Chapter Summaries

Ronglin moved against the Shimura Clan after Shimura Rongxiang opposed his plan to establish a new department, ordering the clan’s assets and compound sealed while its tax affairs were investigated. The chapter ended with Konoha learning that the Shimura Clan had allegedly evaded taxes.

• Shimura Rongxiang objected to Ronglin’s proposed department, arguing that it would benefit the Uchiha and their allies rather than the Shimura Clan.
• Ronglin ordered the Anbu to seize control of the Shimura Clan’s assets until its tax issues were resolved.
• Ronglin directed the Uchiha First Elder to surround the Shimura compound and prevent anyone from leaving.
• Shimura Rongxiang invoked promises made by Hashirama Senju, but Ronglin struck him and rejected his appeal.
• The Police Force and Anbu surrounded the Shimura Clan’s compound and assets, and Konoha residents learned that the clan was accused of tax evasion.

Ronglin’s crackdown on the Shimura Clan won broad support from Konoha’s villagers while alarming the village’s other powerful clans. By the end, the Shimura Clan had been broken apart, and its ordinary members were dispersed throughout Konoha.

• News spread that the Shimura Clan had evaded taxes and committed illegal acts, and Ronglin ended the meeting after moving against them.
• The Third Hokage told worried Konoha leaders to wait for news and warned them to be more careful around Ronglin.
• Anbu and the Police Force surrounded the Shimura Clan’s grounds, sealed its businesses, and suppressed members who resisted.
• Ronglin’s investigation uncovered enormous wealth and widespread wrongdoing, leading to back taxes, confiscations, and thousands of arrests.
• Ronglin arrested key Shimura Clan figures and scattered its ordinary members across Konoha, leaving the clan effectively erased.
• Other villages stayed silent about Konoha’s internal crackdown, while Konoha’s villagers cheered Ronglin’s actions.

Ronglin’s actions strengthened the Uchiha’s standing while the Shimura Clan’s downfall unsettled Konoha. When Kumogakure’s negotiation delegation arrived, Ronglin disappeared and left the Third Hokage to deal with the mess.

• Families that had opposed the Uchiha sent gifts and sought alliances after Ronglin’s move and the Uchiha’s rise in prestige.
• The Shimura Clan’s scandal left its members under control and barred from leaving Konoha freely.
• Kumogakure’s negotiation delegation arrived and waited at the village entrance for more than half an hour without a Konoha reception.
• An Anbu told the Third Hokage that the Fourth Hokage was missing and had arranged no reception for the delegation.
• The Third Hokage found a note telling Hashirama Senju to handle the documents, along with a memorial setup in the Hokage’s office.
• The Third Hokage ordered the Anbu to find Ronglin immediately.

Ronglin shirked his Hokage duties and went fishing outside Konoha while the village struggled to find him and handle Kumogakure’s delegation. Tsunade returned to learn he had been missing for three days, and the Third Hokage told her what had happened.

• Ronglin avoided the Anbu, and the Third Hokage took over urgent paperwork in his absence.
• Ronglin went to a valley with Uchiha Diqin, Mei Terumi, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Shisui to fish and relax.
• Uchiha Diqin warned Ronglin about the village’s unfinished business and Kumogakure’s arriving delegation, but Ronglin said the First Hokage would handle it.
• Konoha descended into chaos as Kumogakure’s delegation demanded answers and the Anbu searched for Ronglin.
• Tsunade returned, found the Third Hokage handling official business, and learned that Ronglin had been missing for three days.

After learning what Ronglin had done involving the First Hokage, Tsunade used Katsuyu to track him down. She found him calmly fishing by a lake and confronted him, leaving the others to watch her barely restrained anger.

• The Third Hokage told Tsunade that Ronglin had disappeared after the Shimura Clan matter and explained what he had done.
• Tsunade summoned Katsuyu and ordered her to locate Ronglin.
• Katsuyu tracked Ronglin to a small lake outside the village, and Tsunade followed her in anger.
• Ronglin waited by the lake in a straw hat while Shisui and the others greeted Tsunade.
• Tsunade told Ronglin he looked relaxed as she struggled to contain her anger.

