Chapter Summaries

Sarutobi Hiruzen questioned Hyuga Aoi about the Hyuga Clan’s losses and learned that survivors had seen masked Anbu during the massacre. He suspected Danzo and Root had worked with Hyuga Neji, while reconsidering his earlier suspicions of Hyuga Yunchuan.

• Hyuga Aoi told Sarutobi Hiruzen that the Main Branch had been nearly wiped out, the Branch Family had suffered heavy losses, and Hinata was grieving and training daily.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen asked about Hyuga Neji’s motives and the Tenseigan, and Hyuga Aoi confirmed that Neji’s eyes were not Byakugan.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen questioned whether Neji could have killed the Main Branch alone, and Hyuga Aoi revealed that some survivors had seen masked Anbu ninja.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen realized the masked ninja might have been Root and angrily accused Danzo.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen suspected Danzo had cooperated with Hyuga Neji to obtain the secrets of the Caged Bird Cursed Seal and gain control over the Hyuga Clan.

Sarutobi Hiruzen decided to guard against Danzō and prevent Hyuga Yunchuan from becoming Hokage, while Hyuga Aoi visited the hospital after hearing Yunchuan was waking. Yunchuan regained consciousness, concealed the true extent of his recovery, and suspected Ōtsutsuki Isshiki had targeted him and Akatsuki.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen decided not to confront Danzō and instead planned to monitor Root and prevent Hyuga Yunchuan from becoming Hokage.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen sent Hyuga Aoi away and told her to visit Yunchuan the next day.
• Hyuga Aoi heard medical ninja report that Yunchuan was waking and hurried to his ward.
• Hyuga Yunchuan opened his eyes, hid his strength, and unsettled the medical ninja with his changed eyes.
• Hyuga Aoi embraced Yunchuan, and he returned the embrace while pretending to be weak and confused.
• Hyuga Yunchuan checked his increased abilities and suspected Ōtsutsuki Isshiki had targeted him and Akatsuki.

Iwagakure shinobi searched the ruined village while Akatsuchi reassured them that Ōnoki and Kitsuchi had returned to confront Sasori and Hanzo. The battle left Roshi dead and the Four-Tails extracted, and Han prepared to fight the attackers in vengeance.

• Akatsuchi led masked Iwagakure shinobi through the poisoned ruins, clearing rubble and searching for survivors.
• Akatsuchi told the team that Ōnoki and Kitsuchi had returned with Han to ambush Sasori and Hanzo.
• Sasori and Hanzo retreated from explosions as Deidara attacked them with Clay Spiders.
• Kitsuchi trapped Hanzo's Salamander Ibuse between two masses of earth while Ōnoki and the Iwagakure forces joined the fight.
• Han found Roshi dead with the Four-Tails extracted and turned toward Hanzo and Sasori with killing intent.

Hanzo unleashed Kusabi and fought the Iwagakure forces while Sasori fled with the Four-Tails. In a canyon, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki sensed Hanzo’s power and wondered why it carried the aura of one of his kind.

• Hanzo told Sasori to take the Four-Tails and withdrew from the fight alone, while Sasori escaped in Hiruko.
• Hanzo summoned Salamander Ibuse, removed his mask, and activated Kusabi, releasing a vast poison mist.
• Han transformed into the Five-Tails, Kokuō, and used Boiling Mist to hold back Hanzo’s poison, but Hanzo attacked with a Poison Dragon and Venom Colossus.
• Ōnoki and Kitsuchi combined their techniques to trap Ibuse, while Ōnoki fired Dust Release at Hanzo.
• Ōtsutsuki Isshiki heard the distant battle, sensed Hanzo’s aura, and wondered how another of his kind could be present.

Hanzo survived losing part of his leg and wounded Ibuse, while Roshi transformed into a Gillian and unleashed a devastating heatwave. As the heatwave threatened Ōnoki and the Iwagakure forces, Kitsuchi stepped forward and struck back with his axe technique, Heavenly Cloud.

