Recaps

Ueno Kei opened up to Tsunade and Jiraiya about his grief and anger over his teacher’s death and his conflict with Danzo. Tsunade comforted him, and their warmth reminded him that Konoha was still his home.

• Tsunade told Ueno Kei to rein in his hostility toward Danzo because Danzo was their senior.
• Ueno Kei admitted how deeply his teacher’s fate hurt him and how hard he had been suppressing his emotions.
• Tsunade embraced Ueno Kei and comforted him, while Jiraiya jokingly asked for an embrace too.
• Tsunade held Ueno Kei so tightly that he began to suffocate, and Jiraiya urged her to let him go.
• Ueno Kei recognized that Tsunade and Jiraiya were trying to ease his grief and resolved not to give in to despair.

Tsunade formally became Konoha’s Fifth Hokage at a village ceremony. Afterward, Ueno Kei urged her to address Sunagakure’s breach of agreement and left to handle the understaffed Anbu.

• Tsunade appeared at the Hokage Building with Jiraiya and Ueno Kei and declared that she would protect Konoha as its Fifth Hokage.
• Konoha’s citizens cheered Tsunade’s appointment, and the ceremony ended after half a day.
• Tsunade relaxed with Shizune, Jiraiya, and Ueno Kei after the ceremony, while Jiraiya explained that he had refused the Hokage position.
• Ueno Kei reminded Tsunade to negotiate with Sunagakure over its breach of agreement, then departed for the Anbu to address its personnel shortage.

Sasuke defected from Konoha with the Sound Four after they killed an Anbu guard who discovered him. Tsunade assigned a group of young ninja to pursue him, but Ueno Kei arrived as Naruto promised to bring Sasuke back and someone objected to the mission.

• Sasuke crossed Konoha’s barrier and attacked the Anbu guard who challenged him.
• The Sound Four killed the guard before he could signal for help and recognized Sasuke as their leader.
• Sasuke and the Sound Four headed toward the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields.
• Konoha discovered the guard’s body and reported Sasuke’s defection to Tsunade.
• Tsunade gathered Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji, Choji, Kiba, and Sakura to pursue Sasuke, while Ueno Kei hurried to her office.
• Naruto vowed to bring Sasuke back, but an icy voice declared that Naruto would not be allowed to pursue him.

Ueno Kei clashed with Naruto and Sakura over how to pursue Sasuke, whom Naruto believed Orochimaru had tricked into leaving Konoha. Tsunade sent Naruto’s team after him while Kei ordered Sasuke declared a rogue ninja and marked for death.

• Naruto argued that Sasuke had been deceived by Orochimaru and insisted that he would bring him back to Konoha.
• Ueno Kei offered to send Anbu after Sasuke, but Tsunade said Konoha lacked the manpower and told Naruto’s team to pursue him first.
• Tsunade persuaded Kei to finish handling Sunagakure before joining the pursuit, and Kei ordered Shikamaru to prioritize killing Sasuke and the Otogakure ninja.
• Kei rebuked Naruto for endangering his teammates by assuming Sasuke could be brought back unharmed.
• Kei ordered an Anbu to declare Sasuke a rogue ninja and instruct Konoha ninja to kill him on sight, offering a reward to other villages for Sasuke’s head.

Ueno Kei sent Naruto and Nara Shikamaru’s team to pursue Sasuke, warning Shikamaru to prioritize the mission and his teammates’ safety while allowing them to spare Sasuke if they could. After they left, Ueno Kei went to meet Sunagakure’s envoy Baki to negotiate compensation, supplies, and the return of prisoners.

• Ueno Kei warned Nara Shikamaru not to risk his teammates’ lives for Sasuke, while leaving open the possibility of bringing Sasuke back alive.
• Naruto, Nara Shikamaru, and the others received their passes and departed from Konoha’s gates to pursue Sasuke.
• Tsunade reassured Ueno Kei that Naruto’s team was strong and that Kakashi would join them after completing his mission.
• Ueno Kei left to meet Sunagakure’s envoy Baki and discuss the terms of peace and the new alliance treaty.
• Baki, Kankuro, and Temari waited anxiously at the meeting place in Konoha.

