Chapter Summaries

Lu defeated Might Guy in the tournament match, and Namikaze Minato intervened to protect Guy from Lu’s finishing attack. As the final match approached, Uesugi Shinji warned Yuan that Shisui would be difficult to face, and Yuan swiftly took her place in the arena.

• Namikaze Minato used Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder to divert Lu and Ichikishimahime’s attack and protect Guy, ending their match in Lu’s favor.
• Minato explained that he had intervened to protect Konoha’s ninja, and Guy tearfully thanked him before accepting his defeat and promising to challenge Lu again.
• Lu returned to the stands and received restrained approval from Uesugi Shinji, while Hozuki Mangetsu watched him with envy.
• Uesugi Shinji warned Yuan that Body Flicker Shisui would be a difficult opponent, and Yuan disappeared from the stands and appeared in the arena.

Yuan and Shisui Uchiha began their final match, with both demonstrating exceptional speed. Yuan’s famous blade, Goronyudo Raizō, broke Shisui’s Wakizashi and nearly cut his throat, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Yuan displayed Body Flicker speed that astonished the gathered ninjas, but Shisui Uchiha’s arrival produced even more afterimages.
• Uesugi Shinji assessed Shisui’s strength and told the watching Kage that the match’s outcome was uncertain.
• The referee started the final match, and Yuan and Shisui drew their blades in the damaged arena.
• General Mifune recognized Yuan’s weapon as the famous blade Goronyudo Raizō, also known as Nyudo Raiso.
• Yuan appeared behind Shisui and struck, splitting his Wakizashi and drawing blood along his neck; Shisui narrowly avoided a decisive blow by turning his head.

Shisui Uchiha used his Body Flicker Technique to create four coordinated afterimages and gain the advantage over Yuan. Uesugi Shinji explained how the technique worked, but Yuan still needed to find a way to counter it.

• After his wakizashi was cut in two, Shisui Uchiha formed a flaming sword and resumed fighting Yuan.
• Shisui Uchiha used his Body Flicker Technique to create three afterimages that attacked Yuan alongside his real body.
• Yuan struggled to escape the four-way assault as Shisui Uchiha's attacks proved difficult to distinguish from his illusions.
• Terumi Mei and Ōnoki praised Shisui Uchiha's skill, while the Fourth Raikage did not dispute Ōnoki's assessment.
• Uesugi Shinji explained that Shisui Uchiha's afterimages were real when attacking and illusory when defending.
• Yuan still needed to discover a way to break Shisui Uchiha's technique.

Yuan used Sage Mode and a Lightning Release Clone to break through Shisui Uchiha’s Body Flicker assault and nearly destroy his Susanoo. With Shisui Uchiha trapped in its damaged rib cage, both fighters launched their final techniques, leaving the outcome undecided.

• Yuan used Lightning Dash to evade Shisui Uchiha’s four afterimages, but Shisui Uchiha pursued her with four Uchiha Style sword techniques.
• Yuan’s Lightning Release Clone drew Shisui Uchiha away while the real Yuan entered Sage Mode and prepared Lightning Conductor Return Blade.
• Shisui Uchiha activated Susanoo, but Yuan’s lightning blade destroyed its outer armor and muscles, leaving only a cracked rib cage.
• Shisui Uchiha used Kotoamatsukami: Radiance as Yuan unleashed Sage Art: Lightning Slash.

Yuan and Shisui Uchiha traded devastating attacks, leaving both too injured to continue safely. Namikaze Minato and Uesugi Shinji called the match a draw, and Uchiha Itachi concluded that the result might be best for Konoha.

• Yuan and Shisui Uchiha struck each other with their strongest techniques, and both fell badly wounded.
• Namikaze Minato proposed a draw to Uesugi Shinji, who agreed, and General Mifune announced the result.
• Shisui Uchiha told Yuan they would have to settle things another time, while Yuan left the arena after telling him to wash his face.
• Uchiha Itachi came to help Shisui Uchiha to the infirmary, and Shisui lamented that he had failed the Hokage.
• Uchiha Itachi looked at the Kage and thought a draw might be the best outcome for the village.

Orochimaru infiltrated the Land of Birds to abduct Sasuke while Uesugi Shinji was away at the Five Kage Summit. As Sasuke and Gaara sparred, Orochimaru prepared to ambush them but was caught with a blade at his throat.

