Chapter Summaries

Masahiko spent time gambling with Hashirama and little Tsunade as Hashirama’s health declined, only to learn that Mito was pregnant. Hashirama died at forty-nine, and Konoha prepared to mourn the First Hokage.

• Masahiko joined Hashirama and Tsunade in gambling after sensing that Hashirama’s vitality had waned, and Tsunade unexpectedly won repeatedly.
• Kenji arrived and announced that Mito was pregnant, prompting Hashirama to say he would not live to see peace.
• Masahiko left for the Hokage Office, where Tobirama ordered Anbu Guzawa to prepare Hashirama’s funeral.
• Masahiko and Tobirama returned to the Uzumaki compound and found family members, clan leaders, and other elders gathered around Hashirama’s body.
• Konoha announced that Hashirama Senju had died smiling at the age of forty-nine.

After Hashirama Senju’s funeral, Masahiko told Mito and Tobirama that he would travel around the shinobi world incognito. He left Konoha with a light pack, eager to see the world, but rain quickly interrupted his journey.

• Tobirama presided over Hashirama Senju’s funeral, and Masahiko offered a flower while remembering their past.
• Masahiko told Hitomi that he would travel for a while and asked him to tell Nanako and Iko not to miss him.
• After the funeral, Masahiko told Mito and Tobirama he planned to explore the other countries and gather intelligence.
• Mito told Tobirama that Masahiko could live for five hundred years, and Masahiko reluctantly let them believe he had mastered a special technique.
• Masahiko packed money and Sealing Scrolls, left Konoha, and shouted that he wanted to see the world before rain sent him looking for shelter.

Masahiko traveled to the Land of Hot Water and found a way to reach the Land of Lightning by joining a merchant guard escort. He left the recruitment office after claiming to be a High-class Samurai from the Land of Iron, though his lack of a sword made Scarface suspicious.

• Masahiko soaked in the Land of Hot Water while planning to infiltrate Kumogakure, learn its Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and prevent Tobirama's future death.
• He remembered that Kinkaku and Ginkaku likely possessed the missing portion of the Nine-Tails' Yang Release Chakra sealed in his Cup.
• After failing to find a way into the Land of Lightning, Masahiko wandered the town and discovered a Guard Recruitment Office.
• Scarface explained that merchants hired guards to travel through the strife-torn Land of Rivers after Konoha stopped accepting escort missions to the Land of Lightning.
• Masahiko claimed to be a Rōnin named Masahiko from the Land of Iron and said he was a High-class Samurai.
• When Scarface questioned why he carried no samurai sword, Masahiko vanished, leaving Scarface stunned by his speed.

Masahiko joined a Caravan as a guard after passing a strength test with Sanada Nobushige. He accepted an advance payment and prepared to travel with the group.

• Masahiko took a Chakra Conducting Metal longsword from his Sealing Scroll and returned to the Guard Recruitment Office to apply for the job.
• Sanada Nobushige led Masahiko and a nervous seventeen-year-old ninja from the Land of Hot Water to the Caravan camp, where the president ordered them tested.
• Masahiko told the youth that he had probably taken the mission either to support a sick mother or to train himself.
• Sanada Nobushige tested Masahiko, who blocked his strikes and stopped his surprise Iaido Slash by channeling Chakra into his sword.
• The president welcomed Masahiko to the Caravan and gave him 500,000 taels as half his payment in advance.

Masahiko joined a Caravan traveling through the war-torn Land of Rivers toward the Land of Lightning, where he discovered that its cargo and route had drawn the attention of Bee, the future Third Raikage. After trying to return his payment and avoid fighting, Masahiko clashed with Bee to protect the Caravan.

• Masahiko joined the Caravan and met Mediator, who followed him with questions throughout the journey.
• In the Land of Rivers, Scarface asked Masahiko to help protect the Caravan, but no one attacked as they crossed the country.
• After the Caravan entered the Land of Lightning, Masahiko sensed eleven people ahead, including a powerful ninja.
• Bee approached with ten children and announced that one of them would become his partner.
• Masahiko tried to give back his payment, but Bee sent Scarface and Little Mustache flying, and Mediator charged at him.
• Masahiko intercepted Bee's lightning-wreathed kick with his long blade, whose scabbard shattered on impact.

Masahiko failed to pass himself off as a samurai and instead claimed to be the legendary ninja Minato Namikaze while fighting Bee. After Bee left with the captured children, Masahiko escorted the Caravan safely into Kumogakure, where he learned that its leaders were Kinkaku and Ginkaku.

