Chapter Summaries

Konoha's seal-breaking mission summoned the injured Five-Tails and forced the squad into battle against Han and Roshi. Akaseki used a concealed Mangekyō ability to hold Roshi off alone, while Yangyong and Gongzhi Jiu helped Torifu Akimichi fight Han; Akaseki's limited power was running low.

• The destroyed seal summoned Han in his fully transformed Five-Tails form, and Minato realized the space-time technique had injured him.
• Yangyong and Gongzhi Jiu used Sharingan Genjutsu to disrupt Han's Tailed Beast Ball, allowing Torifu Akimichi to strike the Five-Tails and make the attack explode.
• Yangyong and Gongzhi Jiu shifted to support Torifu against Han, leaving Akaseki to face Roshi alone.
• Akaseki used repeated Substitution Techniques and Susanoo to counter Roshi, concealing his Mangekyō Sharingan ability as Roshi grew frustrated.
• Torifu continued battering Han while Akaseki conserved his limited Towa power, which was still running low.

Akaseki used his original Giant Exploding Water Colliding Wave to overwhelm Roshi’s Lava Style and flood the battlefield. Roshi’s magma was weakened by the vast lake, leaving him struggling to evaporate the water.

• Roshi attacked Akaseki with Lava Style, turning the surrounding ground into magma and leaving fewer safe places to stand.
• Akaseki avoided Roshi’s magma attacks and realized that his Susanoo left the ground beneath his feet vulnerable.
• Akaseki unleashed his original S-rank Water Style: Giant Exploding Water Colliding Wave, creating a massive flood across the battlefield.
• The flood accumulated over Roshi’s magma, forming a lake hundreds of meters wide and more than fifty meters deep.
• Akaseki noticed that the water cooled Roshi’s Lava Style, while Roshi found himself consuming substantial chakra trying to evaporate the lake.

Akaseki held Roshi in check while Torifu Akimichi and the Uchiha elders risked their lives to restrain Han and disrupt his control over the Five-Tails. As dawn broke over Kannabi Bridge, the battle began turning in Konoha's favor.

• Han charged Torifu Akimichi, who used Super Partial Multi-Size Technique to grapple the Five-Tails and hold him back from Akaseki's water.
• Torifu Akimichi activated Butterfly Transformation and drew on its life-threatening power to withstand Han's charge.
• Yangyong and Gongzhi Jiu entered Han's consciousness with Genjutsu and helped the Five-Tails pull against Han for control of its chakra.
• Yangyong and Han argued with the Five-Tails, whose resistance weakened Han's steam and strength as Torifu Akimichi forced him backward.
• Akaseki continued fighting Roshi, while Konoha's Chunin squads gained ground against the Stone and Grass Ninja near Kannabi Bridge.

Akaseki and the Konoha Jonin pursued Roshi and Han until the Stone Ninja Jinchuriki retreated beyond Kannabi Bridge, allowing Konoha to seize the stronghold. The squad learned that reinforcements led by Dan Katō would arrive in two and a half days, and began preparing to hold their gains.

• Han signaled Roshi to retreat, and Roshi fled the boiling lake while Akaseki pursued him with the Giant Exploding Water Colliding Wave.
• Akaseki and the other Konoha Jonin chased Roshi and Han for over a thousand li, then stopped near the next strategic pass after both Jinchuriki continued withdrawing.
• The four Jonin returned to Kannabi Bridge and found Minato and a sealing specialist securing the stronghold under Konoha's emblem.
• Minato told Yangyong that Orochimaru had sent reinforcements from the front lines, due in about two and a half days and led by Jonin Kato.
• Yangyong reassured Akaseki that the exhausted Stone Ninja Jinchuriki and their weakened forces were unlikely to retake Kannabi Bridge once Konoha completed its seals.

Dan Katō arrived at the Kannabi Bridge Outpost exhausted, concealing a lingering soul injury that left him drained. Konoha secured the surrounding area and eased pressure on its front lines, while Akaseki expected to leave as Iwagakure showed little intent to retake the outpost.

