Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• From a tree outside Konoha, Obito and Black Zetsu inspect the enormous gorge Uchiha Genya’s Susanoo slash carved through the forest, noting that it also split the Nine-Tails and left lightning lingering in the wound.
• Obito is deeply unsettled by Genya’s power, especially his ability to tear space and the possibility that his Susanoo weapon could hit Obito even while he is intangible. He and Black Zetsu speculate that using such power will exhaust Genya’s Mangekyō and eventually blind him.
• Obito decides to leave the Nine-Tails in Konoha for now, then kill Genya and eliminate the Uchiha clan once Genya’s eyes fail. Black Zetsu privately approves, having subtly steered Obito toward this outcome.
• At the disaster site, Hiruzen sees the gorge up close and realizes how dangerous it would be to make an enemy of the Uchiha. Anbu and the Security Division are managing relief efforts after the Nine-Tails has been subdued.
• Hiruzen asks Xuanye to let the village take custody of Minato’s newborn child, whom he believes now contains the Nine-Tails. Xuanye refuses, saying Minato entrusted the child to him. When Hiruzen insists the Jinchūriki must remain under village control, Xuanye firmly declares he is not asking permission.

Character developments and interactions

• Obito masks his fear with confidence, claiming Genya will go blind, but privately recognizes him as a serious threat and wants the Uchiha dealt with.
• Black Zetsu mocks Obito’s insistence on being called “Madara” while manipulating him toward the destruction of the Uchiha.
• Hiruzen becomes more cautious toward the Uchiha after witnessing Genya’s power, yet still prioritizes the village’s control of the Nine-Tails.
• Xuanye insists on being addressed by his official rank and refuses to surrender Minato’s child, showing both his principles and his willingness to confront Hiruzen.

Significant themes

• Fear and power: Genya’s unprecedented strength frightens even Obito, changing how the Uchiha are perceived.
• Control versus protection: Hiruzen sees the child as a strategic asset; Xuanye sees Minato’s orphan as someone entrusted to his care.
• Manipulation and hidden agendas: Black Zetsu guides Obito while concealing his own motives.
• Clan conflict: Both Obito and Hiruzen view the Uchiha as potentially dangerous, foreshadowing future hostility.

Key plot points and events

• After the Nine-Tails attack, Genya confronts Third Hokage Hiruzen over the use of children in battle, invoking Hashirama’s original vision for Konoha and criticizing Hiruzen for tolerating the village’s darker practices.
• Hiruzen asks whether Genya or Fugaku unleashed the enormous slash that stopped the Nine-Tails. Genya refuses to answer, and Hiruzen recognizes that the Uchiha’s power has shifted the balance of power in the village.
• Hiruzen announces that a full Jonin Conference will be held the next day and requires Uchiha jonin to attend.
• Genya returns to the Uchiha compound and entrusts the newborn Naruto—now orphaned after Minato and Kushina’s deaths—to Mikoto.
• Mikoto agrees to raise Naruto as her own. She also apologizes for Fugaku’s stubbornness and asks Genya not to let their disagreement become a feud.
• Genya says Fugaku is unsuited to be either Hokage or clan head, but promises there will be no bloodshed as long as Fugaku behaves appropriately.

Character developments

• Genya shows little interest in political maneuvering, focusing instead on increasing his own strength. He is blunt toward Hiruzen and openly critical of Fugaku, yet accepts Mikoto’s appeal for restraint.
• Hiruzen is shaken by Genya’s overwhelming power and realizes he may no longer be able to control the Uchiha through ordinary political pressure.
• Mikoto responds to Naruto’s loss with compassion and takes responsibility for him. Her concern for both Naruto and the possibility of conflict between Fugaku and Genya prompts her to speak up.
• Fugaku is absent, but his stubbornness and questionable suitability for leadership are central to the tension.

Significant themes

• The cost of abandoning ideals: Genya accuses Hiruzen of betraying Hashirama’s hope that children would be spared the battlefield.
• Power and political balance: The Uchiha’s strength has made the village’s power structure unstable, and Hiruzen fears what may follow.
• Family and responsibility: Mikoto’s choice to care for Naruto turns personal grief into an act of protection.
• Restraint amid conflict: Despite his harsh judgment of Fugaku, Genya promises to avoid bloodshed unless Fugaku crosses a line.

Character interactions

• Genya confronts Hiruzen, challenging his conscience and refusing to satisfy his curiosity about who wielded the powerful slash.
• Mikoto comforts and accepts Naruto, then apologizes to Genya on Fugaku’s behalf.
• Genya answers Mikoto candidly but reassures her that he will not harm Fugaku if Fugaku does not act out of line.

Chapter Summary: “Flying Thunder God Technique”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Genya’s decisive defeat of the Nine-Tails, Mikoto thanks him for entrusting Naruto to her care.
• Genya declares that he will strip Fugaku of his authority as Uchiha clan head, leaving him as a figurehead. Because Genya possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan and has demonstrated overwhelming strength, he is effectively the new leader of the Uchiha clan.
• While preparing to bathe Naruto, Mikoto discovers the seal on his abdomen and realizes that he is the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki. She decides to keep this secret from everyone, including Fugaku, until Genya gives her permission.
• Genya returns to his room and settles his system mission. His prestige among the Uchiha has reached the highest level, earning him an S-rank mission reward.
• The reward includes:
  • One Myriad World Lottery draw
  • Training experience for the Flying Thunder God Technique
• Genya merges the training experience and rapidly learns the theory and hand seals of the technique through a simulated instructional space.
• His first attempts at using Flying Thunder God are awkward. He eventually marks a kunai and teleports across the room, but his activation speed is far slower than Minato’s.
• Genya recognizes that the technique does not suit his natural fighting style, but values its exceptional mobility and convenience.
• The chapter ends with Genya preparing to use his Myriad World Lottery draw.

Character Developments

• Genya: Gains near-total authority over the Uchiha after publicly displaying his Mangekyō and defeating the Nine-Tails. He also expands his abilities by learning Flying Thunder God, though he remains inexperienced in practical use. His strategic mindset is emphasized: he carefully timed his intervention to maximize prestige while avoiding the risk of Minato sealing the Nine-Tails first.
• Mikoto: Demonstrates loyalty, discretion, and compassion. Although she understands Naruto’s dangerous status as a jinchūriki, she chooses to protect him from prejudice and keep his identity secret.
• Fugaku: Loses practical authority and is reduced to a symbolic position, marking a major decline in his status within the clan.
• Naruto: Is placed under Mikoto’s care, while his identity as the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki remains concealed.
• Minato: Though not present, he serves as a comparison for Genya’s limitations with Flying Thunder God and is portrayed as exceptionally skilled with the technique.

