Chapter Summaries

Kawafune and Tsunade reunited with their family and disciples, and the group shared a lively dinner at the Hatake Clan estate. After the drunken meal, Minato walked Kushina home while Kawafune tried to take the rowdy Tsunade to the bathroom to sober up.

• Kawafune ordered the butler to have Old Tie forge weapons, then greeted Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko, who showed off their training.
• At the Senju Clan estate, Nawaki, Minato, Kushina, and Misaki teased one another, and the group later went to dinner at the Hatake Clan estate.
• During dinner, Tsunade asked Misaki how she felt about Konoha and Nawaki, and Misaki blushed as she said Nawaki was good.
• Kawafune and Tsunade drank until they were drunk, while the younger guests finished eating and helped carry them to their rooms.
• Minato walked Kushina home and agreed to visit her after training the next day.
• When Tsunade kept demanding alcohol and disturbing his sleep, Kawafune staggered with her toward the bathroom for a cold shower, while the butler cleared the guards away.

Kawafune and Tsunade spent the night together, then set out to visit Uzumaki Mito so Kawafune could explain himself. They arrived at the Senju Residence and went to find Mito in the Living Room.

• Kawafune and Tsunade sobered up in the shower, then embraced and spent the night together in the flowing-water pool.
• Kawafune woke late, prepared breakfast, and told Tsunade he would take her back to see Uzumaki Mito.
• Kawafune brought valuable gifts, and he and Tsunade left the Hatake residence after breakfast.
• On their way through Konoha, Kawafune and Tsunade saw Minato guiding the other students at the Training Hall.
• Kawafune and Tsunade reached the Senju Residence, greeted Nawaki and Misaki, and headed to the Living Room to see Uzumaki Mito.

Tsunade brought Kawafune to visit Mito, who inspected Tsunade’s seal before hearing Kawafune ask to marry her. Mito approved and welcomed him into the family, while Tsunade teased him for laughing at her.

• Tsunade blamed Kawafune for keeping her away as she greeted Mito, who examined the Eight Trigrams Seal on Tsunade’s arm.
• The Nine-Tails confronted Chōmei inside Tsunade’s seal, but vanished before it could reach him.
• Mito warned Tsunade that the seal would weaken if she had children, then asked Kawafune why he had come.
• Kawafune told Mito he loved Tsunade and wanted to marry her, and Mito immediately gave her approval.
• Tsunade struck Kawafune for laughing at Mito’s teasing, and Mito accepted his gifts and welcomed him as family.

Kawafune and Tsunade visited the Uchiha clan grounds to see Fugaku while Sarutobi Hiruzen’s Anbu watched them. Fugaku confirmed that his Sharingan had evolved, but declined Tsunade’s offer to examine him, saying his remaining weakness was not physical.

• At lunch with Mito, Kawafune agreed to provide Misaki with ninja tools and said he would teach her later.
• Kawafune and Tsunade left for the Uchiha clan grounds, where Kawafune noticed Anbu following them.
• After the Anbu reported their destination, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Mitokado Homura discussed Kawafune’s growing power and their concerns about Tsunade succeeding Hiruzen.
• Kawafune and Tsunade met Fugaku at his residence, where Fugaku confirmed his Sharingan had evolved.
• Fugaku declined Tsunade’s offer to examine him, explaining that he knew his body and that time would heal his grief.

Kawafune urged Fugaku to consolidate his authority and help turn village opinion against Sarutobi Hiruzen, while Tsunade and Kawafune later checked the Hashirama Cell research. Tsunade found one promising fusion result—a living finger—and planned to observe its stability before attempting live experiments.

• Kawafune warned Fugaku that he needed to rein in the clan elders and protect the Uchiha Clan from outside interference, and Fugaku agreed to act firmly.
• Kawafune told Fugaku that Anbu were watching them, and Tsunade said Sarutobi Hiruzen was no longer suited to remain Hokage.
• Kawafune asked Fugaku to secretly guide public dissatisfaction toward Sarutobi Hiruzen for staying away from the war front, and Fugaku agreed to help Tsunade take power.
• Fugaku revealed that his Mangekyō Sharingan technique was Amaterasu and said using it had already weakened the vision in his left eye.
• Tsunade returned to the laboratory with Kawafune and examined ten cell culture dishes, finding one dish containing a living, fused finger.
• Tsunade said she would monitor the finger's stability before trying live experiments, then found no other successful cultures among the remaining dishes.

