Chapter Summaries

Ling Tian reassured Fugaku about the Uchiha’s position and hinted that they had gained an ally, while Naiko’s growing closeness to Ling Tian prompted Kakashi and Obito to call her their aunt. At the Hokage Building, Hiruzen called a meeting to discuss the God Organization and select the Fourth Hokage, then announced he would step down, but someone challenged whether that would solve anything.

• Ling Tian told Fugaku that the village needed the Uchiha and hinted that they had gained an ally, easing Fugaku’s worries before he left for the meeting.
• Obito and Kakashi arrived while Naiko was with Ling Tian, and Ling Tian told them to call her Aunt Naiko.
• Naiko fled in embarrassment, while Kakashi asked Ling Tian whether she would become his aunt and said he wanted to focus on training.
• Fugaku arrived at the Hokage Building, where Hiruzen began a meeting about the God Organization and choosing the Fourth Hokage.
• Hiruzen accepted responsibility for the crisis and said he would step down, but someone asked whether doing so would solve the problem.

The Third Hokage and the village leaders debated who should succeed him after the White Fang scandal destroyed trust in his leadership. Fugaku nominated Orochimaru, while Uzumaki Mito nominated Tsunade, but Danzo challenged their criteria and the meeting remained unresolved.

• Danzo argued that the Third could not escape responsibility for the scandal simply by stepping down, and Torifu Akimichi demanded that he explain himself to the villagers.
• The Third accepted that he would need to admit his mistakes publicly and proposed choosing a candidate for the Fourth Hokage.
• Fugaku nominated Orochimaru, but the others stayed silent as they watched Danzo for his reaction.
• Uzumaki Mito nominated Tsunade, citing her lineage, standing, achievements, strength, and popularity.
• Mitokado Homura objected that Tsunade was a gambler and a drunk, and Uzumaki Mito challenged him by asking whether Hashirama had been unfit to serve as Hokage.
• Danzo rejected the nomination criteria, arguing that they would also justify recalling White Fang and making him Hokage.

Danzo nominated himself as the Fourth Hokage and argued that his experience and contributions made him the best candidate, but the others rejected his bid. With Tsunade also ruled out, the meeting turned to Jiraiya, whom Danzo immediately attacked as unqualified.

• Danzo declared that he would become the Fourth Hokage and challenged anyone who disagreed to name a better candidate.
• Uzumaki Mito, the Third, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, Torifu Akimichi, and several Jonin representatives opposed Danzo’s nomination.
• Danzo accused the Third of seeking an obedient puppet and warned that no inexperienced candidate should lead the village.
• The clan leaders rejected the idea of Danzo becoming Hokage, especially because they feared what he might do to the Uchiha and Hyuga clans.
• Utatane Koharu recommended Jiraiya, and Danzo objected, questioning Jiraiya’s judgment and administrative qualifications.

Danzo challenged the Third Hokage and the advisors to name a candidate more capable than him, arguing that Jiraiya was unsuitable. Fugaku proposed Orochimaru again, and Danzo unexpectedly praised Orochimaru’s abilities as he considered the suggestion.

• Danzo confronted Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and the Third, insisting that Jiraiya was not more qualified to become Hokage than he was.
• The Third argued that Jiraiya could gain experience with their help, but Danzo rejected him and challenged the others’ motives for backing an easily controlled candidate.
• Danzo declared that he should become Hokage if no suitable candidate could be found, while Uzumaki Mito and the Third made clear they would not accept him.
• Fugaku proposed Orochimaru again, expecting Danzo to rebuke him, but Uzumaki Mito did not object and Danzo appeared to consider the idea.
• Danzo told the gathering that Orochimaru’s responsibility, talent, and charisma were comparable to or greater than his own.

Danzo pushed for Orochimaru to become the Fourth Hokage and accused Hiruzen of holding back his students to protect his own standing. He forced the elders to confront Hiruzen’s failures, then apologized to Fugaku and the Uchiha Clan as the meeting continued.

• Danzo declared that he supported Orochimaru as Fourth Hokage, arguing that Orochimaru was more capable than Jiraiya or Tsunade.
• Danzo accused Hiruzen of withholding instruction from his students because he feared they would surpass him, leaving the meeting hall to question Hiruzen’s conduct.
• Hiruzen proposed Orochimaru for Hokage, and Danzo said Orochimaru could take office after returning from the Sand Shinobi Battlefield.
• Danzo challenged Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura to make Hiruzen take responsibility for his mistakes instead of passing them to the next Hokage.
• Danzo said he had long carried unpleasant work to keep the senior leaders in check, then bowed to Fugaku and apologized to the Uchiha Clan without asking for forgiveness.

