Chapter Summaries

The Nine-Tails planned to attack Naruto and Shisui, but Kushina’s chakra appeared and restrained it. Naruto recognized his mother and ran toward her.

• The Nine-Tails decided to drive Naruto and Shisui away rather than escape, while refusing to give Naruto its power.
• Shisui awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and called for Naruto to go as the Nine-Tails began to transform.
• Kushina’s chakra chains pulled the Nine-Tails back and bound its limbs.
• Shisui recognized Kushina, and Naruto realized she was his mother.
• Kushina warned the Nine-Tails not to harm Naruto, and Naruto ran toward her.

Naruto reunited with Kushina in the sealing space, but she mistrusted Shisui and refused to let him help Naruto master the Nine-Tails' power. Shisui summoned the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yushu, to explain.

• Naruto embraced Kushina and happily told her he had hoped to meet her.
• Kushina learned Shisui had opened the seal and accused him of trying to turn Naruto into a weapon.
• Shisui explained that mastering the Nine-Tails' chakra would let Naruto control it without future risks, but Kushina threatened to drive him away.
• Shisui activated the Transcription Seal, and Ren appeared as the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yushu.

Ren used his influence as Naruto’s teacher to help Kushina understand why Naruto was ready to face the Nine-Tails. After learning how difficult Naruto’s childhood had been, Kushina reconciled with her son and thanked Ren.

• Ren appeared in the sealing space and gently asked Kushina to explain why she opposed Naruto mastering the Nine-Tails’ power.
• Ren told Kushina that Naruto was ready and suggested she did not know how difficult his life had been.
• At Kushina’s request, Naruto described his past hardships in detail.
• Kushina cried, hugged Naruto, and apologized for not being there for him.
• Kushina thanked Ren for helping Naruto, and Ren accepted her gratitude as his teacher.

Ren persuaded Kushina to help Naruto master the Nine-Tails' power, and Kushina taught Naruto Uzumaki Clan sealing techniques before they began extracting the beast's chakra. The chapter ended with Shisui putting the Nine-Tails to sleep and Naruto's shadow clones swarming it.

• Ren told Kushina that Naruto wanted the Nine-Tails' power to earn people's acknowledgment, and Naruto insisted that gaining recognition was his own goal.
• Ren explained Minato's protections on Naruto's seal and claimed Minato had entrusted him with the key and sealing techniques, convincing Kushina to help.
• Kushina taught Naruto Uzumaki Clan sealing techniques by transferring much of her chakra to him.
• Ren ordered Kushina to restrain the Nine-Tails while Shisui used his Mangekyō Sharingan to put it to sleep.
• Naruto used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique and sent his clones to seize the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Naruto and his Shadow Clones pulled the Nine-Tails’ chakra from its body and formed Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. Ren then noticed Asura’s chakra beginning to take shape around Naruto.

• Naruto and his Shadow Clones plucked the Nine-Tails’ fur, turning it into chakra while Ren urged them to pull the chakra out completely.
• Shisui’s Sharingan control ended as the Nine-Tails regained consciousness, but Naruto’s replenishing Shadow Clones eventually separated the chakra from its body.
• Naruto absorbed the extracted chakra and transformed into Golden Naruto, Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
• Naruto admired his new form and imagined protecting Natsuri and defeating Sasuke, prompting Kushina Uzumaki to strike him.
• Ren noticed that Asura’s chakra was gradually taking shape around Naruto.

Ren realized his memories were fading and urgently sent Shisui out of the sealing space with the ocular power. Shisui sealed Kushina and escaped with Naruto and Guy, while Naruto pleaded with the furious Nine-Tails to stay.

• Ren saw Asura take shape behind Naruto, then noticed Asura's eyelids twitch and realized his memories were growing blurred.
• Ren ordered Shisui to use the Transcription Seal, return to Konoha, and restore the ocular power to its original body before disappearing into Shisui's right eye.
• Shisui sealed Kushina's chakra after she apologized and thanked him, then left the sealing space with Naruto.
• Shisui and Naruto met Guy outside, and Guy carried Kakashi as the group rushed away.
• Naruto broke his promise to avoid speaking to the Nine-Tails, apologized, and begged it not to leave; the Nine-Tails knocked him away and told him to get lost.

