Chapter Summaries

Danzo secured funding from Otogakure and the Three Great Ninja Villages by offering them shares in the Land of Waves Production Base to oppose Kusagakure. The villages returned home to raise money, while Orochimaru learned Kabuto had gone to Konoha without his approval.

• Danzo's demand for several billion sparked an argument with the Kage of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure.
• Kabuto urged the villages to unite against Kusagakure and pledged three billion on behalf of Orochimaru and Otogakure.
• Danzo offered the Four Great Ninja Villages joint ownership of the Land of Waves Production Base, and the Third Tsuchikage, Fourth Raikage, and Fourth Mizukage agreed to contribute three billion each.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō thanked Kabuto as he departed, and Hiruzen hoped Orochimaru might return to Konoha someday.
• Orochimaru learned Kabuto had gone to Konoha and accepted that Kabuto had acted to preserve his relationship with Danzo.

Kusana killed Urashiki Otsutsuki and sent his body to Elder Yang Zheng for research, then Kakashi and his team prepared to leave Kusagakure after meeting Jiraiya and failing to persuade him or Tsunade to return to Konoha. Kakashi was still reeling from the village’s tangled secrets when a familiar figure appeared before him openly.

• Kusana released Urashiki Otsutsuki from his seal, defeated and killed him, and gave his body to Elder Yang Zheng for research.
• Kusana obtained Madara’s cells from Black Zetsu for Elder Yang Zheng and considered that Kakashi’s group would soon leave.
• Kakashi and his team explored Kusagakure’s technology, bought a Flip Phone, and decided to return to Konoha despite their disappointment at being unable to use its network elsewhere.
• Kakashi’s group visited Jiraiya and Tsunade, but Jiraiya refused to return and Tsunade turned them away while trying to make money.
• Kakashi reflected on the shocking truth behind the Grass Ninja Leader’s Good Wife and hurried to leave before his companions learned more.
• A familiar figure approached Kakashi and asked whether he had come to see Tsunade and Jiraiya, leaving Kakashi stunned.

Kushina visited Tsunade, while Kakashi pretended not to recognize her and wondered why she had come. Meanwhile, the villages pooled funds to oppose Kusagakure, and Yagura began doubting the BBC Daily’s reports about Konoha even as Zabuza urged him not to trust rumors.

• Kakashi pulled Guy away from Kushina and pretended not to recognize her, while Kushina went to see Tsunade.
• Kakashi reflected that Kushina, Naruto, and the Uchiha had found a home in Kusagakure, and Guy asked whether he would leave Konoha like Obito.
• Tsunade gave Kushina tablets, told her to keep recuperating, and decided that she and Shizune should leave before they were disturbed again.
• The Three Great Ninja Villages and Otogakure gathered funds to resist Grass Ninja Manufacturing, and Kirigakure reopened after its clans were forced to contribute.
• Karatachi Yagura worried that the reports about Konoha and Danzō were true, but Zabuza urged him to treat them as rumors.

Danzo persuaded the Four Great Ninja Villages to fund a price war against Grass Ninja Manufacturing and prepared the Land of Waves Production Base to reclaim its former markets. After learning of the plan, Kusana chose to buy the base’s cheap goods instead of attacking it.

• Karatachi Yagura worried about Kirigakure’s reopening and the money it had taken from its ninja clans, but turned his attention to the village’s problems.
• Danzo convened the Four Kage Summit, convinced the Kage to support a price war, and allocated funds to Gato to restart production.
• Gato and Kabuto helped the Land of Waves Production Base resume production, acquire cheap raw materials, and stockpile goods while the Four Great Ninja Villages cleared the way.
• Kusagakure learned of Danzo’s plan, and Kakuzu proposed joining forces with the Land of Waves Production Base to seize everything.
• Kusana refused to attack the base and instead decided that Kusagakure would buy its goods at prices cheaper than producing them itself.

Danzo pushed the Land of Waves Production Base into a costly price war against Grass Ninja Manufacturing and pressured the allied villages to keep funding it. As Kirigakure faced growing unrest over its contributions, Zabuza decided to investigate Danzo in secret.

• The Land of Waves Production Base launched a price war against Grass Ninja Manufacturing, and Danzo’s alliance expanded the campaign across the ninja world.
• When funds ran low, Danzo told Gato to demand more money from the allied villages and insisted they would keep paying to avoid losing their investment.
• The Kage of the Three Great Ninja Villages received Danzo’s latest request, while Karatachi Yagura worried that Kirigakure’s large payments had deepened the village’s unrest.
• Karatachi Yagura suggested locking Kirigakure down again, but Zabuza urged him not to give up and offered to investigate the spending himself.
• Zabuza vowed to infiltrate the Land of Waves Production Base secretly and punish Danzo if he discovered that Danzo had deceived them.

