Chapter Summaries

Araki planned to strengthen himself by spreading Ghost King Blood among Kirigakure’s shinobi and challenging another sword master. The chapter ended as he reached the sword master’s portrait in the Book of Sword Masters.

• Black Zetsu warned Alucard that Dream Organization could no longer stay hidden, and Alucard promised to keep it under their control.
• Karatachi Yagura told Araki that Kirigakure’s tests showed Ghost King Blood could greatly strengthen people, then agreed to oversee its distribution carefully.
• Araki planned to use Kirigakure’s shinobi to develop Blood Demon Arts and let him benefit from the abilities they created.
• Araki reviewed his sword techniques and discovered that Mumyo Jinpu-ryu’s Mirage could manipulate blood and create illusions.
• Araki flipped through the Book of Sword Masters until he reached the portrait of an elegant sword master.

Araki fought Unohana Retsu to prove he could bear the name Yachiru, enduring her overwhelming swordsmanship and growing stronger as the battle continued. After he impressed her with Azure Dragon, Unohana released her Bankai, Minazuki, and her rising sea of blood swallowed him.

• Araki drew his sword and faced Unohana Retsu, who warned him that the name Yachiru was not one he could bear lightly.
• Unohana overwhelmed Araki with rapid sword strikes, while he defended himself and grew stronger through his healing and Mibu Clan bloodline.
• Araki counterattacked with Wave-Severing Ring Cut and then unleashed the Azure Dragon technique.
• Impressed by Araki's unfamiliar swordsmanship, Unohana activated Bankai: Minazuki.
• Araki flew above the rising sea of blood, but Unohana's Reiatsu filled the sky and the blood sea eventually swallowed him.

Araki considered how to strengthen his soul after Unohana Retsu crushed it with her Reiatsu, then had Alucard question Black Zetsu about consuming souls. After learning that large-scale soul devouring could alert the Sage of Six Paths, Araki visited Kana at Kirigakure Hospital to ask about the masks he had given her.

• Araki recovered from Unohana Retsu's Reiatsu and considered soul-related techniques that might help him resist her, including the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
• Araki decided to have Alucard probe Black Zetsu about soul energy and the possibility of devouring souls directly.
• Black Zetsu explained that large-scale soul consumption could draw the attention of the Sage of Six Paths, while individual souls contained too little energy to be useful.
• Araki walked through Kirigakure, where Kana had become the hospital's youngest director amid an influx of civilians and merchants fleeing war.
• Araki found Kana teaching academy girls medical ninjutsu and asked whether she had learned anything from researching the masks he had given her.

Araki watched Kana summon the Shinigami and discovered he needed to sign its scroll before he could see it. Unable to absorb its powerful soul directly, he considered testing whether ocular power could strengthen him and headed toward the Hozuki Clan’s territory.

• Araki stopped Kana from putting on a Death God Mask until she explained that summoning the Shinigami without using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal only caused temporary mental exhaustion.
• Kana demonstrated the summoning, and Araki sensed the Shinigami but could not see it; he realized he wanted to consume its soul to grow stronger.
• With Kana’s guidance, Araki signed the Shinigami’s summoning scroll, saw the Shinigami, and found that his mental power could not approach it without being swallowed.
• Kana collapsed from the effort, and Araki praised her before using wind to carry her to her bedroom; her attempt to get him to carry her himself failed.
• Araki considered whether Uchiha ocular power could serve as soul power and changed course toward the Hozuki Clan’s territory to investigate two unused Byakugan.

Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, and Kakashi Hatake reunited at the Northern Fortress as the war intensified, while Uchiha Madara and Cloud Village prepared a major assault. Alucard entered the Land of Fire’s northern border to seek newly awakened Mangekyō Sharingan, setting the stage for a clash with the plans underway.

• Obito Uchiha greeted Rin Nohara and Kakashi Hatake at the Northern Fortress, then learned Kakashi had also been promoted to chunin and asked Rin to make him a gift.
• White Zetsu told Uchiha Madara that Konoha’s reinforcements had arrived and that the Third Raikage was preparing to enter the battlefield; Madara ordered Black Zetsu to ensure neither Obito nor the Raikage returned alive.
• A told Killer B that the Third Raikage would arrive at noon the next day and lead a full-scale assault on Konoha’s fortress, then arranged extra support for Yugito against Uchiha Shisui.
• Araki sent Alucard north after confirming that absorbed Byakugan ocular power strengthened the soul, and Alucard crossed the Land of Fire’s northeastern defenses in search of Mangekyō Sharingan.

Cloud Village launched an all-out assault on Konoha, tying down its top fighters while A challenged Minato to a duel. The Third Raikage then arrived by the Heavenly Transfer Technique, smashed through the Northern Konoha Fortress, and prepared to attack with Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite.