• Dan Katō arrived at Kannabi Bridge with the support squad after being carried part of the way by Mokume, and Akaseki arranged for them to rest.
• Dan Katō reassured Akaseki about his health but privately suffered fatigue and strange symptoms caused by damage to his soul in Yugakure.
• Akaseki reported that the two Uchiha Clan Elders and Torifu Akimichi were recovering after fighting the Jinchuriki, while Dan Katō praised Akaseki for restraining Roshi.
• Konoha used Dan Katō's Spirit Transformation Technique to eliminate or drive out Stone Ninja from the small strongholds around Kannabi Bridge.
• Torifu Akimichi, Yangyong, and Gongzhi Jiu recovered as Konoha consolidated the outpost, cutting Stone Ninja routes into the Land of Rain and reducing pressure on the Iwagakure Countermeasure Force.
• The group noted that Iwagakure had not gathered forces to retake Kannabi Bridge, and Akaseki anticipated that only one Uchiha Jonin might remain behind.

Dan Katō briefed the Kannabi Bridge outpost on Konoha’s coming war against Kusagakure and its plan to make the outpost headquarters of a force tasked with conquering the Land of Grass. The chapter left the ninja weighing the risk of Iwagakure’s intervention as reinforcements arrived and Konoha’s reserves dwindled.

• Dan Katō announced that Konoha and the Land of Fire would declare war on Kusagakure and the Land of Grass on May 1.
• Dan Katō explained that the force would seek Kusagakure’s surrender, restore the Grass Flower Faction, and eliminate Iwagakure’s agents, with the Kannabi Bridge outpost serving as its headquarters.
• Dan Katō said around sixty chunin would arrive as reinforcements, including forty transferred directly from the rear.
• Akaseki recognized that the reinforcements showed Konoha was committing more of its reserves to the battlefield, while Konoha’s attack on Kusagakure was meant to limit a wider war with Iwagakure.
• Dan Katō said the force would withdraw in an orderly manner if Iwagakure launched an all-out war, and Yangyong argued that a swift victory over Kusagakure could deter Iwagakure.

Konoha’s war against Kusagakure neared its end while Root’s experiments on Nawaki and Lily ended in tragedy. Danzō later found Laboratory 001 destroyed by Wood Release, with its researchers and guards dead and the test subjects missing.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi called a meeting as the Land of Grass surrendered, while Danzō impatiently waited for news of his Hashirama Cell experiments.
• Lily turned into a tree during the experiment, and Nawaki saw her face on its trunk before a Root ninja chopped the tree down.
• Hiruzen announced the Land of Grass’s surrender and Kusagakure’s request for help, then ended the meeting without Danzō responding.
• Danzō returned to Root headquarters and learned that Laboratory 001 had lost contact, so he went to inspect it himself.
• Danzō found the laboratory reduced to ruins, with its personnel killed by wooden spears and no sign of the missing test subjects.

Akaseki and the Konoha ninja entered Kusagakure to help Grass Flower defeat Grass Fruit, but found the factions already fighting over the village treasury. As Konoha crushed the rebellion, the Grass Ninja leader warned Akaseki that Grass Fruit had taken an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan into the treasury.

• Akaseki discussed Kusagakure's Grass Flower and Grass Fruit factions with Ranwu and Nonō as Minato explained their ties to Iwagakure.
• The fat Grass Ninja met Akaseki and led the Konoha team through a secret passage into Kusagakure.
• Akaseki discovered that Kusagakure was already in chaos, and the fat Grass Ninja led the team toward fighting near the treasury.
• Grass Flower and Grass Fruit fought over the village's treasure, and Akaseki's twenty Chunin joined the battle to overwhelm Grass Fruit.
• The Grass Ninja leader warned Akaseki that Grass Fruit had taken an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan into the treasury.

