Chapter Summaries

Hinata weighed three possible fronts and chose to focus on Konoha, where she suspected Danzo would make a major move. She planned to check Naruto’s situation and contact Kurama Mutsu before gathering her capable subordinates at the base.

• Hinata ruled out the Five Kage Summit because there was not enough time and decided the rookies’ fight against Kakuzu and Hidan offered little to watch.
• She arranged for two people to check on Naruto’s side and planned to contact Kurama Mutsu that night to see whether she was nearby.
• Hinata decided not to interfere with the Akatsuki Organization’s assignments or join the Five Kage Summit unless her group planned to declare war.
• Hinata chose to focus on Konoha, where she expected Danzo to make a major move toward gaining leadership of the village.
• Hinata went to find her capable subordinates at the base, including Uchiha Sora, Souji Take, Wu Zhu, Winter Rain, Yuka, and Yushi.

Hinata and the others planned how to intervene in the conflict, deciding who would support Naruto’s group and who would accompany her to Konoha. Winter Rain and Yuka were assigned to Naruto’s side, while the question of who would stay behind remained unresolved.

• Hinata and the group gathered in Winter Rain’s room after she shared the intelligence.
• Wu Zhu suggested sending Yuka with Naruto’s group so she could treat them after battle.
• Hinata asked who else would go to protect and support Yuka.
• Winter Rain volunteered, offering to fly Yuka to Naruto’s group and then continue to Konoha.
• Hinata accepted the plan, leaving the group to decide who would stay behind.

Yushi stayed behind while Hinata, Uchiha Sora, Souji Take, and Wu Zhu prepared to go to Konoha, with Winter Rain and Yuka supporting Naruto. At Root headquarters, Danzo declared his intention to seize Konoha, and the Root ninja appeared to accept his orders.

• Yushi said he would stay home, and the group settled who would go to Konoha and support Naruto.
• Danzo addressed the Root ninja and reminded them of their mission to protect Konoha.
• Danzo claimed that those in the light had forgotten their sacrifices and that Root had a duty to take over.
• The Root ninja lowered their heads in apparent agreement, and Danzo left.

Danzo set his Root subordinates in motion while keeping his plan secret from most of their forces. Elsewhere, Shikamaru and his team prepared an ambush for Hidan and Kakuzu, moving ahead of schedule with Sai’s help.

• Danzo’s core subordinates left after learning his plan and took their own men away without revealing the details.
• Danzo watched from a distance and considered how to handle his friends, Ino-Shika-Cho, Shizune, and the other families.
• Sai helped Shikamaru’s group move faster than planned and narrow down where Hidan and Kakuzu would travel.
• Shikamaru chose a location for the ambush, where the group planned to recover and rehearse their tactics.

After shops connected to the Hyuga Clan were attacked, Shizune and the Ino-Shika-Cho Clan Heads investigated who was behind the damage. Shizune revealed that Danzo had summoned Root’s direct combat personnel the previous night, and she had ordered Naruto’s faction to strengthen its guard.

• A group of people wrecked a shop with a connection to the Hyuga Clan, and its owner reported the attack to the village.
• The same kind of attack struck three more shops connected to the Hyuga Clan, prompting the investigating ninjas to report the incidents.
• Shizune and the Ino-Shika-Cho Clan Heads met in the Hokage's Office to discuss who was directing the attacks.
• Shikaku Nara asked whether Shizune had found any clues, and she said the attackers had left no flaws behind.
• Inoichi Yamanaka asked about Root, and Shizune said Danzo had summoned Root’s direct combat personnel the previous night.
• Shizune said she had ordered Naruto’s faction to strengthen its guard, but the situation remained unclear.

The Konoha leaders suspected Root was targeting the Hyuga Clan, but debated how to respond without worsening the village’s strained relationship with them. Shikaku Nara questioned their assumptions, pointing out that Danzo would have had to consider the power Hinata unleashed.

• Inoichi Yamanaka proposed speaking with the Hyuga Clan, while Choza Akimichi warned that approaching them could be mistaken for a plot.
• Shizune and Inoichi questioned why Danzo would target the low-key Hyuga Clan and discussed removing him from his position after the crisis.
• Shikaku Nara argued that Danzo would not have acted so carelessly if he intended to attack the Hyuga Clan.
• Shikaku Nara began to explain that Danzo would have had to account for the godlike power Hinata unleashed.

