Chapter Summaries

White Zetsu trapped Orochimaru and Ōnoki of Both Scales with powerful Wood Release, but Orochimaru summoned Hiruzen Sarutobi and Mū to join the fight. The chapter ended as a fourth coffin emerged and White Zetsu recognized the threat.

• White Zetsu tried to hypnotize Orochimaru and Ōnoki of Both Scales, but they had set a trap that wounded its spirit before it afflicted them with negative emotions.
• Orochimaru and Ōnoki attacked White Zetsu with ninja techniques, but White Zetsu revealed Wood Release and trapped Orochimaru until Ōnoki rescued him.
• White Zetsu unleashed Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, forcing Ōnoki to use Dust Release: Boundary Detachment Technique to clear the forest and exhaust his Chakra.
• Orochimaru used Edo Tensei to summon Hiruzen Sarutobi, who agreed to fight White Zetsu alongside his former disciple.
• Orochimaru summoned Mū, the Second Tsuchikage, and then raised a fourth coffin, leaving White Zetsu shocked and afraid.

Uchiha Sōgetsu emerged from the third coffin and joined Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mū, and Orochimaru in fighting White Zetsu, but the Aurora Society intervened just as they seemed to have destroyed it. Mr. A and Uchiha Itachi rescued White Zetsu and refused Orochimaru’s demand to kill it, leaving the sides on the verge of another battle.

• White Zetsu tried to destroy the third coffin, but Hiruzen Sarutobi and Mū stopped its attacks as Uchiha Sōgetsu emerged.
• Uchiha Sōgetsu exposed White Zetsu’s attempt to escape, and he, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Mū attacked it with powerful techniques.
• White Zetsu survived Amaterasu by shedding a new body, but Uchiha Sōgetsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Mū overwhelmed it with their attacks.
• After Mū’s Dust Release appeared to annihilate White Zetsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Mū’s Impure World bodies crumbled, and an attack wounded Uchiha Sōgetsu.
• Mr. A and Uchiha Itachi arrived with the rescued White Zetsu, and Mr. A refused Orochimaru’s proposal to kill their common enemy.
• Orochimaru turned to Ōnoki and ordered him to call for reinforcements.

The Aurora Society protected White Zetsu after forcing it to swear loyalty to them, and the Twilight Hermit Society attacked as the factions faced off. Uchiha Itachi challenged Uchiha Sōgetsu with Tsukuyomi, but Sōgetsu reversed the Genjutsu and trapped Itachi in an eternity of torture.

• Orochimaru summoned two masked allies while White Zetsu warned that Uchiha Obito was being held back elsewhere.
• Mr. A made White Zetsu swear in the True Creator’s name that it would not retaliate against the Aurora Society and would help destroy the Twilight Hermit Society.
• Ōnoki of Both Scales led the Twilight Hermit Society into battle, and Orochimaru ordered the three Impure World Reincarnation Kage to cover them.
• Uchiha Itachi used Composite Ninja Art: Flame Wind Turbulence and defeated Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Second Tsuchikage, leaving Uchiha Sōgetsu as the remaining Kage.
• Uchiha Itachi cast Tsukuyomi on Uchiha Sōgetsu, but Sōgetsu revealed that Itachi had fallen into his Genjutsu instead.
• Uchiha Sōgetsu subjected Uchiha Itachi to what felt like thousands of years of slow torture, leaving him screaming as the first second of eternity passed.

Mr. A battled Orochimaru, Konan, Uchiha Mikoto, and Ōnoki of Both Scales, whose coordinated abilities stripped away his defenses and exposed his weakness. As Uchiha Mikoto hurled her third black-flame spear, Mr. A cried out for the Aurora Society’s Holy Child to save him.

• Mr. A recognized the masked fighters’ Pathways and attacked, but Konan’s rules and Orochimaru’s sword and curse trapped and wounded him.
• Mr. A struck Orochimaru with Corrupting Words, but Uchiha Mikoto’s Amaterasu forced him to retreat before he could Graze Orochimaru’s soul.
• Mr. A targeted the exhausted Konan with Death, while Ōnoki redirected the damage and Orochimaru’s Solar Halo drove Mr. A back.
• After Konan’s prohibitions faded, Mr. A unleashed Flesh and Blood Magic, but Orochimaru’s summons and Ōnoki’s attacks held off the flesh bombs.
• Uchiha Mikoto used Weakness Detection to land two Amaterasu spears on Mr. A, then threw a third as he screamed for the Holy Child to save him.

The Twilight Hermit Society killed Mr. A after a fierce battle, then cornered White Zetsu. White Zetsu offered to reveal Adam’s whereabouts, but the group still chose to kill it, so it desperately offered another secret.