Orochimaru emerged on the moon and fought Toneri, who trapped him in a genjutsu and took him to a prison. As Toneri opened the cell, Orochimaru broke free and bit his arm with the intent to place a curse mark on him.

• Orochimaru emerged from the lunar passage and met Toneri, who demanded to know how he had opened it.
• Toneri attacked Orochimaru with a giant crab, overpowering him and trapping him in a genjutsu.
• Toneri inspected the passage, confirmed it had not fully opened, and watched it close before deciding Orochimaru could help him reinforce it.
• Toneri dragged Orochimaru to a prison inside the lunar palace and opened a cell.
• Orochimaru revealed a new head from his mud-like body and bit Toneri's arm to place a curse mark on him.

Orochimaru was discovered in the lunar palace and fought through Toneri’s puppets while searching for the Tenseigan. He found the giant sphere and tried to take its chakra, but its repulsive force struck him again as Toneri watched.

• Orochimaru bit Toneri’s arm, discovered it was metal, and was seized by the throat before Toneri crushed a snake body and sent puppets after the fleeing snakes.
• Orochimaru escaped through the palace, mapped its corridors, and avoided or fought the puppets pursuing him.
• Orochimaru found the giant Tenseigan and attacked it with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, but the sphere repelled him.
• Toneri arrived, demanded to know how Orochimaru had found the Tenseigan, and surrounded him with puppets.
• Orochimaru approached the Tenseigan again to siphon its chakra, and its intensified repulsive force sent him flying backward.

Orochimaru escaped Toneri’s attack with a Byakugan, blood, and a piece of flesh, then returned to his underground base and began investigating what he had taken. Meanwhile, Ōnoki prepared Iwagakure’s delegation for the final round of the joint Chunin Exams in Konoha.

• Orochimaru tricked Toneri with the stolen Byakugan, swallowed it, bit Toneri’s foot, and dissolved into a puddle of pus to escape.
• Orochimaru reincarnated into an ordinary man at his underground base, where Haku summoned three pythons carrying a Byakugan, blood, and a piece of flesh.
• Orochimaru swallowed the piece of flesh and realized what had happened during his recent experience, then ordered Haku to take him to the laboratory.
• Orochimaru directed Haku through experiments on the Byakugan and the chakra he had drawn from the giant orb of light.
• In Iwagakure, Ōnoki received the shinobi assigned to protect the Land of Earth’s daimyo, nobles, and merchants at the upcoming Chunin Exams in Konoha.

Ōnoki let Obito and Zetsu infiltrate the Iwagakure force so they could cause trouble in Konoha, and they secretly replaced nearly half the troops. After Naruto and the others returned from Turtle Island, Shisui showed Ren something through his Mangekyō Sharingan that made Ren’s expression turn grave.

• Ōnoki ordered a commander to escort Obito and Zetsu into the Iwagakure force, intending to use them to create trouble in Konoha.
• Obito and Zetsu infiltrated the camp, and Zetsu spread spores among the Iwagakure ninja.
• Obito and White Zetsu silently killed and impersonated sensory ninja, helping replace nearly half the Iwagakure troops before the convoy departed.
• More than ten days later, Naruto and the others returned to Konoha after completing the Turtle Island mission, and Naruto demonstrated his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode to Ren.
• Shisui showed Ren the intelligence he had brought back through his Mangekyō Sharingan, leaving Ren grave.

Ren saw signs that Asura’s chakra was growing inside Naruto and suspected that the Sage of Six Paths had interfered with him. After confirming Naruto’s unusual state, Ren connected the interference to Turtle Island and the Sage’s history in the Land of Lightning.

