Chapter Summaries

Menma and Kabuto pursued Utakata after losing the trackers’ trail, and Menma soon sensed the wounded Six-Tails Jinchuriki approaching with Cloud Ninja behind him. Menma confronted Utakata, then attacked Darui’s group to protect him, leaving the fight underway as the Cloud Ninja tried to defend against Menma’s shuriken barrage.

• Menma rejected Kabuto’s suggestion to wait for reinforcements and headed toward Utakata’s last known location.
• Menma sensed Utakata and his pursuers, changed course, and met the wounded Six-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Menma introduced himself to Utakata and said he would discuss an important matter after dealing with the pursuers.
• Darui and several injured Cloud Ninja arrived, and Menma recognized Darui as the future Fifth Generation Raikage.
• Menma cloaked himself in Nine-Tails Chakra, summoned Shitsu to block the Cloud Ninja’s retreat, and attacked them with the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Menma overwhelmed Darui with Nine-Tails Chakra and killed the Cloud Ninja squad. Utakata watched Menma’s victory and realized he had underestimated the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki’s strength.

• Menma injured or killed three Cloud Ninja and charged at Darui while Lizard Shitsu fought the others.
• Darui activated Lightning Release Chakra Armor Mode, but Menma overpowered him with a punch and kick.
• Darui fired Storm Release—Lash and Strike, and Menma blocked the lasers with four Demon Fox Tails.
• Menma struck Darui with the Spiral Gale Technique, leaving him fatally wounded.
• Lizard Shitsu killed the remaining Cloud Ninja, while Utakata watched Menma with a newly solemn view of his strength.

Menma killed Darui and offered Utakata a place with his group, arguing that the hunted Jinchuriki would be safer with companions. Utakata was tempted by the prospect of support but remained wary of trusting Menma, leaving his decision unresolved.

• Menma killed the mortally wounded Darui and sealed his corpse in a scroll for research and intelligence.
• Menma returned to Utakata and noticed that Kabuto Yakushi had not treated him because Utakata did not trust them.
• Menma invited Utakata to join his group and offered to let him leave if he provided some of the Six-Tails' Chakra.
• Utakata questioned whether joining Menma would make him safer and asked why he should trust him.
• Utakata considered the invitation but remained troubled by his lack of knowledge about Menma and his fear of being controlled.

Utakata accepted Menma’s invitation to join him after the two shared a silent fist bump, and Kabuto treated Utakata’s injuries. A message revealed that Root had destroyed Orochimaru’s base, and Sasuke was leading the team tracking the culprits.

• Utakata accepted Menma’s offer to become companions after a private exchange marked by a fist bump.
• Kabuto congratulated them and healed Utakata’s injuries with Medical Jutsu.
• Kabuto received a scroll reporting that Root ninja under Shimura Danzō had destroyed Orochimaru’s base.
• Menma asked who was leading the team investigating the destruction, and Kabuto said Sasuke was in charge.

Menma, Jiraiya, and their groups raced toward the same battlefield in the Land of Spring, where Sasuke was fighting Danzo’s Root forces. Sasuke unleashed his Cursed Seal against Ryoma Aburame as reinforcements closed in from both directions.

• Menma, Utakata, and Kabuto headed southwest after learning Sasuke was involved in the mission, while Jiraiya led Naruto toward the same location.
• Jiraiya concluded that Root had attacked Utakata and hurried to prevent him from falling into Danzo’s or Orochimaru’s hands.
• On a plain northeast of the Land of Spring’s capital, Sasuke fought Ryoma Aburame, whose insects blocked Sasuke’s Great Fireball Technique.
• Ryoma ordered Sasuke to surrender, but Sasuke activated his Cursed Seal, alarming Ryoma with the surge of Chakra.

Sasuke fought Ryoma Aburame and two Root members, but their coordinated attacks and superior numbers began to wear him down. He summoned Manda and promised the giant snake one hundred sacrifices, shifting the battle's course.

• Sasuke used his Curse Mark Stage Two power, Fire Style, and Chidori to injure Ryoma, who called Ken and Shin for support.
• Sasuke burned Ken with Housenka and nearly struck Shin, but Ryoma shielded him with an insect wall.
• Ryoma ordered Ken and Shin to keep their distance and exhaust Sasuke, while Root's forces continued killing Sasuke's subordinates.
• Sasuke realized his allies were being overwhelmed and his Chakra was running low, so he summoned Manda.
• Manda complained that Sasuke had summoned him instead of Orochimaru, and Sasuke offered him one hundred sacrifices in exchange for fighting.

