Chapter Summaries

Hanzo of the Salamander attacked the Akatsuki after Yahiko died, but Nagato summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, which began draining his life and chakra. Far away, Hiko sensed the change and warned Jiraiya that his disciples had suffered a devastating fate.

• Hanzo of the Salamander ordered his men to kill the Akatsuki, while Konan lay covered in Explosive Tags.
• Nagato roared in grief over Yahiko and used Summoning Jutsu as kunai rained into the valley.
• The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path emerged and swept through the Amegakure ninja, killing many of them.
• The statue pierced Nagato with an iron rod and began absorbing his life force and Chakra.
• Hiko sensed the statue's change at Konoha's Command Center and dismissed the other commanders.
• Hiko told Jiraiya, Hatake Sakumo, and Tsunade that something had happened to Jiraiya's disciples and warned that some might be dead.

Hiko told Jiraiya that Nagato and his teammates had fallen into grave danger after Nagato used the Rinnegan, and warned that Nagato could become a crippled, dangerous monster. He convinced Jiraiya not to go to Amegakure and predicted that Nagato would soon become an enemy, while Hiko’s group waited for the threat to emerge.

• Jiraiya reacted with alarm when Hiko said something had happened to his three disciples and questioned how he knew.
• Hiko explained that he and Nagato could sense each other’s crises and said Nagato had used the Rinnegan, a power with terrible consequences.
• Hiko warned Jiraiya that his disciples might be dead and that going to Amegakure to confront Hanzo would be too late and could cost Jiraiya his life.
• Hiko ordered Jiraiya not to go to Amegakure and told him to prepare for a future meeting with Nagato as enemies.
• Tsunade asked what preparations they should make, and Hiko told her they should wait because Konoha would not be Nagato’s first target.
• Hiko reasoned that Black Zetsu would help Nagato create the Six Paths of Pain and pursue easier targets such as Sunagakure’s One-Tail or the wandering Seven-Tails.

Hiko reassured Jiraiya that Konoha could withstand Nagato, while the war against Sunagakure continued to intensify. In Amegakure, Hanzo's failed assault left Nagato and Konan committed to carrying out Yahiko's dream, and the wider conflict drew in other villages.

• Jiraiya accepted Hiko's warning and agreed not to rush to the Land of Rain.
• Hanzo of the Salamander led an assault against the Akatsuki Organization, but only Hanzo returned alive; Yahiko and many members died, and Nagato kept Yahiko's body.
• Nagato resolved to fulfill Yahiko's dream by changing the Land of Rain and defeating Hanzo, while Black Zetsu began guiding him and Konan committed herself to Yahiko's cause.
• Konoha's offensive kept Sunagakure under heavy pressure as Hiko and other Kage-level experts led the attacks against Rasa and Grandma Chiyo's forces.
• Sunagakure sought alliances with Iwagakure and Kumogakure, while Kirigakure attacked Konoha for its own reasons.
• The Third Raikage led a mission into the Land of Earth and was eventually exhausted to death after Iwagakure forces surrounded him.

The chapter explained how even powerful Kage could be overwhelmed by numbers and explored the limits of the Flying Thunder God Technique and Chakra reserves. It revealed that Sunagakure had offered Iwagakure substantial benefits to secure its help against Konoha, leaving Kitsuchi astonished by the sacrifice.

• The narrator contrasted the Third Raikage's battlefield vulnerability with Minato Namikaze's ability to evade human-wave tactics.
• The narrator explained that the Flying Thunder God Technique had limits and that Tobirama Senju could not have relied on it to defeat Uchiha Madara alone.
• The narrator noted that the Third Raikage's depleted Chakra left him vulnerable to being buried beneath an army of ninja.
• Sunagakure abandoned its claims to major benefits to persuade Iwagakure to join its war against Konoha.
• Kitsuchi asked Ōnoki whether Sunagakure had really given up so many benefits just to win Iwagakure's support.

Ōnoki weighed Sunagakure’s offer to join the war against Konoha, balancing the promised gains against the danger posed by Uchiha Hiko and the timing. He chose to mobilize Iwagakure’s forces to the Borderline, committing the village to the conflict.

• Kitsuchi explained that Sunagakure had offered benefits because it feared losing its war against Konoha.
• Ōnoki considered Sunagakure’s financial troubles and the potential rewards of joining its campaign against Konoha.
• Ōnoki hesitated because Uchiha Hiko could turn the tide of battle and because he wanted Sunagakure to weaken Konoha further first.
• Ōnoki ordered two thousand ninja to the Borderline to guard against enemy incursions, signaling Iwagakure’s entry into the war.

