Chapter Summaries

Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Gong Yi to apologize and ask him to help Konoha win the war, and Gong Yi agreed in exchange for another look at the Scroll of Seals. Alone with the scroll for an hour, Gong Yi bypassed Hiruzen’s restrictions and began memorizing its forbidden techniques.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi traveled alone to Gong Territory and sensed the dangerous power Gong Yi was holding back.
• Gong Yi reminded Hiruzen that he had warned the war would turn out badly, and Hiruzen apologized for ordering him back to Konoha.
• Gong Yi agreed to go to the battlefield and turn the tide if Hiruzen let him read the Scroll of Seals alone.
• Hiruzen allowed Gong Yi one hour with the scroll in the Hokage Office, though he had kept some of its seals in place.
• Gong Yi released the scroll’s seals and memorized the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique and Impure World Reincarnation, then continued through forbidden techniques including Izanagi and Izanami.
• With half an hour remaining, Gong Yi skipped ahead toward the scroll’s end and found Wood Style.

Gong Yi studied the Scroll of Seals to learn Wood Style, but the techniques unsettled him until he steadied his mind and formed a second Divine Sense Seed. He showed Hiruzen Sarutobi the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique and reaffirmed that Kumogakure would withdraw its troops within a month.

• Gong Yi reviewed powerful Wood Style techniques in the Scroll of Seals and became fixated on learning them.
• The Divine Sense Seed in Gong Yi's mind shook him out of a near loss of control, and he used the Spirit Refining Technique until his second Divine Sense Seed formed.
• Gong Yi realized he had let his rapid progress and fascination with Wood Style disturb his composure, and decided he had time to grow stronger.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi entered the Hokage Office and asked Gong Yi what was wrong.
• Gong Yi demonstrated the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, and Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted that he had learned a suitable technique.
• Gong Yi promised that Kumogakure would withdraw its troops in one month.

Jiraiya learned how badly Konoha had suffered and went to the front to help, where the soldiers resented his long absence and waited for Gong Yi instead. Gong Yi arrived before the assembled forces and declared that they would win the battle.

• Jiraiya overheard Hot Water residents discussing Konoha’s weakness and decided to return to the war effort.
• Jiraiya spotted Kakuzu in the Land of Hot Water, but Kakuzu avoided him while searching for Hidan.
• Jiraiya reached Konoha’s camp, where Choza challenged him and Inoichi said his deployment would wait for Gong Yi’s arrival.
• Jiraiya stayed at the camp as the Konoha forces gathered to await their leader.
• Gong Yi arrived before the assembled ninja and raised his hand, declaring that they would win the battle.

Gong Yi arrived at the Konoha front, dramatically raising the army’s morale as Kumogakure’s commander Dodai recognized the threat he posed. Gong Yi suspected Konoha’s leaders were pursuing peace to limit his influence, while he insisted he could handle the coming battle alone.

• Konoha’s shinobi welcomed Gong Yi, and Kumogakure scouts reported his arrival to Dodai.
• Dodai explained Gong Yi’s battlefield record and influence to Darui and Samui, then ordered Kumogakure to launch an all-out attack the next day.
• Gong Yi told Nara Shikaku that the village had sent no reinforcements because its leaders might be negotiating peace with the Land of Lightning.
• Shikaku worried that the High Command was weakening Konoha’s position and took hope from Jiraiya’s presence in the camp.
• Gong Yi dismissed Shikaku’s concern and declared that he alone was enough to fight the war.

Gong Yi confronted Jiraiya over his absence from Konoha and refused to let him join the battle, then completed his Hashirama Cells fusion and reached the peak of Taijutsu. He left wondering whether Uchiha Itachi’s Tsukuyomi and Uchiha Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami could affect him.

• Gong Yi overwhelmed Jiraiya with his aura and challenged him for criticizing the deaths in Kirigakure, pointing out Jiraiya’s absence during the Nine-Tails Incident.
• Jiraiya said he wanted to fight for Konoha and revealed that Orochimaru had joined the Akatsuki, while Gong Yi urged him to investigate the group further.
• Gong Yi refused to assign Jiraiya to the battlefield and demonstrated his powerful Sage Mode, leaving Jiraiya convinced he should not have come.
• Gong Yi completed his Hashirama Cells fusion, opened the first six Eight Gates with ease, and realized he could briefly open the Seventh and Eighth Gates.
• Gong Yi wondered whether Uchiha Itachi’s Tsukuyomi and Uchiha Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami would work on him.

Mei Terumi led a coup against Karatachi Yagura, who had been controlled by Obito Uchiha and was being made the Six-Tails Jinchuriki. After Yagura died, he named Mei Terumi the Fifth Mizukage, and she contained the Six-Tails.

