Chapter Summaries

Menma secured control of Kusagakure through Mui, gave Suigetsu the Kubikiribōchō, and agreed to leave Karin behind to support the new alliance with Takigakure. As Menma returned to Takigakure, the wider Shinobi World’s conflicts and suspicions shifted toward Konoha, Orochimaru, and Menma, and Ōnoki received the latest intelligence.

• Menma gave Suigetsu the Kubikiribōchō and instructed him to manage Kusagakure’s affairs.
• Menma reassured Karin that Mui would remain loyal, but Karin insisted on staying in Kusagakure to support their plans.
• Menma agreed to leave Karin in Kusagakure after she declared she had moved beyond her painful past and wanted to become his greatest support.
• Mui consolidated his authority, announced an alliance with Takigakure, and established outposts and defensive and sensory barriers with Karin and Suigetsu.
• Menma left Kusagakure for Takigakure with Ajun and the accompanying Waterfall Ninja as Konoha and Cloud Ninja continued fighting in the Land of Hot Water.
• Tsunade revealed intelligence about Orochimaru and Menma, and Ōnoki received the information in Iwagakure.

Ōnoki received intelligence that Menma had taken control of Kusagakure and was involved in Takigakure, and he concluded that Menma was leading the changes himself. He summoned Iwagakure’s senior figures to decide how the village should respond as conflict between the major powers seemed increasingly likely.

• An Iwagakure intelligence officer reported that Menma had appeared in Kusagakure with Mui, who had taken control after Shigeta Tadasashi’s death.
• Ōnoki read the report and inferred that Menma was consolidating power in Kusagakure and Takigakure, making him a potential challenger to Konoha.
• Kurotsuchi dismissed Menma’s achievements as Orochimaru’s work, but Ōnoki insisted Menma was directing events and privately regretted that he had not joined Iwagakure.
• Ōnoki ordered Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, Iwagaki, and Han to attend a high-level meeting to prepare for the consequences of Menma’s actions.
• At the meeting, Iwagaki questioned whether Menma could have accomplished everything himself, but Ōnoki said the village needed to decide whether to wait or act first.

Ōnoki and Iwagakure’s leaders discussed how to respond to Menma’s actions involving Takigakure and Kusagakure, deciding to gather information and pressure their ally for answers. Ōnoki also approved Kurotsuchi’s request to seek a mission, while Kitsuchi remained concerned about sending her into danger.

• Iwagaki recommended waiting for more information and suggested leaking news to prompt Konoha and Kumogakure to act.
• Kitsuchi said Iwagakure should ask Menma to explain his actions involving the neighboring villages, and Ōnoki agreed.
• Ōnoki ordered news spread, Kitsuchi to contact Menma, and teams led by Iwagaki and Akatsuchi to investigate the borders, with Han overseeing them.
• Kurotsuchi asked to join the border mission, but Kitsuchi told her to stay in the village.
• Ōnoki promised to find Kurotsuchi a suitable mission and overruled Kitsuchi’s objection, saying she needed experience.

After learning that Menma had appeared in Kusagakure and that Kusagakure and Takigakure had allied, Tsunade accepted Shikaku Nara’s assessment that Menma might control both villages and be Orochimaru’s equal ally. She decided Konoha could no longer delay acting against Menma and Orochimaru, and ordered a highest-level meeting while leaving Menma one final chance.

• Iwagakure acted on Ōnoki’s orders as Konoha and the other major villages received news of Menma’s appearance in Kusagakure and the Takigakure-Kusagakure alliance.
• Tsunade reacted with disbelief when Shikaku Nara reported the intelligence at the Hokage Building.
• Shikaku inferred that Menma might control both villages and that he and Orochimaru were allies rather than master and subordinate.
• Tsunade concluded that Menma and Orochimaru had become threats to Konoha and resolved to have them executed, while thinking of Naruto and Minato and Kushina’s sacrifice.
• Tsunade ordered Shikaku to convene a highest-level meeting and summon the three Elders, telling Shizune that Konoha would offer Menma one final chance.

Tsunade convened Konoha’s leaders to address the threat posed by rogue ninja Uzumaki Menma and proposed using Kumogakure to help deal with him. Shikaku suggested offering the Six-Tails and Seven-Tails as bargaining chips to draw Kumogakure into attacking the Takigakure-Kusagakure alliance.

