Chapter Summaries

Natsuki exposed the Masked Man as Uchiha Obito and confronted Kakashi over hiding his identity and defending him. Natsuki announced that the Uchiha Clan would reveal Obito’s identity and demanded that the Third Hokage help clear the clan’s name.

• Natsuki explained that Obito’s inability to use Susanoo and the missing Uchiha eyes pointed to him being the Masked Man, and Kakashi admitted he had seen Obito’s face.
• Natsuki pressed Kakashi to explain Obito’s actions, and Kakashi broke down, saying Obito blamed him, Minato, and Konoha for Rin’s death.
• Natsuki condemned Kakashi for defending Obito and argued that Obito’s use of the Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails had unfairly implicated the Uchiha Clan.
• Natsuki told the Third Hokage that the Uchiha Clan would publicly identify Obito the next day and requested a joint statement revealing the clan’s actions during the Nine-Tails’ Rampage.

Natsuki left the Hokage's Office after demanding that Konoha acknowledge the Uchiha Clan's actions during the Nine-Tails' Rampage. The Third Hokage and the elders identified Uchiha Obito as the culprit but chose to suppress the truth, leaving Natsuki to decide how to respond.

• Natsuki angrily left the Hokage's Office, while the Third Hokage ordered Kakashi taken to the hospital and summoned Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura.
• After leaving Konoha, Natsuki revealed that his anger had been an act and that he wanted the leadership's reputation damaged to help Orochimaru become Hokage.
• The Third Hokage told Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura that Uchiha Obito had caused the Nine-Tails' Rampage and explained how Kakashi had identified him.
• Danzo urged the others to keep blaming the Uchiha Clan and proposed gagging Kakashi rather than clearing the clan's name.
• The Third Hokage agreed to gag Kakashi, then wondered how Natsuki would respond to Konoha's decision to stall.

Natsuki learned that Keimei’s Mangekyō Sharingan could protect people from attacks and lock a target’s condition, though using it quickly exhausted his ocular power. He reassigned Keimei away from combat to preserve his abilities for the Uchiha Clan.

• Keimei waited up for Natsuki and asked whether using the Mangekyō Sharingan would eventually make him blind.
• Natsuki confirmed that Mangekyō users lost their sight and asked Keimei how he had awakened his eyes.
• Keimei explained that God Protection defended against soul and dimensional attacks, while Life Pardon locked a target’s condition and prevented injury or fatigue.
• Natsuki learned that Life Pardon could last only about twenty seconds before leaving Keimei blind because it consumed so much ocular power.
• Keimei agreed to leave the front lines, and Natsuki assigned him to lead the Barrier Team without fighting when enemies appeared.

Natsuki discussed exposing Obito and taking over the Uchiha Clan leadership with Fugaku, who agreed to step down despite being healthy. Natsuki then told Hizashi that Fugaku would soon resign and asked for his help with a separate matter.

• Natsuki told Fugaku that Obito had attacked Kakashi and that Kakashi had seen Obito's face, then explained his plan to expose Obito and prevent the Uchiha Clan from taking the blame.
• Natsuki described his succession plans to Fugaku, who approved them and agreed to handle mobilizing the clansmen.
• Natsuki invited Hizashi over and offered to settle the matter involving Hyuga Kaito if Hizashi helped him.
• Natsuki told Hizashi that Fugaku would step down and that he would become the next Uchiha Clan Head, shocking Hizashi.
• Natsuki clarified that Fugaku was not dying; he simply wanted to leave the position to Natsuki.

Natsuki told Hizashi that Uchiha Obito had orchestrated the Nine-Tails' Rampage and enlisted the Hyuga Clan's help in exposing the truth about the Uchiha Clan. When Konoha's leaders refused to publish their account, Natsuki dug up Obito's cenotaph at the Memorial Monument and challenged the Third Hokage to admit the village's mistakes.

