Chapter Summaries

Kisame defeated Shinno after Shinno unleashed the Zero-Tails’ power, but Menma revealed himself and demanded that Shinno be handed over. Itachi and Kisame refused, and Menma attacked Shinno, leaving the three sides on the brink of a fight.

• Shinno’s tentacles blocked Kisame’s attacks, but Kisame broke through his defenses and struck his shoulder.
• Shinno released a surge of purple-black tentacles, but Kisame endured their attacks, shattered Shinno’s ribs, drained his Chakra with Samehada, and threw him into a crater.
• As Kisame prepared to finish Shinno, he attacked Menma’s hiding place with Samehada, forcing Menma to reveal himself.
• Itachi recognized Menma, and Menma asked Itachi and Kisame to hand over Shinno, but Itachi refused.
• Menma pulled his specially made kunai toward Shinno, and Shinno knocked it away with a tentacle.

Menma captured Shinno, drove off Itachi and Kisame, and extracted the Land of Sky’s technology and the location of its Flying Fortress from Shinno’s mind before killing him. As Menma waited in a secluded valley, an approaching visitor arrived.

• Menma bound Shinno with Golden Chains and used the Nine-Tails’ power to incapacitate him, while Kisame’s attack was stopped by the chains.
• Itachi chose to leave with Kisame after Menma refused to surrender Shinno, and Menma carried Shinno away.
• Menma searched Shinno’s mind and learned about Zero-Tails cultivation, the Land of Sky’s technology, and the Flying Fortress in the Land of Rivers.
• Menma decided to form a dedicated team to use the newly acquired technology and killed Shinno, whom he considered too dangerous to keep alive.
• Menma waited in a secluded valley until a tall, slender figure arrived.

Menma met Itachi and challenged his motives for defecting from Konoha, while concealing how much he understood about Itachi’s past. Itachi then asked whether Sasuke was with Orochimaru or Menma and warned Menma not to interfere in the Uchiha brothers’ affairs.

• Menma waited calmly as Itachi considered how to begin their conversation.
• Itachi asked why Menma had left Konoha, and Menma said he had grown disappointed in the village.
• Menma’s remark about Itachi leaving Konoha made Itachi suspect Menma was testing him, though Menma knew more than he let on.
• Menma mocked Itachi and told him to keep himself in check because Sasuke had made Itachi his target.
• Itachi asked whether Sasuke was with Orochimaru or Menma, then warned Menma not to interfere in the Uchiha Clan’s affairs.

Menma confronted Itachi, warned him about Konoha, the Akatsuki Organization, and Sasuke, then returned safely to Takigakure before the end of the year. He reunited with Shibuki and Karin and prepared to discuss something with them.

• Menma revealed his powerful Chakra to Itachi, who judged him a serious threat to Konoha, while Menma warned Itachi not to assume his plans for Konoha, the Akatsuki Organization, and Sasuke would succeed.
• Menma left Itachi, considered the danger of Kotoamatsukami, and resolved to strengthen himself while keeping his distance from Itachi.
• Menma traveled north and returned to Takigakure before the end of the year after a journey of more than ten days.
• Menma greeted the Waterfall Ninja guarding the village gate and praised them for carrying out their duties.
• Shibuki, Karin, and the others welcomed Menma at the Government Hall, and Menma said he had something to discuss with Shibuki and Karin.

Menma told Shibuki that he had recovered the Land of Sky’s technology and assigned him to form Takigakure’s first Air Combat Unit. Karin reported that the merger of Takigakure and Kusagakure was progressing among the shinobi, but the nations’ daimyos and officials were stalling the negotiations.

• Menma revealed that he had obtained the Land of Sky’s key technologies and located a surviving Flying Fortress, delighting Shibuki.
• Menma gave Shibuki intelligence about the fortress and its Flying Wings, then tasked him with forming an Air Combat Unit of around two hundred people.
• Shibuki accepted the assignment and hurried off to begin preparing the unit.
• Karin told Menma that Mui and Shibuki had helped persuade the shinobi of both villages to accept the merger.
• Karin reported that the daimyos, nobles, and officials seemed wary of the merger and were delaying it with other issues.

Menma explained why the daimyo would oppose the merger of Takigakure and Kusagakure, but decided to proceed with the necessary preparations regardless. He named the new village the Village of Light and chose the title Heaven Shadow, then checked on Muku’s adaptation to Satori’s power.

