Chapter Summaries

Jiraiya revealed himself to protect Akatsuki from Hanzo of the Salamander, whose arrival had put Yahiko, Nagato, and their followers in danger. Hanzo challenged Jiraiya, and their fight began with a swift sickle strike that Jiraiya barely dodged.

• Hanzo of the Salamander arrived on Ibuse and advanced on Yahiko, Nagato, and the Akatsuki members.
• Jiraiya summoned Gama Bunta to block Ibuse and revealed himself to Hanzo.
• Hanzo accused Konoha of interfering in the Land of Rain’s internal affairs, stirring unease among Akatsuki members.
• Jiraiya urged Hanzo to withdraw and declared that Amegakure would not succeed in its plans against Akatsuki.
• Hanzo vanished and slashed at Jiraiya with his sickle, but Jiraiya ducked the attack and resolved to show how much he had grown.

Jiraiya and Hanzo exchanged dangerous attacks atop Gama Bunta, but Hanzo escaped Jiraiya’s hair techniques and used Ibuse’s poison mist to drive the giant toad away. Jiraiya remained to face Hanzo and Ibuse, while Hanzo removed his respirator.

• Jiraiya blocked Hanzo’s kusarigama with Needle Jizo and countered with Lion Dance of the Lion.
• Hanzo used Water Release: Body Flicker Technique to escape Jiraiya’s hair and return to Ibuse.
• Gama Bunta drew his sword in anger, but Ibuse sprayed poison mist across the battlefield.
• Jiraiya dispersed some of the poison with Great Breakthrough, but Gama Bunta was poisoned and returned to Mount Myōboku.
• Jiraiya prepared to attack Ibuse, which burrowed underground on Hanzo’s command; Hanzo then removed his respirator.

Hanzo removed his mask and used the poison he emitted to overwhelm Jiraiya, leaving Akatsuki’s leaders desperate as Nara Kaikei watched. Nagato offered his eyes in exchange for Jiraiya’s life, and Kaikei accepted the contract before launching shadow bullets at Hanzo.

• Hanzo removed his breathing mask and used the salamander toxin released with his breath to close in on Jiraiya.
• Jiraiya tried to keep his distance, but Hanzo’s Body Flicker Technique let him catch up and cut away nearly half of Jiraiya’s hair with his kusarigama.
• Jiraiya became dizzy as the toxin impaired him, and Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato watched Hanzo gain the advantage.
• Nagato begged Nara Kaikei to intervene and offered his eyes in exchange for Teacher Jiraiya’s life.
• Nara Kaikei confirmed the contract and fired a mass of shadow bullets toward Hanzo.

Nara Kaikei rescued the poisoned Jiraiya and confronted Hanzo, who recognized him as Konoha’s Fourth Hokage and hesitated to fight. When a powerful chakra presence arrived, Kaikei formed a new plan and ordered Hanzo to stay.

• Hanzo sensed a deadly threat and used the Water Release: Body Flicker Technique to escape Jiraiya, then saw Nara Kaikei appear beside him.
• Jiraiya warned Kaikei about the poison before collapsing unconscious, and Kaikei’s Shadow Clone turned to face Hanzo.
• Kaikei offered Hanzo the chance to withdraw, explaining that the exchange for Jiraiya’s life had been fulfilled.
• Hanzo recognized Kaikei as Konoha’s Fourth Hokage and held back, fearing that killing him would bring Konoha’s army into the Land of Rain.
• Kaikei sensed a powerful unfamiliar chakra, formed a fishing plan, and called for Hanzo to stay behind.

Nara Kaikei attacked Hanzo with hand-signless shadow projectiles and trapped him with a precisely timed Shadow Binding Bullet. As Hanzo’s salamander emerged and released poison mist, Nara Kaikei ignored it because another enemy had taken the bait.

• Hanzo assessed Nara Kaikei as a greater threat than Jiraiya and prepared to rely on close-range poison tactics despite his depleted stamina and Chakra.
• Nara Kaikei fired a Spiral Shadow Piercing Bullet, but Hanzo dodged it with the Water Release: Body Flicker Technique and rushed in from a blind spot.
• Nara Kaikei fired another shadow bullet, then made it explode into Shadow Tentacles with the Spiral Shadow Binding Bullet, catching Hanzo off guard.
• The Shadow Tentacles restrained Hanzo so completely that he could not move or form hand signs, and Nara Kaikei prepared another attack.
• Hanzo’s enormous salamander emerged from underground and spewed Poison Mist at Nara Kaikei, who ignored it because another fish had taken the bait.

