Chapter Summaries

After Tsunade agreed to become the Fifth Hokage, Neji refused her necklace and Naruto received it instead. Back in Konoha, Neji learned his eyes were recovering and went to see Hinata and Hanabi.

• Tsunade confronted Neji for faking a relapse, and he admitted he had gambled that she could recover.
• Tsunade offered Neji her necklace, but he refused, so she gave it to Naruto and told him to become the Fifth Hokage.
• Tsunade agreed to return to Konoha, and Neji destroyed the bloodied battlefield before following the others back.
• Hiashi learned Tsunade had reconnected Neji's eyes and told him to keep their recovery secret until they healed fully.
• Neji left the dojo to find Hinata and Hanabi in the Training Room.

Neji returned to the Hyuga residence, reunited with Hinata and Hanabi, and learned that Hiashi had tried to secure the restoration of his eyes. After sparring with both sisters, he left them determined to defeat him together next time and returned to the Laboratory.

• Neji watched Hinata and Hanabi spar, then revealed himself and reunited with his delighted sisters.
• Neji told Hinata and Hanabi that his eyes would recover soon, and they celebrated the news.
• Neji sparred against Hinata and Hanabi together for an hour before defeating them, impressed by how well they worked as a team.
• Neji left the exhausted sisters and headed back to the Laboratory while Hinata and Hanabi vowed to defeat him in their next spar.

Neji returned to the laboratory, learned that Black Zetsu had been investigating the facility, and began a Byakugan fusion experiment. The first fusion succeeded, leaving Izumi overwhelmed with joy as Neji considered what the result could lead to.

• Neji returned to the underground facility, where Izumi reported that Zabuza and Haku were training Karin, the Land of Waves mission was progressing, and a strange figure had been watching the laboratory.
• Izumi described the figure as a two-faced being who emerged from trees and mentioned Itachi, Kisame, and Pain, leading Neji to suspect Black Zetsu and order closer surveillance.
• Neji inspected the cultivated Byakugan and rearranged the room so the tanks formed a circle for an initial fusion experiment.
• Neji synchronized the Dojutsu Power of two Byakugan, and the eyes fused successfully into one without changing form.
• Izumi embraced Neji and wept with happiness at the experiment's success.

Neji discovered that his fused Byakugan needed time to stabilize and asked Izumi to monitor it. At Konoha Hospital, Tsunade recognized Neji’s medical research and invited him to become her disciple, which he accepted.

• Neji found that he could not merge another pair of Byakugan until the fused eye stabilized, so he asked Izumi to build a monitor for it.
• Neji arrived at Konoha Hospital and saw Sasuke fleeing after a rooftop confrontation with Naruto, while Kakashi pursued him.
• Neji overheard Might Guy telling Tsunade about his Healing Tattoo, then entered Rock Lee’s room with food alongside Tenten.
• Tsunade questioned Neji about his medical and sealing research and asked whether his tattoo could preserve youth.
• Tsunade offered to make Neji her disciple, and Neji accepted.

Neji received Tsunade’s approval to use the Hokage Building’s barrier room and invited Tenten to receive his perfected tattoo. After completing the tattoo, which could heal, preserve youth, and improve the body, Neji and Tenten fell asleep together in the room.

• Tsunade accepted Neji as her disciple and gave him permission to use the barrier room in the Hokage Building.
• Neji celebrated with Team 3, then invited Tenten to be the first person to receive his perfected tattoo, and she agreed.
• Neji promised Rock Lee he would tattoo him again after he recovered, with enough power to support opening the Fifth Gate.
• Neji took Tenten to the barrier room and spent over an hour tattooing her while she endured the pain.
• The completed tattoo filled Tenten with Chakra and gave her healing, Eternal Youth, and physical activation effects; she fell asleep in Neji’s arms, and he soon joined her.

After Neji refused Sasuke’s request for advanced training, Sasuke challenged him to reveal his true strength. As Sasuke’s Curse Mark matured, Orochimaru sent the Sound Four to retrieve him.

