Chapter Summaries

Orochimaru tried to abandon his alliance with Zetsu, but Zetsu exposed his resurrection safeguard and persuaded him to join a plan against Uchiha Aozora and Nagato. Aozora pursued Orochimaru until Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju appeared in his path.

• Orochimaru told Zetsu he was ending their cooperation and fled through the earth after the alliance of the Four Great Shinobi Villages collapsed.
• Zetsu threatened Orochimaru by naming Guren, Hozuki Suigetsu, and Anko Mitarashi, then revealed how Orochimaru's Heavenly Curse Mark could preserve fragments of his soul and memories for revival.
• Orochimaru realized he could not kill Zetsu underground and agreed to hear what he should do.
• Zetsu proposed stopping Uchiha Aozora and Nagato before they returned to Konoha, arguing that their separation gave the enemy a chance to win.
• Aozora followed the Chakra traces Orochimaru had left behind, then stopped when Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju appeared ahead of him.

Aozora challenged Uchiha Madara and overwhelmed him in a battle between their enormous Susanoo. Madara absorbed Aozora’s golden flames, but the flames ignited inside him and reduced him to ash.

• Uchiha Madara learned that Aozora had defeated Obito and subdued Nagato, then demanded to know Aozora’s name.
• Aozora introduced himself and declared that Madara and Hashirama Senju were worthy opponents on his path to becoming the strongest in the Shinobi World.
• Uchiha Madara summoned his complete blue Susanoo, but Aozora answered with a larger golden Susanoo.
• Aozora and Madara fought with their Susanoo, shaking the Gobi as their blades clashed and Aozora’s golden flames spread across Madara’s Susanoo.
• Uchiha Madara absorbed the flames and grabbed Aozora’s Susanoo, but the golden flames erupted inside him and burned him to ash.
• Aozora remarked that Madara had been smug despite being unable to withstand his power.

Jigen drew Chakra from the Ten-Tails and headed to Konoha to stop its plans, while Aozora fought Spiral White Zetsu and Uchiha Madara. Aozora's Golden Flame Dragon engulfed the battlefield as the fight continued.

• Jigen watched Aozora and Uchiha Madara battle and decided to retrieve something before stopping Konoha's plan.
• Jigen entered an alternate dimension, drained Chakra from the imprisoned Ten-Tails, and traveled to Konoha.
• Aozora attacked Uchiha Madara as he reformed, but Spiral White Zetsu used Wood Release to create a giant Wood Human that blocked the Susanoo's strike.
• Spiral White Zetsu summoned a Wood Dragon that climbed the Susanoo and began draining its Chakra.
• Aozora infused the Divine General with Flame Release, burning the Wood Dragon into a Golden Flame Dragon that unleashed a torrent of fire.

Aozora overwhelmed Uchiha Madara and Spiral White Zetsu with his Blaze Release, then provoked them into combining their powers. The chapter ended with Madara armoring Hashirama’s Thousand-Armed Buddha with Susanoo as Aozora prepared to fight at full strength.

• Uchiha Madara used Shinra Tensei to repel Aozora’s golden flames and shield Spiral White Zetsu, while Aozora stopped his Golden Flame Dragon from continuing its attack.
• Aozora mocked Madara and Spiral White Zetsu for their weakness and threatened to erase their souls with his Rinnegan.
• Madara ordered Spiral White Zetsu to use Hashirama Senju’s strongest Wood Release, and Zetsu created the True Several Thousand Hands Buddha.
• Madara covered the Buddha with Susanoo, forming the Susanoo Great Buddha, and Aozora declared that he would use his true power to end them.

As Konoha prepared for war, Naruto and Sasuke chafed at being kept away from the battlefield. Jigen infiltrated Konoha to take a dangerous target and fought Itachi, who escaped his Black Rod attack with a crow clone.

• Konoha mobilized for war against the other villages while Fugaku kept ninja under sixteen from the battlefield.
• Naruto complained about being confined to Konoha, and Sasuke and Hinata persuaded him to obey orders before he sparred with Sasuke.
• Itachi noticed several Intelligence Department monitors go dark and left to investigate.
• Jigen killed an ANBU and headed toward Training Ground 6, where Itachi intercepted him.
• Jigen struck Itachi with Black Rods, but Itachi transformed into a flock of crows and escaped.

