Chapter Summaries

Nara Kaikei discussed the Boil Release and Wood Release research with the former clan heads, then spoke with Minato Namikaze about Uchiha Obito’s rescue and recovery. He invited Minato to Kikyo Castle for a meal and an afternoon spar, leaving their training session about to begin.

• Nara Kaikei gave the former clan heads the Boil Release and Wood Release chakra manufacturing method and delegated the work of selecting candidates, teaching, and building relationships.
• Minato Namikaze thanked Nara Kaikei for rescuing Uchiha Obito and said Obito was recovering at Konoha Hospital after severe physical depletion.
• Nara Kaikei asked whether the village would keep investigating Obito, and Minato said the Third Lord had let him take Obito out of Root.
• Nara Kaikei said he would visit Obito at the hospital and invited Minato to eat at Kikyo Castle and spar that afternoon.

Nara Kaikei arranged a sparring match with Minato Namikaze under the pretext of testing the Rasengan, hoping to gain more Sage Art Inheritance abilities. The fight ended with Minato’s Rasengan failing to damage [Black Warrior].

• Nara Kaikei invited Minato Namikaze to spar, but Minato initially hesitated after witnessing Kaikei’s strength.
• Nara Kaikei brought Minato to the Kikyo Castle training grounds by claiming they would test the Rasengan.
• Minato Namikaze attacked with Flying Thunder God Kunai, and [Black Warrior] blocked them while Minato used Wind Release Chakra to strike its hand.
• Minato Namikaze teleported away from [Black Warrior]’s shadow and charged Nara Kaikei with a Rasengan.
• Nara Kaikei surrounded himself with [Black Warrior]’s skeletal form, and Minato’s Rasengan failed to break through its defenses.

Minato Namikaze tested his new Wind Release: Spiral Ball and Great Ball Rasengan against Nara Kaikei’s [Black Warrior], eventually breaking through its defenses with a coordinated attack. Nara Kaikei prepared a point-blank counterattack, but Minato surrendered, claiming he had run out of Chakra.

• Nara Kaikei attacked Minato Namikaze with [Black Warrior] and the [Spiral Shadow Kill Cannon], but Minato evaded using the [Flying Thunder God Technique].
• Minato threw Flying Thunder God Kunai at [Black Warrior] and used Wind Release: Spiral Ball to crack its palm, though Nara Kaikei quickly repaired it with Yin Release Chakra.
• Minato let [Shadow Imitation Technique] catch him, then used Lion Dance of the Lion to bind [Black Warrior] while another Minato appeared behind it.
• Minato struck [Black Warrior]'s back with Great Ball Rasengan, shattering its bones and exposing Nara Kaikei.
• Nara Kaikei formed a [Spiral Shadow Kill Cannon] at close range, but Minato said he was out of Chakra and surrendered.

Nara Kaikei defeated Minato Namikaze in their spar and collected his A-rank Ninja Scroll, while Minato recognized how far Kaikei’s strength surpassed his own. Minato then began explaining the Gale Rasengan and Great Ball Rasengan, fulfilling their agreement to share any Rasengan innovations.

• Nara Kaikei noticed that Minato Namikaze had exhausted much of his Chakra during their battle and reflected on the techniques Minato had used.
• Nara Kaikei asked Minato to rest and fight again, but Minato refused, saying he could not defeat him or escape him.
• Minato Namikaze considered how much Kaikei’s strength and self-created abilities exceeded his own, despite Minato’s talent and the help he had received from others.
• Nara Kaikei called off the rematch, satisfied that he had obtained Minato’s A-rank Ninja Scroll and planning to surprise him another time.
• Minato Namikaze explained that his Gale Rasengan used Wind Release Nature Transformation and his Great Ball Rasengan increased the Chakra invested, then began teaching Kaikei their key details.

Nara Kaikei rapidly mastered Minato Namikaze’s Wind Style: Spiral Ball and combined it with Great Ball Rasengan, leaving Minato stunned by his talent. After Minato left, Kaikei opened the A-Rank scroll and discovered it contained Sage Art: Super Great Ball Rasengan.

• Nara Kaikei learned Wind Style: Spiral Ball in less than half a minute after Minato Namikaze explained it.
• Nara Kaikei enlarged the jutsu into Wind Style: Great Ball Rasengan by pouring in more Chakra, impressing and unsettling Minato.
• Nara Kaikei let the jutsu dissipate and praised Minato before Minato left the teaching session.
• Nara Kaikei opened Minato’s A-Rank Ninja Scroll and found Sage Art: Super Great Ball Rasengan, then complained that it was another ball-type jutsu.

