Chapter Summaries

Yahiko revealed his knowledge of Nagato’s Rinnegan and overwhelmed Nagato and Konan with his Wood Human Technique before asking them to join his cause. Konan agreed to hear him out, and Yahiko promised to teach Nagato the Six Paths Techniques and Yin-Yang Release.

• Yahiko blocked Nagato’s composite ninjutsu and explained that Nagato’s Rinnegan needed a hidden key to awaken its power, claiming that he was that key.
• Yahiko used Tobi’s Chakra to summon a colossal Wood Human Buddha Statue, shocking Nagato and Konan into reconsidering whether he meant them harm.
• Nagato told Konan about Yahiko’s claims and his childhood survival, and they agreed to hear Yahiko out.
• Yahiko appeared behind Nagato and Konan, introduced himself as a guardian and future god, and proposed joining forces to change the Ninja World.
• Yahiko revealed that he was Hanzo of the Salamander’s disciple and that Hanzo was dead; Konan asked for proof of his sincerity, and Yahiko promised to teach Nagato the Six Paths Techniques and Yin-Yang Release.

Gojo Yoru learned that Yahiko had become Uchiha Madara’s powerful pawn, but he urged Konan to cooperate with Yahiko and report his plans. As Gojo Yoru sensed a major change approaching in four months, he believed that period might be their last chance.

• Gojo Yoru visited Konan in Amegakure’s spiritual space, and they affectionately reunited before she told him about Yahiko’s recruitment offer and his connection to Uchiha Madara.
• Konan explained that Yahiko wielded Wood Style, possessed a powerful white substance, and could summon Ibuse; Gojo Yoru told her to cooperate with him and gather information.
• Gojo Yoru reassured Konan that her decision to approach Yahiko was wise, and he told her he had become a Jounin Instructor.
• After leaving Konan, Gojo Yoru concluded that Yahiko and Uchiha Madara were hiding a larger plan, but he believed Konan’s reports gave him an advantage.
• Gojo Yoru looked at the calendar and murmured that four months remained before his body and world would undergo earth-shaking changes.

Gojo Yoru continued training Team 2 while Nagato mastered the Six Paths Techniques and Yin-Yang Release in Amegakure. Yahiko asked Nagato and Konan to help him start a war against the great nations, and Nagato began testing Yahiko’s claims as Konan grew suspicious of the force manipulating him.

• Gojo Yoru led Team 2 on missions and trained Sarutobi Asuma, Yūhi Kurenai, and Nohara Rin in advanced techniques and fundamentals.
• Nagato emerged from two months of seclusion claiming mastery of the Six Paths Techniques and Yin-Yang Release, and Yahiko suggested more Sage of Six Paths ruins might remain to be found.
• Yahiko asked Nagato to help him take revenge and change the Ninja World by igniting the Third Shinobi World War, while promising to find more ruins and confront Gojo Yoru himself.
• Konan questioned Yahiko about Hanzo’s death and his plan to fight Konoha, then Nagato drew her into a higher-level Genjutsu and agreed to verify Yahiko’s claims.
• Nagato summoned the Naraka King and used its Judgement to test Yahiko, while Konan feared that someone behind the scenes had turned Yahiko into a tool.

Yahiko planned to send Konan and Nagato to Konoha to gather intelligence and investigate the village, while Konan asked him to help obtain the Mutual Explosion Tag Technique. In Konoha, Gojo Yoru pushed Team 2 through a punishing D-Rank mission as they cleaned Hokage Rock.

• Konoha invited neighboring countries and former enemies to its Chunin Exam, but the Five Great Nations ignored the invitations.
• Yahiko learned from Tobi that Konoha could detect their surveillance techniques and discussed disguising a team to enter the village with Konan and Nagato.
• Konan agreed to help Yahiko gather intelligence in Konoha if he helped her obtain the Mutual Explosion Tag Technique.
• Yahiko promised to help Konan steal the technique, believing her abilities could aid them against Gojo Yoru.
• Gojo Yoru made Team 2 clean Hokage Rock while wearing weights and mocked Yūhi Kurenai, Sarutobi Asuma, and Nohara Rin as they struggled.

Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato infiltrated Konoha as Kusagakure genin to pursue the Mutual Explosion Tag Technique, where they encountered Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina. Afterward, Gojo Yoru visited Konan in her Mental Space, learned of their plan, and encouraged her to proceed, leaving Konan hopeful about her feelings for him.

• Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato entered Konoha disguised as Kusagakure ninja, aided by a White Zetsu clone, and registered for the Chunin Exam without trouble.
• The group encountered Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina outside the Ninja Academy, and Nagato used his Rinnegan to notice unusual Space-Time Chakra inside Yoru.
• Kushina warned Yoru that Nagato might be an Uzumaki survivor, but she chose not to approach him; Yoru decided to visit Konan that night.
• Gojo Yoru met Konan in her Mental Space, heard about Yahiko's plan to obtain the Mutual Explosion Tag Technique, and said he did not mind unrelated Konoha ninja dying if it helped her.
• Gojo Yoru told Konan to look for the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique scroll as well, then left; Konan took his reaction to her question about Kushina as a sign that she still had a chance with him.

Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina celebrated her eighteenth birthday together, sharing a private evening that culminated in their becoming lovers. As they advanced toward greater power, their relationship reached a new stage.

• Gojo Yoru prepared a decorated birthday dinner for Uzumaki Kushina at the Gojo Family home, and they talked about her Sage Mode training and their approaching power-ups.
• After dinner, Uzumaki Kushina activated a perception-blocking barrier in the basement while Gojo Yoru prepared her birthday cake.
• Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina shared a birthday kiss, and she blew out the eighteen candles before demanding her present.
• Gojo Yoru surprised Uzumaki Kushina by smearing cake on her face, and they started their customary birthday cake fight.
• Uzumaki Kushina told Gojo Yoru she had opened the barrier, and they embraced and became lovers in the living room.

Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan infiltrated Konoha’s Forbidden Jutsu Library, where Yahiko unleashed Wood Style and devastated much of Central Street. Sarutobi Hiruzen suspected Shimura Danzō and sent Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina to take him into custody, leaving them confronting him at Root Headquarters.

• Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan used the guards’ memories to enter the Forbidden Jutsu Library and steal the Mutual Explosion Tag Technique and the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.
• Yahiko used Wood Style: Birth of a Sea of Trees, and the spreading forest wrecked the library and much of Konoha’s Central Street.
• Uzumaki Kushina halted the Sea of Trees with her Shadow Clones and Super Great Ball Rasengan, while Konoha’s ninja rescued and treated the injured.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen returned from the Chunin Exam, saw the Wood Style destruction, and ordered Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina to take Shimura Danzō into custody.
• Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina found Shimura Danzō at the Root Headquarters beneath Hokage Rock, and Gojo Yoru told him to come with them.

Shimura Danzō admitted stealing Hashirama Cells and conducting unauthorized Wood Style experiments, so Sarutobi Hiruzen stripped him of his offices and ordered his temporary imprisonment. As Konoha faced growing fear from other nations and learned that hostile Wood Style and Impure World Reincarnation users remained at large, Konan demonstrated a devastating combination technique in the Land of Rain.

• Shimura Danzō admitted stealing Hashirama Cells and secretly conducting Wood Style experiments, though he denied causing the Central Street disaster.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen removed Shimura Danzō as Hokage's Assistant and Root leader, retained his elder privileges, and ordered him temporarily imprisoned pending investigation.
• Other nations believed Konoha was creating Wood Style users, while Konoha discovered that the hostile Wood Style user had been among the Land of Grass Genin teams, which had all been wiped out en route.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen learned that a second Wood Style ninja and an Impure World Reincarnation user threatened Konoha, but Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina could help detect hidden enemies.
• Konoha promoted Hatake Kakashi, Shizune, and Sarutobi Asuma to Chunin after the exam ended.
• Konan obliterated several mountains in the Land of Rain with a combination of Paper Release, Shuriken Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, and Mutual Explosion Tag Technique, impressing Nagato and Yahiko.

Yahiko sought Madara’s help to provoke a war against Konoha, unaware that Madara was secretly manipulating him, while Konan and Nagato recruited Kakuzu and Hiruko. As Gojo Yoru hid himself for his coming evolution, Kirigakure forces occupied the Land of Waves and began a covert attack near the Land of Fire’s eastern border.

• Yahiko asked Madara for White Zetsu intelligence to impersonate leaders and drive the great nations to war, but Madara taught him a Restraint Seal to control them instead.
• Black Zetsu revealed that Yin-Yang Release was secretly influencing Madara and that Madara had amplified Yahiko’s ambition, making Yahiko an unwitting puppet in his plans.
• Konan and Nagato recruited Kakuzu and Hiruko, who submitted after witnessing Nagato create powerful Six Paths puppets with the Rinnegan.
• Gojo Yoru prepared secret bases and smokescreens as his third evolution approached, then left Konoha under the pretense of training in senjutsu.
• On August 18, Kirigakure forces occupied the Land of Waves and infiltrated the eastern border base of the Land of Fire under cover of the Hidden Mist Technique, beginning an assassination attack.

Gojo Yoru began his violent Third Evolution on an isolated island, while Konoha gathered its leaders after Kirigakure attacked the eastern border. The chapter ended with news that Sunagakure had also invaded Konoha’s western border.