Significant Themes

• Power and political legitimacy: The Uchiha’s tradition grants leadership to the strongest Mangekyō user, allowing Genya’s strength to translate directly into political control.
• Trust and secrecy: Mikoto’s decision to hide Naruto’s identity shows the importance of loyalty and responsible protection.
• Strategic manipulation: Genya’s intervention during the Nine-Tails’ attack was not only heroic but carefully planned to strengthen his position among the Uchiha.
• Mastery versus innate talent: Although Genya receives complete training knowledge, practical mastery still requires physical practice. His difficulty highlights the gap between understanding a technique and using it naturally.
• Utility over raw power: Genya values Flying Thunder God mainly for transportation and mobility rather than destructive ability, complementing his already overwhelming combat strength.

Character Interactions

• Genya and Mikoto: Genya entrusts Mikoto with Naruto, while simultaneously informing her that Fugaku will lose his leadership authority. Mikoto accepts both his decision and his trust.
• Mikoto and Naruto: Mikoto discovers Naruto’s jinchūriki seal and silently resolves to protect him from the stigma associated with being the Nine-Tails’ host.
• Genya and Fugaku: Their relationship shifts decisively in Genya’s favor, with Fugaku retaining only nominal authority.
• Genya and Minato: Their earlier disagreement over Flying Thunder God is indirectly revisited; Minato had refused to teach Genya the technique, but Genya acquires it through the system instead.

Key plot points and events

• Xuanye’s lottery selects Misaka Mikoto, granting him her Level 5 Electromaster ability.
• The power adapts to his body as Lightning Release Chakra. His already Kage-level reserves surge far beyond that, and lightning techniques become dramatically stronger and usable without hand seals.
• Musō Isshin, which had previously resisted Xuanye’s control, begins to accept him as he absorbs the new chakra. Xuanye believes he may now be able to draw on the blade’s power more readily.
• Xuanye embraces the possibility of specializing in lightning and, despite Konoha’s crisis, goes to sleep.
• After the Nine-Tails’ attack, Konoha’s leaders and jonin assemble. The village is badly shaken: the Fourth Hokage and his wife are dead, and the attack has left extensive destruction.
• Orochimaru and others observe that the Uchiha, led by Xuanye, now command extraordinary power. The vast scar outside the village is a stark warning that Konoha can no longer treat the clan as politically subordinate.

Character developments and interactions

• Xuanye gains immense strength and confidence, while beginning to establish a more compatible relationship with Musō Isshin.
• Musō Isshin shifts from distrust toward acceptance, responding to Xuanye’s growing power.
• Orochimaru watches the Uchiha with keen interest and recognizes the political consequences of their strength.
• The Uchiha, including clan head Fugaku, sit behind Xuanye with conspicuous deference. Most regard him with fervent loyalty; Fugaku and Shisui appear more reserved.
• The gathered Konoha leaders and jonin repeatedly look toward the Uchiha, wary of their newfound influence.

Significant themes

• Power and political authority: In the aftermath of catastrophe, military strength determines who holds influence.
• Mastery and specialization: Xuanye considers whether pursuing one ability to its ultimate limit may be better than developing evenly.
• Trust and legitimacy: Musō Isshin’s acceptance reflects the challenge of proving oneself worthy of immense power.
• Fear and deterrence: The Uchiha’s destructive capability changes how the rest of Konoha views and treats them.

Plot points and events

• After the Nine-Tails’ rampage, Konoha’s leaders gather to assess the damage. The Fourth Hokage and his wife are dead, the village has suffered heavy casualties, and estimated economic losses exceed ten billion ryō.
• Hiruzen knows Shisui’s report and the events of the night confirm that the devastating slash came from Uchiha Genya, not Fugaku. This means the Uchiha possess two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan, making them an even greater concern.
• Danzo accuses the Uchiha of plotting the disaster. Genya, lounging with his feet on the meeting table, challenges Danzo’s implication that he betrayed Konoha.
• Danzo then points to the Sharingan seen in the Nine-Tails’ eyes as evidence against the clan. Genya counters that a masked intruder controlled the beast without triggering alarms, raising questions about Hiruzen’s guards, the Anbu, and the Sealing Squad.
• Genya argues that the Sharingan could have been taken from a dead ninja and transplanted, so its presence does not prove Uchiha involvement. Danzo rejects this defense and insists the Uchiha remain the prime suspects; the argument is still underway at the chapter’s end.

Character developments and interactions

• Hiruzen is exhausted and burdened by the village’s losses. Though he avoids openly siding with Genya, he recognizes Danzo’s accusations are reckless and considers his behavior foolish.
• Danzo begins with a blunt attack on the Uchiha but falters under Genya’s intimidating presence. He redirects his accusations toward the Sharingan, showing both his hostility and his reluctance to confront Genya directly.
• Genya displays extreme confidence and control, using calm, pointed questions to turn Danzo’s charges back on Konoha’s leadership. The Uchiha look to him as their spokesman rather than Fugaku.
• The gathered jōnin quietly distance themselves from Danzo, wary of provoking Genya and increasingly doubtful of Danzo’s judgment.

Significant themes

• Power and authority: Genya’s demonstrated strength gives him license to disregard meeting etiquette and command attention.
• Scapegoating and political suspicion: Danzo treats the Uchiha as guilty, while Genya exposes weaknesses in the evidence and in Konoha’s security.
• The cost of catastrophe: The village’s losses are both human and economic, and the recent war has left Konoha poorly prepared for another disaster.
• Fear and humiliation: Danzo’s fear of Genya clashes with his self-image as Konoha’s “Darkness,” revealing the gap between his status and his actual influence.

Key plot points and events

• During a meeting about the Nine-Tails Incident and the deaths of Minato and his wife, Danzo tries to cast suspicion on the Uchiha, claiming they are likely responsible because of their Sharingan and their ability to control the Nine-Tails.
• Xuanye counters by pointing out that accusations require evidence—and urges everyone to consider who had the strongest motive to cause the disaster.
• Since Danzo has long sought the Hokage position and has expressed interest in controlling the Nine-Tails, the room begins to suspect him instead.
• Danzo protests that he is innocent, but his reputation makes his denials unconvincing. Xuanye’s argument also puts pressure on Hiruzen to proceed with choosing a Fifth Hokage rather than delay the transition indefinitely.
• Danzo’s own secret vulnerability is revealed to the reader: he has a transplanted Sharingan beneath his bandages, taken from Kagami Uchiha without the clan’s consent. He fears the Uchiha may expose it.

