Chapter Summaries

Minato revealed himself as the Fourth Hokage and rushed to stop the attacks on Konoha. He sealed Dionysus’s Reanimated Rock Ninja, reunited with Kakashi, and killed Hokune while heading toward the Power Plant.

• Minato revealed his identity to Shikaku and Rasa, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave.
• Kakashi struggled against a Reanimated Rock Ninja and fired a signal flare to request reinforcements.
• Minato appeared behind Kakashi, sealed the Reanimated Rock Ninja, and told Kakashi to check on the Power Plant.
• Dionysus used Reanimation Release to destroy the Reanimated Rock Ninja before Konoha could learn anything from him.
• Minato caught up with Hokune, slit his throat, and watched as Hokune’s body was broken down into Earth molecules.

Minato rescued Asuma and Tenzo from Obito’s Susanoo, then used Flying Thunder God to kill Buyuan and Kazuma and break the Eight Gates Closing Field. Kakuzu climbed onto the wall and saw the bloodied battlefield below.

• Asuma fought Kazuma while Might Guy and Yamato battled Fudō and the other Earth Style users beside Konoha’s wall.
• Guy opened the Fifth Gate and struck Fudō down, but Obito arrived in Susanoo and attacked Asuma and Tenzo.
• Obito tried to pull Tenzo into Kamui while his Susanoo shuriken targeted Asuma, but Minato rescued both of them.
• Kazuma’s group fled toward the barrier, and Minato killed Buyuan with a Rasengan, breaking the Eight Gates Closing Field.
• Minato used the Flying Thunder God mark on Kazuma’s chain whip to teleport back and stab Kazuma in the neck.
• Kakuzu climbed onto the wall after the barrier vanished and saw the bloodied ground below.

Minato killed Kazuma's Four and confronted Obito, who escaped through the Kamui Dimension. Kakuzu witnessed Minato's return and fled, abandoning his plans to do business.

• Obito attacked Minato with Susanoo, but Minato killed Fudō and Būfū using Flying Thunder God and a Rasengan.
• Obito recognized Minato as his former teacher, and Minato told him he was doomed to fail.
• Minato sent Asuma, Guy, and Yamato to check on the Power Plant, where Kakashi had already gone.
• Obito left through the Kamui Dimension, and Minato stayed behind before teleporting away.
• Kakuzu hid from Minato, then tunneled underground and headed for the Bounty Brokerage.

The Anbu gathered the poisoned examinees and learned that Naruto, Gaara, Kimimaro, and three Hidden Grass ninja were missing. Minato revealed himself, confirmed Naruto was safe, and pursued Gaara, while Mui reached the Hidden Grass force and Keijo's team prepared to request reinforcements.

• The Anbu found that Flower Tying Poison had incapacitated everyone in the central tower and discovered that six people, including Naruto and Gaara, were missing.
• Minato appeared beside Sasuke, revealed that he had rescued Naruto and Kimimaro, and set off after Gaara.
• Sasuke realized that his teacher, Shingo Ikeda, was Minato Namikaze and relaxed after learning Naruto was safe.
• Mui delivered Gaara to the Kusagakure caravan and signaled the Fruit of Grass force of more than forty people to move in.
• Keijo spotted the Hidden Grass reinforcements and ordered his team to send one person back to report and request help.

Hidden Grass Village prepared to activate the Box of Paradise using Gaara’s Chakra while its ninja hunted Konoha’s observers. Natsuki rescued Keijo and his teammates, then watched as the Box continued absorbing Chakra.

• Tobira Tsubasa left to report to Konoha while Keijo, Chengyi, and Kenshi stayed to observe Hidden Grass Village.
• Mui and the elders decided Gaara’s Chakra would be enough to activate the Box of Paradise, and Xiaowu led ninja to attack the Konoha observers.
• The Box of Paradise rose from beneath the caravan’s medicinal herbs, and Mui began draining Gaara’s Chakra into it.
• Shukaku explained that the Box would summon the monster Gū, while Gaara endured the Chakra extraction and lost his connection to Shukaku.
• Natsuki killed the Hidden Grass Village ninja attacking Keijo, Chengyi, and Kenshi, then told them to report his presence only to the Hokage.
• Natsuki watched the Box absorb Gaara’s Chakra and muttered that it needed just a little more.