• Masahiko saved Mediator from Bee, then used Lightning Release against Bee and claimed his name was Minato Namikaze.
• Bee attacked Masahiko again, while Little Mustache and Scarface returned to the fight and were quickly defeated.
• Masahiko infused his Lightning Release with Yin-Yang Release and created dark jade lightning as Bee prepared his Four Fingers Thrust.
• The Caravan's president sent Chunin to capture the ten children, forcing Bee to retreat with them after warning that he would remember Minato Namikaze.
• The president revealed that Kinkaku and Ginkaku were expecting the Caravan, and Masahiko escorted it safely into Kumogakure by evening.

Masahiko explored Kumogakure after Kinkaku and Ginkaku refused to meet him, learning about the village’s divided leadership and discovering a forge and casino tied to the brothers. The Second Raikage ordered Anbu to watch Masahiko and planned to respond if he stayed after the caravan left.

• The old president apologized to Masahiko and gave him five million ryo after reporting that Kinkaku and Ginkaku refused to see him.
• Masahiko wandered around Kumogakure, ate at a restaurant, and learned that the village’s leaders were split between Bee and the Second Raikage’s Conservative Faction and Kinkaku and Ginkaku’s War Faction.
• Masahiko sensed Bee’s chakra near a forge and suspected the caravan had delivered rare materials, then found a casino run by Kinkaku and Ginkaku where ninja were cheating a civilian.
• The Second Raikage reviewed a report identifying Masahiko as Minato Namikaze, a suspected S-rank ninja, and questioned Bee about their fight.
• Bee said Masahiko had seemed relaxed during their encounter, and the Second Raikage ordered Anbu to watch him until the caravan departed.

Masahiko tried to get close to Kinkaku and Ginkaku by gambling at their casino, then deliberately lost money to be sent to Kumogakure’s forge. He learned that the forge was making Chakra Dispersal Cannons, while the Second Raikage became suspicious of the gambler identified as Minato Namikaze.

• Masahiko won over ten million ryo from other gamblers, but the casino welcomed him because it earned commissions and provided him bodyguards.
• Masahiko returned to the casino the next day, lost his winnings and escort fee, and borrowed money by mortgaging his sword.
• Masahiko offered to work off further debt at the forge, and the manager agreed after hearing that it needed workers.
• Masahiko lost the borrowed money and was sent to the forge, where a burly smith explained that the blacksmiths had been summoned to make Chakra Dispersal Cannons.
• The Second Raikage learned that Minato Namikaze had gambled away his money and mortgaged his katana, then ordered Bee to be brought in.

Masahiko escaped his Forge labor by briefly accepting and then quickly repaying a debt to the Second Raikage, ending his employment with Kumogakure. Back at the inn, he was touched by Mediator’s offer to help and decided to teach him ninjutsu and eventually bring him to Konoha.

• Masahiko was summoned by Bee to meet the Second Raikage, who offered to redeem his sword and pay his gambling debt in exchange for a year of missions.
• Masahiko negotiated for 2.5 million ryo, accepted the money, and agreed to work for Kumogakure while the Raikage and Bee planned to test his loyalty.
• Masahiko returned half an hour later with 3 million ryo, repaid his debt, and declared his employment over, leaving the Second Raikage and Bee stunned.
• At the inn, Mediator offered Masahiko 2 million ryo borrowed from President to help clear his gambling debt.
• Masahiko returned the money, promised to teach Mediator ninjutsu, and considered bringing him to Konoha as a half-disciple.

Masahiko accepted a five-million-ryo mission from the Second Raikage to infiltrate Kumogakure’s blacksmiths and steal the method or a finished Chakra Dispersal Cannon. After saying goodbye to Mediator, he prepared to investigate the weapon he had unwittingly helped make possible.

• Bee tracked Masahiko down and offered him five million ryo to hear about a mission from the Second Raikage.
• The Second Raikage asked Masahiko to infiltrate the blacksmiths and steal the Chakra Dispersal Cannon’s manufacturing method or a finished weapon.
• Bee explained that the cannon was said to have the destructive power of a Tailed Beast Bomb and that Kinkaku and Ginkaku were away from the village.
• Masahiko realized the cannon used materials he had escorted to Kumogakure and accepted the mission to deal with the weapon.
• Masahiko told Mediator to return ahead of him and said he would meet him in the Land of Hot Water in half a month to a month.

Masahiko helped Kumogakure forge a powerful Chakra Dispersal Cannon while secretly sabotaging the blueprints and adding a sealing phrase to the weapon. When the Second Raikage told him that Kinkaku and Ginkaku had conquered the Land of Hot Water and declared war on Konoha, Masahiko refused to finish the blueprints.

