Chapter Summaries

Masaichi proposed taxing wealthy ninja clans at sixty percent, and Danzo backed him, forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi to postpone a decision. Danzo, Masaichi, and Orochimaru then plotted to push the policy through without Hiruzen, but argued over how to divide the money.

• Masaichi proposed a sixty-percent tax on wealthy business owners, and a Jonin nearly accused him of treason before Choza Akimichi knocked him down.
• Danzo supported Masaichi’s proposal, while Hiruzen Sarutobi adjourned the Jonin meeting rather than approve it.
• Danzo and Hiruzen argued in the Hokage’s office over taxing ninja clans and ordinary people equally.
• Danzo, Masaichi, and Orochimaru secretly discussed implementing the tax and dividing the proceeds among Root, Orochimaru’s research, and the village.
• Danzo and Orochimaru refused to give Masaichi a share, and the three argued over money before the policy had even been implemented.

Masaichi’s factories prospered before Root audited his business and the Sarutobi Clan’s accounts, while White Zetsu provoked the great villages into turning the Third Shinobi World War against Konoha. As Konoha faced mounting attacks, Orochimaru was denied permission to fight and questioned whether Hiruzen Sarutobi had betrayed him, leaving his loyalty uncertain.

• Masaichi built a successful skateboard and toy business, but Nara Jingren classified it as high-income and withheld sixty percent of its income as tax.
• Nara Jingren audited the Sarutobi Clan’s accounts and classified them as high-income as well.
• White Zetsu impersonated ninjas from the great villages, staged attacks, and reignited unrest to make Konoha appear responsible for stirring up trouble.
• At the start of Konoha’s forty-seventh year, Hidden Rock Village, Hidden Cloud Village, and Hidden Mist Village attacked Konoha as other villages threatened to take advantage.
• Orochimaru asked Hiruzen Sarutobi for permission to join the fighting, but Hiruzen refused.
• Orochimaru recalled Hiruzen’s past kindness and formed the theory that Hiruzen could be both loyal and treacherous until he found irrefutable evidence.

Orochimaru questioned Hiruzen Sarutobi about his favoritism toward Minato, then unexpectedly joined Minato’s Team on its Kannabi Bridge mission. The team traveled together, and Masaichi’s surprise at Obito’s newly awakened Sharingan ended the chapter.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi worried when Orochimaru stayed silent and shut himself away in his laboratory.
• Orochimaru asked Hiruzen Sarutobi whether he or Minato mattered more, then challenged his teacher’s unequal treatment of Masaichi and Minato’s students.
• Orochimaru joined Minato’s Team for the mission to destroy Kannabi Bridge, surprising Masaichi and the others.
• During a campfire rest, Orochimaru awkwardly praised Minato while Masaichi watched for signs of conflict.
• Masaichi spotted Obito’s awakened Sharingan and shouted, drawing everyone’s attention.

Obito awakened his One-Tomoe Sharingan after reading Masaichi’s tragic romance stories, which Orochimaru had encouraged Masaichi to write to strengthen the Uchiha. At the Hidden Rock Village front, Orochimaru secretly gave Masaichi poisoned protein powder for Minato, and Masaichi proposed using Obito to deliver it.

• Obito explained that the stories about betrayal and doomed love had awakened his Sharingan, while Minato sympathized with him and Kakashi dismissed the emotions involved.
• Masaichi revealed that he had written the stories to provoke Uchiha and awaken their Sharingan before they faced the Hidden Mist ninja, hoping to help Rin survive.
• Orochimaru arrived with Minato at the Hidden Rock Village front, where Jiraiya warned Minato to inspect anything he ate or used.
• Orochimaru admitted that the protein powder he gave Masaichi contained poison, and Masaichi excitedly proposed having Obito give it to Minato.

Minato’s Team set out on a mission after Orochimaru and Masaichi secretly poisoned Minato through protein powder and bananas. Minato collapsed before he could draw the Hidden Rock forces, and Orochimaru and Masaichi brought him to a Hidden Rock camp, leaving White Zetsu and Uchiha Madara bewildered.

• Minato told Obito to return Masaichi’s protein powder, while Obito kept it and shared bananas with the team before their mission.
• Orochimaru and Masaichi revealed that they had poisoned Minato’s food, and Orochimaru said Tsunade’s poison should work.
• Minato killed Mahiru to save Kakashi, then split the team so he could draw the Hidden Rock forces while Kakashi led Obito and Rin to destroy their supply bridge.
• Minato became lightheaded and collapsed after losing his ability to sense chakra, and Masaichi carried him away with Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru offered the disguised White Zetsu at the Hidden Rock camp twenty-five million ryo to make a deal, while White Zetsu and Uchiha Madara struggled to understand the change in plans.

