Chapter Summaries

Danzo and the other elders argued over who should become Hokage while information about the Third Hokage’s death spread through the Ninja World. As Naruto encountered Itachi Uchiha and Kisame, the Nine-Tails lent him so much Chakra that they fled from the Tailed Beast Ball forming before him.

• Danzo left the meeting after recommending Bai Yue, and Shikaku decided to seek Bai Yue’s help while the elders planned how to bring Tsunade back.
• Utatane Koharu proposed lying to Tsunade by claiming Jiraiya’s appointment as Hokage would mean marrying her to him and digging up Dan Katō’s grave, then blamed the plan on Mitokado Homura.
• News that the Third Hokage had fought the First Hokage and Second Hokage alone before dying spread throughout the Ninja World.
• Naruto complained that Bai Yue was staying home and Jiraiya had disappeared when Itachi Uchiha and Kisame approached and demanded that he come with them.
• The Nine-Tails warned Naruto that the pair were too strong and poured Chakra into him, forming a five-tailed shroud and then a Tailed Beast Ball.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame prepared to flee as Naruto stared uneasily at the Tailed Beast Ball.

Naruto drove off two intruders by firing a Tailed Beast Ball into the sky, bringing Kakashi and other Konoha ninja to the scene. They confronted Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, but the fight turned dangerous when Kisame flooded the area, until Bai Yue appeared beside him and startled both rogue ninja.

• Naruto told Kakashi that two men in black robes with red clouds had tried to take him away, and Kakashi gathered the ninja to pursue them.
• Kakashi's group caught up with Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, who had stayed behind to face them.
• Asuma fought Kisame in close combat, but Kisame forced him back, prompting the Konoha ninja to attack.
• Kisame evaded the attacks and unleashed a powerful Water Release technique that swept several Konoha ninja underwater.
• Bai Yue appeared beside Kisame and questioned why he had not built a dam, leaving Kisame and Itachi shocked by his sudden arrival.

Bai Yue stopped Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki from abducting Naruto, then let the fleeing pair escape while he considered researching the Corpse Ghost. He helped Naruto search for Jiraiya and discovered that the fleeing Akatsuki members had run into him.

• Bai Yue appeared before Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, then shocked Kisame with a Lightning Release technique when they tried to take Naruto.
• Itachi Uchiha used Tsukuyomi, but it backfired; he and Kisame fled as Kakashi and Asuma pursued them.
• Bai Yue struck Kisame's Samehada with Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm and turned his attention to Itachi, who escaped as a flock of crows.
• Bai Yue revealed that he had placed Flying Thunder God Marks on the pair and decided not to chase them, then considered modifying the Corpse Ghost ritual.
• Naruto asked Bai Yue to help find Jiraiya, and Bai Yue located him with the Byakugan and Flying Thunder God sensing.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki crashed into Jiraiya, who had been hiding in the mountains, and Kisame burst out laughing.

Bai Yue agreed to train Sasuke and promised Anko a way to enjoy her favorite foods while converting excess fat into Chakra. After he transferred Anko’s Curse Mark of Heaven to the Nine-Tails’ temporary body, her sealed memories surfaced, revealing that she had abandoned Orochimaru rather than been abandoned by him.

• Jiraiya recognized Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, then pursued Kisame while Kakashi’s team chased Itachi.
• Bai Yue brought Naruto back to the village and told him to meet Jiraiya the next day after learning the Rasengan.
• Sasuke asked Bai Yue to guide his training, and Bai Yue scheduled him for Haruta Hanahana Kindergarten with Shino, Kiba, and the others.
• Bai Yue promised Anko he would remove her Curse Mark of Heaven and give her a Jutsu that converted excess fat into Chakra.
• Bai Yue transferred the Curse Mark of Heaven onto the Nine-Tails’ temporary body, and Anko realized that she had abandoned Teacher.

Anko learned that Orochimaru had survived Bai Yue’s attack, then went to eat dumplings after Bai Yue promised to replace her curse mark. Bai Yue found Orochimaru in an underground laboratory and, after discussing his survival and forbidden jutsu, declared that he wanted Orochimaru himself.

• Anko cried over Orochimaru’s apparent death until Bai Yue told her Orochimaru was still alive and that he had held back.
• Bai Yue promised to carve a new Fat Conversion Curse Mark on Anko, and she eagerly left for the dumpling shop.
• Bai Yue used his Flying Thunder God Mark and Byakugan to find Orochimaru in an Underground Base, where Kimimaro was receiving treatment.
• Kimimaro attacked Bai Yue, who used Orochimaru as a shield, then accused Kimimaro of hurting Snake Aunt.
• Orochimaru asked Bai Yue why he had come, and Bai Yue said he had considered asking for two Forbidden Jutsu before declaring, “I want you!”

