Chapter Summaries

Naruto met Sasuke at the Valley of the End, warned him that the Heavenly Curse Mark was eroding his chakra, and left while wondering what was affecting his emotions. In Konoha, Shikamaru reported Naruto’s rescue to Tsunade, who confirmed Choji’s injuries were being treated.

• After the unfamiliar chakra signatures disappeared, Naruto’s Shadow Clone asked Shikamaru whether he had recovered and then vanished.
• Naruto met Sasuke at the Valley of the End and realized his unease disappeared when he saw him, making him suspect something unseen was influencing his emotions.
• Naruto decided not to test his suspicions by fighting Sasuke, warned him about the Heavenly Curse Mark, and left; Sasuke continued toward the Land of Rice Fields, willing to risk Orochimaru’s control for power.
• Shikamaru reported to Tsunade that Naruto had saved him, and Tsunade brooded over her limited authority over Root and Konoha’s advisors.
• Shikamaru asked about Choji’s injuries, and Tsunade reassured him that Shizune was treating them.

Naruto explored the ruins of Rōran with a local guide and learned about the legend of the Ryūmyaku, while sensing a familiar chakra nearby. Mukade secretly approached the Ryūmyaku Ruins, determined to break the Fourth Hokage’s seal and claim the power for himself.

• Naruto toured Rōran with a guide, who explained that most residents had left after the city’s calamity and that only stubborn older people remained.
• The guide told Naruto that a domed building was associated with legends of Rōran’s world-destroying power and offered to take him inside for a maintenance fee.
• Naruto sensed the strange chakra of a Sunagakure ninja and asked whether Sunagakure shinobi often passed through the area.
• Mukade hid his headband as he approached the ruins, having come without authorization to pursue the Ryūmyaku.
• Mukade recalled that the Fourth Hokage had sealed the Ryūmyaku and resolved to claim its power and take revenge on Konoha.

Mukkade tried to break the Ryūmyaku seal so he could claim its power, but the seal repelled him. Naruto revealed himself and attacked after Mukkade refused his offer of help, leaving Mukkade shaken by Naruto’s strength.

• Saji chose not to report Mr. Wolf’s visit to Queen Sara while his family ate their harvest feast.
• Mukkade attempted to draw the Ryūmyaku and its seal into his body, but the seal hurled him away.
• Naruto watched Mukkade’s failed attempt and realized he had lacked the chakra needed to overcome the seal.
• Mukkade summoned Crow and Ibuse and rejected Naruto’s offer of help.
• Naruto knocked aside the puppets’ senbon and shattered Crow with a single kick, alarming Mukkade.

Naruto and Mukade released the seal on the Ryūmyaku, but its chakra surge swallowed them and sent Naruto to a thriving Rōran. Naruto woke before Queen Sāya and her daughter Sara, then asked whether the Third Great Ninja War had ended.

• Naruto destroyed Mukade’s Ibuse puppet and ordered him to release the seal again.
• Naruto supplied chakra to Mukade as he resumed the seal-release ritual, while Naruto and Kurama wondered about the Ryūmyaku’s origins.
• Mukade completed the ritual, but a massive burst of chakra swallowed him and Naruto.
• Naruto woke in Rōran, where Queen Sāya and Sara studied him.
• Naruto asked Sāya whether the Third Great Ninja War had ended.

Naruto learned that he had arrived in Konoha Year 47, before the Third Great Ninja War, and decided to travel to the Hidden Leaf Village to investigate the choices that shaped Rōran’s future. Before leaving, he gave Sāya a chakra-bearing kunai and warned her about the other stranger who had appeared.

• Naruto asked Sāya what year it was and learned that the Second Great Ninja War had ended ten years earlier and that it was Konoha Year 47.
• Naruto recalled the coming Third Great Ninja War and the events surrounding his birth, then asked whether anyone else had appeared out of nowhere.
• Naruto admired Rōran’s prosperity and questioned whether sealing the Ryūmyaku had been right, given the hardship Rōran would later face.
• Naruto told Sāya he planned to leave for the Land of Fire and gave her a wooden kunai containing his chakra so she could call for help.
• Naruto warned Sāya to treat the other strange arrival carefully and set off toward the Hidden Leaf Village.

