Chapter Summaries

Naruto and his allies struggled to withstand Thanatos’s Death God’s Scythe Slash as their Barrier began to fail. Young Naruto and Young Sasuke joined the fight, helping transfer their power to Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata, but Thanatos prepared a desperate counterattack.

• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata used the Three Sacred Treasures to raise a Barrier against Thanatos’s dark beam, and Thanatos poured more power into his attack as the Barrier cracked.
• Naruto explained that Young Naruto and Young Sasuke could not help directly without risking the fusion of the Three Sacred Treasures collapsing.
• Young Naruto and Young Sasuke placed their hands on Naruto and Sasuke, then drew on a remaining Nine-Tails clone and awakened their immense power.
• Young Naruto and Young Sasuke transferred their yang and yin power to Naruto and Sasuke, while Boruto, Jiraiya, and Sarada gave their chakra to Hinata through the Tenseigan.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata restored the Barrier, but Thanatos chose a desperate course of action as the others began to expect victory.

Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and the two young visitors defeated Thanatos after two masked figures intervened and helped break his defenses. The group returned to the village while wondering who the figures were and why they had arranged for Young Naruto and Young Sasuke to come to their era.

• Thanatos burned his soul to unleash more power, forcing Young Naruto and Young Sasuke to attack while Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata repeatedly defended themselves with the Three Sacred Treasures.
• The armored shadow and the shadow carrying a scroll attacked Thanatos from above, shattering his barrier and exposing his soul fragment.
• Young Naruto and Young Sasuke used Six Paths: Planetary Devastation to seal Thanatos, and Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata struck him with the Three Sacred Treasures until his soul dissipated.
• Young Sasuke and Naruto concluded that the two shadows had orchestrated the trip from the future, and Hinata revealed that one had given her Otsutsuki Toneri's blood to awaken her Tenseigan.
• Jiraiya urged everyone to leave the mystery for later, and the group returned to the village after completing the mission.

Naruto confessed that he had used his Mangekyō Sharingan to alter Tayuya’s feelings for Sasuke, intending her possible death to awaken Sasuke’s Rinnegan without risking their lives. Sasuke was left struggling with guilt and pain after Young Sasuke revealed that Mitaraishi Anko could not be revived because her soul was too damaged.

• Naruto told Sasuke that Tayuya’s soul had dissipated in Death Space because it was incomplete.
• Naruto confessed that his genjutsu had damaged Tayuya’s soul by changing her feelings so her death could trigger Sasuke’s Rinnegan, and he explained that he had chosen this safer path over risking their lives to meet the Sage of Six Paths.
• Naruto left Sasuke, who wondered whether to blame Naruto or himself, while Young Sasuke told him Naruto had acted to protect him and was suffering too.
• Young Sasuke revealed that Mitaraishi Anko could not be revived because her soul had been assimilated too severely in Death Space.
• Sasuke realized that Naruto’s pain over the consequences ran deeper than his own.

Naruto said goodbye to Anko’s fading soul and resolved to face the future without blaming himself. After the mission, Tsunade explained to Young Naruto how divine and golden cores formed, giving him a path to pursue.

• Naruto reunited with Anko’s soul, and she comforted him and told him she did not blame him for her death.
• Naruto and Anko shared a final kiss before her soul faded away, and Naruto told her he loved her.
• Young Sasuke comforted Naruto, who chose to return to the inn and face the future.
• Tsunade learned that Anko’s damaged soul could not be revived and said Naruto would have to overcome his grief himself.
• Young Naruto asked Tsunade about divine and golden cores, and she explained how divine sense merged with liquid chakra to form one.

Naruto and Sasuke reconciled on Hokage Rock, where Naruto admitted his grief over Anko’s death and his fear of losing his way. At Konoha’s gate, Young Naruto, Young Sasuke, Boruto, and Sarada said farewell and returned to their own time, while Naruto hoped the future could still be changed.

• Sasuke met Naruto on Hokage Rock, accepted his apology, and promised they would never give up on bringing each other back.
• Naruto told Kurama that Anko’s death had shaken his confidence and that he feared becoming like Obito; Kurama encouraged him to believe in himself.
• Minato gave Young Naruto a kunai and scroll containing his improved Flying Thunder God techniques, while Fugaku and Itachi offered Young Sasuke parting advice.
• Young Naruto and Young Sasuke said goodbye to their families, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the Third Hokage at the village entrance.
• Naruto warned Young Naruto and Young Sasuke to deal with Kawaki before he grew stronger, and they agreed to watch for him.
• Young Sasuke used the turtle to open a spatial passage, and he, Young Naruto, Boruto, and Sarada returned to their own time as Naruto hoped the future could change.