Mui turned against the Hidden Grass Village elders who had treated others as sacrifices to open the Box of Paradise, and the Box finally awakened after consuming their Chakra. Its eerie light and malice drew spies toward it while Shikaku kept Konoha guarded and left the matter to Naruto.

• The Box of Paradise began draining Gaara's life force when his Chakra ran out, but Mui kicked Monkey Head Elder onto the box and saved him.
• Mui sealed Horse Head Elder and Ox Head Elder with Heavenly Prison, then reminded them that they had called his son Muku's death a necessary sacrifice.
• Mui let Monkey Head Elder die and threw Horse Head Elder onto the Box of Paradise, whose final side absorbed enough Chakra to awaken.
• Obito watched from nearby, curious about the Box of Paradise despite knowing it could not truly grant wishes.
• The Box of Paradise lit all four eyes, spread eerie sounds and malice, and sent a pillar of light into the sky.
• Shikaku learned that unidentified people were heading toward the light, but ordered Konoha's forces to stay and guard the village while Naruto handled the situation.

Rasa and Konoha shinobi investigated the chaos surrounding the Fourth Hokage’s resurrection while Natsuki prepared Minato to rescue Gaara. At the Box of Paradise, Mui chose to resurrect Muku instead of Hidden Grass Village, but Muku emerged and killed him.

• Rasa led Sand Village shinobi toward the pillar of light, while Kakashi, Tenzo, Asuma, and Guy investigated the silent Power Plant and found dead Sarutobi Clan Members and traces of Wood Release.
• Tobi and Black Zetsu learned that the Fourth Hokage had resurrected and fled the Power Plant before Kakashi’s group could find them.
• Minato arrived beside Natsuki’s Shadow Clone, learned Gaara was unconscious, and prepared to rescue him when events became chaotic.
• Mui asked the Box of Paradise to bring Muku back, abandoning his wish to revive Hidden Grass Village despite the protests of the Fruit of Grass.
• Muku emerged from the Box of Paradise, approached Mui, and drove a hand blade through his chest, killing him.

Muku became the monster Gū and massacred the Hidden Grass Village shinobi after Mui opened the Box of Paradise. Gū flew toward Konoha with the box, while Natsuki confirmed Mui was dead and realized they would need another way to stop him.

• Muku revealed that he was not truly Muku, transformed into Gū, and attacked the Hidden Grass Village shinobi.
• Minato rescued Gaara with the Flying Thunder God and escaped Gū’s attacks.
• Gū slaughtered the Kusagakure shinobi and threw their bodies into the Box of Paradise, which seemed to grow stronger as it consumed them.
• A surviving Hidden Grass Village shinobi used Mui as a shield, and Gū’s feathers pierced them both, killing Mui.
• Gū took the Box of Paradise and flew toward Konoha, while Natsuki checked Mui and confirmed he was dead.

Minato rescued Gaara and returned to Konoha while Gū slaughtered the Hidden Grass Village ninja and the intelligence agents drawn to it. Obito and Black Zetsu watched Gū’s rampage and concluded that Minato’s return prevented them from acting against Konoha, while Obito remained interested in the Box of Paradise.

• Minato returned to Konoha with Gaara, learned that Rasa had gone to the battlefield, and rested after using Flying Thunder God.
• Natsuki confirmed that Gū had killed Mui and watched it finish off the Hidden Grass Village ninja before attacking nearby intelligence agents.
• Gū sensed the agents’ fear, hunted them down, and fed its victims to the Box of Paradise.
• Obito, Black Zetsu, and Tobi watched Gū’s rampage, and Obito said he had already encountered the resurrected Fourth Hokage.
• Black Zetsu asked what Obito planned to do, and Obito said they could not act while the Fourth Hokage was there.

Gū attacked Rasa’s Sand Village search party, evading their attacks and killing or capturing many shinobi. Natsuki told Baki that Gaara had already been rescued and urged the survivors to return to Konoha for reinforcements as Rasa’s force suffered heavy losses.

