Chapter Summaries

Yukimi faced Sasori’s puppet army while he held Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari captive, but Shisui arrived and tore through the attackers with his Phantom Body Flicker Technique. As Sasori prepared to fight Shisui with the Third Kazekage puppet, a sudden mist concealed a bone-spike attack that devastated Sasori’s remaining puppets.

• Yukimi discovered that Sasori had turned people, including the Third Kazekage, into puppets while Gaara’s tailed-beast chakra was being drained and Kankuro and Temari were restrained.
• Sasori dismissed Hidan’s plight, then ordered his puppet army to capture Yukimi and her students as she prepared to defend them.
• Shisui appeared and used his Phantom Body Flicker Technique to destroy and scatter the first wave of Sasori’s puppets.
• Sasori readied the Third Kazekage puppet to attack Shisui as mist spread across the battlefield.
• A voice called out the Shikotsumyaku technique, and a forest of bone spikes erupted beneath Sasori’s remaining puppet army, nearly wiping it out.

Haku, Kimimaro, and their allies rescued Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara from Sasori’s attack. After Sasori launched another assault, he used sand clones to cover his escape, leaving Hidan behind.

• Haku disabled Sasori’s puppets and rescued Temari and Kankuro while Kimimaro broke Gaara free from the sand-iron cocoon.
• Kimimaro and Haku regrouped with Shisui and Yukimi as Sasori recognized the group’s kekkei genkai and weighed the risks of continuing the fight.
• Shisui used his Mangekyō Sharingan to silence Hidan, and Sasori’s Third Kazekage puppet blew away the mist before launching iron-sand pyramids at the group.
• Kimimaro destroyed the iron-sand attack with Bone Iron Cannon while Shisui struck the Third Kazekage puppet, revealing it and Sasori to be sand clones.
• Kimimaro spotted Sasori fleeing northeast, and the group was left with Hidan’s unconscious head and headless body among the puppet wreckage.

In the Land of Rain, Pain, Konan, Obito, and Sasori reviewed the failed attempt to capture the One-Tail and the chakra Sasori had extracted. They decided to use the partial chakra to activate the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and continue the Eye of the Moon Plan, while Pain remained determined to overcome Asura.

• Obito questioned Pain about the failed mission, and Pain said Sasori had still achieved the objective by retrieving some of the One-Tail's chakra.
• Konan explained that Yukimi's smoke-transformation ability had countered Hidan's technique, while reinforcements led by Body Flicker Shisui forced Sasori to retreat.
• Zetsu announced Sasori's return, and Sasori handed Pain Amado's device containing part of Shukaku's chakra.
• Pain said the chakra should be enough to activate the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, then proposed using it to establish a connection before capturing the other Jinchuriki and their tailed beasts.
• Obito accepted the revised plan, and Pain ordered Zetsu to monitor the Land of Stars and the ninja villages as the others departed.
• Pain told Konan that his goal of peace would not change and that any obstacle, including Asura, would ultimately be removed.

Gaara woke after three days in the hospital and learned that his service had earned him a Special Jonin title, strengthening his hope of visiting his imprisoned father, Rasa. Meanwhile, Menma took Boruto and young Sasuke around Star City, where Sasuke saw Uchiha serving the public as police officers, before Tsunade and Shizune appeared nearby.

• Gaara woke in the hospital beside Mikoto, and Temari, Kankuro, and Yukimi came to see him.
• Yukimi explained that the captured Hidan had been taken by the Scientific Research Department, while Temari told Gaara he had earned military merit and been approved as a Special Jonin.
• Gaara considered using his new status to apply to visit Rasa and ask why Yashamaru had once tried to kill him.
• Menma showed Boruto and young Sasuke around Star City's busy streets, and they stopped for drinks at Wanxiang Sweet Drinks.
• Young Sasuke watched an Uchiha police squad patrol and serve the public, prompting complicated feelings about how the clan lived in this time and space.
• Tsunade emerged drunk from a tavern with Shizune and her pig, and Shizune noticed Menma, Boruto, and young Sasuke nearby.

Tsunade learned that Hiruzen Sarutobi had died and that Shimura Danzō was moving to seize the Hokage position, while Menma explained that he had allowed events to unfold without interfering. After Ajisai revealed that an Akatsuki member with an immortal body had been captured, Tsunade went to examine him, leaving Menma with young Sasuke and Boruto.

