Chapter Summaries

Winter Rain compressed the Chakra mass while the Spatial Rift consumed it, and Hinata evacuated her along with the sealed mass as the pull intensified. Heyan and Gaara also fled the collapsing mountain, each leaving without knowing the others’ fate.

• Hinata destroyed debris threatening Winter Rain while Heyan worried their actions could disrupt his plan and hid in a spot he hoped would survive the collapse.
• Winter Rain compressed the Chakra sphere until it was about the size of a curled-up infant, then signaled Hinata that she could not safely continue.
• Hinata used spatial ninjutsu to take Winter Rain and the sealed mass away as the Spatial Rift’s pull peaked, leaving Heyan behind.
• Heyan cursed and fled at top speed after Hinata and Winter Rain disappeared.
• Gaara abandoned his plan to investigate the lowest level when the mountain shook and hurried to escape.

Hinata and Winter Rain escaped the collapsing cavern and ran into Heyan, Timsi, and Nilu Gu, while reinforcements approached the devastated area. After the blast, Gaara recognized Winter Rain as the man who had tricked him, and Hinata and Heyan moved closer to Gaara.

• Hinata used Tenseigan's Space-Time Ninjutsu to escape the cavern with Winter Rain, and Heyan escaped with Timsi and Nilu Gu.
• Hinata confronted Heyan and asked how they would settle their score.
• Asuma, Shino Aburame, and Shikamaru Nara felt the tremors and saw that a mountain had vanished, so Asuma ordered them to hurry.
• Hinata, Gaara, Heyan, and Winter Rain emerged from the dust unharmed.
• Gaara recognized Winter Rain as the man who had tricked him, and Hinata and Heyan edged closer to Gaara.

Heyan told Gaara that Winter Rain had defeated Heide in the underground space and that Heide had exploded before dying, leaving Hinata out of the account. Konoha reinforcements arrived, and Asuma surveyed the scene.

• Winter Rain used the Paper Airplane Technique to escape, and Gaara chose not to stop him.
• Gaara demanded that Heyan explain what had happened, while Hinata stayed quiet and let Heyan speak for them.
• Heyan recounted Winter Rain's strength and Heide's defeat and death, without mentioning Hinata.
• Dozens of Konoha figures arrived and cautiously surrounded them.
• Asuma surveyed the scene, then took out a cigarette and lit it.

After the mission was resolved, Asuma finalized the report and the Konoha team prepared to part ways with Gaara. Gaara grew increasingly disgusted with Sunagakure’s leadership and decided he would act when he returned, though the chapter ended before he finished his thought.

• Asuma asked Hinata to explain what had happened and settled the matter two hours later.
• Hinata, Shikamaru, and Shino Aburame had their mission ranks raised from B-rank to A-rank, while the most dangerous details were kept unreported.
• Gaara left with the Konoha group, hoping their larger party would encounter the Sunagakure support forces.
• At the fork in the road, Gaara suspected Sunagakure’s leaders had forbidden reinforcements from leaving the village.
• Asuma cordially bid Gaara farewell, and Gaara resolved to take action against the village’s leadership when he returned.

Hinata and the others returned to Konoha after the mission, and Asuma brought her, Shino, Shikamaru, and Heyan to report to Tsunade. Hinata recounted what had happened while Heyan ignored the proceedings.

• Asuma exchanged insincere farewells with the Sunagakure ninja and led Hinata and the others back to Konoha.
• The large group entered Konoha and soon dispersed, while Asuma took Hinata, Shino Aburame, Shikamaru Nara, and Heyan to the Hokage's Office.
• Tsunade gave Shino an unfriendly look, prompting the group to suspect that he was hiding a secret.
• Asuma summarized the incident, then asked Hinata to explain it because Heyan was not an appropriate person to speak.
• Hinata pretended to be nervous and blushing as she recounted the entire incident, while Heyan stared out the window.

Hinata and Heyan explained their account of the incident to Tsunade, who questioned Heyan and ordered an investigation into the Dawn organization. Tsunade ultimately accepted that the matter was settled, though she remained doubtful of parts of his story.

• Hinata finished explaining the incident, and Tsunade turned to Heyan for his account.
• Heyan said the mysterious person who sealed it away belonged to Dawn and went by the nickname Ethereal.
• Tsunade ordered Shizune to gather intelligence on Dawn, then interrogated Heyan about gaps in his story.
• Tsunade classified the incident as an A-rank mission, and Heyan agreed to pay the additional fee.
• After everyone else left, Tsunade decided not to investigate further and prepared to tell Shizune what she suspected.