After Tsunade finished testing the finger in her laboratory, she dragged Kawafune to a casino and lost most of the three million ryō she withdrew from the hospital. Kawafune won back nearly all the money and brought her home, where Mito scolded her for gambling.

• Tsunade finished recording her experiments, then took Kawafune by the hand and left the laboratory.
• Tsunade checked the hospital accounts, withdrew three million ryō, and took Kawafune to her favorite casino.
• Tsunade lost bet after bet while Kawafune won money, and she ran out of funds before he persuaded her to leave.
• Kawafune used Flying Thunder God to take Tsunade to the Senju Residence, where he returned almost all the money she had lost.
• Mito scolded Tsunade for inheriting Hashirama's gambling habit, and Kawafune left after eating with her.

In Kumogakure, Jonael’s worsening Two-Tails rampages prompted the Raikage to send three kidnappers to Konoha in search of a perfect Jinchuriki. At the Training Hall, Kawafune teased Sakumo while he tried to teach Kakashi to say “Dad,” and the chapter ended with Kakashi finally saying it.

• Jonael went on another rampage until Kumogakure’s Sealing Squad subdued him and resealed the Two-Tails.
• The Raikage ordered Blue B to send three skilled Jonin to Konoha to bring back candidates alive for a perfect Jinchuriki plan.
• Kawafune visited Sakumo, Nayuki, Kakashi, and the dogs at the Training Hall and joked about Ghost Mastiff’s puppy.
• Kawafune tricked Sakumo into answering “Dad” when Kakashi was meant to imitate him, then fled as Sakumo reached for him.
• Kakashi finally called Sakumo “Dad,” delighting Sakumo and Nayuki.

Kawafune checked his disciples’ training, watching Konan demonstrate her paper technique and Nagato and Yahiko spar. Back at the Training Hall, Minato completed his new technique, which Kawafune named Rasengan after rejecting Minato’s comically long suggestion.

• Kawafune brought his disciples to the Training Hall and asked them to show their progress.
• Konan demonstrated Dance of the Shikigami, impressing Kawafune and Sakumo with her developing technique.
• Kawafune took Nagato and Yahiko to a remote training ground, where they sparred and Nagato’s Rinnegan instinctively unleashed Shinra Tensei.
• Kawafune returned with Nagato and Yahiko and found that Minato had completed his new technique by breaking a tree with it.
• Minato proposed the name Light Wheel Ice Pop Inspired Swirling Hair Kawafune Twin-Style Sphere, but Kawafune suggested Rasengan, which the others accepted.

Minato demonstrated the Rasengan, but his vague explanation left Kawafune, Sakumo, and the younger trainees confused. The chapter ended with Tsunade planning experiments on Chōmei’s cells and Kushina offering to explain the Rasengan to Nawaki.

• Minato demonstrated the Rasengan and described it as a water balloon that went “wham” and exploded, while Kawafune pretended to understand and advised him to develop it further.
• Kawafune escaped Sakumo’s pursuit with a trick, and Sakumo welcomed Yūhi Shinku’s family, where both families agreed to a childhood engagement between Kakashi and Kurenai.
• Kawafune visited Tsunade, who explained her plan to cultivate Chōmei’s cells and seal them into a human body to grant some of a Tailed Beast’s power.
• Tsunade agreed that she could work on the experiment with Orochimaru when he returned, while Kawafune considered asking Nawaki for news about him.
• Minato demonstrated the Rasengan to Nawaki, whose frustration at Minato’s “kaang and paang” explanation eased when Kushina offered to organize the technique’s key points.

After Sarutobi Hiruzen pressured Fugaku to let outsiders join the Uchiha-run Police Force, Fugaku sought Kawafune’s advice. Kawafune urged him to agree while protecting the force’s core members, leaving Fugaku resolved to accept on those terms.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Fugaku and used complaints about a street brawl to justify placing outsiders in the Police Force.
• Fugaku refused Sarutobi Hiruzen and Mitokado Homura’s proposal, then left to consult Kawafune.
• Fugaku told Kawafune how Sarutobi Hiruzen had tried to take control of the Police Force.
• Kawafune advised Fugaku to accept the newcomers, negotiate allowances, and keep the Uchiha’s core members in control.
• Fugaku accepted Kawafune’s advice and left the Hatake Clan residence after talking with him.

Fugaku secured the Uchiha clan’s support for changing the Police Force’s leadership and secretly spread word of the Hokage’s plans. Meanwhile, three Kumogakure ninjas abducted Kushina, and Minato, Nawaki, and Misaki realized she had not come home and went for help.