Sasuke summoned Manda to help him fight Ryoma and the other Root members, but the giant snake overwhelmed the injured Jonin and devoured Ken and Shin. Just as Manda bore down on Ryoma, Jiraiya and Naruto arrived on a giant toad and forced Manda to retreat.

• Sasuke relied on Manda's power, and Manda charged Ryoma, Shin, and Ken, breaking through Ryoma's insect wall.
• Manda swallowed Ken and Shin, killing both Root members while Sasuke and Ryoma watched in shock.
• Manda rampaged across the battlefield, knocking away Root members and Orochimaru's subordinates before attacking Ryoma again.
• Ryoma unleashed his Insect Cloud Storm Technique, but Manda shattered the swarm and nearly reached him.
• Jiraiya and Naruto arrived on a giant toad and used the Toad Oil Flame Bullet Technique to drive Manda back.

Naruto and Jiraiya arrived as Sasuke faced Ryoma, and Jiraiya urged Sasuke to return to Konoha. Menma then appeared atop Manda and challenged Jiraiya’s words, leaving Naruto and Sasuke stunned as Manda prepared to attack him.

• Sasuke considered retreating when he recognized Jiraiya as an opponent he could not yet face.
• Naruto excitedly called out to Sasuke, while Jiraiya examined Sasuke’s Cursed Seal.
• Jiraiya saved the wounded Ryoma and told him to rest before asking him questions later.
• Naruto urged Sasuke to return, but Sasuke mocked him and Jiraiya offered to have Konoha forgive Sasuke if he turned back.
• Menma appeared atop Manda and challenged Jiraiya, prompting Manda to prepare to shake him off.

Menma confronted Jiraiya over Konoha’s failures and rejected his plea for reconciliation, arguing that apologies could not undo the damage. He then challenged Sasuke’s belief that Itachi alone had exterminated the Uchiha Clan, leaving Sasuke questioning Konoha’s role.

• Menma intimidated Manda, who accepted his apology, while Kabuto watched Menma command the giant snake.
• Menma mocked Jiraiya and accused him of shirking responsibility for past mistakes involving Nagato, Naruto, and Menma.
• Jiraiya admitted that he and Konoha had made mistakes and asked Menma to give them a chance to make amends.
• Menma destroyed a large tree with an explosive kunai and argued that an apology could not restore what had been lost.
• Menma cited Konoha’s role in the White Fang’s death, Hinata’s abduction, Hizashi’s death, and the Uchiha Clan’s extermination.
• Sasuke asked whether the Uchiha Clan’s massacre involved Konoha, and Menma questioned whether Itachi could have acted alone without the village noticing.

Menma revealed that Konoha’s leaders had hidden the truth about the Uchiha massacre, deepening Sasuke’s hatred and leaving Naruto confused. Menma attacked Jiraiya while Sasuke and Manda engaged Naruto and Gama Bunta, and Kabuto went to aid Orochimaru’s forces.

• Menma prompted Sasuke to question whether Itachi could really have massacred the Uchiha clan alone, and Jiraiya’s silence confirmed Sasuke’s suspicions about Konoha.
• Naruto asked Jiraiya whether the village had caused the Uchiha and Hyuga clans’ suffering, but Jiraiya urged them to forget the past and look to the future.
• Menma condemned Jiraiya, unleashed the Nine-Tails’ chakra, and attacked him with four Demon Fox Tails.
• Jiraiya defended himself with the Needle Jizo Technique, but Menma struck him from the side and sent him flying.
• Sasuke ordered Manda to attack Naruto and Gama Bunta, who met them in battle, while Kabuto left to help Orochimaru’s struggling forces.

Menma fought Jiraiya, using increasingly powerful Nine-Tails Chakra and forcing Jiraiya to summon Gamaken. The battle continued as Menma summoned Lizard Shitsu and unleashed golden chains at Gamaken.