• Natsuki revealed Obito's identity to Hizashi and explained that the Uchiha Clan had been blamed for years.
• Natsuki asked the Hyuga Clan to help expose Obito and Konoha's actions on the night of the Nine-Tails' Attack, and Hizashi agreed to seek Hiashi's approval.
• Natsuki brought Uchiha members to the Memorial Monument, where the Hyuga Police Force blocked villagers from entering.
• The Third Hokage arrived and found that Natsuki had smashed Uchiha Obito's cenotaph and dug up its coffin.
• Natsuki said he was taking Obito's cenotaph back to the Uchiha grounds and criticized the Third Hokage for withholding the truth.
• The Third Hokage summoned Kakashi to watch Natsuki, then left as Kakashi arrived.

Natsuki removed Rin Nohara’s coffin from danger and erased Obito’s name from the Memorial Monument before the Uchiha Clan publicly announced Obito’s role in the Nine-Tails’ Rampage and placed a bounty on him. The villagers learned the news and discussed Obito’s crimes as the Hyuga Clan Police Force maintained order.

• Natsuki had Rin Nohara’s grave carefully excavated to protect it from villagers who might blame her for Obito’s actions, then entrusted her coffin to Kakashi.
• Natsuki destroyed Obito’s cenotaph, burned its contents, and carved Obito’s name off the Memorial Monument.
• Uchiha Clan Members posted notices announcing Natsuki would become Clan Head, a celebration, and a three-hundred-million bounty for Obito.
• Villagers gathered to learn that Obito had orchestrated the Nine-Tails’ Rampage, killed Minato Namikaze and his wife, and been expelled from the Uchiha Clan.
• Hyuga Clan Members explained Obito’s history and crimes to the villagers, who questioned his motives and discussed the Uchiha Clan’s treatment during the attack.

The Uchiha Clan announced that Obito had caused the Nine-Tails' Rampage and invited the major villages to Natsuki's succession ceremony, stirring intense interest and concern across the shinobi world. Kumogakure and Iwagakure decided to send representatives to Konoha, officially for the ceremony and secretly to assess its strength and the Uchiha Clan's relationship with it.

• The Uchiha Clan confirmed Obito's identity as the culprit behind the Nine-Tails' Rampage, revealed his attack on Kakashi, and issued a permanent kill order and bounty.
• Kakashi returned to Konoha after burying Rin, faced demands to confirm Obito's identity, and withdrew into the Anbu base in despair.
• The Third Hokage worried that the succession ceremony would let rival villages gather intelligence and bring Shisui's elite shinobi back to Konoha.
• The Raikage ordered Mabui to investigate Obito's retaliation against Mist Village and chose Samui and two others to attend the ceremony.
• Ōnoki decided to send Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi, along with more guards, to attend the ceremony and investigate Konoha.

Rasa chose Yashamaru to represent Sunagakure at Uchiha Natsuki’s succession ceremony and investigate Obito, while Mei Terumi declined to attend because Kirigakure was in crisis. The chapter left Sunagakure preparing its delegation and Kirigakure without the Three-Tails after Karatachi Yagura’s suicide.

• Rasa reviewed Uchiha Natsuki’s invitation and decided Sunagakure should send a representative, given Natsuki’s help with Gaara and their business ties.
• Rasa tasked Yashamaru with thanking Natsuki, checking Gaara’s seal, and investigating whether Obito belonged to the organization targeting tailed beasts.
• Rasa told Yashamaru to inform Gaara about the invitation and bring Temari and Kankuro, while Baki stayed behind to watch Gaara.
• Mei Terumi received the invitation but could not spare anyone to attend because Kirigakure was dealing with the aftermath of Karatachi Yagura’s suicide.
• The Three-Tails, Isobu, died with Karatachi Yagura, leaving Kirigakure without its tailed beast and giving Mei Terumi further political trouble.
• Mei Terumi sent a reply explaining that Kirigakure had urgent matters and that she could not attend Natsuki’s succession ceremony.

