Chapter Summaries

Hanfu confronted Danzo and defended Yakushi Kabuto as his Shadow Clones fought Root’s elite ninja using only Konoha-Style Kenjutsu. After Root suffered heavy losses, Danzo ordered his forces to retreat and vowed not to let the matter go.

• Hanfu warned Danzo that fighting him would leave Root and Danzo vulnerable to punishment from Namikaze Minato.
• Hanfu sent twenty Shadow Clones to battle twenty elite Root Ninja, relying solely on Konoha-Style Kenjutsu.
• Hanfu’s Shadow Clones quickly gained the upper hand, incapacitating Root ninja while Kabuto and Nonō watched in amazement.
• Danzo ordered his surviving subordinates to retreat after the tenth Root ninja fell.
• Hanfu stopped his Shadow Clones from pursuing Root, and Danzo left with a threat to retaliate.

Hanfu reported Root's activities to Namikaze Minato after learning about a raid on Root Headquarters and Danzo's Gozu Tenno Project. Minato recognized that the project matched other intelligence about Danzo's plans, just as the three advisors arrived to see him.

• Hanfu learned from Yakushi Kabuto that Hyuga Ninja had raided Root Headquarters, destroyed records, and stolen an important item, while Danzo continued the Gozu Tenno Project.
• Hanfu left Yakushi Nonō in charge of the Orphanage and accepted Kabuto's pledge of loyalty, then told Kabuto to improve his Medical Ninjutsu at Konoha Hospital.
• Danzo sent uninjured Root Ninja back to prepare and took ten injured subordinates to Konoha Hospital, where Nara Lukai prepared injury reports for him.
• Hanfu told Namikaze Minato how he had found Kabuto, brought Nonō back from Iwagakure, and injured ten Root Ninja when Danzo confronted him.
• Hanfu reported the Root Headquarters raid and the Gozu Tenno Project, and Minato connected the project's two-year timeline to intelligence from Clan Head Fugaku.
• Genma Shiranui announced that the three advisors had arrived to see Minato.

Namikaze Minato settled the dispute over Hanfu’s attack on Root and arranged for the Sixth Division to join Root, giving them a chance to investigate Danzo’s project. After Hanfu’s taunts and Utatane Koharu’s resignation threat, Koharu and Mitokado Homura both resigned as advisors, leaving Danzo without his allies.

• Namikaze Minato challenged the advisors’ defense of Danzo’s treatment of Yakushi Nonō and Yakushi Kabuto, while Hanfu accused them of applying a double standard.
• Namikaze Minato ruled that Danzo must leave Nonō alone, that Kabuto could leave Root without being branded a Missing-nin, and that Hanfu would compensate Root for its injured members.
• After Hanfu pointed out that he had injured ten Root Ninjas, Namikaze Minato ordered the entire Sixth Division to join Root, and Danzo accepted the decision.
• Utatane Koharu announced her resignation after Hanfu mocked her, and Danzo failed to stop her.
• Mitokado Homura also resigned, explaining that the advisors had favored Danzo and that remaining in office would make them an obstacle to Namikaze Minato.

Danzo tried to stop Koharu and Homura from resigning, while Minato and Hiruzen considered the implications for Root and the Uchiha Clan. Hiruzen accepted the Advisors’ decision, leaving Danzo unable to enlist his help.

• Koharu and Homura resigned as Advisors, and Homura told Danzo that Konoha had capable younger leaders ready to take their place.
• Minato worried that Danzo had anticipated his plan to place people in Root, and Hanfu warned that Danzo might move documents about Gozu Tenno; Minato ordered him to watch Root’s laboratory and bases.
• Danzo rushed to Hiruzen’s home and claimed Minato had forced Koharu and Homura to resign, but Hiruzen refused to believe him.
• Hiruzen suspected the resignations were connected to the Advisors’ treatment of the Uchiha Clan and the danger of pushing Shisui into defecting for real.
• Hiruzen said Koharu and Homura’s wishes should be respected, and Danzo left after declining to visit them with him.