Three months after Anko’s death, Hinata encouraged Naruto to believe Anko might have survived in another time and space, though she and Minato admitted they could not be sure. The next day, Naruto visited Hinata and sparred with Hanabi; at noon, Hanabi returned home bedraggled, prompting Hinata to hurry after her.

• Naruto visited Anko’s name at the Memorial Monument, and Hinata suggested Anko might have been reborn in another time and space like she and Naruto had been.
• Naruto resolved to search for Anko, and Minato told Hinata that her reassurances had given Naruto hope despite their uncertainty.
• Naruto found Hanabi practicing at the Training Ground and sparred with her, but she sealed his chakra after he let his guard down.
• Hinata explained that she had gone on a D-Rank mission with Kurenai and the others, while Naruto wondered why Hanabi seemed angry with him.
• Hanabi returned home looking bedraggled, and Hinata hurried to check on her after Naruto asked what had happened.

Naruto and Hinata followed Hanabi and discovered that she and Uchiha Mie had secretly been fighting a giant white snake in the Forest of Death. Hanabi and Mie killed it with their final attacks and headed home together, while Naruto and Hinata watched from hiding.

• Naruto reassured Hinata that Hanabi did not hate her, and they followed Hanabi from the Ninja Academy to the Forest of Death.
• Hanabi and Uchiha Mie revealed that they had been secretly challenging a giant white snake and feared their families would stop them if they found out.
• Hanabi used the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm to draw the snake from its pool, and she and Mie attacked it with their techniques.
• After the wounded snake returned to fight, Hanabi and Mie refused to retreat and charged it with unstable chakra attacks.
• Hanabi and Mie pierced the snake's heart from opposite sides, killed it, and walked home supporting each other as Naruto and Hinata watched.

Naruto and Hinata arranged for Naruto to lead practical exercises for Academy graduates so Hinata could guide Hanabi without provoking her pride. At the Academy, Naruto began demonstrating the Rasengan to Konohamaru and noticed a younger student listening closely to his explanation of chakra shape transformation.

• Hinata cried over feeling useless beside Hanabi, and Naruto reassured her that they could support Hanabi and keep her safe.
• Naruto proposed using the graduates' practical exercises to give Hinata a legitimate chance to guide Hanabi, then persuaded Tsunade to arrange the mission.
• Tsunade summoned the village genin and appointed Shikamaru as their overall team captain while Iruka assigned their students.
• Naruto and Hinata stopped for ramen before reaching the Academy, where Konohamaru complained that Naruto had kept him waiting.
• Naruto showed Konohamaru the Rasengan and explained chakra shape transformation, noticing a younger student listening intently.

Naruto taught Konohamaru about chakra transformations before beginning his Rasengan training, while using the lesson to help Hanabi learn from Hinata. The chapter ended with the Third Hokage and Tsunade realizing Naruto had arranged the lesson for Hanabi and Mie to overhear.

• Naruto asked Hinata to explain chakra shape transformation to Konohamaru, and she used Gentle Step: Twin Lion Fists as an example while Hanabi and Mie secretly listened.
• Naruto explained chakra nature transformation through Chidori, then took Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng to the Training Ground on the Back Mountain.
• Naruto began Konohamaru's Rasengan training with a water balloon exercise, but Konohamaru could not burst the balloon before nearly exhausting his chakra.
• Naruto gave Huang Meng and Udon scrolls containing B-rank ninjutsu to study while Konohamaru continued practicing.
• The Third Hokage and Tsunade watched Naruto teach through a crystal ball, then realized he had arranged the school lesson so Hanabi and Mie could listen.

Naruto trained Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng while overseeing their D-Rank mission, then taught Konohamaru the Multi Shadow Clone Technique to speed up his Rasengan practice. He left Konohamaru eager to train as the group began weeding the medicinal herb field.

• Naruto woke with Karin sleeping beside him, then learned from Kushina that Minato was away on a mission.
• Naruto watched Konohamaru burst a rubber ball with chakra and began teaching him the final stage of the Rasengan.
• Naruto trained Udon and Huang Meng while Hinata coached her students, and he hinted that he had a plan to guide Hanabi and Mie.
• Naruto and Hinata took their six students to Ichiraku Ramen before splitting up to complete their missions.
• Naruto taught Konohamaru the Multi Shadow Clone Technique, set a limit of twenty clones, and marked Konoha's symbol on his palm to help with Rasengan training.