Kakuzu learned that the Uchiha Clan had placed a three-hundred-million bounty on Uchiha Obito for causing the Nine-Tails' Rampage, and he considered pursuing the lucrative target despite the danger. In Amegakure, Nagato recovered while Konan reported Obito's attack on the Uchiha Clan, and Nagato reconsidered the suspicious circumstances of his parents' deaths.

• Kakuzu sold a rogue ninja from the Land of Stone for seven million and asked the bald man for news.
• The bald man told Kakuzu that the Uchiha Clan had exposed Obito as the culprit behind the Nine-Tails' Rampage and offered a three-hundred-million bounty for him.
• Kakuzu studied Obito's bounty dossier and weighed the risks of hunting a ninja with Space-Time Ninjutsu.
• Konan reported to Nagato that Obito had grievously wounded Uchiha Fugaku, taken Kakashi's Sharingan, and vanished after Uchiha Natsuki exposed him and ordered a permanent hunt.
• Nagato recalled his parents' deaths and questioned why his father, Ise, had acted strangely when the Konoha Ninja entered their home.

Nagato and Konan discussed confronting Obito while secretly building strength, and Obito learned that Natsuki had exposed his identity and targeted him with a bounty. When Obito met Nagato, Nagato rejected his proposal to test Konoha and ordered Akatsuki to remain hidden.

• Nagato told Konan he planned to contact Obito and pretend to cooperate while gathering strength against him.
• Obito trained with Susanoo in the Kamui Dimension, then learned from Zetsu that the Uchiha Clan had exposed and expelled him and that Natsuki had placed a bounty on him.
• Nagato confronted Obito in a cave, confirmed that he was not Uchiha Madara, and mocked his claims about peace and reality.
• Obito suggested testing Konoha during Natsuki's clan-head ceremony, but Nagato refused and warned that Akatsuki needed to stay hidden.
• Obito agreed outwardly while privately planning to discard Nagato and Zetsu once his ocular power had fully developed.

Pain contacted Natsuki to discuss Obito, and Natsuki urged the Akatsuki Organization to lie low while offering help for Nagato and Konan. Meanwhile, Natsuki struggled with his new Clan Head duties as Konoha’s leaders confronted the political pressure created by the Uchiha succession ceremony.

• Pain told Konan that Obito’s retreat showed his guilty conscience, then contacted Natsuki and reported that Obito had backed down.
• Natsuki warned Pain that Obito would hide after recovering his left eye and suggested the Akatsuki Organization keep building its strength; he asked Pain to have Konan meet him.
• Natsuki learned that Fugaku had obtained the Land of Demons Miko’s Time Sealing Circle, sent people to investigate it, and began looking for people to delegate clan affairs to.
• The Third Hokage, Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu reviewed replies from other villages confirming attendance at Natsuki’s succession ceremony.
• The Third Hokage concluded that Natsuki was using the ceremony to pressure Konoha, while Danzo suspected the Sound Shadow was the Uchiha Clan’s puppet.

The Third Hokage and Danzo argued over how to prevent the Uchiha Clan from rebelling after rumors spread about Konoha’s orders during the Nine-Tails' Rampage. Jiraiya returned to the village, and the Third Hokage revealed that the Sound Shadow was coming with more than a hundred Uchiha Clan Members, including Shisui.

• Danzo warned the Third Hokage that the Uchiha Clan would stage a coup d'état, while the Third Hokage and the other elders considered admitting the village’s past arrangements.
• The Third Hokage decided to have Jiraiya handle the crisis and arrange Natsuki's previous demands, provoking Danzo, who blamed Hiruzen for pushing him forward as a scapegoat.
• Jiraiya arrived through the Hokage's Office window, and Danzo stormed out after arguing with the Third Hokage.
• The Third Hokage showed Jiraiya official letters revealing that the Sound Shadow would visit Konoha and bring back more than a hundred Uchiha Clan Members, including Shisui.

