Chapter Summaries

At a high-level meeting, Uchiha Ronglin antagonized Hyuga Hiashi and Danzo before the Third Hokage announced that the Land of Earth had entered the war. The chapter ended with Konoha learning that more than five thousand enemy ninjas had invaded and that the front line needed reinforcements.

• Ronglin insulted Hyuga Hiashi, then glared at both Hiashi and Danzo as the Third Hokage tried to quiet the meeting.
• The Third Hokage announced that the Land of Earth had declared war on Konoha.
• The Third Hokage reported that Iwagakure ninjas had invaded the Land of Fire the previous night and destroyed several defensive bases.
• The Third Hokage said the enemy force numbered over five thousand and that the front line needed reinforcements.

The Third Hokage organized Konoha’s response to a second front by assigning Danzo to command the battle and approving Orochimaru as his partner. An urgent intelligence scroll arrived before the remaining deployments were finalized.

• The Third Hokage selected Danzo to lead Konoha’s forces at the front.
• Danzo asked to bring Orochimaru, and the Third Hokage approved the request.
• The Third Hokage ordered reserve ninja and members of the Shimura Clan, the Sarutobi, and affiliated families to reinforce the front.
• A communications ninja burst into the conference room with urgent intelligence and handed the Third Hokage a scroll.

The Third Hokage learned that the Land of Water had declared war on Konoha and sent its forces across the Land of Fire’s border, placing Konoha under pressure on three fronts. He ordered the existing plans carried out and turned to Tsunade for a response to the new threat.

• The Third Hokage opened the emergency scroll and announced that the Land of Water had declared war on Konoha.
• The meeting’s attendees realized the simultaneous wars with the Land of Earth and the Land of Water would strain Konoha’s forces and supplies.
• The Third Hokage ordered Danzo and Orochimaru to assemble their forces and head to the front line as planned.
• The Third Hokage called on Tsunade to address the Land of Water’s invasion.
• The Third Hokage began addressing the Uchiha and Hyuga.

The Third Hokage assigned major clans to reinforce the Land of Water front and asked Nara Shikaku to help Tsunade plan the campaign. He kept Uchiha Ronglin behind to address his feud with the Hyuga Clan, but Ronglin refused to let it go and offered to take other assignments instead.

• The Third Hokage ordered several major clans to reorganize their forces and head to the Land of Water front, appointing Nara Shikaku to assist Tsunade with planning.
• The Third Hokage dismissed the meeting and asked Uchiha Ronglin to stay behind.
• Tsunade and Minato warned Ronglin not to act recklessly because he would be deployed alongside the Hyuga Clan.
• The Third Hokage asked Ronglin whether he could let go of his grudge with the Hyuga Clan, and Ronglin said he could not.
• Ronglin offered to transfer, take missions, or lead rookies if the Third Hokage was worried he would cause trouble.

Ronglin refused the Third Hokage’s request to set aside his grudge against the Hyuga and agreed only to join the Uchiha on the Land of Water front. After he left, the Hokage summoned Tsunade, while Uchiha Diqin worried that her family would stop her from going to battle with Ronglin.

• Ronglin rejected the Third Hokage’s appeal for him to fight against Kirigakure and said he would follow the Uchiha into battle.
• Ronglin considered how Konoha’s simultaneous wars against three villages could cause its fronts to collapse.
• The Third Hokage summoned Tsunade after Ronglin left the conference room.
• Uchiha Diqin followed Ronglin home and said the clan head and her father would join the deployment.

Ronglin prepared to lead Konoha’s forces to the Land of Water front, refusing to take Uchiha Diqin with him unless she got Uchiha Mikoto’s permission. On the march, he told Tsunade that he had refused the Third Hokage’s proposals about targeting the Uchiha and the war.

• Uchiha Diqin asked Ronglin to take her to the front, but he said he would only do so if she got Uchiha Mikoto’s permission.
• Ronglin packed his necessities as Konoha assembled its forces for the Land of Water front.
• More than four thousand ninja were selected, and a three-thousand-strong vanguard set out with minimal supplies.
• Uchiha Diqin stayed behind, while Shisui accompanied Ronglin to gain battlefield experience.
• Tsunade asked Ronglin about the Third Hokage, and Ronglin said he had refused to target the Uchiha or support the war.

Ronglin refused to fight for Konoha after his earlier transfer, despite Tsunade's apology and promise of compensation. The vanguard reached the Kirigakure front, where both sides built camps under the persistent mist and Konoha's clans were assigned separate stations.

• Ronglin told Tsunade he would avoid risking himself for merit after the village had transferred him away, and Tsunade apologized for the village's treatment of him.
• Tsunade promised that the village would compensate Ronglin and punish the Hyuga and Shimura, but Ronglin refused to discuss future matters.
• The vanguard reached the front after two days and found that Kirigakure had built a camp instead of raiding local resources.
• Nara Shikaku chose to build Konoha's camp and plan cautiously because Kirigakure's persistent mist made an assault difficult.
• Nara Shikaku assigned the Uchiha and Hyuga to distant corners of Konoha's camp, while Ino-Shika-Cho stayed near the command post.