Character developments

• Xuanye shows himself to be politically astute, turning Danzo’s accusation into a counterattack based on motive and public perception.
• Danzo shifts from attacker to the meeting’s chief suspect. His ambition and reputation undermine his attempts to defend himself.
• Hiruzen begins to wonder whether Danzo could truly have caused the incident, despite their history and political ties.
• Orochimaru remains detached and amused, enjoying Danzo’s discomfort rather than pursuing the Hokage role himself.

Significant themes

• Reputation and suspicion: Danzo’s history makes others ready to believe the worst of him.
• Political maneuvering: Xuanye wins ground not by proving the Uchiha innocent, but by redirecting scrutiny toward someone with a stronger apparent motive.
• Power and ambition: The coming Hokage succession shapes how everyone interprets the disaster.
• Hypocrisy and secrets: Danzo condemns the Uchiha while secretly possessing a Sharingan taken from one of their own.

Character interactions

• Danzo attempts to provoke and implicate the Uchiha; Xuanye calmly turns the argument back on him.
• Hiashi takes offense at Danzo’s comparison of the Uchiha’s power to the Hyuga’s, recalling the clan’s humiliation over Kirigakure’s stolen Byakugan.
• The gathered shinobi increasingly turn their attention toward Danzo, while Hiruzen and Orochimaru react in markedly different ways: Hiruzen with suspicion, Orochimaru with amusement.

Plot points and events

• After the Nine-Tails attack, Hiruzen and others suspect Danzo because Root was absent during the crisis and Danzo has a history of covert, ruthless actions.
• Danzo denies involvement and redirects suspicion toward the Uchiha, demanding an explanation for the Sharingan seen in the Nine-Tails’ eyes. Hiruzen supports investigating the clan, partly to protect Danzo and preserve his own political position.
• Xuanye first gets Hiruzen to declare that the truth must be uncovered, then reveals that Minato described the masked attacker as having a spiral mask and a Sharingan in his right eye. The attacker’s hair supposedly matched Danzo’s.
• Xuanye asks Danzo to uncover his bandaged right eye. Danzo instinctively shields it and refuses, making the room more suspicious. The Uchiha and Hyuuga are especially angered by the possibility that Danzo has taken a Sharingan.
• Danzo is left the prime suspect in the deaths of Minato, his wife, and the villagers. Hiruzen recognizes that Danzo’s refusal may be taken as proof, while Xuanye privately celebrates having turned the suspicion back on him.

Character developments and interactions

• Danzo moves from indignant denial to visible panic, unable to defend himself without exposing his covered eye. The accusations even make him question whether he might somehow have been responsible.
• Hiruzen tries to protect his longtime ally and redirect scrutiny toward the Uchiha, but becomes increasingly wary of Danzo and realizes the situation is slipping beyond his control.
• Xuanye strategically uses Hiruzen’s commitment to finding the truth to spring a trap, then exploits Danzo’s reaction to strengthen the case against him.
• Kakashi, other ninja loyal to Minato, and the Hyuuga react with hostility: Kakashi struggles to restrain himself, while the Hyuuga see a possible Sharingan transplant as a threat to their own clan’s rights.

Significant themes

• Reputation and suspicion: Danzo’s past crimes make people assume he is guilty when new trouble arises.
• Political manipulation and scapegoating: Danzo and Hiruzen both try to shift blame toward the Uchiha, while Xuanye turns their tactics against them.
• Appearance versus truth: Danzo’s refusal to reveal his eye is not proof of guilt, but it convinces the room that he is guilty.
• Power and clan rights: The possibility of stolen dōjutsu fuels anger and fear among the Uchiha and Hyuuga.

Chapter Summary: “Openly Shielding Him”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Uchiha clan members realize that Shimura Danzō possesses a transplanted Sharingan beneath the bandages over his right eye. This confirms their worst suspicions, since Danzō has no legitimate explanation for possessing it.
• The enraged Uchiha are prepared to kill Danzō for desecrating Uchiha corpses and experimenting with their bloodline, but they wait for Xuanye’s command.
• Xuanye publicly pressures Danzō to remove his bandages and suggests that Hyuga Hiashi use the Byakugan to verify whether he has committed bloodline-transplantation experiments.
• Danzō panics and appeals to Sarutobi Hiruzen for protection. Hiruzen interrupts the proceedings and defends him, claiming that Konoha should not turn against its own people after the village’s recent catastrophe.
• Hiruzen’s intervention makes him appear complicit in Danzō’s actions. The gathered jōnin begin suspecting that Hiruzen may have approved Danzō’s schemes, including the plot surrounding the Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails disaster.
• The village advisors, Homura and Koharu, distance themselves from Hiruzen and Danzō to avoid being associated with them.
• Xuanye considers killing Hiruzen and Danzō but decides against it. Killing Hiruzen immediately would turn him into a martyr and preserve his reputation as a hero. Xuanye instead plans to destroy their political credibility first.
• The system issues Xuanye a new mission: become Konoha’s Fifth Hokage within one year. The reward is a Myriad World Lottery opportunity and a Yang Release chakra transformation.
• Xuanye recognizes that his current strategy—making Danzō the apparent mastermind of the Nine-Tails incident and allowing suspicion of Hiruzen to spread—greatly improves his chances of taking the Hokage position.

Character Developments

• Xuanye: Demonstrates political calculation and restraint. Although powerful enough to eliminate his opponents, he understands that killing them immediately would be strategically counterproductive. He chooses reputation-destruction and political manipulation instead, while pursuing the goal of becoming Fifth Hokage.
• Shimura Danzō: Is exposed as possessing a Sharingan and becomes visibly desperate. His usual intimidation fails, forcing him to rely on Hiruzen’s protection.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen: Publicly shields Danzō once again, revealing how deeply he is willing to tolerate or defend Danzō’s actions. His defense damages his own standing and makes him appear like Danzō’s accomplice.
• Hyuga Hiashi: Shows hostility toward Danzō and is willing to expose him with the Byakugan. He is portrayed as independent of Hiruzen’s authority and resentful of Danzō’s insults toward the Hyuga clan.
• The Uchiha: Their anger intensifies upon learning about Danzō’s Sharingan. Their willingness to retaliate demonstrates the seriousness with which they defend their clan’s bloodline and dead.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation versus direct violence: Xuanye understands that power alone is insufficient; controlling public perception and destroying an opponent’s legitimacy can be more effective than killing them.
• Complicity and loyalty: Hiruzen’s repeated defense of Danzō causes others to question whether he has knowingly supported Danzō’s crimes.
• Reputation as a limited resource: Xuanye views prestige as something that can be consumed. Hiruzen’s authority weakens each time he uses it to protect Danzō.
• Clan identity and vengeance: The Uchiha’s reaction to the stolen Sharingan reflects their fierce protection of their bloodline and their willingness to punish anyone who violates it.
• The danger of martyrdom: Xuanye avoids killing Hiruzen because death could transform him into a revered hero, making political victory more difficult.

