Chapter Summaries

Hattori Heiji accepted Uchiha Tokimitsu’s terms and became a Shogunate informant, then challenged Hizashi Hyuga and was swiftly defeated. Before returning to Konoha, Hatake Sakumo learned that Uchiha Tokimitsu planned to move against the Land of Water’s ruling elite, while the two set the Konoha Two Houses Conference for early September.

• Hattori Heiji agreed to provide the Shogunate with intelligence and follow its orders, becoming Hizashi Hyuga’s contact.
• Hattori Heiji challenged Hizashi Hyuga to a fight, but Hizashi defeated and paralyzed him with a single technique.
• Hattori Heiji realized how powerless the Daimyo’s Attendant Ninja Army was against the Shogunate and felt relieved that his wishful thinking had ended.
• Uchiha Tokimitsu set the secret Konoha Two Houses Conference for early September after planning a trip to Fubo Castle.
• Uchiha Tokimitsu told Hatake Sakumo that the Shogunate controlled the Land of Water’s taxes and judiciary and was ready to remove its Daimyo, nobles, and officials.
• Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Tokimitsu agreed that the Ninja World’s division would end through unification, though Hatake Sakumo wondered about peace as he departed.

Uchiha Tokimitsu moved to abolish the Daimyo nobles’ remaining power, ordering the disarmament of samurai and confiscation of noble lands. Hozuki Ayahiko deposed the Daimyo of the Land of Water, installed Konoe Atsushi as his successor, and gave him a Human Declaration to read publicly.

• Uchiha Tokimitsu issued the Sword Ban Edict, and the Mist ninja and Shogunate Ninja Army crushed the ronin who resisted it.
• The Shogunate issued the Register-and-Lands-Return-to-Shogunate Edict, stripping the Daimyo and Court Nobles of their feudal rights and confiscating their fields.
• Hozuki Ayahiko led the Mist Ninja Army to surround the Daimyo’s palace, where the Hatamoto Samurai surrendered their weapons and the Kaguya Ninja forced the Daimyo to kneel.
• Hozuki Ayahiko read Uchiha Tokimitsu’s decree accusing the Daimyo of tyrannical rule and ordering him to abdicate; the Daimyo fainted and was taken away for quiet cultivation.
• Hozuki Ayahiko appointed Konoe Atsushi as the next Daimyo and ordered him to read the Human Declaration outside the palace the next day.

Rasa confronted Ebizo over investigating Sasori, but Ebizo demanded that Uchiha Sekka be killed and threatened to back Pakura. As Rasa and his allies prepared for a possible attack, Ebizo’s personal Anbu ambushed them by destroying their Ninja Hawk.

• Ebizo refused Rasa’s request to question Sasori and demanded that Uchiha Sekka be killed, threatening to support Pakura if Rasa refused.
• Rasa left Ebizo’s residence and told Sekka and his allies to prepare, then learned Ebizo had called for Sekka’s death because of his role in the investigation report.
• Rasa rejected the Kage Guard Jonin’s suggestion to secretly detain Sasori and sent a coded report about Ebizo’s refusal to the Kage Guard captain.
• An unknown attacker destroyed the Ninja Hawk carrying the message, and Rasa and his companions faced Ebizo’s Anbu Second Squad.

Rasa and Uchiha Sekka confronted Sunagakure Anbu sent to question Sekka, but Sasori’s sudden attack exposed the Third Kazekage as a Human Puppet and triggered explosions across the village. Sasori escaped the confrontation through deception, leaving the Sunagakure forces facing widespread destruction.

• Uchiha Sekka summoned a Ninja Cat to send word to the First Column while Rasa prepared to face the Sunagakure Anbu.
• Rasa and Uchiha Sekka attacked the Anbu, but Sasori revealed himself and poisoned the remaining Anbu with a disguised puppet.
• Rasa attacked Sasori, who blocked the Gold Sand storm with an Iron Sand Wall and revealed a Human Puppet made from the Third Kazekage.
• Sunagakure reinforcements arrived, and disguised self-destructing puppets detonated among them, causing heavy casualties.
• Sasori vanished as explosions spread across Sunagakure, while Pakura destroyed a puppet decoy and Rasa realized Sasori had fooled them.

