Chapter Summaries

Naruto explained to Jiraiya and Tsunade how Uzushio Village differed from Konoha and outlined a radical path for reform. After Naruto left, Tsunade agreed to return temporarily, and Jiraiya resolved to pursue the Hokage position and challenge Konoha’s old leadership.

• Naruto told Jiraiya that he had guessed his plan to reform Konoha and reminded him that he had sought Tsunade’s support to become Fifth Hokage.
• Naruto described Uzushio Village’s principles and advised Jiraiya to seize control, develop Chakra technology, and confront the Daimyo’s power.
• Naruto left after wishing Jiraiya and Tsunade luck in becoming Fifth Hokage, while they chose not to stop him or provoke conflict with Uzushio Village.
• Tsunade proposed uniting Konoha’s Ninja Clans against the old leadership and Danzo, and said Kakashi still had evidence of Danzo’s crimes.
• Tsunade said she would return only temporarily and urged Jiraiya to become Hokage, and he resolved not to disappoint her or the others.

Pain led Akatsuki to take control of Kusagakure, intending to make it Amegakure’s puppet and handle foreign trade while keeping Amegakure’s secrets safe. After finding that Menma had removed Kusagakure’s scrolls, money, and Karin, Nagato took Menma’s message as a warning to develop talent alongside land and population.

• Itachi Uchiha reported the failed Kusagakure investigation, and the Heavenly Path revealed that Akatsuki would take control of the village.
• The Heavenly Path led Akatsuki into Kusagakure and used Shinra Tensei to overwhelm the Jonin gathered in the Grass Village Main Building.
• The Human Path extracted a Jonin’s memories, and Pain learned about Karin Uzumaki, stirring memories of his murdered Uzumaki mother.
• Pain explained that he planned to make Kusagakure Amegakure’s puppet and use it to manage foreign trade while Akatsuki continued collecting tailed beasts in secret.
• Konan found Menma’s message in Kusagakure’s secret chamber, revealing that he had taken the ninjutsu scrolls, money, and Karin while leaving the land and population.
• Nagato interpreted Menma’s message as a reminder to cultivate talent as Amegakure developed.

After Amegakure forced Kusagakure into an alliance, Pain assigned Akatsuki members to secure the village while Obito and Black Zetsu discussed Nagato's growing independence. Naruto traveled toward Uzushio Village with Karin, then spoke with Minato in the Sealing Space, where Minato said Naruto would have to continue on his own.

• Pain made Kusagakure sign an alliance treaty with Amegakure and ordered Akatsuki members to stabilize the village, patrol its borders, and hunt rogue ninjas.
• Obito and Black Zetsu watched Akatsuki in Kusagakure, and Obito expected Nagato to abandon his village-building ambitions when they failed.
• Naruto absorbed his Shadow Clone's memories, traveled through the Land of Fire with Karin, and boarded a ship to Uzushio Village after a month on the road.
• Naruto found the Nine-Tails, the Three-Tails, and Minato Namikaze playing his Hokage Kill card game in the Sealing Space.
• Minato Namikaze told Naruto that his remaining Chakra was low and that Naruto would have to walk the road ahead on his own.

Naruto said goodbye to Minato Namikaze, whose Chakra clone chose to disappear after sharing advice about the other half of the Nine-Tails. In the Land of Whirlpools, Naruto registered Karin in Uzushio Village and entrusted her to Ashina Uzumaki to learn the clan’s Sealing Jutsu.

• Minato Namikaze refused Naruto’s offer to replenish his Chakra and explained how to guard against the Flying Thunder God Technique when seeking the other half of the Nine-Tails.
• Naruto watched Minato Namikaze return to the corner, and the Chakra clone disappeared as Naruto left the Sealing Space feeling unsettled.
• Naruto brought Karin to the Land of Whirlpools, where Uzu Village ninjas recognized him as their leader.
• Naruto took Karin to the Uzushio Office, where Homura and Shisui recorded her household registration.
• Naruto introduced Karin to Ashina Uzumaki and arranged for her to study Sealing Jutsu alongside her Ninja Academy education.

Naruto planned to use White Zetsu to develop senjutsu curse marks for Uzushio Village. Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Tsunade returned to Konoha after preparing to challenge the Third Hokage, but he dismissed Danzo’s warnings about their intentions.

• Naruto gave Ashina Uzumaki a scroll about senjutsu and the development of curse marks, and Ashina told Karin her coming years would be fulfilling.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade prepared their political plan by traveling through the Land of Fire and meeting with the Daimyo, while Tsunade rejected Jiraiya’s proposal to bring Uzushio Village’s reforms to Konoha.
• The Third Hokage invited Jiraiya and Tsunade after they returned to Konoha, but Tsunade questioned him about the Uchiha and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki defecting, then left without staying.
• Danzo warned the Third Hokage that Jiraiya and Tsunade’s return and their visit to the Daimyo were suspicious, but the Third Hokage refused to believe they would betray Konoha.
• Danzo left after warning that the Third Hokage would regret dismissing his concerns, and the Third Hokage insisted that a Hokage could not regret his decisions.

