Chapter Summaries

Shisui welcomed Jiraiya after he helped defend Uzushio Village, while Jiraiya learned about the Uchiha’s departure from Konoha and met Naruto’s group. After touring the village, Jiraiya suspected that Naruto, rather than Shisui, was its true leader.

• Shisui thanked Jiraiya for driving off Orochimaru and invited him into Uzushio Village.
• Izumi arrived and reminded Shisui to pay Jiraiya 100,000 taels for his help.
• Naruto’s group arrived with Zabuza, who said they had come under Lord Menma’s orders to support Uzushio Village.
• Naruto searched the Kazekage Puppet’s wreckage for Sasori’s Puppet Core but failed to find it, while Sasori and Orochimaru escaped and blamed Zetsu for luring them there.
• Homura explained Uzushio Village’s history and future plans to Jiraiya, then invited him to help build the village.
• Jiraiya declined to stay and told Naruto he believed Menma was Uzushio Village’s true leader.

Naruto revealed to Jiraiya that he knew his identity as Uzushio Village's leader and showed him how the Uchiha lived there. As they left the Uchiha district for Uzumaki Shrine, Jiraiya questioned Naruto's right to shelter ninja who had left Konoha.

• Jiraiya deduced that Naruto was more than an ordinary genin and suspected he led Uzushio Village, while Naruto's companions prepared for a fight.
• Naruto acknowledged Jiraiya's suspicions and took him to see the Uchiha community in Uzushio Village.
• Naruto explained that the Uchiha lived peacefully among other villagers because Uzushio treated them without prejudice, and Jiraiya admitted Konoha was unlikely to change its treatment of them.
• Jiraiya said he would try to persuade the Third Hokage to let the Uchiha live in harmony with Konoha's villagers, but Naruto doubted the Hokage would agree.
• Jiraiya challenged Naruto's right to shelter ninja who had left Konoha, and Naruto invited him to eat ramen before they continued their conversation.
• After they ate, Naruto led Jiraiya away from the Uchiha district toward Uzumaki Shrine for a private talk.

Naruto deterred Jiraiya from taking the Uchiha back to Konoha by demonstrating his destructive power, then explained why Uzushio Village would remain independent. Jiraiya agreed to report the Uchiha matter to the Hokage and promised the Hokage’s faction would not attack Uzushio Village, while Naruto declined to visit Konoha for now.

• Naruto led Jiraiya to Uzumaki Shrine, where Ashina Uzumaki, Shisui, and Homura were waiting.
• Naruto used Nine-Tails Chakra to create a massive Spiraling Ring, blasting a crater into the forest and turning it into an artificial lake.
• Naruto told Jiraiya that he had let the Uchiha join him because he wanted to establish a village, and Jiraiya abandoned his plan to summon the Toad Sage.
• Jiraiya asked Naruto why he had chosen independence over joining Konoha, and Naruto rejected the idea of becoming a Jinchuriki who would die for Konoha.
• Jiraiya agreed to explain the Uchiha’s defection to the Hokage and said the Hokage’s direct faction would not attack Uzushio Village.
• Naruto said Uzushio Village would not be Konoha’s enemy unless Konoha attacked first, and he told Jiraiya he might visit Konoha someday, but not yet.

Naruto declined Jiraiya’s invitation and reflected on his own plans, while Jiraiya struggled to understand why Naruto had left Konoha to establish Uzushio Village. After speaking with Shisui, Jiraiya left Uzushio, and he and Naruto parted without resolving their differences.

• Naruto watched Jiraiya head toward Uzushio Village and decided that becoming Hokage to shape the future mattered more than worrying about his identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Naruto questioned Minato Namikaze about how a Chakra clone could persist and inherit memories, then left the Sealing Space to focus on contacting the tailed beasts and countering the Masked Man and Akatsuki.
• Jiraiya wandered Uzushio Village and wondered why Naruto had left Konoha, concluding that Naruto had developed firm values of his own.
• Shisui confronted Jiraiya, who promised not to target the Uchiha who had left Konoha and urged them not to repeat the Military Police Force’s mistakes.
• Jiraiya left Uzushio Village after exchanging a final glance with Naruto, and they set off in different directions.