• Menma told Karin that the daimyo’s concerns were reasonable but that their approval would not stop the village merger.
• Menma named the new village the Village of Light and chose Heaven Shadow as his Kage title.
• Menma instructed Karin to inform the villagers while he negotiated with Shibuki-san and Mui-san.
• Menma watched Karin hurry off to carry out her assigned work and worried that she was overworking herself.
• Menma summoned Muku and confirmed that he was adapting well to Satori’s power.

Menma reviewed Muku’s candidates for his new Shadow Guard and finalized a balanced roster of twenty-four people. After hearing that Naruto had behaved quietly under guard, Menma went to see him and found him helping an elderly man in disguise.

• Menma asked Muku about forming the Shadow Guard and stressed the need to represent Takigakure and Kusagakure fairly.
• Muku presented a list of more than forty candidates, and Menma selected twenty-four people to form six squads under Muku’s command.
• Menma asked whether Naruto had caused trouble, and Muku reported that Naruto had obeyed his restrictions and gone around the village in disguise.
• Menma visited Naruto in Takigakure’s northern district and found him chatting with an elderly man while helping with odd jobs.

Menma told Naruto that he wanted to create peace by unifying the Shinobi World into one nation and one shinobi village. Naruto listened in shock, leaving Menma’s plan newly revealed between them.

• Naruto befriended Takigakure’s elderly villagers and learned about the suffering smaller nations had endured through decades of conflict.
• Menma met Naruto and said he would keep him safe and eventually restore his freedom if he continued behaving himself.
• Naruto asked Menma to explain his goals, promising that he would believe him if he spoke sincerely.
• Menma admitted that he sought peace and intended to unify the entire world under one nation and one shinobi village.
• Naruto was stunned by Menma’s plan and fell silent as he tried to take it in.

Menma tried to persuade Naruto that one country and one ninja village could bring peace, but Naruto proposed peacefully convincing everyone to unite. Menma rejected Naruto’s idealism and declared he would achieve unification through war, leaving Naruto stunned and alone.

• Naruto excitedly agreed with Menma’s goal of unifying the countries and ninja villages, but suggested everyone discuss and approve the merger peacefully.
• Menma explained that leaders would not surrender their power voluntarily and challenged Naruto to think about who could lead a unified world.
• Menma recognized Naruto’s youth, told him to remain where he was, and prepared to leave.
• Naruto stopped Menma and asked how he planned to unify the world, so Menma declared he would use blood and fire to destroy all opposition.
• Naruto condemned Menma’s plan as war that would perpetuate hatred, but Menma insisted war was an unavoidable means to peace and left Naruto behind.

Menma completed the merger of Takigakure and Kusagakure, founded the Village of Light, and proclaimed himself its First Heavenly Kage as delegations prepared to attend the inauguration. The chapter ended with Menma opening the new village’s first high-level meeting.

• Naruto remained troubled by Menma’s arguments about peace and hatred, while Menma set aside their conversation and focused on his experiments and the village merger.
• At the start of the new year, Takigakure and Kusagakure merged into the Village of Light, with Menma named its first leader, the Heaven Shadow.
• Menma announced the village’s founding and January 10 inauguration to the Shinobi World; every ninja village accepted the invitation except Kirigakure, where Genji watched for Obito’s infiltration.
• Menma outlined plans to gradually unite the village’s Eastern and West Districts and announced policies to expand its population and organize its forces.
• On January 3, Menma convened the Village of Light’s first high-level meeting, and Karin confirmed that everyone was present except Lin-san and Tsuname-san, who were on security duty.

Menma organized Village of Light’s leadership and preparations for its founding ceremony, then revealed a plot by the Daimyos of the Land of Waterfalls and Land of Grass to disrupt the event. He rejected an immediate, rash response, while Mui urged him to install the Third Prince as ruler of the Land of Grass.

• Menma and the village’s leaders agreed to clarify authority, departmental duties, and responsibilities, then heard reports and set the ceremony’s security arrangements under Shibuki and Karin.
• After the other Jonin left, Menma had Karin distribute intelligence reports to Shibuki, Mui, Utakata, Fū, and Muku.
• Mui, Shibuki, Fū, and Muku condemned the plotters and urged Menma to eliminate them.
• Menma explained that the two nations’ Daimyos planned to disrupt Village of Light’s founding ceremony with help from foreign forces, including Konoha, but said they should avoid a major move before the ceremony.
• Mui proposed making the Land of Grass’s Third Prince ruler, arguing that he would cooperate with Menma.

