Recaps

Hiruzen took responsibility for Hatake Sakumo’s failed mission and ordered the rumors against him investigated, while Uchiha Ling uncovered signs of a coordinated campaign and prepared to intervene. Danzo continued escalating the pressure on Sakumo, hoping to break him and weaken the Hokage faction.

• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu criticized Sakumo’s decision, but Hiruzen accepted responsibility and ordered the rumors stopped and their source investigated.
• An Anbu Ninja gave Ling a report tracing the rumors, and Uchiha Yashiro warned that unknown people were watching Sakumo’s residence.
• Ling ordered the Military Police Force to protect Sakumo and his family, then resolved to wait for the right moment to save Sakumo and recruit him.
• At Root’s base, Danzo ordered his subordinates to intensify the rumors and monitor Sakumo, aiming to weaken the Hokage faction and draw Sakumo into Root.
• Danzo asked about Ling, learned that Ling was investigating the rumors without intervening directly, and ordered Root to watch him.

Hatake Sakumo, crushed by village rumors and despair, nearly took his own life before Uchiha Ling arrived and revealed that Danzo had orchestrated a political attack against him. Sakumo abandoned his death wish and turned his despair into fury and murderous intent.

• Hatake Sakumo overheard young ninja condemn him for abandoning a mission and returned home troubled by what Kakashi might think of him.
• Sakumo drew his White Fang short sword and nearly harmed himself before Uchiha Ling entered his home.
• Uchiha Ling challenged Sakumo's belief that the dispute was simply about duty and loyalty to comrades.
• Ling told Sakumo that Danzo had spread the rumors to isolate him and either control or destroy him.
• Sakumo realized he had nearly played into the plot and erupted in rage, while Ling remained unmoved by his killing intent.

Uchiha Ling persuaded Hatake Sakumo to abandon despair by warning that his death could endanger Kakashi, then offered him a vision of uniting the Shinobi World and building a new empire. Sakumo accepted Ling as his leader and pledged his life and White Fang to the New World.

• Uchiha Ling warned Hatake Sakumo that his death would leave Kakashi burdened by disgrace and vulnerable to hidden enemies.
• Uchiha Ling revealed his ambition to unite the Shinobi World, end wars, and use ninjutsu to build a new order.
• Hatake Sakumo considered Ling's vision as an alternative to dying for Konoha's broken order.
• Hatake Sakumo sheathed the White Fang short sword and pledged his life, blade, and loyalty to Lord Ling and the New World.
• Uchiha Ling smiled, satisfied that Sakumo had joined his cause.

Uchiha Ling used the Military Police Force, a public meeting, and Hatake Sakumo’s quiet visits to his wounded subordinates and the Memorial Stone to reverse the rumors and restore Sakumo’s reputation. Shimura Danzō, furious that Ling had foiled his scheme and gained more prestige, resolved to kill him at the first opportunity.

• The Military Police Force arrested prominent rumor-spreaders, posted notices, and announced that false claims about Hatake Sakumo were being punished.
• At a public discussion meeting, Uchiha Tekka presented records of Sakumo’s missions and rescues, turning the audience against those who had slandered him.
• Hatake Sakumo visited wounded subordinates at Konoha Hospital and stood silently at the Memorial Stone, strengthening the villagers’ view of him as a hero.
• Konoha Police News featured Sakumo’s visits on its front page, while Uchiha Ling watched the village’s opinion shift in his favor.
• Shimura Danzō learned that his rumor campaign had failed and decided to wait for a chance to kill Uchiha Ling.

Danzō leaked Uchiha Ling’s solo mission to Kumogakure, hoping the resulting attack would remove a political rival. At the Gloomy Forest, Ling detected Cloud ninja traces before a powerful force surrounded him.

• Danzō ordered Aburame Tatsuma to anonymously reveal Ling’s mission through Root’s black-market channel, Ashes.
• The Third Raikage A learned that Ling was traveling alone and ordered a force including A, Killer B, Darui, and C to attack him.
• Ling entered the Gloomy Forest, spotted concealed tracks and traces of Cloud chakra, and chose a hidden observation point.
• Five powerful chakra signatures erupted around Ling, revealing a planned encirclement targeting him.