Ōnoki declared war on Konoha and allied Iwagakure with Sunagakure, forcing Konoha to prepare for fighting on two fronts. The Third Hokage ordered Hiko and Hatake Sakumo to the Iwagakure border while Jiraiya and Tsunade took charge against Sunagakure.

• Ōnoki mobilized Iwagakure’s ninja to guard the border against Kumogakure and prepared the village for war with Konoha.
• Ōnoki declared war on Konoha and allied Iwagakure with Sunagakure, bringing a large force to the border.
• Konoha received the news, and the Third Hokage convened the village’s higher-ups to discuss the threat of fighting on two fronts.
• The Nara Clan Head recommended sending Hiko to confront Iwagakure and placing Jiraiya and Tsunade in command against Sunagakure.
• The Third Hokage ordered the clans to send ninja to the frontline and assigned Hiko and Hatake Sakumo to the Iwagakure border, with Jiraiya and Tsunade leading the Sunagakure front.

Hiko prepared to leave the Sunagakure front for the Iwagakure battlefield, encouraging Konoha’s commanders to hold their ground after Iwagakure declared war. He left Jiraiya and Tsunade in charge against Sunagakure and advised them to play it safe, though his final phrase confused them.

• Iwagakure declared war on Konoha, prompting Konoha to assemble a large force and send it toward the Borderline.
• Hiko told the gathered commanders that he and Hatake Sakumo would transfer to the Iwagakure front while Jiraiya took over his position and Tsunade assisted against Sunagakure.
• Hiko warned Jiraiya and Tsunade that Sunagakure might attack fiercely after he left, and urged them not to underestimate Rasa and Grandma Chiyo.
• Hiko rallied the commanders by asking whether they had confidence in Konoha’s victory, and they responded with a loud yes.
• Hiko told Jiraiya and Tsunade that Shikaku Nara would stay to handle logistics, then advised them to “play it safe, don’t throw,” leaving them puzzled.

Hiko left Tsunade and Jiraiya to command Konoha’s forces against Sunagakure while he headed to Iwagakure’s battlefield with Hatake Sakumo and two Elite Jonin. On the journey, he explained that Sunagakure had likely persuaded Iwagakure to join the war by promising it the spoils of victory, and discussed the Land of Wind Daimyo’s feud with Sunagakure.

• Hiko told Tsunade and Jiraiya to request reinforcements if needed, and they joked with him before he left Shikaku Nara to help them manage the Sunagakure front.
• Hiko departed for Iwagakure’s battlefield with Hatake Sakumo, two Elite Jonin, and the Nine-Tails.
• Hatake Sakumo worried that Iwagakure had joined the war so soon, but Hiko said Sunagakure had probably offered it the spoils if they defeated Konoha.
• Hiko explained that the Land of Wind Daimyo had withheld funding from Sunagakure and insulted its leaders after repeated failures.
• Hatake Sakumo reflected that the Land of Fire Daimyo was more restrained and had continued funding Konoha.

Hiko reached the Land of Fire’s frontline while Iwagakure’s vanguard approached the border, and ordered Hatake Sakumo and two Elite Jonin to delay the enemy. As Hiko prepared to defend the border himself, Iwagakure’s scouts advanced, unaware that a Konoha strike team was closing in.

• Hiko considered the war’s casualties and the looming threats of Nagato, Uchiha Madara, and Kaguya Otsutsuki, deciding he could not rely on the Five Great Shinobi Villages to defeat them.
• Hiko, Hatake Sakumo, and two Elite Jonin reached the frontline after two days, while Konoha’s supply army remained several days behind.
• The group discovered that Iwagakure shinobi had crossed the Small Countries and were approaching the Land of Fire.
• Hiko ordered Hatake Sakumo and the two attendants to attack the approaching enemy and told them to fall back toward him if necessary.
• Hatake Sakumo led the two attendants toward Iwagakure’s vanguard, planning to ambush small groups, set traps, and delay their advance.
• Iwagakure’s vanguard continued toward the Land of Fire under Ōnoki’s orders, unaware that Hatake Sakumo’s team was approaching.

Hiko sent the Nine-Tails ahead to ambush Iwagakure’s forces while Hatake Sakumo and two companions provoked and lured the enemy. After insulting Ōnoki, they drew a huge force into pursuit and began retreating toward the hidden Nine-Tails.

