Chapter Summaries

Aburame Ryoma and Gekko Seiya’s forces fought the Seven Ninja Swordsmen as Suikazan Fuguki and Raiga Kurosuki flooded the battlefield and struck the Konoha shinobi with lightning. Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Enma engaged the enemy, but Jinin Akebino’s Kabutowari broke Enma’s arm, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Aburame Ryoma led the Root and Anbu shinobi against Suikazan Fuguki, Raiga Kurosuki, Biwa Juzo, and Jinin Akebino after Fuguki demanded the White Fang of the Leaf.
• Suikazan Fuguki used Samehada to absorb the Konoha shinobi’s ninjutsu, then flooded the battlefield so Raiga Kurosuki could spread lightning through the water and kill at least ten Anbu.
• Aburame Ryoma and Gekko Seiya sent Gekko Seiya, Inuzuka Gaku, and Sarutobi Shinnosuke to pin down the swordsmen at close range.
• Sarutobi Shinnosuke summoned Enma, who became an Adamantine Staff, and helped Inuzuka Gaku drive Raiga Kurosuki back, but Biwa Juzo intercepted Gekko Seiya’s attack on Raiga.
• Jinin Akebino confronted Sarutobi Shinnosuke and struck the Adamantine Staff with Kabutowari, forcing Enma to transform back with his left arm broken.

Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza traced the unnatural fog in Deer Garden to a river and realized Mist Village shinobi had infiltrated the area. They found Nara Kashin hanging in the trees, but Kuriarare Kushimaru tightened his wires and killed her in front of Shikaku.

• Shikaku halted the team after noticing the unnatural fog, and Inoichi used a messenger hawk to locate its source near a river.
• Shikaku suspected Mist Village was behind the fog and sent Zongyumaru to warn the Hokage while the three jonin advanced toward the river.
• Choza discovered a person hanging in the fog, and Shikaku recognized her as Nara Kashin and tried to cut her free.
• Kuriarare Kushimaru pulled the wires attached to Nuibari, tightening them around Kashin and slicing her apart before Shikaku.
• Shikaku froze in shock as Kashin’s blood and remains fell around him.

Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi faced Kuriarare Kushimaru, who used steel wires to control captured Nara clan members as human puppets. The trio coordinated their techniques to immobilize Kushimaru and set up an attack.

• Nara Shikaku recognized that they were at war, and he warned that Kirigakure’s enemy was already approaching.
• Kuriarare Kushimaru identified himself as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and used a captured Nara clan member to prevent Akimichi Choza from attacking.
• Nara Shikaku used Shadow Possession Technique to restrain the puppet-like Nara clan members while Kushimaru struggled against his control with steel wires.
• Shikaku signaled Choza to attack with Spiky Human Bullet Tank, then Yamanaka Inoichi used Mind Body Switch Technique on the immobilized Kushimaru.

Kuriarare Kushimaru outmaneuvered Nara Shikaku's team with a Water Clone and steel-wire traps, leaving Akimichi Choza and many Nara Clan members gravely injured. As the attackers regrouped, Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi prepared a vast explosive trap, while Araki and Mangetsu arrived under the Giant Clam's mist.

• Kuriarare Kushimaru's Water Clone escaped Nara Shikaku's planned attack, then trapped the team with Earth Spider Stitch and severed the legs of Akimichi Choza and numerous Nara Clan members.
• Nara Shikaku freed Akimichi Choza from the wires, and he and Yamanaka Inoichi fled with the wounded while awaiting reinforcements.
• Araki and Mangetsu traveled upstream on the Giant Clam and reached the Nara Clan's medicinal garden, where they met Hozuki Sengetsu and Munashi Jinpachi.
• Kuriarare Kushimaru pursued Shikaku's group while stringing Nuibari's wires across Deer Garden to create a vast web of traps.
• Munashi Jinpachi joined Kuriarare Kushimaru and planned to use Shibuki's Explosive Tags with the wires to unleash a massive blast under the Giant Clam's genjutsu mist.
• Araki realized the Ruthless Duo's explosive trap would be difficult to escape and thought that he would need to praise the sun.

Konoha learned that Mist Village had attacked Fire Temple and Nara Clan territory as tensions escalated across the Land of Fire. Hiruzen dispatched teams to support the threatened areas and ordered an investigation, while Shinnosuke remained on the eastern front facing the Mist forces.

• Hiruzen received a scroll and summoned Konoha's elite Jonin as a young monk collapsed at the village gates after reporting that Fire Temple had been attacked.
• Tsunade treated Chiriku, who told her that two intruders had killed Fire Temple's abbot and destroyed the temple, then threatened to make Konoha fear the Bloody Mist.
• Hiruzen ordered Yuhi Shinku and Fugaku Uchiha to lead a team to Nara Clan's Deer Garden, where Mist Village invaders were threatening hostages.
• An intelligence report revealed that Mist Village had deployed four of the Seven Ninja Swords, and Hiruzen regretted sending White Fang to infiltrate Mist Village.
• Tsunade brought Chiriku to the Hokage's office and reported the destruction of Fire Temple, prompting Hiruzen to send Jiraiya to the eastern front and Minato, Hizashi, and Shibi to investigate the temple.