Character Interactions

• Xuanye and Danzō: Xuanye taunts and publicly corners Danzō, offering “proof of innocence” that would actually expose him.
• Danzō and Hiruzen: Danzō desperately seeks Hiruzen’s protection, and Hiruzen openly intervenes on his behalf.
• Xuanye and Hiruzen: Xuanye deliberately frames Hiruzen’s defense of Danzō as evidence of their alliance, undermining Hiruzen’s authority without directly attacking him.
• Xuanye and Hiashi: Xuanye recruits Hiashi as a potential witness, using the Byakugan to place further pressure on Danzō.
• Hiruzen and the assembled jōnin: Hiruzen’s attempt to calm the situation instead makes the jōnin suspicious of his motives and possible involvement in Danzō’s actions.

Chapter Summary: “Danzo, You’ve Lost Your Way!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At a tense gathering of Konoha’s jonin, Hyuga Hiashi refrains from activating his Byakugan after Hiruzen intervenes. The Hyuga Clan maintains its neutrality rather than openly challenging the Hokage.
• Uchiha Xuanye publicly accuses Shimura Danzō of orchestrating the Fourth Hokage Minato and his wife’s deaths, as well as the Nine-Tails disaster.
• Xuanye corners Hiruzen rhetorically, accusing him of shielding Danzō despite claiming that the incident must be investigated for the sake of justice.
• Danzō declares that everything he has done was “for the village.” His statement strongly confirms Hiruzen’s private suspicion that Danzō was responsible for the attack and the Nine-Tails catastrophe.
• Despite realizing Danzō’s guilt, Hiruzen continues defending him, insisting that the matter requires complete evidence and a thorough investigation.
• The assembled shinobi clans and even the Anbu become deeply disappointed in Hiruzen’s evasive defense of Danzō.
• Kakashi’s faith in Hiruzen collapses as he recognizes the gap between the Hokage’s heroic public image and his current willingness to protect a dangerous political ally.
• Xuanye ends the confrontation by demanding that the investigation produce a public conclusion. He warns that if even the assassination of a Hokage receives no resolution, the Hokage’s authority will lose all credibility.
• Xuanye then leads the Uchiha away, having transformed them from suspected enemies into victims while placing Danzō under overwhelming suspicion.
• Before leaving, Xuanye declares that the Uchiha will reclaim their stolen Sharingan and will pursue anyone who possesses or transplants one, regardless of their identity.

Character Developments

• Xuanye/Uchiha Genya: Demonstrates exceptional political skill, confidence, and intimidation. He uses public outrage and the threat of his immense power to weaken Hiruzen, protect the Uchiha’s position, and make Danzō the central target of blame.
• Shimura Danzō: Becomes increasingly exposed as the likely mastermind behind the disaster. His rigid belief that ruthless actions are justified “for the village” prevents him from defending himself effectively.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen: Is placed in an impossible position. Although he privately realizes Danzō’s guilt, he continues protecting him to preserve political stability and retain room for future maneuvering. His credibility suffers severely.
• Kakashi: Loses his remaining idealized view of Hiruzen. Xuanye’s earlier warnings are validated, causing Kakashi to question whether Hiruzen’s former heroic persona was merely a façade.
• Hyuga Hiashi: Shows the Hyuga Clan’s cautious pragmatism by avoiding immediate intervention and preserving neutrality.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and public accountability: Xuanye turns a criminal investigation into a direct challenge to the Hokage’s authority.
• The corruption of idealism: Hiruzen’s rhetoric about the Will of Fire and shinobi principles contrasts sharply with his willingness to protect Danzō for political reasons.
• Power and intimidation: Xuanye’s strength, especially the remembered destructive slash from the previous night, gives weight to his political threats.
• Loyalty versus justice: Hiruzen prioritizes his longstanding bond with Danzō and Konoha’s stability over exposing the truth.
• The collapse of trust: The assembled shinobi, Anbu, and especially Kakashi begin losing faith in Hiruzen’s leadership.
• Uchiha retaliation and ownership: Xuanye establishes that the Uchiha will violently reclaim their stolen Sharingan and punish all possessors, regardless of status.

Important Character Interactions

• Xuanye and Hiruzen: Xuanye repeatedly interrupts and traps Hiruzen with accusations that make any defense of Danzō appear dishonest.
• Xuanye and Danzō: Their conflict becomes openly hostile, with Danzō enraged and Xuanye calmly asserting that Danzō cannot escape judgment.
• Hiruzen and Danzō: Hiruzen recognizes Danzō’s guilt but still attempts to protect him, revealing the depth of their alliance and the political burden it creates.
• Kakashi and Hiruzen: Although they do not directly confront each other, Kakashi’s internal reaction marks a major breakdown in his respect for the Hokage.
• Xuanye and the wider shinobi forces: By speaking directly to the assembled jonin and Anbu, Xuanye wins the moral and political advantage while warning them that Konoha’s leadership is losing legitimacy.

Chapter Summary: “Meeting Adjourned, the Hokage Abandoned by All”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuanye leaves the meeting room with the entire Security Division after accusing Shimura Danzō of orchestrating the Nine-Tails Incident.
• The clan heads, civilian jonin, most of the Anbu, and other attendees also depart, convinced that Danzō is responsible for releasing the Nine-Tails and causing the deaths of Minato and Kushina.
• Kakashi leaves with a murderous glare toward Danzō, believing that Danzō may also be responsible for the deaths of his father, Minato, and Kushina.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen dismisses the remaining Anbu and confronts Danzō privately, demanding to know whether he caused the Nine-Tails Incident.
• Danzō vehemently denies the accusation, but Hiruzen interprets his defensive reaction as proof of guilt. Remembering Danzō’s previous assassination attempt against him, Hiruzen concludes that Danzō likely arranged both that attack and the deaths of the Fourth Hokage and his wife.
• Hiruzen theorizes that Danzō may have used an unknown Flying Thunder God user to bypass Konoha’s defenses and infiltrate the Anbu and Sealing Squad.
• Danzō insists that he has been framed and angrily accuses Hiruzen of trusting Xuanye, whom he calls an “Evil Uchiha,” over his longtime comrade.
• Hiruzen realizes that his own reputation and authority have been destroyed. Because he protected Danzō, the suspected murderer of Minato and Kushina, he can no longer realistically return to power.
• In desperation, Danzō shifts the discussion toward Naruto, revealing that Minato sealed the Nine-Tails inside his child and arguing that the child must not fall under Uchiha influence.