• Masahiko secretly sabotaged the cannon production and added Spirit Speech Sealing with the phrase, “Second Battalion Commander, where the hell is my Italian Cannon?”
• The blacksmiths successfully tested the Chakra Dispersal Cannon, and Masahiko realized its destructive power rivaled a Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Masahiko went to the Raikage Building and began drawing intentionally incorrect cannon blueprints for the Second Raikage.
• The Second Raikage revealed that Kinkaku and Ginkaku had conquered the Land of Hot Water, founded Hidden Hot Water Village, and declared war on Konoha.
• The Second Raikage said Kumogakure would hire Masahiko to fight Konoha, and Masahiko refused to continue drawing the blueprints.

Masahiko pursued Mediator through the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Rivers while clashing with the Raikage brothers. Unable to find Mediator and realizing Kinkaku and Ginkaku had declared war on Konoha, he decided to return and gather allies.

• Masahiko disguised himself as the Second Tsuchikage, destroyed the Raikage Building with Dust Release, and fled as the Second Raikage survived and sent Bee after him.
• Bee pursued Masahiko beyond the Land of Lightning, but Masahiko struck him into a deep human-shaped hole and left him unconscious.
• The Second Raikage rescued Bee, then led elite ninja toward the Land of Rivers to search for Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
• Masahiko searched the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Rivers for Mediator but found no trace of his Chakra.
• Masahiko sensed Kinkaku and Ginkaku, then detected the approaching Second Raikage and realized he should join forces with Tobirama instead of fighting alone.
• Masahiko decided to return to Konoha and gather people for a group fight.

Masahiko returned to Konoha and learned that Kumogakure had withdrawn its forces, but new threats from Sunagakure and shifting wars among the other villages kept the ninja world on the brink of conflict. Tobirama began reorganizing Konoha as they prepared for war on multiple fronts.

• Masahiko confronted Tobirama over Konoha declaring him dead, then asked him to help defeat Kinkaku, Ginkaku, and Kumogakure's forces.
• Hitomi returned with news that Kumogakure had withdrawn, and a letter claimed the war declaration had been Kinkaku and Ginkaku's private act.
• Masahiko and Tobirama abandoned their pursuit of Kumogakure when they learned Sunagakure was moving toward the Land of Fire, and they led Konoha's troops back home.
• Two days later, Masahiko learned Kumogakure and Kirigakure had joined forces against Iwagakure in the Land of Rain.
• A Sunagakure envoy demanded half the western Land of Fire in exchange for an alliance, while Tobirama stalled him and called Konoha's leaders to organize their forces.

Masahiko and Tobirama prepared to travel to Kumogakure to sign an alliance, despite growing tensions between Konoha and the Uzumaki Clan. They reached the village, where the Second Raikage and Bee welcomed them, and Masahiko expected the alliance ceremony to turn deadly.

• Masahiko learned that the Uzumaki Clan resented Konoha and agreed they would send only a small force to future wars.
• Tobirama told Masahiko that Iwagakure was under attack and that a Land of Lightning envoy had invited him to Kumogakure to sign an alliance.
• Masahiko convinced Tobirama to go with him, believing they would only need to face Kinkaku Ginkaku, while Iko and Hitomi remained behind.
• Tobirama arranged for Masahiko's eldest nephew to continue serving as a Konoha Elder while they were away.
• Masahiko and Tobirama arrived in Kumogakure, where the Second Raikage and Bee welcomed them.

Masahiko and Tobirama discovered that the Second Raikage had anticipated Masahiko’s deception and gathered Kumogakure’s forces to attack them. As battle approached, Masahiko decided to take the new name Uzumaki Seeking Defeat.

• Masahiko failed to find Kinkaku and Ginkaku in Kumogakure, and the Second Raikage said they were fighting Iwagakure in the Land of Rain.
• After leaving the Land of Lightning, Masahiko sensed Kinkaku and Ginkaku nearby and found them with their special unit, trying to repair a cannon.
• The Second Raikage, Bee, and dozens of Kumogakure ninjas arrived, and the Raikage revealed he knew Masahiko was disguised as Minato Namikaze.
• Bee attacked Masahiko with Heavy Flowing Barrage, but Masahiko opened the Fifth Gate and knocked him through a row of trees.
• The Second Raikage declared that Tobirama would not escape, and Masahiko chose the name Uzumaki Seeking Defeat.