Nara Kaikei saved Nagato from being dragged underground and exposed Zetsu, who had been lurking beneath Akatsuki. The chapter left Kaikei confronting the complete black-and-white Zetsu while his shadow clone fought Hanzo.

• Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan watched Nara Kaikei's shadow clone battle Hanzo and worried when Ibuse released its poison mist.
• Black-and-white hands seized Nagato's ankles and began dragging him underground.
• Nara Kaikei used the Flying Thunder God: Shadow Stream Blade mark he had planted on Nagato to appear beside him.
• Kaikei trapped the hands with the Shadow Binding Technique and used its cursed seal power to stop their pull.
• Kaikei hauled the hidden attacker out of the ground, revealing the complete form of Black Zetsu and White Zetsu.

Nara Kaikei caught Zetsu, including the unusual White Zetsu Tobi, after using his fight with Hanzo to draw out the hidden observer. His Shadow Clone pulled Jiraiya to safety, while Hanzo mistook the retreat for fear and challenged the Fourth Hokage with renewed confidence.

• Nara Kaikei recognized the bound White Zetsu as Tobi but could not tell whether the black half was the original Black Zetsu or Otsutsuki Black Zetsu.
• Hanzo broke free and Ibuse spread Poison Mist, so Nara Kaikei's Shadow Clone dodged it and carried the collapsed Jiraiya out of danger.
• The Shadow Clone revealed that the fight with Hanzo had been bait to lure out the unusual Chakra hiding underground.
• Nara Kaikei's main body caught Zetsu with the Shadow Binding Technique, while the Shadow Clone realized Zetsu had likely been watching Nagato and his Rinnegan.
• The Shadow Clone told Hanzo to leave, but Hanzo mistook the change in attitude for fear of Ibuse's poison and challenged the Fourth Hokage.

Nara Kaikei summoned a colossal Lightning Kirin in the Land of Rain and killed Hanzo of the Salamander and Ibuse with its strike. As the battle continued, Nara Kaikei’s main body confronted White Zetsu Tobi and Black Zetsu, bringing out Flame Release.

• Hanzo of the Salamander sent Ibuse charging at Nara Kaikei to interrupt his technique.
• Nara Kaikei gathered lightning from the storm clouds and shaped it into a massive Lightning Kirin.
• Nara Kaikei sent the Kirin crashing down, killing Ibuse and blasting Hanzo into a charred corpse.
• While the Kirin attacked Hanzo, Nara Kaikei’s main body began fighting White Zetsu Tobi and Black Zetsu.
• Nara Kaikei used Flame Release against the fused White Zetsu Tobi and Black Zetsu.

Black Zetsu’s attempt to drive Jiraiya and Nara Kaikei out of the Land of Rain collapsed when Kaikei caught him and burned him with Flame Release. White Zetsu Tobi freed them both and escaped underground, but Kaikei took Nagato’s Rinnegan and left the story with the eyes in his hands.

• Black Zetsu explained that he had incited Hanzo of the Salamander to attack the Akatsuki so he could keep Jiraiya and Nara Kaikei away from Nagato and his Rinnegan.
• Nagato offered his Rinnegan to Nara Kaikei as payment for dealing with Hanzo, prompting Black Zetsu to move against him.
• Nara Kaikei caught Black Zetsu with Shadow Binding Technique and attacked him with purple-black Flame Release.
• White Zetsu Tobi broke free of the Shadow Binding Technique and carried Black Zetsu underground, escaping Kaikei.
• Nara Kaikei removed Nagato’s Rinnegan and held the two bloody eyes in his hands.

Nara Kaikei secured Nagato’s Rinnegan and sent it to Sage Katsuyu for safekeeping, believing he had stopped Black Zetsu’s plan to revive Kaguya. After Zetsu escaped, Kaikei tracked it with a Wood Clone while his allies tended to Nagato and Jiraiya.

• Nara Kaikei reflected that taking Nagato’s Rinnegan had deprived Black Zetsu of the means to summon the Demonic Statue and pursue the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
• Nara Kaikei summoned Sage Katsuyu and entrusted her with the Rinnegan because Konoha was not safe from Black Zetsu and White Zetsu.
• Nara Kaikei sent a Wood Clone underground to follow Zetsu with the Mayfly Technique and monitor its movements.
• Yahiko and Konan stayed with the injured Nagato and arranged for bandages and medicine while Amegakure shinobi fled.
• Nara Kaikei sent a Shadow Clone to treat the poisoned Jiraiya and told Yahiko and Konan to replace Nagato’s eyes.