• Tsunade decided that Menma’s killings and plans for revenge meant Konoha could no longer tolerate him remaining at large.
• Shikaku briefed Tsunade’s senior officials on Menma’s situation, prompting Danzō to criticize Tsunade’s earlier leniency.
• Mitokado Homura stopped Danzō from escalating his accusation and asked Tsunade how she planned to respond.
• Tsunade proposed sharing intelligence with Kumogakure and letting the Cloud Ninja take the lead against Menma.
• Mitokado Homura questioned whether Kumogakure could be relied upon, and Shikaku argued that Darui’s death and the Raikage’s interest in Takigakure gave them strong incentives to act.
• Shikaku proposed offering the Six-Tails and Seven-Tails as bargaining chips to persuade Kumogakure to attack the Takigakure-Kusagakure alliance with Konoha.

Shikaku persuaded Tsunade and Konoha’s elders to prioritize reclaiming the Nine-Tails by coordinating with Kumogakure and involving Kirigakure, spreading the risks across the villages. Tsunade approved the plan and assigned Shikaku and Inoichi to locate Menma, with Jiraiya to lead the capture operation.

• Shikaku argued that Konoha should negotiate with Kumogakure over the Six-Tails and Seven-Tails while focusing on recapturing the Nine-Tails from Menma.
• Tsunade, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Danzo agreed to make reclaiming the Nine-Tails Konoha’s primary objective and begin negotiations with Kumogakure, potentially involving Kirigakure.
• Danzo demanded that Konoha confirm Menma’s location before the attack and tried to have Root take charge of the search.
• Utatane Koharu proposed that Root assist Shikaku, while Kakashi and Inoichi helped verify intelligence and Jiraiya commanded the capture operation.
• Tsunade assigned Shikaku and Inoichi to oversee the search and ordered that Jiraiya and Kakashi be notified.

Konoha mobilized to pursue Menma and recover the Nine-Tails, while Shikaku prepared Shikamaru for the mission and warned him to consider Naruto’s likely response. Konoha also sought to draw other villages into the operation, and the chapter ended with their leaders receiving reports of the mobilization.

• Tsunade ordered Konoha to begin preparations as the village’s conflict with Kumogakure risked escalating into a wider war.
• Konoha deployed large numbers of ninja, alarming civilians and prompting Team Ten to discuss the growing danger.
• Shikamaru went to the Jonin Squad’s office, where Shikaku showed him the report and explained why Konoha had decided to capture Menma.
• Shikaku warned Shikamaru that Naruto might try to interfere or support Menma, and asked him to guide Naruto and help with the village’s preparations.
• Konoha sought to involve other ninja villages in the operation, and reports of its mobilization reached the surrounding villages’ leaders.

Genji decided that Kirigakure would join Konoha’s operation to protect its claim to the Six-Tails and its standing among the great villages, appointing Mei Terumi to lead the Mist forces. As Kumogakure’s Fourth Raikage advanced toward Takigakure, Menma and his allies learned that the other villages were moving against them.

• Bi reported to Genji that Uzumaki Menma had obtained the Six-Tails and that Takigakure and Kusagakure had allied, while Konoha requested joint action.
• Mei Terumi urged Kirigakure to act immediately, arguing that waiting would surrender the initiative and weaken the village’s position.
• Genji appointed Mei Terumi to lead more than three thousand Mist Ninja, with Ao accompanying her, and Kirigakure agreed to Konoha’s operation.
• The Fourth Raikage mobilized more than three thousand Cloud Ninja and Yugito, then led them toward Takigakure before Konoha could coordinate the response.
• Dodai questioned the haste, but the Fourth Raikage explained that he intended to seize the initiative and strike decisively.
• Menma received word that Konoha and Kumogakure were moving, leaving Shibuki, Ajun, and the others tense and worried.

Menma argued that Takigakure had to strike the approaching Cloud forces before they joined Konoha, using the gap between the armies to seize the initiative. Shibuki accepted Menma’s strategy and entrusted him with command of the war.

• Ajun briefed Takigakure’s leaders on Konoha and Kumogakure’s movements, and Shibuki asked Menma whether the village could withstand their attack.
• Menma projected confidence and proposed attacking the Fourth Raikage’s forces before Konoha’s army could join them.
• Ajun argued for defending Takigakure and wearing down the enemy, while Menma used a map to explain the danger of waiting for the two armies to unite.
• Menma warned that a defensive strategy would surrender the initiative and urged the village to cripple the Cloud forces quickly.
• Shibuki agreed to follow Menma’s plan and bowed as he entrusted all actions to Menma, while the other leaders fell silent.

Menma mobilized Takigakure’s forces and led more than 2,500 shinobi toward the Cloud Ninja camp, relying on his sensory abilities to ambush their scouts. The Cloud Ninja eventually detected the advancing army as it approached within a few miles of their camp.

