Chapter Summaries

Danzo planned to merge with the Dragon Vein while hiding from the powerful time-travelers, as Naruto joined Minato Squad to investigate Anrokuzan and protect Queen Sara. Naruto abducted Sara and revealed that he believed Anrokuzan had murdered her mother to control the Dragon Vein.

• Danzo decided to conceal his identity as Anrokuzan and wait until he could connect with the Dragon Vein Core, while wondering why his past self in Konoha had sent no news.
• Naruto and Minato Squad shared information over a meal, and Naruto persuaded them to abduct Sara so they could take the initiative against anyone threatening her.
• Naruto entered Sara's library, incapacitated her guards, and took her from the palace.
• Minato and his squad told Sara they were Konoha ninjas hired by the Former Queen, but Sara rejected their claim that kidnapping her was protection.
• Naruto told Sara that Anrokuzan had murdered her mother and targeted the Queens because they controlled the Dragon Vein.

Naruto and the Minato Squad helped Sara uncover the danger surrounding the Dragon Vein and prepared to stop Anrokuzan’s scheme. They attacked the Tower of Lost, where Naruto and Sara entered while the squad fought off the Dragon Vein Puppets.

• Naruto explained that Anrokuzan had killed Sara’s mother to seize the Dragon Vein, and Sara resolved to avenge her mother.
• Sara offered Naruto the Dragon Vein’s power in exchange for help, but he questioned her about Anrokuzan and suspected a powerful enemy might be controlling him.
• Naruto warned Sara that the Dragon Vein would eventually run out and urged her to prepare Rōran’s people to survive without it.
• Naruto and the Minato Squad agreed to trust one another and set out at night for the Tower of Lost, leaving a Shadow Clone in the palace to impersonate Sara.
• Dragon Vein Puppets attacked the group near the tower, and Minato rescued Kakashi while Naruto and Sara entered the Tower of Lost.

Naruto and Sara uncovered Anrokuzan’s enslavement of Rōran’s citizens beneath the Tower of Lost, then faced Danzo, who revealed he had traveled from the future and gained Dragon Vein power. Naruto sent Sara to safety and fought Danzo, who recognized him as the Nine-Tails jinchūriki who had defected from the village.

• Naruto led Sara through the Tower of Lost, where she discovered that Anrokuzan had enslaved citizens to make Dragon Vein Puppets.
• Anrokuzan admitted he wanted Sara to remain a puppet Queen and ordered the Dragon Vein Puppets to attack, but Naruto destroyed them and knocked Anrokuzan unconscious.
• Naruto discovered that Shisui’s Chakra and Kotoamatsukami were controlling Anrokuzan before Danzo arrived with a reorganized puppet army.
• Danzo claimed that Naruto and the Akatsuki leader had helped him return to the past and that the Dragon Vein’s power made him strong enough to kill them.
• Naruto sent Sara away with a Shadow Clone and fought Danzo, who identified Naruto as the Nine-Tails brat who had defected from the village.

Naruto fought Danzo in the Tower of Lost, outmaneuvering his Izanagi revivals and resisting Kotoamatsukami before reclaiming the Sharingan. Danzo died when the Hashirama Cells consumed him, but the resulting Wood Style Monster began spreading through the Dragon Vein Chakra.

• Naruto overwhelmed Danzo in close combat, but Danzo revived with Izanagi and revealed the Sharingan embedded in his arm.
• Naruto conserved Chakra, used Shadow Clones and traps, and waited out Danzo's Izanagi while wounding him with poisoned weapons and Wind Blades.
• Danzo used his final Izanagi to curse Naruto, then activated Kotoamatsukami, but Naruto resisted the genjutsu and cut Danzo's eye with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Naruto told Danzo that Konoha had squandered its chance and explained that Danzo's schemes had helped him gain loyal Uchiha followers.
• Danzo asked about Uzushio Village's plans for Konoha, but Naruto dismissed him before Wood Release constructs swallowed Danzo and began consuming Dragon Vein Chakra.

Naruto sealed the Dragon Vein, erased Sara’s memories of his identity, and revealed parts of the future to Minato before disappearing. Minato chose to keep most of what he learned so he could try to prevent the coming tragedies.

• Choza Akimichi discovered that the twisted Wood Dragon absorbed Chakra, while Minato Namikaze sought a way to defeat it.
• Naruto and Sara sealed the Dragon Vein, and Sara asked Naruto to erase her knowledge of the future.
• The Dragon Vein’s influence ended, the Wood Dragon reverted to Danzo, and Naruto erased Sara’s memories of him, Danzo, and Anrokuzan’s future origins.
• Minato Namikaze inferred that Naruto and Anrokuzan came from the future, and Naruto revealed his face and described future events to Minato.
• Naruto disappeared as his connection to the past weakened, while Minato told Kakashi and the others to seal their memories but chose to retain most of his own.