Uchiha Ling was ambushed by the Third Raikage and a Cloud Village force, and suspected Danzo had leaked his whereabouts to arrange his death. Ling fought the Third Raikage with Sage Art techniques, but the Raikage pierced through his flames and charged at him again.

• Uchiha Ling connected Danzo's suspicious behavior and his solo mission to a betrayal that had revealed his location to the enemy.
• The Third Raikage led the Cloud Village force in an attack and declared that Ling would die there.
• Ling evaded the Third Raikage's Four-Finger Nukite with a Sage Art Lightning Body Flicker, then met his Lariat with a Sage Art-enhanced punch.
• The Third Raikage launched a faster Three-Finger Nukite, and Ling countered with Sage Art: Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame.
• The Third Raikage cleaved through the flames with his Lightning Release Chakra and charged toward Ling as Ling tracked his attack with the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Uchiha Ling used Susanoo to withstand the Third Raikage’s strongest attacks, then struck him hard enough to leave him in a crater. As the Fourth Raikage A and the Cloud Village fighters launched a coordinated assault against him, the battle remained unresolved.

• Uchiha Ling summoned his second-form Susanoo, whose crimson ribs stopped the Third Raikage’s Hell Stab and rapidly healed their cracks.
• The Third Raikage attacked Susanoo with Three-Finger Nukite, but failed to break through its defense.
• Uchiha Ling sent Susanoo’s skeletal fist crashing into the Third Raikage, smashing him into a crater and shaking his internal organs.
• The Fourth Raikage A ordered Darui, Killer B, and C to attack while he raced around Susanoo to find an opening.
• Killer B used a lightning strike to obscure the battlefield, Darui fired curving Storm Release beams, and C created a Lightning Mirage to disrupt Uchiha Ling’s senses.

An Iwagakure reconnaissance squad reported that Uchiha Ling was overpowering the Third Raikage, prompting Ōnoki to see a chance to eliminate both fighters and reshape the war. Ōnoki mobilized twelve thousand Iwa ninjas and sent them toward the eastern border forest to attack after the battle.

• An Iwagakure scout squad watched Uchiha Ling's crimson Susanoo battle the Third Raikage and sent an encrypted report to the village.
• Ōnoki read the report and decided Iwagakure could profit whether Uchiha Ling, the Third Raikage, or both were left weakened.
• Ōnoki ordered the Explosion Corps, Mahiru's unit, and other forces to assemble, gathering twelve thousand Iwa ninjas.
• Ōnoki told the troops to target Uchiha Ling, the Third Raikage, and Cloud Village's A–B Combo while they were vulnerable.
• Ōnoki sent the Iwa army at full speed toward the eastern border forest, convinced Iwagakure would win.

Uchiha Ling overwhelmed Cloud Village’s forces with Susanoo, gravely injuring Darui and rendering the coordinated assault useless. The Third Raikage ordered A, Killer B, and C to retreat with Darui while he stayed behind to face Ling alone.

• Uchiha Ling’s Susanoo deflected Darui’s Storm Release lasers and nullified C’s genjutsu.
• Uchiha Ling struck Darui with a crimson lightning spear, leaving him gravely wounded and unable to fight.
• Uchiha Ling’s Susanoo kept C, A, and Killer B from reaching Darui as the Cloud shinobi were overcome by despair.
• The Third Raikage burned through his chakra and life force, ordering A, B, and C to retreat and warning them that Uchiha Ling was Cloud Village’s greatest future enemy.
• The Third Raikage turned to face Uchiha Ling while A dragged Killer B away and C carried Darui toward safety.

Uchiha Ling defeated the Third Raikage in a deadly battle but suffered devastating injuries himself. As Ling proclaimed himself the founder of a new order, the Iwagakure army arrived at the battlefield.

• The Third Raikage pierced Susanoo with Two-Finger Nukite, and Ling struck him back, forcing him to retreat.
• The Third Raikage unleashed One-Finger Nukite, pierced Ling’s remaining Susanoo defense, and shattered Ling’s arms before collapsing dead while still standing.
• Ling struggled up from the ruins, gravely wounded, and laughed with exhilaration at having fought a worthy opponent.
• Ling praised the Third Raikage and declared that he would establish a new order for the Shinobi World.
• The Iwagakure army appeared on the horizon and advanced toward the battlefield.

