Chapter Summaries

Hikawa enlisted Uchiha Shisui to manipulate Shimura Danzō into provoking the Land of Fire Daimyo, then used Danzō’s memories to locate Kino and a Root base. After finding Yamato there, Hikawa invited him to return to Konoha, but Yamato was unsure what to do.

• Hikawa asked Uchiha Shisui to plant a suggestion that would lead Shimura Danzō to seek the Land of Fire Daimyo’s support for becoming Hokage.
• Uchiha Mikoto asked Hikawa to take Uchiha Itachi as a student, and Hikawa reserved a future student slot for a child born that year or the next.
• Hikawa and Uchiha Shisui infiltrated Konoha Heavy Prison, where Shisui used his Mangekyō Sharingan to make Shimura Danzō reveal Kino’s location.
• Hikawa explained the Wood Release Experiment to Uchiha Shisui, who learned that Kino was its sole survivor.
• Hikawa and Uchiha Shisui found a Root base outside the village, defeated its defenses, and captured Yamato.
• Hikawa told Yamato that Shimura Danzō had been arrested and invited him to return to Konoha, but Yamato said he did not know what to do.

Hikawa arranged for Yamato to leave Root and become Namikaze Minato’s student, then warned the Hyuga Clan not to act rashly as the Land of Fire Daimyo arrived and pressed Sarutobi Hiruzen to choose a successor. That night, Hikawa freed Shimura Danzō, who planned to seek the Daimyo’s help and believed his chance had come.

• Hikawa introduced Yamato, a survivor of the Wood Release Experiment, to Tsunade, who renamed him and arranged for him to join Namikaze Minato’s team.
• Hikawa visited Namikaze Minato and Kushina Uzumaki, suggested October 10 for their wedding, and then told Hizashi Hyuga that the Hyuga Clan should not act rashly the next day.
• The Land of Fire Daimyo praised Konoha’s wartime achievements, promised increased aid and reconstruction funding, and urged Sarutobi Hiruzen to choose the next Hokage soon.
• Tsunade suspected Sarutobi Hiruzen had realized she invited the Daimyo, while Hikawa reassured her that their actions were for Konoha.
• Hikawa disguised himself as a Root ninja and freed Shimura Danzō from Konoha’s Heavy Prison.
• Shimura Danzō decided to seek the Land of Fire Daimyo’s help and celebrated the timing of the Daimyo’s visit.

Shimura Danzō used a Sharingan to control the Land of Fire Daimyo and tried to force his way into becoming Hokage, but Hikawa killed him after Hizashi Hyuga exposed the plot. The Daimyo approved Sarutobi Hiruzen's resignation and accepted his recommendation that Tsunade become the next Hokage.

• Shimura Danzō used his Sharingan to control the Land of Fire Daimyo and took him to the Hokage Building to demand support for his bid to become Hokage.
• Hizashi Hyuga accused Shimura Danzō of controlling the Daimyo and attacked him, while Hikawa joined the fight using a disguise and Shadow Clones.
• Hikawa trapped Shimura Danzō in a genjutsu, stabbed him with the Thunder Fire Sword, and escaped the range of his Reverse Four Symbols Seal.
• The Land of Fire Daimyo learned what Shimura Danzō had done and confirmed that Hikawa had saved him, prompting Fugaku Uchiha to demand an explanation from Sarutobi Hiruzen.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen resigned as Hokage, and the Land of Fire Daimyo approved his recommendation that Tsunade succeed him.

Tsunade became acting Hokage after Hikawa killed Shimura Danzō, who had attempted to assassinate the Daimyo, and she ordered Hikawa to investigate Danzō’s accomplices. The next morning, Konoha adjusted to the leadership change as Hikawa handled his Kumogakure contact and joined Tsunade at the Hokage Building before the jōnin meeting.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen appointed Tsunade acting Hokage, and she announced that Hikawa had killed Shimura Danzō after Danzō attacked the Daimyo.
• Tsunade ordered Hikawa and the Anbu to investigate Danzō’s possible accomplices, then confronted Hikawa for acting without asking her and sent him fleeing after he kissed her forehead.
• Mitaraishi Anko told Orochimaru that Tsunade had become Hokage and Hikawa had killed Danzō, while Sarutobi Asuma shared the news with Hatake Kakashi and others.
• Hikawa assured Tsuchihashi that he could remain a bookstore owner, erased part of his memories, and left him responsible for Thunder Fire Sword’s novels.
• Hikawa visited Tsunade in the Hokage Office, sat in her chair, and joked about replacing it before she reminded him to call her teacher.

