Chapter Summaries

Kushina reunited with Naruto and beat Jiraiya for his lecherous behavior toward Naruko, while Bai Yue stopped Tsunade from joining in. Jiraiya realized Kushina had been resurrected and the gathering resumed with everyone eating and drinking.

• Jiraiya doubted that Kushina was real until she confirmed her identity and attacked him for his treatment of Naruko.
• Bai Yue showed Tsunade a photo of Jiraiya holding Naruko, making Tsunade furious as well.
• Naruto asked Kushina to stop beating Jiraiya, and Kushina stopped after hurting her hand on his face.
• Tsunade moved to attack Jiraiya, but Bai Yue warned her off and she returned to her seat.
• Jiraiya asked Kushina about her return, and she credited her disciple; Jiraiya concluded that Bai Yue had resurrected her.
• Jiraiya resumed eating and invited Tsunade to drink, while Shizune urged Tsunade to drink less.

After the dinner, Bai Yue warned Jiraiya not to leave to face Pain and urged him to focus on teaching Naruto. Kushina took Naruto and Sasuke home, while Hinata and Bai Yue returned to find Kurenai waiting in an embarrassing outfit.

• Bai Yue warned Jiraiya that he would use his Flying Thunder God Mark to bring him back if he went to Amegakure, and Jiraiya agreed to teach Naruto.
• Jiraiya made a lecherous comment after Bai Yue left with Hinata, so Tsunade sent him crashing through a wall and paid the restaurant for the damage.
• Naruto scolded Tsunade for bullying Jiraiya, then called her an old lady, and Kushina explained that age was a sensitive subject for girls.
• Kushina took Naruto and Sasuke to their family home, leaving Jiraiya in the street until Konoha's security force brought him to the hospital.
• Kurenai greeted Bai Yue at home, then vanished when she noticed Hinata; Hinata collapsed in embarrassment at Kurenai's clothes.

Bai Yue interrogated the captured Hidan to learn about the Evil God and ordered an investigation into the Jashin Cult. He then handed Hidan over to Danzo for study, leaving Danzo eager to take advantage of the prisoner’s immortal body.

• Bai Yue examined Hidan, cut him while removing his gag, and broke his jaw when Hidan tried to chant his ritual.
• Bai Yue explained Hidan’s immortal body and blood-linked curse ritual, then ordered Shikaku to investigate the Jashin Cult in the Land of Rivers.
• Mitokado Homura suggested checking old mission records, and Shikaku agreed to search the archives.
• After examining Hidan and secretly doing something to him, Bai Yue took him to Root and handed him over to Danzo for study.

Bai Yue dismissed Shikaku’s concerns about Danzo studying Hidan’s immortal body and declared that Konoha would attack Kirigakure. He assembled the Flying Thunder God Squad and Shikaku to set out with him.

• Danzo ordered Root to heal Hidan, while Bai Yue left after handing the captive over to him.
• Shikaku warned Bai Yue that Danzo might misuse Hidan’s immortal body, but Bai Yue said he had everything under control.
• Bai Yue invited Shikaku to join the coming attack on Kirigakure so he could see Bai Yue’s strength.
• Shikaku assessed Kirigakure’s weakened state and cautioned that it was still probably stronger than Sunagakure.
• Bai Yue used Kirigakure’s failure to reply as justification for an attack and chose the Flying Thunder God Squad and Shikaku to accompany him.
• Bai Yue grabbed Shikaku as the Flying Thunder God Squad joined hands, and they prepared to depart for Kirigakure.

After learning that Bai Yue had taken Shikaku and the Flying Thunder God Squad to Kirigakure, Koharu and Homura went to Danzo to arrange border defenses against Iwagakure and Kumogakure. Danzo trusted Bai Yue to defeat Kirigakure and prepared Root forces for a possible response from the other villages.

• Koharu and Homura discussed preparing Konoha for possible attacks from Iwagakure and Kumogakure, then decided to seek Danzo's help.
• Root members stopped Koharu and Homura at the Anbu, and Danzo soon came out to meet them.
• Homura told Danzo that Bai Yue had gone to Kirigakure with Shikaku and the Flying Thunder God Squad, and asked him to send ninja to the borders of the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Grass.
• Danzo complained that Bai Yue had not taken him along, but said he had confidence in Bai Yue's strength against Kirigakure.
• Danzo left to arrange border forces, while Koharu and Homura returned to their work integrating Sunagakure into Konoha.

