Chapter Summaries

Mei Terumi learned that Akatsuki’s Leader, Pain, wielded the Rinnegan and trusted him to attack the Cloud Village’s rear. As Cloud forces landed at Tsuren Island, Pain descended from the sky while Nagato controlled him remotely, and Obito watched from nearby.

• Mei Terumi asked Juzo Biwa about Akatsuki’s plans, and he revealed that Pain possessed the Rinnegan and had defeated him easily.
• The Cloud Village’s main force arrived by ship at the Land of Water battlefield, and Mist Village waited for the troops to disembark.
• Pain and Konan’s Paper Clone watched the invasion from above as Nagato prepared to use the relay method from an island two hundred kilometers away.
• Konan’s Paper Clone dispersed, and Pain descended toward the Cloud forces while Nagato transmitted Chakra through the Six Paths to control him.
• The Raikage spotted Pain, ordered his troops to watch for an ambush, and told those beneath Pain to retreat.
• Obito watched Pain descend with Kakuzu beside him, thinking that Nagato had held the Rinnegan for too long.

Pain unleashed Shinra Tensei on the battlefield near Cloud Village, devastating its fleet and killing thousands of shinobi. The stunned spies recognized him as the likely leader of the Akatsuki Organization and rushed to report what they had witnessed.

• Pain descended toward Cloud Village and warned its shinobi that they would face God's punishment for starting the war.
• Pain used Shinra Tensei to drive the sea outward, creating enormous waves that swept over Tsuren Island.
• The Raikage rescued Mabui, but the waves destroyed most of Hidden Cloud's fleet and killed nearly all of its chunin and genin.
• Mei Terumi, Ibiki, and spies from other villages witnessed the devastation and feared a similar attack on their own villages.
• The spies identified Pain as the likely leader of the Akatsuki Organization and hurried to spread intelligence about his power and unusual eyes.

The Raikage confronted the aftermath of Nagato’s Shinra Tensei as the Mist Village attacked the wounded Cloud Village shinobi. Obito grew wary of Nagato’s power while Kakuzu searched for Pain, and Nagato and Konan recovered the Six Paths and prepared to leave.

• The Raikage rescued Mabui, raged at the devastation across the sea, and ordered the Cloud Village survivors to regroup as Mei Terumi led the Mist Village attack.
• Mei Terumi directed her forces to target injured Cloud Village shinobi, and the Raikage activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode and charged toward her, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Juzo Biwa.
• Obito worried that Nagato’s power could escape his control, while Kakuzu found Sasori and Deidara’s rings but received no response when he tried to contact Pain.
• Nagato regained consciousness in the cave after losing control of Deva Path Pain, and Konan restored some of his chakra.
• Nagato summoned all Six Paths back, and Konan confirmed that Deva Path Pain had survived falling into the sea.

The Mist Village forces exploited the Cloud Village’s devastation to inflict heavy casualties, while Obito searched unsuccessfully for Nagato and Konan. After the Cloud Village chose to advance toward the Mist Village stronghold rather than retreat, Mei Terumi’s leaders planned to abandon the stronghold and delay them.

• Obito found no trace of Pain or Nagato within fifty kilometers, and Konan was also missing.
• Mei Terumi and her allies used water clones and underwater retreats to evade Lord Raikage while the Mist Village forces killed wounded Cloud Village shinobi.
• After half an hour, Mabui reported that the Cloud Village had fewer than a thousand people left and had lost most of its ships and supplies.
• Lord Raikage rallied the Cloud Village shinobi who could still fight and led them toward the Mist Village stronghold to avenge their comrades.
• Mei Terumi, Ao, and Zabuza agreed to abandon the stronghold and stall the Cloud Village, while Kisame suggested that they leave together when the time came.

Mei Terumi ordered Mist Village to retreat together so two of Hibaku’s friends could confront the pursuing Cloud Village forces. Natsuki’s Shadow Clones revealed themselves and unleashed a bone forest against the Raikage’s army, leaving Mist Village stunned by the apparent return of a powerful Shikotsumyaku.

• Kisame told Mei Terumi that Hibaku’s two friends wanted to teach Cloud Village a lesson, so she ordered Mist Village to withdraw together.
• Yugito reported that several hundred Mist shinobi were retreating south as a group, and the Raikage led Cloud Village in pursuit.
• After hours of chasing, the Raikage’s force stopped when two figures blocked the road, including a man disguised as a Kaguya clansman.
• Natsuki’s Shadow Clone activated the Curse Mark and used Early Fern Dance to raise a vast bone forest that pierced many Cloud Village shinobi.
• Mei Terumi recognized the technique as Shikotsumyaku and was shocked that a seemingly old Kaguya clansman had survived.