Tsunade established her authority as Hokage by elevating Hikawa to Hokage Assistant and placing him in charge of the Anbu, while sidelining the longtime advisors. Meanwhile, Madara Uchiha instructed Obito Uchiha to undermine the Akatsuki’s alliance with Konoha by replacing Konoha as its source of support.

• Tsunade made Utatane Koharu move from her seat and appointed Hikawa as Hokage Assistant, unlocking the Second Pot Shadow talent entry.
• Tsunade announced that Root would remain disbanded and put Hikawa in charge of the Anbu, while assigning him to relay Konoha’s January negotiations with Kumogakure to Mabui.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura confronted Tsunade about institutional changes, but Tsunade dismissed them and continued to exclude them from decisions.
• Hikawa and Tsunade discussed the Anbu and the Hokage’s workload, and Hikawa agreed to help handle the paperwork as her assistant and secretary.
• In the Rain Country, Madara Uchiha told Obito Uchiha to break the Akatsuki’s alliance with Konoha by offering Nagato funding, possibly obtained by controlling a village leader.

Hikawa took command of the Anbu and searched Shimura Danzō’s home, uncovering forbidden experiments and storing Sharingan and Hashirama Cells. After ordering searches of Root’s other bases, he went to see Mabui, leaving her and Samui uneasy at his arrival.

• Hikawa dismissed seventeen former Root members from the Anbu for helping Shimura Danzō escape, then led two squads to search Danzō’s home.
• Hikawa discovered Root’s human experiments and ordered the Gozu Tennō experiment terminated.
• Hikawa found twenty-seven pairs of Sharingan and Hashirama Cells in a secret chamber and stored them without telling the Uchiha Clan.
• Hikawa instructed Haru to locate and search every Root base, then learned that Danzō’s home contained forty-seven million ryō in cash.
• Hikawa went to Konoha’s temporary residence for Kumogakure’s ninja, where Mabui and Samui received word of his arrival.

Hikawa visited Mabui and Samui, then brought them to Konoha's Heavy Prison to see Yugito Nii, Killer B, and the Fourth Raikage. After returning to the Hokage Building, he told Tsunade he had found cells from the First Hokage at Shimura Danzō's house.

• Hikawa told Mabui that peace talks between Konoha and Kumogakure were set for January and asked her to preserve his identity as a Kumogakure spy in exchange for visits with the prisoners.
• Hikawa brought Mabui and Samui to see Yugito Nii, who insulted him, and Samui accepted Yugito Nii's punishment in her place.
• Hikawa let Samui and Mabui visit Yugito Nii, then arranged for them to visit Killer B and the Fourth Raikage.
• Hikawa thought about learning the Flying Thunder God Technique, Lightning Release techniques, Wood Release, and Sage Mode while waiting outside the cells.
• Hikawa returned to the Hokage Building, woke Tsunade, and told her he had found cells from the First Hokage at Shimura Danzō's house.

Hikawa introduced a salary system for the Anbu, strengthening his influence while Tsunade prepared to lead Konoha’s victory celebration. After Tsunade rested in Hikawa’s lap, they joined the festivities, where she delivered a speech and opened the celebration.

• Tsunade reviewed Hikawa’s proposed Anbu salary system and decided to implement it, with funding and missions potentially coming from the Land of Fire and Kumogakure.
• Hikawa announced the new salaries to the Anbu, whose enthusiastic response brought his secret-control trait progress to nine percent.
• Hikawa told Haru to prepare a list of candidates for Anbu recruitment, and she reported that recruitment information had been sent out.
• Hikawa gave Tsunade a custom Hokage Battle Robe, massaged her as she rested, and left with her for the victory celebration.
• Hikawa met his friends at the crowded plaza, then Tsunade and the Land of Fire Daimyo gave speeches before Tsunade opened the festivities.