• Ren reassured Shisui that Naruto’s condition was a minor problem and sent him to Kabuto for help with his blurred eyesight.
• Shisui told Ren that Kushina Uzumaki wanted to know what he had discovered, and Ren promised to deal with it.
• At the training grounds, Naruto boasted to Sasuke Uchiha and Natsuri, but Natsuri punched him and made him drop Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
• Ren used his Mangekyō Sharingan and saw a distinct spirit behind Naruto, while Indra’s chakra in Sasuke Uchiha remained only a mass of chakra.
• Ren concluded that the Sage of Six Paths had likely tampered with Naruto and considered whether the Sage had also influenced him.
• Ren linked the Sage’s interference to Turtle Island, Kinkaku and Ginkaku, and the Six Paths Ninja Tools in the Land of Lightning.

Ren told Orochimaru the history of the ninja world, from Kaguya’s arrival and the God Tree to the conflict between Indra and Asura, hoping to guide his research into chakra. Orochimaru connected the history to his findings and asked for samples from the current reincarnations, Second Pillar and Naruto Uzumaki.

• Ren left after realizing he could not understand the miraculous method he had witnessed.
• Ren visited Orochimaru’s private laboratory and learned that Orochimaru had analyzed over a hundred thousand samples without understanding the patterns he found.
• Ren recounted the history of the ninja world to Orochimaru, including the God Tree, the Sage of Six Paths, Ninshu, the tailed beasts, and Indra and Asura’s conflict.
• Ren revealed that Second Pillar and Naruto Uzumaki were the current reincarnations of Indra and Asura.
• Orochimaru linked the tailed beasts to the God Tree’s conversion of natural energy into chakra and asked Ren for samples from Second Pillar and Naruto Uzumaki.
• Ren opened a sealing scroll containing several glass bottles and said he had prepared the samples.

Ren gave Orochimaru samples containing chakra, tissue, and blood, then focused on teaching Naruto, Sasuke, and Natsuri while preparing them for future leadership. When delegations from the great nations arrived in Konoha, Ren received the daimyo and nobles, and Naruto reacted with puzzlement as the Land of Water's daimyo appeared.

• Ren gave Orochimaru samples containing chakra, tissue, and blood, and promised to send another sample from Naruto Uzumaki the next day.
• Ren taught Naruto, Sasuke, and Natsuri ninjutsu, combat skills, and other knowledge while guiding their values and maturity.
• Ren arranged for the three to observe the visiting delegations as part of a mission to learn political and diplomatic skills.
• The Land of Fire's daimyo arrived and joined Ren while his entourage went to their lodgings.
• The Land of Water's daimyo stepped out of his palanquin, and Naruto looked puzzled.

Naruto sensed that the Daimyō of the Land of Water and members of the Land of Earth delegation were dangerous, but he stayed quiet until the Land of Earth delegation arrived and accidentally triggered a chakra flare. After the morning reception ended, Ren asked Naruto what had happened, and Naruto told him his suspicions.

• Naruto told Natsuri and Sasuke that the Land of Water's Daimyō gave him a bad feeling, but they persuaded him not to investigate or alert Ren.
• Ren welcomed delegations from the Land of Wind and the Land of Lightning with formal greetings and conversation.
• When the Land of Earth delegation arrived, Naruto released a surge of chakra, alarming everyone present.
• Ren calmed the gathering by claiming Naruto had been impressed by the delegation, and the Land of Earth's Daimyō accepted the explanation.
• After the morning reception ended, Ren asked Naruto what had happened, and Naruto said he felt the Land of Water's Daimyō and many people in the Land of Earth delegation were not good people.

Ren confirmed that Black Zetsu and Obito were hiding in Hidden Stone Village’s camp and confronted Black Zetsu after his sensing exposed him. Naruto reflected on his ability to sense malice and planned to ask Kabuto for advice about his practiced smile.

• Naruto told Ren that the Land of Water’s daimyo and most of the Land of Earth’s delegation radiated pure malice, and Ren praised him for noticing.
• Ren sent Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha, and Natsuri on their way while he went to investigate outside Konoha.
• Naruto hid his unease from Sasuke Uchiha and Natsuri, then decided to secretly ask Kabuto for advice after training.
• Ren used his Mangekyō Sharingan to sense the camps outside Konoha and found Zetsu and Obito in Hidden Stone Village’s camp.
• Ren’s sensing revealed him to Black Zetsu, and Ren confronted him about sneaking into Konoha.

