Chapter Summaries

Inuzuka O and Aburame Zhiren reported finding unidentified Konoha Ninja corpses, and Mitarashi Juma recognized the belongings they recovered as Root equipment. As Konoha’s conflict with Amegakure widened, Orochimaru joined a battlefield and killed a Rain Ninja, while Juma prepared to report the discovery to the village.

• Inuzuka O and Aburame Zhiren told Jiraiya and Tsunade that they had found gruesomely killed bodies likely belonging to Konoha Ninja near the border.
• Konoha and Amegakure continued their limited war as Konoha also watched for threats from the Land of Wind and Iwagakure.
• Orochimaru blocked a Rain Ninja’s attack on Konoha Ninja, fought him, and killed him with venomous snakes and a kunai.
• Inuzuka O and Aburame Zhiren showed the recovered belongings to Mitarashi Juma, who identified them as Root equipment.
• Mitarashi Juma told Tsunade and the others he would report the discovery to the village and warned them not to investigate further.

Uchiha Tokino hesitated as Konoha Ninja attacked a village in the Land of Rain, but Sosuke arrived and killed two of the attackers. Sosuke sent Minato and Tokino into the village to deal with the remaining Konoha Ninja, leaving Tokino troubled by his role in fighting his own village.

• Konoha Ninja attacked a quiet village in the Land of Rain, while Uchiha Tokino questioned whether its residents posed any threat.
• Sosuke and a Hyuga boy appeared, and Sosuke killed one Konoha Ninja with a lightning attack after asking the men to keep their arrival secret.
• Tokino fought the second Konoha Ninja, knocking away his kunai and killing him with Turning Whirlpool Thousand Needles.
• Sosuke ordered Minato and Tokino to confront the Konoha Ninja slaughtering villagers, and both entered the valley.
• Tokino followed Minato while wondering what Sosuke intended and whether Sakuya would blame him for fighting his own village.

Sosuke, Minato, and Tokino finished killing the Konoha Ninja in a devastated village and discussed strength and power. They discovered a frightened young girl with light blue hair beside her dead mother.

• Tokino attacked and killed a Konoha Ninja, while Minato defeated another with his Secret Art: Rending Elephant.
• Sosuke entered the ruined village after Tokino reported that their squad had been eliminated.
• Sosuke told Minato and Tokino that he wanted to reach the top, and Tokino felt uneasy about his ambition.
• Minato used his Byakugan to find a surviving child in a nearby house.
• Sosuke and the others found the light-blue-haired girl crying beside her mother’s body, and she cowered in fear when she saw them.

Sosuke and Minato rescued Konan from her destroyed village and brought her to safety in a peaceful town. They left her with a kind elderly couple, then continued on through the Land of Rain as the war went on.

• Minato asked Sosuke to let him save the orphaned girl, and Sosuke agreed.
• Minato led Konan out of the ruined village, and she told Sosuke her name.
• As they traveled through the rain, Sosuke comforted Konan after she woke from a nightmare.
• Minato paid an elderly couple to take Konan in at a peaceful town.
• Konan thanked Sosuke and Minato, and Sosuke urged her to live bravely before the three men departed.

Sosuke offered Tokino a chance to awaken Madara Uchiha’s powerful eyes in exchange for his obedience, and Tokino accepted. After the Hogyoku drew out Tokino’s bloodline at great cost, his Sharingan transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Sosuke asked Tokino if he wanted greater power and offered to help him break through his limits.
• Sosuke explained that Madara Uchiha had possessed special eyes and said he might be able to give Tokino the same power.
• Tokino accepted Sosuke’s terms, agreeing to obey him in exchange for the power and a new world.
• Sosuke ordered the Hogyoku to draw out as much of Tokino’s bloodline power as possible, using nearly all the souls it had recently absorbed.
• Tokino endured intense pain as his chakra surged and his Sharingan transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Tokino awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and gained lightning-natured chakra as Sosuke prepared his group to infiltrate Sunagakure. Meanwhile, the Third Kazekage and his advisors discussed using Shukaku in the war, while in the Land of Rain an unseen attacker struck at Mitarashi Shion and Yuhi Ma.