Tsunade and Nara Shikaku organized the major clans’ responsibilities as Kirigakure established a camp nearby. The meeting ended with the clans set to form mixed units, though Ronglin remained in his tent.

• Tsunade learned that Ronglin had skipped the meeting to rest in his tent.
• Nara Shikaku proposed that the Hyuga Clan handle security so their Byakugan could spot enemies through the mist.
• Nara Shikaku suggested forming mixed units from the major clans for easier deployment.
• Uchiha Fugaku questioned who would lead the mixed teams, wary of the Uchiha being subordinated to other clans.
• Tsunade said team leaders would be elected from among the major clans based on ability, and Fugaku accepted the arrangement.

Nara Shikaku outlined the dangers of Kirigakure’s mist and urged Konoha’s leaders to plan a war of attrition while preventing enemy infiltration. Ronglin skipped the meeting, while disputes between the Hyuga and Uchiha clan heads left the leaders furious and divided.

• Nara Shikaku warned that the mist made Konoha vulnerable and proposed dragging out the war to exhaust Kirigakure’s distant forces.
• Nara Shikaku called for a plan that would stop the enemy from slipping past Konoha’s positions and attacking the Land of Fire.
• Ronglin refused to explain to Shisui why he had skipped the meeting and sent him outside to train.
• Ronglin thought his presence would worsen the meeting’s atmosphere and decided that an important person should make a late entrance.
• Hyuga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku nearly came to blows over which clan should lead, and Fugaku demanded more authority.

After the clans’ meeting ended in discord, Tsunade and Nara Shikaku discussed how to unite Konoha’s forces amid a war on three fronts. Shikaku identified Uchiha Ronglin and Hyuga Hiashi as possible points of persuasion, while Tsunade worried that Ronglin’s grievances made him difficult to approach.

• The Uchiha and Hyuga stirred up conflict at the meeting, which broke up without uniting the clans, though the Hyuga accepted patrol and reconnaissance missions.
• Nara Shikaku asked Tsunade what they should do, and she proposed either forcing the clan leaders to cooperate or waiting for enemy attacks to unite them.
• Tsunade said that resolving the problems with the Uchiha and Hyuga was the key to overcoming the other difficulties.
• Nara Shikaku suggested persuading Uchiha Ronglin and Hyuga Hiashi, noting that Ronglin’s opinions carried weight with Uchiha Fugaku and the elders.
• Tsunade argued that Ronglin would be hard to persuade because he resented being transferred from the Land of Wind battlefield after Hyuga Hiashi and Shimura Danzō had pushed for his recall.

Tsunade and Nara Shikaku agreed to push the Uchiha and Hyuga clans toward integration, with Tsunade taking responsibility for persuading Uchiha Ronglin. When Tsunade arrived at Ronglin’s tent, she learned Uchiha Fugaku and the elders had arrived too, and Ronglin prepared to host them.

• Tsunade assigned Nara Shikaku to persuade the Hyuga Clan while she went to speak with the Uchiha.
• Nara Shikaku reflected on how Uchiha Ronglin’s strength made the Uchiha difficult to pressure.
• Tsunade arrived at the Uchiha camp and asked to see Ronglin.
• Shisui told Ronglin that Uchiha Fugaku and the elders had arrived as well.
• Ronglin asked Shisui to prepare tea and roast meat for the gathering.

Ronglin ordered Shisui to prepare barbecue despite camp rules, then met with Tsunade and the Uchiha leadership to discuss the war. The meeting began with tea Ronglin had stolen from the Land of Earth, and Tsunade laughed at the thought of Ōnoki discovering the theft.

• Ronglin told Shisui to prepare barbecue, threatening to demonstrate the Sharingan if Shisui refused.
• Tsunade entered Ronglin's tent and questioned him about eating barbecue while the camp was at war.
• Uchiha Fugaku and the three Uchiha elders arrived, and Tsunade invited everyone to sit and discuss the war.
• Shisui served tea and left the tent, while Tsunade remarked that he had changed.
• Ronglin revealed that the tea came from the Land of Earth and that he had stolen it before it could be sent to Ōnoki, prompting Tsunade to laugh.

Tsunade began negotiations with Uchiha Fugaku and the three elders, acknowledging the Uchiha clan’s major contribution to the war and seeking to end the stalemate. The chapter ended with Fugaku asking how Tsunade planned to arrange matters for the Uchiha.

• Ronglin shared tea and roast meat with the others, while Shisui served the food.
• Tsunade called for an open discussion about the war, saying the stalemate benefited no one.
• Tsunade acknowledged that the Uchiha had deployed two thousand people and deserved corresponding authority and influence.
• Uchiha Fugaku asked Tsunade how she intended to arrange things for the Uchiha.

Tsunade negotiated with Uchiha Fugaku over how the Uchiha would be deployed under her command, and Fugaku accepted her terms while asking for fair support on Uchiha matters. After Fugaku and the elders left, Tsunade confronted Ronglin about skipping the meeting.

