Chapter Summaries

Menma explained that Orochimaru had obtained Byakugan through Danzo and had given Toneri a pair to study the possibility of awakening the Tenseigan. As Toneri adapted to the transplanted eyes, Menma chose to wait ten days while his forces prepared and he continued strengthening himself for a decisive strike against his enemies.

• Orochimaru acquired Byakugan and Hyuga clan members as research material with Danzo's help, and Menma had previously obtained several pairs from him.
• Menma gave Toneri transplanted Byakugan, and Toneri sensed the two bloodlines beginning to fuse as he anticipated a possible Tenseigan awakening.
• Toneri expected to adapt to the eyes within ten days, the same period Menma had given his ninja village to prepare.
• Menma dismissed the Mist Ninja invasion as Obito's probe and resolved to let his enemies reveal themselves before striking decisively.
• Menma's confidence kept the Light Ninja's morale high as they gathered along the eastern and southern front lines, drawing wary attention from neighboring nations.

Menma sent the Village of Light’s forces to the front to test new equipment as Kirigakure landed in the Land of Rivers and advanced toward them. The Mist Ninja began attacking Light Ninja outposts, while Genji’s divided forces aimed to weaken their enemy before the main force arrived.

• Menma ordered the Light Ninja to field-test new equipment and sent researchers to monitor its performance, while keeping the Air Combat Unit concealed.
• Mui led Light Ninja to camp near the Land of Rivers, where Kirigakure ships landed and more than a hundred Mist Ninja charged ashore.
• Lord Uesugi ordered his soldiers to seal their base and report the landing, while the Land of Rivers’ Daimyo allowed the Mist Ninja to cross the country freely.
• Thousands of ninja gathered along the Land of Grass–Land of Rivers border as Kirigakure rerouted its forces and Genji headed toward the front.
• Genji’s Mist Ninja split into small units and launched attacks on the Village of Light’s reconnaissance and defensive bases.

Light Ninja forces outfitted with Chakra Armor and led by Suigetsu and Utakata inflicted heavy losses on the Mist Ninja, while reconnaissance revealed that Suigetsu wielded the Three-Tails' Chakra. News of Village of Light's growing tailed-beast strength spread across the Shinobi World, and Obito learned that Menma had captured the Three-Tails.

• Suigetsu and Utakata helped the Light Ninja overwhelm the Mist Ninja, whose casualties reached three times those of their opponents.
• Feng Xinzi learned that the Light Ninja using Tailed Beast power from the Hozuki Clan wielded the Three-Tails' Chakra and ordered the intelligence sent to Lord Genshi.
• Ninja villages across the Shinobi World reassessed Village of Light's threat after Suigetsu appeared as another Jinchuriki.
• Obito, disguised as Genji, learned that Menma had captured the Three-Tails and reacted with interest.

Obito sent Kirigakure’s nearly ten thousand Mist Ninja into an all-out assault on the Village of Light, using their advances and false reports to draw the other great ninja villages toward war. Menma identified Obito as the force behind Kirigakure but decided to keep following his original plan and wait before confronting him.

• Obito ordered the Mist Ninja to attack at any cost and sent Genji to the front to raise their morale.
• The Mist Ninja overwhelmed nearly half of the Village of Light’s defensive bases, while Suigetsu and Utakata killed many attackers and sealing and barrier squads tried to hold them back.
• Obito publicized Kirigakure’s claimed victory, prompting Kumogakure and Iwagakure to reinforce their borders and Baki to prepare Sunagakure for possible conflict.
• Mui reinforced the front line and reported Kirigakure’s advance to Menma, who concluded that Obito controlled the Mist Ninja.
• Karin urged Menma to target Obito first, but Menma refused to change the plan and chose to wait while remaining wary of the other villages.

Menma prepared to fuse with the Giant Tenseigan’s power while directing Village of Light’s war and political strategy. He reinforced the Land of Grass front and the northwest border, while Ōnoki considered moving against Village of Light if Kirigakure made progress.

• Menma discussed using Akatsuki to weaken the major ninja villages and ordered the Air Combat Unit deployed to reinforce the Land of Grass front.
• Menma ordered Muku to remove nobles who resisted his rule and directed Karin and Fū to watch Iwagakure; Karin warned that Iwagakure remained a serious threat.
• Muku tightened control in the two capitals, while Shibuki sent two floating fortresses carrying Light Ninja toward the Land of Grass.
• Other villages learned of the Air Combat Unit’s deployment, and Iwagakure continued massing troops near its border under Kitsuchi, with Han also sent to the front.
• Ōnoki received news of Village of Light’s northwest reinforcements, regretted not recruiting Menma earlier, and resolved to eliminate the threat to Iwagakure.