Minato secured Kumogakure’s cooperation against Akatsuki and Black Zetsu, while Black Zetsu persuaded Nagato and Yahiko to let him return to Akatsuki. Yahiko revealed that he planned for Nagato to become the Ten-Tails’ jinchuriki and believed Nagato was the Child of Prophecy.

• Minato told the Fourth Raikage about Akatsuki, Black Zetsu, and the search for them, and the Raikage agreed to cooperate and attend a Five Kage Summit.
• Minato asked the Raikage to protect Yugito and B, then left Kumogakure using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Black Zetsu claimed that Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha were responsible for Nagato’s suffering, and Yahiko stopped Konan from attacking him.
• Yahiko allowed Black Zetsu to return to Akatsuki so he could provide intelligence and help locate the tailed beasts.
• Yahiko said he intended for Nagato to become the Ten-Tails’ jinchuriki and told him he believed he was the Child of Prophecy.

Naruto got approval to take Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng on a C-Rank mission outside the village, while Tsunade learned of a possible plot to target jinchuriki during the Five Kage Summit. The mission was set to begin the next morning as Tsunade prepared to warn the other villages.

• Minato told Tsunade that the other Kage had agreed to attend the Five Kage Summit, with Granny Chiyo representing the Sand shinobi and Onoki attending despite his reservations.
• Konohamaru used a Shadow Clone to help him master the Rasengan, and Naruto promised to find him, Udon, and Huang Meng an escort mission after their training exercise.
• Naruto obtained permission from the Third Hokage and Tsunade to take the three students on a C-Rank mission to wipe out bandits.
• Nawaki Senju warned Tsunade that someone might target the jinchuriki while the Kage were away at the summit, and she decided to alert the other villages.
• Naruto told Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng that their mission was approved and instructed them to meet him at the Main Gate at seven the next morning.

Naruto led Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng on an escort mission for Princess Yukihime to the Land of Iron. When bandits attacked, Naruto sent the three young ninja to face them, and Konohamaru began fighting with confidence.

• Naruto arrived late to meet Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng, then learned they were escorting Princess Yukihime to the Land of Iron.
• The team met the Daimyo, who introduced his daughter Yukihime and entrusted her escort to Naruto.
• On the road, Konohamaru teased Naruto about Yukihime's interest in him before Naruto sensed danger ahead.
• A band of bandits charged the convoy, and Naruto ordered Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng to fight while the guards protected Yukihime.
• Konohamaru dodged a bandit's sword and struck him with a Rasengan, declaring his ambition to become Hokage.

Naruto taught Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng the dangers of sparing enemies after rescuing them from a bandit ambush, then explained why ordinary people feared ninja. The group continued their journey, leaving the three young ninja shaken by their first kills and Naruto’s admission that other ninja saw him as a monster too.

• Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng defeated the bandits with ninjutsu, but one escaped notice and nearly stabbed Konohamaru before Naruto killed him with a Wind Release-enhanced kunai.
• Naruto warned the three about wasting chakra, letting enemies escape, and sparing foes, then ordered them to kill the surviving bandits.
• Konohamaru, Udon, and Huang Meng overcame their fear and killed the unconscious bandits before Naruto ordered the escort onward.
• At camp, Konohamaru and Huang Meng grew angry when Naruto explained that the guards viewed them as monsters, and Naruto said that most ninja saw him the same way.

Naruto trained Konohamaru, Huang Meng, and Udon to prepare for the bandits’ return, then led the group to the border of the Land of Fire. The bandits attacked before dawn, and the three young fighters began cutting down their ranks while Naruto watched.

• Naruto warned Konohamaru, Huang Meng, and Udon that the bandits would return and made them train their chakra control, stamina, and Taijutsu instead of handling the threat for them.
• Over the following week, Konohamaru, Huang Meng, and Udon mastered Tree Climbing and Water Walking, trained with weights, and prepared to fight the bandits without relying on powerful ninjutsu.
• Naruto warned Princess Yukihime that the bandits would attack that night and led the group to a mountain at the border of the Land of Fire.
• Near dawn, Naruto ordered the guards to roll boulders down the mountainside, killing or wounding nearly a quarter of the attacking bandits.
• Konohamaru killed the bandit leader, then joined Huang Meng and Udon in using the Three Body Technique and their weapons to kill the remaining bandits.
• Naruto watched the three fight and resolved to grow stronger.