• Tsunade sobered up, asked Menma whether Orochimaru had killed Hiruzen Sarutobi, and accepted that her former teacher had died protecting Konoha.
• Tsunade told Menma that Jiraiya wanted her to return to Konoha as Fifth Hokage because Shimura Danzō had become acting Hokage and was purging his opposition.
• Menma said he had not acted against Danzō, and Tsunade recognized that allowing Danzō to seize power could deepen Konoha's turmoil.
• Ajisai arrived with new clothes for Menma and reported that Minato and Kushina had captured an Akatsuki member with an immortal body.
• Tsunade left with Shizune and Tonton to examine the captured Akatsuki member, while Ajisai went home and Menma stayed with young Sasuke and Boruto.

After hearing Akatsuchi’s account of Asura’s devastating power, Ōnoki concluded that Iwagakure could not defeat the Land of Stars alone and agreed with Ku’s proposal to unite the other great ninja villages. When Kumogakure proposed a Four Kage Summit in the Land of Iron, Ōnoki accepted, setting the stage for a coalition against Asura.

• Akatsuchi reported the Konoha Crush and described Asura’s battle, including an explosion that erased the arena and surrounding forest and left a vast sinkhole.
• Ōnoki ordered Akatsuchi to take Deidara away, then heard Ku and Kirara assess Iwagakure’s limited chances against the Land of Stars.
• Ku proposed uniting the threatened ninja villages and convening a Four Kage Summit to coordinate their response to Asura.
• Kitsuchi delivered Kumogakure’s proposal from A for an emergency summit in the Land of Iron, half a month later.
• Ōnoki accepted the proposal on Iwagakure’s behalf and vowed to see whether the old powers could resist Asura’s new order.

Ao and his team returned to Kirigakure and reported Asura’s overwhelming power to Yagura, Genji, and Mei Terumi. As Kirigakure’s leaders debated Asura’s identity and the threat of war, they learned that the Fourth Raikage had called a Five Kage Summit, leaving Yagura’s ability to attend in doubt.

• Ao returned to Kirigakure with Hozuki Suigetsu, Chojuro, and Uzumaki Honoka, and led them to report to Yagura, Genji, and Mei Terumi.
• Ao described Menma’s youth, his extraordinary abilities, and his battle with two mysterious enemies, which reminded Genji of Senju Hashirama’s power.
• Mei Terumi and Genji proposed that Asura might be an impostor, using a forbidden technique, or appearing through an illusion, while Yagura recalled Kirigakure’s past conflict with him.
• Genji revealed that the Fourth Raikage, A, had called a Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron for half a month later.
• Mei Terumi warned that Asura’s ultimatum could lead to the Fourth Shinobi World War, and Ao wondered whether Yagura would live long enough to attend the summit.

Yagura handed the role of attending the Five Kage Summit to Mei Terumi as his failing health prevented him from traveling, while Kirigakure prepared her escort. In Konoha, Kakashi and Yamato discussed Danzō’s takeover of the Anbu and Yamato’s reassignment as Naruto ran through a village that still feared and despised him.

• Yagura named Mei Terumi to attend the Five Kage Summit as the Fifth Mizukage, and she accepted the burden of leading Kirigakure.
• Genji assigned Ao to escort Mei Terumi with Chojuro and Hozuki Suigetsu, then a messenger delivered a diplomatic document from Acting Hokage Shimura Danzō.
• Kakashi reflected on Konoha’s recovery and the oppressive atmosphere after Danzō took office as Acting Hokage.
• Yamato told Kakashi that Danzō had removed him as Anbu Captain, appointed Aburame Tatsuma in his place, and was traveling to the Land of Iron.
• Yamato said he might be reassigned to the Ninja Academy, while Kakashi warned that Danzō was securing control of the village before leaving.
• Kakashi and Yamato saw Naruto running through the village as villagers whispered insults and expressed fear of him.

Naruto mastered the one-handed Rasengan and announced to Jiraiya that he was going to the Land of Stars to find Menma. Sasuke and the Root watchers heard him, and Sasuke moved to stop the Root shinobi from reporting Naruto’s plan to Shimura Danzō.