After Shimura Danzō's death, Hiruzen Sarutobi left Root's fate to the next Hokage while considering his possible successors. Orochimaru abandoned plans that depended on Konoha and prepared to alter his cells with White Zetsu Cells, as Hiruzen and Minato Namikaze arrived in the Land of Iron for the Kage Summit.

• Shimura Danzō's death went largely unmourned, and Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly merged Root into the Anbu while postponing a decision on its future.
• Orochimaru learned that Shimura Danzō was dead and Root had joined the Anbu, then credited Nara Kaikei with leading him to White Zetsu Cells for his new arms.
• Orochimaru decided to abandon research in Konoha and use White Zetsu Cells as a template to transform his own cells.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi chose Minato Namikaze as his Kage Summit attendant instead of Nara Kaikei and traveled with him and an Anbu squad to the Land of Iron.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi's group arrived in the Land of Iron as the Kage Summit was about to begin.

At the second Kage Summit, the Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura raised the threat of Uchiha Madara, and Hiruzen Sarutobi confirmed that Madara had survived. The other Kage learned that Konoha had once pursued Madara with the Yellow Flash and the Dark Shadow, but the summit ended without new leads on his whereabouts.

• Mifune opened the second Kage Summit, where Karatachi Yagura attended as Kirigakure's Fourth Mizukage.
• Karatachi Yagura announced that Uchiha Madara had been resurrected and had attacked the Third Mizukage.
• Roshi's Four-Tails reacted to Madara's name, while Roshi challenged Kirigakure's claims and demanded evidence.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi confirmed that Madara was alive and said Konoha had once believed it killed him after the Yellow Flash and the Dark Shadow pursued him.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi revealed that Konoha found Madara at a waterfall in the Land of the Falls, but Karatachi Yagura said Kirigakure had lost track of him after the attack.

At the Kage Summit, Karatachi Yagura proposed a joint sensory unit to search for Uchiha Madara, and the Kage agreed to begin in the Land of Hot Water based on Konoha’s intelligence. With the discussion of Madara concluded, the summit turned to postwar interests, and Roshi demanded that Konoha return Iwagakure’s Five-Tails.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned Karatachi Yagura about whether Kirigakure had found traces of Uchiha Madara in the Land of Water.
• Karatachi Yagura proposed a joint sensory unit and offered to allow it to search the Land of Water, while Rasa, Roshi, Toroi, and Hiruzen agreed to the plan.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi shared Konoha’s intelligence about Uchiha Madara’s appearances in the Land of Grass, the Land of the Falls, and the Land of Hot Water, and the Kage agreed to begin their search in the Land of Hot Water.
• After the Kage moved on to postwar negotiations, Roshi demanded that Hiruzen Sarutobi return Iwagakure’s Five-Tails.

At the Kage Summit, the leaders of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure pressed Hiruzen Sarutobi to return their captured tailed beasts and other assets. Hiruzen rejected their demands by pointing out that Nara Kaikei had captured the beasts and held a summoning contract with the Five-Tails, leaving the dispute directed toward Kaikei.

• Roshi demanded that Konoha return Iwagakure's Five-Tails, and Toroi demanded the return of Kumogakure's Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Karatachi Yagura called for Kirigakure's Three-Tails and Seven Ninja Swords, while Rasa joined the pressure on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi remained confident that Konoha's strength would deter the other villages from starting another war.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Nara Shikaku to confirm that Konoha had captured the tailed beasts on the battlefield, and Shikaku credited Nara Kaikei.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Roshi that the Five-Tails had signed a Summoning Contract with Nara Kaikei and suggested Iwagakure discuss its return with him.

At the Kage Summit, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s plan to pressure the other villages into reclaiming their Tailed Beasts faltered when the Kage feared Nara Kaikei, known as Dark Shadow. The leaders shifted toward buying their Tailed Beasts back, while Hiruzen considered what Konoha could safely negotiate and wondered whether Sunagakure had prepared the One-Tail succession years earlier.

• Roshi refused to confront Nara Kaikei, and Toroi and Karatachi Yagura also avoided Hiruzen Sarutobi’s gaze because they feared Dark Shadow.
• Rasa calmly defended his strength, recalling how he had suppressed the rampaging Shukaku with his Gold Sand Secret Technique.
• The other villages abandoned their attempt to reclaim Tailed Beasts by force and proposed purchasing them from Konoha instead.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi considered selling the Eight-Tails but worried about Konoha’s risks and realized the Five-Tails and Three-Tails were not available to negotiate.
• A Xin reasoned that Sunagakure may have begun selecting a successor for Shukaku as early as Year 48 of Konoha, and questioned whether Rasa had Uzumaki Clan blood.

