Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• To convince Obito that he is Madara’s grandfather, Liao Wu reveals a twelve-pointed Mangekyō Sharingan and summons a towering, armored Perfect Susanoo. Its immense chakra and destructive presence shock Obito, Nagato, Konan, Jiraiya, and the two Great Sages.
• Obito recognizes the technique but has never awakened Susanoo himself: he never had both Mangekyō eyes present for its initial activation. He also has not reclaimed Kakashi’s eye, partly because it represents their former bond.
• Liao Wu dismisses Susanoo and explains that the Dragon Vein sent him from the Warring States Period into the present while he was fighting a visitor from beyond the heavens. He is unsure whether he can return.
• Obito accepts the story outwardly and decides to keep pretending to be Madara, hoping to recruit Liao Wu and turn him against the Leaf by revealing the Uchiha clan’s destruction.
• The possibility of traveling through time makes Obito, Nagato, and Konan confront their regrets. Obito imagines returning to the moment Rin died, but falls silent.

Character developments

• Liao Wu uses overwhelming power to establish credibility, then presents his time-travel story with calculated uncertainty.
• Obito remains composed despite Susanoo, relying on Kamui and focusing on manipulating Liao Wu. His hesitation over Kakashi’s eye reveals that he still clings to their past connection.
• Nagato and Konan recognize how dangerous Liao Wu is. Konan considers the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path as a possible counter, but knows summoning it would severely strain Nagato and risk a vital resource.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: Perfect Susanoo transforms Liao Wu’s claim into a seemingly undeniable display of strength.
• Deception and identity: Both men knowingly perform roles, each trying to shape the other’s beliefs.
• Regret and lost chances: Time travel offers the characters a way to imagine undoing their deepest losses, especially Obito’s grief over Rin.
• Attachment amid betrayal: Obito’s refusal to take back Kakashi’s eye suggests a remaining emotional tie even as he pursues a destructive path.

Character interactions

• Liao Wu challenges Obito to accept him as his grandfather, using Susanoo as proof; Obito plays along while privately assessing how to recruit him.
• Nagato and Konan silently gauge the threat and consider their options, while the concealed Jiraiya and sages are nearly exposed by the spectacle.
• Liao Wu’s account of the Dragon Vein shifts the exchange from a power display to a shared reflection on regret.

Key plot points

• Obito explains that the Moon Eye Plan was not meant to resurrect Rin. He wanted to create a peaceful world where war could not take her away.
• Konan hopes the Dragon Vein could take her back to save Yahiko. Liao Wu explains that changing the past would not alter this timeline and warns that the Dragon Vein is unpredictable without a clear temporal anchor. Naruto had served as Liao Wu’s anchor.
• Pain asks why Liao Wu has the Rinnegan. Liao Wu claims that Senju cells caused his Mangekyō Sharingan to evolve into it, leaving Nagato suspicious about the origin of his own eyes.
• Obito reveals that Itachi was only the scapegoat for the Uchiha massacre: Konoha’s leadership ordered it. Jiraiya, listening secretly, is alarmed.
• The chapter outlines how the village restricted most Uchiha to the Police Force, limiting their opportunities and helping deepen the longstanding rift between clan and village.

Character developments and interactions

• Obito frames his plan as a response to a world defined by cycles of revenge, while awkwardly addressing Liao Wu as “Grandfather” and revealing the truth about Itachi.
• Konan confronts the impossibility of undoing Yahiko’s death in this timeline.
• Liao Wu acts as a guide on time travel and offers a provocative explanation for his Rinnegan.
• Nagato/Pain grows wary when Liao Wu’s account suggests that the Rinnegan may have a hidden or manipulated origin.
• Jiraiya recognizes the significance of Obito’s accusation and reflects on the village’s distrust and containment of the Uchiha.

Significant themes

• Peace versus resurrection: Obito seeks to end the conditions that cause loss, rather than simply bring Rin back.
• The limits of changing the past: Time travel cannot necessarily repair the present, and may instead create separate timelines.
• Institutional oppression and conflict: Konoha’s control of Uchiha careers is presented as a source of distrust and a factor behind the massacre.
• Hidden truths and suspicion: Liao Wu’s Rinnegan and the Uchiha massacre both point to concealed histories that challenge accepted accounts.

Key plot points and events

• Jiraiya suspects the Konoha leadership ordered the Uchiha Massacre and made Itachi the scapegoat. The newly arrived ancient Uchiha, Liao Wu, appears to share that anger and threatens to destroy the Leaf Village.
• Obito tells Liao Wu that Itachi is dead and explains that he was a Leaf spy who had acted to protect Sasuke. Nagato, Konan, Jiraiya, and the two toad sages learn of Itachi’s death for the first time.
• Obito tries to steer Liao Wu away from the Leaf, both to protect the village and Naruto—the Nine-Tails is important to the Moon Eye Plan—and to assess Liao Wu’s intentions.
• Liao Wu briefly accepts that the Uchiha’s decline is not his concern. He then proposes having children with Konan to create a new Uchiha generation.
• Nagato, interpreting the proposal as a threat to Konan, attacks with Shinra Tensei. Liao Wu counters with a stronger version, knocking Nagato and Konan back.
• Liao Wu drops his friendly pretence, declares that the era will submit to Uchiha will, and reveals that he wants Nagato’s Rinnegan. Nagato challenges him, and the two prepare to fight.

Character developments

• Liao Wu shifts rapidly from apparent clan avenger to self-proclaimed conqueror. His immense confidence and strength become clear, as does his interest in taking the Rinnegan.
• Obito tries to manipulate events to protect his plan and keep Liao Wu from destroying the Leaf, but Liao Wu’s questions about Madara’s responsibility for the clan’s fate briefly leave him uncertain.
• Nagato shows that protecting Konan matters more to him than avoiding a powerful enemy. He refuses to yield despite recognizing Liao Wu’s strength.
• Konan is angered and unsettled by Liao Wu’s sudden, presumptuous proposal.
• Jiraiya and the toad sages remain hidden observers; they fear the danger Liao Wu would pose if he joined Akatsuki.

