Chapter Summaries

Sun Keiyun reflected on how the Ninja Academy and Chunin Exams disadvantaged civilian ninja, then faced Jonin Sarutobi Kumo in the final match. He tricked Sarutobi Kumo into stepping off his designated brick, satisfying the exam condition and leaving Tanimura Yū to declare that Sun had outwitted him.

• Sun Keiyun analyzed how students’ mentality, talent, and family background shaped their prospects, concluding that the Academy and Chunin Exams exploited civilian ninja.
• Sun Keiyun wrote an article criticizing the systems and planned to use it to unite Konoha’s civilian ninja.
• Sarutobi Kumo limited himself to a one-meter square and challenged Sun Keiyun to force any part of him outside it.
• Sun Keiyun told Sarutobi Kumo he could move him onto another brick, prompting Sarutobi Kumo to step onto the neighboring brick.
• Sun Keiyun turned to leave, and Tanimura Yū pointed out that Sarutobi Kumo had already left his designated area.

Sun Keiyun argued to Yamashiro Aoba that war benefited ninja and gave families a path to prosperity, then twisted the Will of Fire to support his claims. Yamashiro Aoba realized that Sun Keiyun’s interpretation resembled the Bushido spirit of the Sengoku era.

• After eating barbecue with Anko, Sun Keiyun took Yamashiro Aoba to his home, where Yamashiro Aoba was surprised by the many cats and recognized Sun Keiyun’s tea as a luxury among nobles.
• Sun Keiyun told Yamashiro Aoba that ninja benefited from war through higher funding, more dangerous missions, and greater opportunities to improve their strength.
• Sun Keiyun argued that people became ninja to protect their families’ livelihoods and that those who died in war had sacrificed themselves for their descendants’ future.
• Yamashiro Aoba objected that the dead had fought to protect Konoha and its villagers, but Sun Keiyun claimed that their sacrifice and the village’s prosperity matched the Will of Fire.
• Sun Keiyun described the Will of Fire as a willingness to die without hesitation for Konoha, and Yamashiro Aoba realized the interpretation was Bushido from the Sengoku era.

Yamashiro Aoba tried to make Sun Keiyun question the Will of Fire by comparing Konoha’s demands for loyalty to the nobles his family had served. Sun Keiyun took Aoba’s advice as proof that he was a spy for the Cloud Leaf Society.

• Yamashiro Aoba recognized Sun Keiyun’s devotion to Konoha as an expression of Bushido and worried that questioning it would make him seem like a spy.
• Yamashiro Aoba asked whether Sun Keiyun’s ideal of serving the people included civilians beyond Konoha and how it applied to bandits and enemy villages.
• Yamashiro Aoba recounted how his ancestors secured their position by working with tenant farmers instead of relying on loyalty to the nobles.
• Yamashiro Aoba told Sun Keiyun to see himself as an independent person and make Konoha value his abilities rather than treat him as an appendage.
• Sun Keiyun concluded that Yamashiro Aoba was a spy sent by the Cloud Leaf Society.

Sun Keiyun showed Yamashiro Aoba three articles criticizing Konoha’s power structure and persuaded him that the Will of Fire and village institutions benefited the great and prominent clans. Yamashiro Aoba agreed to join Sun Keiyun’s revolution, and Sun hinted that Uchiha Kusuhi might already be involved.

• Sun Keiyun wrote Yamashiro Aoba an article linking the Will of Fire and Bushido to the destruction of personality and humanity.
• Sun Keiyun gave Yamashiro Aoba two more articles arguing that the Academy, Chunin Exams, and village mission system preserved the clans’ power at the expense of lower-ranking ninja.
• After reading the articles, Yamashiro Aoba realized Sun Keiyun had concealed his beliefs and asked whether he was plotting a rebellion.
• Sun Keiyun described his goal as a revolution in which everyone governed themselves, and Yamashiro Aoba began to consider joining despite doubting they could succeed.
• Yamashiro Aoba agreed to join Sun Keiyun, who suggested Uchiha Kusuhi might also be involved by asking why he had taught Yamashiro Aoba and Anko Fire Release and swordsmanship.