Hanfu and the Anbu searched Root Headquarters for Danzo’s secrets, but found only signs that he had prepared for their investigation. Meanwhile, Namikaze Minato suspected the Hyuga and Uchiha clans might be connected to separate break-ins and considered whether their kekkei genkai pointed to the Abyss.

• Kakashi led Hanfu, Tenzo, Itachi Uchiha, and the others to Root Headquarters to investigate its confidential intelligence and secret facilities, but Hanfu’s Shadow Clones found nothing at Tenzo’s suggested locations.
• Danzo assigned the Anbu to guard Root Headquarters and himself, then argued that Root had little left to do after its funding and manpower were cut.
• Hanfu searched Root’s underground rooms and found them cleared out, while the Sixth Division members discovered no useful information during their investigation.
• Namikaze Minato asked Hawk about the break-in at the Forbidden Archives, learned that six Uchiha Clan Ninja could not be accounted for, and ordered him to investigate the Hyuga Clan.
• Namikaze Minato considered whether the Hyuga and Uchiha clans had joined forces against him and Danzo, or whether the Byakugan and Sharingan connected the incidents to the Abyss.

Namikaze Minato investigated possible plots involving Impure World Reincarnation while Shisui struggled to find a chance to use Kotoamatsukami inside Akatsuki. At Orochimaru’s Northern Hideout, experiments with Jugo’s cells led Orochimaru to devise a new restraint he named the Cursed Seal.

• Namikaze Minato ordered the Hawk Faction to watch Konoha Cemetery and the Uchiha Clan Graveyard for anyone digging up graves.
• Shisui continued traveling with Sasori of the Red Sands and waited for an opportunity to control the White Zetsu Clone without exposing his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• At Orochimaru’s Northern Hideout, Kimimaro tended to Jugo after Orochimaru subdued him and cut flesh from his arm for experiments.
• Orochimaru injected DNA samples from Jugo into ten young shinobi and observed their bodies mutate, with most dying or becoming mindless killers.
• After examining the surviving subjects, Orochimaru concluded that Jugo’s power needed a restraint and decided to call his new creation the Cursed Seal.

At Root Headquarters, Hanfu recognized that the Shisui confronting him was Itachi in disguise and fought back after Itachi trapped him in a genjutsu. Itachi ended the encounter bruised and coughing, while Hanfu pretended to have only just discovered his identity.

• While patrolling Root Headquarters, Hanfu encountered someone impersonating Shisui and suspected Itachi Uchiha.
• Hanfu accused the disguised Itachi of betraying the village, and Itachi trapped him in Kasegui no Jutsu while trying to learn what he knew about the Fourth Hokage.
• Hanfu escaped the genjutsu and used his speed and Flying Thunder God Kunai to punch Itachi repeatedly.
• When Itachi tried to blow away the kunai with Wind Style, Hanfu struck his throat with One Thousand Years of Death and broke his disguise.
• Hanfu claimed he had only just recognized Itachi and acted forgivingly as Itachi coughed and suspected Hanfu had seen through him from the start.

Itachi returned home after Yakushi Kabuto treated injuries he had suffered while working under Danzo, and reassured Sasuke that he had been hurt in a training accident. Meanwhile, Cold Wind worked in his underground base and failed to collect Wood Release from Hashirama Senju, while Namikaze Minato and Shikaku Nara investigated the thefts from Root and considered the Abyss’s possible involvement.

• Itachi visited Konoha Hospital, where Yakushi Kabuto treated his battered face, then told Sasuke that an accident during training had injured him.
• Cold Wind ate with his family, rejected Hayate’s request for an Anbu opening for Yugao, and went to his underground base.
• Cold Wind ordered Hashirama Senju to demonstrate Wood Release and failed all three attempts to collect it before returning him to his coffin.
• Namikaze Minato called Shikaku Nara to the Hokage Office and explained that an Uchiha had stolen Impure World Reincarnation while a Hyuga had infiltrated Root Headquarters.
• Namikaze Minato disclosed the Abyss to Shikaku Nara, who considered how it might use Impure World Reincarnation to revive a Hyuga ancestor and remove the Caged Bird Seal.