• Killer B, Yugito, and the Kumogakure forces advanced on Konoha, while Hyuga Unma reported their strength to Minato, Fugaku Uchiha, and Shimura Danzō.
• Minato sent Fugaku Uchiha and Shimura Danzō to hold off the two Jinchuriki as A appeared and challenged Minato to battle.
• Minato accepted A's challenge, and the two clashed while Konoha's other high-level fighters remained occupied.
• The Third Raikage streaked from the sky toward the Northern Konoha Fortress, shocking Minato and the shinobi on the battlefield.
• The Third Raikage crashed through the fortress wall and created a vast crater, then vanished as he began Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite.

Cloud Village’s attack shattered Konoha’s defenses as the Third Raikage and A slaughtered their way through the battlefield, leaving Obito Uchiha’s team isolated and facing Cloud ninjas hunting Kakashi’s White Fang Short Blade. Black Zetsu persuaded Alucard to spare Obito by promising to find him another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Namikaze Minato abandoned A at the front to confront the Third Raikage and scattered Flying Thunder God Kunai around him.
• A rampaged through Konoha’s ranks, grievously injuring Uchiha Tekka and worsening the danger for Fugaku Uchiha and Shimura Danzō.
• Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, and Kakashi were driven away from the fortress, where three Cloud Village ninjas confronted them and demanded to know Kakashi’s connection to White Fang of the Leaf.
• Black Zetsu watched the confrontation while Alucard guessed that Uchiha souls would make a powerful tonic and demanded a share.
• Black Zetsu offered to find Alucard another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, and Alucard agreed to leave Obito alone.

Fugaku Uchiha awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan after Inabi Uchiha and Yashiro Uchiha died protecting him, and Alucard sensed the awakening. Meanwhile, Namikaze Minato continued struggling to defend Konoha’s retreat from the Third Raikage.

• Fugaku Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha attacked Yugito together, but the Two-Tails Matatabi’s full transformation helped her resist them.
• A struck at Fugaku Uchiha, and Shisui Uchiha shoved him clear before the AB Brothers launched a Double Lariat.
• Inabi Uchiha and Yashiro Uchiha blocked the AB Brothers’ attack and died, causing Fugaku Uchiha to awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan and trap A in genjutsu.
• Fugaku Uchiha ordered a retreat, while A sent Killer B after the fleeing Konoha forces and took the injured Yugito for treatment.
• Alucard sensed Fugaku Uchiha’s Mangekyō awakening, while Namikaze Minato kept rescuing Konoha ninja from the Third Raikage’s attacks.

Minato summoned Jiraiya and Sage Fukasaku to help fight the Third Raikage, and they used a toad genjutsu to create an opening for Minato to teleport the battle away from the fortress. With Minato and Jiraiya gone and Fugaku badly weakened, Danzo took temporary command and began eyeing Shisui with greed.

• Minato summoned Sage Fukasaku, who reverse-summoned Jiraiya to the battlefield.
• Jiraiya fought the Third Raikage with Sage Mode, but neither his taijutsu nor his Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan could penetrate the Raikage's Lightning Armor.
• Fukasaku and Shima performed a genjutsu duet that blurred the Raikage's vision, allowing Minato to teleport him and Jiraiya dozens of kilometers away.
• The Konoha ninja resumed treating the wounded, and Fugaku, Shisui, and the others returned to find Minato and the Raikage gone.
• Danzo took charge while Shisui escorted the exhausted Fugaku to rest, and Danzo watched Shisui with growing greed.

Alucard made Danzo his Lower Moon One by restoring his body and offering him a chance to become Hokage in exchange for obedience. Danzo then lured Shisui away from Fugaku’s room, while Alucard prepared to investigate Fugaku’s Mangekyō Sharingan ability.

• With Minato and Fugaku absent, Danzo considered how to take advantage of the situation at the Konoha camp.
• Alucard appeared to Danzo, injected him with enhanced flesh, and restored his arm and youthful strength.
• Danzo accepted Alucard’s offer and was designated Lower Moon One, with the promise that becoming Hokage remained possible.
• Danzo persuaded Shisui to inspect the Uchiha casualties and led him away from Fugaku’s room.
• Alucard confirmed that Fugaku had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and sent a bat clone toward his window.

Alucard stole Fugaku’s Mangekyō ocular power and Kakashi’s Sharingan, then gave the resulting Soul Crystal to Araki in Kirigakure. Meanwhile, Black Zetsu’s plan drove Obito to awaken his Mangekyō after Rin’s death, while Alucard left awaiting Black Zetsu’s promised help finding another Mangekyō wielder.