Naruto rescued a woman and her son from a Konoha ninja, then waited to face the Konoha squad sent to investigate the killing. After Sarutobi Shin'nosuke defended Konoha's response, Naruto attacked the squad and seized a sword.

• Naruto killed a Konoha ninja who had assaulted a woman, gave her money, and offered to escort her and her son to Konoha.
• Naruto left a Shadow Clone at the house to await the Konoha ninja while his real body escorted the mother and son toward the village.
• Sarutobi Shin'nosuke arrived with a squad, identified himself as the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's son, and questioned Naruto about the killing.
• Naruto challenged Shin'nosuke over the treatment of civilians, and Shin'nosuke signaled his squad to attack.
• Naruto hurled a Shuriken, dodged a swordsman's strike, punched him, and took his sword.

Naruto’s Shadow Clone fought Sarutobi Shin'nosuke and his fellow Konoha ninja, but a coordinated combination ninjutsu destroyed it. Naruto then considered learning stronger Wind Release techniques and met a young Mizuki, whose request to learn ninjutsu he refused because Konoha would not accept a child who already possessed chakra.

• Naruto’s Shadow Clone fought the Konoha ninja while avoiding killing those who were not truly trying to harm him.
• Sarutobi Shin'nosuke and two Sarutobi Clan ninja trapped Naruto with Earth Release walls and attacked with combination ninjutsu.
• The Shadow Clone vanished under their combined attack, leaving Sarutobi Shin'nosuke puzzled by Naruto’s raised middle finger.
• Naruto considered learning powerful Wind Release ninjutsu as he walked with Ryokuko.
• Mizuki asked Naruto to teach him ninjutsu, but Naruto refused, saying Konoha would not accept a child who already possessed chakra.

Naruto returned to Konoha during the Third Great Ninja War and found the home of his mother, Kushina Uzumaki. After meeting her and revealing he was her son from the future, he showed her the Eight Trigrams Seal, leaving her alarmed.

• Naruto entered Konoha disguised as a traveler after parting from Mizuki's mother and daughter.
• Kurama guided Naruto to the house where his parents had lived, but Naruto could not enter while ANBU watched Kushina.
• Kushina sensed Naruto nearby, then returned home and discovered him inside.
• Naruto told Kushina that the Ryūmyaku had brought him from the future, and she believed him.
• Naruto revealed the Eight Trigrams Seal on his abdomen, and Kushina's expression darkened.

Kushina welcomed her future son Naruto and cooked sukiyaki for him, learning about his abilities and his life as a rogue ninja. As they shared dinner, Naruto began to feel the warmth of a family home again, and Kushina insisted he stay with her instead of at an inn.

• Kushina checked Naruto over and began preparing sukiyaki after hearing he had been doing well.
• Naruto told Kushina he had awakened the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, and she teased him for not awakening the Adamantine Chains.
• Kushina and Naruto talked about ordinary family matters, and she served him sukiyaki that reminded him of home.
• Kushina asked Naruto whether he had a girlfriend, then changed the subject when she became embarrassed.
• Naruto said he had already rented a room at an inn, but Kushina insisted that he stay at her home.

Naruto visited Kushina and asked her to teach him Sealing Jutsu, and she agreed to begin after breakfast. In the study, Kushina explained that sealing required a deep foundation of knowledge and presented Naruto with books to study.

• Naruto trained with Kusabimaru, caught several fish, and returned to Kushina's home to make breakfast.
• Kushina asked Naruto about ninjutsu, learned that he knew only swordsmanship and had Wind chakra nature, and offered to teach him Sealing Jutsu.
• Naruto and Kushina ate his fish porridge, then went to the study to begin his lessons.
• Kushina gathered books on sealing and related subjects, explaining that Sealing Jutsu required understanding its principles rather than relying on practice alone.

Naruto used Shadow Clones to study Sealing Jutsu, ninjutsu, and swordsmanship, strengthening his knowledge and refining the Heart Piercing Style. Minato brought Kakashi, Obito, and Rin to Kushina’s home for a promised meal, where they met Naruto for the first time.