Significant themes

• Responsibility and betrayal: The chapter questions who bears responsibility for the Uchiha’s destruction—Itachi, the Leaf leadership, or Madara himself.
• Clashing eras and values: Liao Wu’s old-fashioned view of strength and women clashes with the modern characters’ expectations.
• Power and ambition: Liao Wu’s claim that the world should submit to the Uchiha turns the encounter into a struggle for dominance.
• Loyalty and protection: Itachi’s devotion to the Leaf and Nagato’s promise to protect Konan illustrate competing forms of loyalty.

Character interactions

• Obito tries to redirect Liao Wu’s anger and explain Itachi’s actions, while Liao Wu challenges him about Madara’s role in the Uchiha’s fate.
• Liao Wu’s proposal to Konan provokes Nagato to intervene; their clash demonstrates Liao Wu’s superior force and Nagato’s resolve.
• Liao Wu’s demand for the Rinnegan turns a tense exchange into an imminent confrontation, watched with wary anticipation by Jiraiya and the sages.

Key plot points and events

• Liao Wu confronts Nagato and the Akatsuki, rejecting their plan to capture the tailed beasts and use a superweapon to force peace. He argues that war is part of human nature and threatens to start one.
• Liao Wu attacks Konan, who evades him with her paper techniques and explosive tags. Nagato decides the risk of fighting Liao Wu—who can summon a Perfect Susanoo—is not worth it, and the group escapes aboard Yatagarasu.
• After their retreat, Nagato and Konan discuss Liao Wu’s Rinnegan and wonder whether his claim that the Rinnegan evolves from the Mangekyō Sharingan might be true. Konan urges Nagato to maintain his belief that he is the Sage’s reincarnation.
• Obito, who has been watching while phased, questions Liao Wu about wanting Nagato’s eyes. Liao Wu suspects Obito is not the Madara he claims to be. Obito admits he is an Uchiha descendant and offers to help restore the clan.
• Liao Wu asks Obito to collect books, especially histories, and to take him to Sasuke. Obito agrees, believing Liao Wu genuinely wants to revive the Uchiha clan.
• The Meow Six Paths remain in Rōran to establish a base. Jiraiya realizes Rōran is becoming Liao Wu’s headquarters and heads to the Leaf Village to warn Tsunade.

Character developments and interactions

• Liao Wu is openly aggressive, warlike, and domineering. Though he claims interest in restoring the Uchiha, his questions and actions suggest he is also probing the present era and its people.
• Nagato avoids a costly confrontation and begins to doubt the certainty of his own divine origins when faced with another Rinnegan user.
• Konan remains protective of Nagato, first defending herself from Liao Wu and then reassuring Nagato to hold to his convictions, despite her own growing suspicions.
• Obito fears Liao Wu’s strength and tries to redirect him toward women and clan restoration, partly to monitor him. He recognizes that Liao Wu may be a threat but assumes he can manage him.
• Jiraiya acts cautiously, gathering intelligence and preparing to alert the Leaf.

Significant themes

• Peace through violence: Nagato’s plan to end war with overwhelming force contrasts with Liao Wu’s blunt view that war is inherent to humanity.
• Doubt and identity: Liao Wu’s Rinnegan challenges Nagato’s belief that he was born divine, while Obito’s concealed identity complicates the alliances around him.
• Power and opportunism: Each character weighs the risks and benefits of conflict; Nagato retreats, Obito avoids exposure, and Liao Wu chooses not to pursue.
• Legacy and clan loyalty: Liao Wu’s interest in Sasuke and the Uchiha’s survival shapes Obito’s willingness to cooperate, though his motives are self-serving.

Key plot points and events

• After learning that Itachi killed the Uchiha Clan on Leaf Village’s orders, Sasuke resolves to destroy the village. He still cannot understand Itachi’s loyalty to the Leaf, but recognizes how deeply his brother loved him.
• Sasuke’s team has renamed itself Hawk Team. Karin, Suigetsu, and Jugo hear the truth about the massacre while they prepare dinner. Suigetsu compares Leaf Village’s politics with the far harsher persecution of clans in Mist Village.
• Obito arrives, accompanied by Liao Wu, an Uchiha from the distant past who traveled to the present through the Dragon Vein. Liao Wu looks much like Sasuke and claims to be Madara Uchiha’s grandfather, leaving Hawk Team astonished.
• Sasuke learns that his Mangekyo Sharingan grants him Amaterasu and Kagutsuchi. Liao Wu calls this a standard pairing; Obito adds that his younger brother, Izuna, had the same abilities.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke is consumed by grief and anger, but Liao Wu’s arrival unsettles his sense of being the last of his family. He feels a connection to Liao Wu that he does not feel toward the suspicious Obito, yet does not know how to relate to an ancestor.
• Liao Wu immediately makes himself at home, taking and devouring Suigetsu’s fish. His uncanny resemblance to Sasuke and his confident manner intrigue the group.
• Karin urges Sasuke to tend to his injuries before pursuing revenge. Jugo quietly offers Liao Wu more food, while Suigetsu reacts with skepticism and curiosity.
• Obito explains Liao Wu’s arrival and answers questions about Sasuke’s eyes, though Sasuke remains doubtful of Obito’s identity.