Jiraiya reported Sound Village’s rapid rise to the Third Hokage, who asked him to become Hokage and received a refusal. The Third Hokage decided to contact Orochimaru, hoping to strengthen Konoha against Uchiha Natsuki and secure a successor before his own time ran out.

• Jiraiya told the Third Hokage that Sound Village had grown prosperous and dominated missions in nearby small countries.
• The Third Hokage asked Jiraiya if he wanted to become Hokage, but Jiraiya declined after considering the burden.
• The Third Hokage explained that he had prepared what Orochimaru wanted and said he wanted to meet him.
• The Third Hokage weighed Tsunade’s suitability and recalled how his past decisions had contributed to her leaving Konoha.
• The Third Hokage concluded that Orochimaru might be the best person to counter Uchiha Natsuki, and considered exposing Danzo’s past actions if needed to bring Tsunade back.

Kabuto explained why he chose the slower, less mentally corrosive path to Snake Sage Mode, while Orochimaru tested his abilities and asked about his new role as Sound Shadow. Orochimaru then spoke with Jiraiya and the Third Hokage, who learned he was involved in Sound Village and would meet its Sound Shadow when Uchiha Natsuki came to Konoha.

• Kabuto told Orochimaru that he rejected the White Snake Sage's injected Natural Energy after it began eroding his mind, choosing instead to absorb Natural Energy himself.
• Orochimaru found that Kabuto's physical abilities had doubled, his Sage Mode strength had reached five times its normal level, and his sensory and recovery abilities had greatly improved.
• Kabuto said becoming Sound Shadow had not changed his daily work, and Orochimaru sent him to handle village affairs when the Contact Frog rang.
• Jiraiya contacted Orochimaru through the Contact Frog and said the Third Hokage had prepared what Orochimaru wanted, but Orochimaru declined to have it brought over.
• The Third Hokage asked whether the Uchiha Clan supported Sound Village, and Orochimaru said the village and clan were using each other while he also cooperated with it.
• Orochimaru told Jiraiya and the Third Hokage that Sound Shadow had fled Konoha because of Danzo's persecution and that Uchiha Natsuki's upcoming visit would reveal his identity.

The Third Hokage warned Orochimaru that Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami could have caused his trust in the Uchiha Clan. After realizing his feelings might have been altered, Orochimaru confronted Shisui and summoned Natsuki to answer for it.

• The Third Hokage questioned Orochimaru about his cooperation with the Uchiha Clan and explained that Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami could alter someone’s will without their awareness.
• Orochimaru returned to his base and reasoned that his sudden, unconditional trust in the Uchiha Clan was suspicious.
• Orochimaru summoned Shisui and asked about Kotoamatsukami, and Shisui admitted that he had used it on him.
• Orochimaru ordered Shisui to recall Natsuki so he could question him personally.
• Shisui used a crow and a Reverse Summoning Technique to bring Natsuki to Orochimaru’s base, then left when Natsuki signaled him to go.

Natsuki admitted that Shisui used Kotoamatsukami on Orochimaru to speed up their cooperation, then offered Orochimaru a valuable new opportunity in exchange for letting the incident go. Third Hokage tried to draw Orochimaru back to Konoha, but Orochimaru refused, leaving the village’s leadership anxious about Uchiha power.

• Natsuki admitted to Orochimaru that Shisui had used Kotoamatsukami on him to skip the process of building trust.
• Natsuki offered to help make someone become Orochimaru’s subordinate, and Orochimaru agreed to overlook the genjutsu if Natsuki delivered.
• Orochimaru told Natsuki that Obito had attacked the Uchiha Clan and reclaimed his Sharingan, so they needed to speed up their plans.
• Third Hokage contacted Orochimaru and asked whether he would return to Konoha, but Orochimaru refused, citing the crimes Danzo had pinned on him.
• Third Hokage considered Orochimaru’s value as a possible Hokage and worried that Konoha could not contain the rising Uchiha Clan.