• Naruto studied intensively for two months with help from Shadow Clones and gained an introductory grasp of Sealing Jutsu.
• Naruto reflected on how his new knowledge had improved his understanding of Wind Release and helped mature his Heart Piercing Style.
• Minato told Kakashi, Obito, and Rin to rest during their seven-day break and remembered his promise to take them out for a meal.
• Minato, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin arrived at Kushina’s home and learned she was out buying ingredients.
• Sanmei introduced himself to Minato’s disciples as Naruto Uzumaki.

Naruto’s Shadow Clone prepared dinner with Minato, Rin, Obito, and Kakashi while Kushina teased Rin about dating Naruto, leaving everyone awkward. After dinner, Kushina explained to Minato that Naruto was their son from the future, and Naruto described time travel as feeling like being knocked out with a club.

• Obito, Minato, and Kakashi noticed that Naruto looked strikingly similar to Minato while Rin helped him prepare chicken.
• Kushina returned and teased Rin by asking whether she had a boyfriend and suggesting Naruto, embarrassing Rin and startling everyone.
• Naruto dismissed his Shadow Clones and took over after hearing about Kushina’s matchmaking suggestion, and dinner passed in an awkward mood.
• Minato asked Kushina what had happened, and she confirmed that Naruto was their son.
• Minato asked Naruto about traveling through time, and Naruto compared the sensation to being knocked out with a club.

Naruto persuaded Minato to hear about the future so they could prevent the tragedy of Kushina and their unborn child dying during the Nine-Tails Attack. After Naruto recounted what he knew, he asked Minato how he viewed shinobi and shinobi villages.

• Minato refused Kushina's offer to tell him about the future, but Naruto argued that knowing it could help them protect Kushina and their unborn child.
• Kushina sided with Naruto, and Minato reconsidered his refusal and asked him to continue.
• Naruto described the future, including the Third Shinobi World War, Orochimaru's defection, Minato becoming Fourth Hokage, and the Nine-Tails Attack.
• Naruto told Minato that someone had controlled the Nine-Tails with the Sharingan, and Minato said he would investigate.
• Naruto asked Minato how he viewed shinobi and shinobi villages.

Naruto asked Minato Namikaze how he understood ninjas, ninja villages, and peace, then left after refusing Minato’s invitation to return to Konoha. He continued on alone, while Minato acknowledged that he had no right to judge Naruto’s suffering.

• Naruto asked Minato Namikaze what ninjas and ninja villages were, and Minato described them as products of the Warring States Period and a cycle of missions, competition, and hatred.
• Minato explained that peace required everyone in the ninja world to work toward breaking the cycle of retaliation between villages.
• Naruto said farewell to Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, then Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take him to Konoha’s outskirts.
• Minato asked Naruto to consider returning to Konoha, but Naruto refused and said years of rejection had convinced him that Konoha did not accept him.
• Minato admitted he had no right to speak of Naruto’s suffering, and Naruto said farewell before leaving.

Naruto traveled through the impoverished Land of Rain, rescued a woman from two thugs, and escorted her toward the Light of Dawn. Elsewhere, Shimura Danzō secured an agreement with Amegakure to provide information on Akatsuki, intent on protecting Konoha’s interests.

• Naruto saw two thugs dragging a starving woman into an alley and knocked them into the walls when they refused to stop.
• The woman mistook Naruto for a ninja of the Light of Dawn, and he explained that he was only a passerby.
• Naruto learned that the woman came from the Land of Birds and that her mother had been a shrine maiden, then gave her money taken from the thugs.
• Naruto offered to escort the woman to the next town, and she said she was going to find the Light of Dawn.
• Shimura Danzō left a meeting with Hanzō of the Salamander after securing an agreement from a masked warrior to provide information about Akatsuki.

Naruto met Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato of Akatsuki and explained his tentative plan to secure peace through a destructive weapon, which conflicted with Yahiko’s vision. After entering Akatsuki’s underground base, Naruto recognized Nagato’s eyes as the Rinnegan.