• Mr. A prayed to the Dark Angel for help, but Uchiha Sōgetsu ignored him as Uchiha Mikoto’s White Light Spear struck his final weakness.
• Mr. A died after his blessing from the True Creator vanished, and the Twilight Hermit Society members regrouped to pursue White Zetsu.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Second Tsuchikage attacked White Zetsu while Ōnoki of Both Scales and Konan restrained it and Uchiha Mikoto burned it with Amaterasu.
• White Zetsu begged for its life and claimed it could lead the group to Adam, but Ōnoki warned the others not to trust the traitor.
• Orochimaru decided White Zetsu had to die, so White Zetsu offered to reveal another earth-shattering secret.

The Twilight Hermit Society tried to kill White Zetsu, but Uchiha Obito arrived, defeated Orochimaru, and forced the group to escape. White Zetsu revealed that Adam was never a God, while Ōnoki secretly showed ambition.

• White Zetsu offered to reveal a secret about Adam, but Uchiha Mikoto and Konan refused to spare him, and Ōnoki argued for hearing him out.
• Orochimaru moved to kill White Zetsu, but Uchiha Obito appeared, broke the Kusanagi Sword, and pierced Orochimaru with its broken tip.
• Obito attacked the Twilight Hermit Society, and Orochimaru used a scroll and Reverse Summoning Jutsu to help the group escape.
• As the group vanished, White Zetsu revealed that Adam had never been a God.
• Obito asked White Zetsu about his ritual, and White Zetsu said he planned to reach Sequence Four and help kill Adam.
• Back in the cave, the Twilight Hermit Society members pondered White Zetsu's revelation, while ambition glimmered in Ōnoki's eyes.

After the Twilight Hermit Society departed, White Zetsu used the grief at Hiruzen Sarutobi’s funeral to complete its promotion to Sequence Four and transform into a powerful dragon-like Mythical Creature. It celebrated its newfound strength and vowed to overthrow Adam, unaware that Uchiha Sōgetsu and Eriyi were watching nearby.

• White Zetsu convinced Uchiha Obito to spare Uchiha Itachi, then watched Obito leave through a spatial vortex.
• Uchiha Itachi departed after warning White Zetsu that the Aurora Society would return once its promotion was complete.
• Konoha mourned Hiruzen Sarutobi at his funeral while White Zetsu secretly joined the crowd and prepared its ritual.
• White Zetsu drank its Potion, entered the Subconscious Ocean, and completed its promotion to Sequence Four.
• White Zetsu revealed its Mythical Creature Form, demolished mountain peaks, and vowed to drag Adam from his position.
• Uchiha Sōgetsu and Eriyi watched White Zetsu rampage, and Sōgetsu said heaven drove those it wished to destroy mad.

After the Twilight Hermit Society's plan to kill White Zetsu failed, Orochimaru warned its members not to believe White Zetsu's attempt to divide them. The Sage of Six Paths then revealed that a secret sealed in the Pure Land had escaped into the material world and taken root beneath the planet, threatening the Shinobi World with either grace or destruction.

• Uchiha Mikoto accused Ōnoki of coveting Lord 'Adam's' power, and Orochimaru stopped their argument and accepted responsibility for the failed plan.
• Orochimaru warned the Twilight Hermit Society that White Zetsu had likely used 'Psychological Suggestion' to sow discord, and urged everyone to wait for Lord 'Adam' to awaken.
• White Fang returned wounded and told Orochimaru that the Sage of Six Paths had abruptly left while holding back Uchiha Obito, shortening their chance to kill White Zetsu.
• The Sage of Six Paths appeared and confirmed that the secret of the Pure Land had broken through 'Adam's' seal and entered the material world.
• The Sage of Six Paths said the secret was the source of everything, and that the power of the Primordial would affect the Shinobi World as either grace or destruction.

Uchiha Sōgetsu returned to the Church of Bones and told Adam that he had released the Sefirah to cultivate the Shinobi World into a foundation for advancing Above Sequence. The Great Toad Sage foresaw strange creatures bringing both hope and despair, and summoned the other two Great Sage Lands to meet.

• White Zetsu advanced to Sequence Four, then vanished into the mountains to digest its Potion.
• Eriyi chose to return to Konoha to see Sasuke, while Uchiha Sōgetsu left an incarnation to accompany her and returned to the Church of Bones.
• Adam confronted Uchiha Sōgetsu about the Chaos Sea breaking through the Pure Land's seal, and Sōgetsu explained that he intended to cultivate more Beyonders and use the Sefirah to expand the Shinobi World.
• Adam agreed to help Uchiha Sōgetsu pursue his plan despite its risks.
• The Great Toad Sage told Fukasaku to find Jiraiya and warn him of strange creatures, then ordered him to summon the sages of Shikkotsu Forest and Ryūchi Cave.

