Chapter Summaries

Orochimaru and Danzo continued their Wood Release experiment after Minato was chosen as the Fourth Hokage, and Minato was formally inaugurated with Hiruzen assisting him afterward. Aoba decided to report to Minato before traveling to find a new home for the Lizard Clan of Pale Swamp, fulfilling a promise he had made before the war.

• Orochimaru persuaded Danzo that their Wood Release experiment could help them seize control of Konoha, and Danzo agreed to consider forceful measures when the time was right.
• Konoha announced Minato as the Fourth Hokage, and Kakashi ran to the cemetery to share the news with Rin and Obito.
• Hiruzen passed the Hokage hat to Minato at the inauguration ceremony and stayed on to help him manage Konoha’s postwar affairs.
• At the Yuhi Household, Kurenai complained about Kakashi’s grief, while Shinku told her that Kakashi had to find his own way through it.
• Aoba told Shinku he planned to find a new habitat for the Lizard Clan of Pale Swamp, and Shinku instructed him to report to Minato before leaving.
• Aoba set off for the Hokage’s office after teasing Kurenai, who was left wondering why she still felt like a child around him.

Aoba visited Minato to arrange a safer habitat for the Lizard Clan, and Minato appointed him captain of the Hokage’s Shadow Guard. Before Aoba left the village, Minato accepted his recommendations for the guard and entrusted him with the Flying Thunder God Technique scroll.

• Aoba explained his promise to find the Lizard Clan a safer home, and Minato appointed him captain of the Shadow Guard, encouraging him to fulfill the promise before taking up the post.
• Minato warned Aoba to avoid political disputes during his journey, then asked him to recommend Shadow Guard members.
• Aoba recommended Shiranui Genma, Namiashi Raidō, and Tatami Iwashi, explaining that their complementary abilities made them reliable guards.
• Aoba said Guy, Asuma, and Kakashi were unsuited to the post for now, and Minato resolved to address Kakashi’s troubled state himself.
• Minato gave Aoba a scroll containing the Flying Thunder God Technique and his personal notes, saying Aoba might have the talent to learn it.

Aoba met Orochimaru in the forest after leaving Konoha, and the two discussed the Water of Life and their shared interest in extending life and pursuing knowledge. Orochimaru attacked him despite their apparent agreement, but discovered he had caught a puppet clone while the real Aoba stood nearby with Sharingan eyes revealed.

• Aoba left Konoha and stopped in the forest after sensing Orochimaru following him.
• Orochimaru asked Aoba for the vitality-enhancing medicine Aoba had used during Iwagakure's invasion.
• Aoba deduced that Orochimaru and Danzo were partners and gave Orochimaru a test tube of the medicine.
• Aoba called himself and Orochimaru fellow travelers and proposed that they cooperate.
• Orochimaru attacked Aoba with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, then revealed his interest in dissecting Aoba to uncover his secrets.
• Aoba taunted Orochimaru about his Curse Mark research, and Orochimaru realized the snakes had captured a puppet clone while the real Aoba stood nearby with glowing scarlet eyes.

Aoba exchanged ideas with Orochimaru and received Senju Hashirama's blood before leaving Konoha to investigate the Jashin Cult in the Land of Hot Water. Meanwhile, Minato learned Kushina was pregnant and assigned Kakashi to her guard detail in hopes that witnessing a birth would help him recover from his grief.

• Aoba demonstrated his imitation ocular technique, and Orochimaru praised his research and called them fellow travelers.
• Orochimaru gave Aoba a vial of fresh Senju Hashirama blood in exchange for his theories, then disappeared underground.
• Aoba reflected on Orochimaru's Cursed Seal technology, sealed away Hashirama's blood, and left the area.
• Minato learned Kushina was pregnant, began arranging security for her childbirth, and added Kakashi to her guard roster so he could witness a new life being born.
• Aoba arrived in the Land of Hot Water and investigated the Jashin Cult, seeking Hidan's immortality and the secret technique Death Controlling Possessed Blood.

After Kumogakure mistook Aoba for a member of the missing Chinoike Clan, he subdued the squad pursuing him and read its leader’s memories. He learned that the disappearances in a remote region of the Land of Hot Water might lead him to the Jashin Cult, and left the Kumogakure ninja alive.

• The Fourth Raikage ordered Kumogakure to search for the Chinoike Clan after it disappeared from Hell Valley.
• Aoba failed to find the Jashin Cult in the Land of Hot Water and noticed that a Kumogakure squad was tracking him.
• Aoba led the squad into a forest, where his Red Eye dōjutsu immobilized Bamoyi and knocked out his five subordinates.
• Aoba read Bamoyi’s memories and learned that Kumogakure had mistaken his Red Eye for the Ketsuryūgan.
• Aoba discovered reports of recent disappearances in a remote part of the Land of Hot Water and recognized them as a possible Jashin Cult clue.
• Aoba decided to leave the Kumogakure ninja alive and pursue the new lead.