After Jiraiya left Uzushio Village, Orochimaru and Sasori reported their discoveries to Akatsuki, including the strength of Uzumaki Menma and Uzushio’s involvement in Kirigakure. Nagato considered meeting his unknown clansman but accepted that their paths might eventually bring them into conflict, then introduced Tobi as Akatsuki’s newest member.

• Jiraiya escaped from the Land of Whirlpools in a summoned toad, while Orochimaru and Sasori emerged from hiding and discussed their failed attempt to provoke a fight.
• Orochimaru advised Sasori to abandon revenge against Uzushio Village and report their intelligence to Pain, noting that Kirigakure might have secretly allied with Uzushio.
• Orochimaru and Sasori joined an Akatsuki meeting, where they reported on Uzushio Village and its leader, Uzumaki Menma, and the members realized Juzo Biwa was likely dead.
• Kakuzu questioned where Menma came from, prompting Konan to consider his possible connection to Nagato and Nagato to wonder why Menma had not prevented Uzushio’s destruction.
• Nagato set aside his wish to meet Menma and said they might cooperate or meet as enemies depending on their ideals.
• Pain announced that Tobi, a ninja recommended by Zetsu with space-time abilities, would fill Juzo Biwa’s vacancy.

Itachi learned that Obito was using Tobi to monitor the Akatsuki, while Jiraiya returned to Konoha and revealed that Naruto had founded Uzushio Village with the Uchiha and rogue ninjas. The Third Hokage recognized the new village as a challenge to Konoha and demanded an explanation from Jiraiya.

• Itachi asked Orochimaru for intelligence about the Land of Whirlpools, and Orochimaru revealed that Jiraiya had also discovered the Uchiha there.
• Obito told Itachi that Tobi was a separate person who would help monitor the Akatsuki and that a new Kirigakure Jonin would soon join the organization.
• Jiraiya returned to Konoha and told the Third Hokage that Naruto had established Uzushio Village with the Uchiha and rogue ninjas.
• The Third Hokage explained that Uzushio Village's existence challenged Konoha and demanded an explanation from Jiraiya.

Jiraiya reported that Naruto refused to return to Konoha, while the Third Hokage remained unwilling to visit Uzushio Village or decide what to do about its Uchiha residents. After Jiraiya left, the Third Hokage tasked Danzo and Root with investigating the Masked Man’s organization, imposing limits on Root’s interference in village affairs.

• Jiraiya told the Third Hokage that Naruto had firmly refused to return and suggested that the Hokage speak with him personally, but the Third Hokage declined to leave Konoha.
• Jiraiya asked the Third Hokage to withdraw the warrant against the Uchiha in the Land of Whirlpools, but received no clear answer, then reported that Orochimaru and Sasori of the Red Sands might have joined an organization.
• Jiraiya left the Hokage Building questioning whether he should keep serving Konoha or seek guidance from the Great Toad Sage, and Danzo confronted him about his failed mission to retrieve Naruto.
• Danzo told the Third Hokage that his subordinates had found the Uchiha’s trail, while the Third Hokage concealed Naruto’s identity as Uzushio Village’s leader and ordered Danzo to leave the Uchiha alone for now.
• The Third Hokage assigned Root to investigate the Masked Man’s organization and offered more funding and recruits, but forbade Danzo from meddling in village affairs.

Danzo planned to wait for Hiruzen to lose the village’s trust before pursuing the Hokage position, while Hiruzen weighed the news about Orochimaru and Naruto. Jiraiya sank into despair after Naruto refused to return, and Kakashi suggested that Konoha first needed to understand why Naruto had left.