Fukasaku went to Ryūchi Cave and learned that the White Snake Sage was willing to join forces with Mount Myōboku. At Hiruzen Sarutobi’s grave, Orochimaru told Naruto that a living impostor had replaced the Third Hokage and warned him to keep the secret, leaving Naruto confused and distraught.

• Fukasaku entered Ryūchi Cave with Gamaken and met Tagorihime, who led him to the White Snake Sage.
• Naruto grieved at Hiruzen Sarutobi’s grave and asked Lu Mingze why he kept losing people he cherished.
• Orochimaru arrived, restrained Naruto, and claimed he was not the true murderer of the Third Hokage.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared through Impure World Reincarnation and confirmed that an impostor had replaced him and planned to provoke a war.
• Orochimaru warned Naruto that the impostor was still alive and ordered him to keep the truth secret, then disappeared with Hiruzen.
• Naruto walked home through the rain, overwhelmed by doubt and grief.

After Lu Mingze enhanced Naruto’s perception, Naruto confirmed that the Third Hokage had been killed and replaced. He confronted Kakashi, learned that Kakashi had known the truth for a long time, and left disappointed.

• Lu Mingze explained that Naruto’s heightened mental ability was a customer perk and urged him to verify what Orochimaru had said.
• Naruto questioned Asuma about his behavior at the Third Hokage’s funeral and took Asuma’s response as confirmation that the Hokage had been replaced.
• Asuma and Kakashi discussed whether Naruto had discovered the impersonation and agreed to investigate how many people in Konoha had been replaced.
• Naruto went to the Memorial Stone and tried to dig up the Third Hokage’s grave, but Kakashi stopped him.
• Naruto demanded the truth from Kakashi, who admitted he had known for a long time, and Naruto left, blaming Kakashi’s lack of power.

After learning the truth, Naruto accepted Orochimaru’s offer and left Konoha to seek power, prompting Sasuke to pursue him and bring him back. When Sasuke struck Naruto with Chidori, Lu Mingze revealed that Naruto had Dragon Clan blood and could awaken its power.

• Naruto agreed to leave with Orochimaru in exchange for strength and answers about the truth.
• Kakashi told Sakura and Sasuke that Naruto had deserted with Sound Ninja and warned that the Hokage Advisors had ordered him brought back or destroyed.
• Sasuke left the hospital to pursue Naruto, determined to return him before Konoha’s other pursuers found him.
• Naruto refused Sasuke’s demand to return, saying he needed power and was going to find Orochimaru.
• Sasuke hit Naruto with Chidori, and Lu Mingze told him he was a Mixed-blood with Dragon Clan blood and Word Spirits.

Naruto revealed overwhelming new powers and fought Sasuke as he tried to leave Konoha for Orochimaru. Sasuke activated her Lightning Style Instant Roar Mode, but Naruto defeated her with Lord's Flame and left her unconscious.

• Naruto transformed, overpowered Sasuke in a clash, and redirected her Great Fireball with Word of Power - Lord's Flame.
• Naruto struck Sasuke and said he would leave Konoha, promising to explain everything when he returned.
• Sasuke rose despite her injuries and told Naruto she wanted to stop him because they were friends.
• Sasuke revealed Lightning Style Instant Roar Mode and challenged Naruto to defeat her within three minutes.
• Naruto reached Tier Seven speed, evaded Sasuke's Chidori, and engulfed her in Lord's Flame, knocking her unconscious.

Naruto defeated Sasuke but gave her his Dragon Blood to save her before fleeing Konoha. After enduring three days of pursuit, he collapsed at the border when Orochimaru intervened and claimed him.

• Naruto won his close-range fight against Sasuke, then learned she was gravely injured by King of Flames.
• Naruto cut his wrist and let his blood flow into Sasuke's lips, turning her into a mixed-blood, then fled into the forest.
• Masked Anbu found Sasuke and sent one of their number to take her back for treatment while the others continued pursuing Naruto.
• After three days of relentless pursuit, Naruto reached the Land of Fire's border, where the cat-face Anbu nearly killed him.
• Orochimaru arrived, stopped the Anbu, and claimed Naruto before Naruto passed out from exhaustion and injuries.
• The Sound Four placed Naruto in a prepared container, and Orochimaru said he had prepared a gift for him.

After Naruto defected with Orochimaru, Konoha's leaders classified him as an S-Class Rogue Ninja and pressed Jiraiya to become Hokage. Jiraiya secured a month to find Tsunade and prepared to leave with Second Pillar, believing Naruto was safer outside Konoha.

• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu classified Uzumaki Naruto as an S-Class Rogue Ninja and ordered that he be killed if found.
• The Advisors urged Jiraiya to become Hokage, but he nominated Tsunade and promised to bring her back within a month.
• Jiraiya told Kakashi that Naruto was safer with Orochimaru because Konoha might still contain secretly replaced people.
• Jiraiya warned Kakashi to leave the village if anything seemed wrong as he prepared to depart.
• Kakashi asked Jiraiya to take Second Pillar along, and Jiraiya agreed to bring him.

Sasuke accepted Jiraiya’s offer to train her so she could bring Naruto back from Orochimaru. At Orochimaru’s secret base, Naruto swallowed an Extraordinary Characteristic and became a Sequence 9 Scholar of the Gate Pathway.

• Jiraiya visited Sasuke in the hospital and offered to guide her training so she could bring Naruto back.
• Sasuke agreed to leave the village with Jiraiya and asked him to teach her.
• Naruto confronted Orochimaru at the secret base, demanding the promised truth and training.
• A mysterious old man delivered a box to Orochimaru in exchange for a potion refined from the Fate Pathway.
• Orochimaru gave Naruto the white worm inside the box and told him it was an Extraordinary Characteristic from the Gate Pathway.
• Naruto swallowed the worm, and Orochimaru declared him a Sequence 9 Scholar.

Uzumaki Naruto survived accommodating an Extraordinary Characteristic and became a Sequence 9 Beyonder, gaining the Door Opening ability. Orochimaru warned him to advance carefully and withheld the truth until Naruto reached Sequence 4.

• Naruto convulsed as the Extraordinary Characteristic drew his consciousness toward a strange world of starlit doors, but Orochimaru warned him not to let it control him.
• Naruto resisted the pull, returned to his body, and used the image of a Konoha Headband to quiet the voices in his mind.
• Orochimaru explained that Naruto was now a Beyonder, and Naruto tested Door Opening by passing through a laboratory wall.
• Naruto asked about the Sequences and learned from Orochimaru that Sequence 0 was a True God, while he would need to reach Sequence 4 to learn the full truth.
• Orochimaru cautioned Naruto to digest each Potion before advancing and explained that he had made Naruto forcibly accommodate the Door path’s Extraordinary Characteristic because he lacked its Potion.
• Naruto asked about other paths, and Orochimaru told him there were twenty-two in total.

While searching for Tsunade in Tanzaku Town, Sasuke took a day to rest and encountered a mysterious shopkeeper offering her a Potion that promised transcendent power. Sasuke drank the Potion of the Tyrant Pathway, entering Sequence 9: Sailor.

• Jiraiya taught Sasuke Chakra control as they traveled toward Tanzaku Town, impressed by how quickly she learned.
• Jiraiya told Sasuke to spend the day relaxing while he gathered information about Tsunade.
• Sasuke wandered through Tanzaku Town and found a strange shop tucked away in an alley.
• The shopkeeper told Sasuke that Naruto had entered the Gate Pathway and offered her a Potion of the Tyrant Pathway.
• Sasuke drank the Potion, becoming a Sequence 9 Sailor.

Sasuke drank a mysterious Potion and gained the Sea Vassal abilities, then went with Jiraiya to meet Tsunade in Tanzaku Town. After Tsunade attacked Jiraiya, Sasuke unexpectedly blocked her punch and left Tsunade questioning whether she was really a Genin.

• Sasuke drank the Potion, experienced a terrifying vision, and learned she had become a Sequence 9 Sea Vassal.
• Jiraiya returned with information identifying Tsunade as the big spender in Tanzaku Town, and he and Sasuke went to meet her at an izakaya.
• Tsunade rejected Jiraiya's request to discuss matters privately until Shizune and Sasuke left the table.
• Shizune took Tonton outside with Sasuke, and she told Sasuke that her senior disciple sister had left to find someone.
• Tsunade struck Jiraiya through the izakaya wall, and Sasuke stepped in to block her next punch with astonishing strength.
• Tsunade walked out unharmed and asked Sasuke whether she was really a Genin.

White Zetsu struggled to control the madness that followed its advancement to Sequence 4 and decided to confront Adam for answers. After learning Adam was hiding inside Groselle's Travels in the Land of Rain, White Zetsu and Uchiha Obito set out to find him, while Uchiha Sōgetsu and Adam watched events unfold.

• White Zetsu suffered from worsening madness after advancing to Sequence 4 and blamed Adam for withholding a way to control it.
• White Zetsu asked Uchiha Obito how to resist madness, but Obito embraced it and urged White Zetsu to seek Adam instead.
• White Zetsu told Uchiha Obito that Adam was hiding inside an extraordinary book in the Land of Rain, and Obito agreed to go there with it.
• Uchiha Sōgetsu defeated Adam at chess and said they should watch events rather than interfere.
• Uchiha Sōgetsu planned to use White Zetsu's search as a chance to inspect Groselle's Travels and give White Zetsu a gift tied to Ankewelt's contingency.