• Mei Terumi and her followers began a coup and headed to the forbidden site after learning Karatachi Yagura was not at his residence.
• Kisame Hoshigaki confronted the coup members but let Mei Terumi and Ao pass while he held off the others.
• Mei Terumi fought Karatachi Yagura as Obito Uchiha attacked the Kirigakure ninja from the shadows.
• Obito tried to trap Mei Terumi in a Sharingan Genjutsu, but a golden light shot from her eyes and forced him to flee.
• Mei Terumi defeated the gravely wounded Yagura, who named her the Fifth Mizukage and told her to contain the Six-Tails.
• Mei Terumi released the Six-Tails from Yagura and sealed it within the forbidden site, while Ao asked about the golden light.

After Mei Terumi became the Fifth Mizukage, she planned to preserve Kirigakure’s Water Release techniques and worried about Gong Yi’s fate. Gong Yi reached Red Cloud Mountain ahead of Konoha’s troops and triggered a volcanic eruption as the Kumogakure vanguard charged him.

• Mei Terumi took the title of Fifth Mizukage and ordered Kirigakure’s shinobi to rebuild the village rather than avenge Yagura.
• Mei Terumi asked Ao to gather Kirigakure’s Water Release techniques so the village could preserve its jutsu for future generations.
• After Jiraiya left, Gong Yi learned that Kumogakure’s army was advancing and ordered Nara Shikaku to lead Konoha’s troops to Red Cloud Mountain.
• Gong Yi disappeared before the Konoha force set out and arrived alone at Red Cloud Mountain.
• Gong Yi entered Sage Mode and used Earth Style: Mountain Collapse, triggering a volcano’s eruption as the Kumogakure vanguard charged him.

Gong Yi used a volcanic eruption and his overwhelming Ninjutsu to decimate Kumogakure’s army, then stood alone against the advancing survivors. He continued fighting as Konoha’s forces watched from behind him.

• Gong Yi’s Mountain Collapse technique split the volcano and sent lava over the Kumogakure vanguard, killing more than a thousand shinobi.
• Dodai, Darui, Samui, Kakuzu, and Jiraiya witnessed Gong Yi’s power as Konoha’s forces arrived and assembled behind him.
• Gong Yi ordered Konoha’s shinobi not to advance and faced the Kumogakure army alone.
• Gong Yi struck the charging army with Earth Style: Heaven-Turning Palm, killing hundreds, while Dodai ordered his troops to spread out.
• Gong Yi used Sage Art: Majestic Destroyer Flame to incinerate the Kumogakure shinobi who charged toward his stone pillar.

Gong Yi slaughtered Kumogakure’s forces until Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, challenged him. Their battle began with both unleashing powerful attacks, and Yugito Nii entered her Tailed Beast Transformation as Gong Yi prepared to fight her.

• Gong Yi charged into Kumogakure’s army, killing shinobi with his golden sword, Gold Style: Earth Burial Technique, and forty-nine Shadow Clones.
• Dodai judged that the army’s losses were becoming too severe, so Yugito Nii volunteered to confront Gong Yi and drew on the Two-Tails’ power.
• After clearing the area around himself, Gong Yi recalled his remaining Shadow Clones and faced Yugito Nii as she attacked with blue fireballs.
• Gong Yi blocked Yugito Nii’s flames with Water Formation Wall, then countered with Dragon Flame Song Technique and a black spear.
• Yugito Nii reached Gong Yi and entered Tailed Beast Transformation while seven golden swords revolved behind him.

Gong Yi battled Yugito and dominated her with Gold Style and refined Taijutsu, prompting Dodai to send Darui and Samui to help. Darui and Samui joined the fight, but Gong Yi absorbed Darui’s lightning and nearly cut Samui in half, leaving them to face him as Yugito faltered.

• Gong Yi and Yugito clashed, and his Gold Style swords and Sage Mode Taijutsu repeatedly overwhelmed the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Akimichi Choza, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Nara Shikaku recognized that Gong Yi had combined Strong Fist and Gentle Fist techniques without opening the Eight Inner Gates.
• Dodai ordered Darui and Samui to assist Yugito, and they blocked one of Gong Yi’s attacks before Darui struck him with Lightning Style: Black Panther.
• Gong Yi absorbed Darui’s lightning through a golden sword and blocked Samui’s Cloud Style: Flying Blade with a Gold Style kunai.
• Gong Yi sliced open Samui’s clothes with his kunai, while Darui realized that Yugito was exhausted and that he and Samui had to hold Gong Yi off.