Itachi fought Jigen, whose speed, strength, and ability to absorb Amaterasu overwhelmed him until he summoned Susanoo and held out with the Yata Mirror. As reinforcements rushed toward the battle, the mirror repelled Jigen's powerful kick and sent him crashing to the ground.

• Itachi observed Jigen with Ninja Crows, but Jigen found his Crow Clone and charged at him.
• Jigen broke through Itachi's Amaterasu, shattered his newly formed Susanoo ribs, and absorbed the black flames.
• Itachi decided to draw Konoha's attention and summoned his full Susanoo as Jigen continued his attack.
• Kakashi and Might Guy spotted the Susanoo and raced toward the battlefield, while Fugaku led ANBU and Jōnin reinforcements out from the Hokage Building.
• Jigen's kick cracked Itachi's Susanoo, but the Yata Mirror rebounded the force and blasted Jigen into the ground.

Nagato sealed the resurrected Kage with Planetary Devastation while Aozora and Uchiha Madara prepared to clash with their colossal Susanoo and Buddha constructs. The chapter ended as Madara and Spiral White Zetsu unleashed a storm of giant fists against Aozora.

• Shisui sealed the Two-Tails and restrained Yugito, while Kisame moved the Eight-Tails away and Jiraiya and Tsunade rescued surviving Sand Ninja.
• Rasa thanked Jiraiya and Tsunade, then watched Nagato fight the Kage as the three recognized that the battle was ending.
• Nagato used Planetary Devastation and Limbo Clones to overcome the Kage and seal them inside celestial bodies.
• Rasa, Jiraiya, and Tsunade saw two enormous constructs rise at the horizon, while Orochimaru and Zetsu watched Aozora and Uchiha Madara face off.
• Aozora empowered his golden Susanoo to match the giant Buddha as Uchiha Madara and Spiral White Zetsu attacked with countless giant fists.
• Aozora drove Susanoo to slash at the descending fists.

Aozora defeated Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju with a powerful new Susanoo technique, then began extracting Madara’s soul. An elderly horned man emerged from a dark purple void and ordered Aozora to wait.

• Aozora unleashed a black gravitational blade that absorbed the Divine General’s trident and destroyed the fists of the Susanoo Great Buddha.
• The black celestial body swallowed Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju along with the Thousand-Hand Buddha.
• Aozora praised his new technique, then caught the reforming Madara and Hashirama in Susanoo’s hands.
• Aozora used Adamantine Sealing Chains and Human Path power to suppress Madara and pull his soul from his Impure World body.
• As Madara’s soul was more than halfway extracted, an elderly horned man emerged from a dark purple void and told Aozora to wait.

Aozora stopped Uchiha Madara from being sealed away when the Six Paths Sage intervened, and the two clashed over Aozora’s power and the Sage’s authority. Aozora revealed that Black Zetsu had altered the Stone Tablet, exposing the Moon Eye Plan as a deception and leaving Madara furious.

• The Six Paths Sage appeared and stopped Aozora from sealing Uchiha Madara, then questioned Aozora about his eyes and Tailed Beast Chakra.
• Aozora challenged the Six Paths Sage, and the Sage accused Indra’s descendants of ignoring his warning on the Uchiha Stone Tablet.
• Aozora explained that the Stone Tablet had been altered, and the Six Paths Sage confirmed that he had never written the Moon Eye Plan.
• Uchiha Madara learned that Infinite Tsukuyomi would enslave people rather than bring peace, and he reacted with despair and rage.
• Aozora said Black Zetsu was the one who altered the Stone Tablet.

Aozora exposed Black Zetsu as someone who had manipulated Uchiha Madara and deduced that Black Zetsu sought to complete the Moon Eye Plan for a Chakra Fruit. Aozora freed Hashirama Senju but kept Madara restrained, leaving Madara humiliated after he failed to contact Black Zetsu.

• Aozora explained that Black Zetsu had betrayed him and Nagato, leading him to suspect that Black Zetsu was not Uchiha Madara's creation.
• Uchiha Madara recalled inconsistencies in Black Zetsu's behavior and accepted that he had been manipulated into pursuing the Moon Eye Plan.
• The Six Paths Sage explained that Infinite Tsukuyomi could gather the world's Chakra to create a Chakra Fruit, and guessed that Black Zetsu wanted its power.
• Aozora released Hashirama Senju but refused to free Uchiha Madara, arguing that manipulation did not excuse Madara's actions.
• Uchiha Madara tried to contact Black Zetsu for revenge, but Aozora pointed out that Black Zetsu had likely severed their connection, leaving Madara ashamed and furious.