Danzo condemned the Third and the other Advisors for the Senju Clan’s decline and the Uchiha’s suppression, while admitting his own guilt to Fugaku and Uzumaki Mito. The chapter ended with Mito turning toward the Third after realizing Danzo had considered the Senju’s welfare more than the leaders she had trusted.

• Danzo told Fugaku that the Uchiha and Senju had sacrificed greatly to found the village and deserved more respect.
• The Third suspected Danzo was acting to build support for his future bid to become Hokage.
• Danzo accused the Third, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura of allowing the remaining Senju to die on dangerous missions.
• Danzo admitted to Uzumaki Mito that he had known about the Senju’s deaths and done nothing to stop them, but said Tsunade was still unfit to become Hokage.
• Uzumaki Mito reconsidered her judgment of Danzo and turned her gaze toward the Third.

Uzumaki Mito, Fugaku, and Danzo confronted the Third over his treatment of the Senju and Uchiha clans. Danzo challenged Hiruzen to explain how he had spent the eight years since Kagami died, then invoked White Fang.

• Uzumaki Mito asked the Third whether Danzo's accusations were true, and Hiruzen defended his record as Hokage and described his vision for the village.
• Hiruzen said the Senju's prestige and the Uchiha's power could threaten the village if their leaders' ideals conflicted with its direction.
• Fugaku questioned whether the Uchiha had been led into ruin by staying in the village, and Hiruzen said he would never move against them as long as they behaved themselves.
• Danzo accused Hiruzen of deepening resentment toward the Uchiha by keeping them assigned to the Police Force and argued that Kagami had shown the clan could integrate into the village.
• After Hiruzen noted that Kagami had died eight years earlier, Danzo brought up White Fang and demanded to know how he had spent those eight years.

Danzo confessed that fear had kept him from defending Kagami’s family and the Uchiha, then exposed his role in Sakumo’s disgrace and challenged Hiruzen over the old ambush and the mission that ruined White Fang. He ended by offering his life as atonement if it could help the village and earn Sakumo’s forgiveness.

• Danzo revealed that Torifu had retired eight years earlier after fighting Iwagakure in Hiruzen’s place, and Torifu confirmed the account.
• Danzo wept as he admitted that Kagami had died saving him and that he had stayed silent while Kagami’s family and the Uchiha suffered; Fugaku apologized to him.
• Danzo accused Hiruzen and the other former disciples of neglecting the village while they controlled its vital affairs, prompting the assembled witnesses to react with shock and shame.
• Danzo demanded to know why he and Kagami had been ambushed by Mist Ninja, and Hiruzen said he had known nothing about the attack.
• Danzo admitted he had helped spread rumors against White Fang after recognizing that Hiruzen’s mission assignment and inaction would likely lead to Sakumo’s disgrace.
• Danzo declared that he would accept death as atonement if it could renew the village and win Sakumo’s forgiveness after Orochimaru became Hokage.

Danzo’s admission turned the conference room against the Third as clan leaders accused him of suppressing rivals and concealing the truth. The Third recognized that Danzo had already won the room’s support, leaving his own explanations unlikely to matter.

• Aburame Shigang and Inuzuka Jia argued that Danzo had only brought the White Fang scandal to light sooner and that the Third bore responsibility for the village’s decline.
• Fugaku accused the Third of suppressing the Uchiha and plotting against White Fang to protect his position.
• Uzumaki Mito demanded answers about the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan and Kushina’s escape, but the Third remained silent as Mito struggled to restrain her anger.
• Torifu Akimichi declared that he had failed the village and sided with Danzo, while Nara Kakuzu questioned the Third’s motives and expressed hope for a different Hokage.
• The Third considered explaining his side of the White Fang, Uchiha, and Uzumaki affairs, but concluded that Danzo’s confession and offer to die had already turned the room against him.

The Third realized Danzo had turned the village against him and the Two Advisors, leaving them blamed for years of alleged abuses. Danzo secured support for Orochimaru as Fourth Hokage and ordered the three former leaders to publicly answer for their actions before Orochimaru took office.

• The Third traced his defeat back to White Fang’s mission and recalled how his allies and students had turned against him.
• The village accepted Danzo’s accusations against the Third and the Two Advisors, while Koharu and Homura struggled to understand why they were being blamed.
• Danzo asked whether anyone objected to Orochimaru becoming Fourth Hokage, and the meeting fell silent.
• Danzo proposed that the Uchiha investigate the God Organization, and Fugaku agreed while planning to consult Ling Tian.
• Danzo ordered the Third and the Two Advisors to face the villagers and shinobi and take responsibility before Orochimaru assumed office; the Third insisted he was still Hokage.

Danzo sidelined Hiruzen and appointed Nara Kakuzu to lead a new jonin squad, putting him in charge of reconstruction and village relief. Meanwhile, Fugaku learned that Nako liked Ling Tian, and Obito vowed to defeat Nawaki when he grew up.