Bai Yue brought Konoha’s delegation to Kirigakure, demonstrated his power, and recruited a Kirigakure Jonin. He confronted Mei Terumi and demanded the return of the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan, leaving Kirigakure to choose between submission and destruction.

• Utatane Koharu teased Mitokado Homura about his past feelings for Chiyo as they discussed Sunagakure’s troubles.
• Bai Yue used the Flying Thunder God to bring his delegation to Kirigakure and blasted through its barrier with a Thunder Spear.
• Bai Yue pulled the Jonin Mizuhara out of the crowd and recruited him to Konoha, asking him to recall information about Kirigakure’s Jonin and Special Jonin.
• Mei Terumi arrived and accused Bai Yue of provoking a war.
• Bai Yue demanded that Kirigakure return the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan and choose whether to submit or be destroyed.

Bai Yue confronted Mei Terumi over Kirigakure’s refusal to surrender Ao, then displayed overwhelming Sage Art that left the village in despair. Mei ordered Kirigakure’s shinobi to fight as Bai Yue’s lions and lightning descended.

• Mei Terumi recalled Konoha’s demand for Ao and insisted Kirigakure would not surrender.
• Bai Yue dismissed Kirigakure’s resistance and summoned eight enormous mud-and-water lions with Sage Art.
• Namiashi Raidō, Tatami Iwashi, and Shikaku reacted with awe to Bai Yue’s power, while Kirigakure’s shinobi and villagers lost hope.
• Bai Yue formed a massive sphere of lightning over Kirigakure and said he had already given Mei a chance.
• Mei told the shinobi to attack together and seek an escape route, but their Water Release and Earth Release techniques proved ineffective.

Kirigakure surrendered to Bai Yue, but Mei Terumi demanded a duel with him. Bai Yue demonstrated his power over the village before Mei attacked with her bloodline technique.

• A flying Kirigakure ninja tried to escape but was killed by lightning, and Ao appeared to offer his life for peace talks.
• Mei Terumi revealed she had been willing to surrender but had hoped to save Ao; Ao stabbed himself with a kunai.
• Mei agreed that Kirigakure would surrender, then challenged Bai Yue to a duel, despite warnings from Genji and Shikaku.
• Bai Yue slowed Thunder Welcome and showed that he could devastate the village, then sped up the Mud-Water Lions and joined them into one enormous lion.
• Mei used Water Release: Mist Technique and then Boiling Release: Clever Mist Technique against Bai Yue.

Bai Yue defeated Mei Terumi and took control of Kirigakure, then ordered the village’s shinobi to gather. The chapter ended with Bai Yue killing more than twenty Kirigakure defectors from afar, leaving the gathered Jonin terrified.

• Bai Yue used Wind Release to clear away Kirigakure’s mist techniques and defeated Mei Terumi by fracturing her leg.
• Mei Terumi admitted defeat, and Bai Yue recovered Ao’s Byakugan before ordering her to gather Kirigakure’s Special Jonin and Jonin.
• Bai Yue healed Mei Terumi’s broken leg with Yang Release, and she ordered the gathered shinobi to obey after Kirigakure submitted to Konoha.
• Bai Yue formed lightning spears while the gathered shinobi watched, and more than twenty defectors outside Kirigakure were struck down.
• Mei Terumi asked Bai Yue what had happened, and he said he had killed the defectors, frightening the Jonin who had considered fleeing.

Bai Yue brought Kirigakure’s Jonin and Special Jonin to Konoha to join its ranks, leaving Genji in charge until Konoha’s ninja arrived. Shikaku arranged their new ranks and leadership, while the former Kirigakure shinobi struggled to choose another Hokage Advisor.

• Mei Terumi pointed out that Mizuhara was present, while Kirigakure’s assembled shinobi discussed joining Konoha.
• Bai Yue said he had likely killed the missing Jonin, then brought Kirigakure’s Jonin and Special Jonin, including Mei Terumi, to Konoha and left Genji to manage the village.
• Bai Yue left Shikaku to handle the Kirigakure shinobi, who protested when Shikaku announced that Jonin would become Special Jonin and Special Jonin would become Chunin.
• Mei Terumi quieted the crowd by reminding them that their strength and experience remained, and Shikaku named her a Hokage Advisor.
• Shikaku said Chiyo and Ebizo would also serve as Hokage Advisors and invited the Kirigakure shinobi to nominate another candidate, but they could not agree on anyone.

