Chapter Summaries

Ronglin returned to the clan grounds after a night at the Hokage’s Office and became intimate with Uchiha Diqin. Mei Terumi overheard them and retreated to her room.

• The Third Hokage and Tsunade rested after the worsening war, while Ronglin returned to the clan grounds.
• Uchiha Diqin was delighted to see Ronglin, who asked her to prepare bathwater.
• Ronglin’s behavior flustered Uchiha Diqin, and he became intimate with her in the bath.
• Mei Terumi arrived, overheard them, and hurried back to her room.

Uchiha Diqin woke up embarrassed after Mei Terumi teased her about her night with Ronglin. At the Uchiha family meeting, Ronglin heard complaints about outsiders courting Uchiha women and proposed a clear policy for those seeking to marry into the clan.

• Uchiha Diqin asked Mei Terumi where Ronglin was, and Mei said he had gone to the shrine for a family meeting.
• Mei Terumi asked Uchiha Diqin whether it had been good, and the flustered Uchiha Diqin fled to her room.
• At the shrine, the Second Elder complained that outsiders were crowding the Uchiha grounds to court Uchiha women.
• Ronglin told the elders not to drive the suitors away and said outsiders could marry Uchiha women if they joined the clan and took the Uchiha name.

Ronglin advised the Uchiha elders on how to deal with outsiders who kept pursuing Uchiha women despite the clan’s marriage rules. He suggested having younger clan members confront them and named Shisui as the one to handle it.

• The Second Elder asked what the Uchiha should do about people who ignored the clan’s rules and refused to leave.
• Ronglin advised letting persistent suitors stay and having younger Uchiha members spar with them, while citing the Police Force and the Hokage Building as other options.
• The elders worried that the juniors might lose to the outsiders and bring shame on the clan.
• Ronglin said Shisui should handle the matter.

Ronglin praised Uchiha Kuolie for winning over smaller clans and laid out his plan to bring Konoha’s clans under Uchiha influence. He chose the Hatake clan as the first major clan to approach, confident that White Fang would agree to an alliance.

• Ronglin argued that the Uchiha should preserve their bloodline by welcoming outsiders while keeping certain techniques under clan control.
• Ronglin praised First Elder Uchiha Kuolie for setting a precedent by winning over smaller clans.
• Ronglin said the Uchiha should also seek the support of great clans, despite the difficulty of winning them over.
• Ronglin named the Hatake clan as the best first target because of its neutrality and his relationship with White Fang.
• The Second Elder questioned whether the Hatake clan would agree while White Fang was on the front line, and Ronglin confidently said they would.

Ronglin arranged for Uchiha Kuolie to approach White Fang and promised roles to elders who had supported him. He then asked the Third Hokage to grant the Uchiha several important positions, leaving the Hokage surprised by the request.

• Ronglin chose First Elder Uchiha Kuolie to persuade White Fang to cooperate with the Uchiha.
• Ronglin warned the elders that the effort was crucial to changing the clan's standing in the village.
• Ronglin told the Third Elder, Fifth Elder, and other supporters to prepare for new duties starting the next day.
• Ronglin visited the Third Hokage's office and presented documents requesting several important positions for the Uchiha.
• The Third Hokage questioned Ronglin's request, and Ronglin replied that the other clans should have no objections.

Ronglin pressed the Third Hokage to award the Uchiha several important posts in finance and medicine, citing the clan’s wartime sacrifices and service. The Third Hokage agreed to find a way, and Ronglin left the office confident the Uchiha would gain a foothold.

• Ronglin argued that the Uchiha’s contributions entitled them to several important positions despite other clans’ objections.
• The Third Hokage recognized that Ronglin had chosen posts that could strengthen the Uchiha without openly challenging the village’s senior leadership.
• Ronglin warned that he would leave if the Third Hokage judged the Uchiha’s service insufficient.
• The Third Hokage said he would think of a way to secure the positions, unable to refuse Ronglin’s demand.
• Ronglin thanked the Third Hokage as though the matter were settled, then left the building and stood smiling in the sunlight.

White Fang considered Uchiha Ronglin’s proposal for an alliance between the Uchiha and Hatake clans while Uchiha Kuolie represented Ronglin at the front lines. White Fang was receptive to the idea and began to respond to Kuolie.

• The Third Hokage watched Ronglin in the sunlight, then returned to the work of persuading other clans to accept Uchiha members in important departments.
• Uchiha Kuolie brought Ronglin’s proposal to the front lines, surprising White Fang with how quickly Ronglin had moved to form an alliance.
• White Fang said he had also considered strengthening ties with the Uchiha and saw mutual benefits in the two clans supporting each other.
• White Fang joked that Ronglin had stayed away to avoid being recruited to help end the war with Iwagakure, and Kuolie understood his frustration.
• White Fang addressed Kuolie as Uchiha First Elder and began to make a proposal about the two clans.

