Chapter Summaries

Natsuki discussed teleportation gates and Shion's warning abilities with Minato, then went to find Jiraiya, who was drinking over Tsunade's marriage. After bringing Jiraiya to the Hokage's training grounds, Natsuki called him out for pretending he had summoned him only to complain.

• Natsuki proposed teleportation gates to Minato and suggested keeping Shion in Konoha while contacting friendly ninja villages.
• Minato told Natsuki that Jiraiya had been drinking for three days since Tsunade's wedding and wanted to see him.
• Natsuki met Hyuga Hayato outside Kiyomizu Izakaya and took responsibility for dealing with Jiraiya.
• Natsuki used Flying Thunder God to take Jiraiya from the izakaya to the Hokage's training grounds without paying the owner.
• Jiraiya admitted he was saddened by Tsunade's marriage, and Natsuki told him he looked ugly while acting this way.

Natsuki confronted Jiraiya about his self-deception over Tsunade and explained why he had excluded him from plans to save the Ninja World. Jiraiya learned that Mount Myōboku’s toads had manipulated him through the prophecy and agreed that they could not be trusted.

• Natsuki criticized Jiraiya for repeatedly placing his ideals, loyalties, and habits above Tsunade, and Jiraiya admitted that Dan Katō had always been the one she loved.
• Jiraiya asked why Natsuki had left him out of the plans to save the Ninja World, and Natsuki said he was targeting the toads of Mount Myōboku, not Jiraiya.
• Natsuki explained Otsutsuki Hagoromo’s attack and the predetermined fates of the Twins of Destiny, leaving Jiraiya stunned.
• Natsuki warned Jiraiya that the toads were untrustworthy and that excessive Sage Mode use could erode his consciousness.
• Jiraiya accepted Natsuki’s caution and realized that Mount Myōboku had arranged his path and used him as a tool.

Natsuki sent Jiraiya to investigate the Otsutsuki Cult and Kara, then recruited him and gained his Willpower trait. He planned to strengthen his allies and agreed to take Kimimaro and Haku with him to seek a place rich in Natural Energy.

• Natsuki warned Jiraiya that the Otsutsuki Cult and Kara threatened the Ninja World and assigned him to investigate dangerous figures, while urging him to stay alive and promising he could see Yahiko again.
• Natsuki gave Jiraiya a Human Sage Art scroll and the Sword of Ninja Love, which could summon Natsuki through its Flying Thunder God Mark.
• Jiraiya accepted the mission, and Natsuki gained his allegiance and the Willpower trait, which increased his Soul Strength and Vitality.
• Natsuki suspected Obito had begun advancing his plan and decided to hinder him, counter his abilities, and strengthen his allies.
• Natsuki gave Kimimaro and Haku the Human Sage Art scroll and agreed to take them with him to find a place rich in Natural Energy after he arranged matters in Radiant Hidden Village.

Natsuki prepared Flying Thunder God beacons for long-distance travel and reviewed the strongest Three Tomoe Uchiha to identify candidates for awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan. He planned to use carefully managed stimulation, while accounting for the risk that a candidate’s mind could collapse.

• Natsuki ordered Iori to bring him the Land of Cats’ iron beacons and information on the clan’s strongest Three Tomoe experts.
• Natsuki gave Iori a Kusanagi Sword for Yōya, then carved Flying Thunder God Marks into the iron plaques.
• Iori returned with detailed records of the candidates’ Sharingan progress and personal priorities.
• Natsuki studied the records and noted that Haruki, Oura, and Rikuto were especially devoted to him and the clan.
• Natsuki considered the risks of using intense stimulation to awaken Mangekyō Sharingan and decided he needed two safeguards.

Natsuki trained in Dream Space to improve Human Sage Art and test its effects on his techniques and Susanoo. He discovered Sage Chakra could enhance healing and ninjutsu, but he still needed to build up enough of it to cover his Perfect Susanoo.

• Natsuki mixed Natural Energy into Sage Chakra and stored it in the Sun Seal, where he began forming a rotating, compressing vortex.
• Natsuki activated Sage Mode and tested its healing, discovering that Sage Chakra could power the Hundred Healings Jutsu without the lifespan cost of replacing blood with Chakra.
• Natsuki used Sage Art: Great Fire Annihilation and found that Sage Chakra greatly increased the destructive power of ninjutsu.
• Natsuki tested Ame-no-Murakumo-Shiki with his Perfect Susanoo and learned that smaller weapons consumed less of its power.
• Natsuki used Sage Mode to recover from mental fatigue, then tried covering his Warrior God Form Susanoo with Sage Chakra but ran out before he could cover it completely.

Obito discussed using Akatsuki members to obtain Impure World Reincarnation targets, but delayed the plan until the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was repaired. Meanwhile, Natsuki led Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, Kimimaro, and Haku through the Land of Forests toward their mission, revealing Fuji Fuyuki as their client.