• Neji and Tenten woke in the Hokage Building and left together at dusk.
• Sasuke confronted Neji and asked him to train and fight with him so he could grow strong enough to take revenge on Itachi.
• Neji said he could teach Sasuke only the basics, and Sasuke showed his disappointment.
• Sasuke’s Curse Mark spread as Orochimaru decided the time was right and ordered the Sound Four to meet him.
• Sasuke awakened his Two Tomoe Sharingan, attacked Neji with a kunai, and demanded to see Neji’s true strength.

Neji defeated Sasuke’s attack and understood that she intended to leave Konoha to seek strength from Orochimaru. After Sasuke walked off alone, Neji considered his own plans to gather the tailed beasts’ true bodies and prepare for Akatsuki.

• Sasuke attacked Neji with shuriken, a Great Fireball, and Chidori, but Neji stopped her and extinguished her fireball with Thunderclap Palm.
• Neji caught Sasuke’s Chidori-striking wrist, and she broke down, asking whether she was truly weak.
• Neji told Sasuke that she was weaker than Itachi but strong compared with everyone else, then checked that she had fully adapted to her Curse Mark.
• Sasuke explained that Neji’s hidden strength made her believe she could never catch up, and Neji left without stopping her from departing.
• Sasuke decided to heal her injuries and seek Orochimaru, while Neji resolved to gather the tailed beasts’ true bodies and grow strong enough to face Nagato before Akatsuki acted.

Neji joined Shikamaru’s team to pursue Sasuke, whom the Sound Four had placed in suspended death to awaken her Curse Mark. As the squad caught up with them, Neji revealed he understood Sasuke’s choice and had his own reasons for continuing the mission, and the chapter ended as the Sound Four confronted the pursuers.

• Shikamaru recruited Neji and gathered Naruto, Choji, Kiba, and others to bring Sasuke back, while Sakura tearfully asked Naruto to save her.
• Sakon explained that Orochimaru had sent the Sound Four to make Sasuke die temporarily, and Sasuke took an Awakening Pill before they sealed her in a coffin with their Barrier Ninjutsu.
• Shiranui Genma and another Konoha ninja encountered the Sound Four but were defeated, and Shizune’s group chose not to pursue them.
• As the team tracked Sasuke, Neji admitted to Shikamaru that he had known she would defect and said he respected her choice, while Shikamaru continued the pursuit to bring her back.
• Neji sensed the Sound Four’s location and identified Sasuke’s coffin; when Sakon threw an explosive-tagged kunai at the pursuers, Neji knocked it aside, and the two groups faced off.

Shikamaru and the others were trapped by Jirobo while the Sound Four carried Sasuke away, but Neji broke them out and assigned Choji to fight Jirobo. Neji, Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru left to catch up with Sasuke as Choji began battling Jirobo.

• Shikamaru immobilized Kidomaru with the Shadow Imitation Technique, but Jirobo broke the control and trapped the group in an Earth Style barrier.
• Neji decided that Choji would fight Jirobo while the others pursued Sasuke, then used Thunderclap Spiral Strike to break through the barrier and wound Jirobo.
• Jirobo attacked with Earth Mausoleum Ball, but Choji smashed the boulder with Human Boulder.
• Naruto, Neji, Kiba, and Shikamaru left to catch up with Sasuke, while Choji stayed behind to fight Jirobo.
• Choji and Jirobo charged at each other and began wrestling, with Choji at a disadvantage in strength but in better condition.

Neji stayed behind to fight Kidomaru while Shikamaru and the others continued after Sasuke. Neji overwhelmed Kidomaru’s attacks and answered his rain of hardened throwing knives with Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.

• Shikamaru led the others onward after devising a plan to take Sasuke back, but the group was exposed and Kidomaru stayed behind to stop them.
• Neji told Shikamaru and the others to continue and faced Kidomaru alone.
• Neji devoured Kidomaru’s Spider Silk with Spirit Ball Bomb, then wounded him with a barrage of Finger Pistol: Dragon Fang.
• Kidomaru summoned a giant spider and sent small spiders and webs at Neji, who destroyed them with Lion’s Roar.
• Kidomaru attacked with hardened Spider Silk throwing knives, and Neji countered with Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.

Neji defeated Kidomaru and Sakon, collected blood and tissue samples, and rescued Kiba from Ukon. He sensed Naruto and an unfamiliar chakra, then froze when he saw what was happening.