Ueno Kei negotiated with Baki over supplies and the release of Sunagakure’s captured ninja. After they reached an agreement, Konoha released the prisoners, and Baki led them back to the Land of Wind with supplies due in five days.

• Ueno Kei joined the talks and pointedly reminded Baki that Sunagakure needed its captured ninja returned.
• Baki acknowledged the prisoners’ importance and agreed to discuss the terms directly.
• Ueno Kei and Baki bargained over compensation, including a large supply of Sunagakure medicinal herbs for Konoha’s wounded.
• After gaining Tsunade’s approval, Ueno Kei had Kankuro and Temari taken to the captured Sunagakure ninja, who were released.
• A day later, Baki led the Sunagakure ninja back to the Land of Wind and agreed to deliver the supplies in five days.

Ueno Kei left Konoha to reach Naruto after Shin located him, while Naruto and Sasuke confronted each other at the Valley of the End. Sasuke declared he would sever their bond in a fight to the death as Ueno Kei raced toward them.

• Ueno Kei finished reporting to Tsunade and set off to support Naruto despite her reassurance that Kakashi was following him.
• Ueno Kei summoned Shin, who pointed him toward Naruto, and hurried ahead at great speed.
• At the Valley of the End, Yakushi Kabuto urged Sasuke to hurry to Otogakure, but Sasuke insisted on handling Naruto himself.
• Sasuke told Naruto that he regarded him as a brother but would abandon everything to avenge the Uchiha Clan.
• Sasuke awakened his three-tomoe Sharingan and challenged Naruto to decide their life and death in battle.

After Naruto lost to Sasuke at the Valley of the End, Ueno Kei arrived ready to kill the deserter, but Naruto begged him to let Sasuke go. Ueno Kei spared Sasuke, who left with Yakushi Kabuto, while Naruto was carried away devastated.

• Ueno Kei and Kakashi carried the injured, grief-stricken Naruto after the battle with Sasuke.
• Ueno Kei arrived at the Valley of the End and found Kakashi and Naruto facing Sasuke and Yakushi Kabuto.
• Ueno Kei drew the Lingyu Blade and prepared to punish Sasuke for deserting Konoha.
• Naruto tearfully pleaded with Ueno Kei and Kakashi to let Sasuke go, and Ueno Kei sheathed his blade.
• Yakushi Kabuto led Sasuke away, and Naruto watched Sasuke leave before closing his eyes.

After Sasuke escaped, Naruto collapsed from exhaustion and emotional distress. Ueno Kei and Kakashi brought him back to Konoha, where he recovered in the hospital with Ueno Kei staying by his side.

• Ueno Kei let Sasuke leave after Naruto pleaded with him, and Naruto collapsed as Sasuke disappeared.
• Ueno Kei caught the unconscious Naruto, and Kakashi carried him back toward Konoha with Ueno Kei.
• Naruto woke briefly on the way back, apologized to Ueno Kei, and then fell asleep again.
• Ueno Kei brought Naruto to Konoha Hospital and insisted that Tsunade examine him, though his injuries were mostly superficial.
• After Tsunade left, Ueno Kei stayed beside Naruto until he woke and greeted him.

After Naruto grieved over Sasuke’s defection, Jiraiya and Ueno Kei helped him face the choices and consequences ahead. Naruto chose to stop Sasuke from destroying Konoha without killing him, and Jiraiya accepted that as Naruto’s path.

• Jiraiya rushed to the hospital after hearing Naruto had been injured while pursuing Sasuke.
• Naruto cried as he wondered whether he had done something wrong and why Sasuke had left him behind.
• Jiraiya told Naruto that Sasuke had chosen his own path and had to bear its consequences, just as Naruto would have to bear his own choices.
• Jiraiya asked what Naruto would do if Sasuke tried to destroy Konoha, and Naruto insisted he would stop Sasuke without killing him.
• Jiraiya accepted Naruto’s decision as the path he had chosen, leaving Ueno Kei to reflect on the responsibility that came with it.

Ueno Kei tightened surveillance on Shimura Danzō after Root members traveled to Kyoto, while Jiraiya had taken Naruto away to train. When Tsunade summoned Kei, he suspected the urgent matter concerned a change in the Land of Waves and decided it was time to act regarding the Land of Water.

