Chapter Summaries

Shuji studied Earth Release and considered how to develop a way to fly, then answered students’ questions at the Academy, including Sakura’s and Naruto’s. Meanwhile, Hyuga Hiashi questioned Neji about changes from Sage Art training and warned him to be cautious about his choices.

• Shuji bought sealing scrolls and chakra nature transformation scrolls, then explored using Earth Release to reduce his density and hover.
• Iruka brought Shuji a vase, and Shuji paid him before meeting students who asked for advice, including Shino and Kiba.
• Sakura asked whether Shuji noticed those who followed him, and Shuji said he respected his companions and believed they would meet at the end of their paths.
• Naruto asked why Shuji did not want to become Hokage, but Shuji challenged the claim and ended their meeting before answering.
• Hyuga Hiashi considered the village’s interest in the Kaguya Clan and Neji, then asked Neji how Sage Art training had changed his body.
• Neji said the village had provided an opportunity for his own decision, and Hiashi warned him to approach it cautiously.

Naruto gathered opinions on badge names from Konoha and other villages, prompting Sasuke to realize that competing village-specific proposals could make Naruto’s widely accepted name the compromise choice. Sasuke then invited Kakashi to join a revenge operation against Mr. Uzumaki, but Kakashi said he would pretend not to have heard until he knew where Sasuke’s loyalties lay.

• Naruto told the Joint Affairs Bureau staff that he wanted their suggestions for badge names, and Sasuke confirmed the Hokage Office was collecting opinions.
• Ninja from several villages took interest in the forms, and their competing proposals began spreading through the Bureau.
• Sasuke told Naruto that the other villages’ interest was not an endorsement, but Naruto remained confident that his father’s chosen name would pass.
• Kakashi revealed he had overheard Naruto and Sasuke, and Sasuke reasoned that rival village proposals could leave Naruto’s name as the common compromise.
• Sasuke asked Kakashi to join the revenge operation against Mr. Uzumaki, and Kakashi said he would pretend not to hear the offer for now.

Kakashi and Itachi discussed the Liaison Office’s demands and the review team, while Naruto visited Shuji and found him testing aerial movement with Gaara’s sand. Naruto’s questions about Shuji were answered by Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, leaving Naruto the only one who had not known those details.

• Itachi told Kakashi that the Liaison Office supported the bureau’s principles but wanted discussions about ninja squads reviewing towns and regulations limiting which mission ranks different clients could request.
• Kakashi learned that each of the five ninja villages would appoint one member to the duty-squad review team and reflected on the changes in how ninja handled missions.
• Naruto went to the Old Residence and found Shuji standing on a sand platform that Gaara reshaped into a sword for aerial tests.
• Naruto tried riding a sand kunai, but Gaara’s movements sent him tumbling, and Shuji explained that he was testing ways to use airborne objects for maneuvering and combat.
• Shuji and Kankuro discussed whether puppets could support aerial combat, while Naruto remembered that he had come to ask Shuji questions.
• Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro listed Shuji’s food, clothing, tea, and birthday preferences, and Shuji teased Naruto for being the only one who did not know them.

Shuji teased Naruto about growing closer to Sasuke, prompting Gaara to reaffirm his friendship with Naruto before Naruto left. Gaara then asked to begin working at the Joint Affairs Bureau the next day so he could understand Sunagakure’s people, while Kankuro was told to seek Baki’s approval for his own request.

• Shuji teased Naruto for helping Sasuke with a mission and suggested that rivals could understand each other more closely than friends.
• Gaara reassured Naruto that they were still friends and said Naruto would need more companions to become Hokage, making Temari and Kankuro criticize Naruto.
• Naruto tried to leave after Shuji exposed his scheme, but Gaara asked him to visit again the next day, and Naruto agreed.
• Gaara told Shuji he wanted to join the Joint Affairs Bureau starting the next day to learn what Sunagakure’s people thought and help give them an opportunity.
• Shuji agreed to Gaara’s request and told Kankuro to ask Baki for approval to work alongside his siblings.