Shizune decided to seek advice from Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu after the others failed to understand Danzo’s intentions. The two advisors went to Root’s headquarters to meet Danzo.

• Shikaku Nara struggled to understand why Danzo would act so openly against the Hyuga Clan.
• Shizune said she would ask Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu for advice.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu arrived at Root’s headquarters and asked to see Danzo.
• A Root ninja said Danzo had instructed them to let the advisors pass, and they headed into the headquarters.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura confronted Danzo over his actions against the Hyuga Clan. Danzo denied planning to attack the clan and explained that it would be pointless, while noting that his whereabouts had been exposed.

• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura entered Danzo's base and demanded to know why he had acted against the Hyuga Clan.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura warned Danzo that his actions could bring disaster to the village.
• Danzo said the advisors had come earlier than he expected and inferred that Tsunade had spoken with them before leaving the village.
• Danzo denied intending to attack the Hyuga Clan, saying they were prepared for such a threat and his whereabouts had already been exposed.

Danzo revealed to Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura that his real target was the Naruto faction, alarming the two advisors. He detained them at Root's headquarters, though he considered sparing them because their support could legitimize his claim to power.

• Mitokado Homura realized Danzo might be targeting the Naruto faction, and Utatane Koharu became horrified by the possibility.
• Danzo confirmed their suspicion and said it was too late for them to leave.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura grew furious after realizing they had come alone to Root's headquarters.
• Danzo declared that they could not work together and ordered the two advisors to stay there.
• Danzo considered killing them but decided their support could help legitimize his claim to the position.

Danzo outmaneuvered Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura when they tried to capture him, then incapacitated them with a delayed effect. He ordered his men to remove them so they could not interfere with his plan.

• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura tried to seize Danzo after he turned to leave.
• Danzo slipped between them, but Mitokado Homura managed to grab his bandaged left arm.
• Danzo pointed out that they had been in the room together for more than five minutes.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura grew weak, collapsed, and watched Danzo leave.
• Danzo ordered someone to take the two away and keep them from interfering with his plan.

After the two advisers disappeared, Shizune and the Hokage's Office feared they had gone to confront Danzo and might have been captured or killed. Konoha's clans prepared for conflict, but by morning the village appeared unchanged.

• The two advisers lost consciousness, and Shizune returned to the Hokage Building without finding them.
• The Hokage's Office learned that the advisers had left their residences alone and considered whether they had gone to Danzo, been imprisoned, or been killed.
• The Hokage's Office ordered the village to monitor all activity, then received reports that Hyuga Clan members had gathered at home and the clan had taken a defensive posture.
• Other clans recalled their forces, while civilian ninja began to sense that disaster might be near.
• After a tense, sleepless night with no incident, Konoha appeared to return to normal by morning.

Hyuga Hiashi kept the Hyuga Clan on alert while he tried to understand why Danzo or Naruto had targeted them. He sent Hanabi to rest and began searching for an escape route, while Neji had already been sent to notify Hinata.

• Hyuga Hiashi weighed the danger of acting first and prepared to hold out until Hinata arrived if the situation turned against the clan.
• Hyuga Hiashi told Hanabi to rest and ordered a clan member to escort her away.
• Hyuga Hiashi took a map of Konoha Village from a bookshelf and searched for an escape route.
• Hanabi returned to her room dissatisfied, aware that her father was occupied with something important.

Hanabi was summoned to Courtyard Nineteen after a Hyuga clansman told her that her father had news about Hinata. After she left, Hyuga Wulu thanked the clansman for covering for his absence.

• Hanabi missed Hinata and fell asleep while waiting in her room.
• A Hyuga clansman summoned Hanabi to see her father at Courtyard Nineteen and said it was about Hinata.
• Hanabi hurried to Courtyard Nineteen after hearing that her father had news about her sister.
• Hyuga Wulu met with the clansman who had delivered the message and thanked him for covering for him.

Hanabi left her guard and hurried to Courtyard Nineteen after a Hyuga clansman told her that her father and Hinata were there. She found the courtyard empty and realized the clansman had lured her into a trap, then faced him as he appeared behind her.