Ronglin hinted that he might abandon his duties as Fourth Hokage, leaving Tsunade worried about Konoha’s stability. He then revealed he was considering doing something even the First Hokage had never dared, though he denied any plan to conquer the world.

• Ronglin casually suggested that he might go on strike, and Tsunade feared he would abandon the Hokage position.
• Tsunade sat beside Ronglin and asked whether the burden of official work had exhausted him.
• Ronglin said he was tired and irritated after being provoked, then asked whether the First Hokage’s influence still shaped Konoha.
• Ronglin wondered aloud whether doing something the First Hokage had never dared would make him rise from his grave in anger.
• Tsunade realized what Ronglin might mean, but Ronglin assured her he had no intention of leading Konoha to conquer the world.

Ronglin brooded over his inability to make the Byakugan evolve and considered seeking insight from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, despite the risk of attracting Black Zetsu’s attention. Tsunade interrupted his thoughts, and Ronglin turned their conversation into an intimate encounter by the lake.

• Ronglin wondered why the Byakugan had not evolved even after his Sharingan became the Rinnegan, and doubted his strength had reached the Six Paths level.
• Ronglin considered summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, but worried Black Zetsu might mistake him for a threat to the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan.
• Tsunade asked Ronglin what was troubling him, suspecting he might leave Konoha again.
• Ronglin kissed Tsunade, then carried on with her protests beside the small lake.

Ronglin stayed away from Konoha after Tsunade failed to persuade him to return, while rumors blamed the village’s leaders for his absence. The Kumogakure negotiation team plotted to target the Hyuga Main Family to obtain a Byakugan for study.

• After helping Tsunade, Ronglin joked with her, and she pinched his waist in retaliation.
• Tsunade asked when Ronglin would return, but he said he would go back when he was in a good mood.
• Konoha held a welcoming banquet for the returning front-line troops without Ronglin, and rumors spread that he had left because of pressure from the village’s higher-ups.
• A Cloud Hidden Jonin urged the Kumogakure negotiation team to secretly target the Hyuga Main Family, arguing that the Byakugan was difficult to obtain and study.

A Kumogakure Jonin abducted the infant Hinata Hyuga from the Hyuga Clan's Main Family Compound. Hyuga Hiashi spotted the intruder fleeing with Hinata's blanket and realized his daughter was missing.

• Kumogakure ninjas agreed to target Hinata Hyuga, believing the sparsely staffed Main Family Compound would be easy to infiltrate.
• A Cloud Hidden Jonin entered the Hyuga Main Family Compound and knocked out the servant watching Hinata Hyuga.
• The Cloud Hidden Jonin picked up the sleeping Hinata Hyuga and fled with her.
• Hyuga Hiashi saw the intruder carrying Hinata's blanket and realized someone had abducted his daughter.

A Cloud Hidden Jonin abducted Hinata Hyuga from the Hyuga Main Family Compound, but Hyuga Hiashi caught up with him and rescued her. Hiashi had the badly injured envoy bound and sent to the Hokage's Office Building, leaving the incident's political consequences unresolved.

• The Cloud Hidden Jonin fled with Hinata Hyuga as Hyuga Hiashi shouted and chased after him.
• Hyuga Hiashi caught the Jonin and struck him with the Eight Trigrams Palm, leaving him gravely injured.
• Hyuga Hiashi caught Hinata as she fell and confirmed she was safe.
• Hyuga clan members arrived, and Hyuga Hiashi ordered them to tie up the Kumogakure ninja and take him to the Hokage's Office Building.
• The Hyuga clan members bound the Jonin tightly despite his critical condition.

After Hyuga Hiashi caught a Kumogakure envoy trying to abduct Hinata Hyuga from the Hyuga Main Family Compound, he brought the near-dead man to the Hokage's Office. The Third Hokage called Ronglin back to handle the crisis as Kumogakure blamed Konoha and demanded an explanation.