Naruto returned from Shuji’s home shaken after Shuji’s words turned his friends against him, and Jiraiya explained that joining Sasuke’s plan had made Naruto Shuji’s opponent. Naruto chose to keep going and planned to repair his friendships and report what he had learned to Sasuke.

• Naruto came home early and told Jiraiya that Shuji’s words had made Temari and Kankuro hostile and left Gaara concerned.
• Jiraiya explained that Shuji treated Naruto as an opponent once Naruto joined Sasuke’s plan, and warned him that Shuji’s counterattacks would grow harsher.
• Jiraiya revealed that he had proposed the plan but left Naruto and Sasuke to carry it out, prompting Naruto to call him sneaky.
• Naruto refused to abandon Sasuke and decided to explain the situation to Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara and share his intelligence with Sasuke.
• Minato and Jiraiya hoped Naruto and Sasuke might eventually surprise Shuji and become strong enough to defeat him.

The Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire visited Konoha, arranged for his son Maru Ichikyu to stay in the village, and offered support for the Uchiha review while acknowledging Konoha could not halt it. He left Maru Ichikyu with advice on building ties with the ninja and securing the Maru Clan’s future.

• Shuji met Minato and learned that the Feudal Lord was coming to Konoha, suspecting the visit involved private matters.
• The Feudal Lord arranged for his Guardian Ninja to assist the Land of Tea and asked Konoha to host Maru Ichikyu while his guards were away.
• Kakashi and Itachi received the Feudal Lord and Maru Ichikyu at the Bureau of Affairs, where the Feudal Lord asked that the review of the Uchiha be stopped.
• After the Liaison Office representatives refused to halt the joint review, the Feudal Lord offered relevant clues and ended the tour.
• The Feudal Lord privately advised Maru Ichikyu to stay close to Konoha’s ninja and make himself indispensable to the Maru Clan’s future.

Shuji hosted Maru Ichikyu in Konoha and handled village duties before Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru tried to set a trap for him. Karin discovered their plan, and Shikamaru persuaded her to hear them out.

• Shuji welcomed Maru Ichikyu to Konoha, and the daimyo’s eldest son chose to observe work in the Mission Hall.
• Shuji agreed to attend the Ninja Academy graduates’ commemorative photo session, then discussed Kumogakure’s martial exhibition tournament with Samui.
• Naruto used a Sexy Technique Shadow Clone to approach Shuji, but Shuji recognized the prototype and dispelled it.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru planned to lower Shuji’s guard by staging repeated feints, with Sasuke expected to join Naruto’s act.
• Sasuke noticed Karin trying to escape, and Shikamaru persuaded her that their scheme was a way to repay Shuji; Karin asked to hear the plan.

Sasuke remained uncertain about whether to use a Transformation Technique to support his unfinished report, while Gaara settled into his Sunagakure internship and heard Yura’s arguments about resisting Konoha’s influence. After a meeting reported Sasori’s possible appearance near the Land of Tea, Yura quietly wondered whether Akatsuki’s plans would expose him.

• Sasuke continued hesitating over a Transformation Technique operation even after the Special Training Class ended.
• Gaara joined the Sunagakure Office, endured the staff’s scrutiny, and listened as they discussed village affairs.
• Yura urged Gaara to set aside his favorable feelings toward Konoha and help Sunagakure assert its influence, but Gaara questioned the value of provoking conflict.
• Yura gradually increased his contact with Gaara and asked him about Konoha and the Joint Affairs Bureau.
• Kakashi reported that the Guardian Ninja had failed in the Land of Tea and that Sasori might be in the nearby Land of the Sea region.
• After the meeting, Yura sent the intelligence to Sunagakure and wondered whether Sasori’s appearance meant Akatsuki would act and whether he should go overseas.