• Hiko ordered the Nine-Tails to conceal itself ahead and attack when a large group of Iwagakure ninjas approached.
• Hatake Sakumo and his two companions charged Iwagakure’s advance troops, insulting Ōnoki to provoke them.
• Hatake Sakumo killed several Iwagakure ninjas and continued taunting Ōnoki, enraging the advance troops.
• Ōnoki ordered his forces to pursue Hatake Sakumo, and more Iwagakure ninjas joined the chase.
• Hatake Sakumo told his companions to retreat before they were surrounded, while the Iwagakure forces unknowingly approached the concealed Nine-Tails.

Hiko and the Nine-Tails ambushed Iwagakure’s vanguard, nearly wiping it out with a single Tailed Beast Ball. Ōnoki recognized the Nine-Tails and realized Hiko had arrived; Hiko then ordered the Nine-Tails toward Iwagakure’s main force.

• The Nine-Tails released its terrifying Chakra presence, alerting Hatake Sakumo, Ōnoki, and the Iwagakure ninja.
• Hatake Sakumo spotted the Nine-Tails forming a Tailed Beast Ball and rushed away from the blast’s path.
• The Nine-Tails fired the Tailed Beast Ball into the Iwagakure vanguard, devastating the force and killing many ninja.
• Ōnoki identified the attacker as the Nine-Tails and realized Hiko’s reinforcements had reached the Land of Fire.
• Hiko ordered the Nine-Tails to approach Iwagakure’s main force, while Hatake Sakumo and his two followers trailed behind.

Uchiha Hiko confronted Ōnoki and Iwagakure’s army with the Nine-Tails and Hatake Sakumo after a Tailed Beast Ball devastated their vanguard. The Nine-Tails provoked Ōnoki into choosing battle, and Hiko sent him charging toward the enemy formation while Sakumo and the others held Ōnoki back.

• Hiko and the Nine-Tails approached Iwagakure’s surviving vanguard after the Tailed Beast Ball wiped out most of it.
• Hiko mocked Ōnoki’s height and challenged Iwagakure, while Ōnoki refused to discuss the invasion’s motives.
• Hiko and Ōnoki hesitated over who would attack first as Iwagakure’s army faced Hiko, the Nine-Tails, and Hatake Sakumo.
• The Nine-Tails roared at Ōnoki, provoking him to commit to battle.
• Hiko ordered Hatake Sakumo and the two Root ninja to hold Ōnoki back and let the Nine-Tails attack.
• The Nine-Tails charged toward Iwagakure’s formation, eager to fight.

The Nine-Tails tore through Iwagakure’s army while Hatake Sakumo held Ōnoki back, forcing the old Tsuchikage to take to the air and organize a counterattack. Ōnoki trapped the Nine-Tails in a huge pit, and Hiko watched from a distance as the earth began to crack.

• The Nine-Tails charged into Iwagakure’s troops, killing and scattering the ninja as Hatake Sakumo blocked Ōnoki from intervening.
• Ōnoki ordered his ninja to surround Hatake Sakumo and his two followers, then flew into the air to escape their interception.
• Hiko watched from a nearby rock and let the battle continue, while Ōnoki used Earth Style: Earth Core Technique to drop the Nine-Tails into a massive pit.
• Ōnoki rallied Iwagakure’s ninja to work together against the Nine-Tails, whose struggles cracked the earth binding it.
• Ōnoki’s expression changed drastically just as he prepared to direct the next step.

Hiko forced Ōnoki and the Iwagakure army to retreat, then ordered his followers to hunt for meat while he discussed the threat of further attacks with Hatake Sakumo. The chapter left Hiko confident in his power and privately considering how to master the Rinnegan and pursue the Six Paths.

• Ōnoki ordered the Iwagakure forces to retreat rather than continue fighting Hiko and the Nine-Tails.
• Hiko watched the Iwagakure ninjas withdraw and said he could have used Chibaku Tensei to destroy them if they had kept fighting.
• Hiko ordered his two followers to find food for a roast while Hatake Sakumo rested from his Chakra expenditure.
• Hatake Sakumo warned Hiko that Iwagakure might resort to secret attacks, and Hiko threatened to destroy their camp if Ōnoki tried anything.
• Hiko considered mastering the Rinnegan, obtaining a Tenseigan, and working toward the Six Paths, but decided against tampering with his own body.

After Hiko routed Ōnoki’s forces, he ordered the victory reported to the village and claimed credit for his team, including Nine-Tails. Ōnoki retreated to establish a camp, while the chapter explained why villages continued to challenge Konoha for the Land of Fire’s resources despite its strength.

• Hiko ordered his allies to send news of their victory back to the village and claim their rewards.
• Ōnoki led Iwagakure’s army far from the battlefield and set up camp after Hiko defeated him.
• Hiko claimed military credit for Hatake Sakumo, his two followers, and Nine-Tails, helping the Tailed Beast earn acceptance among Konoha’s villagers.
• The chapter explained that villages attacked Konoha because they coveted the Land of Fire’s fertile resources, even when war risked costly losses.