• News spread through Konoha that a Kumogakure infiltrator had tried to abduct Hinata Hyuga.
• The Third Hokage learned that the commotion had begun at the Hyuga Clan grounds and ordered an investigation.
• Hyuga Hiashi brought the captured Kumogakure envoy to the Hokage's Office and explained that he had caught the man trying to abduct Hinata.
• The Third Hokage sent Anbu to summon Ronglin back to the village.
• Kumogakure envoys arrived and accused Konoha of harming their man, demanding an explanation and threatening to pursue the matter.

After Kumogakure’s people left following their failed attempt to abduct Hinata, Ronglin was summoned back to Konoha to handle the incident. He returned with Shisui and the others, ready to confront the visitors.

• Kumogakure’s delegation blamed Konoha for the incident and left without taking their dead companion’s body.
• Hyuga Hiashi watched the delegation depart and waited for Ronglin to return.
• Anbu told Ronglin that the Third Hokage had summoned him over a major incident in the village.
• Ronglin learned that Kumogakure had tried to kidnap the Young Mistress Hyuga and agreed to return immediately.
• Ronglin brought Shisui and the others back to Konoha in under twenty minutes.

Ronglin returned to the Hokage Building and heard Hyuga Hiashi’s account of the Kumogakure envoy’s death and the threat that followed. He asked the Third Hokage how to handle the dispute, and the Third suggested communicating with Kumogakure because the Hyuga Clan’s account had no other witnesses.

• Ronglin arrived at the Hokage Building, examined the dead Cloud Hidden Jonin, and took the Third Hokage’s seat.
• Hyuga Hiashi recounted the events and repeated Kumogakure’s threat word for word.
• Ronglin asked the Third Hokage how he thought the matter should be handled.
• Hizashi Hyuga tried to speak, but Hyuga Hiashi ordered him to be silent.
• The Third Hokage recommended communicating with Kumogakure, noting that no one else could verify Hyuga Hiashi’s account.

Ronglin dismissed the Hyuga Clan after a dead Kumogakure Jonin was brought to the Hokage’s Office, then left negotiations with Kumogakure to the Third Hokage. He told Tsunade he would judge how much to support the Hyuga Clan by Hyuga Hiashi’s sincerity.

• Ronglin asked Hyuga Hiashi whether he or Kumogakure’s people should be believed and said the matter would be difficult to resolve.
• Hyuga Hiashi agreed to speak with Kumogakure, and Ronglin sent him and his clansmen away with the dead Cloud Hidden Jonin.
• Tsunade condemned Kumogakure for trying to abduct Hinata Hyuga, while Ronglin explained why the Main Family’s Byakugan was a target.
• Ronglin asked the Third Hokage to handle negotiations with Kumogakure, and the Third Hokage agreed.
• Tsunade worried Ronglin might favor Kumogakure to punish the Hyuga Clan, and Ronglin said his support would depend on Hyuga Hiashi’s sincerity.

Hyuga Hiashi’s clan argued over how to handle the crisis with Kumogakure, and Hizashi Hyuga urged them to seek Ronglin’s support. Hyuga Hiashi ended the meeting by declaring he would make Lord Hokage agree to help.

• Hyuga Hiashi convened a meeting of the clan’s higher-ups and listened as they debated the crisis.
• Hyuga Hiashi asked his hesitant younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga, to speak.
• Hizashi Hyuga argued that the clan should approach Lord Hokage instead of continuing to argue among themselves.
• The clansmen wondered how to persuade Ronglin and dismissed asking Princess Tsunade for help.
• Hyuga Hiashi said he would make Lord Hokage nod.

Hyuga Hiashi reconsidered his defiance after Kumogakure demanded the killer’s life and the village offered no good news. He sent Ronglin a large concession, and Ronglin summoned him, seeing the Hyuga Clan’s submission as a chance to bring other clans into line.