• Kakashi and Yamato watched Naruto run toward Training Ground 3 while Kakashi noted that Danzo had assigned Root agents to follow him.
• Sasuke secretly followed Naruto and reflected on Menma’s departure and Naruto’s possible choice to leave Konoha.
• Naruto showed Jiraiya that he had mastered the one-handed Rasengan, impressing him.
• Naruto told Jiraiya he was going to the Land of Stars to find Menma and confront him.
• The Root watchers began withdrawing to report Naruto’s declaration, and Sasuke drew his blade and activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan to stop them.

Naruto insisted on going to the Land of Stars to find Menma, but Jiraiya refused to take him and warned him that leaving Konoha without permission would make him a rogue ninja. After Jiraiya left, Naruto set aside his anger and continued training, while still determined to get answers from Menma.

• Naruto announced that he would go to the Land of Stars, and Jiraiya stopped him and explained that leaving Konoha without authorization was defection.
• Naruto pleaded with Jiraiya to take him to find Menma, but Jiraiya refused, citing the journey's dangers and his own excuses.
• Jiraiya declared Naruto's training finished for the day and vanished, claiming he had an important research mission at a hot spring.
• Naruto concluded that Jiraiya had brushed him off and considered going alone, but he remained unsure of the risks and did not know the way.
• Naruto created more than a hundred Shadow Clones and continued practicing the Rasengan.

After training, Naruto met Sasuke, who returned his backpack and offered to take him to the Land of Stars, while Jiraiya found three murdered Root ninja and suspected a powerful genjutsu user. At the Yamanaka residence, Hyuga Hiashi warned Inoichi that Danzō might strengthen his grip on Konoha and urged the clans to consider resisting his bid to become Fifth Hokage.

• Naruto finished exhausting Rasengan training, then Sasuke appeared with Naruto's backpack and said he would take him to the Land of Stars.
• Jiraiya followed a scent of blood to three dead Root ninja and recognized signs that their apparent mutual slaughter had been staged, possibly through genjutsu.
• Ino returned home and found her father, Inoichi, playing shogi with Hiashi, who had come to discuss Konoha's political situation.
• Hiashi and Inoichi discussed Danzō's growing power, the Daimyo's influence, and the risk that Danzō would become Fifth Hokage and recruit more clan ninja into Root.
• Hiashi reminded Inoichi of Shisui's past accusations that Danzō had stolen Sharingan, and Inoichi fell silent as he weighed the clans' response.

Hiashi discussed the Hyuga clan’s political strategy with Big Hinata, while Kabuto reported that Sasuke and Naruto had left the village. Kakashi later learned from an Anbu messenger that Naruto had defected, leaving Jiraiya facing an urgent crisis.

• Hiashi returned to the Hyuga Compound after testing the Yamanaka clan’s position with Inoichi and concluded that Nara Shikaku was the key to the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance.
• Hiashi found Hinata studying Menma’s theories about Byakugan evolution and asked to speak with Big Hinata, who advised him to keep other clans from siding with Danzo.
• Hiashi and his wife left the study, and Yakushi Kabuto emerged from hiding to tell Big Hinata that Sasuke and Naruto had left the village about two hours earlier.
• Kakashi watched Might Guy and Rock Lee train through the night before encountering Jiraiya, who questioned him about his whereabouts that day.
• An Anbu ninja arrived and told Jiraiya that Uzumaki Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, had defected.

After Naruto and Sasuke left Konoha together, the village debated how to retrieve them without provoking a dangerous confrontation. Shikaku arranged for their classmates and a support squad to pursue them first, and the group set out toward the Land of Stars.

• Jiraiya argued that Naruto had not defected and volunteered to bring him back, while Aburame Tatsuma revealed that Sasuke had also disappeared and three Root ninja monitoring Naruto had been killed.
• Shikaku proposed sending Teams 10 and 8 to persuade Naruto and Sasuke to return and delay them until the Anbu could pursue; Utatane Koharu ordered the mission as B-rank.
• At Konoha's main gate, Shikamaru told the assembled Genin that Naruto had left with Sasuke and that failure to bring them back would lead the village to classify them as deserters.
• Rock Lee, Tenten, and Yakumo Kurama joined the group as a support squad, and Shikamaru briefed everyone on Sasuke's genjutsu, prioritizing communication, and delaying tactics.
• Shikamaru led the teams into the forest to intercept Naruto and Sasuke before they reached the border of the Land of Stars.