Natsuki’s two Shadow Clones trapped the Cloud Village force in Bone Forest and ice, killing many shinobi and forcing Yugito to use a devastating Tailed Beast Bomb. The Raikage led the survivors in retreat, while Mei Terumi and distant scouts realized the Mist Village had formidable hidden fighters.

• Natsuki’s Shadow Clone used the Early Fern Dance to trap the Cloud Village shinobi in a Bone Forest and kill them as they struggled to escape.
• Natsuki’s other Shadow Clone activated a Curse Mark and surrounded the battlefield with Mirror Ice Crystals, attacking the trapped Cloud Village shinobi from within them.
• Yugito transformed into the Two-Tails and fired a Tailed Beast Bomb that cleared one path through the Bone Forest and ice, then collapsed from her injuries.
• The Bone Spears and ice crystals began regenerating, so the Raikage ordered the Cloud Village shinobi to retreat along the cleared path.
• Natsuki’s two Shadow Clones emerged after killing more than eighty Cloud Village shinobi, and Mei Terumi and the scouts witnessed the Mist Village’s victory.

After the Mist Village repelled the Cloud Village invasion, Mei Terumi gained the support of Kyōkotsu and Hyōri, who advised her to deepen cooperation with the Uchiha Clan. Hyōri departed after warning Mei Terumi to keep the Uchiha alliance secret and preserve the clan’s undercover agents in the Cloud Village.

• Mei Terumi thanked Kyōkotsu and Hyōri for helping defeat the Cloud Village and invited them to serve as Mist Village elders, and Hyōri praised her reforms and pledged support.
• Hyōri took Mei Terumi aside and reassured her that ceding the islands to the Akatsuki Organization was not a serious loss, then revealed that the Uchiha Clan planned to settle there.
• Hyōri told Mei Terumi that Uchiha Natsuki was not ambitious and that the Uchiha Clan could be trusted as a partner to strengthen the Mist Village.
• Hyōri advised Mei Terumi to keep the Mist Village’s relationship with the Uchiha Clan secret and preserve the clan’s undercover agents in the Cloud Village.
• Hyōri left after telling Mei Terumi that the village’s successful development would matter more than whether he and Kyōkotsu remained nearby.

Natsuki’s Shadow Clone escaped Obito and Kakuzu, then revealed Obito’s plans and the threat behind Uchiha Madara to Kisame. Back in Konoha, Natsuki prepared to force Cloud Village’s retreat and worried that Obito’s moves against the Akatsuki Organization put Nagato in danger.

• Hyōri confronted Obito and Kakuzu, mocked Obito, and vanished when Obito’s attack struck a Shadow Clone.
• Natsuki told Kisame that Obito had been manipulated by Uchiha Madara and that a hidden force planned to destroy the world.
• Kisame pledged to stand with Natsuki, and Natsuki instructed him to tell Mei Terumi that Stone Village was mobilizing so Cloud Village would withdraw.
• Natsuki returned to Konoha and sent Ōnoki intelligence about Cloud Village’s casualties to encourage Stone Village to mobilize.
• Natsuki realized Obito had begun recruiting Akatsuki members and considered how to protect Nagato.

After Cloud Village suffered catastrophic losses in its invasion of the Land of Water, the Raikage ordered the survivors to retreat, securing Mei Terumi’s leadership in Mist Village. Natsuki learned the invasion had ended but still awaited mission completion, and he considered using Living Corpse Reincarnation to help revive Yahiko.

• The Raikage and Cloud Village’s leaders discussed their losses and the danger posed by Stone Village, then ordered their remaining forces to withdraw from Tsuren Island.
• Cloud Village’s surviving shinobi sailed back toward the Land of Lightning, and spies spread news of their retreat.
• Mist Village celebrated its survival, while Mei Terumi’s standing grew and the village began rebuilding with help from Zabuza, Juzo Biwa, Ao, and others.
• Natsuki learned Cloud Village had withdrawn but received no mission-completion prompt, and he suspected he would have to wait for Mist Village to develop.
• Natsuki continued training Susanoo and Living Corpse Reincarnation, and he considered using the technique with the Reanimation Jutsu to revive Yahiko with Nagato and Konan’s agreement.

Natsuki met Nagato and Konan to discuss Obito’s threat and offered a way to revive Yahiko without costing Nagato his life. Nagato chose to revive Yahiko before fusing with Hashirama Cells, and they decided to carry out the plan in the Land of Whirlpools.

