Chapter Summaries

Naruto grew close to Satsuki through regular training and earned new system points by strengthening his bonds with her and Kurama. After spending the points on a ten-pull, he gained Earth Release aptitude, more chakra, improved sealing talent, and money.

• Naruto trained with Satsuki most afternoons after Fugaku allowed her to meet him, while forbidding her from telling other clan members.
• Satsuki grew comfortable with Naruto, shared meals with him, and discussed their dreams as she began to develop feelings for him.
• Naruto received 500 points for forming a Level 5 bond with Satsuki.
• After missing one nightly visit, Naruto found Kurama sulking, then received 400 points for forming a Level 3 bond with him.
• Naruto spent his accumulated points on a ten-pull and gained Earth-nature chakra adaptation, increased chakra reserves, better Sealing Jutsu talent, and common currency.

Naruto learned that the Hyūga crisis had begun and watched Konoha send Hizashi away as a sacrifice to Cloud Village. He used a Shadow Clone to evade his Anbu watchers, transformed with the Menma Uzumaki Template Trial Card, and set out to confront the Cloud ninja.

• Naruto received the system quest to intercept the Cloud convoy and change Hizashi Hyuga's fate.
• Cloud ninja attempted to kidnap Hinata, and Hyuga Hiashi killed the envoy, triggering a diplomatic crisis.
• Homura and Koharu pressured the Hyūga Clan into offering Hizashi as a sacrifice, and Cloud ninja escorted him out of Konoha.
• Naruto sent a Shadow Clone to draw away the Anbu and transformed into an ordinary villager to leave the village unnoticed.
• Naruto activated the Menma Uzumaki Template Trial Card, took on Menma's adult masked appearance, and vanished toward the Cloud ninja.

Zuri's Hidden Cloud convoy was ambushed by a masked stranger demanding Hizashi Hyuga and the Byakugan. The stranger's nine Summoning Beasts overwhelmed the convoy, while he swiftly defeated Zuri and pinned him to the ground.

• Zuri worried that Konoha might interfere with Hidden Cloud's return journey with the captured Hizashi Hyuga.
• A black-robed figure in a Fox Mask blocked the road and summoned nine enormous beasts.
• The masked figure demanded that Hidden Cloud hand over the power of the Byakugan.
• Zuri ordered the convoy to attack, but their Lightning Release techniques were stopped by an invisible barrier.
• The Nine-Headed Beasts charged the Hidden Cloud ninja, and the masked figure struck Zuri down and pinned him to the dirt.

The masked black-robed figure slaughtered the Kumogakure convoy after Zuri refused to surrender the Byakugan, then freed Hizashi Hyuga from the prison wagon. He left one Kumogakure Ninja alive to carry a message to the Raikage before vanishing with Hizashi and the Byakugan.

• Zuri refused to hand over the Byakugan, and the black-robed figure condemned his justification before snapping his neck.
• The Nine-Headed Beasts killed the Kumogakure Ninja until the black-robed figure ordered them to leave one survivor alive.
• The black-robed figure broke open the prison wagon and freed the blindfolded, bound Hizashi Hyuga.
• The black-robed figure told the surviving Kumogakure Ninja to tell the Raikage to seek revenge and the Byakugan in the Land of Fire.
• The black-robed figure vanished with Hizashi and the Summoning Beasts, and the survivor fled toward the Hidden Cloud Village.

Menma explained to Hizashi Hyuga that he had saved him because he could not stand to see an innocent man sacrificed, not for the Byakugan. He gave Hizashi a mark that could help stop the Caged Bird curse and promised to arrange a secret reunion with Neji, then vanished as a Shadow Clone.

• Hizashi asked Menma why he had rescued him, and Menma said he had acted because he could not stand the injustice of Konoha sacrificing an innocent man.
• Hizashi thanked Menma and pledged his loyalty, but warned that the Caged Bird curse could still kill him.
• Menma told Hizashi that he knew the Hyuga Main Family might activate the curse and insisted Hizashi still wanted to live for Neji.
• Menma placed a chakra mark on Hizashi and instructed him to channel chakra into it if the Caged Bird activated.
• Menma promised to help Hizashi survive and arrange a secret meeting with Neji, then disappeared, revealing that he had been a Shadow Clone.

