Chapter Summaries

The Fourth Raikage revealed evidence that the underground palace’s Tomb Master and the ancient legends of the Ninja World were connected to the Ōtsutsuki Clan, whose members might return to investigate their long-lost groups. As the Kage feared a greater threat, Ōnoki asked what preparations the Raikage had made, and he confirmed that he had prepared in secret.

• "Rasa" laughed at the revelations, then apologized to the Fourth Raikage for appearing to mock him.
• Ōnoki and the Fourth Raikage cited locations, artifacts, and ancient records that corroborated the stone tablet’s accounts of the Tomb Master and the Sage of Six Paths.
• Terumi Mei hoped the threat had passed because the Tomb Master and the other Ōtsutsuki were dead or sealed, but the Fourth Raikage warned that their clan might send more members to investigate.
• The Kage realized the Ōtsutsuki Main House could already be sending a stronger group to the Ninja World after a thousand years without contact.
• Ōnoki inferred that the Fourth Raikage had secretly prepared for the threat, and the Raikage confirmed that he had.

The Fourth Raikage warned the Five Kage that Kumogakure’s preparations could not stop the Otsutsuki, prompting Sarutobi Hiruzen to argue that the Underground Palace might hold secrets powerful enough to help the Ninja World survive. After the Kage agreed to cooperate, Hyuga Yunchuan privately asked Hiruzen to consider the identity of the being who had killed their people when the palace appeared.

• The Fourth Raikage revealed that Kumogakure had a countermeasure but said it was far from ready to face the Otsutsuki Clan.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen proposed that the Tomb Master’s remains and the Underground Palace’s secrets might give the Ninja World a chance against the Otsutsuki.
• Hyuga Yunchuan gained 12,000 Reality Points as the Kage reacted intensely to Hiruzen’s claims, bringing his total to 48,757.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen, Ōnoki, Terumi Mei, and the disguised Orochimaru agreed that the villages should jointly explore the Underground Palace.
• The Kage ended their meeting, and Hyuga Yunchuan privately asked Sarutobi Hiruzen who had killed their people on the day the Underground Palace appeared.

After devouring Fourth Kazekage Rasa and taking over Sunagakure, Orochimaru resolved to evolve by plundering lifeforms and powers. He agreed to join Obito in exploring the Underground Palace, but first demanded Obito’s help in making the Three Great Sage Regions his next sustenance.

• Orochimaru’s disguise as Rasa dissolved, revealing his true form as he celebrated the unexpected gains from devouring Rasa.
• Orochimaru recalled using Mui Reincarnation to absorb Rasa’s body, Kekkei Genkai, and memories, which led him to pursue evolution by carefully plundering others.
• Orochimaru explained that he had taken over Sunagakure and absorbed ninja with Kekkei Genkai while seeking a balanced path toward becoming an Ultimate Lifeform.
• Obito arrived and confirmed that the other ninja villages had united around the Underground Palace; he agreed to accompany Orochimaru there and said he had taken control of the Land of Wind’s Daimyo.
• Orochimaru asked Obito to use his Mangekyō Sharingan to help him claim Ryūchi Cave, declaring that he wanted the Three Great Sage Regions as his new sustenance.

Naruto and the Konoha group attended a private banquet at the Fire Daimyo’s mansion, where Naruto sensed the nobles’ decadence and uncovered a possible plan to gain control of Konoha. The chapter left him suspecting that the daimyo’s interest in Kurama and him was tied to a broader ambition to take Konoha for himself.

• Kazuma led Naruto, Sasuke, and the other Konoha students through the daimyo’s lavish mansion to a private banquet.
• Naruto questioned the wastefulness of importing flowers that lasted only a month and noticed the contrast between the mansion’s luxury and hardship across the Land of Fire.
• The daimyo praised his Grand Master of the Table, but Naruto sensed cold malice from the old chef.
• Enshiu, the daimyo’s eldest son, introduced himself and questioned Sasuke about life and training at the Ninja Academy.
• Yunshi and the Nine-Tails warned Naruto that Enshiu’s planned exchange visit to Konoha could help the daimyo learn how to control the village.
• Naruto concluded that the daimyo might be targeting him and Kurama as part of an ambition to take control of Konoha.

The Daimyo formally approved Hyuga Yunchuan as the Fifth Hokage and offered the Konoha youths practical courses at his mansion. An urgent report about Liton enraged the Daimyo, who ordered his rebellious son captured and confined, while Enshiu privately dismissed compassion as weakness.