Nara Kaikei replaced Nagato’s Rinnegan with ordinary brown eyes and learned that Nagato felt lighter without the constant Chakra drain. Nagato could not reactivate the Rinnegan or use its special Dojutsu, but his other abilities remained intact.

• Yahiko and Konan captured a Hidden Rain Ninja to provide Nagato with replacement eyes, and Nara Kaikei performed the transplant.
• Nagato opened his new brown eyes and said he felt that his body had become lighter.
• Nara Kaikei asked whether Nagato could reactivate the Rinnegan, but Nagato could not sense or activate them.
• Nagato confirmed that he had no special Rinnegan-related Dojutsu and tested his abilities after the surgery.
• Nagato retained his other abilities, including his seven Chakra Nature Transformations, and now had a healthy body with abundant Chakra.

After Hanzo and Ibuse died, Nara Kaikei left the Akatsuki’s affairs to Jiraiya and returned to Konoha. There, Nara Shikaku brought him a paid rescue request from the Land of Snow, which had been plunged into civil war.

• Yahiko agreed to contact Jiraiya about future discoveries and saw him as a bridge to Konoha.
• Nara Kaikei learned that his Wood Clone had failed to track Zetsu and considered possible ways to fight Black Zetsu.
• Nara Kaikei left the cleanup in the Land of Rain to Jiraiya, said farewell to Yahiko’s group, and returned to Konoha.
• Nara Shikaku brought Nara Kaikei a request from the Land of Snow’s daimyo to hire powerful ninja for a rescue mission.
• Nara Shikaku told Nara Kaikei that the Land of Snow’s crisis was a civil war, not an attack by rogue ninja.

Nara Kaikei learned that the Land of Snow’s daimyo had bought a [Chakra Crystal] and considered the country’s unusual secrets before deciding to send Minato Namikaze on a rescue mission. He ordered Minato to protect Kazahana Sōsetsu at all costs, leaving the fate of the crystal and the country’s conflict unresolved.

• Nara Kaikei reviewed the Land of Snow’s civil war and asked Nara Shikaku about intelligence that the daimyo had purchased a [Chakra Crystal].
• Nara Shikaku explained that he had brought the mission to Nara Kaikei so they could try to recover the valuable crystal while aiding the daimyo.
• Nara Kaikei considered how [Chakra Crystal] could boost his Chakra and extend his [Sage Mode], while recalling the Land of Snow’s future secrets.
• Nara Kaikei ordered Minato Namikaze to reach the Land of Snow quickly and protect Kazahana Sōsetsu at all costs.

Minato Namikaze reached the Land of Snow to protect Kazahana Sōsetsu and eliminate the rebels, arriving just as the daimyo’s deadline approached. After revealing his Konoha identity, Minato swiftly killed the Yukigakure shinobi who confronted him, including Kazahana Dōtō, leaving Kazahana Sōsetsu stunned.

• Minato Namikaze used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach the Land of Snow and sensed the shinobi stationed near the royal palace.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu told Kazahana Koyuki to hide the Hexagonal Crystal Necklace, which was the key to his heating device.
• Minato entered the palace corridor and told Kazahana Sōsetsu that he had come on the Fourth Hokage’s orders to protect him.
• A Yukigakure shinobi spotted Minato, and Minato killed him with a swift strike before Kazahana Sōsetsu could finish identifying him as an enemy.
• Kazahana Dōtō arrived with three other shinobi, and Minato killed all four with rapid throat-slashing attacks.

Minato Namikaze defeated Kazahana Dōtō and his Yukigakure allies, helping Kazahana Sōsetsu suppress the Land of Snow’s rebellion. After Nara Kaikei arrived from Konoha using Space-Time Ninjutsu, he sensed Natural Energy gathering toward the snowfield and asked about the area where the heating device stood.

• Minato Namikaze killed Kazahana Dōtō and the three Yukigakure shinobi, then asked Kazahana Sōsetsu to approve his mission scroll.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu approved the mission and ordered the rebellious ministers purged, bringing the civil war largely to an end.
• Minato Namikaze declined Kazahana Sōsetsu’s banquet invitation and arranged a meeting with Nara Kaikei, Konoha’s Fourth Hokage.
• Nara Kaikei appeared in the palace from Konoha using Space-Time Ninjutsu, startling Kazahana Sōsetsu.
• Nara Kaikei sensed Natural Energy converging toward the snowfield and asked Kazahana Sōsetsu whether anything unusual had happened there.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu realized Nara Kaikei was pointing toward the location of the Land of Snow’s heating device and wondered if he knew of the Great Secret Treasure.