• Menma used six Demon Fox Tails to withstand Jiraiya’s attacks and pressed the fight with Shuriken Shadow Clones and close combat.
• Jiraiya tried to persuade Menma, but Menma struck him with a Demon Fox Tail and made clear his intent to kill.
• Menma sent Shadow Clones and multiple ninjutsu attacks against Jiraiya, who summoned Gamaken to escape the assault.
• Menma summoned Lizard Shitsu, whose tail clashed with Gamaken’s shield as Gamaken attacked him with its weapon.
• Menma produced two golden chains and shot them toward Gamaken, shocking Jiraiya.

Menma and his allies overwhelmed Jiraiya’s forces, but Jiraiya used a coordinated retreat to save Naruto and escape with him. After the battle, Sasuke demanded the truth about the Uchiha Clan, and Menma promised to explain more once they returned.

• Menma bound Gamaken with Adamantine Sealing Chains and battered him until Jiraiya released the summon.
• Jiraiya’s side fell into a worsening disadvantage as Kabuto Yakushi and the others pushed back the Root Members, while Sasuke and Manda overwhelmed Naruto and Gama Bunta.
• Jiraiya and Bunta used their jutsu to distract Manda and Menma, then carried Naruto away and retreated.
• Menma chose not to pursue Jiraiya, while Sasuke dismissed Manda and ended his Curse Mark Stage Two.
• Sasuke asked Menma what he knew about the Uchiha Clan’s destruction, and Menma promised to tell him more and suggested he question Orochimaru too.

Menma secured Utakata and escaped the Land of Spring after defeating Jiraiya’s forces, while Kirigakure’s pursuit team arrived too late to find the Six-Tails Jinchuriki. News of the battle reached Danzo and Fourth Raikage A, who reacted furiously to their losses and ordered further action.

• Sasuke agreed to wait to learn the truth behind the Uchiha Clan’s extermination, while Menma dismissed Kabuto Yakushi’s flattery and led the group away with Ryoma Aburame captive.
• Kirigakure’s pursuit unit reached the battlefield after Menma’s group had left, and its captain ordered Ayan to report that Utakata had likely fallen into the hands of the Cloud Ninja or Stone Ninja.
• Danzo learned that three Root squads and Ryoma Aburame had been lost without securing the Six-Tails, then ordered Root to search for Utakata and considered taking further action against Tsunade.
• Fourth Raikage A received word that Darui and the other Cloud Ninja were missing and presumed dead, smashed his desk in fury, and heard Dodai’s grave assessment of Darui’s importance.

Fourth Raikage A learned that Darui's squad had vanished and suspected Konoha of killing them. He ordered Kumogakure to demand answers and compensation from Konoha, while Dodai urged him to wait for more intelligence.

• A Cloud Ninja reported that Darui's squad had been missing for three days, and Fourth Raikage A ordered a search of the Land of Spring.
• Fourth Raikage A asked Dodai who might have killed Darui's group, and Dodai identified Konoha as the leading suspect while acknowledging the Six-Tails Jinchuriki might have acted alone.
• Dodai explained that Konoha had both the strength and motive to target the Six-Tails after losing its Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Fourth Raikage A ordered Kumogakure to demand Darui's squad's bodies, the culprit's surrender, and compensation from Konoha.
• Dodai urged Fourth Raikage A to wait for initial intelligence before provoking Konoha.

After Kumogakure accused Konoha of killing a Cloud Ninja squad and threatened war, Tsunade ordered Konoha’s forces to prepare for a possible clash. She left Suzaku in charge of the force sent to reinforce the border.

• Fourth Raikage A ordered Dodai to pressure Konoha and use the incident to test its response and that of other villages.
• Dodai sent a diplomatic demand to Konohagakure and deployed Cloud Ninja units to the border.
• Shikaku informed Tsunade that Kumogakure demanded the Cloud Ninja corpses and the culprit, threatening war if Konoha refused.
• Tsunade angrily rejected the threat and ordered frontline forces to prepare for war while reinforcements secured the border.
• Tsunade told Shikaku to ensure Konoha did not strike first and appointed Suzaku to lead the force.

Tsunade prepared Konoha for possible conflict with Kumogakure while discussing Menma’s threat with Jiraiya. Jiraiya accepted responsibility for stopping Menma if he could not be brought back, and planned to investigate Orochimaru and the Mist Ninja.

