Ch. 461Naruto and Sasuke’s Death! The End of the War?! Please Vote! (Continued)
Chapter Summary
Key Plot Points and Events
- Six Paths Madara accelerates the God Tree’s growth, causing its roots and branches to spread across the battlefield and drain the chakra and life force of the Allied Shinobi Forces.
- Naruto is forced to fight Madara while also trying to protect the exhausted alliance. Sasuke, Hinata, Kakashi, and Ōnoki struggle to contain Madara’s Limbo clones, while Tsunade, Jiraiya, the Fourth Raikage, and others battle the Ten-Tails’ split forms.
- The God Tree specifically targets powerful chakra sources, including Killer B, the Seven-Tails’ jinchūriki Kaede, and Naruto.
- Naruto temporarily abandons his duel with Madara to protect the alliance. Using True God Wind Slash, he destroys countless vines and branches and halts the God Tree’s rampage.
- Madara exploits Naruto’s moment of distraction, striking him with Six Paths Sage Art: Storm Release: Light Fang. The laser pierces Naruto’s chest, leaving him severely wounded, though his True God Mode keeps him alive.
- Madara argues that Naruto’s concern for his comrades is a weakness and dismisses the Allied Shinobi Forces as burdens. Naruto rejects this, insisting that his strength exists precisely to protect his friends, teachers, family, and comrades.
- Madara then unleashes Horizon Meteor, creating dozens of enormous meteors through gravitational forces. The attack threatens to annihilate the entire alliance and forces Naruto into another impossible choice.
- Despite his injuries, Naruto immediately flies toward the meteors, determined to save everyone once again.
Character Developments
- Naruto demonstrates his defining self-sacrificial nature. Rather than focus solely on defeating Madara, he repeatedly risks his life to protect the alliance. His injury emphasizes both the danger of Madara’s power and Naruto’s refusal to abandon others.
- Madara becomes increasingly ruthless and pragmatic. He openly embraces deception, surprise attacks, and mass destruction, claiming that victory justifies any tactic. His rejection of bonds contrasts sharply with Naruto’s ideals.
- Ōnoki condemns Madara’s sneak attack as dishonorable, while Madara dismisses the older shinobi’s sense of honor as naïve.
- Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the other alliance leaders are shown at the limits of their endurance, struggling to keep their forces alive against overwhelming odds.
- Killer B and Kaede are singled out by the God Tree because of their immense chakra, illustrating the danger faced by jinchūriki in the battle.
Significant Themes
- The strength of bonds versus isolation: Madara views attachments as weaknesses, while Naruto sees relationships as the reason strength has meaning.
- Self-sacrifice and leadership: Naruto acts as a protector and leader, willingly enduring devastating injuries to save others.
- Power and responsibility: The chapter questions whether overwhelming power should be used only for personal victory or to protect those unable to defend themselves.
- Ideals versus pragmatism: Madara believes any method is acceptable if it achieves victory; Naruto and Ōnoki defend principles such as loyalty, honor, and compassion.
- The burden of protecting everyone: Madara repeatedly forces Naruto into situations where saving the alliance leaves him vulnerable, emphasizing the near-impossible demands placed on Naruto.
Character Interactions
- Naruto and Madara engage in both a physical and ideological battle. Madara attacks Naruto’s compassion, while Naruto defends the value of comradeship.
- Ōnoki directly challenges Madara over his dishonorable attack, but Madara mocks his beliefs and invokes Tobirama as an example of ruthless strategy.
- Hinata, Jiraiya, and Tsunade react with alarm and concern after Naruto is pierced, reinforcing the alliance’s emotional dependence on him.
- Killer B complains about being pursued by the God Tree, while Gyūki explains that his large chakra reserves make him a prime target.
- The chapter ends with Naruto once again choosing the alliance over his own safety, flying toward Madara’s meteors and accepting another seemingly impossible confrontation.