As the villages held back from joining Kirigakure’s war against the Village of Light, Jiraiya was summoned to Mount Myōboku to hear Gamamaru’s new prophecy. Gamamaru identified Menma as a likely threat to the world and Naruto as the Child of Prophecy, leaving Jiraiya determined to stop Menma.

• Tsunade followed Shikaku’s advice and kept Konoha out of the war unless Kirigakure defeated the Village of Light’s main army.
• Fukasaku and Shima summoned Jiraiya to Mount Myōboku because Gamamaru had awakened with a new prophecy.
• Gamamaru warned Jiraiya that a blood-soaked crimson figure would bring danger and might destroy the world, and he said Menma was likely that figure.
• Jiraiya promised to stop Menma from bringing about the prophesied destruction.
• Gamamaru declared that Namikaze Naruto was the Child of Prophecy who would bring the world proper change.

Jiraiya accepted Mount Myōboku’s prophecy that Naruto was the Child of Prophecy and returned to Konoha determined to bring him back from the Village of Light. He proposed exploiting pressure from Kirigakure and Iwagakure to search the village, while Tsunade questioned his faith in the prophecy and warned against renewing conflict with Menma.

• Gamamaru told Jiraiya that Naruto was the Child of Prophecy and urged him to help Naruto correct Menma’s path.
• Fukasaku warned Jiraiya that Menma was an exceptionally dangerous opponent, but Jiraiya left Mount Myōboku resolved to follow the prophecy.
• Jiraiya returned to Konoha and told Tsunade and Shikaku about the prophecy and his intention to bring Naruto back.
• Tsunade challenged Jiraiya’s unquestioning belief in Mount Myōboku and asked whether he planned to start another war with the Village of Light.
• Jiraiya said he would avoid attacking Menma unless necessary and proposed using Kirigakure’s invasion and Iwagakure’s pressure to draw out the Village of Light’s forces so he could search for Naruto.

Jiraiya decided to infiltrate the Village of Light to rescue Naruto, while Tsunade reluctantly allowed him to prepare despite Shikaku’s warnings. At the front, the Village of Light’s Air Combat Unit joined the battle against Kirigakure and turned the Mist Ninja’s apparent advantage into a one-sided massacre.

• Jiraiya told Tsunade he would infiltrate the Village of Light and bring Naruto back, and Tsunade agreed to offer limited support.
• Shikaku warned Tsunade that Jiraiya’s mission could endanger Konoha even if it succeeded, but Tsunade said Jiraiya had already made up his mind.
• Jiraiya left to prepare for the infiltration, which depended on confirming that Menma was away from the village.
• Shibuki’s Air Combat Unit reached the front, and Mui ordered it to support the Light Ninja and attack the Mist Ninja’s frontline camp.
• The Air Combat Unit’s aerial fortresses bombarded the Mist Ninja as the Light Ninja advanced, leaving Kirigakure’s forces unable to counterattack.

The Light Ninja’s Air Combat Unit routed Kirigakure’s forces, forcing Obito’s disguised command to reconsider its plan. Obito decided to send Akatsuki teams after the Three-Tails and Six-Tails Jinchuriki to provoke Uzumaki Menma into battle and draw the other villages into the war.

• The Village of Light’s Air Combat Unit let its forces counterattack and drive the Mist Ninja out of the Land of Grass’s heartland within days.
• Frontline commanders reported the defeat to Genji, and the disguised White Zetsu ordered Feng Xinzi’s troops to stretch out the battle line and avoid a desperate stand.
• Obito appeared in the command tent and discussed with Black Zetsu how the other shinobi villages had refused to join the war.
• Obito ordered Black Zetsu to ask Nagato to send Kakuzu’s team and Sasori’s team to capture the Three-Tails and Six-Tails Jinchuriki, hoping to force Uzumaki Menma into battle.

Nagato agreed to Obito’s request and sent Akatsuki teams to the Land of Rivers to fight the Three-Tails and Six-Tails. As the teams headed out, Menma dismissed Iwagakure’s offer of help while remaining focused on the growing pressure around the Village of Light.

• Konan delivered Obito’s request to Pain, who agreed and ordered Sasori’s and Kakuzu’s teams to reach the Land of Rivers within two days.
• Pain told Sasori and Kakuzu to help Kirigakure reclaim the Three-Tails and Six-Tails, assigning one beast to each team.
• Deidara objected to sharing the mission, but Sasori ordered him to move out, and they headed for the Land of Rivers.
• Kakuzu and Hidan collected a bounty reward in the Land of Iron and set off south toward the Land of Rivers.
• The Third Tsuchikage offered to send Stone Ninja to support Menma, who rejected the offer and told his messenger to say Kirigakure posed no pressure.