Akaseki and Ranwu entered Kusagakure’s underground treasury to rescue an Uzumaki Clan orphan from Mui and the Box of Bliss. The Hell Yama King identified the box as the seal Ashura used to imprison Jashin, and Akaseki realized it could be more valuable than an ordinary Six Paths Tool.

• The Grass Ninja leader feared Grass Fruit would use the Uzumaki orphan to activate the Box of Bliss, while Akaseki rushed toward the treasury with Ranwu following.
• Akaseki and Ranwu descended into the underground chamber and found Mui draining chakra from an unconscious red-haired girl into the Box of Bliss.
• Ranwu’s Water Flow Whip was absorbed by the box, but Akaseki summoned the Hell Yama King to pull the girl out with his tongue.
• Mui raved that the Box of Bliss would give Kusagakure power to unify the Shinobi World, and Akaseki asked the Hell Yama King to identify it.
• The Hell Yama King confirmed the box was used by Ashura to seal Jashin, prompting Akaseki to recognize its potential value.

Akaseki and Ranwu watched Mui get swallowed by the Box of Bliss, which opened and released Wu, an avatar of the Fear Demon God. They fought the powerful creature underground, but its feather blades pierced Akaseki’s Susanoo.

• Mui sacrificed himself to the Box of Bliss, declaring that he wanted to make Kusagakure great again.
• The Box of Bliss opened and released a headless monster made of black chakra, which the Hell Yama King identified as Wu, the Fear Demon God’s servant.
• Wu attacked the Hell Yama King, but his strike passed through the spirit and slammed into Akaseki’s Susanoo.
• Akaseki and Ranwu fought Wu together, blocking his blows and attacking with Water Style and Fire Style techniques.
• Wu dodged Akaseki’s nine fire dragons and sent feather blades at Akaseki and Ranwu, piercing Akaseki’s Susanoo.

Akaseki discovered that Wu could predict attacks by sensing lingering fear, and he opened the first two gates to overcome that ability. After Ranwu was knocked unconscious, Akaseki faced Wu alone and prepared a Thunderflame Greatsword attack.

• Akaseki activated Forked Deity but found no future in which he could hit Wu, while Ranwu's attacks also failed.
• Hell Yama King explained that Wu sensed fear and used it to predict its opponents' movements.
• Akaseki opened the Gate of Opening, but Wu continued dodging because his idle fearful thoughts remained.
• Ranwu was struck by Wu and lost consciousness, leaving Akaseki to protect her alone.
• Akaseki opened the Gate of Healing, cleared his idle thoughts, and summoned Susanoo's Thunderflame Greatsword to attack Wu.

Akaseki defeated Wu, absorbed most of the Fear Demon God's released chakra, and repaired the Box of Bliss seal with Tanuki Treasure and the Hell Yama King. The Sage of Six Paths appeared, and Akaseki greeted him with conspicuous formality.

• Akaseki used his second gate and Susanoo-wielded Thunderflame Greatsword to wound Wu while dodging its attacks.
• Akaseki used Air Release: Suction Collapse Technique to absorb most of Wu's chakra as its body collapsed, then checked Ranwu and summoned Tanuki Treasure.
• Tanuki Treasure showed Akaseki that the Box of Bliss seal could be repaired by charging its four masks with joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.
• Akaseki and the Hell Yama King supplied the emotions and restored the seal, while Akaseki suspected someone had recently contacted the Fear Demon God and tampered with the seals.
• The Sage of Six Paths appeared, recognized Ranwu as his descendant, and puzzled over Akaseki's unusually formal greeting.

Akaseki gave the bloodline enhancement to Ranwu, then used pointed remarks about Indra and Ashura to make the Sage of Six Paths explain his past treatment of his sons. The Sage revealed that he had prepared an unfinished Ultimate Art for Indra, which he and Ashura completed after the decisive battle but never got to give him.