Masahiko and Tobirama fought the Second Raikage's forces after Kinkaku and Ginkaku turned their cannon against them. Masahiko overcame the brothers' combined Nine-Tails cloak and killed them with Dust Release, earning Witness Points.

• Masahiko tricked Kinkaku and Ginkaku into firing their cannon at the Second Raikage's side, then Tobirama and Masahiko attacked the enemy forces.
• Masahiko broke through the enemy's defenses with Dust Release and fought Kinkaku, Ginkaku, and the Second Raikage.
• Masahiko struck the Second Raikage with taijutsu and sent him flying toward Tobirama, who used Flying Thunder God to evade him.
• Kinkaku used the Gold Dust Rope on Masahiko, but Masahiko swallowed back the spirit speech and escaped its effect.
• Kinkaku and Ginkaku combined their Tailed Beast cloaks and withstood Masahiko's Dust Release, then retreated after their chakra dwindled.
• Masahiko pursued Kinkaku and Ginkaku and annihilated them with Dust Release, earning Witness Points.

Masahiko fought alongside Tobirama against the Second Raikage’s forces, but Mu’s Dust Release badly injured Tobirama. Masahiko carried Tobirama to Shikkotsu Forest for treatment, then collapsed after the system credited him with changing Tobirama’s fate.

• Masahiko rushed to help Tobirama, but Mu ambushed them with Dust Release and grievously wounded Tobirama.
• Masahiko opened the Seventh Gate and used Sage Art Dust Release to destroy the Second Raikage and the remaining Kumogakure jonin, while Mu and Bee escaped.
• Masahiko learned that the Slug Sage could save Tobirama at Shikkotsu Forest, so he reopened the Seventh Gate and carried Tobirama and Slug there.
• Masahiko spent all his Witness Points to slow his rapidly increasing age as he hurried across several lands with Tobirama.
• The Slug Sage took Tobirama for treatment and said he could still be saved, while Masahiko collapsed after receiving Witness Points for changing Tobirama Senju’s death.

After recovering from the battle that nearly killed him and Tobirama, Masahiko left Shikkotsu Forest to check on Konoha’s war with Sunagakure. He reached Konoha in disguise and was struck by a person falling from above.

• Masahiko reflected on his injuries, lost attributes, and failed goals, then learned that Tobirama might need three months to a year to recover.
• Masahiko said farewell to the Slug Sage and left Shikkotsu Forest, asking to be notified when Tobirama woke.
• Masahiko found signs of a major Konoha victory over Sunagakure and flew back toward the village.
• Masahiko approached Konoha from the west, where an unidentified person crashed onto him.

Masahiko saved Kagami Uchiha from a suicidal leap and entered Konoha with him, where Uchiha Izumiya revealed that Uzumaki Gensuke had strong support in the Hokage succession. Masahiko also learned that Mito had mastered the Nine-Tails’ power and defeated Sunagakure’s forces while pregnant.

• Masahiko caught Kagami Uchiha after he jumped, and Kagami explained that he had hidden his Sharingan in a box before attempting to die to awaken his three friends.
• Kagami decided to return home and persuade his father to stop the conflict, then escorted Masahiko into Konoha and the Uchiha compound.
• Uchiha Izumiya recognized Masahiko and told him that Tobirama was alive, while Uzumaki Gensuke had support from Masahiko’s disciples and Mito in the Hokage contest.
• Uchiha Izumiya reported that Mito had gone to the Sunagakure battlefield, defeated the Second Kazekage, and killed an elder using the Nine-Tails’ power.
• Masahiko realized Mito’s golden chakra cloak resembled Naruto’s and admitted he was unsure he could defeat her.

Masahiko learned that Konoha was debating who should serve as Acting Hokage while Tobirama recovered, then discovered that his actions had led to the death of his disciple Iko’s husband, Uzumaki Ashina. Overcome with guilt, he decided to visit Iko.

• Masahiko learned that the war had largely stalled and Konoha’s leaders were considering candidates for Acting Hokage while Tobirama recuperated.
• Masahiko visited Mito and discussed possible Hokage candidates, including Hiruzen and Uzumaki Gensuke.
• Mito explained that the Senju had chosen not to seek a third consecutive Hokage term and that she could not stop Gensuke’s bid.
• Mito told Masahiko that Uzumaki Ashina, Iko’s husband and Masahiko’s former disciple, had died in the war.
• Mito revealed that a Sunagakure elder had killed Ashina and that she had killed the elder in return.
• Masahiko realized his actions had contributed to Ashina’s death and said he would go see Iko.