Recaps

Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Might Duy honored as a jonin and buried in Konoha Heroes Cemetery after learning he had defeated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Tianyi brought Duy’s body and six captured blades to the Uchiha camp, where Might Guy mourned his father and declined to claim a blade.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura reviewed the report of Might Duy’s final battle and discussed its effect on the war against the Hidden Mist Village.
• Hiruzen ordered Duy promoted to jonin, buried in Konoha Heroes Cemetery, and his widow given an orphan allowance until Might Guy came of age.
• Tianyi arrived at the Uchiha camp, where Uchiha Fugaku introduced Uchiha Shisui.
• Tianyi summoned Duy’s charred body and six Ninja Blades, then told Fugaku and Shisui how Duy had opened the Eight Gates and fought the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
• Fugaku brought Might Guy to see his father, and Guy wept beside Duy’s body.
• Tianyi promised to ensure Duy received recognition and offered Guy one of the blades, but Guy declined because his Strong Fist Style did not suit weapons.

Might Guy honored his father’s sacrifice as Tianyi arranged a reforged Kubikiribōchō for him, gave Nuibari to Itachi, and gifted Shisui a signed book before leaving. In Konoha, Might Duy was celebrated as a hero, while Hiruzen questioned Tianyi’s intentions and considered who should succeed him as Hokage.

• Tianyi arranged for the Uchiha Clan to reforge Kubikiribōchō for Might Guy and gave Nuibari to Fugaku as a gift for Itachi.
• Tianyi gave Shisui a signed copy of Independent Thinking, then flew away from the camp.
• News spread through Konoha that Might Duy had used the Eight Gates to hold off the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and save three children, prompting villagers to remember and honor him.
• Hiruzen noticed that the newspaper credited only Might Duy and suspected Tianyi had killed the other two swordsmen.
• Hiruzen considered his potential successors and favored Orochimaru, while postponing his concerns about Tianyi until the war ended.

After the war ended, Jiraiya and Orochimaru returned to Konoha to a heroes’ welcome, and the Third Hokage began positioning Orochimaru for the Hokage succession. He left the final decision unresolved until Tsunade returned, while acknowledging Hyuga Tianyi’s strength and political influence.

• Konoha celebrated the armistice with Iwagakure and welcomed Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and their returning troops.
• The Third Hokage appointed Orochimaru deputy commander of the Jonin Corps and assigned Jiraiya as adviser to the Konoha Special Operations Unit.
• Jiraiya understood that the Third was preparing Orochimaru for the Hokage position and joked that he wanted an easy job under him.
• The Third considered Tsunade’s qualifications and clan ties, and recognized that Hyuga Tianyi’s achievements and allies could make him a Hokage candidate.
• The Third decided to wait until Tsunade returned before sounding her out, then let Jiraiya and Orochimaru leave.

At the Rabbit Nation Base, Tianyi replied to Minato’s questions about the Rasenshuriken before traveling to the Land of Wind front to support Tsunade’s Hokage candidacy. After discussing the choice with her over drinks, he persuaded her to embrace becoming the world’s first female Kage, and they set off for the Leaf Village.

• Tianyi received Minato’s letter and explained the Rasenshuriken’s drawbacks and how senjutsu and Tailed Beast chakra could address them.
• Tianyi left Wang Qiang in charge of the base and traveled to the Land of Wind front, where he found Tsunade being pressured by former Senju Clan members to seek the Hokage position.
• Tianyi told Tsunade he would support her whether or not she wanted to become Hokage, then later joined her for drinks outside the camp.
• Tianyi argued that Tsunade’s ability to unite people suited her to lead the Leaf Village after the war, while Orochimaru’s ruthlessness made him a poor fit for the role at that time.
• Tsunade decided to pursue becoming the world’s first female Kage and told Tianyi to return with her to the Leaf Village.

Tsunade returned to Konoha from the Land of Wind front with several thousand Leaf ninja, and Tianyi’s carefully arranged welcome turned into a public demand for her to become Hokage. As Tsunade raised her fist before the cheering crowd, Nawaki fled to find his teacher and stop her from taking the position.

