Chapter Summaries

Yuki Night and the Kirigakure leaders confronted White Fang and Hongsi over missing clan members while weighing whether to join the war against the Leaf Village. White Fang revealed that the captives were already dead, dispelled his Shadow Clone, and left Hongsi holding a sealing scroll as Hozuki Yoshihito and Kaguya Tsuki turned furious.

• Yuki Night and Hozuki Yoshihito arrived, and Yoshihito demanded that White Fang reveal where his missing wife was.
• The Mizukage and the elders discussed the attacks on the Yuki, Hozuki, and Kaguya Clans, while Hongsi fought Yoshihito and Kaguya Tsuki alone.
• The Mizukage explained that White Fang had joined the God Organization and urged Kirigakure to enter the war against the Leaf Village.
• Yuki Night demanded that White Fang return the abducted clan members or face her as an enemy.
• White Fang tossed a sealing scroll to Hongsi, said the captives were dead, and dispelled his Shadow Clone; Yoshihito and Tsuki grew enraged.

Hongsi fought Kirigakure’s Mizukage and elite shinobi while White Fang’s companions captured more villagers. As Kirigakure learned that Mangetsu, Hana, and Linlin were missing, Hongsi vanished, leaving the village’s captives and his own escape unresolved.

• The Mizukage deduced that Hongsi’s attack had distracted Kirigakure while his companions captured people, and Hongsi demanded that the village spread word of his strength in exchange for the captives’ return.
• The Mizukage ordered three elders to pursue White Fang’s companions, then joined the Seven Swordsmen and clan leaders in attacking Hongsi with water, mist, lightning, earth, and ice techniques.
• Hongsi realized he could not defeat Kirigakure’s combined forces and struggled to accept that he would have to retreat.
• Yuki Night and Hozuki Yoshihito continued their assault as Kirigakure’s shinobi waited for Hongsi to weaken, while the Mizukage wondered why the enemy had left a fighter behind.
• The elders returned and reported that White Fang was inside the village; Kirigakure shinobi then announced that Mangetsu, Hana, and Linlin were missing.
• Hongsi threw a small fire dragon at the gathered shinobi, used their moment of confusion to disappear, and left his whereabouts unknown.

Ling Tian prepared to attend an emergency meeting after promising to marry Uchiha Nako, while White Fang’s raid in Kirigakure ended with Hongsi defeated and fleeing. At the meeting, Ling Tian challenged the village leadership over the Hatake Clan’s exclusion and Hiruzen Sarutobi’s past failures.

• Hongsi’s clash with Kirigakure ended in defeat and escape, while White Fang killed three enemies and captured one young member from each of three clans.
• Ling Tian dressed for the meeting and questioned Hongsi’s reports about the raid, which claimed that Kirigakure’s leaders had joined forces against him.
• Ling Tian embraced Uchiha Nako, promised to marry her, and kissed her cheek as Obito and Kakashi watched from the roof.
• Ling Tian and Fugaku Uchiha arrived at the Hokage Building, where the other attendees questioned Ling Tian’s presence.
• Fugaku revealed that the Uchiha and Hatake Clans had entered a marriage alliance and showed murderous intent toward Utatane Koharu.
• Ling Tian confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi over the Hatake Clan’s missing seat and accused the village leadership of past injustices, including driving his elder brother to defect.

Ling Tian challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi’s record at the meeting, and Danzo and Qu Feng agreed that Hiruzen should admit his mistake and announce Orochimaru as his successor. Ling Tian then confronted the elders over his brother’s treatment, threatening Utatane Koharu if she slandered him again.

• Minato Namikaze defended Hiruzen, but Ling Tian disputed his claims and credited past leaders with the village’s achievements.
• Danzo and Qu Feng called for Hiruzen to acknowledge his mistake and name Orochimaru as his successor, while Mitokado Homura warned that the dispute could cause unrest.
• Ling Tian recognized the fox-masked Anbu as Minato Namikaze, revealed his identity to the gathered leaders, and teased him about his popularity and relationship with Kushina.
• Hiruzen asked whether Ling Tian represented the Hatake Clan, and Ling Tian demanded an answer for why his elder brother had been forced to become a rogue ninja.
• Utatane Koharu accused Ling Tian’s brother of causing losses to the village, and Ling Tian defended him and threatened to kill Koharu if she slandered him again.

Danzo revealed that Kirigakure had joined Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure in preparing to attack Konoha, then assigned the village's forces to the four battlefronts. Fugaku accepted the Uchiha's deployment against Sunagakure after learning Hongsi might help, while Danzo ordered Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura, and the Hyuga to face Iwagakure.

