Chapter Summaries

Seraphina reflected on the taboo of raising the dead and the complicated reasons people pursued eternal life and resurrection. She spoke to a man severely corroded by life magic, then noted that despite her thousands of years, she was still young by angel standards.

• Seraphina called raising the dead an untouchable taboo governed by the world's natural laws.
• Seraphina observed that people had entered the abyss seeking eternal life or the resurrection of loved ones.
• Seraphina considered her own age and said that several thousand years still made her roughly a human youth among angels.

During the night before the Martial Exhibition, Hiruzen and Jiraiya watched the Jinchuriki rehearse while Kakashi discussed expanding an upcoming meeting of shinobi villages. The next morning, Naruto found Shuji sharing breakfast with Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, then learned that the Jinchuriki had been given different arrangements and remembered that Jiraiya was supposed to be protecting him.

• Killer B led the Jinchuriki through rehearsal as Hiruzen and Jiraiya watched and talked in the VIP box.
• After rehearsal, Hiruzen found Kakashi reviewing Itachi’s documents, and Kakashi proposed expanding the shinobi-village meeting beyond the five villages.
• Temari and Kankuro joined Shuji and Gaara for breakfast at Shuji’s residence, where Naruto arrived and ate with them.
• Shuji gave Naruto instructions for packing a lunchbox, and Gaara offered to share his lunch with him.
• Kankuro told Naruto that the Fourth Mizukage had been targeted by Akatsuki and that the Jinchuriki had all been arranged for in different ways.
• Naruto recalled that Jiraiya had told him his parents’ names and angrily concluded that adults were unreliable.

Li Qingqiu used his Dharma Aspect Domain against the Sword Demon, and the five towering Dharma Aspects moved to attack. Zhou Linghuan felt the overwhelming pressure from behind him.

• Li Qingqiu calmly raised the Supreme Absolute Divine Sword and pointed it at the Sword Demon.
• The five Dharma Aspects at the end of the earth raised their arms in different poses.
• The Dharma Aspects' movement filled heaven and earth with pressure and bore down on the Sword Soul.
• Zhou Linghuan nearly suffocated under the oppressive force behind Li Qingqiu.

After Hinata accidentally damaged Shuji’s lunchbox, Neji replaced Naruto’s lunch and took responsibility for the damage. He visited Shuji to apologize and was forgiven, leaving with an offered Sakura Mochi.

• Hinata accidentally damaged Shuji’s lunchbox, and Neji gave Naruto another lunchbox while taking the damaged one to replace.
• Neji ate the food left in Naruto’s lunchbox and asked Rock Lee to excuse him from the Special Training Class.
• Neji cleaned the damaged lunchbox and waited at Shuji’s residence to apologize in person.
• Neji explained the accident to Shuji, who accepted the damaged box and said it could still be used.
• Shuji offered Neji a Sakura Mochi, and Neji accepted it with both hands.

Naruto awkwardly visited Shuji’s home for breakfast while still hiding Neji’s lunchbox, and Shuji later received word that Akatsuki had destroyed border outposts and threatened broader attacks. Shuji ordered Konoha to strengthen security, then met Pain and rejected Akatsuki’s proposal to decide ownership of the tailed beasts through a tournament, leaving open only limited talks if Akatsuki first controlled its rogue ninja and proved it could maintain peace.

• Naruto brought Neji’s lunchbox to breakfast at Shuji’s home but hid it when Kankuro noticed his schoolbag, then hurried off with another lunchbox.
• An Anbu reported that an outpost between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind had been destroyed, and Shuji suspected Akatsuki was responsible.
• Another Anbu reported Akatsuki’s warning that it would strike beyond military units if Konoha sheltered the jinchuriki and refused its peaceful tournament proposal.
• Shuji and Tsunade decided to hold Kakashi’s meeting as scheduled, request allied elite squads for traditional buffer zones, and reinforce security inside the Land of Fire.
• Shuji’s Wood Clone met Pain in the Land of Tea and rejected Akatsuki’s proposal to settle ownership of the tailed beasts through a martial exhibition.
• Shuji told Pain that meaningful negotiations required Akatsuki to control its rogue ninja and demonstrate that it could establish peace, though targeted transfers of tailed-beast chakra might later be discussed.

The spectators and Imperial Academy instructors watched Aaron display an attack that combined magic with vital energy, prompting him to identify the phenomenon as a magic swordsman. An old mage began explaining the surprising discovery.

