yahiko unconscious and ended with Obito summoning Susanoo as Masahiko prepared an enhanced Iron Fist of Love.

• Yahiko told the Land of Rain ninja that he had killed Hanzō and would become the new leader, but they refused to believe him.
• Masahiko rose from the crater, revealed that he was alive, and ordered the others to kill Yahiko’s group.
• Masahiko knocked Yahiko unconscious with a punch while Rin rushed to treat him.
• Obito and Ringo Ameyuri attacked Masahiko with combined fire and lightning techniques, but he absorbed them and fought back.
• Masahiko tricked Obito into becoming tangible and struck him with an Iron Fist of Love, sending him flying.
• Obito summoned Susanoo as Masahiko announced his enhanced Iron Fist of Love.

Obito, Rin, Yahiko, and Ringo Ameyuri escaped after defeating one Hanzō, while Masahiko became trapped inside Obito’s space and returned to the Land of Rain disguised as Hanzō. The group learned that another Hanzō had appeared while the previous Hanzō’s corpse was still with them, leaving them wondering how many Hanzōs existed.

• Obito and Rin carried the unconscious Yahiko and Ringo Ameyuri away, and the arriving ninja found that Hanzō had disappeared.
• Masahiko examined Hanzō’s corpse inside Obito’s space but could not escape, so he used a Shadow Clone and eventually found his way home through a random space node.
• Masahiko prepared medicine for Ringo Ameyuri, then returned to the Land of Rain disguised as Hanzō and drew the attention of scouting ninja.
• Ōnoki, Jiraiya, Shikaku, and Kagami reacted to Hanzō’s reappearance and wondered whether Masahiko was behind it.
• Rin told the injured Yahiko, Ringo Ameyuri, and Obito that Hanzō had returned, while Hanzō’s corpse remained in their house.

Masahiko disguised as Hanzō arranged to hand the Land of Rain’s leadership to Yahiko and went to meet the Akatsuki group. He revealed himself to the bewildered Yahiko, Konan, Obito, and Rin as Sanzang and invited them to follow him.

• Masahiko reviewed the Land of Rain’s old reports and confirmed that Akatsuki had attacked Hanzō twice, with Yahiko leading the group.
• Masahiko told three Rain Jonin that he would relinquish leadership to Yahiko and instructed them to prepare to support the new leader.
• Masahiko left the tower and found Yahiko’s group, where Rin and Obito tried to protect Yahiko from the supposed Hanzō.
• Yahiko asked Masahiko how many Hanzōs there were, and Masahiko revealed that he was Sanzang and invited the group to follow him.

Masahiko revealed himself as Hagoromo to Rin, Obito, Yahiko, and Ringo Ameyuri, then listened to Obito’s account of how he met the others. He left disguised as Hanzō, intending to hand the Land of Rain’s power to Yahiko while continuing to train Obito.

• Masahiko struck Obito from within his space and revealed himself to Rin, who had recognized him by his unusual behavior during the fight.
• Rin treated Obito while Masahiko healed Yahiko and Ringo Ameyuri, and Obito learned Masahiko had left a Shadow Clone trapped in his space.
• Masahiko asked Obito how he had met Yahiko and Ringo Ameyuri, then thanked them for saving Obito and Rin.
• Masahiko told Yahiko that he would impersonate Hanzō and transfer power to him, while warning that ruling the Land of Rain would bring serious challenges.
• Masahiko said he would return to educate Obito, then transformed into Hanzō and left for the palace.

Masahiko arranged for Yahiko to take over as leader of the Land of Rain, then left after warning him about the dangers ahead. Konoha learned that Hanzō had died and that Masahiko had impersonated him, while Yahiko discovered that Masahiko was still alive and hid his past connection to him.

• Masahiko ended Obito's training and summoned the Land of Rain's Jonin to the Central Tower to hand leadership to Yahiko.
• The Land of Rain's Jonin accepted Yahiko as their leader, and Iwagakure and Konoha received news that Hanzō had stepped down.
• Shikaku told Konoha's leaders that Hanzō had died seven days earlier and that Masahiko had impersonated him to make Yahiko the new leader.
• Masahiko said goodbye to Yahiko, Obito, and Rin, then left a bottle of medicine and a note for Ringo Ameyuri.
• Yahiko learned from Ringo that Masahiko was alive, but denied having any past dealings or grudge against him.

Masahiko began training Kimimaro, Haku, and Karin according to their individual abilities, hoping to improve their skills and help them grow closer as a team. He left them working through demanding exercises at the Land of Whirlpools training grounds.

• Masahiko took Kimimaro, Haku, and Karin to breakfast and learned how the three had been getting along as a team.
• Masahiko assigned Kimimaro push-up training while Karin and Haku threw hundreds of kunai at targets.
• Masahiko taught Haku to make his ice spikes thinner so he could restrain opponents.
• Karin finished throwing the remaining kunai, and Masahiko began teaching her to use the Mind's Eye of the Kagura.
• Masahiko returned the kunai to their boxes with his ability and ordered Karin to throw them all again.