• Orochimaru decided to exploit Uesugi Shinji's absence and sneak into the Land of Birds to take Sasuke.
• Sasuke and Gaara met near a river to spar, with Gaara attacking first using his sand and Sasuke countering with his lightning-enhanced sword.
• Sasuke and Gaara released their Sage Spirit Seals as their battle intensified.
• Orochimaru watched the fight from the shadows and prepared to attack Sasuke and Gaara with two snakes.
• An unknown assailant pressed a crimson blade to Orochimaru's throat and warned him not to run wild in the Land of Birds.

Rin confronted Orochimaru after detecting his infiltration of the Land of Birds, and Sasuke and Gaara joined the fight when they recognized the danger. Rin used the True Flame Tachi to destroy Orochimaru, leaving Sasuke and Gaara safe.

• Rin tracked down Orochimaru near the Ninjutsu Sect Office and demanded to know why he had entered the Land of Birds.
• Orochimaru attacked Rin with snakes and a hidden Sky Katana, but she blocked him and forced him back.
• Sasuke and Gaara arrived, and Sasuke recognized Orochimaru from the Joint Chunin Exams.
• Orochimaru sent a swarm of snakes at Sasuke, whose blade could barely damage them, while Gaara tried to protect him with sand.
• Rin swept through the snakes with the True Flame Tachi, and its crimson-gold flames spread to Orochimaru and reduced him to ash.

Rin fought Orochimaru in the Land of Birds after his Sage Mode and Myriad Serpent Killing Formation forced Sasuke and Gaara to retreat to safety. She countered his fire-resistant snakes with the Shadow Flame Technique, leaving their battle unresolved.

• Rin warned Sasuke and Gaara to leave as Orochimaru unleashed the Myriad Serpent Killing Formation from underground.
• Gaara carried himself and Sasuke above the snakes on floating sand while Rin entered Sage Mode and burned away the creatures near her.
• Orochimaru rose in Sage Mode, and he and Rin argued over the Sage Spirit Cursed Seal and his stolen experimental data.
• Rin struck Orochimaru with One-Character Flame Shadow Slash: Type Zero, but hit a substitute snake while he hid among the formation.
• Orochimaru used Serpent Refining Technique to give his snakes Fire Release chakra, and Rin answered by activating Sage Art: Shadow Flame Technique.

Rin used Flame Release and a shadow feint to defeat Orochimaru’s human body, forcing him to reveal his true form. Orochimaru fled toward Sasuke to claim his body, and Sasuke’s broken sword left him in danger.

• Rin set Orochimaru’s snake formation ablaze, and Orochimaru used Earth Release to smother most of the flames.
• Orochimaru attacked Rin with the Snake Spirit, but she dodged it and struck with a phantom blade that concealed her real attack.
• Orochimaru abandoned his burning human body and revealed his white snake true form as Rin emerged from the Flame Hawk’s shadow.
• Orochimaru raced toward Sasuke to take his body, while Gaara tried to escape on his Sand Throne.
• Sasuke swung his lightning-charged sword at Orochimaru’s slender white snake, but it snapped the weapon in two before Sasuke could dodge.

Rin and Haku stopped Orochimaru from taking Sasuke, but they realized he might survive through the Soul Splitting Technique. Rin gave Sasuke Orochimaru's Sky Katana, though Sasuke found it covered in sticky liquid.

• Haku froze Orochimaru just as his white snake form reached Sasuke, revealing he had hidden nearby with Ice Release while Rin and Sasuke distracted Orochimaru.
• Rin destroyed Orochimaru's frozen body with her True Flame Tachi, but she and Haku suspected he had weakened himself by splitting off part of his soul and chakra.
• Haku explained that the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique's Soul Splitting Technique could let Orochimaru revive through another host.
• Rin gave Sasuke Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword, the Sky Katana, as a reward for his progress.
• Sasuke found the sword covered in sticky liquid and used Fire Release: Roasting Evaporation Technique.

After Orochimaru resurrected in a weakened state, he sent Kabuto to Amegakure while he hid to recover. A month after the Five Kage Summit, Konoha and the Ninjutsu Sect Office emerged with greater influence, and Uesugi Shinji was recognized as the Sorakage.