Sun Keiyun was promoted to chunin as the sole successful candidate, then demonstrated his Blessing Wind and Healing Light techniques to Sarutobi Hiruzen. The Hokage offered him four powerful techniques in exchange for submitting his inventions, leaving Sun Keiyun to decide whether to accept.

• Yamashiro Aoba joined Sun Keiyun’s recruitment effort and took the new surname Yu, while Sarutobi Hiruzen rebuked Sarutobi Kumo for failing to assess Sun Keiyun.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen decided to promote Sun Keiyun to chunin and summoned him, while Sun Keiyun received Yahiko’s invitation to meet at Narukami Peak in three days.
• On the way to the Hokage, Sun Keiyun discovered that his Spiritual Sense could observe other people’s Chakra.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen promoted Sun Keiyun despite his lack of direct combat in the examination, citing his wisdom and test results.
• Sun Keiyun demonstrated Blessing Wind and Healing Light, and Sarutobi Hiruzen offered him two A-rank and two S-rank techniques if he submitted them to the village.

Sun Keiyun exchanged Blessing Wind and Healing Light for two S-rank and two A-rank techniques from Konoha’s Scroll of Seals. After choosing and memorizing the techniques, he left the Hokage’s office with a new chunin vest and forehead protector.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen gave Sun Keiyun the Scroll of Seals catalog and required him to choose four techniques in the office.
• Sun Keiyun chose Mutual Multiplication Explosive Tag and Reaper Death Seal, along with Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique and Bringer-of-Darkness Technique.
• Sun Keiyun wrote down Blessing Wind and Healing Light, prompting Sarutobi Hiruzen to question how he had awakened Light Release.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen unsealed the four chosen techniques and let Sun Keiyun memorize them without taking the Scroll of Seals from the office.
• Sun Keiyun finished memorizing the techniques, put on his chunin vest and new forehead protector, and left the Hokage’s Office Building.

Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan met Sun Keiyun and Kagura on Narukami Peak, where Sun Keiyun revealed that Hanzo had been conspiring with Danzo against Akatsuki. After an unseen watcher fled, a mysterious newcomer confronted him and deduced that he was neither Hanzo’s nor Danzo’s man; the watcher then decided to kill him.

• Yahiko, Nagato, Konan, and Zhao Changjiang waited on Narukami Peak for the Cloud Leaf Society representatives.
• Sun Keiyun and Kagura arrived by flying, and Sun Keiyun detected a Black Shadow fleeing through the ground.
• Sun Keiyun identified himself as the Cloud Leaf Society president and warned Yahiko that Hanzo had sent a letter to Danzo about Akatsuki.
• Sun Keiyun and Kagura suspected Nagato might be connected to the Uzumaki Clan and discussed the watcher’s unusual power.
• A white-robed newcomer tracked down the Black Shadow, who claimed to serve Root and Danzo while gathering intelligence on Akatsuki.
• The newcomer deduced that the Black Shadow was neither Hanzo’s nor Danzo’s man, so the Black Shadow resolved to kill him.

Yunxiao outsped Black Shadow and let him escape toward the Land of Earth, while Sun Keiyun challenged Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato's beliefs about how peace could be achieved. After exposing the flaws in their approach, Sun Keiyun began explaining that peace required understanding the essence of war.

• Black Shadow attacked Yunxiao with a hidden short spear, but Yunxiao repeatedly switched places with him and revealed his unmatched speed.
• Black Shadow fled underground toward the north, and Yunxiao inferred that he was connected to the Land of Earth before deciding not to pursue him.
• Sun Keiyun proposed that Yahiko's group attend Hanzo's peace talks alongside him so they could judge Hanzo's intentions for themselves.
• Sun Keiyun questioned Yahiko about the Akatsuki Organization's ideals and showed how disputes over power, taxes, and resources could still cause war.
• Nagato argued that everyone should feel pain so they could understand one another, and Sun Keiyun pointed out that this would make the Akatsuki Organization start wars.
• Sun Keiyun said peace required a different method from making everyone understand one another, then asked the group what the essence of war was.

