Chapter Summaries

Sasuke used a sealed ocean and lightning attacks to overwhelm Gaara, whose emerging Shukaku power forced Sasuke to evade and use Explosive Tags. The Konoha Crush began as Gaara emerged from the water injured and distressed, and Baki suspended Sunagakure's operation until Gaara recovered.

• Sasuke flooded the arena with seawater from a Sealing Scroll, making Gaara's sand slower and harder to control.
• Sasuke pierced Gaara's defense with a lightning-charged spear, toppled his sand platform, and sent him into the water before electrifying the arena.
• Gaara's sand claws emerged from the water, so Sasuke evaded them and wrapped them in Explosive Tags, stopping the pursuit.
• Gaara rose from the water coughing and crying, while Sasuke stayed back and recovered Chakra.
• Smoke Bombs signaled the Konoha Crush, and the Kazekage, disguised as Orochimaru, trapped the Third Hokage inside a Four Violet Flames Formation.
• Baki ordered Temari and Kankuro to take Gaara to rest and suspended the operation until Gaara recovered, then went to join the fighting.

Sasuke killed Baki and joined Genma in pursuing Gaara, but Gaara’s escape ended with Shukaku taking control and rampaging inside Konoha. As Konoha’s shinobi fought the Tailed Beast, Hiruzen remained trapped with Orochimaru behind the Four Violet Flames Formation.

• Sasuke used a disguise, genjutsu, and an anesthetic to make Baki reveal that he had killed Gekko Hayate, then defeated Baki with Crescent Moon: Slashing Dance and sealed his head in a scroll.
• Sasuke and Genma set off after Gaara while Temari and Kankuro tried to escape with him; Sasuke’s traps and poisoned dart slowed them and put Gaara to sleep.
• Gaara’s sand gathered around him, and Shukaku broke free of his suppression, attacked Temari and Kankuro, and charged toward Konoha.
• Kabuto Yakushi used the Nirvana Sealing Technique to put the tournament spectators to sleep, while Kakashi, Might Guy, Naruto, and others dealt with the Sound Ninja and headed toward the Tailed Beast.
• Konoha shinobi tried to stop Shukaku, but he knocked down Choza and endured their attacks before firing Sand Bullet toward the village.

Konoha’s ninja fought Shukaku with Jiraiya, Gamabunta, Naruto, and Sasuke helping to hold it back and damage it. As the battle continued, Shukaku contacted Gyuki to ask whether Kumogakure really ate Eight-Tails meat, but Gyuki blocked him.

• Konoha’s ninja attacked Shukaku with Water Style and other techniques while trying to protect the village from its sand attacks.
• Jiraiya summoned Gamabunta, who interrupted Shukaku’s Sand Burial and struck it repeatedly before returning to Mount Myōboku.
• Jiraiya and the other Konoha ninja flooded the battlefield with seawater, hampering Shukaku’s sand techniques and letting them attack it with stone spikes and lightning.
• Naruto and Sasuke hit Shukaku with a Large Ball Rasengan, and Naruto later helped Jiraiya summon Gamakichi for another attack.
• Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and other Konoha ninja hurled three giant Rasengan-like attacks at Shukaku, damaging it despite its attempt to block them with sand.
• Shukaku contacted Gyuki to ask whether Kumogakure ate Eight-Tails meat, but Gyuki blocked him.

Shukaku fought Naruto, whose Nine-Tails Chakra surfaced, then chose to retreat from Konoha. Sasuke, Kakashi, and Jiraiya pursued them, but Naruto collapsed before they left the village, and Sasuke revealed that Tsunade had made him her disciple.

• Shukaku tried to call the Nine-Tails, and Naruto suddenly erupted in a two-tailed Chakra Cloak and charged at him.
• The Nine-Tails took control of Naruto and attacked Shukaku while Gamakichi and the others joined the fight.
• Shukaku trapped Gamakichi, drove him back to Mount Myōboku, and began retreating from Konoha under a barrage of attacks.
• Sasuke followed Shukaku with Kakashi and Jiraiya, while Might Guy stayed behind to deal with the Sound Ninja and Sand Ninja.
• Naruto collapsed on a rooftop, and Sasuke told Jiraiya that Tsunade had given him a Sealing Talisman and taken him as her disciple.

After Orochimaru’s attack killed the Third Hokage and Shukaku’s rampage flooded and buried parts of Konoha, Sasuke sheltered the injured Naruto at his home and drew Jiraiya into watching over him. The chapter ended with someone knocking at Sasuke’s door before dinner was served.