• Gojo Yoru’s Third Evolution began at midnight, leaving his body convulsing while his consciousness remained clear and his Space-Time Chakra surged.
• Gojo Yoru’s evolving body entered an absolute-defense Phasing state as Space-Time Power merged it with real space.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Konoha’s clan heads and senior ninja after Kirigakure attacked the eastern border base, and the leaders agreed to retaliate.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen received a report that Sunagakure had launched an invasion against the western border base.

Sarutobi Hiruzen prepared Konoha for a possible four-front war after Kirigakure and Sunagakure invaded the Land of Fire, while Gojo Yoru was away training at Ryūchi Cave. As Konoha deployed its forces, Yahiko ambushed Ōnoki and Kitsuchi and revealed himself as Amegakure’s new leader and the protector of the Rinnegan.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen learned Kirigakure and Sunagakure had invaded and ordered Konoha’s leaders to watch for White Zetsu while Gojo Yoru was away.
• Uzumaki Kushina used the Mind's Eye of the Kagura to rule out transformation and parasitism among those present, though she could not detect White Zetsu hiding in the earth or vegetation.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen assigned Hatake Sakumo and Shimura Danzō to the eastern base, the Sannin to the western base, and Dan Katō and Namikaze Minato to the northern base, while he and Kushina remained in Konoha.
• Konoha mobilized its forces, and Ōnoki and Kitsuchi learned that Kirigakure and Sunagakure had joined forces against the Land of Fire.
• Yahiko emerged from the ground using the Mayfly Technique, restrained Kitsuchi with Wood Style, and introduced himself to Ōnoki as Amegakure’s new leader and the protector of the Rinnegan.

Yahiko pressured Ōnoki to join the alliance against Konoha, warning that Iwagakure could be destroyed if it refused and promising a share of the spoils if it helped. Ōnoki agreed to attack the Land of Fire, but after Yahiko vanished, he privately hoped Konoha would win against the forces he had joined.

• Ōnoki questioned Yahiko about the Rinnegan, and Yahiko claimed to be its protector and admitted he had orchestrated the attacks by Kirigakure and Sunagakure.
• Yahiko urged Ōnoki to join the war against Konoha, warning that Konoha might use its Space-Time Ninja and Impure World Reincarnation to dominate other nations.
• Yahiko threatened to unleash Wood Style in Iwagakure and offered Ōnoki a share of the resources if they defeated Konoha.
• Ōnoki weighed the risks of refusing against the dangers of joining, then let his Dust Release dissipate and agreed to cooperate.
• Yahiko instructed Ōnoki to attack the Land of Fire and hold down Konoha’s forces before sinking into the earth and disappearing.
• Ōnoki realized Yahiko could infiltrate villages undetected and destroy Iwagakure, and privately hoped Konoha would defeat him and the Rinnegan wielder.

Yahiko maneuvered the great nations into widening the war against Konoha, and the Third Raikage sent Kumogakure to attack the northern border. Yahiko then led an assault that broke Konoha’s western forces, forcing Konoha to send reinforcements to both fronts.

• The Third Raikage suspected a hidden force was directing the attacks, then mobilized Kumogakure to join Iwagakure against Konoha’s northern border.
• Yahiko explained to Tobi that he had guided events to draw Kumogakure into the war and planned to force Konoha to deploy the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki westward.
• Yahiko and Tobi returned to Amegakure so they could help Sunagakure attack Konoha’s western border.
• Kumogakure attacked the northern border, while Yahiko led six subordinates and a venomous salamander in a crushing assault that routed Konoha’s western forces.
• Orochimaru and Jiraiya escaped after using Sage Mode and a Sound Wave Composite Ninjutsu, and Konoha sent Uzumaki Kushina west and clan reinforcements north.

After escaping the six Rinnegan-wielding corpse puppets, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru identified their hidden master as a red-haired boy in Amegakure and realized the war had a deeper cause. They headed to join Uzumaki Kushina, whose thousands of Nine-Tails Chakra Mode clones swept onto the battlefield and shifted the balance against the allied villages.

• Orochimaru used his Orochimaru Style: Substitution Technique to shed his injured body and emerge unharmed, then explained how he developed it.
• Orochimaru revealed that the six enemies were corpse puppets with identical chakra, and he recognized their leader as the red-haired enforcer of a girl called Angel.
• Jiraiya recognized the puppets’ purple ripple-patterned eyes as the legendary Rinnegan, and the Sannin concluded that the boy in Amegakure was a central threat behind the war.
• The Sannin sensed Uzumaki Kushina’s chakra and set out to join her and report what they had learned about the Rinnegan.
• Uzumaki Kushina fielded nearly ten thousand golden Shadow Clones in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, causing pressure on Konoha’s forces to fall and giving them a chance to contend with the five allied villages.

