Chapter Summaries

Mingye revealed his plans to unify the Ninja World and showed the resurrected Kage a constitutional system designed to replace its existing order. Minato Namikaze opposed his methods, but the Kage began to see merit in Mingye’s proposals as he offered them rebirth and a chance to build a new world.

• Mingye transformed into a form resembling the Sage of Six Paths and argued that he had sought world unity to prepare humanity for threats beyond the heavens.
• Mingye showed the Kage his plans for a constitutional government, leading them to reconsider why the Sage of Six Paths had opposed him.
• Minato Namikaze broke free of his restraints and attacked Mingye, but Mingye reflected his Rasengan, immobilized him, and threw him back into the barrier.
• Mingye revealed his identity to Kushina Uzumaki, who collapsed in tears as she recognized the mentor she had admired.
• The First Tsuchikage, First Kazekage, First Mizukage, and First Raikage examined Mingye’s proposals and acknowledged their potential, while Minato warned them against destroying the current order.
• Mingye offered the Kage rebirth through the Reaper Mask, and Minato watched helplessly as their resolve began to waver.

Mingye summoned the former Kage to recruit them into his plan to remake the ninja world, but they refused to betray their villages. Hozuki Gengetsu chose to help Mingye and was reborn in a living body on the moon, where he found he could no longer gather chakra.

• Mingye explained his ideal and promised to make the Kage watch their villages perish, but the First Kazekage and A rejected his invitation on the grounds that they were Kage responsible for protecting their people.
• Hozuki Gengetsu questioned Mingye about the missing Third Mizukage, tested the Reaper Mask’s contract, and warned the others that Mingye might control their bodies.
• Hozuki Gengetsu declared that he would accept infamy if Mingye’s plan brought peace to the Land of Water, then agreed to help him and gave him the Konoha code from his arm.
• Mingye took Hozuki Gengetsu to the moon and transferred his soul from his Impure World Reincarnation body into a living body in a coffin.
• Hozuki Gengetsu awoke in his new body, then discovered that he could no longer gather chakra in his palm.

Hozuki Gengetsu returned to the Land of Water and slaughtered the leaders obstructing Mei Terumi, leaving her to pursue peace and a message urging peace with Konoha. Mingye warned Gengetsu that an important part of his plan was imminent, while the Chūnin Exams continued as Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke encountered a mysterious ninja in the Forest of Death.

• Mingye explained that he had removed the chakra sources from the revived bodies and warned Hozuki Gengetsu that his Rotation Technique could revive each person only once.
• After adapting to his Sage Body, Hozuki Gengetsu returned to the Land of Water, learned of Kirigakure's decline, and killed more than a hundred opponents of Mei Terumi.
• Hozuki Gengetsu fought Mei Terumi and a Byakugan-wielding ninja, then vanished after leaving a note that read, "Make peace with Konoha!"
• Mingye teased Hozuki Gengetsu about his message and told him to stay nearby because a major matter tied to the plan was approaching.
• Naruto complained about a ruthless female jōnin from the Forest of Death, and Sasuke stopped when the team spotted a long-haired ninja wearing a Land of Rice Paddies forehead protector.

Sasuke and Naruto fought Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, while Anko and Kakashi argued over whether Sasuke was in danger. Elsewhere, Itachi and Kisame escaped an ambush by Kaguya Clan ninja, and Mingye revealed that Itachi’s declining health might leave him only months to live.

• Orochimaru confronted Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, but Naruto used powerful Rasengan attacks to counter him and Sasuke told Sakura to alert the Konoha ninja.
• Anko tried to question Sasuke about Orochimaru and Kaguya Gu Daoqu, but Kakashi stopped her and warned her not to provoke the Kaguya Clan.
• Kisame and Itachi battled eight Kaguya Clan ninja, and Itachi used Susanoo and Amaterasu to force them back before Kisame carried him away.
• Mingye and Izuna appeared after the fight, and Mingye reflected on Amaterasu’s power and Itachi’s worsening condition.

Sarutobi Hiruzen explained the Eight Inner Gates to Jiraiya while Guy pushed himself toward mastering the permanent technique, and the chapter ended with Itachi critically ill and still trapped with Kisame. Hiruzen urged Jiraiya to bring Tsunade back to lead the Leaf after the Chunin Exams.

• Izuna explained that the Kaguya Clan would keep pursuing Itachi, whose illnesses and reluctance to kill them left him close to death.
• Guy and Rock Lee fought inside the barrier as Hiruzen explained the Eight Inner Gates and gave Jiraiya his years of research notes.
• Unable to accept that he might fail, Guy attacked Hiruzen until exhaustion let him sense the chakra in his body, then he tried to open a gate and collapsed unconscious.
• Hiruzen told Jiraiya he planned to resign after the Chunin Exams and asked him to bring Tsunade back if he refused the Hokage position.
• Guy used his energy to clear residual chakra from Rock Lee, while Hiruzen told Jiraiya that the young Leaf ninja still needed time to grow.
• Kisame reassured Itachi that he would not kill him unless there was no way to save him, and Itachi walked to the forest's cliff overlooking peaceful woods.

Sasuke challenged Hayate Gekko during the Chunin preliminary rounds and returned to the viewing platform after using genjutsu to defeat Yoroi Akado. The chapter revealed that Sasuke had been secretly given Orochimaru’s Cursed Seal and left off as he prepared to risk his life using an Uchiha artifact to regain his strength.

• Sasuke intimidated Yoroi Akado, then dodged Hayate Gekko’s attack and argued that the examiner could not expel him for striking back.
• Sasuke revealed Yoroi Akado had been caught in genjutsu, received a warning from Hayate Gekko, and returned to the viewing platform.
• A day earlier, Kaguya Gu Daoqu brought servants to the Uchiha compound, and Sasuke assigned them living quarters.
• Mingye explained that Sasuke’s worsening condition came from the transferred Cursed Seal of Heaven and warned that Konoha’s doctors might notice the change.
• Sasuke insisted on finding a way to become stronger, and Mingye directed him to the Uchiha clan head’s study to find a dangerous artifact.
• Sasuke found a milky-white crystal sphere that had already healed his wound and prepared to draw on its power despite the risk of death.