Chapter Summaries

Ren decided to rename ninja and natural energy to mark their opposition to the Sage of Six Paths, then joined the next group of Konoha elites undergoing transformation. As true origin strengthened his body, mind, and spirit, the chapter left him completing the process and discovering how the energy interacted with his chakra and Surtur template.

• After Kabuto confirmed that the researchers had only renamed true chakra, Ren wondered whether the change was connected to Gamamaru's prophecy about the disappearance of ninja.
• Ren decided to rename ninja and natural energy as well, openly separating the transformed ninja from the Sage of Six Paths.
• Ren joined ninety-nine Konoha elites, including Kakashi, Might Guy, and Shisui, as the final candidate for transformation.
• Ren entered a pod, where true origin flowed into his body and strengthened his cells instead of following the usual chakra pathways.
• Ren loaded the Fire Giant Surtur template and found that true origin drove chakra from his meridians, but could not strengthen the template.
• After Ren let the template go dormant, true origin continued strengthening his body, mind, and spirit until the transformation was complete.

Ren completed his physical enhancement and began replacing chakra with true essence, discovering that it greatly strengthened his body and ninjutsu while leaving genjutsu unchanged. As his mind settled into peace, Shisui waited outside while Ren, Might Guy, and Kakashi remained in their operating pods.

• Ren found that his enhanced body was more than ten times stronger and that true essence amplified ninjutsu and taijutsu far more than chakra.
• Ren realized true essence did not reduce chakra's effects on emotions and the mind, and he recalled the violent impulses he had struggled to control.
• Ren's chakra was gradually replaced by true essence, bringing him a long-lost sense of calm and unity between emotion and reason.
• Shisui watched as people emerged from their pods, while Ren, Might Guy, and Kakashi's pods continued operating.

Ren discovered that the conversion strengthened his abilities and let him use Sharingan techniques with true essence, while Kakashi and Shisui also gained benefits. He learned that Might Guy’s unusually long conversion was caused by the Eight Gates.

• Ren tested his enhanced abilities and found he could fuel his Mangekyō techniques with true essence.
• Ren asked Kakashi and Shisui about their Sharingan; Kakashi could use Kamui without limits, while Shisui could use Kotoamatsukami but still faced a long cooldown.
• Ren noticed Might Guy was still undergoing conversion and asked a researcher why it was taking so long.
• After the next group entered the pods, Ren asked Kabuto about Guy’s delay, and Kabuto explained that it was because of the Eight Gates.

Ren reconsidered the Eight Gates after Kabuto’s explanation and concluded that they let users intercept the Sage of Six Paths’ true essence through their chakra connection. He left believing that once Might Guy’s body finished recovering and made the power its own, he would lose that connection and the Eight Gates would no longer grant overwhelming strength.

• Ren left Kabuto without asking more questions and reconsidered his plan to strengthen Might Guy.
• Ren reasoned that the Eight Gates drew on true essence returning to the Sage of Six Paths through the chakra connection.
• Ren concluded that opening the Gate of Death let a user seize the Sage’s accumulated power, explaining how Might Guy could challenge Six Paths Madara.
• Ren looked at the glowing chamber and deduced that Guy’s recovery would make the borrowed power his own and sever his connection to the Sage.
• Ren realized Guy would no longer be able to reproduce his overwhelming Eight Gates power once the transformation was complete.

Ren watched Guy emerge from the conversion pod with a powerful, healed body, then explained that true essence had likely made the Eight Gates unusable. Guy revealed he had already discovered that, but remained determined to grow stronger and forge his own path.

• Ren set aside thoughts of Might Guy’s kick and watched the conversion pods fill with confident anticipation.
• Guy emerged from his pod, delighted by his enhanced body and the healing of his old injuries.
• Ren brought Guy to an empty field and explained how true essence differed from chakra and could prevent the Eight Gates from working.
• Guy admitted he had already tried opening the Eight Gates and found that it no longer responded.
• Guy said the Eight Gates was only a technique his father developed and vowed to keep pursuing the power of youth and find his own path.

Ren confirmed that Might Guy was coping with his new path, while Konoha paused Dragon Vein conversions to let it recover. The Hidden Sand Village failed to understand what Konoha was doing, and its leader secretly wrote a report before someone approached Ren the next morning.