• The spectators were stunned by what appeared onstage.
• The onlookers noticed that the magic carried an aura of vital energy and concluded it was not pure magic.
• Aaron stood and called the phenomenon a magic swordsman.
• The Imperial Academy instructors reacted with shock and questioned whether magic swordsmen could exist despite the Mage Association's research.
• An old mage in robes began to explain.

Naruto visited Shuji’s home for breakfast, where he nervously hid the lunch box he had meant to return to Neji. Meanwhile, Shuji and Tsunade responded to Akatsuki’s attacks and threats, and Shuji met Pain to reject Akatsuki’s proposed Martial Arts Tournament and set conditions for future negotiations.

• Naruto brought Neji’s lunch box to Shuji’s home but hid it when Kankuro noticed his bag, then left with a new bento.
• An Anbu reported that an outpost in the Land of Rivers had been destroyed, and Tsunade and Shuji suspected Akatsuki.
• Another Anbu reported Akatsuki’s threat to attack beyond military units if Konoha refused its proposed peaceful Martial Arts Tournament.
• Tsunade and Shuji decided to hold Kakashi’s meeting as planned and ask their four allies to send elite squads to the traditional buffer zones.
• Shuji’s Wood Clone traveled to the Land of Tea and met Pain by the sea, rejecting Akatsuki’s proposal to decide tailed-beast ownership through a Martial Exhibition.
• Shuji told Pain to control Akatsuki’s rogue ninja and prove it could establish peace before any negotiations, suggesting tailed-beast chakra transfer as a possible alternative to handing over jinchuriki.

Naruto struggled with being excluded from the rehearsal and with the tension between Hinata and Neji, while Neji returned a replacement food box. In the Land of Snow, Nagato reconsidered the roles of ninja and feudal lords and ordered Akatsuki to follow Orochimaru’s plan and send the note.

• Naruto brooded over Nii Yugito’s decision to keep him, Gaara, and Kaede out of the performance, and worried about returning Shuji’s food box.
• Neji brought Naruto an exact replacement food box, interrupted Hinata as she tried to explain the delay, and left after Naruto challenged him for ignoring her.
• Ino, Sakura, Shion, Karin, Shikamaru, and Choji emerged from hiding; the girls took Hinata to lunch, and Shikamaru told Naruto that the Hyuga Clan’s strict rules shaped Neji and Hinata’s relationship.
• In the Land of Snow, Orochimaru explained to Pain Deva Path why Kazahana Dōtō’s feudal-lord status could help Akatsuki’s plans.
• Nagato reflected that ninja could run a country without feudal lords, decided he needed to reconsider his assumptions, and ordered Akatsuki to send the note as Orochimaru had advised.

Sasuke struggled to understand the Uchiha clan’s history while training under Kakashi, who took him to observe his work at the Joint Affairs Bureau. A report on the Land of Snow’s ninja-led government left Sasuke considering whether efficient policies could still lead to harmful outcomes.

• Sasuke researched Uchiha history and questioned why the clan had lost control of the Police Force, but Fugaku told him to find the answers himself.
• Sasuke told Kakashi he no longer needed Chidori instruction, and Kakashi demonstrated his authority before taking Sasuke on a work visit.
• Kakashi explained to Kazahana Koyuki that the village could not yet restore her identity or let her leave Konoha, but he would look for work opportunities for her.
• Kakashi and Sasuke visited Shuji at the Joint Affairs Bureau, where Shuji gave Kakashi a report on the Land of Snow.
• Sasuke read about the Land of Snow’s development under ninja governance, and Shuji cautioned that ninja techniques could have unknown consequences when used to govern ordinary society.

Sasuke left Kakashi’s office and overheard the band’s troubled rehearsal, while Yugito challenged Naruto and the others to face the danger of performing as jinchuriki. Gaara persuaded Yugito that the performance mattered to the jinchuriki themselves, and the band resumed rehearsal.

• Kakashi took the Land of Snow report from Sasuke and sent him out of the office.
• Sasuke heard Naruto’s rehearsal falter as he left the building, then heard the music start again after he had gone.
• Yugito warned Naruto that the jinchuriki were targets and asked whether he could accept dying or others dying to protect him.
• Naruto vowed to grow strong enough to protect everyone, and Yugito admitted she had come to value their rehearsals.
• Gaara said the performance was meant to reach the jinchuriki themselves, and Killer B invited Yugito to join the band’s final confirmation.
• Yugito agreed to continue, and Gaara encouraged Naruto to resume rehearsal.