After returning from the Land of Water, Uchiha Tokimitsu used the Sand succession outcome to strengthen the Shogunate’s influence in the Land of Wind and convened Konoha’s hawkish Jonin to plan for war and postwar rule. The meeting ended with unanimous support for an Internal Affairs Ninja School and a major expansion of Konoha’s standing and reserve forces.

• Rasa took office as Fourth Kazekage after blaming Sasori for the Third Kazekage’s murder, while Ebizo retired and handed over his authority.
• Uchiha Shiina reorganized the Joint Anti-Terrorism Unit First Column into a Special Investigation Unit stationed in the Land of Wind, and Uchiha Tokimitsu gave Uchiha Nobutora authority over additional United Company ninja.
• Uchiha Tokimitsu explained to Uchiha Shisui and the Red Force how Sasori’s attack had allowed Ebizo to retire safely, then warned them about the danger of public suspicion if the Nine-Tails ever showed a Sharingan.
• Uchiha Shifang and Hatake Sakumo gathered seventy-seven hawkish Jonin at the Konoha Governor’s Mansion, where Uchiha Tokimitsu discussed threats from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Mount Myōboku, and Ryūchi Cave.
• Uchiha Tokimitsu proposed an Internal Affairs Ninja School, five new full-strength columns, and fifty Skeleton Columns, and the hawkish Jonin unanimously supported the plans.

The Land of Grass’s daimyo voluntarily surrendered his territory in exchange for generous compensation, inspiring other small nations to undertake territorial reform under the Shogunate. Alarmed great-nation nobles and ninja leaders secretly assembled in the Land of Earth, where the Daimyo of the Land of Earth prepared to resist the Shogunate with expanded forces and support from the Sacred Lands.

• The Daimyo of the Land of Grass offered his lands to the Shogunate, stepped down from politics, changed his surname to Uesugi, and issued the Ninja World’s second Human Declaration.
• The Daimyo of the Land of Swamps and then the rulers of the Land of Fields, the Land of Trees, and other small nations exchanged territory for United Company shares and stepped down; Uchiha Tokimitsu offered their descendants places in the Konoha State Affairs Academy.
• The Tachibana Daimyo of the Land of Earth convened representatives from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Fire to discuss resisting the Shogunate’s reforms.
• Ōnoki reported that Iwagakure had reached its limit of more than thirty-four thousand registered ninja and over ten thousand academy students, while the Land of Lightning’s envoy promised to double its military budget.
• The Tachibana Daimyo introduced Asura as a representative of Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave, and Asura offered more than ten thousand Summoning Beasts and possible help from the Great Sages.
• A urged the gathering to march south, but Ōnoki, the Tachibana Daimyo, and the Land of Lightning’s envoy rejected an immediate decisive battle and agreed to wait while building their strength.

Ōnoki was humiliated when a memorial accused Rock Ninjas of sneaking into homes to spy on people, while Konoha reviewed military discipline and reserve recruitment. In the Land of Wind, Rasa ordered a full investigation after a United Company caravan was massacred, leaving the culprits unknown.

• A Land of Earth official read a memorial accusing Rock Ninjas of harassment and spying, and Ōnoki angrily left as the conference attendees laughed at him.
• Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Tokimitsu discussed deteriorating discipline among Iwagakure and Kumogakure forces, and Tokimitsu ordered Konoha units to inspect and correct their conduct.
• Mitokado Homura reported that five reserve ninja columns were fully staffed and thirteen unit structures had been organized.
• Rasa learned that nearly a hundred United Company caravan members had been killed and their cargo stolen in the desert.
• Rasa ordered the Sand Village higher-ups to investigate the massacre thoroughly and punish whoever was responsible.

Asura traveled south with a Rock Ninja investigation team and discovered that Rock Ninjas had massacred a settlement while stealing supplies. Horrified by their cruelty, he burned the dead and scavengers, left questioning the justice and destiny behind the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy.

• Asura joined Akatsuchi’s team under the alias Daluo to investigate reports of Rock Ninjas’ misconduct in the Land of Earth.
• Asura challenged Akatsuchi over the village’s tolerance of ninja abuses and noticed blood on two Rock Ninjas returning with food.
• Asura tracked the pair’s trail and found a mountain settlement’s residents and livestock massacred by the Rock Ninjas.
• Asura watched the surviving villagers flee from him and questioned what kind of people he had helped and what the prophecy’s justice meant.
• Asura used Fire Style: Great Flame Technique to burn the corpses and scavengers, his heart overcome with coldness.