• Tsunade led the returning Leaf ninja toward Konoha, while Tianyi and Uchiha elites joined the procession.
• Villagers welcomed the troops, and Tianyi’s plants led chants calling for Tsunade to become Hokage.
• Hiruzen watched the crowd and concluded that he no longer needed to ask Tsunade about her interest in the position.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru watched from a rooftop, and Orochimaru recognized Tianyi as the planner behind the spectacle.
• Nawaki tried to slip away after realizing Tsunade might become Hokage, but Tsunade spotted him and glared him into a brief halt.
• Tianyi exchanged nods with Orochimaru as Tsunade raised her fist and the crowd’s cheers intensified.

Tianyi met with Hyuga Hiashi, who explained how he had reformed the Hyuga Clan and asked Tianyi to return; Tianyi agreed, seeking the clan’s support. Several days later, Tianyi gathered Tsunade and other allies at his residence to review a public promotion plan for Tsunade’s Hokage candidacy.

• Tianyi visited the Hyuga Clan Grounds after Hiashi invited him to meet.
• Hiashi described reforms that opened the clan to outsiders and allowed Branch House children to attend the Ninja Academy.
• Hiashi asked Tianyi to return to the Hyuga Clan, and Tianyi agreed in exchange for the clan’s support.
• Several days later, Tianyi met with Tsunade, Uchiha Fugaku, Hyuga Hiashi, Hatake Sakumo, and Minato Namikaze to review Tsunade’s image-building and public promotion plan.

Tianyi presented a detailed media and publicity campaign to promote Tsunade as Konoha’s first female Hokage, and the gathered clan leaders and ninja agreed to support it. Tsunade approved the plan and vowed to make her candidacy known throughout the Ninja World.

• Tianyi distributed his proposal to build Tsunade’s public image through newspaper coverage, fan operations, merchandise, and promotional events.
• Tsunade questioned whether Tianyi intended to make her a celebrity, and he said he would make her the Ninja World’s female Kage superstar.
• Fugaku worried about the Third Hokage’s reaction, while Tianyi argued that the Hokage should be chosen by winning the people’s support.
• Hiashi praised the thorough plan, and Minato, Hatake Sakumo, and the others showed their approval.
• Tianyi asked Fugaku, Hiashi, Hatake Sakumo, Minato, and Kakashi to rally their respective supporters and connections.
• Tsunade accepted the proposal and declared that they would show the Ninja World she was its number one female Kage.

Tsunade used wartime medical coverage and a medical ninjutsu tournament to build support for becoming Hokage, then challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi to let the Jonin and clan heads decide between her and Orochimaru. Hiruzen agreed to a fair contest, still believing Orochimaru would win.

• The Land of Fire Daily published stories about the war, including Tsunade's medical work, and Tianyi organized the first Medical Ninjutsu Tournament with Tsunade as chief judge.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Tsunade after seeing public support grow for her as Hokage.
• Tsunade criticized Hiruzen's view of the Hokage's role and condemned Danzo's abuses, declaring she would not give up her candidacy.
• Hiruzen said he favored Orochimaru, but Tsunade proposed a fair contest decided by the Jonin and clan heads, and Hiruzen agreed.
• Tsunade left after urging Hiruzen to smoke less and saying she wanted him alive to see her become Hokage.

Tsunade’s campaign for Hokage gained momentum, prompting the Third and his advisers to plan a strategy for Orochimaru. Meanwhile, Tianyi traveled to the Land of Fire’s capital to meet the daimyo, who arrived at the end of the chapter.

• Tsunade’s campaign appeared prominently in newspapers, her fan club attracted hundreds of recruits, and she announced a Leaf Medical Ninja Training Center.
• Nara Shikaku compared Tsunade’s and Orochimaru’s strengths and weaknesses, then advised focusing on winning support from clans and Jonin.
• The Third warned Orochimaru that Tsunade could become Hokage if she won the clans’ and Jonin’s votes, and Orochimaru vowed to claim the position.
• Tianyi traveled from the Leaf Village to the Land of Fire’s capital and presented Tsunade’s letter of introduction at the Daimyo Residence.
• The Daimyo of the Land of Fire entered the reception room where Tianyi was waiting.

Tianyi persuaded the Daimyo to support Tsunade’s bid for Hokage by arguing that electoral reform would serve the Daimyo Residence’s interests, and the two agreed that the Residence would send a representative to Leaf Village. On his way back, Tianyi received an emergency message from Commander Tian: Blue Star had found a solution to his Caged Bird Seal.