Namikaze Minato’s team pursued Kirigakure while Yuhi Shinku and Fugaku Uchiha’s group found the Nara clan captured in the mist and rushed to rescue Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza. The reinforcements reached the exhausted trio, learned that Seven Ninja Swordsmen Kuriarare Kushimaru and Hozuki Sengetsu were responsible, and prepared to fight.

• Namikaze Minato ordered Hizashi Hyuga and Aburame Shibi to search the Fire Temple ruins, then led his team after the trail of unusual water vapor.
• Yuhi Shinku’s group discovered that at least a hundred Nara clan members were alive but immobilized in the mist, while Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and wounded Akimichi Choza fled from a pursuer.
• Hizashi Hyuga located the fleeing trio, and Yuhi Shinku ordered the group to rescue them.
• Kuriarare Kushimaru and Hozuki Sengetsu kept the trio trapped in the mist as they carried Choza and ran for hours.
• The reinforcements used Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to clear the mist and reach the trio, and Shikaku identified Kushimaru and Sengetsu as members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
• Akimichi Todome told the injured Choza to rest and vowed to handle the Kirigakure attackers.

Hozuki Sengetsu lured Yuhi Shinku’s team toward an ambush while they pursued him through the forest. Tokuma Hyuga spotted the steel wires in the Ruthless Explosion Array, but the team continued after Sengetsu to rescue the captured Nara Clan members.

• Tokuma Hyuga located Hozuki Sengetsu, and Fugaku Uchiha and Yuhi Shinku attacked him, but Sengetsu escaped the genjutsu and turned into water when Fugaku struck him.
• Fugaku activated his Sharingan, prompting Sengetsu to flee and taunt the Konoha shinobi into chasing him.
• Tokuma Hyuga detected two more chakra signatures near the place where the Nara Clan members were being held and warned the team that Sengetsu had accomplices.
• Tokuma Hyuga spotted steel wires stretched through the forest, but Yuhi Shinku, Fugaku Uchiha, and Akimichi Todome continued into the trap to reach the captured Nara Clan members.
• Sengetsu saw the Konoha team enter the Ruthless Explosion Array and waited for them to move deeper into it.

Hozuki Sengetsu lured the Konoha squad into a prepared trap and attacked Tokuma Hyuga with [Hiramekarei], while the explosion gave Kuriarare Kushimaru the opening to spring the hidden Explosive Tags. The chapter left the Konoha squad reeling from the blast as Kushimaru began the next stage of the ambush.

• Kuriarare Kushimaru sensed that the Konoha group had entered the ambush zone, and Munashi Jinpachi and Hozuki Mangetsu prepared the concealed Explosive Tags.
• Hozuki Sengetsu stopped in the trap zone and faced the Konoha pursuers, while Yuhi Shinku identified the Mist Village attackers and ordered an attack.
• Fugaku Uchiha charged Hozuki Sengetsu, who closed his eyes and fired a massive chakra sphere from [Hiramekarei].
• Hozuki Sengetsu feinted past Fugaku Uchiha and redirected the attack toward Tokuma Hyuga, who defended himself with Eight Trigrams Palms: Heavenly Spin.
• The chakra sphere and Tokuma Hyuga's rotating barrier collided in a huge explosion that forced the Konoha squad to defend themselves.
• Kuriarare Kushimaru yanked the steel wires covered in Explosive Tags and announced that the Mist attackers' turn had come.

Munashi Jinpachi’s explosive attack devastated Deer Garden, but Fugaku Uchiha used Izanagi and Namikaze Minato rescued the Konoha group with the Flying Thunder God Technique. The Konoha ninja caught up with the Mist Village team, where Araki’s Wind Wall thwarted Minato’s opening attack and drew his attention.

• Munashi Jinpachi’s Exploding Blade Shibuki triggered a massive chain of explosions over Fugaku Uchiha and his companions.
• Fugaku Uchiha used Izanagi, and Namikaze Minato teleported the four survivors away with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Hozuki Sengetsu and the Mist Village ninja prepared to withdraw, believing their attack had warned Konoha.
• Namikaze Minato, Hizashi Hyuga, Aburame Shibi, Akimichi Todome, Fugaku Uchiha, and Yuhi Shinku caught up with the Mist Village team.
• Araki raised a Wind Wall that stopped Minato’s Flying Thunder God Kunai and left him suspended in the air before he teleported back to his allies.