Hikawa celebrated in Konoha with Yuhi Kurenai and Rin Nohara, sharing food and fireworks while reassuring them that their team would stay together. After the festival, he returned home to find Tsunade waiting and hungry.

• Sarutobi Asuma treated the group to festival food, and Yuhi Kurenai brought Rin Nohara along with Hikawa to eat takoyaki.
• Hikawa learned that Rin Nohara was studying Medical Ninjutsu under Nonō-sama and decided to have the Anbu investigate Kabuto Yakushi.
• Hikawa reassured Yuhi Kurenai and Rin Nohara that becoming Hokage Assistant would not disband their team, then spent the day eating and wandering the festival with them.
• Hikawa gained the D-Rank Talent Entry Three-Person Trip, which increased his single-handed Hand Seal speed by 30%.
• During the fireworks, Hikawa held Rin Nohara's hand before joining Sarutobi Asuma, Uchiha Shisui, Hatake Kakashi, Shizune, and the others for food.
• Hikawa returned home and found Tsunade asleep on the sofa; she told him she was hungry, and he went to prepare food.

Hikawa helped prepare Tsunade’s inauguration, selected new Anbu candidates, and proposed a compromise involving the Uchiha Clan and the Konoha Military Police Force. After Tsunade asked him to stay the night, they ended up sharing her bed, leaving their relationship newly intimate.

• Hikawa assigned Anbu squads to guard ten village voting locations and selected seventeen candidates from Konoha’s clans.
• The jōnin and villagers voted unanimously to make Tsunade the Fourth Hokage, with her inauguration set for the next day.
• Over dinner, Tsunade told Hikawa she wanted to reclaim some Konoha Military Police Force authority, and he suggested letting the Uchiha Clan compete for Hokage while admitting other clans’ shinobi to the force.
• Hikawa told Tsunade he planned to speak with Fugaku Uchiha and take Uchiha Mikoto’s unborn child as his student; Tsunade agreed to his plan.
• Tsunade asked Hikawa to stay the night, but returned to her room without explaining what she wanted to discuss.
• After training, Hikawa found Tsunade pretending to sleep, tucked her feet beneath the blanket, and then lay beside her under the covers until he fell asleep.

Tsunade became Konoha’s fourth Hokage, while Hikawa stood beside her at the inauguration and later visited Fugaku Uchiha with an offer to train his younger child. Hikawa also relayed that Tsunade would support Fugaku’s child as a future Hokage candidate, giving the Uchiha Clan a chance to join the Hokage faction.

• Tsunade woke beside Hikawa, kicked him out of bed, and prepared for her Hokage Inauguration Ceremony.
• Tsunade discussed replacing Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura as Hokage Advisors with Jiraiya, who declined the position and suggested Hatake Sakumo.
• Tsunade accepted the Hokage hat from the Land of Fire Daimyo and delivered her first address as Konoha’s fourth Hokage, while Hikawa noticed Orochimaru and Mitaraishi Anko in the crowd.
• Fugaku Uchiha returned home and learned that Uchiha Itachi had mastered the Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique.
• Hikawa visited Fugaku, offered to take his second child as a student, and said Tsunade and he would support the child as a future Hokage candidate.

Hikawa persuaded Fugaku Uchiha to open the Konoha Military Police Force to ninja from other clans and arranged for Uchiha Itachi to join the Anbu after graduation. In October, Hikawa developed another Wood Release technique and went with Yuhi Kurenai and Rin Nohara to Namikaze Minato and Kushina Uzumaki’s wedding.

• Hikawa told Fugaku Uchiha that reforming the Konoha Military Police Force could improve the Uchiha Clan’s standing, and Fugaku agreed to begin filling its vacancies with ninja from other clans.
• Uchiha Itachi supported looking beyond the Uchiha Clan, and Hikawa offered him a place in the Anbu after graduation.
• Haru gave Hikawa a list of Konoha’s war orphans, and Hikawa found Kabuto Yakushi’s name and considered how to keep him and Yakushi Nonō safe from Sasori’s influence.
• Hikawa met Yuhi Kurenai, flirted with her, and walked home with her after learning she had already eaten.
• In October, Hikawa used Wood Style: Four Pillars Home to create a wooden house at the Anbu base.
• Hikawa went with Yuhi Kurenai and Rin Nohara to Namikaze Minato and Kushina Uzumaki’s wedding, where he had to sit with Konoha’s higher-ups rather than his usual companions.