• The Daimyo offered Tianyi a position as chief guard, but Tianyi politely declined and discussed Tsunade’s electoral reform with him.
• Tianyi argued that delegating the right to elect the Hokage would benefit the Daimyo and that Tsunade would be easier to work with than Orochimaru.
• The Daimyo agreed to support Tsunade on the condition that the Daimyo Residence send a representative to Leaf Village, and Tianyi assured him its interests would be protected.
• After leaving the Daimyo Residence, Tianyi received Commander Tian’s emergency communication announcing that Blue Star had found a solution for the Caged Bird Seal.
• Tianyi changed course and flew toward the base in the Land of Whirlpools, planning to pursue the Tenseigan after resolving the seal.

Tianyi returned to Blue Star, where experts explained their plan to remove the Caged Bird Seal using implanted White Zetsu cells. He agreed to the treatment and was anesthetized as the surgery began.

• Tianyi returned from the Ninja World and followed Commander Tian to a laboratory in the Upper Capital base.
• A female professor explained that the Caged Bird was a biological chip system that could be tricked by White Zetsu cells into detaching from Tianyi’s nervous system.
• The experts proposed implanting a mixture of Tianyi’s cells and White Zetsu cells, then surgically removing the seal after it transferred to the implanted tissue.
• Commander Tian said the surgery had a success rate above ninety-five percent and would be followed by two weeks of examinations.
• Tianyi agreed to the treatment and was anesthetized while the surgical team prepared to operate.

After recovering from surgery at Blue Star Base, Tianyi learned that his Caged Bird seal was nearly gone and received a plan to strengthen himself for future threats. He returned to the Rabbit Nation Base resolved to pursue the Tenseigan and Sage Mode.

• Tianyi woke after surgery and received medical ninjutsu treatment, but the Caged Bird mark remained on his forehead.
• Over the next seven days, Tianyi's seal gradually faded as doctors monitored his recovery.
• Commander Tian told Tianyi that his Caged Bird was no longer a major problem and outlined plans to obtain the Main House's Byakugan for the Tenseigan and train in Sage Mode at Shikkotsu Forest.
• Tianyi accepted the plan and teleported from Blue Star Base back to the Rabbit Nation Base.
• Wang Qiang welcomed Tianyi, who placed the documents on the command tent table and prepared to focus on improving his strength.

Tianyi learned that Orochimaru was courting Konoha’s clans and prepared a political countermeasure before the Hokage election. After the Daimyo approved a broader voting system that weakened Orochimaru’s chances, Tianyi showed him a scroll that made Orochimaru reconsider the contest.

• Minato told Tianyi that Orochimaru had been courting major clans, while Fugaku, Hiashi, and the Ino-Shika-Chō remained neutral.
• The Daimyo arrived in Leaf Village before the election, met with Hiruzen Sarutobi, and left an official behind.
• The Konoha Daily announced that the Daimyo had approved a new Hokage election system with representatives from clans, unaffiliated ninja, and other sectors.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and his advisers realized that the reform would likely favor Tsunade and undermine Orochimaru’s campaign.
• Tianyi met Orochimaru outside Konoha and gave him a scroll, whose contents filled Orochimaru with longing and made him recognize Tianyi as one of his kind.

Tianyi gave Orochimaru research that could help him create a compatible body and persuaded him that the Hokage position would hinder his ambitions. Orochimaru withdrew from the election, Tsunade won by a wide margin, and Orochimaru left to pursue knowledge and transcendence.

• Tianyi gave Orochimaru a research scroll and warned that serving as Hokage would delay his experiments.
• Orochimaru decided the Hokage position was not his true goal and returned to the Leaf Village with the scroll.
• Hiruzen announced the five candidates in the Leaf Village's public election: Orochimaru, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Hyuga Tianyi, and Hatake Sakumo.
• The election committee announced that Orochimaru had withdrawn, and representatives voted among the remaining four candidates.
• Tsunade won with 285 of 330 votes and was declared the Leaf Village's Fourth Hokage.
• Orochimaru told Hiruzen he sought knowledge and a way to transcend human limits, then left to pursue his ambitions.

Tianyi persuaded Tsunade to let him leave for Shikkotsu Forest to learn Sage Mode, with Minato taking his place under her supervision. After arriving, he discovered that the land beneath him was Katsuyu’s true body, which began to move as Katsuyu revealed her gigantic full form.