Kisame Hoshigaki led a massive United Company charity convoy into the Land of Rain, prompting Hanzō of the Salamander to weigh relief against the country’s growing dependence on the Shogunate. Hanzō authorized the aid, requested an Amegakure branch, and moved to discuss Territorial Reform with the Daimyo’s court, leaving Amegakure to embrace the Shogunate-led era.

• Kisame Hoshigaki announced that the United Company Charity Association would provide supplies to the Land of Rain and nearby regions, with nearly six hundred ninja supporting the operation.
• Hanzō of the Salamander considered the Land of Rain’s dependence on Shogunate investment and imported food as Jonin Amada argued that aid mattered more than autonomy and dignity.
• Hanzō permitted the Charity Association and its personnel to move freely through the Land of Rain, while barring them from local government offices.
• Hanzō requested that the Charity Association establish a branch at Amegakure headquarters and ordered a document to the Daimyo’s court discussing Territorial Reform for the Shogunate.
• Amada publicized Hanzō’s decree, and Amegakure’s ninja cheered and accepted the Shogunate-led era as Hanzō finally set aside his longstanding burden.

Akatsuchi rejected Konoha’s plan to send ninja to aid flood-stricken civilians in the Land of Earth, while Asura learned that Iwagakure intended to seize the relief supplies and use the gathering to attack the Mountain Savages. Hizashi Hyuga moved ahead with the operation under Kisame Hoshigaki’s command, and Uchiha Tokimitsu prepared Konoha’s forces to support it.

• Akatsuchi raged at a petition describing Konoha’s charity team and ordered the messenger to keep Konoha ninja from crossing the border.
• Asura volunteered to travel south and investigate, then heard the messenger boast that Iwagakure planned to confiscate relief supplies and attack the Mountain Savages.
• Hizashi Hyuga ordered the relief operation to proceed into the Land of Birds with Kamon Shogunate and Amegakure forces, placing Kisame Hoshigaki in unified command.
• Uchiha Tokimitsu ordered Uchiha Fugaku to assemble the Western Border Defense Force and prepare for action.

Mahiru struggled to respond after the Shogunate charity team entered the Land of Birds, while Asura witnessed the villagers’ suffering and questioned both Iwagakure’s conduct and the relief effort. Kisame defended the Shogunate’s harsh, limited aid, leaving Asura silent and uncertain about his beliefs.

• A messenger reported that Wenya had failed to stop the Shogunate ninja army from entering the Land of Birds, and Mahiru decided to move his troops south despite Akatsuchi refusing to take responsibility.
• Mahiru’s confidant suggested following the original plan to distribute the relief supplies and reclaim them later, but Mahiru left the matter undecided while Asura departed for the Land of Birds.
• Kisame distributed porridge and rice to the disaster victims as Asura watched, troubled by their hunger and their trust in the Konoha ninjas.
• Asura questioned Kisame about the food’s ingredients and small portions, and Kisame explained that the salted fish provided salt and the impurities made the rice unappealing to nobles.
• Kisame told Asura that the Shogunate could only give ordinary people a chance to survive, and Asura fell silent.

Asura watched the Shogunate establish a relief camp in the Land of Birds while Iwagakure’s rear erupted into riots. The unrest spread across the southern counties as Tobi and White Zetsu used the chaos to seize grain and collect samurai corpses.

• Hizashi Hyuga announced a work-for-relief policy, and Asura chose to stay and observe the Shogunate rather than warn Iwagakure.
• Hizashi Hyuga and Kisame Hoshigaki discussed keeping Asura under watch as the Shogunate prepared additional forces for the Land of Birds.
• A messenger told Mahiru that a large riot had broken out in the south, and Mahiru learned that unruly Genin left behind had helped incite it.
• Akatsuchi learned that rebellious Rock Ninja and civilians had attacked granaries, noble estates, and other facilities across the southern counties, while the Southern Territory Guardian ordered Mahiru to return with troops.
• Tobi and White Zetsu celebrated the riots as they reported that samurai corpses had been moved to the Secret Base and grain had been distributed to civilians.

Uchiha Tokimitsu and Hatake Sakumo planned to exploit the Iwagakure uprising and prepared military deployments against the Land of Earth. Meanwhile, Black Zetsu confronted Tobi over its reckless actions and discovered that Tobi had built a powerful White Zetsu force and adopted the Shogunate’s revolutionary cause.