• Gū flew toward Rasa’s Sand Village team and unleashed a rain of black feathers, which Rasa blocked with Gold Dust.
• Rasa ordered his shinobi to scatter and sent Baki to search for Gaara while the team attacked Gū with Gold Dust and ninjutsu.
• Gū dodged the attacks and killed or captured Sand Village shinobi, leaving Baki shocked by the losses.
• Natsuki’s Shadow Clone told Baki that Gaara had already been rescued and chastised the Sand Village for coming to the battlefield.
• Natsuki sent Baki to return with Rasa to Konoha and request reinforcements as Gū blasted through Rasa’s Gold Dust waves.
• Gū continued sweeping over the remaining Sand Village shinobi, while Rasa mourned the deaths of ten Special Jonin and three Jonin.

Natsuki held off Gū so Rasa could retreat and then used his speed to wound the mind-reading monster. As Gū asked who he was, Minato Namikaze appeared behind Natsuki.

• Natsuki intercepted Gū and told Rasa that Gaara had already been rescued and to retreat to Konoha.
• Rasa withdrew with his troops while Natsuki stayed behind to confront Gū.
• Natsuki attacked Gū with Lightning Cutter, using his speed to land hits despite Gū reading his intentions.
• Gū recognized Natsuki's speed and asked who he was, and Minato Namikaze appeared behind Natsuki.

Natsuki supplied Minato with hundreds of Flying Thunder God kunai, letting the resurrected Fourth Hokage overwhelm Gū with his speed and Rasengan attacks. Gū healed through the Box of Paradise and tried to flee with it, but Minato kept marking and attacking him.

• Minato arrived to take over the fight, and Natsuki agreed to help keep Gū away from Konoha.
• Natsuki used Minato’s Storage Scroll to scatter hundreds of Swords of Ninja Love across the sky, while Minato used them to attack Gū at incredible speed.
• Minato struck Gū with a Rasengan and evaded his counterattacks, while Natsuki’s Shadow Clone vanished after exhausting its Chakra.
• Gū healed through the Box of Paradise and tried to escape with it, but Minato pursued him and continued attacking while placing Flying Thunder God Marks on him.

Minato defeated Gū and watched as Obito took Muku and the Box of Paradise into the Kamui Dimension. Kakashi and the Konoha ninja welcomed Minato back, and the chapter left them preparing to return to Konoha at dawn.

• Minato pursued Muku after Gū reverted to his original form and fled toward the Box of Paradise.
• Obito appeared, used Shinra Tensei to repel Muku, and absorbed the Box of Paradise before taking Muku into the Kamui Dimension.
• Minato chose not to attack Obito, and Kakashi and the Konoha ninja arrived to greet him as the Fourth Hokage.
• Minato asked Kakashi to arrange for the scattered Swords of Ninja Love to be collected, and the Konoha ninja eagerly went to retrieve them.
• Minato agreed to return to Konoha with Kakashi as dawn broke.

Obito forced Muku, who transformed into Gū, to submit by threatening to destroy the Box of Paradise with Kamui’s space-cutting power. Obito took the Box into the Kamui Dimension and learned Muku could survive without its energy for only seven days, leaving Obito planning how to use him.

• Obito separated Muku from the Box of Paradise and forced him to experience the effects of being away from it.
• Muku attacked Obito, then transformed into Gū and tried to escape with the Box, but Obito’s Susanoo and Banshō Ten'in stopped him.
• Obito used genjutsu and Kamui to damage the Box of Paradise, terrifying Gū into agreeing to serve him.
• Obito stored the Box of Paradise in the Kamui Dimension, and Muku returned to human form and weakened.
• Muku told Obito he could remain active for seven days without the Box’s energy and could not fight in that state.

Chiyo stayed with Sasori in his Sand Village prison, tending the puppets he had made and recalling how lies about his parents had driven him away. Sasori began speaking to her occasionally, but an urgent message from the Kazekage interrupted their conversation, and Chiyo left with the Father and Mother puppets.

• Chiyo maintained the Father and Mother puppets while telling Sasori she had been surprised by his talent for puppet techniques.
• Sasori asked Chiyo what purpose her words served now, then asked how long he had waited for his parents.
• Chiyo remained silent, recognizing that both she and Sasori had waited for years and that it was already too late.
• A guard announced that an urgent message had arrived from the Kazekage, and Chiyo put away the puppets and left, promising to return the next day.
• Sasori's heart had gradually softened during Chiyo's daily visits, and she hoped to spend the rest of her life beside him.

