Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Yū challenged Uchiha Obito to prove he was strong enough to join the Akatsuki, then used his overwhelming speed and combat experience to suppress him. Obito remained on the defensive as Uchiha Yū declared that he was certain Obito was not Uchiha Madara.

• Uchiha Yū rejected Obito's claim to command the Akatsuki, and Black Zetsu offered help to persuade him to join.
• Nagato said Obito would have to prove his strength, and Uchiha Yū challenged him as the Akatsuki's leader.
• Uchiha Yū attacked with tremendous speed and power, while Obito used Kamui to evade his punch.
• Obito emerged from Kamui to attack Uchiha Yū with a kunai, but Uchiha Yū dodged and countered him.
• Uchiha Yū blocked Obito's next sneak attack with a purple chakra shield and said Obito was not Uchiha Madara.

Uchiha Yū tested Uchiha Obito in battle, then accepted him and Black and White Zetsu into the Akatsuki after assessing their abilities. Seeing the organization’s weakness and Nagato’s limitations, Uchiha Yū ordered the Akatsuki to recruit anyone confident in their strength.

• Uchiha Yū overwhelmed Uchiha Obito, countering his Kamui Shuriken with a combined Fire and Earth Release attack.
• Uchiha Yū stopped the fight and told Uchiha Obito he could join the Akatsuki if he followed orders.
• Black and White Zetsu demonstrated a perfect disguise of Uchiha Yū and offered his abilities in disguise and intelligence gathering.
• Uchiha Yū assessed Nagato’s limited mobility and the Akatsuki’s lack of strength.
• Uchiha Yū ordered the Akatsuki to announce that anyone confident in their strength could join.

Akatsuki publicly emerged under Uchiha Yū’s protection and openly challenged the Five Great Ninja Villages, revealing several powerful rogue ninja and mysterious members. Sunagakure and Konoha began responding to the threat, while Uchiha Fugaku suspected Uchiha Yū might be the masked man claiming to be Uchiha Madara.

• Akatsuki announced it would protect any rogue ninja who joined, and the organization’s revealed members stirred alarm and debate across the ninja world.
• Sunagakure learned that Pakura and Sasori had joined Akatsuki, and the Fourth Kazekage issued a public arrest order.
• Kakuzu’s prominence at the bounty venues drew desperadoes who hoped to join his organization.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered ANBU to investigate Akatsuki, especially the masked Uchiha Madara and the Uchiha Clan.
• Uchiha Fugaku searched the clan roster and wondered whether Uchiha Yū was the mysterious Mangekyō Sharingan wielder.

Uchiha Yū tested potential recruits for Akatsuki by offering membership to anyone who could withstand one punch. After he killed the first challenger with a single blow, the remaining ninja were left terrified of Akatsuki’s strength.

• Kakuzu rejected the gathered applicants as too weak, while Konan presented Hiruko as a promising candidate to Uchiha Yū.
• Uchiha Yū disguised himself and joined Konan and Kakuzu at the recruitment meeting, where Kakuzu told everyone except Hiruko to leave.
• When the rejected ninja demanded an assessment, Uchiha Yū offered membership and his protection to anyone who could take one punch from him.
• A challenger used Earth Release: Hardening Jutsu to defend himself, but Uchiha Yū shattered him with a single punch.
• Uchiha Yū deliberately used the killing blow to frighten the other recruits and demonstrate Akatsuki’s power.

Uchiha Yū drove away the would-be Akatsuki recruits and set Hiruko a three-minute survival test. Hiruko unleashed his bloodline abilities and tried to escape at high speed, but Uchiha Yū caught up to him, leaving the fight underway.

• Uchiha Yū's punch frightened the gathered ninjas, and Kakuzu threatened them until they fled.
• Hiruko stayed behind and accepted Uchiha Yū's test to survive his attacks for three minutes.
• Hiruko saw the Akatsuki members arrive and abandoned any hope of escaping.
• Hiruko summoned dark clouds and began forming his Storm Release Secret Technique, Gale Dragon, to pressure Uchiha Yū.
• Hiruko used Swift Release to flee, but Uchiha Yū matched his speed and caught up to him.

Uchiha Yū tested Hiruko in battle, and Hiruko used Storm Release to fill the sky with lightning. Uchiha Yū overcame the attack with a massive Fire Release technique, then declared that Hiruko had passed the three-minute test.