Jigen overwhelmed Itachi and drove back Kakashi and Might Guy, but Guy opened the Seventh Gate and began fighting him on equal terms. Guy launched Daytime Tiger at Jigen, who answered with a full-power punch as the battle continued.

• Jigen shattered Itachi's Susanoo with a punch, then impaled Itachi's arms with Black Rods to stop him from using the Summoning Jutsu.
• Might Guy attacked Jigen, but Jigen kicked him away and absorbed Kakashi's Lightning Beast Tracking Fang with Karma.
• Guy opened the Seventh Gate and rescued Kakashi and Itachi from Jigen's Black Rods before telling them to leave the fight to him.
• Guy and Jigen exchanged powerful taijutsu blows, flattening the ruined forest as Itachi recognized the strength of Guy's Eight Inner Gates.
• Guy unleashed Daytime Tiger, and Jigen braced himself and threw a full-power punch at the approaching White Tiger.

Aozora challenged the Six Paths Sage over his failure to control powerful souls and destroyed Uchiha Madara rather than return him to the Pure Land. He then rushed to Konoha, where Might Guy had fought Jigen, and rescued Guy as he confronted Jigen.

• Aozora questioned the Six Paths Sage about allowing dead shinobi to return and warned that gathering powerful souls concentrated too much power.
• Aozora declared that Uchiha Madara would die for his crimes and pulled him into the belly of Yama, King of the Hell Path.
• The Six Paths Sage shifted his attention toward Black Zetsu and considered winning over Aozora, but Aozora sensed an attack on Konoha and left.
• Might Guy's Seventh Gate taijutsu clashed with Jigen's Otsutsuki taijutsu, and the collision buried Guy beneath rubble while Jigen remained standing.
• Jigen tried to finish Might Guy, but Aozora used Banshō Ten'in to pull Guy to safety and challenged Jigen.

Aozora fought Jigen, who had come to Konoha to seize the Nine-Tails, and forced him to retreat after setting his arm ablaze. Jigen escaped through a space vortex while Aozora and Itachi remained in Konoha.

• Jigen admitted that Aozora had defeated Uchiha Madara sooner than expected and explained that he had planned to take Konoha's Nine-Tails.
• Jigen decided to withdraw when he saw Aozora, Might Guy, and Itachi ready to fight, but Aozora attacked as he opened a space vortex.
• Jigen dodged Aozora's first attack and struck the Flying Dagger, only for Aozora's Blaze Release Clone to take the punch and wrap Jigen's arm in golden flames.
• Jigen severed his burning right arm with a Black Rod as Aozora sent the Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger and Immortal Slaying Sword after him.
• Jigen summoned black cubes with Mahakala, forcing Aozora to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape beside Itachi, then fled through his space vortex.

Jigen returned to Amado’s underground base injured and ordered him to continue searching for a vessel. After learning that the enemy villages had lost their leaders, Aozora urged Konoha to press its advantage, while Fugaku prepared for the war’s next phase and began thinking about retirement and succession.

• Jigen told Amado that Uchiha Aozora had injured him with Blaze Release and ordered him to continue the vessel experiments.
• Fugaku arrived at the battlefield cleanup and learned from Aozora that the enemy had been driven off, while the Raikage had been executed and the Two-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Mizukage captured.
• Aozora summoned the Golden Winged Great Peng Bird and told Fugaku to speed up the frontlines and use his subordinates to attack the rear.
• Fugaku returned to the Hokage Building and issued prepared orders for the frontlines.
• Fugaku reflected on Konoha’s rise under the Uchiha and decided to begin preparing assistants and a successor so he could eventually retire.

Uchiha Tekka led Konoha’s airborne assault on Kumogakure after Inabi received word that the Raikage had died and the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails had been captured. Konoha’s attackers overwhelmed the village’s defenses, leaving Kumogakure’s buildings in ruins and many of its ninjas dead or wounded.

• Hyuga Sanada reported that the coast was clear, and Inabi received a message that the Raikage had died while both tailed beasts had been captured.
• Inabi ordered most of the fleet’s ninjas to equip their flight gear and attack Kumogakure under Tekka’s command.
• Tekka led the First Squad toward the Raikage Building while the other squads spread out to attack Kumogakure’s ninjas.
• Konoha’s airborne forces rained explosive-tag kunai, ninjutsu, and other attacks on the village, overwhelming its defenders and causing widespread destruction.