• Hanzo lost his lower leg to Ōnoki's Dust Release but began rapidly regenerating as Ibuse suffered a massive wound.
• Roshi's corpse convulsed, became engulfed in lava, and emerged as a giant Gillian, killing and injuring nearby Iwagakure ninja.
• The Gillian struck its chest and released a scorching heatwave that melted the ground and carbonized ninja in its path.
• Ōnoki tried to form hand seals but was stopped by pain, and Kitsuchi moved to shield him and the Iwagakure forces.
• Kitsuchi swung his chakra-infused axe and unleashed Heavenly Cloud against the Gillian's heatwave.

Kitsuchi wounded the giant ape with Heavenly Cloud, but Ōnoki led the surviving Iwagakure ninja in retreat before Kagokage arrived to take the creature to Hueco Mundo. Meanwhile, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki found the injured Hanzo, identified the Kusabi in his hand, and ordered him to take him to his leader.

• Kitsuchi struck the giant ape with Heavenly Cloud, badly wounding its arm but leaving himself drained and unable to continue fighting.
• Ōnoki used the Light-Weight Rock Technique on Kitsuchi and led the surviving Iwagakure ninja away from the giant ape.
• Kagokage emerged from a rift, announced that he had come to bring the giant ape to Hueco Mundo, and pressed it down with gravity after it roared at him.
• Hanzo limped across the Gobi Desert with his left leg severed below the calf and encountered a monk who was actually Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.
• Ōtsutsuki Isshiki inspected Hanzo’s diamond-shaped Kusabi, concluded it was a power container, and ordered Hanzo to take him to his leader.

Hyuga Yunchuan woke in the hospital after Konoha’s devastating attack and read reports criticizing the village leadership. Public anger at Sarutobi Hiruzen had erupted, and people were already discussing candidates for the next Hokage.

• Hyuga Yunchuan woke to find Hyuga Aoi beside his bed and accepted the newspapers and breakfast she had brought.
• Hyuga Yunchuan read reports about the attack, the destruction, and the criticism directed at Konoha’s leadership.
• Hyuga Yunchuan reflected that years of war and the village’s slow, chaotic response to the attack had intensified resentment toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
• Hyuga Yunchuan saw that people in the Land of Fire were openly discussing Jiraiya, Tsunade, Hatake Kakashi, and Hyuga Yunchuan as possible next Hokage candidates.

Hyuga Yunchuan read about the public support for the Hokage candidates while recovering in the hospital, then learned that Hyuga Aoi had told Sarutobi Hiruzen the truth about the Tenseigan incident. After discussing the battered Hyuga clan, he asked Aoi whether she had been waiting for him, leaving her overwhelmed and unsure what he meant.

• Hyuga Yunchuan saw that public opinion ranked him ahead of Jiraiya and Tsunade, while Shimura Danzō was testing the waters and trying to boost his own chances through Yunchuan.
• Hyuga Aoi told Hyuga Yunchuan that Sarutobi Hiruzen had privately questioned her about the Hyuga clan incident and that she had shared Hyuga Neji's account of the Tenseigan.
• Hyuga Yunchuan recognized that Aoi's unease might come from the suspicious coincidence of her witnessing the incident and decided he should address that doubt.
• Hyuga Aoi explained that the Hyuga clan had suffered heavy losses and that she and Hyuga Iroha were managing the surviving Main Branch and Branch Family members.
• Hyuga Yunchuan asked Hyuga Aoi whether she was waiting for him too, and she crumpled the newspaper as the question left her overwhelmed.

Hyuga Aoi admitted she had been waiting for Hyuga Yunchuan and struggled with her growing feelings for him. Yunchuan rejected her romantic hopes for now but offered her an annual chance to answer a question for the possibility of one unconditional request, before Hatake Kakashi interrupted them.

