Chapter Summaries

Killer B struck Kisame Hoshigaki with Raikiri and sent him crashing into Kumogakure’s wall, but Samehada absorbed a large amount of Killer B’s Chakra. Ronglin stopped Shisui from intervening, leaving Shisui facing Ay and making Ay suspect Ronglin had anticipated his plan.

• Killer B launched himself at Kisame Hoshigaki, and Samehada bent under his attack as Kisame was hurled into Kumogakure’s wall.
• Ronglin stopped Shisui from stepping in, reminding him that Ay was his opponent and Kisame Hoshigaki was still fighting.
• Killer B realized Samehada had drained enough Chakra to force his Tailed Beast Cloak from its second form back to its first.
• Ay watched Shisui and Ronglin, then grew uneasy when he understood that Ronglin might have foreseen his plan.

Kisame Hoshigaki recovered from Killer B’s devastating attack by absorbing Chakra from Samehada, revealing that he could keep fighting despite severe injuries. As Kisame advanced, the Eight-Tails asked Killer B whether he needed it to take over.

• Ay worried that Shisui might be strong enough to hold him back while Ronglin and the Nine-Tails attacked the village.
• Kisame Hoshigaki coughed up blood after Killer B’s Raikiri left him gravely injured.
• Kisame Hoshigaki laughed and used Samehada to absorb Chakra and heal his wounds.
• Kisame Hoshigaki rose and advanced on Killer B, claiming he was not easily defeated.
• The Eight-Tails asked Killer B if he needed it to take over.

Killer B recovered his second Tailed Beast Cloak, but Kisame Hoshigaki flooded the village entrance and trapped them both in a vast body of water. Killer B claimed the water would not hinder him, and the two prepared to fight underwater.

• Killer B asked the Eight-Tails to lend him Chakra again and recovered his second Tailed Beast Cloak.
• Kisame Hoshigaki unleashed Water Style: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave and flooded the area around the village entrance.
• Ronglin raised a massive boulder with Earth Style so he, Shisui, and the Nine-Tails could stay above the flood.
• Kisame Hoshigaki formed a Water Prison around himself and Killer B, who declared that octopuses could eat sharks.

Kisame Hoshigaki fought the Eight-Tails inside his Water Prison after Killer B surrendered control of his body to the beast. Kisame fused with Samehada and grew stronger, while Ronglin kept the sword loyal to him.

• Killer B handed control of his body to the Eight-Tails, which emerged and expanded Kisame Hoshigaki's Water Prison with its thrashing tails.
• The Nine-Tails wanted to fight the Eight-Tails, but Ronglin told it to wait because Kisame was fighting the beast.
• Kisame fused with Samehada, growing shark-like features as his Chakra surged.
• The Eight-Tails recognized that Samehada was boosting Kisame's strength, but Ronglin had ensured the sword would not betray him.
• Kisame laughed after the Eight-Tails realized Samehada's role and challenged it to do something about it.

The Eight-Tails realized it had to defeat Kisame Hoshigaki to remove Samehada, then attacked him inside the Water Prison. Kisame was more agile underwater, and the Eight-Tails stirred up waves with its tails as their fight continued.

• Ronglin considered Kisame’s advantage in a battle of attrition and reflected on Orochimaru’s failed plans for Sasuke.
• Kisame Hoshigaki told the Eight-Tails that it would have to defeat him to pull Samehada from his body.
• The Eight-Tails recognized that fighting Kisame underwater would be difficult but decided to attack anyway.
• The Eight-Tails whipped its eight tails through the Water Prison, churning up enormous waves while Kisame remained more agile underwater.

Kisame Hoshigaki used his underwater speed to evade the Eight-Tails and latched onto one of its tentacles, draining its Chakra. The Eight-Tails failed to shake him off, and Kisame dodged its counterattack.

• The Eight-Tails attacked Kisame Hoshigaki with a tentacle, but Kisame swiftly dodged it underwater.
• Killer B spoke to the Eight-Tails in its mind, distracting it during the fight.
• Kisame seized the opening, latched onto the Eight-Tails, and began absorbing its Chakra.
• The Eight-Tails thrashed its tentacles but could not shake Kisame off.
• The Eight-Tails attacked with another tentacle, and Kisame released his grip and dodged away.

Kisame Hoshigaki trapped the Eight-Tails in his Water Prison and repeatedly drained its Chakra while preventing it from escaping. Driven to desperation, the Eight-Tails began gathering a Tailed Beast Ball, putting Kumogakure at risk.

• Kisame Hoshigaki dodged the Eight-Tails' attack and latched onto it, draining its Chakra as they fought inside the Water Prison.
• The Eight-Tails tried to escape the prison, but Kisame Hoshigaki chased it and kept it from reaching the edge.
• Killer B watched and realized how difficult Kisame Hoshigaki had become to fight, while wondering how much he had improved in two years.
• Unable to flee or land an effective attack, the Eight-Tails began gathering a Tailed Beast Ball.
• Ay and the other cloud ninja saw that a blast toward Kisame Hoshigaki could devastate Kumogakure, and someone shouted for the Eight-Tails to stop.