• Alucard drained Fugaku’s ocular power with Soul Extraction, leaving him blind and unconscious, and formed the power into a Soul Crystal.
• Alucard explained that he had made Danzo a Lower Moon as a foothold in Konoha, but he found no suitable candidates to plant in the other nations.
• Black Zetsu arranged for the Two-Tails to be sealed inside Rin and prevented her from committing suicide, leading Kakashi to kill her willingly to protect Konoha.
• Obito arrived too late, awakened his Mangekyō, and massacred the Cloud Village ninja, while Kakashi collapsed unconscious.
• Black Zetsu refused Kakashi’s Mangekyō, so Alucard took the eye and Kakashi’s White Fang Short Blade before leaving.
• Alucard gave Fugaku’s Soul Crystal to Araki, who swallowed it and felt his senses sharpen.

Alucard confronted the Evil Spirit over the negative emotions he had consumed and defeated him with Kamui and a Blood Beast, forcing him to back down. In Kirigakure, Araki continued training with Sister Hana, sharpening his soul and refining his swordsmanship.

• The Evil Spirit demanded compensation from Alucard for consuming the resentment and hatred released by Fugaku Uchiha and Obito Uchiha, but Alucard refused.
• The Evil Spirit attacked Alucard with a barrage of bladed feathers, and Alucard used Kamui to send them into the shared Kamui Dimension.
• The Evil Spirit charged Alucard with a blood-colored spear, but Alucard's Blood Beast struck him out of the sky and drove him into the ground.
• Alucard held the Sharingan in his palm against the Evil Spirit's head, and the Evil Spirit backed down rather than risk being banished with the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
• In Kirigakure, Sister Hana beat Araki in another training session, tempering his soul and exposing flaws in his sword techniques.
• Araki refined his swordsmanship by discarding ineffective techniques and developing the outline of a distinctive personal style.

Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato fought the Third Raikage while Jiraiya tried to persuade him that the Shinobi World needed to unite against awakened demons and that Nagato should serve the whole world. Black Zetsu feared this would disrupt his plans for Nagato and began considering how to darken Nagato’s outlook and eliminate Jiraiya.

• Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato battled the Third Raikage, and Jiraiya used their fight to urge him to end the war and unite against the demons.
• The Third Raikage rejected Jiraiya’s appeal and accused him of coveting Kumogakure’s Rinnegan when Jiraiya argued that Nagato belonged to the entire Shinobi World.
• Black Zetsu worried that Jiraiya might give Nagato the experience and influence to resist the plan to manipulate him into summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
• Black Zetsu considered killing Jiraiya, harming Yahiko and Konan, and framing Jiraiya for the Third Raikage’s death to push Nagato into darkness.
• Black Zetsu contemplated using Uchiha Madara and Obito Uchiha or recruiting Alucard to defeat the Third Raikage quickly.

Alucard agreed to help Black Zetsu deal with the Third Raikage in exchange for three pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan, and Obito joined them because of his hatred for the Land of Lightning. After Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato persuaded the Raikage to leave the battlefield, he walked into a sudden Wood Release ambush.

• Black Zetsu asked Alucard to help deal with the Third Raikage, and Alucard bargained for Mangekyō Sharingan before accepting three pairs in total.
• Alucard and Black Zetsu met Obito Uchiha, who insisted on joining them to kill the Raikage.
• The Third Raikage agreed to consider Jiraiya's proposal after Jiraiya, Namikaze Minato, and the toads overwhelmed him with Talk no Jutsu and sound-based genjutsu.
• Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato celebrated the progress toward an alliance with Cloud Village as the Third Raikage headed back, dazed by the noise.
• Wood Release: Hell's Chaos erupted beneath the Third Raikage, sending thorn-covered trunks spiraling up around him.

Obito Uchiha and Alucard trapped the Third Raikage in Obito’s Kamui Dimension, but Obito’s attempt to attack him failed and he had to escape. After Alucard departed, Obito told Black Zetsu he planned to use the Raikage to destroy Kumogakure, and the two began shaping a plan.

• The Third Raikage resisted Alucard’s attacks, but Alucard’s regenerating body wrapped around him and Obito Uchiha pulled them both into the Kamui Dimension.
• Obito attacked the Third Raikage with Wood Release, but the Raikage knocked him away and nearly struck him with Hell Stab: One-Finger Nukite.
• Obito escaped the Kamui Dimension and brought Alucard and Black Zetsu out with him, then claimed the Raikage was contained.
• Black Zetsu arranged to pay Alucard, who left as a swarm of bats, and Obito asked who he was.
• Obito told Black Zetsu he wanted to destroy everything the Third Raikage valued and planned to use genjutsu to control him before destroying Kumogakure.

After the Third Raikage disappeared, A decided Kumogakure must withdraw from the war while planning to avenge him with Killer B and possible Kirigakure assistance. At Konoha’s camp, Namikaze Minato and Jiraiya suspected a hidden hostile force had abducted the Raikage and possibly framed Minato.