• Menma took command of Takigakure’s war preparations and assigned tasks to its leaders, while Kusagakure was ordered to guard the flank.
• Fourth Raikage A halted his force in Xiangchuan to avoid advancing too far before assessing the dangers from the Tailed Beasts, Orochimaru, and other enemies.
• Menma led Utakata, Shibuki, Fū, and Takigakure’s elite force out of the village at high speed.
• Menma detected Cloud Ninja patrols and sent Utakata, Fū, or himself to eliminate successive scouting groups before they could send warnings.
• After several patrols disappeared, the Cloud Ninja detected Menma’s main force as it neared their camp.

Menma led Takigakure’s forces in a three-pronged assault on the Cloud Ninja, killing Uenishi before the armies collided. The Fourth Raikage A confronted Menma at the front, and their clash began as the battle spread across the battlefield.

• Uenishi ordered a signal flare fired and led a small group of Cloud Ninja to scout the approaching Waterfall Ninja force.
• Menma split the Waterfall Ninja into three columns, then killed Uenishi and his nearby subordinates in a swift attack.
• Menma summoned Lizard Shitsu and led the central force toward the Cloud Ninja camp as the other Waterfall columns advanced on the flanks.
• The Fourth Raikage A assigned Yugito to face the left flank and Samui to command the right while he prepared to meet Menma.
• The Fourth Raikage A charged Menma and struck him, but Menma unleashed the Nine-Tails’ Chakra and forced him back.
• Menma and the Fourth Raikage A faced each other as the Waterfall and Cloud Ninja forces clashed.

Menma fought Fourth Raikage A, using Nine-Tails Chakra and the Flying Thunder God Technique to overcome the Raikage’s speed and land a serious blow. The injured Raikage recognized Menma’s technique as the Fourth Hokage’s Flying Thunder God Technique and prepared to continue the clash.

• Fourth Raikage A confronted Menma about Darui’s death and Utakata, then attacked him with a lightning-charged elbow that sent him flying.
• Menma used Divine Tempest, but Fourth Raikage A charged through the wind and destroyed the Golden Chains with a lightning technique.
• Fourth Raikage A pressed his attack with Luminous Axe, while Menma blocked it with Nine-Tails Chakra and countered with Spiral Gale Technique.
• Menma used a marked Kunai and the Flying Thunder God Technique to evade Fourth Raikage A’s strike and hit him with the Spiraling Ring, sending him crashing through the trees.
• Fourth Raikage A recovered, recognized Menma’s technique as the Flying Thunder God Technique, and recalled his past clash with the Fourth Hokage.

Menma used the Flying Thunder God Technique, Shadow Clones, and Adamantine Sealing Chains to steadily gain the advantage over the Fourth Raikage. Across the battlefield, the Waterfall Ninja continued to overwhelm the Cloud Ninja, leaving victory increasingly likely unless outside forces intervened.

• Menma scattered marked kunai and Shadow Clones around the Fourth Raikage, using the Flying Thunder God Technique to launch attacks from unpredictable directions.
• The Fourth Raikage avoided Menma’s chains and a sword strike, but Menma’s Shadow Clone markers restricted his movements and let Menma press the attack.
• Menma used the battle to refine his techniques and adapt his body to the Nine-Tails’ Chakra, while keeping his power below its full potential.
• Utakata, Fū, and Shibuki led the Waterfall Ninja in overwhelming the Cloud forces, with Shibuki using Hero’s Water despite its cost to his life force.
• As his forces fell back and Menma taunted him, the Fourth Raikage grew increasingly agitated and violent.

Menma awakened Nine-Tails Chakra Mode and badly wounded the Fourth Raikage, driving the Cloud forces toward defeat. As Menma charged again, the Raikage ordered C, Samui, and Yugito to retreat while he stayed behind to cover them.

• Menma drew out Kurama's full power and transformed into a golden Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
• Menma broke the Fourth Raikage's bracers, cut his arm, and nearly struck his throat before the Raikage escaped the finishing blow.
• Menma recognized that the Fourth Raikage's experience and reactions remained formidable, but charged again with his newly increased strength.
• The Fourth Raikage saw the Cloud forces losing across the battlefield and ordered C and Samui to retreat while he stayed behind.
• C and Samui hesitated to abandon the wounded Raikage, so he repeated his highest order and told Yugito to cover the main force's retreat.

C led Cloud Ninja to support the Fourth Raikage as Menma overwhelmed him, but their intervention failed to prevent Menma from defeating him. Menma tried to kill the unconscious Raikage, but Yugito arrived with a special attack and forced him to retreat.

• C ordered the Cloud Ninja to withdraw in turns while he led an elite group to support the Fourth Raikage.
• Menma blocked the advancing Cloud Ninja with an Earth Style technique, but they charged through and attacked him with Lightning Release jutsu.
• The Fourth Raikage unleashed a final Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop against Menma, leaving Menma injured but unconscious and near death.
• Menma drew the Sword of the Thunder God and tried to finish off the Fourth Raikage, but Yugito's blue flame attack forced him to leap away.
• Menma recognized the wounded Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Yugito, and glanced toward Utakata.