Bai Yue recovered the Byakugan stolen from his father, Hika, and brought it to the Hyuga clan, where the Old Master grieved over the return of his son’s eye. After Kirigakure’s merger with Konoha, Bai Yue left Shikaku to decide how to announce the news and rested in the Hokage Building.

• Mei Terumi asked Shikaku why Bai Yue seemed to hold a grudge against Kirigakure, and Shikaku guessed it was because Ao had stolen the Byakugan of Bai Yue’s father, Hyuga Hika.
• Bai Yue brought the recovered Byakugan to Hyuga Jinren, who wept as he held the eye that had been stolen from his son.
• Bai Yue summoned Hiashi, the Old Clan Head, and Hyuga Maku to help comfort Hyuga Jinren, while the Hyuga clan celebrated the recovery of the Byakugan.
• Bai Yue returned to the Hokage Building, where Shikaku asked whether Konoha should formally announce Kirigakure’s merger.
• Bai Yue told Shikaku to handle the announcement as he saw fit, then reclined at his desk to rest.

Ōnoki received intelligence that Konoha had annexed Kirigakure, adding it to Sunagakure and making Konoha a growing threat. After Kurotsuchi’s irreverent response gave him an idea, Ōnoki sought a meeting with the Raikage to discuss the danger.

• Ōnoki summoned Akatsuchi after reading classified intelligence about Konoha’s annexation of Kirigakure.
• Kurotsuchi read the intelligence and wondered whether the Fifth Hokage had taken on too much by annexing Sunagakure and Kirigakure.
• Ōnoki realized that resentment among the conquered villages could be stirred up and asked Kurotsuchi how she would react if Iwagakure were conquered.
• Kurotsuchi said she would gladly marry the handsome Fifth Hokage and offer Iwagakure as her dowry, then fled when Ōnoki lost his temper.
• Ōnoki ordered Akatsuchi to arrange a meeting with the Raikage at a location of the Raikage’s choosing.
• Ōnoki worried that Iwagakure alone could not defeat Konoha, even under Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Ōnoki and the Akatsuki discussed Bai Yue’s growing power and their plans to capture the Three-Tails and Six-Tails. Back in Konoha, Kushina asked Bai Yue to train Sasuke, but he said the boy needed ninja experience he could not teach.

• Ōnoki worried that Bai Yue’s rise threatened the other villages and hoped the Cloud Ninja would not provoke Konoha.
• Pain summoned the Akatsuki and ordered them to prioritize capturing the Three-Tails and Six-Tails, while Zetsu was away infiltrating Konoha and looking for a chance to rescue Hidan.
• Konan asked Pain whether his plans were safe, and Pain stopped himself from saying something before declaring that God was invincible.
• Kushina barged into Bai Yue’s office and asked him to guide Sasuke’s training.
• Bai Yue said he had already taught Sasuke the necessary Ninjutsu and combat reactions, but could not teach him the field experience he lacked.

Bai Yue decided to send Naruto and Sasuke to train with Jiraiya, then visited Sasuke at the Naka River to ask about his state of mind after killing Itachi Uchiha. Sasuke reaffirmed his resolve to restore the Uchiha Clan and asked what Bai Yue would do if Naruto defected, leaving Bai Yue jokingly threatening punishment and pressing Sasuke for an explanation.

• Bai Yue decided that Sasuke should train with Jiraiya alongside Naruto instead of going to Orochimaru, and he teleported himself and Kushina to the Naka River.
• Bai Yue found Sasuke exhausted from training Chidori and sent Kushina home so he could speak with him alone.
• Bai Yue asked Sasuke about his behavior in the Land of Snow, and Sasuke declared that he would restore the Uchiha Clan.
• Sasuke asked Bai Yue what he would do if Naruto defected, and Bai Yue threatened to punish Naruto while offering Sasuke a reward for reporting any plans.

Bai Yue left Kushina, Naruto, and Sasuke to share breakfast, then went to Root and cursed Black Zetsu and Hidan. Hidan enjoyed the pain, so Danzo proposed using Root’s itching powder, while Bai Yue warned that Root’s defenses were weak before leaving.

• Kushina gave Sasuke breakfast and joined him and Naruto for a picnic, while Bai Yue abruptly teleported away.
• Bai Yue attacked Black Zetsu with the Cursed Seal of Grudge, but Black Zetsu escaped underground.
• Bai Yue cursed Hidan with an enhanced version, only for Hidan to moan with pleasure at the pain.
• Danzo arrived and suggested Root use adjustable itching powder to torment those who enjoyed pain.
• Bai Yue criticized Root’s weak defenses and left, prompting Danzo to realize an enemy might have infiltrated the base.