• Ueno Kei kept Root under open surveillance because he distrusted Shimura Danzō despite Root's recent lack of activity.
• Ueno Kei learned from a report that Root members had traveled to Kyoto and wondered what Danzō was planning.
• Jiraiya took the recovered Naruto out of Konoha to train him to control his power.
• Uzuki Yugao told Ueno Kei that Tsunade had urgently summoned him to the Hokage Building.
• Ueno Kei glanced at the Land of Waves on his map, suspected it was tied to Tsunade's summons, and vanished after saying it was time to decide what to do about the Land of Water.

Ueno Kei went to see Tsunade and learned that the Land of Waves, caught between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water, was under pressure after the Water country seized part of its territory. Nara Shikaku revealed that the Land of Waves' daimyo had asked Kyoto to incorporate the entire country into the Land of Fire, while Tsunade had another important matter for Kei to handle.

• The Land of Water deployed soldiers and Mist Ninja to the Land of Waves and occupied part of its territory while Konoha was weakened by internal turmoil.
• Konoha sent ninja led by Hatake Kakashi and Sarutobi Asuma, slowing the Land of Water's ambitions but leaving the two sides in a stalemate.
• Ueno Kei arrived at Tsunade's office, where Nara Shikaku was also present.
• Tsunade said she had summoned Kei for the Land of Waves and another important matter.
• Nara Shikaku told Kei that the Land of Waves' daimyo had asked Kyoto to incorporate the entire country into the Land of Fire.

Ueno Kei received a mission to travel to the Land of Waves, where he was to protect the Right Chancellor and negotiate officials while dealing with opposition to the proposed merger. After receiving a second assignment concerning the Land of Snow, he departed for the Land of Waves with the chancellor’s party.

• Tsunade and Nara Shikaku briefed Ueno Kei on the Land of Waves mission and gave him a scroll about a later assignment in the Land of Snow.
• Ueno Kei prepared for departure and waited at Konoha’s gates with Izumo and Kotetsu for the Right Chancellor’s party.
• The Right Chancellor introduced himself to Ueno Kei, while the one-eyed General Kondo disparaged Kei’s youth and was reprimanded by the chancellor.
• Ueno Kei declined the chancellor’s invitation to ride in the carriage and took up a position guarding it as the party set out for the Land of Waves.

Ueno Kei escorted the Right Minister toward Cold City as local nobles plotted to resist the Land of Waves joining the Land of Fire. Just as they reached the city, a Konoha Anbu reported that Kirigakure had launched an attack.

• Ueno Kei traveled with the Right Minister and the Imperial Guard General toward Cold City, wary of the Land of Fire's officials.
• Nobles in Cold City argued over how to stop the Land of Waves from merging into the Land of Fire, and their leader proposed seeking Kirigakure's help.
• The nobles' leader sent Makimura to contact Land of Water-aligned nobles and tell them the Right Minister was approaching.
• The Right Minister and Ueno Kei discussed the threat posed by Kirigakure as they neared Cold City.
• A Konoha Anbu appeared and warned Ueno Kei and the Right Minister that Kirigakure had launched an attack.

Ueno Kei learned that Kirigakure and the Land of Water had attacked, threatening Cold City as it descended into chaos. He sent the Right Minister to safety and headed toward Cold City to confront the attackers.

• An Anbu agent reported that Kirigakure had attacked the camp and the Land of Water's main army was advancing, while Cold City was in internal chaos.
• Ueno Kei ordered the Right Minister to withdraw, but Kondo challenged his authority and insisted he continue the escort mission.
• Ueno Kei attacked Kondo, warned him not to interfere, and left him too frightened to respond.
• The Right Minister agreed to Ueno Kei's plan, and Ueno Kei ordered the Anbu agent to escort him to the border and request reinforcements.
• The Right Minister withdrew with the Anbu agent, while Ueno Kei continued toward Cold City with a furrowed brow.

Ueno Kei investigated the daimyo’s residence in Cold City, using summoned lizards to learn that Mist Ninja were inside and that a white-haired man wore an eyepatch. As Kei slipped into the compound to find the daimyo, someone appeared behind him, and he recognized the Byakugan.