Madara watched Konoha’s internal conflict and expected his plan to manipulate Obito to proceed, but Orochimaru’s use of a powerful sedative disrupted the operation. Masaichi rescued Rin, Kakashi, and Obito, leaving Madara to reconsider how to make Obito suffer a heartrending farewell.

• Madara ordered the White Zetsu Hidden Rock Jonin to cooperate with Orochimaru while he observed Konoha’s infighting.
• Tsunade’s sedative left Obito, Kakashi, and Minato unconscious, while Rin was taken to Madara’s cave as planned.
• Orochimaru instructed the White Zetsu Hidden Rock Jonin to seize him and Minato, then ordered Masaichi to seek reinforcements.
• Masaichi found and freed Obito, Kakashi, and Rin, dispelling Rin’s genjutsu and realizing Madara had disrupted their situation.
• Madara rejected a White Zetsu’s suggestion to attack the group and devised another way to make Obito experience a painful farewell.

Masaichi reported that Orochimaru and Minato had been captured by the Hidden Rock Village, but Jiraiya initially dismissed the claim. After Hiruzen Sarutobi received proof of their capture, Konoha mobilized for a rescue, leaving the village at risk of destruction as Madara prepared to use the conflict to reach Obito.

• Jiraiya accused Masaichi of lying about Orochimaru and Minato being captured, then misunderstood Rin's explanation and assumed the mission had succeeded.
• Masaichi and Minato's Team headed back to Konoha to seek help, and Hiruzen Sarutobi met them with ANBU and the remaining village ninja after receiving a photograph of the captured Orochimaru and Minato.
• Hiruzen explained that Ōnoki was also heading toward the battlefield, while Jiraiya had been sent to intercept him; Danzo and Masaichi realized Konoha might face a full assault if the capture became known.
• Jiraiya began fighting Ōnoki, Han, Rōshi, and Kitsuchi in the Land of Grass as Hiruzen's forces moved to rescue Orochimaru and Minato.
• Madara dispatched the White Zetsu across the Ninja World and ordered them to drive Obito above his underground position during the battle.

The White Zetsu Rock ninja forced Hiruzen Sarutobi to choose whether Orochimaru or Minato would die, while Hiruzen searched for a way to save them both. The chapter ended with Hiruzen offering his own life, but the Rock ninja rejected him and demanded that he choose between the two captives.

• Orochimaru and Minato hung over a cliff, unable to escape the chakra-sealing technique, as the White Zetsu Rock ninja waited for Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha group arrived and found the Rock ninja willing to release only one captive, with the other to be thrown to their death.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi tried to buy time and considered using Shibi Aburame's insects to catch whoever fell, but the White Zetsu Rock ninja threatened Orochimaru and Minato directly.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi offered to die in exchange for saving both Orochimaru and Minato, but the White Zetsu Rock ninja refused and demanded that he choose one.

Hiruzen Sarutobi chose to save Minato, but Obito and Kakashi rescued both hostages before Orochimaru could be killed. Orochimaru feigned death and watched Konoha mourn him, while Masaichi and Anko cried over his body.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi chose Minato, and Madara ordered the Iwa ninjas to kill both hostages.
• Obito and Kakashi attacked the captors, freed Minato and Orochimaru, and carried them back to Konoha's ranks.
• Rin treated Minato's temple wound as Hiruzen Sarutobi and others gathered around him, while Kakashi laid Orochimaru down.
• Masaichi knelt beside Orochimaru and wailed, and Anko also mourned her teacher.
• Orochimaru revealed he had survived by watching a small snake emerge from his temple and heal the wound.

After Orochimaru and Minato were rescued, Hiruzen and Ōnoki led Konoha and the Hidden Rock Village into an all-out battle. Madara repeatedly sent White Zetsu after Masaichi and Obito, then took control of one himself to confront Masaichi.

• Hiruzen reunited with the living Orochimaru, and Ōnoki arrived too late to stop the rescue before the two leaders faced off.
• Hiruzen summoned Enma and charged Ōnoki while Minato, Orochimaru, Masaichi, Danzo, and Konoha's clans joined the battle against the Hidden Rock Village.
• Konoha's fighters used their clan techniques against the larger Hidden Rock force, while Minato and Orochimaru each faced a Jinchūriki.
• Madara sent White Zetsu disguised as Rock ninja to lure Obito toward Rin, but Masaichi killed them before Obito could pursue.
• After repeated batches of White Zetsu were killed by Masaichi, Madara took control of one and went to confront him himself.

Madara possessed White Zetsu and fought Masaichi, Obito, and Kakashi while Ōnoki and Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered attacks on each side’s next generation. Rin was taken during the battle, and Masaichi and Kakashi found Obito trapped beneath a boulder after he had saved her.