At the Kage Summit, the villages argued over buying tailed beasts, and Hiruzen Sarutobi sought Nara Kaikei’s opinion on selling the Eight-Tails back to Kumogakure. Kaikei agreed in principle but wanted a high price and asked whether Kumogakure could buy the Eight-Tails and Killer B separately, then joked about selling the beast’s tentacles individually.

• The Five Kage debated the tailed beast trade until Mifune called a recess for the night.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Nara Shikaku to send the villages’ intentions back to Konoha, and Shikaku contacted Nara Shikano.
• Nara Shikano explained to Nara Kaikei that Hiruzen likely wanted to sell the Eight-Tails, and Kaikei said he would consider it if Kumogakure paid enough.
• Nara Kaikei revealed that Han had survived having Kokuō extracted and asked whether the Eight-Tails and its Jinchuriki could be sold separately.
• Nara Kaikei asked Nara Shikano whether the Eight-Tails’ tentacles could be sold separately too.

Nara Kaikei proposed selling the Eight-Tails and Killer B separately, prompting Hiruzen Sarutobi to reconsider Konoha’s bargaining strategy at the Kage Summit. Hiruzen decided to make Killer B the focus of the next round of negotiations, hoping to pressure Kumogakure.

• Nara Shikano understood Nara Kaikei’s suggestion to sell the Eight-Tails in separate parts and hurried off to relay it to Shikaku.
• Nara Kaikei considered how Hiruzen Sarutobi might use the summit to send Kokuō away and resolved to remind him how Kokuō had been brought back.
• Nara Kaikei traveled to Kikyo Orphanage using [Flying Thunder God: Shadow Stream Blade].
• Nara Shikaku reported Kaikei’s proposal to Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze in the Land of Iron.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi judged that separating Killer B from the Eight-Tails could give Konoha additional bargaining leverage.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Shikaku to focus the next negotiations on trading Killer B, expecting Kumogakure to resist losing him to another village.

At the Kage Summit, Hiruzen Sarutobi dodged requests from Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure because he did not know what Nara Kaikei had done with their captives and weapons. The Five Kage eventually agreed to build a prison outside the Five Great Nations for high-profile criminal ninja.

• Toroi asked Hiruzen Sarutobi to return Killer B together with the Eight-Tails, but Hiruzen put off discussing the transaction.
• Roshi asked whether Han was imprisoned in Konoha, and Hiruzen avoided giving him an answer.
• Rasa asked to ransom Ebizo, but Hiruzen deferred until he could check with Nara Kaikei.
• Karatachi Yagura raised Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swords, and Hiruzen again postponed the issue.
• The Five Kage discussed prisoners of war and agreed to build a special prison outside the Five Great Nations.

Nara Kaikei considered the planned construction of Hozuki Castle and its Box of Paradise, deciding to wait before getting involved while he researched the Amber Purifying Pot. He then drafted his response to Nara Shikaku about Han, Ebizo, and Kirigakure’s Seven Ninja Swords.

• Nara Kaikei recognized that the Land of Iron’s prison proposal might lead to Hozuki Castle and recalled its warden’s techniques, resurrection secret technique, and Box of Paradise.
• Nara Kaikei decided he could intervene in Hozuki Castle’s construction later and would first finish researching the Amber Purifying Pot.
• Nara Kaikei wrote that Han should not be returned to Iwagakure and that the Third Hokage could decide how to handle Ebizo.
• Nara Kaikei offered Kirigakure the chance to redeem four of its Seven Ninja Swords, while reserving Samehada, Hiramekarei, and Nuibari for other uses.
• Nara Kaikei instructed Nara Shikaku to charge Kirigakure extra and give the Third Hokage a friendship discount if he wanted the swords.

Nara Kaikei took Yakushi Nonō to Konoha Hospital to visit Uchiha Obito, where he sensed powerful ocular chakra around Obito’s eyes and realized it was a Mangekyo Sharingan. He left the room having confirmed Obito’s unusual eye power, while Kakashi and Rin were also present.

• Nara Kaikei spent his days relaxing at Kikyo Orphanage with Yakushi Nonō while Tsunade and Pakura pursued their own training goals.
• Nara Kaikei persuaded Yakushi Nonō to go out with him, and they chose to visit Konoha Hospital.
• Nara Kaikei and Yakushi Nonō found Uchiha Obito in a private room with Nohara Rin and Hatake Kakashi.
• Nara Kaikei gave Obito fruit and secretly sensed the chakra within his body.
• Nara Kaikei detected ocular power far stronger than an ordinary Two-Tomoe Sharingan and concluded that Obito had a Mangekyo.