• Ueno Kei reasoned that a coup might have followed the Land of Waves daimyo’s decision to submit to the Land of Fire, and decided to find the daimyo and uncover what had happened in Cold City.
• Ueno Kei gave up trying to contact the Konoha ninja stationed in Cold City and watched the bloodied guards outside the daimyo’s residence.
• Ueno Kei summoned more than ten lizards and ordered Shin to search the residence.
• After receiving the lizards’ reports, Ueno Kei learned that several Mist Ninja were inside, including a white-haired man with an eyepatch over his right eye.
• Ueno Kei entered the residence through its southwestern corner and headed toward the daimyo, but stopped when a man appeared behind him and recognized the Byakugan.

Ueno Kei fought Ao and a group of Kirigakure ninja, using his speed and lightning techniques to slaughter most of them. Ao narrowly escaped Kei’s final attack, leaving him horrified by the Blood Asura’s strength.

• Ao identified Ueno Kei and surrounded him with Kirigakure ninja.
• Kei used Lightning Release—Ground Walk to paralyze the attackers, then clashed with Ao, whose Byakugan helped him block Kei’s blade.
• Kei activated Lightning Armor and charged Ao with Chidori, but Ao evaded him using Earth Release—Swamp Technique.
• Kei raced through the Kirigakure ninja and killed more than half of them, leaving three jonin beside Ao.
• Kei used Wind Wing Blade Technique—Lightning Flash to kill the three remaining ninja, while Ao escaped into a house.

Ueno Kei defeated the Kirigakure ninja and the Land of Waves soldiers at the daimyo’s residence, leaving Ao gravely wounded. As Mist Rain fled with the daimyo, Ueno Kei approached Ao to take back the Byakugan.

• Mist Rain learned that one Konoha ninja had killed the Kirigakure ninja and slaughtered the residence’s guards, then ordered Ebony and the soldiers to stop Ueno Kei while he prepared to escape with the daimyo.
• Mist Rain’s guard captain took the daimyo through an underground passage, and Mist Rain slipped away from the rear courtyard.
• Ueno Kei killed General Ebony after the soldiers repeatedly harassed him and gave Ao time to recover.
• The remaining soldiers fled as Ueno Kei approached the incapacitated Ao, who warned that the war’s outcome was still uncertain.
• Ueno Kei reached for Ao’s right eye to reclaim the Byakugan for Konoha.

Ueno Kei removed the seal protecting Ao’s Byakugan, took the eye, and was interrupted before he could kill Ao. After Ao and Chojuro’s Mist Ninja group retreated, Kei headed after Mist Rain because someone was trying to move the Land of Waves’ daimyo.

• Ueno Kei used Red Feather to suppress the seal on Ao’s Byakugan and devoured it with an unconventional method.
• Ueno Kei removed Ao’s Byakugan, stored it in a bottle, and prepared to kill him.
• Chojuro and several Mist Ninja Anbu arrived, and Ao warned Chojuro that they were no match for Ueno Kei.
• Chojuro led the Mist Ninja group away with the badly injured Ao.
• Ueno Kei received word from Shin that someone was moving the daimyo and headed toward Mist Rain’s direction.

Mist Rain escaped Cold City through a hidden tunnel with the daimyo of the Land of Waves as his hostage, but Ueno Kei caught up with them and killed him. Ueno Kei escorted the shaken daimyo back toward Cold City, where the Right Chancellor was expected to arrive.

• Mist Rain escaped through a tunnel beneath the daimyo's residence, taking the daimyo of the Land of Waves with him as a bargaining chip.
• Mist Rain threatened to kill the daimyo when Ueno Kei appeared, while the daimyo pleaded with both men to keep him safe.
• Ueno Kei severed Mist Rain's sword hand and killed several of his guards before killing Mist Rain.
• Ueno Kei introduced himself to the daimyo and escorted him back toward Cold City.

Ueno Kei welcomed the Right Minister as the Land of Waves moved closer to merging with the Land of Fire, then considered heading to the front lines. At Kirigakure’s camp, Ao urged a retreat, but the force’s commander let Ao shoulder the proposal while others argued against withdrawing without the Mizukage’s order.