Shikaku Nara advised Namikaze Minato to strengthen ties with the Hyuga Clan to prevent it from joining forces with the Uchiha Clan, and Minato decided to bring Naruto and Hinata closer. Naruto’s attempts to pick a fight with Hinata instead turned into a chaotic play-fight with Karin, while the Hyuga couple approved of their children spending time together.

• Shikaku Nara warned Namikaze Minato that an alliance between the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans threatened Konoha more than the Abyss and urged him to maintain good relations with the Hyuga Clan.
• Namikaze Minato thought about Naruto’s friendship with Hinata and planned for them to attend the same class and sit together at the Ninja Academy.
• Naruto told Karin he was not visiting her, then brought her to Hinata’s house and called for Hinata over the wall.
• Karin kicked Naruto and shoved a dirty rice ball into his mouth, and the two children began wrestling as Hanfu watched from the Wooden Corridor.
• Hinata climbed over the wall, and Naruto collided with her before continuing to fight with Karin and tripping Hinata when she tried to intervene.
• Hyuga Hiashi and Lady Hyuga listened to the children fighting and agreed that Hinata should spend time with Naruto, the Fourth Hokage’s son.

Namikaze Minato asked Hyuga Hiashi to help locate Root’s secret research base, then revealed that a Byakugan user had infiltrated Root Headquarters. Hiashi denied involvement and agreed to assist, while Minato suspected the infiltrator had joined the Abyss.

• Hanfu escorted Naruto home and learned that Naruto wanted to reach the moon because Kushina had told him about its treasures.
• Hanfu and Namikaze Minato concluded that Danzo had hidden the Root members who studied Gozu Tenno and suggested using the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan to search for the research base.
• Namikaze Minato woke Naruto and took him to apologize to Hinata, who accepted his apology before Naruto went off with her to find Karin.
• Namikaze Minato asked Hyuga Hiashi to provide Byakugan users to search for Root’s secret research base, and Hiashi agreed to send Hizashi and others.
• Namikaze Minato told Hiashi that a Byakugan user had infiltrated Root Headquarters; Hiashi denied sending anyone, and Minato privately suspected the infiltrator had joined the Abyss.

Hyuga Hiashi enlisted his clan to help Namikaze Minato search for Root’s secret research base, but the effort failed after Danzo’s precautions thwarted the Byakugan search. Meanwhile, Hanfu used Iruka’s help to enroll Karin in the Ninja Academy, where she passed the entrance test, leaving her ready to start school in four days.

• Hyuga Hiashi told Hizashi Hyuga and the elders that he had agreed to help the Fourth Hokage, and Hizashi supported his decision.
• Hizashi led fifty Branch House members in a search for Root’s secret research base, but they found nothing after checking all of Konoha.
• Namikaze Minato realized Danzo had likely prepared for the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan and accepted that the search had failed.
• Gekko Hoshino scolded Hanfu for delaying Karin’s enrollment, so Hanfu took her to the Ninja Academy the next morning.
• Hanfu found Iruka at the Academy and used his help to get Karin through enrollment and her entrance test.
• Karin passed the physical fitness test and completed her enrollment, and Iruka said he would see her on the first day of school in four days.

Hanfu took Karin to her first day at the Ninja Academy, where she joined Hinata and Naruto in Iruka’s class. On the way home, Danzō told Hiashi that a Hyuga Branch House member was conspiring to break the Caged Bird Seal, leaving Hiashi suspicious and Hanfu baffled.