Menma met with Orochimaru, agreed to provide blood and hair for his research, and received intelligence about Konoha’s leaders. Orochimaru then asked Menma not to interfere in his matter with Sasuke.

• Orochimaru appeared in Menma’s office and questioned why Menma distrusted the Third Tsuchikage.
• Menma agreed to give Orochimaru blood and hair for research in exchange for a copy of the results.
• Orochimaru gave Menma a scroll detailing recent movements by Konohagakure’s upper ranks.
• Menma recognized the information as a warning about Konoha’s schemes against him as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Orochimaru asked Menma not to interfere in his matter with Sasuke.

Menma promised Orochimaru he would not interfere in Orochimaru and Sasuke’s conflict, leaving Sasuke to face the danger himself. After Orochimaru departed, Menma explained to Toneri that he was exploiting Orochimaru’s knowledge and considered ways to help Toneri awaken the Tenseigan.

• Menma weighed the risks of letting Sasuke face Orochimaru and promised not to interfere, hoping Sasuke would overcome the trial himself.
• Orochimaru accepted Menma’s promise and left, intending to pursue Sasuke’s body and the Uchiha bloodline.
• Toneri appeared with eyes that showed he had adapted to his Byakugan and questioned Menma’s cooperation with Orochimaru.
• Menma explained Orochimaru’s connection to That Organization and said he was useful to their plan, then asked Toneri about progress toward awakening the Tenseigan.
• Toneri said he sensed a faint stirring in his eyes but felt something was missing, so Menma considered using his own bloodline power or preserved Hyuga Byakugan to help him.

Menma learned that the Akatsuki Organization had attacked the Light Ninja front lines and sent Suigetsu and Utakata into critical condition, so he left the village to confront them. The Light Ninja retreated under a fierce Mist Ninja counterattack while Toneri stayed behind to protect the village.

• Menma discussed ways to help Toneri advance his bloodline power and mentioned that the Hyuga Clan had preserved Byakugan from deceased clan members.
• Ajun reported that Kakuzu and three other Akatsuki members had defeated Suigetsu and Utakata, badly damaged an Aerial Fortress, and caused heavy casualties.
• Menma ordered the northwestern forces to retreat to a second line of defense, put Karin in charge of village affairs, and told Ajun to summon Karin and Fū.
• Toneri offered to join Menma at the front, but Menma told him to remain in the village and protect it while his eyes adapted.
• Menma used the Flying Thunder God Technique to head for the front lines as the Mist Ninja drove the Light Ninja out of their bases in the Land of Grass.

Obito used the Mist Ninja’s advance into the Land of Grass as cover for the Akatsuki to capture the Three-Tails and Six-Tails, while planning to pursue the Moon Eye Plan without reviving Madara. The Akatsuki resumed its pursuit as Mui, Shibuki, Utakata, and Suigetsu fled toward the village, hoping reinforcements would arrive before the frontline collapsed completely.

• Obito told Black Zetsu that Kirigakure’s campaign offered a perfect opportunity to capture the Three-Tails and Six-Tails without drawing suspicion from the other villages.
• Obito dismissed Black Zetsu’s suggestion to notify Nagato and revealed his intention to carry out the Moon Eye Plan himself rather than revive Madara.
• Hidan protested after White Zetsu relayed the order to capture the Jinchuriki, while Kakuzu accepted the mission and Sasori set off with Deidara to pursue the Three-Tails.
• Kakuzu and Hidan departed to pursue the other Jinchuriki after Sasori and Deidara left.
• Mui, Shibuki, Utakata, Suigetsu, and the others retreated toward their village to rebuild their defenses and wait for reinforcements.

Mui, Shibuki, and Utakata argued over who should stay behind to hold off the pursuing Mist Ninja while the others escaped. Just as Shibuki and Utakata prepared to retreat with Suigetsu, Kakuzu, Sasori, Hidan, and Deidara surrounded them.

• Mist Ninja pursuit forces harassed the retreating Light Ninja, leaving Suigetsu unconscious and Utakata badly weakened.
• Mui and Shibuki disputed which of them should remain behind to cover the retreat, each citing the Village of Light’s needs and their own responsibilities.
• Utakata offered to stay behind and use his strength to delay the pursuers, but Mui refused and ordered Shibuki to retreat with him and Suigetsu.
• Shibuki and Utakata prepared to lead some Light Ninja away while Mui stayed behind to fight.
• Kakuzu, Sasori, Hidan, and Deidara appeared and encircled Mui, Shibuki, and Utakata.