• Ueno Kei and the Land of Waves' daimyo welcomed the Right Minister, who thanked Ueno Kei for his work and entered the daimyo's residence to discuss the merger.
• Ueno Kei decided he would head to the front lines after the political matters were settled and thought of Chojuro.
• Ao described Ueno Kei's strength to the Kirigakure camp and urged the force to withdraw from the Land of Waves.
• A Land of Water general and an older Kirigakure ninja opposed retreating without orders from the Mizukage.
• Kirigakure's elder commander privately agreed with Ao but stayed silent, leaving Ao to take responsibility for the retreat proposal.

Ao persuaded Lord Ling and the Land of Water generals to withdraw, and Chojuro soon delivered Mei Terumi’s order to abandon all occupied territory. The army retreated toward the Land of Water, while Konoha reported its departure to Ueno Kei in Cold City.

• Ao proposed that the Mist Ninja and Land of Water army withdraw, and Lord Ling secured the generals’ agreement.
• The Land of Water general agreed to prepare the army’s retreat, while the Mist Ninja remained behind to cover it.
• Chojuro arrived with Mei Terumi’s order for everyone to withdraw immediately and abandon all occupied territory.
• Lord Ling ordered the withdrawal, and an hour later the army headed east with the Mist Ninja guarding the rear.
• Konoha scouts reported the retreat, and Nara Shikamaru told Ueno Kei that the Mist Ninja and Land of Water had left the Land of Waves.

After the Land of Waves became part of the Land of Fire, Ueno Kei learned that his next mission was to protect movie star Fujikaze Yukie, who was secretly Princess Kazahana Koyuki. In Kyoto, he spotted her escaping her pursuers and followed her into the outskirts, where he revealed himself.

• Kirigakure withdrew its troops, and Ueno Kei told Nara Shikamaru to report the matter to Tsunade and leave the rest to the politicians.
• The Land of Waves was incorporated into the Land of Fire, and Konoha agreed to rotate ninja through the region each year.
• Ueno Kei read his new A-rank escort mission and learned that the client was Fujikaze Yukie, whose real identity was Princess Kazahana Koyuki.
• Ueno Kei traveled to Kyoto and learned that Sandayu, Yukie's manager, was actually a retainer who had fled the Land of Snow with her.
• Ueno Kei saw Yukie galloping away from a group of armored pursuers and followed her out of the city.
• Yukie dismounted in the outskirts, and Ueno Kei startled her by speaking from nearby.

Ueno Kei met Kazahana Koyuki, the Land of Snow princess posing as actress Fujikaze Yukie, and agreed to escort her on Sandayu’s commission. After she repeatedly evaded him, he tracked her to a bar in Kyoto, where he found her drunk.

• Ueno Kei introduced himself to Kazahana Koyuki as the Konoha jonin assigned to her mission, but she used fragrant mist to escape on horseback.
• Sandayu met Ueno Kei, confirmed he knew Kazahana Koyuki’s situation, and asked him to bring her to the port before the ship departed.
• Ueno Kei told Sandayu the film crew could go ahead, then used the Body Flicker Technique to pursue Kazahana Koyuki.
• Ueno Kei tracked Kazahana Koyuki to a dim bar in Kyoto and scared off a man who tried to take advantage of her.
• Ueno Kei found Kazahana Koyuki thoroughly drunk at the bar and sighed helplessly.

Ueno Kei put the drunken Kazahana Yuki to sleep and brought her to the ship bound for the Land of Snow. On deck, he told Sandayu he would help with the mission and protect Yukie, while leaving the outcome to Sandayu’s group.

• Ueno Kei used the Dream Fate Technique to put Kazahana Yuki to sleep, then carried her out of the hotel.
• Ueno Kei traveled to the port and handed the sleeping Kazahana Yuki over to Sandayu aboard the ship.
• The film crew’s ship departed at dawn for the Land of Snow, and Ueno Kei rested while keeping his Lingyu Blade close.
• Ueno Kei watched Kazahana Yuki act on deck and told Sandayu he would assist with the mission and ensure Yukie’s safety.
• Sandayu thanked Ueno Kei and said that guaranteeing Yukie’s safety was enough for them.