After killing the Third Raikage, Uchiha Ling was ambushed by an army of more than ten thousand Iwagakure shinobi and fought on despite his depleted chakra and severe injuries. He gained enough Emotion Points to glimpse a way to survive, but the chapter ended with elite jōnin trapping him between massive boulders.

• Uchiha Ling saw Kitsuchi lead a huge Iwagakure force toward him after the Third Raikage fell, and Kitsuchi ordered his troops to capture or kill Ling.
• Ling fought back with Fire Style techniques, killing Iwagakure shinobi and gathering Emotion Points as the army attacked him.
• Kitsuchi ordered a full-force assault, and Ling used Kamumusubi to recover a little chakra and vitality before charging into the Iwagakure ranks with Rasengan.
• Ling continued killing while evading Earth Release attacks, and his Emotion Points climbed past fifty thousand as his injuries worsened.
• An Iwagakure shinobi struck Ling with combined water and lightning attacks, then two elite jōnin trapped him between massive boulders with Earth Release: Mountain Earth Technique.

Uchiha Ling’s Kamumusubi activated Life Regression automatically, erasing the attacks that would have killed him and restoring him to an earlier, injured state, but leaving his left eye permanently blind. As Iwagakure’s forces continued to overwhelm him, he kept fighting and gained strength from their rising negative emotions.

• With Lightning Release and an Earth Mountain Technique closing in, Ling’s left eye unleashed Kamumusubi: Life Regression and erased both attacks.
• Life Regression restored Ling’s body to its earlier injured state, but consumed the last of his left eye’s power and left him blind.
• Kitsuchi told the shocked Iwagakure Ninja to keep attacking, and they charged Ling in a frenzy.
• As his chakra ran out and his body weakened, Ling relied on instinct to fight off the surrounding Ninja.
• Ling’s Emotion Points climbed past eighty thousand as Iwagakure’s fear, despair, resentment, and rage fueled him.

Uchiha Ling reached the brink of death while fighting Iwagakure Ninja, then spent his Emotion Points to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and regain his strength. He cleared the attackers around him and stood ready to face the surviving Iwagakure forces, including Kitsuchi.

• Uchiha Ling fought on through exhaustion as Iwagakure Ninja surrounded and attacked him.
• Uchiha Ling noticed his Emotion Points had exceeded one hundred thousand and redeemed the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Uchiha Ling's ocular power and chakra surged, his wounds began to heal, and his strength returned.
• Uchiha Ling unleashed a dark red force that hurled every Iwagakure Ninja within five meters away, killing them.
• Kitsuchi and the surviving Iwagakure Ninja watched as Uchiha Ling straightened with renewed power and faced the battlefield.

Uchiha Ling awakened the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan and unleashed a more powerful Perfect Susanoo against the Iwagakure army. He slaughtered the fleeing shinobi while Kitsuchi escaped with his guards to carry the news of their defeat.

• Uchiha Ling mocked the Iwagakure shinobi and summoned a towering, dark-red Perfect Susanoo.
• The Susanoo crushed hundreds of Iwagakure shinobi with a stomp and scattered their defensive line with a sweeping blow.
• The Iwagakure army broke and fled as Uchiha Ling pursued them, crushing and killing the retreating soldiers.
• Kitsuchi's guards pulled him away from the battlefield so he could escape with information about Uchiha Ling.

Uchiha Ling routed Kitsuchi’s Iwagakure army with his Susanoo after killing the Third Raikage, then headed toward a border outpost. After receiving the report, Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered a respectful letter sent to Ling to learn his intentions before he returned to Konoha.

• Uchiha Ling pursued the fleeing Iwagakure Ninja with his Susanoo until the survivors escaped into the forest, then let the Susanoo fade.
• Uchiha Ling felt his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan restoring his ocular power and healing the strain from Life Regression before heading for the nearest border outpost.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi received a top-secret report confirming that Ling had killed the Third Raikage A and routed Kitsuchi’s army of over ten thousand, with more than three thousand estimated dead.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered the Anbu Captain to deliver a respectful letter asking Ling about his plans and his view of Konoha’s future before he reached the village’s defensive perimeter.