Sun Keiyun taught Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato that ending war required Just War against Unjust War, while Yahiko remained uncertain and planned to test Hanzo’s peace talks. He then helped Nagato discover his Uzumaki heritage and reunite with his cousin Kagura, while questions about Nagato’s Rinnegan remained unresolved.

• Sun Keiyun explained the causes and nature of war, arguing that Just Wars could oppose oppression and invasion while Unjust Wars should be resisted.
• Sun Keiyun claimed that Just War was the only way to eliminate Unjust War, and Yahiko struggled to accept his reasoning.
• Yahiko decided to wait for the peace talks Hanzo had scheduled in half a month to see whether disputes could be resolved peacefully.
• Sun Keiyun recognized Nagato’s red hair and traits as signs of Uzumaki ancestry, and Kagura confirmed that Nagato was her cousin.
• Kagura drew Nagato close, and the two relatives cried and talked about their family while Yahiko and Konan welcomed their reunion.
• Sun Keiyun learned that Nagato’s Rinnegan was not a known Uzumaki ability and wondered whether Jiraiya knew more about it.

Zetsu reported that three outsiders had approached Nagato, prompting the old man to order bounty hunters and White Zetsu to eliminate them. At negotiations in the Land of Rain, Hanzo tried to recruit Yahiko’s group, but Yahiko refused because Hanzo’s plans required war; Hanzo then sprang his ambush and took Konan hostage.

• Zetsu told the old man that three powerful strangers had visited Nagato and showed him their books, so the old man ordered bounty hunters and White Zetsu to attack them.
• Hanzo’s and Root’s forces gathered near Rain Village, where Guihai Yidao and Yanagi Moto Ran competed in speed before the groups hid in the rocky hills.
• Yahiko, Nagato, Konan, Zhao Changjiang, and Yunxiao met Hanzo, who offered to make them his disciples and absorb Akatsuki into Rain Village.
• Yahiko recognized that Hanzo intended to expand Rain Village through war and refused to join him.
• Hanzo ordered his ambushers to attack, Nagato scattered the first wave, and another attacker seized Konan.
• Hanzo held a kunai to Konan’s throat and demanded that Yahiko kill himself to save her.

Yahiko’s group survived Hanzo’s ambush after Guihai Yidao rescued Konan and Yunxiao defeated the Bounty Hunter Ninjas. Yahiko urged Hanzo to surrender, then began explaining the Akatsuki Organization’s new platform, while Yunxiao pursued the watching Zetsu.

• Yahiko rejected Hanzo’s threats, and Guihai Yidao ambushed Hanzo, severed his right arm, and rescued Konan.
• Hanzo summoned Amegakure and Bounty Hunter Ninjas, but Yunxiao protected his group and killed the attackers with his techniques and flying swords.
• Guihai Yidao refused to help the Root ninjas, explaining that they had been designated to be sacrificed, while Yahiko pressed Hanzo to surrender.
• Hanzo tried to recruit Yunxiao, but Yunxiao declared that he followed Yahiko, and Yahiko began telling Hanzo about the Akatsuki Organization’s new platform.
• Yunxiao flew away to clear out witnesses and confronted Zetsu, whose changed appearance led Yunxiao to question how he concealed himself.

Yunxiao captured and questioned Zetsu, deducing that Uchiha Madara might still be alive and inviting him to meet. After Zetsu left to deliver the invitation, Yunxiao sent Primordial Spirit Jade Edicts to investigate two possible base locations.

• Yunxiao restrained Zetsu and deduced that his body combined Hashirama Cells with an artificial Yin Release creation.
• Yunxiao concluded that Uchiha Madara had created Zetsu and questioned whether Madara was still alive.
• Zetsu admitted that Madara had created him and offered to deliver Yunxiao's request for a meeting.
• Yunxiao used Zetsu's travel time and escape direction to identify possible base locations in the Land of Rivers and the Land of Grass.
• Zetsu left underground for the Land of Grass, while Yunxiao sent Primordial Spirit Jade Edicts to investigate both suspected locations.

