Chapter Summaries

The Four Kage’s meeting in Iwagakure heightened the fears of the small countries’ alliance, while Rasa and the other leaders considered their positions. The alliance faced mounting pressure and internal difficulties as it waited to learn whether the major villages would unite against it.

• Rasa returned to his quarters, where his followers questioned him, and he dismissed Ōnoki’s appeal for everyone to support Iwagakure.
• Ay arrived at his quarters and rested without being questioned by his followers.
• News of the Four Kage meeting spread, alarming the small countries that had joined forces against the major villages.
• The small countries worried that the Four Kage might agree to wage war against them, while their gathered ninja remained difficult to manage.
• The alliance’s members struggled with power, supplies, and the prospect of eventually dispersing if the major villages did not act.

After news of the Four Kage Summit’s failure spread, Ōnoki confronted the other leaders at their next meeting, suspecting that one of them had leaked the details. The chapter left the leaders trading accusations without evidence, while Ōnoki continued to suspect Ronglin and Konoha.

• News that the Four Kage Summit had failed to reach an agreement spread from Iwagakure, angering Ōnoki.
• Ōnoki considered whether Rasa, Ay, or Ronglin had leaked the summit’s details, but could not prove who was responsible.
• At the next summit, Ōnoki complained about the leak and warned that it threatened the Four Great Ninja Villages’ unity.
• Ay and Ōnoki eyed Rasa suspiciously, prompting Rasa to ask whether they accused him of spreading the news.
• Ronglin smiled as the others argued, then asked whether anyone had evidence against him.
• Ay admitted that no one had evidence, while Ōnoki continued to suspect Konoha.

Ōnoki suspected Uchiha Ronglin of leaking news from the meeting, and Ronglin angrily denied it. Their accusations escalated into a near-fight, leaving Ay and Rasa trying to stop them.

• Ōnoki identified Ronglin as the prime suspect in the news leak, and Ronglin threatened the others for accusing him without evidence.
• Ōnoki became more suspicious after Ronglin's angry response, while Ronglin warned him not to push further.
• Ōnoki and Ronglin traded threats as Ay urged them to stay united and avoid fighting.
• Ronglin smashed the conference table and challenged Iwagakure to try to bury him as it had the Third Raikage.
• Rasa joined Ay in trying to defuse the confrontation while privately showing fleeting amusement.

Ay and Rasa tried to keep the Kage alliance together after Ronglin and Ōnoki's confrontation. Ōnoki apologized again, and Ronglin returned to his seat, though the summit remained tense.

• Ay challenged Ōnoki for accusing Konoha without evidence and warned that the alliance could fall apart.
• Ay and Rasa urged Ronglin and Ōnoki to unite, but Ronglin refused and started to leave.
• Ōnoki called after Ronglin, then apologized for questioning him and asked him to accept the apology.
• Ronglin accepted Ōnoki's repeated attempts to make peace and returned to his seat, sulking while Ay felt awkward.

Ronglin, Ōnoki, Ay, and Rasa resumed their meeting after Ronglin damaged the conference room and discussed how to respond to the Small Nations Alliance. The chapter left them alarmed and uncertain after learning that Kirigakure had cut off contact and blockaded its waters.

• Ronglin damaged the conference room, so Ōnoki, Ay, and Rasa moved the meeting to another room.
• Ay warned that ignoring the Small Nations Alliance would encourage the small nations to challenge the major villages.
• Rasa urged the others to learn Kirigakure's intentions before choosing a course of action, fearing it might support the alliance.
• Ay asked Ronglin whether Konoha had received intelligence about Kirigakure.
• Ronglin said communication with Kirigakure had stopped two months before the alliance formed and that Kirigakure was blockading its waters.
• Ōnoki, Ay, and Rasa reacted with concern and confusion to the blockade.

Ronglin, Ōnoki, Rasa, and Ay agreed that the villages should go to war against the Small Nations Alliance, with Kirigakure’s allegiance still uncertain. Ronglin then raised the need to settle troop contributions, command, and supplies before the alliance deployed.

• Ronglin said Kirigakure had sealed off its village and appeared to be spreading news on behalf of the Small Nations Alliance.
• Rasa warned that Kirigakure’s allegiance could mean the allied villages would face it alongside the Small Nations Alliance.
• Ōnoki argued that the villages should send a joint force, and Rasa and Ay supported going to war.
• Ronglin agreed that Konoha would join the war but insisted the villages decide troop strength, the commander-in-chief, and logistical supplies in advance.
• Ōnoki, Ay, and Rasa each showed interest in becoming the alliance’s supreme commander.

Ronglin withdrew from the contest to command the Allied Forces, leaving Ōnoki and Ay to vie for the position and forcing Rasa to choose a side. Rasa made his decision under their watchful gazes, angering Ay.

• Ronglin suspected Rasa had leaked the result of their earlier discussion and resolved to oppose him.
• Ōnoki recommended himself as Allied Forces Commander-in-Chief, citing his experience and Iwagakure’s position in the conflict.
• Ay challenged Ōnoki’s assumption that everyone would support him.
• Ronglin declared he had no interest in the position and withdrew from the competition.
• Rasa hesitated between supporting Ōnoki and Ay, then chose a side, nearly provoking Ay into accusing them of rigging the vote.