• Tianyi told Tsunade he wanted to learn Sage Mode from Katsuyu, and she agreed on the condition that he find a replacement and return within three months.
• Tianyi summoned Minato to the Hokage Office and left him with Tsunade before departing for Shikkotsu Forest.
• Tianyi packed supplies and used Katsuyu’s summoning to reach Shikkotsu Forest.
• Tianyi found himself on a vast surface beside a lake of corrosive liquid and learned that the apparent continent beneath him was Katsuyu’s true body.
• Katsuyu began to move and revealed her enormous full form, towering over Tianyi.

Tianyi met Katsuyu and learned that Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode required three dangerous stages, including rebuilding his corroded body in an acidic lake. He began the first stage by using Katsuyu’s mucus to sense natural energy, while Katsuyu wondered whether he feared disfigurement.

• Tianyi was overwhelmed by the enormous size of Katsuyu, who explained that she usually communicated through split bodies.
• Katsuyu told Tianyi that Tsunade had completed the first stage of Sage Mode training but stopped at the second.
• Katsuyu explained the three stages: sensing natural energy, surviving the Acidic Lake while rebuilding his body, and refining senjutsu chakra into life energy to awaken Yang Release.
• Tianyi accepted the risks and asked Katsuyu to begin the first stage.
• Katsuyu covered Tianyi in mucus, and he began sensing natural energy as he meditated beside the lake.

Tianyi completed the first stage of sage training by drawing natural energy into his body, though he learned that Hashirama Senju had done it far faster. As Katsuyu began the next stage, she hurled Tianyi into the corrosive Acidic Lake and ordered him to draw in natural energy while enduring the pain.

• After seven days of repeated failures, Tianyi drew natural energy into his body and completed the first stage of sage training.
• Katsuyu praised Tianyi for completing the stage in seven days, then told him Hashirama Senju had managed it in about five hours.
• Tianyi stopped Katsuyu from revealing how long Hashirama took for the second stage and asked to continue his training.
• A tentacle suddenly wrapped around Tianyi and flung him into the Acidic Lake, where the corrosive liquid began eating away at his skin.
• Katsuyu told Tianyi to draw in natural energy, but the pain kept him from concentrating or sensing it.

Tianyi endured a second immersion in the Acidic Lake, using natural energy to heal and strengthen his body. Meanwhile, Madara ensured Danzo remained imprisoned so Obito could eventually confront him himself.

• Tianyi stopped healing his acid wounds with the Mystical Palm Technique and used natural energy to repair them.
• After several hours, Katsuyu lowered Tianyi into the Acidic Lake again, where natural energy helped his body withstand the corrosion and grow stronger.
• Uchiha Madara watched Uchiha Obito train and noted how quickly he had learned Yin-Yang Release and other techniques.
• Madara ordered White Zetsu to prevent Root from rescuing Danzo because Obito was meant to pursue him.
• Madara decided Danzo would stay imprisoned until Obito was ready to make him his first step into darkness.

Obito inherited Madara’s Eye of the Moon Plan and took his name as Madara died. Tianyi returned to Leaf Village and attended an assembly reviewing the village’s booming commercial district.

• Madara told Obito to inherit the Eye of the Moon Plan and become Uchiha Madara until he revived him.
• Madara removed the tubes sustaining his life and died, and Obito buried him in the cave.
• Obito put on Madara’s cloak and orange spiral mask and declared that he was Uchiha Madara.
• After months of Sage Mode training in Shikkotsu Forest, Tianyi used Flying Thunder God to return to Leaf Village.
• Tianyi arrived at a representative assembly where Nara Shikaku reported that the commercial district had earned 472 million ryō in revenue and created more than 1,200 jobs.

Shikaku reviewed Leaf Village’s economic growth, and the assembly approved plans to close the Red-Light Street, establish a Ministry of Commerce, and build four highways. Tianyi left the meeting as Minato reported that preparations were already underway.

• Shikaku reported that the shopping district, amusement park, casino, and hospital reforms had boosted revenue and improved public opinion of Leaf Village.
• Tsunade announced that the Red-Light Street had been shut down and explained that its former workers could find jobs at the hospital or theater.
• Tianyi proposed a Ministry of Commerce to register and support merchants, along with four highways connecting Leaf Village to the borders toward neighboring villages.
• The representative assembly approved all three agenda items, while Hiruzen reflected that Tsunade and Tianyi had transformed the village.
• Minato told Tianyi that preparations for the Ministry of Commerce were complete and highway route surveys would finish the following week.