Ren investigated the White Zetsu infiltrating Konoha and arranged surveillance around the Land of Earth delegation while preparing to check for more infiltrators outside the village. Kabuto’s detection equipment revealed a surprisingly large number of them.

• Black Zetsu panicked when Ren spoke to him but refused Ren’s offer of help and assumed his exposure had been a false alarm.
• Ren and the Fire Daimyo received the visiting daimyos, then Ren asked Naruto to identify suspicious people in a set of photographs.
• Ren concluded that Ōnoki had likely been manipulated by Obito and chose not to attack the White Zetsu already inside Konoha.
• Ren marked Naruto’s identifications and assigned his clansmen and Hyuga Clan ninjas to watch the White Zetsu impersonating people at the Land of Earth Daimyo’s residence.
• Ren took Kabuto outside Konoha to use his detection equipment, and the displayed count surprised him.

Ren learned that Orochimaru needed Ōnoki’s data to advance his research, promised to obtain a sample without causing bloodshed, and revised his plans around Hidden Stone Village. As the third stage of the Chunin Exams approached, Konoha welcomed the Kage and representatives of the ninja villages and hosted media interviews.

• Ren and Kabuto confirmed that Hidden Stone Village had gathered more than 500 ninja, and Ren decided to help Tobi with his plans.
• Orochimaru explained that he needed data from a Kekkei Tōta user, and Ren promised to obtain a sample from Ōnoki without starting a conflict.
• Ren revised his orders and waited for Tobi to act while the days passed.
• Ren led Konoha’s officials in welcoming Mei Terumi, Darui, Rasa, Ōnoki, and representatives from the other villages, taking commemorative photos with the arriving Kage.
• Konoha settled the guests into their lodgings and provided food, while the other great villages received media workers for interviews.

Konoha’s publicity team secured Mei Terumi’s cooperation with its interview by showing her a scroll from the Uchiha clan head. Meanwhile, Nagato and Konan arrived near Kirigakure to capture a tailed beast and strengthen Nagato, leaving the village’s sentries under attack but alive.

• An Uchiha interviewer gave Mei Terumi a long list of questions about her and Kirigakure, and Mei crossed out most of them.
• The interviewer showed Mei a scroll from the Uchiha clan head, after which Mei agreed to cooperate and provide a photograph.
• The Uchiha team returned to its office, where Uchiha Qiyue told them to draft a report covering Kirigakure, Hidden Cloud Village, and Konoha.
• Nagato and Konan arrived near Kirigakure, and Nagato ordered Konan and Deva Path Pain to take out the sentries without killing them.
• Nagato decided to seek strength and target a wild tailed beast, hoping to reclaim chakra and recover from his crippled state.

Pain demanded that Kirigakure let him use the Three-Tails, then fought off their attacks with Shinra Tensei while Konan searched the lake. Konan located the Three-Tails, summoned Nagato to the site, and Nagato descended into the lake to handle it himself.

• Deva Path Pain asked the Kirigakure ninja guarding the Three-Tails to stand aside, but their captain ordered an attack.
• The Kirigakure ninja launched repeated Water Style assaults, and Pain repelled them with Shinra Tensei.
• Konan left the sleeping Kirigakure ninja unharmed and sent paper fish through the lake to find the Three-Tails.
• After a paper crane guided her to the target, Konan summoned Nagato using the former Animal Path's body.
• Nagato told Konan to leave, summoned a crab, and descended into the lake.

Nagato confronted Isobu at the bottom of a lake and overcame the Three-Tails’ attempts to escape and attack. He extracted Isobu’s chakra and began transforming his body.

• Isobu left the group chat after sensing chakra comparable to a tailed beast nearby.
• Nagato asked Isobu for its chakra, but Isobu attacked and then fled after recognizing Nagato’s Rinnegan.
• Nagato used Banshō Ten'in to drag Isobu toward him while absorbing the Tailed Beast Balls it fired.
• Nagato seized Isobu’s chakra with the Human Path and Preta Path, then slapped it against his abdomen as the Preta Path and Naraka Path began changing his body.