Significant themes

• Grief, loyalty, and revenge: Itachi’s sacrifice deepens Sasuke’s hatred of the village he once belonged to.
• Family and isolation: Liao Wu offers Sasuke a surprising link to his clan, challenging his belief that he must carry its legacy alone.
• Political oppression: Suigetsu’s comparison highlights how violence against clans differs across villages.
• Inheritance and history: The shared Mangekyo abilities connect Sasuke to earlier Uchiha generations.

Key plot points and events

• Obito observes Sasuke’s Mangekyō ability, Amaterasu, and learns that Sasuke can control its inextinguishable flames with Kagutsuchi. He privately wonders what Liao Wu’s own Dojutsu can do and continues investigating whether Liao Wu is really an ancient Uchiha.
• Liao Wu explains that using Mangekyō techniques damages the optic nerves and gradually reduces vision. Obito confirms that Itachi’s eyesight was already badly impaired by the time he fought Sasuke.
• Sasuke asks how to prevent that decline. Liao Wu says the solution is to transplant a close relative’s Mangekyō and awaken the Eternal Mangekyō.
• Realizing Itachi’s eyes would have been needed for this, Sasuke remembers that Itachi had claimed he wanted Sasuke’s eyes. He concludes that Itachi was lying to provoke his hatred.
• Sasuke discovers that Itachi’s body has been stolen. When Obito admits he does not know who took it, Sasuke vows to kill the thief. Liao Wu privately knows he was the one who stole the body.
• Liao Wu warns that the Mangekyō intensifies the user’s hatred and other extreme emotions. Sasuke deactivates his eyes, and his Chakra returns to its usual cold reserve.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke learns more about the cost and possible preservation of his Mangekyō. The news of Itachi’s stolen body triggers a surge of murderous anger, but he reins it in after Liao Wu explains how the eyes amplify hatred.
• Obito studies both Sasuke’s abilities and Liao Wu’s unexplained powers. He feels awkward telling Sasuke about the stolen body, since Obito had possession of it before it disappeared.
• Liao Wu acts as a mentor, explaining Mangekyō side effects and the Uchiha’s susceptibility to hatred, while concealing his own role in stealing Itachi’s body.
• Hawk Team sees Sasuke’s Chakra turn sinister and grows concerned. Jugo, especially sensitive to Chakra, recognizes the change; the others understand its source once Liao Wu explains it.

Significant themes

• Power has a cost: Mangekyō techniques damage eyesight, while the Eternal Mangekyō offers a possible remedy with strict conditions.
• Knowledge and secrecy: Ninja abilities are valuable intelligence, and revealing them—even to allies—can be dangerous.
• Grief turning into hatred: The Uchiha’s intense capacity for love can become overwhelming grief and hatred, which the Mangekyō further magnifies.
• Manipulation and concealed motives: Sasuke misread Itachi’s words, while Liao Wu quietly deceives both Sasuke and Obito about Itachi’s body.

Plot points and events

• Obito and Liao Wu discuss who stole Itachi’s body, suspecting the thief wants to prevent Sasuke from gaining the Eternal Mangekyo. Karin proposes Kabuto as a possible culprit because of his medical skill and loyalty to Orochimaru; Obito decides to have White Zetsu watch him.
• The group asks how Sasuke can prevent his Mangekyo eyesight from deteriorating without a relative’s eyes. Liao Wu explains that Senju Yang energy can balance the Uchiha’s Yin energy and protect the eyes.
• Because Hashirama is dead and ordinary Senju are insufficient, Liao Wu identifies Karin’s pure Uzumaki bloodline as a better source: the Uzumaki are distant Senju relatives, and their powerful life force may restore Sasuke’s Pupil Power.

Character developments and interactions

• Obito remains guarded and strategic. He already knows transplanted Hashirama-derived cells can preserve Mangekyo sight, but withholds that information to test Liao Wu’s knowledge.
• Liao Wu demonstrates expertise in Uchiha history and chakra, then draws attention to Karin’s lineage as a possible solution for Sasuke.
• Karin openly claims to be Sasuke’s girlfriend and clings to his arm, reacting suspiciously to Liao Wu’s attention. Her strong attachment contrasts with Sasuke’s discomfort.
• Sasuke dismisses the idea that Kabuto could become Orochimaru and asks how he himself can protect his eyesight.
• Suigetsu voices the group’s questions and adds details about Karin’s healing and sensory abilities.

Significant themes

• Power through bloodline and inheritance: Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki abilities are linked through ancestry and intermarriage.
• Balance and complementarity: Liao Wu presents Uchiha Yin power and Senju/Uzumaki Yang vitality as forces that can counteract each other.
• Secrecy and suspicion: The stolen body and Obito’s concealed knowledge keep the group uncertain about both their enemy and their options.

Key plot points and events

• Liao Wu discusses ways for Sasuke to protect his eyesight after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan: implanting Karin’s cells or, ideally, transplanting Itachi’s Mangekyō to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō. Sasuke thanks him but decides to wait until his vision actually begins to worsen.
• Suigetsu teases Karin about becoming “family” with Sasuke if he uses her cells. Karin attacks him, then quickly returns to clinging to Sasuke.
• Liao Wu says he would like to return to his own era and destroy the Senju, but Suigetsu argues that history shows he never did. Liao Wu decides instead to rebuild the Uchiha Clan in the present.
• Liao Wu proposes reviving the Uchiha through large numbers of marriages and children. Sasuke rejects this as his personal priority, saying he wants the Uchiha name restored to glory. Karin objects to anyone trying to arrange women for Sasuke.
• Sasuke says he must first settle his score with those who manipulated Itachi, especially Danzo and the other elders. Liao Wu supports Sasuke’s revenge while continuing to talk about expanding the clan—this time by conquering the Senju and having Senju women bear Uchiha children.
• The group discusses the decline of the Uzumaki and Hozuki clans. Liao Wu suggests that Sasuke and Karin could preserve both the Uchiha and Uzumaki names through their children, embarrassing Karin.
• Liao Wu also urges Suigetsu to have children. Suigetsu and Karin reject his old-fashioned fixation on bloodlines and reproduction, and Karin once again hits Suigetsu.