Months after Leaf Village’s Ministry of Commerce expanded its influence across the Land of Fire, Tianyi completed the second stage of his training in Shikkotsu Forest and awakened Sage Mode. He returned to the Senju Clan Grounds and opened the Myriad Realms.

• The Ministry of Commerce registered more than two hundred merchants and gained control over much of the Land of Fire’s commercial network.
• Tianyi completed the transformation of his internal organs and meridians in Shikkotsu Forest’s acidic lake, gaining a body that blended with natural energy.
• Tianyi activated Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode and demonstrated his greatly increased power, accidentally damaging part of the area.
• Katsuyu congratulated Tianyi, explained that he could keep converting Yang Release chakra into life force, and sent him back to Tsuna.
• Tianyi used Flying Thunder God to return to the Senju Clan Grounds, reviewed recent news, and opened the Myriad Realms.

Tianyi used three skill points to raise Sage Mode to Master, reaching Super Kage strength. At the Land of Whirlpools training base, he demonstrated his enhanced speed, strength, recovery, and senjutsu power, leaving the researchers stunned.

• Tianyi spent his three skill points to master Sage Mode and saw his overall evaluation rise to Super Kage.
• The next day, Tianyi activated Sage Mode within seconds as Commander Tian and the researchers prepared to measure his abilities.
• Tianyi sprinted one hundred meters in 0.8 seconds unweighted and 1.2 seconds while wearing two hundred kilograms of weights.
• Tianyi struck the force-measuring target with 12.7 tons of force without using Chakra Enhanced Strength Technique, then healed a forearm wound in under twenty seconds.
• Tianyi unleashed Sage Art: Water Release: Water Shockwave, flooding the training ground and destroying the two-meter-thick alloy target wall.
• The researchers assessed Tianyi’s senjutsu attack as more than fifteen times stronger than normal, while Commander Tian watched in silence.

Tianyi tested Minato in battle and demonstrated the power of Sage Mode, then warned him that stronger enemies still existed. Minato shared that he and Kushina Uzumaki had set their wedding date for the tenth day of the ninth month.

• Tianyi used Sage Mode to catch Minato during his Flying Thunder God attack and repeatedly countered his techniques until Minato gave up.
• Tianyi explained that Sage Mode drew on natural energy and could multiply his strength several dozen times.
• Tianyi told Minato that he was not invincible and promised to send him to Shikkotsu Forest to learn Sage Mode once he had enough chakra.
• Tianyi asked when Minato and Kushina Uzumaki would marry, and Minato said their wedding was set for the tenth day of the ninth month.
• Minato teased Tianyi about never looking for someone, and Tianyi silently reflected that his enemies and circumstances kept him from settling down.

Obito, disguised as Uchiha Madara, visited Danzo in prison and offered to help him become Hokage in exchange for half of the Nine-Tails’ chakra. Danzo accepted, and Obito began his escape while White Zetsu took his place in the cell.

• Obito appeared in Danzo’s cell, and Danzo mistook him for Uchiha Madara after seeing his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Obito proposed an alliance, promising to help Danzo become Hokage by releasing the Nine-Tails and letting Danzo seize power after the battle.
• Obito demanded half of the Nine-Tails’ chakra, and Danzo agreed to the deal.
• White Zetsu transformed into Danzo and remained in the cell as Obito took the real Danzo away through a black vortex.

Tianyi spent the day taking his young disciple Itachi around Leaf Commercial Street, where Itachi explored the shops and bought a toy. After carrying the exhausted boy home, Tianyi met Fugaku, who asked how Itachi’s illness was.

• Tianyi praised Itachi’s kunai skills at the Uchiha Training Ground and gave him tri-colored dango.
• Tianyi took Itachi to Leaf Commercial Street, where Itachi bought a Labubu toy and sampled snacks.
• Tianyi and Itachi spent the day exploring the street, and Itachi fell asleep on Tianyi’s back as they returned to the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
• Mikoto took the sleeping Itachi inside, and Fugaku invited Tianyi to the reception room.
• Fugaku asked Tianyi how Itachi’s illness was.