• Danzo reported that Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure had allied against Konoha, while Hiruzen noted Kirigakure might join them.
• Ling Tian mocked Homura's suggestion to make peace, then privately informed Danzo that Kirigakure would enter the war with its full force.
• Danzo listed the enemy villages' strongest fighters, called on Uzumaki Mito to join the battle, and assigned the Sannin and Torifu's forces to face Kirigakure.
• Danzo asked the Uchiha to hold the Sand front, and Fugaku agreed after Ling Tian indicated Hongsi would help.
• Danzo assigned Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura, and the Hyuga to face Iwagakure, rebuking Koharu when she protested.

Danzo assigned the remaining fighters to defend the village and asked Ling Tian to seek help from his elder brother, White Fang, against Hanzo. After Koharu provoked him, Ling Tian attacked her and threatened to kill her, while Fugaku offered to take the Uchiha away if the village’s current leaders forced Ling Tian out.

• Danzo asked Uzumaki Mito to face the Raikage father and son, and she agreed on the condition that Kushina accompany her.
• Danzo rejected Hiruzen’s plan to leave Koharu and Homura in the village, assigning Kakuzu to oversee its affairs instead.
• Danzo asked Ling Tian to persuade White Fang to help stop Hanzo, but Ling Tian questioned whether his elder brother would help the village.
• Koharu insulted Ling Tian, who slapped her, grabbed her by the neck, and threatened to kill her before Fugaku stopped him.
• Ling Tian challenged the village leaders, and Fugaku said the Uchiha would leave with him if Hiruzen and the advisors continued to hold power.

Ling Tian confronted Konoha’s leaders and refused to fight Hanzo until they answered for their treatment of the Hatake Clan. The chapter ended with him demanding that the Third Hokage and his son take their own lives.

• Ling Tian threatened Utatane Koharu, then released her after Danzo promised to expose the leaders’ wrongdoing.
• Danzo recalled the village’s past betrayals and asked Ling Tian to help stop Hanzo of the Salamander.
• Ling Tian refused to risk his life for Konoha without an accounting, while Torifu Akimichi objected to sending him.
• Danzo offered to step down the advisors and appoint Orochimaru as Fourth Hokage, but Ling Tian rejected the concessions.
• Ling Tian demanded that Hiruzen and his son take their own lives.

Danzo and the village leaders agreed that Sarutobi Shinnosuke must die for his role in the village’s crisis, while Hiruzen Sarutobi would serve at the front lines and later teach at the Ninja Academy. Ling Tian accepted the coming battle against Amegakure and privately resolved to ensure the Third and his allies never returned.

• Ling Tian offered to hold off Hanzo of the Salamander and demanded that the village answer for its treatment of the Hatake Clan.
• Danzo agreed that Sarutobi Shinnosuke should take his own life, but insisted that Hiruzen Sarutobi serve at the front lines before stepping down.
• Aburame Shigang and Inuzuka Jia confirmed that Ling Tian’s strength had triggered fear in their insects and predator instincts.
• Hiruzen pleaded for his son’s life and offered to lead the Sarutobi Clan to the front, but Danzo refused to spare him.
• Danzo assigned positions and future responsibilities among the village factions, while Ling Tian decided the Third and his allies would die in the war.

Danzo assigned the Leaf Village’s forces to fronts across the war, while Ling Tian planned to go to the Land of Rain with Might Duy. After the meeting, Fugaku reconsidered the Uchiha’s relationship with Danzo as Ling Tian received a mission.

• Danzo ended the meeting by ordering the shinobi to settle their affairs before going to war and assigning Kakuzu to organize those outside the clans.
• Danzo spoke with the clan leaders and Ling Tian, offering apologies and future recognition while explaining the Leaf Village’s war plans.
• The Leaf Village divided its forces among the Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and Land of Rain fronts, while Kakuzu stayed behind to oversee the village.
• Fugaku looked down on Hyuuga Hiten and wondered whether Ling Tian had a connection to Danzo.
• Ling Tian froze when a mission arrived.

Ling Tian considered the system’s options after it triggered on his desire to kill Sarutobi Shinnosuke, then prepared to leave with Fugaku. Before they departed, he discussed Kakashi’s betrothal, his plan to marry Naiko, and Minato’s assignment to protect Kushina on the Cloud Village front.