• Danzo left the Hokage’s Office, deciding to build support for becoming Fifth Hokage after Hiruzen lost the trust of the ninja clans and Jonin.
• Hiruzen considered Jiraiya’s reports about Orochimaru joining the Masked Man’s organization and Naruto founding Uzushio Village, then began planning for Konoha’s next generation.
• Jiraiya wandered Konoha, drank to numb his despair, and believed the Great Toad Sage was avoiding him now that the Child of Prophecy had been found.
• Kakashi followed Jiraiya to a park and asked whether Naruto had refused Jiraiya’s invitation to return or travel with him.
• Jiraiya confirmed Naruto had refused, and Kakashi argued that Konoha needed to learn why Naruto had left before trying to bring him back.

Kakashi told Jiraiya that he intended to uncover Konoha’s secrets and overthrow the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō, leaving Jiraiya torn over whether to help him. Meanwhile, Naruto trained in the Flying Thunder God Technique with Minato and struggled because teleporting while carrying Kurama made the technique much harder.

• Kakashi told Jiraiya that Naruto might have uncovered secrets about Itachi, Shisui, and Minato and Kushina’s deaths, and confirmed that Naruto was staying with the Uchiha.
• Kakashi admitted that he was investigating his father’s suicide and planned to bring down Shimura Danzō and the Hokage, then asked Jiraiya to help him.
• Jiraiya hesitated between protecting his teacher and gathering evidence against the village’s leadership as Kakashi warned that Konoha was decaying.
• Minato taught Naruto the Flying Thunder God Technique, but after half a month Naruto could teleport only twenty meters and could not match Minato’s speed.
• Naruto explained that carrying Kurama made teleportation more difficult, and Minato confirmed that teleporting the Nine-Tails and its Tailed Beast Bomb had consumed enormous Chakra.

Naruto visited Ashina Uzumaki at Uzumaki Shrine and learned that the elder was prolonging his Impure World Reincarnation body despite the cost to his soul. Their discussion of the Pure Land and sealing techniques left Naruto considering how he might investigate the realm of the dead and counter enemies with space-time ninjutsu.

• Naruto arrived at Uzumaki Shrine and found Ashina Uzumaki researching new Sealing Jutsu.
• Ashina told Naruto that his Impure World Reincarnation body was deteriorating and that he was willing to let his soul fade while remaining in the ninja world.
• Naruto examined Ashina's practical Sealing Jutsu and asked what the Pure Land was like; Ashina described it as a dark place where souls slowly faded.
• Naruto compared the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu to the Summoning Jutsu and speculated about a connection between the Pure Land and the Divine Tree.
• Naruto asked Ashina to invent a technique that could seal space, but Ashina said he did not know how to do it.

Kakashi and Jiraiya investigated Konoha’s history and uncovered growing resentment toward the Hokage Building, while Sasuke’s account raised questions about Shisui’s disappearance and Danzo’s role. As they considered how to challenge the village leadership, Jiraiya received a summons to Mount Myōboku.

• Kakashi and Jiraiya questioned villagers and found that resentment toward the Konoha High Command had grown since Uchiha Night.
• Kakashi brought Jiraiya to the Uchiha Clan Compound, where Sasuke trained and asked for help becoming strong enough to kill Itachi Uchiha.
• Sasuke told Jiraiya what he knew about the Uchiha and Naruto, and Jiraiya realized his account of Shisui’s fate conflicted with the truth.
• Jiraiya suspected Danzo had pursued the Uchiha’s Kekkei Genkai and that the Third Hokage had tacitly allowed his actions.
• Kakashi and Jiraiya exchanged information, then gave Sasuke training advice as a potential link to Uzushio Village and evidence against the village leadership.
• Sage Fukasaku sent Jiraiya a letter saying the Great Toad Sage had awakened and wanted him to come to Mount Myōboku.

Jiraiya learned from the Great Toad Sage that Naruto was one Child of Prophecy and that another remained in Konoha, while the Sage admitted he could no longer foresee the future. In Uzushio Village, Naruto and his advisers planned the Land of Whirlpools’ development before Izumi reported an attack by Rogue Ninjas.