• Natsuki contacted Nagato and learned that Repeater Mode had extended their transmission range, while Obito had joined the Land of Water battlefield and targeted Natsuki’s Shadow Clone.
• Nagato revealed that he planned to fuse with Hashirama Cells, and Natsuki offered Living Corpse Reincarnation as a way to replenish the life force Nagato would lose reviving Yahiko.
• Konan warned that using Rinne Rebirth would drain Nagato’s ocular power and could make the Hashirama Cell fusion fail, but Nagato chose to wait for his power to recover and revive Yahiko anyway.
• Nagato refused to perform the procedure in Konoha because Obito might control the Rinnegan and endanger the village.
• Natsuki proposed the Land of Whirlpools as a harder-to-find location, and Nagato agreed before they arranged a time and ended their connection.

The Third Hokage learned that Mist Village’s hired reinforcements had ended the war by defeating Cloud Village and became suspicious that the Akatsuki leader might be Nagato. Orochimaru sent Minato to alert Jiraiya, who rushed off after reading the intelligence report.

• The Third Hokage received news that Mist Village’s reinforcements had wiped out three thousand Cloud Village shinobi and forced Cloud Village to withdraw.
• The Third Hokage studied the report’s description of the Akatsuki leader’s unusual eyes and wondered if the person was Nagato.
• The Third Hokage sent the report to Orochimaru and called a meeting, intending to reconsider his concessions to the Uchiha Clan.
• Orochimaru declined to attend the meeting and gave Minato the documents to deliver to Jiraiya.
• Minato found Jiraiya asleep in the Flower District and handed him the report, and Jiraiya hurried out after reading it.

Jiraiya confirmed with the Third Hokage that the figure wielding the Rinnegan appeared to be Yahiko, then agreed to search for his former students. Before leaving Konoha, he asked Natsuki where Konan and the others were, and Natsuki pointed him toward Amegakure.

• Jiraiya told the Third Hokage that the Rinnegan wielder looked like Yahiko, though both men were unsure how Yahiko could have the eyes after his reported death.
• The Third Hokage urged Jiraiya to find his former students and revealed that he planned to step down, possibly making Orochimaru the Fifth Hokage.
• Jiraiya agreed to leave Konoha to search for Konan and the others, but first planned to visit Natsuki.
• Natsuki sent a Shadow Clone to meet Nagato and the others while his true body remained in the Uchiha Clan Compound to train.
• Jiraiya asked Natsuki where Konan and the others were, and Natsuki said they were likely in Amegakure before dismissing him.

The Third Hokage announced that he would step down and called for an election to choose the Fifth Hokage. Uchiha Natsuki secured approval to run, while Orochimaru and Tsunade were also nominated, and the Trust Vote was set for the following month.

• The Third Hokage announced that the war's end allowed Konoha to stop some preparations and declared his intention to elect a Fifth Hokage.
• Uchiha Natsuki announced that he would run, and nine votes in favor against six opposed approved his nomination.
• The Third Hokage nominated Orochimaru, while Utatane Koharu and Torifu Akimichi's representative declined to nominate anyone.
• Mitokado Homura nominated Tsunade, who was working for the Uchiha Clan.
• The Third Hokage announced that Konoha's jonin would vote in the Trust Vote next month.

After the Third Hokage called for a Fifth Hokage election, the Uchiha clan learned that Natsuki was running, and he discussed the news with Sasuke, Naruto, and Tsunade over dinner. Natsuki revealed that Mitokado Homura had nominated Tsunade as a candidate too.

• The Hokage had the Hyuga Clan post news of the Fifth Hokage election, and the Uchiha clan supported Natsuki's candidacy.
• Sasuke and Naruto celebrated Natsuki's run for Hokage when they joined him for dinner, while Naruto struggled to choose between supporting Natsuki and Tsunade.
• Natsuki told Sasuke that Fugaku and Itachi would need a little over half a month for their cloned eyes, then promised Naruto and Sasuke they would be assigned to the same class after graduation.
• Natsuki told Tsunade that the Third Hokage had formally called for a Fifth Hokage selection, then revealed that Mitokado Homura had nominated her.

Natsuki told Tsunade he planned to give new genin practical combat training that would also provide medical trainees with patients. He then reached Nagato’s hidden cave and offered to transfer life force into Nagato’s failing body.

• Tsunade said she had no interest in becoming Hokage and planned to withdraw, but Natsuki told her there was no need to rush.
• Natsuki explained that practical combat training would give new genin combat experience and provide injured patients for the medical trainees to treat.
• Natsuki ate with Tsunade, Sasuke, Naruto, and the others, while Naruto happily finished the food in his bowl.
• Natsuki’s Shadow Clone traveled to the Land of Whirlpools and followed Konan’s paper crane through a flooded sea cave to Nagato.
• Natsuki examined Nagato’s frail body and offered to use a technique to transfer life force into him, reassuring Konan that he could protect himself.