Character developments

• Sasuke remains reserved and uncomfortable around Liao Wu. He is not ready to consider children or romance; his focus is revenge for Itachi and restoring the Uchiha’s reputation. He also remains cautious about altering his eyes.
• Karin is openly devoted to Sasuke, protective and jealous when Liao Wu suggests other women for him. Her affection contrasts with her fierce temper, especially toward Suigetsu.
• Liao Wu is revealed as intensely committed to clan restoration and reproduction, interpreting modern attitudes as strange. His blunt, provocative plans repeatedly clash with the group’s values.
• Suigetsu serves as the chief teaser and skeptic, challenging Liao Wu’s plans and joking about Karin’s feelings. Liao Wu privately thinks Suigetsu and Karin might have suited each other if Karin had not remained devoted to Sasuke.
• Obito resists Liao Wu’s insult about his age but otherwise stays mostly in the background.

Significant themes and character interactions

• Tradition versus modern values: Liao Wu treats marriage and childbearing as duties to a clan, while the others see his proposals as outdated and intrusive.
• Clan legacy and identity: The chapter explores the threatened Uchiha, Uzumaki, and Hozuki lineages, while Sasuke defines revival in terms of restoring the Uchiha name’s standing.
• Revenge and responsibility: Sasuke puts vengeance for Itachi ahead of romance, family-building, or clan expansion.
• Unrequited affection and jealousy: Karin’s attachment to Sasuke drives her protectiveness and her clashes with Liao Wu and Suigetsu.

Plot points and events

• Liao Wu leaves Sasuke and Hawk Team, flying away inside a massive Susanoo. Sasuke is stunned and asks Obito about the ability.
• Obito explains that Susanoo is a Mangekyō Sharingan power that develops through stages; the Perfect Form requires exceptional ocular power, usually an Eternal Mangekyō. Sasuke wonders whether he can attain it.
• Back in Rōran, Liao Wu finds the Meow Six Paths rebuilding the city around the Dragon Vein. He orders Candy to have spies captured: White Zetsu are to be put to work, while the toads are destined for liquor.
• Inside the tower, Fish Ball bullies Kira, the daughter of former Queen Sara. Liao Wu sends the cat away and questions Kira about Rōran’s fall.
• Kira explains that a minister’s rebellion destroyed the kingdom and that a blond ninja saved its people. Liao Wu infers that this history was altered by Naruto’s time travel.
• Liao Wu offers to rebuild Rōran into a prosperous, protected city with reliable water and food. Kira hopes for her people but wonders what he expects in return, since the Dragon Vein is already his.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke gains a new goal to consider: Susanoo’s power. Liao Wu’s warmth also makes him feel more like family than Obito does.
• Obito acts as Sasuke’s instructor, explaining Susanoo’s stages and limitations.
• Liao Wu demonstrates both formidable power and a willingness to use it to restore Rōran. He protects Kira from Fish Ball’s taunts and approaches her with an offer rather than force.
• Kira is wary and prepared to defend herself, yet her concern for her people makes her receptive to Liao Wu’s promise.
• Fish Ball mocks Kira’s fallen royal status until Liao Wu intervenes; Candy and Snow Leopard carry out Liao Wu’s orders.

Significant themes

• Power and its limits: Susanoo is immense, but its full strength depends on the wielder’s eyes and development.
• History and change: Liao Wu recognizes that Naruto’s time travel altered Rōran’s past without creating an apparent paradox.
• Restoration and responsibility: The ruined kingdom’s suffering contrasts with Liao Wu’s vision of rebuilding it.
• Trust and loyalty: Kira’s hope is tempered by suspicion about Liao Wu’s motives, while Sasuke responds to Liao Wu’s unexpected kindness.

Key plot points and events

• In Rōran, Kira explains that the people fear the Dragon Vein because their city was once destroyed by its uncontrollable power.
• Liao Wu bluntly proposes that Kira bear him a child as part of a bargain: he will bring prosperity to her people. He insists she cannot refuse, though he promises to provide for them first.
• Liao Wu orders his Ninja Cats to build homes near the Dragon Vein and move Rōran’s people there. For supplies, he tells them to rob the Daimyo of the Land of Wind and local nobles.
• He offers to make Kira Queen of Rōran and declares that he should be known as “Sage Riri,” claiming he will protect the settlement.
• After Kira leaves, Liao Wu worries that the Great Toad Sage could discover he has consumed Naruto and is impersonating him. He synchronizes with his Naruto clone in the Leaf Village.
• In the Hokage’s office, Jiraiya explains that the Dragon Vein sent Naruto and Yamato into the past after Mukade released it from Minato’s seal. He believes their memories of the journey were sealed.
• Tsunade cites Rōran’s account of a golden-haired hero and an old Leaf-made Chakra blade as evidence of time travel. She warns that changing history is taboo.
• Jiraiya then reveals a new danger: an Uchiha from the Warring States Period has traveled through the Dragon Vein into the present.

Character developments

• Liao Wu presents himself as a powerful, self-serving ruler: he promises to improve Rōran’s people’s lives but treats Kira’s consent as irrelevant. His concern about the Great Toad Sage shows he is alert to threats against his impersonation.
• Kira is embarrassed and angry at Liao Wu’s coercive proposal, yet must contend with his plans for her people and his offer to make her queen.
• Jiraiya, Tsunade, and the Leaf’s Jonin begin to understand the time-travel events that explain Naruto and Yamato’s odd behavior. Naruto’s clone conceals what really happened.