Konohamaru, Huang Meng, and Udon fought off a large bandit group while Naruto reassured Princess Yukihime and kept watch. After the three killed every bandit by sunrise, Naruto praised them and told them to rest before the journey continued.

• Princess Yukihime worried about Konohamaru and his companions, but Naruto reassured her and sent her back to her tent with Xiao Li.
• Konohamaru used the Multi Shadow Clone Technique as Huang Meng and Udon guarded against fleeing bandits, and the three overwhelmed their attackers.
• Naruto heard the guards call the young ninja monsters, but the Guard Captain had the offenders executed and apologized to Naruto.
• The Guard Captain warned his men not to offend Naruto and his companions, citing instructions from the Daimyo.
• After fighting for more than two hours, Konohamaru, Huang Meng, and Udon killed every bandit and celebrated their success with Naruto.
• Naruto praised the three and told them to wash up, rest, and prepare to set out.

Zetsu led Hidan and Kakuzu to a desert in the Land of Iron, where he unearthed a coffin and revealed that Thanatos was Hidan’s Lord Jashin. Meanwhile, Naruto delivered the Fifth Hokage’s warning to Mifune about the upcoming Five Kage Summit, just as a scream sounded nearby.

• Zetsu explained that the desert had once been a forest, destroyed by the battle between Thanatos and Konoha ninja.
• Zetsu told Hidan and Kakuzu that Thanatos was Hidan’s Lord Jashin and recounted how his soul clone had fought Naruto, Sasuke, and others.
• Zetsu dug up a coffin buried beneath the sand, and Hidan and Kakuzu stared at its occupant in horror.
• Naruto and his companions reached the Land of Iron’s capital, where the Daimyo welcomed them and Mifune joined the banquet.
• Naruto privately gave Mifune a scroll from the Fifth Hokage warning that criminals might target the Five Kage Summit, and Mifune promised to prepare.
• A scream rang out in the distance.

Naruto investigated a maid's death in the Daimyō Mansion and learned that similar killings had been secretly covered up. Princess Tamaki revealed she had drawn him into the case and identified herself as a shrine maiden.

• Naruto examined Xiaotong and used his White Eye to discover that someone had drained her vital essence and soul, causing her body to crumble into dust.
• Mifune gave Naruto permission to move freely through the mansion and investigated the maid's background while Naruto pursued the killer.
• Princess Tamaki summoned Naruto and told him that servants had died in the same way before, with the mansion's steward helping cover up the deaths.
• Naruto suspected Tamaki and detected powerful energy within her, while she explained that she had waited for someone capable of exposing the culprit.
• Princess Tamaki introduced herself to Naruto as a shrine maiden.

Naruto investigated the disappearances at the Daimyō Mansion after Princess Tamaki asked for his help, uncovering the Chief Steward’s role and tracking the hidden culprit. He broke through the culprit’s Guardian Barrier, then recognized the person behind the curtain and exclaimed in disbelief.

• Princess Tamaki told Naruto that the Chief Steward was involved in the disappearances and asked him to investigate.
• Naruto used his Rinnegan to make the Chief Steward reveal that he concealed the disappearances and left messages in a cherry tree hollow for the culprit.
• Naruto waited for the message to be collected, found it gone, and used his Rinnegan and White Eye to trace the recipient.
• Naruto followed the trail to a hidden room, where the Chief Steward met with a mysterious master; Naruto ambushed the steward and confronted the master.
• The master blocked Naruto’s Rasengan with a Guardian Barrier, but Naruto shattered it with a dark Rasengan.
• Naruto saw the person behind the curtain and exclaimed, “How could it be you?”

Naruto fought a demon possessing Xiao Li, but it escaped after Princess Tamahime struck it with her Purifying Flame. He returned Xiao Li to Princess Yukihime and prepared to leave the Land of Iron.

• Naruto identified the doll as the source of Xiao Li’s demonic possession and attacked it, but the doll evaded him and fired demonic energy.
• Princess Tamahime arrived and used her Purifying Flame to break the doll’s shield and weaken the demon, while Naruto trapped the doll with Banshō Ten'in and smashed it with a Rasengan.
• The demon escaped from the destroyed doll before Naruto could catch it, and Tamahime explained that she had been investigating the murders in the Daimyō Mansion for months.
• Naruto learned that Tamahime had expected the demon to escape and believed the Purifying Flame and the loss of its host would leave it weak for centuries.
• Naruto carried the unconscious Xiao Li to Princess Yukihime, learned that she had found the doll after arriving in the Land of Iron, and told Yukihime to prepare to return home soon.