Bai Yue gave Sasuke guidance about living with his grief and promised to support him if he sought revenge, then began training him in Lightning Chakra Nature Transformation. Naruto rushed Kushina to the hospital to visit Gaara, where Kushina boldly asked Gaara to become her son.

• Bai Yue sent Naruto and Kushina to visit Gaara, then told Sasuke that he should live well and could pursue revenge if he chose.
• Sasuke said he wanted to kill some people, and Bai Yue told him to get strong and promised to handle the consequences.
• Bai Yue began training Sasuke in Lightning Chakra Nature Transformation and said he could later train with Kakashi or Jiraiya.
• Naruto carried Kushina to Konoha Hospital and found Gaara undergoing rehabilitation; Gaara said Bai Yue had saved him.
• Kushina met Gaara and asked him if he wanted to be her son, leaving Naruto bewildered.

Bai Yue lounged in the Hokage’s office while Shikaku handled his work and searched for a suitable secretary. After catching a message from Orochimaru, Bai Yue learned that Shennong and the Sky Ninja had been captured and ordered Orochimaru to find Zero-Tails.

• Bai Yue had Shikaku swap the documents on his desk so he could pretend to work while relaxing.
• Shikaku suggested hiring a secretary, and Bai Yue asked for someone obedient and sensible after rejecting several suggested candidates.
• Bai Yue caught a little white snake carrying a scroll from Orochimaru as it crossed the Hokage Building’s barrier.
• Bai Yue read Orochimaru’s report that Shennong and the Sky Ninja had been captured and the Sky Fortress seized.
• Bai Yue sent a reply telling Orochimaru to find Zero-Tails quickly, then released the snake to deliver it.

Bai Yue chose Uzuki Yugao as his secretary and asserted his authority over Sunagakure’s dissenting clans. The chapter left him considering who should take over Team 8 while Yugao began her new duties.

• Shikaku presented Bai Yue with secretary candidates, and Bai Yue selected Uzuki Yugao, whose transfer from Anbu would be approved through the appointment.
• Chiyo and Ebizo reported that several Sunagakure clans had organized opposition and were now detained; Bai Yue ordered them killed and appointed the pair as Konoha’s Hokage Advisors.
• After Shikaku left with Chiyo and Ebizo to arrange their duties, Bai Yue spotted Kiba Inuzuka and Shino and debated whether Kurenai or a Shadow Clone should teach Team 8.
• Uzuki Yugao reported to Bai Yue, who made her his secretary and told her to begin handling the documents on his desk.

Ōnoki and A discussed an alliance against Konoha, whose Fifth Hokage had become too powerful for either village to face alone. A shared details of his past fight with the Fifth Hokage and revealed his ability to drain a Tailed Beast’s Chakra, leaving Ōnoki alarmed by the threat to Jinchuriki.

• A attacked Ōnoki with a Lightning Torture Hand Blade, but Akatsuchi blocked it before Ōnoki urged A to put aside his anger.
• Ōnoki proposed that Iwagakure and Kumogakure share information and form an offensive-defensive alliance against Konoha.
• A questioned whether the alliance could stop the Fifth Hokage, and Ōnoki trusted in the power of his Dust Release.
• Ōnoki told A that he planned to stir unrest in the Sand Ninja and Kirigakure, while A described his past fight with the suspected Fifth Hokage, in which he lost an arm and Killer B was hospitalized.
• A revealed that the Fifth Hokage could surround himself with azure Chakra, absorb a Tailed Beast’s Chakra, and wield a shape-changing black weapon, prompting Ōnoki to recognize the danger to Jinchuriki.

Bai Yue took Kurenai Yuhi to the Kurama estate to address Yakumo Kurama’s dangerous bloodline and brought Yakumo into the True Illusionary Realm. He pulled Ido from her chest, and Yakumo was overwhelmed by memories of despair.

• Bai Yue agreed to help Kurenai Yuhi with Yakumo Kurama before taking over Team 8.
• Bai Yue and Kurenai went to the Kurama estate, where Yakumo greeted them with concealed hatred.
• Bai Yue brought Yakumo into the True Illusionary Realm and encountered Tayuya and Karin Uzumaki.
• Bai Yue pulled Ido from Yakumo, and Yakumo collapsed as memories of despair flooded her.