Significant themes

• The danger of power beyond human control: Rōran’s history teaches its people to fear the Dragon Vein.
• Time travel and the limits of intervention: The Leaf leaders regard altering history as forbidden, even as the Dragon Vein’s effects continue to shape the present.
• Power, coercion, and authority: Liao Wu’s promise of protection and prosperity is entangled with theft, domination, and an imposed claim over Kira.

Character interactions

• Liao Wu pressures Kira into a one-sided bargain, while she challenges the notion that a deal can be made without willing agreement.
• Liao Wu directs Fried Rice and the other Ninja Cats to relocate and provision Rōran’s people; Fried Rice complies and asks what to make for dinner.
• Jiraiya explains the Dragon Vein’s role to Naruto’s clone and Yamato, while the gathered Jonin discuss the implications. Tsunade reinforces the prohibition against changing the past, before Jiraiya shifts the meeting to the present threat posed by the displaced Uchiha.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Genma questions why so much attention is being given to an ancient Uchiha. The toad sages explain that Liao Wu possesses a Mangekyo Sharingan and the Rinnegan, and can summon a Complete Susanoo powerful enough to rival Madara Uchiha.
• Jiraiya says Liao Wu claims to be Madara’s grandfather. Shikaku theorizes that the Dragon Vein transported him from the past before he could affect recorded history—possibly sparing the Senju and allowing the Leaf Village to exist.
• Tsunade orders Shizune to search the Uchiha Clan’s historical records, believing that traces of Liao Wu may remain.
• Jiraiya raises the question of whether Itachi acted alone in the Uchiha Massacre. He reveals that a masked man, who claims to be Madara, knows the truth and may be trying to turn Liao Wu against the Leaf.
• Danzo arrives and admits that he ordered Itachi to kill the Uchiha Clan. He argues that Sasuke is a future threat and says he wanted Sasuke placed under his control.
• Jiraiya reports that Liao Wu already knows the truth but has no immediate intention of attacking the Leaf. Liao Wu rejects the later Uchiha Clan for joining the Senju and apparently intends to rebuild the clan by fathering descendants.
• Tsunade is relieved that Liao Wu is not currently hostile. Danzo, however, insists he should be eliminated.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiraiya acts as the source of intelligence, carefully testing the elders’ reactions before revealing the massacre’s truth.
• Koharu and Homura are forced to confront their knowledge of the massacre and Danzo’s role. Their guarded discussion shows how much of the truth they concealed or misunderstood.
• Danzo openly accepts responsibility for ordering the massacre and renews his claim that Sasuke is dangerous. His hostility toward the Uchiha remains unchanged.
• Tsunade responds cautiously to the threat but is reassured by Liao Wu’s current neutrality.
• Shikaku offers a plausible explanation for Liao Wu’s absence from history, while Kakashi adds firsthand information about the masked man’s space-time abilities.
• Liao Wu, though absent, is characterized as immensely powerful, proud of his Uchiha heritage, and unconcerned with avenging the massacre—at least for now.

Significant themes

• History leaves traces: The search for records reflects the chapter’s idea that even people erased from history may leave evidence behind.
• Political secrecy and accountability: Danzo’s confession exposes the moral cost of the Leaf’s decisions and the gap between public narratives and hidden responsibility.
• Power and fear: Liao Wu’s strength makes him a potential threat, but his motives prove more complicated than simple revenge.
• Clan identity and legacy: Liao Wu’s rejection of the modern Uchiha and desire to restore the clan raise questions about what defines a family or heritage.

Plot points

• In Rōran, Liao Wu sets out to kill the Great Toad Sage, transforming his body into lightning to reach Mount Myōboku at extraordinary speed.
• The Great Toad Sage dreams of Liao Wu destroying Mount Myōboku and killing its inhabitants. Recognizing the vision as a glimpse of the future, he decides to alter its outcome.
• Rather than fight, the Sage uses his Senjutsu Chakra to let Natural Energy turn him into stone. In the vision, Liao Wu leaves once he finds the Sage dead, sparing the rest of the mountain.
• The Sage’s name vanishes from Mount Myōboku’s roster, and Toad Jade announces his death.
• Liao Wu arrives moments later, penetrates the mountain’s barrier using his Sharingan and Rinnegan, and senses that the Great Toad Sage is gone. He finds the Sage’s stone body and is startled by his death. Outside, toads argue over whether the Sage truly died and whether the lightning was a sign.

Character developments and interactions

• The Great Toad Sage shifts from accepting prophecy as a force that guides events to actively trying to change the future. He accepts his own death to protect Mount Myōboku’s toads.
• Liao Wu displays immense control over Chakra and confidence in his power, but the Sage’s unexpected death leaves him confused and uncertain.
• Toad Jade and the other toads react with grief and disbelief, trying to understand the Sage’s disappearance and the sudden storm.

Significant themes

• Fate versus free will: The Sage questions whether the future can be changed and acts despite not knowing the answer.
• Sacrifice and protection: He gives up his life to save his community.
• Prophecy’s influence: Earlier visions shaped events through Jiraiya; now the Sage tries to use prophecy differently—not to hasten fate, but to divert it.

Plot points and events

• Liao Wu leaves Mount Myōboku without killing the other toads. The Great Toad Sage is the only one there who could threaten him, because his prophetic dreams let him anticipate Liao Wu’s actions.
• The toads discover that the Great Toad Sage has died. His loss leaves Mount Myōboku without its sole prophet and guide, and the mountain descends into mourning.
• Meanwhile, Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima report to the Leaf Village leadership. They reveal that Akatsuki’s leader, Nagato, was Jiraiya’s former student and possesses the Rinnegan; the masked man is believed to be Madara Uchiha, who arrived from the past through the Dragon Vein; and Liao Wu is another major threat.
• The leaders argue over who is responsible for failing to report Nagato’s power. Jiraiya admits his mistake, while Danzo—who also knew about the Rinnegan and concealed it—uses the moment to criticize him.
• The meeting shifts to strategy: the village considers forming an alliance and exploiting the conflicts between Nagato, Madara, and Liao Wu to defeat them separately.