At Namikaze Minato and Kushina Uzumaki’s wedding, Hikawa agreed to teach their future child and gained a talent entry that strengthened his students’ comprehension and his own authority. A week later, Tsunade’s jōnin meeting removed Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu as Hokage Advisors, appointed new officials, and turned to negotiations with Kumogakure.

• Hikawa attended Namikaze Minato and Kushina Uzumaki’s wedding, and Tsunade became drunk enough that he carried her home and stayed beside her overnight.
• Namikaze Minato asked Hikawa to teach his and Kushina’s future child, and Hikawa agreed, activating the Teacher of Destiny talent entry.
• Hikawa advised Tsunade to reestablish the Hokage Guard Platoon and suggested Namikaze Minato, Kushina Uzumaki, Might Duy, and Aburame Shibi as provisional members.
• At the jōnin meeting, Tsunade dismissed Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu as Hokage Advisors after the assembled jōnin unanimously supported her decision.
• Tsunade provisionally appointed Hatake Sakumo as Hokage Advisor, named Nara Shikaku to another advisor position, and reestablished the Hokage Guard Platoon.
• Tsunade assigned the Uchiha Clan to handle the Konoha Military Police Force and opened discussion of negotiation terms with Kumogakure.

Konoha set harsh preliminary peace terms for a defeated Kumogakure, while the village’s new leadership took shape under Tsunade. As the new year began, Hikawa mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique and learned that Amegakure had abruptly severed its alliance with Konoha, prompting him to investigate possible interference by Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha.

• Mabui and Samui read Konoha’s proposed terms, which demanded Kumogakure’s techniques, Turtle Island and its perfect Jinchuriki training method, access for Konoha’s mission teams, and war reparations; Mabui sent the scroll to Darui and prepared for negotiations.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen refused to help Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu oppose Tsunade, then learned from Sarutobi Asuma that Sakumo had become a Hokage Advisor and the Uchiha Clan had accepted roles in Konoha’s leadership and Military Police Force.
• On January 1, Darui arrived in Konoha with Kumogakure’s peace-talk delegation, and Hikawa watched them from nearby before testing the range of his newly mastered Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Hikawa teleported back to the Anbu base from more than ten thousand meters away and found that the journey had used about one-fifth of his Chakra.
• Haru told Hikawa that Amegakure had ended its alliance with Konoha and returned its supplies and money, so Hikawa ordered an investigation into major expenditures by other villages and the daimyō of every country.

Hikawa began training in Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode, then attended the opening negotiations between Konoha and Kumogakure before taking over Tsunade’s office for the day. He assigned Hatake Kakashi’s team a confidential mission to rescue Kazahana Koyuki in the Land of Snow and retrieve its advanced Chakra technology.

• Hikawa told Tsunade that Amegakure had ended its alliance with Konoha, and Tsunade said she would not oppose the break.
• Tsunade brought Hikawa to Shikkotsu Forest, where the slug explained how he could sense Natural Energy and helped prepare him to train.
• Hikawa made no progress in Sage Mode, mastered the Five Element Great Consecutive Bullet Technique, and watched Nara Shikaku begin negotiations with Kumogakure.
• Tsunade left Hikawa in charge of the Hokage’s office and went to the Casino.
• Hikawa read a request to rescue Kazahana Koyuki from Kazahana Dōtō and ordered Haru to send the mission to Namikaze Minato’s team.

Darui and the Kumogakure leaders considered accepting Konoha’s harsh peace terms and decided Samui should seek Hikawa’s help. Hikawa then struck a research partnership with Orochimaru and arranged for Kabuto Yakushi and Uchiha Itachi to become his students, leaving Orochimaru wary after Hikawa revealed he could mark them with the Flying Thunder God Technique.