The Mist Village shinobi used mist and coordinated attacks to trap the Konoha team, but Hizashi Hyuga protected Namikaze Minato with Rotation. Araki pierced through the supposedly flawless defense and killed Hizashi, then took his Byakugan.

• Akimichi Todome enlarged his arms to attack, while Munashi Jinpachi forced him to retreat with explosive tags.
• At Araki's order, Hozuki Mangetsu thickened the mist, and Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi prepared another explosive-wire trap.
• Namikaze Minato cleared a patch of fog, revealing the trap as Hozuki Sengetsu attacked him with Hiramekarei.
• Hizashi Hyuga used Rotation to block Hozuki Sengetsu's Spiral Wave Slash while Namikaze Minato prepared to teleport the Konoha team away.
• Araki pierced Hizashi Hyuga's Rotation with his sword, drove the blade into his heart, and gouged out his eyes.

Araki killed Hizashi Hyuga and urged Hozuki Sengetsu to raid Konoha while its defenses were weakened. Sengetsu agreed to lead Araki and Mangetsu into the village while sending Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi to join Suikazan Fuguki.

• Araki's surprise attack killed Hizashi Hyuga, and Namikaze Minato escaped with Hizashi's corpse using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Araki found that the Byakugan he had taken had shattered, while Hozuki Sengetsu praised him for killing a Hyuga jonin.
• Araki proposed raiding Konoha to seize valuables, including the Sword of the Thunder God, while the village's forces were dispersed.
• Hozuki Sengetsu agreed to infiltrate Konoha with Araki and Mangetsu, and ordered Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi to join Suikazan Fuguki on the eastern coast.

Araki, Hozuki Mangetsu, and Hozuki Sengetsu infiltrated Konoha by disguising themselves as clams drifting through its sensory barrier. After regrouping in a private bath, they discussed their plans to seek the Sword of the Thunder God and prepared to split up.

• Araki relied on the Hozuki brothers’ clam summons to bypass Konoha’s sensory barrier, hiding inside a larger clam while they concealed themselves as water.
• Hozuki Mangetsu and Hozuki Sengetsu drifted through the barrier and reached a bathhouse, where they summoned Araki from his clam.
• Araki worried about being discovered in the women’s bath, but Mangetsu explained that they were in a secluded private bath for men.
• Hozuki Sengetsu warned Araki that the Sword of the Thunder God would be difficult to obtain and told him to stay with Mangetsu, while they agreed to communicate through summons and otherwise retreat separately.
• Hozuki Sengetsu left through the bath inlet, and Mangetsu asked Araki how they would leave.

Araki used his Wind King Barrier to conceal himself and Mangetsu as they escaped the bathhouse and approached the Hokage Office. They reached Konoha’s central district without being discovered and began assessing its defenses.

• Araki showed Mangetsu how his Wind Style could make objects and people invisible, naming the technique Wind King Barrier.
• Araki had Mangetsu wrap around his body as water, and Mangetsu absorbed the water soaking Araki’s clothes.
• Araki concealed them both and led Mangetsu out of the bathhouse toward the Hokage Office.
• Araki avoided the crowds and Uchiha members on the way, wary that the Sharingan could detect their chakra.
• Araki and Mangetsu reached the area near the Hokage Office and found Konoha’s internal patrols less frequent than Araki had expected.

Araki and Mangetsu searched the abandoned Senju Residence for the Second Hokage’s Sword of the Thunder God. Araki found the sword in the Senju ancestral hall and left with its golden lightning blade activated.

• Araki chose to search the Senju Residence before checking the Hokage Office, hoping to find the sword with fewer defenses.
• Araki and Mangetsu split up to search the unguarded estate, but Araki found neither the sword nor Katsuyu’s summoning scroll in the main house.
• Araki entered the ancestral hall and found a dark-blue sword hilt before Tobirama Senju’s memorial tablet.
• Araki poured chakra into the hilt, formed the Sword of the Thunder God’s golden energy blade, and tested it by slicing through the stone floor.
• Araki vowed that others would one day feel the sword’s power.

Araki and Mangetsu searched the Senju Residence for Tsunade’s medical research and obtained medical ninjutsu materials before Shizune’s classmates arrived. After an Anbu’s dog detected them, Araki fled toward the river to lose his scent, where he unexpectedly spotted Hozuki Sengetsu.

• Araki and Mangetsu searched the Senju Residence for Tsunade’s medical ninjutsu research and found materials.
• Shizune brought Kakashi, Rin, Obito, Asuma, Anko, and others into the house, forcing Araki and Mangetsu to hide.
• Araki decided to leave rather than risk exposing himself or harming the young Konoha ninja.
• An Inuzuka Anbu’s dog detected Araki, and Araki escaped toward the river while the Anbu pursued him.
• Araki headed for the river to wash away his scent and unexpectedly spotted Hozuki Sengetsu.