Ōnoki visited Konoha to assess the Special Training Class and the political debate over the Land of Snow. After seeing Deidara enthusiastically bond with Guy and Rock Lee, he left convinced that Shuji had changed the Iwagakure students in ways he did not understand.

• Ōnoki argued with Shuji over his sweets and asked whether Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi were related.
• Ōnoki returned to Iwagakure's residence, heard Banga's report on the Land of Snow discussions, and considered the possibility of Akatsuki establishing a stable base there.
• Kurotsuchi sparred with Haku, but Guy stopped them and urged Haku to fight without holding back.
• Guy, Deidara, and Rock Lee enthusiastically joined in a declaration that explosion and art embodied youth, while the other students reacted with amusement or discomfort.
• Ōnoki watched Deidara bond with Guy and Rock Lee, then left the training ground, wondering how Konoha had changed Iwagakure's students.

As the band’s members departed for official duties, Naruto wandered through the crowded Stadium District and confronted his anxiety about performing before a vast audience. Meanwhile, Chiyo met with Gaara and Sunagakure’s officials, ordering an investigation into Konoha and Kumogakure’s contacts before Gaara declared he would return with a plan for Sunagakure.

• Kaede left rehearsal to meet Shibuki, Gaara went to see Chiyo, and A dragged Killer B away while the other band members reported to the Joint Affairs Bureau.
• Alone in the venue, Naruto wandered among the tournament crowds and worried about the people who would watch him perform and the possibility of death.
• Naruto found Jiraiya flirting with three women, interrupted him, and insisted on accompanying him to the Joint Affairs Bureau.
• Chiyo heard Baki’s report that the Land of Snow proposal was likely to pass and ordered Yura to investigate frequent Konoha–Kumogakure contact concerning Jinchuriki.
• Gaara told Chiyo he would return to Sunagakure with clear goals and workable plans, and Chiyo urged him to live until that day.

Naruto, Jiraiya, and the Kage gathered at the Joint Affairs Bureau, where Shuji explained Konoha’s plan for dealing with Akatsuki and the Land of Snow. Killer B then swept Naruto and the others off to rehearse, while Jiraiya followed and began writing their story.

• Naruto and Jiraiya arrived at the Joint Affairs Bureau, where Naruto warned Kaede about Jiraiya and Tsunade knocked Jiraiya down twice.
• Chiyo, Gaara, Tsunade, Mei Terumi, the Raikage, Ōnoki, and Shuji gathered to discuss Akatsuki, the Land of Snow, and Konoha’s strategy.
• Killer B waited until the Raikage left, then carried Naruto toward the stadium for rehearsal as Gaara, Kaede, Han, Utakata, and Yugito followed.
• Jiraiya watched the group head toward the stadium, took out his notebook, and began writing a story about the seven performers.

Sasuke trained with Kakashi, who took him on patrols and showed him the village’s preparations for the Joint Martial Arts Tournament. Sasuke attended the tournament’s opening ceremony with his family and Izumi, where a dense fog filled the arena and a voice called out from within it.

• Sasuke asked Kakashi to spar after failing to master Chidori, and Kakashi took him to see Yamato overseeing construction of the new Joint Affairs Bureau building.
• Kakashi spent the next two days showing Sasuke village facilities and patrol preparations before encouraging him to enjoy the tournament opening.
• Mikoto arranged for the family to attend the opening ceremony with Izumi and Hazuki, and Itachi confirmed that he and Fugaku could take the day off.
• Sasuke and his family joined the crowd at the stadium, where the stage was set and the stands filled with spectators and shinobi.
• Dense fog spread across the arena, and Sasuke activated his Sharingan as Fugaku explained how fog affected its perception.
• A high-pitched voice called for everyone’s attention from deep within the fog.

Killer B and the other Jinchuriki performed at the Martial Exhibition, and their energetic ninja-themed song turned the arena into a cheering crowd. The performance ended with Killer B declaring that their band was the strongest in the world.

• Tsunade watched from the reserved Kage section as the Five Kage argued over the performance and its possible returns.
• Killer B led Naruto’s Shadow Clones and the other performers into a high-energy song as Gaara, Utakata, Nii Yugito, Han, and Kaede played alongside him.
• The crowd rose to its feet and cheered, moving the Five Kage and the performers, while Gaara searched the stands for someone who was absent.
• Killer B, overcome with emotion, returned to the microphone and called his group the strongest ninja band in the world.

Deidara asked to perform at the tournament’s closing ceremony, but Shuji refused to let him destroy the stadium and invited him to propose a non-destructive performance instead. While security teams investigated faint chakra traces around the Stadium District, Hinata thanked Shuji for protecting Naruto and Neji from blame over the damaged lunchbox.