Aoba searched remote villages in the Land of Hot Water for signs of the Jashin Cult, while Kumogakure's Raikage ordered a larger force to hunt him after he incapacitated Bamoyi's squad. Aoba found villagers whose souls were tainted by black smoke and began reading an old man's memories, but something reacted as his spiritual power reached them.

• Aoba left Bamoyi's squad alive after incapacitating them with Genjutsu and hurried toward the reported disappearances.
• Bamoyi woke and warned Kumogakure that the unknown opponent was extremely dangerous.
• Dodai suspected the opponent's dōjutsu surpassed the Ketsuryūgan, and the Raikage ordered more ninja to search the Land of Hot Water.
• Aoba used the Spirit Transformation Technique to search remote villages and found several villagers surrounded by ominous black smoke, including a heavily tainted old man.
• Aoba knocked out the old man, dragged him indoors, and used the Mind Reading Technique, triggering a sudden reaction when his spiritual power touched the man's memories.

Aoba discovered that the village chief was a Jashin Cult recruiter whose soul had been corrupted by the cult’s Holy Communion, then tracked the cult to its secluded mountain headquarters. After witnessing the cult’s ritual, he suspected it drew power from an unknown existence through rules rather than chakra.

• Aoba’s Chip blocked the mental contamination in the village chief’s memories, allowing him to learn the man was a Jashin Cult member who recruited villagers in exchange for Holy Communion.
• Aoba learned the chief had lured sick and vulnerable people to the cult, then killed him by crushing his neck.
• Following the chief’s memories, Aoba reached the Jashin Cult’s hidden mountain headquarters and surveyed it with the Spirit Transformation Technique.
• Aoba watched dozens of cultists channel black smoke into two cauldrons during a ritual that produced Holy Communion.
• Aoba concluded the ritual involved an unknown power and compared its transactional rules to the Sharingan Reincarnation Jutsu.

Aoba discovered that the Jashin Cult’s Holy Communion was made from human sacrifices and attacked the cult during its ritual. After killing everyone in the ritual square, he watched the severed heads of the cult’s supposedly immortal followers begin to weaken.

• Aoba descended as a spirit to inspect the Jashin Cult’s ritual, and a silver-haired boy saw him and shouted that Lord Jashin had appeared.
• The archbishop declared the boy mad and ordered the cultists to sacrifice him above the cauldrons; Aoba suspected the child was young Hidan.
• Aoba returned to his body, created two Puppet Shadow Clones, and led them in an attack that decapitated the archbishop and the assembled cultists.
• Aoba left the silver-haired boy suspended above the cauldrons and observed the severed heads of the cult’s core followers continue to speak.
• The severed cultists’ voices weakened, and their expressions shifted from madness to panic as their supposedly immortal bodies began to fail.

Aoba found the Jashin Cult's secret technique, Death Controlling Possessed Blood, but a strange surge of energy drained the blood from the cultists and revived the silver-haired boy. The boy now worshipped Aoba as Jashin-sama, and Aoba's scan revealed that the boy's body had grown much stronger and his eyes had turned purple.

• Aoba killed the cultists who had survived beheading, destroyed the cauldrons, and watched the mortally wounded silver-haired boy die.
• Aoba's clones found the Jashin Cult's records, and he took the scroll for Jujutsu: Death Controlling Possessed Blood along with useful research notes.
• The cultists' dead heads recited a prayer as blood flowed into the formation, triggering a dark red pillar of energy that quickly vanished.
• Aoba returned to the hollow and found the blood gone, the corpses dried into mummies, and the silver-haired boy alive with healed wounds.
• The boy ran toward Aoba, called him Jashin-sama, and stopped when Aoba ordered him to; Aoba scanned him and found stable health, unusually dense muscles, and purple eyes.

Aoba discovered that the surviving brat had transformed, gaining purple eyes, pain-loving behavior, and rapid healing without chakra. Kumogakure ninjas attacked Aoba, mistaking him for the one responsible for the village’s deaths, and the chapter ended as he defended himself and Hidan with a powerful Water Formation Wall.

• Aoba found that the brat had lost his memories and now called him Lord Jashin, then confirmed that the boy had unusual physical toughness and purple pupils.
• Aoba stabbed the brat’s palm and saw him enjoy the pain as the wound rapidly healed, leading Aoba to suspect the boy had gained abilities like Hidan’s.
• Kumogakure ninjas attacked Aoba with lightning and fire, and he escaped their strikes while carrying the brat.
• Aoba explained that Jashin Cult followers had performed a living sacrifice, but the Kumogakure ninjas ignored him and summoned reinforcements.
• The Kumogakure ninjas surrounded Aoba and launched coordinated attacks, so he raised a Water Formation Wall around himself and Hidan.