Character Developments

• Sarutobi Hiruzen: Suffers a decisive collapse in authority. He recognizes that the Anbu and village no longer trust him and finally becomes convinced that Danzō is guilty. His long-standing protection of Danzō is revealed as a major political and moral failure.
• Shimura Danzō: Loses his usual composure and becomes fearful, furious, and desperate. Although he claims innocence, his behavior convinces Hiruzen that he is guilty. His obsession with preventing Uchiha influence over the Nine-Tails remains evident.
• Kakashi: His anger toward Danzō intensifies after connecting him to the deaths of his father, Minato, and Kushina. His silent glare shows that he now views Danzō as personally responsible for the loss of everyone important to him.
• Xuanye: Though absent after leaving the meeting, his accusations successfully turn the village’s leadership against Danzō and expose the collapse of Hiruzen’s political position.

Significant Themes

• Loss of trust and legitimacy: Hiruzen’s authority depends on the village’s trust, and once that trust disappears, his position as Hokage becomes meaningless.
• Political hypocrisy and scapegoating: The villagers accept Danzō’s guilt with less evidence than they previously demanded against the Uchiha, highlighting the double standards governing Konoha’s politics.
• Consequences of protecting wrongdoing: Hiruzen’s decades-long loyalty to Danzō causes him to be viewed as complicit in the deaths of Minato and Kushina.
• Isolation and betrayal: Danzō experiences the frustration of being condemned and disbelieved, while Hiruzen finds himself abandoned by the very forces that once supported him.
• Power and ambition: Danzō’s alleged actions are presented as the result of his relentless desire to become Hokage and control Konoha’s future.

Character Interactions

• Xuanye and the gathered leaders: Xuanye’s accusations persuade the clan heads, jonin, and Anbu to abandon the meeting and reject Hiruzen’s authority.
• Kakashi and Danzō: Kakashi communicates his hatred through a cold, bloodshot stare, linking Danzō to the deaths of his father and mentors.
• Hiruzen and Danzō: Their private confrontation destroys their remaining trust. Hiruzen interprets Danzō’s outrage as evidence of guilt, while Danzō feels betrayed by his oldest comrade.
• Danzō and Naruto’s future: Danzō attempts to regain influence by warning Hiruzen that Naruto, the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki, must be kept away from the Uchiha.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sarutobi Hiruzen angrily dismisses Shimura Danzō’s concern for Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and orders him to return to Root and restore the Uchiha’s stolen Sharingan.
• Hiruzen implies that he can no longer protect Danzō and warns him to fend for himself. Danzō leaves furious and deeply hurt, feeling betrayed despite his own ambition to become Hokage.
• After Danzō departs, Hiruzen summons a trusted Anbu member—revealed to be his eldest son—and orders him to bring Jiraiya back to Konoha.
• Hiruzen also decides that the Hokage position must not fall to the Uchiha clan, whom he views as ambitious and dangerous.
• Meanwhile, Xuanye and the Uchiha discuss why he allowed Danzō to leave alive despite Danzō possessing an Uchiha Sharingan.
• Xuanye explains that immediately killing Danzō and Hiruzen would turn them into martyrs. Their deaths could be remembered as sacrifices made while resisting an Uchiha coup.
• Instead, Xuanye plans to expose their crimes publicly, make them enduring villains in Konoha’s history, and execute them only after forcing them to witness the destruction of their reputations.
• His declaration that “death is too cheap” for them greatly excites the Uchiha, who embrace his plan of psychological and political revenge.

Character Developments

• Sarutobi Hiruzen becomes more desperate and politically defensive. Although exhausted and increasingly isolated, he remains determined to prevent an Uchiha from becoming Hokage.
• Danzō is shown as more emotionally attached to Hiruzen than his ruthless behavior suggests. He genuinely believes he loves Konoha more than Hiruzen does, but also feels wounded by Hiruzen’s rejection and loss of protection.
• Xuanye demonstrates exceptional strategic maturity. Unlike the other Uchiha, who favor immediate retaliation, he understands the political consequences of killing their enemies and chooses a slower but more devastating approach.
• Fugaku is implicitly weakened as clan leader. Xuanye’s overwhelming strength and decisive thinking have effectively displaced him as the Uchiha’s dominant authority.
• The Uchiha clan shifts from a straightforward desire for revenge toward enthusiasm for Xuanye’s broader plan of destroying their enemies’ legacies.
• Inabi experiences unease around Xuanye after remembering that he bullied him during childhood, suggesting Xuanye’s transformation into someone both powerful and potentially frightening.

Significant Themes

• Political legitimacy and martyrdom: Killing Hiruzen and Danzō could allow them to be remembered as heroes rather than criminals.
• Reputation as a weapon: Xuanye believes public exposure and historical condemnation can be more damaging than physical death.
• Revenge versus strategy: The Uchiha’s instinct is immediate violence, while Xuanye advocates calculated vengeance with long-term consequences.
• Betrayal and fractured loyalty: Danzō and Hiruzen remain bound by their complicated friendship even as they turn against each other.
• Power and leadership: Xuanye’s strength gives him influence over the Uchiha, while Hiruzen’s weakening position forces him to rely on family and trusted allies.
• The cost of compromise: Hiruzen’s past protection of Danzō and tolerance of his crimes now threatens to implicate him as well.

Character Interactions

• Hiruzen and Danzō: Their confrontation reveals anger, betrayal, and their opposing visions for Konoha. Hiruzen abandons Danzō politically, while Danzō leaves feeling both rejected and misunderstood.
• Hiruzen and his son/Anbu: Hiruzen trusts his son enough to entrust him with summoning Jiraiya, showing the narrowing circle of people he considers reliable.
• Xuanye and Inabi: Inabi challenges Xuanye’s decision to spare Danzō, but Xuanye responds by explaining the larger strategy rather than punishing the questioning.
• Xuanye and Fugaku: Fugaku’s earlier willingness to use the Sharingan as a bargaining chip is indirectly contrasted with Xuanye’s uncompromising position, highlighting Xuanye’s growing authority over him.
• Xuanye and the Uchiha clan: Xuanye persuades the clan to abandon simple execution in favor of a campaign to expose and disgrace Hiruzen and Danzō before ultimately killing them.