Nagato woke in the past, before the First Akatsuki Organization’s destruction, and joined its members in confronting Sunagakure ninja who were taking villagers’ supplies. He defeated the sand ninja by force, revealing that his methods and outlook clashed with Akatsuki’s ideals.

• Nagato woke in a cave in the Land of Rain and realized that Taro and other members of Yahiko’s Akatsuki were alive, despite having died years earlier.
• After learning that Sunagakure forces were threatening nearby villagers, Nagato followed Taro and the others to confront them.
• Nagato used his powers to defeat the sand ninja captain and then drove all twelve sand ninja to the ground.
• Taro and the other Akatsuki members warned Nagato that his violence could provoke war, but Nagato defended his actions and criticized their trust in others.

Nagato captured Sand Ninja, learned Sunagakure was plotting to destabilize Amegakure, and led Akatsuki to rescue Yahiko after remembering the danger Yahiko had faced. After finding Yahiko alive, Nagato pursued the rogue ninja to their nearby base, where he disappeared into the rainy night.

• Nagato interrogated eight Sand Ninja prisoners and learned Sunagakure planned to stir conflict in the Land of Rain and assassinate Amegakure Jonin.
• Nagato told the Akatsuki members he wanted their opinions on how to handle the prisoners, then learned Yahiko had gone to negotiate with Hanzo several days earlier.
• Remembering that Yahiko’s negotiations had led to an attack and Akatsuki’s destruction, Nagato assembled the group and set out to find him.
• Nagato and the others found Yahiko’s group after it had repelled an attack by rogue ninja at the cost of several companions.
• Nagato tracked down the surviving rogue ninja, killed most of them, interrogated one, and learned they had another base nearby.
• Nagato entered the rogue ninja’s base without hesitation and vanished into the rainy night.

Future Nagato revealed his identity to Yahiko and described how Akatsuki and Amegakure changed after Yahiko’s death. Yahiko chose to pursue his ideals while using Nagato’s warning to avoid the coming trap, and Nagato began investigating the Masked Man before being sent back to his own era.

• Nagato learned that Amegakure’s leaders and Cloud had conspired against Yahiko, then admitted to Yahiko that he had come from ten years in the future.
• Yahiko listened as Nagato described his violent rule, Akatsuki’s transformation, and the rise of Uzushio Village, and he supported Nagato’s choices without abandoning his own ideals.
• Nagato warned Yahiko that Hanzo’s invitation would be a trap, but Yahiko resolved to negotiate with Hanzo while staying alert and strengthening Akatsuki.
• After Yahiko refused to let him interfere as Nagato, Nagato left the base with the Masked Man to investigate his past role in Akatsuki.
• Nagato found an old man connected to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and sent the discovery to his present-day self before his body vanished.

Naruto and Nagato returned to their own era after killing Danzo in the past, then agreed not to fight over the weakened Dragon Vein. Naruto reassured himself that the Nine-Tails was safe, returned Danzo’s corpse to Shisui, and prepared to meet a hidden acquaintance.

• Naruto and Nagato discussed the Dragon Vein Core, and Nagato gave up trying to seize it before leaving the altar.
• Naruto found the Nine-Tails in his Sealing Space and told him about traveling to the past.
• Naruto carried Danzo’s corpse out of the Tower of Lost and told Shisui that he had killed Danzo in an alternate space.
• Naruto told Shisui he would study Danzo’s Kotoamatsukami Sharingan before returning it to him.
• Naruto sent Shisui to search for surviving Root members and headed toward a figure hiding behind the ruins.

Naruto persuaded Queen Sara to move Rōran’s survivors to Uzushio Village in exchange for control of the Dragon Vein, which he sealed and planned to use to support ordinary people. As the relocation began, Naruto prepared to transplant Danzo’s Mangekyō Sharingan so he could try to master Susanoo.

• Naruto offered to relocate Sara and the Rōran survivors to his lands in exchange for control of the Dragon Vein, and Sara agreed to submit to Uzushio Village.
• Naruto and Sara went to the Tower of Lost, where Sara touched the Dragon Vein Core and Naruto sealed it.
• Naruto explained that he planned to move the Dragon Vein Core to Uzushio and use its power to help ordinary people engage in production.
• Naruto stayed at the Rōran Oasis while Uzushio’s people prepared to relocate its residents, as Shisui hunted Root remnants in the Land of Rivers.
• Naruto carved a secret chamber in the desert and prepared to transplant Danzo’s Mangekyō Sharingan to pursue Susanoo.