• Sasuke sealed Naruto’s excess chakra, and Jiraiya examined him and said he could recover with rest and medical care.
• The barrier around the Chunin Exams arena fell, Orochimaru retreated after his hands were sealed, and the Third Hokage’s death left Asuma leading a pursuit team.
• Shukaku’s battlefield buried and flooded parts of Konoha, forcing Sasuke to block drainage outlets and raise dikes around the Uchiha grounds.
• Sasuke brought the unconscious Naruto to his home, where Jiraiya checked his injuries and agreed that he could stay there.
• Sasuke offered Jiraiya a meal and mentioned the Uchiha grounds’ neglected crops, then someone knocked at his door.

After trouble at home sent Shikamaru to Sasuke’s house, Sasuke fed a growing group of guests and prepared supplies for Konoha’s disaster response. He left Shikamaru with Jiraiya and Kakashi, then brought food to Shikaku and Yoshino as the village continued its recovery.

• Shikamaru stayed at Sasuke’s house because his family’s home needed several days of cleaning, and he reported damage to Ino’s family’s flower shop and food shortages at Choji’s home.
• Kakashi and Might Guy arrived, and Sasuke used Shadow Clones and Shikamaru’s help to cook dinner and prepare boxed meals for Rock Lee and Neji.
• Jiraiya asked for alcohol, but Sasuke gave the guests only small cups of medicinal liquor and secretly moved his good liquor elsewhere.
• Might Guy left with food for Rock Lee, and Sasuke departed for the village’s logistics center after asking the others to look after Naruto and Shikamaru.
• Sasuke donated rice, flour, and vegetables to the logistics kitchen, then delivered rice balls and snacks to Shikaku and Yoshino, who were working overtime.

Sasuke helped treat patients at Konoha’s makeshift medical station while the village recovered from the battle, then attended Hiruzen Sarutobi’s memorial service. Sunagakure surrendered after discovering that Orochimaru had killed Rasa, and Konoha’s elders sought out Jiraiya as he supervised repairs at the hot spring bathhouse.

• Sasuke offered his help at the overcrowded medical station and treated patients to gain practical experience.
• Naruto woke without apparent aftereffects from the Nine-Tails possession, and Sasuke visited Hayate’s grave before the memorial service.
• Konoha held Hiruzen Sarutobi’s brief memorial service at the Memorial Monument cemetery, where Konohamaru wept.
• Sunagakure announced that Orochimaru had killed Rasa and his guards, then surrendered unconditionally to Konoha.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu found Jiraiya spying on the women’s bathhouse while claiming to oversee its restoration.

Jiraiya agreed to seek out Tsunade after Konoha's elders pressured him to become Fifth Hokage if he failed to persuade her. Unable to find her through Neji or Kakashi, he turned to Naruto, who agreed to contact Sasuke only if Jiraiya paid a higher price.

• Konoha's elders told Jiraiya that the village had chosen him as Fifth Hokage, and he agreed to accept the position if he failed to bring Tsunade back.
• Jiraiya learned from Neji that Sasuke had a Ninja Cat named Fish Cake that could contact Tsunade.
• Kakashi told Jiraiya that Sasuke had left Konoha to stay with his master during the village's power vacuum.
• Naruto said Sasuke would return when a Hokage was chosen or Tsunade called him back.
• Naruto told Jiraiya he could contact Sasuke once, but raised his price because the matter was so important.

As Konoha struggled to rebuild, Jiraiya tried to recruit Naruto to help investigate the Akatsuki Organization’s threat to the tailed beasts. Naruto bargained for payment until Jiraiya offered to teach him Toad Summoning in exchange for becoming his master, prompting Naruto to vanish before answering.

• Itachi Uchiha and his companion observed Konoha’s destruction, and Itachi resented that the village had failed to protect itself despite his sacrifices.
• Naruto demanded 155,000 ryo from Jiraiya for intelligence, raised the price after Jiraiya hit him, and fled into town using Shadow Clones.
• Jiraiya told Kakashi that the Akatsuki Organization might be targeting the tailed beasts and asked to train Naruto for a while.
• Jiraiya offered Naruto the Toad Summoning Technique if Naruto would take him as his master, and Naruto vanished before finishing his response.

Naruto and Konoha’s ninja fought off Itachi and Kisame after the Akatsuki pair infiltrated the village seeking the Fourth Hokage’s legacy. With Kakashi incapacitated and Might Guy joining the battle, Itachi and Kisame chose to withdraw, leaving Naruto’s identity and location uncertain.

• Itachi and Kisame attacked Naruto at Sasuke’s home, and Naruto dispelled his Shadow Clones to gather information and send out clones to delay them.
• Naruto launched conspicuous flares to summon help, drawing Konoha patrols and alerting Kakashi and Jiraiya to the infiltrators.
• Kisame drained Jiraiya’s Chakra with Samehada, while Itachi used Tsukuyomi to severely injure Kakashi; Naruto’s attacks proved ineffective against the pair.
• Itachi told Jiraiya that he had come for the Fourth Hokage’s legacy, and Konoha’s gathered ninja attacked the Akatsuki pair.
• Might Guy kicked Kisame away from Jiraiya and joined the fight, while Kakashi passed out after seeing him arrive.
• Itachi stopped Kisame from fighting Might Guy, and the two Akatsuki members withdrew after saying they could seek Naruto another time.