Shuji discussed ninja work and Maru Ichikyu’s stay in Konoha with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, who also reported that the Guardian Ninja had suffered losses in the Land of Tea. Gato left the Land of Tea with Shili and his crew, but Sasori confronted Shili at sea after Gato failed to extend their mission, and prepared to preserve Shili’s petrifying technique.

• Shuji took Maru Ichikyu to meet the Daimyo, where they discussed the value of ninja earning their pay through missions and learning about ordinary people’s needs.
• The Daimyo told Shuji that the Land of Tea’s Feudal Lord had claimed Gato withdrew because of the Guardian Ninja, and asked for Maru Ichikyu to remain in Konoha longer.
• Gato left the Land of Tea with Shili and other ninja, boasting that he planned to use trade and assistance to seize control of another country.
• Gato sent Shili to inspect the cargo ships as they sailed toward the Land of the Sea, while Kongang and Karenka checked another vessel.
• Sasori appeared on the ship and confronted Shili for being overdue; Shili realized Gato had never extended the mission, and Sasori decided to preserve Shili’s petrifying technique.

Sasori killed Shili, processed his body into a future human puppet, and stayed on Dailang Island while Obito tried to draw him into a discussion of eternity. Meanwhile, Yura prepared a report in Sunagakure, and Shuji, Kakashi, and Minato examined the Tea Daimyo’s murder and planned to investigate Gato and contact Nagato.

• Sasori killed Shili, took Gato’s ledger, and processed Shili’s body for conversion into a human puppet while Obito spoke to him about eternity.
• Sasori told Pain that the overdue trio had been punished and chose to stay on Dailang Island for half a month to complete his puppet.
• Yura wrote a personal report about changing power balances in the bureau, and Gaara warned him to put the documents away safely.
• Kakashi reported that the Tea Daimyo had been killed and his valuables stolen, and Shuji questioned whether Gato had committed the murder.
• Shuji asked Amegakure’s people to investigate Gato and proposed trying to contact Nagato for information about the killings.

The Daimyo Coordination Committee imposed trade restrictions and sanctions tied to Gato as Konoha investigated the Tea Daimyo’s murder and received Nagato’s denial of Gato’s involvement. As the Joint Affairs Bureau prepared for the rice-planting season, Shuji proposed using the Feudal Lords’ actions to strengthen contact with Nagato and advance development assessments.

• The Daimyo Coordination Committee restricted trade and ordered sanctions against merchants suspected of dealing with Gato and Akatsuki.
• Konan reviewed Gato’s records and asked Nagato whether Gato had killed the Daimyo of the Land of Tea; Nagato denied it and told her to inform Konoha.
• Kakashi convened the Joint Affairs Bureau to prioritize farming missions during rice-planting season, then urged Yamato to join the Bureau, but Yamato declined.
• Itachi gave Kakashi a roster of incoming shinobi, and Kakashi requested land for additional Bureau buildings.
• Shuji, Minato, and Hiruzen discussed Nagato’s reply and agreed to have Jiraiya contact him while using the Feudal Lords’ recent actions to advance development-index assessments.

Shuji tested a prototype helmet that photographed people and identified them, while Naruto withdrew from the Joint Affairs Bureau after helping Aoi Rokushō. Gaara learned that Sunagakure’s representatives feared the changes ahead, and Shuji warned him that the village might have little time left to prepare.

• Shuji showed Tsunade and Yakushi Kabuto the helmet prototype, which produced a photograph and identified Tsunade by name.
• Shuji explained that the helmet was intended to identify ordinary people and support social order, and Senju Tobirama agreed to include it in his experimental plans.
• Shuji learned that Shisui’s eyes were still recovering and left to tell him about the prototype.
• Naruto told Aoi Rokushō he would step away from the Joint Affairs Bureau, and Aoi later received orders to help relocate a department.
• Gaara and Baki discussed Sunagakure’s fears, its representatives’ competing interests, and the village’s uncertain future.
• When Gaara asked Shuji how much time Sunagakure had, Shuji said the village might have little leeway left.