• Hyuga Aoi reflected on how her envy of Hyuga Yunchuan had grown into admiration and yearning, and admitted she had been waiting for him too.
• Hyuga Yunchuan gained 1,500 Reality Points after Hyuga Aoi became utterly convinced by his sweet talk.
• Hyuga Yunchuan asked what lay farthest from understanding and told Hyuga Aoi he had no romantic intention toward her right now.
• Hyuga Yunchuan gave Hyuga Aoi one chance each year to answer the question, promising to grant one request unconditionally if he judged her answer correct.
• Hyuga Yunchuan touched Hyuga Aoi's cheek, leaving her flustered, before Hatake Kakashi entered and stopped speaking at the sight of them.

Hyuga Yunchuan learned that the Third Hokage had called an emergency Jonin meeting to begin nominating the next Hokage, and he resolved to claim the position. He then connected with Shadow at Akatsuki's base, where several battered figures stood around the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

• Kakashi caught Yunchuan touching Aoi's cheek, withdrew from the hospital room, and later teased Yunchuan about their relationship.
• Aoi left the hospital, interpreted Yunchuan's question as a sign that he needed time to decide, and encouraged herself to keep trying.
• Kakashi told Yunchuan that the Third Hokage had called an emergency Jonin meeting for the village's reconstruction, investigations into Hueco Mundo and Akatsuki, and the Hokage nomination process.
• Yunchuan resolved to become Hokage despite opposition from Sarutobi Hiruzen, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and others.
• Yunchuan connected his consciousness to Shadow at Akatsuki's base, where several battered figures stood atop the other fingers of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

Akatsuki’s members regrouped after their Tailed Beast operations ended in costly failures, with Nagato revealing that Hyuga Yunchuan had overwhelmed him and devastated the Sky Ninja forces. Konan and Hanzo then reported that several dead Jinchuriki had become Espada-level Hollows, prompting the group to suspect Shadow had profited from their losses.

• Nagato summoned the surviving Akatsuki members, and Hiruko reported that he and Biwa Juzo had captured the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Mui explained that the Fourth Raikage had disrupted the attempt to capture Killer B, leaving Kakuzu gravely injured and Akatsuki with only a piece of Gyuki’s tentacle.
• Sasori reported that Ōnoki had disrupted his and Hanzo’s operation, though they had killed the Four-Tails Jinchuriki and recovered the Four-Tails.
• Nagato revealed that Ooyashiro En was dead, Shinno was gravely weakened, and Hyuga Yunchuan had destroyed the Sky Fortress and defeated Nagato’s attack with powerful eyes.
• Nagato said Akatsuki had also secured the One-Tail and Six-Tails, but the members focused on their heavy losses and their failure to capture the Nine-Tails.
• Konan and Hanzo reported that the dead One-Tail, Four-Tails, and another Jinchuriki had become Espada-level Hollows, leading Hiruko to accuse Shadow of benefiting from Akatsuki’s campaign.

Konan and Hanzo accused Shadow of exploiting Akatsuki and the Ninja World to strengthen Hueco Mundo, and Nagato let him leave rather than start another fight. Shadow revealed he intended to take a memento and struck Nagato from behind, piercing his chest.

• Konan confronted Shadow, believing Akatsuki’s wars and deaths had been feeding Hueco Mundo and creating stronger Hollows.
• Shadow admitted their relationship had been one of mutual exploitation, then mocked Hanzo as waste he had planned to turn into a Hollow.
• Hanzo rejected Shadow and declared his loyalty to the Land of Rain, while Akatsuki’s members prepared to confront Shadow.
• Nagato allowed Shadow to leave, explaining that Akatsuki could no longer stay hidden and was already headed toward conflict with the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
• Shadow said he would take a memento before leaving, then pierced Nagato’s chest with a dark arm that emerged from behind him.

Shadow tore Nagato’s Rinnegan from him before Ōtsutsuki Isshiki interrupted the attack. Shadow escaped after warning Isshiki about his master, and Isshiki killed Biwa Juzo before demanding the remaining Akatsuki members submit or die.