• Kumogakure’s scouts reported that the Third Raikage’s trail had vanished, and A suspected Konoha and Namikaze Minato were responsible.
• A told Killer B that Kumogakure had lost the war and would withdraw, but vowed to avenge their father by killing Minato and Jiraiya.
• A proposed asking Araki and Kirigakure for a way to counter the Flying Thunder God Technique, and Killer B agreed to help.
• Namikaze Minato told Jiraiya that the Raikage’s disappearance bore signs of space-time ninjutsu and that their battle may have been watched.
• Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato considered that a concealed force hostile to Konoha or the Five Great Nations had abducted the Third Raikage and might be framing Minato.

Killer B asked Kirigakure to join Kumogakure’s plan to ambush Namikaze Minato, and Araki explained why countering the Flying Thunder God Technique would be difficult. After Killer B left, Araki asked En how his Ketsuryūgan had developed after receiving Araki’s blood.

• Araki met Killer B in Karatachi Yagura’s office and learned that A believed Namikaze Minato and Konoha shinobi were responsible for the Third Raikage’s disappearance.
• Killer B invited Kirigakure to join a small-scale ambush on Minato, while Yagura and Araki weighed the risk of Konoha discovering their involvement.
• Araki explained that Minato’s Flying Thunder God relied on marked coordinates and sensory abilities, making those abilities the likeliest target for a countermeasure.
• Killer B mentioned Kumogakure’s genjutsu, and Araki considered whether powerful genjutsu, Kirigakure’s Mirage, or the Ketsuryūgan could interfere with Minato’s sensing.
• Araki sent Killer B to rest while Kirigakure reviewed its options, then asked En how his Ketsuryūgan had developed after receiving Araki’s blood.

Oyashiro En demonstrated his Ketsuryūgan genjutsu to Araki and Karatachi Yagura as they considered how to ambush Namikaze Minato. Kana suggested the Uzumaki Clan's Yin-Sealing Formation might conceal them from sensory ninjutsu, and Araki went with her to test it.

• Oyashiro En showed Araki and Karatachi Yagura his Hell Valley genjutsu, which could alter perceived time and induce sleep with falling feathers.
• Araki and Karatachi Yagura discussed how the genjutsu might help them strike Namikaze Minato, while noting that his caution and skill would make him hard to catch off guard.
• Araki asked Kana whether Uzumaki Sealing Techniques could disrupt space or suppress sensory abilities, and she said she knew of no technique that affected space.
• Kana described the Yin-Sealing Formation, which hid those inside from external sensory ninjutsu while also blocking their view of the outside.
• Araki asked Kana to set up the formation in the neighboring room, and she left with him to prepare it for testing.

Araki and Karatachi Yagura planned to prolong the war by striking Konoha’s Northern Front and targeting Namikaze Minato and Jiraiya, while Obito struggled to defeat the Third Raikage in the Kamui Dimension. Black Zetsu spread rumors to turn Kumogakure against Nagato and his companions, and news that the Third Raikage was missing threatened to intensify the hostility.

• Kana caught Araki trying to leave while she inscribed the Yin-Sealing Formation, then let him wait next door.
• Araki and Karatachi Yagura discussed using the formation to trap Namikaze Minato and potentially kill Jiraiya, prolonging the war and drawing Hanzo into the conflict.
• Obito found that the starving Third Raikage was conserving chakra, but Obito still could not defeat him in combat.
• Black Zetsu spread rumors in Kumogakure that Nagato and his companions were Jiraiya’s Konoha-trained agents, leading villagers to treat them coldly.
• News reached Kumogakure that the Third Raikage had gone missing and was suspected of being killed by Konoha.

Black Zetsu manipulated Kumogakure veterans into kidnapping Yahiko and luring Nagato and Konan into an ambush, while Dodai sent Anbu to stop the pair from leaving the village. Nagato fought off the attackers, but Black Zetsu ended the chapter by forcing him to choose between Yahiko and Konan.

• Konan told Yahiko that people in Kumogakure had begun treating her with suspicion, and Yahiko offered to handle the grocery shopping himself.
• Black Zetsu, disguised as Kuradi, convinced Dimai and four other veterans to avenge the Third Raikage by targeting Jiraiya’s disciples.
• The veterans kidnapped Yahiko and sent Nagato and Konan a threat demanding that they come to Sharp Rock Mountain.
• Dodai learned that Nagato and Konan were heading toward the village outskirts and ordered elite Anbu to intercept them.
• At Sharp Rock Mountain, Nagato absorbed the Lightning Binding Formation and repelled the veterans’ attacks, while Konan helped him resist their assault.
• Black Zetsu threatened Yahiko and ordered Nagato to kill Konan if he wanted Yahiko spared.