Ōnoki became Allied Forces Commander-in-Chief after Rasa backed him and Ronglin declined to compete. The leaders began discussing troop deployments after learning the Small Nations Alliance had more than thirty thousand ninja.

• Rasa supported Ōnoki for Allied Forces Commander-in-Chief, angering Ay.
• Ronglin congratulated Ōnoki as Ōnoki accepted the position and began the troop-deployment discussion.
• Ay accepted Ōnoki's appointment despite his frustration.
• Ōnoki reported that the Small Nations Alliance had more than thirty thousand ninja, surprising Ay and Rasa.

Ōnoki discussed troop contributions for a campaign against the Small Nations Alliance, while the leaders weighed the possibility of Kirigakure joining the war. The four villages settled on a total force of fourteen thousand ninja, with Iwagakure contributing the most.

• Ōnoki warned that the Small Nations Alliance had more than thirty thousand ninja and asked the other leaders how many troops to send.
• Rasa proposed that Sunagakure contribute three thousand ninja, citing the village’s ongoing recovery.
• Ōnoki argued that three thousand from each village was too few, while Ay and Ronglin supported Rasa’s figure.
• Ōnoki agreed to three thousand from each of the other villages and pledged five thousand from Iwagakure, bringing the force to fourteen thousand.
• The leaders approved Ōnoki’s proposed troop allocation.

Ronglin and Ōnoki negotiated how the Allied Forces would handle supplies and medical support for the coming war. They agreed on equal supply contributions, and Ronglin offered five hundred Konoha Medical Ninjas if the other villages provided the medicine.

• Ōnoki proposed that each village provide its own supplies.
• Ronglin asked whether each village would retain control of its supplies, exposing the problems with Ōnoki’s proposal.
• Ōnoki changed the plan so every village would contribute the same amount of supplies.
• Ōnoki stressed that the Allied Forces needed Medical Ninjas and adequate medicinal materials.
• Ronglin offered five hundred Konoha Medical Ninjas, requiring the other villages to provide the medicine.

The four villages finalized their joint deployment, including Konoha’s medical and reconnaissance teams, and agreed to gather in half a month. After the meeting, Ronglin noticed Rasa had already left, and Ay asked whether he had realized who was behind the suspicious events.

• Ōnoki, Rasa, and Ay agreed that their three villages would pay for the Medical Department’s supplies.
• Ronglin assigned Konoha five hundred Medical Ninja and five hundred Hyuga ninja among the three thousand deployed.
• Ōnoki set a meeting point for the four villages to gather in half a month, and Ronglin, Rasa, and Ay agreed to arrive.
• Ronglin brought Kisame Hoshigaki and Mei Terumi to approach Rasa, but found that Rasa had already left Iwagakure.
• Ay asked Ronglin whether he had noticed who was behind the suspicious events, and Ronglin replied that it could only have been Rasa.

Ronglin and Ay discussed the coming war after leaving Iwagakure, but Ronglin doubted the Four Great Ninja Villages would win easily and suspected Black Zetsu and Akatsuki were behind the conflict. The group camped in a forest, where Mei Terumi brought Ronglin grilled meat while Ay's guards had only found rations.

• Ronglin and Ay left Iwagakure with their guards and stopped in a forest, where Ronglin sent the others to find food.
• Ay asked Ronglin what he thought of the operation, and Ronglin warned that the war would be difficult and told Ay not to charge too fiercely.
• Ronglin suspected Black Zetsu and Akatsuki were behind the conflict and wondered whether Kirigakure had already fallen.
• Mei Terumi brought Ronglin grilled meat, while Ay realized his guards had returned with only rations.

After returning from the summit, Ronglin briefed Konoha’s leaders on the alliance’s decision to attack the Small Nations Alliance and outlined Konoha’s troop contribution. He left Tsunade and Hyuga Hiashi to prepare their forces for the coming war.

• Ronglin parted ways with Kisame Hoshigaki, Mei Terumi, and Ay after their meal and returned to Konoha with his companions in two days.
• Ronglin had Uchiha Diqin summon Konoha’s higher-ups and major clan heads to a meeting.
• Ronglin announced that Konoha, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure would join forces to attack the Small Nations Alliance, which had gathered more than thirty thousand ninja.
• Ronglin warned that Kirigakure might enter the war and said the allied villages needed to remain vigilant.
• Ronglin stated that Konoha, Sunagakure, and Amegakure would each deploy three thousand men, while Iwagakure would send five thousand.
• Ronglin assigned five hundred Konoha Medical Ninja and five hundred Hyuga Clan members to the force, looking to Tsunade and Hyuga Hiashi as their leaders.

Ronglin outlined the Allied Forces’ troop contributions and supply arrangements, then revealed that Ōnoki would command the alliance. The meeting erupted in protest, and Ronglin silenced the crowd to address their objections.

