Recaps

Kawafune backed Tsunade’s plan to build a hospital, resisted Danzo and the Uchiha Clan’s efforts to control or obstruct it, and prepared to draw their opposition out. As Tsunade began the project, Kawafune urged her to pursue the Hokage position and helped her plan how to earn public support.

• Kawafune supported Tsunade’s medical-ninja proposal, began training Nawaki, and proposed that they establish a hospital with Tsunade as its director.
• Kawafune developed the Flying Thunder God Technique, while Tsunade secured Hiruzen’s approval to buy land for the hospital and Kawafune provided the 100 million ryo payment.
• Danzo tried to claim control of the hospital, but Kawafune and Sakumo drove him off, and Kawafune proposed Utatane Koharu as its nominal vice director.
• Danzo and the Uchiha Clan Head agreed to cooperate against the hospital, while Fugaku remembered his defeat by Kawafune and resolved to avoid him.
• The Slug Sage identified Kawafune’s exceptional vitality and suggested he could learn Shikkotsu Forest Sage Art, so Kawafune signed the summoning contract and planned a visit to the forest.
• Tsunade began construction with a small crew as bait, while she and Kawafune watched from nearby and Uchiha scouts reported the activity to their clan head.
• Kawafune urged Tsunade to make becoming Hokage her goal and outlined how the hospital and her work during the coming war could help her win public support.

Kawafune secured Uchiha support for the hospital, trained in Sage Art, and guided Minato and Nawaki as their lives and skills developed. When war broke out with the Land of Rain, he led them to the front, where they fought Rain Ninja and joined Konoha’s expanding forces.

• Kawafune exposed the Uchiha Clan’s plot against the hospital, killed Danzo during the ensuing battle, and secured the Uchiha Clan Head’s agreement to support the hospital.
• Kawafune helped Tsunade establish the hospital and her research, accepted Minato as his disciple, and began training him after Minato confessed his feelings to Kushina.
• Kawafune mastered Sage Art in Shikkotsu Forest, then had Minato sign the Slug Sage’s contract and assigned him to develop a new ninjutsu.
• Kawafune arranged for Orochimaru to train Minato and Nawaki, helped Might Duy enter the Chunin ranks, and supported Sakumo as he began learning the Eight Gates from Duy.
• After Hanzō declared war, Kawafune joined Orochimaru’s deployment with Sakumo, Minato, Nawaki, and Duy, then moved ahead to the Land of Rain and took command of the battered advance camp.
• Kawafune led Minato and Nawaki on a mission, where he killed a Rain Jonin and watched the boys defeat three Rain Chunin, after which he treated Nawaki and praised them.
• Sakumo and Might Duy killed twenty Rain Ninja, and when Orochimaru arrived with Konoha’s main force, Kawafune warned him that Hanzō might be buying time.

Kawafune helped Konoha defeat Hanzō, then adopted Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan as his disciples. As the war spread, he and Tsunade set out to take the Seven-Tails from Takigakure, where the village refused to surrender it.

• Konoha’s forces suffered a devastating defeat to Hanzō and Ibuse, then returned with Tsunade and Orochimaru leading a new expedition into the Land of Rain.
• Kawafune killed Hanzō and Ibuse during the battle, and Konoha’s reinforcements arrived to support the survivors.
• On the journey home, Kawafune met Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan and brought them to Konoha as his disciples.
• Kawafune adopted the three children, reunited with his family, and began teaching them, including examining Nagato’s Rinnegan and starting his Chakra training.
• Tsunade accepted Kawafune’s request to become a Hatake, and she later agreed to help capture the Seven-Tails from Takigakure.
• Kawafune and Tsunade traveled with Konoha’s forces to Takigakure, where Nawaki and Minato repelled the village ninja before Kawafune demanded the Seven-Tails.

Kawafune and Tsunade led Konoha’s campaign against Sunagakure, defeating Chiyo and Ebizo while Tsunade fought Shukaku. As Konoha and Sunagakure’s armies faced off, Kawafune protected the supply convoy from the Third Kazekage, who withdrew wounded and warned Rasa not to underestimate him.

• Kawafune took the Seven-Tails from Takigakure, and Tsunade sealed its Chakra within herself before the group rejoined Konoha’s forces.
• Tsunade led Konoha through the Land of Rain and into the Land of Wind, where Chiyo’s night raid and Sakumo’s counterattack left Chiyo’s son and daughter-in-law dead.
• Konoha launched a large-scale offensive, and Kawafune and Tsunade helped defeat Chiyo and Ebizo while Might Duy was badly injured fighting the Sand Ninja.
• The Third Kazekage prepared Sunagakure for battle as Konoha advanced, and Tsunade fought Shukaku after Bunbuku transformed into him.
• Tsunade wounded Shukaku by striking the base of his tail, but his Sand Shield stalled the fight, and both armies withdrew at nightfall.
• Kawafune escorted Konoha’s supply convoy while the main forces continued fighting, and the Third Kazekage ambushed the convoy with Iron Sand.
• Kawafune battled the Third Kazekage while Minato and Nawaki fought Rasa, and the Kazekage eventually withdrew after being wounded.