• Fugaku persuaded most of the Uchiha clan to accept changes to the Police Force, then ordered capable people to replace its key personnel.
• Fugaku told Ao to discreetly spread information about the dispute with Sarutobi Hiruzen.
• A Konoha fruit-shop owner gave three Kumogakure ninjas Kushina’s route home from the Ninja Academy.
• The Cloud Ninjas ambushed Kushina in an alley, knocked her unconscious, and carried her toward the outskirts of Konoha.
• When Kushina failed to return, Minato, Nawaki, and Misaki went looking for her; Minato went to find Kawafune while Nawaki took Misaki to the hospital to find Tsunade.

Kushina was abducted by three Cloud Ninja, prompting Konoha to launch a frantic search while Minato and Kawafune pursued them. Orochimaru rescued her on the way to the Land of Tea, and she reunited safely with Minato in Konoha.

• Minato learned Kushina was missing, and Kawafune suspected Cloud Ninja had taken her; they split up to search outside Konoha.
• Tsunade informed Sarutobi Hiruzen, who mobilized Konoha to search for Kushina, while the Cloud Ninja avoided the obvious route and headed toward the Land of Tea.
• Kushina woke during the journey and struggled, but Orochimaru ambushed the Cloud Ninja, rescued her, and captured them.
• Orochimaru brought Kushina back toward Konoha and handed the three unconscious Cloud Ninja over to searching Konoha ninja.
• Tsunade relayed news of Kushina's rescue to Kawafune and Minato, who returned to Konoha and went to the Senju Residence.
• Kushina and Minato reunited, embraced, and comforted each other as Minato apologized for failing to protect her.

Kawafune reunited with Orochimaru over dinner, and they discussed research plans and a possible mission to Kumogakure. The adults drank themselves to sleep, while Nawaki helped his teacher to bed and heard Orochimaru promise to take him to learn Ryūchi Cave senjutsu when he was older.

• Kawafune welcomed Orochimaru home, and Orochimaru congratulated him on Konoha's wartime success before joining the others for dinner.
• Nawaki introduced Uzumaki Misaki to Orochimaru, who praised Nawaki and invited Misaki to visit his home the next day.
• Orochimaru expressed interest in researching the captive Pakura, but Kawafune persuaded him to help Tsunade with an important experiment instead.
• Kawafune told Orochimaru he suspected Kumogakure's tailed beast was connected to what happened to Kushina, and Orochimaru agreed to join him on a future mission there.
• Kawafune, Tsunade, and Orochimaru held a drinking contest and passed out, after which Nawaki used the Light-Weight Rock Technique to help Orochimaru to bed.
• Orochimaru promised Nawaki he would take him to learn the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave when he was older.

Kawafune and Tsunade showed Orochimaru their research on a cultivated Hashirama-cell finger and Seven-Tails cells, and he eagerly joined their work. Orochimaru then received Sarutobi Hiruzen’s permission to study Pakura’s Kekkei Genkai for one year and took her out of the Anbu prison, leaving her unsure where he was bringing her.

• Kawafune joined Tsunade and Orochimaru at the hospital, where Tsunade revealed her Hashirama-cell and Seven-Tails-cell experiments and Orochimaru offered to help.
• Kawafune left the laboratory and fell asleep while Tsunade and Orochimaru reviewed her research notes.
• Orochimaru visited Sarutobi Hiruzen and requested permission to study Pakura’s Kekkei Genkai, promising not to kill her.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen authorized Orochimaru to take Pakura for one year, and Orochimaru collected her from the Anbu prison.
• Pakura followed Orochimaru through Konoha, confused about where he was taking her.

Orochimaru brought Pakura to his home and told her she would stay there for a year while he studied her Scorch Release. Over the following week, they settled into a routine, and Orochimaru continued his research while Pakura cooperated.

• Orochimaru took Pakura to his house, where she bathed, ate with him, and agreed to share her Scorch Release insights in exchange for him looking after her.
• Orochimaru gave Pakura money to buy necessities and a scroll for her research notes, then left to work with Tsunade and Kawafune.
• Tsunade teased Orochimaru about Pakura, while Kawafune joked about his bringing her home before Tsunade sent Kawafune away.
• Pakura told Orochimaru she had spent all the money and finished writing her notes, so Orochimaru cooked for her.
• Over the next week, Orochimaru studied Pakura's notes and practiced combining Wind and Fire Release, while Nawaki brought Misaki to visit and Orochimaru gave her a precious gift.