• Tokino discovered his Mangekyō Sharingan and found that he could produce lightning-natured chakra without hand seals.
• Sosuke told Tokino to adapt to his new power before their planned infiltration of Sunagakure, and postponed giving Minato the power he had promised.
• The Third Kazekage argued that Sunagakure should join the war against Konoha and revealed that the village could use Shukaku as a weapon; Chiyo objected to the prospect of another war.
• Mitarashi Shion and Yuhi Ma waited in the rain to catch the attacker targeting Konoha ninjas, then dodged a volley of senbon.
• The hidden attacker used Rain Style: Vacuum Sphere Explosion against Shion and Ma, detonating water in a nearby puddle.

Sakumo and his allies fought Kinnara, a Rain Ninja behind a series of assassinations, but he escaped after Sakumo cut him apart. Meanwhile, Sosuke, Minato, and Tokino reached the Altar of Wind, where they faced the guards protecting Sunagakure’s plans for the One-Tail.

• Kinnara introduced himself and attacked Sakumo, Hazama, and Shion with explosive water techniques.
• Sakumo coordinated with Shion and Hazama as they attacked Kinnara, but Kinnara escaped Yuhi Ma’s genjutsu and ambushed Shion.
• Sakumo severed Kinnara’s arm and cut his body into pieces, but the pieces turned to water and Kinnara called out from the trees before fleeing.
• Dan arrived, and Sakumo, Shion, and Hazama told him they were unharmed and that Kinnara had escaped.
• Sosuke explained to Tokino that they had come to the Altar of Wind to learn about Shukaku, then led Minato and Tokino toward it.
• The three approached the altar guarded by loyal Sunagakure Ninja who were protecting the village’s plans for the Jinchuriki technique.

Sosuke, Minato, and Tokino fought their way past the Sand Ninja guards protecting the altar. After defeating the puppet users and surviving one guard’s explosive technique, Sosuke led the others toward the altar to discover what the Sand Ninjas were guarding.

• Sosuke killed the Sand Ninja guards at the forbidden ground before they could react, while Tokino watched with his Mangekyō Sharingan and failed to follow Sosuke’s movements.
• Masked Sand Ninjas attacked with a wind technique, but Minato used the Eight Trigrams: Raging Waves Palm to break apart the gale, and Sosuke killed the fan-wielding shinobi.
• The Sand Ninjas summoned puppets to attack the group, and Tokino used Thunder Control to destroy four puppets with lightning.
• Sosuke vanished behind the puppet-controlling captain and stabbed him, but the captain detonated himself with Final Technique: Blossoming Dance.
• Sosuke emerged unharmed behind a transparent barrier, then told Minato and Tokino to follow him to the altar.

Sosuke, Tokino, and Minato entered the Altar of Wind and discovered Bunpuku, the monk hosting Shukaku, amid a Sunagakure experiment. Sosuke had a researcher operate the altar controls to release Shukaku, and the cursed seals began withdrawing as he returned to Bunpuku’s chamber.

• Yagui sent a Sand Ninja to report the explosion to the Kazekage and took others to investigate the altar.
• Sosuke, Tokino, and Minato found murals of Shukaku and discovered Bunpuku sitting on a platform surrounded by cursed seals.
• Tokino and Minato attacked the altar’s guards, leaving one researcher alive for Sosuke to question.
• Sosuke learned from the researcher that Bunpuku was Sunagakure’s Jinchuriki and ordered him to release Shukaku.
• The researcher operated the altar controls, and the cursed seals began receding toward the pillars.

Sosuke confronted Bunpuku, who transformed into the One-Tail, Shukaku, and attacked him. After Shukaku struck at Sosuke and tried to escape, Sosuke restrained the beast with Kidō and brought down a massive sealing pillar.

• Bunpuku revealed his savage personality and identified Sosuke and his companions as the ones who had freed him.
• Sosuke showed Kyoka Suigetsu to Shukaku, who transformed into a gigantic tanuki-like beast made of sand and chakra.
• Sosuke offered Shukaku a deal, but Shukaku attacked him with its tail and prepared to leap away.
• Sosuke appeared atop a rock wall and used Stop Binding and Hundredfold Pinning to restrain and injure Shukaku.
• Sosuke invoked Kidō #99, Final Measure, and a massive swastika-shaped stone pillar came crashing down toward Shukaku.