• Tsunade told Shikaku to deny Konoha’s involvement if it had not committed the alleged act and to inform the Advisor Elders.
• Tsunade ordered Shizune to increase surveillance of other nations and prepare medical personnel for deployment to the northern border.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Menma and Orochimaru were likely connected to the Six-Tails Jinchuriki’s disappearance and the Cloud Ninja’s losses.
• Jiraiya said Menma had used Nine-Tails Chakra smoothly while manifesting six tails and remaining rational, suggesting he had gained the Nine-Tails’ cooperation.
• Tsunade warned Jiraiya that Menma had become a deadly threat to Konoha, and Jiraiya agreed to stop him if the situation became irreparable.
• Jiraiya promised to investigate Orochimaru and the Mist Ninja and advised Tsunade to restrain Konoha’s response to Kumogakure.

Kumogakure spread claims that Konoha had seized the Six-Tails and Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, stirring the Great Nations toward war and forcing Tsunade to manage threats from multiple fronts. As Konoha entered full war readiness, Menma brought Six-Tails and Seven-Tails Chakra to Orochimaru and sought his help preparing for the dangers ahead.

• The Fourth Raikage ordered Cloud Ninja to provoke border clashes and spread rumors about Konoha, prompting Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure to reconsider their positions.
• Genji demanded that Konoha return the Six-Tails Jinchuriki or prove Kirigakure's suspicions false, while moving more than a thousand Mist Ninja toward the Land of Waves.
• Tsunade shared Orochimaru's intelligence with Kirigakure, sought Sunagakure's support, and placed Konoha on its highest level of war readiness.
• Konoha's preparations interrupted Jiraiya and Naruto's journey, leaving Jiraiya needed to help defend against a possible war on multiple fronts.
• Menma and Utakata met Orochimaru at his base, where Menma offered Chakra from the Six-Tails and Seven-Tails in exchange for Orochimaru's protection and cooperation.

Menma explained why he trusted Orochimaru only for their shared interests and reassured Utakata that he had made preparations. Sasuke confronted Menma for the truth about the Uchiha Clan’s massacre, and Menma began recounting events surrounding the Nine-Tails’ Rampage.

• Orochimaru agreed to protect Menma temporarily while warning him that the major shinobi villages, Akatsuki, and Takigakure would eventually uncover the truth.
• Utakata questioned whether Orochimaru could be trusted, and Menma explained that their alliance rested on mutual interests rather than trust.
• Menma and Utakata encountered Sasuke, who demanded to hear everything Menma knew about the Uchiha Clan’s annihilation.
• Menma took Sasuke to his private living area and began explaining how the Nine-Tails’ Rampage had led to the clan’s massacre.

Menma told Sasuke the truth about the Uchiha Clan’s destruction while concealing Obito’s identity, and urged him to grow stronger before confronting Itachi or Konoha. Sasuke accepted Menma’s account and their shared path, while Menma insisted the Mangekyō Sharingan did not have to be awakened through a cursed method.

• Menma explained how the Uchiha Clan’s coup plans led Konoha’s Higher-ups, Itachi, Shisui, and an unknown Uchiha to become involved in the clan’s destruction.
• Sasuke reacted with fury to learning that Itachi had served as Konoha’s executioner and questioned why Itachi had spared him.
• Menma told Sasuke that Itachi was not his only enemy and warned him not to seek revenge before becoming stronger.
• Sasuke thanked Menma for revealing the truth and agreed that they were walking the same path.
• Menma urged Sasuke to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, then assured him that its power did not have to come through a cursed method.

Menma gave Sasuke a scroll and explained that he could awaken and strengthen his Sharingan without relying on killing someone dear to him. After returning to Takigakure with Utakata, Menma received intelligence about the conflict among the Three Great Ninja Villages and realized they might need to act sooner than planned.

• Menma told Sasuke that intense spiritual fluctuations, not negative emotions themselves, could awaken the Uchiha bloodline power, and gave him Orochimaru's research-backed guidance.
• Sasuke accepted the scroll and resolved to grow stronger so he could take revenge on Itachi Uchiha and Konohagakure.
• Menma left Sasuke and returned to Takigakure with Utakata, planning to strengthen their forces and pursue Isobu as a potential Jinchuriki for Karin.
• Menma received intelligence from the Land of Tea about the clashes among the Three Great Ninja Villages and Orochimaru's information from Konohagakure.
• Menma warned Utakata that Konoha might expose their connection to Orochimaru, so they went to meet their leader and prepare for the consequences.