• Hiruko used lightning to keep Uchiha Yū at a distance and buy time.
• Hiruko unleashed Storm Release: Thundercloud Inner Wave, covering the area in a dense net of lightning.
• Uchiha Yū created three Shadow Clones and used Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Technique to burn away the storm clouds and disperse the lightning.
• The watching ninjas fled in fear, while Black and White Zetsu and Obito reacted gravely to Uchiha Yū's power.
• After the flames and lightning subsided, Uchiha Yū told Hiruko he had lasted three minutes.

Uchiha Yū established the Akatsuki’s first mission: seize the Sage of Six Paths’ treasured tools from Kumogakure. In Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi told Minato Namikaze that he intended to train him as the next Hokage.

• Uchiha Yū warned Hiruko that Akatsuki membership meant dangerous missions and promised rewards for successful work.
• Uchiha Yū assigned Uchiha Madara, Black and White Zetsu, and Hiruko to raid Kumogakure for the Sage of Six Paths’ treasured tools.
• Hiruko asked for rewards after the mission and help resisting Konoha’s harassment, and Uchiha Yū agreed to consider his request.
• Spies reported the Akatsuki’s strength to their villages, prompting the villages to strengthen their defenses.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Minato Namikaze to stop wearing his mask and announced his intention to train him as the next Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi chose Minato Namikaze as Konoha’s next Hokage, explaining that his civilian background made him the best choice to ease tensions between civilians and great clans. Meanwhile, Uchiha Yū helped Hyuga Reiko build support to replace the Hyuga Clan head, and a coordinated campaign publicized her supposed achievements and battlefield prowess.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi persuaded Minato Namikaze to accept the Hokage position and promised to gradually transfer authority to him.
• Uchiha Yū prepared Hyuga Reiko to challenge for leadership of the Hyuga Clan, with Hizashi Hyuga confirming the branch family’s support.
• Uchiha Yū launched a campaign to raise Hyuga Reiko’s prestige through newspapers and intelligence reports.
• Hyuga Reiko was stunned by reports describing accomplishments she had never performed, including saving Nawaki and leading a battlefield breakthrough with the Sharingan.

Uchiha Yū used newspaper stories and public support to build Hyuga Reiko’s reputation and help her challenge the Hyuga Main Family for clan leadership. Reiko entered the Hyuga compound surrounded by cheering supporters, determined to claim the position.

• Uchiha Yū told Hyuga Reiko he would turn the newspaper’s stories into a foundation for her rise, while Hiruzen Sarutobi explained his plan to Minato Namikaze.
• Nawaki confronted Uchiha Yū about the false credit given to Reiko and offered to lend her his achievements, but Yū refused because the claims could be exposed.
• Uchiha Yū instructed Reiko to enter the Hyuga Clan with confidence and let Hizashi’s Branch Family guards keep fans at a distance.
• Reiko declared that she would not be stopped from becoming clan head and walked toward the Hyuga Clan compound.
• A crowd gathered around Reiko to voice its support as Branch Family members escorted her.

Uchiha Yū and Nawaki left the Hyuga Clan succession struggle to attend an urgent meeting with the Third Hokage, who revealed Akatsuki’s attack on Kumogakure and proposed a transition of power within Konoha. The chapter ended with Nawaki learning he would become a Hokage advisor and help Minato manage the village.

• Uchiha Yū watched Hyuga Reiko leave to pursue the clan head position, while Nawaki remarked on the power of her supporters.
• An ANBU summoned Uchiha Yū and Nawaki to the Hokage’s office, where the Third Hokage reported that Akatsuki had attacked Kumogakure and taken its legendary treasures.
• The Third Hokage ordered Konoha to locate Akatsuki but avoid direct conflict, and said he would consult the other villages about joining forces against them.
• After the ANBU left, the Third Hokage told Uchiha Yū that he wanted him to step back for the village and become a Hokage advisor alongside Nawaki.
• The Third Hokage told Nawaki to inherit his grandfather’s legacy and assist Minato in managing the village.