• The Sage of Six Paths offered to raise either both bloodlines by half a rank or one bloodline by a full rank, and Akaseki chose to give the enhancement to Ranwu.
• Akaseki hinted that the Sage favored Ashura and that Indra had been overlooked, leaving the Sage of Six Paths flustered and prompting him to ask what Akaseki had heard.
• Akaseki questioned whether Indra had received a fair chance and emphasized that Ashura learned the Sage Mode, making the Sage explain why he had helped Ashura more.
• The Sage of Six Paths admitted he had prepared True Sage Mode for Ashura and an Ultimate Art for Indra, but Indra never came to him.
• The Sage of Six Paths explained that he and Ashura completed the Ultimate Art after the decisive battle and had hoped to give it to Indra, but never saw him again.

Akaseki learned that the Sage of Six Paths would grant him the Sharingan’s Ultimate Art and was tasked with protecting the shinobi world from whoever was spreading dangerous rumors. The Sage began transferring the art into Akaseki’s consciousness, where Akaseki immediately recognized something familiar.

• Akaseki questioned whether the Sharingan’s Ultimate Art could match Perfect Sage Mode, and the Sage of Six Paths explained that it could help Uchiha descendants realize their full potential.
• The Sage of Six Paths confirmed that Hashirama Senju was Ashura’s reincarnation, and Akaseki concluded that Madara Uchiha was Indra’s reincarnation and had been subjected to fairness.
• Akaseki told the Sage of Six Paths that Black Zetsu claimed Indra had created him and had spread rumors about Indra and Ashura, prompting the Sage to suspect a dangerous hidden plot.
• The Sage of Six Paths ordered Akaseki to investigate the threat and protect the shinobi world, and Akaseki pledged to do so in the Uchiha Clan’s name.
• The Sage of Six Paths touched Akaseki’s forehead and began transferring the Sharingan’s Ultimate Art into his consciousness, where Akaseki recognized something familiar.

Akaseki learned Ashura’s Yin Style Eight Gates and allowed the Sage of Six Paths to enhance Ranwu’s bloodline. After the Box of Bliss was secured and Grass Fruit’s rebellion was suppressed, Akaseki negotiated for Kusagakure to carry out Grass-country missions on Konoha’s behalf.

• Akaseki sensed the Yin Style Eight Gates and recognized how its emotional enhancements differed from the Yang Style Eight Gates.
• The Sage of Six Paths enhanced Ranwu’s bloodline, reinforced the seal on the Uchiha Gunbai, and vanished.
• Minato and the others reached Akaseki and Ranwu after escaping the Sage’s Genjutsu, and Akaseki confirmed that the Box of Bliss had been dealt with.
• Akaseki told Kusagakure’s leader that Konoha would take Grass-country commissions and subcontract their completion to Kusagakure, with payment depending on performance.
• Torifu Akimichi discovered Kusagakure’s movement had been a feint, while Akaseki helped suppress Grass Fruit’s rebellion and received credit for taking the village.

Akaseki negotiated a Subcontracted Missions agreement with Kusagakure after Konoha helped Grass Flower defeat Grass Fruit, securing a share of official and civilian missions for Konoha and subcontracting work back to Kusagakure. Hiruzen Sarutobi and his advisors debated the draft agreement, with Danzo objecting to the Uchiha role but urging Konoha to take an even larger share.

• Akaseki persuaded Cao Bao to accept Konoha's oversight and commission deductions by offering to subcontract civilian commissions and hinting at favorable evaluations.
• On August 11, Kusagakure formally surrendered to Konoha and agreed to serve as the trial site for the Subcontracted Missions agreement.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi presented the draft agreement to Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzō, explaining its projected mission income and oversight costs.
• Danzo objected that the Uchiha had negotiated the agreement, but Hiruzen said Orochimaru had authorized Akaseki to act.
• Mitokado and Koharu questioned whether Konoha was withholding too much, while Danzo argued that Konoha should take more.

Akaseki oversaw Konoha’s subcontracted missions in the Land of Grass, turning the arrangement into a success over six months. As the system spread and the Uchiha Clan’s reputation improved, Akaseki strengthened his abilities and Grandma Chizuru regained both eyes.