• Madara controlled White Zetsu and attacked Masaichi, who held him off until Obito joined the fight.
• Obito refused to abandon Rin, and Kakashi was moved by his insistence that comrades mattered more than missions.
• Kakashi restrained Madara while Masaichi struck him down, but Madara later returned in a Shadow Clone and beat Masaichi, Kakashi, and other Konoha ninjas.
• Rin was taken away, so the injured Obito chased after her while Masaichi and Kakashi followed.
• Obito shoved Rin out of the way of a cave-in and was pinned beneath a boulder, where he joked about Masaichi and Kakashi as Rin wept beside him.

Masaichi tried to save Obito from the boulder, but Obito gave him his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and entrusted Rin to him before dying. Later, as Konoha counted its war dead and prepared for peace talks, Masaichi challenged Orochimaru and Danzo’s plan to seize the Hokage position.

• Masaichi struggled to lift the boulder trapping Obito as Madara caused the cave to shake.
• Obito awakened a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, gave one eye to Masaichi, and asked him to protect Rin before dying beneath the falling rocks.
• Konoha recorded 378 ninja deaths, and Orochimaru visited Masaichi in the temporary hospital.
• Orochimaru and Danzo told Masaichi that Konoha and the Hidden Rock Village were preparing to negotiate peace, with Minato expected to lead the talks.
• Orochimaru and Danzo discussed taking the Hokage position and possibly assassinating Hiruzen Sarutobi, while Masaichi warned that their plan had a serious flaw.
• Masaichi explained that exposing the poison plot could implicate Tsunade as well as Orochimaru, leaving the Orochimaru faction vulnerable if they did not protect themselves.

Masaichi advised Orochimaru and Danzo to fight for support rather than keep yielding to Minato, while Orochimaru sought an international ally. At the Hidden Cloud front, Masaichi and Orochimaru’s subordinates arranged to betray Jiraiya and secured A’s cooperation against him in exchange for two Byakugan.

• Masaichi explained that Minato’s reputation, accomplishments, and connections gave him a strong claim to the Hokage position, while Orochimaru’s main advantage was his willingness to play dirty.
• Danzo proposed killing Minato or launching a coup, but Masaichi warned that both plans were impractical and urged them to fight for every shinobi and find an international ally.
• Orochimaru asked Masaichi to study Obito’s Sharingan, then summoned him to the Hidden Cloud front after he recovered from his injuries.
• Masaichi told Hayakawa Rin, Kurosaki Ren, and Tsukishima Yoru that Hiruzen planned to strip Orochimaru of his military authority, and they agreed to sell out Jiraiya.
• A met with Masaichi and agreed to target Jiraiya’s forces in exchange for Orochimaru meeting Hidden Cloud Village’s demands, including providing two Byakugan.

Obito awoke in Madara’s hideout, where the two were poisoned by protein powder, while news spread of Might Dai and Guy defeating most of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Minato and Fugaku discussed Masaichi’s growing influence and the new taxes burdening the Uchiha, leaving Konoha’s political tensions unresolved.

• Obito woke beside Uchiha Madara, mistook him for the Grim Reaper, and offered him protein powder as thanks for saving him.
• Obito panicked about Rin and his Sharingan, but Madara refused to let him return before recovering; Madara and Obito then collapsed after drinking the poisoned powder.
• Might Dai and Might Guy used the Eight Gates to defeat all but three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and Dai credited Masaichi with helping him train.
• Minato told Fugaku that the Hidden Cloud front had suffered heavy losses and that Ōnoki was exploiting the turmoil rather than pursuing a ceasefire.
• Fugaku complained that the Uchiha faced rich-person and inheritance taxes, while Minato explained that Masaichi had framed paying taxes as proof of love for the village.

Hiruzen struggled to contain Orochimaru’s growing power in Konoha while Minato’s team met Naruto and Yamato from the future in the Country of Roran. Their revelations left Minato and Kakashi confronting a future of Orochimaru’s defection, Konoha’s destruction, and Minato’s death.

• Hiruzen confronted Orochimaru over his influence and resources, but Orochimaru defended his actions by citing Konoha’s finances and the needs of its villagers and frontline ninjas.
• Minato led Choza Akimichi, Shibi Aburame, and Kakashi on a mission to guard the queen of the Country of Roran, where they met Naruto and Yamato from the future.
• Minato asked Naruto and Yamato how Orochimaru would fare as Hokage, and they instead described Orochimaru’s alliance with Sunagakure to destroy Konoha and the Third Generation’s death defending it.
• Yamato revealed that Minato would die during the Nine-Tails Rebellion in October of the forty-eighth year of Konoha, only a year away.
• Naruto and Yamato disclosed that Orochimaru would defect after the Third Generation discovered his human experiments and would later target Sasuke’s body.

