Chapter Summaries

Danzo left Konoha after clashing with Hiruzen Sarutobi and went to seek Hanzo, while Yichen received Konan’s letter and later learned that the Mist ninja had kidnapped one of Minato’s disciples. Expecting Obito’s Mangekyō awakening to lead him to Madara Uchiha’s underground base, Yichen set out for the Land of Waves and asked the Barrier Team for help.

• Danzo resented Hiruzen Sarutobi for taking credit for repelling Sunagakure, argued with him, and led his subordinates into the Land of Rain to approach Hanzo.
• Yichen read Konan’s letter about Paper Style training and Nagato and Yahiko’s opinions of him, then sent the training advice to Kanako and returned to practicing Light Release.
• Yichen learned that the Mist ninja had kidnapped Minato’s female disciple and considered the coming events an opportunity to find Madara Uchiha’s underground base.
• Ōnoki agreed to let Yichen travel to the Land of Waves and reminded him that Iwagakure could support him.
• Yichen visited the Barrier Team and asked its leader, Bunji, for help.

Yichen sought a way to track Obito without alerting the Sharingan, and Kawazoe Yura suggested using Sage Chakra to mask a low-fluctuation tracking seal. At the Land of Waves, Yichen observed Obito awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, sensed Mind's Eye resonate with an unknown power, and successfully marked Obito with a hidden tracking seal.

• Yichen gathered the Barrier Team's Sealing Jutsu specialists and asked them to develop a tracking seal that could evade eyes far more perceptive than the Sharingan.
• Kawazoe Yura proposed that a seal using minimal Chakra, combined with Yichen's hard-to-detect Sage Chakra, might evade even advanced Sharingan perception.
• Yichen traveled to the Land of Waves and watched Obito awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan after witnessing Rin's death at Kakashi's hands.
• Yichen sensed Mind's Eye briefly connect with an unknown existence when Obito's Mangekyō awakened, and found that Mind's Eye could detect Obito only while he was corporeal.
• Yichen used Sage Chakra to place a tracking seal within a captured Mist ninja, then controlled the ninja's blood so it adhered unnoticed to Obito's ankle.

Yichen tracked Obito to Madara Uchiha’s underground base, stole Madara’s Sharingan, and began preparing to extract something from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. His Light Release Chakra fluctuations exposed his infiltration, alerting Obito and the Zetsu.

• Yichen captured and sealed a White Zetsu clone, then collected Kakashi’s equipment and valuables from the Mist ninja corpses.
• Yichen followed Obito’s trail and used the blood seal on Obito’s ankle to locate Madara’s base after Madara died and Obito began learning Yin-Yang Release.
• Yichen entered the underground base unseen, removed Madara Uchiha’s Sharingan, and stored them in his Ninja Tool Pouch.
• Yichen decided to risk using Light Release near the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and created two clones to help prepare it.
• Yichen’s intense Chakra fluctuations alerted Obito and Black and White Zetsu, who recognized him as Yichen of Iwagakure.

Yichen infiltrated the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path’s hall, stole a piece of the Ten-Tails, and traded with Black Zetsu for Madara Uchiha’s ninjutsu experience. Obito ignored the deal and fought Yichen with the statue’s power, then used Kamui on both himself and the statue to launch a dangerous attack.

• Yichen vaporized a White Zetsu clone, severed a small tentacle of the Ten-Tails with Light Release, and stored the piece away.
• Obito attacked Yichen, but Yichen used Banshō Ten'in to evade and nearly cut Obito in half.
• Black Zetsu stopped the injured Obito from escalating and gave Yichen a scroll of Madara Uchiha’s ninjutsu experience in exchange for Yichen’s silence.
• Obito connected himself to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, increasing his strength and speed, and attacked Yichen while White Zetsu clones blocked Yichen’s attempt to sever the connection.
• Yichen used flight, ninjutsu, and genjutsu to gain the advantage, but Obito used Kamui to make himself and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path intangible before striking at Yichen.

Yichen escaped Obito’s attack and returned to Iwagakure, where he recovered enough to report what he had learned about the masked Mangekyō wielder and Madara Uchiha’s underground base. Ōnoki and the advisers considered whether the masked man was Obito and what his connection to Konoha might be, while Yichen presented the Sharingan he had recovered.