Character developments and interactions

• Liao Wu shows restraint by sparing the toads, but his decision to kill the Great Toad Sage underscores how seriously he regards prophecy as a threat.
• Gama Bunta, Gama Ken, and the other toads realize that their leader is gone; Gama Ryu joins their grief.
• Jiraiya is confronted over his past choices and does not deny his failure to report Nagato’s Rinnegan. Tsunade stops the blame-taking from derailing the urgent discussion.
• Danzo attacks Jiraiya while hiding his own role in concealing information about Nagato. His motives remain uncertain, possibly involving political calculation or a desire to claim the Rinnegan.
• Fukasaku’s report that Liao Wu and Nagato have already clashed gives the Leaf leaders a possible way to turn their enemies against one another.

Significant themes

• Loss of guidance: The Great Toad Sage’s death leaves Mount Myōboku facing an uncertain future without prophecy.
• Secrecy and responsibility: Jiraiya and Danzo’s concealed knowledge helped allow Nagato to become a greater threat.
• Power and survival: The Leaf leadership must consider cooperation and strategy rather than assuming any one village can defeat the enemy alone.
• Turning conflict to advantage: The leaders hope to exploit rivalries among their opponents and defeat them one at a time.

Key plot points and events

• Tsunade learns that every Uchiha Clan record has been stolen from Konoha’s Archive Room. Kakashi suspects Zetsu, and Tsunade concludes that Nagato and Madara may be seeking information about Liao Wu.
• The Toad Sages, Fukasaku and Shima, sense that someone important has died. When Shima summons Gama Ryu from Mount Myōboku, he reports that the Great Lord has passed away.
• Liao Wu travels to Kakuzu’s former base, where his Wood Clone has already recovered Kakuzu’s entire fortune. Deidara, bound to Liao Wu by Kotoamatsukami, asks when they will carry out a terrorist attack. Liao Wu redirects his explosive urges toward demolition work.
• Liao Wu uses Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu Chakra to revive the Orochimaru fragment that survived being sealed by the Totsuka Blade. The small white snake grows into a massive serpent, which eventually disgorges Orochimaru. Confused, Orochimaru asks Liao Wu who he is.

Character developments and interactions

• Tsunade and Kakashi respond to the missing records as a potential sign that Akatsuki is investigating Liao Wu.
• Fukasaku and Shima are alarmed by their unexplained premonition; Gama Ryu confirms the death of Mount Myōboku’s Great Lord.
• Deidara remains obsessed with explosions despite his magically altered loyalty. Liao Wu controls his actions but leaves his personality intact.
• Liao Wu demonstrates command over Deidara and uses his knowledge of Senjutsu to restore Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru, newly revived, does not recognize Liao Wu and is immediately wary of him.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and uncertain identity: Liao Wu’s abilities and origins remain important mysteries, prompting both Konoha and Akatsuki to investigate.
• Control versus personality: Deidara obeys Liao Wu completely, yet retains his destructive nature.
• Death and restoration: The reported death at Mount Myōboku contrasts with Liao Wu’s successful revival of Orochimaru, raising questions about who has died and what revival entails.

Chapter summary

• Orochimaru assesses Liao Wu: Newly revived, Orochimaru recognizes that Liao Wu possesses both the Sharingan and the Rinnegan, along with an unfamiliar appearance and powerful Snake Sage Mode. He is wary but avoids provoking him while he tries to understand his purpose.
• Orochimaru deduces Liao Wu’s origins: After ruling out the possibility that Liao Wu is a veteran of Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru guesses that he came from the future. Liao Wu is surprised, since he had presented himself as an ancient Uchiha.
• Orochimaru explains his theory: Drawing on his research into the Uchiha and Madara, Orochimaru proposes that the Rinnegan may evolve from the Sharingan. Seeing Liao Wu’s Mangekyo and Rinnegan, plus his use of Wood Style, leads him to suspect that combining Uchiha power with Senju power can awaken the Rinnegan. He also theorizes that Madara survived his battle with Hashirama, obtained Hashirama’s power, and placed his eyes in Nagato.
• Liao Wu’s private understanding: Liao Wu admires Orochimaru’s insight but knows the theory is incomplete. He understands that Madara’s status as Indra’s reincarnation—and the resulting Six Paths Chakra—was essential to awakening the Rinnegan. He wonders whether absorbing Sasuke’s Indra Chakra could evolve his own Mangekyo, but is unsure whether it would work or how long it might take.
• The power imbalance remains clear: Orochimaru studies Liao Wu for clues and hopes to gain an advantage through knowledge. Yet he feels more threatened by Liao Wu than by Pain and knows that even the slightest challenge could get him killed.

Character developments and interactions

• Orochimaru shifts from cautious questioning to confident theorizing when discussing his research. His ability to infer connections from limited evidence impresses Liao Wu, though his deductions are not fully accurate.
• Liao Wu reveals little directly, letting Orochimaru reason aloud. He respects Orochimaru’s intellect but silently weighs the limits of his own eye’s potential.
• Their conversation is both an intellectual exchange and a guarded contest: Orochimaru seeks information to reduce his vulnerability, while Liao Wu holds overwhelming physical and psychological authority.