Sosuke subdued Shukaku briefly, then used Complete Hypnosis to evade its attacks while explaining that he had come to destroy Sunagakure’s Jinchuriki research and keep the war from ending too soon. Before leaving with Tokino and Minato, he struck Shukaku with Raikōhō, directing its rage toward the arriving Sand Ninja.

• Sosuke pinned Shukaku to the ground with a sealed stone pillar and taunted it until it broke free and attacked him with Air Bullets.
• Yagui led Sand Ninja toward the Altar of Wind after sensing the disturbance and fearing Shukaku had escaped.
• Sosuke used Complete Hypnosis to keep himself, Tokino, and Minato safe from Shukaku’s rampage, then explained why he had destroyed Sunagakure’s research.
• Sosuke hit Shukaku with Hadō #63: Raikōhō as the Sand Ninja arrived, prompting Shukaku to attack them.
• Sosuke, Tokino, and Minato disappeared into the sand while Shukaku continued rampaging.

Shukaku’s rampage was stopped with the Antler Vessel, but Sunagakure blamed Konoha and joined the war. As leaders in Sunagakure and Amegakure reacted to the escalating conflict, Captain Aizen and his companions headed back.

• Yagui brought the Antler Vessel to the Third Kazekage, and a Sand Ninja used it to shrink and seal Shukaku after he devastated the Altar of Wind.
• Sunagakure accused Konoha of causing Shukaku’s rampage, ended negotiations, and declared that it was joining the war.
• Chiyo and Ebizo discussed the conflicting accounts of the attackers, and Ebizo warned that a hidden force might be manipulating the conflict as the Third Kazekage suspected Iwagakure.
• Hanzo welcomed Sunagakure’s entry into the war as an opportunity for Amegakure, while Kagari praised the bright weather as a sign of hope.
• Near the border of the Land of Rain, Captain Aizen and two companions admired the sunshine and set off to return.

Sosuke, Minato, and Tokino encountered Rain Ninja Kinnara and Kaito in the Land of Rain, and the two sides began fighting. Tokino revealed his Sharingan and appeared to strike Kaito, but the real Kaito escaped with a Water Clone before Tokino confronted him with Mangekyō Sharingan and unleashed Thunder Control.

• Sosuke detected two concealed Rain Ninja, and Minato identified them with his Byakugan.
• Kinnara and Kaito revealed they were acting on Lord Yando’s orders and threatened the Konoha trio.
• Sosuke told Tokino to handle Kaito while he faced Kinnara.
• Tokino fought Kaito and revealed his three-tomoe Sharingan before stabbing what proved to be Kaito’s Water Clone.
• Tokino appeared beside the real Kaito, revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, and unleashed Thunder Control.

Sosuke let Kinnara attack him while testing the Ame ninja’s abilities, surviving his techniques without a scratch. Kinnara remained thrilled by the dangerous fight as Sosuke invited him to use his remaining techniques.

• Tokino killed Kaito with one attack, shocking Kinnara.
• Sosuke challenged Kinnara to demonstrate his strength, and Kinnara vowed to kill him someday before attacking with a Water Blade Slash.
• Sosuke dodged Kinnara’s Water Release and Rain Release attacks, then blocked the explosions with Bakudō #39: Enkosen.
• Minato warned Tokino to respect Sosuke and threatened to kill him if he betrayed their captain.
• Sosuke emerged unharmed from the steam and told Kinnara to use his remaining techniques, exciting Kinnara further.

Kinnara unleashed his chakra-infused rain technique against Sosuke, but Sosuke survived inside a Bakudo barrier without a scratch. Kinnara admitted defeat and told Sosuke to take his life.

• Kinnara explained Amegakure’s hardship and declared he would not let Sosuke take the freedom he had fought for.
• Kinnara used Water Release: True Heavenly Rain Explosive Burial, filling the rain with chakra and detonating it around Sosuke.
• Minato and Tokino watched in shock as the explosions engulfed the battlefield, while Kinnara exhausted nearly all his chakra.
• Sosuke emerged unharmed from Bakudo #73: Tōzanshō, and Kinnara realized his attack had failed.
• Kinnara accepted that Sosuke had won and invited him to take his life.