• Orochimaru told Kabuto he would hide to regain his strength and ordered him to go to Amegakure.
• News of the Five Kage Summit spread, with Konoha's draw against the four allied powers strengthening its reputation and its ties with smaller villages.
• The Ninjutsu Sect Office's performance established it as a force second only to Konoha in the eyes of many shinobi.
• Ōnoki proposed elevating the Land of Birds to one of the Five Great Nations and making Uesugi Shinji a Kage, and the other three Kage supported the proposal.
• The Shinobi World recognized Uesugi Shinji as the Sorakage, joining the Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, and Tsuchikage as one of the Five Kage.

Uesugi Shinji told Nagato that Orochimaru had survived Rin’s attack and planned to hunt him down, while Nagato approved and urged Shinji to help the Akatsuki gather the Tailed Beasts. After Shinji left, Yakushi Kabuto revealed that Orochimaru promised to heal Nagato and strengthen him with cloned cells from Senju Hashirama.

• Uesugi Shinji contacted Nagato through the Magic Lantern Body Technique and explained that Rin had killed Orochimaru’s real body, but Orochimaru had escaped death.
• Nagato allowed Uesugi Shinji to deal with Orochimaru and urged him to help the Akatsuki capture the Tailed Beasts quickly.
• Uesugi Shinji warned that war would soon engulf the Shinobi World and said the Nine-Tails in Konoha would be difficult to capture.
• After Uesugi Shinji left, Nagato spoke with Yakushi Kabuto, who had come on Orochimaru’s orders.
• Yakushi Kabuto claimed Orochimaru could heal Nagato and help him gain greater strength using cloned cells of Senju Hashirama.

As the Fourth Shinobi World War spread from the Land of Wind across the Shinobi World, Pain announced the Akatsuki’s Tailed Beast collection operation. Uesugi Shinji stayed behind to pursue forbidden-technique research, and Dr. Agasa presented the completed Parametric Transmutation Device, leaving Shinji to question whether it would work as intended.

• Baki withdrew Sunagakure’s forces to the Land of Wind’s capital, leaving border territories to be fought over and divided by invading powers.
• Terumi Mei’s schemes heightened clashes between Iwagakure and Kumogakure, while the Ninjutsu Sect Office and Konoha fought on another front.
• Pain gathered the Akatsuki’s core members and announced that they would begin collecting the Tailed Beasts and seek to rule the Shinobi World within six months.
• Uesugi Shinji remained focused on forbidden-technique research while the other Akatsuki members received Tailed Beast targets.
• Dr. Agasa showed Uesugi Shinji the completed Parametric Transmutation Device, and Shinji asked whether it could achieve the effects he had designed.

Uesugi Shinji tested Dr. Agasa’s Parametric Transmutation Device and then received a report from Haku’s front, which revealed Gaara’s connection to the destruction of Sunagakure. He offered Gaara the choice to stay or leave the Ninjutsu Sect Office, while Sasuke confronted him about the report.

• Uesugi Shinji tested the Parametric Transmutation Device by fusing chakra of seven natures and praised its performance.
• Dr. Agasa reminded Uesugi Shinji of his promise to fund the Shinobi World Agasa Science Award.
• Uesugi Shinji went to the Ninjutsu Sect Office to review battle reports from the campaign in the Land of Wind.
• Gaara and Sasuke delivered Haku’s report to Uesugi Shinji while wearing masks to conceal their identities.
• Uesugi Shinji dismissed the other shinobi and told Gaara he could choose whether to stay or leave the Ninjutsu Sect Office.
• Sasuke asked Gaara whether the report was true and whether he was the Azure Dragon of the Akatsuki who destroyed Sunagakure.

Gaara chose to remain at the Ninjutsu Sect Office after learning the truth about Sunagakure's destruction, and Uesugi Shinji reassured him and Sasuke that no one could challenge him over the Akatsuki rumors. As Sasuke and Gaara returned to the front lines, a masked figure blocked their path.

• Gaara decided to stay at the Ninjutsu Sect Office, leaving his past in Sunagakure behind despite worrying about Temari and Kankuro.
• Uesugi Shinji told Gaara that the other great shinobi villages would not risk confronting him over unverifiable information, and Sasuke vowed to surpass his teacher.
• Sasuke and Gaara left the Ninjutsu Sect Office and headed back to the front lines, where Haku's unit cleared obstacles for Lu and Yuan's forces without directly engaging Konoha.
• Sasuke and Gaara sensed a presence ahead, then found a black-robed figure wearing a cat-faced mask blocking their way.