Key plot points

• The Uchiha meeting ends with Inabi pledging cooperation to Xuanye, while Shisui disappears—likely to report the clan’s affairs to Hiruzen. Xuanye tells Inabi to have Shisui come speak with him rather than confronting him immediately.
• Xuanye spots Kakashi secretly following Danzo after leaving the Hokage Building. Kakashi is preparing to attack Root’s base and kill Danzo.
• Xuanye intercepts Kakashi. He explains that Kakashi cannot defeat Danzo and Root alone, then warns that killing Danzo would let Hiruzen portray Danzo as a hero and brand Kakashi a rogue ninja.
• Kakashi’s anger is tempered by the political consequences. He asks Xuanye for a better plan, making clear he is willing to risk his life to see Danzo punished.

Character developments and interactions

• Xuanye shows restraint toward Shisui, whom he still values as a powerful potential ally, but recognizes Shisui’s apparent disloyalty. He also demonstrates political awareness in stopping Kakashi from acting impulsively.
• Kakashi is consumed by grief and rage, blaming Danzo for the deaths of his father, teacher, and teacher’s wife—and, without proof, for Rin and Obito as well. Though initially distrustful of Xuanye, he listens when confronted with the danger of Danzo being celebrated as a hero.
• Inabi remains anxious to prove loyalty to Xuanye, fearful that past events may be exposed.
• Xuanye and Kakashi move from suspicion to practical alignment: Kakashi does not fully trust Xuanye, but accepts that an effective plan is preferable to a reckless assassination.

Significant themes

• Double standards and political hypocrisy: tactics condemned when used against allies can be praised as clever when used against enemies.
• Justice versus political power: killing Danzo may satisfy Kakashi’s need for revenge but could let Hiruzen control the public story and dishonor Danzo’s victims.
• Grief and vengeance: Kakashi’s losses have turned suspicion into certainty, fueling his determination to destroy Danzo.
• Strategic restraint: Xuanye argues that timing, legitimacy, and public perception matter as much as battlefield strength.

Plot points and events

• Xuanye recruits Kakashi into his campaign against Danzō, promising not only to kill him but to ruin his reputation. Kakashi agrees to follow Xuanye’s instructions, driven by revenge for Minato and Kushina despite his discomfort at using his former teacher’s memory.
• Xuanye plans to make Danzō feel that power in Konoha is shifting toward the Uchiha, hoping Danzō will eventually make a mistake.
• After the Jonin Conference, Shisui secretly meets Hiruzen and reports that Xuanye has effectively taken control of the Uchiha and the Security Division, with even Fugaku possibly backing him.
• Shisui reveals that he has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and offers to use its technique, Kotoamatsukami, to permanently alter Xuanye’s will and make him loyal to Konoha.
• Hiruzen rejects the proposal publicly, calling it an unacceptable violation of a fellow ninja. Privately, however, he views Shisui as an even greater threat than Xuanye and resolves to act against him.
• Hiruzen sends an Anbu messenger to Danzō with intelligence about Shisui’s ability. He intends for Danzō to pursue the power and take the risk of acquiring it himself.

Character developments and interactions

• Kakashi commits himself to revenge, choosing it over his reservations about exploiting Minato’s legacy. Xuanye sees his status as Minato’s surviving disciple as politically useful.
• Xuanye displays a strategic approach: he recruits allies and engineers pressure rather than confronting Danzō directly.
• Shisui remains loyal to Konoha and believes Kotoamatsukami can avert conflict, but his willingness to alter Xuanye’s mind reveals the morally troubling power he is prepared to use.
• Hiruzen shifts from anxious uncertainty to covert scheming. Though he acts concerned about ethical limits, fear and political ambition drive him to manipulate Danzō into confronting Shisui.
• Shisui appeals to Hiruzen’s trust and shared history, but Hiruzen’s fear of Kotoamatsukami overrides that bond.

Significant themes

• Revenge versus loyalty: Kakashi’s grief pushes him toward revenge, while Shisui tries to serve the village—even through coercive means.
• Power and moral corruption: Kotoamatsukami’s ability to rewrite someone’s will raises questions about whether a person can survive the loss of their identity.
• Political manipulation: Xuanye and Hiruzen both plan to use others as pieces in a larger struggle.
• Fear undermining trust: Hiruzen’s suspicion turns a supposed ally into a target, showing how the pursuit of security can become self-serving.

Key plot points and events

• Shisui returns to the Uchiha compound after meeting the Third Hokage, worried about the clan’s future. Inabi summons him to Genya’s office and warns that any betrayal of the clan will have consequences.
• Genya immediately asks what Shisui told Hiruzen, then reveals that he knows Shisui awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan—and specifically knows about Kotoamatsukami, the power to alter someone’s will.
• Genya argues that such a dangerous ability makes Shisui a target regardless of his loyalty. He also implies that he could counter Shisui, using his own Mangekyō ability and other defenses. Shisui cannot tell what Genya’s power truly is and recognizes that he would be at a severe disadvantage in a fight.
• Shisui urges Genya not to stage a coup, warning that it would destroy the Uchiha. Genya instead challenges Shisui to clarify whether he is loyal to Konoha itself or personally to Hiruzen.
• Unable to answer whether he would side with the current Hokage or a former one in a deadly conflict, Shisui is told to accompany Genya and witness what happens next. Genya calls it his last chance and threatens to kill him if he makes the wrong choice.

Character developments

• Shisui is shown as conflicted and politically indecisive. His past guilt over failing to help a friend led to his Mangekyō awakening and transformed him from an arrogant fighter into someone who values comrades. Yet his secrecy and divided loyalties leave both the clan and village suspicious of him.
• Genya presents himself as calculating, confident, and severe. He believes loyalty must be clear and treats Shisui’s hesitation as a serious weakness, though he offers him an opportunity to reconsider.
• Inabi reinforces the clan’s distrust of Shisui, making clear that his personal standing will not protect him if he is judged disloyal.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and divided allegiance: The chapter questions whether loyalty belongs to the village, its leader, or one’s clan—and exposes the danger of trying to serve all sides.
• Power as a liability: Kotoamatsukami is so formidable that merely possessing it makes Shisui vulnerable, even without using it.
• Intelligence and uncertainty: Genya’s knowledge of Shisui’s abilities, combined with Shisui’s ignorance of Genya’s, shifts the balance of power before any fight begins.
• Choice and consequences: Genya gives Shisui a final chance to decide where he stands, with death as the alternative.

Character interactions

• Inabi confronts Shisui with a warning that the clan will punish betrayal.
• Genya interrogates Shisui, exposes his secret Mangekyō, and demonstrates psychological dominance by keeping his own abilities unclear.
• Shisui challenges Genya’s apparent plan for a coup, but Genya turns the conversation toward Shisui’s own loyalties.
• The chapter ends with Shisui following Genya, uncertain but willing to see the evidence that may force him to choose.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shisui is ambushed by Root ninjas led by Danzō.
• Danzō reveals he knows about Shisui's Kotoamatsukami ability.
• Danzō attempts to convince Shisui to use his power to control Konoha, but Shisui refuses.
• Danzō snatches Shisui's right Mangekyō Sharingan using Izanagi.
• Shisui escapes, and Danzō issues a wanted poster, classifying Shisui as an S-rank missing-nin.