• Ling Tian concluded that he still intended to kill Sarutobi Shinnosuke despite the system’s options and rewards.
• Fugaku asked Ling Tian to arrange Kakashi’s childhood betrothal with an Uchiha girl, and Ling Tian agreed to let Kakashi decide for himself.
• Ling Tian told Fugaku he planned to marry Naiko after the war, and Fugaku approved and promised a grand celebration.
• Ling Tian told Minato Namikaze that Kushina would travel with Danzo and Mito, and that Minato would join the mission and be able to protect her.
• Ling Tian warned Fugaku not to underestimate Minato, but Fugaku privately doubted that the young Anbu ninja posed a serious threat.

As the Leaf forces prepared to depart for war, Shimura Danzō publicly accused the village’s leaders of past crimes and announced a new leadership arrangement. He ended by declaring that Sarutobi Shinnosuke had been sentenced to take his own life.

• Fugaku asked Ling Tian whether he was in contact with Danzo, and Ling Tian explained Danzo’s offer to make him an advisor.
• Fugaku agreed to support Ling Tian even after hearing he might kill someone, without asking whom.
• The Leaf assembled more than ten thousand shinobi and divided them among the Sand, Mist, Stone, Cloud, and Amegakure fronts.
• Danzo addressed the crowd, accused the higher-ups of causing the Senju’s deaths, alienating the Uchiha, and driving White Fang away, and declared that Hiruzen would step down and Orochimaru would succeed him.
• Danzo announced that the other two advisors had been stripped of their positions and that Sarutobi Shinnosuke had been ordered to take his own life.

Three days after Ling Tian confronted the Hokage, villagers defended the Third and rejected the prospect of him stepping down, prompting the Uchiha and Hatake to refuse to fight for them. With the village facing war and his position and clan at risk, the Third began moving toward the platform to make his choice.

• Villagers dismissed the accusations against the Third and opposed his stepping down, while Ling Tian decided to leave with Dai and Fugaku.
• Fugaku agreed with Ling Tian and said the Uchiha and Hatake would not risk their lives for the villagers.
• Torifu Akimichi and Uzumaki Mito confronted the Third and urged him to act before the village lost its strongest fighters.
• The Third considered the consequences for the village and the Sarutobi Clan, apologized to Konohamaru, and started forward.
• Kakashi, Rin, Obito, and Might Guy watched the Third move toward the platform, while another boy tried to reassure Asuma.

The Third admitted fault in White Fang’s case, resigned as Hokage, and begged for Shinnosuke’s life, but Ling Tian rejected his attempt to preserve his son and shield the village’s leadership. Ling Tian, Fugaku Uchiha, Danzo, and their followers left Konoha, leaving the village and its war effort behind.

• The Third apologized for White Fang’s case, resigned, named Orochimaru as the Fourth Generation, and asked Danzo to spare Shinnosuke.
• The villagers defended the Third and argued that Shinnosuke should not have to take his own life, while Ling Tian condemned the Third’s attempt to evade responsibility.
• Ling Tian denounced the villagers for forgetting the Hatake Clan’s and his own sacrifices, then urged Fugaku Uchiha and the other shinobi to leave Konoha.
• Ling Tian and Dai walked out, and Fugaku Uchiha led several thousand Uchiha clansmen after them.
• Danzo apologized to Uzumaki Mito, declared Konoha beyond saving under Hiruzen, and left with Root and the Aburame Clan.

Hatake Ling Tian rejected the Third Hokage’s confession and threatened to sever ties with the Leaf Village on behalf of Root and the Hatake, Uchiha, and Aburame clans. The villagers remained sympathetic to the Third, leaving everyone stunned by Ling Tian’s defiance.

• Kakuzu Nara accused the Third Hokage of concealing his past wrongs and failing to tell the villagers the truth.
• Uzumaki Mito confronted the Third and asked whether his actions had endangered the village and betrayed Tobirama and its people.
• The Third confessed to sending the Senju to battle, suppressing the Uchiha, and ordering the Uzumaki Clan’s destruction, while claiming he had acted for the village.
• The villagers responded with sympathy for the Third, and he asked Danzo whether his confession was enough to satisfy him.
• Ling Tian accused the Third of ruining his older brother’s life and destroying the Hatake Clan’s achievements, then threatened to part ways with the Leaf Village alongside Root and the Hatake, Uchiha, and Aburame clans.

Ling Tian confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi over White Fang’s treatment and the village’s failures, while Danzo openly backed Ling Tian and said he could speak for him. Hiruzen admitted he had allowed White Fang’s name to be smeared, and a veteran shinobi challenged him and the advisors to answer for their record.