Uchiha Itachi confronted Sasuke and Gaara, then used Tsukuyomi to speak with his younger brother. Itachi left Sasuke to choose his own path, even if they might meet as enemies.

• Sasuke and Gaara attacked the black-robed man, but he quickly dodged Sasuke's Chidori Blade and restrained him.
• Sasuke saw the man's Three-Tomoe Sharingan transform into a Mangekyō Sharingan, and Itachi trapped him in Tsukuyomi.
• Itachi told Sasuke he had come to take him home, but Sasuke refused to return to Konoha until he surpassed his brother.
• Itachi accepted Sasuke's choice and warned him not to regret it, even if they eventually met as enemies.

After speaking with Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi infiltrated the Land of Birds to investigate whether Uesugi Shinji was the Akatsuki’s Azure Dragon. He uncovered Shinji’s research into chakra-nature fusion and the Parametric Transmutation Device, then faced an attack as he left Dr. Agasa’s residence.

• Gaara drove off the cloaked man with Sand Binding Coffin and Sand Waterfall Funeral, then told Sasuke that a shinobi needed to know his own stance.
• Sasuke realized Uesugi Shinji had been asking him to choose his stance and followed Gaara toward the front lines.
• Uchiha Itachi infiltrated the Land of Birds and used genjutsu to control Dr. Agasa and his guards.
• Uchiha Itachi learned about Uesugi Shinji’s research into chakra-nature fusion and the Parametric Transmutation Device, linking it to the Azure Dragon’s two Kekkei Tōta.
• As Uchiha Itachi turned to leave, attackers pierced the walls with gleaming white streaks, and he reached for Dr. Agasa while readying a kunai.

Uchiha Itachi tried to escape after his whereabouts were exposed, but Uesugi Shinji caught up with him and identified him. Itachi stopped fleeing and revealed his face, while Shinji recognized him as Sorakage Uesugi Shinji—or Azure Dragon.

• Uchiha Itachi sensed that someone had found him and tried to take the unconscious Dr. Agasa hostage.
• Uesugi Shinji attacked Itachi with icicles, forcing him out of Dr. Agasa's residence and pursuing him.
• Itachi used Body Flicker Technique to flee, but he could not shake Shinji's killing intent.
• Itachi released dozens of Shadow Crow Clones, but Uesugi Shinji froze them with Sage Art: Instantaneous Cold Extremity.
• Itachi emerged from black flames, asked if Shinji was Sorakage Uesugi Shinji or Azure Dragon, and removed his mask.

Uesugi Shinji confronted Uchiha Itachi in the Land of Birds and tried to kill him, sealing off space-time escape techniques. Their battle escalated when Shinji summoned and animated a giant of ice to fight Itachi’s Susanoo.

• Uchiha Itachi asked Uesugi Shinji about the Akatsuki’s and Shinji’s goals, but Shinji judged that Itachi would never change sides and attacked.
• Uchiha Itachi met Shinji’s ice sword with an Amaterasu-coated slash while Shinji’s clone formed a barrier that blocked space-time ninjutsu.
• Shinji overwhelmed Itachi in close combat, forcing Itachi to summon his Susanoo.
• Shinji summoned a colossal ice giant with Inorganic Reincarnation and gave it intelligence with the Ensoulment Technique.
• The ice giant fixed its gaze on Itachi’s Susanoo and swung its fist at it.

Uchiha Itachi revealed that Susanoo wielded the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror, two of the Three Sacred Treasures, and faced Uesugi Shinji in a battle of near-equal strength. The chapter ended with the Yata Mirror effortlessly nullifying the ice giant’s powerful punch.

• Uesugi Shinji’s ice giant shattered Susanoo’s red sword and warned Uchiha Itachi that relying on Susanoo alone would not change the fight’s outcome.
• Uchiha Itachi summoned the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror, revealing that he and Shisui Uchiha had discovered the Three Sacred Treasures and that Shisui had received the Yasakani Magatama.
• Uchiha Itachi said Uesugi Shinji might see the Yasakani Magatama if Itachi died, while the narration explained the treasures’ history and their connection to Indra’s line.
• Uesugi Shinji welcomed the challenge and sent the ice giant to punch Susanoo again.
• Uchiha Itachi used the Yata Mirror to nullify the ice giant’s blow without Susanoo wavering.