Jiraiya visited the Hyuga Clan and other major clans to seek support for his and Tsunade’s planned coup against the Third Hokage and Danzo. He found most clans determined to remain neutral, then met Kakashi, who questioned whether he and Tsunade were ready for the resistance ahead.

• Jiraiya visited Hyuga Hiashi and revealed that he and Tsunade planned to overthrow the Third Hokage and capture Danzo.
• Hiashi refused to support either side, saying the Hyuga Clan would remain loyal only to Konoha.
• Jiraiya told Hiashi that Naruto was doing well and that Hinata might see him again in the future.
• Jiraiya visited the other major clan heads, most of whom chose to remain neutral in the Hokage faction’s struggle.
• Jiraiya secretly met Kakashi at the Hatake Clan residence, where Kakashi said the evidence against Danzo was ready and warned that the Third Hokage and Danzo would resist fiercely.

Jiraiya and Tsunade launched a coup against the Third Hokage, surrounding the Hokage Building and Anbu base as Jiraiya confronted his former teacher. Jiraiya explained his plan to seize the Hokage Building, disband the Anbu, and expose Danzo, while the Third Hokage warned that Konoha might fare worse under his rule.

• Kakashi questioned Jiraiya’s plan and handed him a prepared scroll before Jiraiya left the Hatake Clan estate.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade gathered their allies, surrounded the Hokage Building and Anbu base, and cut off communication from the building.
• Jiraiya entered the Hokage’s Office and spoke with the Third Hokage, who defended his reliance on Danzo and political schemes.
• Jiraiya accused the Third Hokage of enabling harm to the Hyuga, the Uchiha, and Naruto, and the Third Hokage acknowledged that he had allowed rumors about Naruto to spread.
• Jiraiya outlined his plan to take the Hokage Building, disband the Anbu, and arrest Danzo, while asserting that the Ninja Clans had already lost faith in the Third Hokage.

Jiraiya took control of Konoha after the Third Hokage relinquished his position, but Danzo escaped and evidence of his secret experiments and crimes emerged. With the village needing a new leader, Tsunade and Jiraiya each insisted the other should become the Fifth Hokage.

• The Third Hokage wrote a document relinquishing the Hokage position and told Jiraiya to give it to the Anbu commander.
• Jiraiya secured the Anbu's support with help from Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Kakashi, then took the Hokage's office.
• Tsunade reported that Danzo had abandoned Root's base and fled Konoha with dozens of subordinates after spreading news of the coup.
• Tsunade revealed that Danzo had conducted experiments with Hashirama's cells, Sharingan, and other Kekkei Genkai, while Kakashi exposed Danzo's cooperation with Orochimaru and his attack on Shisui Uchiha.
• Kakashi urged the leaders to declare Danzo a fugitive and choose the Fifth Hokage, but Tsunade and Jiraiya each argued that the other should take the position.

Jiraiya and Tsunade settled their disagreement over the Fifth Hokage position, with Jiraiya taking the title and Tsunade managing daily affairs. After Jiraiya gained the village’s support, Hiruzen Sarutobi was left in retirement, questioning whether his decisions had harmed Konoha.

• Jiraiya and Tsunade agreed that Jiraiya would become Fifth Hokage while Tsunade handled the village’s day-to-day affairs, and Jiraiya promised to pay her gambling debts.
• The Hokage Building announced that Danzo had defected after human experiments were exposed and that Hiruzen Sarutobi had relinquished authority.
• Konoha’s roads reopened, and the village’s ninja discussed Danzo’s experiments while the major Ninja Clans considered their future relations with the new Hokage.
• Jiraiya won the Jonin Assembly vote and smoothly took control of the Hokage Building, while Hiruzen Sarutobi remained confined to the Sarutobi Clan compound.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked an Anbu about Jiraiya’s succession and wondered whether his own decisions had harmed the village; the Anbu told him he should not have become Hokage again after the Fourth Hokage’s death.

After becoming Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya and Tsunade began reforming Konoha and considered restarting Wood Release research to help disabled ninja. Fukasaku then revealed that the Great Toad Sage had predicted Jiraiya would become Hokage, leaving Jiraiya unsettled by the possibility that fate had guided his choices.