Bai Yue tried to recruit Orochimaru by healing Kimimaro and giving him White Zetsu to study, then revealed the origins of chakra and the Ten-Tails. Orochimaru agreed to hear him out, and the chapter ended when Kabuto Yakushi walked in and found Bai Yue beside him.

• Bai Yue knocked Kimimaro unconscious and healed him with Yang Release while capturing a White Zetsu that had been following Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru accepted the White Zetsu as a gift and agreed to listen to Bai Yue explain what he knew about it.
• Bai Yue told Orochimaru that the Otsutsuki brought chakra to the world and described Kaguya's plans involving the Divine Tree, the Ten-Tails, and White Zetsu.
• Orochimaru deduced that someone in the Akatsuki Organization was pursuing the Ten-Tails and suspected Zetsu had been altered.
• Bai Yue said he had cured Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku disease and mastered Resurrection of the Dead, then Kabuto Yakushi entered and saw him.

Bai Yue left Orochimaru after arranging contact, then discovered Kakashi had faked being badly injured after his encounter with Itachi Uchiha. He agreed to cover Kakashi’s class and began planning his next steps, ending by knocking Naruto unconscious and sending out two Shadow Clones.

• Bai Yue gave Orochimaru a token and left the Land of Sound, while Orochimaru turned his attention to the sealed White Zetsu.
• Might Guy told Bai Yue that Kakashi was injured, but Bai Yue used his Byakugan and found Kakashi was unharmed despite claiming Itachi had defeated him.
• Bai Yue inferred that Itachi had shared information with Kakashi, and Kakashi asked Bai Yue to cover his class; Bai Yue agreed in exchange for Kakashi teaching Team 8 later.
• Bai Yue realized he had forgotten to obtain Living Corpse Reincarnation and Impure World Reincarnation, then considered creating a soul zone in the True Illusionary Realm.
• At dawn, Bai Yue knocked Naruto unconscious and created two Shadow Clones to carry out a plan.

Sasuke was led to believe that Itachi had killed Naruto, Bai Yue, and Sakura, pushing his Sharingan toward awakening through grief and rage. As Sasuke charged Itachi, a bandaged figure took a lightning strike meant for him, leaving Sasuke screaming in horror.

• Sasuke found Naruto apparently dead and broke down in grief, then saw Itachi appear above him.
• Sasuke saw Bai Yue apparently impaled and dying, and rushed at Itachi with Chidori.
• Itachi’s crows dispersed Sasuke’s attack, and a disguised Sakura appeared before Itachi seemingly killed her.
• Itachi taunted Sasuke and prepared to finish him with Chidori.
• A bandaged figure rushed between Sasuke and Itachi’s lightning attack, was struck, and told Sasuke to run.

Bai Yue staged a horrifying scene to force Sasuke to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, then treated him and revealed the deception. Sasuke learned the trauma had been orchestrated for his sake, while Naruto was sent to find Jiraiya.

• Sasuke awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan amid his despair, and Bai Yue broke through his Susanoo to knock him unconscious.
• Bai Yue revived Naruto, threatened to share embarrassing childhood photos, and sent him to find Jiraiya with a scroll.
• Bai Yue treated Sasuke while Hinata and the others arrived and wondered about the blood at the scene.
• Sasuke woke, attacked Bai Yue with Chidori, and realized after their clash that he was no longer trapped in Genjutsu.
• Bai Yue told Sasuke that he had staged the earlier events to make him awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Bai Yue warned Sasuke that his Mangekyō Sharingan could blind him and that he was still no match for Itachi Uchiha. Meanwhile, Tsunade returned to Konoha, beat Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, then attacked Jiraiya at the back mountain, where Naruto rushed in to defend him.

• Bai Yue cautioned Sasuke against overusing his Mangekyō Sharingan and told him to study its abilities instead of joining training.
• Tsunade arrived at Konoha with Jing and confronted Mitokado Homura in the Hokage office, beating him as he denied responsibility for the scheme that angered her.
• Utatane Koharu told Tsunade that Jiraiya was at the back mountain, and Tsunade gave her a black eye before leaving.
• Tsunade found Jiraiya leering at a blonde woman and attacked him, and the two fought until Tsunade kicked him flying.
• Naruto charged at Tsunade with Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu to defend Jiraiya.

Tsunade caught Jiraiya and Naruto after Naruto used the Sexy Technique, then chased and beat them while Bai Yue and Sasuke intervened. Afterward, Bai Yue used the fight to teach the Six Little Ones about the importance of Taijutsu.