• Hanzō remained silent after his shinobi debated whether Amegakure should accept Shimura Danzō’s proposal, then watched them leave in anguish.
• Yahiko invited Naruto to join Akatsuki and help bring peace to the shinobi world.
• Naruto described using a powerful weapon to deter the shinobi villages, while Yahiko argued that peace required mutual understanding and an end to oppression.
• Naruto explained that he wanted to refine his ideals and feared the corruption and dangers of controlling such a weapon.
• Naruto introduced himself as Naruto Uzumaki, then followed Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato into their underground base.
• Naruto noticed the ripple-patterned eyes beneath Nagato’s hair and recognized the Rinnegan.

Naruto learned that Nagato possessed the legendary Rinnegan and saw Yahiko’s leadership as a strength of Akatsuki. In Rōran, Mukade asked Queen Sāya for Ryūmyaku energy, and she let him continue after he promised to improve her people’s lives.

• Naruto asked Kurama whether Nagato’s Rinnegan was real, and Kurama confirmed that the Sage’s eyes had appeared.
• Naruto reconsidered Akatsuki’s peace ambitions after seeing Nagato’s eyes, while Yahiko and Nagato discussed who should lead the group.
• Naruto recognized Yahiko’s charisma and said he had much to learn from him.
• Mukade approached Sāya in Rōran and offered technology that could make the country a powerful force.
• Sāya reacted with hostility when Mukade proposed using the Ryūmyaku, and its energy enveloped the tower under her control.
• Mukade promised that Ryūmyaku energy could free Rōran’s people from labor and improve their lives, and Sāya told him to continue.

Mukade won Sāya’s approval to use puppets powered by the Ryūmyaku to perform labor for Rōran, provided he taught her how to control them. A month later, Naruto and Nagato fought a fierce battle, and Naruto used Kurama’s chakra and Shadow Clones to close in on Nagato through a cloud of steam.

• Mukade proposed using the Ryūmyaku to build puppets that would take over repetitive work and benefit Rōran.
• Sāya agreed to the plan on the condition that Mukade hand over the method for controlling puppets, and he accepted.
• A month later, Naruto fought Nagato, who attacked him with a succession of combination ninjutsu.
• Naruto called on Kurama, gained a five-tailed cloak, and used Nine-Tails chakra to strengthen Kusabimaru and disrupt Nagato’s attacks.
• After Nagato’s fire and wind techniques filled the battlefield with steam, Naruto created two-tailed Shadow Clones and approached him from three directions.

Naruto planned to travel to Takumi Village to upgrade Kusabimaru with Chakra Metal. Meanwhile, Shimura Danzō pressured Hanzō of the Salamander to prepare the Land of Rain for war, and Hanzō ordered a plan against Akatsuki into action.

• Naruto explained to Nagato that Kusabimaru's Chakra drain made it unsuitable for high-level battles and said he was going to Takumi Village.
• Nagato asked whether Naruto had prepared the Chakra Metal, and Naruto said Yahiko had shared information about it.
• Shimura Danzō told Hanzō of the Salamander that the Five Great Shinobi Villages were preparing for conflict in the Land of Rain and that Akatsuki had to be eliminated.
• Hanzō of the Salamander summoned Naomasa and Yamauchi and ordered them to put the plan into action.

Naruto learned that the Outer Circle’s local personnel and other small organizations had mysteriously vanished from the Land of Birds, then warned the Akatsuki station to leave. In the Land of Rain, Yahiko’s Akatsuki met Hanzō for what they believed was a cooperation agreement, but Hanzō revealed his betrayal and prepared to act against them.

• Naruto asked the Akatsuki station in the Land of Birds to contact the Outer Circle and learned its local personnel had disappeared alongside those of several other groups.
• Naruto connected the disappearances to major hidden villages, warned the stationed ninja to leave, and quickly departed.
• Konan expressed doubts about Amegakure’s sudden offer to cooperate, while Nagato urged her not to alarm the excited Akatsuki members.
• Yahiko approached Hanzō, who acknowledged Yahiko’s accomplishments and said he had been born in the wrong era.
• Hanzō declared that he was acting for the future of the Land of Rain and apologized, revealing that the meeting was a trap.