Natsuki transferred life force to Nagato with Living Corpse Reincarnation, restoring his health and allowing him to stand. With Nagato's approval, Konan began removing the black rods from his back as Natsuki continued the transfer, while the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path roared beneath Mountain Graveyard.

• Natsuki persuaded Nagato to receive life force before deciding whether to revive Yahiko, and explained the procedure to Nagato and Konan.
• Nagato summoned the Six Paths, and Konan and the remaining Paths removed the black rods from Yahiko's body before laying him down.
• Natsuki used Living Corpse Reincarnation to pour life force into Nagato, whose health and strength steadily returned until he could stand unaided.
• After Nagato estimated his body had recovered about eighty percent, Natsuki said he had life force to spare and asked Konan to remove Nagato's black rods.
• Konan pulled the rods from Nagato one by one as Natsuki healed him, while the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path roared beneath Mountain Graveyard.

Natsuki gave Nagato enough vitality to use the Reanimation Jutsu and revive Yahiko, who reunited with Konan. When Nagato proposed sending them away before confronting possible danger from Obito, Yahiko insisted on staying but then collapsed after a blow to the head.

• Konan removed the last black rods from Nagato while Natsuki restored his vitality, allowing Nagato to use the Reanimation Jutsu.
• Nagato revived Yahiko, and Konan embraced him after he woke and learned that fifteen years had passed.
• Nagato and Natsuki discussed the risk that Obito might discover their location, and Nagato planned to fuse with Hashirama Cells.
• Nagato asked Natsuki to take Yahiko and Konan away, but Yahiko and Konan came out and refused to leave Nagato behind.
• Yahiko punched Nagato for planning to face danger alone, then someone struck Yahiko on the head and knocked him down.

Nagato and Konan decided to face the danger together while Natsuki took Yahiko away, and Natsuki gave Nagato a book before leaving. At the Mountain Graveyard, Obito learned Nagato had cut contact, ordered a search for him and the Rinnegan, and let White Zetsu take over Danzo’s body.

• Konan refused to leave Nagato, and Natsuki settled their argument by agreeing to take Yahiko away.
• Nagato planned to fuse with the Hashirama Cell Solution after his ocular power recovered, and Natsuki gave him Tale of Strong Perseverance Ninja.
• Natsuki carried Yahiko away and reminded Konan to remember the box he had given her.
• Obito returned to the Mountain Graveyard and learned that Nagato had stopped supplying Chakra to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and could no longer be reached through the ring.
• Obito ordered a wide-scale search for Nagato and the Rinnegan, while Black Zetsu prepared to use Danzo as a vessel.
• White Zetsu merged with Danzo, then hurried off to experience the urge to defecate as Black Zetsu sent White Zetsu troops to pursue Nagato.

Natsuki took Yahiko away from Nagato and Konan, then tested Yahiko's newly strengthened body and defeated him. After trimming Yahiko's hair to disguise him, Natsuki brought him along and offered to explain what had happened while Yahiko was gone.

• Natsuki woke Yahiko in the Land of Fire and explained that Obito had forced Nagato and Konan to stay behind.
• Yahiko discovered that his body had become much stronger and challenged Natsuki so he could return to his friends.
• Natsuki blocked Yahiko's attacks, countered his Water Release with a Water Wall, and immobilized him with the Four Symbols Seal.
• Natsuki told Yahiko that Nagato and Konan had enough protection, then cut Yahiko's hair with Water Release to disguise him.
• Natsuki told Yahiko that the Akatsuki Organization had fallen apart and offered to explain the intervening years before they returned to Konoha.

As Konoha prepared to elect its Fifth Hokage, the Raikage learned that Uchiha Natsuki was a candidate and discussed what his nomination meant with Dodai. After reviewing intelligence on the Akatsuki Organization, the Raikage concluded that Cloud Village needed to recover from its devastating losses.

• News spread that Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Uchiha Natsuki were candidates for Konoha's Fifth Hokage.
• The Raikage returned to Cloud Village after losing four thousand Chunin and Genin in the Land of Water.
• Dodai briefed the Raikage on Uchiha Natsuki's rise to Honorary Elder and the events that led to his nomination.
• The Raikage said Cloud Village would repay the Uchiha Clan for helping Yugito and Killer B return safely.
• Dodai gave the Raikage a dossier on the Akatsuki Organization and its allies, including Pain, Hibaku, Hyōri, and Kyōkotsu.
• The Raikage decided Cloud Village had to focus on recovery and rebuilding rather than attacking Mist Village.