Menma visited Kushina, Tsunade, and Orochimaru in the Research Zone, where they examined the immortal Hidan and learned from Katsuyu Sage that the Jashin Religion was an ancient faith. At home, Menma told Minato that Naruto had left Konoha and revealed he had sent Neji, Toneri, and Kimimaro to meet him in the Land of Rivers, while the Five Kage Summit drew near.

• Kushina tested Hidan with an electric-shock sealing mechanism, and Menma explained that Hidan was an immortal former Yugakure ninja recruited by the Akatsuki.
• Tsunade struck Orochimaru through a steel wall, then froze at the sight of Hidan's blood until Shizune helped her regain control.
• Menma restrained Hidan's severed head, and Hidan realized Menma was Asura, the figure the Akatsuki had been warned to avoid.
• Katsuyu Sage told Menma that the Jashin Religion had existed in ancient times, prompting him to consider how native gods and natural energy related to the chakra system.
• At home, Menma told Minato that Naruto had left Konoha during a disruption in its pursuit operations and that Neji, Toneri, and Kimimaro were waiting in the Land of Rivers.
• Menma reviewed intelligence ahead of the Five Kage Summit and settled in for the night with Hikari.

Naruto and Sasuke reached a drought-stricken town and fought Fukuyama’s samurai after they threatened a refugee mother and child, but let Fukuyama escape to protect the refugees from retaliation. As Sasuke led Naruto to a contact, Kaguya Kimimaro, Hyuga Neji, and Otsutsuki Toneri prepared to bring Konoha’s new generation away and deploy puppets against approaching forces.

• Naruto and Sasuke found starving refugees barred from the town, and Sasuke admitted he did not understand why they were being mistreated.
• Sasuke blocked Samurai Kimura from attacking a mother and child, while Naruto helped them and challenged Fukuyama’s men.
• Naruto and Sasuke defeated the twelve mounted samurai, but Naruto stopped Sasuke from harming Fukuyama after Kimura threatened the refugees with retaliation.
• Fukuyama and his surviving men fled into the town, and the mother warned Naruto and Sasuke that Fukuyama would seek revenge.
• Sasuke told Naruto they had come to meet a contact, then led him into town as Kaguya Kimimaro, Hyuga Neji, and Otsutsuki Toneri watched from a rooftop.
• Toneri deployed five Humanoid Combat Puppets as approaching chakra signatures neared the town, while Kimimaro repeated Lord Menma’s order to bring Konoha’s new generation away.

Naruto and Sasuke learned from Hyuga Neji that nobles in the Land of Fire exploited starving civilians and that Konoha's ninja sometimes suppressed those who protested. After samurai massacred civilians and surrounded the three ninja, Naruto defied their commander, Yamamoto Naoki.

• Naruto overheard a young man tell starving residents that the Land of Stars was providing disaster relief, using ninjutsu to bring water, and waiving taxes for three years.
• Naruto asked Sasuke why the local noble refused to help drought victims, and Hyuga Neji explained that nobles profited from exploiting commoners and that ninja sometimes suppressed their protests.
• Samurai from Fukuyama Domain attacked the gathering and massacred civilians across the town while Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji watched from a rooftop.
• Yamamoto Naoki surrounded the rooftop with troops and demanded that Naruto and Sasuke leave or surrender and apologize to Lord Fukuyama.
• Naruto rejected Yamamoto Naoki's ultimatum and shouted that the samurai were the ones who should apologize.

Shikamaru's team tracked Naruto and Sasuke into Fukuyama Castle's burning town and found Naruto using shadow clones to fight samurai without killing them. Neji and Sasuke were with him, but a Four Violet Flame Formation trapped the Konoha ninjas, Naruto, and the samurai as Kimimaro and Otsutsuki Toneri moved in.