• Obito lamented that the villages had hidden or relocated their graves, thwarting the White Zetsu’s search for corpses, and recalled that Natsuki had stopped him from taking Mōryō’s physical body.
• Dionysus suggested letting Sasori, Muku, Kakuzu, and Hiruko pursue their own goals in exchange for finding suitable corpses, but Obito chose to wait until the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was repaired.
• Natsuki traveled through the Land of Forests with Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, Kimimaro, and Haku while their differing progress in sensing Natural Energy became apparent.
• Naruto spotted a new Princess of the Storm film and asked Natsuki whether he and Hinata could watch it after the mission; Natsuki agreed but warned that the client might dampen their excitement.
• Natsuki revealed that Fuji Fuyuki had assigned their mission.

Natsuki brought Naruto and Hinata to meet Fuji Fuyuki and learn about a mission to help her reclaim the Land of Snow. Sandayu explained her history and asked Natsuki’s Hidden Light Village to support her restoration.

• Natsuki used a Chakra whistle to contact Sound Ninja, and Kamiyado reported that Sound Shadow would need two more days before setting out.
• Natsuki and his companions followed Kamiyado to a film studio, where Naruto spotted Fuji Fuyuki and learned she was their mission target.
• Sandayu and Director Okamura handed the mission over to Natsuki after Kamiyado departed.
• Sandayu explained that Kazahana Dōtō had seized the Land of Snow after hiring Snow Ninja to kill the former ruler, forcing Kazahana Koyuki to flee.
• Natsuki had offered Hidden Light Village’s help to restore Kazahana Koyuki, and Sandayu welcomed the offer.

Natsuki agreed to help Kazahana Koyuki reclaim the Land of Snow in exchange for her necklace and the land around the Rainbow Ice Wall. As the group prepared for the journey and Director Okamura planned the final Princess of the Storm film, Natsuki declared that the ice walls were the Land of Snow’s spring.

• Natsuki promised to put Kazahana Koyuki on the throne and asked for her necklace and the land where the Rainbow Ice Wall stood as payment.
• Naruto asked Kazahana Koyuki for autographs, giving Uzumaki Naruto and Kurama as the names to sign.
• Director Okamura decided to film the final Princess of the Storm installment in the Land of Snow, despite the danger.
• Sandayu explained to Natsuki that Director Okamura’s funding would support the restoration effort, and Natsuki warned him to prepare for the cold and scarce supplies.
• The production assistant described the Rainbow Ice Wall and said the Land of Snow had no spring, but Natsuki said the ice walls were its spring.

Natsuki agreed to protect Director Okamura’s film crew from the Snow Ninjas after an enormous glacier blocked their ship, in exchange for 30% of the film’s profits. The crew prepared to film at the glacier as Naruto’s cameo expanded into a subplot, and Natsuki accepted Okamura’s second protection plan.

• Director Okamura invited Naruto and the others to make cameos, and Naruto demonstrated his Nine-Tails Cloak for the crew.
• After the ship crossed the Hengsang Mountain Range, the crew found a massive iceberg blocking their route, and Okamura decided it would make an ideal filming location.
• Natsuki warned Okamura that Snow Ninjas had likely moved the glacier and that filming there could be dangerous.
• Sandayu suggested hiring Natsuki to protect the crew, and Okamura asked him to name his price.
• Natsuki offered either protection for one hundred million or protection and filming cooperation for 30% of the film’s profits, and Okamura chose the second plan.

Natsuki organized the filming crew in the Land of Snow while reassuring Sasuke and checking on Kimimaro and Haku. When the crew needed two elevated filming platforms on the ice, Haku built one with Ice Release, startling the Snow Ninja waiting to ambush them.

• Natsuki had Hinata use her Byakugan to locate enemy positions and advise the film crew on their likely attacks.
• Naruto and Kurama helped the directors discuss scenes, while Sasuke asked Natsuki why they had taken the mission and received reassurance about his progress.
• Natsuki checked Kimimaro's condition and Sage training, then noted that Haku was making rapid progress with Natural Energy.
• Director Okamura explained that the crew needed two platforms over ten meters high, so Natsuki called Haku over to help.
• Nadare Rōga, Crane Wing Blizzard, and Winter Bear Hail waited to ambush the crew after they landed, but Haku raised an ice platform with Ice Release and shocked them.

Haku created ice platforms for the Princess of the Storm crew to film on, while Naruto fought the Snow Ninja in his Nine-Tails Chakra Cloak. As Okamura’s crew filmed the battle, Nadare Rōga and Crane Wing Blizzard realized Naruto had been holding back and prepared to retreat.