• Tsunade agreed that the Medical Department could provide five hundred people, and Hyuga Hiashi agreed to supply five hundred scouts.
• Ronglin said the villages would share supply costs, with the other three villages paying for the battlefield Medical Department’s supplies.
• Nara Shikaku asked why Iwagakure had to provide five thousand troops while the other villages provided three thousand, and who would command the Allied Forces.
• Ronglin announced that Ōnoki would be commander-in-chief because Iwagakure had the most troops.
• The meeting participants protested Ōnoki’s appointment, and Ronglin raised his voice to silence them.

Ronglin arranged for Ōnoki to command the Allied Forces while Konoha prepared to join the war against the Small Nations Alliance. The chapter left Konoha assembling its troops, with the selection of most of the force still contested among its clans.

• Ronglin explained that he had let Ōnoki compete for commander-in-chief so Ōnoki would bear the burden of leading the alliance.
• Ronglin identified the army’s assembly point on the map and ordered Konoha to announce the alliance and prepare its forces.
• Ronglin ordered the Daimyo to deploy troops along the border and prevent civilians from entering the Land of Fire.
• Konoha’s publicity campaign stirred villagers to demand a harsh response, and the village quickly assembled its required three thousand troops.
• The major clans volunteered members for the remaining troop slots, while the Third Hokage recruited for the Shimura Clan, leaving Ronglin exasperated.

Ronglin led Konoha’s forces toward the front lines while the other Great Ninja Villages also mobilized against the Small Nations Alliance. During the march, he tried to keep the group entertained with a joke, but its punchline proved far from mild.

• Ronglin selected forces from each clan, along with five hundred Hyuga clansmen and five hundred Medical Ninja, and sent them toward the front lines with Hyuga Hiashi, Tsunade, and Nara Shikaku.
• The other three villages departed for the rendezvous point, alarming the Small Nations Alliance when it learned that all four Great Ninja Villages were mobilizing.
• Veterans joked about adult topics as they traveled, making the female ninja blush and prompting Tsunade to curse under her breath.
• Ronglin defended the lively atmosphere, then offered to tell a milder joke for the journey.
• Ronglin began a joke about a couple and ended with the woman telling the man, “Go wash the dishes. Mommy will let you have a go.”

Ronglin entertained the Konoha group with a joke during their journey, then discovered a hidden ninja from the Small Nations Alliance and warned everyone to expect further attacks. The group continued toward the rendezvous point on alert.

• Ronglin finished a joke about a married man happily doing the dishes, making the group laugh.
• Ronglin suddenly threw several kunai at a concealed figure in the forest and killed him.
• Shisui brought the corpse to Ronglin, who identified the dead man as a ninja from the Small Nations Alliance.
• Ronglin warned the Konoha group that the alliance might ambush or harass them before they reached the rendezvous point.
• Ronglin noted that the enemy ninja’s concealment had escaped the notice of the Hyuga Clan members and other sensory ninja.

Ronglin’s team reached the Land of Frost and joined Ōnoki’s forces, while the other great villages struggled against the Small Nations Alliance’s traps and obstructions. The chapter ended as Ōnoki received word that Konoha had arrived.

• Ronglin ordered Shisui to dispose of the ambushers’ bodies, and his team continued toward the rendezvous point.
• Rasa and Ay’s forces faced numerous traps and obstructions, while Konoha’s journey remained largely uneventful.
• Ronglin, Mei Terumi, and the Konoha team arrived in the desolate Land of Frost, where Ōnoki had already established a camp.
• A scout reported Konoha’s arrival to Ōnoki.

Ronglin and Konoha arrived at Iwagakure’s camp, where Ōnoki welcomed them and assigned them a site near the logistics and medical departments. At the Allied Forces Command Center, Ōnoki reported that enemy ambushes had slowed Sunagakure and Kumogakure’s march.

• Ōnoki oversaw the construction of the Allied Forces camp and personally welcomed Ronglin and Konoha’s forces.
• Ronglin teased Ōnoki about the Land of Earth before asking where Konoha could set up camp.
• Ōnoki suggested a site near the logistics and medical departments, and Ronglin accepted.
• Ronglin left Nara Shikaku to arrange Konoha’s camp and went to the command center with Tsunade, Kisame Hoshigaki, Shisui, and Mei Terumi.
• Ōnoki told Ronglin that Rasa and Ay had reported repeated enemy surveillance and ambushes that had slowed their forces.

Ronglin and Ōnoki discussed the Small Nations Alliance’s mysterious gathering along the coast, which Ronglin suspected might involve Kirigakure. Their conversation was interrupted when young Kurotsuchi ran into the command tent, and Tsunade scolded Ronglin for looking at her.

• Ronglin told Ōnoki that Konoha’s operations had gone smoothly and that the Small Nations Alliance seemed panicked by the planned attack.
• Ōnoki said many enemy forces had gathered by the coast, but his scouts had found no useful intelligence.
• Ronglin wondered whether the coastal gathering was connected to Kirigakure’s earlier tactics.
• Young Kurotsuchi ran into the command tent and called out to Ōnoki.
• Tsunade jabbed Ronglin and accused him of staring at Kurotsuchi, while Ronglin denied having any interest in her.