Kawafune secured Sarutobi Hiruzen’s approval for a secret mission to Kumogakure in response to Kushina’s attempted kidnapping, then arranged to leave with Orochimaru the next day. Before their departure, Kawafune spent time with Tsunade, while Orochimaru said goodbye to Pakura.

• Kawafune asked Sarutobi Hiruzen to authorize a mission against Kumogakure over its attempt to abduct Kushina, and Hiruzen issued a classified ultra S-rank mission document.
• Kawafune visited Orochimaru and confirmed they would depart for Kumogakure the following day, then stayed to eat snake stew.
• Tsunade told Kawafune she feared the mission was too risky, and Kawafune reassured her before taking her to his bedroom.
• Orochimaru told Pakura he was leaving on a mission and left her money to use while he was away.

Kawafune and Orochimaru left Konoha for a mission in the Land of Lightning, stopping in the Land of Hot Water along the way. At a hot spring, Kawafune warned Orochimaru that Sarutobi Hiruzen might have exposed their plans, but Orochimaru remained committed to going to Kumogakure.

• Kawafune said goodbye to Sakumo before meeting Orochimaru and leaving Konoha for the Land of Hot Water.
• Kawafune teased Orochimaru about having a child with Pakura, and Orochimaru retaliated by mocking Kawafune about Tsunade.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen learned that Orochimaru had joined Kawafune and told Mitokado Homura to spread the news, deciding to act despite their master-disciple bond.
• Kawafune admitted that he had no mission plan and relied on Orochimaru to think things through as they traveled.
• Kawafune and Orochimaru reached the Land of Hot Water and chose a premium hot spring near Crescent Moon Island.
• Kawafune warned Orochimaru that their operation might have been exposed by Sarutobi Hiruzen, but Orochimaru refused to turn back and vowed to continue to Kumogakure.

Kawafune and Orochimaru traveled to the Land of Lightning to infiltrate Kumogakure, where the Third Raikage had put the village on alert after learning they were coming. They entered the village under disguises and prepared to cause trouble, while Kawafune planned to pursue something he wanted.

• The Third Raikage learned that Kawafune and Orochimaru were heading for Kumogakure and ordered the village placed on high alert.
• Kawafune and Orochimaru crossed the Land of Lightning, discussed their plans to recreate Wood Style, and blamed Sarutobi Hiruzen for leaking their mission.
• Kawafune told Orochimaru that he wanted Tsunade to become Hokage, and Orochimaru decided they should rely on themselves rather than contact potentially exposed spies.
• Orochimaru disguised himself as a scarred Kumogakure local and passed through the checkpoints, while Kawafune waited before using Flying Thunder God to join him.
• Kawafune and Orochimaru blended into Kumogakure's crowds, and Kawafune revealed that he intended to take a risk to obtain something he wanted.

Kawafune and Orochimaru learned that Jonael, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, was gravely weakened and abducted two Cloud Ninja to obtain their identities. They took the men’s appearances and prepared to infiltrate Kumogakure while keeping contact with others to a minimum.

• Kawafune and Orochimaru overheard Cloud Ninja discussing Jonael’s frequent rampages and worsening condition, and realized the Two-Tails Jinchuriki might be unable to fight.
• Kawafune and Orochimaru followed a Sealing Squad ninja home, subdued him, and captured another Cloud Ninja who arrived at the house.
• Orochimaru interrogated the two prisoners and returned with their personal information.
• Kawafune transformed into Katsumura Yota, while Orochimaru took the appearance of Kitahara Sosuke, and they reviewed the identities they would use.
• Orochimaru warned Kawafune to limit their contact with others to reduce the risk of exposure.

Kawafune and Orochimaru infiltrated Kumogakure to gather information on Blue B and the village’s sealing research. Their investigation brought Blue B to the Sealing Squad, where his fear of death and the Eight-Tails’ growing restlessness gave Kawafune an opening.

• Kawafune and Orochimaru discussed targeting the Two-Tails’ jinchuriki, then shared a meal and spent the night bickering.
• Kawafune joined the Sealing Squad under Katsumura Yota’s identity and suggested inviting Blue B to help improve the Iron Armor Seal.
• The squad leader sent Sato to find Blue B, while Orochimaru delivered documents to the Raikage and saw photographs of himself and Kawafune marked with red Xs.
• Orochimaru returned to his workstation without being exposed, and Kawafune watched Sato bring Blue B to the Sealing Squad.
• Blue B said Jonael’s decline had made him fear death, while the Eight-Tails inside him had grown restless, and he asked whether his Iron Armor Seal could be strengthened.