Masahiko supervised the children’s training, then visited Sara’s ramen shop to check on Naruto. Naruto showed him the Sexy Jutsu, earning a beating and revealing that he had modeled it on Haku.

• Kushina brought lunch for Karin, Haku, and Kimimaro, and Masahiko gave them medicated ramen to support their training.
• Kimimaro finished eating quickly and resumed training, while Masahiko told the children to take a two-hour lunch break.
• Masahiko visited Sara’s shop, learned Naruto was refining Chakra in her room, and went upstairs to check on him.
• Naruto asked Masahiko for training guidance and announced that he had developed a ninjutsu himself.
• Naruto used the Sexy Jutsu, and Masahiko struck him with the Iron Fist of Love after Naruto revealed he had used Haku as the template.

As Haku mastered Demonic Mirror Ice Crystals and Karin and Kimimaro continued training, Sakumo arrived to request help protecting Konoha’s route through Kusagakure. Masahiko chose to send the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in place of Nagato or Konan, leaving their first group mission—and the forging of two more swords—pending.

• Haku mastered Demonic Mirror Ice Crystals, while Karin improved at throwing kunai and Kimimaro continued his kick training.
• Sakumo arrived and told Masahiko that Konoha needed help deterring Sunagakure from joining the war while Konoha fought Iwagakure.
• Sakumo requested that Nagato or Konan travel to the region as a show of the Land of Whirlpools’ support.
• Masahiko offered to send the Seven Ninja Swordsmen instead and gave Sakumo a list of materials needed to forge two more ninja swords.
• Masahiko told Nagato to gather the five members for their first group mission and establish the Land of Whirlpools Ninja Swordsmen’s reputation.

Masahiko tested two newly forged divine weapons with his disciples and Minato's family, then began the final day of training for Kimimaro, Haku, and Karin. He planned to give Naruto one last beating before the boy turned six and entered the academy.

• Masahiko revealed the Electric Blade, which stored and amplified Lightning Release without limit beyond its user's Chakra, and gave it to Nagato to assign to a suitable ninja.
• Masahiko demonstrated the 40 Meter Great Sword, whose sealing formulas extended a Chakra blade from a dagger, and the group tested its reach and sharpness.
• Kushina extended the Chakra blade to about thirty meters, while Minato managed around ten meters; Masahiko took the weapon back after testing.
• After the others left, Kimimaro, Haku, and Karin arrived for Masahiko's final day of guidance, and he said he still needed to beat Naruto once before his sixth birthday.

Masahiko, Sara, Haku, and Kimimaro prepared New Year dumplings at Ichiraku in the Land of Whirlpools, then summoned Fat Cat, who had grown enormous while living with Tenten in Konoha. Fat Cat shrank back to its usual size and revealed that Tenten carried it to school as part of her training.

• Masahiko brought Kimimaro and Haku to celebrate New Year with Sara, and the group made dumplings while Kimimaro chopped the filling and repeatedly broke cutting boards.
• Masahiko summoned Fat Cat, but the cat arrived as a huge white sphere and complained that he had interrupted its feast.
• The story rewound to Tenten's home, where Fat Cat had grown nearly a hundred pounds while enjoying lavish meals and helping Tenten's family prosper through its blacksmith shop's weapons contracts.
• Fat Cat resisted Masahiko's summoning until it managed to take a bite of fish, then left Tenten promising to return.
• Masahiko lifted Fat Cat by the neck and made it shrink to its usual size, and Fat Cat told him that Tenten carried it to school and had improved a lot.

Masahiko hosted a New Year dumpling meal, where his failed cooking and Kushina’s teasing of Fat Cat caused trouble before he threatened Naruto with a beating. Fat Cat returned to Konoha and told a worried Tenten that someone had abused it.

• Masahiko’s dumplings turned out so badly that he fed them to Fat Cat, while Sara prepared edible ones for the meal.
• Kushina, Konan, and Naruto arrived at Ichiraku, and Kushina jokingly threatened to eat Fat Cat before spanking Naruto.
• Masahiko, Sara, Kushina, Konan, Naruto, Kimimaro, and Fat Cat shared Sara’s dumplings, and Fat Cat ate far more than everyone else.
• Fat Cat headed back to Konoha, and Masahiko threatened Naruto with his first beating of the New Year after Naruto whispered warnings to Haku.
• Fat Cat returned to Tenten’s home, where Tenten worried about how skinny it looked, and Fat Cat said someone had abused it.

On New Year’s Day, Masahiko spent the afternoon with Sara, Kushina, Konan, Naruto, Haku, and Kimimaro at the Ichiraku Ramen Shop, joking with the children and joining their dumpling conversation. After Kushina and Konan left for the festival, Masahiko wondered about Sara’s future marriage prospects and brought out cards to teach the children poker.