• Jiraiya told Sage Fukasaku and the Great Toad Sage that Naruto had left Konoha and was powerful enough to need no guidance.
• The Great Toad Sage told Jiraiya that there were multiple Children of Prophecy and urged him to find the other one in Konoha.
• The Great Toad Sage admitted to Sage Fukasaku that he had lost his ability to foresee the future and was seeking Indra’s reincarnation after something went wrong with Asura.
• Naruto met with Shisui and Homura Uzumaki to plan education and economic development for the Land of Whirlpools, but they warned that the village could not afford nine years of ninja education.
• Izumi Uchiha told Naruto that Rogue Ninjas had attacked the Land of Whirlpools.

After Gato’s agents attacked the Land of Whirlpools, Naruto decided to send Shisui, Zabuza, and Haku to the Land of Waves to drive Gato out and seize his industries. Though he said he would stay behind, Naruto worried about Akatsuki interference and considered secretly following them.

• Izumi Uchiha reported that a patrol had defeated rogue ninja hired by Gato to damage the Land of Whirlpools.
• Naruto saw an opportunity to take Gato’s wealth and ordered Shisui to lead an operation in the Land of Waves with Zabuza and Haku.
• Zabuza agreed to go, hoping his work would support Hozuki Mangetsu’s bid to become Fifth Mizukage.
• Naruto visited Uzumaki Shrine while the Nine-Tails urged him to seek out the other Jinchuriki and warned against exploring the Pure Land.
• Minato stayed with the Three-Tails and approved of Naruto’s decision to act against Gato to protect the village.
• Naruto worried that Shisui’s team could face betrayal or an Akatsuki attack and considered secretly following them.

Shisui, Zabuza, and Haku went after Gato in the Land of Waves, but discovered they had captured his double and could not locate the real merchant. Obito revealed the incident to Gato and explained that Uzushio Village had targeted his wealth, leaving Gato to ask whether Obito could protect him.

• Shisui, Zabuza, and Haku entered the Land of Waves and saw the poverty beside Gato's luxurious company compound.
• Shisui and Zabuza confronted Gato at his villa, but Shisui sensed a change in the situation and ordered them to take him away.
• Shisui used Sharingan: Genjutsu to learn that their captive was Gato's double, who did not know where the real Gato was.
• Shisui decided to return the double and wait for Gato to contact him, while White Zetsu recorded their actions for Obito.
• Obito told Gato that Shisui's group belonged to Uzushio Village, which had targeted his wealth after Gato sent rogue ninja to attack the Land of Whirlpools.
• Gato asked Obito to resolve the threat against him.

Obito manipulated Gato into commissioning Konoha to deal with the ninja who attacked the Land of Waves, hoping to sow chaos. Danzo recognized the attack as a scheme and concluded that the Leader of Uzushio might be the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Obito offered Gato the choice of surrendering to the Land of Whirlpools or seeking help from Konoha, and Gato chose to issue a mission commission.
• Gato ordered his confidant to contact the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire and find rogue ninja, including Akatsuki, to protect him and punish his attackers.
• Obito's prepared S-rank commission reached the Hokage Building, and the Third Hokage considered sending Asuma to carry it out.
• Danzo told the Third Hokage that the Land of Whirlpools' attack was a scheme designed to make Konoha take the blame.
• Danzo concluded that the unknown Leader of Uzushio was likely the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, a rogue ninja from Konoha.

The Third Hokage and Danzo discussed Naruto’s defection and Uzushio Village’s designs on the Land of Waves, while Nagato accepted a black-market commission to investigate and repel the invaders. Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki headed for the Land of Waves, where Obito appeared and asked to join their mission.

