Chapter Summaries

Ueno Kei, Kakashi, and their team confronted Yakushi Kabuto and Orochimaru while trying to obtain the intelligence scroll. Naruto lost control after Orochimaru provoked him about Sasuke, and Ueno Kei rushed to stop him.

• Yakushi Kabuto offered Kakashi, disguised as Sasori, an intelligence scroll but asked for an item related to an unfinished matter, making Kakashi uneasy.
• Ueno Kei appeared beside Kakashi, who dropped his disguise, and Orochimaru revealed himself alongside Yakushi Kabuto.
• Naruto, Sakura, and Sai joined them, and Yakushi Kabuto taunted Naruto by claiming Sasuke had grown beyond him.
• Orochimaru said Sasuke had chosen to come to him, provoking Naruto into unleashing a violent surge of Nine-Tails chakra.
• Naruto's chakra shattered the bridge and tore open the far bank, leaving him wrapped in red chakra with four tails.
• Kakashi agreed to handle Yakushi Kabuto while Ueno Kei used the Body Flicker Technique to rush toward Naruto.

Naruto lost control while drawing on the Nine-Tails’ chakra and became a six-tailed miniature Nine-Tails, forcing Ueno Kei to join his fight against Orochimaru. The battle continued as Kei attacked Orochimaru, while Naruto remained a danger to himself and everyone nearby.

• Kei saw Naruto’s fifth tail begin to emerge and prepared a sealing scroll to weaken the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Naruto roared and transformed into a six-tailed miniature Nine-Tails, and Orochimaru praised him for gaining enough power to catch up to Sasuke.
• Naruto fired a Tailed Beast Bomb that destroyed Orochimaru’s Triple Rashomon gates.
• Kei used the Blood Mark technique on his Lingyu Blade and entered the battle, striking at Orochimaru with Lightning Release—Thunder Roar.
• Orochimaru dodged Kei’s attack, while Kei intervened to prevent Naruto from transforming further or being harmed by Orochimaru.

Ueno Kei struggled to restrain the transformed Naruto without hurting him while Orochimaru interfered. After Orochimaru withdrew, Ueno Kei used a sealing technique to draw away the Nine-Tails’ chakra and caught Naruto as he collapsed, then checked that he had no fatal injuries.

• Ueno Kei fought to contain seven-tailed Naruto while avoiding Orochimaru’s harassment, and a crimson chakra palm burned him.
• Ueno Kei trapped Naruto in a blood-colored barrier, but the Nine-Tails’ chakra began rising again.
• Orochimaru praised Ueno Kei’s talent, then vanished while Ueno Kei prepared a sealing scroll.
• Ueno Kei used the scroll to weaken Naruto’s chakra, but a chakra tail struck him and left him badly wounded.
• Ueno Kei pressed the scroll against Naruto and completed the Five Spirit Seal, removing the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Naruto collapsed into Ueno Kei’s arms, and Ueno Kei checked him as Kakashi and Sakura hurried over.

Sai delivered Danzo’s letter to Orochimaru and left with him, while Kakashi and Sakura regrouped with Ueno Kei and treated the unconscious Naruto. The group suspected Sai was following a scheme connecting Danzo and Orochimaru and planned to use a hidden tracker on Sai to find Orochimaru’s base.

• Sai presented Danzo’s letter to Orochimaru, who accepted it and led Sai and Yakushi Kabuto away.
• Kakashi abandoned his pursuit of Yakushi Kabuto and returned with Sakura to Ueno Kei and the unconscious Naruto.
• Sakura treated Naruto while Ueno Kei took a pill to suppress his injuries.
• Ueno Kei learned Sai had escaped and discussed with Kakashi the likely connection between Danzo and Orochimaru.
• Ueno Kei revealed that a tiny summoned lizard was tracking Sai, though Orochimaru might detect it.
• After treating Naruto, Sakura offered to examine Ueno Kei’s injuries.

After Naruto lost control under the Nine-Tails’ influence, Ueno Kei reprimanded him for risking his teammates and warned that another incident would end his mission. The next day, the group confirmed Sasuke was inside Orochimaru’s hideout and entered it to infiltrate.