Aoi Rokushō worked with Yasaka’s people and recruited Mizuki to help influence Naruto and the badge-name dispute. The chapter ended with the Five Great Shinobi Villages responding to revelations about Konoha and Kumogakure’s secret tailed-beast chakra research by agreeing to pool chakra and establish a jointly supervised research team.

• Aoi Rokushō told Yasaka’s people that Naruto would stay away from the bureau until the badge-name matter was settled, and suggested they build support for their preferred name in each office.
• Aoi Rokushō visited Mizuki and persuaded him to approach Naruto and report how much influence the other side wielded in the Bureau.
• Aoi Rokushō discovered that rumors of Konoha and Kumogakure’s secret research into tailed-beast chakra had stirred tension among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
• Ao and Banga challenged Kakashi and Dodai over the secret cooperation, and Kakashi confirmed that Konoha and Kumogakure had exchanged research results.
• The village representatives agreed to extract and seal portions of their jinchuriki’s chakra and create a jointly supervised research team.

Kakashi and the village representatives arranged the tailed-beast chakra extraction while Aoi Rokushō weighed whether to cooperate with Mizuki. The extraction began in the Old Building, but a report of White Zetsu in the New Building raised suspicions that the messenger might be an impostor.

• Kakashi and Itachi discussed reporting the bureau’s agreements to Konoha, and Itachi left to deliver the report before returning later with chakra from the One-Tail, Seven-Tails, and Nine-Tails.
• Kakashi and the village representatives chose the Old Building for the extraction and agreed that each village would contribute to its defenses.
• Aoi Rokushō reconsidered his suspicions about Naruto and Gaara, then told Mizuki about the bureau’s developments without sharing his observations.
• Mizuki said he would wait to meet the people behind the plot and planned to leave the village with Naruto; two days later, he arrived at the bureau alongside Naruto.
• The chakra extraction began in the Old Building, but a bureau chunin reported that White Zetsu had appeared in the New Building, and Itachi incapacitated the messenger while Kakashi ordered the representatives to remain.

White Zetsu attacked the Joint Affairs Bureau, and Sasuke pursued Naruto after he was led into the forest by Mizuki and Aoi Rokushō. The Police Force rescued Naruto and exposed the attackers’ operation, while Konoha’s leaders prepared a response and Shuji left for surgery.

• Sasuke found Naruto missing from the Bureau and followed his trail after White Zetsu attacked the building.
• Mizuki led Naruto away from the Bureau, where Aoi Rokushō met them and Sasuke arrived soon after.
• Naruto used Shadow Clones to reveal Mizuki and Aoi’s deception, but White Zetsu spores restrained Naruto and Sasuke.
• Aoi killed the White Zetsu covering Naruto and tried to carry him away, but the spores then immobilized Aoi as well.
• Hyuga Hiashi and the Police Force arrived, struck down Mizuki, and freed Naruto; Aoi warned that the enemy had another target.
• Kakashi reported the attack to Minato Namikaze and the others, and Shuji ordered preparations involving the Land of Tea, Shisui, and Hiruzen Sarutobi before leaving for surgery.

Obito’s plan to steal tailed beast chakra was exposed when Shuji confronted him alongside Minato Namikaze and Kakashi. Obito was killed, but Black Zetsu then seized Shuji as the chapter ended.

• Obito arranged for Yura to help Iwagakure steal tailed beast chakra and waited to intercept the squads carrying it.
• Shuji ambushed Obito during the theft, revealing that he had anticipated the plan and used a camera to cast a dojutsu on him.
• Minato Namikaze and Kakashi joined Shuji, and Kakashi used his Mangekyō Sharingan against Obito.
• Obito escaped using Izanagi, but Shuji and Kakashi pursued him, and Shuji trapped and killed him with his Susanoo.
• As Shuji approached Obito’s body, Black Zetsu emerged from the ground and climbed onto him.