After a masked attacker slaughtered Hidden Cloud’s delegation and took the Hyuga captive, the Fourth Raikage prepared to travel to the Land of Fire to confront him. The news reached Konoha and stirred both anger and fear as Hidden Cloud threatened war unless Konoha handed over the attacker and the captive.

• The Fourth Raikage learned that twenty-seven Hidden Cloud Ninjas had died, while Rachi was too traumatized to continue as a ninja.
• Mabui reported that Killer B and Yugito would defend the village, and the Fourth Raikage set out for the Land of Fire with Shii and Darui.
• Konoha resumed its uneasy routine, while Neji Hyuga mourned his missing father and Hiashi Hyuga remained grim.
• News spread that the masked man had wiped out the Hidden Cloud delegation, taken the Hyuga captive, and declared that he would claim the Byakugan.
• Hidden Cloud accused Konoha of protecting the attacker and threatened war unless Konoha handed over both him and the captive, leaving the village fearful of conflict.

As the Raikage confronted Konoha’s leaders over the Hidden Cloud delegation’s destruction, Naruto prepared to resolve the dispute and make the Masked Man feared across the Ninja World. An explosion interrupted the negotiations, and a Konoha ninja reported that a Fox-Masked attacker had invaded and named the Raikage as his target.

• The Raikage entered the Land of Fire with Shii, Darui, and more than twenty Hidden Cloud Jonin to pressure Konoha over the Masked Man.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kobutsu Koharu, and Mitokado Homura discussed how to handle the Raikage’s arrival, while Naruto received the Crazy Diamond ability and points for completing his quest and bonding with Hizashi.
• Naruto settled Hizashi and resumed training before deciding to act while the Raikage met with Konoha’s leaders.
• The Raikage accused Konoha of conspiring against Hidden Cloud, and Hiruzen argued that the evidence could have been fabricated to provoke conflict.
• An explosion shook the Hokage Building, and a Konoha ninja announced that a Fox-Masked attacker had invaded and specifically targeted the Raikage.

Menma, disguised as the Masked Man, attacked Konoha’s gate and confronted the Raikage, while his nine Summoning Beasts overwhelmed the defenders. The Raikage struck Menma with a Lariat, but Menma escaped using Space-Time Ninjutsu and reappeared nearby, where the Raikage demanded to know who he was.

• The Raikage heard that the Masked Man had appeared and raced toward the explosion as the Third Hokage ordered Konoha to raise its alert and evacuate civilians.
• Menma appeared at Konoha’s collapsed main gate with nine Summoning Beasts and warned the defenders that his target was the Raikage.
• The Azure Dragon struck down a Hidden Cloud Jonin, while the Southern Dipper Sage and Northern Dipper Sage immobilized the other charging Hidden Cloud ninja.
• Darui and Shii attacked the Summoning Beasts, but Shii’s genjutsu failed and Darui was forced back by the White Tiger.
• Menma appeared behind Darui, but the Raikage intercepted him with a Lariat that blasted apart the ground.
• Menma vanished from the Raikage’s strike and reappeared twenty meters away, prompting the Raikage to ask who he was.

Menma confronted the Raikage and Konoha, then revealed his plan to impose peace by destroying any nation that started a war. He declared himself war itself and left the Raikage and Hiruzen facing his threat.

• Menma gave his name and told the Raikage he had no backing because he led his own organization.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha Anbu arrived, and Hiruzen persuaded the Raikage to join forces against Menma.
• Menma declared that he had come to kill the Raikage, then used Flying Thunder God to evade the Raikage's attack and strike him with a Rasenshuriken.
• The Raikage hurled Menma's Rasenshuriken into the sky, where it exploded above Konoha and alarmed Hiruzen.
• Menma explained that he would become war itself, destroying armies and crushing the ambitions of any nation that tried to start a conflict.

Menma threatened the Ninja World with a devastating attack while the Raikage and Konoha forces prepared to fight his Summoning Beasts. The real Naruto revealed that Menma was his Shadow Clone, then let Satsuki drag him toward shelter after she rushed out to find him.