Naruto tested Susanoo after transplanting Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan and proposed that Shisui improve it for the Uchiha clan. Before Naruto and Shisui left Rōran for Uzushio Village, Orochimaru arrived seeking Danzo’s Mangekyō, and Naruto told him Shisui already had it.

• After the transplant, Naruto manifested Susanoo and tested it against Shadow Clones using Rasenshuriken, finding that it was less durable than he had hoped.
• Naruto suggested that Shisui develop Susanoo as a form of armor, then returned the Mangekyō Sharingan to him and demonstrated his power in Sage Fox Mode and Kurama Mode.
• Naruto and Shisui spent a month at Rōran, relocated most of its survivors, treated Sara, and prepared to return to Uzushio Village by ship.
• Orochimaru arrived and denied providing Pain with information about Danzo, then revealed that he wanted to trade for Danzo’s Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Naruto told Orochimaru that he had returned the eye to Shisui and suggested Orochimaru fight Shisui for it.

Naruto rejected Orochimaru’s proposal to help conquer Sunagakure but agreed not to interfere and obtained Cursed Seal Technology in exchange for an idea about combining White Zetsu and Jugo’s cells. After Orochimaru left, Naruto turned his attention toward Konoha.

• Orochimaru admitted he had come to confirm the death of an old friend, and Naruto asked how much of Danzo’s legacy he had taken over.
• Orochimaru invited Naruto to join an attack on Sunagakure, but Naruto refused to take part in another war.
• Orochimaru offered to secretly help Naruto against the Akatsuki if Naruto stayed out of his plans to control Sunagakure.
• Naruto asked Orochimaru for Cursed Seal Technology and suggested combining White Zetsu cells with Jugo’s cells to create ninjas suited to Sage Mode.
• Orochimaru gave Naruto a scroll of Cursed Seal Technology and left, while Naruto considered Orochimaru’s plans and shifted his focus toward Konoha.

Three months into his term as Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya discussed Konoha’s internal power struggles and external threats with Tsunade. After leaving the Hokage Building, he reflected on the Third Hokage’s choices and discovered that Orochimaru had reached out to offer a deal.

• Tsunade explained that Root remnants and Sarutobi Clan Jonin in key positions obstructed reforms, while Jiraiya could not openly move against the Sarutobi Clan as long as the Third Hokage lived.
• Jiraiya read congratulatory letters from Amegakure and Uzushio Village and told Tsunade he would protect Konoha’s interests rather than support his former disciples’ village.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade discussed Root’s threat near the Daimyo’s Capital, Jiraiya’s idea of taking control of the Daimyo, and the village’s need to prepare for future conflicts.
• Jiraiya left the Hokage Building reflecting on the Third Hokage’s compromises and worrying that he might become similarly indecisive.
• Jiraiya tore up a spy’s note containing Orochimaru’s contact information and learned that Orochimaru had approached him to make a deal.

Hinata struggled with whether to become the Hyuga Clan's future head and abolish the Caged Bird system, then was forced into the clan's monthly assessment. When the Main Family Elder exposed her hidden strength, Hinata fought Neji on nearly even terms, leaving the family surprised by her ability.

• Hinata watched Hanabi spar with Neji and wondered whether she should become the family head so she could free Neji from the Caged Bird system.
• Remembering Naruto's advice to train when she could not decide what to do, Hinata left the dojo to practice in secret, but Hyuga Hiashi and other Main Family members stopped her.
• Hinata and Hanabi began their monthly assessment, and Hinata accidentally forced Hanabi back before deliberately losing the match.
• The Main Family Elder ordered Neji to spar with Hinata and told her to reveal her full strength.
• Hinata stopped holding back and brought the fight to a stalemate, surprising Neji, Hanabi, and the Main Family members.

Hinata tried to prevent Hanabi from being branded with the Caged Bird curse mark after the elders moved to confirm the next heir. When her offer to give up her own heir status was rejected, Hinata stood in front of Hanabi and defied the Main Family.

• Hyuga Hiashi watched Hinata and Neji fight to a draw, prompting the Main Family Elder to demand that Hinata be confirmed as heir.
• Hiashi tried to delay choosing between Hinata and Hanabi, but the Main Family members insisted that the clan's rules required a decision.
• Hinata realized that Hanabi would receive the Caged Bird curse mark and offered to give up her position as heir so Hanabi could take it instead.
• The Main Family Elder rejected Hinata's offer and ordered guards to prepare Hanabi for the Caged Bird ceremony.
• Hinata recalled how Naruto had once helped her and stepped in front of Hanabi, vowing not to let the elders mark her forehead.

Hinata resisted the Hyuga Clan’s attempt to place the Caged Bird mark on Hanabi and revealed that she had mastered Rotation and awakened the Shikotsumyaku. The Main Family Elder left without resolving the dispute, while Hinata stood by her choice to protect Hanabi and control her own fate.