Ay tried to rush to the trapped Kumogakure ninja, but Shisui stopped him and threatened to use his Mangekyo genjutsu against the village. Ronglin watched Ay weigh the threat, while thinking about Uchiha Fugaku’s worsening Mangekyo and the leverage it might give him.

• Ay tried to leave Shisui and help break the Water Prison, but Shisui blocked him and insisted they fight.
• Shisui threatened to turn the Kumogakure ninja into mad dogs who would slaughter their comrades.
• Ronglin considered how Shisui’s Mangekyo abilities and White Zetsu cells could make his genjutsu increasingly dangerous.
• Ronglin anticipated that Uchiha Fugaku would eventually seek his help as the strain of using the Mangekyo took its toll.
• Ay froze when he saw Ronglin smiling, unwilling to risk Shisui’s threat.

Ronglin considered Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan while Killer B and the Eight-Tails struggled against Kisame Hoshigaki inside the Water Prison. After stopping a Tailed Beast Ball that could have struck Kumogakure, they tried to lure Kisame, but he saw through their trick.

• Ronglin wondered how many people Shisui's Kotoamatsukami could control and reflected on his separated eyes, Itachi's Mangekyo, and Shisui's green Susanoo.
• Killer B warned the Eight-Tails to stop its Tailed Beast Ball before it hit the village.
• The Eight-Tails lost control of the unfinished Tailed Beast Ball, which exploded and shook the Water Prison without causing much damage.
• Killer B suggested that the Eight-Tails lure Kisame Hoshigaki away instead of using a Tailed Beast Ball.
• The Eight-Tails attacked Kisame with its tentacles, but Kisame dodged and said their trick would not work on him.

Kisame Hoshigaki outmaneuvered the Eight-Tails and drained its Chakra, while Ay left his post to help. Ronglin ordered the Nine-Tails to prepare a massive Tailed Beast Ball aimed at Kumogakure, forcing Ay to turn back.

• The Eight-Tails tricked Kisame Hoshigaki into attacking a severed tentacle, then escaped the Water Prison by bursting through it.
• Kisame Hoshigaki grew furious and attacked the Eight-Tails relentlessly, using Samehada to heal himself as the beast weakened.
• Ay watched the Eight-Tails lose Chakra and secretly rushed to intervene while Ronglin and Shisui observed.
• Ronglin stopped Shisui from chasing Ay and ordered the Nine-Tails to prepare an extra-large Tailed Beast Ball aimed at Kumogakure.
• Ay sensed the Nine-Tails gathering Chakra, saw that the attack threatened Kumogakure, and turned back to stop it.

Ronglin and the Nine-Tails overpowered Kumogakure’s attempts to prevent the beast from firing an enormous Tailed Beast Ball. The attack was launched at the village while Ay remained held back and the exhausted Eight-Tails could not intervene.

• Ay urged the Kumogakure ninja to stop the Nine-Tails from completing its Tailed Beast Ball, and they attacked from near and far.
• Ronglin signaled Shisui, who used Susanoo to block Ay and keep him from reaching the Nine-Tails.
• Ronglin opened a rift in the sky that swallowed the ninja tools, then rendered the incoming ninjutsu ineffective.
• The Nine-Tails swallowed the oversized Tailed Beast Ball, causing its body to swell as it prepared to fire.
• The Nine-Tails launched the Tailed Beast Ball at Kumogakure while Ay watched helplessly and the exhausted Eight-Tails could not stop it.

Ronglin halted the Nine-Tails’ attack on Kumogakure and confronted Katsuyu and a small toad, who urged him to stop. He refused to be guided by them, but became curious when they offered an exchange, leaving their proposed terms unknown.

• Katsuyu and a small toad appeared before Ronglin and warned him that the Nine-Tails’ attack would kill many people in Kumogakure.
• Ronglin froze time and space, stopping the Nine-Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb, and asked why they had come to intervene.
• Katsuyu urged Ronglin to stop, while he questioned whether Kumogakure had ties to the Great Sage Lands.
• Ronglin said he would not follow the Sage of Six Paths’ path or let others guide his choices.
• Katsuyu and the small toad offered an exchange, and Ronglin asked what they could give him.

Ronglin listened to the old toad and Katsuyu offer to take him to a place connected to the Sage of Six Paths, then redirected the Nine-Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb away from Kumogakure. He left to investigate, ordering Ay to send people to Konoha and the Nine-Tails to return with Kisame and Shisui.

• The old toad and Katsuyu asked Ronglin to stop fighting and offered to show him a place connected to the Sage of Six Paths.
• Ronglin used Shinra Tensei to redirect the Nine-Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb over Kumogakure and into the distance.
• Ronglin gave Ay ten days to send people to Konoha and ordered the Nine-Tails, Kisame, and Shisui to return to Konoha while Tsunade handled affairs in his absence.
• Ronglin departed, and Kisame and Shisui warned Ay that he would not be so forgiving next time.

After leaving Kumogakure, Ronglin set out with Katsuyu while Konoha dealt with the consequences of his absence and the world reacted to his show of strength. The Toad Sage worried that Ronglin’s appearance had disrupted its prophecy and might bring even more dangerous consequences.