• Menma declared war on the Ninja World and hurled a black Rasenshuriken into a distant forest, leaving a vast crater.
• The Raikage charged after Menma, while the Nine-Headed Beasts blocked Shii, Darui, and Konoha's forces from following.
• Naruto watched from a rooftop and revealed that Menma was his Shadow Clone using an experience card; he planned to build Menma's villainous reputation and present himself as Konoha's protector.
• Satsuki found Naruto on the rooftop, grabbed his ear, and scolded him for being outside during the invasion.
• Satsuki admitted through her actions that she had feared for Naruto's safety and pulled him toward the shelter.

Menma used Flying Thunder God and Rasenshuriken to wear down the Raikage, who fought to prove he was the fastest in the Ninja World. Menma then said he wanted to end the battle and prepared a Great Rasenshuriken against the restrained Raikage.

• The Raikage attacked Menma, but Menma evaded with Flying Thunder God and struck his back with a Rasenshuriken.
• The Raikage dodged Menma’s next Rasenshuriken and continued fighting as they traded lightning-fast attacks across the battlefield.
• Menma’s teleportation and repeated Rasenshuriken blasts wore down the Raikage, injuring him and draining his Lightning Release Armor.
• Menma unexpectedly said he no longer wanted to fight, then clarified that he intended to end the battle.
• Menma unleashed Wind Release to restrict the Raikage’s movement and formed a Great Rasenshuriken above him.

The Third Hokage and Konoha’s defenders battled the Nine-Headed Beasts until the beasts vanished and Uzumaki Menma appeared above the village. Menma began lowering the Great Spiraling Ring toward Konoha, leaving the village facing imminent destruction.

• The Third Hokage fought the Nine-Headed Beasts with help from Shii, Darui, and the Konoha Anbu, then prepared to unleash the Five Release: Great Combined Bullet Technique.
• The Nine-Headed Beasts vanished before the Third Hokage could release his jutsu, and he spotted a figure hovering in the sky.
• The Third Hokage ordered Hyuga Sakufuu to investigate, and Sakufuu used his Byakugan to see Menma’s terrifying chakra.
• Sakufuu warned the Third Hokage that Menma’s jutsu could level the entire village, prompting the Hokage to order the Sealing Squad to raise a barrier.
• Uzumaki Menma formed the Great Spiraling Ring and began lowering it toward Konoha as space fractured around the sphere.

Menma’s Great Rasenshuriken devastated the forest, while the Raikage escaped and the Third Hokage held the Four Violet Flames Formation around Konoha. The village survived, but the surrounding landscape was erased, leaving the Third Hokage to witness a vast crater.

• The Raikage broke free of the storm and fled beyond the blast zone, deciding that surviving would best serve Hidden Cloud.
• Darui stopped Shii from rushing to the Raikage’s aid and urged him to trust their leader.
• The Third Hokage and his Shadow Clones raised the Four Violet Flames Formation around Konoha as Menma’s Great Rasenshuriken struck.
• The blast erased the forest and carved a vast crater, while the barrier protected Konoha at the cost of the Third Hokage’s strength.
• The Third Hokage recovered with medical aid and saw that Konoha remained intact, but the surrounding land had been reduced to ash and vitrified rock.

Menma defeated the Raikage and confronted the Konoha and Hidden Cloud shinobi, making clear he intended to prevent war rather than destroy Konoha. He named his organization Ashes and vanished, leaving the survivors with a warning to accept peace or face real war.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi surveyed the vast crater and realized Menma had spared Konoha deliberately.
• Menma returned with the badly injured Raikage and dismissed the power of a Kage.
• Darui restrained Shii and offered Hidden Cloud’s compensation and a promise to abandon the war.
• Menma warned Hiruzen not to use the Reaper Death Seal, then rejected the Tailed Beasts as compensation.
• Menma announced that his organization was called Ashes and warned the shinobi to accept peace or face war.
• Menma vanished in a Chakra storm, leaving the unconscious Raikage behind.

Naruto reflected on his Shadow Clone’s creation of Ashes and its plan to gather powerful allies against the Otsutsuki. Menma’s attack on Konoha frightened the Ninja World into a temporary peace, while rival powers began investigating Ashes and Naruto vanished from public view.