Menma rejected Mui’s proposal to kill the two daimyo and ordered them restricted while the Village of Light prepared for its founding celebration. As delegations arrived, Iwagakure sent a notably powerful group led by Kitsuchi, whom Shibuki and Karin welcomed as allies.

• Mui proposed killing the two daimyo, but Menma ordered their movements restricted until after the ceremony.
• Menma instructed Shibuki to preserve secrecy and Utakata to strengthen defenses before the celebration.
• Menma explained to Karin that the ceremony would announce the Village of Light’s rise and its claim to a share of the Shinobi World’s interests.
• The Village of Light completed its preparations, and government and shinobi village delegations began arriving.
• Sunagakure sent a regular jonin, while Iwagakure arrived with a delegation led by Kitsuchi and including Jōshū Iwagaki, Akatsuchi, and Kurotsuchi.
• Shibuki and Karin welcomed Kitsuchi at the village gate and affirmed the friendly ties between the Village of Light and Iwagakure.

Menma received delegations from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and other nations ahead of the Village of Light’s founding celebration, while he watched Iwagakure closely and tried to discern its intentions. Konohagakure then arrived with Shikaku leading a delegation that included Hinata, who had come to learn whether Naruto was alive.

• Karin welcomed Kitsuchi and the Iwagakure delegation, and Kurotsuchi watched Karin with interest.
• Menma ordered a Shadow Guard to keep every member of the Iwagakure delegation under constant surveillance.
• Sunagakure’s Baki grew concerned that Iwagakure and the Village of Light might be aligned, and his delegation sent word back to its village.
• Dodai led Kumogakure’s delegation to the Village of Light, where Ajun and Karin greeted them.
• Shikaku led Konohagakure’s delegation, which included Hinata, Shikamaru, Kakashi, and other familiar shinobi.
• Hinata had insisted on joining the delegation because she hoped to confirm Naruto’s fate, and Menma was surprised by Konohagakure’s choice of representatives.

Menma warned Karin that Might Guy’s fully mastered Eight Gates Formation could kill him, then assigned her and Shibuki to welcome Konoha’s delegation. The delegation arrived at the Village of Light, where Shikamaru reflected on his father’s injury and Hinata feared what she might learn about Naruto.

• Menma told Karin to watch Shikaku Nara and Might Guy closely, explaining that Guy could unleash the Eight Gates Formation at the cost of his life and potentially kill Menma.
• Menma instructed Karin to keep the information secret and have her and Shibuki welcome the Konoha delegation.
• The large Konoha delegation arrived at the Village of Light on January 9, drawing attention from people across the gathered countries.
• Shikamaru looked at the village gate and recalled that his father had lost an arm in the war, while recognizing Konoha’s responsibility for starting it.
• Hinata and Neji arrived with the delegation, and Hinata feared that her hope of finding Naruto alive might be crushed.
• Shibuki and Karin welcomed Shikaku and the Konoha delegation on behalf of the Heavenly Kage.

Shikaku led Konoha’s envoy into Village of Light, where Shibuki welcomed them and issued rules for their stay. After warning the younger shinobi not to act rashly, Shikaku met with the senior members and rejected dangerous efforts to investigate the village, leaving their next steps unresolved.

• Shibuki greeted Shikaku, Inoichi, and Kakashi at the village gates and escorted the Konoha envoy inside.
• Shikamaru observed Village of Light’s confident residents as the group traveled to its guest lodging.
• Shibuki warned the Konoha delegation to avoid restricted areas and report nighttime outings before departing with Karin.
• Shikaku cautioned Hinata, Shikamaru, and the other younger shinobi against impulsive actions and assigned A Xing to monitor the area.
• Inoichi asked how they should investigate Village of Light, and Shikaku forbade dangerous actions because they were likely to be detected.

Shikaku rejected covert action in the Village of Light and chose face-to-face negotiations, while ordering Inoichi and Might Guy to watch the two Root members in their delegation. The celebration began the next morning, leaving the visiting delegations to confront the Village of Light’s public strength and growing confidence.