• The Daimyo discussed Konoha's choice of Hyuga Yunchuan with Kazuma and Enshiu, then ordered Kazuma to arrange Yunchuan's formal appointment as Fifth Hokage.
• The Daimyo welcomed Naruto, Sasuke, and the other Konoha youths and offered them lessons in subjects including economics, taxation, and agriculture.
• An attendant brought the Daimyo news that made him angry, so Kazuma led the Konoha group out of the hall.
• The Daimyo ordered guards to bring Liton back and confine him for two months for opposing his policies alongside peasants.
• Enshiu tried to calm his father by explaining Liton's kindness, but the Daimyo condemned Liton's ties to the Fire Temple and his public defiance.

Naruto evaded the watchers at his residence and explored the Capital City's slums to investigate the conditions that might cause Hollow to appear. He found Town Servants confronting a sick young man whose body was developing black patterns, and moved closer as the disturbance drew ninja and samurai.

• Naruto used a Shadow Clone to fool the watchers and left his residence in disguise.
• He explored the Capital City's slums, observing poverty and wondering whether despair and the Daimyo's policies were connected to Hollow.
• As Naruto prepared to return before curfew, cries from a nearby alley drew him toward an unusual frigid aura.
• Daimyo's Mansion ninja and a samurai patrol rushed toward the disturbance while Naruto stealthily followed.
• Town Servants tried to seize a convulsing young man, but his mother pleaded for them to spare him and another young man urged them to wait for help from Fire Temple.
• A Town Servant shoved the old woman aside, revealing the young man's inhuman growl and black patterns moving beneath his skin.

A restrained boy watched a man transform into a Hollow, which killed several people before the samurai and ninjas destroyed it. Left grieving beside the wreckage, the boy heard someone address him as His Highness Liton.

• A burly man transformed into a Newborn Hollow after shoving an old woman, who died amid the ensuing attack.
• The Hollow killed several servants, three samurai, and a ninja while the ninjas and samurai tried to restrain it.
• The surviving fighters pierced the Hollow's Bone Face and destroyed it.
• The boy mourned the dead, pressed his palms together, and murmured, "Namu Amida Butsu."
• An aged voice addressed the boy as His Highness Liton.

Yuan Liton buried the impoverished mother and son with Monk Zhongjue, then argued with Naruto over whether gods could save the dead. Naruto urged him to create a better world for the living, while Yunshi inspired Naruto to pursue his reckless plan to give everyone Chakra.

• Yuan Liton and Monk Zhongjue gathered the remains of the mother and son and buried them in a simple grave.
• Naruto told Yuan Liton that the dead could not reach a Pure Land and that divine salvation was an unproven excuse.
• Naruto urged Yuan Liton to use his own hands to create a happier world for the living, then left.
• Monk Zhongjue admitted he did not know how such a world could be made and said that anyone who could do it would be God.
• Yunshi told Naruto that recklessness, not knowing how, drove humanity's progress.
• Naruto told Yunshi he wanted everyone, including commoners, to possess Chakra so he could see whether the world would improve.

Konoha celebrated Hyuga Yunchuan’s inauguration as the Fifth Hokage, treating his succession as a hopeful new beginning after years of attacks and reconstruction. As the ceremony approached, Yunchuan received his ceremonial Hokage Cloak and prepared to make his appearance.

• Konoha’s villagers and businesses filled the streets with celebrations and Fifth Hokage-themed goods.
• Villagers voiced their hopes that Hyuga Yunchuan would bring Konoha peace and lead it into a new era.
• Guests arrived at the rebuilt Hokage Building plaza while shinobi maintained order for the ceremony.
• A Yamanaka Clan stylist struggled to find any way to improve Yunchuan’s already striking appearance.
• Hyuga Aoi brought Yunchuan the white Hokage Cloak embroidered with red flames and the words “Fifth Hokage,” and Utatane Koharu told him it was time.

Hyuga Yunchuan was inaugurated as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage amid the village’s cheers, while the Hogyoku absorbed the crowd’s spiritual energy and advanced his power. As rain began to fall, he decided he needed to make Konoha’s fire burn even brighter.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen opened the inauguration ceremony and welcomed Hyuga Yunchuan as the Fifth Hokage.
• Hyuga Yunchuan appeared on the platform, and the crowd, including the Hyuga Clan members and Ninja Academy children, cheered for him.
• Hyuga Yunchuan checked his status and saw that his bloodline, Tenseigan, and Hogyoku had progressed while his God Techniques were evolving and awakening.
• Hyuga Yunchuan considered the slow progress of the Hogyoku’s positive half as it absorbed the villagers’ admiration and other spiritual energy.
• Hyuga Yunchuan looked toward the dark, rainy sky and raised a hand, deciding to make Konoha’s fire burn brighter.