• The Third Hokage admitted that Naruto had left Konoha, rebuilt the Land of Whirlpools, and founded Uzushio Village, while Danzo criticized him for not declaring Naruto a rogue ninja.
• Danzo suggested annexing the Land of Waves, and the Third Hokage considered the proposal without rejecting it.
• Nagato learned that Gato had hired Akatsuki to drive Uzushio Village ninja out of the Land of Waves, and he chose to accept the commission to earn money and investigate Uzushio Village.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki received the mission and traveled toward the Land of Waves, while Itachi worried about confronting his former Uchiha clansmen.
• At the coast, Itachi and Kisame sensed chakra and encountered Obito, who asked to join their mission.

Shisui, Zabuza, and Haku stayed at Tazuna’s home in the Land of Waves and learned about Gato’s oppression of the islanders. After receiving a warning that Gato had hired ninja, Shisui resolved to find him quickly and complete the mission.

• Obito learned that Itachi Uchiha and Kisame had arrived to assist, and realized Gato had independently sought help on the black market.
• Tazuna let Shisui, Zabuza, and Haku stay the night and described how Gato’s Shipping Company exploited the people of the Land of Waves.
• Kaisa and the child told Tazuna they hoped to unite the villagers and resist Gato, but Tazuna warned the guests to leave before Gato could extort them.
• Haku asked whether ordinary people could defeat Gato, and Shisui said Lord Menma would not abandon them.
• A crow delivered a note warning Shisui that Gato had hired ninja, so Shisui decided they needed to find Gato quickly.

Itachi Uchiha and Kisame confronted Shisui, Zabuza, and Haku at Gato’s compound, where former allies fought over opposing missions. Their clashes left Itachi and Shisui trading accusations about the Uchiha massacre and the power Itachi sought.

• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame found Gato, who tried to redirect them against the Masked Man before backing down when Obito appeared.
• Kisame sensed the approaching Uzushio Village ninja, and Itachi recognized Shisui as their leader.
• Shisui assigned Zabuza to fight Kisame and sent Haku to find Gato, then attacked Itachi himself.
• Kisame overwhelmed Zabuza with water techniques, while Haku used Ice Release to help Zabuza escape his strike.
• Itachi and Shisui clashed with their Sharingan active and argued over the Uchiha clan’s fate, Kotoamatsukami, and Itachi’s desire to obtain an eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

Naruto defeated Obito’s attempt to attack his subordinates and demanded Gato Shipping Company shares and control of the Land of Waves from Gato. The battle continued elsewhere as Naruto kept Gato with him to watch its outcome.

• Shisui questioned Itachi about Sasuke, and Itachi revealed that he had killed their parents to awaken Sasuke’s Mangekyō Sharingan before attacking Shisui with Amaterasu.
• Gato watched the ninjutsu battle from his balcony as Obito recognized Uzumaki Menma in the distance.
• Naruto confronted Obito, tested his Spiraling Ring against him, and heard Obito admit defeat before Obito withdrew using White Zetsu.
• Naruto told Gato that Uzushio Village had attacked in retaliation for Gato’s men striking the Land of Whirlpools.
• Naruto rejected Gato’s offer of three hundred million and demanded half of Gato Shipping Company and that the Land of Waves fall under the Land of Whirlpools’ jurisdiction.
• Naruto told Gato he would change the era and ordered him to watch the battle’s conclusion.

Naruto defeated Kisame and drove off the Akatsuki while his allies dealt with the aftermath and prepared to take control of the Land of Waves. Afterward, Haku’s approval triggered a system reward that increased Naruto’s wind- and water-nature Chakra affinity.

• Naruto secretly rescued Zabuza and Haku from the flooded battlefield, then struck Kisame and defeated him with a Rasengan.
• Obito pulled Kisame away through a vortex, and the Rasengan led him to suspect that Uzumaki Menma was actually Minato Namikaze.
• Shisui forced Itachi to retreat after using Fire Release to exhaust his Mangekyo power.
• Naruto treated Zabuza and Haku, told his subordinates to handle the flooding, and ordered them to take control of Gato’s property and the Land of Waves administration.
• Naruto reflected on shinobi’s lack of governing and development skills, then received a system reward for Haku’s approval: the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai method and increased wind- and water-nature Chakra affinity.