• Shikaku told Inoichi and Kakashi that Konohagakure would avoid reckless covert investigations and pursue open negotiations with Menma after the celebration.
• Shikaku assigned Kakashi to assess the areas they were allowed to visit and ordered Inoichi and Might Guy to closely watch the Root members, especially Wind.
• Inoichi agreed to monitor Wind, his former companion, while Might Guy pledged to follow Shikaku’s orders and restrain the two Root members if needed.
• As night passed, the delegations from other villages waited amid rising tensions for the celebration to begin.
• At dawn, the delegations followed routes arranged by the Light Ninja toward the celebration, and Kitsuchi and Dodai were especially troubled by the Village of Light’s thriving appearance.

The Village of Light celebrated its founding and Menma’s ascension as its Heavenly Kage, while foreign delegations saw the citizens’ unity and recognized that the new village was rapidly becoming a lasting power. Dodai, Kitsuchi, Kurotsuchi, and Kakashi watched Menma with different concerns and regrets as the ceremony began.

• Foreign delegates observed the Village of Light’s prosperous streets and cohesive citizens, prompting Dodai and Kitsuchi to reconsider their plans against it.
• The delegations arrived at the festival plaza, where more than ten thousand citizens gathered to celebrate the village’s founding and Menma’s rise.
• At nine o’clock, the clock rang and fireworks and ribbons filled the air as Menma appeared in his Heavenly Kage robes and received the crowd’s fervent cheers.
• Dodai reflected on Kumogakure’s failed efforts to exploit Menma’s defection and concluded that his village’s plans needed revision.
• Kitsuchi studied Menma while Kurotsuchi vowed to surpass him, and Kakashi regretted how Konoha had driven Minato’s son into becoming its enemy.

Uzumaki Menma proclaimed the establishment of the Village of Light and took office as its First Heavenly Kage, then used a meeting with visiting ninja delegations to assert the village’s authority over the Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Grass. After the delegations departed, Menma and Karin assessed the major villages’ reactions and decided to wait for Konoha or Iwagakure to make a move.

• Menma declared the Village of Light established and promised to protect its glory, while the crowd celebrated his rise as First Heavenly Kage.
• After the celebration, Menma convened representatives from the visiting ninja villages and stated that foreign ninja needed the Village of Light’s permission to enter the Land of Waterfalls or the Land of Grass.
• The delegations made no objections, effectively acknowledging the Village of Light’s new authority, though the smaller villages left worried about its growing power.
• Karin told Menma that Konoha and Iwagakure had shown no opposition, while Sunagakure seemed straightforward and Kumogakure’s purpose appeared clear.
• Menma told Karin to maintain existing security and wait to see which village acted first.

After Sunagakure’s delegation left, Dodai met with Menma and offered unexpectedly extensive cooperation between Kumogakure and the Village of Light. Menma accepted while remaining suspicious, then told Dodai that Yugito could return within half a month because the remaining issues had been resolved.

• The delegations from the small nations and Sunagakure departed, leaving only three shinobi village delegations in the Village of Light.
• Dodai requested a meeting with Menma and presented a scroll outlining future cooperation and joint projects between Kumogakure and the Village of Light.
• Menma accepted Kumogakure’s proposed cooperation and assigned Karin to coordinate with Dodai.
• Menma told Dodai that Yugito could return before the end of the month, prompting Dodai to react with surprise and urgency.
• Menma explained that his experiments had progressed enough for him to soon extract Matatabi from Yugito while expecting her to survive.

Menma used his promise to return Yugito to unsettle Dodai, then ordered Muku to investigate Kumogakure’s border deployments while he prepared his next experiments. Meanwhile, Obito and Black Zetsu moved to seize control of Kirigakure’s leadership, leaving the village poised for their final takeover.

• Menma promised Dodai that Yugito would be returned, and Dodai left to report the offer to the Fourth Raikage, troubled by Menma’s intentions.
• Menma ordered Muku to send an Anbu squad into the Land of Lightning to investigate Cloud Ninja deployments near the border.
• After Dodai departed, Menma continued his village work and prepared experiments involving his body and the Two-Tails inside Yugito.
• Obito learned from Black Zetsu that they had replaced most of Kirigakure’s important Jonin, though guards at the old man’s residence and Bi remained obstacles.
• Obito decided to remove the remaining opposition and moved with Black Zetsu to complete his takeover of Kirigakure.