• Guy and Deidara pursued the escaping Yatagarasu, and Deidara decided to perform his art at the closing ceremony.
• The fog-covered stage emptied the performance group, and Hayate began explaining the tournament schedule.
• Shuji rejected Deidara’s destructive closing ceremony proposal but said he could submit a different plan.
• Hiashi reported faint chakra traces near the Stadium District, and Jiraiya left to investigate while Hiashi organized perimeter patrols.
• Hinata thanked Shuji for not blaming Naruto or Neji over the lunchbox incident, and Shuji reassured her that the small matter did not require anyone to take responsibility.

During a break in the Martial Exhibition, Tsunade left the Kage seating, encountered the Uchiha family, and shared lunch with Shuji at the Police Force branch. Their conversation ended with Tsunade reflecting on how slowly her latest year as Hokage had passed, while Shuji wondered when retirement might come.

• Tsunade watched the morning genin matches conclude, then left the stadium as the other Kage remained behind.
• Tsunade met Fugaku, Mikoto, Hazuki, Itachi, Izumi, and Sasuke in the Stadium District and teased Fugaku about Itachi's workload.
• Tsunade saw Hyuga Natsu escorting two little girls from the Police Force branch and then went inside to find Shuji.
• Tsunade found a warm rice ball waiting for her and ate with Shuji while they discussed the Hyuga girls and Itachi walking with Izumi.
• Tsunade reflected that time had seemed to pass slowly during her latest year as Hokage, and Shuji remarked that retirement might arrive sooner than expected.

Shikamaru spent his short vacation running errands for the Joint Affairs Bureau, where he delivered a request for Killer B and the others to perform again. After the band met with nobles, Shikaku revealed that the nobles had died, leaving Shikamaru to realize the matter was far more serious than he expected.

• Shikamaru spent the first two days of his break running errands between the Stadium District and the Joint Affairs Bureau.
• Kakashi sent Shikamaru to give Killer B and the others an application requesting another performance, and the band agreed.
• Shikamaru returned to the Ninja Academy as Naruto, Gaara, and Kaede became popular for their opening ceremony performance.
• Naruto and the others stopped coming to class, and Shikaku told Shikamaru that nobles had requested to meet the band after their performance.
• Shikaku revealed that the nobles who had met the band members had died the previous night.

Shikamaru learned that the nobles’ deaths were real but likely not voluntary, while Konoha’s leaders faced pressure from the Land of Fire’s officials over rumors linking the deaths to jinchūriki. After the meeting, Shuji confirmed Naruto and the others were safe and suspected Akatsuki was pursuing a new way to deal with the Feudal Lords.

• Nara Shikaku told Shikamaru that the dead nobles had died with their bodies intact, suggesting they had not chosen to die and that the deaths concealed a deeper conflict.
• Tuanhe accused Konoha of failing to warn officials that the performers were jinchūriki and announced that the Feudal Lord might return to the Capital of Fire for safety.
• Tsunade and Konoha’s leaders discussed the rumors, and Shikaku proposed drawing public attention to the Martial Exhibition rather than trying to suppress the news by force.
• Shikaku warned that the deaths and rumors were only surface issues, while a deeper change was unsettling the balance between Konoha and the Feudal Lords.
• Shuji told Tsunade that Naruto and the others had passed their examinations and could return to class, then reasoned that fear was being used to control people.
• Shuji considered how Akatsuki was allocating its intellectual resources elsewhere and began to understand that it might be pursuing another way to deal with the Feudal Lords.

Nagato established a ninja-run order in the Land of the Moon and agreed to give the Five Great Shinobi Villages a chance to respond to the changes. In the Land of Snow, Orochimaru summoned Senju Tobirama and explained the choices and difficulties facing the shinobi world, leaving Tobirama to learn what became of his era and system.

• Nagato replaced the Land of the Moon’s old ruling order with ninja administration, assigning Konan to coordinate while Kakuzu and Hidan hunted rogue ninja.
• Nagato accepted Madara’s proposal to inform the other side that Akatsuki had pursued a peaceful path and that it was their turn to choose.
• Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation to summon Senju Tobirama, who questioned how Orochimaru had obtained the technique and why he had been summoned.
• Orochimaru described three possible responses to Nagato’s changes and explained how each could lead to conflict or a new managerial class.
• Senju Tobirama recognized that Orochimaru wanted something from him, and Orochimaru said he had summoned him to show what answer the current era would give to the problems Tobirama could not solve.