• Ren left Might Guy after seeing him shout confidently, and felt reassured that he was fine.
• Kabuto and the researchers stopped Dragon Vein conversions for the night because it needed time to recover.
• The Hidden Sand Village's leader questioned his sensory ninja and researchers, but none could determine what Konoha had changed.
• The Hidden Sand Village's leader dismissed his subordinates and wrote furiously in the tent.
• Ren wandered through the ruins of Roran the next morning, recognized that someone had taken the bait, and heard them address him as Lord Hokage.

Ren hosted the Hidden Sand Village leader for a meal and tea while discussing the Ancient Kingdom of Roran, then pressured him to reveal why he had come. Ren agreed to let one or two Hidden Sand Village shinobi undergo the Dragon Vein’s baptism and left the leader facing negotiations over the price.

• Ren listened as the Hidden Sand Village leader explained the history of the Ancient Kingdom of Roran and toured the ruins with him.
• Ren invited the leader to lunch and continued their conversation over tea without raising any business himself.
• The Hidden Sand Village leader asked whether his shinobi could undergo the Dragon Vein’s baptism.
• Ren demanded that Rasa come negotiate, but the leader insisted Hidden Sand Village needed only one or two slots.
• Ren agreed to the limited request and announced that they would discuss the price.

Ren demanded pure gold from the Hidden Sand Village leader as the price for Sunagakure to participate in Konoha’s conversions. After seeing a researcher knocked unconscious in a spar, the leader hurriedly sent a request for gold to Lord Kazekage.

• Ren demanded pure gold equal in volume to a recipient from the Hidden Sand Village leader, who rejected the price and left.
• The Hidden Sand Village leader watched Konoha complete its tenth batch of conversions and worried Sunagakure would return without learning anything.
• The Hidden Sand Village leader remembered Ren’s suggestion and sought out a Konoha researcher to spar.
• Ren ordered the researcher to accept, and a Konoha Military Police Force shinobi agreed on the researcher’s behalf.
• After the researcher was knocked unconscious, the Hidden Sand Village leader returned to his tent and sent a scroll requesting gold to Lord Kazekage.

After hearing the report of the researcher’s unusual strength, Rasa traveled to the Ancient Kingdom of Roran to meet Ren and confirm their agreement. Rasa delivered twelve golden statues as payment, leaving Ren dazzled by the haul.

• The Hidden Sand Village leader recorded his sparring match with the Konoha ninja and expected Rasa to handle the matter personally.
• Rasa arrived in the Ancient Kingdom of Roran overnight with Chiyo and Ebizo, then went into the desert to work.
• Ren welcomed Rasa at his apartment and confirmed that their agreement still stood, with work to begin once the money arrived.
• Rasa showed Ren twelve lifelike golden statues that he had made in the desert.
• Ren accepted the gold and imagined renovating his office in Konoha.

Ren completed the conversion of ninety Konoha candidates and ten Hidden Sand Village ninjas, who emerged with greatly enhanced bodies and ninjutsu. Rasa and the Hidden Sand Village leaders suspected Konoha had developed a widely applicable Sage Mode, and they were left to decide whether to continue the trade.

• Ren melted down Rasa’s twelve hollow golden figures and found they contained enough material for only ten conversion spots.
• Chiyo, Ebizo, and eight other carefully selected Hidden Sand Village ninjas underwent conversion alongside ninety Konoha candidates.
• After the conversion, the ten Hidden Sand Village ninjas described their enhanced abilities to Rasa, including stronger ninjutsu and reduced energy costs.
• Chiyo explained that chakra extraction had become difficult and that depleted chakra could take more than ten hours to recover.
• Ebizo suggested that Konoha had mastered a widely applicable Sage Mode, and the Hidden Sand Village leaders considered whether to continue trading for conversions.

Rasa and Hidden Sand Village’s leaders agreed to seek more Sage Mode training slots through trade with Konoha, leaving Rasa to negotiate with Ren. Ren welcomed the request but said the village could obtain as many slots as it could afford, and Rasa asked him to lower the price.

• Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo ruled out force and diplomacy as ways to obtain more Sage Mode slots, settling on trade with Konoha.
• Chiyo and Ebizo criticized Rasa for making Konoha’s route deal costly, then left him to handle the problem as Kazekage.
• Rasa reflected bitterly on becoming Kazekage before composing himself and heading to meet Ren.
• Ren agreed to provide Hidden Sand Village with as many slots as it could afford, and Rasa asked whether the price could be reduced.

Ren negotiated with Rasa over Sunagakure's payment for Konoha's conversion technology, pushing the price to eight resource sites. Rasa accepted the deal, leaving Sunagakure to surrender major assets in exchange for the technology.

• Rasa offered protection, lodging, and daily necessities for Konoha's ninjas in the Ancient Kingdom of Roran.
• Rasa offered six resource sites in the Land of Earth, while Ren demanded at least nine.
• Rasa countered with seven resource sites, and Ren declared that eight would be Konoha's bottom line.
• Rasa agreed immediately to Ren's demand for eight resource sites.

Ren and Rasa finalized cooperation between Konoha and the Hidden Sand Village, but Rasa mistakenly believed Konoha had made Sage Mode widely available. After the Hidden Sand ninja completed their conversion, Ren prepared to tell Rasa the truth, while a vast phantom opened its eyes between the Pure Land and the Impure World.

• Rasa told Ren that the Hidden Sand Village believed Konoha had mastered the technology to popularize Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode, based on the Third Kazekage's knowledge of Ryūchi Cave.
• Ren avoided correcting Rasa's misunderstanding and redirected their conversation to the Ancient Kingdom of Roran.
• Over three days, Konoha researchers began studying spacetime travel patterns, while Hidden Sand researchers learned to operate the equipment.
• Ren and Orochimaru came to watch as Rasa and the final batch of Hidden Sand ninja completed their conversion.
• Rasa emerged from the conversion pod in shock and noticed Ren smiling at him, while a vast phantom opened its eyes between the Pure Land and the Impure World.

Ren brought Rasa and a Hidden Sand researcher aside to explain what Konoha had learned about chakra, true essence, and the Sage of Six Paths. Rasa recognized that the Hidden Sand Village had been drawn into a dangerous truth, and he asked Ren why Konoha had chosen to pursue it.

• Rasa asked whether Ren had come to retrieve Konoha's equipment, then brought a Hidden Sand researcher to meet Ren and Orochimaru.
• Ren formed a soundproof barrier around them, and Rasa briefly suspected Konoha had used its technology to control the Hidden Sand Village.
• Orochimaru explained Konoha's findings to the Hidden Sand researcher, who tried to disprove them by calculating from the data.
• Rasa realized Konoha's discoveries implied a threat connected to the Sage of Six Paths and resented the danger that came with learning the truth.
• Rasa asked Ren why Konoha had continued its research instead of remaining ignorant.

Ren told Rasa that Konoha had chosen to fight because Ren believed himself invincible and was personally invested in the Shinobi World. As Rasa began planning for what came next, an immense presence emerged from the delirious Hidden Sand Village researcher.

• Rasa asked why Konoha had chosen to convert shinobi on a massive scale instead of concealing the truth.
• Ren privately reflected that his bonds to the Shinobi World and his belief that he could win had driven his actions.
• Ren declared that he was utterly invincible in the Shinobi World, and Rasa accepted the explanation and asked about Konoha's plans.
• Orochimaru thought that Ren was up to his tricks again while the Hidden Sand Village researcher remained delirious.
• An immense aura appeared beside Ren, Rasa, and Orochimaru, and the researcher looked at them with hollow, deity-like eyes.

The Sage of Six Paths investigated why his thousand-year plan was nearing completion ahead of schedule and traced the change to Ren and the people he was converting. While Ren stole crumbs and cake, the Sage prepared to act personally in the Shinobi World.

• The Sage of Six Paths noticed that his work was approaching completion sooner than expected and found that Indra and Asura's chakra had begun intertwining.
• Naruto collected dinner in Konoha, but Sasuke ambushed him and began sucking his blood.
• The Sage ruled out his sons as the cause and realized he could no longer sense Ren, who was neither dead nor in the Pure Land.
• The Sage discovered that the finish line had moved closer and found Ren and a dozen people undergoing conversion through the one researcher who remained unconverted.
• Ren picked peaches and stole cake crumbs, indirectly giving the Sage time to act, and the Sage descended into the Shinobi World.