Significant themes

• Knowledge versus inherited power: Orochimaru represents the genius who investigates unknown fields, challenging a world shaped by bloodlines, even as innate advantages remain powerful.
• The limits of theory: Orochimaru’s research is impressive but cannot account for every mystical factor behind the Rinnegan’s awakening.
• Fate and the unknowable: The chapter frames the Rinnegan’s evolution as dependent not only on power and experimentation, but also on timing, life experience, and forces that cannot be scientifically verified.
• Power and survival: Orochimaru’s restraint reflects the danger of defying someone who holds his life in their hands.

Key plot points and events

• Orochimaru explains that the Third Hokage’s Shinigami seal left the souls of his hands trapped, preventing him from using hand seals properly and keeping him from his former strength. He says he found a way to break the seal using a Shinigami mask from the Land of Whirlpools.
• Liao Wu says they will deal with the seal together later. He also wants the Yin half of the Nine-Tails, trapped in the Shinigami’s stomach.
• Deidara reports that spies are watching the group, likely hoping to seize Kakuzu’s enormous fortune. Before they can address the threat, he recognizes Orochimaru and reaches for his explosive clay.
• Deidara accuses Orochimaru of being untrustworthy, but Orochimaru counters that Deidara also betrayed his village and Akatsuki. Deidara insists he had served Liao Wu all along, infiltrating both Iwagakure and Akatsuki.
• Orochimaru questions how Deidara could have been a spy from such a young age. Deidara earnestly claims he was already Liao Wu’s spy in the womb, prompting bewilderment from both Orochimaru and Liao Wu.
• The chapter explains that Liao Wu used Kotoamatsukami to implant a lasting command of loyalty in Deidara. The technique shapes memories but cannot alter the past, so its effects may produce strange or inaccurate beliefs.

Character developments

• Orochimaru remains weakened and resentful of the losses that have repeatedly thwarted him. He is eager to restore his hands and regain access to Impure World Reincarnation, while still probing Liao Wu’s power and identity.
• Deidara displays fierce, unquestioning loyalty to Liao Wu, though his claim of lifelong espionage reveals how the implanted command has distorted his understanding of his own past.
• Liao Wu appears powerful but not omnipotent. He intends to help Orochimaru and acquire the Yin Nine-Tails, yet recognizes the limits of Kotoamatsukami and the odd effects it can have.

Significant themes

• Loyalty, betrayal, and trust: Orochimaru and Deidara accuse each other of betrayal, while Deidara’s loyalty is imposed through a genjutsu rather than freely chosen.
• Memory versus reality: Kotoamatsukami can reshape memories and beliefs, but cannot change what actually happened.
• Power and limitation: Orochimaru’s sealed hands and Liao Wu’s imperfect control both show that even powerful characters have constraints.
• Comic absurdity: Deidara’s literal conviction that he spied from the womb punctures the chapter’s tense confrontation.

Character interactions

• Liao Wu manages Orochimaru’s plan to undo the Shinigami seal, tying Orochimaru’s recovery to Liao Wu’s own goal of obtaining the Yin Nine-Tails.
• Deidara and Orochimaru immediately clash over their histories with Akatsuki and their alleged loyalties.
• Deidara seeks Liao Wu’s permission to attack Orochimaru, while Orochimaru’s questions about Deidara’s past lead Liao Wu to explain the limits of the loyalty command he implanted.

Key plot points and events

• Orochimaru realizes Liao Wu used the Thought Imprint to control Deidara. Afraid of becoming a mindless slave himself, he considers escaping but believes Liao Wu could retrieve him anywhere.
• To guard against mental control, Orochimaru places a technique on himself that will make him commit suicide if his will is forcibly altered. He then stays to observe Liao Wu.
• Liao Wu unwraps Itachi’s preserved corpse and prepares to revive him. He plans to rebuild Itachi’s badly weakened body with White Zetsu Cells so he will not return still gravely ill.
• Liao Wu summons Candy the Ninja Cat and has her place a Sage Talisman from Mount Myōboku on Itachi. Orochimaru recognizes that Liao Wu intends to bring Itachi back to life and watches closely.

Character developments and interactions

• Orochimaru shifts from wary curiosity to deep fear of Liao Wu, while resolving to protect his independence. Despite his caution, his fascination with forbidden techniques keeps him nearby.
• Liao Wu remains in control and reveals his plan to restore Itachi. He directs Deidara to deal with a watcher outside, then works with his Wood Clones and Candy.
• Itachi, though dead in this chapter, is portrayed as having suffered severe physical and emotional strain from his clan’s massacre, Akatsuki life, and Mangekyō Sharingan use.

Significant themes

• Control and autonomy: Orochimaru’s greatest fear is not death but losing command of his own mind.
• Mind and body: The chapter links Itachi’s prolonged guilt and stress to the deterioration of his health.
• Life, death, and restoration: Liao Wu’s attempt to revive and repair Itachi raises the possibility of overcoming death while addressing the condition of the body being restored.

Key plot points and events

• Liao Wu revives Itachi with a Sage Talisman said to come from Mount Myōboku. Itachi’s body warms, his soul returns from the Pure Land, and he awakens.
• Itachi immediately attacks with Amaterasu, assuming his rescuers intend to exploit him. Liao Wu protects himself and Orochimaru with a skeletal Susanoo.
• Itachi recognizes Liao Wu’s Rinnegan and Mangekyō Sharingan and suspects he took the Rinnegan from Pain. He also asks about Sasuke and Madara, revealing his plan for Sasuke to inherit his eyes and gain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Itachi tries to escape using the Crow Clone Technique, but Candy disrupts it and immobilizes him. Liao Wu reveals he anticipated resistance.
• Spore Clones place Itachi on an operating table and begin implanting White Zetsu cells to modify his body.
• Deidara returns after clearing the area and reacts furiously at the sight of Itachi.