• Danzo declared Hiruzen unfit to serve as Hokage and proposed Kakuzu as leader of a new squad with authority over most of the village's jonin.
• Fugaku and the clan leaders supported Kakuzu's appointment, and Danzo tasked them with helping rebuild the village and reassure its residents.
• Hiruzen stayed behind with Koharu and Homura, telling them to wait while he prepared to take responsibility for what had happened.
• Fugaku asked Nako how she felt about Ling Tian, and she admitted that she thought he was very nice.
• Kakashi and Obito listened to an old woman's stories about the First, Madara, and Izuna, and Obito vowed to defeat Nawaki when he grew up.
• Fugaku entered Obito's house and challenged Obito about whom he thought he could beat.

Fugaku visited Uchiha Hua and apologized for staying away, while Danzo arrived to face the woman who had blamed him for Kagami’s death. After Fugaku explained Danzo’s secret efforts to protect the Uchiha, Hua began to question what she had believed for eight years.

• Fugaku rebuked Obito for boasting about becoming a powerful Shinobi before mastering the Three Body Technique or awakening his Sharingan.
• Fugaku apologized to his aunt, Uchiha Hua, and introduced Uchiha Nako as his sworn sister.
• Hua asked Fugaku to let Obito live a normal life, and Fugaku stopped Obito from asking what she meant.
• Danzo arrived and let Hua strike him with a broom as she angrily blamed him for Kagami’s death.
• Danzo asked Nako to take Obito and Kakashi outside, then apologized to Hua for wronging the Uchiha and failing Kagami.
• Fugaku explained Danzo’s account of secretly protecting the Uchiha, and Hua wondered whether she had hated the wrong person for eight years.

Danzo persuaded Uchiha Hana and Fugaku to keep Kagami’s descendants under pressure rather than publicly honor Kagami, believing the children might inherit exceptional potential. He revealed how Kagami’s Sharingan had advanced through danger and warned Fugaku that an unstoppable war was coming.

• Hana asked whether Kagami’s loyalty meant Obito and Suigetsu would no longer face scorn, and Fugaku offered to publicize Kagami’s service to the village.
• Danzo argued that the children should grow stronger under pressure, while Hana struck him with a broom and Fugaku considered his advice.
• After leaving Hana, Danzo told Fugaku that Kagami had possessed unusually powerful Sharingan and that he suspected an ancestral reversion in Kagami’s and Fugaku’s branches.
• Danzo recounted Kagami’s Sharingan awakenings and his final battle against the Hidden Mist, concluding that danger and pressure drove the eyes’ growth.
• Fugaku proposed other ways to train the children, but Danzo rejected them and said the coming war would require powerful shinobi.

Danzo persuaded Fugaku to bring the Uchiha into Root and keep their plans secret, while Fugaku eagerly anticipated the clan’s rise. Meanwhile, Ling Tian visited Torifu Akimichi and argued that the Akimichi had no grounds to blame the Hatake for his son’s injury.

• Danzo told Fugaku the Uchiha should join Root, promised he could become an advisor, and outlined plans for Obito and Kagami’s grandson to lead the village and Root.
• Danzo instructed Fugaku to conceal the meeting’s discussion of Kagami, spread word of Danzo’s visit among the clans, and propose that the Inuzuka take over the Police Force.
• Fugaku agreed to follow Danzo’s instructions and privately celebrated the Uchiha’s prospects for gaining influence in Konoha.
• Ling Tian left the Uchiha compound and visited the Akimichi compound, where Torifu Akimichi confronted him over his brother’s actions and Qu Rou’s injury.
• Ling Tian defended his brother’s killing of the Yamanaka leader and said Qu Rou had been injured by Thunder of the God Organization, not by the Hatake.

Ling Tian warned Torifu Akimichi about the Rinnegan and urged him to help remove the Third Hokage and his allies from office. He left Torifu facing the need to settle the village’s leadership before the front line against Sunagakure worsened.

• Ling Tian told Torifu Akimichi that the God Organization’s members were specialists and revealed that another organization was led by someone with the Rinnegan.
• Ling Tian claimed the Rinnegan could rival or surpass the First Hokage, and privately considered killing Nagato and taking his place in the organization.
• Ling Tian explained that his group had planned to make his big brother Hokage with support from the Uchiha, Orochimaru, and the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, but villagers’ attacks had changed their plans.
• Ling Tian asked Torifu to lead the others in removing the Third Hokage and his allies within three days.
• Ling Tian warned that the Sannin’s small force could not stop Sunagakure and urged Torifu to settle the village’s affairs before sending reinforcements.

After a setback on the front, Kumogakure and Iwagakure mobilized for war against the Leaf Village, and Ling Tian learned that the Third Raikage and Third Tsuchikage would join the conflict. He agreed to attend a meeting with Fugaku while Ryoma discovered that Ling Tian was engaged to Uchiha Nako.