• Uchiha Tokimitsu and Hatake Sakumo agreed to aid the Iwagakure patriots and use their defeat to claim a pretext for a “Free Iwagakure” campaign.
• Uchiha Tokimitsu assigned Hatake Sakumo to command forces on the northern border and monitor Kumogakure and the Eight-Tails.
• Uchiha Tokimitsu planned to send two columns to the Land of Rain, recruit Kirigakure forces, raise ten reserve columns, and seize tributary states of the Land of Earth.
• Black Zetsu arrived from the Land of Snow and scolded Tobi for exposing the organization, but backed down after seeing Tobi’s enlarged White Zetsu force.
• Tobi showed Black Zetsu Shogunate propaganda supporting the Iwagakure patriots and revealed it had one thousand combat-ready White Zetsu.
• Tobi credited books for its new political ideas and showed Black Zetsu Tokimitsu’s Sayings and Our Struggle—On the Righteousness of Konoha Innovation.

The rebellion in the Southern Land of Earth spread as the Shogunate and its allies tightened their military pressure, leaving the nobles and Rock forces scrambling to respond. Mahiru learned that Uchiha Tokimitsu had arrived at the front, making war seem imminent.

• Rebels in the Southern Land of Earth drove out nobles and attacked government forces as Konoha and Amegakure moved toward the region.
• Akatsuchi and the Southern Territory Guardian told the nobles that the outcome depended on the Daimyo, Ōnoki, and Uchiha Tokimitsu, then arranged negotiations while preparing their forces.
• Tobi encouraged the rebellion by correcting proclamations and ordering them copied and distributed throughout the region.
• Mahiru's army remained trapped between Uchiha Fugaku's force, Rebel Iwagakure, and Amegakure, with its supplies cut off.
• Mahiru received word that an envoy was preparing to come, but then saw Uchiha Tokimitsu's banner rise over the Konoha camp.

Mahiru mistook the young Rock Ninjas’ excitement at seeing Uchiha Tokimitsu’s banner for treason, then learned they hoped to earn promotions by killing Tokimitsu. Tokimitsu prepared his forces while the Rock Ninjas charged, and Shisui began dismantling their attack as Tokimitsu invited other units to join the fight for training.

• Young Rock Ninjas asked Mahiru whether killing Uchiha Tokimitsu could earn them promotion to Jonin, and Mahiru sarcastically told them that Assistant Kitsuchi might yield his position if they succeeded.
• Tokimitsu learned from Fugaku that the rear Border Defense Force could reach the front within a day and ordered a concealed movement as reinforcements from Kirigakure approached.
• A group of young Rock Ninjas charged the Konoha formation, and Tokimitsu sent his disciple Uchiha Shisui to kill them.
• Mahiru defended sending the young ninja to their deaths as their duty, while Asura challenged his reasoning.
• Shisui combined shuriken techniques, Fire Style, and wire-controlled trajectories to strike the Rock Ninjas, then attacked with Uchiha Style: Sun Halo Dance.
• Tokimitsu praised Shisui’s fighting style and invited other units to send squads into the formation as a training exercise.

Kitsuchi arrived in the southern counties to assess the rebellion and the Land of Birds front, then questioned Asura about Iwagakure’s army and the Shogunate. Asura exposed Iwagakure’s internal decay, and Kitsuchi admitted that reform might destroy the village even as refusing to reform would doom it.

• Kitsuchi reached Ishikawa City, dismissed Akatsuchi’s briefing, and ordered him to prepare answers about the rebellion and the forces at the Land of Birds front.
• Kitsuchi met Mahiru, heard his account of the Konoha Ninja Army’s restrained actions, and then asked Asura whether Mahiru’s report was true.
• Asura explained that Mahiru’s young ninjas had been influenced to launch their attack and described the Royalist and Reformist factions among the southern rebels.
• Asura criticized Iwagakure’s weak army, corrupt jonin, and treatment of its younger ninjas, leaving Kitsuchi to admit that reform could destroy Iwagakure while avoiding reform would lead to its decline.

Asura reflected on Iwagakure’s weakness while Kitsuchi went to negotiate peace with Uchiha Tokimitsu. Kitsuchi accepted major concessions, but the talks ended with Iwagakure needing to consult its Daimyo about autonomy demands and agree to limits on troop deployments.

