Chapter Summaries

After the Land of That was destroyed by a massive tsunami, Ruri and Orochimaru set out to investigate who or what was responsible. They traveled by Chakra Steam Train toward the country, suspecting the disaster might have come from the deep sea.

• The United Nations received news that a tsunami had wiped out the Land of That, while its king and officials survived because they were at the United Nations residence.
• Kakuzu told Ruri about the destruction and worried that the Land of That’s turmoil would threaten the king’s ability to repay his loans.
• Ruri and Orochimaru considered whether a powerful ninja or monster had destroyed the country, and Orochimaru suggested the culprit might have emerged from beneath the sea.
• Ruri and Orochimaru used the Teleportation Array to reach Takigakure Station, then boarded the Chakra Steam Train toward the Land of That.
• Ruri told Orochimaru that Seimei had developed the Chakra Steam Engine, and Orochimaru said he wished he could have met him.

Ruri and Orochimaru boarded the Ruri Express to Kumogakure, and Ruri explained how the train’s luxurious facilities and ninja staffing supported travel, missions, and development across the Shinobi World. The train departed with Orochimaru impressed by its many practical innovations and regretful that he had not created anything comparable.

• Ruri and Orochimaru bypassed the public queues and entered the protected VIP lounge before the Ruri Express was announced.
• Ruri explained the train names and encouraged Orochimaru to contribute to the era of technological development.
• Ruri and Orochimaru boarded the VIP carriage, where Ruri described how comfortable travel could encourage ninja to accept missions in small countries.
• Ruri ordered Cola while Orochimaru took tea, and Ruri explained that ninja also powered, guarded, and mediated on the trains.
• The train began moving after a crew announcement reminded passengers that smoking was permitted only in the carriage connection area.

Ruri and Orochimaru investigated the destruction of the Land of That, and Ruri recalled that Sasori had destroyed it in the original story. While reviewing its history, Ruri realized its account of the Rabbit Goddess did not match what he remembered, and focused on the names of its nine generals.

• Orochimaru reported that a colossal, shinobi-made wave had destroyed the Land of That and killed many people.
• Ruri and Orochimaru reviewed records describing the Land of That’s ancient history and repeated defeats.
• Orochimaru tried to distract Ruri by discussing Sasori’s palm-sized transforming puppets, and Ruri relaxed while thinking about Sasori’s research.
• Ruri remembered that Sasori had destroyed the Land of That in the original story, though Sasori’s life and circumstances had changed.
• Orochimaru read that nine generals had angered the Rabbit Goddess and brought misfortune upon the Land of That.
• Ruri recognized the Rabbit Goddess as Kaguya Otsutsuki, noticed the historical account did not fit his memory, and examined the generals’ names.

Ruri and Orochimaru investigated the Land of That’s flooding and its possible links to Kaguya Otsutsuki and the nine ancient generals. They headed through the Land of Iron toward the Land of That, while Ruri became distracted by ideas for developing tourism.

• Orochimaru asked whether Ruri knew the nine generals, and Ruri considered how they might relate to Kaguya Otsutsuki and the Land of That’s history.
• Ruri suspected the flooding might involve Black Zetsu’s hidden contingency or another unknown enemy, and decided they needed to prepare for the worst.
• Ruri told Orochimaru they would go to the Land of That first and said Sasori was coming after being contacted through the Genjutsu Lamp Body Technique.
• Ruri and Orochimaru left the train at the Land of Iron’s border and crossed Wolf-Eating Mountain, where they observed the contrast between its snowy landscape and the green, tsunami-damaged Land of That.
• Ruri imagined turning the Three Wolves Mountains and other Shinobi World landmarks into tourist attractions, then suggested tourism could help the Land of That recover economically after the tsunami.

A masked man tortured and killed samurai to complete a ritual he believed could overturn the chakra curse. After absorbing nine masks and gaining a mark called “Zero,” he left the basement with the black-robed figure.

• The masked man examined the suffering samurai while the black-robed figure described chakra as a curse and urged him to begin the next step of their plan.
• Remembering those who had surpassed him, the masked man blamed chakra for inequality and tore out the hearts of the captives.
• The black-robed figure awakened the nine masks, and the masked man performed the Nine Masks Svāhā ritual.
• The nine masks vanished into the ritual’s light, leaving a dark red “Zero” mark in the masked man’s palms.
• The masked man refused to clean up the bodies, saying a genius should sleep there forever, and left with the black-robed figure.