Masaichi recruited rogue ninjas for Orochimaru’s growing faction, alarming Nara Shikaku about Orochimaru’s expanding power. Shikaku persuaded Hiruzen Sarutobi to make Jiraiya Hokage temporarily so Minato could later succeed him, and Hiruzen began recalling the Jonin stationed outside.

• Masaichi recruited rogue ninjas on the Hidden Cloud Village front by offering them Konoha residency, helping Orochimaru’s faction grow from 1,200 people to 1,300.
• Nara Shikaku warned Hiruzen Sarutobi that Orochimaru’s influence was growing and could undermine Minato’s path to becoming Hokage.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated to hold the Hokage election because he feared Minato might lose to Orochimaru’s greater seniority.
• Nara Shikaku proposed that Jiraiya become Hokage temporarily while Hiruzen trained Minato to take over after two or three years.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted the plan and urgently recalled the Jonin stationed outside Konoha.

Minato resolved to become Hokage after suspecting Orochimaru had caused the Nine-Tails Rebellion, but the election unexpectedly pitted Orochimaru against Jiraiya. Jiraiya gained overwhelming support and modestly resisted the nomination, while Hiruzen prepared to persuade him to accept.

• Hiruzen asked Minato whether he was determined to become Hokage, and Minato affirmed his resolve as he thought of Kushina and Naruto.
• Masaichi returned to Konoha with reinforcements and learned that Jiraiya, not Minato, had become Orochimaru's rival in the election.
• Danzo, Orochimaru, and Masaichi discussed their weak position, while Orochimaru and Masaichi privately considered leaving Konoha to found a ninja village if they lost.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura, and Koharu nominated Jiraiya, while Danzo alone nominated Orochimaru.
• Jiraiya's supporters praised him as the crowd rallied behind him, and he modestly claimed he was unfit to be Hokage.
• Hiruzen decided to indulge Jiraiya's reluctance and have Koharu and the others plead with him to accept the position.

Masaichi used Jiraiya’s own doubts to derail his Hokage candidacy, then a woman arrived claiming Jiraiya had fathered her white-haired infant. As Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Jiraiya, Masaichi asked Orochimaru to test the child’s parentage, and Nara Shikaku urged them to acknowledge the child for now.

• Masaichi and Danzo’s supporters argued that Jiraiya’s reluctance meant the village should nominate someone else, forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi to adjourn the meeting.
• A woman named Delia arrived with a white-haired infant and claimed Jiraiya was the child’s father, and the scandal spread across Konoha.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi angrily confronted Jiraiya and ordered the ANBU to bring Delia before him.
• Masaichi asked Orochimaru to check whether the infant was Jiraiya’s, leaving Orochimaru puzzled by the request.
• Jiraiya denied knowing whether the child was his, and Nara Shikaku said they should acknowledge the child.

Jiraiya was cleared by Orochimaru’s DNA test, but villagers came to believe he had framed Delia to protect his Hokage bid, ruining his candidacy. The scandal turned Jiraiya and Orochimaru into public enemies and deepened Konoha’s political divide, while Masaichi’s words and popular factory shifted some villagers’ views of the so-called villains.

• Nara Shikaku advised Jiraiya to marry Delia to avoid being accused of abandoning her and their child, but Orochimaru’s DNA test showed the child was almost certainly not Jiraiya’s.
• Delia admitted she had tried to extort money from Jiraiya, and Jiraiya publicly clarified the matter with Hiruzen Sarutobi’s help.
• Villagers suspected Jiraiya had pressured Delia into confessing to protect his Hokage campaign, and he lost his chance to run.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru traded accusations, and Konoha branded Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze hypocrites while calling Orochimaru and Masaichi true villains.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru’s factions split Konoha’s politics as Masaichi’s Shadow Clone spread the saying that a hypocrite was worse than a true villain.
• Masaichi’s thriving toy factory hired villagers and shared its after-tax profits with employees, helping improve the common folk’s view of the villains.

Orochimaru sent Minato to the Hidden Mist front, where Hiruzen gave him an enormous force and guarded against Orochimaru's schemes. Madara struggled to reach Rin amid Minato's precautions, until Nara Shikaku realized Minato's supporters had been maneuvered into danger and warned him to return to the village.

• Orochimaru proposed sending Minato to fight the Hidden Mist Village, and Hiruzen sent him with Jiraiya and a powerful team of Konoha shinobi.
• Orochimaru and Masaichi welcomed the Land of Fire Daimyo to Konoha, while Hiruzen watched their reception warily.
• Madara found Minato had heavily guarded the medical ninja encampment, leaving him unable to capture Rin.
• Madara considered an all-out attack to draw guards away, but Minato's loyal supporters followed his orders and denied Madara an opening.
• Nara Shikaku realized Minato had gained many supporters and urgently told him to return to the village.