Yunxiao returned to find Hanzo dead and Yahiko ready to merge the Akatsuki Organization with the Cloud Leaf Society. As Yunxiao led the group toward Amegakure, Guihai Yidao stayed behind and confronted Kakuzu, who agreed to test his strength in a direct fight.

• Yunxiao learned that Guihai Yidao had killed Hanzo after Hanzo attacked the group, and Yanagi Moto Ran explained that Hanzo had lost much of his strength and relied on his poison and Ibuse.
• Yanagi Moto Ran defected with his subordinates, and Yahiko told Yunxiao that he, Nagato, and Konan had decided to dissolve the Akatsuki Organization and join the Cloud Leaf Society.
• Yunxiao ordered Yanagi Moto Ran to lead them into Amegakure and gather its Jonin to announce Hanzo's death, then left with Yahiko and the others.
• Guihai Yidao discovered Kakuzu nearby and invited him to join the Akatsuki Organization, but Kakuzu objected that the Land of Rain was too weak to matter.
• Kakuzu challenged Guihai Yidao to fight him head-on, and Guihai Yidao agreed to show him the results of his cultivation.

Guihai Yidao defeated Kakuzu with his speed, and Kakuzu accepted defeat and agreed to join the organization. In Amegakure, the Akatsuki Organization seized control of the Jonin by sealing their Chakra and offered them access to it in exchange for joining and accepting reform, while Yanagi Moto Ran began explaining his connection to the group.

• Guihai Yidao repeatedly stopped Kakuzu from completing his ninjutsu, forcing Kakuzu to admit defeat and follow him.
• Kakuzu asked about his new organization's work and salary, and Guihai Yidao said its plans were not yet finalized and ordered Kakuzu to gather intelligence on the Bounty Exchange.
• Yanagi Moto Ran revealed that all thirty-four Jonin in Amegakure were present, as Yunxiao, Yahiko, Nagato, Konan, Zhao Changjiang, and a white-robed youth entered the meeting room.
• The white-robed youth sent Spirit Gathering Lights into the Jonin, preventing them from refining Chakra and silencing them with a thunderous shout.
• Yahiko explained that the Jonin could regain access to their stored Chakra by joining the Akatsuki Organization, studying its ideals, and advancing through its ranks.
• After the Akatsuki group left, the Jonin questioned Yanagi Moto Ran, who said he and Hanzo had gone to meet with the Akatsuki leader.

Yunxiao confronted Madara in his underground palace after Zetsu reported that Yunxiao had defeated the bounty hunters sent after him. Yunxiao announced that the Akatsuki belonged to his organization, exposed Madara’s life-support setup, and began explaining why he had joined his group.

• Zetsu told Madara that Yunxiao had killed the Jonin bounty hunters and captured him after recognizing him as a Yin Release creation who could use Wood Release.
• Yunxiao appeared in Madara’s underground palace, discussed the Crystal Lattice Network in Murakumogiri, and returned the sword after studying it.
• Yunxiao told Madara that the Akatsuki Organization belonged to his group and demanded that Madara stop sending Zetsu to spy on them.
• Yunxiao sensed the Ten-Tails’ Body and the pipes sustaining Madara, then speculated about Madara’s age and motives.
• Madara questioned Yunxiao about his organization, teacher, and reasons for joining, and Yunxiao began answering with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Yunxiao discussed theories of peace with Uchiha Madara, who grew interested in the Cloud Leaf Society and considered joining. When Yunxiao learned that Madara had created Zetsu from his will, he wondered how that fit with the claim that Black Zetsu had come to save his mother.

• Yunxiao explained Maslow’s eight stages of human needs, persuading Uchiha Madara that they shared a desire for true peace.
• Yunxiao argued that Senju Hashirama’s tailed-beast deterrence and peace treaties could not secure lasting peace, and that education and public participation were necessary.
• Uchiha Madara asked about joining the Cloud Leaf Society, and Yunxiao said he could do research work and become a core member after studying and passing an assessment.
• Uchiha Madara introduced Zetsu as a lifeform he had created from his will, and Zetsu demonstrated how he could separate from White Zetsu.
• Yunxiao questioned Madara about having a wife or descendants, then wondered whose mother Black Zetsu had supposedly come to save.