• Yichen used Obito’s punch to escape the underground hall, flew toward Iwagakure, and collapsed at the village gates after exhausting his Chakra.
• After three days unconscious, Yichen awoke in an Iwagakure hospital, and Nakata Hajime confirmed that he was out of danger.
• Yichen recounted finding the masked man at the clash between Konoha and the Mist ninja, tracking him, and fighting him at Madara Uchiha’s base.
• Ōnoki and the advisers discussed the masked man’s Mangekyō Sharingan, and Yichen suggested he might be Obito Uchiha, Minato Namikaze’s supposedly dead disciple.
• Yichen doubted Obito would return to Konoha and showed Ōnoki the Sharingan he had taken from an old man at the base.

Yichen and the Iwagakure leaders examined his spoils, including a scroll that introduced Flying Thunder God and Space-Time Ninjutsu. They planned new research and talent tests, rewarded Kawazoe Yura and the Barrier Team, and left Yichen recovering under Anbu supervision as he resumed Sage Jutsu practice.

• Yichen presented the spoils from the Mist ninja and Madara Uchiha, and Ōnoki identified Madara Uchiha's Uchiha Gunbai as the weapon that could reflect Ninjutsu.
• Saka found a scroll containing an introduction to Flying Thunder God, Sealing Jutsu, Summoning Jutsu, and Space-Time Ninjutsu, which Ōnoki and the others examined.
• Yichen read the scroll and proposed testing ninja of all ages for Space-Time Ninjutsu talent; Ōnoki also ordered greater investment in Summoning Jutsu research.
• Yichen requested an S-rank mission reward for Kawazoe Yura, and Ōnoki approved it along with B-rank rewards for Chunin and above in the Barrier Team.
• Yichen asked to practice Sage Jutsu to improve his recovery, and Ōnoki allowed it with Anbu supervision and a ban on leaving the village until he healed.
• After Ōnoki and the others left, Yichen summoned the Anbu assigned to watch him and went to practice Sage Jutsu.

Yichen recovered from his injuries by repeatedly entering Sage Mode, then traveled toward the Land of Rivers to speak with the Akatsuki before Obito Uchiha contacted Nagato. On the way, he learned of Hanzo’s growing cooperation with Konoha and encountered Juzo Biwa, whom he questioned about the Konoha Genin who defeated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

• Yichen used Sage Mode to heal his injuries, and Nakata Hajime estimated that he would recover within five days.
• While recovering, Yichen organized the Mist ninja’s scrolls, gave Madara Uchiha’s swords to Kawakita and Takuya, and studied Madara Uchiha’s Ninjutsu experience.
• After fully recovering, Yichen informed Ōnoki that he was traveling to the Land of Rivers, then investigated reports of Danzo and Hanzo cooperating in the Land of Rain.
• Yichen flew toward the Land of Rivers and spotted the missing-nin Juzo Biwa near the border of the Land of Rain.
• Juzo Biwa recognized Yichen as the Fox of Stone, and Yichen asked him to explain how a Konoha Genin had defeated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

Yichen discovered that Juzo Biwa carried an Akatsuki ring and fought him while drawing out Nagato, who arrived using the Deva Path Pain. After discussing their different approaches to peace, Yichen and Nagato agreed to work together against their common enemies while pursuing their own paths; Nagato named his new organization Dark Akatsuki.

• Yichen recognized the South ring on Juzo Biwa's hand and attacked him with powerful Combination Ninjutsu, leaving him injured.
• Juzo Biwa summoned Nagato for help, and Yichen fought the arriving Deva Path Pain while pretending to be furious that he had stolen Nagato's eyes.
• Yichen realized the Deva Path Pain was Nagato's puppet and confirmed Nagato's identity before Juzo Biwa left to carry out his mission.
• Nagato explained that he had formed another organization because he believed overwhelming strength was necessary to bring peace, and Yichen described why he disagreed with Nagato's approach.
• Yichen proposed that he, Nagato, and Yahiko work together against their common enemies before deciding whose method should guide the ninja world; Nagato agreed and asked Yichen to speak with Yahiko.
• Nagato departed for the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain and told Yichen that his new organization was called Dark Akatsuki.