Danzō feared Uchiha Ling’s power and his own political future, so he sent Root’s secret Nirvana squad to assassinate Ling on his way back to Konoha. Ling reached a border outpost unharmed, where the shinobi’s rumors turned to awe as they saw him in person.

• Danzō received a report of Ling’s victory and refused to believe he had escaped the battle without exhaustion.
• Danzō summoned Root’s three-person Nirvana squad and ordered them to kill Ling along his route back to Konoha.
• Ling arrived at a Land of Fire border outpost and was recognized by the two Chunin guards.
• The outpost’s shinobi saw Ling unharmed and reacted with shock, awe, and adoration.

Uchiha Ling gained fervent support from the border shinobi, who declared him the best candidate for Hokage after hearing of his victories. In Cloud Village, the leaders mourned Third Raikage A and learned how Uchiha Ling had defeated him, leaving A vowing revenge.

• The border shinobi quietly tended to Uchiha Ling and admired him as he rested at the outpost.
• The logistics Chunin argued that Uchiha Ling should become the next Hokage, and the other shinobi enthusiastically agreed over Orochimaru.
• Uchiha Ling collected emotion points from the shinobi's support and respect.
• Cloud Village's leaders gathered to mourn Third Raikage A while A, Killer B, and Darui sat in grief.
• C reported that Uchiha Ling's Susanoo had withstood Third Raikage A's ultimate attack and that A had died of exhaustion.
• A smashed the conference table and vowed to avenge Third Raikage A by bringing Cloud Village's full might against Uchiha Ling.

Mabui persuaded A and Cloud Village’s leaders to pursue peace talks with Konoha and prepare A’s succession as Fourth Raikage rather than risk immediate revenge. A later report revealed that Uchiha Ling had routed Iwagakure’s army with his Perfect Susanoo, leaving Cloud Village’s leadership shaken and convinced they could not challenge him.

• Mabui warned A and the elders that Cloud Village was too weakened to fight Konoha and proposed peace talks to buy time.
• Mabui urged A to succeed the Third Raikage immediately, and A agreed to arrange peace talks and his succession ceremony.
• C read a report stating that Uchiha Ling had summoned a Perfect Susanoo after killing the Third Raikage and routed Iwagakure’s army.
• Cloud Village’s leaders were stunned by the report and lost hope of avenging the Third Raikage through force.

After Uchiha Ling’s overwhelming victory convinced Kumogakure’s leaders that resistance was hopeless, Mabui argued that immediate surrender offered the village its best chance to survive and recover. Fourth Raikage A approved her plan, and envoys carrying his signed surrender document departed secretly for Konoha.

• Fourth Raikage A despaired as he realized Uchiha Ling had defeated Kumogakure’s forces with power far beyond what he had previously shown.
• Mabui urged Kumogakure’s leaders to surrender to Konoha immediately, arguing that acting first could secure lenient terms and time to rebuild.
• Kumogakure’s elders agreed that surrender was the best way to preserve the village, despite the humiliation.
• Fourth Raikage A approved the motion and ordered envoys to take a surrender document to Konoha in secret.
• A small delegation left the Valley of Clouds and Lightning carrying the document signed by Fourth Raikage A.

Ōnoki received news that Uchiha Ling had killed the Third Raikage and routed Iwagakure’s army, leaving him shaken by the scale of the defeat. Kitsuchi returned exhausted and guilt-stricken, and Ōnoki comforted him before hearing his full report.

• Ōnoki read reports confirming the Third Raikage’s death and the rout of Iwagakure’s army, with more than three thousand casualties.
• Ōnoki ordered the village’s leaders to strengthen defenses and treat the wounded while he waited for Kitsuchi’s account.
• Kitsuchi returned to Ōnoki’s office, battered and exhausted from the retreat.
• Ōnoki assured Kitsuchi that his return alive mattered, and Kitsuchi broke down apologizing for the army’s losses.