Sosuke demonstrated overwhelming power to Kinnara and invited him to join his group to reshape the Ninja World. Kinnara accepted and followed Sosuke, Minato, and Tokino as they set off to pursue their plans.

• Sosuke used Kyoka Suigetsu to make Kinnara believe he was walking away, then unleashed Hado #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō and set a vast forest ablaze.
• Minato watched Sosuke's display with reverence, while Tokino regarded him with jealousy and suspicion.
• Sosuke told Kinnara that he wanted to reshape the Ninja World and invited him to join his group.
• Kinnara accepted the invitation, and Sosuke introduced him to Minato and Tokino as their new companion.
• Tokino warned Kinnara that he would kill him if he caused trouble, but Kinnara said he had wanted his slain companion dealt with anyway.
• Sosuke led Minato, Tokino, and Kinnara away to continue their work.

Danzo learned that the Root base in the Land of Rain had been destroyed and decided to rely on Sosuke. At a Konoha outpost near the Land of Rain, Sosuke and Minato reunited with Tsunade and Jiraiya.

• Torifu told Danzo that the Root base in the Land of Rain had been destroyed and had no survivors.
• Danzo lamented the loss of Root's spies and placed his hopes on Sosuke.
• Tsunade explained that Jiraiya had transformed into a toad to observe the Land of Rain.
• Sosuke and Minato arrived, and Sosuke caught Jiraiya while joking that they could eat him for dinner.
• Tsunade greeted Sosuke happily, and Jiraiya complained that Sosuke had recognized him but still grabbed him.

Sosuke grieved over the destruction of his squad, and Tsunade and Jiraiya tried to comfort him. Meanwhile, Kinnara destroyed an Amegakure outpost and survived the collapse with a strange water-based power, setting his sights on Yando.

• Sosuke told Tsunade and Jiraiya that his squad had been attacked and destroyed, and Tsunade reassured him that it was not his fault.
• Jiraiya tried to comfort Sosuke by speaking bluntly about wartime deaths, so Tsunade hit him and scolded him.
• Sosuke thanked Tsunade and Jiraiya, while privately thinking of them as comrades and apologizing to himself.
• Kinnara returned to the Amegakure outpost without Kaito and confronted Captain Yukishige about Yando and the murder of his family.
• Kinnara flooded the outpost with rainwater and used Water Release: Super Groundflow Explosion Burial, causing the cavern to collapse and killing the Rain Ninja inside.
• Kinnara reformed himself from water and resolved to send Yando to join the dead soon.

Sosuke was summoned back to Konoha by Shimura Kazumi, while Tokino fought Rain Ninja in the Land of Rain. At a hidden Konoha outpost, Dan Katō and the others discussed their abilities and Sosuke’s strength before someone approached.

• Shimura Kazumi told Sosuke that Lord Danzo wanted him to return to Konoha, and Sosuke agreed to report in before they set off.
• Tokino used his Sharingan and Kunai to kill four Rain Ninja who ambushed him in a canyon.
• The Rain Ninja leader faced Tokino alone after the others fell, and Tokino threatened him.
• At a Konoha outpost, Shion praised Dan Katō’s idea, and Dan complimented a black-clad boy’s swordsmanship.
• Yuhi Ma said they could not measure up to Sosuke, prompting the boys to glare at him as footsteps sounded from nearby bushes.

Tokino returned wounded after his squad was attacked, while Sosuke came back to Konoha and reunited with Might Duy at the village gate. Duy’s training bout with Sosuke damaged the ground, and Shimura Kazumi demanded they pay for the repairs.

• Tokino emerged from the bushes with severe wounds and told Sakumo and the young shinobi that he was the only survivor of his attacked squad.
• Sakumo took Tokino away to have his wounds treated, while Dan Katō encouraged Yuhi Ma and Hazama to keep holding out together as comrades.
• Might Duy waited at Konoha’s gate, training with weights, until Sosuke and a slender companion appeared through the morning mist.
• Duy attacked Sosuke with Konoha Gale and Konoha: Boulder Collapse, but Sosuke dodged and praised his improvement.
• Shimura Kazumi pointed out that their training had wrecked the ground by the main gate and told Sosuke and Duy to figure out how to pay for repairs.