• Masahiko lectured and spanked Naruto for bothering Haku, while advising Kimimaro to support his companion and Haku to learn to refuse people.
• Kushina asked whether dumplings could be filled with ramen, and Masahiko agreed to eat the ramen-filled dumplings she planned to make.
• As Naruto slept at the table, Masahiko tied his hair into two buns and called him Uzumaki Naruko; Naruto did not notice the change during dinner.
• Kushina and Konan invited Masahiko and Sara to the festival, but they declined because the crowds would make things troublesome.
• After the others left, Masahiko asked Sara about marriage and briefly considered Sasori as a possible match before producing a deck of cards to teach poker.

Masahiko woke to Konan’s news that Nagato planned a concert with Killer B, who had come as Kumogakure’s representative to negotiate peace and resume overdue payments. After hearing Killer B’s proposal, Masahiko left the outcome of the concert undecided.

• Konan found Masahiko at Ichiraku Ramen and told him Nagato planned a concert with Killer B, who had arrived to discuss peace for Kumogakure.
• Masahiko told Kimimaro and Haku to rest, then went with Konan to meet Nagato and Killer B at the Clan Head’s Main Hall.
• Masahiko learned Killer B had been sent by the Fourth Raikage and told him that Kumogakure must resume its annual payments to the Land of Whirlpools.
• Killer B asked Masahiko to forgive one year of payments if his song at Nagato’s concert succeeded, and Masahiko considered the proposal.

Masahiko agreed to Nagato’s concert and arranged for five hundred tickets to sell out, using his Shadow Clones to create a crowd and build excitement. As Nagato and Killer B’s concert began the next day, Masahiko’s group entered last, leaving Kushina and Minato puzzled by the unfamiliar audience.

• Masahiko agreed to let Nagato hold a concert and told Konan to sell five hundred tickets for ten thousand ryo each.
• Masahiko’s Shadow Clones bought all the tickets in minutes, while Nagato and Killer B watched the sale in disbelief.
• Rumors turned Nagato’s singing into heavenly music, but Masahiko refused requests for extra tickets and added Karin to his group.
• The next day, Masahiko brought Kushina, Minato, Kimimaro, Haku, and Karin to Land of Whirlpools Stadium, where they saw a crowd of unfamiliar faces.
• Masahiko revealed that all five hundred concertgoers were his Shadow Clones, and he wondered whether Nagato and Killer B were scared.

Masahiko arranged a concert to stop Killer B from tormenting the Land of Whirlpools’ residents, but Nagato’s performance turned into a public confession to Konan. Konan flew off and Nagato chased her, leaving Killer B to perform for an empty stadium after Masahiko’s Shadow Clones vanished.

• Masahiko brought his family to the stadium, where five hundred of his disguised Shadow Clones filled the audience.
• Nagato began the concert by singing a love song about Konan, prompting the disguised audience to cheer and Konan to blush.
• Konan glared at Nagato and Masahiko, then flew away on Paper Wings, and Nagato followed her.
• Killer B took the stage, but Masahiko’s Shadow Clones dispersed, and Masahiko and Minato left with their families.

Masahiko’s matchmaking scheme left Nagato and Konan awkwardly confessing their feelings, while he continued pummeling Killer B and joked with Kushina and Naruto. When Kushina condemned Danzo and began criticizing Konoha’s Third Generation, Masahiko suddenly received Witness Points for Danzo’s death and rushed to stop her from saying more.

• Masahiko beat Killer B after Killer B proposed staging another concert, then asked Minato how Nagato and Konan were getting along.
• Minato reported that Nagato’s confession had been awkward, but Konan had not rejected him, so Masahiko decided to leave their relationship to them.
• At Ichiraku Ramen, Kushina and Naruto criticized Masahiko’s matchmaking, and Kushina explained that Kimimaro and the other new Genin were on a fishing mission.
• Kushina said Naruto wanted to go to Konoha because of Danzo, and Masahiko received Witness Points after she declared that Danzo deserved to die.
• Naruto praised Mikoto and the Third Generation, but Kushina began accusing the Third Generation of conspiring against her and Minato, so Masahiko hurriedly stopped her.

Hiruzen panicked over Shinnosuke’s battlefield injuries while, overseas, a young man used Danzo’s memories to summon Uchiha Madara and recruit him to find the Ame-no-Nu-Hoko. In the Land of Whirlpools, Masahiko confirmed Danzo was dead but wondered who had killed him.

• Hiruzen sensed that something was wrong, then learned from Sakumo that Shinnosuke had only suffered injuries in a battlefield ambush and broke his Crystal Ball in relief.
• On an uninhabited island, a young man extracted Danzo’s memories, obtained the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu, and summoned Uchiha Madara.
• The young man told Madara that his resurrection plan was progressing and asked him to help obtain the Ame-no-Nu-Hoko to counter Uzumaki Masahiko.
• Madara agreed to lead the young man to the divine artifact, and the young man proposed digging up graves to gather more combatants.
• In the Land of Whirlpools, Masahiko told Kushina that Danzo had died after his sensing array on him vanished, and he wondered who had been responsible.