• Asura considered Iwagakure and Kumogakure valuable to his mission, though he doubted their ability to prevail in the coming conflict.
• Kitsuchi saw Kirigakure’s banner appear at the Shogunate camp and realized the Mist Ninja had arrived as reinforcements.
• Kitsuchi entered Uchiha Tokimitsu’s command tent, knelt, and offered peace on behalf of Ōnoki and the Land of Earth.
• After Tokimitsu revealed the Shogunate’s military deployments, Kitsuchi offered to withdraw Iwagakure’s forces from the Land of Birds and the Land of Stone and transfer all rights there.
• Hizashi Hyuga demanded that the two countries become independent and that the Land of Earth’s southern counties receive autonomy; Kitsuchi accepted the independence demand but asked for time to consult the Daimyo about autonomy.
• Uchiha Fugaku and Tokimitsu proposed troop limits for the southern counties and the Land of Birds, leaving the peace settlement dependent on Iwagakure’s response.

Uchiha Tokimitsu suspected Iwagakure had hidden allies and gave Hizashi Hyuga authority over its Earth Country intelligence. Asura secured Kitsuchi’s willingness to reform Iwagakure with support from Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave, then discovered that the supposed rebel forces in the southern mountains were a vast White Zetsu group led by Tobi.

• Uchiha Tokimitsu suspected Iwagakure had another force backing it and placed Hizashi Hyuga in charge of intelligence in the Land of Earth.
• Asura persuaded Kitsuchi to preserve nominal unity, limit Iwagakure’s ninja army, and use an election to remove rival factions, offering support from Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave.
• Asura hypnotized a mob leader and learned that the Iwagakure Volunteers were gathering in the southern mountains.
• Asura discovered that the supposed Rebel Iwagakure were White Zetsu, with hundreds gathered in the mountains.
• Asura sensed Hashirama’s power in Tobi and overheard Black Zetsu urge him to retreat, while Tobi rallied the White Zetsu to rise in the Ninja World.

Asura’s Gourd Toad discovered Tobi and Black Zetsu’s White Zetsu base, forcing them to flee and consider joining the Shogunate. Meanwhile, Iwagakure accepted the Shogunate’s terms, leaving the financially crippled Kumogakure divided over its options as the Third Raikage hoped Killer B would find the Eight-Tails.

• Asura’s aura alerted Tobi and Black Zetsu to the Gourd Toad’s presence, and the toad escaped with Asura by using the Summoning Technique.
• Tobi ordered the White Zetsu to abandon their mountain base and relocate to a cave in the Land of Birds, while Black Zetsu secretly considered defecting to the Shogunate.
• Hizashi Hyuga reported that contact with the Iwagakure Volunteers had been lost, and Uchiha Tokimitsu let him take over the Land of Earth intelligence network while considering him useful for dividing the Hyuga Clan.
• A Kumogakure Anbu reported that Iwagakure had accepted the Shogunate’s terms, prompting the Third Raikage to keep the assembled forces in place and continue Killer B’s Eight-Tails mission.
• Kumogakure’s leaders argued over retaking the southwestern Fallen Zone as financial hardship stalled military expansion and Chakra Cannon research.
• The Third Raikage ended the dispute by saying that Kumogakure’s situation would improve once Killer B found the Eight-Tails and became its new jinchuriki.

Kitsuchi organized Iwagakure’s Border Defense Force Jonin into a reformist group to resist the disbanding and reassignment imposed by the surrender treaty. Meanwhile, Uchiha Tokimitsu’s forces expanded their influence, and reinforcements hunting Sasori learned he was likely active in Rōran near the Dragon Vein.

• Kitsuchi told Mahiru and the Border Defense Force Jonin that Iwagakure would lose its overseas territories and formations under the surrender treaty, and urged them to preserve the southern force as one unit.
• Mahiru and the Jonin signed a petition demanding that the southern border force remain intact, and Kitsuchi named their group the Reformists.
• Uchiha Tokimitsu ordered Hizashi Hyuga to call the fabricated Iwagakure remnants Free Iwagakure and viewed the Shogunate’s acquisition of two small countries as a step toward encircling Sunagakure.
• Rasa sought additional help from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Unit as Sasori continued attacking across the Land of Wind and Pakura criticized Rasa’s failure to capture him.
• Uchiha Sekka warned the arriving anti-terrorism ninja about Sasori’s Human Puppet abilities and resistance, then identified Rōran and its Dragon Vein as the likely focus of the search.