Yichen helped Nagato explain his new path to Yahiko and Konan, and the three friends accepted that they could pursue different methods while sharing the same goal. After joining Nagato’s Dark Akatsuki temporarily, Yichen returned to Iwagakure and began a year of secluded training.

• Nagato explained his ideas to Yahiko, who accepted his different path and discussed peace in the Ninja World with Nagato and Yichen.
• Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan affirmed that Yichen belonged among their friends, and they agreed to help Nagato establish the Dark Akatsuki.
• Nagato gave Yahiko, Konan, and Yichen rings and assigned them the names Jade Maiden, White Tiger, and Big Dipper.
• Yichen exchanged his Kekkei Genkai insights for Konan’s Paper Style Jutsu experience and Nagato’s understanding of Shinra Tensei and Banshō Ten'in.
• Yichen returned to Iwagakure, postponed accepting disciples for a year with Ōnoki’s approval, and began secluded training to develop his techniques and abilities.

With Iwagakure at peace, Ōnoki prepared to pass on the position of Fourth Tsuchikage, but worried that Yichen’s recklessness made him a dangerous choice. Yichen and Ikura proposed that their disciples settle the succession in a three-on-three match, which drew intense attention as the contestants gathered to prepare.

• After a year without conflict, Ōnoki decided to step down and considered Yichen and Ikura as candidates for Fourth Tsuchikage.
• Ōnoki and the village advisors left the succession decision to Yichen and Ikura, who proposed a match between their disciples based on an old agreement.
• Ōnoki scheduled a three-on-three match between the six Jonin for ten days later, with the result deciding who would succeed him.
• News of the match spread across the Land of Earth, attracting gamblers, merchants, spectators, and widespread speculation about the contestants.
• Yichen and Ikura took their six disciples to a barbecue restaurant, where Yichen assessed their abilities and judged that his side was stronger overall while Ikura’s side had the strongest individual fighter.

As Iwagakure prepared for a Jonin contest, Yichen used his expanded Mind's Eye to detect three unlisted Jonin hidden in the Daimyo's entourage and helped capture them. The contest began the next day, with the six contestants entering the arena as Yichen introduced them to the Daimyo.

• Yichen told the six contestants to reconnect with their former teammates, prepare tactics, and treat the contest as a chance to prove themselves.
• Yichen explained that his Mind's Eye had gained nearly a thousand meters of range and could detect the strength of ninjas suppressing their Chakra.
• While disguised as a gate guard, Yichen noticed three unlisted Jonin among the Daimyo's entourage and escorted the Daimyo to Ōnoki's office.
• Yichen and Kenosuke captured the three Jonin, whom Yichen suspected were sent by Konoha, and took them to the Interrogation Department.
• Ōnoki told the Daimyo that the three-against-three contest would begin the next morning in a Stone Forest west of the village.
• The six contestants entered the arena before a large crowd, and Yichen began introducing them to the Daimyo.

Yichen's team searched for Ikura's hidden team and became caught in a series of traps and attacks. Ogura Saki held off Haraguchi Hampei with a Wind-Fire combination and seal-less Ninjutsu, but Takuya arrived as Hampei was forced to retreat.

• Ikura's team concealed themselves and laid traps, while Yichen's team used Little Flower to track them and eventually approached their hiding place.
• Matsutani Shinya used Fire and Wind Release to flush out Nakada Tatsunori, who disrupted Yichen's team's formation with Earth Release.
• Haraguchi Hampei attacked Matsutani Shinya, while Shimoyama Tamaki disguised herself as Hampei and charged at Ogura Saki.
• Nakada Tatsunori used Earth Flow Rock Crumble to keep Takuya from reaching Ogura Saki, but Matsutani Shinya's Wind Release freed Takuya.
• Ogura Saki blocked Haraguchi Hampei with a Wind-Fire combination and wounded him with a seal-less Vacuum Sphere.
• Haraguchi Hampei abandoned his attempt to eliminate Ogura Saki and retreated as Takuya arrived.