Character Developments

• Shisui: Struggles with his loyalty to the Uchiha clan and Konoha, becomes more disillusioned with Danzō and the village's treatment of the Uchiha.
• Danzō: Reveals his ambition to control Konoha using the Sharingan's power, uses Izanagi to snatch Shisui's Mangekyō.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and power hunger (Danzō)
• Loyalty and betrayal (Shisui's struggle)
• The consequences of using forbidden techniques (Izanagi)

Character Interactions

• Shisui and Danzō: Their confrontation highlights Danzō's manipulative nature and Shisui's growing disillusionment.
• Shisui and Root ninjas: Shisui easily overpowers them with his genjutsu, showcasing his formidable abilities.

Key plot points and events

• Shisui and Xuanye witness Danzo using Izanagi and revealing a transplanted Sharingan. Shisui realizes Danzo has been pursuing Uchiha power and, despite the evidence, suspects the Third Hokage may have enabled the attack.
• Xuanye’s illusion had made Danzo and Root attack empty air; even Izanagi failed to expose it. Xuanye again argues that Danzo killed Minato and his wife and challenges Shisui’s loyalty to the village.
• Shisui secretly uses his left Mangekyō’s Kotoamatsukami to overwrite Xuanye’s will, hoping to stop him from leading the Uchiha into rebellion.
• Xuanye reveals the attempt was itself an illusion. He incapacitates Shisui with a lightning-charged blow and removes both Mangekyō, leaving Shisui gravely injured.

Character developments

• Shisui remains committed to preventing civil war, even after learning of Danzo’s actions. His loyalty to Konoha—and his willingness to control Xuanye—leads him to make a desperate, irreversible choice.
• Xuanye confirms his superior control of the situation and reveals little about his ability. He is disappointed by Shisui’s refusal to listen, and his response is ruthless: he takes Shisui’s eyes after the attempted mind control.

Significant themes

• Loyalty versus justice: Shisui prioritizes village stability over confronting those he believes responsible for its crimes.
• The cost of idealism: His desire to protect Konoha drives him to violate Xuanye’s will and ends in his defeat.
• Manipulation and hidden truth: Illusions shape what characters believe they have witnessed, while political betrayal undermines trust.
• Uchiha conviction: Xuanye sees Mangekyō users as dangerously stubborn, clinging to their beliefs even when evidence challenges them.

Character interactions

• Xuanye repeatedly presses Shisui to abandon his faith in the Third Hokage and oppose Danzo; Shisui instead asks for time to persuade Hiruzen.
• Shisui attempts to impose his ideal on Xuanye through Kotoamatsukami. Xuanye counters the attempt, condemns Shisui’s choice, and violently removes his eyes.

Key plot points and events

• After capturing Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan, Xuanye confronts the injured Shisui, who has had both eyes gouged out.
• Shisui asks why his Kotoamatsukami failed. Xuanye reveals that he had already trapped Shisui in his own Mangekyō illusion, Mirror Flower, Water Moon, and had anticipated the attempt.
• Xuanye calls out Itachi, who had been watching. Itachi’s Sharingan has awakened to Three-Tomoe.
• Xuanye tests Itachi by threatening him with a blade and asking whether he would kill Shisui to gain Mangekyō. Itachi refuses to respond to the provocation, admitting he cannot tell if the scene is an illusion and knows he cannot win.
• Xuanye withdraws the threat but warns Itachi not to defy or betray the clan as Shisui did. He then invokes Itachi’s younger brother, Sasuke, as an implied threat.

Character developments

• Shisui is physically and emotionally devastated. The failure of his signature technique shatters his confidence, and he seems resigned to his fate.
• Itachi demonstrates exceptional composure and clear judgment despite being a child. His Sharingan’s rapid movement suggests his emotions may be pushing him toward further growth, though he ultimately restrains himself.
• Xuanye proves calculating and domineering: he uses illusion, intimidation, and personal vulnerabilities to control both Uchiha.

Significant themes

• The cost of idealism and loyalty: Xuanye dismisses Shisui’s actions as another expression of the Will of Fire, portraying self-sacrifice as foolishness.
• Power as a curse: Xuanye warns that the Mangekyō brings suffering rather than simple strength.
• Control through fear: Xuanye exploits Itachi’s bonds with Shisui and Sasuke, suggesting that loved ones can be used to enforce obedience.
• Perception and uncertainty: Xuanye’s illusion makes even powerful observers doubt what is real.

Character interactions

• Shisui challenges Xuanye over the failure of Kotoamatsukami, but Xuanye answers with contempt and reveals his deception.
• Xuanye confronts Itachi with a blade, probing his resolve and testing whether grief or ambition might make him attack Shisui.
• Itachi remains restrained and honest, while Xuanye shifts from threat to warning—using Sasuke’s name to make clear that Itachi’s family is vulnerable.

Chapter Summary: “Itachi Submits”

Key plot points and events

• Xuanye uses Sasuke to pressure Itachi, warning that the boy could be harmed if circumstances demand it. Terrified for his younger brother, Itachi agrees to obey Xuanye and addresses him as “Lord Hokage.”
• Xuanye claims the Uchiha’s rise is near and promises Sasuke may grow up in a world without war. He orders Itachi to take Shisui back to the clan compound and keep him confined.
• Xuanye disappears, leaving Itachi unsure whether he had faced an illusion or a clone. Itachi finds no trace of the wound Xuanye appeared to inflict, further deepening his uncertainty.
• Itachi supports the injured, blinded Shisui. Shisui accepts his confinement, relieved to be removed from the conflict between the Uchiha and the village.
• Meanwhile, Danzo visits Hiruzen, confident that he has captured Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan. He admits Shisui escaped after Danzo took one eye, and says he has branded him a rogue ninja.
• Danzo opens the sealing scroll to transplant the stolen eye, but it is empty. Neither he nor Hiruzen understands what happened.