• Danzo declared that Ling Tian’s words reflected his own intentions and authorized him to speak for him.
• Ling Tian rejected the villagers’ judgment and threatened to leave unless Hiruzen Sarutobi explained himself.
• Hiruzen admitted he had known about White Fang’s situation and had allowed it to happen, though he denied intending to drive him to defect or take his life.
• Ling Tian accused Hiruzen and his allies of undermining the village’s strength and trust, citing White Fang, the Senju, and his older brother.
• A veteran civilian shinobi criticized Hiruzen and the advisors for avoiding battle, favoring their clansmen, and speaking against their consciences.

Ling Tian forced the Third to choose between his son and the fighters leaving the village, then killed Konohamaru after the Third chose to let them go. He left the Third trembling with grief and threatened to make his clansmen die before him one by one.

• Thousands of Chunin and Jonin demanded Konohamaru’s execution and condemned the Third for his past decisions.
• Ling Tian challenged the Third over his failures and demanded that he choose between saving Konohamaru and letting the fighters leave the village.
• The Third silently agreed to let the fighters go, and Ling Tian offered Konohamaru the choice to die or flee.
• Konohamaru defended himself and pleaded for his life, but Ling Tian cut off his head.
• Sarutobi Asuma ran at Ling Tian, who kicked him aside, then Ling Tian taunted the grieving Third and threatened his clan.

Ling Tian denounced the Third Hokage and his advisors for weakening the Leaf Village, suppressing its clans, and driving his older brother to defect. He proposed replacing the village’s rule with leadership by the capable, while the disgraced former leaders were sent to the front lines to atone.

• The Third Hokage remembered the choices he had made against the Senju, Uchiha, Uzumaki, and his own son, and he could not retaliate against Ling Tian without risking the Sarutobi Clan and the village.
• Asuma struggled and threatened to kill Ling Tian, while the Third Hokage left the platform after Ling Tian condemned him and the advisors to serve on the front lines.
• Ling Tian addressed the gathering, blaming the Third Hokage, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura for purges that had weakened the village and driven his older brother to defect.
• Ling Tian revealed that Danzo had persuaded him and Fugaku Uchiha to remain in the village, but the villagers’ defense of the former leaders convinced him they had learned nothing.
• Ling Tian threatened anyone who invoked protecting the villagers and proposed that capable people rule while villagers obey or leave.

Ling Tian led the Leaf shinobi toward the war after rallying them, then confessed his growing affection for Uchiha Nako and kissed her before leaving. On the road, he checked his completed mission and learned that his clone had acquired Ice Release.

• Danzo, Uzumaki Mito, Torifu Akimichi, Fugaku Uchiha, Kakuzu Nara, and the others agreed that future leaders must fight alongside the shinobi, and Ling Tian led the troops toward the battlefield.
• At the village entrance, Danzo entrusted Kakuzu with handling the village and front line as the main force split into four groups and departed.
• Ling Tian asked Uchiha Nako to marry him when he returned, kissed her goodbye, and told Kakashi to stay with her in the Uchiha Clan Compound.
• Ling Tian and his ten-man squad set off, while Nako watched them leave with Mikoto and the children.
• Ling Tian checked his completed mission and learned that Water Baby had gained Ice Release; his clone reported that it remembered Wind Release and how wind could freeze water.

Ling Tian led Dai and three Uchiha toward Amegakure while the rest of their squad split up to gather intelligence. After proving he could strike faster than the Uchiha could react, Ling Tian ordered them to follow his lead and prepared to confront Hanzo of the Salamander.

• Ling Tian and his squad traveled toward Amegakure, where Hanzo of the Salamander had once fought four countries and defeated the Sannin.
• Six shinobi split into two teams to gather intelligence while Ling Tian, Dai, and three Uchiha stopped in a forest.
• An Uchiha woman urged Ling Tian to wait for the other teams, but Ling Tian appeared behind her with lightning at her neck and ordered the three Uchiha to obey him.
• Ling Tian told Dai to hold off Hanzo if he appeared, then led the group openly toward Amegakure.

Ling Tian led Dai and the three Uchiha to Amegakure to meet Hanzo of the Salamander and try to keep the village out of the war. After Hanzo refused to see them, Ling Tian ordered an attack on the Rain shinobi concealed nearby.

• Ling Tian and Little Right debated the danger of confronting Hanzo, but Ling Tian insisted that Hanzo was not beyond their ability to defeat.
• The group openly arrived at Amegakure, where a ten-man Rain shinobi squad confronted them and questioned their intentions.
• Ling Tian demanded to meet Hanzo and claimed that Hatake Sakumo was his older brother, prompting the squad leader to send a subordinate to report their arrival.
• After Hanzo refused the meeting, Ling Tian apologized to the squad and ordered his team to kill the Rain shinobi hiding in the shadows.
• Ling Tian vanished as his attack began.