Uchiha Yū learned that Konoha planned to investigate Akatsuki and received files about Uchiha Madara, while Nawaki was appointed a future Hokage advisor. Back at his secret base, Yū agreed to Black Snake’s request to end their summoning contract and gave it a letter to deliver.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi briefed Uchiha Yū on Akatsuki’s leader, Qi, and asked him to continue the investigation after Hiruzen stepped down.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Uchiha Yū detailed files on Uchiha Madara, and Yū took them while noting that Konoha had no immediate plan to attack Akatsuki.
• Uchiha Yū told Nawaki that his lineage and abilities could lead him to become Hokage, while Nawaki remained dazed by his new role as a Hokage advisor.
• Uchiha Yū returned to his secret house, wrote a letter, and summoned Black Snake to carry information to his original body.
• Black Snake asked to cancel its summoning contract, and Uchiha Yū agreed before placing the letter between its scales.

Uchiha Yū sent Black Snake to deliver an urgent warning that Konoha was investigating Akatsuki’s base, then ordered Akatsuki to focus its clashes on Kumogakure. In the Land of Lightning, he joined Mu Chuanlang and set a plan in motion to destabilize the country by buying up its grain.

• Uchiha Yū told Black Snake that it was no longer strong enough to join his battles and sent it to deliver a letter to his original body.
• Black Snake delivered the warning that Konoha had begun investigating Akatsuki’s location, and Uchiha Yū burned the letter.
• Uchiha Yū told Konan that Akatsuki should make it appear to be targeting only Kumogakure, defeating other villages’ shinobi but letting them go.
• Uchiha Yū met Mu Chuanlang in the Land of Lightning, where Akatsuki’s members had gathered to carry out their plan.
• Uchiha Yū ordered Akatsuki to spend its reserve funds buying grain throughout the Land of Lightning, offering triple prices and five times the price to nobles.

Uchiha Yū used Dawn’s massive grain purchases to worsen the Land of Lightning’s food crisis and explained to Kakuzu how the scheme would eventually make the country dependent on Dawn for food. The plan remained underway as they waited for the right opportunity to exploit the shortage.

• Dawn’s fivefold grain prices caused an uproar across the Land of Lightning, while nobles forced commoners to sell their grain only to them and left many people facing hunger.
• Kakuzu confronted Uchiha Yū over spending their fortune on grain purchases and demanded to know how they would recover the money.
• Uchiha Yū explained that spring planting meant the country would go months before its next harvest, while Dawn had acquired much of its grain.
• Uchiha Yū planned to hold back Kumogakure’s ninja so commoners could seize power, then force the new order to buy food from Dawn.
• Kakuzu recognized the plan’s potential to drain the country’s wealth, and Uchiha Yū said they would have to wait for the right opportunity.

After Kumogakure attacked Akatsuki’s interests in the Land of Lightning, Uchiha Yū ordered a campaign against the village’s supply depots. He and Pakura attacked a Kumogakure camp, where Pakura unleashed her Scorch Release and declared that she alone would fight.

• Uchiha Yū reviewed a report of an attack and concluded that Akatsuki would have to confront Kumogakure to protect its gains.
• Kakuzu and the others agreed to retaliate, and Uchiha Yū assigned them in pairs to strike Kumogakure’s food and weapons stores.
• Uchiha Yū noted that the nobles continued selling food to Dawn, worsening the crisis among the people of the Land of Lightning.
• Uchiha Yū and Pakura reached a Kumogakure camp, where Pakura attacked with Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder and killed several ninja.
• A scar-faced Kumogakure elite jonin confronted them, and Pakura said she would be the only one to fight.

Uchiha Yū and Pakura attacked a Kumogakure base, where the defenders recognized the Akatsuki members and fought back. As Pakura struggled against the combined forces, Uchiha Yū entered the battle and killed two elite jonin, leaving the remaining Kumogakure ninja facing him.

• Matsui Shinsui recognized Pakura and identified Uchiha Yū as the Akatsuki leader, then warned the Kumogakure ninja to stay away from him.
• Pakura attacked the defenders with fireballs while Uchiha Yū held back and watched her fight the elite jonin and jonin squad.
• The Kumogakure ninja used coordinated lightning and water techniques to push Pakura back, prompting Uchiha Yū to step in.
• Two elite jonin confronted Uchiha Yū, but he killed one with a strike through the chest and caught his heart.
• The second elite jonin burned through his strength to attack Uchiha Yū, whose kunai broke his weapon and cut open his chest.

Uchiha Yū and Pakura slaughtered a Kumogakure camp, and Akatsuki’s attacks devastated the village’s forces. The Fourth Raikage wanted to launch an immediate counterattack, but Dodai and Killer B urged caution, leaving him uncertain about what to do.