Gong Yi killed Darui and overwhelmed Yugito Nii during his assault on Kumogakure's forces. The Fourth Raikage set out with Mabui to reach Killer B, while Yugito sacrificed part of her body to break free from Gong Yi's grip.

• Darui's Lightning Release attacks failed against Gong Yi, and Gong Yi used a Shadow Clone and a golden sword to kill him.
• Yugito entered her complete Tailed Beast Transformation and charged Gong Yi, who opened the Eight Inner Gates.
• A messenger reported that Gong Yi was fighting Kumogakure's forces alone, prompting the Fourth Raikage to take Mabui and head for Killer B at Cloud-Lightning Ravine.
• Gong Yi seized Yugito and slammed her into the ground, while Matatabi urged her to release more Tailed Beast Chakra to escape.
• Yugito unleashed a burst of Tailed Beast Chakra that blew off one of her legs and sent her flying, but Gong Yi summoned a Mystic Yellow Great Hand to catch her.

The Fourth Raikage and Killer B arrived on the battlefield through the Heavenly Transfer Technique, and Gong Yi prepared to fight them after killing Darui and injuring Yugito Nii. As Konoha’s commanders held back, Obito watched Gong Yi and suspected he had interfered in Kirigakure.

• The Fourth Raikage knocked back Gong Yi’s Mystic Yellow Great Hand, while Killer B and the Raikage learned that Darui had been killed and Yugito Nii was badly injured.
• Gong Yi formed a giant Rasengan and challenged the Fourth Raikage to fight.
• Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi recognized the Raikage and Killer B, and Shikaku ordered them not to intervene until Gong Yi gave the word.
• Shikaku reasoned that Gong Yi’s battlefield display could strengthen his claim to become the Fifth Hokage.
• Kakuzu praised Gong Yi’s strength, and Obito appeared beside him as Tobi before suspecting Gong Yi had helped Mei Terumi escape his control in Kirigakure.

Gong Yi defeated the Fourth Raikage with one Daytime Tiger after opening the Gate of Wonder, while Obito arrived to observe the battle. As the Kumogakure forces retreated with the injured Raikage, Killer B transformed into the Eight-Tails to face Gong Yi.

• Obito left after sensing the battle and went to the Land of Hot Water to help Kakuzu recruit Hidan.
• The Fourth Raikage clashed with Gong Yi, who opened the Eight Inner Gates through the Gate of Wonder.
• Gong Yi struck the Fourth Raikage down with Daytime Tiger, leaving him gravely injured.
• Killer B ordered Dodai to retreat with the Raikage and Yugito Nii while the army covered them.
• Killer B transformed completely into the Eight-Tails and prepared to fight Gong Yi.

Gong Yi fought Killer B, whose strength and bond with the Eight-Tails made him a greater threat than the Fourth Raikage. Gong Yi wounded Killer B with Gold Style: Seven Stars in a Row, but the Eight-Tails’ healing quickly closed the injuries.

• Gong Yi charged Killer B with a golden sword, and the two clashed with their enhanced swordsmanship and Taijutsu.
• Killer B blocked Gong Yi’s strike but was hit by two of the five golden rays that split from the sword.
• Killer B used Head Eight Swords to knock Gong Yi backward, and Gong Yi acknowledged that Killer B surpassed the Raikage in strength.
• Gong Yi formed seven swords and attacked with Gold Style: Seven Stars in a Row, piercing Killer B’s body.
• Killer B’s Tailed Beast Transformation rapidly healed the seven wounds.

Gong Yi killed Killer B by enduring his Tailed Beast Bomb, then broke the seal containing the Eight-Tails and fought Gyuki. He prepared a massive Sage Art: Gold Style attack as the released beast battled him.

• The Masked Man evacuated Kakuzu while the Konoha army raised a barrier and Jiraiya entered Sage Mode to protect the troops from Killer B's Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Gong Yi countered the Tailed Beast Bomb with Morning Peacock and Daytime Tiger, then killed Killer B with the remaining energy of the white tiger.
• Gong Yi broke the Iron Armor Seal on Killer B's body, releasing the Eight-Tails, Gyuki, who immediately attacked him for revenge.
• The Fourth Raikage grieved over Killer B's death, while Dodai ordered the Kumogakure army to retreat and Yugito stayed to watch the battle.
• Gong Yi used Shadow Clones and varied Ninjutsu to hold off Gyuki while completing his hand seals, then unleashed Sage Art: Gold Style—Sword Realm.

Gong Yi trapped the Eight-Tails Gyuki in his Sword Realm and destroyed it with a massive golden sword, killing its Jinchuriki. After defeating the Kumogakure forces almost single-handedly, he stood over the ruined battlefield as the surviving enemies fled.