Uzumaki Kushina reached the western front and learned from the Konoha Sannin about Yahiko, Nagato, and their unusual forces. She went on alone to confront Amegakure, where Yahiko and the Six Paths Puppets surrounded her as battle loomed.

• Yahiko sensed Kushina mobilizing the Nine-Tails' chakra and decided to attack her while Gojo Yoru was away.
• Kushina met Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya, heard their intelligence about the Rinnegan and the enemy, and chose to face Amegakure alone while the Sannin supported the fight against Sunagakure.
• Kushina continued toward the western border base as Konan appeared in the sky and Yahiko and the Six Paths Puppets surrounded her.
• Kushina recognized Yahiko as the person who had used Wood Style in Konoha and challenged him and his companions to fight.

Uzumaki Kushina battled the Six Paths Puppets, Yahiko, and Konan, using her chains and Nine-Tails Chakra Sage Mode to counter their attacks. After destroying the Preta Realm puppet, she transformed into a colossal golden nine-tailed fox, leaving the battle poised to escalate.

• The Deva Path puppet, Yahiko, and the other Six Paths Puppets attacked Uzumaki Kushina, but her golden Adamantine Sealing Chains smashed through their attacks and clashed with Shinra Tensei.
• Uzumaki Kushina identified the Preta Realm puppet’s ability to absorb ninjutsu and inferred that the Deva Realm puppet’s gravitational powers had a cooldown.
• She used shadow clones to gather Nature Energy, entered Nine-Tails Chakra Sage Mode, and evaded the Six Paths Puppets’ coordinated attacks.
• Uzumaki Kushina tricked the Deva Puppet with a shadow clone, then struck the Preta Realm Puppet with a Sage Chakra-enhanced punch that shattered its body.
• Uzumaki Kushina’s golden chakra formed meridians, bones, and flesh, completing her transformation into a colossal nine-tailed fox.

Uzumaki Kushina’s giant Nine-Tails Fox defeated two of Nagato’s Six Paths Puppets, prompting Yahiko to fight her with the Wood Human Buddha Statue. Their clash escalated into a battle of massive beasts and Five Element Ninjutsu while Nagato and Konan watched from a distance.

• Uzumaki Kushina used a Super Tailed Beast Rasenshuriken to force Nagato to unleash Super Shinra Tensei, but she then stomped the Naraka Realm puppet and destroyed the Preta Realm puppet with a Fire Style: Great Ball Rasengan.
• Yahiko summoned the hundred-armed Wood Human Buddha Statue and charged into battle against Uzumaki Kushina’s Nine-Tails Fox.
• Nagato asked Konan whether they should join Yahiko, but Konan decided they should observe his strength before intervening.
• Uzumaki Kushina and Yahiko exchanged blows and unleashed large-scale Five Element Ninjutsu, forcing Nagato and Konan to retreat farther from the battlefield.

As the six-nation war intensified, the Third Raikage ordered Kumogakure’s Heavenly Transfer Technique prepared so he could enter the fighting. On the northern front, Namikaze Minato used Sage Mode and Flying Thunder God tactics to defeat the AB Duo, ending the chapter by killing A with a Sage Art: Rasengan.

• The Third Raikage learned that Yahiko was a Wood Style ninja and ordered his subordinates to prepare the Heavenly Transfer Technique.
• Kumogakure’s involvement forced Dan Katō and Namikaze Minato to split up, with Minato taking on A and Killer B while Dan led Konoha’s forces against Iwagakure.
• Namikaze Minato entered Sage Mode, dodged A’s attack, and struck him hard enough to send him crashing through trees.
• Minato destroyed Killer B’s red Chakra tentacle with a Sage Art: Rasengan and used shadow clones and Flying Thunder God Kunai to trap the AB Duo.
• A threw Killer B clear of the kunai barrage and fought off Minato’s attacks, but Minato teleported behind him and struck his chest with a Sage Art: Rasengan, killing him instantly.

Namikaze Minato used Sage Mode to nearly kill A, but the Third Raikage intervened and forced him into a prolonged battle. As Gojo Yoru’s Third Evolution neared its end, fighting remained stalled across all four fronts of the war.

• Namikaze Minato entered Sage Mode, used Flying Thunder God: Transfer, and struck A with a Sage Art: Rasengan that left him near death.
• The Third Raikage intercepted Minato’s attempt to finish A, withstood his Sage Art: Rasengan, and sent Killer B to carry A for medical treatment.
• Minato refused to flee when the Third Raikage threatened Konoha’s forces, and the two began a drawn-out contest of speed and Chakra.
• Battles at the eastern, northern, and southwestern borders stalled, while Ōnoki avoided committing Iwagakure and Uchiha Madara kept his plans hidden.
• Uzumaki Kushina and Yahiko continued wearing each other down, and time reached the end of Gojo Yoru’s Third Evolution.