• Shadow immobilized the Akatsuki members, reminded Nagato that the Rinnegan were not his, and ripped out Nagato’s right eye.
• A Black Rod pierced Nagato as Ōtsutsuki Isshiki burst into the hall, forcing Shadow to abandon his attempt to take Nagato’s other eye.
• Shadow told Isshiki that he served a master whose plans Isshiki could not obstruct, then vanished into the darkness.
• The shadows released the Akatsuki members, and Konan rushed to Nagato as he collapsed clutching his empty eye socket.
• Ōtsutsuki Isshiki impaled Biwa Juzo with black spikes, killing him instantly.
• Ōtsutsuki Isshiki demanded that the remaining Akatsuki members submit or die.

Naruto reflected on Sarutobi Hiruzen’s suspicion after the attack and faced fear and avoidance from villagers as he returned to the academy. The chapter left him hearing a familiar voice call his name from behind.

• Naruto watched Konoha recover from the war before remembering Sarutobi Hiruzen’s probing questions about the attack and his Chakra.
• Naruto realized Sarutobi Hiruzen suspected Hyuga Yunchuan and questioned him about the golden chains, so Naruto concealed what he knew to protect his teacher and Kurama.
• Naruto went to the academy and saw parents and children avoid him because they had witnessed his Kurama Chakra erupt during the attack.
• Naruto understood why people feared him but struggled to accept their suspicion, especially Sarutobi Hiruzen’s.
• A familiar voice called out to Naruto from behind.

Naruto and Sasuke reaffirmed their trust in each other, while Ōtsutsuki Yunshi taught the Nine-Tails to wield Hollow power and explained that Naruto would need its support. Yunshi revealed Asura’s vast Chakra and said he would use it to forge Naruto a Zanpakuto.

• Naruto caught Sasuke’s wooden kunai and asked whether Sasuke had known he was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki; Sasuke admitted he had and said he trusted Naruto to control the beast’s power.
• Sasuke told Naruto he had learned Fire Style Ninjutsu and insisted Naruto still could not beat him in combat.
• Ōtsutsuki Yunshi pressed the Nine-Tails into the sand and made it sense the spiritual energy he was sending into its body.
• The Nine-Tails developed a bony exoskeleton and recognized the power as related to Yunshi’s Hollows.
• Yunshi warned the Nine-Tails that Akatsuki and other threats made escape dangerous, and said he needed it to support Naruto in the future.
• Yunshi revealed Asura’s Chakra alongside Naruto’s and declared he would use it to forge Naruto a Zanpakuto.

Hyuga Yunchuan attended Konoha’s high-level meeting as the new Hyuga Clan head and claimed that his eyes had evolved into the Tenseigan. Sarutobi Hiruzen announced a campaign against the missing Hyuga Neji and the Akatsuki, while Jiraiya revealed that Akatsuki’s founders had been his students.

• Nara Shikaku and the other officials arrived at the meeting and found Kazuma, a representative of the Daimyo’s Mansion, among the attendees.
• Hyuga Yunchuan arrived late and Sarutobi Hiruzen announced that he had succeeded as head of the Hyuga Clan.
• Yunchuan reported that Neji had massacred the Main Branch, burned the clan’s Forbidden Library, and claimed the Byakugan could evolve into the Tenseigan.
• Yunchuan revealed his own Tenseigan and said it had wielded the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, while the Anbu Commander described Neji’s Karma Fire and its possible connection to the Hollows.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen declared Neji a missing defector, named Akatsuki as the mastermind behind the attack, and assigned Jiraiya to explain the organization.
• Jiraiya revealed that Akatsuki’s founders, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan, had been his students.

Jiraiya explained Nagato and Akatsuki’s threat as Konoha’s leaders debated an alliance and the village’s recovery. Hiruzen disbanded Danzō’s Root, then accepted responsibility for Konoha’s losses and announced his resignation as Hokage.