Yichen won the Tsuchikage selection match, was formally appointed the Fourth Tsuchikage, and reorganized how Iwagakure handled village affairs. He then reviewed graduating students with Ōnoki and became interested in Atsumi Akino, whose answers suggested she might have talent for Space-Time Ninjutsu.

• Takuya caught up with Haraguchi Hampei and broke through his Earth Release defenses, eliminating him as Matsutani Shinya’s side overcame Nakada Tatsunori and Shimoyama Tamaki.
• Ōnoki dressed Yichen in the Tsuchikage’s hat and cloak, and Yichen declared himself the Fourth Tsuchikage before the cheering crowd.
• Yichen expanded the Tsuchikage Assistants, delegated routine work to Kitsuchi and advisers, and appointed Ōnoki as his Tsuchikage’s Aide.
• Ōnoki gave Yichen a list of graduating students and identified Deidara as a standout student he might mentor.
• Yichen studied Atsumi Akino’s test answers, learned that she had noticed problems in a Space-Time Ninjutsu test, and agreed to guide her.

Yichen and Ōnoki arranged for Jonin to take graduating students as disciples, then announced their own selections at the Ninja Academy. Yichen chose three students whose potential others had overlooked, leaving them bewildered as the graduates were dismissed.

• Yichen proposed counting Jonin's successful four-year guidance of a Quasi-Jonin as an S-rank mission and awarded records retroactively to qualifying mentors.
• The Jonin selected students first, after which Ōnoki chose Deidara and two close-combat specialists to complete his team.
• Yichen addressed the graduates about relying on Iwagakure and becoming people the village could depend on.
• Yichen explained that he chose overlooked talents and cited the contributions of Matsutani Shinya, Ogura Saki, and Takuya.
• Ōnoki announced Deidara and his other two disciples, then Yichen named Atsumi Akino, Uzumaki Riori, and Ishinose Kiyoshi as his own.

Yichen left Iwagakure for Takigakure and attacked the village to capture its Seven-Tails Jinchuriki. He sealed the Seven-Tails inside a Porcelain cage and escaped before Takigakure's leader arrived.

• Yichen introduced himself to Uzumaki Riori, Ishinose Kiyoshi, and Atsumi Akino, then trained them for a month and assigned each individual tasks before leaving Iwagakure.
• Yichen secretly flew to Takigakure, located the hidden village, and searched for its Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Yichen found a sealed house guarded by three Jonin and killed them with Porcelain Release—Kunai Rain.
• The Seven-Tails emerged from the destroyed house, but Yichen trapped it in a Porcelain cage and sealed its Chakra with the Five Elements Sealing Jutsu.
• Yichen flew away with the sealed Jinchuriki before Takigakure's leader and main force could catch him.

Yichen waited for Obito to release the Nine-Tails, then freed the Seven-Tails over Konoha and used the ensuing chaos to steal a Flying Thunder God training scroll and other ninja scrolls. As the attack began to subside, he reached the Uchiha Clan and found Fugaku facing suspicion after Root members were killed nearby.

• Yichen waited near Konoha with the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki and spoke with the Seven-Tails while anticipating Obito's attack.
• Obito released the Nine-Tails during Kushina's childbirth, and Yichen freed the Seven-Tails over Konoha, where Hiruzen redirected its fall and Konoha ninja fought it.
• Yichen entered Konoha during the chaos, searched Genma Shiranui's home without finding the Flying Thunder God method, and stole a marked training scroll from Tatami Iwashi's home.
• Yichen collected nearly a hundred ninjutsu scrolls from homes and fallen ninja, then headed toward the Uchiha Clan as Konoha regained control.
• Root reported that Team Din had been killed near the Uchiha grounds, and Fugaku realized the incident would further implicate his clan.

After the Nine-Tails' Rampage, Yichen returned to Iwagakure with valuable Konoha scrolls and helped the village study their techniques. Iwagakure planned to approach the Uchiha Clan through Sokai Uchiha, while the wider shinobi world blamed and pressured Konoha over the Seven-Tails.