• Ronglin left Kumogakure, and Shisui and Kisame Hoshigaki returned to Konoha to report his orders to Tsunade.
• Tsunade angrily complained that Ronglin had again left her to handle Konoha’s affairs, but Shisui and Kisame Hoshigaki could not tell her how long he would be gone.
• News spread that Ronglin had led a small group into Kumogakure, alarming the world and prompting Ōnoki and Iwagakure to fall quiet and strengthen their borders.
• Konoha continued its development and education plans while the Third Hokage devoted himself to establishing Ninja Academies.
• Ronglin left with Katsuyu, while the little toad returned home and the Toad Sage worried that Ronglin had disrupted its prophecy.

Ronglin visited the ruins of Uzushio Village with Lord Slug, arguing that peace depended on overwhelming strength rather than ideals. Lord Slug said what he was looking for was there, but the chapter ended before Ronglin found it.

• Ronglin stood among the ruins of Uzushio Village and reflected on the Uzumaki Clan’s destruction and scattered survivors.
• Lord Slug said the Uzumaki Clan had been destroyed despite its peaceful nature and told Ronglin that what he sought was there.
• Ronglin rejected Lord Slug’s ideas about peace and insisted that strength alone could secure peace under his rule.
• Lord Slug fell silent, and Ronglin asked where the item he needed was as he surveyed the ruined village.

Ronglin searched the ruins of Wochao Village for what Katsuyu said was hidden beneath them. He began excavating carefully by hand with a chakra-coated Kunai, but the hidden seal had not yet been reached.

• Katsuyu told Ronglin that what he wanted lay at the very bottom of the ruins.
• Ronglin prepared to use Earth Release, but Katsuyu stopped him and warned that ninjutsu could damage a hidden seal.
• Katsuyu ordered Ronglin to dig with tools, and he coated a Kunai with Wind Release Chakra.
• Ronglin rapidly dug a tunnel more than ten meters deep while reinforcing its walls, as Katsuyu watched and commented on his technique.

Ronglin dug deep beneath the Uzumaki Clan ruins until he reached a hidden seal left by the Sage of Six Paths. After sealing the tunnel entrance, he learned the seal could only be sensed from inside and asked Lord Slug how to enter.

• Ronglin dug downward through groundwater while ignoring Lord Slug's chatter.
• Ronglin struck a hard surface with his Wind Release-enhanced kunai, and Lord Slug told him he had reached the seal.
• Ronglin sealed the tunnel entrance, set inconspicuous seals, and cleared space around the hidden seal.
• Lord Slug explained that the Sage of Six Paths had made the seal difficult to detect from outside and that it worked in reverse.
• Ronglin asked how to enter the seal and decided against trying to destroy it by force.

Ronglin was tricked by Katsuyu into activating the Sage of Six Paths' seal and was pulled into a hidden underground chamber. He suspected powerful chakra had dragged him in and wondered whether the chamber had once been used for the Sage's cultivation.

• Katsuyu instructed Ronglin to bite his finger, place his bleeding hand on the seal, and channel Chakra into it.
• Ronglin activated the seal, which unleashed a powerful force and dragged him inside despite his attempt to resist.
• Katsuyu admitted she and the Great Toad had deceived Ronglin because they knew how to enter the seal's hidden place but not how to leave it.
• Ronglin sensed powerful chakra had enveloped him during his capture and wondered if it had belonged to the Sage of Six Paths.
• Ronglin surveyed a vast underground chamber lit by gems and wondered if the Sage of Six Paths had once cultivated there.

Ronglin searched a sealed space for the Sage of Six Paths' Chakra but found no trace of it and realized he was trapped. With only a little dry food and no water, he faced the prospect of starving while feeling watched.

• Ronglin examined the stone cushion and suspected the space had once been a place where the Sage of Six Paths cultivated.
• Ronglin searched the vast space but could not sense the Sage of Six Paths' Chakra and judged the unfamiliar seal difficult to break.
• Katsuyu realized Ronglin might have no food and tried to reassure herself that he had packed some.
• Ronglin found that he had only enough emergency rations for less than two days and could not summon the Nine-Tails or escape the seal.
• Ronglin cursed the old toad and the big snot slug as he felt watched and wondered whether the Sage of Six Paths' Chakra was observing him.

Trapped in a sealed space, Ronglin rejected relying on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path or the Ten-Tails to gain power and struggled to find a way out. With his food nearly gone and no water, he remained unable to break through the spatial blockade.

• Ronglin feared that relying on the Demonic Statue or becoming the Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki would lead him down Uchiha Madara's path and make him a sacrifice for Kaguya Otsutsuki.
• Ronglin realized he could not reach the Sage of Six Paths level merely by evolving his Sharingan and Byakugan.
• Ronglin threw away his tiny emergency ration and worried that he had almost no food and no water.
• Ronglin tried to use the Power of Time, but its brief burst only left his hand numb.
• Ronglin considered tearing space or attacking the seal, ruled out both options, and wondered whether the Power of Time could break the spatial blockade.