• Jiraiya told Konoha’s leaders that Nagato controlled Yahiko’s corpse with the Rinnegan and sought to impose peace by ruling the Ninja World with the Tailed Beasts.
• Hiruzen called for a second remote Five Kage Summit to coordinate a joint strike against Akatsuki and the Land of Rain, while Yunchuan warned that disputes over a joint Underground Palace expedition could spark conflict.
• Shikaku described Konoha’s severe casualties and reconstruction shortages, and Kazuma said the Daimyo would provide resources in exchange for greater support from Konoha’s ninja.
• Hiruzen accused Danzō’s Root of failing to act during the attack and raised questions about its role in the Hyuga incident and the original Akatsuki’s destruction.
• Hiruzen disbanded Root, ordered its members transferred to the Anbu for investigation, and removed Danzō from Root-related positions.
• After Danzō blamed Hiruzen for Konoha’s losses, Hiruzen admitted his responsibility and announced that he would resign as Hokage.

Sarutobi Hiruzen nominated Jiraiya for Hokage instead of Hyuga Yunchuan, hoping to block Danzo and undermine Yunchuan’s support. Tsunade and Jiraiya unexpectedly nominated Yunchuan, leaving Hiruzen’s plan in disarray and Danzo delighted as the meeting erupted into debate.

• Danzo suspected Hiruzen had discovered his possession of the Caged Bird Cursed Seal and realized Hiruzen intended to prevent him from influencing the next Hokage.
• Hiruzen declined to remain Hokage, nominated Jiraiya, and received immediate support from Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
• Hiruzen waited for Danzo to nominate Yunchuan, hoping Danzo’s public endorsement would make the other leaders distrust Yunchuan.
• Tsunade nominated Hyuga Yunchuan, and Jiraiya followed by nominating him too, shocking Hiruzen and the gathered leaders.
• Jiraiya argued that Yunchuan could learn the Hokage’s duties with help from Hiruzen and the advisors, while Hiruzen silently feared Danzo could control Yunchuan through the cursed seal.

The Konoha leaders debated candidates for Fifth Hokage, and support for Hyuga Yunchuan and Jiraiya ended in a tie. Jiraiya stayed silent rather than reject his nomination, while Kazuma prepared to report the candidates and meeting to the Daimyo, leaving Sarutobi Hiruzen’s next move unresolved.

• Jiraiya and Tsunade both backed Hyuga Yunchuan, arguing that his abilities and willingness to break with tradition made him suitable to lead Konoha.
• The Anbu commander supported Jiraiya, while Uchiha Shisui and Aburame Shibi supported Hyuga Yunchuan, and other clans and department heads declared their positions.
• Yamanaka Inoichi supported Jiraiya and Akimichi supported Hyuga Yunchuan, after which Nara Shikaku announced that the Jonin Squad supported Jiraiya.
• Shimura Danzō supported Hyuga Yunchuan, bringing the vote to a tie, while Jiraiya stopped himself from rejecting his nomination after Mitokado Homura signaled him to stay quiet.
• Kazuma prepared to deliver the nominees and a record of the meeting to the Daimyo, while Sarutobi Hiruzen remained seated in exhaustion.

Hyuga Yunchuan accepted the support of the village leaders while promising to serve Konoha, leaving him the clear favorite to become the Fifth Hokage. As Kazuma negotiated Daimyo aid for Konoha’s reconstruction, he proposed sending gifted Academy children to the Daimyo’s Mansion and bringing the Daimyo’s eldest son to Konoha as an exchange student; the meeting then headed to the Ninja Academy to inspect potential candidates.

• Hyuga Yunchuan thanked his supporters and pledged to contribute to Konoha regardless of his position, while the attendees recognized him as the real winner of the nomination meeting.
• Kazuma promised to report the candidates’ merits to the Daimyo and began negotiating the terms of resource aid with Sarutobi Hiruzen and the village leaders.
• Kazuma proposed that gifted Ninja Academy children study at the Daimyo’s Mansion and that the Daimyo’s eldest son come to Konoha as an exchange student.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed to cooperate with the voluntary exchange program after clan leaders showed interest in its potential benefits.
• Kazuma asked to visit the Ninja Academy, and Sarutobi Hiruzen led him and the other attendees there to view the next generation.