At a banquet, Kazahana Sōsetsu explained that the Land of Snow’s rumored secret treasure was a geothermal device powered by Natural Energy, which he had designed to transform the country’s climate. Nara Kaikei became eager to inspect it, while Kazahana Sōsetsu asked whether Konoha ninja could change careers, apparently considering recruiting someone.

• Kazahana Sōsetsu told Nara Kaikei that the supposed secret treasure was a machine built to absorb geothermal heat and warm the Land of Snow.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu revealed that the machine drew power from Natural Energy, which he had learned about through a ninja temple.
• Nara Kaikei and Minato Namikaze were surprised that Kazahana Sōsetsu, an ordinary person, had discovered and harnessed Natural Energy with a device.
• Nara Kaikei asked to examine the geothermal device, and Kazahana Sōsetsu agreed.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu asked whether Konoha had precedents for ninja changing careers, leaving Nara Kaikei wondering if he meant to recruit someone.

Kazahana Sōsetsu invited Minato Namikaze to become a general of the Land of Snow, but Minato firmly refused, so Sōsetsu asked Konoha to consider stationing a shinobi unit in his country. After the banquet, Sōsetsu took Nara Kaikei to his private laboratory, where Kaikei noticed an armored suit with a Chakra Crystal embedded in its chest.

• Nara Kaikei told Kazahana Sōsetsu that shinobi rarely changed careers and that Konoha did not oppose retirement or new paths in principle.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu offered Minato Namikaze the post of general of the Land of Snow, but Minato said he would remain a shinobi of Konoha.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu asked Nara Kaikei whether Konoha would accept a long-term mission to station shinobi in the Land of Snow, and Kaikei promised to discuss it after returning to the village.
• After the banquet, Kazahana Sōsetsu invited Nara Kaikei to his private laboratory to show him his research.
• Nara Kaikei spotted a silver-white suit of armor in the laboratory and recognized the round stone embedded in its chest as a Chakra Crystal.

Kazahana Sōsetsu showed Nara Kaikei his Chakra Armor, powered by a rare Chakra Crystal, and offered him two crystals. Kaikei declined the gift but learned that the armor let its wearer use a crystal’s chakra without resonating with it.

• Kazahana Sōsetsu told Nara Kaikei he had collected five or six Chakra Crystals and explained that one powered his Chakra Armor.
• Nara Kaikei revealed that his clan had once sought to buy Chakra Crystals and asked whether Kazahana Sōsetsu had any to sell.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu offered Kaikei two Chakra Crystals, but Kaikei refused to accept them for free.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu explained that the armor amplified chakra, strengthened ninjutsu, and generated a defensive barrier.
• Nara Kaikei realized the armor let its wearer use chakra from a Chakra Crystal without resonating with it.

Kazahana Sōsetsu showed Nara Kaikei the Chakra Armor and other inventions powered by the Chakra Crystal, including a device that suppressed chakra and one that projected recorded images. The projection showed Koyuki declaring she wanted to become a princess, and Kazahana Sōsetsu vowed to turn the Land of Snow into the Spring Country.

• Kazahana Sōsetsu described plans to improve his first-generation Chakra Armor, while Nara Kaikei compared it favorably with Sunagakure's puppets.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu showed Nara Kaikei laboratory inventions, including electric defenses, gliding wings, and rapid-fire kunai mechanisms.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu demonstrated a Chakra Suppression Device that drained its wearer's chakra, and Nara Kaikei tested its jonin-level storage capacity.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu demonstrated a Projection Device that displayed a recording of Koyuki saying she wanted to become a gentle, strong princess with a sense of justice.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu explained that the projection's reference to spring meant the geothermal device and vowed to turn the Land of Snow into the Spring Country.

Nara Kaikei discussed heating techniques with Kazahana Sōsetsu, who became interested in Boil Release as a gentler way to warm the Land of Snow. Sōsetsu invited Konoha’s Boil Release learners to visit, while Kaikei left the proposal open for discussion and asked to learn about the Projection Device.

• Nara Kaikei questioned whether Kazahana Sōsetsu’s geothermal device could warm the Land of Snow without making it dangerously hot.
• Nara Kaikei demonstrated Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique and described several heating techniques, including Scorch Release, Lava Release, and Boil Release.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu asked for more information about Boil Release, and Nara Kaikei explained Han’s abilities and mentioned Konoha ninja were learning it.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu invited the Konoha ninja learning Boil Release to visit the Land of Snow, and Nara Kaikei said he would discuss the matter after returning to the village.
• Kazahana Sōsetsu offered Minato Namikaze a Chakra Crystal, and Nara Kaikei declined to decide for Minato before asking about the Projection Device.