Shuji helped Kakashi and Minato confirm Obito’s apparent death, then traveled to the Land of the Sea to negotiate with Nagato and seek a pause in hostilities. He returned to the Konoha ship expecting a year or two of stability, while Shisui asked him to keep the Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Minato stopped Kakashi from approaching Shuji as Black Zetsu emerged, but Shuji drove it into the ground and summoned his complete Susanoo.
• Kakashi used Kamui with Minato to search for Obito, and they found no trace of him; Shuji concluded White Zetsu had consumed the remains.
• Shuji sent Minato and Kakashi back to Konoha, then flew to the Land of the Sea to speak with Nagato.
• Shuji told Nagato that the man who called himself Madara was dead and offered peace; Nagato agreed only to halt hostilities, not to reconcile.
• Shuji warned Nagato about the true owner of his Rinnegan and urged him to answer Jiraiya’s letter before leaving for the Konoha ship.
• Shuji told Shisui he would return the Mangekyō Sharingan after its ocular power recovered, and Shisui asked him to keep the eyes.

After returning to Konoha, Shuji had his eyes replaced, celebrated his birthday with Naruto, Kaede, and their friends, and attended the Ninja Academy graduation ceremony. There, Tsunade and the students presented him with a Hokage hat and paper cranes as the crowd hailed him as the Sixth Hokage.

• Shuji returned to Konoha with the Third Hokage, Shisui, and the former feint-force members, then went to the West Suburbs Laboratory Building.
• Tsunade replaced Shuji’s eyes with his original eyes, while Kabuto stored Shisui’s eyes in a special container.
• Naruto, Kaede, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara surprised Shuji with a homemade birthday cake at the Old Residence.
• Shuji attended the Ninja Academy graduation ceremony with leaders and representatives from several villages, then gave the closing speech.
• Tsunade and the students presented Shuji with a transformed Hokage hat and a chain of paper cranes as the crowd celebrated him as the Sixth Hokage.

After Shuji became the Sixth Hokage, Sasuke investigated the rumors about his Sharingan and delivered his report to Senju Tobirama. Tobirama challenged Sasuke to understand the sacrifices required to become Hokage, and Sasuke accepted that burden.

• Kakashi congratulated Sasuke on helping Shuji become Hokage, then warned him that Shuji would take revenge when given the chance.
• Sasuke heard rumors that Shuji possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan and wondered whether his report about Shuji's origins was correct.
• Fugaku confronted Shisui about entrusting his Mangekyō eyes to Shuji, and Shisui confirmed that he had given them willingly.
• Shisui told Sasuke that Shuji could reconcile the Uchiha clan, the village, and other villages, then went to find Kabuto at the Laboratory Building.
• Senju Tobirama explained that a Hokage had to answer to people with conflicting loyalties and accept the losses that came with the role.
• Sasuke understood the price of becoming Hokage, awakened his three-tomoe Sharingan, and handed his report to Senju Tobirama.

Shuji led the Five Kage in deciding how to handle compromised personnel and strengthen security for their joint research. Meanwhile, Nagato discovered that Orochimaru had emptied his laboratory and marked him as a traitor.

• Shuji proposed sending shinobi who had crossed no clear line overseas with Jiraiya, while allowing each village to handle those who had only wavered.
• Shuji proposed moving the joint research site to Konoha Headquarters and having village researchers report important intelligence directly to their Kage.
• Shuji drafted an order transferring Yamato to assist Kakashi with the Joint Affairs Bureau's internal audit.
• Nagato decided to wait a week for Zetsu to make contact before treating him as a traitor.
• Nagato found Orochimaru's laboratory empty in the Land of Snow and added Orochimaru to the organization's traitor list.