• Hyuga Wulu took up guard duty after the Hyuga clansman left, unaware that Hanabi had gone.
• Hanabi hurried through the Hyuga Clan grounds toward Courtyard Nineteen.
• Hanabi entered the quiet courtyard but did not find her father.
• Hanabi realized something was wrong and turned to leave, only to see the Hyuga clansman who had sent her there.

Hanabi confronted Hyuga Denkyo, who revealed his anger at the Hyuga Clan’s Caged Bird system and his plan to use her as leverage against Hyuga Hiashi. The chapter ended with Denkyo explaining that Danzo’s promise had pushed him to act despite his fear of the Main Family’s control over his Caged Bird.

• Hanabi asked Hyuga Denkyo why he was doing this, and he questioned his own motives before reaffirming his resolve.
• Hyuga Denkyo condemned the Hyuga Clan’s Main Family for controlling the Branch Family through the Caged Bird.
• Hanabi recognized that Denkyo was unstable and began considering how she could escape.
• Hyuga Denkyo introduced himself and said he wanted to destroy the Hyuga Clan’s system by taking Hanabi and threatening Hyuga Hiashi.
• Hyuga Denkyo admitted that Danzo’s offer had persuaded him to act, though he had previously feared the Main Family’s activation seal.

Hanabi attacked Hyuga Denkyo with the Gentle Fist after he threatened to make her cooperate. Denkyo disrupted her strikes and escaped her control, leaving the two facing each other again.

• Hyuga Denkyo said he had decided to go after Hanabi because she apparently had not mastered the technique for controlling Branch Family members.
• Hanabi activated her Byakugan and charged at Denkyo, rapidly striking him with the Gentle Fist.
• Denkyo forced his arm into the path of one of Hanabi’s palm strikes, disrupting her attack and sending them both backward.
• Denkyo got back to his feet, and Hanabi watched for another opening as he abandoned his earlier assumptions.

Hanabi fought Hyuga Denkyo after he regained his composure and activated his Byakugan. She struggled to overcome their age and skill gap as she tried to stop him from achieving his goal.

• Hyuga Denkyo stood up, activated his Byakugan, and challenged Hanabi to show what made the main family different.
• Hanabi recognized the pressure he posed and decided to attack first rather than defend.
• Hanabi circled Hyuga Denkyo, rushed at a small opening, and briefly suppressed him.
• Hyuga Denkyo handled Hanabi’s relentless palm strikes, leaving her anxious as she pushed herself to protect her father and prevent the consequences of his goal.

Hanabi struggled to continue fighting Hyuga Denkyo after he struck her with the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms. She resolved to stop causing trouble for her family, and Denkyo charged at her as she watched his movements.

• Hyuga Denkyo struck Hanabi’s shoulder acupoint and hit her with all thirty-two palms, sending her crashing to the ground.
• Hanabi felt her chakra flow slow, but struggled to stand because she feared Denkyo’s actions could endanger the Hyuga Clan.
• Denkyo warned Hanabi to stop resisting, then charged at her again.
• Hanabi thought of her father and sister and resolved to fight so she would no longer cause them trouble.

Hanabi defeated Hyuga Denkyo by awakening Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, then collapsed from exhaustion. As she rested, an unidentified voice called Denkyo trash.

• Hanabi unleashed Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven and sent Hyuga Denkyo flying.
• Hanabi realized she had mastered the technique, though she was still injured from Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms.
• Hanabi relaxed when Hyuga Denkyo showed no response and collapsed onto the ground.
• A voice suddenly called Hyuga Denkyo trash.

A Root shinobi appeared in Courtyard Nineteen and found Hyuga Denkyo defeated by Hanabi. He buried Denkyo alive while Hanabi remained bound and unable to intervene.

• A Root shinobi appeared and bound Hanabi with Water Release: Water Binding Rope.
• The Root shinobi checked Hyuga Denkyo, then declared it a pity that Hanabi had not died.
• The Root shinobi used Earth Release: Earth Burial Technique to bury Hyuga Denkyo alive.
• Hanabi wanted to stop the Root shinobi but could not free herself or protect Denkyo.