• Hyuga Hiashi ended the clan meeting and waited for the village’s negotiations with Kumogakure.
• The Third Hokage reported that Kumogakure still demanded an explanation and the killer’s life, leaving Hyuga Hiashi to consider yielding.
• Hyuga Hiashi reflected on how his opposition to Ronglin had led the Hyuga into an unfavorable position.
• Uchiha Diqin delivered an encrypted scroll from the Hyuga family to Ronglin.
• Ronglin read Hyuga Hiashi’s offer of concessions and ordered him to come over.

Ronglin summoned Hyuga Hiashi privately and demanded a person and the Hyuga Clan’s Gentle Fist scrolls, using a technique that could remove the Caged Bird as leverage. Hyuga Hiashi, fearing the Branch Family would revolt if the technique became known, asked whom Ronglin wanted.

• Hyuga Hiashi came alone to the Hokage’s Office after receiving Uchiha Diqin’s news.
• Ronglin cleared everyone from the building except Kisame Hoshigaki and told Hyuga Hiashi he wanted one person and all Hyuga taijutsu scrolls.
• Hyuga Hiashi refused, but Ronglin warned that he had no right to bargain and revealed a technique found after Root’s destruction that might remove the Caged Bird.
• Hyuga Hiashi realized that the Branch Family could turn against the Main Family if the technique were real, and asked Ronglin which person he wanted.

Ronglin forced Hyuga Hiashi to agree to his demands and ordered Konoha to retaliate against Kumogakure for attempting to abduct Hinata Hyuga. He left his choice of a Hyuga clan member for later and threatened war unless Kumogakure explained itself.

• Hyuga Hiashi accepted Ronglin's terms after Ronglin warned that the Hyuga Clan would be destroyed if he reneged.
• Ronglin considered potential Hyuga trainees, including Neji Hyuga and Hinata Hyuga, but decided to choose someone later.
• Ronglin ordered Kisame Hoshigaki to arrest the Kumogakure operatives who had tried to abduct Hinata Hyuga.
• Ronglin told Uchiha Diqin to demand an explanation from Fourth Raikage Ay and threaten war if Kumogakure refused.

Ronglin pressured Hyuga Hiashi into testing a technique, leaving the Hyuga Clan under his control. He then ordered Kumogakure’s people arrested and demanded an explanation from the Raikage, raising the prospect of war.

• Ronglin finished making arrangements, and Hyuga Hiashi left the Hokage's Office to test the technique.
• Hyuga Hiashi tested the technique in a secret basement and discovered Ronglin had concealed nothing, though the experiment ended with the technique destroyed and everyone but Hiashi dead.
• Hyuga Hiashi realized the Hyuga Clan would have to obey Ronglin, fearing he had learned the technique himself or kept backup scrolls.
• Kisame Hoshigaki led the Anbu in arresting the Kumogakure group and told them Ronglin’s order treated their actions as provocation and demanded an explanation from the Raikage.
• The captured cloud ninja protested and demanded to see the Hokage as Konoha onlookers praised his forceful response.

Ronglin arrested Kumogakure’s delegation and demanded that Ay personally come to Konoha within ten days to explain the attempted kidnapping, or face war and the deaths of Killer B and the other captives. Ay, furious at the negotiators who had caused the crisis, agreed to go to Konoha to protect Killer B.

• Konoha’s villagers praised Ronglin for arresting the Kumogakure delegation and standing up for the Hyuga Clan.
• The Third Hokage wondered why Ronglin had not acted sooner, while other clans speculated about what the Hyuga Clan had offered him.
• Ay learned that Konoha demanded a reasonable explanation and threatened war unless he came to negotiate in person.
• Ronglin warned that he would send Killer B’s corpse and the other captives back to Kumogakure if Ay did not arrive within ten days.
• Ay cursed the negotiation team and ordered preparations to travel to Konoha because he feared for Killer B’s life.