Zabuza secretly investigated the Land of Waves Production Base to see how Kirigakure’s investment was being used, but he discovered that Kusagakure had infiltrated the operation. The chapter ended with him realizing that the workers surrounding him were Kusagakure people too.

• Kirigakure joined the Land of Waves Production Base despite its financial troubles and the loss of funding from the Land of Water Feudal Lord's Mansion.
• Zabuza secretly traveled to the base to investigate whether Shimura Danzō had used Kirigakure's money as promised.
• Zabuza found the production lines busy and noticed a merchant carrying forehead protectors from several ninja villages.
• Zabuza realized the merchants were Kusagakure ninja using disguises to buy goods and exploit the production base.
• Zabuza exposed himself and ordered the workers to seal the base, but they surrounded him and discussed how to handle the discovery.
• Zabuza recognized that the workers were Kusagakure people and wondered how many of his own people had been infiltrated.

Danzo assured Hiruzen that his plan to defeat Kusagakure was succeeding, despite Konoha’s mounting costs. When Grass Ninja infiltrated the production base, Danzo fled and left Hiruzen behind.

• Danzo defended his investment in the Land of Waves Production Base, while Hiruzen worried that Konoha’s spending would damage its ties with the Feudal Lord’s Mansion.
• Danzo recalled their shared past and persuaded Hiruzen to trust his plan again, and Hiruzen promised to protect him if Kusagakure attacked.
• An explosion sent an injured Mist Ninja running from a workshop, where he warned that the area outside was full of Grass Ninja.
• Workers swarmed the Mist Ninja, and Hiruzen realized the danger and turned to urge Danzo to act.
• Danzo ran away without hesitation, leaving Hiruzen behind after insisting he would never abandon him.

Kusana learned that Danzo and the Third Hokage had escaped the Land of Waves Production Base, while the other great villages blamed Konoha and Kirigakure fell into turmoil. Karatachi Yagura rejected a letter from Konoha, but then stopped the Mist Ninja carrying it.

• Kusana received intelligence that a Mist Ninja had exposed the Land of Waves Production Base, while Danzo and the Third Hokage escaped under protection.
• Mujie told Kusana that Iwagakure and Kumogakure had declared war on Konoha, while Kirigakure was consumed by internal turmoil.
• Kusana ordered Mujie to keep gathering intelligence, strengthen border defenses, and arrange for the people in the Land of Waves to withdraw.
• Ninja clans in Kirigakure blamed Karatachi Yagura for their losses, and the Kaguya Clan called for the Mizukage's seat to rotate to them.
• Karatachi Yagura angrily rejected Konoha's letter, but a faint voice told the Mist Ninja to wait a moment.

Kusana and Hanzō agreed that Kusagakure and the Land of Rain should merge after Hanzō described the Land of Rain’s recovery and growing prosperity. Hanzō left in the snow, telling Kusana he would soon be living nearby.

• Kusana spent a winter day at home with Naruto, Sasuke, and the babies while Naruto and the Nine-Tails continued to bicker.
• Hanzō visited from Amegakure to see the children and regretted missing Kusagakure’s recent deal worth tens of billions.
• Hanzō described how the Land of Rain had recovered through infrastructure, stable work, new technology, and increased school enrollment.
• Hanzō told Kusana it was time to merge, and Kusana agreed.
• Hanzō left after saying he would soon live nearby and offering to help Kusana if difficulties arose.

As the Land of Grass secretly planned to merge with the Land of Wind after winter, Danzo tried to persuade Hiruzen to pursue a plan involving Kusagakure. Hiruzen refused, but Danzo revealed that the Kage of the Three Great Ninja Villages had been invited and forced him to choose between attacking Kusagakure and attacking them.

• The Land of Grass postponed its planned merger until after winter while secretly preparing to absorb the Land of Wind.
• The Four Great Ninja Villages suffered heavy losses from Grass Ninja Manufacturing and paused their plans to demand compensation from Konoha after receiving a letter.
• Danzo broke through the barrier outside Hiruzen's hospital room and found him lively, watching through the Telescope Technique.
• Hiruzen repeatedly refused Danzo's proposal, warning that Konoha could not handle the situation with Kusagakure yet.
• Danzo told Hiruzen that he had invited the Kage of the Three Great Ninja Villages and demanded that Hiruzen choose whether to attack Kusagakure or them.