• Kidomaru transformed and fired his strongest arrow at Neji, but Neji caught it, broke it, and killed him with a fragment of the arrow.
• Orochimaru sent Kimimaro to retrieve Sasuke in the coffin while preparing to replace his own body.
• Kimimaro took Sasuke away, leaving Shikamaru and Tayuya fighting, Kiba facing Sakon and Ukon, and Naruto in pursuit.
• Ukon parasitized Kiba, but Kiba threatened to kill them both until Neji stopped him and treated his injuries.
• Kankuro arrived to help, and Neji killed Sakon with a lightning strike before collecting more blood and tissue.
• Neji sensed Naruto and an unfamiliar chakra, saw the scene in his mind, and froze.

Neji rushed to Kimimaro after realizing Orochimaru had cured his Bloodline Disease, and he killed Tayuya on the way. As Sasuke escaped from the coffin, Neji stopped Kimimaro from pursuing Naruto and began overpowering him in close combat.

• Neji recognized that Orochimaru had used Female Hormone and Healing Hormone on Kimimaro, curing his Bloodline Disease.
• Neji dropped into Tayuya's battle with Temari and Shikamaru and killed Tayuya with Eagle Stomp.
• The coffin opened, Sasuke emerged with his Curse Mark fading, and he ignored Naruto's pleas before running away.
• Kimimaro tried to attack Naruto, but Neji kicked him aside and told Naruto to pursue Sasuke.
• Neji and Kimimaro exchanged Taijutsu, and Neji used Kami-e to evade Kimimaro's bone blade before striking him with Gale Combo.

Neji and Kimimaro escalated their fight, with both using powerful techniques and transformations. Kimimaro appeared to pierce Neji with his strongest attack, but Gaara stopped Temari from intervening and told her to believe in him.

• Kimimaro used Ten Finger Nukes, but Neji’s Nen Barrier blocked the first barrage before Neji dodged the next and struck him from behind.
• Kimimaro transformed his body with Shikotsumyaku and clashed with Neji in a fierce melee while Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, Shikamaru, and Kiba watched.
• Neji deactivated the Eight Gates and activated Dragon Tiger Roar, while Kimimaro prepared Dance of the Clematis Vine.
• Kimimaro coiled Neji in his extended spine and thrust his hardened bone spear through him.
• Temari prepared to intervene, but Gaara stopped her and told her to believe in Neji.

Neji defeated Kimimaro and secretly took him away, then met Sasuke after Sasuke defeated Naruto and chose to leave Konoha. He gave Sasuke a mask pendant engraved with Thunder and left him to depart, while Neji waited with Kimimaro for someone expected to arrive.

• Neji overwhelmed Kimimaro with the Spiraling Nen Field, staged his disappearance, and had a clone carry him away after secretly treating him.
• Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro took the injured Shikamaru and Kiba toward Konoha after Neji asked them to.
• Sasuke spared the unconscious Naruto, left his forehead protector beside him, and walked away from the Valley of the End.
• Neji treated Sasuke's shoulder, gave him an umbrella and a Thunder-engraved pendant, and said he looked forward to seeing him in three years.
• Sasuke put on the pendant and disappeared into the forest, while Neji returned to Kimimaro and waited for someone to arrive.

Neji returned to Konoha after the mission, then used five marked beads to establish a teleportation link between his Laboratory and the Land of Waves base. He brought Kimimaro to the Laboratory and awakened her, hoping the altered hormones he had administered would make her feel loyal to him.

• Neji met Zabuza and Haku, gave them new pendants and five beads, and sent them back to the Land of Waves with the sealed Kimimaro.
• Neji reported to Tsunade that the injured squad members were out of danger, then told Shikamaru to visit him daily for a month to train.
• Neji and Izumi activated the modified Exchange Summoning Jutsu formations and traveled from the Laboratory to the Land of Waves base in five seconds.
• Neji brought Zabuza and the others back to the Laboratory and had them deliver the materials he had provided.
• Neji unsealed Kimimaro and used Chakra to wake her, intending to see whether his altered hormones would influence her feelings toward him.