• Jiraiya and Tsunade ordered the Anbu restructured and decided to end Root's practice of forcing trainees to kill one another.
• Tsunade proposed restarting the Wood Release Experiment Plan to study regenerative cells and create prosthetic limbs for disabled ninja.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Yamato already had Wood Release and warned her not to overestimate the Kekkei Genkai.
• Jiraiya summoned Fukasaku and Shima, who congratulated him on becoming Hokage.
• Fukasaku revealed that the Great Toad Sage had predicted a year earlier that Jiraiya would become Hokage, and said the Great Sage had made no further prophecies.

Kakashi considered his doubts about Jiraiya’s leadership while planning to hunt Danzo, who had fled to the Land of Rivers and met with Orochimaru. In Uzushio Village, Naruto reviewed reports and received a scroll delivered by Flying Thunder God Kunai.

• Kakashi rested at home and planned to lead a team to hunt Danzo and the remaining Root members.
• Danzo reached a hidden base in the Land of Rivers with Root members and worried about his lack of manpower and funds.
• Orochimaru visited Danzo and proposed building a new base together as the ninja world’s hidden threats emerged.
• Naruto reviewed Uzushio Village’s finances, recruitment, and an invitation from Kirigakure, which he declined.
• A Flying Thunder God Kunai carrying a scroll appeared on Naruto’s desk.

Naruto offered Shisui a chance to reclaim his eye by pursuing Danzo, but Shisui admitted he was not strong enough yet. Naruto then brought him to the Uzumaki Shrine, where Ashina Uzumaki implanted a cursed seal to boost Shisui’s abilities.

• Naruto told Shisui that Jiraiya had become Hokage and Danzo had defected after his human experiments were exposed.
• Naruto offered Shisui the chance to take revenge on Danzo and recover his eye, but Shisui declined because he lacked the strength to defeat him.
• Naruto explained that Uzushio Village was developing Cursed Seal Technology and asked Shisui to become an early test subject.
• Naruto and Shisui went to the Uzumaki Shrine, where Ashina Uzumaki implanted a cursed seal on Shisui.
• Shisui reported tolerable rejection symptoms and increased Chakra, speed, and strength after activating the seal.

Naruto tested Shisui’s Uzu Curse Mark and discussed the village’s future with Ashina Uzumaki, who urged him to find a wife and heir. Naruto later looked toward Konoha and resolved to return there openly as Uzushio’s Leader.

• Naruto learned that Shisui had not awakened Wood Release and gathered combat data on his curse mark, explaining that it could be transplanted more than once and complement the Sharingan.
• Naruto warned Ashina Uzumaki against letting the technical experts research his Edo Tensei body, and Ashina urged Naruto to marry and secure an heir.
• Karin learned Naruto was younger than she had assumed and began wondering whether she could repay his kindness, while Naruto remained unaware of her feelings.
• The Nine-Tails teased Naruto about Karin and told him that Kushina had named the Rasengan, prompting Naruto to trade insults with the fox.
• Naruto stood at Uzushio Village’s highest point, looked toward Konoha, and resolved to return there one day as Uzushio’s Leader rather than as the Nine-Tails’ Jinchuriki.

Kakashi visited Sasuke and told him that Naruto and other Uchiha, including Shisui Uchiha, had left Konoha together. He left Sasuke with a scroll of Uchiha techniques from Naruto and the surviving clansmen.

• Tsunade rejected Kakashi's request to pursue Danzo and Root because Konoha lacked the strength and resources to do so safely.
• Kakashi went to the Uchiha Clan Compound and sparred with Sasuke, then warned him not to use Shadow Clones to skip class.
• Kakashi told Sasuke that Naruto was in the Anbu and was powerful enough to outmatch him unless Sasuke could kill Itachi.
• After Sasuke deduced that Naruto had left the village, Kakashi confirmed that Naruto and other Uchiha, including Shisui Uchiha, were with him.
• Kakashi warned Sasuke that Itachi coveted his eyes and forbade him from leaving Konoha until he had a Triple Tomoe Sharingan and could defeat a Jonin.
• Kakashi gave Sasuke a scroll of Uchiha Style techniques and training methods as a gift from Naruto and the clansmen.

Sasuke received an Uchiha training scroll from Kakashi and formed a plan to grow stronger, while Hinata discovered Naruto's gift and began undergoing a physical transformation. Jiraiya and Tsunade discussed Kakashi's secret contacts, Akatsuki's growing influence, and the rebuilding of the Military Police Force.

• Sasuke studied the Uchiha scroll and planned to train, awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, defeat Kakashi, find his clansmen, and take revenge on Itachi Uchiha.
• Sasuke attended the Ninja Academy, where Sai sat beside him, and he slept through Iruka's lesson while Shikamaru and Choji were distracted.
• Hinata held a fox wallet containing a golden pendant and a Kaguya Clan secret technique, and the pendant transformed into a mark that began changing her physique.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade suspected Naruto had used Kakashi to contact Sasuke and Hinata, and Jiraiya planned to warn Kakashi while exploring contact with Uzushio Village.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Akatsuki had occupied Kusagakure and was cooperating with Amegakure, then asked about rebuilding the Military Police Force.
• Tsunade said recruitment for the Military Police Force would be open to all ninja so no single clan could control it or repeat the Uchiha Incident.