After the tsunami devastated the Land of That, Ruri, Sasori, Orochimaru, Mifune, and other rescue teams searched for survivors, finding fewer than ten thousand. Sasori revealed that ancient records described Nine Mask Svāhā as nine powerful masks, and Ruri suspected someone had caused the disaster to obtain them.

• Ruri, Sasori, and Orochimaru used clones, snakes, and puppets to search the ruins and rescue survivors.
• Mifune and Yiteru saw the survivors’ grief and learned that fewer than ten thousand people had survived the tsunami.
• Sasori recalled Monzaemon Chikamatsu’s notes, which described Nine Mask Svāhā as nine masks containing the souls of ancient generals and Monsters.
• Ruri suspected Sasori’s unused scrolls might have held the masks and reasoned that the Land of That may have been destroyed to obtain them.
• Ruri told Sasori to take him and the others to the location of the nine masks.

Ruri, Sasori, and Orochimaru found Jingling Shrine while searching the Land of That and discovered that its underground held hidden attackers. After Ruri and his companions fought off the samurai and stone guardians, the samurai began bleeding into the chamber below.

• Ruri, Sasori, and Orochimaru followed a summoned snake to the abandoned Awashima Village and reached Jingling Shrine.
• Sasori explained that the shrine housed more than twenty thousand dolls honoring the Land of That's ancestors and became fascinated by them.
• Ruri sensed faint chakra beneath the shrine, broke open the main hall floor with Shinra Tensei, and exposed a hidden underground area.
• Dozens of samurai emerged from underground, and Orochimaru's Earth Dragon Spear failed to stop them.
• Ruri blasted the attacking samurai with repulsive force and shattered twenty animated stone warrior statues as Orochimaru and Sasori restrained the remaining enemies.
• The samurai began bleeding across the main hall and through the broken floor, prompting Ruri's surprise.

Ruri, Orochimaru, and Sasori investigated the dead samurai and the moving dolls inside the Shrine, then found a basement filled with evidence of cruel experiments. Orochimaru fell into a genjutsu barrier and revealed that its caster had offered him everything he wanted in exchange for all his chakra.

• Orochimaru examined the samurai corpses and discovered that their hearts had been removed and their bodies stitched back together.
• Dozens of dolls attacked, but Ruri destroyed them with Shinra Tensei and a Truth-Seeking Orb blade before they stopped moving.
• Ruri, Orochimaru, and Sasori searched the basement and found branches, crosses, blood pools, body parts, and samurai armor.
• Orochimaru stumbled around after triggering a genjutsu barrier, so Ruri disrupted his chakra and stopped the illusion.
• Orochimaru said the voice in the genjutsu had offered him everything he wanted if he surrendered all his chakra.

Ruri realized the tsunami and the search for the Nine Masks were likely unrelated to Madara’s plan, then hurried to stop the renewed disaster. At the Land of That’s coast, ninja from several villages fought the oncoming tsunami, but their techniques only delayed it as Gari’s Earth-Style Wall became their last defense.

• Ruri concluded that the mastermind seeking the Nine Masks was probably not acting as part of Madara’s plan.
• Orochimaru received word that the tsunami had returned, and Ruri recognized that it had to be stopped.
• Gari ordered the Iwagakure ninja to raise a joined Earth-Style Wall while Pakura and other village leaders deployed their own techniques.
• Yuki Murasaki and the Yuki clan froze a vast stretch of sea, but the tsunami shattered the ice and surged forward.
• Konoha’s Fire Style and the other villages’ efforts slowed the waves, while Gari rallied the Iwagakure ninja to reinforce their wall.

As the tsunami overwhelmed the Earth Style: Ten Thousand Mile Earth Wall, Yuki Murasaki took Akido Todō’s Chili Pill and prepared to freeze the waves with Ice Release. He began Ice Release: Frozen World, hoping to hold the tsunami back until Zero, Orochimaru, and Sasori arrived.

• The tsunami broke through the Akido ninja’s first defenses and began tilting the Earth Style: Ten Thousand Mile Earth Wall.
• Yuki Murasaki asked Akido Todō for the Chili Pill, explaining that the extra chakra would let him use Ice Release to delay the tsunami.
• Yuki Murasaki persuaded Akido Todō to trust that Zero, Orochimaru, and Sasori could arrive in time to stop the waves.
• Akido Todō gave Yuki Murasaki the Chili Pill and warned him to end his ninjutsu within ten seconds.
• Yuki Murasaki swallowed the pill, reached the sea, and began freezing the water as he summoned Ice Release: Frozen World.