After Akatsuki attacked Konoha, Sasuke received a message that drew Tsunade and her companions to Tanzaku Street, where Jiraiya asked Tsunade to become the next Hokage. Tsunade refused, and Naruto’s attempt to nominate himself was cut short by Sasuke.

• Akatsuki’s attack left several Konoha ninja injured, while Amaterasu’s black flames burned through part of the village before they died out.
• Tsunade won five consecutive dice games as Sasuke read a message asking him to return to Konoha and check on Kakashi; she chose to reply with the location Tanzaku Street.
• Naruto and Jiraiya received Tsunade’s reply, traveled to Tanzaku Street, and met Tsunade, Sasuke, and Shizune.
• Tsunade caught Jiraiya drinking with hostesses, beat him, and later listened as he asked her to become the next Hokage.
• Tsunade refused the position, and Naruto sprang up to nominate himself before Sasuke forced him back into his seat.

Jiraiya tried to persuade Tsunade to return to the village and become Hokage, but she refused and challenged Naruto after he insisted he would become Hokage. Tsunade defeated Naruto in a sparring match, acknowledged his strength but said he was not yet fit to be Hokage, then left with Shizune as Jiraiya asked her to show him around Tanzaku Town.

• Tsunade refused Jiraiya's request to return to the village and criticized the deaths of Hokage, while warning Naruto that becoming Hokage could cost him his life.
• Naruto reaffirmed his dream of becoming Hokage, and Tsunade challenged him to a fight in a secluded street in Tanzaku Town.
• Tsunade disarmed and threw Naruto, then countered his Shadow Clones, Rasengan, and elemental attacks with precise Taijutsu and Chakra.
• Tsunade kicked Naruto into a wall, praised his strength, and told him he was still far from qualified to become Hokage.
• Tsunade left with Shizune to find lodging, while Jiraiya asked her to show him around Tanzaku Town.

Sasuke’s encounter with Itachi and Kisame erupted into a battle that devastated Tanzaku City, while Itachi trapped Sasuke in Tsukuyomi. The chapter left Tsunade tending to Sasuke as Jiraiya and Gamahiro fought Kisame amid the flooding, with Tsunade blaming Kisame for the damage.

• Sasuke opened the door to find Itachi and Kisame, then detonated Explosive Tags that blasted through the inn and injured Kisame.
• Sasuke carried a sleeping Naruto toward Tsunade and Jiraiya, but Naruto woke and attacked Itachi with Shadow Clones while Sasuke fought through repeated illusions.
• Itachi caught Sasuke and used Tsukuyomi to make him relive the Uchiha massacre.
• Kisame flooded and wrecked much of Tanzaku City as Jiraiya entered Sage Mode and fought alongside the summoned Gamahiro.
• Tsunade treated Sasuke's injuries and told Kisame he would be charged for the damage to Tanzaku Street.

After Itachi and Kisame withdrew from Tanzaku Street, Naruto and his companions helped the injured and settled in for the night. Sasuke was left unable to use ninjutsu and had to cook dinner while Naruto entertained the summoned toads.

• Itachi and Kisame escaped under cover of a rising water formation after deciding they could not easily capture Naruto.
• Naruto revealed that he had summoned Gamahiro, and the group rested near the damaged Tanzaku Street while Jiraiya and Naruto searched for survivors.
• Tsunade and Shizune treated the injured villagers, and Sasuke helped with basic medical care until their supplies ran out.
• Naruto let Gama-Tatsu and Gamakichi stay summoned, and Sasuke shared Fish Cake’s food with them.
• The group ate dinner together, with Jiraiya cooking canned fish and asking Sasuke for alcohol.

Orochimaru confronted Tsunade and offered to revive the people she loved in exchange for treatment, but Jiraiya and Naruto intervened when she hesitated. The fight escalated into a battle between summoned toads and snakes, ending with Manda demanding sacrifices.

• Tsunade faced Orochimaru, who mocked her losses and offered a Forbidden Jutsu that could bring her loved ones back to life.
• Jiraiya arrived and warned Tsunade against accepting Orochimaru's terms, while Naruto and Sasuke helped surround Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi.
• Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi attacked, prompting Jiraiya and Naruto to summon Gamabunta and Gamahiro to battle their giant snakes.
• Kabuto Yakushi tried to sneak up on Tsunade, but Sasuke blocked his weapon and Naruto struck him with a Rasengan, driving him into the woods.
• Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi summoned Manda after their snakes were defeated, and Manda demanded a hundred human sacrifices.