Aoba sent the little brat away and fought the Kumogakure team that had pursued him, killing several ninjas and revealing his ability to read their techniques. He identified Yugito Nii as Kumogakure’s Jinchuriki, and the chapter ended with her demanding to know who he was.

• Aoba summoned a giant lizard, ordered it to take the little brat back to Pale Swamp, and prepared to face the Kumogakure ninjas alone.
• Yugito Nii sensed Aoba’s changed aura and ordered her teammates to retreat, but his Earth Release raised a vast forest of stone pillars and trapped several of them.
• Aoba killed the sensory ninja and another Kumogakure ninja before Galoi blocked his blade and activated Lightning Release Armor.
• Aoba evaded Galoi’s attacks, identified weaknesses in his armor, and stabbed him; Yugito’s fireballs struck the battlefield, but Galoi died.
• Yugito attacked Aoba with her claws, and he recognized her as the Jinchuriki Yugito Nii; she demanded to know who he was, and Aoba called himself an unremarkable traveler.

Aoba drew out Two-Tails Matatabi and subdued her with Earth Release, sealing runes, and a Water Prison while seeking to borrow something from her. The Fourth Raikage arrived to find Yugito Nii dead, and a medical ninja discovered that the seal on her abdomen had been undone.

• Yugito Nii lost control after Aoba showed her the corpses of her teammates, and she transformed into Two-Tails Matatabi.
• Aoba's clones restrained Matatabi with Earth Release monsters and sealing runes while his Water Release trapped her in a sphere.
• Aoba sent a Water Clone to confront the approaching Fourth Raikage, who destroyed it with a lightning-charged strike.
• The Fourth Raikage found Yugito Nii dead and ordered the other Kumogakure ninja to search for her teammates.
• A medical ninja found no fatal external wounds on Yugito Nii but discovered five deep finger marks on her abdomen and realized her seal had been undone.

Aoba freed Matatabi from Yugito Nii and rode with the Two-Tails across the Land of Hot Water. After Matatabi asked his name, Aoba identified himself as Yamashiro Aoba of Konohagakure.

• The Fourth Raikage ordered Kumogakure to find Aoba and vowed to kill him for taking Yugito Nii's Tailed Beast.
• Aoba extracted some of Matatabi's chakra from Yugito Nii, then undid her seal, releasing Matatabi and leaving Yugito Nii dead.
• Matatabi thanked Aoba instead of attacking him, and she grew less wary after learning he knew all nine Tailed Beasts' names and had allowed Shukaku to remain free.
• Matatabi offered Aoba a ride, and they raced through the Land of Hot Water while discussing Shukaku's likely capture.
• At the eastern coastline, Aoba thanked Matatabi and told her his name was Yamashiro Aoba, a Konohagakure shinobi.

Aoba left Matatabi and traveled by sea toward the Land of Sea with the immortal, fanatical boy who had been following him. In Konohagakure, Minato and Hiruzen discussed Kumogakure’s worldwide hunt for Aoba and the growing unrest after the war.

• Matatabi agreed to consider Aoba’s advice to avoid human settlements and seek out Shukaku, then vanished into the forest.
• Aoba boarded a merchant ship for the Land of Sea and discovered that the boy had continued preaching about Lord Jashin and survived being stabbed by Hozuki Mangetsu.
• Aoba confirmed the boy had an immortal body and strong resistance to genjutsu, then named him Hidan.
• Minato and Hiruzen discussed Kumogakure’s pursuit of a young man with the Red Eye and considered whether the Chinoike Clan was involved.
• Minato warned that tensions remained high after the war and said he would remind mission squads to stay alert; Hiruzen asked after Kushina before leaving.

Minato and Danzō separately suspected Yamashiro Aoba of being behind Kumogakure’s crisis, while Hiruzen faced a political proposal from the Daimyo’s Mansion. Aoba and Hidan reached Forgotten Island, where Aoba joined its research base and met Uzumaki Honoka.

• Minato suspected Aoba matched the description of Kumogakure’s attacker but chose not to tell Hiruzen without concrete evidence.
• Danzō identified Aoba as the attacker, ordered Root to investigate his whereabouts, and directed his operatives to monitor Kumogakure.
• Hiruzen read a proposal to create a shinobi squad under the Daimyo’s command, then received a late-night visit from Danzō.
• After more than ten days at sea, Aoba and Hidan arrived on Forgotten Island, where Aoba used his medical expertise to join Doctor Oki’s research team.
• Aoba watched Honoka restrain a rampaging synthetic summoning beast with Adamantine Sealing Chains and recognized her as his intended partner.
• Aoba approached Honoka by the sea and offered her a pink flower, easing her initial wariness.