Yuki Murasaki used the Chili Pill to freeze the sea and stop the tsunami, but his Ice Release ran dangerously out of control. After Suikazan Fuguki subdued him, Dodai spotted the hidden force behind the waves, and the enemy revealed itself.

• Yuki Murasaki froze the massive waves and sea into a broad, solid sheet of ice, giving the ninja time to repair the earth wall.
• Akido Todō realized Yuki Murasaki had exceeded his limit, while Yuki Yuki rushed to him and urged him to survive for their son Haku.
• Suikazan Fuguki used Samehada to knock Yuki Murasaki down and absorb his rampaging chakra as medical ninja treated him.
• Dodai warned everyone to fall back when figures appeared across the ice, identifying them as the force behind the tsunamis.
• Suikazan Fuguki attacked with Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu, and the ghostly enemy accused him of being steeped in sin.

Suikazan Fuguki pursued three masked attackers after recognizing the stolen Kiba and Hiramekarei, and discovered Raiga Kurosuki and Juzo Biwa among them. Their powerful lightning and chakra attacks overwhelmed his defenses, leaving him injured as he urged Dodai to escape.

• Suikazan Fuguki recognized Kiba and Hiramekarei and chased the masked attackers across the frozen sea.
• Raiga Kurosuki revealed himself, mocked Fuguki, and invited him to join Twilight as a sacrifice.
• Fuguki transformed into a shark and charged through the broken ice, while Raiga called down powerful lightning with Kiba.
• Dodai arrived and shielded Fuguki from Raiga's lightning with a Lava Release—Rubber Wall.
• Juzo Biwa attacked with Hiramekarei, and its chakra sphere broke through Dodai's defense and injured Fuguki.
• Fuguki warned Dodai that the attackers were too powerful and threw him toward safety.

Ruri and the reinforcements arrived as Suikazan Fuguki battled Raiga Kurosuki and Juzo Biwa, whose strength had mysteriously increased. Ruri quickly killed the three attackers, but the frozen tsunami broke loose again.

• Raiga Kurosuki and Juzo Biwa severely wounded Suikazan Fuguki before Ruri and the reinforcements arrived.
• The Masked Man ordered Raiga Kurosuki and Juzo Biwa to attack, while Orochimaru identified the Masked Man as the likely source of the Shrine genjutsu.
• Akido Todō and Gari fought Juzo Biwa, and Gari's attack tore away his robe, revealing his skeletal body.
• The Masked Man absorbed Pakura's Scorch Release, while Orochimaru and Sasori moved to restrain him and Dodai prepared to counter Raiga Kurosuki's lightning.
• Ruri stopped Dodai, used the Truth-Seeking Orbs to destroy the thunderclouds and kill Raiga Kurosuki, Juzo Biwa, and the Masked Man.
• The ice gave way after the battle, and the tsunami surged toward them again.

Ruri used Super Shinra Tensei to destroy the tsunami, then revealed Twilight’s plans and organized a joint investigation. The chapter ended with Tobi possessing the infant Toneri and confronting a white-haired person on a deep-sea island.

• Dodai evacuated the group in rubber boats while Gari and Pakura helped them escape the approaching tsunami.
• Ruri unleashed Super Shinra Tensei, blasted the seawater away, and left the sea calm.
• Ruri told the village leaders and Mifune that Twilight sought the Nine Masks and aimed to make chakra disappear.
• Dodai called for the United Nations and all ninja to help find Twilight, while Gari suggested investigating Kirigakure.
• Ruri arranged for Akatsuki, the Ninja Council, and the United Nations to coordinate the investigation and aid the Land of That.
• Tobi possessed the infant Toneri on a deep-sea island, warned someone not to interfere with a genjutsu barrier, and drove a Black Receiver into a white-haired person.

Five years after the fall of the Land of That, Hozuki Mangetsu returned home for his birthday and found that Yuki Murasaki, Kaguya Daigu, and Suigetsu had arranged a celebration with Suigetsu’s friends. As the children looked ahead to enrolling at Shinobi United University Affiliated School, Mangetsu realized Suigetsu had grown up surrounded by friendship and support.