Danzo persuaded the Kage of the Four Great Ninja Villages to unite against Kusagakure, and Kabuto helped prepare Otogakure’s infiltration of its bases. The following spring, the villages and Otogakure declared war on Kusagakure, bringing another great ninja war closer.

• Kabuto received Danzo’s invitation and wondered whether Danzo was secretly aligned with Kusagakure.
• Jugō told Kabuto that Orochimaru had extracted his ability and devised a way for people who lost control to master it.
• Kabuto told Jugō that he had identified Otogakure branch bases and lured their members into expecting improved benefits and education.
• Danzo apologized to the Four Kage, deflected their demands for compensation, and persuaded them to declare war on Kusagakure together.
• Danzo proposed that the Four Great Ninja Villages advance and retreat together, and the gathered shinobi pledged to fight Kusagakure.
• The following spring, the Four Great Ninja Villages and Otogakure declared war on Kusagakure in the name of avenging Zabuza.

The Four Great Ninja Villages and Otogakure formed an alliance to attack Kusagakure, with Danzo proposing a direct assault that the leaders approved. The plan stalled when Kusagakure used the captive Zabuza and a publicity campaign to pressure Kirigakure to withdraw.

• After winter negotiations, the Four Great Ninja Villages and Otogakure established the Ninja Alliance, naming the Fourth Raikage supreme commander and Hiruzen Sarutobi chief strategist.
• The alliance leaders rejected Danzo as chief strategist, assigning him and Kabuto as deputy strategists while Karatachi Yagura became commander-in-chief.
• Danzo proposed an all-out frontal assault on Kusagakure, and the Kage agreed to proceed with Karatachi Yagura leading the main force.
• A Ninja Alliance shinobi reported that Kusagakure had hung the still-living Zabuza at the border and offered to return him if Kirigakure withdrew.
• The alliance leaders learned that BBC Daily was promoting Zabuza's exploits and heard his plea to attack anyway, then angrily denounced Kusagakure.

The Four Kage and Danzo argued over whether to attack Kusagakure while Zabuza remained in its hands, as Yagura feared the consequences for Kirigakure. They agreed to ransom Zabuza and remove Yagura as commander-in-chief, appointing Ōnoki as acting commander.

• The Raikage and Ōnoki urged Yagura to order an attack, but Yagura objected because Zabuza was a celebrated hero and Kirigakure could not withstand more turmoil.
• Hiruzen warned the Kage that Kusagakure was trying to divide the alliance, and Danzo argued that they still had to rescue Zabuza to preserve Kirigakure’s trust.
• The Raikage proposed a rescue team, but Danzo and Hiruzen rejected the idea, recalling how Kusagakure had turned Danzo’s rescue into a costly trap.
• Danzo proposed ransoming Zabuza, with the villages sharing the expense, and insisted that Yagura step down as commander-in-chief in favor of Ōnoki.
• Yagura accepted the arrangement, and Kabuto agreed that Danzo was right.

Shikaku Nara helped Karatachi Yagura negotiate Zabuza’s release from Kusagakure, securing him for a large ransom. As the group prepared to leave, Yagura praised Shikaku’s talent, prompting Shikaku to reflect that he had grown used to such work.

• Shikaku warned Yagura to trust him, ignore Kusagakure’s ninja, stay out of the Land of Grass, and retreat if danger arose.
• Shikaku greeted Yahiko warmly, then offered escalating sums until Yahiko agreed to release Zabuza for seven hundred million.
• Yagura received the wounded Zabuza, who lamented being rescued and claimed Kusagakure’s ninja had stabbed him while treating his injuries.
• Shikaku urged Yagura to leave quickly, and Yagura thanked him for making the negotiations go smoothly.
• Yagura praised Shikaku as a talented Konoha ninja, and Shikaku replied that he had gotten used to it.

Kusagakure mobilized for the Four Great Ninja Villages’ invasion while Kusana prepared to head to the front and kept Naruto and Sasuke from joining the fight. At the border, Hanzō challenged the Fourth Mizukage to a one-on-one Water Release duel, but admitted he planned to have his forces swarm Yagura when he appeared.

• Shikaku Nara returned to his forces after meeting Kusagakure and warned that the village might suffer if it underestimated the alliance.
• Kusagakure entered wartime preparations, and Hanzō and Chiyo agreed to lead their forces to the front lines.
• Kusana read and burned Tsunade’s letter, then refused Naruto and Sasuke’s request to join the battlefield.
• Obito transported Kusana to the front lines while the Nine-Tails offered Naruto a way to go there too.
• Hanzō challenged Karatachi Yagura to a formal Water Release duel, then told Chiyo he intended for everyone to attack Yagura together.