• Ueno Kei confronted Naruto at their night camp and criticized him for losing control during the battle.
• Kakashi tried to defend Naruto, but Ueno Kei warned that he would have Naruto sent back to Konoha if he acted recklessly again.
• Naruto accepted the reprimand and promised to remember it, then the group spent the night in silence.
• The next day, Ueno Kei confirmed Sasuke was inside Orochimaru’s hideout, and Sakura reacted nervously to the news.
• Ueno Kei led Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi into the hideout.

Sai woke from a nightmare about his brother Shin and recalled sensing Sasuke’s hidden feelings for Naruto and Sakura before setting out on a secret mission. Ueno Kei, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura searched Orochimaru’s empty underground base, where an explosion brought them to Sai and Sasuke, leaving Naruto and Sakura stunned by their reunion.

• Sai recalled meeting Sasuke and sensing his anger and lingering attachment to Team 7 before preparing for a secret mission.
• Ueno Kei led Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura into Orochimaru’s base without trying to conceal their arrival.
• Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and Ueno Kei found the base’s identical rooms empty and could not locate Sasuke.
• An explosion drew the group to Sai, who stood looking up at the sky.
• Sasuke greeted Naruto and Sakura, and Naruto turned toward him in shock and delight.

Sasuke reunited with Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and Ueno Kei at Orochimaru’s hideout, then challenged Ueno Kei over the claim that he had defeated Itachi. Naruto stepped in to stop Sasuke, and the two prepared to fight.

• Sakura and Naruto saw Sasuke again after three years and struggled to find words.
• Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto arrived beside Sasuke, and Orochimaru questioned Ueno Kei about how he had become so powerful.
• Sasuke asked whether Ueno Kei had defeated Itachi and threatened to prove he could kill him too.
• Ueno Kei reminded Sasuke that Naruto had saved him three years earlier, and Sasuke rushed at him with his sword.
• Naruto blocked Sasuke with a kunai and declared that he would bring him back to Konoha as their battle began.

Naruto and Sasuke fought again but stopped before either used their full strength. Orochimaru gave Ueno Kei a scroll that prompted him to let Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke leave, then Sai revealed Danzō’s missions.

• Sakura worriedly watched Naruto and Sasuke fight, but Ueno Kei stopped her from intervening.
• Naruto and Sasuke exchanged blows and briefly formed a Rasengan and Thunderlight before Orochimaru called Sasuke back.
• Orochimaru gave Ueno Kei a scroll and left with Kabuto and Sasuke after hinting at Danzō’s involvement.
• Ueno Kei opened the scroll, ordered Kakashi to take it, and demanded that Sai explain Danzō’s mission.
• Sai said Danzō had tasked him with delivering a letter and scroll to Orochimaru and assassinating Sasuke, though he later planned to capture him instead.

Kazuma and Danzō prepared separate plans that threatened Konoha, while Ueno Kei rushed back to the village after receiving a scroll from Orochimaru. Kei left Kakashi to escort Naruto, Sakura, and Sai as he sped ahead alone.

• Kazuma learned Tsunade had left Konoha and ordered his followers to prepare the four lords’ summoning technique and destroy the village.
• Danzō imprisoned Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, revealed he intended to become Sixth Hokage, and prepared to depart with Root.
• Danzō disclosed that he had used Shisui Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan to uncover Kazuma’s plan through the daimyo.
• Ueno Kei hurried toward Konoha with Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai after receiving a scroll from Orochimaru.
• Kei asked Kakashi to protect the others, then enveloped himself in purple radiance and sped ahead alone.

Tsunade battled Kazuma and learned that he planned to destroy Konoha, but Shimura Danzō appeared and killed him before revealing that Kazuma’s other plans had been countered. After Danzō’s forces killed Kazuma’s subordinates, Tsunade and Danzō prepared to settle their long-standing grudges.

• Tsunade overpowered Kazuma, who refused to surrender and declared that the Land of Fire needed one ruler and Konoha should not exist.
• Tsunade recognized Kazuma as a possible survivor of the Twelve Guardian Ninja conflict and suspected Shimura Danzō was involved.
• Shimura Danzō arrived with more than twenty Anbu and told Kazuma that his backup plans had been thwarted.
• Danzō pierced Kazuma’s heart and used Lightning Release to kill him, then ordered his Anbu to kill Fudō, Fū, and Fuen.
• Tsunade and Danzō faced each other with their past grudges unresolved, as killing intent filled the air.