• Haku used Ice Release to build two platforms, giving the film crew elevated filming locations.
• Haku exposed the three Snow Ninja in hiding, and they attacked Kazahana Koyuki and the actors during the shoot.
• Naruto joined the staged battle and sent Winter Bear Hail flying with his Nine-Tails Chakra Cloak, breaking his Chakra Armor.
• Kurama told Naruto to hold back so the crew could keep filming, and Naruto fought the remaining Snow Ninja while Okamura ordered the crew to capture the battle.
• Nadare Rōga and Crane Wing Blizzard recognized that Naruto was toying with them, and Nadare began forming hand seals for Ice Release: Breaking Dragon Fierce Tiger.

Naruto, Natsuki, Sasuke, Hinata, and Haku rescued the Princess of the Storm film crew as the Snow Ninja caused the iceberg to collapse. The crew survived and filmed Natsuki’s Susanoo, while the three Snow Ninja escaped and went to report back.

• Naruto destroyed Nadare Rōga’s Ice Dragon with Kurama’s golden Nine-Tails Cloak as Director Okamura urged the crew to film.
• Crane Wing Blizzard woke Winter Bear Hail, and Nadare Rōga summoned a One-Horned White Whale that shattered the iceberg and opened a path for the Snow Ninja to flee.
• Naruto caught Kazahana Koyuki and rescued crew members with his Chakra Cloaks while Natsuki used the Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique and Sasuke, Hinata, and Haku helped get people to safety.
• Natsuki used a gigantic Susanoo arm to lift Naruto and more than sixty crew members onto the ship, and the crew confirmed that they had filmed the rescue.
• Asama Sandayu recognized Natsuki as Radiant Country’s ruler, and Natsuki told him to keep the matter quiet.
• Nadare Rōga and the other Snow Ninja discussed the rescuers’ abilities and left to report back.

Obito found Shinno and the hidden Sky Ninja facility, where Shinno revealed the Zero-Tails and used its power to weaken Obito and exploit his painful memories. The Zero-Tails brought Obito face-to-face with the memory of Rin’s death as Shinno explained how it turned dark emotions into Dark Chakra.

• Obito entered the hidden ruins and recognized the guards as Sky Ninja, then demanded that they bring Shinno to him.
• Shinno escorted Obito through the facility to a circular hall, secretly leading him toward a trap.
• Obito used Banshō Ten'in against Shinno, who escaped through a floor mechanism and lured Obito into a rune-covered chamber.
• Shinno’s tentacle from the Zero-Tails broke him free of Obito’s Genjutsu, while the Zero-Tails rapidly drained the Chakra that sustained Susanoo.
• Shinno provoked Obito by recalling Rin’s death, and the Zero-Tails used Obito’s grief to manifest Dark Chakra.

Obito endured Shinno’s attempt to feed on his pain, then rejected the memories as false and used Kamui to remove the Zero-Tails from the area. He defeated and captured Shinno, then began reading his memories.

• Shinno used the Zero-Tails to draw on Obito’s painful memories and strengthen its hatching, while Obito’s attacks failed to damage it.
• Obito declared that the world was false and that he would create a Rin who was still waiting for him, causing his pain to fade.
• Obito used Kamui to transfer the Zero-Tails into another space, cutting Shinno off from its power.
• Obito’s Susanoo destroyed possible escape routes and trapped Shinno as his Dark Chakra enhancement faded.
• Obito pulled Shinno toward him with Banshō Ten'in, knocked him unconscious with genjutsu, and began Memory Reading.

Obito absorbed the Zero-Tails into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, restoring its severed arm and revealing its ability to turn nearby fear and pain into Dark Chakra. He mobilized Shinno’s surviving Sky Ninja and called on his allies to accelerate the plan, while Kakuzu grew suspicious of the lavish rewards offered for Jinchuriki and powerful corpses.

• Obito fed the Zero-Tails to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, which regrew its arm and gained the ability to use fear and pain as Dark Chakra.
• Obito learned that Shinno commanded surviving Sky Ninja and a naval fleet, but the damaged Ankbandian Flying Fortress could no longer fly without the Zero-Tails as its power source.
• Obito controlled Shinno, emerged from the Kamui Dimension, and used the Phantasm Body Technique to begin the next stage of his plan.
• At Mount Sumeru, Hiruko’s experiment failed to extract energy from Kakuzu’s Earth Grudge Fear, and Kakuzu became impatient after dozens of attempts.
• Obito ordered his allies to locate Jinchuriki and the corpses of Kage-level experts or former Jinchuriki, offering Kakuzu one hundred million for each corpse.
• Kakuzu suspected Obito had an urgent need for the bodies, and Hiruko also received the summons and reacted with feverish excitement.