Menma's forces defeated Kumogakure's invasion, captured the Two-Tails Jinchuriki Yugito, and forced the Fourth Raikage to retreat. Shibuki celebrated Takigakure's victory and looked to Menma to lead the village forward.

• C treated the severely wounded Fourth Raikage and fled with him while Yugito held Menma back.
• Yugito exhausted herself fighting Menma, who defeated her and bound her with Adamantine Sealing Chains.
• The Fourth Raikage escaped beyond Menma's sensory range, while most of the Cloud Ninja were killed or captured.
• Shibuki celebrated Takigakure's victory, and Menma declared that the village would no longer be underestimated.
• Menma thanked Utakata for his role in the battle and reassured him that the tactical objectives had been achieved.
• Shibuki asked Menma whether they should pursue the retreating Fourth Raikage.

After defeating Kumogakure, Menma ordered Takigakure and Kusagakure to withdraw, consolidate their forces, and build a shared defensive line rather than pursue the retreating Cloud Ninja. The victory raised morale and secured greater obedience in both villages, leaving Menma’s plans to unite them ready to proceed.

• Menma explained to Shibuki that pursuing Kumogakure would risk overextending their forces, so he ordered a withdrawal and the construction of a joint defensive line with Kusagakure.
• Ajun reported that Takigakure had killed more than thirteen hundred Cloud Ninja and captured over six hundred, while suffering more than eight hundred casualties; Shibuki ordered the dead honored and the wounded treated.
• Menma instructed Ajun to reinforce the defenses and spread news of the victory, and the Waterfall Ninja returned to Takigakure with prisoners to celebrate their triumph.
• Takigakure's people abandoned much of their fear and began supporting Menma after hearing that his forces had defeated the army led by the Fourth Raikage.
• Mui publicly shared the victory with Kusagakure and ordered the Grass Ninja to join the Waterfall Ninja in building the defensive line, prompting them to cooperate more readily.

After Menma’s Waterfall Ninja defeated the Cloud forces and grievously wounded the Fourth Raikage, news of the victory shocked the Shinobi World. In the Land of Frost, Jiraiya and Konoha’s commanders assessed the threat and decided to halt their advance until more intelligence and the Mist forces arrived.

• Menma led the Waterfall Ninja to victory, leaving fewer than a thousand of the three thousand Cloud Ninja able to escape and apparently capturing the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Scouts across the major ninja villages reported the Cloud defeat, the Fourth Raikage’s grievous injuries, and the Waterfall Ninja’s refusal to pursue the retreating force.
• Jiraiya’s Konoha advance force received the intelligence at its camp in the Land of Frost, where Shikamaru was unsettled by Menma’s strength.
• Shikaku judged Menma a major strategic threat and proposed halting Konoha’s advance, gathering intelligence on Kumogakure, and waiting for the Mist Ninja to arrive.

Jiraiya accepted that Menma had become a major threat and ordered Konoha to prepare cautiously while investigating Orochimaru. The news of Kumogakure’s crushing defeat spread across the Shinobi World, leaving the other nations and villages stunned.

• Jiraiya decided that Menma’s threat had to be eliminated, though he still hoped to capture him alive and persuade him to turn back.
• Jiraiya agreed with Shikaku’s plan and ordered Root to intensify its investigation into Orochimaru’s whereabouts.
• Jiraiya assigned Kakashi and Inoichi to lead reconnaissance, warning them not to approach Menma’s forces carelessly.
• Kakashi and Inoichi accepted their orders and left the command tent, while Kakashi worried about Naruto but kept his thoughts to himself.
• News of Kumogakure’s defeat spread rapidly, shocking nations and shinobi villages across the world.

After Menma’s defeat of Kumogakure forced Sunagakure and Kirigakure to halt their plans, Naruto pleaded with Tsunade to let him confront his brother. A report of Menma’s crushing victory reached Konoha, leaving Tsunade and Naruto stunned.

• Baki withdrew Sunagakure’s forces after judging Menma’s alliance too powerful to challenge.
• Genji ordered Kirigakure to stop advancing, and Mei Terumi and Ao followed his orders.
• Naruto pushed into Tsunade’s office and insisted he had to go to the front to resolve matters with Menma himself.
• Tsunade refused to let Naruto leave, warning that Menma had already tried to kill him.
• A Konoha ninja reported that Menma’s forces had annihilated most of Kumogakure’s army, severely wounded the Fourth Raikage, and captured the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.