Cloud's leaders responded to Konoha's air raid by ordering the Chakra Cannon deployed, but Aozora reached its secret base before it could be fired. He confronted Samui and the Cloud ANBU, then summoned the captured Fourth Raikage from his Susanoo.

• Cloud's Great Elder learned that the attackers wore Konoha headbands and ordered the village's Barrier Squad to reinforce the defenses as explosions struck the Raikage Building.
• The Great Elder ordered Samui to bring out the Chakra Cannon and Dodai to retrieve the Amber Purifying Pot.
• Samui led ANBU to the secret base and ordered its ninja to prepare the Diffusion Chakra Cannon.
• Aozora arrived at the base on the Golden Winged Great Peng Bird and accused Cloud of breaking its alliance with Konoha first.
• Samui sent a distress signal and led the ANBU to stop Aozora, who summoned the captured Fourth Raikage from his Susanoo.

Aozora used the Fourth Raikage’s spirit to defeat Kumogakure’s defenders, took the Chakra Cannon, and brought the unconscious Samui to the Raikage Building. He halted Konoha’s bombardment and surrounded the building, where Kumogakure’s leaders saw him standing beside the Raikage’s spirit.

• Samui called the Fourth Raikage’s appearance a genjutsu and rallied the Kumogakure shinobi to attack Aozora.
• Aozora ordered the Fourth Raikage to teach his former subordinates a lesson, and the spirit swiftly defeated the charging shinobi, leaving Samui unconscious.
• Aozora stored the Chakra Cannon in the Kamui Dimension, picked up Samui, and flew toward the Raikage Building.
• Aozora told Tekka to stop attacking the Raikage Building and block reinforcements from other departments, and Tekka relayed the orders to the airborne units.
• A sensor reported the Fourth Raikage’s chakra outside the building alongside another source more than ten times stronger, and Kumogakure’s leaders saw Aozora and the Raikage’s spirit through the windows.

Uchiha Aozora used the controlled soul of the Fourth Raikage to reveal that Kumogakure's elite forces had been defeated and demand surrender. When the village's leaders considered resisting, Aozora summoned a growing meteor and gave them thirty minutes to surrender or die.

• The Fourth Raikage's ghost entered the Raikage Building and urged Kumogakure to surrender, revealing that Killer B, Yugito, and the elite forces had been captured or killed.
• Kumogakure's Great Elder accused the ghost of being controlled by Uchiha Aozora, but the Fourth Raikage admitted it and argued that surrender would spare the village.
• Kumogakure's leaders debated resistance as Aozora and the Konoha Ninja appeared to withdraw from the battlefield.
• Aozora rose into the sky and formed a black sphere whose gravity pulled rocks and debris upward.
• Aozora gave Kumogakure thirty minutes to surrender or die, and a high-ranking official who had vowed to fight dropped to his knees in terror.

Aozora threatened Kumogakure with a massive meteor, forcing its villagers and shinobi to confront the certainty of defeat. Dodai and the village’s leaders chose surrender, ending the battle while the Great Elder walked away to meet his fate.

• Aozora’s meteor grew over Kumogakure, and he gave the village thirty minutes to surrender or die.
• Villagers and most Cloud ninja surrendered as they saw no chance of surviving the meteor.
• Dodai and other officials argued that surrender would save Kumogakure’s civilians, while the Great Elder resisted.
• As the Raikage Building’s Barrier began to fail, the Great Elder ordered it opened and entrusted Kumogakure to Dodai.
• Dodai announced Kumogakure’s surrender to Aozora, and the battle ended.

After Kumogakure surrendered, Aozora negotiated lenient terms while keeping a meteor overhead to deter resistance. Three days later, Nara Shikaku arrived and peacefully began Konoha’s takeover of Kumogakure.

• Aozora halted Planetary Devastation and sent a Shadow Clone to negotiate with Dodai and Kumogakure’s leaders.
• Aozora required Kumogakure’s shinobi to remain in the village and ordered those serving outside it to return within five days, with exceptions considered individually.
• Dodai directed the village to calm its shinobi, treat the wounded, and summon its forces back, while ordering ANBU to watch a dissenter.
• Three days later, Nara Shikaku arrived with reinforcements, and Aozora moved the meteor away before smashing it into the distant wilderness.
• Shikaku peacefully took over Kumogakure’s departments, bringing the village under Konoha’s initial control.