White Fang postponed Uchiha Kuolie’s proposal until after the war, then learned that Minato Squad had been ambushed during a rescue mission, leaving two dead and one wounded. The report left White Fang fearing for his son Kakashi and collapsed in his chair.

• White Fang said the Hatake clan would discuss Uchiha Kuolie’s proposal after the war at a clan meeting.
• Uchiha Kuolie accepted the delay, satisfied that White Fang had shown a favorable attitude.
• White Fang’s subordinate rushed into the Command Center and reported that Minato Squad had suffered an incident.
• White Fang demanded details after learning the squad had gone on a rescue mission alone.
• The subordinate reported that an enemy ambush had left two squad members dead and one wounded, and White Fang collapsed in his chair.

After learning that two members of Minato Squad had died, White Fang went to see the injured Kakashi and ordered Minato to return immediately. He put the Uchiha clan discussion on hold while preparing to deal with the incident.

• White Fang learned that Kakashi was in the Medical Department and hurried there with the First Elder.
• White Fang saw Kakashi lying injured and unresponsive, and the Medical Ninja explained that Kakashi needed time to recover from the shock.
• White Fang asked the Medical Ninja to take special care of Kakashi and left the tent.
• White Fang ordered his subordinates to summon Minato back immediately, believing Minato had to answer for leaving his squad.
• White Fang postponed his discussion with the First Elder, who agreed to leave and wait until the crisis had passed.

White Fang questioned Minato about the disaster that killed two members of Minato Squad and left Kakashi dazed, while Minato explained why he had split off to provide aid. Their investigation suggested the enemy had deliberately lured Minato away and that someone in the squad may have been captured.

• White Fang confronted Minato over leaving Minato Squad and demanded an explanation for the deaths of Obito and Rin and Kakashi's condition.
• Minato admitted failing in his duty and said the large, unusually powerful Iwagakure force and the timing of the attacks seemed suspicious.
• Minato explained that he had pursued fleeing enemies after giving aid, then fallen into an ambush while Minato Squad was attacked soon after he left.
• An Anbu reported that the battle traces suggested someone had been captured and the others had pursued in an attempt to rescue them.
• White Fang questioned why the enemy would target Minato Squad while leaving Minato unharmed and asked the Anbu for their analysis.

White Fang and Minato concluded that the enemy had deliberately targeted Kakashi and the other members of Minato Squad, using a trap to draw Minato away. White Fang sent Minato to question Kakashi, hoping to learn what had happened and help him cope with his losses.

• White Fang told Minato that the enemy's operation had targeted the three children in Minato Squad rather than Minato.
• Minato realized the rescue had been staged to lure him away, and he felt guilty that two squad members had died and Kakashi had been injured.
• White Fang dismissed the Anbu and told Minato that the attack had been a deliberate trap unrelated to him personally.
• White Fang asked Minato to speak with Kakashi and learn the full story because Kakashi might not confide in his father.
• Minato agreed to try, though he doubted Kakashi would open up.

Madara prepared to turn the wounded Obito into the next carrier of his plan, while Ronglin considered how Obito’s loss of Rin might drive him into darkness. The chapter left Ronglin hoping he would not need to use Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami or damage Shisui’s eyes.

• Madara watched over the unconscious, wounded Obito and believed his plan was proceeding perfectly.
• White Fang continued the investigation, and Minato questioned Kakashi about the attack on their squad.
• Ronglin learned that two members of Minato Squad had died and one had been wounded, and suspected Madara and Black Zetsu were behind it.
• Ronglin reasoned that Madara would blame Rin’s death on Kakashi to push Obito into darkness and wondered whether Obito would awaken Kamui.
• Ronglin hoped to avoid borrowing Shisui’s Mangekyo or using Kotoamatsukami, which could damage Shisui’s eyes.

Ronglin considered the coming upheaval in Akatsuki and the possibility that Danzo would ally with Hanzō of the Salamander. He reassured Uchiha Kuolie that Minato’s growing reputation would not take the Fourth Hokage position from him, and left the outcome to time.

• Ronglin concluded that Yahiko would have to die for Madara and Black Zetsu’s plans to proceed, since Yahiko’s opposition would influence Nagato and Konan.
• Ronglin judged that Danzo might work with Hanzō of the Salamander or seize control in another small nation to build influence.
• Uchiha Kuolie told Ronglin that someone had likely targeted Minato Squad, and Ronglin agreed that the attack had served a hidden purpose.
• Uchiha Kuolie worried that Minato’s success on the front lines could threaten Ronglin’s chances of becoming Fourth Hokage.
• Ronglin said the Third Hokage held the decisive influence over the succession and declared that no one could take what belonged to him.