Mui, Utakata, Shibuki, and the remaining Light Ninja were overwhelmed by the Akatsuki, with Deidara’s clay bombs defeating Utakata and Hidan bringing Mui to the brink of death. Just as Hidan’s ritual was about to kill Mui, an unknown ally intervened and declared that harming his people was forbidden.

• Deidara, Hidan, Sasori, and Kakuzu attacked the wounded Light Ninja, while Shibuki drank Hero's Water and Utakata used the Six-Tails' Chakra to fight back.
• Deidara overwhelmed Utakata with waves of clay bombs, forcing him out of Half Tailed Beast Transformation and leaving him badly injured.
• Hidan defeated Mui, collected his blood, and began a ritual to kill him by stabbing himself with a spear.
• A crimson blur struck Hidan and sent him crashing into a boulder, interrupting the ritual.
• The unknown attacker confronted Hidan and said that laying a hand on his people was forbidden.

Menma arrived in time to save Mui and drive Sasori, Deidara, Kakuzu, and Hidan away from the retreating Light Ninja. He ordered Mui, Shibuki, and Utakata to withdraw, then attacked Hidan and left him facing another potentially fatal strike.

• Menma rescued Mui from Sasori and used his Adamantine Sealing Chains to force Sasori back.
• Menma destroyed Deidara's clay birds with Lightning Release and forced Kakuzu to retreat from Shibuki.
• Menma told Mui, Shibuki, and Utakata to lead the remaining Light Ninja back to the village while he held off the pursuers.
• Menma charged Hidan and cut off his arm with the Sword of the Thunder God.
• Menma followed with another strike aimed at Hidan's head as Hidan struggled to evade.

Menma effortlessly blocked the Akatsuki members’ attacks, captured and sealed Hidan, and then overpowered Deidara, Kakuzu, and Sasori’s counterattack. He launched a massive Great Spiraling Ring Technique at Sasori, leaving the battle poised for its impact.

• Deidara, Kakuzu, and Sasori attacked Menma with puppets, explosives, flames, and lightning, but Menma’s Chakra barrier stopped their assaults and Hidan was caught in the blast.
• Menma appeared behind Hidan, bound him with Golden Chains, cut off his head, and sealed his head and body in separate scrolls.
• Deidara, Kakuzu, and Sasori attacked again, but Menma blocked Kakuzu’s elemental techniques and destroyed Deidara’s clay dragon with the Lightning Cloud Strike Technique.
• Menma challenged the three Akatsuki members to reveal their remaining strength and resolved to eliminate them to weaken the organization.
• Menma formed a massive Dark Chakra Sphere and launched the Great Spiraling Ring Technique at Sasori.

Menma overwhelmed Sasori, Deidara, and Kakuzu with devastating techniques, forcing the three Akatsuki members to abandon any hope of victory and fight together. Sasori brought out the Third Kazekage puppet, Kakuzu fused with his remaining Earth Grudge Fear creatures, and Deidara prepared a massive clay-bomb assault as the battle continued.

• Menma's Dark Chakra Sphere destroyed Sasori's puppets and wiped out three of Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear creatures, but Sasori escaped by revealing his true body.
• Sasori summoned the Third Kazekage puppet and attacked Menma with Magnet Release while Menma charged forward using the Meteorfall Technique.
• Menma blocked Sasori's Sand Iron Drizzle and shattered the Third Kazekage's Sand Iron Gathering Attack with his Golden Chains.
• Kakuzu's combined Fire and Wind Release attack failed against Menma's Water Wall, so Kakuzu fused with his two remaining Earth Grudge Fear creatures.
• Deidara produced numerous clay creatures and sent them flying toward Menma while Sasori, Deidara, and Kakuzu coordinated their assault.

Menma overwhelmed Deidara, Sasori, and Kakuzu, until Deidara unleashed his ultimate self-destruction in a blast that devastated a ten-kilometer area. Menma survived behind a Truth-Seeking Orb barrier and pursued Kakuzu after sensing the survivors had fled in different directions.

• Menma disabled Deidara's clay creatures with Lightning Release and destroyed Sasori's Third Kazekage puppet.
• Menma taunted Sasori and Kakuzu, while Deidara fed special clay into the mouth on his chest and ordered his teammates to retreat.
• Sasori and Kakuzu fled as Deidara detonated himself, annihilating everything within ten kilometers.
• Obito sensed the massive explosion, ordered White Zetsu to investigate Deidara and his companions, and worried Menma might be responsible.
• Menma emerged unharmed, sensed Sasori and Kakuzu fleeing in separate directions, and pursued Kakuzu.