• Mangetsu came home on his day off and found Suigetsu eager to play with his greatsword.
• Yuki Murasaki welcomed Mangetsu and revealed that he had been Suigetsu’s kindergarten teacher.
• Suigetsu surprised Mangetsu with a birthday party, where Murasaki and Kaguya Daigu celebrated him as an elder of their families.
• Suigetsu introduced his friends Yuki Haku, Kaguya Kimimaro, Uzumaki Karin, Tsuchigumo Hotaru, Momochi Kidomaru, Fuma Arashi, and Fuma Sayu to Mangetsu.
• Mangetsu learned that Suigetsu and his friends would enroll at Shinobi United University Affiliated School, and Suigetsu vowed to place first in the entrance exam.

Naruto secretly visited Konoha to see his father’s village, but the residents shunned him because he was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and carried the Uzumaki Clan’s history. The chapter left him lonely on a swing, wishing his vacation would end.

• Naruto left a note for Kushina and secretly traveled from the United Nations residence to Konoha.
• He found his family’s dusty, empty house and realized Minato had not come home for a week.
• Naruto went out to meet children who recognized him as Minato’s son, but their parents warned them away because of his whisker marks and Jinchuriki status.
• As Naruto walked through Konoha, adults avoided him and he overheard them call him a traitor, demon fox, and monster.
• Naruto sat alone on a swing watching other children play and wished the vacation would end.

After being hurt by villagers calling him a monster, Naruto found Hinata being bullied and befriended her over their shared love of Ichiraku Ramen. The chapter ended with Naruto proudly demonstrating his ramen technique while Ruri watched, knowing Hinata was the more experienced customer.

• Naruto asked Kushina and the Nine-Tails whether he was a monster, and the Nine-Tails urged him to go home.
• Naruto spotted children bullying Hinata Hyuga and punched one of them to make them flee.
• Hinata thanked Naruto and offered to treat him to Ichiraku Ramen.
• Naruto and Hinata ordered ramen at Ichiraku, where Ruri recognized Hinata as the shop's top customer.
• Naruto moved his bowl toward Hinata to demonstrate how to eat ramen as Ruri watched with concern.

Naruto tried to prove that he understood Ichiraku Ramen best, but Hinata’s meticulous way of eating—and her appetite—left him defeated. As they left the shop, Naruto asked Hinata to teach him the way of ramen.

• Naruto demonstrated his Ichiraku Spiral method for savoring ramen and believed it was the best way to eat.
• Naruto realized Hinata had chosen extra-firm noodles to suit her Mini Ichiraku Ramen method and began to doubt his own expertise.
• Naruto thought garlic would give him an advantage, but Hinata added garlic to her ramen and drank all the broth.
• Hinata ordered and finished three more bowls while Naruto watched in astonishment.
• As they left the shop, Naruto bowed to Hinata and asked her to take him on as her ramen disciple.

Ruri and Obito searched the Valley of the End for Shisui, whose mission had led him into a dangerous fight with Twilight. Ruri helped Obito use clues to locate the battle, while Shisui remained cornered by a powerful enemy.

• Ruri hurried to Shisui's mission area after learning his squad might be outmatched by Twilight.
• Ruri found that a barrier had disrupted sensing across the Valley of the End and criticized Obito for searching without reasoning through the clues.
• Ruri noticed that only a few dozen crows had taken flight and deduced that the others were trapped inside the barrier or caught in the battle.
• Obito realized Shisui's changing position could explain why his earlier search had failed, and he followed Ruri toward the likely location.
• Shisui fled through the forest as Twilight's enemy used Wind Style—Great Breakthrough to clear away the trees and leave him exposed.

Shisui discovered that Hyuga Kagami and Sarutobi Shinnosuke had been killed, then confronted a masked Dusk member who claimed Minato was targeting clan ninja. The man revealed himself as Shimura Danzō, but Shisui remained suspicious and challenged his identity.

• Shisui found Hyuga Kagami and Sarutobi Shinnosuke dead and faced the masked Dusk member who had killed them.
• The masked man claimed Minato Namikaze had sent Shisui's team to die and planned to harm more clan ninja, but Shisui attacked rather than believe him.
• The masked man removed his mask and revealed a face resembling Shimura Danzō, urging Shisui to join Twilight.
• Shisui recalled that Danzō had been presumed killed in the Third Shinobi World War and rejected the claim, citing Danzō's past harm to Konoha.