Karatachi Yagura accepted Hanzo's challenge to protect his standing as Mizukage, while both sides secretly prepared to attack the other during the supposed duel. The chapter left Hanzo and Yagura unharmed after they dodged the surprise attacks, each accusing the other of treachery.

• Karatachi Yagura decided to face Hanzo's challenge after the other Kage encouraged him, despite Shimura Danzō's objections.
• Shimura Danzō secretly ordered Root to attack Hanzo with Explosive Tags, while Hanzo gave Advisor Chiyo the same instruction against Yagura.
• Hanzo and Karatachi Yagura met on the battlefield, where Hanzo chatted with Yagura as both sides waited for the signal to attack.
• Nagato warned Advisor Chiyo that the opposing side was preparing a sneak attack, and she threw her Explosive Tags as Hanzo fled.
• Karatachi Yagura dodged the incoming attack with Water Release, and he and Hanzo accused each other of launching a sneak attack.

Hanzō, Nagato, and Advisor Chiyo discussed how Leader Mang had financially crippled the Four Great Ninja Villages, while Danzo led the Ninja Alliance into another assault on Kusagakure. The fighting began, but Grass Ninjas soon discovered that some Alliance fighters were secretly on their side, leaving the battle’s course uncertain.

• Hanzō and Advisor Chiyo asked Nagato and Yahiko how Leader Mang had taken tens of billions from the Four Great Ninja Villages, and Yahiko explained the Land of Waves Production Base scheme.
• Advisor Chiyo warned that the Four Great Ninja Villages would not let the scheme go unanswered, just as two figures emerged from warped space.
• Karatachi Yagura asked Danzo what to do, and Danzo persuaded the Four Kage and Kabuto to continue with a direct attack and blockade Kusagakure.
• The Ninja Alliance attacked the Land of Grass, and Kusagakure sent its ninjas to defend the border.
• A Grass Ninja exchanged a secret code with an opposing Otogakure ninja, who revealed that he was on Kusagakure’s side and handed over a Ninja Alliance forehead protector.

As the Ninja Alliance gained ground, Danzo mistook the declining number of Grass ninja for battlefield casualties. Kusana and his allies learned that many had instead joined the Ninja Alliance, just as Danzo prepared to intensify the offensive.

• A Ninja Alliance subordinate told his captain that people from their side had joined the alliance.
• Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi discussed their favorable progress against Kusagakure, and Danzo ordered Kabuto to summon Orochimaru when he emerged from seclusion.
• Kusana, Nagato Uzumaki, Hanzō, and Chiyo questioned why Kusagakure's personnel reports showed such a steep decline.
• Yahiko revealed that the missing Grass ninja had joined the Ninja Alliance, and the group blamed Kabuto's scheme.
• Yahiko reported that Kabuto had sent word of Danzo's plan to intensify the offensive.

Danzo persuaded the Four Great Ninja Villages to launch a surprise attack on Sunagakure while intensifying their assault on Kusagakure. As the attack force departed, Kusana declared that the war should come to an end.

• Danzo proposed sending the Fourth and Fifth Divisions to attack Sunagakure while the remaining forces kept Kusagakure under pressure, and Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other Kage approved the plan.
• Karatachi Yagura led the surprise attack force toward the Land of Wind, with Kabuto and Zabuza assisting him.
• A Sound Ninja praised Zabuza for his earlier infiltration, and Zabuza dismissed his suspicions and vowed to make Kusagakure pay.
• The Ninja Alliance launched another fierce offensive as small ninja villages began considering joining the conflict.
• At Kusagakure's temporary battle command headquarters, Kusana said the war should come to an end.

Danzo’s alliance tried to hold Kusagakure’s forces at the front while Karatachi Yagura led a covert assault toward Sunagakure. Kabuto revealed his allegiance to Kusagakure, and the Mist force was ambushed, leaving Zabuza stabbed once again.

• Danzo ordered the allied forces to stall for time and draw Kusagakure’s attention while they waited for news from Yagura’s assault.
• Yagura and Kabuto led the Fourth and Fifth Divisions through the Land of Wind and approached New Sand Village unnoticed.
• Yagura admired Sunagakure’s rebuilding as Kabuto revealed that he was a Kusagakure graduate and declared Yagura had already lost.
• Sand and Rain Ninja attacked the Mist force, and Zabuza ordered everyone to break through.
• Zabuza was stabbed in the waist by the Sound Ninja beside him and realized the Grass Ninja had betrayed them.