• Tsunade promised that the Uchiha would not be mixed with the Hyuga and that no Hyuga would directly command them.
• Ronglin asked whether the Hyuga could command the Uchiha indirectly, irritating Tsunade.
• Uchiha Fugaku agreed that the Uchiha would obey deployment as long as the Hyuga could not command them.
• Uchiha Fugaku asked Tsunade to support the Uchiha fairly in future matters, and Tsunade said she would when possible.
• Uchiha Fugaku and the three elders left, while Ronglin stayed behind to eat Shisui's roast meat.
• Tsunade asked Ronglin why he had skipped the meeting and whether he objected to her becoming Commander-in-Chief.

Ronglin refused Tsunade’s request to attend the meeting or accept military assignments, citing his conflict with the Hyuga Clan and his anger over being transferred. He remained unwilling to fight alongside them, leaving Tsunade unable to persuade him.

• Ronglin stayed in his tent instead of attending the meeting and told Tsunade he wanted no part in military arrangements.
• Ronglin claimed he was avoiding a confrontation with Hyuga Hiashi and the Hyuga Clan, while Tsunade accused him of making excuses.
• Tsunade asked whether Ronglin would accept dispatch, but he firmly refused.
• Ronglin explained that his transfer had left him resentful and that he would not set that aside to fight alongside the Hyuga Clan.

Ronglin joined Konoha’s patrols as tensions with Kirigakure continued, while Hyuga Hiashi remained furious and powerless to retaliate against him. Ronglin explained that Kirigakure was likely preparing for battle and adapting to fighting far from the sea.

• Hyuga Hiashi grew enraged remembering Ronglin’s insult, but recognized that Ronglin’s strength and Uchiha support made him difficult to target.
• Ronglin led Shisui and Uchiha Kei on patrol and told them to address him as captain.
• Ronglin said Kirigakure was waiting for the other battlefronts to weaken before seeking spoils.
• Ronglin suggested Kirigakure was delaying its attack while preparing countermeasures for its ninja’s reduced strength away from the sea.

Ronglin detected three Kirigakure ninja who had infiltrated Konoha’s defensive line and split up to ambush them. Shisui and Lao Qi prepared to face one enemy together, arguing over their abilities as they waited.

• Ronglin, Shisui, and Lao Qi learned that Kirigakure ninja were slipping through gaps in Konoha’s long border.
• Ronglin detected three Mist ninja and assigned Shisui and Lao Qi to handle one while he took the other two.
• Lao Qi reassured Shisui that they could defeat their opponent through teamwork, and Shisui insisted he was not afraid.
• Shisui and Lao Qi traded boasts about their past experience and strength while waiting in ambush.

Ronglin drew three Kirigakure ninja into an ambush near Konoha’s camp and killed two of them with Time Stop. The surviving Special Jonin tried to flee but found Shisui and Lao Qi blocking his path.

• Ronglin openly approached the hidden Kirigakure ninja to draw their attention toward him.
• Ronglin used Time Stop to immobilize two mist ninja, then cut their throats with their own kunai.
• The surviving Special Jonin heard his companions’ screams and tried to escape instead of helping them.
• Shisui and Lao Qi blocked the Special Jonin’s path, and Lao Qi challenged him while Shisui warned him to stay cautious.
• The Special Jonin realized he had walked into an ambush and cursed as he faced them.

Shisui and Lao Qi cornered a Mist Special Jonin, but he prepared a desperate secret technique counterattack. Ronglin stopped him with his power and ordered his death.

• Lao Qi and Shisui attacked the Mist Special Jonin together, forcing him steadily onto the defensive.
• Lao Qi repeatedly disrupted the enemy’s ninjutsu with dirty tricks while Shisui pressed him with relentless attacks.
• Lao Qi landed a vicious blow, leaving the Mist Special Jonin with a fatal wound.
• The Mist Special Jonin began preparing a secret technique for a dying counterattack, and Lao Qi warned Shisui to retreat.
• Ronglin immobilized the enemy and stopped his secret technique, then ordered Lao Qi to kill him.

Ronglin reprimanded Shisui for looking down on Lao Qi’s rough battlefield tactics and reminded him that many clan members had to earn skills and survive without the support Shisui received. After they returned to camp, they found signs of battles throughout the area and were greeted by two Hyuga Clan members.

• Lao Qi killed an enemy, and Ronglin ordered him to collect the fallen enemies’ belongings before they returned to camp.
• Ronglin examined Shisui’s minor injuries and scolded him for calling Lao Qi’s fighting style shameless and vulgar.
• Ronglin explained that Lao Qi had survived and earned his skills through battlefield experience and hard-won merit, unlike Shisui, who had clan support.
• Shisui lowered his head as Ronglin warned that he would dismiss him if he looked down on Lao Qi again.
• Ronglin, Shisui, and Lao Qi returned toward camp, where they saw signs of several battles and encountered two members of the Hyuga Clan.