Ueno Kei raced back to Konoha after learning Danzo planned to kill Tsunade, but Root agents ambushed him and blocked his way. Desperate to reach her, Kei drew natural energy from the Lingyu Blade despite the danger and prepared to attack them.

• Ueno Kei hurried toward Konoha, fearing Tsunade was in mortal danger from Danzo’s schemes.
• Fifteen Root members ambushed Kei, and he repelled their first attack after Feng failed to invade his spiritual world.
• Kei recognized the attackers as Root members and refused to let them delay him from reaching Tsunade.
• Kei forcibly drew natural energy from the Lingyu Blade, transforming his appearance and unsettling the Root members.
• Kei declared that he would finish the Root members in an instant and faced them with killing intent.

The Lizard Clan's Great Elder sensed Ueno Kei's Sage Transformation through a mark in the Lingyu Blade and prepared help in case the power harmed him. Believing Kei was the prophesied youth destined to change the Lizard Clan and the world, the Great Elder set out to protect him.

• The Great Elder sensed Ueno Kei drawing out natural energy from the Lingyu Blade and completing his Sage Transformation.
• The Great Elder recalled that he had secretly placed a sensory mark in the Lingyu Blade while helping inscribe its sealing array.
• The Great Elder remembered the Lizard Clan's prophecy of a young man who would change the clan's fate and recognized Ueno Kei as that destined youth.
• The Great Elder summoned Feng, Ling, Shin, Yi, and Yuan and ordered them to prepare equipment and medicinal ingredients for the Spirit Nurturing Array and spirit bath.
• The Great Elder vanished, hoping to prevent Ueno Kei from suffering irreparable consequences.

Ueno Kei killed Yamanaka Fū and searched for Tsunade while she and her allies fought Danzō and Root. He found Tsunade gravely wounded, with Danzō’s hand through her chest.

• Ueno Kei interrogated Yamanaka Fū about Danzō, then killed him when he refused to speak.
• Ueno Kei endured a sudden wave of pain and hurried along the route between Kyoto and Konoha, hoping to reach Tsunade.
• Zang used Wood Release to help four Konoha Anbu hold off ten Root members while Danzō and more Root members surrounded Tsunade.
• Tsunade fought off Root attackers and continued battling Danzō, but the prolonged fight left her fatigued.
• Ueno Kei sensed a faint disturbance, rushed northeast, and found Danzō’s bloody hand piercing Tsunade’s left chest.

Ueno Kei tried desperately to save Tsunade after Danzō fatally wounded her, but she died in his arms. Enraged, Ueno Kei rejected Danzō’s offer and vowed to kill him as the battle resumed.

• Ueno Kei caught the critically wounded Tsunade and tried to treat her while Danzō declared that her life force was fading.
• Danzō insisted that Ueno Kei should put Konoha first and support his bid to become Hokage, but Ueno Kei threatened to kill him.
• Tsunade briefly regained consciousness, urged Ueno Kei to look after Konoha, and died before she could finish speaking.
• Ueno Kei mourned Tsunade, then rejected Danzō’s offer to join him and vowed to kill him.
• A Root member tried to attack Ueno Kei, who cut him in two and declared that the battlefield would become a river of blood.

Ueno Kei fought Danzō’s Root members, using his Sage Body and Lightning Release to withstand their attacks and then countering with genjutsu and speed. As his Sage Body began to fail, he killed a Root member at close range.

• Ueno Kei’s killing intent frightened the Root members as Danzō ordered them to attack.
• Ueno Kei blocked their combined assault with a senjutsu-powered Thunderlight Wall.
• Ueno Kei charged the Root members, whose leader called for them to regroup and defend together.
• Ueno Kei used the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique to hinder the Root members despite his limited skill with genjutsu.
• Ueno Kei’s Sage Body began to fade, and he killed the short Root member who had called out to him.

Ueno Kei finished off Danzō’s Root subordinates and confronted Shimura Danzō, whose Mangekyō Sharingan and tactics exposed Kei’s weakened state. Though Sage Chakra had badly damaged Kei’s body and was fading, he refused to regret using it to search for Tsunade and unleashed a powerful chakra aura as he advanced on Danzō.