Hozuki Sengetsu set out to steal a Byakugan while Konoha’s shinobi regrouped after Hizashi Hyuga’s death and prepared to pursue the Mist Village team. Namikaze Minato sent Nara Shikaku to report to the Hokage and called for reinforcements, then followed the enemy’s trail with Aburame Shibi’s insects.

• Hozuki Sengetsu decided to find a Hyuga main-family member and take a Byakugan for Kirigakure.
• Namikaze Minato and the others regrouped around Hizashi Hyuga’s body, and Tokuma Hyuga demanded to know how he had died.
• Namikaze Minato explained that a Mist Village swordsman had pierced Hizashi’s Rotation and ordered Tokuma to report the death to the Hyuga clan head.
• Namikaze Minato sent Nara Shikaku to inform the Hokage and request reinforcements after assessing the Mist team’s tactical advantage.
• Aburame Shibi confirmed that his female Kikaichū were tracking the enemy, and Namikaze Minato led the five remaining shinobi in pursuit.

The chapter explained how the Hyuga Clan’s Caged Bird seal oppressed the Branch House and left the clan with few elite fighters. After Hizashi Hyuga was killed and Fugaku Uchiha lost an eye in battle with Kirigakure, the Third Hokage sent Anbu reinforcements to join Namikaze Minato.

• Hyuga Hiashi mourned Hizashi Hyuga and questioned Tokuma Hyuga about how the Mist ninja had overcome Hizashi’s Rotation.
• Tokuma told Hyashi that Namikaze Minato had reported a Mist ninja pierced Hizashi’s Rotation with a longsword.
• Nara Shikaku reported to the Third Hokage that Kirigakure’s swordsmen and their allies had forced Konoha’s team onto the defensive.
• Shikaku revealed that Fugaku Uchiha had lost one Sharingan and Hizashi Hyuga had been killed in a trap involving Shibuki and Nuibari.
• The Third Hokage ordered Mei to lead two Anbu squads to rendezvous with Namikaze Minato and make Kirigakure pay.

Hozuki Sengetsu watched the Hyuga Clan after Hizashi Hyuga’s death and targeted unbranded Hyuga children, whom he captured to obtain their Byakugan. He left the three unconscious children hidden in a summoned clam and began considering how to use their eyes to make ninja tools.

• Hozuki Sengetsu saw Hyuga Hiashi leave the clan compound and decided to target Hyuga children who had not yet received the Caged Bird Cursed Seal.
• Hyuga Ko, Hyuga Homura, and Hyuga Iroha slipped out of the tense clan compound to skip stones by the river.
• Hyuga Homura told the others that Hizashi Hyuga had died, then noticed Hozuki Sengetsu approaching as an unusual mass of chakra.
• Hozuki Sengetsu swept the three children into the river, trapped them in a Water Prison, and knocked them unconscious.
• Hozuki Sengetsu stored the children in a summoned clam and planned to turn their Byakugan into powerful ninja tools.

Araki, Hozuki Sengetsu, and Hozuki Mangetsu found hidden Explosive Tags beneath Hokage Rock and planned to trigger them. Araki proposed using the ensuing chaos to launch a surprise attack on the Third Hokage, and Sengetsu and Mangetsu agreed.

• Hozuki Sengetsu showed off the Byakugan he had taken, while Araki revealed that he had obtained the Sword of the Thunder God.
• Araki told Hozuki Sengetsu that he had learned Konoha was filled with hidden Explosive Tags and suggested destroying Hokage Rock.
• Araki, Hozuki Sengetsu, and Hozuki Mangetsu climbed to Hokage Rock and found Explosive Tags connected by wires in the rocks.
• Araki proposed attacking the Third Hokage after the explosions scattered Konoha's forces, and Hozuki Sengetsu and Hozuki Mangetsu agreed to assassinate him.

Araki exploited Konoha’s depleted defenses by detonating the Explosive Tag network beneath Hokage Rock, causing the massive stone landmark to collapse toward the village. He escaped the blast as Konoha’s forces scrambled to respond, while the assassination plan remained contingent on how many powerful defenders appeared.

• Araki told Hozuki Sengetsu and Hozuki Mangetsu to hide and said they would abandon the assassination if too many Konoha powerhouses appeared.
• After Sengetsu and Mangetsu left, Araki found the Explosive Tag trigger beneath rubble atop Hokage Rock and prepared a remote detonation.
• Araki destroyed the trigger’s sealing patterns with a shuriken and fled using the Wind Instant Body Technique.
• More than a thousand Explosive Tags detonated, severing Hokage Rock’s supports and sending the mountain crashing toward Konoha’s central district.
• Konoha’s Police Force and Anbu noticed the collapse and shouted warnings, but neither group had Byakugan users to spot Araki.