After hearing Kitsuchi’s account of Uchiha Ling’s devastating power, Ōnoki accepted Iwagakure’s defeat and ordered a meeting to negotiate peace with Konoha. Meanwhile, the Third Mizukage mistook Konoha’s reduced defenses for weakness and sent the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist toward the Land of Fire border.

• Kitsuchi recounted how Uchiha Ling’s Susanoo slaughtered Iwagakure’s forces and left the survivors alive without a second glance.
• Ōnoki concluded that Iwagakure had lost to Uchiha Ling and ordered Kitsuchi to summon the elders and Jonin Commander to discuss peace terms with Hidden Leaf Village.
• Kitsuchi reported that Kumogakure appeared quiet and might have sent a covert team to Konoha, leading Ōnoki to believe it had already chosen to seek peace.
• The Third Mizukage dismissed reports of Konoha’s victories as a bluff and decided the village was vulnerable.
• The Third Mizukage ordered the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to gather their forces and advance toward the Land of Fire border to test Konoha.

Sunagakure's leaders debated whether to resist Konoha or surrender after its victories, while Pakura urged a desperate fight. Chiyo and Ebizo decided to offer Pakura to Uchiha Ling to win favorable terms and support Rasa's rise as Fourth Kazekage, and Rasa agreed to contact Ling secretly.

• Ebizo and Chiyo told Rasa and Pakura that the Cloud Village was seeking peace with Konoha and Iwagakure had been shaken by Uchiha Ling's victories.
• Pakura argued that Sunagakure should fight rather than surrender, but Chiyo ended the meeting without accepting her proposal.
• After Pakura left, Chiyo, Ebizo, and Rasa agreed Sunagakure could not oppose Konoha and should seek favorable terms under its rule.
• Chiyo proposed handing Pakura over to Uchiha Ling to appease him and demonstrate Sunagakure's obedience while helping Rasa become Fourth Kazekage.
• Rasa accepted the plan and said he would contact Uchiha Ling through secret channels.

Uchiha Ling killed the four Root assassins Danzo had sent to the border outpost without being harmed. After the outpost shinobi witnessed his victory, Ling set off for Konoha to confront Danzo.

• Four Root assassins entered Uchiha Ling's chamber to kill him while he appeared to be meditating.
• Uchiha Ling killed three attackers almost instantly, then stopped the last assassin's poisoned shuriken and snapped his neck.
• Ling told the final Root shinobi that Danzo would soon die by his hand.
• Outpost shinobi arrived and saw Ling standing unharmed among the four dead Root assassins.
• Uchiha Ling left the outpost and raced toward Konoha to confront Danzo.

Uchiha Ling returned to Konoha and attacked the Root Base to kill Shimura Danzō and settle their score. He unleashed his Third Form Susanoo, destroying Root and drawing the attention of the entire village as Danzō called for Sarutobi to intervene.

• Uchiha Ling flew over Konoha and smashed into the Root Base, announcing that he had come to kill Shimura Danzō.
• Root shinobi attacked Uchiha Ling, but his chakra repelled them and he fought his way through the base.
• Shimura Danzō confronted Uchiha Ling and ordered his subordinates to attack after Ling accused him of sending assassins.
• Uchiha Ling survived a combined elemental attack and manifested his Third Form Susanoo.
• Uchiha Ling used Susanoo to obliterate Root shinobi and demolish the base as Konoha watched.
• Shimura Danzō saw the scale of Uchiha Ling's power and roared for Sarutobi to stop standing by.

Hatake Sakumo and Tsunade openly backed Uchiha Ling, while Orochimaru criticized Danzō and left Hiruzen Sarutobi isolated. Danzō attacked Ling but was captured and crushed by Susanoo.

• Hatake Sakumo accused Shimura Danzō of framing him and supporting Ling, then pledged to help purge Danzō's faction.
• Tsunade confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi and vowed to fight anyone who targeted her student, Uchiha Ling.
• Orochimaru criticized Danzō's research and hinted that Ling's actions might serve the village, further isolating Hiruzen.
• Shimura Danzō attacked Ling with Wind Style techniques, but Susanoo destroyed his attacks and seized him.
• Uchiha Ling crushed Danzō in Susanoo's hand.