Nara Kaikei suspected that Uchiha Obito had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan after his experiences in Root’s prison and wondered whether his Mangekyō Dojutsu would still be Kamui. He decided to keep a close watch on Obito, then left with Yakushi Nonō for a lost shrine on the outskirts of the village.

• Nara Kaikei considered asking Hyuga Kiyoshi to use her Byakugan to confirm whether Obito’s ocular meridian system had changed.
• Nara Kaikei questioned whether Obito’s different experiences would have given him a Mangekyō Dojutsu other than Kamui.
• Nara Kaikei decided to watch Obito closely in case his anger led him to act recklessly.
• Yakushi Nonō joined Nara Kaikei after visiting friends at Konoha Hospital and asked where they were going.
• Nara Kaikei brought Nonō toward a lost shrine on the outskirts of the village.

Nara Kaikei and Yakushi Nonō visited the ruined Uzumaki Shrine, where Kaikei found the Shinigami Masks he had been seeking. He removed one with his Shadow Gathering Technique and confirmed it was an S-rank ninja tool.

• Nara Kaikei and Yakushi Nonō arrived at the ruined Uzumaki Shrine and wondered why it had fallen into disrepair.
• Nara Kaikei and Yakushi Nonō entered the shrine and found a wall covered with eerie masks.
• Nara Kaikei recognized the masks as Shinigami Masks and recalled that one could release souls sealed by the Reaper Death Seal.
• Nara Kaikei used his Shadow Gathering Technique to take down a mask and identified it as an S-rank ninja tool.

Nara Kaikei obtained the Uzumaki Clan’s Shinigami Mask and theorized that the Death God summoned by the Reaper Death Seal was a chakra-based entity that sealed Yin Release Chakra. He left the shrine with Yakushi Nonō, intending to study the mask rather than use the suicidal technique.

• Nara Kaikei examined the Shinigami Mask’s properties and questioned whether souls in the ninja world could truly be destroyed.
• Nara Kaikei left the Uzumaki Shrine with Yakushi Nonō, who warned him to be careful with the strange mask.
• Nara Kaikei put the mask away and decided not to use it, since the Reaper Death Seal would take his soul.
• Nara Kaikei recalled how Orochimaru freed souls from the Death God by cutting open its stomach and doubted that it truly governed death.
• Nara Kaikei theorized that the Death God was a special Yang Release entity created through Uzumaki vitality and sealing techniques to contain Yin Release Chakra.

Nara Kaikei and Yakushi Nonō visited the Empty Zone ruins, where Kaikei explained his plans to rebuild the area and move Kikyo Orphanage there. He revealed his Wood Release and proposed using it for construction, leaving Nonō stunned and the Empty Zone project with a new plan.

• Nara Kaikei inspected the Empty Zone ruins and planned to clear them while making arrangements to relocate the Ninja Cats.
• Nara Kaikei told Yakushi Nonō that Kikyo Orphanage could move to the Empty Zone, and Nonō agreed that a larger home would benefit the children.
• Nara Kaikei caught two fish with his Shadow Tentacles while Yakushi Nonō prepared a riverside fire and asked whether rebuilding the ruins would be difficult.
• Nara Kaikei used Wood Release to build a house, shocking Yakushi Nonō, who had not known he possessed the ability.
• Nara Kaikei proposed having Konoha ninja who were learning Wood Release help rebuild the Empty Zone, giving them training experience while completing the development project.

Yakushi Nonō avoided Nara Kaikei’s attempt to teach her Wood Release and began training Yakushi Kabuto in medical ninjutsu instead. At the underground facility, Kaikei told Pakura that Rasa had become Fourth Kazekage, then challenged her to demonstrate her Swift Release and promised more news if she impressed him.

• Yakushi Nonō returned to Kikyo Orphanage with the Wood Release Chakra Manufacturing Method and declined Nara Kaikei’s offer to train together.
• Yakushi Nonō found Chiyo and Yakushi Kabuto waiting at the orphanage, corrected Kabuto about his sunglasses, and offered to teach him A-rank medical ninjutsu.
• Yakushi Kabuto chose healing ninjutsu, and Yakushi Nonō began teaching him the Mystical Palm Technique.
• Nara Kaikei traveled to the underground research facility and told Pakura that Rasa had become Fourth Kazekage.
• Pakura challenged Nara Kaikei to test her Swift Release, and he promised to take her out and share good news if she met his expectations.