• Jiraiya, Obito Uchiha, and Kakuzu witnessed Gong Yi’s Sword Realm, and Kakuzu compared it to Senju Hashirama’s Deep Forest Emergence.
• The Eight-Tails Gyuki tried to break out of the Sword Realm and fired a Tailed Beast Bomb, but Gong Yi’s swords repelled and dispersed it.
• Gong Yi unleashed Sword Realm Storm, tearing Gyuki’s body apart, then cleaved it in two with a giant golden sword.
• Gyuki declared that it would be reborn, but Gong Yi dismissed the threat as Gyuki’s Chakra-formed body faded and its Jinchuriki died.
• Gong Yi surveyed the devastated battlefield as Jiraiya departed, the Masked Man and Kakuzu escaped, and the Kumogakure army fled.

After defeating Kumogakure and killing the Eight-Tails, Gong Yi declared Konoha victorious and ordered troops to remain at the border to pressure the Land of Lightning. In the Land of Rain, Pain postponed Akatsuki’s plans and prepared to face Gong Yi himself once he mastered the Rinnegan.

• Gong Yi returned to the Ino-Shika-Cho unit, announced Konoha’s victory, and said he would not pursue the retreating Kumogakure forces in the heavy rain.
• Gong Yi ordered more than five thousand ninja to stay at the border and warned that the Land of Lightning would have to pay for Konoha’s losses.
• Pain told Konan and the Akatsuki members that collecting the Tailed Beasts and developing weapons would be postponed, citing the Eight-Tails’ death and the Three-Tails’ disappearance.
• Sasori, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Deidara accepted Pain’s decision, while Hidan and Kakuzu agreed to handle bounty missions for Akatsuki’s income.
• Pain told Konan that he would master the Rinnegan and defeat the Deep Blue Demon himself.

After defeating Kumogakure, Gong Yi completed the Red Mission for surviving the Third Shinobi World War and received ten million Scholar Points and the top-tier Scholar Skill Mastery of All Dharmas. Meanwhile, the villages avoided uniting against him, and Gong Yi examined his new reward as Konoha’s exhausted army waited out the rain.

• Iwagakure kept a low profile while Sunagakure asked Konoha to establish friendly relations, and Konoha considered how to handle Kumogakure without continuing its campaign.
• Gong Yi reflected on how the rain had given the opposing armies time to rest and how Konoha’s soldiers longed to return home.
• Gong Yi checked the completed Red Mission, received a perfect rating, and earned ten million Scholar Points and Mastery of All Dharmas.
• Gong Yi decided to save his Scholar Points and considered how the Spirit Refining Technique had strengthened his spiritual power and Chakra control.
• Gong Yi read the new skill’s description: “Derivation of Myriad Arts, Mastery of All Dharmas!”

After defeating Kumogakure, Gong Yi reflected on his growing strength and newfound need for worthy opponents, then returned to Konoha as a celebrated hero. He rejected the elders’ concerns about his actions and left them wondering whether he might seek the Hokage Position, which Hiruzen Sarutobi said they should give him if he wanted it.

• Gong Yi examined Gyuki’s horn and considered how his battle victory and new skill had advanced his goals, while deciding he needed stronger opponents to challenge him.
• In Konoha Year 52, the Land of Lightning sent envoys to sign a ceasefire, and Konoha shinobi returning home saw the river Gong Yi had carved through the region, named the Deep Blue River.
• Gong Yi returned to cheers at Konoha and went to meet Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura in the Hokage administrative building.
• Utatane Koharu criticized Gong Yi for killing Kumogakure shinobi and creating a blood feud, but Gong Yi dismissed her concerns and warned that he could kill the Fourth Raikage if he chose.
• Mitokado Homura invited Gong Yi to lead the ceasefire negotiations, but Gong Yi declined and left the meeting.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi admitted that they could no longer fathom Gong Yi’s intentions, then said they should give him the Hokage Position if he wanted it.

Gong Yi’s growing support as a candidate for Hokage contrasted with his silence about seeking the position. Uchiha Fugaku visited Gong Yi with his son Itachi and pressed him to name the final favor owed under their Mangekyo Sharingan bargain.

• Civilian shinobi and several clans, including the Hyuga and Ino-Shika-Cho, increasingly supported Gong Yi for Hokage, while Hiruzen Sarutobi was prepared to step aside if Gong Yi asked.
• Fugaku brought Itachi to the Gong Residence and told him that Gong Yi stood at a level only Uchiha Madara had reached.
• Itachi watched Hyuga Neji train against swinging sandbags while Fugaku went inside to meet Gong Yi alone.
• Fugaku asked Gong Yi when he would call in the final condition of their agreement, and Gong Yi teased him about being eager to serve someone else.