• Hinata grabbed Hanabi and tried to escape after refusing to let the Branch Family Guard mark her, but Branch Family ninja surrounded them.
• Hinata fought a Branch Family Jonin, repelled his attack with Rotation, and held a bone spike to his neck.
• Hyuga Hiashi and the Main Family Elder recognized Hinata’s Shikotsumyaku and considered the power of her combined Kekkei Genkai.
• Hinata challenged the Main Family Elder with an excessive demand that everyone except herself and Hyuga Hiashi receive the Caged Bird mark.
• The Main Family Elder left after warning Hyuga Hiashi that the Caged Bird was essential to the clan, and Hinata told Hanabi she wanted to control her own fate.

Hinata accepted training as the Hyuga Clan heir after learning she might one day abolish the Caged Bird system. Meanwhile, the retired Third Hokage read a report on Jiraiya and Tsunade’s reforms and was left deeply unsettled.

• Hyuga Hiashi confronted Hinata about awakening the Shikotsumyaku and made her the main family heir, urging her to protect Hanabi and work toward ending the Caged Bird system.
• Hinata agreed to train as clan head and learn to use the Shikotsumyaku, partly hoping to earn Naruto-kun’s approval.
• News of Hinata’s succession spread through Konoha, while her classmates noticed she had become more cheerful and she stole sleep during class.
• A Sarutobi Clan Jonin complained to the retired Third Hokage that Jiraiya and Tsunade’s reforms had cost their clan its Anbu positions and threatened its standing.
• The Third Hokage rejected the Jonin’s claim that the Hokage position belonged to the Sarutobi Clan, then read the village report and grew deeply troubled.

Nagato told Konan he had traveled through time and continued protecting Amegakure while investigating the Masked Man. Obito and Black Zetsu discussed how to regain Nagato’s cooperation, while Obito privately worried about the cursed seal Madara Uchiha had placed on him.

• The Third Hokage learned that Danzo had vanished after being attacked by mysterious ninja and reflected on his former friend’s fall.
• Nagato told Konan that he had met Yahiko during a journey through time and that Yahiko had supported their cause.
• Konan reported that Akatsuki members were growing impatient with their focus on Amegakure and Kusagakure, while Nagato continued investigating the Masked Man.
• Obito told Black Zetsu that Iwagakure and Cloud might attack Amegakure, but rejected Black Zetsu’s suggestion to revive Madara Uchiha.
• After Black Zetsu disappeared underground, Obito worried that Madara Uchiha’s cursed seal left him under Madara and Black Zetsu’s control.

Two years after Naruto received Hinata Hyuga’s loyalty and Byakugan, Uzushio Village had grown into a prosperous power while he monitored developments across the ninja world. Shisui Uchiha and Izumi Uchiha brought Naruto an invitation from Jiraiya to attend Konoha’s Chunin Exams, leaving the decision to him.

• Naruto received a notification that Hinata Hyuga’s affection had reached Undying Loyalty and that he had obtained a pure pair of Byakugan, but he chose not to claim or collect them.
• Over two years, Naruto helped develop trade with Jiraiya’s Konoha and turned the Land of Whirlpools into a cultivation center using the Dragon Vein and Cursed Seal Technology.
• Nagato transformed Amegakure and the Akatsuki into tools for economic development and regional expansion, while Kakashi’s team extended Konoha’s influence and encountered Shinno.
• Naruto acquired Shinno’s Sky Battleship for Uzushio Village and gained broad mastery of basic ninjutsu from the rewards of his villagers’ acknowledgment.
• Shisui Uchiha and Izumi Uchiha delivered Jiraiya’s invitation for Uzushio Village to participate in Konoha’s Chunin Exams, and Naruto had yet to decide whether to accept.

Naruto agreed to attend Konoha’s Chunin Exams and traveled there with Shisui, Karin, and Haku, concealing his identity as a Genin. After returning to Konoha, Naruto and Shisui observed the village and the gathering exam teams, while Naruto anticipated trouble from hidden enemies.

• Naruto agreed to participate in the Chunin Exams and assigned Shisui to lead the team to Konoha.
• Mikoto Uchiha gave Shisui a gift to deliver to Sasuke, and Naruto joined the team disguised as a Genin.
• Shisui, Naruto, Karin, and Haku reached Konoha and saw that its villagers still resented the Uchiha and other outsiders.
• Shisui noticed Gaara among Sunagakure’s team, while Karin sensed unusual Chakra from a Sound ninja whom Naruto recognized as Orochimaru in disguise.
• Naruto focused on the Amegakure team and expected Obito and Black Zetsu to cause trouble during the exams.