• Danzo recalled Root, Fugaku gathered the Uchiha Clan, and Konoha learned that the Fourth Hokage had died.
• Yichen collected Special Kunai from Minato Namikaze's home, then fought Obito Uchiha with Porcelain Release until Obito escaped underground.
• Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage after stopping the Nine-Tails and suppressing the Seven-Tails, while other villages demanded Konoha return the Seven-Tails to Takigakure.
• Foreign factions targeted the Uchiha Clan after intelligence reports revealed the Sharingan symbol in the Nine-Tails' eyes, while Iwagakure studied Yichen's stolen scrolls.
• Yichen urged Iwagakure to recruit Uchiha children and proposed that Sokai Uchiha write Fugaku Uchiha a sincere letter; Ōnoki agreed.

After the Nine-Tails attack, Konoha's leaders investigated the incident and debated whether the Uchiha or Iwagakure was responsible. Hiruzen warned that Iwagakure had grown powerful under Yichen, and Tsunade decided to visit the Uchiha Clan with Konoha's senior officials.

• The Fourth Raikage and Fourth Kazekage waited for Yichen to respond after Minato and Kushina died, then learned Iwa ninja had spent a month studying stolen Konoha ninjutsu scrolls.
• Rasa and A suspected Yichen had infiltrated Konoha and blamed him for the Nine-Tails' rampage, prompting Sunagakure and Kumogakure to incite rebellion within the Uchiha Clan.
• Tsunade told Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura that the Anbu had found no evidence that the Uchiha released the Nine-Tails, while Danzo insisted they were responsible.
• Tsunade reported suspicious activity near Minato's home and evidence that Iwa ninja had stolen ninjutsu scrolls during the attack.
• Hiruzen described Iwagakure's growing strength and its role in Konoha's past losses, noting that Yichen had used Sage Arts to kill Jiraiya.
• Tsunade chose to visit the Uchiha Clan with Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu to offer a gesture of goodwill.

Tsunade failed to persuade Konoha’s leaders to reconcile with the Uchiha, and Fugaku arranged for Iwagakure to shelter some Uchiha children as a safeguard against his clan’s destruction. After learning of Fugaku’s request, Yichen decided to meet him in person.

• Danzo blocked Tsunade’s plan to visit the Uchiha, and Hiruzen backed away from supporting reconciliation after learning that stolen scrolls included Flying Thunder God materials.
• Tsunade visited Fugaku, but Fugaku’s question about who truly controlled Konoha left her without an answer; the advisors later rebuked her, and she left for an Izakaya.
• Fugaku asked Yuhei which villages had approached the Uchiha, then chose to contact Iwagakure and sent Sokai a scroll requesting refuge for some Uchiha children.
• Fugaku used his Mangekyō Sharingan to see a possible future, then asked Itachi what Shisui had been doing and accepted that Shisui wanted to join Root.
• At an Iwagakure high-level meeting, Saka explained the Uchiha’s request, and Yichen concluded that Fugaku was preparing for the possibility of his clan’s extermination.
• Yichen told Ōnoki that he wanted to meet Fugaku in person.

After the High-Level Meeting rejected his proposal to meet Fugaku, Yichen agreed to join Nagato and Yahiko in an attack on Rain Village and helped shape plans for a new village in the Land of Rain. He left Iwagakure with twenty-five subordinates and met the Akatsuki group near Rain Village, where the joint operation was about to begin.

• The Advisor Group criticized Yichen for proposing a meeting with Fugaku, and he returned home exhausted.
• Nagato contacted Yichen, who agreed that Hanzo should be removed and suggested moving River Ninja Village closer to Rain Village so Nagato could control his puppets there.
• Nagato and Yahiko resolved to establish a new village in the Land of Rain and rebuild Akatsuki around members who shared their ideals; Yichen agreed to join their attack seven days later.
• Yichen told Iwagakure's leaders he would attack Rain Village with his students, and Ōnoki approved the plan while asking him to bring back copies of any ninjutsu they obtained.
• Yichen departed with twenty-five subordinates, entered Sage Mode near Rain Village, and met Yahiko's group; they agreed that Nagato's Six Paths of Pain would lead the assault while Nagato's real body protected the young ninja.