Jiraiya confirmed intelligence about Obito’s damage to Mist Village and agreed to investigate the Nine-Tails’ Chakra leak in Naruto. Tsunade arrived at the Uchiha Clan Compound as its Medical Advisor, where Natsuki and the clan welcomed her before a banquet with Fugaku, Mikoto, and Itachi.

• Jiraiya told the Third Hokage that rogue-ninja intelligence indicated Obito had controlled the Fourth Mizukage and helped devastate Mist Village.
• The Third Hokage asked Jiraiya to watch Naruto after his Nine-Tails Chakra had leaked, and Jiraiya agreed to stay in Konoha and investigate.
• An Anbu informed the Third Hokage and Jiraiya that Tsunade had returned and gone to the Uchiha Clan.
• Natsuki arranged a formal welcome for Tsunade at the Uchiha Clan Compound and asked Shizune about the money he had given her.
• Tsunade joined Fugaku, Mikoto, and Itachi for the welcome banquet, where Fugaku explained that a clan traitor had injured his eyes.

Natsuki hosted Tsunade, showed her Fugaku and Itachi’s deteriorating vision from using the Mangekyō Sharingan, and proposed cooperating to remove Danzo. Tsunade agreed to consider working with the Uchiha Clan and began treating its injured members.

• Natsuki introduced Tsunade to the dishes he had prepared, then told her about Obito and the Uchiha Clan’s mistreatment.
• Fugaku let Tsunade examine his eyes, and he revealed that Uchiha lose their sight when their Mangekyō ocular power is exhausted.
• Natsuki asked Tsunade to examine Itachi, whose vision was also deteriorating, then explained that the Uchiha would use their Mangekyō only for self-defense.
• Natsuki proposed that Tsunade and the Uchiha cooperate to remove Danzo so the clan could return to Konoha; Tsunade said she would consider it.
• Natsuki brought Tsunade to the treatment room, introduced her as the Uchiha Clan’s medical advisor, and Shizune said the injured clansmen would recover with rest.

Natsuki brought Tsunade to treat the Uchiha wounded, and Shizune found that Oura and Rikuto’s damaged nerves could be surgically reconnected. Tsunade also considered Danzo’s possible links to Obito’s Wood Release and began planning the Uchiha Clan’s new hospital.

• Tsunade reassured the lightly injured Uchiha that their medicine was effective, then followed Natsuki to examine Oura and Rikuto.
• Natsuki told Tsunade that Obito had attacked Fugaku and Kakashi, prompting her to suspect a connection between Obito’s Wood Release and Danzo’s experiments.
• Shizune examined Oura and Rikuto and reported that their damaged nerves could be surgically reconnected; Tsunade agreed to guide Shizune through the operation.
• Natsuki arranged for Keimei to obtain the necessary supplies and brought Tsunade to a four-story building intended to become the Uchiha Clan hospital.

Jiraiya visited Tsunade at the Uchiha Clan Compound and learned she had become the clan’s Medical Advisor. After Tsunade warned him about Danzo and revealed that someone had survived Danzo’s infant experiments, they left to question the Third Hokage.

• Keimei reported Jiraiya’s arrival, and Natsuki escorted him to Tsunade.
• Tsunade finished planning Oura’s and Rikuto’s surgeries with Shizune and agreed to speak privately with Jiraiya.
• Tsunade told Jiraiya she would stay with the Uchiha Clan as its Medical Advisor and said Danzo, not the Uchiha, deserved his concern.
• Tsunade revealed that a survivor had lived through Danzo’s infant experiments, surprising Jiraiya, who said he had not known.
• Shizune reported that Oura and Rikuto were stable, and Tsunade left with Jiraiya to question the Third Hokage.