Hiko drove back Iwagakure’s invading force, easing the Third Hokage’s worries and bringing the two sides into a slower standoff. With many Uchiha Clan members joining Hiko at the frontline, they hoped to earn merit, but Hiko and Ōnoki both avoided an early all-out fight, and the armies eventually clashed after regrouping.

• The Third Hokage welcomed news that Hiko and the Nine-Tails had driven back Iwagakure’s invading army, trusting Hiko to keep the enemy from invading the Land of Fire.
• Ōnoki retreated rather than send his ninja into human-wave attacks against Hiko, and Hiko made no attempt to press the advantage.
• Konoha’s forces reached the frontline, where Hiko ordered them to build a camp and prepare for a prolonged fight with Iwagakure.
• The Third Hokage sent many Uchiha Clan members to the frontline, allowing them to serve under Hiko and pursue battlefield merit.
• The Uchiha Clan members arrived eager to distinguish themselves, but Hiko planned to avoid fighting too fiercely for the time being.
• After both armies regrouped and built camps, Konoha and Iwagakure finally clashed.

As Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure traded restrained skirmishes, Black Zetsu accelerated Akatsuki’s plans after learning that Hiko had awakened the Rinnegan. The Six Paths of Pain captured the Seven-Tails, bringing Uchiha Madara’s possible resurrection closer.

• Konoha and Iwagakure continued their low-intensity clashes, while Sunagakure protested Ōnoki’s approach without success.
• Black Zetsu learned that Hiko had awakened the Rinnegan and decided to accelerate Akatsuki’s plan.
• The Six Paths of Pain left Amegakure and traveled to the sea near the Land of Lightning to find the Seven-Tails.
• The Six Paths of Pain overwhelmed and captured the Seven-Tails, making it their first sacrifice.

Nagato captured the Seven-Tails and prepared to seize the remaining Tailed Beasts, while Black Zetsu urged him to exploit the war between Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure. The Six Paths of Pain and Sasori set out for Sunagakure to capture the One-Tail, leaving Rasa and Chiyo unaware of the danger.

• Black Zetsu provided intelligence that allowed Nagato to capture the Seven-Tails, which was brought to Amegakure.
• Black Zetsu urged Nagato to use the villages’ war to capture the Tailed Beasts, but Nagato remained confident he could fulfill Yahiko’s dream without help.
• Black Zetsu judged that Hiko’s awakened Rinnegan made capturing the Nine-Tails too difficult and considered reviving Uchiha Madara if Nagato could not overcome Hiko.
• Sasori’s knowledge of Sunagakure made him useful to Black Zetsu’s plan, and he joined the Six Paths of Pain as they headed to capture the One-Tail.
• Rasa sent more troops against Konoha while Jiraiya and Tsunade remained on the battlefield, unaware that Nagato’s forces were approaching Sunagakure.

Sasori watched as Nagato sent the Six Paths of Pain into Sunagakure without stealth, aiming to capture the One-Tail Jinchuriki Bunpuku. The attackers blasted through the village entrance and carved a path toward Bunpuku’s prison, leaving Sunagakure in chaos.

• Sasori asked whether they should wait for an opportunity, but Yahiko's body and the other Paths charged openly toward Sunagakure's entrance.
• Sunagakure's guards spotted the Six Paths of Pain and prepared to fight, but the Asura Path fired missiles that killed or injured most of them.
• The Asura Path fired a laser cannon, blasting open Sunagakure's entrance, and the Six Paths of Pain entered the village.
• Nagato directed the Six Paths toward Bunpuku's prison, while they slaughtered defenders and destroyed buildings along the way.
• The Six Paths continued their assault, and the chapter established the Deva Path as their most formidable force.

The Six Paths of Pain overwhelmed Sunagakure, devastating the village and capturing One-Tail Shukaku. As they left, Hiko considered the risks and possible gains of the Ten-Tails, whose birth would bring Kaguya Otsutsuki’s revival closer.

• Deva Path repelled Sunagakure’s weapons with Shinra Tensei, while Asura Path absorbed the shinobi’s Ninjutsu attacks.
• Animal Path summoned enormous beasts that rampaged through Sunagakure, worsening the chaos and killing civilians.
• The Six Paths of Pain defeated One-Tail Shukaku and took it away, leaving Sunagakure in ruins.
• Hiko weighed stopping the Ten-Tails’ birth against gaining power from it, while recognizing that its appearance would signal Kaguya Otsutsuki’s imminent revival.