Character developments

• Itachi wakes wary and defensive, willing to attack rather than become anyone’s tool. His concern for Sasuke and his plan for Sasuke’s eyes remain central, though his failing eyesight and fragile body leave him vulnerable.
• Liao Wu demonstrates extraordinary power and careful preparation: he can revive the dead, defend against Itachi, and restrain him through Candy.
• Orochimaru is fascinated by the talisman’s power but suppresses his greed, recognizing how dangerous and formidable Liao Wu is.
• Deidara’s intense fixation on Itachi is made clear by his angry reaction.

Significant themes

• Life, death, and forbidden power: Itachi’s resurrection fascinates Orochimaru and raises questions about the cost and purpose of bringing someone back.
• Control versus autonomy: Itachi resists being used, but Liao Wu’s precautions and the forced body modification place him under another’s control.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: Itachi’s plans for his eyes reflect his lasting devotion to Sasuke, even after death.
• Secrecy and hidden motives: Itachi’s revelations about Madara expose how much remains concealed within Akatsuki.

Character interactions

• Liao Wu explains the talisman’s origins to Orochimaru, who watches its effects with awe and envy.
• Itachi attacks Liao Wu and Orochimaru, then questions Liao Wu about his identity, the Rinnegan, Sasuke, and Madara.
• Liao Wu warns Itachi that his damaged Mangekyō and weakened body cannot withstand another use of Amaterasu.
• Candy stops Itachi’s escape, while Liao Wu makes clear that he anticipated Itachi’s resistance.
• Deidara’s arrival renews the tension around Itachi, whose presence has long provoked strong reactions from both Deidara and Orochimaru.

Key plot points and events

• Liao Wu’s Spore Clone operates on Itachi while he is awake, replacing damaged organs and implanting White Zetsu Cells. Itachi endures the severe pain without making a sound.
• Orochimaru assists and is astonished by the extent of Itachi’s illness, which makes him abandon his former desire to take Itachi’s body.
• Liao Wu asks Itachi about his dream and reveals he has searched his memories. Itachi’s childhood ambition was to end all conflict and war.
• The surgery succeeds: Itachi’s health and eyesight recover. Liao Wu explains that the implanted cells should also improve his healing and replenish his Mangekyō Sharingan’s power.

Character developments

• Itachi is shown as a disciplined, self-sacrificing idealist whose dream was shattered by the Uchiha coup crisis and his massacre of his clan. Since then, Sasuke has been his main reason to keep going.
• Liao Wu demonstrates both strategic caution and interest in Itachi’s motives. He avoids using Kotoamatsukami to control capable allies such as Itachi and Orochimaru, but uses it on Deidara because of the danger his explosive obsession poses.
• Orochimaru gains respect for Itachi’s endurance, while remaining wary of Liao Wu.
• Deidara remains furious at Itachi and Orochimaru, fantasizing about blowing them up.

Significant themes

• Idealism versus reality: Itachi’s wish to end war was sincere, but political exclusion and fear of a larger conflict drove him to commit terrible acts.
• Sacrifice and control: Itachi tolerates pain and relinquishes his clan and future to protect Sasuke and avert war, while resisting the loss of control over his own mind.
• The Uchiha and peace: The chapter contrasts Itachi’s gradual political approach with Madara and Obito’s grander plans to end conflict.

Character interactions

• Liao Wu questions Itachi about his dream, prompting a glimpse into the motives behind his life and the clan massacre.
• Orochimaru voices disbelief at Itachi’s ambition and receives a sharp look from Liao Wu, quickly correcting himself.
• Itachi notices Liao Wu’s resemblance to Sasuke and wonders whether they are related, while Liao Wu explains the effects of the treatment.

Key plot points and events

• Itachi wakes to find that his illness has been cured and his stamina and Mangekyo power restored. He realizes he can now fight at his full potential, yet still feels vastly outmatched by Liao Wu.
• Liao Wu admits that his overwhelming strength has left him without a clear purpose; he acts mainly to entertain himself. He invites Itachi, Orochimaru, and Deidara to either submit or challenge him.
• After Deidara mentions their supposed plan to destroy the world, Liao Wu abandons that idea and proposes forming an organization. Orochimaru suggests pursuing his dream of learning every technique, including forbidden jutsu.
• Liao Wu adopts the goal of collecting and preserving the Ninja World’s techniques and rare bloodlines, presenting it as safeguarding ninja civilization. He summons Snow Leopard, a powerful intelligence-gathering cat, and assigns him to work with Orochimaru.
• Liao Wu proposes the name “Stop the Halberds,” intending it to symbolize peace, but the others find it embarrassing. Candy rejects it and suggests “Dusk,” contrasting the group’s aims with Akatsuki’s association with dawn. The chapter ends before the name is confirmed.

Character developments and interactions

• Itachi is restored to health and considers Liao Wu’s motives, suspecting there may be more behind his apparent whims. He also hopes Liao Wu may genuinely value peace.
• Orochimaru sees the organization as a chance to pursue his lifelong ambition of mastering every technique, while privately recognizing that Liao Wu may be monitoring him through Snow Leopard.
• Liao Wu shifts from aimless amusement toward a loose mission: collecting knowledge and potentially ending conflict, though his motives remain uncertain.
• Deidara is confused by Liao Wu’s changing plans and tries, unsuccessfully, to steer the group.
• Candy openly challenges Liao Wu’s ridiculous name and offers a more fitting alternative, showing she can influence him.

Significant themes

• Power and purpose: Liao Wu’s near-limitless strength has made ordinary ambitions feel meaningless.
• Knowledge versus appropriation: The group frames stealing techniques as preserving cultural knowledge, while Orochimaru recognizes the self-serving reality.
• Peace and contradiction: The organization claims to oppose war, yet begins by planning to infiltrate and take from other villages.
• Appearance versus motive: Itachi doubts Liao Wu’s explanation that he acts only for fun, leaving his true intentions unresolved.