Kakuzu probed Hiruko about Obito’s corpse hunt and learned that Hiruko had an agent in Konoha and wanted Kakuzu’s help retrieving items through Kakashi. Kakuzu bargained for an advance payment of thirty million, leaving Hiruko angry and unwilling to sell his Chimera Technique to fund the plan.

• Kakuzu questioned Hiruko about Obito’s mission and learned that Hiruko wanted a Three Tomoe Sharingan while Kakuzu expected a monetary reward.
• Hiruko proposed cooperating and revealed that he had planted an agent in Konoha who could move around almost without obstruction.
• Hiruko told Kakuzu that he had placed Kakashi under a Puppet Curse and wanted Kakuzu to receive him during a mission to obtain items from Orochimaru.
• Kakuzu feigned reluctance, then demanded thirty million in advance, arguing that Konoha was temporarily chaotic and that he was the only suitable partner.
• Hiruko said he had no money, and Kakuzu suggested selling the Chimera Technique on the black market, prompting Hiruko to accuse him of coveting his secret technique.

Kakuzu persuaded Hiruko to sell a sabotaged version of the Chimera Technique while keeping the bud-seed method secret, then obtained the original manuscript. He set out to investigate Konoha and planned to contact Natsuki with intelligence as he prepared to abandon Obito.

• Kakuzu convinced Hiruko to alter the Chimera Technique so buyers could demonstrate it once but could not use it for experiments.
• Hiruko agreed to let Kakuzu find buyers and gave him a damaged bud seed and the original manuscript, while insisting they begin with Konoha.
• Hiruko demonstrated how his lightning technique weakened a bud seed until it could only be used for an activation demonstration.
• Hiruko told Kakuzu that the Puppet Curse on Kakashi would last for life.
• Kakuzu planned to investigate Konoha, contact Natsuki through the Bounty Brokerage, and sell Obito's intelligence as he prepared to run.

Natsuki’s group reached the Land of Snow and prepared for Kazahana Dōtō’s forces to arrive while the film crew set up to record the confrontation. Natsuki had Haku create an ice shelter and ordered Naruto to make Shadow Clones, leaving the group ready to stage an ambush.

• Natsuki practiced the Spirit Transformation Technique, entered Haku’s consciousness, and briefly controlled Haku’s body with his permission.
• Hinata used her Byakugan to spot Kazahana Dōtō approaching on an armed train with over a thousand soldiers and three Snow Ninja.
• Natsuki told the film crew to move away from the cliff wall, and Haku formed a massive ice wall with a concealed space for them to hide and film.
• Natsuki ordered Naruto to create Shadow Clones disguised as Sandayu’s warriors and threatened that Hinata would miss dinner if Naruto slacked off.
• Naruto initially made only a few clones, then produced more than fifty after Natsuki increased the demand to forty.

Naruto and the others prepared a staged confrontation for Kazahana Koyuki to face Kazahana Dōtō, while Natsuki worked on Naruto and Sasuke’s abilities. Kazahana Dōtō arrived by train and confronted Koyuki as Sandayu and Naruto’s Shadow Clones revealed themselves; Natsuki began helping Sasuke prepare Kirin above the scene.

• Naruto transformed his Shadow Clones into samurai, while Natsuki and the staff hid inside Haku’s ice wall as Kazahana Koyuki prepared to face Kazahana Dōtō herself.
• Natsuki took Sasuke to a high ice ledge and challenged him to use his Mangekyō Sharingan to control Kirin without striking them.
• Sasuke used Great Dragon Fire Technique to send flames into the sky as Kazahana Dōtō’s train emerged from the tunnel and stopped.
• Kazahana Koyuki confronted Kazahana Dōtō, and Sandayu led Naruto’s Shadow Clones in declaring their intent to avenge Kazahana Sōsetsu.
• Kazahana Dōtō refused Nadare Rōga’s offer to attack and said he would make the rebels experience complete despair.

Naruto and Sasuke fought Kazahana Dōtō’s forces as the Snow Ninja attacked from the mountain. Sasuke wiped out the three Snow Ninja, while Naruto faced Kazahana Dōtō below.

• Asama Sandayu escaped into a snow pit as hidden kunai launchers destroyed Naruto’s Shadow Clones, leaving Naruto reeling from their dispelling.
• Kazahana Dōtō deployed his armored soldiers, but Sasuke summoned Kirin and killed hundreds of them in a lightning strike.
• Naruto recovered and manifested a giant golden fox as Kazahana Dōtō ordered the three Snow Ninja to attack Sasuke.
• Sasuke killed Crane Wing Blizzard with Chidori Stream and a sword strike, then shattered Avalanche Wolf Fang’s armor with Susanoo and knocked him down.
• Winter Bear Hail arrived after his teammates fell, but Sasuke caused him to lose consciousness, completing the Snow Ninja’s defeat.