Hyuga Yunchuan used Gale Release to disperse the rain and clouds during the Hokage ceremony, then took the hat and declared himself the Fifth Hokage. The crowd hailed him as their protector, while Sarutobi Hiruzen watched with mixed relief and appreciation despite suspecting Danzo controlled him.

• Rain disrupted the ceremony, unsettling the crowd and frustrating Sarutobi Hiruzen.
• Hyuga Yunchuan drew the rain and clouds into a vortex, then used Gale Release: Strong Wind Gale Break to clear the sky and reveal sunlight.
• Hyuga Yunchuan took the Hokage hat from Sarutobi Hiruzen and declared himself the Fifth Hokage, promising there would be no enemy before them as long as the people trusted him.
• Fireworks erupted, and the crowd cheered Hyuga Yunchuan as Konoha's hope while spiritual energy surged into him and raised the Hogyoku's positive value.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed as he watched Hyuga Yunchuan, acknowledging that he seemed suited to be Hokage despite suspecting Danzo had control over him.

Hyuga Yunchuan challenged Sarutobi Hiruzen’s defense of the Ninja Academy system and used Rock Lee’s evaluation to argue that the system failed children with unconventional abilities. The meeting ended with Yunchuan claiming that Lee was already strong enough to become a Chunin.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen rejected Hyuga Yunchuan’s proposal to alter the Ninja Academy’s education system.
• Hyuga Yunchuan insisted that Sarutobi Hiruzen use his work title, prompting Tsunade to laugh.
• Hyuga Yunchuan presented Rock Lee’s report, which described his poor Chakra control, lack of a Chakra nature, and inability to perform basic Three Body Techniques.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed that, under the current standards, Rock Lee lacked the talent to become a ninja and argued that this did not disprove the system’s value.
• Hyuga Yunchuan claimed that Rock Lee’s current strength was already enough to qualify him as a Chunin.

Hyuga Yunchuan proposed replacing Konoha’s Ninja Academy system with a comprehensive school built around specialized study, electives, and continued research, using Rock Lee’s progress to show how the old system wasted talent. The meeting ended with Sarutobi Hiruzen pointing out that the plan depended on opening most of Konoha’s ninjutsu to all students, alarming the clan representatives.

• Hyuga Yunchuan explained that Rock Lee had opened the second gate of the Eight Gates Released Formation after only a few months of training with Might Guy.
• Hyuga Yunchuan criticized the Ninja Academy for neglecting individual talents and proposed transforming it into Konoha Comprehensive Academy, with foundational study followed by specialized academies.
• Hyuga Yunchuan added electives across specialties so students could broaden their skills, and proposed further study and research for promising graduates.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen observed that the plan required Konoha to open most of its preserved Ninjutsu to students, prompting the clan representatives to realize their techniques were at stake.

Hyuga Yunchuan secured approval for his sweeping Ninja Academy reform, which would make Ninjutsu broadly available and weaken the clans’ traditional advantages. He then moved to the next agenda item, proposing that Sarutobi Hiruzen lead an expedition to an Underground Palace in the Land of Hot Water, only for someone to object.

• Hyuga Yunchuan called a vote on his Ninja Academy reform, and representatives from Sarutobi, Inuzuka, and Aburame objected.
• Shimura Danzō, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Sarutobi Hiruzen approved the proposal.
• Nara Shikaku explained to Yamanaka Inoichi that the clans could adapt by contributing selected techniques as advanced courses, and the Ino-Shika-Cho clans approved.
• Hyuga Yunchuan announced that the reform had passed by an absolute majority and would take effect immediately.
• Hyuga Yunchuan proposed that Sarutobi Hiruzen lead a joint expedition to the Underground Palace in the Land of Hot Water, and a representative objected.

Hyuga Yunchuan secured Jiraiya’s agreement to lead Konoha’s expedition into the Underground Palace after Sarutobi Hiruzen refused the assignment. Once the meeting ended, Yunchuan spent Reality Points to manifest a new system of incantation-based techniques called Hado, Bakudo, and Kaido.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen objected to leading the Underground Palace expedition, citing his lack of knowledge about it.
• Jiraiya volunteered to lead the expedition and proposed that Hatake Kakashi and Nara Shikaku help prepare the team and plan.
• Hyuga Yunchuan approved Jiraiya’s proposal and impressed the meeting with his command of Konoha’s affairs.
• After the meeting, Hyuga Yunchuan ordered the manifestation of Hado, Bakudo, and Kaido techniques on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
• Hyuga Yunchuan spent 20,000 Reality Points to manifest the techniques, leaving him with 29,949.