Neji captured Kimimaro and recruited him into the D Organization, then studied his Shikotsumyaku to gather data for creating puppets. With the Land of Waves secured, Neji assigned Zabuza a mission to retrieve Hoshigakure’s meteorite after a new member joined the team.

• Kimimaro woke in Neji’s laboratory, recognized Neji’s Byakugan, and learned Neji had captured him because he belonged to the Taketori Clan.
• Neji asked Kimimaro to become his subordinate, and Kimimaro agreed, believing Orochimaru had abandoned him.
• Neji conducted experiments on Kimimaro, recording his blood and bodily data to develop puppets that could use Shikotsumyaku.
• Neji confirmed that Zan had secured control of the Land of Waves, including its daimyo.
• Neji ordered Zabuza to wait several days before traveling to Hoshigakure to retrieve its meteorite, when a new member would join him.

Neji met privately with Karin, confirmed his identity, and promised to train her in several ninja arts. He then spoke with the awakened Kimimaro, revealed that he knew how Orochimaru had treated him, and confirmed Kimimaro’s guess that he was Nian of D Organization.

• Neji dismissed the meeting and asked Karin to stay, then revealed his face and confirmed that he was the leader she knew as Neji.
• Karin said Zabuza and Haku’s training did not suit her, so Neji promised to teach her Taijutsu, Medical Ninjutsu, Sealing Jutsu, and sensory abilities.
• Neji told Karin to focus on Taijutsu and Chakra control, and she resolved to work hard in her new home.
• Neji returned to the Laboratory and talked with the awakened Kimimaro about Kabuto, Orochimaru, and the possibility of cooperation.
• Neji showed Kimimaro vials of Healing Hormone and Female Hormone, and Kimimaro identified him as Nian of D Organization.

Neji recruited Kimimaro into the D Organization and sent him with Zabuza and Haku to seize Hoshigakure’s star. Back in Konoha, Tsunade checked Neji’s healed eyes and assigned him to teach Sakura Medical Ninjutsu, so Neji suggested that Shikamaru help Tsunade with her paperwork.

• Neji gave Kimimaro a D Organization pendant and ordered him to join Zabuza and Haku on a mission to seize Hoshigakure’s star.
• Neji returned to Konoha after Kimimaro recovered and left Izumi in charge of the base.
• Tsunade demanded that Neji open his healed eyes, and he reluctantly showed them to her.
• Neji demonstrated that he had mastered Medical Ninjutsu and told Tsunade he had helped train Sakura.
• Tsunade assigned Neji to teach Sakura, and Neji suggested that Shikamaru help Tsunade with her official duties.

Tsunade summoned Shikamaru to discuss solutions for the Hokage’s workload, and Neji revealed that he had passed along ideas Shikamaru had once suggested. After Shikamaru agreed to explain them, Neji headed toward the Hyuga Clan to tell his uncle that his eyes would recover, but Temari stopped him.

• Tsunade summoned Shikamaru to the Hokage Office after hearing that he had a way to ease her workload.
• Neji greeted Shikamaru with his recovered Byakugan and reminded him of their Academy discussions about Hokage duties and ways to manage them.
• Shikamaru realized Neji had suggested those methods to Tsunade and agreed to explain his own approach to her.
• Tsunade sent Neji away and told him not to forget to teach Sakura Medical Ninjutsu; Neji sensed Anbu heading to the Nara Clan, likely to seek Shikaku’s help.
• Neji decided to tell his uncle about his coming eye recovery and set off for the Hyuga Clan, but Temari stopped him while Kankuro and Gaara ate dumplings nearby.

Neji apologized to Temari for their past encounter by treating Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara to a meal at his hot pot restaurant. The lunch reconciled Neji and Temari and ended with Gaara asking to spar with Neji again someday.

• Temari angrily confronted Neji about what had happened between them before, while Kankuro tried to mediate.
• Neji invited Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara to his hot pot restaurant, where Temari learned that he owned it.
• Neji ordered food the siblings liked and apologized to Temari, who accepted his apology and clinked cups with him.
• Kankuro enthusiastically ate the meal, while Gaara spoke with Neji and asked to spar with him again someday.
• Neji saw the three off and offered them free meals for life at his restaurant.