• Ueno Kei slaughtered the remaining Root members while Shimura Danzō watched, then challenged Danzō to fight.
• Shimura Danzō revealed the Mangekyō Sharingan in his right eye and urged Ueno Kei to join him for Konoha’s greater cause, but Kei rejected his claims.
• Ueno Kei charged at Danzō, avoided the center of an explosion, and was injured by its aftermath.
• Shimura Danzō taunted Ueno Kei for relying on Sage Chakra, which had damaged his body and was nearly exhausted.
• Ueno Kei accepted the consequences of using Sage Chakra to search for Tsunade and released a powerful chakra aura as he approached Danzō.

Ueno Kei used the Lingyu Blade’s stored natural energy to overwhelm Shimura Danzō, though forcing the energy into himself had severely damaged his body. He trapped Danzō inside a lightning barrier, leaving them poised for a fight to the death.

• Ueno Kei recognized that Danzō was stalling until the effects of his unstable senjutsu chakra weakened him.
• Ueno Kei recalled that Danzō had survived a lethal wound by using Izanagi, sacrificing a Sharingan to turn the damage into an illusion.
• Ueno Kei formed the Ten Thousand Seal Lightning Prison and sealed the area inside a hexagonal lightning barrier.
• Shimura Danzō forced his way through the lightning net by using Izanagi, causing another Sharingan to close.

Ueno Kei battled Shimura Danzō, who used Izanagi to survive their exchanges while waiting for a chance to turn the fight around. Ueno Kei revealed that he had altered the lightning pillars into a relentless attack, leaving Danzō facing a barrage that could exhaust his remaining Izanagi.

• Shimura Danzō used a Self-Cursing Seal to bind Ueno Kei and attacked him with Vacuum Bullet Jutsu, but Ueno Kei nearly killed him before Danzō escaped with the help of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Ueno Kei and Shimura Danzō clashed amid the lightning pillars, and Danzō used Izanagi to survive while losing another Sharingan on his arm.
• Shimura Danzō noticed Ueno Kei weakening and mocked him, but Ueno Kei said he still had enough strength to finish the fight.
• Ueno Kei revealed that he had altered the lightning technique and made the six pillars converge into a relentless beam.
• Ueno Kei unleashed Fall! Thunder Roar, filling the sky with purple-blue lightning as Shimura Danzō and the lizard watched in horror.

Jiraiya returned to Konoha, helped repel the attack by corpses and Sora, and set out to find Tsunade and Ueno Kei. Meanwhile, Ueno Kei and Shimura Danzō fought to a brutal climax, and Danzō declared victory as several dozen figures appeared behind Kei.

• Jiraiya returned to Konoha and learned from Shiranui Genma that Sora, not Naruto, had become a false Nine-Tails while thousands of corpses attacked the village.
• Jiraiya helped suppress the corpses and seriously injured Sora, then found that Tsunade and Ueno Kei were being held inside Root.
• Jiraiya entered Sage Mode and followed the thunderous Lightning Release toward the northwest, where Tsunade and Ueno Kei had fought.
• Shimura Danzō survived Ueno Kei’s relentless lightning barrage through Izanagi, then used Wind Release: Vacuum Wave against him.
• Ueno Kei severed Shimura Danzō’s right arm, but Danzō laughed and claimed victory when several dozen figures appeared behind Kei.

Ueno Kei used his final attack to kill Shimura Danzō, sacrificing the Lingyu Blade and apparently dying in a massive explosion that devastated the Land of Fire. Jiraiya found the aftermath, then the Grand Elder of the Lizard Clan appeared and brought three familiar figures out of distorted space.

• Ueno Kei, exhausted and gravely damaged by natural energy, faced Shimura Danzō and the arriving Root members.
• Shimura Danzō ordered the Root members to kill Ueno Kei, who activated Yu's Ultimate—Yu Wing Ultimate and pierced Danzō's right Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Ueno Kei unleashed a final explosion that killed Shimura Danzō and obliterated the surrounding area.
• Jiraiya and Sage Fukasaku arrived at the devastation and found Shimura Danzō's one-armed corpse among dozens of charred bodies.
• The Grand Elder of the Lizard Clan appeared before Jiraiya and pulled three familiar figures from distorted space, leaving Jiraiya overjoyed.