• Tsunade saw Naruto transform back from Naruko and attacked Jiraiya and Naruto, who fled while Naruto refused to make more Shadow Clones.
• Tsunade chased Jiraiya and Naruto through the village, accusing Jiraiya of behaving filthily with a little boy, while Jiraiya insisted he had only been gathering material.
• Jiraiya and Naruto called for Bai Yue's help, but Bai Yue dismissed their escape as a strategic retreat, and Tsunade struck them with stones.
• Sasuke stepped in to defend Naruto, and Bai Yue told Tsunade to stop; she then spotted Jiraiya trying to run and charged after him.
• Bai Yue discussed Taijutsu with the Six Little Ones, using the Third Raikage as an example and urging them not to neglect their physical combat training.
• After an afternoon of fighting, Tsunade finally vented her anger.

Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki reported that their mission to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had failed after they encountered his controlled Tailed Beast Transformation and a powerful fighter in Konoha. Zetsu discovered his intelligence had been compromised by White Zetsu spying at a bathhouse, apologized, and was left unable to identify the powerful fighter.

• Kisame Hoshigaki returned to the Land of Rain battered, and Deidara teased him before Itachi Uchiha defended him.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki told Pain that they had failed to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki because he was a mature Jinchuriki who could control his transformation and form a Tailed Beast Ball.
• Kisame Hoshigaki described a powerful, elusive fighter in Konoha who could have killed him and Itachi Uchiha, and Pain declared that he feared no one.
• Kisame Hoshigaki accused Zetsu of giving them false intelligence, and Itachi Uchiha confirmed the Jinchuriki's abilities.
• Zetsu discovered that White Zetsu had been spying at a bathhouse, apologized for the intelligence failure, and could not provide information about the powerful fighter.

The Akatsuki discussed their failed intelligence on Naruto and the powerful Hyuga man Bai Yue, while Tsunade ate hotpot with the Konoha group after beating Jiraiya. Bai Yue congratulated Tsunade on becoming Fifth Hokage, but she rejected the position outright.

• Pain reprimanded Zetsu for the Akatsuki's intelligence failure, and Kisame asked for information on Bai Yue.
• Black Zetsu vowed to investigate Bai Yue, fearing the Hyuga man's strength could disrupt his plan.
• Tsunade joined Bai Yue, Naruto, Jiraiya, and the others for hotpot, where Naruto explained his agreement with Jiraiya and praised Tsunade's Monster Strength Technique.
• Bai Yue told Naruto that Hinata and Sakura were better suited to learn the technique because of their Chakra control.
• Bai Yue congratulated Tsunade on becoming Fifth Hokage, and Tsunade said she would not take the job.

Tsunade challenged Bai Yue to a spar, but he defeated her so quickly that she woke up with little memory of the fight. After recognizing his strength, Tsunade approved of him becoming Hokage, though Bai Yue had no interest in the position.

• Tsunade announced that she would teach Bai Yue a lesson, and he agreed to spar before returning to their hotpot.
• Bai Yue quickly restrained Tsunade with Adamantine Sealing Chains and knocked her unconscious when she struggled to break free.
• Bai Yue dragged Tsunade back to the group, while Jiraiya and the others reacted with shock to her defeat.
• Tsunade woke up with a sore head, recalled losing to Bai Yue, and approved of him becoming Hokage.
• Bai Yue rejected Tsunade's approval and continued eating his fish balls.

Jiraiya told Tsunade that Bai Yue had already been considered for Fifth Hokage, and Tsunade agreed to nominate him instead of taking the position herself. The elders gathered for the Hokage election, where Mitokado Homura realized Tsunade’s return had changed nothing about Bai Yue becoming the leading candidate.

• Jiraiya claimed that he and the advisory council had tested Bai Yue and chosen him as their top candidate for Fifth Hokage, while Naruto nearly revealed Jiraiya’s humiliating defeat.
• Naruto and Kiba argued over who would become Sixth Hokage if Bai Yue took the position, while Bai Yue said he was not interested.
• After the hotpot meal, Jiraiya mourned the money the children had eaten, and Tsunade left him to meet him again later.
• Tsunade arrived with Jiraiya at the Hokage election gathering and told Shikaku she had come to nominate Hyuga Baiyue, not become Hokage herself.
• Mitokado Homura lamented that he had been beaten for nothing, while Shikaku silently recognized the elders’ earlier scheming.

Shikaku secured unanimous support from Konoha’s leadership to recommend Bai Yue as the Fifth Hokage, with a Jonin meeting set to confirm him as the sole candidate. As Jiraiya and Tsunade stayed in Konoha for the transition, Bai Yue spent time with Hinata and his students, who asked for harsher training.