Ren confronted the Sage of Six Paths at the Dragon Vein and confirmed that Hagoromo had been trapped in a struggle for control with Kaguya for a thousand years. Ren tried to bargain, but the Sage attacked, leaving Ren to stall him while Rasa and Orochimaru took cover.

• Creatures across the Shinobi World sensed a powerful disturbance centered on Roran, while Obito used Izanagi to escape after being pierced.
• Ren threw a scroll away and charged the Sage of Six Paths, then recognized embarrassment and anger in Hagoromo’s reaction and inferred that Kaguya had kept him occupied for a thousand years.
• Ren proposed cooperating with the Sage, but Hagoromo answered with killing intent and formed a Truth-Seeking Orb.
• Ren warned Rasa and Orochimaru to hide, then blocked the orb with the Twilight Sword and was hurled across the ground.
• Ren loudly praised Hagoromo as the strongest after confirming that the Truth-Seeking Orb could not harm the Twilight Sword, hoping to keep the Sage focused on him.

Ren fought the Sage of Six Paths, surviving repeated Truth-Seeking Orb attacks with his powerful regeneration and protecting Orochimaru and Rasa as the cave was destroyed. The Sage sent the orb toward the elite ninja outside, and Ren warned them to retreat as someone called for Kakashi to use Kamui.

• Ren provoked the Sage of Six Paths, whose Truth-Seeking Orb pierced Ren's chest, but Ren regenerated and seized the orb with a magma-covered hand.
• The Sage of Six Paths realized Ren was an outsider and redirected the Truth-Seeking Orb toward Orochimaru.
• Ren grew into a giant and grabbed Orochimaru and Rasa, but the Sage's orb sliced through the Hidden Sand ninja and destroyed the cave equipment.
• The Truth-Seeking Orb flew outside toward the assembled elite ninja, and Ren shouted for everyone to retreat.
• Someone called for Kakashi to use Kamui on the black orb.

Ren’s attempt to control the Dragon Vein ended with Rasa and Orochimaru transported away as the ancient passage collapsed. The Konoha and Hidden Sand ninjas were left stranded and suspicious of each other, while Kakashi noticed something nearby.

• Obito used Kamui on Moryo, but Kakashi’s spatial ripple startled Moryo into charging out and striking a Truth-Seeking Orb.
• The Sage of Six Paths sensed Moryo’s presence, then abandoned the researcher’s ash-scattering body and refocused on seizing authority.
• Ren’s Dragon Vein equipment was destroyed, and the power of time and space engulfed Rasa and Orochimaru.
• The cave collapsed, sealing the passage to the Dragon Vein and forcing the ninjas to flee.
• Kakashi and Shisui gathered the Konoha ninjas while Ebizo and Chiyo took charge of the Hidden Sand ninjas, leaving both sides wary of each other.
• Might Guy broke the silence by pointing out something to Kakashi.

Konoha and Hidden Sand Village nearly clashed after a scroll appeared in the sand, but they joined forces to retrieve and open it. The message Ren had left for Kabuto revealed that Ren might be outside the current time and space, leaving Kabuto to decide what to tell the villages as the confrontation resumed.

• Might Guy's words sparked a fight between Konoha and Hidden Sand Village, but Kakashi, Chiyo, and Shisui stopped the weapons with Kamui, Three Treasures Suction Crushing, and the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Konoha and Hidden Sand Village leaders agreed to retrieve a scroll together, though Chiyo refused to work beside Kakashi and Ebizo took her place.
• Kakashi and Ebizo found that the scroll bore Konoha seals and argued for hours over who could read it.
• After Kabuto advised Kakashi, both villages watched as Kabuto undid Ren's seal and Kakashi and Ebizo opened the scroll.
• The message told Kabuto that Ren might no longer be in the current time and space and urged him to judge what to reveal; Kabuto told Kakashi to prepare and challenged Ebizo to consider whether Sunagakure was ready for the truth.