Ronglin proposed a way to force Iwagakure to withdraw and end the war, giving the Third Hokage hope that Konoha could recover. The Third Hokage heard his plan, which targeted Kannabi Bridge.

• Uchiha Kuolie reacted excitedly to the possibility of Ronglin becoming the final victor.
• Ronglin went to the Hokage's Office to discuss ending the war with Iwagakure.
• The Third Hokage urged Ronglin to explain his plan to make Iwagakure withdraw.
• Ronglin pointed out Kannabi Bridge and said destroying the supply route would force Iwagakure's troops to retreat.

Ronglin argued that destroying Kannabi Bridge would force Iwagakure to retreat and recommended Minato lead the mission. The Third Hokage considered the proposal but worried that what happened to Minato Squad might affect Minato.

• Ronglin explained that destroying Kannabi Bridge would leave Iwagakure unable to sustain the war and likely force it to withdraw.
• The Third Hokage considered sending Ronglin, but Ronglin refused and suggested White Fang or Minato instead.
• Ronglin recommended Minato as the best candidate because White Fang needed to remain at the Command Center.
• The Third Hokage weighed Minato's abilities against his concern that the deaths of two members of Minato Squad and the injury of another had affected him.

Ronglin persuaded the Third Hokage to approve a surprise mission to destroy Kannabi Bridge and disrupt Iwagakure’s supplies. White Fang assigned Minato to lead the classified assault, while Minato remained puzzled about why the enemy had targeted Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.

• Ronglin assured the Third Hokage that Minato could handle the pressure and proposed destroying Kannabi Bridge to force Iwagakure to withdraw.
• The Third Hokage accepted Ronglin’s plan and sent the intelligence to White Fang on the front line.
• Minato investigated the attack on his squad and concluded that the enemy had deliberately targeted Kakashi, Obito, and Rin, though he could not understand why.
• White Fang told Minato that the Third Hokage had ordered him to lead a classified squad on a mission to destroy Kannabi Bridge.

White Fang assigned Minato to lead a secret mission to destroy Kannabi Bridge after Ronglin declined to undertake it. Minato departed with a six-man squad under cover of night, leaving the mission’s success—and its impact on the war—unresolved.

• White Fang reflected that Ronglin’s growing strength and influence threatened Minato’s chances of becoming Fourth Hokage.
• Minato asked White Fang why the Kannabi Bridge mission, once abandoned, had been revived.
• White Fang explained that the Third Hokage had approved the mission after Ronglin proposed it, but Ronglin had refused to go.
• White Fang appointed Minato captain of the secret mission, and Minato promised to complete it.
• White Fang assembled a six-man squad to accompany Minato, and they left camp at night while Anbu guarded against spies.

Minato led a squad in a surprise attack on the Stone Ninja guarding Kannabi Bridge, aiming to destroy the bridge and cut off Iwagakure’s supplies. The attack began with Minato striking down several guards.

• Minato observed the lax Stone Ninja guard and ordered his squad to eliminate the guards and destroy Kannabi Bridge.
• Minato divided the squad, assigning two groups to attack the flanks while he led the assault from the front.
• Minato and his squad approached the bridge after he removed hidden sentries along the route.
• Minato signaled the squad to attack, and its members charged in their assigned directions.
• Minato killed several Stone Ninja guards with his kunai.

Minato and six Elite Jonin attacked Kannabi Bridge and destroyed the supply route that sustained Iwagakure’s forces. After the bridge collapsed, Minato stopped his squad from chasing the fleeing Stone Ninja.

• Minato arrived at Kannabi Bridge with six Elite Jonin, frightening the Stone Ninja guarding it.
• The Stone Jonin ordered his men to stop Minato’s team and sent word to Ōnoki.
• Minato and four Elite Jonin fought through the defenders while two others prepared to destroy the bridge.
• Two Elite Jonin used Earth Style ninjutsu to bring Kannabi Bridge down.
• The Stone Jonin fell, the remaining defenders fled, and Minato called off the pursuit.

Minato withdrew his forces before they could be surrounded, while Ōnoki learned that Kannabi Bridge was under attack and rushed reinforcements there. After finding the bridge destroyed, White Fang led Konoha in a fierce assault on Iwagakure, leaving the battle raging.

• Minato ordered his forces to return to camp rather than risk being surrounded while pursuing the enemy.
• Ōnoki learned that powerful battle shock waves were coming from Kannabi Bridge, which was guarded by only sixty Iwagakure ninjas.
• Ōnoki ordered an investigation and sent reinforcements to stop Konoha from destroying the bridge.
• Iwagakure's reinforcements reached Kannabi Bridge and found it destroyed, with their comrades dead and the enemy gone.
• White Fang gathered Konoha's forces and launched a fierce assault that overwhelmed Iwagakure's ninjas.