Jiraiya drove Orochimaru away after their battle, and Tsunade healed the injured toads, Jiraiya, and Sasuke with Katsuyu. The group remained together after the fight, while Naruto began imagining new ways to combine Shadow Clones with summons.

• Manda used a shed-skin substitute to disarm Gamabunta, but Gamahiro pinned him down, forcing Manda to dismiss his summon.
• Jiraiya pressed his attack, but Orochimaru escaped into the darkness after declaring that he would destroy Konoha and giving Sasuke a meaningful look.
• Jiraiya told Gamabunta that Tsunade was one of them, then asked her to summon Katsuyu and treat the injured toads and Sasuke.
• Tsunade summoned Katsuyu, who healed Gamabunta, Gamahiro, Jiraiya, and Sasuke while Tsunade grumbled about being drawn into the aftermath.
• Naruto asked whether Katsuyu could split into several bodies, and Katsuyu suggested that the toads could try using Shadow Clones.

After Sasuke helped Tsunade recover from a night of treatment and battle, the group traveled through the Land of Fire while Jiraiya tried to persuade her to become Hokage. Jiraiya asked Sasuke to help, but Sasuke challenged him to explain what Tsunade had been offered in return.

• Gamakichi told Naruto that his father wanted him to summon Gamakichi, while Shizune asked Sasuke to prepare dinner for Tsunade.
• Sasuke used Shadow Clones to find food and medicine, then searched the battlefield for precious metals and collected snake blood for the Kubikiribōchō.
• Tsunade admitted that her hemophobia remained and refused to return to Konoha to become Hokage.
• After nearly a week of traveling with Tsunade, Jiraiya privately asked Sasuke to persuade her to return and offered him an A-rank Mission.
• Sasuke recounted how the village elders had sent him to deliver Tsunade a letter without warning him about her refusal, then asked Jiraiya what terms the village had offered her.
• Jiraiya admitted that he had promised Tsunade nothing beyond the Hokage position, leaving him dumbfounded by Sasuke's question.

Sasuke covertly advised Tsunade on negotiating her return to Konoha, and she agreed to become Hokage after securing 1.2 billion ryo. The chapter ended with Tsunade arriving at the battered village and growing angry at its ruined state.

• Sasuke used his Sharingan to show Tsunade an illusory plan, after which she discussed terms with Jiraiya.
• Jiraiya consulted the Council Elders, and three days later Tsunade agreed to return as Hokage for 1.2 billion ryo.
• Sasuke denied responsibility for Tsunade's enormous demand, while Shizune told him the amount and he protested that he had suggested far less.
• The Council Elders ordered preparations for Tsunade's return, and Sasuke asked whether she wanted to try exposure therapy for her hemophobia.
• Jiraiya led Tsunade and the others back to Konoha, where Tsunade saw the damaged, barren village and became furious.

Tsunade returned to Konoha and began surveying the village and its medical needs ahead of her delayed Hokage inauguration. She examined Kakashi and arranged for Sasuke to treat him, while Might Guy asked her to assess Rock Lee.

• Kotetsu and Izumo welcomed Tsunade and Jiraiya at Konoha's gate after Tsunade's return was confirmed.
• Utatane Koharu arranged to notify faction leaders and daimyo, postponing Tsunade's inauguration until the following week or later.
• Tsunade inspected Konoha Hospital's reconstruction and then visited the temporary facilities at Hokage Rock, where staff briefed her on patients and supplies.
• Tsunade examined Kakashi, and Sasuke said he could treat the lingering effects of Itachi's Tsukuyomi by treating Kakashi twice more.
• Might Guy asked Tsunade to examine Rock Lee, whose operation had been postponed until the medical facilities were ready.

Tsunade punished Neji for violating medical rules after examining Rock Lee, while Sasuke assessed Kakashi’s recovery and prescribed medicine. As night fell, Tsunade and Shizune found the village’s lodgings full, so Tsunade decided to take Jiraiya’s room.

• Tsunade examined Rock Lee and learned his injuries had been far worse than Might Guy had understood.
• Tsunade ordered Neji to copy Chapter Five of the Medical Ninja General Principles two hundred times for breaking the rules, and Neji accepted the punishment.
• Sakura reunited with Sasuke and Naruto and explained that she had worried when they disappeared and Kakashi was hospitalized.
• Sasuke assessed Kakashi’s condition, transferred some of his Yin Release Chakra, and prescribed medicine and Naruto’s Soldier Pills.
• Tsunade and Shizune found no available lodging in the village, so Tsunade decided she could take Jiraiya’s room.