Yura drugged and killed Sasori’s guards, then freed Sasori and placed his core in an imitation Crow puppet. Chiyo’s safeguard exposed the escape, and she led people after them as signal flares rose across Sunagakure.

• Chiyo stayed in Sunagakure while Rasa’s operation drew her attention to the Kazekage’s Office.
• Yura brought food and sandfruit juice to Sasori’s guards, who drank the drugged juice and collapsed.
• Yura killed the guards, opened Sasori’s cell, and told him he had come to rescue him.
• Yura put Sasori’s core into an imitation Crow puppet, and Sasori warned him that Chiyo’s barrier had exposed them.
• Signal flares rose across Sunagakure, and Chiyo led people toward Sasori.

Natsuki began the next stage of his plan to save Kimimaro, using Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi to replace his eye and prepare a blood transfusion. The chapter ended with Kimimaro’s cell erosion exceeding seventy percent and the transfusion ready to begin.

• Natsuki used another Hundred Healings Jutsu to restore his strength, and Orochimaru removed a piece of his flesh to study.
• Natsuki told Orochimaru to begin the Second Phase Plan after Kimimaro’s cell erosion reached sixty percent.
• Orochimaru removed Natsuki’s Right Eye, and Kabuto Yakushi quickly replaced it with a Sharingan that could delay Izanagi for four hours.
• Orochimaru confirmed that Kimimaro’s cell erosion had exceeded seventy percent, allowing them to proceed to the blood transfusion.
• Natsuki’s plan called for his blood to replace Kimimaro’s so Kimimaro’s blood toxins could neutralize Natsuki’s Healing Power.

Minato revealed that he had been impersonating Orochimaru with Orochimaru’s permission and made decisions on the Chunin Exams, spies, and the Hidden Grass Village. At Konoha’s hospital, Tsunade learned that Minato had been resurrected and went to find answers about how it happened.

• Shikaku questioned Minato about Orochimaru’s whereabouts and confirmed that Orochimaru had asked Minato to handle official duties.
• Minato ended the Chunin Exams, ordered foreign spies released, and had the Hidden Grass Village detained until Orochimaru returned.
• Tsunade coordinated Konoha’s overcrowded hospital and treated the examinees after the Anbu brought them back from the Forest of Death.
• Tsunade learned from reports that Minato had impersonated Orochimaru and been resurrected, and she confirmed his identity through his knowledge of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Sasori and Yura fled across the Land of Wind, but Chiyo tracked them down. After learning how the ninja world had changed, Sasori refused to return to Sand Village, and Chiyo began fighting him while Fujiyuu engaged Yura.

• After four hours of pursuit, Sasori stopped to rest with Yura and asked him to explain what had happened in the outside world.
• Yura told Sasori about the Cloud-Mist war, Pain's death and Obito's capture of the Rinnegan, the Uchiha Clan founding Radiant Country, and upheaval in Konoha.
• Sasori struggled to make sense of the changes and decided he would not return to Sand Village, even though he did not know where else to go.
• Chiyo and Fujiyuu caught up with Sasori and Yura, and Chiyo demanded that Sasori return to Sand Village.
• Chiyo sent Fujiyuu after Yura and deployed Father and Mother to attack the Crow puppet Sasori controlled.

Natsuki and Orochimaru attempted to save Kimimaro by transfusing Natsuki’s blood, but Kimimaro’s toxins surged and his heart stopped. Natsuki’s sacrifice stabilized Kimimaro, though Natsuki appeared dead; when Kimimaro awoke, he believed Natsuki had died saving him.

• Orochimaru discovered that Natsuki’s blood did not neutralize Kimimaro’s toxins, though its Healing Gene remained and increased in Kimimaro’s body.
• Kimimaro’s condition worsened, his heart stopped, and Orochimaru ordered Kabuto Yakushi to open Natsuki’s aorta and transfuse him directly.
• Natsuki’s vitality and Chakra ran out, and his heart monitor stopped; Orochimaru revived Kimimaro with an electric shock.
• Kabuto Yakushi reported that Kimimaro’s Healing Gene was repairing his organs as they adapted to the toxins, leaving his condition balanced.
• Kimimaro awoke, saw Natsuki lying like a corpse, and wept as Kabuto Yakushi told him Natsuki had suffered an accident while saving him.