Jiraiya and Tsunade challenged Sarutobi Hiruzen’s suspicion that Hyuga Yunchuan was controlled by Shimura Danzō, arguing that Yunchuan deserved trust and that Hiruzen was failing in his duties as an advisor. Hiruzen could not bring himself to confront or kill Danzō, but he insisted he would keep watching Yunchuan, while Jiraiya left by calling Yunchuan the Child of Prophecy.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen warned Jiraiya and Tsunade that Shimura Danzō might be controlling Hyuga Yunchuan with the Caged Bird Cursed Seal, but they said Yunchuan’s actions showed loyalty to Konoha.
• Jiraiya criticized Sarutobi Hiruzen for opposing Education Reform and refusing to lead the Underground Palace expedition based on unproven suspicions.
• Tsunade asked whether Sarutobi Hiruzen could kill Shimura Danzō if his suspicions were confirmed, and Hiruzen could not answer because of their long history.
• Tsunade walked away, and Jiraiya urged Sarutobi Hiruzen to trust Hyuga Yunchuan unless evidence emerged that he threatened Konoha.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen vowed to keep a close eye on Hyuga Yunchuan, while Jiraiya called him the Child of Prophecy and disappeared into the woods.

Jiraiya led Konoha’s team to the Land of Hot Water to investigate the Underground Palace and the person behind the devastation there. They encountered Kumogakure’s team, whose Yugito Nii demanded to know whether Hyuga Yunchuan had come.

• Hayate Gekko coughed during the journey, and Shiranui Genma teased him about looking sicker despite Yugao’s absence.
• Jiraiya’s team reached the former port and found a vast, lasting depression that Kakashi confirmed had been created by one person’s jutsu.
• Jiraiya recalled the inscription about the Kusabi and wondered whether the person from the past had been a Vessel for the Ōtsutsuki.
• Yugito Nii, Dodai, Darui, and their Kumogakure companions arrived with the masked Samui.
• Yugito Nii asked whether Hyuga Yunchuan had come, and tension rose between the two teams.

The teams from all Five Great Shinobi Villages assembled to explore the Underground Palace, but a sudden impact from deep within sent them rushing toward it. At the First Layer, the Giant Gate’s lurkers saw their fragile arrangement collapse as the gate’s surroundings changed.

• Jiraiya dismissed the idea that Hyuga Yunchuan would attend, while Samui showed no reaction to his name and Yugito Nii mocked Konoha.
• Rasa, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, Karatachi Yagura, and Kisame Hoshigaki arrived with their village teams, completing the Five Great Villages’ gathering.
• A thunderous impact from the Underground Palace shook the ground, and Jiraiya led the assembled teams toward the abyss.
• The chapter described how bounty hunters and missing-nin had died before the Giant Gate, while cunning survivors hid nearby and lured more victims to feed it.
• The fragile agreement among those lurking around the Giant Gate was shattered.

Akatsuki reached the gate to the Underground Palace’s Second Layer after Sasori’s Puppets slaughtered the bounty ninjas guarding it. As Mui and Shinno prepared to open the gate, a mysterious shadow appeared behind Nagato and struck as time seemed to stop.

• Sasori remotely controlled his Puppets to kill the bounty ninjas in the First Layer of the Underground Palace.
• Nagato, Konan, Mui, Kakuzu, Hanzo, Hiruko, and Shinno gathered before the gate, and Hanzo explained that Akatsuki planned to lure the Five Great Nations there and destroy them.
• Mui noted that Ninja Tools from the Underground Palace had empowered Konoha, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure, while Akatsuki members looked at Nagato’s Tachi.
• Nagato examined the enormous statue and concluded that it was the Ten-Tails’ juvenile form, then recalled that Uchiha Obito had deceived Akatsuki.
• Nagato ordered Mui and Shinno to use their Chakra to open the gate, but a mysterious shadow appeared behind him as the world slowed to a halt.

Nagato’s Akatsuki forces clashed with the allied shinobi, as Yugito Nii’s surprise attack was blocked and Kisame joined the fight. The two sides faced off, and Orochimaru, disguised as Rasa, privately seethed over Hyuga Yunchuan becoming Hokage.

• Nagato used Shinra Tensei to repel Yugito Nii after his Puppet blocked her first strike.
• Shinno attacked Yugito, but Kisame blocked him with Samehada, which absorbed and rejected Shinno’s Chakra.
• Jiraiya and the allied shinobi appeared, and Jiraiya recognized Nagato, Konan, and Hiruko among Akatsuki’s ranks.
• Karatachi Yagura remarked that Akatsuki had many Konoha Missing-nin, while Nagato asked whether Hyuga Yunchuan had come.
• Sarutobi Asuma said the Fifth Hokage need not personally fight Akatsuki, and Orochimaru silently cursed Konoha for choosing Yunchuan.