• Hanfu accompanied Karin to the Ninja Academy with Hiashi and Hinata, and they met Kushina and Naruto at the school.
• Namikaze Minato welcomed the new students, and Hiashi learned that Karin, Hinata, and Naruto were assigned to Iruka’s class.
• Hanfu spoke with Iruka while Karin, Hinata, and Naruto entered their classroom, then left the school with Hiashi after the parents departed.
• Danzō invited Hiashi to tea, then claimed that a Hyuga clan member had joined an outsider to break the Caged Bird Seal.
• Hiashi wondered whether a Branch House member, possibly Hizashi, was involved, while Hanfu tried to understand Danzō’s motive.

Danzo tried to set the Hyuga Main House against the Branch House by telling Hyuga Hiashi that Branch House ninja had conspired with an outsider to break the Caged Bird Seal. Hanfu persuaded Hiashi to avoid acting rashly, then realized Danzo was trying to weaken the Hyuga Clan’s cooperation with Namikaze Minato.

• Danzo recalled how he had hidden Root’s research base and explained that he had planted suspicions about the Branch House to keep the Hyuga Clan from helping Namikaze Minato.
• Hiashi connected Danzo’s claim to the break-in at Root Headquarters and considered investigating whether Branch House ninja had been involved.
• Hanfu urged Hiashi to let matters run their course, arguing that the Caged Bird Seal could not be broken and an investigation could deepen divisions within the clan.
• Hiashi admitted he would struggle to investigate because he could not be sure even his brother Hizashi Hyuga was uninvolved.
• After returning home, Hanfu realized Danzo had targeted the Hyuga Clan because it was helping Namikaze Minato search for Root’s underground Research Base.

Hanfu's underground base flooded and partially collapsed during a storm, forcing him and his Shadow Clones to spend the night outside before they repaired it. The next morning, Hanfu took Karin and Hinata to school while worrying that Hiashi Hyuga was still investigating the Branch House, and he noticed a new swing outside the Academy.

• Hanfu failed three more times to collect the First Hokage before rain flooded the underground base.
• Hanfu's attempt to direct repairs caused most of the base to collapse, so he led the Shadow Clones outside into the storm.
• The Shadow Clones expanded the base and dug new ventilation holes overnight, and Hanfu checked their work in the morning.
• Hanfu learned that Hiashi Hyuga had left early to visit Hizashi Hyuga and worried that his plan to prevent trouble had failed.
• On the way to the Academy, Karin and Hinata talked about Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, while Hanfu warned Karin to focus on her studies.
• Hanfu noticed a new swing hanging from a tall tree outside the Academy.

Hanfu faked an ankle injury to avoid Might Guy, only to learn that Guy had come to postpone their next fight. After suspecting Guy was using him as a sparring partner to develop new Eight Inner Gates techniques, Hanfu left the hospital with his suspicions unresolved.

• Hanfu pretended to twist his ankle and went to Konoha Hospital while Might Guy followed him, believing Hanfu was acting suspiciously.
• Hanfu enlisted Yakushi Kabuto to fake a severe-looking ankle injury, convincing Might Guy that he was genuinely hurt.
• Might Guy revealed that he had come to postpone their challenge until December because he had a mission, and Hanfu realized he had misunderstood Guy's intentions.
• Hanfu theorized that Might Guy was using their fights to develop advanced taijutsu, making Hanfu a sharpening stone for his training.
• Yakushi Kabuto bandaged both of Hanfu's ankles and asked about helping with the experiment, but Hanfu told him to wait for further instructions before leaving the hospital.

Hyuga Hiashi told Hizashi Hyuga that a Branch House shinobi had joined forces with Orochimaru to break the Caged Bird Seal, then assigned Hizashi to lead a mission against him. The Byakugan Squad left Konoha, while Danzo anticipated their deaths and Namikaze Minato received a vague explanation for their departure.