• Dan Katō and Cao Bao reached a peace agreement that established Konoha’s subcontracting arrangement with Kusagakure.
• Akaseki received orders to coordinate subcontracted missions in the Land of Grass with Ranwu, Minato, Nonō, and Guan Ze.
• Akaseki applied Konoha’s standards, steered Kusagakure’s best ninja toward Konoha’s commissions, and had Konoha handle high-profile missions.
• Over six months, Konoha’s work improved public opinion of it, while Akaseki developed a system combining Konoha’s main teams with Kusagakure’s support work.
• Uchiha Ninja worked alongside other ninja on inspections, and their reputation began to recover as they proved dependable in danger.
• Akaseki returned both of Grandma Chizuru’s eyes, absorbed his battle experience, and learned to open the third gate of the Yin Style Eight Gates.

Akaseki’s latest Deep Immersion pushed him through a breakthrough in his Yin Style Eight Gates training, opening the third gate and sharpening his hearing, instincts, and Sorrow-linked chakra transformations. He closed the gates and concluded that his mental training method was sound, giving him an alternative to Might Duy’s physically focused Eight Gates training.

• Akaseki relived Hong Yan sacrificing himself to save his rival and enemy, and the intense emotional shock helped him break through the third Yin Style Eight Gates gate.
• Akaseki opened the Gate of Life, which heightened his hearing, combat instincts, and awareness of the brain’s Temporal Lobe.
• Akaseki found that Sorrow dominated his emotional state and raised his Sorrow-related chakra transformations by two levels, bringing Earth Style: Subterranean Infusion close to the 70% threshold.
• Akaseki closed all three gates, adjusted to the muffled sounds and lingering sorrow, and decided his mental training could let him follow his own path as a hardworking genius.

Akaseki reflected on his progress toward Uchiha Sage Mode before receiving an urgent letter from Orochimaru. The letter reported that Iwagakure and Amegakure had broken Konoha’s front at Lingering Rain Mountain, leaving Akaseki’s forces at Kannabi Bridge and in the Land of Grass exposed to attack from both sides.

• Hong Yan rejected Hong Feng’s attempt to replace his promised share of the restaurant profits with twenty thousand and walked away.
• Akaseki’s memory of Hong Yan’s betrayal provided enough Sorrow for Subterranean Infusion to raise his Submerge Clay to 50%.
• Akaseki considered Wood Release a path to Uchiha Sage Mode and a possible third key to surpassing his current limits.
• Guan Ze delivered an urgent letter from Orochimaru, and Akaseki learned that Iwagakure had joined Amegakure in an attack on Konoha’s headquarters at Lingering Rain Mountain.
• Hanzō forced Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade to hold him back while Konoha’s main force retreated to its previous defensive line.
• Akaseki learned that the broken front had left Kannabi Bridge and the Land of Grass exposed to attacks from Iwagakure and Amegakure.

Akaseki gathered the Konoha Ninja in Kusagakure and told them that Iwagakure might attack Kannabi Bridge after the Rain front collapsed. He chose to reinforce the outpost and try to hold it, while Yamanaka Sansan stayed behind to secure Kusagakure and prepare a retreat if the defense failed.

• Akaseki secretly assembled the Konoha Ninja in Kusagakure and shared Orochimaru's letter about the collapsing blockade in the Land of Rain.
• Akaseki explained that Konoha reinforcements would take about three days to arrive and said he had warned the Kannabi Bridge outpost to hold until night.
• Yamanaka Sansan urged Akaseki to withdraw from Kannabi Bridge and defend the Land of Fire's border, but Akaseki and Yuchi Jiong argued for holding the bridge.
• Akaseki ordered Yamanaka Sansan to remain in Kusagakure, guard against the Grass Ninja colluding with Iwagakure, and lead a retreat if Akaseki signaled that Kannabi Bridge had fallen.
• Yamanaka Sansan agreed to keep Cao Bao close and promised to withdraw with the others if necessary.