Tsunade struggled with her paperwork while Shizune offered her a little sake, and she asked about Naruto and Sasuke’s condition after their return from the Land of Tea. Shizune said Sakura had brought them home safely despite their serious injuries.

• Shizune brought Tsunade a small amount of sake and promised to treat her to a drink after work.
• Tsunade briefly tried to finish the village paperwork before giving up in frustration.
• Shizune explained that villagers reported even trivial matters to Tsunade out of respect for her.
• Tsunade asked how Naruto and Sasuke were doing after the mission in the Land of Tea.
• Shizune said Sakura had protected Naruto and Sasuke on the journey home, but both were seriously injured and difficult to treat.

Tsunade learned that Sasuke and Naruto damaged a hospital water tank during their rooftop fight, while Hinata heard rumors that Sasuke might leave Konoha. She decided to visit the village entrance that night to see him off.

• Shizune told Tsunade that Sasuke and Naruto had fought on the hospital rooftop and damaged a water tank, and Tsunade worried about paying for its replacement.
• Hinata overheard people discussing the fight and the hospital’s repairs, then recalled that Sasuke would likely leave Konoha that night.
• Hinata considered whether to interfere with Sasuke and the Sound Four but decided to let events unfold.
• Hinata decided to go to the village entrance at night and see Sasuke off.

Hinata reflected on the Dawn Organization’s role after foiling Heide’s scheme, while Sasuke considered leaving for Orochimaru’s in search of power. The chapter left Sasuke resolved to avoid Naruto for the next few years.

• Hinata imagined the Dawn Organization as the ninja world’s peacekeeping authority and counted the chakra aggregate from Heide’s scheme as useful spoils.
• Sasuke walked through the street battered and depressed after the Sound Four confronted and defeated him.
• Sasuke reconsidered the Sound Four’s invitation and thought Orochimaru might help him gain power and get away from Naruto.
• Sasuke decided to stop contacting Naruto for the next few years and paused to reconsider his plans.

Sasuke decided to leave Konoha and slipped out near midnight, despite his lingering attachment to his hometown. Sakura sensed that something was about to happen and began searching the streets, leaving her uneasy feeling unresolved.

• Sasuke decided that he would leave Konoha that night and tried to steady himself by imagining a new version of himself.
• Sasuke's thoughts of Itachi Uchiha shattered his improved mood.
• Near midnight, Sasuke packed a backpack, locked his door, and quietly walked out of Konoha.
• Sakura returned home but could not sleep, so she went out to wander Konoha's streets.
• Sakura's growing sense that something was wrong led her to decide to investigate and act.

Sakura realized Sasuke was leaving and confronted him in the darkness. Sasuke rejected their bonds and told her not to look for him again.

• Sakura suspected Sasuke was connected to the recent unrest and recognized him carrying a backpack in the distance.
• Sakura rushed to block Sasuke's path and asked where he was going.
• Sasuke silently tried to walk past Sakura, but stopped when she called his name.
• Sakura tearfully asked why Sasuke was leaving and whether it was not good to stay with his companions.
• Sasuke opened his Sharingan, said they had never been on the same path, and told Sakura not to look for him again.

Sasuke left Sakura unconscious and headed for Konoha’s exit, where Hinata confronted him about leaving. Hinata warned him not to use against her the same method he had used on Sakura.

• Sasuke knocked Sakura unconscious, carried her to a lounge chair, and left while she called his name.
• Sasuke reached a path out of Konoha and found Hinata waiting beside a tree.
• Sasuke tried to pass Hinata without speaking, assuming their meeting might be a coincidence.
• Hinata asked Sasuke if he was leaving and warned him not to use the same method on her that he had used on Sakura.

Hinata let Sasuke leave the village after warning him that she could erase his memories, and he chose not to question her motives. After he departed, Hinata decided to help the unconscious Sakura before going home.

• Hinata told Sasuke she would let him leave and said they might meet again after news of his defection spread.
• Sasuke questioned Hinata about her hidden side and threatened to report her, but she said she was not afraid and could erase his memories.
• Sasuke ignored Hinata and walked toward the outskirts of the village.
• Hinata reflected on her concealed personality and her distrust of Hyuga Hiashi, then watched Sasuke disappear into the distance.
• Hinata noticed that Sasuke had left the unconscious Sakura on a lounge chair and decided to help her.

Hinata took the unconscious Sakura to a Hyuga Clan inn and stayed the night there. Sakura woke in the morning, realized Sasuke had left, and rushed to report his defection to the Hokage before running into Hinata.