Character developments and interactions

• Itachi yields to Xuanye to protect Sasuke, though he remains unsure whether Xuanye or Shisui is right. His support of Shisui shows compassion despite his obedience to Xuanye.
• Shisui gives up resisting for now, choosing not to make Itachi’s position harder. His relief suggests confinement frees him from the painful choice between clan and village.
• Xuanye demonstrates his willingness to manipulate Itachi through Sasuke, while presenting himself as both merciless and capable of offering hope.
• Danzo and Hiruzen continue their mutual distrust even as they recognize the Uchiha as a shared threat. Danzo seeks power through Shisui’s eye; Hiruzen is furious that Danzo failed to kill him and allowed the eye to remain unaccounted for.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and coercion: Itachi’s submission is driven not by agreement but by fear for Sasuke.
• Moral uncertainty: Itachi cannot decide whether Shisui or Xuanye is right, leaving the conflict’s justice unresolved.
• Power and ambition: Danzo’s fixation on Mangekyō abilities shows how strength attracts exploitation and intensifies political rivalry.
• Uncertainty and deception: Xuanye’s unexplained disappearance and the mysteriously empty scroll leave key events—and the fate of Shisui’s eye—in doubt.

Chapter Summary: “A Liability Rather Than an Asset”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Danzo returns to Sarutobi Hiruzen with a sealing scroll, claiming he successfully obtained Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan. However, the scroll is empty and unused.
• Danzo realizes that Shisui must have used Kotoamatsukami on him during their initial eye contact, altering his memories. His use of Izanagi failed to expose or dispel the deception.
• Hiruzen becomes suspicious that Danzo may have tried to keep the Mangekyō for himself, though Danzo insists he would have returned directly to Root to transplant it if that had been his intention.
• Hiruzen concludes that Danzo’s failed operation has likely made Shisui wary or hostile toward Konoha’s leadership. He regrets giving Danzo information about Shisui and privately regards Danzo as more of a liability than an asset.
• Danzo suggests immediately declaring Shisui a rogue ninja, arguing that Kotoamatsukami is too dangerous to remain in Uchiha hands. Hiruzen rejects this plan, fearing it would make the situation worse.
• Instead, Hiruzen decides to speak with Shisui personally and attempt to preserve his neutrality by appealing to his loyalty to the village and the Will of Fire.
• The chapter emphasizes Konoha’s political weakness: the Uchiha may possess multiple Mangekyō users, while the other clans no longer trust the Hokage faction enough to support it in a conflict.
• After returning home, Xuanye examines Shisui’s stolen Mangekyō, preserved in nutrient solution. He refuses to transplant it into himself because he values his own Mangekyō abilities—Mirror Flower, Water Moon and Saha World—more highly.
• Xuanye also rejects returning the eye to Shisui or entrusting it to another Uchiha, since Kotoamatsukami could potentially threaten him. He then considers whether Saha World might allow him to absorb and convert the eye’s ocular power to strengthen his own Mangekyō.

Character Developments

• Danzo: His failure exposes both his overconfidence and lack of a practical plan. Though he tries to push Hiruzen into declaring Shisui a traitor, he is primarily motivated by fear of facing the Uchiha alone.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen: He grows increasingly distrustful of Danzo and recognizes how badly the Hokage faction’s position has deteriorated. Despite his frustration, he still hopes Shisui’s loyalty can be preserved through diplomacy.
• Shisui: Although absent from the chapter, he emerges as a far more formidable and cautious figure. His successful use of Kotoamatsukami demonstrates that he anticipated Danzo’s betrayal and outmaneuvered him.
• Xuanye: He shows restraint and strategic thinking by refusing to sacrifice his own abilities for Kotoamatsukami. His attention shifts from simply possessing the eye to finding a way to exploit its power without surrendering his own potential.

Significant Themes

• Mistrust and betrayal: Danzo’s attempt to steal Shisui’s eye destroys the possibility of easy cooperation and deepens tensions between the Uchiha and Konoha leadership.
• Power versus risk: The characters must weigh the immense value of Mangekyō abilities against the danger of using or possessing them.
• Political weakness: Hiruzen’s faction has lost the trust of Konoha’s clans and may be unable to rely on support during a crisis.
• Control and manipulation: Kotoamatsukami represents the terrifying power to alter others’ perceptions, while the leadership’s schemes reveal their own attempts to control the Uchiha.
• The failure of authority: Danzo’s reputation as Konoha’s “darkness” is undermined by his incompetence, while Hiruzen’s reliance on him proves damaging.

Character Interactions

• Danzo and Hiruzen: Their conversation is marked by suspicion, frustration, and mutual dependence. Hiruzen criticizes Danzo’s failure, while Danzo tries to shift responsibility by demanding Shisui’s condemnation.
• Hiruzen and Shisui: Though they do not meet in the chapter, Hiruzen plans a personal appeal intended to prevent Shisui from becoming an enemy of the village.
• Xuanye and Shisui: Their relationship has deteriorated sharply. Xuanye admits that he spared Shisui because they are clansmen and because killing him might push Itachi toward awakening the Mangekyō, but he no longer trusts him enough to return or share the stolen eye.
• Xuanye and the Mangekyō: Xuanye treats the eye as both a dangerous weapon and a potentially valuable source of power, ultimately considering whether to absorb its abilities through Saha World.

Plot points and events

• Xuanye uses his Saha World ability to draw the power from Shisui’s incompatible Kotoamatsukami eyes and fuse it into his own Mangekyō.
• The process leaves Shisui’s eyes lifeless, but grants Xuanye the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. His previously blurred right eye is restored, and both Mirror Flower, Water Moon and Saha World become stronger. He can now use Saha World more freely without risking blindness.
• Though exhilarated by his newfound power, Xuanye keeps his composure and remains focused on ambitions that extend beyond the Mangekyō and even the Rinnegan.
• The next morning, Anko arrives to escort him to Orochimaru. Xuanye correctly guesses that Orochimaru sent her and follows her to a hidden underground base, where he recognizes signs of Wood Release research.
• Orochimaru reveals that he is willing to help Xuanye—even against the Third Hokage—but first wants to test whether Xuanye is worthy of an alliance.

Character developments and interactions

• Xuanye makes a calculated, ruthless choice to sacrifice Kotoamatsukami’s original eyes for a major increase in his own strength. His excitement is tempered by discipline and long-term ambition.
• Anko remains informal and carefree around Xuanye, unaware of the full extent of his recent power. His teasing remark that she should leave grown-up affairs to adults irritates her.
• Orochimaru approaches Xuanye as a potential partner but remains wary and manipulative, insisting on evaluating him before cooperating.

Significant themes

• Power and sacrifice: Xuanye trades the eyes’ original abilities for a lasting enhancement to his own.
• Ambition tempered by restraint: Even a dramatic increase in strength does not make Xuanye abandon his plans or lose sight of greater threats.
• Trust and testing: Orochimaru’s offer of help is conditional, framing their prospective alliance as a contest of worth.