Nagato learned that Jiraiya had become Hokage and that Danzo was in the Land of Rivers, then set out with Konan to avenge Yahiko. In Uzushio Village, Naruto gave Hinata Shikotsumyaku and received Orochimaru’s intelligence that Danzo had reached the Land of Wind.

• Konan told Nagato that Iwagakure had quieted down, Jiraiya had become the Fifth Hokage, and Danzo had gone rogue.
• Nagato decided to hunt Danzo himself, and Konan insisted on accompanying him while he left Amegakure’s affairs behind.
• Naruto learned that Kakashi had delivered gifts to Sasuke and Hinata, and that Hinata’s gift included the Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai.
• Naruto received Orochimaru’s White Zetsu research data and learned that Danzo had arrived in the Land of Wind.

Naruto and Shisui tracked Danzo through Root bases in the Land of Rivers, learning his location after breaking a Root member’s seal. Danzo discovered his bases had fallen and fled through a hidden passage, leaving Ryoma Aburame to preserve Root.

• Naruto and Shisui arrived in the Land of Rivers to seize Danzo’s Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Shisui captured Root’s outer members, and Naruto subdued the nearby base’s ninja before Shisui interrogated them.
• Naruto broke a Root member’s Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal and obtained information about Danzo’s location.
• Danzo learned that Root’s bases across the Land of Rivers had lost contact and identified Uzushio Village and Amegakure as the likely attackers.
• Danzo told Ryoma Aburame to hide, then led his elite guards through a hidden passage and escaped.
• Ryoma Aburame realized Danzo had fled alone but resolved to keep Root alive.

Naruto and Shisui attacked a Root base, where Naruto defeated Ryoma Aburame and uncovered a hidden passage. Meanwhile, Danzo learned of the attack and hurried to the Ruins of Roran to harness the Dragon Vein and become its Jinchuriki.

• Naruto and Shisui reached the Root base after Naruto used Shadow Clones to search for outposts and broke through the sealed entrance.
• Ryoma Aburame trapped the pair, attacked with Explosive Tags and poisonous Kikaichū, and tried to kill them, but Naruto and Shisui countered his attacks.
• Ryoma Aburame admitted that he had infected them, but Naruto revealed that his Chakra had destroyed the insects; Ryoma then used his Kikaichū to destroy his own brain.
• Naruto opened a hidden passage buried beneath rubble, and Shisui realized it could lead them closer to Danzo.
• Danzo learned that the Root base had been attacked and went to the Ruins of Roran, intending to control the Dragon Vein with his Mangekyo and become its Jinchuriki.

Naruto and Shisui tracked Danzo to Rōran, where Danzo was trying to break the seal on the Dragon Vein. Nagato’s attack destabilized the seal and created a vortex that swallowed Danzo, Nagato, and others, and Naruto entered it to pursue them.

• Naruto and Shisui found an oasis controlled by Root, defeated the guards, and learned that Queen Sara had been kidnapped and taken to a tent.
• Naruto rescued Sara from Root Ninja and learned that the Dragon Vein Core was stored in the Tower of Lost.
• Naruto and Shisui found Danzo and Root attempting to break the Dragon Vein seal at the tower.
• Nagato attacked Danzo with Shinra Tensei, and the force shattered the seal and pulled Danzo, Nagato, the Six Paths of Pain, and an unseen figure into a vortex.
• Naruto told Shisui to handle the remaining Root Ninja and wait, then entered the Dragon Vein vortex.

Naruto arrived in Rōran’s past, discovered that he could not access the Nine-Tails’ true body, and joined Minato Namikaze’s team to investigate Anrokuzan. Meanwhile, Danzo was revealed to be controlling Anrokuzan and learned that an unfamiliar ninja had entered the Tower of Lost.

• Naruto reached Rōran during the Third Shinobi World War and found the Nine-Tails’ true body missing from his Sealing Space.
• Naruto learned that Anrokuzan had used the Dragon Vein to protect and modernize Rōran, then spotted Minato Namikaze’s team investigating a threat to Queen Sara.
• After Dragon Vein Puppets attacked him, Naruto met Minato, Choza Akimichi, and Shibi Aburame and agreed to work with them against Anrokuzan.
• Queen Sara continued her training while trusting Anrokuzan, who secretly knelt before Shimura Danzō, the time traveler controlling him with Kotoamatsukami.
• Anrokuzan told Danzo that an unfamiliar ninja had entered the Tower of Lost but had been driven away by the Puppet Guards.