• Danzo arrived and agreed to recommend Bai Yue as the Fifth Hokage after Shikaku told him the other advisers had approved.
• Shikaku announced that he would convene a Jonin meeting the next day to confirm Bai Yue as the sole candidate.
• Jiraiya agreed to remain in Konoha until Bai Yue took over, and Tsunade also chose to stay for a while.
• Hinata gave Bai Yue an extra layer of clothing, and he praised her until she blushed and fainted.
• Sasuke asked Bai Yue for harsher trials, and Kiba immediately asked for them too.

Bai Yue tested Sasuke, Shino, and Kiba Inuzuka against ten powerful puppets, then learned he had been elected Fifth Hokage despite not wanting the position. He accepted the office for the time being and planned to leave the work to others.

• Bai Yue unleashed ten swift, flying puppets that bombarded Sasuke, Shino, and Kiba Inuzuka with Golden Light Orbs.
• Kiba Inuzuka destroyed one puppet with Fang Over Fang, but its pieces reassembled around him and began draining his Chakra.
• Bai Yue stopped Sasuke from using his Mangekyo during the training fight.
• Hyuga Hiashi told Bai Yue that he had been nominated and elected Fifth Hokage, with Tsunade, Jiraiya, Shikaku, the advisors, and Danzo among his supporters.
• Hiashi's attendant presented Bai Yue with the Hokage robe and hat and told him the succession ceremony would take place in three days.
• Bai Yue accepted the Hokage position but decided he would watch others do the work.

The major powers reacted to Hyuga Baiyue becoming Konoha’s Fifth Hokage, weighing the risks his rise posed while their villages faced their own troubles. In the Land of Rain, Deidara showed Kisame Hoshigaki the intelligence and asked whether Baiyue was the Hyuga who had defeated him and another Akatsuki member.

• In Sunagakure, Chiyo and Ebizo discussed their lack of intelligence on Hyuga Baiyue, and Chiyo decided to go to Konoha rather than give up the village’s puppet techniques.
• In Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage A burned the intelligence scroll after recognizing how much the new Hokage resembled a boy from his past, then worried about how strong Baiyue had become.
• In Kirigakure, Mei Terumi and Ao discussed the risk of war over Baiyue’s Hyuga ties and Ao’s possession of the Byakugan, while hoping Konoha would avoid conflict.
• In Iwagakure, Kurotsuchi admired Baiyue’s looks and joked that he should change his name, while Ōnoki suspected Konoha’s elders had made him Hokage to target the Hyuga Clan.
• In the Land of Rain, Deidara gave Kisame Hoshigaki the new intelligence and asked whether Baiyue was the Hyuga who had beaten Kisame and another Akatsuki member.

Bai Yue took charge as the Fifth Hokage, dismissed Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, and assigned Shikaku the burden of managing the village. When Chiyo arrived to negotiate Sunagakure’s compensation, Bai Yue refused her offer and announced he would go to Sunagakure the next day, leaving Danzo pleased with his forceful approach.

• Itachi stopped Kisame from attacking Deidara and told Deidara to stop provoking him before a voice summoned Deidara to Pain.
• Bai Yue appeared in the Hokage Building, told Shikaku he would handle only military and war-related documents, and asked him to manage the rest.
• Bai Yue ordered Shikaku to summon Danzo and replaced Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura as advisors with Tsunade and Jiraiya.
• An Anbu reported that Chiyo of Sunagakure was waiting outside, and Bai Yue ordered her brought in.
• Chiyo offered increased compensation rather than surrender Sunagakure’s puppet techniques, but Bai Yue said he would take them himself and that Sunagakure would cease to exist.
• Bai Yue told Chiyo he would go to Sunagakure the next day, and Danzo praised his approach.

Bai Yue prepared to confront Sunagakure alone after Chiyo left Konoha with a warning, while Danzo and Shikaku reacted to his plan. Back home, Bai Yue restrained Tsunade after she demanded money and teased her about her face.

• Danzo offered two hundred Root operatives for the Sunagakure campaign, but Bai Yue said he would face the village himself and ordered Chiyo to return and prepare.
• Bai Yue stopped Danzo from attacking Chiyo and said he would go to Sunagakure the next morning to force its submission.
• Shikaku arranged for Shiranui Genma and the Flying Thunder God Squad to accompany Bai Yue, and Danzo received permission to join them.
• Mitokado Homura offered to help Shikaku finish the Hokage's paperwork while Danzo left, eager to support Bai Yue's plans.
• Tsunade asked Bai Yue for money, and after she attacked him, he used Sealing Jutsu to immobilize her and sat on her back while teasing her.