Yunxiao introduced Uchiha Madara to Cloud Leaf Society’s ideals, scientific advances, and plans for peaceful development while Bian Que examined him. Madara began to doubt the Infinite Tsukuyomi after Yunxiao argued that freezing civilization could leave the world helpless against alien civilizations.

• Yunxiao summoned Bian Que to examine Madara and explained that Cloud Leaf Society relied on cultivation and serving the people rather than ninja missions or war.
• Yunxiao described the Society’s reforms, research, and plans for a teleportation network, while Madara listened and considered joining the project.
• Bian Que used fine Chakra threads to examine Madara, and Yunxiao gave Madara a book explaining scientific discoveries about the world and matter.
• Yunxiao told Madara that scientific progress required peace and warned that alien civilizations might threaten a stagnant world.
• Madara realized the Infinite Tsukuyomi could prevent humanity from developing defenses against aliens and began to question whether his plan was wrong.
• Bian Que finished examining Madara and began discussing his condition.

Bian Que diagnosed Uchiha Madara’s condition as an ongoing genetic evolution that required the energy from his tubes, and proposed developing energy pills so Madara could leave his chamber. Madara agreed to let Bian Que study one tube, while Black Zetsu panicked over Madara’s apparent defection and Yunxiao’s people began surveying the enormous object.

• Bian Que found that Uchiha Madara’s genes had mutated and recombined, leaving his body in an energy-dependent evolutionary process.
• Bian Que proposed refining the energy into pills that could sustain Madara outside the tubes and estimated he could develop them within a month.
• Uchiha Madara agreed to give Bian Que one of his three tubes, despite Black Zetsu’s alarm.
• Black Zetsu feared that Madara would join Yunxiao’s organization and jeopardize his plan to save his mother.
• Yunxiao had already sent a Primordial Spirit Jade Edict mobilization order, and seven or eight recipients began surveying the enormous object.

Sun Keiyun and his companions discovered a colossal buried creature in the Land of Grass and learned from Kurama that it was the Ten-Tails. They decided to seal its body and study its energy, while Kushina agreed to ask Kurama for more information.

• Sun Keiyun named the Moon Viewing Grassland Wei Qingyuan and studied reports depicting a massive creature buried beneath it.
• Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Uzumaki Kushina arrived, and Sun Keiyun asked Kushina to let Kurama examine the creature.
• Kurama recognized the creature as the Ten-Tails but refused to explain further, leaving Kushina to suspect he was hiding something.
• Sun Keiyun and the others discussed whether the Ten-Tails was an alien or an ancient native being, and Orochimaru mentioned other pre-Ninja Sect gods and demons.
• Sun Keiyun proposed sealing the Ten-Tails' body and using its energy to refine pills that might awaken Gold Element and Wood Release, promising Tsunade the first dose.

Sun Keiyun reflected on the Ten-Tails while Yunxiao confronted Black Zetsu and deduced his plans for Nagato and the Akatsuki Organization. After Black Zetsu gave up on his scheme to save his mother, Yunxiao reconsidered how to approach him and resolved to address the separation between mother and son.

• Sun Keiyun learned that the giant creature was the Ten-Tails and speculated that the Sage of Six Paths had created the tailed beasts to protect the world.
• Yunxiao pulled Black Zetsu away from Uchiha Madara and explained how he kept Black Zetsu suspended above the ground.
• Yunxiao accused Black Zetsu of not being created by Madara and deduced that he was exploiting Madara and seeking to use Nagato's Rinnegan.
• Black Zetsu realized that Madara had turned against him and that his plan to save his mother had failed, so he stopped resisting Yunxiao's accusations.
• Yunxiao recognized that Black Zetsu was trying to save his mother and decided to understand his hardship and help resolve the separation.