• Darui, Mabui, Dodai, and Samui discussed Konoha’s demands and agreed that Samui would try to ask Hikawa for help.
• Hikawa trained the Wood Style: Wood Human Technique but could not keep the wooden arhat from collapsing.
• Hikawa visited Orochimaru and offered money and materials in exchange for research results useful to Konoha.
• Hikawa proposed that Orochimaru take Kabuto Yakushi and Uchiha Itachi as students, and Orochimaru agreed.
• Hikawa revealed his Flying Thunder God Kunai and said he would place marks on Kabuto and Itachi, leaving Orochimaru unable to oppose the arrangement.

Hikawa arranged for Orochimaru to train Uchiha Itachi and offered Rin Nohara support at Konoha Hospital. He then negotiated concessions for Kumogakure with Samui, leaving her shaken and Kumogakure with a chance to recover.

• Hikawa convinced Fugaku Uchiha to let Uchiha Itachi study under Orochimaru, and Yakushi Nonō agreed to the arrangement as well.
• Hikawa covered the sleeping Rin Nohara with a blanket, then reassured her and offered to find them a mission together.
• Samui asked Hikawa to change the peace terms between Konoha and Kumogakure and offered to do anything in return.
• Hikawa agreed to let Konoha's Jinchuriki train on Turtle Island and to share mission rewards earned in the Land of Lightning with Kumogakure.
• Samui returned to the temporary encampment and told Mabui and Darui about the concessions, while keeping her emotions hidden behind an icy expression.

Hikawa helped finalize Konoha and Kumogakure’s alliance, said goodbye to Samui, and advanced his training and entry collection. After learning that Obito Uchiha was secretly moving supplies in Kirigakure, Hikawa traveled there to investigate, arriving the next morning.

• Hikawa secured Konoha’s concessions, and Konoha and Kumogakure agreed on the treaty’s terms and signed the alliance.
• Tsunade approved Hikawa’s plan to establish a Scientific Ninja Tools research institution and put him in charge of it.
• Before returning to Kumogakure, Samui met Hikawa, accepted his Flying Thunder God Kunai, and agreed to wear a cheongsam when they met again.
• Hikawa learned the Wood Style: Wood Human Technique, then earned the Medical Jōnin and Genjutsu Jōnin entries as he worked toward Invincible Shadow.
• After Haru reported that supplies delivered to Kirigakure had disappeared, Hikawa suspected Obito Uchiha had taken them and set out to investigate.
• Hikawa used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach Kirigakure, where Karatachi Yagura was the Mizukage and Three-Tails Jinchuriki.

Hikawa visited Kirigakure and warned Mei Terumi and Elder Genji that Madara Uchiha was controlling the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura. Genji agreed to investigate and handle the threat himself, while Hikawa offered to deal with Madara if the genjutsu was broken.

• Hikawa met Mei Terumi in Kirigakure and made her wear the maid dress as part of their transaction.
• Hikawa told Mei Terumi that Madara Uchiha was alive and controlling Karatachi Yagura with the Sharingan.
• Mei Terumi believed the warning and went with Hikawa to tell Elder Genji about the suspected genjutsu.
• Hikawa and Mei Terumi explained the situation to Genji, who agreed to investigate Karatachi Yagura immediately.
• Genji refused Hikawa's offer to handle Madara Uchiha, and Hikawa said he would buy Madara's corpse if Kirigakure killed him.

Hikawa helped Kirigakure expose Obito Uchiha’s control over Karatachi Yagura and fought Obito and the Three-Tails. Hikawa killed Obito after defeating him, then subdued the Three-Tails as Kirigakure’s survivors watched.

• Genji confirmed that Karatachi Yagura was under Sharingan control, and Obito Uchiha revealed himself when Genji called him Madara Uchiha.
• Obito Uchiha used Kamui to remove Kisame Hoshigaki from the battle, then released the Three-Tails, which attacked Kirigakure’s ninja.
• Hikawa arrived and fought Obito Uchiha, countering his Susanoo with Wood Release and using the Flying Thunder God Technique to fatally stab him.
• Hikawa attacked the Three-Tails with a wooden arhat and bound it with Deep Forest Emergence while Kirigakure’s ninja retreated.
• Obito Uchiha revived using Izanagi and tried to flee, but Hikawa tracked him down with the Flying Thunder God Technique and beheaded him, releasing Karatachi Yagura from genjutsu.