• Hinata carried the unconscious Sakura to an inn owned by the Hyuga Clan and arranged a room for her.
• Hinata stayed at the inn rather than going home and fell asleep.
• Sakura woke in the morning, wondered how she had ended up at the inn, and realized Sasuke had left.
• Sakura hurried out to report Sasuke's defection to the Hokage and encountered Hinata outside her room.

After Sakura reported that Sasuke had defected, Tsunade ordered Shikamaru and Hinata to lead a team to bring him back. Shikamaru prepared to gather the others and leave immediately.

• Hinata told Sakura that she had found her unconscious by the roadside and brought her to an inn.
• Sakura told Hinata that Sasuke had defected, and they hurried to the Hokage Building.
• Sakura informed Tsunade of Sasuke's defection, and Tsunade smashed her desk in anger.
• Tsunade summoned Shikamaru and concluded that Orochimaru had likely tempted Sasuke with the promise of power.
• Tsunade ordered Shikamaru and Hinata to lead a team to retrieve Sasuke, and Shikamaru listened despite his reluctance.

Shikamaru assembled a team to pursue Sasuke after learning he had defected with the Sound Four. The group set out along the route Shikamaru predicted, hoping to catch up before the enemy crossed into the Land of Rice.

• Shikamaru excluded the unwell Sakura from the operation and recruited Naruto, who accepted that Sasuke had defected after seeing Hinata and Sakura's worried expressions.
• Shikamaru woke Choji and told him to meet the others at Konoha's main gate, then recruited Kiba and Neji.
• Neji agreed to follow Shikamaru's command, while Rock Lee stayed behind because he had only recently recovered from a serious illness.
• Shikamaru used a map and travel-speed calculations to predict the Sound Four's route through the recently sealed border area.
• Shikamaru began the pursuit without setting a battle plan, deciding the team first needed to catch up with the Sound Four.

The Sound Four hurried through the Land of Fire toward the Land of Rice, taking a longer route to avoid Konoha’s checkpoints. Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro intercepted them, leaving the group facing an unwanted fight.

• The Sound Four chose a longer route with Kabuto Yakushi’s help after their identities as Sound Ninja were exposed.
• The four raced through the forest, aware that Konoha could wear them down with reinforcements if they were discovered.
• Kidomaru stopped the group when he spotted Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro blocking their path.
• Shiranui Genma questioned the Sound Four and pointed out Jirobo’s burden, while he and Aoba recognized them as the suspicious travelers Konoha had ordered them to stop.
• The Sound Four grew grim as they realized that fighting the two Konoha Jonin could draw more reinforcements.

The Sound Four fought Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro to continue carrying Sasuke toward Orochimaru. After winning but exhausting themselves, they prepared to flee before more Konoha pursuers arrived.

• Kidomaru decided the Sound Four had to fight rather than wait, and Jirobo set down Sasuke's barrel as the group entered their Curse Mark states.
• Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro charged the transformed Sound Four, starting a fierce battle.
• More than two hours later, the Sound Four had defeated Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro, but both Konoha jonin were unconscious and all four attackers were exhausted.
• Kidomaru urged the others to get moving before Konoha's pursuers caught up, while Tayuya complained about their injuries.
• Jirobo hoisted the barrel containing Sasuke onto his back and started off to fulfill his mission for Lord Orochimaru.

Kidomaru’s group escaped after leaving Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro unconscious, while a Konoha squad found the two Jonin and took them back to the village. Shikamaru confirmed the enemy’s route, gathered intelligence from the squad, and continued the pursuit with his team.

• Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro chose not to finish off their opponents to avoid provoking an outright war with Konoha.
• A three-man Konoha squad found the unconscious Shiranui Genma and Aoba Yamashiro and carried them toward the village.
• Kidomaru warned his team they had likely been exposed and urged them to lay traps as they traveled.
• Shikamaru correctly predicted the enemy’s route and encountered the squad escorting the two Jonin.
• Shikamaru questioned the squad, obtained the information he needed, and then the two groups went their separate ways.

Shikamaru's team pursued their targets and triggered a trap, but Neji saved Naruto from the flying Kunai. Shikamaru concluded that the enemy was nearby and weakened, while four people ahead endured the pain of their cursed seals.

• Naruto was caught by a rope trap and nearly struck by Kunai, but Neji knocked them aside and saved him.
• Shikamaru cut the rope, and Naruto fell to the ground with a bump on his head.
• Neji used his Byakugan as Shikamaru estimated that the enemy was close and likely numbered no more than five.
• Shikamaru reasoned that the enemy's traps suggested they had stopped to rest and that the decisive battle was near.
• Several dozen li ahead, four people sat with their eyes closed, enduring the backlash from their cursed seals.