• Kiba and Akamaru confirmed Naruto and Sasuke had entered the town, and Shikamaru's team learned that Fukuyama's soldiers were killing civilians.
• Shikamaru organized the team into three squads, and they crossed the wall to find bodies, burning buildings, and fighting near the castle.
• The team discovered Naruto's shadow clones overwhelming the samurai while avoiding fatal blows, with Sasuke and Neji watching from a nearby rooftop.
• Neji told Sasuke that Naruto's refusal to kill came from a deep-rooted belief, and Sasuke prepared to hold off Shikamaru's team.
• Neji revealed that reinforcements had arrived, and four Humanoid Combat Puppets raised a Four Violet Flame Formation around the district.
• Kimimaro and Otsutsuki Toneri took positions inside the barrier, and Kimimaro said they would end the fight quickly.

Shikamaru’s team confronted Neji, Kimimaro, and Toneri inside the Four Violet Flame Formation, while Shikamaru assigned Rock Lee, Tenten, and Yakumo to restrain Neji. Lee unleashed the Fourth Gate and Yakumo tried to trap Neji with genjutsu, but Neji fought with his eyes closed, leaving Yakumo to suspect he sensed the battle through the Mind’s Eye.

• Neji stopped Sasuke from drawing his sword and advanced with Kimimaro and Toneri to surround Shikamaru’s team inside the barrier.
• Shikamaru assigned Lee, Tenten, and Yakumo to fight Neji, Choji and Ino to support him against Kimimaro, Kiba and Shino to hold off Toneri, and Sakura to reach Naruto.
• Lee and Tenten attacked Neji together, but Neji deflected Lee’s strikes, disrupted his chakra with Gentle Fist, and evaded Tenten’s barrage of ninja tools.
• Neji invited his former classmates to come peacefully to the Land of Stars, but Lee refused and removed his training weights before opening the Fourth Gate.
• Yakumo used Five Senses Domination as Lee launched Hidden Lotus, but Neji evaded the attack and calmly countered Lee’s rapid kicks with his eyes closed.
• Yakumo realized Neji was unaffected by her genjutsu and suspected he relied on the Mind’s Eye to sense Lee’s attacks.

Sasuke and Shikamaru watched Neji overwhelm Rock Lee’s team and learned that Neji had trained to fight even without his Byakugan. As the Konoha teams attacked, Toneri outmaneuvered Kiba, Shino, and Sakura, while Kimimaro crushed Choji’s assault and left him badly wounded.

• Sasuke watched Neji calmly counter Rock Lee’s fourth-gate attack and realized how far Neji had advanced since leaving Konoha.
• Kimimaro explained that Neji had learned the Mind’s Eye Technique to avoid relying entirely on his Byakugan, surprising Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino.
• Kiba and Akamaru struck Toneri’s puppet with Fang Over Fang while Shino’s insects surrounded it, but Toneri revealed that he had used the puppet as a decoy and subdued Sakura.
• Shikamaru coordinated an attack in which Choji used Human Bullet Tank and Ino used Mind Transfer Jutsu against Kimimaro.
• Ino’s mind entered a starry space and encountered a girl with Mangekyō Sharingan, suffering a severe backlash that made her collapse and spit blood.
• Kimimaro activated Dance of the Larch, pierced Choji’s enlarged body with bone spikes, and forced him out of Human Bullet Tank, leaving him badly wounded.

Shikamaru surrendered after Kimimaro and Neji defeated the Konoha Genin, then questioned Toneri about why his group was helping Fukuyama’s refugees. The chapter ended when Sasuke returned carrying a bloodied box and confirmed that he and Kimimaro had killed Lord Fukuyama, turning the conflict into a major political incident.

• Kimimaro overwhelmed Choji, incapacitated Ino, and saw through Shikamaru’s Shadow Possession Jutsu, while Neji and Toneri defeated the other Genin.
• Shikamaru judged that the enemy wanted to capture them rather than kill them and surrendered, though Neji had to knock Rock Lee unconscious after he refused to give up.
• The group treated the injured outside Fukuyama Castle while Naruto, Neji, and the refugees helped evacuate civilians; Toneri explained that the Red Star Alliance sought to spread the Will of the Star.
• Sakura broke down over her inability to help, and Tenten comforted her.
• Kimimaro and Sasuke returned with a bloodied box, and Sasuke said they had killed Lord Fukuyama, creating a serious political crisis.