Recaps

Dan Katō and Tsunade celebrated their wedding with family and guests, while Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Hiruko pursued their own plans elsewhere. More than half a year later, Orochimaru’s experiments and a wave of disappearances prompted Hatake Sakumo to order Dan Katō and the Anbu to investigate.

• Uzumaki Kushina, Nawaki, and the guests gathered as the wedding began, and Dan Katō and Tsunade entered the venue together.
• Dan Katō and Tsunade exchanged vows and ceremonial sake, then celebrated with the guests at a lavish banquet.
• In the Land of Rain, Jiraiya read Dan Katō’s invitation and wondered whether Nagato was the child of prophecy.
• Orochimaru continued experimenting with Hashirama Cells, while Hiruko worked with Danzo’s Root member on a technique meant to obtain Wood Style.
• More than half a year later, Orochimaru abducted shinobi and sixty infants for experiments, prompting Hatake Sakumo to order Dan Katō and the Anbu to investigate the disappearances.

An Anbu investigation into kidnapped villagers led to the capture of Root operatives, whose training and curse marks pointed toward Shimura Danzō. Sarutobi Hiruzen went to confront Danzō, whose smugness vanished when Hiruzen questioned him.

• Anbu members rescued kidnapped villagers and captured several Root operatives, while others escaped or blew themselves up.
• Hatake Sakumo ordered the captured villagers escorted home and had the operatives interrogated, but their conditioning and curse marks prevented Anbu from learning their identities.
• An Anbu confidant told Sarutobi Hiruzen that the captives bore Root-style training and Tongue Eradication Curse Marks, suggesting Danzō's involvement.
• Hiruzen rebuked the Anbu member for hiding the information from Hatake Sakumo, then went to ask Danzō about the case.
• Shimura Danzō read a report from Hiruko at home, but his smug smile froze when Hiruzen confronted him.

Sarutobi Hiruzen confronted Shimura Danzō over former Root members involved in human trafficking, and Danzō disowned them to protect himself. When Hatake Sakumo learned the captured men had abducted village ninja and Anbu, they blamed the Jashin Cult, leaving Sakumo determined to use the incident against Danzō.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen accused Shimura Danzō of secretly directing Root operatives, and Danzō ordered his returned subordinates detained while denying responsibility.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen brought Shimura Danzō to Hatake Sakumo, who challenged Danzō over former Root members abducting ninja and Anbu.
• Shimura Danzō suspected Orochimaru was behind the abductions but pretended to be shocked when confronted.
• Dan Katō reported that the captured Root members had confessed to the abductions and claimed they had sacrificed every captive to Lord Jashin.
• Hatake Sakumo recognized that the Jashin Cult might be blamed for the crime but resolved not to waste the opportunity to act against Shimura Danzō.

Hatake Sakumo forced Shimura Danzō to disband Root and reorganize it into a small guard unit, while Konoha prospered under his reforms. More than a year later, Sakumo asked Hyuga Shinichi to mentor Kakashi, who was nearing early graduation.

• Hatake Sakumo proposed disbanding Root, and Sarutobi Hiruzen supported the plan, leading Shimura Danzō to agree to limit his new personal guard unit to ten members.
• Shimura Danzō secretly plotted to regain influence by mastering Wood Style.
• Konoha continued to improve under Hatake Sakumo's reforms, and Jiraiya returned to the village near the end of the forty-second year of the Hokage era.
• Hyuga Shinichi went to the Hokage Office after Hatake Sakumo summoned him and saw that Hatake Sakumo, not Namikaze Minato, was depicted on the Fourth Hokage monument.
• Hatake Sakumo asked Hyuga Shinichi to take Kakashi under his wing because Kakashi was about to graduate early from the Ninja Academy.

Hyuga Shinichi learned that Minato and Hayama were nearing promotion to Jonin, while Kushina would stay in the village beside Mito. At Kakashi’s graduation banquet, Shinichi met Obito and encouraged Kakashi not to underestimate his rivals.

• Sakumo told Shinichi that Minato and Hayama were close to becoming Jonin, and explained that Kushina would remain in the village as Mito’s candidate Jinchuriki.
• Kushina stayed beside Mito, Minato began going on missions with Jiraiya, and Hayama remained on Shinichi’s team at Shinichi’s request.
• Shinichi attended Kakashi’s graduation ceremony, where Inuzuka Gai gave Kakashi ninjutsu scrolls and promised him ninja hounds after he became a Chunin or Jonin.
• Obito asked Shinichi to teach him how to surpass Kakashi, while Guy joined Obito in declaring that he would challenge Kakashi.
• Shinichi warned Kakashi not to become complacent and told him that Obito and Guy could surpass him in the future.