Recaps

Hiko returned from the Land of Whirlpools with Wood Style revealed and Kyuku Uzumaki bound to serve him, then used a transition in Konoha’s leadership to secure positions for the Uchiha Clan. After agreeing to retrieve Kushina Uzumaki, he received reports of Amegakure’s attacks and suspected Hanzo’s ambitions could spark a wider conflict.

• Hiko broke Kyuku Uzumaki’s seal with Wood Style, won their wager, and secured the Uzumaki Clan’s agreement to provide Konoha with a new Nine-Tails Jinchuriki candidate.
• Back in Konoha, Hiko revealed his Wood Style to the village leaders and said he had obtained it using Senju Hashirama’s cells, angering Tsunade when she learned Danzo had supplied them.
• Uchiha Shuu died after asking Hiko to protect Uchiha Fugaku, and the Uchiha Clan later mourned him without a clan head.
• Kyuku Uzumaki arrived at Hiko’s home as his maid, while Hiko negotiated for vacant village positions and distributed them among Uchiha Clan members.
• Hiko and his companions drove Mist Ninja from the area, then parted ways as Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Hatake Sakumo became rookie squad leaders.
• The Third Hokage asked Hiko to retrieve Kushina Uzumaki, and Hiko agreed after the Hokage offered to support his becoming Uchiha Clan Head.
• Kyuku asked Hiko to prevent Kushina from becoming the Nine-Tails’ Jinchuriki, and Hiko told her they would travel to the Land of Whirlpools to bring Kushina back.
• After receiving reports of Amegakure attacks on caravans and mission squads, Hiko concluded that Hanzo was seizing resources and growing ambitious.

Hiko brought Kushina and Kyuku to Konoha, then led the village’s response to rising tensions with Sunagakure and Iwagakure. The armies faced off near the Land of Rain, where Hiko negotiated with Hanzo of the Salamander to keep Amegakure out of the conflict.

• Hiko brought Kushina and Kyuku to Konoha, where Kushina enrolled in the Ninja Academy and Kyuku received a teaching position.
• After reports of Sand and Rock ninja near the border, Hiko took the Thirteenth Battalion to the Borderline and brought Hatake Sakumo back into Anbu service.
• Hiko learned that Big Beard had been exiled for fighting enemy intruders, brought him into the Anbu, and ordered his forces to stop unauthorized entries into the Land of Fire.
• Hiko sent Anbu squads to disrupt merchant routes in the Lands of Wind and Earth while his forces eliminated enemy scouts along the Borderline.
• After rumors of Konoha attacks spread, Ōnoki and the Third Kazekage mobilized, and the Third Hokage sent two thousand shinobi under Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru.
• Hiko left Hatake Sakumo to organize the Konoha army and met with Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru as Hanzo of the Salamander arrived at their camp.
• Hiko challenged Hanzo to keep Sunagakure and Iwagakure out of the Land of Fire, and Hanzo promised to investigate Amegakure’s seizure of Konoha’s caravan and repay the supplies twofold if the report proved true.

Hiko drew Amegakure into the war against Iwagakure and Sunagakure, then used traps and provocation to weaken Iwagakure while Konoha sent reinforcements. Ōnoki learned Hiko could use Wood Style and looked forward to fighting him, while Hiko slipped away from the Command Center after leaving its paperwork to the Third Elder.

• Hanzo of the Salamander rejected Ōnoki’s demands, and Hiko’s agents stirred up trouble along the borders of the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth.
• Hiko met Hanzo in Amegakure and proposed an alliance against Iwagakure and Sunagakure, which Hanzo accepted without submitting to Konoha’s command.
• When Iwagakure and Sunagakure invaded the Land of Rain, Hiko sent Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru with five hundred shinobi to help Amegakure.
• Hiko harassed the enemy forces with raids and traps as Hanzo and Konoha inflicted heavy losses, and Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru gained the title Konoha’s Three Legendary Sannin.
• Hiko arranged for five hundred Uchiha led by the Third Elder to join the frontline, while Konoha approved more reinforcements for the Land of Rain.
• Hiko spread the story of Uchiha Madara humiliating Mu and Ōnoki to provoke Iwagakure, and Ōnoki warned Kitsuchi not to let the tactic endanger their forces.
• Ōnoki learned that Hiko could use Wood Style and said he wanted to fight him, while Hiko welcomed the arriving reinforcements and left the Third Elder to handle the Command Center’s documents.

As Amegakure withdrew from Konoha’s alliance, Hiko prepared for a combined assault by Iwagakure and Sunagakure, then led Konoha’s counterattack with Susanoo. He badly wounded the Third Kazekage and hurried to protect Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Hayashi from an enemy ambush.

• Hanzo of the Salamander accepted compensation from Sunagakure and agreed to keep Amegakure neutral, leaving Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru unaware until Amegakure began withdrawing.
• Hiko told Konoha’s commanders that Iwagakure and Sunagakure might attack alongside Amegakure, then refused reinforcements and assigned forces to guard the flanks and watch Amegakure.
• Ōnoki and the Third Kazekage launched a full-scale attack, and Hiko led Konoha’s forces into battle while Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Hayashi took a separate unit to harass the enemy.
• Hiko unleashed Susanoo against Sunagakure and Iwagakure’s forces, killing many and driving the enemy into retreat before challenging the Third Kazekage alone.
• The Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand attacks failed to overcome Susanoo, and Hiko absorbed and redirected the Kazekage’s Iron Needles, killing his two guards.
• Hiko wounded the Third Kazekage in close combat and ordered his guards to press the attack as Ōnoki arrived.
• Hiko warned Tsunade and Hatake Sakumo that enemy elite forces might ambush their units, then left to find Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Hayashi.