Yamashiro Aoba befriended Honoka by offering to teach her Uzumaki Fuinjutsu in exchange for her help studying Summoning Beast modifications. After three months of research on Forgotten Island, Professor Oak invited Aoba to join the secret Ultimate Summoning Beast Project, whose dangerous subject he already suspected would destroy the facility.

• Aoba revealed that he was a Konohagakure ninja and offered Honoka a trade: she would teach him Summoning Beast modification, and he would teach her Uzumaki Fuinjutsu.
• Honoka accepted the deal but warned Aoba not to harm anyone on the island, while Hidan was chased by a fledgling bird nearby.
• Aoba spent the next three months studying Summoning Beast modification by day and teaching Honoka Fuinjutsu by night, while secretly using Genjutsu to increase the researchers’ trust in him.
• Aoba mastered the island’s core research techniques, impressed Professor Oak, and became his most trusted assistant.
• Professor Oak showed Aoba a mass of flesh in an incubation tank and invited him to join the Ultimate Summoning Beast Project.
• Aoba accepted the invitation and recognized the project’s subject as a likely cause of the research facility’s destruction.

Aoba joined Professor Oak’s Ultimate Summoning Beast Project to study its gene-devouring technology, but the creature grew uncontrollable and attacked the researchers. Aoba rescued Honoka and fought the regenerating beast as he ordered everyone to evacuate the laboratory.

• Aoba gained access to the project’s core research materials and saw how its devouring technology resembled White Zetsu Cells.
• Professor Oak fed the flesh worm more summoning beasts, while Honoka grew concerned about its increasingly violent chakra.
• After devouring a mutated summoning beast, the flesh worm escaped the pool and swallowed a researcher, Professor Oak, and two others.
• Honoka’s Adamantine Sealing Chains failed when the flesh worm absorbed her chakra, leaving her unable to defend herself.
• Aoba cut off the beast’s tentacle, protected Honoka, and attacked with the Great Fireball Technique, but the creature rapidly healed.
• Aoba ordered the remaining researchers to evacuate the laboratory and retreat outside the base.

Aoba rescued the researchers from the rampaging Ultimate Summoning Beast, then staged a dramatic, seemingly costly victory that earned their gratitude. After the base was destroyed and only twelve people remained, he revealed he was Jōnin Yamashiro Aoba of Konohagakure and declined to become their leader.

• Aoba carried the exhausted Honoka to safety, then returned to the base and used his Auxiliary Chip to plan rescues.
• Aoba repeatedly saved researchers from the Ultimate Summoning Beast and led them to the eastern exit, while Professor Oak and several others died.
• After the survivors had evacuated, Aoba confronted the beast, and the base exploded in a massive blast.
• Aoba emerged from the ruins with apparent injuries, and Honoka and the surviving researchers celebrated his return.
• Aoba refused the survivors' assumption that he would lead them and revealed his identity as a Konohagakure Jōnin.

Aoba helped rebuild Forgotten Island, appointed Uzumaki Honoka as its new leader, and brought in displaced Chinoike Clan members and rescued children. He then gave Ryoichi a Ketsuryūgan transplant, leaving Ryoichi eager to test his new power.

• Aoba recommended Uzumaki Honoka to lead Forgotten Island, and she accepted after he promised to help her.
• Aoba helped repair the island’s base and persuaded Honoka to welcome displaced Chinoike Clan members and children rescued from Haide’s base.
• Aoba proposed that the island’s researchers teach the children and guide them toward choosing their own futures, and Honoka agreed.
• Aoba successfully transplanted a Ketsuryūgan into Ryoichi, whose new eye let him see blood and its flow.
• Aoba told Ryoichi to test his new power on Pakura, who was waiting outside the laboratory.

After Ryoichi demonstrated the power and limits of his transplanted Ketsuryūgan, Aoba sent him to take control of Gato and search for Uzumaki survivors. Aoba then rewarded Pakura's Earth Release progress by giving her a decoded scroll containing Sunagakure's Magnet Release training method.

• Ryoichi fought Pakura evenly using his Ketsuryūgan, but a painful rejection reaction made Aoba stop the spar and examine his eye.
• Aoba advised Ryoichi to use stored blood, expand his blood-control techniques, and focus on the Ketsuryūgan's Genjutsu.
• Aoba sent Ryoichi to the Land of Waves to take control of Gato and search for scattered Uzumaki Clan survivors.
• Pakura reflected on Ryoichi's sudden growth, rejected Aoba's offer of an eye transplant, and showed him her Earth Release progress.
• Aoba gave Pakura a scroll recording the Magnet Release training method, which he had deciphered from Sunagakure's secret.