• Naruto remembered the Shadow Clone’s battle and decided Ashes would recruit unconventional fighters to prepare for the Otsutsuki.
• Hidden Cloud publicized Menma’s power after the Raikage was gravely wounded, while the Third Hokage formed a cautious Anbu reconnaissance team and summoned Jiraiya and Tsunade.
• Ōnoki condemned Hidden Cloud publicly but secretly placed a bounty on information about Menma and Ashes.
• Obito ordered Black Zetsu to investigate Ashes, and Nagato decided to seek contact with the organization.
• The major ninja villages halted diplomatic conflicts, but Menma and Ashes disappeared without leaving a trace.

Naruto used his space-time jutsu to bring Neji to Hizashi, who had been reborn after everyone had forgotten the Hyuga branch member caught up in the crisis. The chapter ended with father and son reunited.

• Naruto waited for Konoha's turmoil to settle before acting to find Hizashi.
• Neji grieved alone, believing his father had become the Main Family's scapegoat and might never return.
• Naruto arrived at Neji's room in disguise and took him away through space-time displacement.
• Naruto told Neji to open a door, and Neji found Hizashi waiting inside.
• Hizashi called Neji by name as they reunited.

Neji reunited with his father Hizashi, who explained the truth behind his near-sacrifice and urged him not to let hatred or the Branch Family’s fate define his choices. As dawn approached, father and son shared a quiet conversation, with Naruto watching over them.

• Neji tested whether Hizashi’s return was a genjutsu, then broke down and embraced his father.
• Hizashi told Neji that Naruto, wearing a Fox Mask, had rescued him from the Kumogakure convoy.
• Hizashi explained that Hiashi had rejected the plan to sacrifice him, but Hizashi had volunteered to die in his brother’s place.
• Hizashi told Neji that he chose to protect someone he loved and urged him to find what he wanted to protect rather than live for the Main Family.
• Hizashi gave Neji ordinary advice and reassurances as they talked together until dawn.

Naruto returned Neji to Konoha after Hizashi chose to let his son grow up safely rather than follow him into hiding. Neji accepted Menma’s challenge to grow strong enough to stand before him, and began a new life with Menma’s Fox Mask as a promise.

• Hizashi told Neji he wanted him to grow up in Konoha and form bonds of his own, then embraced him before they parted.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God to return Neji safely to his room in the Hyūga Branch Family residence.
• Naruto urged Neji not to waste Hizashi’s sacrifice and told him that strength could help him change his fate.
• Neji insisted that he wanted to become strong by his own choice and asked Naruto for a chance to prove himself.
• Naruto gave Neji his Fox Mask and told him to bring it when he was confident enough to stand before him.
• Neji watched Naruto disappear and resolved to begin a new life.

Naruto put Hizashi in charge of establishing Ashes’ base in the Land of Hot Water and discovered that his stockpile of Chakra Metal could provide far more startup capital than he expected. The organization remained tiny, but Hizashi began planning its public cover and hidden headquarters.

• Hizashi thanked Naruto for arranging his reunion with Neji, and the system rewarded Naruto with maxed-out bonds with both Hyuga.
• Naruto learned that Satsuki saw him as her dearest friend and might eventually become his soulmate or lover, leaving him flustered by the possibility.
• Naruto told Hizashi that Ashes had only two members and assigned him to build a concealed base in the Land of Hot Water while Naruto handled recruitment.
• Naruto revealed a piece of Chakra Metal, and Hizashi valued it at about one hundred thousand ryō per gram.
• Naruto realized his 1,500 grams of Chakra Metal could be worth 150 million ryō.

Naruto returned to Konoha and met Might Guy while training, then challenged him to a taijutsu race. Guy recognized Naruto’s resolve and accepted him as an opponent, leaving the two running together.

• Naruto gave Hizashi 1,000 grams of Chakra Metal and a Ninja World manuscript of Battle Through the Heavens, then reminded him to activate the Flying Thunder God mark in an emergency.
• Naruto returned to Konoha, bought more Fox Masks in disguise, and resumed his training routine.
• Naruto approached the returning Might Guy and challenged him to a race, saying he wanted to become strong enough to protect the people important to him.
• Might Guy accepted Naruto as an opponent and set off at a pace the child could nearly keep up with.