• Uchiha Yū killed the last surviving shinobi at the camp, then used Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame to burn the bodies and supplies.
• Pakura questioned how Akatsuki could withstand Kumogakure’s greater numbers, and Uchiha Yū hinted that Akatsuki had more forces than she knew.
• Akatsuki’s members attacked Kumogakure’s camps, killing many shinobi and prompting alarm throughout the shinobi world.
• The Fourth Raikage ordered Kumogakure’s forces to search for Akatsuki and prevent them from escaping the Land of Lightning.
• Dodai and Killer B advised the Fourth Raikage to avoid a direct conflict while Kumogakure was weakened, and their warning made him hesitate.

After Kumogakure withdrew its forces and avoided a confrontation, Uchiha Yū abandoned his plan to cripple it militarily and proposed that Akatsuki replace it as an official village. He assigned members to deliver invitations to the other villages, leaving Kakuzu to take the Sunagakure letter while the Konoha letter went unwanted.

• Uchiha Yū learned that Kumogakure had withdrawn its ninja and missions, and concluded that it was avoiding a fight.
• Kakuzu asked whether Akatsuki should attack Kumogakure directly, but Uchiha Yū decided to negotiate with the major villages instead.
• Uchiha Yū proposed that Akatsuki replace Kumogakure, offering other villages benefits for staying out of the conflict and joining the division of Kumogakure.
• Uchiha Yū ordered Akatsuki members to deliver invitations and warned that he would not avenge anyone killed by the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
• Kakuzu took the letter for Sunagakure, while the others tried to avoid delivering the letter to Konoha.

Uchiha Yū brought Obito to Konoha to deliver a letter to the Hokage, while Obito hid his identity and reflected on his past there. They openly announced themselves at the village gates and waited under ANBU guard as the letter was sent to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

• Uchiha Yū invited Obito to accompany him to Konoha, and Obito agreed despite his hatred of the village.
• Obito returned to the forest near Konoha and recalled his past, then told Uchiha Yū that he lived for Uchiha Madara’s cause and wanted to destroy Konoha.
• Uchiha Yū and Obito approached Konoha’s main gate, where Izumo Kamizuki challenged them.
• Uchiha Yū identified himself as Qi, leader of Akatsuki, introduced Obito as Uchiha Madara, and offered a letter for the Hokage.
• The ANBU inspected the letter and sent Izumo Kamizuki to deliver it to Hiruzen Sarutobi while they guarded Uchiha Yū and Obito.

Hiruzen Sarutobi received Akatsuki's threatening letter and invited its leader, Qi, and the man calling himself Uchiha Madara into Konoha. Their meeting turned into a confrontation when Danzo challenged them, and Uchiha Obito began fighting Root ninja.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Konoha's senior officials after reading Akatsuki's letter demanding that Konoha join it against Kumogakure.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi invited Qi and Uchiha Madara into Konoha under close ANBU and Hyūga surveillance, then called Uchiha Fugaku to meet them.
• Danzo threatened Qi, who replied that Konoha would face the consequences if it tried to capture them.
• Danzo deployed elite Root ninja after Hiruzen Sarutobi signaled agreement, and Qi ordered Uchiha Madara to fight them.
• Uchiha Fugaku recognized that Uchiha Madara had the Sharingan but said he did not know him, while Uchiha Obito charged one of the Root ninja with a kunai.

Obito Uchiha used Kamui to defeat Konoha’s challengers, killing three ninjas while Hiruzen watched without intervening. Uchiha Yū then proposed that Konoha recognize Akatsuki and allow it to attack Kumogakure in exchange for funding, leaving the Hokage’s advisors undecided.

• Obito phased through attacks and used his Sharingan’s space-time ability to ambush and kill a Yamanaka Clan ninja.
• Hiruzen hesitated to stop the fight, and Obito killed the remaining Konoha challengers, leaving three corpses.
• Uchiha Yū applauded Obito and threatened to continue the slaughter until Konoha acknowledged Akatsuki’s strength; Danzo conceded and let them pass.
• Uchiha Yū told Konoha’s leaders that Akatsuki intended to divide Kumogakure and asked Konoha to stay out of the fighting, recognize Akatsuki if it succeeded, and provide a large amount of funding.
• Danzo supported considering the proposal, while Hiruzen’s two advisors exchanged a look without stating their positions.