• Torifu Akimichi agreed to support Ling Tian after Ling Tian accepted his request to give the Third time, but refused to marry the Akimichi Clan's granddaughter.
• Ling Tian left the Akimichi Clan's home, and the village began rebuilding while its clans settled into their new positions.
• Hongsi and White Fang arrived in Kirigakure and argued over whether to capture their targets quietly or challenge the village openly.
• Ryoma reported that Kumogakure and Iwagakure had mobilized and that the Third Raikage and Third Tsuchikage would join the war.
• Ling Tian told Ryoma he would attend the meeting with Fugaku and introduced Uchiha Nako as his fiancée.
• Ryoma hurried back to report Ling Tian's engagement, while Nako blushed and Ling Tian prepared to visit the Hokage Building.

Ling Tian sent Hongsi and White Fang to Kirigakure to abduct their targets and investigate whether the village planned to enter the war. Hongsi drew the village’s shinobi toward fires he had started, then confronted the Third Mizukage near the Mizukage Building.

• Ling Tian told Hongsi that Kumogakure and Iwagakure had joined Sunagakure in attacking the Leaf Village and ordered him to investigate Kirigakure’s intentions.
• Hongsi insisted on testing Kirigakure’s strength while White Fang urged him to bring in their two other allies and complete the mission covertly.
• Hongsi and White Fang infiltrated Kirigakure, where Hongsi set fires across the village to draw shinobi away from the center.
• Hongsi flew to the Mizukage Building and challenged the Third Mizukage, who asked who he was and wondered whether he knew of Kirigakure’s alliance plans.
• Hongsi identified himself as Uchiha Red Four, messaged Ling Tian, and began controlling the flames he had prepared.

Hongsi attacked Kirigakure with vast quantities of Fire Style, taunting the Third Mizukage and drawing the village’s strongest fighters into battle. As the Hidden Mist Shinobi countered with Water Style, a sensor spotted another enemy, but the warning came too late.

• The Third Mizukage ordered the Seven Swordsmen to wait for reinforcements, while Hongsi accused him of stalling and dared them to attack.
• The Seven Swordsmen charged, and Hongsi’s Mini Fire Dragons struck nearby Shinobi and set buildings ablaze before a vast wave of fire drove the attackers back.
• Hongsi gathered the flames into a massive display, then sent fire dragons rampaging through Kirigakure to draw out the Kaguya and Hōzuki clan members.
• The Third Mizukage ordered the Hidden Mist Shinobi to evacuate civilians, extinguish fires, and attack Hongsi with Water Style while the Seven Swordsmen sought to force him out of the village.
• A sensor Shinobi spotted an enemy elsewhere, but the warning came too late.

Hongsi and White Fang drew Kirigakure’s strongest fighters into the forest while White Fang planned to capture a target and Hongsi agreed to hold off the pursuers. The Third Mizukage confronted them, but an enraged voice arrived demanding they not be allowed to escape.

• White Fang appeared disguised as Hongsi, announced their withdrawal, and identified himself as Konoha’s White Fang when Watermelon Fuguki recognized his swordsmanship.
• The Third Mizukage ordered the jonin and stronger Mist Ninja to pursue Hongsi and White Fang while Hongsi reignited scattered fires along their escape route.
• White Fang revealed that his shadow clones had attacked the Three Clans’ compounds and elders’ residences to provoke Kirigakure’s strongest fighters into chasing them.
• White Fang told Hongsi that he would hold off the pursuers while White Fang captured the target, and Hongsi confidently accepted the role.
• The Third Mizukage’s forces caught up with them in a dense forest, where White Fang claimed they were on a classified God Organization mission and asked to leave.
• The Third Mizukage began demanding their mission details, but an enraged voice from afar shouted that the pair must not be allowed to leave.

White Fang and Hongsi faced the Mizukage and the Kaguya Clan after the clan demanded the return of two missing members. Hongsi drove back the Kaguya attackers with a massive fire dragon, while White Fang's stalling plan continued as new figures approached.

• Kaguya Tsuki arrived with his Shinobi and demanded that White Fang and Hongsi return the missing clan members, but the Mizukage offered to let them leave if they handed them over.
• White Fang denied having the missing members and signaled Hongsi as Kaguya Tsuki and his followers charged.
• Hongsi unleashed a sea of flames and shaped it into a fire dragon, badly damaging the Kaguya Clan's bone defenses and driving most of them out of the fight.
• The Mizukage stopped Kaguya Tsuki from charging again and asked Hongsi who he was; Hongsi called himself Uchiha Red Four and claimed Fire Style alone made him invincible.
• Kaguya Tsuki charged Hongsi again, but Hongsi knocked him back and declared that he was destined to be invincible as several figures approached.