• Neji Hyuga concealed his resentment over the Caged Bird Seal and wondered what Hyuga Hiashi would do when Hanabi turned three.
• Hyuga Hiashi told Hizashi Hyuga that a Branch House shinobi had infiltrated Root Headquarters and was trying to undo the Caged Bird Seal.
• Hizashi Hyuga suspected the Fourth Hokage, but Hyuga Hiashi blamed Orochimaru and ordered Hizashi to lead the Branch House mission to find him.
• Neji Hyuga asked whether Hanabi would receive the Caged Bird Seal, and Hizashi warned him not to interfere in Main House affairs.
• Hyuga Hiashi gained the support of two Branch House elders, and a thirteen-member Byakugan Squad left Konoha three days later.
• Danzo celebrated the squad's departure, while Namikaze Minato sent Genma Shiranui to ask about it and was told the shinobi had gone to gain experience.

Hanfu traveled to the Fire Temple to learn about Cursed Seals, but Chiriku turned him away after Asuma signaled that he should not be admitted. Hanfu remained outside as Asuma and the others went to meet Kazuma and his son.

• Hanfu searched the Anbu Archives for a Cursed Seal that could pierce a brain or heart, but found only descriptions and learned that Ninja Monks were skilled in Cursed Seals.
• Hanfu took a month's leave, traveled to the Fire Temple, and decided that he and Buddha were destined to meet.
• Hanfu encountered Asuma and asked to speak with the temple's Abbot about Cursed Seals.
• Chiriku blocked Hanfu from entering because the temple was closed, and Asuma privately admitted he had signaled Chiriku to turn Hanfu away.
• Chiriku led Asuma and the other Twelve Guardian Ninja to meet Kazuma and his son while Hanfu waited outside.

Hanfu broke into Fire Temple after its guards refused to let him see the Abbot, overwhelming the temple’s monks with Nine-Tails Chakra and his fighting skills. Chiriku arrived and attacked Hanfu with Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder, leaving their confrontation unresolved.

• Hanfu waited outside Fire Temple until midnight, then punched the Sealing Iron Wall with the Strength of a Hundred Technique and Nine-Tails Chakra until he broke through.
• More than twenty Ninja Monks surrounded Hanfu and used Formation of Evil-Breaking, but his Tailed Beast Cloak shattered the formation and knocked them unconscious.
• Hanfu charged through the other monks without killing them, leaving more than thirty sprawled on the ground.
• Chiriku arrived with Asuma, Kazuma, and the other Guardian Shinobi, ordered the monks to retreat, and unleashed Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder against Hanfu.

Hanfu overpowered the Guardian Shinobi at the Fire Temple and confronted Kazuma, who had secretly collected Nine-Tails Chakra in the past. The chapter ended with Kazuma holding a kunai to Asuma’s throat to keep Hanfu from killing him.

• Hanfu summoned a colossal Rashomon that dwarfed Chiriku’s Wrathful Wisdom King Manifestation and stopped its attacks.
• Kazuma recognized Hanfu as the man who had taken the Nine-Tails Chakra and led Asuma and the other Guardian Shinobi in an assault.
• Hanfu used his lightning-enhanced Kusanagi Sword to defeat Asuma and the other Guardian Shinobi, while Kazuma escaped the first strike with a Shadow Clone.
• Hanfu identified Kazuma and revealed his intent to kill him, prompting Kazuma to seize the injured Asuma and threaten his life.

Hanfu killed Kazuma after Kazuma tried to frame him for threatening Asuma, then blamed the escalating conflict on the Fire Temple. The Abbot dismissed Chiriku’s accusations and invited Hanfu in for tea, while Chiriku and Asuma decided to seek help from the Daimyo and the Naruto.

• Hanfu approached Kazuma, who held a kunai to Asuma’s throat, while Chiriku tried to force down the Rashomon from the other side.
• When the Rashomon vanished, the monks saw Kazuma crouched beside Asuma with his kunai, but Kazuma claimed Hanfu had trapped him in a Genjutsu and Chiriku believed him.
• Hanfu used his speed to get behind Kazuma and killed him with one slash of the Kusanagi Sword.
• Chiriku confronted Hanfu, but the Abbot ordered the monks to disperse, criticized Chiriku’s decisions, and invited Hanfu into the Zen Room.
• Chiriku and Asuma agreed to split up, with Chiriku going to the Daimyo Mansion and Asuma going to find the Naruto.